November 28, 2020

Which online workout is best for you?

It’s 7am on a Tuesday and I’m in the kitchen. Nineties fitness guru Mr Motivator is bellowing ‘WORK IT!’ at me, while I swing tins of baked beans above my head.

Outside, a bin lorry’s deafening beep throws my concentration and I keep thinking the pile of washing beside me needs sorting. Welcome to working out, 2020-style.

Of course, Mr Motivator, dressed in his fluorescent pedal-pushers, is not actually in my kitchen.

He’s broadcasting, via YouTube, from his own utility room. I’m joining the 20,000 fans who tune in daily.

As the latest lockdown lifts, gyms are allowed to reopen, even in the highest tier. But surveys suggest that 70 per cent of gym-goers have handed in their memberships and have no plans to return for the foreseeable future.

Instead many have embraced the digital fitness revolution.

Pictured: Eve Simmons works out in her kitchen at home with a Mr Motivator online class

Since March, there’s been an explosion in the number of workouts on YouTube and Instagram as gym brands, fitness gurus and social media influencers jump to meet a surge in demand for at-home exercise routines.

To find out which ones to choose, I tried out as many classes as I could in 48 hours – 20 of them.

The biggest surprise was Mr Motivator – who takes us through a mixture of leaping and squatting in time to feelgood music.

Aged 29, I’m just about old enough to remember him on breakfast TV, and I’m proud to last the full 15 action-packed minutes – until I discover later the videos are aimed at older adults.

FIVE BEST CLASSES FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS

1. THE 1,000-CALORIE ROUTINE

What’s it good for?

Two of these sessions a week will hit your NHS-recommended amount of exercise. The 90-minute video includes kick-boxing, Pilates and weight-lifting.

Where can I find it?

fitnessblender.com

2. THE WEDDING PARTY WORKOUT

What’s it good for?

Anyone bored by standard workouts will enjoy these body-strengthening and cardio workouts to pop songs.

Where can I find it? Instagram

3. ONE FOR KEEN WALKERS

What’s it good for?

People with joint and muscle pain. It’s a ‘walk to workout’ series, gradually increasing walking pace to get the heart pumping – without overdoing it.

Where can I find it?

youtube.com

4. STRENGTHEN MUSCLES – WITH NO STANDING UP

What’s it good for?

15-minute seated routines for those with musculoskeletal problems to reduce the risk of trips and falls.

Where can I find it?

youtube.com

5. GET BENDY WITH BECKS’ YOGA TEACHER

What’s it good for?

THE woman credited for David Beckham’s flexibility films short, revved-up yoga routines that tone muscles while helping you wind down.

Where can I find it?

shonavertue.com

Next, I move on to improving my muscle tone and balance through ballet, courtesy of the National Ballet’s digital beginner lessons. I join the instructor in a series of leg bends and squats. It’s slow and rather boring.

Before setting out on my marathon, Dr Mike Gleeson, Emeritus Professor of

fitness

The TeamUp Fitness App Promotes Connection, Movement, & More with ‘Fitness HookUps’

Press release content from Newswire. The AP news staff was not involved in its creation.

Click to copy

PHILADELPHIA – November 25, 2020 – ( Newswire.com )

TeamUp Fitness, a community-driven mobile application that’s geared toward fitness enthusiasts and professionals, recently announced its brand-new feature, Fitness HookUps.

Through this new feature, users are able to connect with other like-minded, fitness-focused individuals in their area and around the world for motivation, fitness strategies, and workouts.

“The TeamUp Fitness app provides our users with a platform to connect with others in person or virtually in accordance with social distancing guidelines,” said Tony Trombetta, CEO of TeamUp Fitness. “We’re looking forward to seeing how our app users will leverage Fitness HookUps to achieve their personal goals while motivating others to do the same.”

Whether you’re new in town and wanting to meet others, or are looking for a challenge to improve physically and mentally, watch videos of your favorite Fitness Guru posting complex movements and exercises or a Nutritionist posting fit healthy recipes. The TeamUp Fitness app is the place to do all of this and more.

The overarching goal of Fitness HookUps is to encourage and motivate people to get up and get out of their comfort zones by trying a different fitness class, making a new connection, or simply pushing beyond their limits.

The TeamUp Fitness App and Fitness HookUps is the spark you need to ignite your efforts and live an active lifestyle.

About TeamUp Fitness

TeamUp Fitness has created a community-based platform that’s specifically designed for fitness enthusiasts and Fitness Professionals. Members from all over the world can log in and get inspired and see in real-time who’s working out and where. The TeamUp Fitness app is motivating people everywhere to look good, feel great, and get active!

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Tiffany Kayar
[email protected]

Press Release Service by Newswire.com

Original Source: The TeamUp Fitness App Promotes Connection, Movement, & More with ‘Fitness HookUps’

Source Article …

fitness

Why TikTok might be the future of online fitness

There is a strange paradox within the home workout boom: 2020 has absolutely necessitated them, a way of keeping fit with an expert eye overseeing you at a time when fitness offerings were few and far between. But the curse is that social media, where most of these workouts can be found, is also a place where people promote a certain kind of flawlessness: an aptitude and exceptionalism in their physique that doesn’t always translate well to someone who, furloughed and in need of an outlet, wants to start doing HIIT for the first time.

While Instagram remains a vital resource if you’re looking for free workouts from some of the industry’s greats, there’s a new social media outlet that’s offering something a little bit different: TikTok. Famed for its viral trends, dance routines and Vine-like chaos, TikTok is not without controversy. But it has carved out a particularly interesting niche for fitness professionals: a space where people can be athletic and hot, but also have a personality.

TikTok might not seem like the next place to look to for help with your workouts – its videos are short, its energy much more scrappy – but the people who are making names for themselves on the app have found that it’s the perfect place to suggest new workouts, trial unusual supersets and even just go over the basics of gym etiquette and exercise form for people who need a refresher. Whether you’re an exercise newbie or a veteran, it might be worth turning your attention to TikTok.

Two things lead the men of Fitness TikTok to the platform: young girls in their families and seeing an opportunity to grow an audience. For Eyal Booker, it was seeing his younger sister using it; for Paul Olima, it was his daughter. For Alex Crockford and Franklin Sopuluchukwu, it was a chance to build an audience and give their expertise to a new group of people who needed it.

David Templer, a 30-year-old personal trainer and content curator, first joined TikTok as part of a paid partnership. “I think TikTok reached out to me and offered me £150 to set up an account,” he explained. “And then I also just post a few bits of content both on my TikTok channel and my Instagram feeds. I got addicted within a week.”

Templer’s entire business model is built on a holistic approach to health: nutrition and fitness go hand in hand, and he’s found a huge amount of success with his “shirtless chef” recipe videos, his often audaciously OTT meals finding a huge audience during lockdown. But fitness still continues to drive a lot of traffic for him: one of his most successful videos, at the time of talking, had been a guide on how to do a deadlift. “I think it is those educational pieces that people are really, really looking for, so I think what I’m going to do is go back into doing those one-off tutorials.”

For Templer, the real power

medicine

Sidra Medicine saves life of young Kuwaiti boy with intractable epilepsy

* QF entity performs complex epilepsy surgery for first time on an international patient

Sidra Medicine, a Qatar Foundation (QF) entity, has performed a complex epilepsy surgery for the first time on an international patient.

Salem is a 10-year-old boy from Kuwait who used to suffer from at least 15-30 seizures a day. Each seizure could last from a few seconds to up to four minutes, increasing the danger to his physical health.

Salem was transferred to Sidra Medicine in Qatar, after his family in Kuwait sought a second expert opinion with the hospital’s renowned specialist treatment programme for children with intractable epilepsy.

Salem’s father, Dr Abdulrahman Abdullah, said: “Due to the nature of Salem’s epilepsy, we had to have someone monitoring him all the time as he would have an uncontrollable seizure any minute, with the added risk of hurting himself. And while he was on a good therapy programme, including anti-epileptic medications, in Kuwait, we had reached a stage where he was no longer responding to conventional treatment or medication.”

“Our decision to bring my son Salem to Sidra Medicine was based on several recommendations within the international and regional pediatric medical faculty. The specialist and advanced therapies that Sidra Medicine offers competes with centres of excellence that are in the US or Europe. My family and I are extremely impressed with the care our son received here,” Salem’s father continued.

Dr Husam Kayyali, acting division chief of Neurology at Sidra Medicine, said: “Salem’s case was brought to our attention when his father reached out to our international office about saving his son’s life. Intractable epilepsy can be a heavy burden, especially on children as they need constant monitoring and care. Studies have shown that only 3-4% of patients with intractable epilepsy would respond to treatment with antiepileptic medications. Cutting-edge advanced therapies such as epilepsy surgery might be the only answer in such cases. After a thorough evaluation of Salem’s case at Sidra Medicine, we decided to proceed with epilepsy surgery.”

Salem was cared for at Sidra Medicine by a multidisciplinary team of experts from neurology, neurophysiology, radiology, nuclear medicine, neuro-psychology and neurosurgery. He was also extensively supported by a wider team from occupational health, physical therapy, rehabilitative medicine and ophthalmology to ensure a comprehensive pre- and post-operative care programme, a press statement noted.

Sidra Medicine is “one of very few children’s hospitals in the Middle East” to have dedicated paediatric experts overseeing the entire spectrum of care for children with complex diseases or health challenges, including epilepsy, the statement points out.

“Salem’s treatment programme at Sidra Medicine started with a thorough assessment and investigations at the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit with Video-Electroencephalographic monitoring and advanced neuroimaging such as high-resolution Brain MRI imaging and (positron emission tomography) PET scans. It was determined that Salem had suffered a stroke when he was a fetus inside his mother. This explained how he started getting refractory epileptic seizures when he turned five, which had progressively damaged the left side of his brain,”

medicine

Science and medicine were part of my life | Times Online

Dinner table chats with her scientist-parents and hospital ward rounds with her Puncha, these were what inspired her, says Dr. Maheshi N. Ramasamy, Principal Investigator for the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Trial, in this interview with Kumudini Hettiarachchi

View(s):

Totally relaxed, she comes on Zoom on Wednesday – at the appointed hour of 12 Greenwich Meantime Time (GMT) in Oxford, England, and 5.30 p.m. in Sri Lanka.

No one would imagine that pretty Dr. Maheshi N. Ramasamy, who is quick to smile and chats leisurely, has been having a “crazy” time since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world.

Dr. Ramasamy delivering a lecture on vaccines at the International Medical Conference of the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) last year in Colombo

For, 43-year-old Dr. Ramasamy is the Principal Investigator for the Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine Trial. Dubbing these “exciting” times, she promptly reiterates that the very promising potential vaccine in the Oxford University/AstraZeneca pipeline is “very much a product of teamwork”. The Oxford vaccine will be manufactured by the British pharmaceutical company, AstraZeneca which has made a commitment to making the vaccine on a non-profit basis throughout the pandemic so that it could be distributed globally.

As the Oxford Vaccine Group hopes to put out another strong research paper on their vaccine trials in a week, the Sunday Times looks at the life of this eminent Sri Lankan who loves to come back to her motherland to spend time with family, mainly her four “lovely” cousins who are like her siblings and her ‘Puncha’ (mother’s sister) who is well-known Consultant Physician Dr. Anula Wijesundere.

Out of the ordinary has been only-child Maheshi’s childhood, as her scientist-parents Prof. Ranjan Ramasamy and Prof. Manthri Samaranayake Ramasamy crisscrossed the globe. Born in Colombo, her early years had been spent in Saudi Arabia and Kenya, then back in Sri Lanka and onto California, United States of America, when the country was gripped by communal violence in 1983, then to Brisbane in Australia and finally back to Colombo in 1989.

Dr. Ramasamy says that her mother and aunt were both proud stalwarts and Head Girls of Visakha Vidyalaya, but she was there only briefly, just 10 months, as soon as she began her formal school education. When she returned from Brisbane, she joined Stafford International School – as her “Sinhala was not good enough” to attend Visakha – and did both her OLs and ALs from there. She was awarded the Felix R. de Zoysa Memorial Academic Scholarship and was also the Head Prefect at Stafford International.

Dr. Maheshi Ramasamy in her Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

“I had a great time at Stafford, with its wonderful teachers and amazing Principal Noreen Welikala,” she says, while her family in Colombo was also very close. She and her cousins would be dropped off at school by her aunt in the mornings and they would all go to their grandparents’ home for lunch after school. Family dinners were also a regular occurrence, usually ending on a high note

fitness

Need a Fitness Tracker? The Latest Fitbit is Marked Down to Just $99 Right Now

If you’ve been looking to add a solid fitness tracker to your daily routine, you’ll want to take advantage of this surprise Fitbit deal, which gets you the all-new Fitbit Charge 4 for just $99. That’s a massive $50 off its regular price of $149.95 and the first time the best-selling activity tracker has been discounted since it came out this spring (the same deal is also available on Amazon here).

Fitbit Charge 4 Fitness Tracker, 99.95, available at Fitbit

For under $100, you get one of the best fitness watches on the market, with a step tracker, sleep tracker, calorie tracker, heart rate monitor, and more. The Charge 4 has built-in GPS to help set your pace and track your distance during a run or hike. The device is also water-resistant up to 50 meters, making it great for swimmers and triathletes.

Track your workouts, set goals to stay active, and review your “sleep score” to see how well you stay asleep at night. All the stats are displayed on the easy-to-see screen, or can be tracked via the Fitbit app.

Pair the Charge 4 with a music streaming service to play your favorite tracks and playlists. Use “Fitbit Pay” to make purchases with a single tap. You can also set up your Fitbit to get call and text notifications (this isn’t a smartwatch so you’ll still need to use your phone to respond to messages).

The Charge 4 features the same, sleek design and lightweight strap as previous models. This one gets you a powerful battery that lasts up to seven days.

Regularly $149.95, Fitbit has its newest fitness tracker marked down to just $99. This deal includes the Fitbit, a watchband, charger and a 90-day free trial of Fitbit Premium. Like all Amazon deals, this is a limited-time offer so we recommend picking up the new Fitbit while the deal is still active. See full details here.

Source Article …

medicine

Remdesivir Medicine Market Will Hit Big Revenues In Future | Sanofi, Gilead Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline – Press Release

Remdesivir Medicine Comprehensive Study by Application (Ebola Virus Disease, Marburg Virus Infection, Possible COVID-19 Treatment), Administration (Oral, Intravenous), End-users (Hospitals, Clinics, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Others), Distribution Channel (Online Channel, Offline Channel) Players and Region – Global Market Outlook to 2025.

Global Remdesivir Medicine Market Comprehensive Study is an expert and top to bottom investigation on the momentum condition of the worldwide Global Remdesivir Medicine industry with an attention on the Global market. The report gives key insights available status of the Global Remdesivir Medicine producers and is an important wellspring of direction and course for organizations and people keen on the business. By and large, the report gives an inside and out understanding of 2020-2025 worldwide Remdesivir Medicine Market covering extremely significant parameters.

Key Players in This Report Include,
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (United States), Hainan Haiyao Co., Ltd. (China), Sanofi S.A. (France), GlaxoSmithKline plc (United Kingdom) and Cipla (India)

Free Sample Report + All Related Graphs & Charts @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/128698-global-remdesivir-medicine-market

Brief Summary of Global Remdesivir Medicine:
Remdesivir medicine is an anti-viral medication being studied as a possible post-infection treatment for COVID-19 illness. This medicine is a nucleotide analog, specifically an adenosine analog, which inserts into viral RNA chains causing their premature termination. It was developed by Gilead Sciences as a treatment for Ebola virus disease and Marburg virus infections. It is an investigational antiviral compound undergoing clinical trials in China, the United States and the United Kingdom as a potential treatment for COVID-19. It is not yet licensed or approved anywhere globally and has not been demonstrated to be safe or effective for any use.

Market Drivers

Increased Prevalence of COVID-19 Illness

Highly Effective Anti-viral Medicine

Market Trend

High Demand for Coronavirus Disease Treatment

Restraints

Lack of Clinical Evidence for COVID-19 Treatment

Opportunities

Increasing Number of Patients affecting COVID-19

Growth in the Healthcare Industry

Challenges

Stringent Government Rules and Regulations

This research report represents a 360-degree overview of the competitive landscape of the Global Remdesivir Medicine Market. Furthermore, it offers massive data relating to recent trends, technological, advancements, tools, and methodologies. The research report analyzes the Global Remdesivir Medicine Market in a detailed and concise manner for better insights into the businesses.

Regions Covered in the Global Remdesivir Medicine Market:

The Middle East and Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Israel, Egypt, etc.)

North America (United States, Mexico & Canada)

South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Argentina, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, etc.)

Europe (Turkey, Spain, Turkey, Netherlands Denmark, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.)

Asia-Pacific (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia).

Enquire for customization in Report @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/enquiry-before-buy/128698-global-remdesivir-medicine-market

The research study has taken the help of graphical presentation techniques such as infographics, charts, tables, and pictures. It provides guidelines for both established players and new entrants in the Global Remdesivir Medicine Market.

The detailed elaboration of the Global Remdesivir Medicine Market has been provided by applying industry analysis techniques such

dentist

Love Island’s Molly-Mae Hague leaves dentist as quest for natural beauty continues

Molly-Mae Hague was spotted leaving the dentist on Friday as she continued on her quest for more natural beauty.

The 21-year-old former Love Island star looked sensational as she wrapped up in an elegant designer outfit shortly after her appointment at Ruh Dental in Manchester.

The blonde bomshell – who is dating her Love Island beau Tommy Fury – opted for a chic cream overcoat and an enormous Balenciaga scarf to keep her warm against the blustery weather.

She also finished her look off with a pair of chunky statement trainers and light blue denim jeans.

Molly completed the outfit with a black leather bag as she walked away from the cosmetic dentist office.

Molly-Mae Hague was spotted leaving a dentist clinic in Manchester
(Image: FARRELL / BACKGRID)

The reality star slicked her hair back into a gorgeous French plait and added a lick of natural make up to finish off her ensemble.

It has been speculated in the past that Molly-Mae may have had veneers fitted to achieve her pearly whites, however it is unclear whether she had any procedures during her visit this week.

Molly’s latest trip to the dentist came shortly after the star revealed she was trying to ‘reverse’ some of her dramatic beauty procedures.

The reality star looked sensational in her winter outfit
(Image: FARRELL / BACKGRID)

Molly paired a smart cream coat with a fluffy Balenciaga scarf
(Image: FARRELL / BACKGRID)

Last month, the television star revealed she that had filler dissolved in her lips after admitting she may have gone ‘too far’.

Molly also captured the entire process on video and shared the details with her loyal YouTube following.

The Love Island star has since revealed to fans that she does ‘not miss’ her old lips, and was touched by all the messages she had received from fans.

Molly-Mae recently had her lip fillers removed
(Image: Molly-Mae/Youtube)

“You guys have been so nice about my new lips, you can’t really see because I’ve got so much lip liner on,” she said on social media.

“But yeah, I’m just trying to get use to them.

She continued: “I do not miss my lumpy, bumpy horrible filler!

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at [email protected] or call us direct 0207 29 33033.

…

dentist

Dentist issues warning after ‘healthy’ dad dies at 37

The tragic case of a Wirral dad-of-seven who lost his battle with an aggressive form of mouth cancer has led to concerns that thousands of cases are going undiagnosed.

Alan Birch, 37, had 90% of his tongue removed when he was diagnosed with mouth cancer in 2018.

Despite Alan undergoing both radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the cancer returned each time and specialists told his devastated family there was nothing more they could do for him.

The news was even more shocking as Alan, a self-employed plasterer from Moreton, lived a healthy, active lifestyle and did not drink or smoke.

It was after learning of the devastating diagnosis that Alan and his partner of 12 years, Debbie McDonough, decided to get married. The wedding ceremony in February was attended by more than 150 family and friends.

Debbie said at the time: “Usually the cancer he has is curable, but he got it in a very aggressive form. Every time they operated, it came back worse.”

a group of people posing for the camera: Dad-of-seven Alan Birch, pictured with his partner Debbie

© Liverpool Echo
Dad-of-seven Alan Birch, pictured with his partner Debbie

After winning hearts across Merseyside, sadly Alan died a few weeks later in April.

Mouth cancer takes more lives than cervical cancer and testicular cancer combined, with 8,722 new cases reported in the UK last year. This is a 58% increase compared to a decade ago and a 97% rise since 2000.

a man and a woman sitting at a table: Alan Birch and Debbie McDonough on their wedding day in February

© Joe Hague Photography
Alan Birch and Debbie McDonough on their wedding day in February

With the latest figures from the British Dental Association showing that 19 million treatments have been missed due to lockdown, dentists are now concerned about the number of cases of mouth cancer that will have potentially gone undiagnosed this year as a result.

But there is still a lack of awareness and knowledge around this type of cancer – something which dentists are keen to continue to try and rectify.

This comes as new research revealed that 52% of people living in the north-west are unaware their dentist will screen them for mouth cancer during a routine check-up. This figure was highest with those aged between 25-35, increasing to 61%.

What are the latest coronavirus figures for where you live? Find out by adding your postcode.

Dr Catherine Tannahill, dentist and director of clinical dentistry at Portman Dental Care, which carried out the research, said: “As dentists we see first-hand the impact this disease can have, and that’s why we want to ensure people are aware of what the signs and symptoms are, what to do if they spot an issue and what steps they can take to reduce the risk of developing mouth cancer.

“This is now more important than ever before, as thousands of diagnoses may have potentially been missed this year due to dental practices having to close in initial lockdown, and the subsequent backlog of appointments since.

“While this may sound alarming, early diagnosis of mouth cancer leads to a 90% survival rate, which is why it is imperative that people continue visiting their dentist

fitness

Black Friday 2020: Smartwatch and Fitness Tracker Deals

Whether you want a wrist-worn extension of your smartphone or a device made for fitness and the outdoors, these deals may be what you need to find the right gift for yourself or someone else.

With COVID-19 continuing to bear down on the world, this year’s holiday season is going to look pretty different than those of previous years. That includes holiday shopping that kicks off on Black Friday, which is likely to be more online than ever before due to fears of crowded public spaces.

If you’re considering a smartwatch or fitness tracker, either as a gift or just for yourself, you have a lot of options to choose from, but it can take some work to find the best deal. These 10 options are great choices for those looking for a new wearable device, whether it’s for fitness or as an extension to your smartphone. Note: The deals in this article are for specific models/colors and prices may change if different customization options are chosen.

Image: Best Buy

Samsung’s smartwatches are some of the most popular around, which makes sense considering Samsung is the most popular smartphone manufacturer on the planet, and pairing devices from the same manufacturer is always easier than syncing third-party devices.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 runs Samsung’s Tizen OS and has most of the fitness and watch-mirroring features you’d expect from a modern smartwatch. This deal only applies to the 40mm GPS version of the Active2 with the fluoroelastomer (synthetic rubber) band, but it is available in several colors for the same price.

$180 at Best Buy

Image: Best Buy

It’s possible to use a non-Apple smartwatch with an iPhone, but if you choose to do so you’re missing out on a lot of features that make the iPhone + Apple Watch an ideal combo.

The Series 6, Apple’s latest smartwatch, can detect falls, has an ECG sensor, can read blood oxygen levels, and track a variety of different workout types. This deal applies to the 40mm Series 6 with GPS, but several colors are available at the same price.

$380 at Best Buy

Image: Best Buy

Getting the best smartwatch deal requires knowing what you want out of your device. In the case of the Apple Watch SE, you’re getting what is essentially a Series 6 without the blood oxygen or ECG sensors. Aside from those differences it’s essentially the same device.

If you’re more interested in the non-fitness aspects of the Apple Watch the SE is a good choice: It looks the same, but it’s way cheaper.

$260 at Best Buy

Image: Best Buy

One of the biggest drawbacks to most smartwatches is their less-than-stellar battery life, which is a particular problem if you want to use it for sleep tracking. Enter the Fitbit Charge 4: A basic device that can get up to a week of battery time between charges.

The Charge 4 has a heart rate monitor, can track workouts, and can sync with iOS and Android to put alerts

Day: November 28, 2020

FIVE BEST CLASSES FOR ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS