I have a post coming out in a few days about bad research interpretation in the mainstream fitness media, but I want to set it up by offering a very smart researcher’s opinion. You see, I’m a total bro. I believe that the pump equals growth. I believe that hunger is a sign of a diet working. I believe that a good arm workout can cure depression. Well, it works for me at least. I believe these...

I’m insecure about a few things. I think most guys are to a degree. Some are insecure about their careers. Others are insecure about their relationships, or lack thereof. But there’s something about physical insecurities. They’re deep seeded and debilitating. And they’re easily exploited by snipers armed with the oldest, yet most accurate of weaponry. Alpha What? In the wake of the usual...

Fat loss sucks. Let me rephrase: Losing fat is pretty damn cool, but the process sucks like a Hoover. Especially the cardio, or energy system work, or whatever lipstick you want to smear on that old hairy sow. I loathe it; in an instinctual, visceral way that all red-blooded, fast twitch dominant guys do. It’s boring. It’s repetitive. I swear it burns muscle and hordes fat. (Note: it doesn’t.)...

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...

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...

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...

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...