Pound 4 Pound,
Pound 4 Pound…. A term used throughout the fight world to describe the best fighters in their respective weight classes… The. Best. Around. Let’s face it. We live in the second most unhealthy nation in the world, as reported by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Weighing in at a whopping 32% obesity rate across the nation, it becomes clear why we can’t drive a quarter of a mile without coming across a McDonald’s, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, and a Pizza Hut - All on the same block. What is even more disconcerting is our own fear in taking control of our health. We are at the peak of the digital age. We have more information than we will ever know what to do with and with every article published about the newest fad in ‘shaping up,’ that fear to take control grows just a little bit more. We all have our own reasons for being afraid of taking that next step. For some it comes down to embarrassment. Embarrassment of what people will say when they see that horrifying number on the scale. Embarrassment of looking ‘stupid’ trying to figure out how to properly use the dozens of workout machines at the gym. Or maybe it just comes down to personal shame and a fear of failing. Whatever the reason,
142 Halfstackmag.com
what most people don’t realize is that we all start in the same place. It’s a learning process, an educational journey in understanding your body, knowing what you are capable of and then taking control to ensure you are never embarrassed, ashamed or afraid of failing again. Gym owners Danny DeKing and Ryan Darby sat down with me to discuss their personal journeys in attaining a love for health and nutrition and how they suddenly found themselves partners and owners of Pound 4 Pound Fitness in small-town, Elburn, Illinois. DeKing, a fitness proponent all his life, participated in a variety of sports growing up, including football and boxing. Upon joining the United States Navy following his High School career, he was appointed Command Fitness Leader in which he was responsible for the fitness of his units. After 6 years of service, this military veteran returned state-side to train with Don Beebe’s, House of Speed and other various fitness facilities before landing on the decision to open his own gym.