Adam Schnell

I’m always scared walking into a new gym. It’s an unfamiliar setting, and everybody is walking around so cocksure of themselves. My inner dialogue starts nagging me: Will I use a piece of equipment wrong? Will everyone laugh at me when I do? Will I violate this particular gym’s etiquette? Will everyone laugh at me when I do? Will everyone laugh at me… just because? With some Googling today, I found out this social anxiety is called the Spotlight Effect.

There’s no outer limit to the absurdity of the questions we get at Cabela's, but the one I got today will likely be the reigning champion for some time.

We all first learned of this hallowed standard—the Black Belt—from TV and movies. And most of all, on the playground where it was spoken of in reverend tones. Did you know Ronnie’s dad is a Black Belt? That means he can kick as high as your head. He can break a 2X4 with a Karate chop. He can climb right up a brick wall. He knows how to kill you just by tapping lightly on your temple. And when he dies, they have to bury him in China.