Boom! This is Books & Biceps #363!

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Today’s Issue is brought to you by the Summer 2025 ‘Read More, Lift More’ Challenge!

Every summer we take on a ‘Read More, Lift More’ Challenge, where we pair one phenomenal book with 30 workouts inspired by the book along with quotes and commentary. This summer, we’re working off of Alfred Lansing’s brilliant New York Times Bestseller, Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage. This book is one of the most popular B&B recs of all time and it follows an insane failed attempt to get to the South Pole in 1914, followed by a heroic, mind boggling rescue mission through a thousand miles of pack ice, on foot and makeshift boats. You will never forget this read.

Following the challenge is simple:

📚 You read 10 pages a day
💪 You do one Finkel-designed workout inspired by those pages
🧠 You get a daily quote from the book matching the section you just read, chosen by me, and a Meathead Motivation thought from me to keep your mindset locked in.

We start on August 1st. By September 1st you’ll be in better shape with a great book under your belt. You in? You ready? Let’s gooooooo!!!

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Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business: Boxing and the Art of Life by Ed Latimore

Today’s issue of Books & Biceps is going to be a little different because not only am I recommending an awesome book, but the topic also includes a heavy dose of biceps in the form of boxing. So, rather than splitting up the two sections as I normally do, I’m combining them into one super section called BOOKS & BICEPS and I’m going to include a full interview with my buddy and the author of Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business, Ed Latimore.

First, a quick background:

I met Ed on Twitter about six years ago because he always posted super smart insights and also had one of the most bad ass, unique bios ever. Back then it was something like: 13-1 Heavyweight Boxer, Chess Master, Physics Student… Or something close to that. Either way, not a talent stack you see too often.

We commented on each other’s posts for a while and then when I was writing my chapter on Mike Tyson for my book, 1996: A Biography, I reached out and he shared some insights on what it’s like to get in the ring as a heavyweight (hard) and where Tyson’s place ranked among 90s icons (high).

Fast forward to today and not only is Ed now a friend, but a few weeks ago he made his heavyweight boxing comeback AT AGE 40 and he won! Big time W for all of us 40+ dudes still competing in our sports.

Ed’s also a dad and as of August 5th, the author of what I’m sure will be a bestselling book, Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business.

I’ve been lucky enough to follow the path of this book, from the original idea to the first draft, to the rewrites and now the final manuscript and book. Ed’s an exceptional storyteller and as much as this pun will be overused promoting this book, the dad in me can’t resist: he truly pulls no punches.

He agreed to do an exclusive Books & Biceps Q&A for us and I know you’ll love it. I’m including the entire thing here. Enjoy the interview and then go buy Hard Lessons ASAP.

ONE

I’ve never asked about this part of a book in a B&B book interview, but your book dedication is one of the best I’ve read: “To my son Henry, simultaneously the greatest motivation for and distraction from writing this book. I took the hard way through life so that you won't have to.”

Every dad/author understands the first part, but can you tell us a little bit about why the second part means so much to you?

Writing this book forced me to reflect on the hardships of my childhood and how they contributed to many of the challenges I faced as an adult. It reminded me of something a younger, highly successful friend once told me. He said part of his success came from growing up in a stable, loving household—he didn’t have to spend years overcoming the same issues I did.

When my son was born, that idea stuck with me. My job is to create an environment he won’t have to recover from.

Yes, we all make our own choices in life, but people often underestimate how much your upbringing affects your ability to make those choices in the first place.

It’s been tough undoing the effects of earlier missteps and mistakes, especially when I see how others who grew up with more support didn’t have those same obstacles. But I’ve committed myself to the process because I believe in personal agency. I can choose a better path for myself, and in doing so, give my son the foundation to choose an even better one.

TWO

As the title implies, this book hits hard from page one. The early stories of some of the beatings you took from your mom and her boyfriend and neighborhood kids aren’t easy to read. Taking rocks to the head. Snow boots to the forehead. Gashes that went untreated. You are able to write about this stuff in a very matter-of-fact manner, which isn’t easy. What was your mentality about approaching these issues when you started the manuscript?

For a while, my mom was subscribed to my email list. Eventually, she unsubscribed. She told me she didn’t like how I made my childhood sound worse than it really was. I told her that if I was lying, I’d gladly correct any errors, but if she just didn’t like me telling the story, I couldn’t help her.

That mindset basically sums up how I approached writing this book. I just told the stories. You’ll notice I rarely comment on how I felt during those events—unless it’s absolutely necessary. I’ve always wanted readers to come to their own conclusions. I never wanted to sound like I was asking for sympathy. Because honestly, things could have been a lot worse.

I also think emotional detachment is part of how I cope. Maybe I should be angrier. Maybe I should feel sadder. But what would that change? It wouldn’t undo the past and it would only make me feel worse in the present.

Still, I can’t forget what happened. That’s impossible. So instead, I turn it into a story. One more chapter in the life I’ve lived.

THREE

You go through a bunch of your fights in this book, but tell us more about Cam Awesome. What a name. What a beatdown he gave you, haha! That felt like a turning point for you mentally as a young man. Have you thought about him at all during your boxing comeback?

Cam Awesome is a great guy. After our fight, we actually became good friends. We talk regularly and usually catch up in person at least once a year or whenever we’re in the same city.

His original name was Cam Thompson, but he changed it as part of reinventing himself after falling into a depression when his Olympic bid was robbed from him. That reinvention speaks to the kind of resilience he has.

The fight itself was humbling, but far from the worst beating I’ve ever taken in the ring. Cam will tell you himself: his style was all about outscoring and outpointing guys, not knocking them out. That said, he’s one of the smartest fighters I’ve ever shared the ring with. It’s a shame he never went pro because he really understood the art of fighting.

He was actually planning to fly into Pittsburgh to watch my comeback fight, but he had a comedy show that same night. Still, he texted me congratulations after I won. That’s just the kind of dude he is. Cam’s a real one.

FOUR

I love your concept of The Fighter’s Graveyard. It applies to a lot of athletes who likely won’t make a career out of their sport. Where did you come up with that? Also, it led you to start studying math. Definitely a zig when most zagged. How did that come about?

When I first started fighting, I noticed a pattern: a lot of current and former boxers were working heavy manual labor jobs, coaching on the side, doing security, or juggling a mix of all three.

Let me be clear, I don’t look down on anyone’s choice of honest work, as long as it doesn’t hurt or take advantage of others. But I did notice something deeper. Most of these guys weren’t doing that work because they wanted to. They were doing it because boxing exacts a steep opportunity cost.

If you’re serious about becoming a better fighter, it’s hard to do anything else. Boxing isn’t like other sports where athletes are in college, learning other skills while they compete. And unless you’re at the very top, the money in boxing is terrible or non-existent.

So, guys work these jobs just to support their training. And because they’ve spent all their time fighting, they’re left with few options once the fight career fades. Some end up trading their broken bodies for small paychecks, taking beatings in fights they can’t win, just to get by. I once fought a guy who needed the $600 so badly, he got pulled over for speeding on his way to weigh in.

That point, where you're forced to give up your body for a paltry sum, is what I call The Fighter’s Graveyard.

I knew I had to avoid that.

I didn’t want to be stuck doing hard, unskilled labor. So I made a decision: I’d go back to school and study math, because at the time, all the highest-paying jobs were in mathematics. I eventually earned a degree in physics and built a career as a writer and internet entrepreneur, but most importantly, I gave myself a set of skills that allowed me to escape that fate.

FIVE

You describe December 23, 2013 as the first day of your new life. That was the day you got sober. And the day that your five best friends had your back when you told them you were quitting booze. It’s been over a decade since then and as you write, that moment set you off on the path you’re on today. You buried yourself in school and boxing immediately afterwards. How important are healthy distractions and goals when you want to beat back your demons?

When it comes to changing your habits, you can’t just stop doing something bad. You have to replace it with something else. Ideally, something constructive that demands your time and energy.

When I stopped drinking, I stayed too busy for my old habits to resurface. That helped more than I realized at the time. It wasn’t just about staying sober. It was about staying occupied with things that moved me forward.

Another powerful part of this approach was that it gave me a chance to redefine myself without alcohol. People often forget how deeply their identity gets wrapped up in a bad habit. That’s part of what makes letting go so hard, especially when the habit is tied to your social life, like drinking.

It’s easy to say people avoid change because they’re lazy or too comfortable, but I think it’s deeper than that. I think most people stick with destructive habits because they’re familiar. And the unknown, no matter how promising, is scary.

As the old saying goes: Better the devil you know than the one you don’t.

SIX

BONUS QUESTION: You’ve been training for a comeback fight after a long layoff. Has it been harder to knock off the rust mentally or physically in the ring? And is it true that the last thing a boxer loses is his knockout punch?

Well, I’m answering this after the fight and it looks like I still have my power. I stopped my opponent with a body shot in the first round.

Truthfully, I feel stronger now—and mentally sharper—than I did nine years ago during my last run. I don’t know how far I’ll take this comeback, but one thing is certain: I’m dropping down to cruiserweight.

That was always the plan when I decided to return to the ring. And now that I’ve been in there again with a heavyweight, I’m even more confident in that decision. I don’t have a lot of time left in the sport, so I want to give myself the best possible chance to do something meaningful before I hang up the gloves for good.

BUY HARD LESSONS FROM THE HURT BUSINESS HERE

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