Vibrams, Van Halen, and Brown M&M’s

I marvel at how some fit guys that I know can meet attractive, stylish women and keep them relatively engaged for a while. Not because they only talk about training or eat weird shit or have really skewed priorities -- you can have that and still close the sale -- but because of their style choices. Namely, footwear. Shoes are a big deal. Especially to women. It’s among the first thing they...

A Muscular Career Marriage

Who Are You? Forget “to be” -- this is the question. Recently at the annual Fitness Summit, I spoke about the importance of branding from a fitness pro’s perspective. Branding isn’t just about marketing or “cutting through the noise.” A strong brand will define your career. It will define you. The Big Paradox First the paradox. You need a strong, consistent brand to survive. Yet the fitness...

Heart Attack Man

Let me tell you about the time I almost killed a thousand bodybuilding fans. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. But it was still reckless and stupid. Around 10 years ago I was asked/told at the last second to work a sponsorship table at a bodybuilding show taking place that weekend. No I wasn’t guest posing (smart-ass) -- the gig was to hand out samples of whatever product the sponsor of the show...

Check Your Head

When the lighting is right some of the veins poking through on my legs look like a pale blue spider web. If this is the most useless thing you’ve read all week then welcome to the headspace of the dieting physique athlete. I’m not alone. Anyone who does this, or tries to, eventually goes a little crazy. Cause dieting and training to lose fat is difficult. Simple, yes, but not easy. It's the food...

The Art of Aesthetic

Ever since I wrote this blog about fitness model photo shoots, I’ve received a number of questions from guys who either want to be Physique competitors, or at least look like one. A few years ago I would’ve scoffed at them. Physique competitions? That’s for pretty boys who are scared to squat and can’t place in real bodybuilding. Then I would’ve kicked sand on them and said something mean about...

Protein Pixie Dust

Back in the 90’s I worked for a Canadian distributor of EAS sports supplements. Now this wasn’t the EAS we know today, that of low quality generic products designed for the less than discerning Walmart bargain shopper. This was the EAS from Back In The Day, when the Phillips brothers were at the helm, Muscle Media was the number one muscle rag on the newsstands, and a plain white powder called...

Remain Underground

One of my side ventures? Writing bios for fitness guys, either for their websites or whatever product or book they happen to be launching. It’s fun work and I enjoy doing it. When I eventually see the finished bio in print, 90% of the time it’s different from what I’d sent them. They either emphasize a service they offer or perhaps play down an accomplishment that I thought was cool. Most also...