Mediaboss Marketing

While this blog series is split into key elements, its important to note that our entire team worked simultaneously, catching up via weekly stand-ups to make sure that proposed solutions were achievable.

The final component of our sustainable website build journey with the Climate Group is one that isnt really all that final. It focuses around continuous improvements, building the foundations for a roadmap which keeps on iterating itself.

To action this, Manifesto has put together a list of future improvements the team will look to work on with the Climate Group to continue reducing the percentage of emissions caused by the charitys website. Its not necessarily because we didnt have the budget or time to do these things. In some instances data wasnt available or the wider impact isnt yet measurable.

What glues all these smaller ideas together is the fact that a sustainable website build is never finished. In the same way that SEO, accessibility, and user experience arent activities with a final chapter either. The book is instead ongoing, and its narrative should continue to weave through the sites existence.

Human activity on the internet accounts for less than half (48%) of traffic on the internet. This means a majority (52%) of traffic is generated by bots. Half of that 52% are deemed bad bots, which makes up a quarter of a sites traffic. They scrape content, crash websites, look for security loopholes, bulk buy products on ecommerce sites, and simulate advert clicks. The list could go on.

Nowadays these bad bots behave in an almost indistinguishable way from humans. This means they consume HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JQuery images, and videos in the exact same way as humans. That equals the same emissions, and in turn, increases costs of data centre storage and bandwidth - with no benefit for the site owner

This is why well look at specialist bot blocking services, such as Radware Bot Manager, to better understand, and ultimately remove, traffic from bad bots.

A CDN stores bits of a website in data centres around the world. This gets content to global users faster. We decided not to use a CDN during the development phase, largely because we wanted to focus on reducing the number and size of images, as well as on using srcset for responsive images.

But we do want to do more research on the potential impact of using a CDN. We want to understand how far we can push it to deliver fonts, code and images, within the parameters of sustainability. And we want to find the best locations for CDNs, ones based on genuine, (not bot) traffic.

Adding to the work weve already done on fonts, we want to sort through our custom font files. By removing the characters and symbols we know we wont ever use, we can streamline the sites structure. These are marginal gains, but with every new user directed to the site downloading each font file, its absolutely worth it.

The new sites weve launched for the Climate Group will generate 75% less emissions than the charitys previous sites. However, we need to ensure it doesnt creep back up again! Thats why we want to automate emission audits. This will allow us to identify problem areas and sort them out - whether they be a bug which can be directly fixed, or a training issue an editor needs to iron out. It will also help us chart the impact of changes we make as part of our programme of continuous improvement. By tracking our progress, we can continue to challenge carbon budgets in the future.

We think more can be done to help guide editors in creating streamlined content which fits with the climate-focused ethos of the website. With some more extensive research and idea generation alongside the Climate Group, we can explore the creation of tools and training which could help with this. Functions such as an alert which warns the editor if a page goes over a certain size, inline hints or tips, and dashboards breaking down page size and performance.

The illustrations weve used on the Climate Groups site hold a strong visual identity. However, we would like to add a much wider range of illustrations going forward. This will allow the charitys editorial team to replace stock imagery still sitting in some areas of the site. Well establish with the editorial team what these additional illustrations will be, make them and then store them somewhere easy to locate in the Content Management System (CMS).

To get the maximum benefit (reducing page weight) from illustrations, they must be SVGs. An illustration in .PNG format will be smaller than a photo, but not as small as an SVG. And given our implementation of colour-coded site sections via Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), a .PNG image simply wont function the same way as an SVG image. This makes setting aside additional budget for ongoing design and build work an essential consideration.

There was a healthy debate in the team about which way to go on this Shakespeare-esque conundrum. Wed already implemented embedded SVGs, so we ran an experiment to see if there was a clear and obvious reason to revert that.

As you can see from the results below, there wasnt one. But given our mantra of every byte counts, well definitely be reviewing this. That way, we can keep analysing the impact of implementing the change, and what the exact carbon cost of those extra requests would be.

The aim behind this article series is to encourage openness around the concept of a sustainable web build. That way, other people can become inspired to embark on similar projects.

We do, however, want to take this work further than the website build itself. That way, we can make people visiting the site aware of its impact, and its role in the wider digital ecosystem. Because the worlds digital CO2 footprint is just as important as other, more visible industries footprints such as aviation or mining.

We think the most obvious way to spread such awareness is to badge the site with a carbon footprint. There are a few different ways we could do this. But wed like to use the automation technology already built into our carbon calculator tool. This will display a badge per page and per sites carbon footprint, similar to what Oatly does on its packaging.

By signalling the sites carbon impact clearly to visitors, we think the Climate Groups new website can set an exciting precedent for the wider web development industry.

Although we have already stripped back our base Drupal template, we think theres more we can do. We just need a bit more time to play around and make sure we dont break anything too important!

Similarly to our templates, our caching set is already optimised. But we want to see how much further we can go. Well be looping in our hosting provider on this project to discuss possibilities. These kinds of tuning decisions are always better made with a few weeks or months of data. This helps you to see where further improvements can be made, based on how the site is actually used in real life.

Finally, the charity already owns a number of initiatives which form key parts of its offering. But there will undoubtedly be new ones.

Its therefore vital, when working with an organisation whose product offering is dynamic, that you set them up for future successes, as well as victories in the present. So when a new section or initiative for the site crops up, unless a microsite is truly required, it doesnt see the organisation build a whole new site unnecessarily, with a new code base, new design, new hosting, and new SEO equity. Because that all detracts from the efforts put into the original build.

Rather than concluding this series, we invite you to continue it. We want you to share your digital sustainability journeys. It doesnt have to be a full web build. If youve spotted something weve covered that can be improved - tell us! And show us how it could be done better.

Its important for us to understand suggestions which make for continuous improvements. That are constructive, rather than simply critical. If were going to create positive change, we need the learning experience to be positive too.

Check out all of the articles in this series by searching Digital Sustainability.

Neil Clark, environmental lead at Manifesto.

See more here:
Digital Sustainability: why must we plan for continuous improvements to support the sustainability of websites? - The Drum

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Continue reading here:
GREEN MONDAY promo shaves another 70% off online training courses - AndroidGuys

Long gone are the days where strength training and sport was male-dominated. In fact, its thought that the number of women participating in powerlifting has more than doubled since 2015!

Although the idea of starting powerlifting may be a little daunting, growing in strength and confidence is highly rewarding.

To help you make the best start possible, this article will highlight eight steps that you should consider to familiarize yourself with the sport and best prepare you for entering a powerlifting competition.

The following eight steps will ensure that you understand the demands of powerlifting before embarking on your quest to become the strongest woman in your weight class.

Before you begin your training, its crucial that you understand powerlifting, the rules, and how competitions work.

Doing so will lay the groundwork for entering a powerlifting competition as you will have a better idea of what to expect when it comes around.

If you are programming your own training, failing to understand the demands of the sport may cause you to train in a sub-optimal manner.

Powerlifting is a sport that assesses your maximal strength through three different lifts the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

During meets, you will be given three attempts with each movement to lift as much weight as possible. Your best lifts will be recorded and tallied.

For example, lets say that you lift 160lbs for the deadlift, 130lbs for the squat, and 90lbs for the bench, your accumulative total will be 330lbs.

The athlete who has lifted the most accumulated weight will be crowned the champion.

There are a number of other factors that you must know about powerlifting. Powerlifting is a weight classified sport. This means that you will be placed in a group depending on your body weight.

This is done to even the playing field, otherwise heavier lifters would have a substantial advantage over lighter lifters (1).

There are also many different powerlifting federations all of which have their own set of rules and regulations regarding competitions, attire, drug testing, and weigh-ins.

If you want to perform competently and avoid being disqualified from competitions, you must familiarize yourself with the rules of your chosen powerlifting federation.

If you dont know which federation to chose, check out choosing a Powerlifting Federation.

Once you have begun to grasp the sport of powerlifting and how competitions work, go and see it for yourself.

There are thousands of powerlifting meets hosted around the world each year. Its likely that you dont need to do a great amount of research or travel far to find one.

While its all fine and well reading about powerlifting competitions and how they work, however, attending a meet will give you a better feel for it.

By familiarizing yourself with the ins and outs of a powerlifting competition, you will certainly feel a lot more comfortable and confident when you eventually do compete.

Furthermore, you may find that attending a meet will significantly increase your motivation. It is absolutely inspiring to see athletes lift heavy weight and set new records.

Lastly, it will give you an opportunity to chat with other women within the sport and ask them any questions that you may have about their training and preparation for the competition.

Also check 6 methods to help you cut weight for powerlifting events.

If you are an absolute beginner to strength training, it is highly recommended that you hire a coach, preferably one with experience in powerlifting.

Doing so will ensure that you learn the correct techniques with all strength training exercises.

Research suggests that poor technique is the number one cause of injury during strength training (2). Therefore, if you aspire to get strong while remaining injury-free, your technique must be good.

This training program that you are given should be a progressive plan that will allow you to significantly enhance strength across the board and also increase your competence with the powerlifts.

Additionally, having a coach can certainly help with accountability, motivation, and support.

With so many coaches to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to begin. The first thing to do is to consider what it is you are looking for from a coach.

As mentioned, you should look to find a coach who is well-versed in powerlifting, that should go without saying.

Beyond that, you may need to consider your budget and select the service that works best for you.

Some lifters prefer to have multiple one-to-one sessions per week while others prefer less frequent sessions.

If you already have experience with strength training, online training may be a worthwhile option. Typically, online is more cost-effective than one-to-one training and involves a greater degree of independence.

There is no doubt that hiring a coach can be expensive and, therefore, this may not be possible for some.

However, if this is the case, fear not. There are an array of high-quality beginner powerlifting programs that you can find online.

The 5/3/1 by Jim Wendler, GreySkull LP program, GZCLP program, nSuns LP program, and Madcow 55, are all excellent examples of beginner powerlifting programs.

These beginner-friendly programs have all been designed to help you make the best progress possible and allow you to substantially increase the weight lifted for the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

Also a must read 12 strength training programs.

The physical training that you partake in prior to competition will ultimately determine how much weight you lift on the day.

If you want to be competitive as a powerlifter, you have to be fully committed to your training. Missing sessions or being inconsistent is not an option.

A useful way to look at your training is to view it as an appointment. Schedule your gym sessions in your diary or weekly planner like you would a dentist or doctors appointment.

While you may feel very motivated at the moment, there may be times where your enthusiasm starts to waver. This is totally normal every lifter experiences this.

However, this method may help with your adherence and consistency which will keep you on track, even on the days where you dont feel like training.

Once you have done these things, its time to knuckle down and work hard. Initially, the focus of your training should be on learning the three powerlifts the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

Some people pick up the techniques of these lifts fairly quickly while others may need longer to get to grips with them.

If possible, have a coach or someone with powerlifting knowledge teach you the techniques. This way you can be assured that your movement and technique is safe and effective.

The other thing to consider is that powerlifting federations have particular rules relating to the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

Therefore, its worthwhile having a coach check your technique to ensure that it fits the criteria and will pass when it comes to a powerlifting meet.

Once you have the technique down, you can then begin to plan for your first ever powerlifting competition.

This involves assessing your strength and then determining goal weights for the deadlift, squat, and bench press.

Its important to become familiar with one-rep max testing. As the name suggests, this involves performing one rep with as much weight on the bar as possible.

This is often seen as the gold-standard of strength testing and is, therefore, something that powerlifters should use frequently (3).

Your results from your one-rep max tests can be used to calculate the appropriate amount of weight to use in your training program.

Furthermore, strength tests can also give you a rough idea of your goal weight for each lift.

Once again, this is best done under the supervision of a coach who will ensure that goal weights are realistic and actually attainable.

Once you have determined goal weights, you can then look to sign up for your first ever powerlifting competition!

When choosing an event, there are two things to consider.

Firstly, if possible, look for a local beginners powerlifting event. These events tend to be much more relaxed than large competition meets.

Entering these competitions will give you a taste of what its like to participate in a powerlifting competition without causing you to feel overwhelmed or stressed.

Having participated in a competition like this, you may then feel more prepared to sign up for a more competitive and advanced event.

Secondly, you need to consider the time until the event. There is no point signing up for a competition that is only a couple of weeks away as this does not give you enough time to train.

Ideally, look for an event that is anywhere between eight and twelve weeks away. This is a more appropriate timeframe as it will give you enough time to reach your goal weight for the deadlift, squat, and bench.

Powerlifting is not just for men. There are thousands of incredible women who are building insane strength and competing at the highest levels.

While the thought of powerlifting may be a little overwhelming, following the eight steps outlined in this article will help to guide you through to your first ever competition.

References:

1- Ten Hoor, Gill A.; Plasqui, Guy; Schols, Annemie M. W. J.; Kok, Gerjo (2018-03-01). A Benefit of Being Heavier Is Being Strong: a Cross-Sectional Study in Young Adults. Sports Medicine Open. 4. doi:10.1186/s40798-018-0125-4. ISSN 2199-1170. PMC 5833324. PMID 29492711. [source]

2- Saragiotto, Bruno T.; Di Pierro, Carla; Lopes, Alexandre D. (2014). Risk factors and injury prevention in elite athletes: a descriptive study of the opinions of physical therapists, doctors and trainers. Brazilian Journal of Physical Therapy. 18 (2): 137143. doi:10.1590/S1413-35552012005000147. ISSN 1413-3555. PMC 4183252. PMID 24845023. [source]

3- Seo, Dong-il; Kim, Eonho; Fahs, Christopher A.; Rossow, Lindy; Young, Kaelin; Ferguson, Steven L.; Thiebaud, Robert; Sherk, Vanessa D.; Loenneke, Jeremy P.; Kim, Daeyeol; Lee, Man-ki (2012-06-01). Reliability of the One-Repetition Maximum Test Based on Muscle Group and Gender. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 11 (2): 221225. ISSN 1303-2968. PMC 3737872. PMID 24149193. [source]

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Womens Powerlifting: What You Need to Know to Get Started - FitnessVolt.com

PETALING JAYA: National No. 1 mens doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik aim to win at least one of the two upcoming Thailand Opens to get the year off to a roaring start. The world No. 9 believe they have done enough ground work during training to improve on their defensive game to face some of the worlds best in the back-to-back tournaments slated from Jan 12-17 and Jan 19-24 respectively.

The events in Bangkok will be their first-two tournaments since their quarter-final appearance at the All-England in March.

Their conquerors, the fast-attacking and world No. 1 Marcus Gideon-Kevin Sanjaya, exposed the Malaysians weakness in defence as the Indonesians romped home for a 21-17,21-19 win.

The last few months have been the hardest for us in training. To keep training without having a chance to test ourselves have been tough, said the 23-year-old Aaron.

We are so excited to compete in the Thai meets as well get to show what weve improved on in training and one of the areas is our defence.

Aaron admitted that they still have some catching up to do with top seeds Marcus-Kevin and the tournaments seven other seeded pairs Indonesias Hendra Setia-wan-Mohd Ahsan, Fajar Alfian-Rian Ardianto (6); Li Junhui-Liu Yuchen of China (3); Japans Keigo Sonoda-Takeshi Kamura (4) and Endo Hiroyuki-Yuta Watanabe (5); Taiwans Wang Chi-lin-Lee Yang (7); and South Koreans Choi Solgyu-Seo Seung-jae (8).

On paper, the Indonesians and Japanese are strong but all other seeded pairs are equally tough too, he said.

Ive also been working on my fitness and maintaining my ideal weight. Hopefully, all our hard work will translate into a good result. Our goal is to start the year by winning at least one of the titles in Thailand.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, who train under coach Flandi Limpele, are one of four Malaysian pairs who will head to Bangkok.

The 2019 All-England runners-up will be joined by their Badminton Association of Malaysia teammates Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani and independent pairs Goh V Shem-Tan Wee Kiong and Teo Ee Yi-Ong Yew Sin.

Aaron-Wooi Yik, the 2019 Philip-pines SEA Games gold medal winners, have yet to win a big tournament although they have shown great potential over the last two years.

With all the worlds best ready to strut their stuff in Thailand, it will be an ideal platform for Aaron-Wooi Yik to justify their status as the countrys most reliable pair.

Original post:
Badminton: Seeking Thai glory - The Star Online

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