Fitness & Exercise
The Brutal Truth About Mini-Cuts (And Why I Was Wrong About Them) Two years ago, I thought mini-cuts were just another fitness industry gimmick. Like those "weird tricks" that promise to melt belly fat while you sleep, or whatever nonsense is trending on TikTok this week. I was
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I used to tell people I was "naturally good at handling stress." This was complete horseshit. What I was actually good at was compartmentalizing anxiety until it exploded into panic attacks at 2 AM. But "stress handler" sounded better at dinner parties than "functional mess
Fitness & Exercise
I watched a high school football coach last summer run his players into the ground with "speed drills" that were anything but fast. Thirty kids doing 40-yard sprints with 15-second rest periods, gasping for air, times getting progressively worse with each rep. When I asked him what he
Fitness & Exercise
Look, I'm gonna start this with something that'll probably piss off half the fitness industry: owning a gym is NOT the pinnacle of success in fitness. There, I said it. I know, I know. You're probably thinking, "Marcus, what the hell are you
Fitness & Exercise
Look, I'm gonna be straight with you. Three years ago, I couldn't sit through a 2-hour movie without my lower back screaming at me. Getting out of bed felt like I was 80 years old, not 28. My shoulders were so rounded forward I looked like
Fitness & Exercise
Last month, I deadlifted 365 pounds. Not impressive if you're 25, but I'm 42 and four years ago I couldn't touch my toes without my back screaming in protest. Here's what nobody tells you about getting older: we're all running
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My grandmother was 82 when she fell getting out of the shower. One minute she was this fiercely independent woman who still drove herself to the grocery store and tended her garden. The next? Three months in the hospital, followed by a nursing home, followed by... well, you know how
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I used to be that coach. You know the type—clipboard in hand, whistle around neck, ready to push everyone to their "breaking point" because that's what I thought good coaching looked like. Then I met Sarah. Sarah showed up to every session, paid on time,
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I used to brag about how little sleep I needed. "Four hours? I'm fine!" I'd say, downing my third espresso before noon like some kind of caffeinated warrior. I wore my dark circles like medals and rolled my eyes at anyone who dared suggest
Fitness & Exercise
Last Tuesday, I found myself doing breathing exercises while foam rolling and listening to a productivity podcast. At 5:47 AM. Because apparently, I thought I was some sort of wellness superhero who could stack habits like Jenga blocks without everything eventually crashing down. Spoiler alert: it crashed. Hard. If
Fitness & Exercise
I used to be that guy. You know the one—armed with spreadsheets, PowerPoints, and an unshakeable belief that if I just presented enough data, clients would magically transform into compliant little soldiers who'd follow my every recommendation. Spoiler alert: it didn't work. My first consulting
Fitness & Exercise
The Uncomfortable Truth About CrossFit Programming Let me start with something that's gonna piss off half the CrossFit community: 90% of you are programming like amateurs. There, I said it. I spent the last decade watching coaches throw together random workouts, slap a catchy name on them, and
Fitness & Exercise
I used to think I was weak. Every morning, I'd stare at my running shoes and make excuses. Too tired. Too busy. Too... soft. My inner critic had a field day with this narrative. "Real men don't skip workouts," it would whisper. "Tough
Fitness & Exercise
The Day I Threw My Color-Coded Planner in the Trash Three months of meticulous planning. Every hour blocked out in different colors. Morning routines mapped to the minute. Workout schedules that would make a Navy SEAL proud. It lasted exactly 11 days. On day 12, life happened. A sick kid,
Fitness & Exercise
Last week, I watched my 4-year-old nephew navigate a playground with the grace of a ninja and the fearlessness of someone who's never heard of liability insurance. He climbed, crawled under things, jumped between platforms, carried his stuffed dinosaur while scaling a rope net, and somehow made it
Fitness & Exercise
I'm gonna be real with you for a second. I've been coaching CrossFit for eight years now, and there's this moment that happens at least three times a week. Someone walks up to me after class, usually still dripping sweat, and says something like