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Actor and Director Shaz Khan Amazing Transformation For ‘The Martial Artist’

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Shaz Khan couldn’t be more invested in his latest movie, The Martial Artist. The Pakistani-American actor took on acting, directing, producing, and screenwriting duties. That’s in addition to the matter of transforming his body to look like a believable fighter. As the movie nears its release, Khan sat down with M&F to reflect on how he transformed his physique. He also talks about how he threw himself completely into the role. The athletic actor was beginning to build a respectable on-screen reputation before he directed his first short film Say it Ain’t So, which centered around boxing, in 2016. It would serve as inspiration for the self-professed Rocky obsessive to direct his latest full length feature film, The Martial Artist. At the heart of the story is a journey of self-discovery. Khan’s character, Ibby “The Prince” Bakran, is an MMA fighter who puts his potential on the line when he gives in to self-sabotage. With his career slipping between his fingers, Bakran travels...

What It Means today to Become a True Male

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There comes a point in our psychological development when the male will come to understand what it means when people say, “boys will be boys.” I’m referring to the natural experiences that boys undergo at a certain stage of their development—the first moment they realize they are male, affected by what they find appealing and attractive , which often differs significantly from females. This is an age of discovery, distilled to a pinpoint—a moment of enlightenment when a boy comprehends his natural, undeniable destiny. Unfortunately, we live in an age where even mentioning this sequence in human development can trigger those who protect or promote mental illness , leading to accusations of fascism and the potential cancellation of one’s digital existence. But I digress; I’ll probably revisit this later. For all of us “normal” guys, the experience may differ, but the realization remains the same. For me, it was an encounter with a pack of bikers that stands out vividly. I was with my da...

Dr. Mike Israetel Shares His Analysis of Jesse James West’s Cable Face Pull Technique

Popular bodybuilder and social media star Jesse James West has an impressive physique, but when it comes to certain exercises like the cable face pull, West had waived his opportunity to get his reps in. Fortunately, Dr Mike Israetel hooked him up with a superior cable technique. Here’s how to try it for yourself. Dr. Mike Israetel is a competitive bodybuilder, BJJ black belt, and has a PhD in sports science, so when he got in the gym with Jesse James West, he wasted no time in correcting the young upstart’s opinion on a popular exercise. Not one to hold back with his words, West had explained that his opinion of cable face pulls is that they are “trash.” The RP Strength team member went on to explain that his mixture of actual science and “bro” science had led him to believe that since there was not much of a stretch involved in the execution of the cable face pull, they had little value. But while social media is awash with the significance of the stretch these days, the truth i...

The Ultimate Single Kettlebell Upper Body Workout To Muscle Up

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You stroll into the gym fired up to train your upper body, but all the benches are taken , the dumbbell rack is a war zone, and cable stations are backed up like it’s Black Friday. Before you consider bailing out, take a look in the corner. There it is: one lonely kettlebell waiting just for you. Please don’t overlook the power of the kettlebell when it comes to upper body training. One kettlebell can be your best friend when equipment is limited and time is tight . With some imaginative programming, that one piece of iron can build pressing strength, back thickness, boulder shoulders, and flex appeal. Here, I’m putting that single kettlebell to work with a no-frills upper body workout that incorporates a heavy dose of unilateral training, designed to build muscle and strength using just one kettlebell. Let’s get after it. Kettlebell Pros and Cons Like any piece of gym equipment, the kettlebell has its strengths and limitations. It’s not better or worse than dumbbells or barbells;...

Remembering Val Kilmer’s Greatest Roles With His Passing at Age 65

There will never be another Val Kilmer, who has left movie audiences wanting more, much too soon, at the age of 65. Sadly, the beloved actor passed away on April 1, 2025 as a result of pneumonia and complications stemming from health challenges around an earlier throat cancer diagnosis , but he does leave an immortal body of work behind that includes some of popular culture’s finest hits. If you are looking to pay homage and binge watch Kilmer’s career in film, here are 5 of the biggest and best to get you started. The Doors (1991) $34.5 million Based on The Doors rock band and its iconic frontman of the 60s, Jim Morrison, Val Kilmer was credited with bringing authenticity and intensity to the troubled main character. In what is perhaps his career defining role, as far as his acting chops, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance . Tombstone (1993) $73 million  Kilmer collaborated with an all-star cast in this western, working alongside Kurt Russel, Sam Elliot an...

Health Optimization Summit 2025: Women’s Health Take Center Stage in Austin

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Once what seemed as an elite boy’s club dominated by testosterone-driven speakers and six-figure tech, biohacking is evolving—and fast. When the London-born Health Optimization Summit makes its U.S. debut this April in Austin, it will carry with it a notable shift in biohacking culture: a deliberate inclusion of women’s voices and topics. Unlike many wellness and longevity conferences in the U.S. that remain overwhelmingly male-dominated, this event is expected to come in with a more balanced perspective, both on stage and in the crowd. “A large percentage of our audience in London has been female, and women’s health is also something that is probably more appropriate for America than I realized,” says Tim Gray, founder of the Health Optimization Summit. “We’ve also had nearly 50 percent female speakers in past years, more than any other biohacking event I know of.” Flamingo Images By comparison, other major events in the space still lag behind. At the 2023 Biohacking Conference,...

How Arianna Rivas Worked Up Her Action Skills for ‘A Working Man’

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For most action-movie fans, the notion of being cast in a film that is written by Sylvester Stallone and stars Jason Statham is one of those amazing daydreams that will never come true. For Arianna Rivas, however, things got very real last year when she was cast in A Working Man —in cinemas now. And, as the 23-year-old tells M&F , this gigantic gig meant throwing herself headfirst into an exciting world of stunts and action that has changed her life forever. Arianna Rivas, who has appeared in movies like Prom Dates and The Harvest says she was understandably “really excited to see Sylvester Stallone pop in my email.” A Working Man is based on the 2014 novel Levon’s Trade, by Chuck Dixon, and was re-written and adapted for the screen by Sly and the film’s director, David Ayer. The plot sees Rivas’ character, Jenny Garcia, kidnapped by human traffickers while Jason Statham, who plays ex-Royal Marine Commando turned construction worker, Levon Trade, attempts to rescue her. Riva...

Sydnee Falkner Is Making the Most of Her ‘Million Dollar’ Moment

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Netflix binge-watchers may not yet know who’s keeping the million dollar secret, but Sydnee Falkner has already dished out the debut of the Million Dollar Matcha. The streaming giant’s newest reality star teamed up with Scottsdale’s  Simply Shroom to customize her signature matcha blend, Syd’s Million Dollar Matcha features a four-mushroom combination with sugar-free caramel, matcha, collagen, and, of course, gold sparkles on top of cold foam. It also includes 10 grams of plant protein, a key ingredient that she says matches her 24-7 fitness dedication.. “I’m more of a matcha protein drink person than a party shot drink person,” she says. Falkner is more than just the cute blonde persona she portrays on Million Dollar Secret, a show where 12 strangers live together at a luxurious lakeside resort, each room containing a welcome box. All but one box are empty, while the last contains $1,000,000—money that the guest can keep as long as they keep their identity hidden. When the c...

Jeff Nippard’s Upper Trap Workout for Bigger, Stronger Shoulders

Natural bodybuilder, powerlifter, and coach, Jeff Nippard is never afraid to admit that his physique is a work in progress, and explains that when it comes to shoulders, he has found that shrugs “just haven’t done much to grow them over the years.” To that end, he’s switched it up to focus on his upper trap workout, and he’s shared this new strategy on Instagram. The trapezius muscle, or “trap,” is located on either side of your upper back and controls the motion and stability of your head, neck, and back. Common exercises that help to build mass in this area are carrying and shrugging motions, and with this in mind, Nippard says he is going to spend the next year focusing on two moves that he has previously left out of his sessions for the most part. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jeff Nippard (@jeffnippard) Exercise 1: The Overhead Cable Lu Raise “The upper traps fire harder when the arms are up overhead,” says the coach. “I ...

NHL Star Tom Wilson Talks Training and His Gym Bag Essentials

Tom Wilson has earned a reputation on the ice for being as physical as he is technical during gameplay and feels that his quick reflexes and explosive power are owed in large part to a love of lifting. The Toronto born alternate captain for the Washington Capitals sat down with M&F to explain his epic training ethos and what’s inside his gym bag. “Deadlifts and squats are two of my favorite movements,” explains an enthusiastic Tom Wilson, who joined the Capitals back in 2013. “They really help develop my explosiveness and power on the ice.” The hockey right winger is right, of course. Both the deadlift and the squat hit multiple muscle groups, making them time efficient and great for full body workouts. The deadlift develops the posterior chain, and as such will making Wilson more mobile when making sweeping and powerful strides. In hockey, one must generate significant force through the hips and legs, so being dedicated to deadlifts is a great way to build a solid foundation. Sq...