Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2016 i Men's Fitness UK

Forty years old. If you look after your health and have good genes, with luck you’re about midway through your life’s innings; so much done, but plenty more to look forward to. For Ben Mudge, this issue’s truly inspirational MF cover star, 40 is it. According to doctors, at 25 years old, he’s already past the halfway point. But Ben has overcome the odds many times before and, listening to his incredible story, I’m sure you’ll agree if anyone can prove the doctors wrong it’s him. Born with cystic fibrosis, the Belfast lad began working out to beat the debilitating effects of his inherited condition, and he’s gone on to build both an incredible body and a successful career as a PT. And now, of course, he can add the…

Office Duracell bunnies annoy us all with their constant leg tapping, but they might be on to something. New research suggests fidgeting could be the antidote to the harmful effects of prolonged sitting, a story that’s been in the news frequently since Apple CEO Tim Cook called sitting “the new cancer”. “People who are more fidgety seem to have better long-term health outcomes,” says Janet Cade, professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Leeds where they recorded the activity of almost 13,000 people for three years. One potential problem? Tapping your leg so much your desk vibrates is a surefire way to become office enemy number one – but we’ll swap an early grave for dagger stares any day.…

In brilliant news for brittle-boned people with a lactose intolerance, it turns out that downing milk does nothing to make your skeleton stronger. A daily intake of 1,000 to 1,200mg of calcium (roughly four glasses of full-fat milk) has long been recommended – especially for older adults – but two new studies have found little evidence to support it. “Dietary calcium is not associated with risk of fracture, and there’s no clinical trial evidence that increasing intake prevents fractures,” the study says. The research that sparked the myth, published in 1992, focused on people who were both frail and deficient in vitamin D, which is vital for skeleton health. Their bones were in such a state that the minor improvement caused by calcium was significant. Need more persuasion to put…

The problem with going completely kit-free has always been behind you. Without anything to pull on, it’s difficult to engage the bigger muscles of the back, making for muscular imbalances and aggravating your already-probably-quite-serious nine-to-five hunch. The solution? The blurpee. Created by productivity guru Tim Ferriss, author of The 4-Hour Body, this upgrade on the traditional burpee uses wider foot-placement to force you to pull yourself forward into the jump part of the move – activating the lats (hence the “L” in the name) alongside virtually every other muscle. It isn’t easy, but as Theodore Roosevelt almost certainly once said, nothing worthwhile ever is. How to do it Stand with feet as wide apart as is comfortable. Put your hands on the floor and jump your legs back, then drop…

1 Dead hang “Simply hang on a bar without tension through the biceps or shoulders,” says Shieff. “Your traps should sink down your back so your shoulders aren’t shrugged. Three sets of 30 seconds is good for strength and also shoulder posture.” 2 Swinging on a bar “Swinging back and forth using your legs ensures you have weight through all parts of the hands,” says Sheiff. “You’re forced to grip or you’ll slip off. Do three sets of seven swings to start. It’s great for your forearms, abs and hip flexors.” 3 Monkey swings Head to the park and tackle the monkey bars. “It’s a great grip strength, biceps and shoulder workout,” says Sheiff. “It’s a movement that’s natural for kids but as adults we lose it. Pull your hips…

Name Dr Martha Clare Morris Speciality Nutrition and preventive medicine As lead author of the study on the MIND diet at Rush University Medical Centre in Chicago, Morris says eating right when you’re young can protect your cognitive powers in the long term Q: Can my diet save me from dementia? It’s easy to think of cognitive problems such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as issues you won’t have to worry about for decades. If only that were true. In reality, there’s evidence that deterioration of the neurons in your brain accumulates over the course of your life – just like wear and tear on your joints. But you can take steps to reduce the damage to your joints and now, thanks to new research, you can significantly lower the…

The Author Marilyn McKenna lost over 50kg, wrote a book about her experience and now helps others get fit ( marilynmckenna.com ) I’d say yes – fitness has been sexualised or even pornified. Having said that, there’s no escaping our evolutionary truth: we are visual creatures. There’s also no point in denying that the human form is beautiful. The problem is that when we idealise only one body type, we diminish the innumerable other body types that make up the rainbow of human forms. It’s great to be inspired to exercise more, but the images posted by some popular fitness accounts are at best intimidating and at worst totally unattainable for most of us. We have to ask ourselves, can’t someone be badass without…

Cleanse Bacteria in your mouth cause bad breath and brushing teeth won’t kill all of them. Mouthwash does better and while it often has a nasty medicinal flavour, Hello Supermint (£6, boots.com) tastes almost good enough to swallow. Protect Mitchum Advanced (£2, boots.com) is one of the few antiperspirants that actually works all day long, though we wouldn’t put its 48-hour claim to a severe test. One potential problem? Last night might take longer to sweat out. Moisturise Lack of sleep messes with your body’s ability to regulate skin moisture. Give it the whole day off and use Bulldog Intensive 24hr Moisturiser (£10, boots.com). Made entirely from natural ingredients, it’ll leave your face’s pH levels as it found them. Style Not doing your hair as you usually do is a…

Day 1: Push 1 Incline dumbbell press Sets 4 Reps 12 Sit on an incline bench and press the dumbbells overhead. Don’t fully extend your arms – keep your shoulder blades pinched at the back. Also, instead of pushing the weights straight up, imagine you’re squeezing them towards each other in a triangle shape. 2 Standing dumbbell press Sets 4 Reps 15 Stand tall with the dumbbells at your shoulders. Press them overhead, then pause and lower slowly. Bracing your core and glutes will help you shift more weight. 3A Incline dumbbell flye Sets 3 Reps 8-12 Lie on an incline bench with arms slightly bent and a dumbbell in each hand. Lower the dumbbells until you feel the stretch in your pecs, then press up. Squeeze your pecs at…

Human “When you’re thinking about things logically and making decisions. This is the slowest mode as your mind has to process information.” Chimp “This is your primal and instinctive side that can’t control impulses or emotions.” Computer “At this level things happen automatically – your body just reacts rather than having to make decisions. If we can get ourselves working at this level we’ll be much faster on the court.”…

1 Get a second opinion “Doctors cover themselves when they give recovery times. If they think you need four weeks, they’ll tell you six. A second opinion can give you a better idea. Be sensible, though – don’t rush and re-injure yourself.” 2 Eat right “Find out if certain nutrients can help your recovery time. For example, zinc is useful at repairing ligament damage. Your body will heal much faster if you give it the resources it needs to repair.” 3 Get moving “Don’t sit with your feet up if you can help it. Obviously you have to work around your injuries but moving about will increase your circulation and get blood (and with it, nutrients) to your damaged area.”…

1 Amber Foundation Amber works with young people who’ve been made homeless, misused drugs or alcohol or have a criminal record, and helps them gain the skills and confidence they need to get a job and a place to live. Your money can help the foundation provide a place for them to stay to get away from their toxic environments. amberweb.org 2 Age UK A well-known but often overlooked charity, Age UK deserves your attention. Aging is an inevitable part of life, and it’s sad that our elders aren’t always looked after better. Age UK helps to keep older people involved in the community, campaigns for better laws around care and generally acts as a bridge that connects the elderly with the rest of society. ageuk.org.uk 3 NOMAN Campaign The…

Once you get past a toaster and perhaps a slow cooker, your kitchen counter-space is at a premium – and a gadget designed to slice courgettes into pleasing shapes isn’t the obvious next step. But there’s a reason food bloggers and fitness hipsters are turning to the spiraliser in droves: by letting you reinvent starchy, processed staples like noodles and spaghetti using the magic of fresh green veg, it’ll let you hit your five a day while still getting your Lady & The Tramp on with an appropriate partner. Here’s your entry-level guide to putting body fat on a downward spiral.…

DRIED FRUIT CRANBERRIES Soothe your morning-after gym aches with a hit of anti-inflammatory flavonoids. FIGS Throw in a handful to add a sweet taste while also helping to lower blood pressure. APRICOTS Suffering from dawn bleariness? This dried fruit is rich in eyesight-improving carotenoids. SPREADS PEANUT BUTTER Give your porridge a buttery sheen – or a tasty crunch – and your heart a boost with a dose of monounsaturated fats. GREEK YOGURT Add some creaminess and probiotics with yogurt that’s also high in protein. HONEY The natural sweetener is packed with energy-enhancing iron and immunity-boosting phytonutrients (especially if you buy the organic stuff). NUTS WALNUTS Rich in omega 3 and polyphenols, they’ll help protect your heart and give your porridge a delicately crunchy texture. CASHEWS These tropical seeds provide a…

Run through this hyper-realistic simulation of a typical Christmas Day to discover how well you’ll avoid Yuletide temptations and stick to the good habits you’ve maintained all year… 1 Hooray – it’s Christmas morning! What time is it acceptable to start drinking? A) From the moment you wake to the moment you wrestle Uncle Dave into the Christmas tree. B) 7.23pm-7.42pm (one half-finished sherry). C) Alcohol is for weak-willed sewer-dwellers and the pitifully uncool. 2 What exercise, if any, will you be doing today? A) Repeating this circuit until collapse: sofa to fridge to biscuit tin to wine rack to sofa. B) Your mum’s banned you from exercising today, so you’re reduced to repeatedly lifting nephews and nieces above your head under the pretence of being a top “funcle”. C)…

Seriously tasty sprouts Brussels are the festive vegetable most of us love to hate – according to a nationwide post-Christmas survey, more than 17 million of them ended up in the bin last year. Reduce the wastage this winter and harness the bone-strengthening vitamin K in your spare sprouts by following the genuinely delicious recipe below. The Belgians, we’re certain, would approve. Ingredients Small handful of Brussels sprouts / 1tsp crushed cloves / 1 pear / 300ml orange juice Berry for your belly No Christmas dinner would be complete without cranberry sauce, but your enjoyment of this tart red condiment shouldn’t end with the Queen’s speech. Add a dollop of sauce – plus a hefty slug of cranberry juice – to a smoothie for a big hit of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients,…

1 Mini bands Warm up your hamstrings and glutes – which act as a brake when you’re going downhill – by wrapping one of these around your knees and sidestepping. 2 Hockey ball Use it to massage knots out of glutes, legs and back – it’s easier to pack than a foam roller. 3 Smartphone-compatible gloves You won’t have to take them off to track crucial workout data (and skip ropey songs you forgot you had), reducing the risk of losing them and contracting frostbite. 4 Smartphone and tracking app Check stats and stay on top of calories with an app such as Skitracks. 5 Hydration bladder Sip water on your way up the mountain to reduce the risk of altitude sickness, dehydration and anxiety. 6 Snacks Pack Snickers, nuts…

THE BASICS NAME Altitude training (Apex Sprint and Apex Strength at Virgin Active) ESTABLISHED The effect was first noted at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics (2015 at Virgin Active) AVAILABILITY Virgin Active Walbrook (virginactive.co.uk) and The Altitude Centre (altitudecentre.com) in London plus select universities and sports centres across the UK COST Virgin Active Walbrook gym membership from £130 a month BENEFIT Improved fat loss, stamina and recovery WHAT IS IT? Training at altitude was once reserved for the top 1% – elite, affluent sportsmen and women chasing performance perfection at alpine boot camps or in high-tech sports labs. Now it’s more accessible, with centres across the country bringing the mountain conditions to the masses via hypoxic chambers, and claims that they’re as useful for helping shift stubborn belly fat as…

1 YOU DON’T NEED TO LIFT Gymnasts not only defy gravity, they use it – combined with their bodyweight – to build chiselled bodies befitting Greek gods. “You can build incredible strength and muscle working against just your own bodyweight,” says European and Commonwealth gold-winning British gymnast Daniel Keatings. To get anywhere on the rings you need every upper-body muscle to be strong – even your forearms. “They help stabilise the elbow to keep your arm straight, which is crucial to score any points in competition.” 2 IT’LL FIND YOUR WEAKNESSES A gymnast’s muscle isn’t just for show. They need it to handle the incredible forces their bodies deal with, especially on the rings. “The cross puts a huge strain on your shoulders, biceps and pecs,” says Keatings. “I’ve seen…

Winter is most definitely coming, and the shorter nights and plummeting temperature mean fewer opportunities to bare your chest and a growing need to plot your route through the festive season. The conclusion? It’s time to put the abs regime on hold and focus on limiting the damage when you indulge, as well as delivering a time-maximising workout that will broaden your shoulders, pack out your pecs and help you build the perfect V-shaped frame to hang your favourite suit on. “If you’re looking to add mass quickly, multi-angular tri-sets are a great way to build muscle,” says fitness transformation specialist Rich Phillipps, this plan’s creator. “Focusing on your back, shoulders, chest and arms will add the necessary width for that desirable V-shape, so you’ll be ready to impress in…

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Steve Backshall Dangerous animal specialist and jovial adventurer (see p64) “My greatest inspiration has always been and continues to be my parents. From a very young age, they encouraged me to embrace the outdoors and the natural world.” Rich Phillipps Personal trainer and body transformation specialist (see p139) “As a former basketball player it has to be Michael Jordan. He had unparalleled competitive drive and the mentality to convert negative experiences into a burning desire to succeed – that’s something I try to live by.” Sean Conway Extreme endurance athlete – and your new best friend (see p21) “I’m inspired by anyone who’s sacrificed everything to achieve their dreams. Musicians. Athletes. Adventurers. Have a dream. Work hard to achieve it.”…

What will bring about the end of days? Climate change? Kim Jong-un? Sentient robots? Right now, it looks more likely that we’ll be wiped out as a result of antibiotics becoming ineffective through overuse, meaning minor infections could be fatal. Don’t panic – just do your bit to prevent the apocalypse by self-diagnosing. Sore throats are behind most winter doctors’ appointments, and it’s been reported that many GPs prescribe antibiotics pointlessly just to get rid of us. “Most sore throats are due to viral infections, which are usually accompanied by a runny nose and dry cough, and they can’t be treated with antibiotics – they generally resolve themselves,” says MF’s go-to medical expert Dr Nick Knight (@Dr_NickKnight). “Adults can use the Modified Centor Criteria – four signs and symptoms –…

Popeye was almost right. Spinach does make us stronger, but the muscle-bound sailor would have been better off drinking beetroot juice. Nitrates aid muscle growth, and increasing the amount of leafy greens you eat will up your levels – but the liquid purple stuff has the highest concentration. “It’s a small study, but we see robust changes in muscle power about two hours after patients drink beetroot juice,” says Dr Linda R Peterson, associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine. Down a concentrated shot (available in health stores and some supermarkets) before your next workout for enhanced strength. You won’t suddenly be able to uproot trees and use them to beat down bearded bullies, but every little helps.…

Fix squats with tape When you squat heavy, your pelvis tends to tuck under – this is known as “butt-wink” and puts your spine in danger. To fix it, put a piece of tape on the intersection of your back and shorts. If it’s pulled off as you descend, you need to keep your lower back flatter. Do better kettlebell swings with a box The kettlebell swing is technically a hip hinge, not a squat. If you’re bending your knees too much, you’re doing it wrong. Set a cardboard box at roughly shin height. If you hit it, you’re squatting too much. Crawl better with a ball Crawls – bear, Spider-Man or other – are a fine conditioning tool, but widely misused. Put a small ball (not a full-size football…

Pop quiz: what’s the most valuable contribution the e Romans made to British culture during their 400-year occupation? Well, apart from sanitation, medicine, education, wine, roads and all the rest of it, Caesar and co also deserve a pat on the back for their less heralded but equally enduring championing of chestnuts, which they planted in vast quantities in Britain during the heyday of the empire. Fast forward 1,600 years and the roasted fruit of this deciduous tree has become a seasonal winter staple. What’s more, chestnuts are packed with nutrients that reinforce your body’s defences, helping you stay on your A game during the festive season when the weather (and in all likelihood, your fitness regime) takes a turn for the worse. To make Roasting them on an open…

Name Roz McGinty Speciality Triathlon A European gold medallist and Team GB competitor in her Ironman age group, McGinty also devotes time to helping those who can’t otherwise compete – and says it helps her training as well Q: Can helping other people make me a better runner? As an athlete, not being able to work out because of an injury is soul-destroying. But it’s really important to be aware that some people are permanently unable to train. I’m always keen to give something back to my sport – I try to do some marshalling every year – but guide running, when you lead someone who’s partially sighted or blind around a course to give them a chance to experience what many people take for granted, has been the most…

BREAKFAST Blueberry and strawberry smoothie with wholegrain oats and water OR Wholegrain toast with almond butter spread LUNCH Chicken, pepper and onion fajitas with wholegrain wraps OR Wholegrain spaghetti with prawns and broccoli in spicy tomato sauce SNACK Mixed brazil, cashew, almonds and macadamia nuts OR Carrots and peppers with hummus DINNER Salmon with a spinach and lentil salad and olive oil dressing and a glass of white wine OR Turkey casserole with squash, kale, beans and soy beans and a glass of red wine…

Eddie Hall can swim. Yes, he’s enormous – even bigger close up than he looks when hoisting tractor tyres aloft in the World’s Strongest Man competition – but the real shock comes when you see him glide effortlessly down the pool like a sort of cylindrical shark, leaving us lagging limply behind in his (not insignificant) wake. But why is the Stoke-on-Trent native spending his Monday mornings swimming lengths when he could be lifting weights? That was pretty damn quick. You’ve done this before, right? Most people don’t know it, but I was actually a national champion swimmer as a kid. Seriously? How did that come about? My mum’s a swimming teacher, so I was literally thrown in the pool when I was two years old and left to sink…

Hang out with Ben Mudge for half an hour, or see him with his shirt off, and you’d never think he’s anything other than a pretty normal 25-year-old personal trainer from Belfast with an infectious sense of enthusiasm and an enviable set of abs. That’s the way he likes it. “I don’t ever want someone to pick me out of the crowd as the sick one,” he says, between swapping chest-building tips with MF on our cover shoot (it turns out we aren’t retracting our shoulders enough before we bench). “I’d want to be their last pick. I try to live my life like a normal guy, but that’s what helps me on the days I’m not feeling so motivated.” For Mudge, though, there’s more to staying in shape than…

LIVE FOR ADVENTURE TV presenter Steve Backshall, 42, never fails to get stuck in on shows like Deadly 60 , Secret Wilderness and Lost Land of the Volcano . But the man who’s volunteered to be bitten by bullet ants and scaled dizzying mountains firmly believes adventure starts at home I did a mountain expedition in Venezuela a few months ago, which was one of the scariest things I have ever done. We were hanging on a vertical stone face for six days with rocks coming thundering past our ears the entire time. It was awful. I genuinely thought, “Somebody could die here” on that trip. I very rarely get that feeling. A huge crocodile swam straight past our team…

Inspiration doesn’t just mean fundraisers and making people healthier. Helping your community is equally vital. Ex-gang member Sheldon Thomas walked away from his former life and started Gangsline, a company dedicated to helping young people make the right choices. Thomas has had a real impact on reducing gang violence in east London, working tirelessly to improve the lives of people who’ve made bad choices. What you can learn from him You can turn your life around at any point and you don’t have to necessarily look elsewhere to make a difference. Start in your community.…

KEY Great for Likes Big cash potential Mates’ day out Hardcore fitness Easy peasy One-up a classic If you’re running a marathon for charity, you might find people telling you what time they expect you to do it in for their money. Side-step the issue by running a different race. The Royal Parks 50km sounds like a dramatic distance to cover, but at only 8km further than a marathon it’s not much harder (and you probably won’t face sniffy looks if you take six hours to finish). royalparksultra.com Ride a bike to France London to Paris is one option but there are more picturesque – and harder – alternatives for the gent in need of a stiffer test. The Roubaix Challenge, for instance, is a 250km charity bike ride that…

Bacon-wrapped sausages – or pigs in blankets – are the ultimate muscle-building snack, providing heroic quantities of protein. So why do they get such a bad rap? Because, like most processed meat, they can come with unpleasant extras – which is why if you want to get the most out of this manliest of canapés, quality ingredients are key. KNOW YOUR SAUSAGE The legal minimum meat requirement for a pork sausage in the UK is just 42%, and for other sausages it drops as low as 30%. So what else goes into our bangers? An unappetising mixture of bulking and binding agents such as rusk, water and polyphosphates, as well as a host of shelf life-extending agents including sulphites, preservatives and nitrates. Yum. Unsurprisingly, none of the above adds any…

A lot has changed since Saik Deen Mohamed opened the first Indian restaurant in England back in 1809 next to London’s Hyde Park. The Hindostanee Dinner and Hookah Smoking Club ultimately spawned a £3.5 billion-a-year industry consisting of some 10,000 restaurants – some amazing, some extremely bad. And although there’s been a rise in authentic styles and supposedly healthier options recently, most restaurants still serve the thick, buttery, bastardised “curry” born of our typically British desire to drown all our meat in gravy. These dishes, as the manager of my local curry house explained to me over a pint of Cobra, bear little resemblance to traditional Indian cuisine. What’s more, menus tend to feature a huge array of options – a sign that the ingredients are unlikely to be especially…

You can tell that colleague who insists on sitting smugly on a big bouncy ball “for his back” that he’s wasting his time: studies have shown that it’s no better – and possibly worse – for posture than using an ergonomic chair. He’d be better off using the gym ball for its intended purpose. One reason this bit of kit is sometimes known as a Swiss ball is that therapists in Basel developed its use as a tool for back rehab, because sitting, leaning or kneeling against it adds instability to an exercise. And that means you engage your deep core muscles hard to keep your balance. “This added dimension will improve your core stability – crucial for a well supported pain-free spine,” says coach Fred Westcott (interfyt.com), who created…

It’s now abundantly clear that planks are better than crunches. Why? They activate your abs more efficiently without forcing you to contort your lower back repeatedly. And that means “How long can you hold it?” has become the new “How many can you do?” among exercise show-offs. The current record – set by former US Marine George Hood earlier this year – stands at five hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds. If that gives you a twinge of shame, don’t worry: although spine and core specialist Dr Stuart McGill suggests that any fit man should be able to hold the position for at least two minutes, he also says there’s minimal benefit in struggling on for longer. Our recommendation? Once you hit the two-minute mark, introduce variations that challenge your…

WHICH ONES WORK? Effective fat burners act like a hyperdrive for your metabolism. Pop a pill and your body’s ability to burn calories kicks into warp speed. “They do three things: increase fat oxidation during rest and exercise, boost your body’s ability to metabolise fat – convert it to energy – and produce heat in your body to hike up your energy expenditure, which is called thermogenesis,” says sports nutritionist Aaron Deere (kxlife.co.uk). Caffeine delivers all of these, while antioxidants called catechins in green tea can increase fat-burning conditions by 4.7%. Research into the South American herb yerba mate, used to make tea, has shown it ticks the fat-burning boxes due to its high caffeine content. WHICH DON’T? “Some supps might have shown beneficial effects on animals or cells in…

1A DUMBBELL INCLINE BENCH PRESS REPS 10 TEMPO 3010 Lie on a bench set at a 45› angle holding dumbbells at chest height. Powerfully press the dumbbells straight upwards. Gently touch them together, lower slowly, then repeat. 1B DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS REPS 6 TEMPO 4010 Lie on a flat bench holding dumbbells with an overhand grip either side of your chest. Drive your feet hard into the floor to generate more power, and press the weights straight up. Lower them slowly back to the start position. 1C FLYE REPS 12 EACH SIDE TEMPO 2220 Lie on a flat bench holding light dumbbells to either side with your arms slightly bent. Bring the weights above your chest, keeping the bend in your arms and pressing them hard together, then lower to…

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David Rimmer The 24-year-old British gymnast performs in Cirque du Soleil: Amaluna, which opens in January to mark 20 years of Cirque performing at the Royal Albert Hall “I eat as soon as I arrive at work – usually a salad.” “Pretty easy – we make our eyes darker and put on lighter skin foundation so it catches the lights. Our costumes are simple too: just jeans. The idea is to look normal. Regular guys… who flip through the air.” “Nerves are a factor before this, especially if something’s changed in the routine. They’re good nerves, though – they help me focus. My act is nine minutes long, but we often go on stage between the other sections to keep the crowd entertained while they set up.” “The second show…

Joe, editor #behindthescenes A quick apology to our amiable cover star, Ben Mudge (see p58). As we tried to get some quirky – yet powerful – images of him standing on a small chair, Ben was forced to listen to MF art director Will tell some of his “best” jokes as he attempted to coax him into a smilier shot. Ben, thanks for being a good sport. Sam, fitness editor #highhopes Altitude training is more accessible than ever, with Virgin Active kitting out their gyms with oxygen-filtering hypoxic chambers for you to get out of breath in. Training masks like this one also claim to mimic the effect for improved fitness and faster recovery. Too good to be true? See p125 for the answer. Joel Snape, associate editor #Fundamentals I…

These days we go to a shop, hop on a treadmill and have our running style analysed to figure out which shoe is the most suitable. But what if we could get shoes custom-created specifically for us? Soon we might be able to do just that. Nike has announced a patent for a 3D shoe-printing process, while Adidas has unveiled a prototype with a 3D-printed midsole (pictured). “Creating a flexible carbon copy of the athlete’s own footprint, matching exact contours and pressure points, will set the athlete up for the best running experience,” is the word from Adidas. We asked gait analysis expert Adam Rayner of Runner’s Need what this will mean for runners. “At the moment we look at your running style and foot shape and then put you…

Meditation used to be the preserve of monks and gap-year returnees trying to recreate that mind-opening trip to India, but now sporting titans including Novak Djokovic and Lionel Messi are fans. Even London mayor Boris Johnson is into mindfulness (not a bad idea considering he could stand to lose a few kilos), and a recent study found that practising this entry-level version of meditation makes people less likely to be obese. The more mindfully minded even had half a kilo less belly fat. “It also tends to be accompanied by an increased capacity to take pressure off ourselves and be less self-critical,” says Oxford Mindfulness Centre associate trainer Timothy Sweeney. “This means feeling less rushed and harassed by the unrelenting to-do list that makes up our days and weeks.” The…

People I want there to be a massive chance you won’t make it. Without the potential for failure you’ll struggle to capture my imagination…

Name Vern Gambetta Speciality Strength and conditioning Acknowledged as the father of functional training, Gambetta has worked with top-level athletes across various sports, including track and field, American football, basketball, swimming and rugby. Q: Should I train movements instead of muscles? When you first go to the gym, it’s tempting to focus on your chest and arms. It’s what most of your fellow gym-goers will probably be doing – and everyone wants to look good in a T-shirt. But in reality, whether you want to build a stronger body, get better at sports or just prepare yourself for day-to-day life, it pays to base your sessions on how your body works as a whole rather than targeting its specific parts. Weightlifting involves training your body to be better co-ordinated when…

Register to be a guide at britishblindsport.org.uk. “Be honest about your ability – the last thing either of you need is for you to be dragged along,” McGinty says. “There are people of all different abilities so there’s always someone you’ll be able to help.” UK non-profit Parkrun organises 5Ks around the country (and beyond) for anyone who wants to run. You can donate, volunteer or even set up your own – see parkrun.org.uk. Sign up to the Big Help Out and find ways to help local clubs. BHO’s research calculated a volunteer in sport creates a “wellbeing value” worth over £16,000, for themselves and those they help. Visit joininuk.org.…

As an enthusiastic carnivore, MF’s associate editor Joel Snape was suspicious of the recent hysterical headlines claiming bacon and sausages would give us cancer. He examines the facts behind the outlandish claims Q: Should I stop eating bacon? In October the World Health Organisation released a report concluding that eating processed meat – including bacon, ham and hot dogs – increases your risk of cancer, and that eating other red meat “probably” increases the risk as well. But, as the Daily Mail has spent the past decade establishing, almost everything affects your risk of cancer one way or the other. So the real question is, how much does it increase the risk? And the answer is… not much. A lot’s been made of the fact that processed meat is now…

You don’t need to look for your passion “It’s the thing you do that makes the hours melt away, and you don’t worry about how much time you’ve spent doing it. I’m doing something I love, so the fact that it’s helping other people at the same time, and I can make a decent living out of it, actually makes me feel kind of guilty.” Think about the why “With diet plans, if I tell someone they can’t have something, it’s like saying, ‘Don’t think of pink elephants’. It’s human instinct that they’ll want it. But if you explain to them that, say, sugar spikes your insulin so it’s best to save it for post-workout, it’s easier to follow.” Don’t overcomplicate things “In life or the gym. The classic five-day…

1 Forget the passport “The most important thing is to know that adventures start at home – it doesn’t have to be in far-off, exotic parts of the world. We have fabulous wild wonders here in this country.” 2 Start small “You can start by going pond dipping in your local park, looking for bugs in the bushes or learning birdsong you hear in your garden. That’s how kids and all kinds of people who aren’t necessarily into this can get started.” 3 Brave the weather “Go for a walk in the hills. You might not always like the weather here but you should make the most of it – the elements are much more extreme in other places.”…

Aussie actor Liam Hemsworth had to grit his teeth and smile when his older brother Chris snatched the career-changing role of Thor from under his nose after Liam had auditioned first. He kept plugging away and was eventually cast as one of the leadsin The Hunger Gamesmovieseries opposite Jennifer Lawrence, launching himself onto the Hollywood A-list. What you can learn from him You’re going to have setbacks; don’t let them define you. OK, you might not be battling your sibling for film roles, but understanding you’re not going to be successful 100% of the time is important.…

1 Be passionate “It’s the most important factor if you want to make a worthwhile contribution,” says Sam Branson, who’s taking part in the Virgin Strive Challenge 2016 (see p68). “Passion is infectious. If you feel strongly about the project or issue you’re raising money for, you’ll find that people really want to get involved and support you.” 2 Shout about your cause “We raised $1 million for our first event,” says Tristan Almada, founder of the NOMAN Group, which raises money for HPV (see p69). “We’d never have come close if the people involved weren’t out there telling people how much it meant to them.” 3 Don’t underestimate it “Never underestimate how difficult it can be to raise money,” says Branson. “Don’t give up, but be prepared that not…

Live longer like Yoda Betrayed by your protégé? In hiding from an intergalactic warmonger? Living in a swamp? Make it to 900 years anyway (or at least 80) by harnessing the new science of stress You’ve been told to fear stress but… well, to paraphrase, fear leads to suffering. According to new research, how much stress you’re subjected to isn’t as important as your response to it. “In stressful conditions, you’ll experience physical changes like sweating, breathing faster and a pounding heart,” says health psychologist Kelly McGonigal. “We usually interpret these as signs that we aren’t coping well. Instead, look at them as a sign that your body’s preparing itself to perform better.” This isn’t just self-help babble: in a Harvard study, participants who were taught to reinterpret the stress-response…

It might just be the ultimate manly comfort food: hearty, spicy, filling – and extremely simple to prepare. But with a few effortless upgrades, chilli can also become a valuable weapon in the war on fat. The recipe here was provided by Michelin-starred chef Adam Gray (adamgraychef.co.uk) and swaps beef mince for leaner lamb, while replacing white rice with brown basmati to help keep your blood sugar levels steady and avoid flab storage. Meanwhile, the capsaicin in the chillies helps to boost your metabolism, allowing your body to burn more calories. Getting ripped never tasted so good. Chef says ‘Skip natural yogurt and make the Greek variety your go-to chilli condiment. It contains four times the protein but less than a third of the calories.’ Ingredients (serves 2) 500g lamb…

Yes, Christmas is a time to enjoy the simpler things in life. Yes, chocolate (in moderation) can be good for you. No, you shouldn’t be hoovering up an oildrumsized box of miniature Twixes and passing out on the couch this Christmas. Like waking up at 5am or crying because you didn’t get the present you wanted, it’s fine when you’re a kid, but embarrassing when you’re a grown-up – and besides, there are better ways to do things. First, the brown stuff’s much-touted heart-health benefits largely come from cocoa solids, which are prevalent in darker chocs but less so in the milk variety – with the minimum EU cocoa requirement being just 25% – and often nonexistent in white chocolate. Second: dark chocolate is not as moreish, and (when done…

1 A restaurant with a huge menu of items with near-identical descriptions for each – everything is likely to be generic meat with sauce from a jar 2 Cream-based, bastardised Brit dishes such as butter chicken and tikka masala, which are almost always the unhealthiest options 3 Naans, poppadoms and deep-fried starters – replacing these with dry vegetable side dishes will hugely improve the nutritional value (and flavour) of your meal 4 Any restaurant with good service, pleasant interior décor or a decent wine list – according to New York food writer Priya Krishna, these things are to the detriment of the food 5 Any restaurant crowing about how fiery its curries are or challenging you to eat the hottest…

1 What are the benefits of cold-weather exercise? Bombing down a mountain at 100km/h has its obvious pleasures but any sort of cold-weather activity brings numerous fitness benefits. A recent Finnish study found that exercising in nature leads to greater emotional wellbeing and better sleep than exercising indoors, while increasing your exposure to sunlight via the intense mountain sun can help fend off seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression whose symptoms are more pronounced during the winter. Other studies have shown that it increases people’s appetite to exercise and lowers levels of the fat-storing stress hormone cortisol compared with indoor activity. 2 Isn’t it bloody expensive? It can be a big commitment if you’ve never done it before, and your body can feel the costs as much as…

GO TO BED ON TIME Chaotic sleeping habits disturb your body clock, spiking fat-storing hormones like cortisol. Being consistent with bedtimes curbs this, a US study found. DRINK UP Dehydration slows your metabolic rate. Staying topped up – with eight cups of water a day, according to a German study – boosts your rate by 30%. WATCH COMEDY Laughing pumps up your heart rate, helping burn up to 40 calories per ten minutes cackling a day, research at Vanderbilt University in the US found.…