Archive for the ‘Attitude’ Category
Thank God John Kass Didn’t Write the AMC
If he had, then I can guarantee you that Alpha Male Challenge would be a very different book! :(
Who the heck is John Kass? He’s a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Like me, he was inspired to write a column about that stupid Combos “America’s Manliest City” contest. The good news is that we both agree: it’s ridiculous to equate chomping ”hollow pretzels stuffed with a powdery ‘cheeze food’ product” with manliness.
The bad news? That’s about all we agree on. Suffice it to say, Kass’ definition of “manliness” is quite different from mine.
Ok, he’s a d00d and I’m not – so you could be forgiven for thinking that maybe he’s the one who speaks with more authority on this particular subject.
Until you actually read Kass’ column, that is, and discover the identity of his ideal, “iconic manly man.”
Flexing the Courage Muscle
In an effort to once again push my own panic button, I’ll be hurling myself out of a perfectly good airplane in a few weeks to raise money for cancer research. And I won’t be alone. My Leap for Life charity skydive is a global event this year, and a West Coast celebrity DJ has stepped up to flex his courage muscle.
JoJo Wright, host of the nationally syndicated “JoJo on the Radio,” will join the skydivers across the globe to help raise awareness and funds in the fight against cancer. A first-time skydiver who admits he is “terrified” about the jump, Read the rest of this entry »
How Many Calories Will I Burn?
The more active you are, the more calories you’ll burn. Most health conscious people worry way too much about the number of calories and not enough on the quality of the calories that they’re consuming.
It’s time to keep it simple – Don’t worry so much about the amount of calories, but rather focus on: Read the rest of this entry »
All Show & No Go? It’s Go Time!
It’s very easy to get caught up in a fitness routine that relies exclusively on weight training exercises and minimal cardio or other physical activities.
The term All Show & No Go often applies to bodybuilders, as they are often most concerned with looking aesthetically perfect. You may have heard stories of bodybuilders who couldn’t run a block’s worth without feeling like they’d keel over or some who were so big that they depended on their spouses to actually wipe them when they went to the bathroom. That’s just crazy!
Article: Who is to Blame for an Effeminate Man?
In Alpha Male Challenge, James and Rick discuss what it means to be an “Alpha Male” in an age where men and women are legal and economic equals. As in the traditional view, an Alpha Male is “masculine,” but they present masculinity as a wholly positive trait: it’s about what a man is (i.e., an acknowledged leader striving to be at his physical, emotional and intellectual best) rather than what he isn’t. A true Alpha Male is his own creation. He doesn’t need others to be weak to feel assured of his strength. He doesn’t need to hold others in contempt to feel confident about himself and his place in the world. He’s authoritative, without being authoritarian.
This is a message that needs to be more broadly shared, as too many people are unclear on the concept. Take, for example, this recent article by Amanda Hess, posted at washingtoncitypaper.com. Titled “Who is to Blame for an Effeminate Man?”, Hess (properly) takes “Dr. Laura” Schlessinger to the woodshed for her lame solution to a problem posed by a reader, “Andrea.”
Bonus “Alpha Attitude” Drill: Standing in Thomas’ Shoes
In writing Alpha Male Challenge, James and Rick had an ambitious goal: to create a roadmap that men could follow to reclaim their masculinity, physically AND psychologically. It’s the latter part that makes the book truly unique, IMHO. As skilled trainers, it would have been easy for them to write a solid diet/workout book; but they went well beyond this to tackle values, too. The result was a transformational set of ”Alpha Attitude” drills, designed to improve men intellectually, emotionally, and socially.
But there’s only so much territory that can be covered in 10 weeks. This is why I’m offering up a “bonus,” Alpha Attitude drill for your consideration. It’s a simple thought experiment: all you have to do is put yourself in the situation detailed beneath the fold, and think about how an Alpha Male – like you - would have handled it.
Inspiration Through Tragedy
Many people feel they have the strength and toughness to get through anything life throws at them. A true alpha can adapt and survive no matter what.
Let me put you in a scenario… You get hit by a car and have severe head trauma. You finally get out of the hospital after spending 6 weeks in a coma and 3 1/2 months in the hospital. You leave the hospita lto find you aren’t the same person mentally and physically. You find yourself slipping into a depression and think the answer to fix it is alcohol. Your last drink you pass out and probably shouldn’t wake up due to the excessive amount you had. But luckily you do. Do you continue down the dark path or do you find another outlet to deal with your emotions?
Dan Cox, a true alpha, found his outlet. FITNESS! Check out Dan Cox’s inspirational interview!
In Defense of Manliness
Last month, Harvard’s “Men Against Rape” invited Michael Kimmel, author of “Guyland,” to the campus to explore the “Perilous World Where Boys Become Men.”
Kimmel’s focus was on the worst of the gender – disenchanted, predatory rapists. But Harvard student Rachel L. Wagley (’11) takes Kimmel to task in her essay in the Harvard Crimson.
An optimistic male audience member asked Kimmel how we can re-inspire manly virtue and create noble men. Kimmel responded that there are no good distinctively manly qualities, rejecting the uniqueness of manhood in a room full of talented men.
Wagley disagrees, taking the position that there’s more to men … and to manliness.
Denigrating manhood harms society because when we assault manliness, we devalue men. Take a moment to admire Heinrich Harrer’s aggressive spirit of pursuit, Tom Sawyer’s territorialism, Nelson Mandela’s courage, and the stranger in the courtyard who held open the gate. Endless illustrations of manly nobility, honor, and courage abound on Harvard’s campus. To Harvard men: You are worthy of honor and respect.
Our Mental Powers: A Limited Resource?
Much of what we do is automatic – it has to be because we can only remain vigilant for so long.
Research at the University of Pennsylvania used Magnetic Resonance Imaging to look at brain activity during sustained attention and found that, over time, our ability to maintain focus, recognize important events and make decisions declines. Simply put: we’re limited as to how long we can concentrate.
Likewise, self-control is like a muscle – it can be exhausted, it requires rest to return to full strength, and can even grow stronger with exercise. Our ability to concentrate is an important part of self-control, and it is also limited. The take-home message is to be conscious of our limited ability to maintain vigilance; plan ahead, create a structured program we can follow fairly easily, and allow ourselves time away from temptation by limiting the choices we have available.
No need to try white-knuckling it all the time – your brain is working against you. In time, our new plan will become as automatic as the old one.
Why You Should Be Flexing in the Mirror
We have seen this behaviour at the gym. It gets a bad rap and is the target of ridicule by most gym members. What is this devilish beast? Posing. Checking yourself out in the mirror. While you flex your guns waiting for the next round of vomit inducing preacher curl negatives to begin. Should you do it? Is there any use for it? Is it just for men?
A lot of backlash occurs in the gym world when we see people posing and flexing between sets during a workout. Meatheads, muscle freaks, posers – all terms you will hear at any gym when someone hits a double bicep or most muscular during their workout. Even if they just peel back the edge of their dri-fit shirt and pop a little bicep peak out. Just to check if it’s there.
Like many things from the bodybuilding and figure world, however, posing and flexing is actually something that has benefits but is sorely misunderstood. People think you are wasting your time and making a fool of yourself if you spend time flexing your muscles in the mirror. I am going to have to disagree.
