Winter: ‘Tis the Season To Build Muscle

Rocky pulling Paulie in Rocky IV – the film was shot in BC (where I live).

If there’s ever a time to pack on a few extra pounds of lean muscle mass, winter is the season to gitterdone.

Don’t waste it! Don’t be one of those guys who starts in May, hoping to add muscle for the summer. Start now and reap the benefits later.

Here are a few tips that’ll help you take full advantage of the ‘muscle-building‘ season:

1. Consume a lean source of protein with every meal

Fish, lean beef, turkey, and chicken are all great sources. Turkey is especially going to come into play over Christmas and so-forth. Of the three ‘fuel sources’ – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins – our bodies use more calories to break down protein and convert it to energy than the other two. Protein also helps repair the muscle tissue you break down during exercise.

This means that it boosts your metabolism, but also helps you build muscle. So even though you’re probably going to be eating a bit more ‘crap’ over the holidays, make sure you’re maintaining a healthy dose of protein.

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Top 5 Boxing Films of All Time

‘The Fighter‘ a film about the story of ‘Irish’ Mickey Ward

First, I’ll start off with a question:

What is it about boxing movies that guys love?

We can relate to them.

The adversity faced in the ring is a microcosm of what we face in life. And boxing provides the perfect platform for triumph over adversity that men can relate to. You don’t get into boxing because you love getting hit, you become a fighter because you want something better for yourself and for your family – which is at least true with the protagonists in these top 5 movies. It’s not a glamorous business by any means, but neither is life.

It’s this “fight” that appeals to guys. It’s the struggle – both internally and externally – that we can relate to. In each of these movies the antagonists have two opponents who continually knock them down: life and their opponent in the ring. And we all get knocked down in life, but giving up is never an option – and neither is it an option for any of the characters in the movies we love.

They struggle like we struggle, fail like we fail, but they have that killer instinct and that will to succeed that we hope to have. But the only way we find out whether we have it or not, is when we’re faced with an opponent that hits us so hard, we question whether it’s worth continuing this fight. Do we get back up and keep moving forward, or stay down?

Guys like boxing movies because we like fighting. If we’re not crazy about getting in the ring ourselves, we still enjoy seeing two dudes getting in there and beating the crap out of one another. We can appreciate the skill, but we appreciate the warrior even more.

It’s just you in that ring, and when it comes down to it, a lot of times its just you in life working your ass off everyday, keeping the faith until the fight is won.

The Top 5 Boxing Films of All Time

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Part II: the World Ain’t all Sunshine and Rainbows

The Wrestler – great movie. A raw movie about a guy who keeps can’t catch a break – starring Mickey Rourke.

“…Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you! You’re better than that!” ~ Rocky Balboa

The World Ain’t all Sunshine and Rainbows

Life isn’t a Mommy, holding our hands through the tough times, making excuses for us if we lose, comforting us when things are tough and the future seems bleak. Life knocks you down, and keeps you down unless you get up. It’ll knock you down again and again, but you continually have to stand up and fight.

If you think it’s too hard and you just want to stay down – then you’ve lost. You’ll live an average life, a life filled with regret, where you’re constantly pointing the finger at others, placing the blame elsewhere, making excuses for yourself instead of making things happen for yourself.

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A Few Lessons From Sylvester Stallone

I just picked up the latest issue of GQ magazine which had an article with Sylvester Stallone towards the back. He wasn’t the reason why I bought the magazine but the title of the article definitely piqued my interest: “Yo, America! It’s time to respect Sylvester Stallone“.

I started reading the interview and was pleasantly surprised by what Mr. Stallone was saying. I think there’s a public perception of the guy, not helped by the massive amounts of HGH he takes, or his recent plastic surgery, that he’s like many of the character’s he’s played. A public perception that he’s well aware of and understands.

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