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The Walking Lunge;Walk Your Way to the Tightest Glutes in Boys Town
by John Cotter, Master Trainer

One of my favorite and most hated exercises is the walking lunge. Yes I hate them. Why? I am not going to lie to you but in all the years I have been working out the walking lunge is still as challenging today as it was on day one. There are very few exercises that will better sculpt the glutes (butt) and quadriceps (front muscles of the legs) and in addition, the walking lunge is a wonderful core exercise and done properly helps with balance and your proprioception or the knowledge of where your body is as it moves in space.

Form when lunging, whether stationary or walking, is crucial. The starting position is simple: stand and then take a giant slow step forward, planting your heel to maintain balance. Bring your body down low to the ground so that your leading front leg bends to a 90 degree angle; do not go any deeper than 90 degrees as that puts unnecessary tension on the knee and will increase the risk of injury.

Your following leg should be extended far behind you, and you should be using your toes for balance. From this position you will feel a stretch in your following leg quadriceps; your leading leg will have a stretch in the glutes. Now pressing your heel down with your leading leg, squeeze the quads and bring yourself back into a standing position and repeat with your other leg.

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Different Strokes:The Plight of the Gay Chicago Male

By Jesse Darnay

As a straight male, I've taken the plight of the gay man living in Chicago too lightly. I came to this realization over the past few months after befriending a wonderful gay man on the North Side. It took me many weeks to learn that he was gay, because the subject just never came up. We talked about movies, parties, famous people, literature, etc. Normal, everyday conversation, and nothing more.

When he told me, jovially, that he was gay one night, I was quite taken aback. Hitherto I had figured he was a straight male because he had an easygoing and open attitude about him ? an attitude about life that was very familiar to my own and seemed incompatible with the typical attitudes of gay men I'd met in the past, who had all either presented themselves as rebellious, flamboyant or highly defensive.

After this large fact about my friend was established, he began to feel comfortable enough with me to discuss the intricacies surrounding a person living in Chicago who was intelligent, sophisticated and who preferred to be romantic with men. My friend explained to me that he was mostly fearful about his sexual preference and had been for many years. He was always conscious of the environments he placed himself in and if he found himself amongst groups of straight men who exhibited machismo qualities, he was excessively careful not to let on that he was gay lest he be ridiculed, ostracized or even attacked. He would have loved to discuss his romantic interests with his parents, who lived in a different state, but they had always been religious people and wouldn't know how to interpret what he was saying even if they could bring themselves to accept the reality of it. My friend also talked about his frustration with "Boys Town" in that the overarching theme of this Chicago pocket seemed to be using homosexuality as a great justification for escapism and misanthropic behavior. He felt that the image of homosexuality that was being advertised by Boys Town was not only misrepresenting his sexual preference, but that it was further polarizing a gay/straight society.

My heart began to break. I felt frustrated by my own obliviousness over the past decade. I was grateful as well, however, to have found someone peaceful and comfortable enough to express these things to me.

Perhaps this plight of which I'm speaking is symptomatic of a greater fundamental human problem which stretches back thousands of years: the idea that most individual human beings are more apt to reject that which they perceive to be "different" by subjugating it (Jews and Christians, Western Europe and Native Americans, etc.) The acceptance of difference requires the individual to admit his or her own powerlessness and inability to understand all things. But what seems to happen, sadly, is that we decide not to go there 'go there' instead willing ourselves to power by assuming authority and thereby making delusion our reality.

This idea of rejecting differences has never been made more clear to me than in my own romantic relationships. The women I have been with in my life have all had a difficult time accepting my acute sensitivity, and I theirs. In a moment of anger or frustration born of a situation not necessarily related to the relationship itself, one of us has said something very hurtful to the other as means of venting angry feelings. Rather than admitting to my own minimal importance in the grand scheme of all that exists outside of me (admitting that I was a part of my partner's life, which was complicated, rather than the whole of her life, which would be simple), I would always come to vilify my partner and make her into something she wasn't based on her feelings in the moment. This behaviour would continually be reciprocated until all that my partner and I could see of each other were two horrible people that were in no way related to who we really were or what we were going through.

Again, accepting difference (a quality which inevitably leads to a more peaceful and happy society) starts by not seeing ourselves as being so

What You Need To Know About Depression
Michael Bricker, PhD, LCP

Most of us can probably recall a time when we've felt a little blue or down-in-the-dumps. Maybe we've experienced a break-up or some difficult news, or we're in the middle of a rough spot with a partner or friend. Sadness can often be a natural and adaptive response to these events, signalling us that something important is in transition. Sad feelings can also help us to recognize our need for support and provide the momentum we need to make changes in our lives.

But, how do we tell the difference between a case of the blues and actual depression? Research shows that depression is different than sadness. Depression may involve more serious changes to our everyday routine. We may lose interest in things that are usually enjoyable to us or may lack our usual motivation to get things done. Depression can also cause us to feel fatigued, draining our energy to get things done and making it more difficult to focus and concentrate. People who are experiencing depression may also notice changes in their appetite, and find themselves having problems with sleep and being less social. It is also possible to experience feelings of worthlessness about ourselves or hopelessness about the future.

Although we all may experience these changes from time to time, depression can be distinguished from occasional periods of sadness by recognizing the severity and regularity of these symptoms. For example, while we may feel sadness for a few days, depression usually lasts longer and may also involve a combination of changes including things such as tiredness, poor concentration, and feeling badly about ourselves. Depression can also be more constant, affecting us most days over a long period of time.

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Model Search Winner Josh Carter: on winning, artistic passion and his favorite summer drink.

Q: How did you feel when you won the Mint Male model search?
A: It was unexpected! A friend of mine signed me and several others up for the model search without even asking. We decided to do it, and I'm so glad we did.

Q: What's your life passion?
A: Art, especially the performing arts. Aside from performing, I've found that creating art through dance not only makes me feel fulfilled, but can impact and affect others in such a positive way.

Q: What is your favorite summer activity?
A: I love to spend time with friends outside on a patio with a cold drink while losing track of time. There's nothing like getting lost in a summer day that continues into the night!

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Serial Cut

1. What is your company philosophy or ethos?
I used to say that "good work calls for better work" and with 10 years working on this, I have to say it's true. We always have it on our minds to make cooler pieces to showcase on our website. We like to make different kinds of projects and only some are innovative and these ones are the ones that we like, especially when we are asked to make something different.

2. Your designers are such forward thinkers/designers. Where do you go for design in- spiration? From which period/style do your designers draw most of their inspirations? Is there particular designer or designers the studio admires? I can get inspiration from anything in life: colour combinations I see on any street but also in nature, any movie or song or just having a look to a 70s book or a vinyl cover- case from my dad's collection, traveling a lot