Motivation Monday

Be Your Own Renaissance Man

           In the movie Renaissance Man, Danny DeVito is discussing Leon Battista Alberti who was an Italian humorist, author, artist, poet, linguist, philosopher, and cryptographer amongst other things. According to the dialogue of the movie, “They said that he could stand, with his feet together like this, and spring straight over a man's head.” To which DeVito’s character says, “If Leon Battista Alberti couldn't have done that, I wouldn't have remembered a thing about him.”

            This made him an oxymoron. It made him a smart jock. Now, what have I said since the beginning? Furyan Strength is about developing your body, mind, and spirit. Keeping your body sharp will also help keep your mind sharp and I think it works the other way too. Before I started this journey I had no clue what whey protein did for my body. Or BCAAs. Or why I should take Vitamin E. Or the importance of muscle balance and symmetry. I think most people associate all bodybuilders as dumb jocks who just lift heavy weights. But listen to any of the testimony of Dr. Jim Stoppani and I don’t think anyone can deny that lifting weights is a science. But then I saw an image on the internet that really made me think.

Tough but Truthful Talk

          I hear women talk all the time how they want to have the butt of this pop star or the shape of this movie star. Just diet and genetics are not going to do it for you. If you want a big butt (or strangely if you also want to get rid of your big butt), you HAVE to squat and deadlift. That is going to build those butt muscles more than hours on the treadmill.
          We are told all the time how men like women with curves. No one wants to cuddle with a stick at night. And “boys like a little more booty to hold at night.” Speaking for myself as a representative of Man Nation, I can tell you that this is true.
          In February 2015, it was national news when Ashley Graham – a “plus size” model made it into the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. (For the record, she didn’t make it in the issue. She was the spokesmodel for an ad for Swimsuits For All which ran in the issue.) In an article I was reading, she was labeled as a “size-16 beauty.” She was quoted as saying: “Jennifer Lawrence is the media's poster girl for curves — she's tiny.  There needs to be more education in schools, because that's where eating disorders start. It's not just about being healthy; it's also about loving who you are."
          And Ms. Graham is right. Earlier that year, Jennifer Lawrence was labeled as “curvy” and did a picture shoot with a boa constrictor. I think it is the new socially acceptable way of calling a girl “fat” much the same way that “thug” has now replaced describing someone without using the N-word. But if you think Jennifer Lawrence is fat, you have a seriously skewed view.

          And then lo and behold, last week, guess who is featured on the cover of the 2016 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. Yep, Ashley Graham. And you better believe she looks amazing!
          Yes, I will go on record that Ashley Graham is an amazingly beautiful woman. She is billed as a size 16 but she can wear a bikini and make it look good. To paraphrase Walder Frey, I bet when she takes that dress off everything stays right where it is.
          So let’s be real honest here. Curves are sexy. Fat is not. Cellulite is not attractive. When things begin to fold and hang over other things, it is not attractive. I am sorry, ladies. It is the truth. But I am talking for both men and women here. This is why you see more pictures of Channing Tatum without his shirt than Jonah Hill.
          I think that people just get too darn caught up in the numbers. I am 5’11” and (as of this writing) I weigh 249 pounds. Conversely, WWE wrestler John Cena is billed as 6’1” and weighs 249 pounds. I have a very distinct feeling that his 249 and my 249 are way, way different.
          But what if told you that it swings the other way too? Just because you can fit into a size 4 dress does not mean you are going to immediately be more attractive than someone who is a size 10. That woman wearing a size 10 might have a rear end that looks like an upside-down heart that country music guys write songs about. If it is big and shapely and swallows up a g-string, yes, most men are going to find that more attractive than a stick figure. 

          This is where I think women need to quit obsessing strictly over their dress sizes. Do you really think Gina Carano or Ronda Rousey are worried about the diameter of their thighs? I seriously doubt it. Because of their work ethic, if they gain an inch diameter on their thighs, it is going to be because they are packing on muscle. No dude ever in the history of dues is going to complain about that.
          So if you are a woman picking up the weight for the first time, I would judge your progress not by your body weight and/or dress size but by the amount of iron you are pushing. Yes, you might gain pounds on the scale but what if you elevate from bench pressing 45 pounds to 75 pounds? To me, those are numbers to be proud of.
          But I think women are afraid to pick up weights because they have a stereotypical image in their mind of a female bodybuilder. We think of those Eastern European “women” who you are convinced might be taking horse steroids. “Eww, I don’t want to get all big and bulky.” To which I want to reply, “I have been doing this for a year trying to get big and bulky and I cannot accomplish it!!!” If you are looking at women in bodybuilding competition photos, these are the 1% that train like machines.
          I guarantee you that every woman in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue does some sort of weight training. I am not saying they are slapping on four of the 45 lb. plates and squatting 225 pounds but they are doing some sort of weight training.
          If you are afraid that you are going to get all veiny and have stuff start bulging out in places… don’t. Again, doing one Google Image Search is going to represent the top 1% of these female bodybuilders. And like all photo shoots, they are getting oiled up and working out beforehand. It is not a representation of real life.
          And if it makes you feel any better, guys have the same kind of “body envy” as women do. Or at least I do. I see guys like John Cena, Chris Evans, and Hugh Jackman and I want to look like them. But Hugh doesn’t look like the Wolverine 24/7. And Chris Pratt likes beer way too much to be in Star Lord shape all the time.
          What I am saying is don’t let your dress size determine your success. I think if you ask 100 men, they would tell you that they prefer a size 10 that is filled out and shapely over a woman that is a size 4, never visits the gym, and is rail thin simply through diet and genetics. 
          So, seriously ladies, don’t be afraid to get clanging and banging.

Furyan Reviews: Six Star Casein Protein

           Today, I am reviewing Six Star Pro Nutrition’s Elite Series Casein Protein Triple Chocolate Dietary Supplement. The stats on the product come from purchasing it at Walmart.

           What Is It & Why Do I Need It? In the nutrition section at Walmart there is Whey Protein, Whey Isolate, and Casein Protein. It is easy to wonder what exactly does what.

           Whey protein is a supplement taken 30 minutes after your workout in order to help you build muscle. It is specifically designed to be absorbed and digested very quickly. If whey protein is the vitamin C that you put under your tongue to be absorbed into your body rapidly, casein protein is a slow release capsule that gives you medicine over hours.

           Casein protein is absorbed and processed very slowly into your system. The purpose of casein is to give you a slow release of protein over the course of eight hours, so you take it just before you go to bed. Your body absorbs the protein as you sleep, so you are building muscle and you also wake up feeling less famished because you have been slowly “eating” over eight hours.

           Benefits and Cost Analysis: Walmart’s standard price is $19.97 or 62.4 cents per ounce. According to the labels, there are approximately 26 scoops per package, so using this five days a week while training is going to get you a month’s worth of product.

           Each scoop offers 20 grams of protein and if you take it with 1 cup of milk (they suggest 10 oz. per scoop), that is 8 more grams of protein for a total of… carry the one… denominator… 28 grams! 28 grams is pretty much a whole other meal, so if you are looking to bump your protein numbers up, this is a pretty solid way to do it. Now, of course the packaging suggests that you take two scoops for optimal results but I sometimes think that they list that just so you are using twice as much product and Six Star can make more money.

           Just the casein protein is 120 calories (with only 1 gram of fat), so this is a pretty clean way to stack protein into your diet, especially if you use skim or 1% milk.

           Ryan’s Review: Compared to Body Fortress’ Whey Powder, Six Star’s blend is very billowy and light. It smells nice when you open the container and, once blended, it actually has a very nice taste to it. I expected it to be rather “mediciny” for a reason I cannot explain. It is a chocolate lover’s dream. There is probably a reason why it is only sold in chocolate. Who is choosing vanilla or strawberry over chocolate? Taliban members, that’s who. 

           I have not had the nerve to try to hand stir this stuff because the last time I tried that with whey powder, the results were not pleasant. The looseness of the powder does make it someone difficult to blend. I often see clumps of unmixed product on the sides of the blender. So put your milk in first, then the powder. I am not certain if the results are psychosomatic or if they are genuine. I can tell you that when I wake up in the morning, I do not feel as hungry.

           Plus, you can almost fake yourself out into believing that this is a very thin milkshake. It is chocolaty (which I love) and knowing that I am going to have that “treat” at 10 p.m. often keeps me from indulging in something sweet after dinner.

           The only real drawback to adding in this supplement is that I am hand washing my blender twice a night now (once for my whey protein after my workout and then once at 10 o’clock at night).

           I want it clear though. This is not a meal supplement. You don’t take this instead of having dinner. You have this in addition to your dinner. I am very pleased with the results so far and while this is one more thing I have to buy every month, I feel it is a solid addition to my nutrition plan and I am going to stick with it.

Morning v. Evening Workouts

           The answer for what time you work out is inevitably going to be up to you to decide depending on your situation and there are pros and cons for both scenarios. For my schedule, evening workouts are just easier for me.

            I think the problem that a lot of people do not understand about small town life is that the town that I live in has very few amenities. Adair, Oklahoma has a population of about 800 people. Sure, there is the school, some convenience stores, and we just got a Dollar General a few years ago (woo, uptown living!) but my home town is pretty small. So you have to go into “town” to get real services – say grocery shopping at Walmart. So while I live in Adair, I commute to Vinita which is approximately 24 minutes door to door. But I get to go 65 almost the whole way and I never ever have to fight traffic. Getting from one side of Tulsa to the other would probably take as long for most people to commute during rush hour. So I love my small town life.

            Thankfully, the Wellness Center where I work out is less than a mile from my office. So it doesn’t make fiscal sense to run back home after a workout. Now, I have worked out in the morning on days where I know the evening is going to be crunched for time. I do admit that I enjoy them. I can work out on an empty stomach, which means my body is eating fat stores for fuel. But then I cannot eat my standard three eggs and sausage prepared at my house. It means I have to buy breakfast which I hate.

            I can shower at the gym but my body feels like a furnace after a workout so even with a cool shower, I am still sweating into my work clothes. That I do not like. It means I have to pack a long a towel, work clothes, toiletries, and such. That just does not for a fun day make.

           If I want to do a protein shake after, I would have to haul my blender to the office or buy one to keep there. What am I? Rockefeller over here?

           There is always that looming specter waiting with his Grim Reaper-style scythe. Of course, I am talking about the clock.     Whenever I work out in the mornings, I always feel like I am looking at the clock saying, “Okay, if I stop now, I still have time to shower and can make it to work on time.” I just don’t like that feeling.

            Now, I will say this. Some days are rougher than others. That phone won’t stop ringing. The stresses of the job can wear you down. And by the time 5:00 rolls around, you just want to go home. By working out in the morning, you don’t give opportunity for excuses to derail a workout. And if you are worried about being tired and sore after a workout, I find it is the exact opposite. I feel like working out before work gives me more energy throughout the day. 

            Eventually, I would love to get to the point where I am doing both morning and afternoon workouts but, point blank, I like sleep too much. I know The Rock is up at 4:30 in the morning for his cardio… and that is probably one of the reasons I don’t look like him.

            So you have to weigh the advantages for yourself. Me personally? I am sticking with afternoons after I get off work. You have to inevitably decide what is best for you. 

Motivation Monday

Lifts v. "Little Kicks"

           I know. I know. Once you start reading this, you are going to assume that I am serving up an ice cold bottle of Haterade and to an extent I am but bear with me. So, it was a few months into my workouts and as I will espouse often in this blog, people are creatures of habit. Eventually, your schedules are going to start synching up with other gym-goers and you will inevitably start seeing the same people in the gym. So for around six weeks, I came to be in the gym as the same time as an individual that I will call “Little Kicks.” I didn’t know his real name. It is not like we wear name tags. I always wear headphones in the gym and that limits my interactions and conversational engagements. I am not anti-social or a jerk. I often make eye contact, give thumbs up of encouragement to the elderly ladies on the cardio machines, and I am happy to talk after my workouts when my headphones are off. But during “game time,” I am there to work.

           Now, the Wellness Center that I work out at is pretty darn small. It is essentially a one room facility. So for about six weeks, I found myself working out alongside “Little Kicks.” Now, I will be the first to tell you, I don’t know what he was training for. Maybe he was looking to build stamina. Maybe he was doing the cardio to train for a marathon or cycling. He was in a lot better shape than me and his body fat percentage had to be pretty darn low. And most of the time he had a girl working out with him that had a killer body. She had that “onion booty” – a butt so good it brings tears to your eyes.

           So next to the free weight squat rack is a television and this duo would come in and perform some routine by following along with a DVD. I don’t remember what it is called. I know there are dozens of these programs out there. Billy Blanks has Tae-Bo. There is Insanity, P90X, and whatever the flavor of the month of those routines is. (I honestly cannot remember which one they were doing. Something called T-25, maybe?)

           Now, the goal of any exercise routine is to get that heartbeat elevated. That is burning calories and that means burning fat and losing weight. Seriously, if you looked at that guy and you looked at me, you are taking advice from that guy over me any day of the week. So, whatever he was doing, it was working for him. I guess.

           I never try to paint myself as better than anyone else. But there was a moment where I could see him out of the corner of my eye. Here I am loading up heavy plates on the squat rack. I am pushing iron. I am clanging and banging. And here he is doing his exercise routine that involves all these hops and jumps and little kicks (hence the nickname).  And despite my 20% body fat, I just felt like that if the Most Interesting Man in the World walked in the gym, he would see me racking the weight, sweat dripping off of me, and all huffing and puffing. I think I would get his nod of approval. Whereas I feel like Little Kicks should have his Man Card removed from his wallet.

           I guess at the end of the day, you can JUST do cardio. I see gym goers all the time that come in, hit the treadmills or the elliptical machines, walk their miles and then go home. I was speaking with one older lady in the gym who tells me she walks four miles. I will not lie to you. At a brisk pace, I do not think I could walk four miles straight. Being on the treadmill for an hour has zero interest to me.

           But the counter to this cardio argument is that if the goal is to elevate that heartrate, I would rather do it through steady lifting. The cardio person is burning calories and fat and getting their endurance up. I get all that but to me you are not building anything. I would rather get that double dose of success by burning calories through lifting weights. No one ever jumps off the treadmill, stands in front of the mirror and flexes their legs. It makes me much happier to complete a chest routine or an arm routine and then stand in front of the mirror and perform a Front Double Biceps or the Most Muscular pose.

           I often hear ladies commenting on how they want to look like So-and-So from Hollywood. They want this girl’s booty or that girl’s butt. But I never see them on the squat rack or doing deadlifts or one-legged cable kickbacks. I want that one two punch of exercise where I am lifting weights and getting cardio via lifting. If just cardio is your thing, then by all means, get after it. But I still feel if you want to see real improvement, you have to pump iron. And that is not just me saying that. That is medical science that is pushing heavily towards resistance training for weight loss.

           So, clanging and banging. Or little kicks. Choice is up to you.