Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2016 i Men's Fitness UK

It seems like it should be the easiest question to answer. But when our writer Nick Levy tried to find experts who would commit to the definitive number of times you should clock in at the gym each week, he soon realised he’d have had more joy trying to get to the bottom of the meaning of life. For his feature “How Often Should I…” on p68, Nick had no problem getting the skinny on washing your sheets (once a week, for the love of God) or a healthy number of coffees per day (five, apparently) – but asking about the correct frequency for working out tended to put people in the wrong type of sweat. The answer is, of course, that it depends. Being physically active even once a…

A decade or so ago, everyone knew that red wine was good for you and coffee was bad – switching to decaf was the thing to do. But now science has basically pulled apart the idea that booze has health benefits, while coffee has found favour with health experts for its energising and fat-burning properties. And new evidence suggests that it could even help you avoid the debilitating disease multiple sclerosis. A long-term study of almost 7,000 people in Sweden and the US with and without MS found that those who drank over 900ml of coffee a day had around a 28% lower risk of the condition, both when symptoms started and five years beforehand. “High consumption of coffee may decrease the risk of developing MS,” the authors concluded. The…

Active people have longer lives – so as long as you go to the gym or play sport a few times a week, you can lounge around watching Netflix the rest of the time while your body purrs like a top-of-the-range BMW, right? Guess again. Everyday activity extends everyone’s lifespan, even those who are already physically active. A study of 3,000 people by demographic scientist Ezra Fishman – using trackers to measure activity, rather than relying on self-reporting – found that replacing 30 minutes of sedentary behaviour with light to moderate movement improved mortality significantly. In fact, as little as ten minutes’ extra activity a day could make a difference. “You didn’t have to even get a good sweat on to experience the reduced likelihood of mortality,” Fishman said. “Activity…

The back squat is a fine move – if you’re good at it, and have the lower-back strength to avoid getting folded in half like an ironing board when things get heavy. But there’s an alternative: the double-kettlebell front squat, a self-correcting abs-smasher that builds full-body strength with minimal risk. Because you’re holding the kettlebells ahead of you, you’ll use every muscle in your core to stabilise the weight, while “grooving” the motion of your squat to make it smoother and stronger. And it doesn’t even matter if someone’s curling in the rack. Fully approved. How to do it Lift the kettlebells into position, holding your wrists firm. Stay upright as you squat – leaning back makes the move feel easier but takes the emphasis off your core. When you…

Sandwood Bay, Sutherland The trek along a four-mile path to get to there is a small price to pay when you can wake up in one of the most beautiful beaches in Scotland. johnmuirtrust.org Blackberry Wood, East Sussex This site – within a couple of hours of London – offers conventional camping sports as well as the “wild” clearings, where you’ll be able to use firepits and enjoy the South Downs. blackberrywood.com Gwern Gof Uchaf, Snowdonia This beautiful spot is right in the middle of the Welsh mountains, at the foot of Tryfan, one of the most rugged and recognisable peaks in the UK. tryfanwales.co.uk…

It’s the social media app that’s pretty much baffling to anyone born before 1990 – but Snapchat is the place to be if you fancy yourself as the next Joe Wicks (the ridiculously successful PT who found fame on social media) or you simply want some colourful workout inspiration. The messaging app is in the top ten most downloaded in 100 countries, with eight billion video views on the platform every day – and an increasing number of fitness stars are using it to make their global brands ever bigger. Want to get on board? Here’s who to follow. CarlyRowena Rising British health and fitness blogger, and lover of tiny pigs. Warning: you’ll want to marry her. lukerockhold MMA champion and all-round good guy. Kicks crap out of willing dudes…

Q: What can I do to beat a hangover? Medicine has come a long way in the past century, but curing a hangover is still a tall order. First problem: you’re severely dehydrated. As well as having poor hydration properties, booze also turns off your anti-diuretic hormone, making you urinate a lot more than usual. Being low on fluids compounds the headache you’ve got as a result of the alcohol dilating the blood vessels in your brain. The final piece of the morning-after puzzle is exhaustion, brought on by low blood sugar and disrupted sleep. Oh, and your irritated stomach lining is probably making you gassy too. Fun times. So what are the best coping strategies? Certainly not hair of the dog, an old wives’ tale that will only make…

Q: Can we all just calm down about sugar? Poor, delicious, misunderstood sugar. Twelve thousand years ago it was a vanishingly scarce fuel source, a millennium ago it was the tastiest by-product of the Crusades, a couple of hundred years ago it was a rare delicacy… and now it’s the worst thing in the entire world. But isn’t it just possible that we’ve taken this a bit too far? Let’s be clear: eating too much sugar is bad. Overeating it puts stress on your pancreas, for instance, and can cause problems that go beyond the calories involved thanks to the resulting jolt in insulin resistance. On the flipside, eating it appropriately can actually combat overtraining and improve recovery. Glucose is good at promoting protein synthesis, can help hydration levels and…

Canada Goose Timber Shell, £675 You don’t have to climb mountains and chop through rain forests to look like Bear Grylls. Just throw one of these on and everyone will think you’re the kind of grizzled jungle survivor who drinks your own urine. In a good way harrods.com Patagonia Torrentshell, £110 One for heavy lifters – lightweight and tight-fitting, this Patagonia jacket will show off those hard-earned guns even when you’re wrapped up against the elements. patagonia.com/eu Mackintosh nylon hooded coat, £400 Mackintosh has been turning commuting accountants into elite 00 agents since 1824. We love the understated danger that comes with a coat like this – you can blend in while looking a million dollars. mackintosh.com Snickers 1888 XTR Jacket, £374 You could climb Everest or deal with tropical…

Kebabs are a late-night culinary institution in Britain, a classic pit stop on the drunken stumble home after a heavy session. But what exactly is lurking inside your pitta, and is it really as unhealthy as it’s made out to be? I’m at a takeaway in Stoke Newington, north London – where the first British kebab house opened in 1966 – to find out, and a few mouthfuls in, my gut reaction is “this is not good”. I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve ever eaten a doner sober, and staring at the sweaty grey meat shavings in front of me, it’s obvious why. Original Turkish-style doners consist of slices of lamb shoulder marinated with garlic, onion and spices, cooked on a skewer. But most modern takeaways opt…

Canned sardines Tinned fish – tuna, mackerel, salmon, sardines – isn’t just convenient, it also has one of the best protein-to-weight ratios of any food. “Smaller, oily fish like sardines are better than tuna because they contain more omega 3s and less mercury,” Humm says. “You can use sardines exactly the same way, on salads, or with toast or crackers.” Hatfield calls canned sardines an “emergency meal” – the perfect snack after a workout. Butter Salted butter boosts flavour, whereas the unsalted variety gives you total control of how you salt your dish. Vinegars Two vinegars – balsamic and red wine – will cover most of your needs. Red wine vinegar is an all-purpose condiment, used in typical salad vinaigrettes or even for pickling. Balsamic is sweeter and works best…

Eating enough protein can be tricky. Estimates vary depending on who you speak to, but most experts agree that 2g per kg of your bodyweight daily is the minimum amount required for adding lean muscle. For an 80kg man this equates to a daunting 160g – think eight chicken breasts, five whey shakes or ten pints of milk. To avoid meat and dairy overload, add more pulses to your diet. As well as providing high levels of plant proteins, they also help to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, according to a recent study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition And Metabolism. 1 LIVEN UP WITH… LENTILS They’re a New Year’s Eve speciality in Italy and Hungary, but given their crucial ability to turn carbs into fuel, we’d recommend…

The perfect six-pack is not a myth. In fact, you already own it – it’s what helps you twist, stabilise, breathe, absorb impact and even grate cheese. But for you (and your admirers) to see it, you need to ditch the belly fat that’s obscuring it. The golden ticket is reaching 10% body fat. Hit that number and those rectus abdominus and external obliques you’ve been patiently nurturing will take centre stage. Here’s the fat-burning finisher that fitness model and online PT Alex Crockford (alexcrockford.com) uses to get in cover star shape. The moves work your entire body, drawing on strength, power and conditioning moves that’ll make every muscle fibre twitch and keep your heart rate high enough to keep burning calories for 24 hours after you’re done. HOW IT…

1 KNOW WHAT YOUR BODY NEEDS “The principle of bulking is to achieve a calorie surplus, where you consume more than you burn off, and converting it to muscle with smart training,” says doctor and bodybuilder Emil Hodzovic. If you’re a “hardgainer” – someone with a rapid metabolism who struggles to gain weight – that can mean chowing down a tonne of food. First, identify how many calories you need by working out your basal metabolic rate using an online calculator (thecalculatorsite.com), then slightly exceed your calorie target the clean way, eating whole food sources like steak, eggs and milk. Here nutritionist Matt Lovell describes the daily macronutrient totals for both hardgainers and those who have no such problems. Hardgainers 3g of protein per kg of bodyweight (eg for a…

1 It puts the crunch to shame There’s Cristiano Ronaldo’s 1,000 daily sit-ups and former US marine George Hood’s 5hr 15min plank world record, but they don’t hold a candle to the core strength required for the gravity-challenging human flag. “You need straight-arm strength, an iron grip and a focused mind to engage every one of the 640 muscles you possess,” says calisthenics coach and street workout athlete Aslan Steel (barmob.co.uk). 2 You’ll need a broad calisthenics repertoire The flag has mighty push, pull and core control demands. Can’t even fathom doing it? Steele says focus on classic bodyweight moves including press-ups, side planks, oblique raises and pull-ups first, then move on to the tougher dragon flag and the front and back lever. Once you can do high numbers or…

If you were plundering the world of athletics for fat-loss solutions, you probably wouldn’t start with those sizable bundles of muscle who excel as hammer throwers. But we have and, if you want to be leaner, faster and more muscular, so should you. This fat-loss workout is based on the game-changing methods of Russian hammer thrower Sergey Litvinov, who blew the old guard away at the 1983 world championships when he won gold aged 25. In training he would follow huge compound lifts with 400m sprints, for three rounds. Simple, but it proved so effective it revolutionised the sport. You have two options over the next six pages. The first, on each left-hand page, is for true Litvinov disciples but you’ll need access to weighted sleds and a running track,…

1 FRONT SQUAT SETS 3 REPS 8 REST 0SEC Rest the bar across your upper chest with your hands holding it in place and your elbows as high as you can get them. With your chest up and your back straight, squat down, keeping your weight on your heels. Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, making sure your knees stay wide apart, then drive back up. SPRINT SETS 3 DISTANCE 200M REST AS NEEDED After the final rep, sprint down the running track, keeping your knees high, core braced and energy up. Recover, slowly.…

1 HIGH PULL SETS 3 REPS 8 REST 0SEC Hold the bar with hands double shoulder-width apart. Hinge forwards at your hips so the bar is just above your knees. Generate power by driving your hips forwards and use this movement to raise the bar to chest height as you rise onto the balls of your feet, keeping the bar close to your body and your elbows high. 2 HILL SPRINT SETS 3 DISTANCE 50M REST AS NEEDED After the last rep, dump the bar and charge up the hill. Keep pumping your arms and pushing hard to the finish line. Breathe, hard.…

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Eat more protein If your intake’s too low, you’ll lose muscle and make bad food decisions. Protein helps control blood sugar and keep you sated, so eat it with every meal. Aim for 1.5g per kilo of bodyweight per day. Eat colourful veg Vegetables are full of fibre, which will fill you up, and are nutrient-dense to keep you healthy. Aiming for a variety of colours will make sure you’re getting a range of essential phytonutrients. Drink more water You may have to go bottled, but it’s still your best option. Have a glass as soon as you wake up, one with every meal and at least a sip when you drink something else. Eat carbs after training Training depletes your glycogen stores, so afterwards you need to replace them.…

Rod Buchanan Barrecorre instructor and PT (p105) “I do three to four gym workouts a week, combined with Barrecore classes and spinning. It’s important to keep changing up your workouts – and barre is fantastic for strengthening the core and maintaining a healthy conditioned body.” Emil Hodzovic Doctor and competitive bodybuilder (p115) “I have to admit I probably train more than is optimal, sometimes twice a day. My reasoning is it helps me reset after long hospital shifts.” Ben Coomber Nutrition guru (p128) “During the rugby season, two to three gym workouts a week, with two rugby sessions plus a game. In the off-season I do eight hours in my home gym each week to build strength, power and muscle, including three big leg sessions. If you want to be…

Knowledge, experience, people skills, a crushing handshake – all valuable assets in any work or social scenario. But if you want to be perceived as a leader, it’s just as important to add some muscle to your upper body. That’s according to a new study in which participants were asked to rate photographs of men with varying physiques – all wearing vests and very much “guns out” – based on how much they admired them, held them in esteem and believed they would rise in status. “The physically strong men were given higher status because they were perceived as leaders,” says Cameron Anderson, co-author of the Oklahoma State University study, who argues that their findings are consistent with real-life examples of strong men achieving positions of power. The only exception?…

We’ll be honest: we weren’t exactly tempted when we saw the subtitle 30 Delicious, No-Bake, Vegan, Sugar-Free & Gluten-Free Cakes. We’ll carry on being honest: when we saw the pictures of Farrow’s raw cakes, we started salivating. These aren’t just for diabetics, vegans and those with food intolerances – with natural, whole-food ingredients, they’re perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth who’s trying to eat clean. The recipes focus on simple cooking techniques, which means it doesn’t take much kitchen expertise to produce a decent carrot cake with macadamia frosting or coconut Neapolitan cake. We tried… chocolate mousse cake with summer berries, which swaps traditional flour and sugar for avocado (yes, avocado) and agave nectar. Prepping it was quick and easy, as promised, and the result was delicious… but it…

5% If you find it difficult to shed fat, don’t let the struggle overwhelm you – losing just 5% of your bodyweight can bring real health gains. That’s according to new research from Washington University in Missouri, which measured subjects given targets of 5%, 10% and 15% bodyweight loss. After losing 5% their insulin sensitivity improved, and their total body fat and liver fat decreased, reducing their risk of diabetes and heart disease. Continuing to 15% didn’t provide anything like the same benefits. “You get the biggest bang for your buck with 5% weight loss,” said study leader Samuel Klein. “You don’t have to lose 50lb to get important health benefits.” Suddenly it doesn’t seem such a challenge, does it?…

2-minute leg press Don’t be the guy piling every plate on the leg press. Do two minutes straight with 30% of your max, never extending to a full lockout. Not fun, but it works. Tabata bike sprint Do 20 seconds of all-out sprinting, followed by ten seconds’ gentle pedalling, and repeat eight times. You’re done in four minutes, and we do mean done. Backwards sled drag Forwards works your glutes, backwards is the quad-buster. Load up a sled as heavy as you dare and pull backwards, aiming for 45 seconds of continuous work per set.…

Fractured sleep is one symptom of a successful but hectic lifestyle – and according to Dr Nerina Ramlakhan of London’s Nightingale Hospital, it’s a sign that you could be burning out. We asked the sleep and energy expert to provide her advice for getting your physical and mental health back on track. The answer: show bedtime who’s boss. Protect your 90-minute window “Burnout-prone individuals avoid going to bed early because they want to get everything done,” says Ramlakhan, “but starting to rest in the 90-minute phase before midnight is important for normalising the adrenal response and healing the adrenals” – the glands responsible for hormone production in the body. Ditch the cognitive noise “If you’re using social media or texting in bed, that creates ‘cognitive noise’ that prevents you from…

Picture the scene: you’re back from the shops, proudly clutching the fresh rosemary that’ll make your roast lamb sing. You use about a third of the bunch… and a fortnight later find the rest skulking soggily at the back of your cupboard. What a waste. But there’s an easy hack to stop this happening and it doesn’t involve using a thousand clothes pegs to keep all your packets airtight. Simply put your unused herbs in an ice cube tray, fill with olive oil and freeze. Next time you need them for cooking, just chuck a cube into the pan. Just don’t go putting them in your cocktails by mistake. OREGANO Add to any Mexican dish for a pop of flavour (you didn’t think it was all just chilli, did you?).…

Q: What do I need to think about when planning an adventure? I’m currently figuring out the best way to explore two shipwrecks that have been discovered off Croatia. They’re 120m below the surface, which means it’s a technical dive, so there are a lot of things to consider before I put my wetsuit on. Assuming you’ve already done the hardest bit – coming up with the idea – your first step is to decide what you want to achieve overall. Once you have, break it down into smaller tasks and then those into smaller tasks again. This will reveal what skills and kit you need. This is also the time to be paranoid! Consider all the things that could go wrong and endanger you or the mission. Then put…

“I don’t want to die. Cryonics is the insurance policy” The California-based Aoki – DJ, record company exec, owner of his own fashion line and remixer to the stars – has come straight from Heathrow to CrossFit Perpetua to accept MF’s challenge of an AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) workout competition. “Nonstop, for the last two months,” is the 38-year-old’s response when we ask him how busy he’s been recently. Conscious of his packed schedule, and gratified that his first UK port of call is a box in Vauxhall, we get right in with some questions while instructor Stuart Diplock prepares the workout space. We never knew what “busy” meant until we met you. How do you stay afloat? Part of my personality is to want to take on…

Best for LIFTING WEIGHTS JVC HA-EBT5 Wireless Sports £60 amazon.co.uk These slimline buds are so light – just 15g, or less than four teaspoons of sugar – that you’ll barely notice you’re wearing them, which is exactly what you want during a heavy weights session. A handy remote control function also allows you to adjust the volume without having to faff about with your phone between sets. Best for HIIT Beats By Dre Powerbeats2 Wireless £170 uk.beatsbydre.com If your workouts are based around explosive exercises like burpees or box jumps, secure headphones are a must. The Powerbeats have snug-fitting sweat-proof earhooks and a selection of different-sized buds, both of which make them extremely hard to dislodge, no matter how hard you’re hitting…

How often should I... …wash my sheets? ONCE A WEEK Your socks, your T-shirts and your grundies you’ll chuck into the washing basket on a daily basis. So it’s pretty gross that when it comes to our sheets – which we’re in contact with for up to nine hours a night – a third of us wash them only once a fortnight. “When you’re asleep, you’re rubbing off your skin cells onto your sheets and sweating into them,” says Dr Laura Bowater, a microbiologist at the University of East Anglia. “That creates a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and fungus to grow, and it can lead to allergies.” And it’s worse still if you share your bed with your other half, as you’re in effect doubling the amount of human…

The more fruit and veg you eat, the more nutrient-packed your diet will be. But when you enter the supermarket to be faced with endless piles of fresh produce, it’s all too tempting just to grab a pack of frozen peas and have done with it. Not ideal. “The more variety you pack into your diet,” says sports nutritionist Saskia Kleinert, “the less chance your body will be missing that one vital nutrient.” Kleinert says supermarket fruit and veg aisles can be confusing because they have so many – often unseasonal and imported – options at all times. She recommends using farmer’s markets, which takes the work out of eating seasonally. “Plus, most vendors will let you try before you buy and even explain the best ways to cook what…

Swap doner for shish A chicken shish wins hands down every time, with more protein, less fat and fewer dodgy added extras. Load up on salad Fibrous veg will help fill you up and provide extra nutrients – and with any luck you’ll be too stuffed to polish off the remaining processed-carb pitta at the end. Skip the garlic sauce The traditional yogurt-based version is increasingly rare these days – more often than not it’s replaced with cheap mayo that’s high in calories and bad fats. But go big on chilli … as long as the sauce is made with fresh ingredients (providing antioxidants and phytonutrients) – it should be easy to tell, but if you’re not sure, ask.…

Nothing beats the grill for cooking steak, but you can just as easily roast it, Hatfield says. “I use a little roasting pan with a rack. I pat the steak dry, rub it with a little olive oil or a rub, season with salt and pepper, then put it in the oven. Roasting will give it great colour.” Quinoa It’s technically a seed but it cooks like rice, and our chefs prefer quinoa because it’s more versatile and is a complete protein source – it contains all the essential amino acids, which is rare for plant-based foods. Hatfield describes it as having a “rich, roasted nutty flavour and an interesting texture when cooked right”. It works well with meat and in a salad. Apple Hatfield and Humm both love apples…

“Sometimes the simplest things are best,” says Humm of this dish, which he endorses as a post-training meal – it’s full of protein and good fats. To fry the perfect egg, use a non-stick pan with a thin layer of oil covering the bottom. Start with a high heat, and as soon as the egg hits the pan, turn it to low and cook until the white sets. Eggs “Eggs are especially important if you don’t eat much meat – they give you similar levels of protein,” Humm says. “They’re great for breakfast but I use them in all kinds of dishes, especially salads.” Hatfield buys two dozen every time he goes shopping. “I’ll boil a dozen as soon as I get home so I have hard-boiled eggs in the…

WHAT IS IT? Beloved of socialites and models, fitstagrammers and food bloggers alike, Barrecore is the ballet-based brainchild of former yoga teacher Niki Rein and it’s laser-targeted at people who want to slim down and firm up – not bearded gentlemen looking to improve their deadlift. It’s a combination of moves from Pilates, yoga and ballet, alongside stretching, core work and physio-style moves. The heaviest weights involved are 2.5kg dumbbells, and moves make use of yoga blocks, stretch bands and small, partially-deflated balls. It’s not even close to the way I usually train, but then that’s sort of why I’m here in the first place. With a decade of injuries and imbalances niggling at me, I’m finally half-prepared to admit that my programme might be missing some gentler work. At…

1 Do this workout finisher at least twice a week 2 80% of your diet comes out of the ground, off a tree or from something that had a face 3 Drink three litres of water daily, spread evenly across every hour 4 Move in some way every three hours 5 Have two cups of fat-burning green tea a day 6 Sleep for seven to eight hours every night 7 Eat 150+ grams of protein through five meals and supps per day 8 Follow a 40/40/20 macro split of protein/ healthy fats/carbs 9 Increase HIIT and decrease carbs for the final fat purge 10 Do all of the above consistently…

“A few years ago in a bid to make it as a strongman I took bulking to the next level. At 1.93m tall and 120kg I needed to eat a tonne of dirty food to reach my surplus. I even ended up drinking olive oil and had no qualms using anything from chocolate bars to Yorkshire puddings to hit my goals. Over two years my weight peaked at 142kg. I gained a load of muscle and strength but also a hell of a lot of fat. “Would I do it the same way again? Probably not. I didn’t feel great and the extra weight began to take its toll in the form of injuries. On top of this, I became totally uninterested in food. “Clean is the way to go,…

Clutch flag First, build your obliques without grip limiting you. Lean into the pole with both forearms pointing down, your bottom elbow tucked in to your ribs. Aim to hold it for ten seconds. Vertical flag Grasp the pole with your top palm facing away from you, bottom one towards you, both thumbs pointing down. At this stage, just try to lift your feet off the floor and hold. Tuck flag Bringing your knees to your chest decreases the leverage (and the strength needed to hold on). Once you can handle it, straighten your legs, one at a time. Straddle flag Almost there – the straddle is fractionally easier than the full flag. Once you can hold it, bring your legs together.…

1 HANG POWER SNATCH SETS 3 REPS 8 REST 0SEC Hold the bar with hands twice shoulder-width apart. Hinge forwards at your hips so the bar is just above your knees. Generate power by driving your hips forwards and use this movement to raise the bar above your head, keeping the bar close to your body on the way up. Quickly drop into a quarter squat so you don’t have to lift it as high, lock out your shoulders and stand. 2 SLED SPRINT SETS 3 DISTANCE 20M REST AS NEEDED Drop the bar and grab the sled handles with your arms outstretched. Keep your body low and your hips below the level of your shoulders as you pump powerfully with your legs for the full 20. Fight the burn.…

Shaun T The 37-year-old trainer, choreographer and motivational speaker is the creator of the Insanity fitness DVDs. He says the secret to a good life is finding some time for yourself 5.30am Wake up My optimum time to wake up is before sunrise. It’s important to have some peace before everyone else wakes and the emails start to come in. 6am Powerhouse food For breakfast I have eight egg whites scrambled, avocado and bacon, with a side of strawberries, blackberries and blueberries. That’s my powerhouse food. It’s not just a healthy breakfast, it’s a combo of what I enjoy. 8.30am Get a sweat on People think this is weird but I work out with my own DVDs. It’s not an ego thing – I can’t tell people to train a…

Sit-ups are overrated. This circuit will carve out your abs in minutes – just add it as a third workout to either of the previous two plans. Do each move for the number of reps or amount of time given as a circuit, rest for one minute, and repeat three times. 1 Walking plank Reps 10 From a plank position, “walk” your forearms up to a press-up position. Pause, walk back down, and pause again. Alternate which elbow goes up first with each rep. 2 Side plank pulse Reps 10 each side Go straight into this one from the last move. Get on to one forearm with your feet stacked on top of each other. Raise your hips, then “pulse” them down again. Do the reps slowly for maximum benefits.…

If sleeping’s a problem… Magnesium Eye-mask on, red wine in, reading light off – and still no shut-eye? Time for this wonder chemical. “Magnesium is a mineral most people are lacking in, whether through poor nutrition or environmental pollution,” says strength and conditioning coach Chris Kemp. “It induces relaxation, helping to calm the nervous system and promote deeper, more restful sleep.” Experts recommend up to 2,000mg a day. If you get ill abroad… Zinc “Most people in the UK are deficient in zinc,” says Kemp. “It’s used around the body for growth and repair, and this mostly applies when it comes to immune function. If you become ill quite frequently, it’s more than likely you’re zinc deficient. Hampered recovery from training and low testosterone production are also signs your body…

Max, freelance writer #eternallifeplan DJs are all about drink, drugs and the party lifestyle, right? Not Steve Aoki. He’s literally planning on living forever (as he tells MF on p45), so as soon as his private jet touched down in London, he joined me for a CrossFit AMRAP workout to warm up for his sold-out show. Ben, deputy editor #takeabow Honing my skills with a bow (and crossbow, air rifle and air pistol) at the esteemed EJ Churchill shooting club proved far more physically demanding than I expected, requiring serious shoulder stability and grip strength. Find out more at ejchurchill.com. Matt, features writer #faceoff During a short break in our cover shoot with UFC champ Luke Rockhold I couldn’t resist trying to psych him out with my patented pre-fight stare…

Live longer People who eat nuts tend to have longer lives and be at a lower risk of cancer and heart disease, Harvard scientists found when they analysed the results of a huge number of studies into nut consumption. They also concluded that although nuts are high in calories and fat, eating them didn’t correlate with any significant gain in body fat. Improve diet A handful of almonds every day can make your diet significantly healthier, according to University of Florida research that measured food intake among adults and children. The subjects increased their protein intake and reduced their empty calories. Stay lean Snacking on peanuts or peanut butter up to four times a week helps you lower your BMI. That’s what a University of Houston study into the eating…

Downward dog Raise your hips up until your legs are straight. You should end up looking at your feet. Hold the position for five breaths. Wide angle stretch Without bending your knees at any point, walk your hands forwards. Stay here for five breaths, walking your hands towards your body a little with each breath. Seated twist Sit back as low as you can. Put one fist in the other palm and twist to the fist side. Take five breaths. Repeat on the other side. Mindfulness might sound like it belongs in the same category as crystal healing and other ridiculous “health remedies”, but it’s been studied and shown to reduce stress – and now research suggests it could help you maintain a lean body. A study published in the…

Worried about taking that next big step in your career? You’re probably thinking failure is the worst thing that could happen, but you’ve got it wrong: flunking it is a sure sign you’ve got what it takes to win. At San Francisco’s FailCon, start-up founders come together to “learn from and prepare for failure, so they can grow fast”. The thinking: a business flop is a proclamation that you’re an innovator who is unafraid of taking risks. The only catch is that you have to “fail upwards”, which means turning your failure into career progress. Examples of flunks made good include Apple’s Steve Jobs, writer JK Rowling and multi-billionaire Richard Branson. As Rowling says, “Failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was…

If you want a conversation starter, strap on a Fitbit – you’ll get queries about it fired at you from all angles. And with the Blaze, Fitbit’s new top-of-the-range fitness watch, there’s a lot to talk about. We wore one for a month to track our activity and sleep – here are our answers to the most frequent questions. Does it track steps? The Blaze is keen for you to hit that magic 10K steps a day. It displays updates on the clock face, and when you reach your target the watch vibrates and lights up – like a high-five on your wrist. It records steps taken, heart rate and all your stats on easy-to-use smartphone companion app. Can you change the strap? Yes. Business meeting? Try a stainless steel…

Q: How do I stay motivated to train for the long haul? If you find you’re not motivated, it’s usually because your goals aren’t as clearly worked out as you think they are. In my experience, a lot of people suffer from not being ambitious enough. Go back to the beginning and work out what you really want to achieve – it should be something that gets you excited, and something you’re not entirely sure you can do. For a lot of people, process-based goals work better than targets: for instance, right now I’m trying to go to the gym every day and just do something, which means the results will come. If you really have no idea what you want to do, take a month to try different things…

Ibiza veteran Laidback Luke is a martial arts expert who won medals with Team Kung Fu Holland at the 2013 World Championships. Selfie enthusiast Diplo trains every morning, even when touring. Yoga or the gym when possible, running or bodyweight moves if not. Calvin Harris went from pasty bedroom producer to Armani underwear model. His secret? Pilates, abs wheel exercises and not a drop of alcohol. Comeback king Craig David isn’t as ripped now as he was a couple of years ago, but he still sticks to his #EatCleanTrainDirty mantra. “Put Your Hands Up 4 Detroit” producer Fedde le Grand is no stranger to a dumbbell – he got the nickname “Fedde le Arm” for his giant biceps.…

1 Refinery shave oil £30 for 30ml This light, non-greasy oil works equally well as an easily-absorbed pre-shave lubricant and a soothing post-shave balm. It contains antibacterial petitgrain, patchouli and geranium to help reduce the risk of burn, bumps and rashes. the-refinery.com 2 Clinique For Men SPF 21 Moisturizer £25 for 100ml Hydrate your skin and protect it from the sun at the same time with this SPF-enhanced moisturiser – perfect for the unpredictable British summer. clinique.co.uk 3 Molton Brown Sport 4-in-1 Sportswash £16 for 200ml Ideal for a quick wash after a lunch break workout, it’ll clean and moisturise your body, face and hair, and can double as an emergency shave gel. moltonbrown. co.uk 4 Lab Series Multi-Action Face Wash £18.50 for 100ml Never bothered buying a…

It’s a miserable, wet morning when former paratrooper Scott Meenagh walks into MF’s photo studio wearing a hoodie and shorts, his prosthetic legs on display. He’s got the quiet swagger of a man who knows he’s the fittest man in the room and doesn’t need to shout about it either. Let’s get one thing clear from the start: this man doesn’t see himself as a victim. He’s well aware his legs attract attention but rather than getting impatient or annoyed with people, the 26-year-old Meenagh tries to see it from their point of view. “When people stare at me I don’t get offended. It might be the hundredth time for me but for many people it’s a new experience. You have to treat that with respect. If I had seen…

The smart cart With just these 12 foods (and a few kitchen staples), easy, delicious and creative meals can be yours • Whole chicken • Sweet potatoes • Quinoa • Apples • Sirloin steak • Canned sardines • Flat-leaf parsley • Eggs • Kale • Gruyère cheese • Avocado • Spring onions Imagine being able to cut your food shopping time in half and still eat like a king. You can – and it’s easier than you think. Complicated meals don’t necessarily taste better than simple ones. And even though buying the same dozen ingredients every time you shop may sound boring, what you cook with them doesn’t need to taste that way. Take it from chefs Quinn Hatfield and Daniel Humm, who are leading the way in the kind…

“I don’t eat that much meat,” Humm says, explaining the appeal of this veggie-centric but still hearty salad. “I focus a lot on vegetables, which I think are more interesting and exciting – fresh ingredients, healthy foods.” Flat-leaf parsley An unsung hero often written off as just a garnish. “We’ve forgotten how it ended up on the plate in the first place.” Hatfield says. “It’s one of those flavours that brings out nuance in the things you pair it with. It focuses the flavour of the food around it. And that flash of colour does help presentation!” Ingredients 200g quinoa / 2 spring onions, thinly sliced / 1tbsp olive oil / Juice and zest of 1 lemon / 1 egg / 100g kale, thinly sliced / ½ avocado, halved, peeled…

Hatfield’s favourite way to use up leftover steak? Put it in a sandwich. For this one, he slices everything thinly – the steak, cheese, avocado, and kale – and finishes it off in the oven. “Tri-tip steak also eats great cold,” he says, “whether on a sandwich or a salad.” Kale “It’s the go-to green because it has such a great shelf life, and seasonality is less important,” Humm says. Plus, it tastes good raw or cooked, both chefs agree. “You could say the same about spinach,” Hatfield says, “but I find spinach too delicate, especially for a salad… and it gets that weird mouthfeel if you don’t cook it right.” Go for kale that feels crisp, with good bright colour and no wilting. If it’s browning at the edges…

Figure-four It’s a glute stretch and hip opener in one package. Fold one ankle over the other knee, then sit up with your hands behind you, rocking from left to right. Fire hydrant From all fours, bring your leg up to one side as if you were, well, a urinating dog. Straighten it, touch your toes to the floor, then bring them up as high as possible. Repeat ten times on each side. Arabesque Classic ballet, but also a fine pre-workout glute activator. Stand at a barre (or a chair or table) with one forearm resting on it, then raise one straight leg behind you as high as possible. “Pulse” for ten seconds and repeat with your other leg.…

1 Sumo deadlift high pull The SDHP is a hybrid exercise popular in CrossFit – but rather than the best of both worlds, it gives you the worst. “You have to go too light for deadlift benefits,” says osteopath Wes Tubb (holisticgolfperformance.com). “And hoicking the bar towards your chin rotates your shoulders internally.” Doing this at speed mangles your tendons, worsens joint problems like bursitis and will render you barely able to raise your arms overhead. Not good for a day’s WOD. Safe swap Kettlebell clean 2 Kipping pull-up If you want to compound your shoulder-shredding problem, swing wildly about the pull-up bar and wrench apart any ligaments that survived the SDHP. “This dynamic pull-up is fine if done correctly,” says trainer Steve Kowalenko (virtus-fit.com). “But, unless you’re a trained…

Sometimes, more weight isn’t the answer. With certain moves, graduating to the big-boy dumbbells translates to worse form and undermines your results while increasing your risk of injury. The flipside: by learning to use smaller weights more effectively, you’ll be able to push your muscles to their limit with the flimsiest set of Argos weights available. This workout keeps you honest with low reps and timed isometric holds – it’ll make your muscles burn, but the results will be worth it. Starting in 3, 2, 1… go. HOW IT WORKS This workout gets your muscle fibres firing and then gives them some – mildly unpleasant – time under tension. This combination makes for rapid results, even with light weights. DIRECTIONS Do five reps, then stay in the “hold” position for…

1 HANG POWER CLEAN SETS 5 REPS 8 REST 0SEC Hold the bar just above your knees with hands just outside your thighs, hingeing forwards at your hips. Generate power by driving your hips forwards and use this movement to raise the bar to chest height. Quickly drop into a quarter squat, bringing your arms under the bar to catch it on the top of your chest, and stand up. 2 ROW SETS 5 DISTANCE 300M REST 3MIN Set the bar down and get on the rower. Strap your feet in, bend your legs and grab the handle. Keeping your body upright and shoulder blades slightly retracted, drive through your legs until they’re almost straight, then pull the handle in to your sternum and lean back for a full stroke…

ROLL First spend a few minutes ironing out any knots (otherwise known as self-myofascial release) in your muscle tissue with a foam roller and lacrosse ball. GROOVE Mobilise your major joints by carefully rotating your ankles, hips and shoulders, and moving through the full range of motion for your knees and spine. MOVE Use your bodyweight to activate your muscles by performing wall squats, lunges, press-ups and pull-ups, varying the tempo from slow to fast. JUMP Crank up the intensity with some high knees, heel kicks, jump squats, jump lunges, short shuttles and sprints. BUILD Work up to your big lifts, beginning with just the bar for ten reps, then 25% of your target weight for eight reps, 50% for six, 70% for four, 80% for two and 90% for…

Bradley Wiggins The Tour de France winner, four-time Olympic champ and hour record holder is now recalibrating his physique for a return to the track at the Rio Games, and with it he’s packed on 11kg of devastatingly effective weight to handle the higher power demands. Manny Pacquiao Since turning pro at 16, the Filipino boxer bulked up from a 48kg strawweight to peak (and win) as a 70kg light middle – 19kg heavier than he weighed for his first title fight at flyweight. He is the first and only eight-division world champ. Jessica Ennis-Hill After giving birth to her son, GB’s golden heptathlete ensured her core foundations were rock-solid with planks before returning to full training. Within a year she’d won gold at the 2015 world champs.…