If you’ve adopted the principles of the Paleo diet and have become a lean, mean, meat-eating machine, then take a look at this research from The Quarterly Review of Biology. Scientists are claiming early humans simply ate whatever they could find, acquiring enough calories to survive and reproduce, and consuming a diet very similar to modern-day pigs and bears, the Daily Mail reports.

If you’re unfamiliar with the Paleo diet (i.e have been living under a rock; sorry, couldn’t resist a caveman joke), the essential Paleo diet shopping list consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats—basically what we think early humans may have eaten. There are a few discrepancies, though.

Obviously, early humans didn’t live nearly as long as we do. They also weren’t great hunters and their teeth weren’t designed for eating certain plant foods. But more importantly, there are many environmental factors. 

'When you're trying to reconstruct the diet of human ancestors, you want to look at a number of things, including the habitats they lived in, the potential foods that were available, how valuable those various food items would have been in relation to their energy content and how long it takes to handle a food item,” Ken Sayers, a postdoctoral researcher from Georgia State University said.

Early humans living in the geographic North had an almost exclusive animal-based diet, while those near the equator ate mostly plants and fruits. Early humans were Jacks-of-all-trades, more scavenging gatherers than skilled hunters.  

What scientists are trying to stress is that anyone reconstructing an "ancestral" diet needs to look at things holistically; consider long-term effects and recognize that ancestral diets changed significantly over time. If Twinkies grew on trees millions of years ago, you better believe early humans would be scarfing those down, well, like hot cakes.

What A Real Paleo Diet Looks Like >>>

You may remember Sarah Dumont as “Sequins” in the movie Don Jon— you know, the one at the club with the nice butt who wasn’t ScarJo. But even though it was her posterior that initially caught our attention, frankly, we’d be down to just hang out.

“I don’t like to do things most girls do,” she says. “I don’t like shopping—I find it extremely annoying. I’d rather spend my money on beer and go watch a game.” 

See what we mean?

Growing up in San Diego, Dumont intended to become a kindergarten teacher. Dropping out of high school didn’t help that cause, but it did allow her to become a professional model, for which we’re eternally grateful (we’re pretty sure none of those 5-year-olds would have realized just how good they had it).

Dumont may have passed on her plan to teach, but now the model-turned- actress is schooling a generation of Hollywood hopefuls on the meaning of hard work. This year alone, she acted in five movies and just as many TV shows. And this February she’ll step into her first leading role in a major studio film, Scouts vs. Zombies.

Dropping a few walkers shouldn’t be a problem for Dumont, who grew up shooting her dad’s rifle and, when questioned about her favorite outdoor activity, actually asked, “Does beer pong count?”

In truth, she enjoys hiking, surfing, basketball (“It’s been a rough couple of years to be a Lakers fan,” she admits), and other of life’s simpler pleasures. For example, on a first date, she says, “I don’t want to sit down at a nice restaurant. It’s sweet that you think I’m worth an expensive meal, but it also seems like you’re trying to buy your way into my pants. I’d rather play some pool or watch a game.”

She’s down-home in other ways, too—such as what she likes physically in a guy.

“I’ll take a good set of shoulders and a bit of a beer belly over a six-pack any day,” she says. “I think it’s really masculine.” Speaking of masculinity, “If a guy doesn’t have facial hair, it makes a girl feel like a lesbian,” she says. (Noted.)

Skip the shave, hit some overhead presses, and crack a few beers during a game? Count us in.

The 10 Hottest NFL Cheerleaders This Season >>>

The 50 Hottest Female Trainers of 2014 >>>

We've got some brave editors here at Men's Fitness. Not always smart, but certainly brave. I am one of them. So I'll take the credit - or blame - for volunteering to jump in a CrossFit WOD (Workout of the Day) with 2014 CrossFit Games women's champion Camille LeBlanc-Bazinet. At 5-foot, 2, 125 pounds, the 25 year-old Canadian-born athlete has earned the title "Fittest Women on Earth" with her incredible strength and gymnastic-ability. CBL, who works out twice-a-day, three times a week, earned her first CrossFit title last August at CrossFit Games in Carson, Calif. She did all that while still completing her degree in chemical engineering. 

On this day, we met at EVF CrossFit Columbus Circle in New York City. She smiled when we met and reminded me that she had no intention of taking it easy on me. "I came to workout," she said. And I had come just to survive. We both succeeded.

Here's the workout: 

3 Rounds

1000-meter row

20 pistol squats (10 each leg)

10 muscle-ups + dip 

*Two minutes rest between rounds. 

Jalen Rose is a renowned trash talker from his days as freshman star as part of the Michigan Fab Five through his 12-year NBA career. His quick wit and access to information, no doubt a reason why he’s one of the most successful basketball analysts on TV.

Rose once admitted that he would research his opponents so that he would be educated when he verbally torched them. He still does his research on competitors but now he’s watching what other on-air mouthpieces are wearing on camera. But not so that can rattled them with this words. Instead, Rose just wants to make sure that he finds a way to separate himself.

Now for clarity’s sake, separating himself is not the same as wearing the fire red pinstripe deal with red gators Rose wore on the night of the 1994 NBA Draft – a suit that will forever live in NBA infamy. “I had a much different budget then,” Rose admitted. 

Now Rose is all about versatility. Viewers can see him in a two-button suit, three-piece or a more casual sweater-sports jacket-sneakers combination. But now, Rose is promising something special for lineup of Christmas Day games on ESPN Thursday.

How To Tie a Bow-Tie in Six Steps>>>

“I’m going to go Godfather on ‘em,” Rose said before revealing that he’s planning a double-breasted and throwing on a flower label pin but I’m going to use real flowers.”

First, let’s all thanks Jalen for choosing the red pinstriped suit for Draft Night. His back-up suit was yellow with leather alligator-skin shoes. He also took some time to talk basketball with us since he’ll be hosting the four-game Christmas Day lineup.

Men’s Fitness:Jalen, let’s get this out of the way first. Since the New York Knicks play the Washington Wizards in the first Christmas Day game, are you shocked that the Knicks have turned out to be this bad?

Jalen Rose: You don’t expect them to be historically bad. You look at the names. [Team president] Phil Jackson is the ultimate puppet master. [Coach] Derek Fisher has multiple championships. Carmelo [Anthony] is one of th best scorers in the game. Amare Stoudemire is a multi-time All-Star. Andrea Bargnari is a former No. 1 overall draft pick. J.R. Smith is a former Sixth Man of the Year.

It’s really the beauty of the NBA. Everything happens from the top down. You can’t just look at the championship rings. Tim Duncan didn’t win with Pop [Spurs coach Greg Popovich}. Phil Jackson didn’t win without Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Bull and Kobe Bryant and Shaq with the Lakers. It happens from the top down.

What do you think of LeBron James and his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers at this point in the season?

In Cleveland, he’s the homecoming king. He’s an MVP but he needed to go to the puppet master too. He went to Miami and Pat Riley to win his rings and now he’s back in Cleveland. I really love Kyrie Irving and his handle and scoring. Kevin Love is great. I think the problem with their team is they’re going to struggle defensively.

Golden State is an intriguing story. They own the best record in the NBA. What do you think of their chances in a loaded Western Conference?

They’re the perfect storm of an exciting team that you can watch on a slow Wednesday night but also a team that can contend for a title. It’s like how chicks dig he long ball in baseball. In basketball, it’s the three-point shot and they’ve got great shooters with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

OK, so before we enter 2015, who’s your picks to make it to the NBA Finals?

I give the edge to the [Chicago] Bulls for what they hav up front with Paul Gasol and Joahkim Noah. You have an improved Jimmy Butler, who’s averaging 20 points a game and Derrick Rose is a former MVP. Then on the other side it’s go Spurs go.  You have to go with the San Antonio Spurs when you see what they’ve done year in and year out. You’ve got to give it to the champs.

Let’s backtrack a bit, how did you realize that you wanted to go into broadcasting?

Mass Communications and radio and film was my major at Michigan. But we also used to play a lot of video games in the dorms. I would make it a house rule that if you lose the game you can’t just be on the sideline picking your nose. You had to commentate the game. We made nicknames for everyone. I remember playing NBA Live and calling Detlef Schrempf  “The Detonator.” We called Andre Waters (of the Philadelphia Eagles) “Dirty Waters.”

Last question, we’ve seen more and more public displays of protest lately with players such as Derrick Rose and LeBron James wearing “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts and Cleveland Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins wearing a t-shirt to protest the shooting of Tamar Rice.

You’ve always been an outspoken athlete, how do you feel about players voicing their opinions on social issues?

It’s really a natural progression to being a professional. Whatever your stand is, if you’re knowledgeable about it and if you’re passionate about it, I applaud you. I use a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., that says “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice, say that I was a drum major for peace, I was a drum major for righteousness and all the other shallow things will not matter.”

Enter for a chance to win one (1) of five Blu-Ray copies of 'The Hangover' Trilogy box set. Five (5) runners-up will win a copy of first 'The Hangover' movie on Blu-Ray. 

ENTER NOW - (Dec. 22 - Jan. 2)

The overhead press is a valuable exercise and a longstanding staple of well-balanced programming. Important for shoulder health, overall strength, and big deltoids, you’d think pressing bars to the ceiling would be the go-to exercise, but realistically, overhead pressing isn’t for everyone.

If long-term shoulder health and avoiding more serious injuries down the road is important -- and it should be -- then it may be in your best interest to perform a simple “screen” to assess if overhead pressing is a good fit.

Try this one-step shoulder test to see if the overhead press is a good fit for your exercise program.

THE SHOULDER SCREEN

Lie on the floor with your knees bent. With your arms straight up in the air, lower them down toward the floor until they come to a complete stop. Don’t allow your lower back to extend/overarch and don't allow your ribcage to flair out.

YOU PASS
If your upper arms are able to touch the floor, you pass and you can start overhead pressing. What this means is that you have the required lat length, shoulder range of motion, and mid-back mobility to safely perform the overhead press without compensating the labrums, ligaments and other passive restraints.

YOU FAIL
If you’re unable to get your upper arms to touch the floor, sorry, overhead pressing probably isn’t a good fit. People who fail to pass this screen often have super stiff or short lats and poor thoracic (mid-back) mobility which will affect scapular upward and downward rotation, and will often compensate by cranking the lower spine into overextension.

Does this mean you’ll never be able to overhead press again? No. Here are three things to do to improve shoulder mobility so you pass the screen and overhead press without using your back.

3 WAYS TO PASS THE SHOULDER SCREEN
1. Foam roll then stretch the lats.
2. Do thoracic mobility drills like the Quadruped Extension-Rotation, and Bench T-Spine Mobilizations.
3. Perform more “shoulder friendly” overhead pressing variations like the Half Kneeling 1-Arm Landmine Press.

12 Best Tools to Recover From Any Workout >>>

If you’re wondering how these movie stars, professional athletes and successful businessman get ripped then look no further. We ask these guys how they train and share their tricks and tips for all to try. Train like your favorite celebrity with these five exclusive workouts from our 2014 cover guys.  

Mark Wahlberg
Twenty years ago, a hotheaded street tough from Boston began his long bout for Hollywood superstardom. Now, with a thriving business empire, a family, and a host of successul films under his belt, the perennial A-lister may finally be ready to lay down the gloves.
Get Arms Like Mark Wahlberg >>>

Ashton Kutcher
Like a black-belt jiu-jitsu master facing down an opponent, Ashton Kutcher wants you to underestimate him. That way, the actor, tech entrepreneur, and notorious prankster will always have the upper hand. 
Ashton Kutcher's Jiu-Jitsu Workout >>>

Chris Pratt
"Three or four hours a day of just consistent, ass-kicking hard work.” That’s how Chris Pratt, our July/August cover guy and star of the upcoming film Guardians of the Galaxy, ditched 60 pounds in six months.
Chris Pratt's Guardians of the Galaxy Workout >>>

Michael Strahan
After 15 years of NFL football—all of them on the defensive line, one of the more punishing positions in sports—42-year-old Michael Strahan should be slow. He should be gimpy. He should at least have a limp. But, no. Strahan is agile. He is spry. He is light on his feet, especially for a 250-pound man who spent two entire decades propelling himself into the man-mountains that are offensive linemen, play after play, game after game, year after year.
Michael Strahan's Two-a-Day Workout >>>

Terry Crews
The year 2014 will always belong to Terry Alan Crews, America’s favorite NFL player turned A-list star. The 46-year-old graced the big screen in several major films, including The Expendables 3 and Draft Day, and his critically acclaimed show on Fox, Brooklyn Nine-Nine—now back for its sophomore season—scored a Golden Globe. 
The Terry Crews Workout >>>>

The Strong and Lean in 2015 program is coming January 2, 2015 and will exclusively available on MENSFITNESS.com

Workout routine and diet plan developer Ryan Heffernan of FOCUS NYC sits with the online director of Men's FitnessMike Simone to discuss the basics of the program and what to expect from week to week. 

DURATION: 8 Weeks FREQUENCY: 5-6 Days Per Week

THE WORKOUT PLAN: (Coming January 2nd)
Week 1-4
Week 5 & 6
Week 7 & 8

VIDEO DEMONSTRATIONS: (Coming January 2nd)
Chest and Lower Body Workout in Week's 1-4 (Monday's)
Mobility Workout in All Weeks (Wednesday's)
Back and Lower Body Workout in Week's 1-4 (Thursday's)
Chest and Conditioning Workout in Week's 1-4 (Friday's)
Arms in Week 5 & 6 (Tuesday's)
Mobility and Core Workout in Week's 7-8 (Wednesday's)
Total Body and Conditioning Workout in Week 8 (Saturday)
Travel Option Day (if needed)

THE DIET PLAN OVERVIEW: (Coming January 2nd)
How to Eat in 2015

MORE:
SIX TIPS TO SUCCESS FROM OUR TRAINER

----
The Strong and Lean in 2015 program was produced for MENSFITNESS.com by HUMANFITPROJECT in association with PR360GLOBAL. 

Congratulations to our January/February cover guy, Joe Manganiello, on his engagement to Colombian beauty Sophia Vergara! Manganiello squandered the hopes and dreams of men everywhere, proposing to the Modern Family star while on vacation in Hawaii.

But he did give us all hope that dreams really do come true. Before Manganiello started dating Vergara, he told People that his ultimate celebrity crush was…you guessed it, Vergara. It helps the Magic Mike star is a hulking 6’5”, but hey, you put in the work and you’re bound to see results—in relationships and fitness (obviously).  

In our cover story, Manganiello revealed the two met at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and hit it off. But the Obamas can’t be credited with exceptional matchmaking skills. Manganiello caught Vergara’s eye on his own. 

“Ask anyone, Why’d you become an actor? Why do you make money? Why’d you become a rock star? It’s to get access to a dating pool,” he says. “You work hard to get to go out with who you want.” Manganiello gets surprisingly effusive—downright gooey, in fact—when talking about Vergara. “Sometimes you can find someone who’s incredibly real who’s in a position that, at first glance, you wouldn’t think they’d be in,” he says. “It’s taken me a while, but I’m in a good place.”

We think so, too—in fact, we wouldn’t mind trading places with him for a while…

What Sofia Vergara Wants in a Man—and a Workout >>>

The fact that you’re in the gym in the first place, probably means you had to shift a few things around in your life in order to make time for the commitment.  You’re now on the road to stronger bones, bigger muscles and increased strength. With that said, lifting weights can cause injury if done improperly or too often. To avoid injury, proper form and the correct volume are essential. Don’t worry though, we’re here to guide through perfect technique, efficient programming and a clean diet in the quest to reaching all of your 2015 fitness goals.

Before you even start thinking programming, be sure to do these seven things at every one of your workouts from here on out.

SEVEN TIPS FOR WEIGHT TRAINING BEGINNERS

1. STAY HYDRATED
Muscle is 75% water. So weigh yourself on a digital scale before and after your workout. Then drink the difference in ounces of water.

2. BRING TWO TOWELS TO THE GYM
One for your post- workout shower, one for sweat-soaked equipment. (Always wipe your filthy slime off the bench between sets.)

3. BE PREPARED TO SPOT
As a beginner, ask the person exactly what you should do.

4. EMBRACE THE DUMBBELL
You won't need a spotter, you'll rarely have to wait for a pair, and they'll work your muscles harder than machines.

5. CONTROL THE WEIGHT
As a beginner, never use a weight that's so heavy that you need momentum to lift it. A simple gauge: You should be able to pause for at least one second before lifting a weight.

6. START SLOW
Making minor amendments to your daily routine will fly under the radar of your conscious thought and become positive habits. In other words, if you start so gradually that you barely notice the change, you’ll be more apt to continue it and make more changes without them ever seeming daunting.

7. STAND UP STRAIGHT
Want an easy way to tell if you’re performing your exercises correctly? Check your posture. The correct starting position for most exercises is shoulders back, chest out, standing (or sitting) tall, with your abs tight. Good posture, good form.

Now that you’re ready to exude proper gym etiquette, it’s time to consider what training program you’ll use. If you can only commit two days a week to the gym, that’s OK, the workout program on Page 2 will get you big and strong in just eight gym visits. 

THE TWO-DAYS-A-WEEK BEGINNER'S WORKOUT  >>> [PAGE 2]

Seven Functional Fitness Tests for Any Athlete >>>

DIRECTIONS
Perform the two workouts (Day 1 and 2) once per week, resting at least a day between each. Perform the exercises marked with letters as a group. Do one set of A, rest, then one set of B, rest (note that some groups have an exercise “C”), and repeat until all sets are complete. Then go on to the next group. Perform three sets of 8–10 reps for each exercise. After a month, you’ll see how rewarding just a months in the gym can be. 

THE WORKOUT
DAY I

1A) Dumbbell Squat
Rest: 30 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down as low as you can while keeping an arch in your lower back.

1B) Pushup
Rest: 60 sec.
Place your hands on the floor outside shoulder width and tighten your abs. Keeping your body straight, lower yourself until your chest is about an inch off the floor.

2A) Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
Rest: 30 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and step back with one leg. Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches, and your front thigh is parallel to, the floor.

2B) Dumbbell Reverse Lunge
Rest: 30 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and step back with one leg. Lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches, and your front thigh is parallel to, the floor.

2C) Standing Dumbbell Shoulder Press
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level. Brace your abs and press the weights straight overhead.

3A) Bulgarian Split Squat
Rest: 30 sec.
Rest the top of one foot behind you on a bench or chair. Lower yourself using your support leg until your rear knee nearly touches the floor.

3B) Dip
Rest: 30 sec.
Grab onto the parallel bars of a dip station and lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. If you can’t do dips, do a lying triceps extension with an EZ-curl bar

3C) Russian Twist
Rest: 60 sec.
Sit on the floor with a dumbbell or weight plate in both hands and recline your torso to a 45-degree angle. Hold your arms out straight and twist as far as you can in one direction and then to the other side.

4) Stationary Bike
Pedal at a moderately hard pace for 12–20 minutes.

25 Ways to Get Yourself Bigger >>>

DAY II
1A) Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with the weights against your thighs. Bend your hips back and lower your torso, allowing your knees to bend as needed, until you feel your lower back is beginning to lose its arch. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings to come back up.

1B) One-Arm Dumbbell Row
Rest: 60 sec.
Grab a dumbbell in one hand, and rest the other hand and knee on a bench. Let your arm hang straight down. Keeping your lower back in its natural arch, row the weight until it touches your side. Perform all your reps with one arm first, and then switch arms and repeat.

2A) Straight-Leg Glute Bridge
Rest: 60 sec.
Lie on your back on the floor and rest your heels on a bench or chair. Brace your abs and push onto your heels to raise your hips off the floor until your body forms a straight line.

2B) Lat Pulldown
Rest: 60 sec.
Sit at a lat pulldown station and hold the bar with an outside shoulder-width grip. Pull the bar down to your collarbone.

3A) Dumbbell Single-Leg Deadlift
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a dumbbell with one hand and stand on the opposite leg. Keeping your lower back arched, bend forward at the hips as far as you can and then extend your hips to come back up. Complete all your reps on one side and then switch sides.

3B) Dumbbell Biceps Curl
Rest: 60 sec.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and, keeping your upper arms against your sides, curl the weights up to shoulder level.

3C) Plank
Rest: 60 sec.
Get on the floor in pushup position, then lower your weight onto your forearms. Brace your abs and hold the position—body completely straight—for 60 seconds, or as long as you can.

4) Stationary Bike
Pedal at a moderately hard pace for 12–20 minutes.

If you want to dedicate three days a week to gym, try the full body workout on page three, which is repeated for four weeks for real results fast. 

THE THREE-DAYS-A-WEEK BEGINNER'S WORKOUT >>> [PAGE 2] 

DIRECTIONS
Perform the workout three days a week for four weeks, resting at least one day between each session. On the weight exercises, choose a load that allows you to complete a few more reps than the prescribed number (you may need to adjust this load between sets as you discover your strength levels). For instance, if an exercise calls for 12 reps, choose a load that you estimate you can perform 15 reps with before having to stop (but complete only 12).

Perform the exercise pairs (marked A and B) as alternating sets, resting 60 seconds between sets. You'll complete one set of exercise A and rest; then one set of B and rest again; and repeat until you've completed all sets for that pair. On your very first training day, perform only one set for each exercise. Progress to two or more sets (as the set prescriptions below dictate) from your second workout on.

THE WORKOUT
1. Front Squat
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 8
Rest: 60 sec.
Start with the barbell on the supports of a power rack at about shoulder height. Grab the bar overhand and raise your elbows until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Now lift the bar off the rack, letting it roll toward your fingers-this is where it should rest throughout the exercise (as long as you keep your elbows raised, you won't have trouble balancing the bar) [1]. Squat as low as you can [2], and then drive with your legs to return to the starting position. That's one rep.

2A. Three-Point Dumbbell Row
Sets: 2
Reps: 12 (each arm)
Rest: 30 sec
Grab a dumbbell in your left hand and rest the other hand on a flat bench for support. Keeping your back straight and your shoulders level with the floor, row the weight up to your chest. Lower the dumbbell to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete 8-10 reps with the left arm, and then switch sides.

2B. Pushup
Sets: 2
Reps: 12 – 15
Rest: 30 sec.
Place your hands on the floor about shoulder-width apart and extend your legs straight behind you—your body should form a straight line from your heels to your head. Lower your body until your torso is about one inch off the floor, and then push yourself back up. That's one rep.

3A. Single-Leg Bridge
Sets: 2
Reps: 12
Rest: 30 sec.
Lie on your back on the floor and bend one knee so that your foot is flat on the floor. Keeping your opposite leg straight, push your foot into the floor, raising your hips until both thighs are in line with each other. Reverse the motion to return to the starting position. That's one rep. Complete all your reps on one leg, and then switch legs and repeat.

3B. Dumbbell Pullover
Sets: 2
Reps: 12
Rest: 30 sec.
Hold one dumbbell with both hands and lie back on a bench. Press the dumbbell straight over your face, and then lower your arms behind your head as far as you can. Pull the dumbbell back to the starting position. That's one rep.

4. Plank
Sets: 1–2
Reps: Hold for 60 sec.
Rest: 60 sec.
Get into pushup position and then bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Keeping your entire body in a straight line, hold the position for 60 seconds. That's one set.

10 Ways to Lose Muscle >>>

There are two types of men in the world.

1. The guy who’s known his barber for 20 years, who treats the grooming session as a therapeutic ritual, who nestles in a worn metallic and leather chair while a man named Lenny shears off his beard with warm shaving cream and a straight razor.

2. The guy who hits up Corner Clippers when he has time to buzz it all off, who just needs to get in, get out, and move on with the rest of the day, who really doesn’t see the point in emptying his wallet for a service he’s pretty confident he can do himself.

The on-demand and in-office barber service Hot Towels appeals to both guys. 

I’m guy number two. Haircuts are always a last-minute affair – a dash to straighten up before a date or when the parents come to visit. 

This fact becomes clear in the front lobby of the Men’s Fitness office, where I first meet the founder of Hot Towels, Tony (he just goes by Tony, or Tony the barber). When he asks what type of cut I want, I shrug and ask for a four on top and two on the sides – my standard buzz. He chuckles, sets up his mobile barber station, and pulls out a pair of silver scissors. Tony doesn’t like to use electric clippers.

Easy Hairstyles Every Guy Should Know How to Do >>>

Founded last September, the NYC-based Hot Towels provides in-office cuts and shaves for 30 bucks. Tony, or one of the expert barbers he’s hired, will arrive at your workplace toting a full barbershop in a suitcase. Legs screw on, a lighted mirror pops out, and you suddenly feel like you could be back at your local haircut joint – except when your boss pops in and reminds you about an afternoon meeting.

Tucked in a conference room mere feet from my desk, Tony neatly clips off locks from my curly dome while explaining the thought process behind the business. He doesn’t need to though. I understand the genius. I wasn’t going to have time that weekend to get a needed cut. Neither do many of the suited Manhattanites Tony serves on a daily basis. As guy number two, who really just wants a quick cut and doesn’t want to move far to get it, an office trim is the perfect solution.

That’s when Tony starts narrating what he’s doing. He calls the craft an art while he cuts. And I guess it is, as he tries to wheedle out what I want to look like when I actually really don’t know. Our conversation turns from hair to business to life. Tony turned to grooming after a finance firm layoff during the recession. We keep chatting, and then the haircut is done.

I realize this is a whole different experience than the guy-number-two cuts inside silent, sterile chain barbershops. Tony’s conversation and quality make me want to be guy number one. 

Of course, I have a meeting in 15 minutes, so I shake Tony’s hand and go about the rest of my day in the office. 

Five Tips for Growing a Beard >>>

Longtime Men's Fitness reader (and Hollywood heavyweight) Joe Manganiello considers it a "huge honor" to be asked to grace the pages of our magazine for the first time. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes video from his January/February 2015 cover shoot, the True Blood and Magic Mike star shares how his training has evolved over the years, his go-to abs move, fashion advice for athletic guys, and the most game-changing advice he's ever gotten.

Download the latest update of the Men's Fitness app on iPhone or iTunes—and pick up the January/February 2015 issue (featuring Joe Manganiello) on newsstands January 5.

Jalen Rose is a renowned trash talker from his days as freshman star as part of the Michigan Fab Five through his 12-year NBA career. His quick wit and access to information, no doubt a reason why he’s one of the most successful basketball analysts on TV.

Rose once admitted that he would research his opponents so that he would be educated when he verbally torched them. He still does his research on competitors but now he’s watching what other on-air mouthpieces are wearing on camera. But not so that can rattled them with this words. Instead, Rose just wants to make sure that he finds a way to separate himself.

Now for clarity’s sake, separating himself is not the same as wearing the fire red pinstripe deal with red gators Rose wore on the night of the 1994 NBA Draft – a suit that will forever live in NBA infamy. “I had a much different budget then,” Rose admitted. 

Now Rose is all about versatility. Viewers can see him in a two-button suit, three-piece or a more casual sweater-sports jacket-sneakers combination. But now, Rose is promising something special for lineup of Christmas Day games Thursday, starting with the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.

How To Tie a Bow-Tie in Six Steps>>>

“I’m going to go Godfather on ‘em,” Rose said before revealing that he’s planning a double-breasted and throwing on a flower label pin but I’m going to use real flowers.”

First, let’s all thanks Jalen for choosing the red pinstriped suit for Draft Night. His back-up suit was yellow with leather alligator-skin shoes. He also took some time to talk basketball with us since he’ll be hosting the four-game Christmas Day lineup.

Men’s Fitness:Jalen, let’s get this out of the way first. Since the New York Knicks play the Washington Wizards in the first Christmas Day game, are you shocked that the Knicks have turned out to be this bad?

Jalen Rose: You don’t expect them to be historically bad. You look at the names. [Team president] Phil Jackson is the ultimate puppet master. [Coach] Derek Fisher has multiple championships. Carmelo [Anthony] is one of th best scorers in the game. Amare Stoudemire is a multi-time All-Star. Andrea Bargnari is a former No. 1 overall draft pick. J.R. Smith is a former Sixth Man of the Year.

It’s really the beauty of the NBA. Everything happens from the top down. You can’t just look at the championship rings. Tim Duncan didn’t win with Pop [Spurs coach Greg Popovich}. Phil Jackson didn’t win without Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen with the Bull and Kobe Bryant and Shaq with the Lakers. It happens from the top down.

What do you think of LeBron James and his move to the Cleveland Cavaliers at this point in the season?

In Cleveland, he’s the homecoming king. He’s an MVP but he needed to go to the puppet master too. He went to Miami and Pat Riley to win his rings and now he’s back in Cleveland. I really love Kyrie Irving and his handle and scoring. Kevin Love is great. I think the problem with their team is they’re going to struggle defensively.

Golden State is an intriguing story. They own the best record in the NBA. What do you think of their chances in a loaded Western Conference?

They’re the perfect storm of an exciting team that you can watch on a slow Wednesday night but also a team that can contend for a title. It’s like how chicks dig he long ball in baseball. In basketball, it’s the three-point shot and they’ve got great shooters with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.

OK, so before we enter 2015, who’s your picks to make it to the NBA Finals?

I give the edge to the [Chicago] Bulls for what they hav up front with Paul Gasol and Joahkim Noah. You have an improved Jimmy Butler, who’s averaging 20 points a game and Derrick Rose is a former MVP. Then on the other side it’s go Spurs go.  You have to go with the San Antonio Spurs when you see what they’ve done year in and year out. You’ve got to give it to the champs.

Let’s backtrack a bit, how did you realize that you wanted to go into broadcasting?

Mass Communications and radio and film was my major at Michigan. But we also used to play a lot of video games in the dorms. I would make it a house rule that if you lose the game you can’t just be on the sideline picking your nose. You had to commentate the game. We made nicknames for everyone. I remember playing NBA Live and calling Detlef Schrempf  “The Detonator.” We called Andre Waters (of the Philadelphia Eagles) “Dirty Waters.”

Last question, we’ve seen more and more public displays of protest lately with players such as Derrick Rose and LeBron James wearing “I Can’t Breathe” t-shirts and Cleveland Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins wearing a t-shirt to protest the shooting of Tamar Rice.

You’ve always been an outspoken athlete, how do you feel about players voicing their opinions on social issues?

It’s really a natural progression to being a professional. Whatever your stand is, if you’re knowledgeable about it and if you’re passionate about it, I applaud you. I use a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., that says “Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice, say that I was a drum major for peace, I was a drum major for righteousness and all the other shallow things will not matter.”

NBA Christmas Day schedule:

12pm ET - Wizards vs. Knicks on ESPN

2:30pm - Thunder vs. Spurs on ABC

5pm - Cavs vs. Heat on ABC

8pm - Lakers vs. Bulls on TNT

10:30pm - Warriors vs. Clippers on TNT  

Alex Thomson is likely doing one of three things right now: sleeping, staring at a computer screen while fretting about the weather, or steering the Hugo Boss, a 60-foot sailing yacht, somewhere in the middle of the ocean. For three months this is what he’ll do with his teammate Pepe Ribes, never touching land, always on watch, trying to outmaneuver seven other boats in the Barcelona World Race – a 90-day unsupported sailing competition around the globe.  

Known as the “David Beckham” of sailing, Thomson became the youngest skipper to win a round-the-world race in 1999 when he was just 25. When I meet him, he fits the image, dressed in a crisp black suit. It’s a striking dichotomy knowing that between January and March, this perfectly tailored Brit will endure 90 days of brutal ocean currents, freeze-dried meals, and a carbon fiber vessel that could easily break before reaching the finish line. We talked to Thomson about his fitness regimen for the grueling voyage, his crazy sleep schedule, and his hopes for the finish line party.

Men's Fitness: Sailing isn’t just sitting on a boat. Clearly it’s a grueling physical challenge. What is the key physical attribute you need to be successful?

Alex Thomson: I think you can always tell an offshore sailor by the shape of their body, particularly after the race. I am on a 60-foot boat so predominantly the work you do is upper body. When I do a race most of the muscle mass on my legs will probably be gone. You just aren’t using it. We are working in very confined spaces dragging sails that weigh between 80 and 100 kilos (175 to 220 pounds) without being able to stand up. To train I spend about 10 hours a week in a gym. 

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MF: After a three-month voyage without touching land, physically how do you feel?

AT: Well, you feel pretty tired.

MF: That has to be a huge understatement.

AT: In 2012 I lost just under 8 kilos (18 pounds). We joke it's the worlds most expensive and extreme diet.

MF: How do you physically prepare for the race?

AT: Most of my cardio work is done on a bike, that’s what I enjoy doing the most. Most of my strength stuff is done in a gym and all my circuit stuff is done outside.

MF: How about mentally though, how do you prepare?

AT: In the double-handed race it’s easier because you have someone there to share the pain and the high points. You have someone there to train with and work with. It’s like a temporary marriage. We start by doing some testing. Both our personalities are tested and we can compare them.

I am quite extroverted. I sit quite far on the feeling side. Pepe (Ribes, his sailing partner) is on the thinking side and is quite introverted. So actually we are quite different. It could work against you but we are aware of what the differences are and we have a training program that allows us to learn how we can communicate to make the other person perform well. 

MF: During the race, what is your sleep schedule like?

AT: We will start with a three- or four-hour shift and then it will be modified. We will never be on watch together. In this race the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. If you get one mile ahead, more often then not you are able to stretch that lead. So we work particular hard in the first 30 days.

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MF: And how about diet, I assume you don’t get to touch a steak for three months.

AT: It's a balanced diet of all freeze-dried food. I get about six or seven different varieties. My favorite is something called lobscouse. It’s a beef and potato casserole. Imagine a baby's weaning food with a few chunks of reindeer in it.

In the south we have to eat up to 7,500 calories a day. Because there is no land to stop wind, it means the winds are higher and the waves get bigger and bigger. For us that means big waves, big winds, and cold.

MF: I have to ask, why sailing? Why would anyone want to endure three months with little sleep, freeze-dried food, and harsh waters?

AT: Being on a little boat out of sight of land makes you have a real understanding of how small we are as a human race. It's a very humbling experience and something that I really enjoy. I’m also really competitive. If I play squash or tennis I leave with cuts and bruises. 

The last thing is the boats. If you were in to cars it’s basically the equivalent of being able to build a custom-racing machine just for you. And when I say custom, I mean someone has taken a mold of your ass and they have molded a seat to suit your exact dimensions. In terms of boys toys it doesn’t get any better than sailing.

MF: What’s your biggest fear during the race?

AT: I wouldn't say fear, but the place where it's the most challenging is the southern ocean. The fact that there's no one that can come rescue you: there's no helicopters, there's no ships. That's the place where you feel isolated and you feel the danger.Now a days you can destroy the boat. They’re so light and they’re so extreme. We call it a credit card with a mast. It's a brutal existence. I take people on the boat sometimes and they are horrified by the thing. 

MF: What is it like to cross that finish line after 90 days?

AT: By the time you finish, in an ideal world, you cross the finish line and the boat just falls apart into pieces. By the time you get to the last 500 miles she's getting tired and we have to love and care and cajole her to the finish.

It's a lot of relief. You feel like the world is lifted off your shoulders. The best thing about offshore racing is the party at the end. It's usually awesome. You're hoping you are far enough in front of everyone else that the party is finished and the hangover is done by the time they arrive.

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