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.