| How to Relieve Lower Back Tightness Posted: 12 Apr 2018 05:00 PM PDT Lower back tightness is a common complaint among many people. Improving your overall physical and mental health can help relieve lower back tightness immensely. You can improve your overall physical and mental health through a combination of stretching, exercise, massage, and an overall lower-stress lifestyle. However, you should consult your doctor before beginning an exercise regimen if you've been diagnosed with a medical issue in your lower back. EditStretching Your Lower Back for Immediate Relief - Do the two-knee twist stretch. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Spread your arms wide in a T-shape so that your shoulders are grounded to the floor. With your legs together, slowly lower your knees to the left side as far as they can go.[1]
- Hold this position for two minutes.
- Concentrate on keeping both of your shoulders down on the floor during the stretch.
- Repeat this stretch for the other side by bringing your knees up to center, then lowering them down to your right side. Keep your shoulders on the floor and hold for two minutes on this side.
- Stretch out the backs of your legs and hamstrings. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Straighten your left leg and bring it straight up, concentrating on reaching your heel toward the ceiling. Bend your knee and bring your foot back to the floor.[2]
- Do 6-8 reps of this stretch on your left leg. On the last rep, hold your leg straight with your heel toward the ceiling for 30 seconds.
- Repeat this stretch on your right leg.
- Use the pigeon stretch to open your hips. Start on your hands and knees. Bring your left knee up toward your chest and lower it to the ground with your foot going toward your right. Bring your right leg down to the floor so that it's straight back behind you.[3]
- Your left leg should be at about a 90-degree angle under and in front of your torso.
- Slowly bend your torso forward to feel the stretch in your glutes and your hips. Go as low to the floor as you can, putting your forehead to the floor if possible.
- Hold for about 5 deep breaths, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
- Try the figure-4 stretch. Lie on your back with your knees and feet up at a 90-degree angle in front of you. Cross your left ankle over your right knee and flex your left foot. Bring your hands through and grab the back of your right thigh, pulling back with both hands as far as you can.[4]
- Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, then switch to the other side and repeat on your right leg.
- For an added stretch, roll up a towel and lay it under your hips during the stretch.
- Use the tail-wag stretch to lengthen your long back muscles. Start on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Keeping both knees on the ground, lift your left foot in the air and swing it out toward your left while you look left over your shoulder at your toes.[5]
- Pause and then swing the same foot to the right while you look back over your right shoulder to look at your toes.
- Repeat this stretch using your right foot, pausing each time your foot is out the side and you're looking at your toes.
EditUsing Massage and Natural Remedies - Use a tennis ball or foam roller to self-massage your back. Place a tennis ball underneath your lower back as you gently lie down on top of it with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Roll yourself slightly and gently around on the ball in the tight muscle groups to alleviate tension there.[6]
- Don't place the ball directly under your spine, but under tight muscle groups to either side of your spine.
- Find a foam roller online or at a store that sells exercise equipment. Place the roller horizontally on the floor behind you and lie down on top of it with your knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Roll yourself up and down on the foam roller to alleviate tightness in any tense muscle groups.
- Adjust your sleeping positions and use extra pillows. Lying on your back is generally considered the best sleeping position for a healthy back. Lie flat on your back facing the ceiling with enough pillow support under your neck and shoulders so that your head doesn't flop to either side.[7]
- Place a small pillow under your knees for extra lower back support.
- Make adjustments with pillows as needed. You want to avoid gaps between your body and your mattress as much as possible.
- If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your knees to alleviate pressure on your hips at night.
- Try heat therapy for fast relief. Heat stimulates blood flow to affected areas on your body and inhibits pain messages to your brain which allows your muscles to relax. Use a heating pad or hot water bottle the tight areas of your back.[8]
- You can also try soaking in a hot tub and aiming the jets on the tight areas of your back.
- Another idea is to take a hot shower and aim the water onto your tight muscles.
- Make sure you don't fall asleep while using a heating pad, which could result in burns.
- See a professional massage therapist or chiropractor. For persistent lower back tightness, consider going to a massage therapist or a chiropractor. A massage therapist will massage muscles in your back that are contributing to your lower back tightness, and a chiropractor will use massage and manual adjustments to manipulate any areas of your spine that may be unaligned.[9]
- If you are unsure which type of professional to see, get a recommendation from your trusted healthcare provider.
EditRelieving Your Back Long-Term with Exercise - Do 30 minutes of cardio 5 times per week. Cardiovascular exercise keeps you in overall good health and releases stress which can contribute to lower back tightness. Depending on your current activity level, aim to do at least 30 minutes of walking or swimming 5 days per week.[10]
- If you currently don't do any cardio exercise, start out with 10 minutes of walking 3 days per week, and build up to 30 minutes 5 days per week. When you feel comfortable doing this, try another more strenuous activity like jogging, dancing, or biking for a couple of those days per week instead.
- Strengthen your core. The strength of your muscles in your abs and back play a significant role in how your lower back feels.[11]
- Try doing pelvic tilts by lying on the ground with your knees bent. Tighten your lower abdominal muscles to bring your lower back to the ground without using your butt or leg muscles. Hold for 5 seconds and do 5-10 reps.
- Try trunk curls by lying on the floor and crossing your arms across your chest. Using your upper abdominal muscles, raise your torso off the floor about 15 degrees, and hold for 5 seconds. Do 5-10 reps each day.
- Other exercise routines such as pilates specifically target your core muscles. Try doing these routines with a DVD or by enrolling in a class.
- Practice yoga daily or weekly. Yoga combines stretching, strengthening poses, and breathing techniques to increase your overall health and lower stress. Many poses such as downward facing dog, cat-cow, and extended triangle specifically target your lower back.
- If you already do yoga weekly, increase to a few times per week or a short daily routine.
- Enroll yourself in a beginner class if you're new to yoga. Even a few classes will give you some basic knowledge to work with on your own at home.[12]
- Discuss your back tightness with your healthcare provider before trying any of these methods if you have a serious medical issue that may be contributing to your lower back tightness.
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| How to Convince Someone to Buy Something Posted: 12 Apr 2018 09:00 AM PDT Getting someone to buy something can be a little tricky, but learning a few techniques can increase your chances. Whether you advertise online or in person, describing the product's benefits is important. Show off the product and give the customer some reasons to buy it as soon as possible. With some confidence and smooth talking, you may be able to convince someone to make a purchase. EditCrafting Appealing Online Products - Write a short paragraph describing the product. Limit the product description to about 4 or 5 sentences. This is enough to give guests an accurate idea of what the product is. Longer descriptions don't work because the important details get lost in the text and most customers won't read the whole thing.
- Use vivid but simple words in the description. Product descriptions needs to be both appealing and easy to understand. To accomplish this, avoid cli·chés or jargon. Instead, write a few descriptive sentences about your product and what makes it special.[1]
- For example, say, "This sweater is made of 100% cashmere wool. You will always feel warm and comfortable in it." This informs potential buyers about the product as well as tells them what to expect from it.
- A cli·ché would be something like, "This is the best sweater ever. You are missing out by not buying it now. It will change your life."
- Instead of saying, "The vibranium alloy in this car keeps people safe," say, "Because of the new metal, this car will keep you and your family safe in case of an accident."
- Highlight the product's benefits in the description. Read over your description to make sure it mentions what the consumer gets out of owning the product. Limit yourself to discussing the top 2 or 3 benefits. These are your strongest reasons and should be the most appealing ones for customers.[2]
- Think of what a customer expects from a product. For instance, safety is an important feature for cars. Say, "The extra side airbags keep you and your family safe in case of an accident."
- A minor benefit might be, "This car has an extra phone charger socket underneath the armrest."
- Post pictures and videos of the item. Take a few clear pictures in a well-lit environment. Use simple but colorful backgrounds, but keep the product the focus of picture or video. It should be large enough in the frame for customers to see it as clearly as possible. For videos, show off the product's benefits as well as its appearance.[3]
- Having a person model the item is a plus, such as with clothing. You can use a dummy, but zoom in with the camera to focus on the item.
- Video game publishers post screenshots and in-game footage to make their games look appealing, for example.
- Ask your customers for reviews. Many sites have review systems built into their websites. After you make a sale, ask the buyer to leave a review. Reviews help you build a positive reputation, which encourages other customers to make a purchase.[4]
- Try reminding them to leave a review after you complete the transaction. Say something like, "If you have some spare time, could you please leave me a review?"
- Include a link to the review page in emails or mention the review page when talking to customers on the phone.
- Discuss any special terms and conditions they need to know. This includes information about shipping, making payments, information privacy, and the seller's contact details. Most online sites have separate pages detailing these policies. If you run an online storefront or hold an auction, you should list your own policies on the product's page as needed.
- Details like shipping and the return policy are always relevant and should be prominently displayed on your page.
- Include contact information such as an email address customers can use in case they need more information.
EditCreating Urgency - Emphasize what is unique about your product. If your product is unique, the customer misses out by not buying it immediately. Avoid saying anything negative about competitors. Instead, focus on explaining what your item does better than other products.[5]
- For example, say, "Our customers save an average of 30% on energy costs every year."
- Be specific. Saying, "This light bulb reduces your energy usage" isn't convincing. Anyone selling a lightbulb can say it.
- Describe how the item will solve a customer's needs. Provide concrete reasons for how the item helps the consumer right now. They should feel like they are missing out by waiting. Note a couple of ways a customer's life would change by owning the item today.[6]
- For example, you could say, "This light bulb saves you $1 an hour compared to regular bulbs."
- Hint that the product is in high demand. Scarcity encourages potential customers to make a quick decision about buying. Items that are popular, limited, or retired are often the most sought after. Anytime you think of a way to do this, mention it to the customer or write it directly onto your sales page.[7]
- For instance, your sale page might say, "Limited! Only 2 pairs of shoes left in stock."
- You might hint to a customer, "This video game has been super popular lately. I had 6 people ask me about it yesterday and I've heard it's very good."
- Use sales to create a purchasing time limit. Sales are also a sort of scarcity. Tell people there is a sale or keep the sale information listed near your item. Even if the sale doesn't offer a big discount, it can encourage customers to act now.
- Something as simple as "15% off until Friday!" can encourage customers to make the purchase.
- Explain why customers should buy the item today. Customers often feel unsure and come up with reasons to avoid making a purchase. Read your product and benefit descriptions again, then think of reasons why you would pass on a purchase. If you can explain why these objections aren't meaningful, you can convince a reluctant customer to make a purchase.[8]
- Money, time, and a desire to discuss the decision with a partner are a few objections you can overcome. Utilize the time you have to make the benefits sound more appealing in order to overcome all 3 of these objections.
- You only get one shot online. Refine your description by focusing on the benefits. For offline sales, respond to the objections directly.
- For example, if a person says "I need to think about it," you can explain more benefits about buying the product as well as the return policy.
EditConvincing Buyers in Person - Meet the person face to face. If you are able to discuss a sale face to face, take the opportunity. Displaying your personality gives you a greater chance of completing a transaction than words or phone calls do. An in-person meeting means an opportunity to respond to the other person's body language.[9]
- For an online sale, say something like, "Would you like to come look at the item?" For comfort, invite them to a public place.
- Try to have the conversation at an opportune time, such as after a meal or another time when the person is in a good mood.
- Let the potential buyer handle the product. Rather than simply discussing the item, bring the customer to it. Let them hold it, feel it, or even give it a test run. This gives the customer a chance to observe the item's qualities, making them more likely to buy it.
- For example, car dealerships let their customers test drive cars. Many retail stores have changing rooms where you can put on clothing before making a decision.
- Speak with confidence but stay relaxed. Look the person in the eye and speak with a loud, steady voice. To do this, know what you want to say in advance. Practice it at home as needed until you feel comfortable saying it. Avoid going overboard with enthusiasm, since that makes you seem false.[10]
- Avoid using filler words like "uh" and "um."
- Talk like you would with anyone else. Let your enthusiasm build naturally as you discuss the product.
- Listen to the other person speak. Pay attention to what the other person has to say. If you stop listening, you may get caught up in whatever sales pitch you rehearsed. Remember to meet the person on their level, staying friendly and responding to any concerns they have.[11]
- If someone goes off on a tangent about a fishing trip, engage them on it. A car salesperson might then say, "This truck would have given you plenty of room to store your equipment."
- Mirror the other person's behavior. Matching the other person's behavior makes them feel more comfortable. Simply talk like they do and use the same body language. This also forces you to pay attention to the other person speaking, which helps you be more convincing when it's your turn to speak.[12]
- For example, if someone uses a lot of hand gestures while speaking, you should do this too. If the person has their arms crossed, hold back and act a little more restrained.
- Negotiate with the other person. Many salespeople use reciprocity to encourage a purchase. Try sealing the deal by offering a special discount or another gift. Even doing something like writing a personalized note of appreciation makes a sale more likely.[13]
- For example, some stores offer complimentary cups of coffee. Some dentists give out free toothbrushes after each visit.
- Thank the person for their time. No matter what answer you expect to get from the other person, stay respectful. Thank them for taking the time to listen to you. A simple "thank you" makes the situation feel more friendly, especially after a long discussion.
- Simply say, "Thank you for your time."
- Come back later if a person says no. Be respectful when a person says no. If you have offered all the reasons possible to make the purchase, avoid pressing any further. Drop the issue for at least a few days, usually weeks or months if possible. Wait until you have an appropriate opportunity to ask again.
- If you are talking to a stranger, you can say, "Come back if you have any questions."
- If you are online, make use of storefront links, advertisements, social media posts, and newsletters to bring people back.
- Talk to them again at another good time. With a little time to think things over, they may change their mind.
- Be respectful when trying to be convincing. Nobody enjoys feeling pressured into making a purchase.
- Stay calm and attentive when you hear the word no. Give some good reasons why they should buy the item, but back off if you see it isn't working.
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| How to Decorate an Ice Cream Cake Posted: 12 Apr 2018 01:00 AM PDT Ice cream cakes provide endless opportunities for decorating. Since you're working with ice cream, you'll need to stick the cake back in the freezer if it's starting to melt, which will make the decorating process take a little longer. By using a frosting that works with a frozen cake, such as whipped cream, and choosing fun toppings to complete your decorating theme, you can create an ice cream cake that tastes as yummy as it looks. EditIcing the Cake - Freeze the cake for at least 3 hours before icing it. You want your ice cream cake to stay together while you're icing and decorating it, which is why keeping it as frozen as possible is important.[1]
- Pick out a frosting that complements a frozen cake. Most normal buttercream frostings will crack or break once they're frozen. A whipped cream topping is the best choice — it will stay nice and smooth after being used.[2]
- You can also use a chocolate fudge frosting, or opt for an ice cream flavor to use as the icing. If you use an ice cream flavor, let it soften for a few minutes to make spreading it easier.
- Buying whipped cream pre-made (including commercial whipped toppings) is perfectly fine, or you can whip up your own.
- Mix food coloring with the frosting for a color other than white. If you don't want the base layer of your frosting to be white, add a few drops of your chosen color into the frosting. Mix the food coloring and the frosting together using a spoon until it's blended evenly and you're satisfied with the color.
- Start by only adding 3-4 drops of food coloring until you've mixed it into the frosting — you can always make the color darker.
- If you've made your own homemade whipped cream, add the food coloring in last.
- Spread icing over the cake starting on the sides. Use a knife, spoon, or other utensil to apply frosting to the cake's sides first, creating an even layer.[3]
- Ice the top of the cake last. Once the sides are covered in icing, start layering the top of the cake. Try to get the frosting in an even layer on top to make decorating go much smoother.[4]
- If you're worried the cake is beginning to melt during the icing process, stick it back in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before continuing.
- The cake may start to melt after 10-20 minutes of being left out.
- Use an offset spatula to get rid of any lines and perfect the icing. Use the spatula to smooth out the sides and top of the cake, removing any lines left over from the initial icing process. This should give the cake a smooth, professional look.[5]
- Hold the offset spatula at a slight angle to use the edge of the spatula for smoothing.
- Place the cake back in the freezer for 20 minutes. Once the cake has a base layer of icing covering it, you'll want to let it set. Once the 20 minutes are up, you're ready to continue decorating.[6]
EditAdding Decorations - Choose a decoration theme for the ice cream cake. The theme could revolve around a specific sport, movie, book, holiday, or color scheme, for example. Gather some inspiration and come up with a plan for how you'd like to decorate the cake.
- A simple birthday cake might be covered in balloons made of frosting and sprinkles.
- You could create a football-themed cake and turn the top of the cake into a football field using frosting.
- You could buy candy flowers to place on the cake for a floral theme.
- Try looking through food and dessert magazines, looking at Instagram pictures, or doing an online search to help decide on a theme or idea.
- Dye the whipped cream frosting different colors, if desired. Separate whipped cream into different cups — 1 for each color that you'd like to create. Use a few drops of food coloring and mix it into the whipped cream using a spoon until you have the desired color.
- For a 4th of July ice cream cake, separate the frosting into 3 sections, dyeing 1 section red, dyeing 1 section blue, and keeping the last section white.
- Create a back-to-school cake using yellow frosting for the school bus or red frosting to draw an apple on the cake.
- Make sure you dye enough whipped cream to fill at least half of the piping bag.
- If you used a fudge frosting or flavor of ice cream, adding color to your frosting may not be possible.
- Fill a piping bag with whipped cream to begin decorating. Scoop your whipped cream frosting into a piping bag, making sure to insert the shaped tip into the bottom of the bag first, if desired. Fill the bag at least half full so that you have plenty to decorate with.[7]
- You'll need different bags for each different color of frosting you'll be using.
- If you don't have piping bags or tips, you can fill a Ziploc bag with the whipped cream, cutting off the tip of 1 of the bottom edges of the bag.
- How much you cut off of the tip will depend on how big you want your piping. Start off by snipping off the very tip, or about .
- Squeeze the piping bag slowly to start decorating the cake. Aim the tip of the piping bag onto the cake, creating wording, shapes, or borders by lightly squeezing the bag. Make sure you're doing the decorating in a relatively cool space to prevent the cake from melting too quickly.[8]
- If you're creating a border with icing, start at the edge of the cake and slowly work your way around the corners.
- Add lettering to your cake before creating other elements such as flowers or pictures to make sure you space the wording evenly, if desired.
- Go slowly when squeezing out the frosting to prevent any mistakes.
- Put the cake back in the freezer if it's starting to melt. It's unlikely that you're going to be able to decorate the entire cake in 1 sitting. If you're decorating and the cake is starting to melt a bit, put it back in the freezer for roughly 20 minutes to that it will solidify again.[9]
- The cake may start to melt after 10-20 minutes — it will depend on the texture and stability of the ice cream cake.
- Use other candies and treats to decorate the cake, if desired. Feel free to get creative with your toppings. Add sprinkles, chocolates, cherries, slices of fruit, or even little props to the cake.
- For example, if you're creating an ice cream cake that looks like a castle, you could add ice cream cones to the cake that look like turrets.[10]
- An under-the-sea ice cream cake could be covered in Swedish fish and other gummies with the whipped cream frosting dyed blue.
- Freeze the ice cream cake until it's time to eat it. Roughly 5-10 minutes before it's time to eat, you can take the cake out of the freezer to soften it up. You can keep the cake in the freezer for up to 1 month.[11]
- Using a knife that's been dipped in hot water will make the slicing process go much smoother.
- Cover the ice cream cake in wax paper when storing it in the freezer, if possible.
EditThings You'll Need - Frozen ice cream cake
- Frosting
- Knife or spoon
- Offset spatula
- Mixing cups/bowls
- Piping bag and tips
- Chosen decorations (candies, sprinkles, etc.)
- Wax paper
- Food coloring (optional)
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