What is Fitness Training with a Personal Trainer

What is Fitness Training with a Personal Trainer Personal Training: What makes Exercise Classes with a Fitness Instructor ChaptersPersonal Fitness Training: Tailored Coaching from a Fitness ProfessionalIn-Home Personal Training: Low Hassle FitnessPersonal Training at the GymGroup Fitness Classes: A Cost-Efficient OptionThe Increasing Popularity of Personal TrainingIn recent years, personal training has become more popular than ever before.Did you know that the International Coach Federation found the market for sports coaching to be worth approximately 1.1 billion euros?Regardless of whether it’s at home, at a gym, or outdoors, fitness coaching is catching the attention of more and more people.According to Thierry Gaches from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, there are 4,600 fitness instructors in France alone.1,600 of these operate as part of professional coaching associations.The average salary of a personal trainer is a comfortable €40,000.But do you know what a personal trainer actually does?Personal trainers can have many roles, depending on the needs of their client:Encourage discus sion about progress, feelings, fitness goals, skills and adopting the right mindset so their athlete can experience a real and sustainable changeAsking questions to facilitate the client’s thinking process in order to identify solutions rather than adopting a directorial approachSupport and motivate their athlete on their journey towards their goals, making sure that they  keep their eye on the ball CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 (6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussio n Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsPersonal Fitness Training: Tailored Coaching from a Fitness ProfessionalGenerally, personal training is a way of training with the fitness expertise of an accredited fitness professional by your side fr om start to finish.A personal trainer is much more than a fitness instructor I might find in group exercise classes near me at the gym. As a personal fitness professional, they can provide advice as well as take your own attitude into account and keep you motivated as you push towards your goals.Stay on track with a personal sports coach ¦ source: Visualhunt - Sole TreadmillThe term ‘coach’ dates back to the 16th century. ‘Coach’ comes from the Old French word, ‘coche’ meaning ‘horse-drawn carriage’.In the mid-19th century, ‘coaching’ began to be used to describe a teacher helping a student prepare for their final exams, however, it was not until 1860 that ‘coaching’ entered common use in a sporting context.Private coaching, also known as personal fitness training is not limited to physical improvement. Unlike general sports coaching (for football, for example), personal training is about the wellbeing of a client just as much as it is about their sporting a bility.For this reason, a personal trainer would be able to help you improve your confidence, gain new life skills and feel more comfortable in your own skin as well as helping you become physically healthier.The International Coach Federation defines personal training as the tailored support of an individual in the implementation and the evolution of their project.In a personal training arrangement, the coach helps the athlete fulfil their maximum potential through personalised training programs and fitness nutrition plans as well as progress tracking.Search for personal trainers near me.In-Home Personal Training: Low Hassle FitnessPersonal training means professional support from a fitness specialist with a personal trainer certificate.Personal trainers use their program design skills and the knowledge they have acquired through their years of experience in the fitness industry to provide their clients with a tailored exercise program specifically designed to help them achieve the ir goals.In addition to offering one to one support and individualised advice, personal trainers can adapt their services to your situation.If you’re a busy mum, or your career doesn’t leave you much free time, coaches can come to your home.Whether it’s to help a client get in shape, lose weight, gain muscle mass, improve their flexibility, increase muscular strength or prepare for a sports tournament, in-home personal trainers are able to provide quality workout plans and personal training sessions which you can do without leaving the house!Advantages to In-Home Personal TrainingSave time: With the removed hassle of making the journey to the gym and finding a parking space, you’ll have more time on your hands to use however you wish.Stay motivated: Managing to put on your sports kit and head to the gym on your own isn’t always easy, but with a coach who comes to your door, there will be no room for excuses, and with someone to guide you, you’re far more likely to succee d in your objectives.Personalisation: Unlike the type of training you find in gyms (which is usually done as part of a group fitness class), private coaching is centred around you, the client. This means that your fitness program and workouts are prescribed based on your physiology, body composition and aerobic ability, following a fitness assessment with your trainer.Professional services: In-home personal trainers are fully qualified in what they do, and have the knowledge to advise on a wide variety of topics, from how much sleep you should be getting, to the time of day you should be working out, to post-workout snacks. CalumDrama School Entrance Teacher 5.00 (15) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ToriSpanish Teacher 5.00 (1) £15/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors OliviaSchool support Teacher 5.00 (2) £21/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarkESOL (English) Teacher 4.76 (17) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors YuweiChinese Teacher 4.33 ( 6) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JenniferMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LouiseAutoCAD Teacher 5.00 (3) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RickyPercussion Teacher 5.00 (7) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolasGuitar Teacher 5.00 (2) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MyriamOrganic chemistry Teacher 5.00 (13) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JonathanEconomics Teacher 5.00 (9) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Oluwakemi imoleMaths Teacher 5.00 (1) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlexPhysics Teacher 5.00 (1) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AdamSinging Teacher 5.00 (14) £48/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValentiniMusic reading Teacher 5.00 (2) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MilenaMaths Teacher 5.00 (5) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors RashmiEconomics Teacher 5.00 (1) £35/h1st lesson fre e!Discover all our tutorsPersonal Training at the GymGoing to the gym for personal training sessions is recommended for the more motivated athletes who have no trouble getting out of the door.A number of people who pay for gym memberships that they never use is higher than you may think - Britons waste a staggering £558 million on unused gym memberships every year!As the gym is a shared workout area, one to one sessions usually take place in the presence of other gym users.This can be positive or negative depending on the type of athlete you are. Some people prefer the added level of security, whereas others see strangers as a distraction.Working on your strength is just one reason to find a personal trainer ¦ source: Pixabay - RyanMcGuireRegardless of how you feel about this, there are many advantages to personal training at the gym:Qualified coaching: Training in gyms and health clubs means that you are surrounded by fitness experts as well as others who are in your position. Th is can keep you motivated and give you peace of mind that your coach is fully qualified and approved by the organisation.Realise your dreams: Your personal trainer will provide you with a training program that is made with you in mind, and with full access to the gym facilities, your coach will be able to take you through your workouts, so you never hit a dead end in your sessions.A source of motivation: Having your personal training session at the gym means that you will be surrounded by others who are working just as hard as you are, but the difference is that you’ll have professional guidance on taking your training to the next level, removing the risk of stagnation.A relationship of trust: Just as with in-home coaching, arranging to your personal trainer at the gym adds a layer of confidence, since both parties have to commit to the agreement. The relationship of trust that develops from this is key to obtaining positive results.Group Fitness Classes: A Cost-Efficient OptionAs the old saying goes, ‘the more, the merrier’!Setting out to get fit as a new year’s resolution, training in preparation for a competition, or just trying to burn some calories demands a lot of motivation.Trying to do these things alone isn’t always easy, and a lack of motivation is the reason why so many people fall back into their old habits.So, can group training help you see your fitness program through?Exercising as part of a group means that you can feed off the energy of other people in the training session.Interacting with fitness experts as well as others in your position will give you a chance to listen to other people’s experiences, motivate each other and share tips on every aspect of health and fitness.So, how does group coaching work?You’ll get together a group of friends or colleagues and register for group training with your chosen gym.Just as with one on one training, you’ll have a pre-programme meeting to discuss your lifestyles and fitness goals so t hat the coach can set out an appropriate training program for the group.Wherever you choose to have your training sessions, you’ll have the company of 2 to 3 others as well as your fitness coach â€" so there’s no need to worry about losing motivation!The Increasing Popularity of Personal TrainingPersonal training services are in higher demand than ever before â€" and the increasing popularity shows no signs of slowing.Word of mouth works well, and it means that happy customers become ambassadors for whichever personal training business they use, recruiting more people and introducing them to personal training.Is the internet the answer to everything including sport? ¦ source: Pixabay - FirmBeeClients are always gaining more knowledge about the types of health problems they may encounter in their lifetimes, and exercise is usually a recommended prevention method, so finding a personal trainer gives them a proper focus for this.With more demand comes more diversity in what person al trainers have to offer. This is why more and more coaches are offering their services as an online personal trainer. The internet offers even more flexibility and choice in working with your personal coach.Of course, the cost of a personal coach who works around you is often higher than those who work solely at the gym, simply because of travel time and journey costs.

How to Evaluate Your Academic Performance

How to Evaluate Your Academic Performance With May and June comes the conclusion of the academic school year. The average student returns or sells his or her textbooks, throws his or her backpack into a closet, and pushes all thoughts of academia to the back of his or her mind until August or September. However, the conclusion of the school year is also the perfect time to pause and evaluate your academic performance. How? With thorough self-reflection, of course! It may seem like the last thing youd want to do as summer begins, but taking just a little bit of time to revisityour past school year now can greatly enhance your future academic performance. You may also want to consider these tips to help you stay current any in class this summer. Why should you evaluateyour school year? Self-reflection is a crucial skill that not enough students exercise. If you are one of those students who has not yet put forth the effort to do this, do not fretit is never too late to begin! Self-reflection refers to a process in which you seriously consider your actions and motives, as well as the outcomes that result. Like any art, you can hone your self-reflective abilities with practice, but you can also begin at any time. The question you may now be pondering, of course, is, Why should I? The answer to your question is surprisingly simple: self-reflection allows you to improve. It teaches you to recognize your weaknesses, yes, but it also enables you to determine the source of said weaknesses and to construct solutions. In an increasingly competitive academic and professional world, self-reflection can serve as a true advantage. What questions should you ask yourself? Begin with broad questionsWhat course(s) was I strongest in? What course(s) was I weakest in? Was this semester or year typical for me? Then, seek connections: Did I take on too many responsibilities, academically or otherwise? Was my performance better or poorer than in past years? Delve deeperWhat did I do to earn high marks in these courses? What study habits did I rely on? Did I abandon them in classes where I received low grades? Will I need to take a course like this again? Am I satisfied with my results? Any and all questions are valid, so feel free to expand upon this list and to experiment. If you are struggling with your studies, here is some great information on how to identify your study stylewhich may help you in the future. What should you do with the information you gather? Once you complete the self-reflection process, you may feel overwhelmed. This is completely natural. If you took notes during the active, questioningphase, closely review them. Highlight observations that seem especially salient. If you did not take notes, jot down several now. Once you have done so, step away for 24 to 48 hours. This will allow you to decide upon a plan of action with a fresh mind. When you return to your observations, examine them for similarities across classes. Did a specific habit, such as reading your textbook in the morning orworking with tutors, contribute to your success in biology and English literature? Did a particular practice harm your performance in geometry and history? What can and will you do differently next semester or next year? What will you not change? If you are initially uncertain about how to address the issues that self-reflection raises, what resources can you turn to for further guidance? Build a short list of items to continue or implement in your future courses, and then store it in a safe location. You will need it when the academic year begins anewas well as when it is time to evaluate your academic performance again!

Singing for Kids What You Need to Know About Voice Breaks

Singing for Kids What You Need to Know About Voice Breaks Suzy S. Do both boys and girls experience voice breaks and cracks as they learn to sing? Find out in this guest post by Ocala, CA teacher Angie Q. One common question I get asked by my students is: Do both girls and boy students go through a vocal change? The answer is yes. I have been teaching voice lessons to both boys and girls (of all ages) for more than 15 years. Heres how it breaks down: Boys Boy voices start to change during the first stages of puberty and can progress very slowly or quickly. You will most often notice your voice changing when speaking first before it challenges your singing. Your speaking voice will start to sound hoarse, and your singing voice will not be far behind. In some cases, youll notice voice breaks or cracks, which is a good sign your voice is starting to change. If the progress is slow, your singing challenge will be harder. If the progress is quick, your singing challenge will be easier. There are normally stages of voice change for boys if the progress is slow. Stage One is around 12 to 14, Stage Two is around 14 to 16, and then your voice could settle somewhat. Stage Three can happen as late as 21-23 unless your voice settles at Stage Two for your final change. What Can You Do? The best advice is to continue private vocal study all the way through your voice change. Songs will be limited and need to be transposed with your progress, but it can be disastrous for you if you stop private vocal study during your voice change. Your ear is greatly affected by the change and boys who stop private vocal study are more likely to stop singing due to this challenge, where boys who continue studying develop their ear to the new octaves and learn how to place the tone. You can study with either men or women teachers before your voice changes, but it is more beneficial for you to have a man teacher during and after the changes so he can sing in your octaves and show examples with his voice. Girls Girl voices also start to change during the first stages of puberty and almost always progress slower than boy voices. You may not notice your voice changing in your speaking voice like young boys, but if you are a singer you will always notice this challenge. There are not really stages of change with your speaking or singing voice, but your challenge as a singer will normally last until the age of 16 or 17. What Can You Do? The best advice is to continue private vocal study all the way through your voice change. It can be disastrous if you do not continue vocal study during your change. Keep in mind that you cannot belt as high as your singing voice starts to go through the change. It is beneficial for young girls (ages 8 to 12) to have a private teacher already teaching you how to use your chest voice, middle/bridge voice, and head voice instead of always just belting when youre young. Your head voice will be airy and unsupported at first, and that’s OK. Learning the proper tone placement and breath support can make all the difference. Additional Tips Nine times out of 10 you are going to feel your voice break before it actually cracks, and this is what causes you to close up or throw the tone backwards. Try your best to keep the throat open with a good balance of air when you feel this crack coming on and keep pushing the tone forward. Let it go ahead and crack during rehearsals for warm-ups and those challenging songs. The more you feel these voice breaks coming on, the more you can control them and place the tone where it needs to go.  Octave slides are great for this and take you all the way through each register of your voice as you get higher. In summary, both boys’ and girls’ voices go through changes and challenges, but it is only noticeable for boy speaking voices. Most girls only notice it if they are singers. Just keep singing and keep up your private vocal study as your voices are changing. Don’t stop! Angie Q. teaches singing, piano, music theory, and more in Ocala, CA. She received her  Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance and a Minor in Musical Theatre from the  University of Southern Mississippi. Learn more about Angie here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  PSNH

Learn to Sing with Daily Vocal Exercises

Learn to Sing with Daily Vocal Exercises Daily Vocal Training Exercises to Improve your Singing Voice Chapters How Can Having Singing Lessons Help You Improve Your Vocal Technique? The Art of Singing: A Physical Activity Which Requires That You Look After Your Body Vocal Warmups: Key to Ensuring that You Sing Well Attack: Where the Singer Can Make a Difference Listen to Yourself in order to Get Better Do You Need to Relax Your Vocal Cords? Choose the Right Pieces to Work OnWho doesn’t want to be famous? Do you dream of being a famous singer or a Hollywood musical star?In the age of television and social media, it seems that almost anyone can become a star if they’ve got the talent and a beautiful singing voice.  Thanks to the internet, there are plenty of YouTubers who came from nothing and, with a bit of luck, became global superstars.  Think about how many of today’s pop singers make use of social media and YouTube.With TV shows like Britain’s Got Talent, The X Factor, and The Voice, there are so many famous singers now who were launched into the limelight following a nervy televised audition. However, there’s nothing more damaging than dreaming that you can become a famous singer by just wishing it and clicking your fingers.On the contrary, as the saying goes: God helps those who help themselves.  If you have clear goals, you’ll know exactly what you have to do to achieve each of these goals.While singing can be hugely enjoyable, it also requires that you put in a lot of work. However, how can you do this work on a daily basis? TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Miria mSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors How Can Having Singing Lessons Help You Improve Your Vocal Technique?In most sporting and artistic activities, there’s no big secret to success. In fact, there’s just self-sacrifice, hard work, and perseverance. The same can be said for learning how to sing.  There’s a time and place for everything and there’s a time for excelling and there’s a time for learning and practising.Luciano Pavarotti, who was largely self taught, is a huge exception to this rule owing to his exceptional character and outstanding talent.Did you know you can even teach children to sing before they're born? (Source: pixabay.com)Furthermore, there’s nothing to say that somebody being taught couldn’t achieve the same abilities or, more importantly for some, the same levels of fame.For mere mortals, singing well requires that they work largely on their vocal technique, improving their vocal range, and hitting the high notes. They should also spend a lot of time doing exercises.This is where a vocal coach can be really helpful in making you aware of your range and showing you the progress that you’re making.  If you don’t happen to live beside a music school, you can always work on your voice and vocal technique thanks to a private singing tutor who’ll come to your house to teach you.If you want to become a professional singer either in classical or contemporary music, there are also a number of other skills you’ll need to work on: public speaking, stage presence, self-confidence, acting, etc.  A private singing tutor can also put together a made-to-measure training programme for you!Improve your vocal skills with singing lessons online. The Art of Singing: A Physical Activity Which Requires That You Look After Your BodySinging requires that you be in excellent shape.  You might think that being healthy isn’t tantamount to being a good singer with examples like Maria Callas, Amy Winehouse, and a plethora of rockers.If you want to have a truly beautiful voice, you’ll need to pay attention to what you eat and drink. You’ll need to drink a lot of water and avoid dairy products whose acidity can cause problems for your throat.Additionally, you need to be in good physical shape in order to maintain your posture and keep your back straight when you sing. There are singing exercises that will help you alleviate tension in the larynx and vocal warm ups to ensure you don't damage your throat. By paying attention to these details, you’ll soon see that it can make your life as a singer much easier. Vocal Warmups: Key to Ensuring that You Sing WellOverworking yourself on a daily basis is a quick way to lose your voice and end up having to make an appointment with a doctor or speech pathologist.  This often happens to those who are trying to do too much in too little time and instead results in them doing even less than they were trying to do.  You can’t force yourself to sing . It’s singing, not shouting, after all!The first thing you can do to avoid compromising your voice is to warm up. Singing teachers highly recommend vocal warm up exercises for their students and while every singing teacher has their own favourites, they're an integral part of learning to sing.You can have a bit of fun with this, too. There are a few easy ways that everyone can do:Warm up your head: nod and shake your head as well as circular movements as you would do before sport.Imitate chewing: Force yourself to yawn in an outrageous way. Blow as if you were trying to cool down food.Breathe in and out deeply while crossing your arms over your chest.Work on warming up your mouth and vocal chords by making the “choo-choo” noises of a train. Start off quietly before increasing the volume.Start with a deep manly voice before attempting a softer feminine voice. You can then complement these exercises with your scales.There you go! You should be ready to start practising a few vo cal pieces. Breathing Can Make All the DifferenceIf you want to sing in key and get the most out of your vocal timbre, you have to correctly control your breathing.Whether you’re bass, baritone, tenor, alto, mezzo-soprano, or soprano, breath control is hugely important for your singing and vocal health. Your breath is more important that you'd first think. After all, the act of breathing is essential when it comes to singing. If you don’t breathe, you don’t make a sound.Whether you’re singing Verdi or a contemporary jazz piece, your voice teacher will recommend that you work on diaphragmatic breathing since the natural way we breathe doesn’t cut it when it’s time to sing. They'll also probably give you some breathing exercises and singing tips for when they're not there.This allows you to keep a reserve of air which, with the right posture, will help you to sing better without harming your voice. The more you're controlling your breathing, the less you'll be straining yo ur voice when you exhale.Vocal coaching can also help you find your vocal range. (Source: www.splitshire.com)Working on your abdominal muscles is at least a minimum requirement.  You need to breathe using your diaphragm in order to maintain pressure.  Usually, like when you do when you’re running, you breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth.In any case, it’s not necessary to inflate your lungs in an exaggerated manner.  If you keep the importance of your abdominal muscles in mind, you’ll be able to maintain a relaxed posture when you sing.  There are several exercises that can help you achieve this during your voice lessons. TraceySinging Teacher 4.92 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PortiaSinging Teacher 4.91 (11) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors NicolaSinging Teacher 5.00 (11) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors JazzSinging Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors PerrineSinging Teacher 5.00 (3) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TiemSinging Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomSinging Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MiriamSinging Teacher 5.00 (4) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Attack: Where the Singer Can Make a DifferenceThis is a technique that is closely related to having a good harmonic breathing. Regardless of your voice type, a good attack can make the difference between your everyday singer and the world’s very best.  This can help you to sing in key and hit every note right from the very first in the piece.A good volume and expressiveness from the moment you sing the first note would be an impressive feat, wouldn’t it?Whether in group lessons, music school, or in a private singing tutorial, you’ll need some advice to make sure you don’t hit any false notes. Good articulation and confidence are also essential and they’ll help you move your audience. Listen to Yourself in order to Get BetterOne of the consequences of the of the internet becoming commonplace is that you can also get digital singing lessons.Almost everyone can use the internet to get music lessons from a basic introduction to music theory to lessons on how to play the acoustic guitar, for example.  You can find private tutors that give private singing tutorials over Skype or you can hire a private tutor who can come to your house and help you to record your music in your home studio.Recording your voice is arguably one of the best ways to train. While arguably not one of the most efficient (as it takes twice the time). Do You Need to Relax Your Vocal Cords?We’ve already said that forcing yourself when you sing is a bad habit that should be avoided at all costs.  So how you can expect to do any serious work on your voice if you never exert yourself?There are a few principles that you’ll need to respect: it takes around 6 hours for your vocal cords to fully recover after an intensive session of s inging.  If you end up making yourself hoarse, you’ll need to rest for at least 3 days.Romantic songs are timeless. (Source: skitterphoto.com)There’s a special case in which your voice will require special attention, puberty.  In order to improve your singing during puberty, you’ll have to take your time and only work on your voice every other day at the most.You can also sing the odd aria when you’re in the shower since regular practice is key to becoming a better singer. After all, practice makes perfect. Choose the Right Pieces to Work OnHow can you learn to sing in key without traditional music theory education or getting help from a teacher or tutor?Musically speaking, it can be really difficult to choose the right songs to sing and practice with. We’re often unaware of our own abilities, choose songs that are too difficult to sing, and subsequently end up demoralising ourselves when we try to sing them and inevitably struggle with them or make very little progress.A private tutor is in the best position to help you. After all, they can put together their knowledge of music and their understanding of your voice in order to help you learn new pieces and work on your voice and techniques including your range, vibrato, etc.Start singing lessons today! Check all our tutors and singing lessons Manchester, in London, Brighton and more.In this case, two heads are better than one if you want to become a famous singer!

Exams Food for Thought

Exams Food for Thought With exams on the way and deadlines season in full swing, it can be easy to slip into unhealthy snacking habits. Research has shown that by encompassing these brain foods within your diet, you can really enhance your learning and brain power to get the most out of your studying, as well as boost your performance in exams. Here are some of our favourites: Walnuts If you want to improve your memory and boost your thinking power, walnuts are a good snack to start with. They have the highest level of omega-3 fatty acids in all nuts and protect the brain, enhancing the functioning of neurotransmitters, and consequently improving memory and cognitive skills. Blueberries During revision, to give your brain a boost have a snack on half a cup of blueberries. Blueberries are great for keeping your memory sharp, perfect for revision and going into exams. Flavonoids, antioxidant compounds in blueberries, play a key role in improving memory, learning and cognitive functions by interacting directly with aging neurons. Dark Chocolate We all need a treat sometimes, and having something to work for, makes revision much more productive. Why not swap those unhealthy treats and snacks for dark chocolate? It still tastes good, but has lots of health benefits also. The antioxidants in dark chocolate are beneficial for your whole body, as well as your brain. Green Tea Fancy a cuppa whilst your revising? Why not opt for green tea instead? Studies have shown that green tea extract increases the brain’s electrical connectivity which enhancing cognitive functions. Drinking two or three cups a day will really boost your brain power and engage you in your revision. Tomatoes Tomatoes can be used in a wide range of meals as well as a snack on their own. This fruit is packed with nutrition and an antioxidant named lycopene that protects the brain from toxins, enhancing memory and concentration. For more articles on good brian foods, why not visit the links below: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/10-foods-boost-your-brainpower https://www.wessexscene.co.uk/lifestyle/2018/01/22/10-ultimate-brain-foods-for-revision/ https://www.thestudentfoodproject.com/post/study-snacks-for-exam-revision

Huntington Learning Center Shares Common Academic Pitfalls of High School Students

Huntington Learning Center Shares Common “Academic Pitfalls” of High School Students High school is a different world when it comes to academicsand for many students, it can mark the beginning of academic problems or exacerbate issues that were minor in middle school. According to Eileen Huntington, co-founder of Huntington Learning Center, parents can help their teens avoid such academic pitfallsif they know the signs. High school is a time when parents need to pay very careful attention to what is going on with their teen in school because they will be more removed from the classroom than they ever have been, says Huntington. Communication with your teen and teachers is important, as is watching your teens grades and demeanor overall. Huntington shares five academic pitfalls that can plague students in high schooland tips on what to do if you notice your teen falling into any of them. Slacking off High school offers an abundance of opportunities to meet new people, get involved and have fun. For some students, that can have a negative impact on their motivation and/or commitment to their studies. If you notice your teen spending a disproportionate amount of time on his or her social life (vs. school) and poor grades come home early in the school year, talk about how to put a plan into place that will help your teen find a better balance. Apathy Some intelligent students get to high school and lose their sense of responsibility (especially without as much nudging from parents). Does your teen seem to lack self-discipline and independence when it comes to school work and studying? Does your teen rush through homework, often leaving it incomplete? Students who become lazy in high school need intervention immediately. With the help of your teens teachers, you can set goals and a study plan to achieve them (as well as a follow-up plan). With time and effort, your teen will begin to understand how his or her actions affect school achievement. Effort that doesnt yield results In high school, its normal to expect that your teen will spend more time on homework. However, if you observe that your teens hard work is not yielding positive results or that simple homework is taking more time than seems reasonable, you should investigate whether there are gaps in your teens skills causing him or her to struggle. Disorganization Up until high school, many students lean on the help of teachers and parents to stay organized and on top of everything. However, some teens who are otherwise capable students become overwhelmed by the volume of high school work. If your teen suddenly has difficulty keeping track of homework, maintaining a neat study space, or making the most of each study session, he or she may need help establishing effective study and organizational habits. Avoidance Avoidance of school work can take many forms, but the most obvious is procrastination. If your teen consistently puts off work until late at night or avoids planning ahead for big, important projects, theres no doubt that this will quickly become a major problem in high school. Pay attention to whether the issue is with all subjects or one in particular. High school definitely steps up the academic challenge. Huntington reminds parents to take note of how their teen handles the change. Most parents are intuitive enough to recognize when there is a problem with their children, but it isnt always easy to know exactly whats going on, she says. If you have a child in high school and you sense issues arising, call Huntington. No problem is too big to overcome, and we can help your teen get and stay on the right track.

5 Tips for Dealing With Your First Mistake at Work or School

5 Tips for Dealing With Your First Mistake at Work or School via Pexels Don’t make excuses, own up to your mistake: Your whole life you made sure that everything was perfect and the first time you mess up, your head automatically goes to shifting blame to protect that reputation you built up for yourself. Trust me, it’s a lot better to own up to whatever mistake you made than deny what happened. Increase communication about how you will do better: Your managers and co-workers want to hear from you about the things you are doing to try to be better. This way they know that you really are trying to get better and make up for the mistake you made. The more you talk to them and show them how you’re trying to get better, the easier it will be for you to gain their trust back. Gaining trust back is the first step to gaining back your original reputation with them. Don’t dwell on it too long: I know you feel awful about whatever you did, but dwelling on it will affect your performance in the future. People respond to action more than words and once you clean up your actions, they will believe your words. Take some time for yourself: The reason the mistake occurred in the first place is probably because you were stressed out, tired or not paying attention to what you were doing. Taking some time for yourself to reflect and to do nothing will help your mental health. It’s okay to be sad about it at first but you need to move on and work past things. Don’t apologize a million times: The only thing more annoying to your employer than not owning up to your mistake is apologizing a bunch for it. This makes you seem not genuine and that’s something you never want your employer to think. No matter the mistake, it’s not the end of the world. In most situations, if not all, the mistake is not going to be life or death. And if you end up getting fired, there is always another job out there for you.

29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach

29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach 29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your Reach Learning a language is like doing an extreme home makeover on  your brain.Sometimes the construction  work leaves you with some quirky new  polyglot problems, the mental equivalent of stumbling over half-demolished doorways youve been walking  through on autopilot for years.But the benefits and value added to your mental real estate make it more than worth the temporary mess.And if  youre committed to adding on a sunny Spanish-style veranda, fancy French doors or a whole new Japanese pagoda  to your monolingual starter home, youre gonna need the right tools.Starting with a solid foundation and all the way up to the linguistic detail work, there are an abundance of language learning tools to help you build your multilingual dream home.Some youve considered  using before as youve idly debated whether today is the day to start learning a new language, and others have been hiding in plain sight, masquerading as simple social networks or entertainment sites.But all of them will make excel lent additions to your linguistic toolbelt and better equip you to give yourself a  huge mental upgrade and a life-changing linguistic add-on. Here are some of our favorites from across the web. 29 Powerful Language Learning Tools Within Your ReachLaying Your Linguistic Foundations: Listening ToolsSeek first to understand, then to be understood.This insightful quote was popularized by the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and was intended as a general piece of life advice, but its particularly relevant to language learners who want to start constructing their new linguistic knowledge upon solid foundations.There are a lot of reasons listening is vital for language learning, but first and foremost is that no matter how many phrases you memorize, you cant do anything with a language until you understand the sounds that make it up.There are many tools in the digital and analog world to help you down the path of listening proficiency, from video and radio to podcasts, music  and good old-fashioned conversation. Heres an assortment of listening tools to train your ear to the acoustics of your target language and start building on a sound foundation.Innovative LanguageFrom Afrikaans to Vietnamese, Innovative Language has you covered with one of the best free podcast series for language learners on the web. This podcast series includes video and audio lessons that often focus on cultural aspects of the country or region thats home to the target language, complete with vocabulary building exercises and helpful word lists.Its updated with new lessons every week, with material geared towards absolute beginners all the way up to advanced learners nearing fluency. You may recognize it from its podcast sites (for example, Portuguesepod101) These are the language-specific sites youll be directed to once you enter your email and pick a language. Heres just a sampling of the many popular foreign languages they currently offer:Spanishpod101Frenchpod101Germanpod101 Chineseclass101Russianpod101The material is made and presented by professional teachers, and it’s one of the most prolific and consistent language sites in the game.  Although they have a paid version of the service, thousands of professionally produced audios and videos are given absolutely free.You can benefit from this flood of language content regardless of your state of fluencyâ€"they’ve got something for absolute beginners as well as advanced learners.8tracksOne of the best ways to sensitize your ears to the sounds of a new language is by listening to its music. 8tracks is full of music playlists in any genre or language you can think of: Type your target language in the search bar at 8tracks and click go, or browse through the associated tags and artists that pop up as suggestions.Youll  not only give your ears a glimpse into the sounds of your new language, but also open yourself up to new genres and artists you may not have had the chance to listen to before, giving you a new target-language hobby from day one.Lyrics TrainingLyrics Training takes  a karaoke-style approach to language learning with music. Choose your language, pick a music video and select a level from beginner to expert: From there, the game begins, and depending on the level youve selected, youll have to fill in anywhere from a handful of key words to every word of the lyrics as you sing along. Pick a time of day when your neighbors and roommates are gone, and learn by clumsily belting it out.News in SlowMakers of the News in Slow series, Linguistica 360 helps you train your ear and build your language skills through current events. Choose from French, Spanish, Italian or German and start listening to the days events.Each episode includes a transcription in the target language with helpful vocabulary tips and explanations of the more difficult terms you encounter, a great way to build vocabulary in context while learning to recognize the sound and feel of the language.The Buildin g Blocks of Language Learning: Vocabulary-building ToolsWith some good listening tools under  your belt, your foundations are laid, and youve got some basic knowledge upon which to build the rest of your linguistic talents.The next step is to move on to the raw materials of your construction, the bricks and mortar: learning foreign language vocabulary.Its hard to say exactly how many words you need to really speak a language, or what  the best way to learn new vocabulary words  is.  Start out with some of these tools, and use your imagination to figure out which strategies work best for you.FluentUFluentU exposes you to your target language in action. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.When it comes to vocabulary-building tools and language learning in general, FluentUs video immersion method is just about the closest digital equivalent to booking a flight and movi ng abroad.Each FluentU lesson will use video content appropriate to your learner level to expose you to new vocabulary, which youll learn not through memorizing dictionary definitions, but by actually seeing how natives use words and phrases in daily speech.In addition to being one of the best ways to build up your foreign language vocabulary, FluentUs use of real-life video content makes it an excellent source of culturally-relevant language learning. As you proceed through the lessons, youll increasingly be watching the same TV and movies that native speakers of your target language are watching in their free time, giving you a better insight into whats current in pop culture and go-to conversation topics for when you run into natives.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, defin ition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.DuolingoAs a language learning tool, Duolingo turns a hammer and box of nails into a game youll actually enjoy playing. That pushy little green bird will coach you through the days you really dont feel like working on your linguistic construction project, and youll  come out of them having perfected  new words and phrases  that youll continue to strengthen as you build up layer aft er layer of vocabulary.MemriseAnother of the most popular vocabulary-building tools on the web, Memrise is the DIY flashcard tool that lets you personalize your language learning. Mix and match vocabulary lessons ranging from basic color and number words to phrasal verbs to different ways to say I love you, and make your own mems as you go, selecting pictures and other mnemonic devices that you custom-make for your own brain.AnkiAnki is most famous for popularizing the Spaced Repetition System or SRS method of vocabulary learning. Anki is open source SRS software that you can download to your computer or use on your phone in app form, downloading any of the over 80 million available pre-made flashcards, making your own or doing a little of each.Anki uses an algorithm to track your progress and knowledge of each vocabulary term you study, helping you prioritize which words need a bit more repetition and which can go on the back burner for now, helping you repeat your drills until you ve mastered the vocabulary.The Mortar Between the Language Learning Bricks: Reading ToolsOnce  youve got some words to build with and a sound understanding of the speech sounds that make them up, one of the best ways to cement your  knowledge is through reading.Reading in a foreign language is one of the safest and most stress-free ways to explore the meanings of those words and how theyre used, as well as to continue building new vocabulary in context. These reading tools will help you develop a foreign language reading habit that  ensures your construction holds together as you continue building.WikipediaWikipedia  for the most part remains  an undiscovered treasure trove for language learners. With millions of articles available in 295 languages, it offers contextualized target language reading replete with images and links that allow you to clarify things you dont understand by reading about them in the language youre practicing rather than reaching for a dictionary definition o r a translation.FeedlyPleasure reading shouldnt be limited to your mother language. Feedly is an RSS tool you can use to create your own customized content streams, with daily updates from blogs, online magazines and other digital content in your target language. You could create different feeds for different languages or divide them into categories like Spanish periodicals, Korean film blogs and news in Farsi.Amazon Foreign Language BooksIn addition to all the free e-books available across the web, Amazon has a robust foreign language books section thatll help you find the right reading material without breaking the bank.Search for a title or just by language, and be sure to download a free sample of the book before buying it, so that you can read a few pages and make sure its both at your reading level and something youll actually enjoy swiping through.Writing Tools to Help Furnish Your LanguageWhen it comes to your literacy in a foreign language, youve gotta use it or lose it.Lea rning a language through reading books  sounds like heaven on earth for some bookworms, but if you really want to pull your freshly-mortared language together, youll need to put pen to paper. Writing in a foreign language, much like speaking, helps solidify some of the connections youve made while listening and reading, and it gives you a safe space to trial-and-error your way through new words, phrases and grammatical constructions. Here are some tools to help you get started.Lang-8Lang-8 is an online community of natives and learners where you can practice your writing and get feedback and corrections from those who know the language best. Write a few lines about what you did today, or maybe  some musings on a movie youve recently seen in your target language, then publish it and wait for the natives to come.Dont forget that exchange goes both ways: Earn points in the community by helping others and suggesting improvements on their writing in your native language!HelloTalkHelloTal k is a mobile app that lets you connect to native speakers of your target language and learners of your language via text. Once you find some conversation partners and start chatting, you can take advantage of the apps integrated translation and transliteration functions (for those learning an unfamiliar writing system), and use the in-app function to hear the pronunciations of the words youre being texted.Foreign Language JournalsFor many learners, a foreign language journal or just an unstructured space where they can try out their language is the key to learning through writing.You can start your own page on a site like Tumblr or start a WordPress blog where you scribble random thoughts and make up your own writing exercises. Adjust your settings to keep it private if youre feeling shy, or go public and actively solicit comments and feedback from speakers of the language.Omniglot Writing SystemsParticularly for those learning a language with a non-Latin alphabet, Omniglots Writin g Systems resource is a spectacular place to start. Familiarize yourself with the new script and find links to online resources for learning it, or just keep the page bookmarked for reference as you get started writing or texting with  some of the other tools mentioned here.Touching Up the Paint: Pronunciation ToolsPronunciation is a tricky part of language learning: Its important to be easily understood, but its easy to get so lost in perfectionistic phonetic details that you lose sight of the bigger linguistic work in progress.An accent wall or some contrasting throw pillows in your house might add a pleasant pop of color, but when were talking about speaking a foreign language, accents sometimes draw the kind of attention that makes us feel less confident in our speaking and leads to making more stress-induced mistakes.You dont need to amaze the natives with your perfect pronunciation, but you also dont have to buy into the myth that adults cant learn languages as well as kids in the pronunciation department. Intermediate and advanced learners who feel like theyve got a handle on everyday communication in their target language can use some of these tools to touch up their foreign language accent.Sounds of SpeechThe International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) is one of your best resources for learning about the many different speech sounds that make up the worlds languages, and Sounds of Speech is one of the best tools for practicing it.The University of Iowas Sounds of Speech tool is an excellent interactive visual guide to the mechanics of the mouth, demonstrating exactly how you need to move your tongue and other speech organs to produce specific consonant and vowel sounds, helping you get past the uvular Rs and ambiguous mid-vowels that otherwise trip  up your tongue.ForvoForvo is an exhaustive online pronunciation dictionary, and it belongs in your bookmarks bar no matter where you are in learning a language. Just search the word thats giving you trouble  and listen to user-provided pronunciations from native speakers.Getting Wired: Tools for Connecting to NativesAt the end of the day, language is about communicatingâ€"what good is your new language if you dont have anyone to speak it with?As you finish up construction on the language youre learning, be sure to find a place for yourself in its community of speakers. There are plenty of online tools for finding a language exchange partner,  but here are a few to get you started.VerblingIf you want something a little more formal than your casual language exchange, Verbling is a good place to start looking. Here you can search for professional native teachers, schedule classes with them, and make a schedule and personalized lessons as you go. Its not free, but youll find its a good bit cheaper than most in-person professional teachers, and you can go to class without getting off the couch.You’ll be able to explore hundreds upon hundreds of online language teachers and find exactly the on e who’s right for you. When you search, you’ll get to search based on prices, availability and even the other languages they speakâ€"so if your native language is Chinese or German, you can find a teacher to instruct you in that language. Plus, the technology here makes accessing tutoring sessions extra smooth! You don’t need Skype or another third-party program. It’s all here!WyzAntWyzAnt is an incredible resource for locating stellar language teachers near you. This site is professional and polished, and it features well-educated and well-qualified tutors in your local area. Why not start by seeing whos close to home? You might even find someone you know in your community who can teach you! Then your new language classes can take place at your favorite coffee shop or at your house.HiNativeHiNative lets you casually reach out to native speakers of your target language with the simple questions you never really know how to ask. Is this word masculine or feminine? How come th is word is spelled differently sometimes? Its like carrying a no-strings-attached native in your pocket, and its great in a pinch to answer those pesky questions that otherwise keep you up at night.SpeakySpeaky is one of the biggest free online language exchange communities, and youll find it offers many of the same benefits as similar sites that charge a monthly fee. Use it to find and coordinate Skype exchanges with native speakers of your target language, and be ready to help them with learning your native language as well.MeetupSites like Meetup  arent necessarily meant for language learners, but youre bound to find many linguistically like-minded individuals who are either your neighbors or travelers passing through your community. Meetup is often host to either a general language exchange meetup or sometimes a slew of language-specific meetups depending on the size of the city.CouchsurfingCouchsurfing events also often include regular language exchanges, plus the handy user se arch tool allows you to search for speakers of a particular language in your area who you can meet up with for a coffee and a multilingual chat.Making Sure Youre Up to Code: Translation Tools for In-context Language LearningThere are all kinds of technology hacks for learning a language that can help you navigate your linguistic construction site, but keeping that translation app on your phones home screen might not be  the best one. Relying on translation to build up the foundations and basic structure of your language is a bit like building your house with duct tape and paperclips.However,  once youve built something that more or less looks like a language, it can be an invaluable tool for checking and expanding your knowledge.In general, simple machine translators like Google Translate should be taken with a huge dose of caution: Theyre stripped of the kind of context you find in a visual dictionary, and machine translation is always an approximation at best. The urge to copy and paste into the magic decoder is strong enough that we all succumb to it in moments of weakness, but there are better options for translations that dont damage the structural integrity of your language learning. Here are a few good ones:LingueeLinguee is an online translator that offers contextualized translations that take into account the many different phrases and shades of meaning that can be applied to a single word.Type your query into the search box and youll receive two columns: the language you searched in on the left, and the target language on the right. Each will include the same sentence or paragraph in both languages, giving you the extra context to make sure the word youre translating doesnt mean something totally off the wall.Bab.laBab.la is similar to Linguee in its use of in-context definitions pulled from across the web. It also offers a few handy extra tools like a verb conjugator that will help you explore different forms and uses of the new words and phrases yo ure learning.LinqappLinqapp is the social translation app that lets you go directly to the source and get a native speakers take on your translation query. Despite all the advances in language technology in recent years, machine translation still usually isnt up to the challenge of providing descriptive idioms and native-like turns of phrase that capture nuance and connotation. Instead, turn to Linqapp to get a digitally-enhanced human translation.Welcome to the Neighborhood: Cultural Learning ToolsCulture is inseparable from language. Whatever language youre learning, its a living, growing thing, and theres no better way to learn about its life and those of the people who speak it than through target language media like TV, movies, journalism, literature and the other products of the culture that gives meaning to the language in question.Cultural learning is an abstract thing that  can be  hard to pin down in concrete terms, but there are a few tools that can help you learn more de eply about the meanings behind the words and better appreciate  the cultural benefits of being bilingual.StreemaStreema is a website and app that provides free online access to TV and radio stations in over a hundred countries around the world. Popular world languages spoken across many countries will have a wealth of stations available, but even less widely-studied languages like Amharic or Zulu are available on Streema: just browse through the Ethiopian and South African TV channels until you find something in your target language that takes your interest, and tune in to what the locals are watching.BBC LanguagesBBC Languages is one of the biggest online repositories of free language learning material, including not only free lessons and foreign language cheat-sheets, but also links to real media like TV shows, newspapers and blogs that native speakers are regularly following.Other international news outlets like CNN, Al Jazeera  and Euronews that serve linguistically diverse publ ics across the globe also frequently offer streaming news and other media resources that language learners can easily make use of to inject some current events into their language learning.AlexaOne way to get insight into what matters to speakers of your language is to see what websites they visit most frequently. Alexa is a web tool that ranks the authority of websites, and it offers a list of the most popular websites by country. Youll see many of the same usual suspects across the globe (Facebook, Wikipedia), but keep an eye out for blogs and other media sites that you can read, listen to or otherwise consume to get a feel for your target language in action.Bonus: A Good VPN ServiceMany countries offer public television stations freely online for their citizens, but that means youll need to access the content from a local IP address. Look into some free and cheap VPN (Virtual Private Network) services and install one thatll let you change your web browsers IP address at will, con vincing those servers halfway across the world that youre really logging in from within the country, and get online and oh my god this is almost over now.An easy way to set up a VPN and magically change your location to Germany, France, Korea or any other country of choice is by installing HideMyAss! VPN on any of your devicesâ€"this one works on your computer, smartphone and internet-enabled TVs and game systems.Enjoying Your New Mental SpaceJust like any construction work, your linguistic  remodel is going to be a messy process with lots of ups and downs and mental debris.But dont give up out of frustration: Just remind yourself that its worth it, and  unlike a real home makeover, youll start reaping the benefits of bilingualism long before you close up shop and finish the job.Taking advantage of the best language learning tools available and using them to learn a language efficiently  will give you a smooth path forward and leave you feeling well-equipped for the next linguistic challenge.