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Food-Ex Pairing: Pectoralis Black Beanie

We're going totally primal on you mid-week: Black beans, black as mud, rich in protein, the staple of the Americas. Frijoles Negros, muchachos. That's your food, and your mission is to pair those beans up with your pecs, the bench press muscles, the parts that stretch the t-shirt, the ones that give you your push-up, and your cleavage. Yesterday was somewhat delicate. Today is earthy. It's mammarian.

Even as you're reading this, people over at thekitchn.com are already gossiping about the ways they like to eat black beans. They're talking black bean omelettes, and Cuban black bean soup. They're not yet talking Black Bean Brownies, but, well, we got the jump on them on that....  The geeks at WHFoods say that black beans are high in protein and fiber, packed with anti-oxidents, and good for your heart, your glucose levels, and they might also help fight off cancer. Eat them!

And then find a way to work your pectoralises, both major and minor. This should be easy -- push ups are always available -- and so we encourage exiting your "comfort zone." Yogis, why not try a few sets on the bench press? Walk barefoot into that dark night, and ask a large man to spot you. The bench press is the mother of all lifts. The bonding rack of a million high school football players. The staple of suburban yard sale items.... (If you're wondering just how much some worship the bench, please check out the video after the jump.) Now then, free weights types, how about you knock off a half dozen sun salutations? Just a suggestion. You can all, of course, do whatever exercise you like. Just be sure to send word....