CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 6/6/14

Sorry gotta keep this quick today.  I just got done coaching bootcamps and I’ve got a 1PM appointment to get to, which only leaves me 30 minutes to post this, take a shower, solve some long division, and then try to catch the T.  Ahhhhhhhhh.

9 Essential Strength Benchmarks for Women – Patrick Striet

Loved the overall message of this slideshow.  Ladies, no one says you “can’t train like the boys” or that you “can’t get stronger.”  It’s BS.  And anyone who says so probably has never trained anyone in real life in the first place or plays Dungeons & Dragons alone in their basement.

The Simple Deadlift Program – Matt Kroc

Who am I to argue with Matt Kroc?  The guy’s bigger than Paul Bunyan.

I’m a BIG fan of simple, and this plan is about as simple as it gets.

8 of the Smartest People in Fitness Industry Share Their Healthy Travel Tips – compiled by Will Owen

I was honored to be lumped into the same breath as the others who contributed to this article.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/30/14

A few housekeeping items before we begin.

1.  Can you freakin believe we’re two days away from June already?  This year is flying by!

2.  Lisa and I saw X-Men: Days of Future Past last weekend, and I have to say I liked it didn’t love it.  I still feel my favorite film in the series is X-Men: First Class with X2 right on its heels.

Don’t get me wrong, I was every bit as excited to go see this latest version (I was thiiiiiis close to buying a pair of toy Wolverine claws to wear to the theater, but Lisa put a stop to that thought immediately), we both enjoyed it and I’d have no issues with recommending it to everyone, but it just didn’t live up to First Class which I feel is what set the bar in the entire series.

I will give it props for one of the best overall scenes this year in any movie.  The scene where Quicksilver helps break Magneto out of jail is every nerds wet dream.

3.  Spots are going fast for mine and Dean Somerset’s Excellent Workshop in London this September.  Also, we finally locked down a location for the same workshop in Washington, DC this October….at Underground Athlete in Sterling, VA.

For more information on either of the two – price, itinerary, accommodations, whether or not shirts are optional – you can go HERE.

 Is Bacon Healthy?  Don’t be Stupid – Skip Hill

I love bacon as much as the next person.  It’s technically “Paleo,” and it’s gluten free – so it’s got those two things going for it.  What’s not to love?

But to say that it’s a “healthy” food, like many nutritional gurus are spewing out lately, is a bit extreme.

CrossFit: Movement, Strength, Skill, and Fitness – Todd Bumgardner

I respect Todd a ton as a coach, and it shouldn’t come as surprising that he and I think along the same lines on many topics.  I mean we’re both bald strength coaches, so we’re practically brothers!

I know the word “CrossFit” is generally seen as a click grabber, but I felt this was one of the best and more fair posts on the heated topic I’ve come across yet.

Bulletproof Athlete – Mike Robertson

I wrote a post earlier in week detailing how I’ve gone about tweaking my own programming now that I’m no longer 25.  I still act like I’m 25 mind you (boobies!!!!), but for the record I’m 37.

For those that missed it the first time around you can check it out HERE.

I had several guys reach out to me asking me if there were any programs out there on the internets that I’d recommend for those in the same boat.  Yes, Bulletproof Athlete.

As it happens I’m a FIRM believer that most people can (and should) still train like an athlete regardless of how old they are.  What it boils down to is where someone’s starting point is and making the appropriate progressions moving forward.

The cool thing about Bulletproof Athlete is that you can choose between different programs depending on your goals and needs:

– The Fat Burner
– The Weekend Warrior
– The Monster

And each program comes with an extensive video library on top of weekly nutritional and recovery challenges.  Put another way:  there’s some checks and balances involved, and it prevents guys (and girls!) from getting in their own way.

The even cooler thing is that Mike placed BPA on sale for $50 OFF the regular price for this week only.  Holla!

The sale actually ends THIS Sunday (6/1), so if there’s ever a time to give it a go, it’s now.

—-> Bulletproof Athlete <—-

 

 

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/22/14

You know what?  I didn’t do a ton of reading this past week for two reasons.

1. Instead of my normal morning reading I opted to watch Functional Stability Training for the Upper Body, which really meant I watched my shirtless cameo on a repeated loop.  Just kidding.

Kinda.

2. Lisa was away all last weekend up until last night visiting her mom in Florida, which meant I was a bachelor for five days.  Five glorious days of not making the bed, not putting the toilet seat down, or not making any food for myself.  Don’t worry, I didn’t starve or anything.

I understand that correlation doesn’t necessarily translate to causation, but I also know that the frequency of me hitting up Whole Foods for meals while Lisa is away goes up around 783%.

So, basically, it’s science.

I also took that time to CRUSH some movies.  I went to the theater a total of four times in five days…no big deal.

I watched Godzilla (holy s***balls, GODZILLA!!!), Neighbors (hilarious), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (might be my favorite Avengers film yet), and a smaller, independent film called Chef, written by, directed by, and starring Jon Favreau (the guy who wrote and starred in Swingers, and directed the first two Iron Man films).

For any foodies out there reading:  you’ll LOVE this movie.  And even if you’re not a foodie, I’d still recommend it.

So, um, yeah….I didn’t do much reading since the last edition of this series.  But that doesn’t mean I didn’t do any!

Here’s some stuff to check out.  Enjoy!

Breathing Techniques for a Smaller Waist and Tummy – Zach Moore

I know this comes across as a bit ironic given I wrote a post earlier this week on how I feel some trainers and coaches are taking the whole breathing thing a bit too far.

But this is a classic case where “if the shoe fits…..”

Look at the before and after pics above and tell me that it didn’t work!

Nice job, Zach!

Lifting for Two? – Meghan Holohan

FINALLY!!!  I mainstream media source touting the BENEFITS of lifting weights and why it can be BENEFICIAL for pregnant women.

I’ve long championed the notion that pregnant women can still train – and train fairly intensely – during their pregnancy, given they already have experience and understand that it’s important to listen to their body.  There’s little evidence to suggest that women who are already active and continue to stay active during pregnancy pose any more harm to the fetus.

This was great to see a more high-traffic, mainstream site touting the same message.

 A Muscular Career Marriage – Bryan Krahn

I’m a big fan of Bryan’s stuff, and probably more a fan of his writing style.

This was a fantastic “perspective” piece of writing that I feel every fitness professional should read.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/13/14

Before I get into this week’s list of stuff to read, I wanted to reach out to all of my esteemed, intelligent, and radically good looking readers to ask them for a little feedback.

I plan on giving this website a “face-lift” in the near future with the help of my friends from Copter Labs, who built this site from scratch way back in 2010.

I have a few things that jump out at me:

1.  Make the site more compatible for those who log on through their iPad or iPhone.

2.  Upgrade some of the aesthetics like the font (I want to make the font larger), getting rid of some of the superfluous stuff on the home page like the link to Flickr and my YouTube page, as well changing the standard “bald-strength-coach-tough-guy-who-crosses-his-arms” picture that’s plastered on the front.

For all I know that scares more people away than welcomes them.

3.  And then there are some backend things like updating the NewsLetter software and including more links to LOLCats….;o)

I’m wondering, though:  is there anything YOU’D like to see change?  Anything I’m missing or need to improve on (Note:  calling me out on grammar mistakes doesn’t count!).

I’d really appreciate some feedback in the comments section below.

10 Health Myths That Just Won’t Die, Debunked by Science – Various People Smarter Than Myself.

Does fat make you fat?

What about carbohydrates?

Just because something is “gluten-free” means it’s healthier, right?  Ahem, soda is gluten free.

I enjoyed this article, because for starters it includes one of my man-crushes, Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, but also because it debunks MANY of the most common myths out there (like the ones mentioned above).

 Ladies, What’s YOUR Goal? – Emily Socolinsky

For those who read this site regularly, Emily shouldn’t be a stranger.  I link to a lot of her work because I respect the hell out of her, and think she’s a powerful advocate for women and strength training.

This was a wonderful commentary on the batshit-craziness of some women and how they can be snarky, judgmental, a-holes, and otherwise act like they’re in Junior High School all over again.

My Butt is Doing What?  Squats and Butt Wink – Ann Wendel

Very succinct and to-the-point article by Ann on something which is common in the weight-training community:  the butt wink!

Many people glide towards the idea that the hamstrings are the biggest culprit….which they are not!

Ann breaks down a handful of the most common reasons and how to address them

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 5/2/14

Hey, hey, hey!  So, like about 73% of the entire fitness industry population I’m in Kansas City for the weekend for The Fitness Summit.

You know it’s a legit event when said event begins with the word “THE.”

I’ll speaking alongside the likes of Bret Contreras, Alan Aragon, Brad Schoenfeld, David Dellanave, Jen Sinkler, Cassandra Forsythe, Mike T. Nelson, Roland and Gayla Denzel, Bryan Krahn, Spenser Nadolsky, and I think Professor Dumbledore may be making a cameo appearance too.

And this is in conjunction with the people in attendance:  Nick Tumminello, Dean Somerset, Chad Landers, Jon-Erik Kawamoto, Mark Fisher, James Fell, Lou Schuler, and a handful of other well known coaches, trainers, and writers.  It’s like we’re celebrating Fitness Christmas!

AND least we forget the attendees themselves…people from all over the world have made the trek to KC to hang-out, learn, eat dead animal flesh, and challenge Bret to random glute-offs.  True story!

So what I’m trying to say is…go see The Amazing Spiderman 2 this weekend.

Why We’re Losing Athleticism – Eric Cressey

Eric NAILED this one, and it’s something I’ve written on in the past as well.  It saddens me that we as a society have placed more credence on our kid’s ability to answer meaningless standardized test questions than allowing them to be kids, and grow, and mature, and otherwise develop as human beings.

Physical education is more or less extinct in most curriculums now.  And, even worse, is the fact that recess is no longer a part of their school day.

When I was in school we got 45 minutes every day to go outside and run, play kickball, play catch, and chase girls with bugs.  Hell, I still do that…..;o)

In any case it’s no surprise that rates of childhood obesity have risen by astronomical standard, and that “test” scores are down…….WE NEED TO ALLOW OUR KIDS TO FREAKIN MOVE!!!!

When to Use Speed…and When to Slow Down Your Reps – Steve Bergeron

This is a conundrum and concept I deal with on an almost daily basis when coaching, and Steve helps shed some light on when it’s appropriate to lift slow and fast.

Are Personal Trainers Missing the Point? – Will Davis

It’s one of my biggest pet peeves in life – other than anything that comes out of Tracy Anderson’s mouth – personal trainers who fail to COACH THEIR CLIENTS!!!

This was an excellent post by Will and I highly encourage all personal trainers to read it.

 Also, TWO Things (Actually, Three)

1.  I love you.

2.  This weekend (Sunday, 5/4 at midnight) will be your last chance to purchase The Modern Women’t Guide to Strength Training at the introductory price.

For those who missed it, I posted an excellent article by Molly Galbraith HERE which discusses common mistakes (many) women make with their own training as well as goes into more detail on the product itself.

Suffice it to say it’s a product FOR women written BY women…..and I 100% endorse it.

3.  Also, my good buddy John Romaniello (Roman for short) “released” his flagship fat-loss product, The SuperHero Workout 2.0 earlier this week.

I say “released” because it’s actually a re-release of  his original product, albeit here he’s added a boatload of additional content, workouts, penis jokes, and overall badassery.

The entire Cressey Performance staff did this program a few years ago when it was originally released and we all loved it!

If you ever wondered how the likes of Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Henry Cavill (Superman), or Chris Hemsworth (Thor) got in such great shape for their roles….well, this manual is pretty much the holy grail on how they did it.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/25/14

I became the regular “Friday Bootcamp Guy” at CP a few weeks ago.  I had been filling in sporadically the past year to 1) give Greg a bit of a break from having to get up at the butt-crack of dawn and 2) for a slight change of pace on my end.

Coaching bootcamps allows me the opportunity to work with people I normally don’t have the chance to see, and well, it’s just plain fun!

Not that people who make a consistent habit of getting up at 5AM to exercise need any more motivation to do so, but this morning while each bootcamp was warming up I alternated between playing the Al Pacino “One-Inch!” speech from Any Given Sunday and the Kurt Russell “screw the Soviets” speech from the movie Miracle.

It….was…..awesome.

By the end I’m pretty sure each bootcamper wanted to either fight a polar bear or challenge one another to a cage match as a finisher.

It sure beats Prowler medleys or kettlebell swings!

Nevertheless, it’s been a long day and since I’m sitting here at the car dealership as my car gets serviced (oil change), I figured I’d toss up a few things for you guys to check out.

How to Bullet Proof Your Body – Girls Gone Strong

I shared a video with you the other day from Molly (Galbraith), which discussed some of the differences or tweaks that many women must make with their fitness training if they truly want to make progress.

In anticipation of their new manual, The Modern Women’s Guide to Strength Training, which is being released next week, Molly is back with another FREE video discussing how women can “bullet proof” their bodies.

In short:  less is more.

Why Haters Make It So Much Easier For You to Succeed – Jason Ferruggia

Holy f***balls this was an awesome article.

I’ll be honest:  It used to bother me whenever someone on the internet went out of their way to say hurtful or spiteful things towards me.  I wouldn’t stay at home, plop on my couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, and watch a Julia Roberts movie or anything….but I’d be lying if I said certain things didn’t affect me or make me want to react.

It wasn’t long before I learned to ignore the haters and to just chalk it up to “ it’s what people do when they have nothing else to do and they suck at life.”

Jason hits the nail on the head with this post.

Workout Nutrition: What to Eat Before, During, and After Exercise – Brian St. Pierre

Okay, I’ll admit it:  I’m a bit biased in that Brian’s a good friend and a former employee of Cressey Performance.  But man if this isn’t one of the most detailed and thorough articles I’ve read on this topic!

I’m so proud to see how much of a big deal Brian’s become in the industry and it’s so cool to see him putting out such amazing content.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/18/14

I’ve been up since 3:30 this morning, so I don’t really have much to say at this point.  I’m thiiiis close to injecting some caffeine directly into my left ventricle.

For those who celebrate it, I hope you have a great Easter weekend.  Try not to overdo the peanut-butter eggs….;o)

And for those who don’t, I hope you, too, have a great weekend.

I’m out!

Accept Regression to Allow Progression – Anthony Dexmier

This is a topic I’ve touched on in the past: where regressing an exercise can be viewed as a progression.

A great example would be Goblet squats.

Many people will roll their eyes and think I’m crazy when I tell them to take the barbell off their back and revert to performing Goblet squats.  How can one possibly get stronger and jacked if they’re not back squatting?

What am I trying to do:  steal their gainz!?!?!

The thing is, a lot of people think they’re more advanced than they actually are.  It’s similar to what we see the first week of every season of American Idol, where those people who have been told by their Aunt Grace all their life they have the “voice of an angel,” when in fact they actually sound more like a rhinoceros passing a kidney stone.

The same can be said about squatting.  Some people just aren’t ready to get underneath a bar on day one.  A regression can be a progression.

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Implications in an Exercise Program and On-Field Performance – Miguel Aragoncillo

Talking about breathing – how we suck at it, how we can correct it, and how it can affect posture/performance/and a bad hair day – is all the rage in the fitness industry nowadays.

I understand why some people are skeptical and feel it’s just a trend that’s hot right now. I mean, Skechers used to be cool too.

I’ve seen how addressing one’s breathing patterns can have a profound influence on everything from pain to ROM deficits to posture to movement quality.  Sorry, it can’t fix a bad hair day.

In this post Miguel does a nice job in explaining some of the ins and outs of diaphragmatic breathing and how “owning your rib position” can make you a beast in the weight room.

P90x and Muscle Confusion: The Truth – Charles Staley

The whole idea of muscle confusion and how it’s important to place credence in it is a bunch of bullshit.

The human body is a lot smarter than some infomercial gives it credit for.

Stealing a line from the article itself:  “Muscle confusion isn’t about preventing plateaus; it’s about giving beginners enough variety so they won’t immediately get bored and quit. And when you constantly vary your training, you might not be as likely to quit, but you’re not going to make any real progress.” 

Also, as a friendly reminder:  TODAY (Friday) is the last day to purchase Bret Contreras’s 2×4 Program at the sale price.

It’s a great resource, especially for those looking to get strong (and to add muscle).  I’ve started the program myself this week and am loving it.

The introductory offer ends tonight at midnight, so be sure to check it out HERE before then.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/11/14

As most of you are reading this, I’m currently on my way to Fargo, Minnesota to present at the Sanford POWER Strength & Conditioning Clinic this weekend.

UPDATE:  to say I’m ass, and realized after having landed and met my ride that I was in NORTH DAKOTA and not Minnesota.

It’s my first extended stay in the state of Minnesota North Dakota, and sadly I have no beard to show for it.

Nevertheless, I was pumped to be invited to speak at this event and am looking forward to a weekend of learning and networking (and trying my best not to make any references to Fargo, the movie).

You’re darn tootin’!

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Here’s this week’s list of stuff to read while you’re pretending to work.

Enjoy!

Skipping Breakfast: Will It Really Make You Fat? – Helen Kollias

People love arguing over the merits of breakfast.  I for one LOVE breakfast.  I wake up every morning excited to crush an omelet.  And I’m not talking about some sissy egg white omelet either.  No, no.  I’m talking about a 6-8 WHOLE egg omelet.

Breakfast isn’t for everyone, though, and it’s not the end of the world if someone decides to skip it.  Despite some sensationalistic reports, skipping it WILL NOT make you fat.  The team over at Precision Nutrition explains why.

8 Moves For a Crazy Strong Core – Ben Bruno

It’s official:  Ben Bruno is a sadistic bastard.

The Positive Business Plan – Mark Fisher and Michael Keeler

This isn’t something to read, but rather watch.  If there’s one thing I’ve learned in helping to start and run a successful (fitness) business it’s that caffeine is your best friend going out of your way to build a sense of COMMUNITY amongst your members is worth more than gold.

You’d be hard pressed find anyone who’s done a better job at doing this than Mark Fisher and his business partner, Michael Keeler.

I mean, they refer to their clients as Ninjas!  And they don’t call their gym a gym.  Instead, they refer to it as The Enchanted Ninja Clubhouse of Glory and Dreams.

But it’s not all unicorns and nunchucks.

Mark estimates that each coach at his establishment spends roughly 10-hours per week on personal development.

Ie:  their “Ninjas” get coached very, very well.  They not only know every word to the musical Wicked, but they know who Mel Siff is.

I’ve personally met Mark, and I respect the hell out of him.  And I HIGHLY encourage anyone who’s remotely interested in starting a business (any business) to watch this 16 minute video.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 4/4/14

Going to keep this one quick today. I’m actually driving back to my stomping grounds today – central NY – to take part in what should be an awesome event at my alma mater this weekend:  State University of New York at Cortland.

Myself, Lou Schuler, Dr. Mike Roussell, John Gaglione, and Dr. Cassandra Forsythe are all speaking at the SUNY Cortland Strength Symposium tomorrow and I’m excited for two reasons.

1.  This is a HUGE deal for Cortland.  Last year I was honored to be invited back to campus to hang out and to speak to the student body, and it turned out to be a well received event. But that was just little ol’ me, and I’m not even that cool.

This year, though……Cortland upped the ante and the caliber of speakers they’re bringing in is sick.  Hell, if I weren’t speaking myself I’d want to sit in on the action.

2.  Heading back to Cortland also allows me to make the trek home (Groton, NY) and spend some time with my family which I rarely ever get to do. They’ll be hugs and laughter and a lot of catching up.  But more importantly:

MA…..MEATLOAF!  I WANT IT!!!!!

Before I head out I wanted to make sure I left you with this week’s stuff you read while you’re pretending to work.  You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging did you?  Come on….give me some credit!

Bench Press More in 4 Weeks – Greg Robins

Well, well, well…..look who made their first appearance on T-Nation this morning!?!?! Why it’s fellow CP coach, Greg Robins!

Greg is a phenomenal coach.  I should know, I see him in action every day.

As much as you’d like to think so, you don’t need some long-lost Russian text or smelling salts to bench press more.

If that’s what you’re doing, you’re making it more complicated than it has to be.

This was a fantastic article if for nothing else for the practical advice.

Why Rep Ranges Are a Sham – Mike Samuels

I thought this was a cool way of thinking outside the box, and something I’ve toyed with in the past myself.

Of Note: the next time a woman mentions how she’s “scared” to perform low-rep strength training for fear of growing an Adam’s Apple, show her this article and how she can manipulate reps (more specifically, time) so that won’t happen. It’s not going to happen either way, but this article will at least provide some science to back it up.

Your Taste Doesn’t Matter – Jason Lengstorf

Not a fitness themed blog by any means (it’s about coffee), but still relevant in many ways.

I can think back to how many times I’ve rolled my eyes whenever someone tells me that they’re preferred mode of exercise is jogging, yoga, Zumba, or pretend light-saber battles.

Actually, that last one is pretty baller.

Anyways, if someone wasn’t making a concerted effort to lift some appreciable weight on a consistent basis, I’d always try to convince him or her why not doing so was the worst thing since, well, anything by Taylor Swift.

The fact of the matter is:  sometimes, just like people’s coffee preferences, many could care less about their squat total or how much they bench press. Rather than chastise them for their lack of coffee and/or workout taste/etiquette…..why not just embrace that they like what they like?  It’s not the end of world.

CategoriesStuff to Read While You're Pretending to Work

Stuff to Read While You’re Pretending to Work: 3/28/14

Before we jump into this week’s list of stuff to read while you’re pretending to work (don’t worry:  I won’t judge.  It’s Friday, after all!), I wanted to let people know that Cressey Performance recently made available a new t-shirt geared towards all the people out there who don’t have a Y chromosome.

<—– I think it’s pretty baller if I do say so myself.

I’d totally wear it.

The t-shirts themselves are made out of 65% polyester, 34% cotton, and 1% dragon tears.

They’re wicked comfortable and will add at least 20 lbs to your deadlift the first time you wear it to the gym.  It’s science.

The only downside is that they run a little small, so you may want to consider ordering one size up. Each shirt is $19.99 plus shipping/handling.  Go HERE to order (link takes you to Eric’s website).

Ask Ann:  How Should I Treat My Sore and Tight Hip Flexor? – Ann Wendel

Some people feel I have a personal vendetta against stretching given I poo-poo on it every so often, and that’s partially true.

I do find there’s a lot of benefit to stretching – particularly when it comes to resetting or establishing better length/tension relationships amongst force couples.

I just feel that many people approach stretching as the end-all-be-all answer, not to mention most do it wrong.

In the case of “tight hip flexors,” more often than not the true culprit isn’t even a hip flexor issue in the first place!  What’s more, for those who proceed to continually stretch their hip flexors like it’s going out of style, as counterintuitive as it sounds, it could be causing more harm than good.

In this excellent blog post, physical therapist Ann Wendel sets the record straight, and hits on a point that I’ve talked about religiously in the past.

Being An Athlete Means More Than Winning Games – Diana Cutaia

This was a “passion piece,” written by a good friend of mine for a local newspaper here in the Boston area.

I felt there were several great messages, but the one that struck me was the notion that training HAS to be revolved around some result.  While this can help, I don’t feel it’s something that’s mandatory.  As Diana notes, what’s wrong with just having fun?

The Vulgar Truth Diet – Chris L. Hitchko

I was sent this book a few months back when the author reached out to me and asked if I’d be willing to check it out.

Admittedly, it took me a while to get to it (the pile of books I have in my office can be considered an occupational hazard), but I finally had a chance to peruse it while I was away on vacation.

What this book is:  a quote-unquote “diet” book.

What this book isn’t: a quote-unquote “diet” book.

Yes this is a diet book, but this isn’t your feel good, warm-and-fuzzy, lets talk about rainbows, kitty kisses, and how carbohydrates are your worst enemy diet book.

This book, while providing a TON of information and insight, doesn’t hold any punches when it comes to telling people what’s up.

The title says it all: There’s vulgarity, it tells you to stop making excuses, and it’s awesome.

As someone who tends to put his own personality in his writing, I could really appreciate how Chris was able to get his message across, yet not “coddle” people.

I understand that there are a million and one different diet books out there to choose from, but this one was a nice change of pace.