The Big Inside

What is the most important meal of the day? The Big Inside’s show host Christian Matyi, a/k/a “XN,” is betting he knows what you’re gonna say.

What you’re probably not expecting is how what we think we know about breakfast may not be quite what we assumed. XN dives into the background of this nostalgic meal armed with a pack of nutrition-savvy athletes and the amazing food historian and author Heather Arndt Anderson. What we pull up might make you forget about whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but instead wonder why you thought that in the first place.

There’s also a cameo by Quinn the Cat, and Christian and Heather get into some Taiwanese rom-coms. All that and more on this episode of The Big Inside.

What is the most important meal of the day? The Big Inside’s show host Christian Matyi, a/k/a “XN,” is betting he knows what you’re gonna say.

What you’re probably not expecting is how what we think we know about breakfast may not be quite what we assumed. XN dives into the background of this nostalgic meal armed with a pack of nutrition-savvy athletes and the amazing food historian and author Heather Arndt Anderson. What we pull up might make you forget about whether or not breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but instead wonder why you thought that in the first place.

There’s also a cameo by Quinn the Cat, and Christian and Heather get into some Taiwanese rom-coms. All that and more on this episode of The Big Inside.

You’re gonna start looking at what you do every day a little differently after this episode of The Big Inside. Show host Christian Matyi, a/k/a “XN,” is joined by professional viols player Drew Ricciardi, who discusses a very different approach to crating music that also suggests we might want to reconsider how we move.

Are you sure that you’re getting the most out of how you move every day. Are you positive that you are definitely not inadvertently setting yourself up for injury? The answer may lie more in how you understand movement than it lies in the movements themselves.

Drew and XN take a few pitstops along the way, exploring Drew’s very unique joint structure, some analogies to house construction and animal anatomy, and a few other twists and turns as they “tune up” an episode that smashed classical music into athletic prowess.

It’s the second part of our two-part episode with very special guest Liam O’Donnell, movie director, producer and writer who’s most known for his 2017 sci fi action flick, “Beyond Skyline.”

On the previous show, host Christian Matyi (a/k/a “XN”) have us some fascinating insight into he backstory and narrative of O’Donnell, which might have a bit of insight into how we create our own sense of aesthetic in the world. This time, we dig a lot deeper into how a creator like Liam is shaped by the aesthetics of the body whether he’s aware of it or not.

Liam’s connections to bodybuilding and Schwarzenegger get pushed through the lens of story making (see what we did there???). And no doubt a few bells will ring when you hear the name of Liam’s pet.

Also, XN’s giving out nicknames like crazy on the show – why not get one of your own? And we thank some great patrons who became an official patron of the arts for the price of a cup of coffee. All this and more on this episode of The Big Inside.

We’re back for our tenth (we think) season! And we are opening this run of episodes with averyspecial guest: Liam O’Donnell, movie director, producer and writer most known for the 2017 sci fi action flick, “Beyond Skyline.”

Liam gave show host Christian Matyi (a/k/a “XN”) a whole lot of interview. So much, in fact, that we are going to present our stories with Liam in two parts. This episode is the first of two parts.

Liam shares a fascinating backstory that may shift how we perceive the power of physical aesthetics. And yes, Schwarzenegger makes an appearance in the narrative. (Because he alwaysdoes, right?) The tale is a little different than you might think, and sets a stage for how he perceives the world, which sets us up to learn more about the film itself in part 2.

Also, XN declares himself victorious in The Big Inside’s ongoing War On Spotify. They surrendered! We won!) Plus we make you an official patron of the arts for the price of a cup of coffee. All this and more on this episode of The Big Inside.

Happy 2018!  To ring in the new year we wanted to try something a little different.  (You know – like never do, right?)  So we put together something for The Big Deal portion of the program that starts in one place and then travels you halfway around the world and back, just to get your head right for the upcoming new year.

Show host Christian Matyi, aka “XN,” meanders through a "hypothetical" analysis of caloric demands of the body while snow shoveling which travels us back in history to explore a different perspective on a common dietary term.  The way old fashioned scientific ingenuity merged with a growing Industrial Revolution in France sends us a meaningful message not going backwards into resentment. 

Grab your snow shovel and let's meet some French thermodynamics physicists on a "hypothetical" quest to pay better attention to the potential we're made of.  It's our little, sentimental "love letter" to you, our listeners, to maybe help get your head right for the new year.

The new season of The Big Inside gathers together a cast of thousands! (Well, maybe less than that.)

We're trying to figure out why we get so obsessed with winning stuff. Is it about merit?  Or is it about prestige?

We try to get to the heart of whether prestige-chasing is a positive motivator or just a distracting poison.  The conversation is rounded out by a heard of lifters, bodybuilders, and strength athletes, all with unique takes on the show's theme.

Plus: XN blows our chance at a Peabody Award, the silent voices judge you constantly, and we get invaded by a RANDOM BABY!

Nope.  No stories here. Just Nick.

On social media, people love sharing details.  But how often do these details amount o stories worth telling?  Sure, we are the “author” of our own life, but does that means every detail is story-worthy? 

What is it about the fitness, bodybuilding, and strength lifting world that so compels peopel to try and force morality stories out of their experiences?  Are there really that many stories?  Or are people trying too hard?

Show regular Nick LeFebvre shares how his own story is still very much unconcluded, and we discuss the merit of “forcing” a story out of the details of our life.

And – yes – the episode releases are slowing down for the summer!  You noticed correctly.  

This massive guy was programmed to draw pictures.  Don't believe it?  Well, we're not gonna argue with him . . . 

Is what you are best designed for – like, your most notable assets, attributes, and skills – necessarily the same thing as what your best career path should be? 

Does what you are made of determine who you are meant to be?

Too often we tend to settle into the track chosen for us, as if it is just fate.  Like, just because we have certain aptitudes and skills, we’re supposed to become a specific thing.  Right? 

Well, on this week's episode, we are joined by artist (and former bodybuilder) Justin Williams as we explore how, sometimes, following a chosen path means a total reversal of direction.  

We’re mingling artistry with muscle, cybernetics with idealism, and pitting fate against imagination on today’s episode. 

And we’re also drinking seltzer.

The idea of being a leader is often tossed about by self-improvement gurus and motivational speakers.  But what is leadership all about?  On this episode of The Big Inside, we welcome Kalle Beck, founder of the Starting Strongman project (company? entity? community? whatever it is . . .) to discuss the idea of leadership, and how it may com from far less glamorous roots than we the pop culture success speakers may have us believe.  

Don't forget to share this episode – or any episode – to keep us going!  

Yes, this is really how he looks most of the time.