The Art of Manliness Weekly Roundup: Disney World Edition

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Right now I’m in Orlando visiting my wife’s grandparents. My wife’s uncle, who also lives here, works for Disney World and he hooked us up with some free park passes. So we spent the entire day yesterday at Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom. It was a blast, even for a 26 year old. Needless to say, I’m pooped today. We’ll spend the rest of the weekend writing, eating coffee cake, and playing gin rummy with Kate’s grandparents.

Now for some links:

HulseStrength. Elliot Hulse wants to get you in shape and he’s going to do it with manly exercises like squats and pull-ups. Check out his site. He has some great articles, and some very informative videos.

Become an Efficient Researcher: 20 Firefox Add-ons to Make You a Research Master(@ res ipsa) As a law student, I do a lot of research. I know a lot of AoM readers are also students, so this article at Res Ipsa will be a valuable resource.

My Boobs Are Not Squeeze Toys: 8 Tips for More Action in the Bedroom (@ the man page) The Man Page offers 8 tips on getting more action in the bedroom. Great solid advice like planning a surprise date and not being a flagrant drive-by boob squeezer.

The Art of Relaxating. Jermaine Clement from Flight of the Concords will be playing Dr. Ronald Chevalier in Gentlemen Broncos due out in 2009. The film was written and directed by Jared Hess, the same guy that brought you Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre. In this clip, which has been cracking me up all week, Chevalier shows us how to realaxate. Favorite line:

Bring your ankles close to your groinal axus. As close as possible without threatening your seed.

I’m always happy to share links you send me. If you have a blog and think you’ve written something that AoM readers would be interested in, please email it to me at artofmanliness at gmail.com.

The Manival

This week Savvy Daddy hostedthe Manival. He did a fantastic and creative job with it. Make sure to check it out and give it a Stumble while you’re there. If you’d like to take part in this week’s Manival, submit an article to themanival@gmail.com

 

8 Inspirational Football Locker Room Speeches

The college football season starts on Saturday (okay, technically Thursday. But I’m saying Saturday because that’s when Oklahoma plays. Boomer Sooner!). I love football. It’s one of the manliest sports. For it is truly the sport closest to combat. Men strategize in their war room, don their armor, and line up against their opponent. Victory is measured in territory gained, in how well one unit outmaneuvers the other. The game involves brute strength and keen physicality; it is a hand to hand, helmet to helmet fight, one man struggling against another. And yet at the same time, finesse, agility, and brilliant strategy are requisites for success and a team lives or dies solely on how well they work together as a team, as a unit.

Playing football in high school helped shape me into the man I am today. As I struggled through another practice in 100 degree heat and sweated through two-a-day practices, I learned to work hard and not quit. I learned that pain is often the only pathway to excellence. At the end of the game, when the scoreboard’s numbers were not as I had wished, I learned how to bounce back from failure and dedicate myself to being better the next time around. I experienced the awesome power of a group of men, striving together for the same goal. The friendships I made while playing football will last a lifetime.

The lessons of all sports carry over from the actual arena to the playing field of life. Rich is the man who, if only for a short time, feels the glory his body in peak condition, the bond of brothers, the sweet joy of victory and the agony of defeat. While the memories of such a time fade as a man grows older, the wisdom he gleans from the experience will echo throughout his life.

So in honor of the opening of the football season, and the great lessons all men can learn from this great game, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most inspiring football locker room speeches from both film and real life. The speeches we chose are not only inspiring for men about to hit the field, they’re motivating for those men who wish to walk out the door each day to school or work, ready to take on the world. Success in football requires heart, pride, and teamwork. Success in life requires the same.

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3 Man Killers: Money

Integrity is the foundation of a great man and once it is broken, it can never be completely restored. Like a an ornament that has been shattered into a million pieces, it can be glued back together, but when held up to the light, the cracks are still clearly seen.

Three specific areas, money, sex and power, have preyed on the integrity and claimed the lives of thousands of great men throughout history. While beneficial when viewed and handled properly, these three areas have a unique way of warping into something quite toxic, a sort of man poison, and the ripple effect can be tremendous. These man killers leave a terrible path of carnage: careers ended, families ripped apart, hearts broken and potential wasted.

It is not a matter of if you will face temptations in each of these areas, it is a matter of when. You can say, “It won’t happen to me,” and become another man taken down in his prime, or you can set up systems in your life that increase your chances of finishing strong with your integrity intact.

We start this three part series on the topic of MONEY.

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The History and Nature of Man Friendships

Friendships are an important part of a man’s life. Friends are those men you can count on when the chips are down. They’ll back you up even when the whole world is against you. Friends are those men who will buy you a beer (or a soda) when you lose a job or your lady dumps you. While the man friendship looks like a simple relationship, its history is actually quite interesting and complex. The virtues of duty and loyalty have remained the same guiding principles in man friendships throughout time. However, how men express those principles in a friendship has have gone through fascinating changes in the course of human history.

What follows is a brief history of the man friendship.

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The Art of Manliness Weekly Roundup: Back to Law School Edition

Monday I start my third and final year of law school. It’s been a journey full of stress and hard work, but I have to say that overall, law school has been a rewarding experience. My writing and reasoning skills have improved dramatically, I can read and comprehend material more quickly, and my ability to concentrate on a single task for long periods of time has increased.

Let’s take a look at some links:

Husbands and Dads. Cory Huff from A Good Husband and Jeremy Biser from Discovering Dad have teamed up and started a new site called Husbands and Dads. The goal of the site is to help men become better husbands and dads. This site has great potential. Both Cory and Jeremy produce engaging and useful content and there’s definitely a need for something like this. Stop by Husbands and Dads and subscribe to their updates.

14 Techniques For Improving Your Work Life-Balance (@ the simple dollar). Feeling like your work life is consuming your real life? Trent from The Simple Dollar provides 14 tips on finding balance. Tips include reducing wasted time at work and taking breaks.

Manshrt.com. Eric Granata, long-time AoM suppoter and all around cool guy, has started an online store that sells manly t-shirts. Go check them out, they’re badass.

Help me find links for the roundup. If you find a link that other AoM readers would find interesting, please send it to artofmanliness at gmail.com. I enjoy helping other bloggers when I can, so if you have a post that you want to get some exposure for, send it my way. I won’t guarantee that I’ll link to it, but if I like what you sent, I’ll post it.

Manivals

So, we’ve gotten off schedule with The Manival. Hopefully we can get it straightened out soon. Thanks to Discovering Dad for hosting the Manival #15 and To Every Man a Manswer for hosting Manival #16. Both have some great submissions, so check them out.

Interviews

Tyler at Building Camelot was kind enough to interview me about building The Art of Manliness. If you’re interested in blogging or want to know more about the behind the scenes work that goes into AoM, check it out.

The Man Cookbook

Just a reminder about The Art of Manliness Group Writing Project: The Man Cookbook. The response so far has been fantastic. We have over 60 recipes submitted so far. Remember that for every submission you send in, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card to Amazon.com. Deadline to submit is next Friday.

10 Manly Feats of Strength

Men like to compete. Men particularly enjoy comparing and competing against one another in the area of strength. To settle disputes among your friends as to who is the strongest, you could go to the gym, slide some 45 lb plates on a bar, and see who can bench or squat the most. But that simply isn’t as fun as actually struggling and wrestling against an opponent of flesh and blood. Moreover, a gym might not be accessible or even desirable. Below are 10 manly feats of strength that can be done anywhere, anytime. The February 1933 edition of Modern Mechanix Magazine did an article highlighting eight of the ten. If you were a Boy Scout, many of these games may look familiar. All of them pit you against another man in a pure mano-a-mano showdown. All of them call on different muscles and not only require brute strength, but good balance and a bit of skill as well. So next time you and your buddies are bantering about who is the strongest, don’t settle the dispute with a cliche impromptu wrestling match. Challenge your friends to back up their bluster, move the furniture, and let the real games begin. Wearing a three piece suit is optional, but encouraged.

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The Basics of Cleaning Your Revolver

Several years ago my dad gave me my first handgun- a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum revolver. It didn’t come as a surprise. I had grown up around guns and had hoped that one day my dad would pass a few on to me. Because of the value of this gift, both sentimental and monetary, I felt a real responsibility to take care of it so that it would last for many years to come. I learned how to clean it well and have done so ever since.

Any gun owner knows that properly cleaning and maintaining your equipment is not only key in increasing a weapon’s lifespan, but is necessary to ensure safe operation. Just like shining your shoes there are as many ways to clean a gun as there are stars in the sky. The following is a guide to cleaning a standard revolver.

*Quick disclaimer: I am just a gun owner, not an expert or instructor. Read your gun’s owner’s manual for specific cleaning instructions and if in doubt, consult a certified arms dealer. And ALWAYS MAKE SURE YOUR GUN ISN’T LOADED BEFORE CLEANING.

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The Art of Manliness Group Writing Project: The Man Cookbook

A few weeks ago we asked you all if cooking was manly. The answer was clear. Yes, cooking is manly. Very manly in fact. An astounding 1,957 of you said yes, while only 88 said no. Many of you in your comments discussed some of the food you like to prepare. Grilling and cooking breakfast seemed to be popular meals to prepare among men.

While I was reading the comments, I thought it would be cool if we could compile all the Art of Manliness readers’ favorite man recipes into an ebook that we could all enjoy. I’ll admit my cooking repertoire is limited to pancakes, eggs, and grilling meat. But even my meat grilling ability is bland because I don’t know too much about seasoning or marinades.

So I propose a group writing project wherein we create an Art of Manliness Man Cookbook.

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Five Traits of True Leadership

We all lead at some point in our life. We serve as leaders in our jobs, in our communities, and in our families. For many, being a leader means having the power to control others. Those who take this view eventually find that the more they try to control people, the less influence they have over them. For others, leadership means being in a position of authority. Yet, a man can be a leader even if he’s on the bottom of the totem pole. When a man sees that something must be done, he won’t let his lack of position limit him from taking charge; he steps into the gap and assumes responsibility. True leadership is not about superiority, position, or prestige. It’s about revealing and releasing the potential of those around you. Leadership is not about the power of one, but facilitating the greatness of many.

Unfortunately, many men today are sloughing off leadership responsibilities either because of laziness or apathy. They would rather live a life of ignoble ease and have others shoulder the responsibility for them. But the world needs the leadership of virtuous men more than ever. When you’re called to serve as a leader, will you be ready to take on the challenge?

In 1950, the United States Military printed a small book for all armed forces officers on how to become better leaders and men. In it, five traits are set forth on what makes an effective leader. We’ve taken these traits and explored their meaning and application for every man whether an officer or a civilian.

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The Uncle Buzz Workout: How to Get in Shape Without the Gym

I just got back from my tremendously wonderful trip to Vermont this week. I took part in the traditional face stuffing that always accompanies a vacation, and yet when I weighed myself upon my return, I found to my surprise that I hadn’t gained any weight. I attribute this to the fresh mountain air and the fact that we spent the week walking, hiking, biking, canoeing, and even playing ultimate frisbee.

On our trip we stayed with Kate’s uncle, Uncle Buzz, who is one of the coolest men I have ever met. Buzz has never read Men’s Health, doesn’t down protein shakes, and has never belonged to a gym. Yet, he is in better shape than almost any man I know.

Sometimes when I am at the gym, I look around and think, “Man, this is a bizarre place.” I think that if our ancestors were transported to our time and saw us sweating away, running on the treadmills like hamsters on a wheel, stacking weights on our shoulders and pulling cables, they’d think we were slaves or prisoners, forced to labor against our will. In days of yore, men got their exercise from their daily labors, walking and plowing and fixing and building. It is a strange part of our modern existence that we must schedule in an hour of time for our body to move since we are almost completely inert for the other twenty-three.

Yet it need not be so. With a little dedication and creativity, you can build your body in the manliest way possible, by integrating exercise into your daily activities. Here’s how Buzz does it:

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Be a Modern Knight: Protecting Your Lady in the 21st Century

Although the gender lines in this modern age have become increasingly blurred, there is one male/female disparity that even the most ardent feminist cannot deny: men are physically stronger than women. As such, they have from the inception of the human race been called upon to be the community’s warriors, knights, and soldiers. Fending off would-be attackers and predators, these men took seriously the charge to protect and keep safe the women and children.

Of course these days, the danger of marauding enemies or ferocious beasts has all but waned. Sure, a man must be ready to protect his home should a villain invade it or protect his lady in a street fight. But the days of men universally being both citizen and solider have passed. Yet a man’s role in protecting the women in his life has not ceased. While men are no longer called to be warriors against physical attack, we now have the duty to protect our women from emotional harm, to keep safe the hearts and esteem of the ladies in our lives.

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Why Being “Indie” is a Bunch of Bunk

The term “indie” has a somewhat amorphous meaning. Once applied strictly to underground music and films that were not made or financed by large corporations, the label can now be applied to a whole culture. Still, it’s hard to pin down exactly what it means. So I turn to that great and reliable resource, Wikipedia:

“The most general definition of the word is to be independent from the mainstream. The word has become most often associated with a subculture defined by its associated music, fashion, behavior and beliefs. Indie culture is a lifestyle which follows social trends that are considered to consciously deviate from the mainstream. One common belief within indie culture is anti-conformity.”

Many, including the entry of Wikipedia from which I gleaned that quote, have pointed out the irony that the indie culture, while seeking to be unique and independent, has developed a somewhat uniform and readily identifiable aesthetic. Indie connoisseurs wish to be different but are surrounded by a cadre of people who dress the same, watch the same movies, listen to the same “underground” music, and spew the same arguments denouncing the banal bourgeoisie.

But such a point is overdone and easy. I’d like to explore another reason that being indie is a bunch of bunk.

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Profiles in Manliness: Viktor Frankl

Viktor Frankl (1905-1997) was a psychotherapist and brain surgeon who specialized in treating depression, especially for those prone to suicide. Being a Jew in Nazi Germany, he was sent to Auschwitz where he was reduced to nothing but his “naked existence.” As he entered the camp, they took the last of his belongings, including his clothes, his wedding ring, and the manuscript of a book he was writing. Then, every inch of his body was shaved as he was escorted into a shower room. His only consolation was that real water dripped from the shower heads instead of gas.

Frankl was a studious man who didn’t get a lot of physical exercise in life. One of his fellow prisoners said Frankl was the least likely to survive the torturous regimen in store for him. But by leaning on his rich inner life and helping other prisoners, along with some strokes of good luck, he lived to tell the tale. His story is a lesson in manliness for times of suffering, whether that suffering is small or great.

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Comedy Club Etiquette

Bob Hope performing at a night club

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Eric Bielitz, a graduate of the University of Maryland, Eric Bielitz who has worked nights and weekends at old man bars, rock shows, and comedy clubs for the past five years. It pays the taxes on his day job. Eric’s seen far too many cads at the comedy club and offers these etiquette tips for those visiting one, or really any nightlife establishment.

He can be contacted at “diypolitics“ at yahoo dot com

The last survivor of the golden age of night clubs, comedy clubs can be found in nearly every major city and many suburbs.

Stand-up comedy is one of the toughest gigs in entertainment. A comic stands before a room full of strangers from all different walks of life, and must get at least two-thirds of that crowd to laugh. It is very easy for some jerk to ruin the show, even unintentionally.

Unlike most many contemporary night clubs, a comedy club needs to keep a high degree of order to deliver an enjoyable show. I would go so far to say that comedy “club” is a misnomer. Stand-up comedy is theatre without a fourth wall. The rules and expectations on how patrons should conduct themselves are designed with this in mind.

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52 Workout Songs To Help You Get Bigger, Stronger, and Faster

It is no secret that music has an uncanny ability to motivate us. The right song can make an otherwise dull workout become our finest hour. And now there is scientific evidence to support it, as well as entire businesses dedicated to helping you produce customized workout soundtracks. The benefits of music impact several areas according to HellaSound.com, a website dedicated to helping you find the right music for your workout.

“In academic-speak, the right music is an ergogenic aid—an external influence that positively affects your physiological performance. Wikipedia’s definition breaks ergogenic aid benefits into 3 facets: performance improvement, minimization of distraction and increased recovery.” - HellaSound

It was with this in mind that the 52 best workout songs were selected in an epic exploration of the foot-tapping, guitar-screaming and beat-boxing tracks that have found a welcome home in gyms across America. Most of them famous, some very obscure, but all great songs for running, lifting, spinning and any other workout you can think of.

As for selection criteria one key element stood out from all the rest: tempo. Why? According to experts it is the most important factor in enhancing workout performance because it provides timing and coordination for your movements. Music in the 120-140 beats-per-minute (bpm) range is best for most aerobic exercise because it most closely matches the average person’s heart rate.

In creating this list much attention was also paid to finding a good mix of genres (though most will notice it skewed on the side of rock simply because it tends to have the most uptempo songs), as well as music from different eras (though most will find it skewed in favor of the 90s and today simply because songs like “My Guy” don’t exactly make the average person want to throw around some weights).

Finally, “Eye of the Tiger” was left out because it has been overplayed and now borders more on cheesy than motivational. If this makes you sad then go watch “Rocky” and eat a pint of ice cream.

Now, Art of Manliness presents the 52 best workout songs for your listening pleasure:

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