It’s certainly no secret that at times the
pitiless media puts unnecessary pressure on women to live up to unrealistic
standards of beauty.
Last month, cherished-celebrity role models,
Rihanna and Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzo bared all on their Instagram profiles, by
posting ‘natural’ photos of themselves to show fans what they ‘really’ looked
like.
Despite a few shrewd claims, that their
makeup-free photos were a clever (manipulative) product of self-marketing, most
of us felt that their actions were refreshing and courageous. And even if done
to promote themselves, their deeds went a long way to positively dispel the
myth that ‘'we have to look good, all of the time'’ – and that can only be a
good thing.
In light of this, insensitive news from the
misunderstood world of fashion has revealed this week that the familiar and
'typically-young-peoples’ clothing company H&M, are starting to use digital
models.
The computer-generated models below have the same body, but different heads,
skin tones and outfits. If the ‘art’ of airbrushing wasn’t awful and misleading
enough; these digital models do nothing more than to maliciously misinform
insecure people who strive for so-called perfection.
It is clear these images don't reflect
reality, yet from a younger and younger age, people are aspiring to these
biologically impossible ideals. For some, the desire to look as perfect as
these models can become all-consuming and it's sad to see ‘high-street
friendly’ stores like H&M supporting the cause.
In a world where there seems to be a real fear of confronting reality, the sad
truth is it's far easier for us to conform to images of the ‘ideal’ than it is
to be ourselves.
In an ideal world, high-street stores like H&M would do well to elucidate
the message - that if one desperately wants to stand out, feel good and be
different; then simply be yourself. Because if the photos below say anything,
surely it’s that natural beauty is the best look.
Rihanna - ''The Live Your
Life'' singer and influential global icon (in funky pigtails):
Snooki - the usually over-bronzed, self proclaimed ''guidette'' and
star of U.S reality show Jersey Shore:
Kim Kardashian -'Sweatpants hair tie chillin with no make up
on'' (As put on her Twitter):
What do you make of these celebrity photos and H&M's use of virtually
computer-generated models?
My boxing coach once told me ‘’boxing is a mugs
game’’. To me it’s the ultimate test of competition. Boxing like the movies is
show business, like a soap-opera there are characters and like life there is
also a dark side. Yet all these factors combined is what makes ‘’the sweet
science’’ one of the most exciting and unpredictable sports in the world.
Here are my top ten boxing quotes of all time:
10. "Earnie Shavers could punch you in the neck and break your
ankle." Randall "Tex" Cobb.
Randall Cobb is known for having one of the best chins in boxing history.
That means he could take a punch from a bear and keep moving forward. His granite
face stood the test against some of the toughest men in boxing. Earnie Shavers
was one such man. The ability to take punishment in the ring is just as
important as dishing it out.
9. “There are too many
governing bodies. They're all corrupt. I think they have replaced the old
Mobsters with the kind of 'corporate rule' of boxing.” Larry Merchant.
Larry Merchant is one crazy SOB. Although essentially a madman with a
microphone, he is a longstanding and world famous commentator and boxing pundit
(I know everyone’s a pundit these days but he really is) having spent more than
30yrs at ringside analysing fights. Here, he highlights the harsh reality that
lives within the dark-shadows of the sport.
The silver-haired-MC will most recently be remembered for his
comical-outburst (akin to verbal assault) aimed at undefeated 5-division-world-champion
Floyd Mayweather Jr; “If I was 20 yrs younger I would kick your butt.’’ Is what
he said amidst a farcical post-fight interview with the champ, at the Mayweather
vs. Ortiz kerfuffle. You could put 20 Larry Merchant’s in the ring with Floyd
and they could all be in their prime, and they would still come up short. Sorry
Larry.
8. ‘’To see a man beaten not by a better opponent but by himself is a tragedy.’’
Cus D’Amato.
Cus D’Amato was responsible for creating one of the hardest men in the world;
‘’Iron’’ Mike Tyson. As his guardian and manager, he honed Mike’s skills
teaching him life lessons on the mental aspect of fighting along the way. “Fighting
is 90% mental and 10% physical’’. You must have heard that one. Sure these days
you have trainers like Freddie Roach becoming house-hold names, training
Hollywood actors and what not, but Cus was cut from a different cloth - he was
the godfather of boxing.
7. "He can have heart, he can hit harder and he can be stronger, but
there's no fighter smarter than me." Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Like him or not, Floyd Mayweather Jr. captures the essence of what a highly
capable tactician can do in the ring to bigger, stronger men with "more
strength" than him. The Wu-tang Clan put it best; “the game
of chess is like a
swordfight. You must think first, before you move’’ – the same is
true of boxing.
6. "...if I survived the Marines, I can survive Ali." Chuck Wepner.
This was heavyweight-underdog Chuck Wepner’s reply to a reporter asking him
if he thought he could survive against Ali. Did you know that Wepner tried to
sue Sylvestor Stallone in his later life claiming that Sly used his life as the
real inspiration for the Rocky story? Personally, I think he may have taken too
many blows to the head. If anyone deserves to be associated with Rocky – it
should be Philadelphia’s favourite son and boxing legend “smoking’’ Joe
Frazier.
5. "It's like someone jammed an electric light bulb in your face, and
busted it. I thought half my head was blowed off...When he knocked me down I
could have stayed there for three weeks." James J Braddock.
This gem was delivered by James Braddock, in an attempt to describe what
being on the other end of the punching power of boxing great Joe Louis was
like.
4. "My style is impetuous, my defence is impregnable, and I’m just
ferocious; I want your heart. I want to eat his children. Praise be to Allah!"
Mike Tyson.
No countdown of sayings would be complete without the hard-hitting and
equally as hard-biting, Mike Tyson. A separate list could be made for Mike but
this is quite possibly his most famous crazy tirade and while the first part
sounds about right, he clearly lost the plot by the end. ‘’What did Mike Tyson
say to Van Gogh? ...You gonna eat that?’’ I just couldn’t help myself. 3."Rhythm is everything in
boxing. Every move you make starts with your heart, and that's in rhythm or
you're in trouble." Sugar Ray Robinson.
Robinson
is thought by many (even Mohammed Ali) to be the greatest fighter of all time
to ever don a pair of Everlast. His
rhythmic advice is just one example that illustrates how deep the sport of
fisticuffs can get. After all, they don’t say "dancers make good fighters’’ and
call it the ‘’sweet science’’ for nothing.
2. ''I fought Sugar so many times, it's a surprise i'm not diabetic.'' Jake Lamotta
(3:28 point.)
If you’ve seen the film Raging Bull
you will no doubt love Jake Lamotta. Together, Lamotta and Sugar Ray Robinson
defined each other’s legacy. Think Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed and you’ll get
one-third of the picture. This pair of beloved-boxing greats fought each other
6 times. Nowadays, the best in boxing rarely meet each other, the frustration
and yearning for a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather throw-down will tell you this. These
two did and they will always be remembered.
1. "We gon' float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.
AH! Rumble, young man rumble! AH!" Mohammed Ali.
Mohammed Ali is in at number one because if you only remember one quote from
the sport of boxing it’s probably this. Some say it was actually Bundini, Ali's
trainer who coined the phrase but I suspect no one cares about him.
This quote has inspired and continues to inspire many thinkers and doers of
all backgrounds and professions, not just boxing. Not many boxing phrases
eclipse the sport on the level this phrase has. Plus, it’s only fitting that
the number one quote winds up being said by boxing’s number one best.
You listen to oldskool music and you love playing oldskool games and
watching oldskool films, so what's wrong with oldskool training? Advancements
in the field of sports science reveal that trading your morning jog for hill
sprints and that bottle of water on the treadmill for a snorkel is what it
takes to become a champion.
Having boxed myself, I was sceptical as to whether swapping chin ups and press-ups
for this new science malarkey would pay off. But after experiencing firsthand
the improvements these techniques make to performance and witnessing the transformation
they make to the body – perhaps science is the way forward. The best would be
to combine both.
To illustrate and explain the benefits some of these new methods boast, you
the reader will become a boxer. At least until the end of this article - so
lace up your gloves and let's get ready to rumble!
It's not long until your fight and you need to get into shape...
1.Cardiovascular
training:
Cardiovascular training is the single most
important factor when it comes to training for a fight. Traditionally, boxers
decked out in grey rags (think Rocky Balboa), would take to the road early
every morning with their hood up and their head down eating the turf with their
feet as they jogged for miles on end.
Enter ‘snorkel training’. Science says that
attaching a snorkel to your face while running steps will better prepare a fighters
anaerobic system. Whilst looking like a scuba-diver, the mask makes it harder for
the combatant to breathe as less oxygen enters the body. The idea behind the
mask is that if you can perform under this stress, when it’s fight time and you
swap the snorkel for a gum-shield, your lungs will out-do Celine Dion’s – and
more importantly be ready to go 12 rounds.
2.Endurance training:
Endurance is the ability to repeat a series of
muscle contractions without getting tired. Like when you have to punch non-stop
for an evening.Enter ‘wild snake
training’. Also
known as thick rope this exercise is great because it utilises
multiple muscles while stabilising the body during the routine. That’s right;
it engages the arms, shoulders, upper/lower back, butt and legs. If it’s
washboard abs you’re after, forget about sit-ups - look for a rope instead.
Anchor your rope around a fixed object so the
rope folds in half and you have both ends in your hands. The easy instructions
– whip it around for time. Details – make waves in the rope. You can make big
waves, small waves, or alternating waves. Then take both and try to make
circles in the rope. Complete this for a timed set.
You might have seen the guys from Jersey Shore doing this workout in
Season 4, Italy. Conventional weightlifting is not the only way to gain muscle
mass and it certainly isn’t the best way to build muscle endurance. We need to
leave the 80's and 90's and get into a new era of unconventional means.
3.Strength training:
How much do you bench? It doesn’t matter! In the
fight game, it’s all about being explosive. With snorkels and snakes aside
perhaps ‘hammer training’ sounds ordinary. Yet it’s anything but. As well as
enhancing grip/forearm strength and improving work capacity, swinging a
sledgehammer into a rubber tyre will do wonders for your core strength. You
need to develop core strength if you want to punch like a mule. Introducing hammer
training into your regime will improve your ability to maintain explosive
power, round after round.
So there you have it, you’re almost there. Mix these nu-skool methods with
hours of skipping, hitting mitts, working the heavy bag and sparing and you
will be ready to take on Mike Tyson. (No seriously, he’s 45 and overweight
now!)
Nobody said competing in combat sports was easy. Being in shape at the
highest level is the difference between winning and losing. Perhaps change is
good and in ‘moving with the cheese’ this should be the time to embrace advancements
in sports science even if it goes against tradition.
Whether you fancy yourself as the next Georges St. Pierre or Carl Froch, or
simply the casual gym goer – forget about what you know, mix it up and give this
stuff a go.
I met up with singer Esco Williams a month ago whilst doing work at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), and this is what i reported:
Enter, solo artist, Esco Williams. A self professed "Soul
Powered Nerd” and the magical owner of a distinct voice that hits erogenous
tones with skilful mastery and playful exuberance.
Having already heard of and being a fan of the soulful
maestro, when Your Business eZine(YBE) asked me to find out a little bit more about him I jumped at
the chance. I didn’t see it as work, rewriting news versus chilling with an
upcoming and fresh musical artist was a no contest. In fact, if there was to be
a contest it would result in a first round stoppage win for Esco.
I’ve always wanted to speak with an up and comer in the
music industry and whether I was prepared enough for him or not I wanted to
meet this local and vocal genius. YBE is running a feature on Esco Williams as a
follow up to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC). Monday marked the
beginning of a week of celebrations that commend innovation and original
thinkers.
The most significant and appealing difference between Esco
and other unsigned artist’s is that he is looking to effectively sell his album
before it is released. Through donations on his Pledge Music website he aims to raise enough money to get in to the
studio, record his album, have it printed on CD and get it as he puts it ‘’into
your ears in no time!’’
If this idea isn’t ground breaking enough, he said that 25%
of all funds raised afterwards will go to the Make-A-Wish Foundation charity.
On his colourful Pledge Music website
there is a countdown clock and a percentage number that represents how close he
is to hitting the 100% donation target needed to make he’s dream come true.
Currently, it is at 67% - I interviewed him yesterday and already this is up by
ten! Esco has 23 days left before time runs out. Illuminati folk might think the
number 23 is a bad omen, but after he informed us of the amount of support he’s
been getting, it’s only a matter of time before he reaches his target.
I was prepared and waiting for Esco in a box shaped
confinement that resembled more a music practice room than an office. The place
is clean but a bit messy, the bin is full to the top with scrunched up paper
but the black leather ‘thinking couch’ looks easy and inviting, the vibe feels
right. I hear a ‘knock knock-knock-knock knock knock-knock’ on the door and I
know he’s arrived.
So in walks Esco Williams, fashionably late - only by five
minutes, and dripping in swag! The talented vocals teacher as I later found out
and Singer/Songwriter looked as if he walked in to a bar to greet his mates. Our
embrace was natural; it looked like something from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air! This was going to be interesting.
The irony is unreal when Esco tells us that this building was
the first ever place he and his band practiced music in and more fantastically fitting
when he discovers that this was the actual room he remembers doing it in. Esco is as real as it gets, I
got the sense that without music things would turn very grey for him, very
quickly. Supporting a comic strip tattoo on his right arm it was clear that Esco
gave off a totally unique vibe. From his Nintendo
belt buckle and fluffy hooded parka to he’s customized trainers, low worn
trousers and bright pink and yellow boxers – this is what he was all about.
Expressing yourself.
He recalled that as a fat kid
with an afro and a love for comics he would often get looks of bewilderment in
the Forbidden Planet store. It’s only
when quizzed did people realise this kid new his stuff. Esco emphasised that no
matter what the trend is or how people tell you should live, you as an
individual have the right to express yourself, be it through music, speech or the
way you dress.
Esco's vocals dig deep into the souls of listeners providing
a rich R’n’b/Soul experience from a different perspective. Since creeping into
music at 17years old, the mild mannered Liverpool
geek has made a lot of noise and it can only get louder.
In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a
creative original thinker unless you can also sell what you create. Esco is
living this out, he’s doing it and without doubt he is set in no time to be on
the lips of every music fan in the know.
He’s going to make it big and everybody should get behind
him!
Fans and readers of this story will like to know that Esco has since reached his target and i am looking to do another interview and catch up with him soon, to find out what's next! Hold tite for ''Esco - it's only just begun!''
