Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2015 i Men's Fitness UK

HAVE YOU EVER MET ANYONE ON THE CUSP OF GREATNESS? George Ford is already a highly successful, celebrated rugby union player, but this month’s World Cup offers him the chance to be much more than that. Come 31st October he could be joining the ranks of Farah, Wiggins and Wilkinson – household names, whose mere mention conjure up images of personal and national triumph. To do this he’s going to need to achieve something pretty special at Twickenham but, as you’ll see from MF fitness editor Sam Rider’s interview with the fly-half (p46), Ford has put in the groundwork to make this a distinct possibility: namely a brutal training regime, calculated career gambles and personal sacrifice (drop kicks on Christmas Day for starters). Meeting Ford on a run-down industrial estate…

This summer saw an explosion in the number of people swapping carbonised sausages for American classics such as chicken wings, ribs and brisket. ‘All you need is a barbecue with a lid,’ says Shea. ‘Move the meat so it’s not over the heat source and let the smoke do the cooking.’ Woodchips add flavour, but don’t overdo it. ‘Any more than a small handful and the taste becomes acrid,’ says Shea. His last tip for smoky perfection: ‘Chill out. Don’t fuss over the temperature, just keep the barbecue closed and only check it when the minimum cooking time (see below) has passed. Once it’s ready, wrap the meat in foil and leave it in – it’ll stay moist for hours.’ Trust us, you’ll never go back to burned bangers again.…

For the functional fitness in-crowd, the overhead squat is an entry requirement: a full-body lift that works everything from leg strength to core control. Unfortunately, it’s not exactly beginner-friendly – anyone with below-average shoulder or ankle flexibility will find themselves struggling. Enter the overhead walking lunge. This move gets you used to controlling weight overhead but places less stress on your joints and requires slightly less balance. ‘Do it with an empty bar as a warm-up before the rest of your session once or twice a week,’ suggests strength coach James Adamson. Once you’ve got it nailed, you can graduate to the full overhead squat. How to do it SETS 3 DISTANCE 20M Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip, then press it overhead, keeping your arms in line with…

‘At least 50% of your plate – two to three portions per meal – will be non-starchy fruit and veg, like peas, mushrooms and avocados, and low glycaemic fruit like plums and grapefruit,’ Hyman says. ‘Another 25% will be protein from healthy animal sources or plants, such as nuts. The remaining 25% will be healthy starches such as beans, non-gluten wholegrains like quinoa, or starchy vegetables including sweet potato and squash.’ BREAKFAST Omelette with chicken and mushrooms. One grapefruit. A handful of brazil and cashew nuts. LUNCH Spinach and romaine lettuce salad with sardines, anchovies, kidney beans and avocado. Two plums. DINNER Grass-fed beef or ostrich burger (no bun) with sweet potato chips, tomatoes and red onion. Handful of cherries. Handful of pumpkin and sesame seeds.…

WHAT TO LOOK FOR THE HANDLE Make sure it’s wide enough for two-handed swings. Texture helps you grip – but nothing too abrasive. THE BELL Big is usually better – it’ll sit nicely on your forearm during overhead mo es, and won’t bruise you when ‘snatched’. THE BASE A flat base is more stable when moves involve balancing your bodyweight on the bell. 1 BODYMAX CAST IRON The budget option. Its solid, hunky handle works for any move (liquid chalk recommended), and it’s ideally shaped for goblet squats. The flat surfaces on both sides don’t suit snatching, but this is still a beautiful piece of kit for the price. £33 powerhouse-fitness.co.uk powerhouse-fitness.co.uk 2 FITMAD VINYL COVERED The powder-coated handle also the widest on test) makes two-handed swings effortless, but the…

And last November, in the young fly-half’s first England start, Leota was fired at Ford like a homing missile of human flesh. Running full tilt, he clattered at face-height into the young fly-half, sending him sprawling across the Twickenham Stadium turf as 80,000 spectators winced. Ford simply rode the challenge. He clung on to the ball, remained alert, and slipped a pass to his team-mate as another Pacific Island giant lined him up. The resilience Ford showed that night was characteristic of the way he fronts up to a challenge. At only 1.78m tall and 84kg there were doubts he could cut it at international level, but in that 80-minute spell – and in every game since – he’s silenced the critics. He was leading points scorer in this year’s…

SUBJECT PHYSICS The subject that governs every single move you make in training. How much do you know about it? Q1 This question tests your knowledge of the six-pack or abdominal muscles. Which of these moves works your rectus abdominis hardest? Answer D Surprised? It’s true – in experiments to measure electrical activation in the muscles, the humble pull-up outperforms most traditional abs exercises, working the muscles of your six-pack almost ten times harder than the plank. Q2 Figures A, B and C show Joel bench pressing. Which grip will let him lift the most weight? Answer C A narrow grip works your triceps harder, but going wide won’t help pec recruitment – and it increases your chances of injuring yourself. Calculate the ideal grip width by measuring the distance…

Coffee is known as an energy and focus aid – but it might not be the first thing you think of to reduce stress. While it’s true that knocking back endless espressos will lead to jittery, sleep-deprived madness, enjoying the black stuff in moderation can actually help lower your levels of cortisol – a stress hormone that plays a key role in weight gain. That’s according to a study in the US journal Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, which found that mice which drank water with added caffeine displayed reduced symptoms of stress when placed in pressure situations. This supports research from UCL, which found that caffeine drinkers recorded 20% lower cortisol levels than those who had none, measured an hour after a stressful situation. Our advice: enjoy…

This year, the annual FitBrit Challenge offers the most thorough test yet. A redesigned circuit means that the lung-busting cardio stays, but is joined by the need for power, explosiveness, balance and strength. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean it’s any more pleasant to tackle at high speed. ‘The box over jumps are the worst part,’ says MF head of digital content Max Anderton. ‘You know you have to keep the pace high, but your legs and glutes are ruined from the run and kettlebell swings.’ The other worst part, of course, is the finish. ‘Going all-out on the row means you can yank that handle just as hard as possible,’ says features writer Matt Huckle. ‘Which is actually OK until the last few strokes… but you feel it afterwards.’ But while…

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THE COACH Dan Lawrence THE PLAN ‘Do this complex three times a week,’ says Lawrence. ‘Start with a weight that allows you to do all the moves with good form. Otherwise you’ll have to rest, which defeats the object of this workout.’ WEEK 1 SETS 4 REPS 8 REST 2MIN WEEK 2 SETS 4 REPS 10 REST 2MIN WEEK 3 SETS 5 REPS 8 REST 90SEC WEEK 4 SETS 5 REPS 10 REST 90SEC Higher, lower. No, we’re not watching repeats of Play Your Cards Right . We’re talking about the merits of alternating between upper- and lower-body exercises – known as peripheral heart action (PHA) – for fat loss. PHA allows you to perform at high intensity for longer because your upper-body muscles can…

UK firefighters have to pass the Chester Treadmill Test to show that their cardio fitness makes the grade – but that’s not all CHESTER TREADMILL TEST A test of endurance. Walk on a treadmill set at 6.2km. Every two minutes increase the gradient by 3% up to a total of 12 minutes and 15%. If you can keep up you’ll have a VO2 of at least 42 and pass the test. LADDER CLIMB Afraid of heights? Wearing full firefighter gear weighing 20kg, ascend a 13.5m-high ladder (approximately second-storey height) and lean back, holding the ladder, with arms outstretched. CASUALTY EVACUATION A test of upper- and lower-body strength. Drag a 55kg ‘casualty’ walking backwards around a 30m course. LADDER LIFT This tests functional fitness. Raise a 20kg bar set on a…

40-YARD DASH What it tests Acceleration and speed What it is The main event. Athletes sprint from a standing start, aiming to produce as much explosive power and speed as possible. They’re timed at 10-, 20- and 40-yard [36.6m] intervals. 2015 top performer JJ Nelson, wide receiver (4.28sec) All-time top performer Chris Johnson, running back 2008 (4.24sec) BENCH PRESS What it tests Strength endurance What it is Rack 225lb [102kg] on the flat bench press and crank out as many reps as (super) humanly possible before you have to dump the bar. 2015 top performer Ereck Flowers, offensive tackle (37 reps) All-time top performer Stephen Paea, defensive end 2011 (49 reps) VERTICAL JUMP What it tests Lower-body explosive power What it is How high can you jump? To avoid favouring…

Mike Aunger runs Technique Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine ( techniquephysio.com)  and has worked for the Chelsea FC academy, as well as elite athletes in football, rugby, skiing and bobsleigh. 1 THE FREAK INJURY Avoid nine months on the sidelines with Nordic curls 2 THE BURNOUT AGONY The post-match stretch will help you avoid thigh pain 3 THE USUAL SUSPECT 45% of all football injuries involve ankles – don’t be a statistic 4 THE KILLER STRAIN Prep your groin with foot drags before you even kick a ball Football is easily the UK’s favourite sport, with over 40,000 registered clubs in England alone – the most in the world, and far ahead of second-placed Brazil’s 29,000. That’s a lot of players and a hell of a lot of sprains, twists…

SMUGGLING DUDS Smuggling Duds is the underwear brand of choice among international athletes from mixed martial arts superstars to action sports legends who dirt jump, surf, skate and motocross. Each pair comes with its invaluable stash pocket – perfect for stashing whatever is important to you: money, credit cards, iPods, phone or any other valuables. Smuggling Duds are ready for anything! • CONTACT  Get 15% off all orders online at SmugglingDuds.com with discount code MENFIT15 RAZORWIRE The sharpest weapon in the fight against fat. For endurance, energy, focus and the drive to sculpt a perfect physique. • Thermogenic Pre-workout • Suitable for men and women • Aids endurance with extended energy levels • Appetite suppression for weight loss • CONTACT  info@deluxenutrition.co.uk www.razorwirethermolacerate.com GYM ROYALTY Fitness is fashionable, and that’s why Gym Royalty…

STOP THE SIT-UPS You probably know this one already, but just in case. Done badly, sit-ups put excessive strain on your lower back, work your hip flexors more than your abs and can even hurt your neck if you’re the ‘pull your head up with your hands’ type. Even done well, they’re less than optimal. After all, how many times in real life do you use your abs to do hundreds of mini-movements? BRACE YOURSELF As back and core expert Dr Stuart McGill points out, you’re most likely to use your midsection to brace yourself for other movements in real life, whether that’s doing an overhead squat or just not falling over when standing up in a crowded tube train. Your core training should reflect this, which is why the…

PAVEL TSATSOULINE TRUE PIONEER Belarus-born Tsatsouline is a groundbreaker. Credited with being one of the earliest evangelists for martial arts fitness and with introducing kettlebell training to the West, he’s also trained both Soviet Spetznatz forces and US Marines. He explains why you’ll get better results if you treat strength as a skill on p28. DAN LAWRENCE GROVES GURU Lawrence spent years as an amateur boxer, but getting others in shape has proved his true vocation. His training outfit is dedicated to producing impressive results – the finest example being George Groves, whose fitness he honed on the way to British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles. You’ll find his fast fat loss workout on p114. TOM MYSLINSKI BIG CAT ‘I thought I could do everything in the weight room as…

It’s World Heart Day on 29th September – but every day’s a good day to improve cardio health. ‘A heart rate monitor indicates how intensely your body is working, helping you burn fat or build aerobic endurance,’ says Dr Phil Maffetone, a heart rate training coach since 1979. ‘Your overall heart function will too improve as well as your athletic performance.’ Keep within target zones with the POLAR FT (£47, polar.com ) – the entry-level device from the inventors of the first ever wireless HRM all the way back in 1982. You don’t need a phone or watch with the TICKR X WORKOUT TRACKER (£80, wahoofitness.com ) – just strap it on and its memory will store your sessions. There’s no chest strap required…

APPLES Why? Non-organic apples have the highest pesticide level of any food BEEF Why? It’s got twice as much heart-healthy omega 3 and vitamin E MILK Why? It contains far lower levels of moobinducing oestrogen…

JUMP ‘Jumping puts your bones and joints under pressure, forcing growth,’ says trainer Tom Eastham ( w10performance.com ). Do three sets of 10 jump squats as a warm-up before lifting – or just in your own home. LIFT ‘Keeping most of your body under the weight will force your body to grow,’ says Eastham. Use the dumbbell front squat: keep the dumbbells at your shoulders as you squat as low as possible, then stand up. …THEN DO BOTH Combining resistance moves with explosive ones – technically known as ‘contrast training’ – lets you recruit more fast-twitch fibres. Do five weighted squats, then five unweighted jump squats to finish.…

1 EAT LITTLE AND OFTEN Aim to eat a meal every two to three hours (five to eight meals a day). 2 INCLUDE PROTEINS WITH EACH MEAL Beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs and nuts are all good sources. 3 EAT VEGETABLES WITH EACH MEAL Stick to leafy green and vibrant-coloured veg, such as broccoli, spinach and bell peppers. 4 STAY WELL HYDRATED Drink two to three litres of water a day. 5 CONSUME A VARIETY OF FRUITS AND BERRIES Darker, thin-skinned fruits such as plums, blueberries and cherries are best because they’re high in antioxidants. 6 USE HEALTHY FATS Cook with small amounts of coconut oil or unsalted butter. Use olive oil on salads and veg, and snack on seeds and nuts. 7 FOCUS ON WHOLEFOODS Most of your diet…

SONY SMARTWATCH 3 Built-in GPS and a music app mean you can leave the phone at home for off-the-cuff runs, while with speech interaction and the Hangouts app you can even keep track of your texts on the road. SONY XPERIA Z3+ Dust-tight and waterproof to 1.5m* – like all the team’s tech – the Xperia Z3+ is also ultra-light and comes with a 20.7-megapixel SteadyShot camera for enhanced action shots. SONY SMARTBAND TALK The ultra-light option. Log steps travelled, calories burned and hours slept – along with a host of other metrics – then sync this up with your Xperia Z3+ to track and analyse your training. *Waterproof to a depth of 1.5m for 30 minutes. No sea water or salt-water pools. Abuse and improper use will invalidate warranty.…

0-5 MUST TRY HARDER Time to do some homework. Even a bit of knowledge will help you shred fat with minimal effort. Brush up with the reading list on the right, and start the gains with your brain. MAKING PROGRESS Good work: by training smarter, not just harder, you’ll get better results in less time. Commit to learning more about nutrition or fitness, and visit habitforge.com to keep the habit going. 12+ TOP OF THE CLASS Impressive stuff: you’ve got this brains/brawn thing down. Keep abreast of the latest developments by reading the magazine and an A* body won’t be far away. 6-11…

Whether you’re SAS-ready or just pushing your PBs, Dr Emil Hodzovic outlines the early warning signs with different aspects of exhaustion HEAT EXHAUSTION SYMPTOMS ‘Early symptoms are heavy sweating, hot, red skin and light-headedness,’ says Hodzovic. If your urine is dark yellow, you’ve got cramps and you stop sweating, then you’re in serious trouble. AVOID IT ‘The main way is session planning,’ says Hodzovic. Check the weather before you train. Don’t aim to do an intense fitness session at 1pm if the temperature is high. DEHYDRATION SYMPTOMS ‘You’ll find yourself with a dry mouth, a drop in performance, headaches and dizziness,’ says Hodzovic. More serious issue are confusion, fits, weakness and cramps. Not sure if you’re disoriented? Set yourself a simple maths problem – if you struggle with it, you…

RUGBY NIALL MOODY Although he suffered another injury scare when he crashed a mountain bike on holiday, Niall had a successful trip to the chiropractor and is training hard again and enjoying pre-season. He’s even looking forward to the bleep test – which he used to dread more than anything – and his lifts are still going up too. He recently squatted a new PB of 160kg, with the help of Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Pre-Workout supp. BEACH BODY BEN MARUM With Ben’s final photoshoot fast approaching, his coach Tim Chase is continuing to ramp up the training intensity by reducing his rest periods and introducing supersets and drop sets into his workouts. He’s also doing more cardio training, having added three fasted steady-state cardio sessions to his morning routines…

PREP TIME 15 minutes COOKING TIME 10 minutes Tucking in to ready-made fishcakes – with their blood sugar-spiking combo of white breadcrumbs and potato – is a surefire way to harpoon your fat loss efforts. But fear not, fish-lovers: with a few simple ingredient upgrades, you can whip up healthy home-made fishcakes that will fuel your fat loss efforts and satisfy your tastebuds. This MF-enhanced recipe from Michelin-starred chef Adam Gray uses wholemeal breadcrumbs and mashed sweet potato to steady blood sugar levels and keep you full for longer, and provides muscle-building protein in the form of haddock (as opposed to endangered cod) and salmon. It even features a quercetinrich coleslaw side to help you recover after a tough gym session. Time to have your healthy…

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‘No sport can fatigue you quite like swimming if done incorrectly,’ says Mark Foster, one of Britain’s most successful swimmers and owner of an unrivalled V-shape torso that he sculpted in the water, not the weights room. Brute strength is about as useful as lead-weighted swimming shorts if you want to cover 750m – a sprint triathlon distance – in one go. Instead, taking the time to improve your front crawl technique will allow you to cover more challenging distances in the pool and use the low-impact benefits of swimming to improve your cardio. Use the tips and plan below and watch your shirt-filling V-shape develop. REVERSE THE DAMAGE ‘Swimming front crawl three times a week puts a lot of strain on your shoulders because they’re constantly rotating in one…

FOR STRENGTH Bodymax Power Bands £8.50-£65, powerhouse-fitness.co.uk Ranging from 15mm to 100mm, these durable bands help you smash through PBs. Perfect for bench pressing and squats, as well as bodyweight bent-over rows and pull-aparts, they work your muscles harder the more you stretch them. FOR POWER Titin Weighted Compression Shirt £160, titintech.com Looks like Batman’s cold-weather gear, feels like a snug compression top, works like a weighted vest. Fill the 14-pocket shirt with up to 4kg of gel inserts when sprinting and doing explosive bodyweight circuits to build functional power. FOR SPEED Blitz Running Parachute £20, blitzsport.com Sprint against drag factor to develop lightning acceleration from your first stride. Suitable for distances from 10m to 200m, this nylon chute has a padded waist for…

THIS MONTH’S TRAINER ADAM GETHIN  is founder of Creating Physiques, a PT company specialising in body transformations. In 2014 he helped MF’s Sam add 7kg of muscle in just ten weeks. For more info visit y3tebook.co.uk. Winning the arms race isn’t as simple as hammering curls until your limbs turn to jelly, but it’s not vastly more complicated. ‘The key to growing any muscle is to make it stronger and make it work harder,’ says Adam Gethin of Creating Physiques ( creatingphysiques.com ), the man behind this plan. Curls might give your arms a pump but they won’t keep growing long term. Instead, a full-body workout with an emphasis on your biceps and triceps will make the difference. ‘These workouts hit your body from every angle to maximise…

‘I travel a lot to my various gyms but home right now is Marbella, Spain, where my life couldn’t be more regimented. In the UK, I have a 30-minute walk to my Mayfair gym. There’s no time for breakfast so, while I don’t love fasted cardio, I do it when in London as a change of pace.’ ‘An hour of emails. It breaks the back of the first part of the daily influx.’ ‘We’re organising new gym developments. Right now we’re in the final stages of preparation for Ultimate Performance Manchester.’ ‘Alongside the meetings, emails and telephone calls, I always try to hide somewhere for an hour or so just to get some writing done. Not necessarily writing a book or an article, but I find that setting my thoughts…

Caffeine is the most popular and widely-used nutritional supplement in the world. But for most people, getting their daily fix involves simply necking copious amounts of tea and coffee or resorting to sugar-packed energy drinks – hardly the most efficient, nutritious or scientific approach. Enter Optimum Nutrition’s Essential Amino Energy, an upgrade on your regular brew of choice. It’s specially formulated with 100mg of caffeine – including green tea and green coffee extracts – to help fuel your morning, enhance your workouts and beat the dreaded afternoon energy slump. With just 30 calories per serving, it’s easy to accommodate in even the strictest fat loss diets – and it includes 5g of amino acid blend. All you have to do is add two scoops to a glass of water and…

Sam, fitness editor #firefighterfit Heart attacks – not burning buildings – are the biggest threat to firefighters’ lives around the globe, which is why 555 Fitness was set up to help boost their cardiovascular fitness. I assumed the role for a month (minus the cat-rescuing heroics) and followed their daily workouts. Find out what training like a fireman can do for the average man on p120. Max, head of digital content #Transportertraining He’s taken over from Jason Statham to play the new Transporter, so I went for a park workout with Ed Skrein to see how he transformed from rapper to action star. Unfortunately, no lead-pipe-wielding gangs jumped us to truly put his new skills to the test, but he told us plenty about his training as you can read…

Next time you feel the red mist descend, stop before running your mouth or hammering out a furious email. Shortness of temper is as infectious as the common cold, and you may just have been the latest to contract it. Research published in the Journal Of Applied Psychology found that test subjects who had to deal with impolite people kept the bad vibes alive during their next interactions. Being rude won’t just make you a nightmare to be around – it also raises levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which has side effects from high blood pressure to hair loss. So how do you stop the spread – and the consequent effects on your health? ‘Stop and think how happy you would be seeing yourself acting…

EAT FATS Go for monounsaturated (olive oil, almonds, avocados, peanut butter) and saturated fats (red meat, coconut oil, egg yolks, dark chocolate). AVOID MACHINES Exercises such as squats, bench presses and deadlifts stimulate a greater testosterone response than machine moves that isolate specific muscles. TIME IT RIGHT Workouts of more than an hour lower your levels, and research has shown that short rest periods between sets (one minute rather than three) are best. HIT THE SACK When recording male sleeping patterns, participants’ testosterone levels increased the longer they slept. Seven to nine hours a night is recommended. 30% IS THE AMOUNT YOU CAN BOOST YOUR TESTOSTERONE TEMPORARILY BY PLAYING FOOTBALL, ONE STUDY FOUND…

SAYONARA SALAD SLUDGE Fed up with finding gunk at the bottom of the bag? Us too. It’s caused by a lack of airflow. Punch a few holes in the plastic – problem solved. FAREWELL SOGGY SWEET POTATOES They actually go bad quicker in the fridge because cool air turns starch to sugar. Keep them in a cupboard instead. BYE BYE BROWN BANANAS Wrap the stems in plastic to stop them going soft too quickly. Just don’t wrap all of them – you need some to brown for cakes and shakes. AU REVOIR AVOCADO MUSH Put half-eaten ones in an airtight container with a piece of white onion. The sulphur slows the transformation. 30.8% of all food bought in the UK is binned, with each of us throwing away an average…

Going vintage doesn’t have to mean browsing overpriced tweed jackets in charity shops while avoiding eye contact with pencil-moustached men. The official ball of the Rugby World Cup may feature Nasa-level tech to improve grip and aerodynamics, but this leather version has been hand-stitched using traditional techniques and painstakingly finished so no two are exactly the same. The only omission in terms of authenticity is the pig’s bladder, although maybe that’s just because no-one was up for inflating it (back in the day the bladder was blown up while still stinking fresh). With urine odours a thing of the past, it’s time to ditch the branded plastic and invest in a real leather ball. It’s so beautiful you’ll have to raise your catching game just to ensure it doesn’t get…

JULES HEPTONSTALL  thebeardandthequiff.com I’m constantly travelling so I need a moisturiser that can combat my ever-changing skin (think tired to greasy to overworked). Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream for Men is rich without being oily, is quickly absorbed and has high levels of collagen to fend off wrinkles. The bottle also looks damn chic on the sink. £80 elemis.com THOM WATSON  thefacecollective.uk Men’s skin is around 25% thicker than women’s so it can get pretty dry. Hand cream is a must, but with many honking of flowers or leaving you shiny, Aveeno is my saviour. It’s neutral-smelling, sinks in like a shot and leaves hands totally hydrated. £5.25 boots.com CRAIG LANDALE  menswearstyle.co.uk I use Kiehl’s Ultra Light Daily Defense SPF50 to stop…

Bath Rugby strength and conditioning coach Allan Ryan says, ‘This workout is designed to improve George’s explosive strength, but also helps keep him resilient to injury. We use bands that help build acceleration, anti-rotation and isolation exercises for core strength, lightweight dynamic moves that improve his agility, and skipping to improve ankle stability and lower limb endurance.’ 1A BACK SQUAT SETS 3 REPS 4 REST 30SEC Brace your core and keep your chest up. Push your hips back and bend your knees until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, then powerfully drive through your heels and push your hips forwards to stand. Ford does these with bands looped around each end of the bar and to the bottom of the squat rack to increase resistance as he…

When it comes to conquering Everest 2.0 or going full-throttle through the Cry Baby tunnel, traditional gym moves don’t cut it. Do three rounds of the circuit below, resting a minute between rounds, to kick-start the process – or, if you’re feeling brave, add it to your training runs SPIDER-MAN PRESS-UP REPS 10 Start in press-up position. As you descend, bring one knee, then the other, up to your side. It’s the closest thing to crawling. BEAR CRAWL DISTANCE 10M Get on your hands and feet with your hips high – the position you’ll use to scramble over the Mudder’s slippery slopes – and move forward. Controlled but fast is the key. RUSSIAN PRESS-UP REPS 10 This press-up variation emphasises core strength and the forearm power needed…

For… ultra-endurance inspiration IRON WAR Matt Fitzgerald The 1989 Ironman triathlon clash between Mark Allen and Dave Scott was arguably the greatest race in the history of endurance sports. This account blends history and hagiography with modern training science’s take on the battering both men put themselves through – it’s informative, page-turning stuff (especially if you don’t know who won). For… the Terminator’s life lessons ARNOLD: THE EDUCATION OF A BODYBUILDER Arnold Schwarzenegger How did a former Mr Olympia become the Terminator – and then the governor of California? Short answer: because hard work transfers pretty well to any discipline. Ah-noldt’s first autobiography breaks down his early training in easy-to-follow detail, but it’s his focus in the face of adversity that really inspires. For… running know-how BORN…

The Special Forces Experience is as close as many of us will get to being in the SAS – safely. Working to the same standards as Army special forces, you can can do TSFE’s events individually or tackle them together as part of the Loadstone series SF10 WEEKEND The weekend starts with full instruction on how to navigate hills and be safe in the Brecon Beacons. The second day features a 16km route that mimics one of the initial selection tests for soldiers. Loadstone will give you a cut-off time and a 16kg pack. THE FAN DANCE This 24km march is infamous within the ranks of special forces soldiers. It’s the first major hurdle to selection and features a climb of Pen y Fan, the highest point in the Beacons…

Vitamix S30 £399 vitamix.co.uk While not quite as powerful as some of its beefier cousins, the S30 more than makes up for it with a sleek, space-saving design that’s perfect for single servings and small kitchens. Variable speed controls allow you to adjust for tougher veg, while its dishwasher-safe parts ensure easy cleaning. It even comes with an exhaustive recipe book that should keep the most ambitious blender connoisseur occupied for months. Andrew James Premium Soup Maker And Blender £58 andrewjamesworldwide.com This does more than just purée your soups – it cooks them too. A timer function lets you adjust the temperature and program it to slow-cook for up to 12 hours – ideal for prepping an evening meal before work – while its eight preset functions also allow simple…

ARM YOURSELF ‘Use your arms when you’re doing the box jump overs and make sure you land on your heels and with soft knees,’ says Kane. ‘Use your momentum to rebound and keep going – it’s more efficient.’ SIT UP STRAIGHT ‘Don’t try to row with just your arms – get your legs involved,’ says Kane. ‘Keep your torso upright so you don’t fatigue your abs. Practise unstrapping your feet so you don’t fumble on the day.’ FULL TILT ‘Don’t fall into the trap of trying to move side to side with the ViPR tilt,’ says Kane. ‘Instead, do a reverse lunge. It’s more stable and you’ll have more power to drive back up.’…

THE BASICS NAME 555 Fitness ESTABLISHED 2013 AVAILABILITY Worldwide COST Free BENEFIT Cardiovascular fitness Firemen, unlike journalists, have a reputation for being girlfriend-distractingly fit. But a recent study has exploded that theory. Four out of five firefighters in the US are overweight or obese, according to research by New York’s Skidmore College into cardiac fatalities among first responders. And a recent New York Times report found that the firefighter’s number one killer is cardiac arrest. That’s right – a weak heart, rather than risks of carbon monoxide poisoning and battling 600°C blazes, is their biggest threat. To combat this, 555 Fitness (named after the traditional bell system that’s rung when a firefighter is killed in the line of duty) was set up two years ago with the aim of improving…

In no sport are size, speed and strength more heavily scrutinised than in the macho world of American football. Every February the very best college athletes are invited to the National Football League’s week-long scouting combine – a much-hyped week of televised physical assessments – with the aim of out-sprinting, out-jumping and out-muscling the competition. Successful players stand to inflate their reputations and, as a result, their salaries and career prospects with every extra bench press rep counted or metre per second clocked. With so much at stake, training for the combine is a serious business. Players spend exhausting hours honing their acceleration, top speed, full-body power, strength endurance and agility. And for the athletes who rank highest in each discipline, the welcome by-product is a lean, muscular physique and…

THE COACH After a distinguished career in the Royal Marines, where he spent seven years as an officer and two as a troop commander, Brian Adcock has completed the Atacama Desert Crossing and the Bob Graham Round fell running challenge (42 Lakeland peaks in 24 hours). In association with the Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund he has created the Commando Series obstacle race, which takes place in November at Hever Castle, Kent (commandoseries.co.uk). THE GOAL ‘Obstacle course races are a great way to stay fit, but failing to prepare properly can make them a lot less fun and more painful,’ says Adcock. ‘These exercises simulate the common obstacles you’ll encounter in an OCR and prepare the muscle groups and energy systems you’ll need to use. They focus on full-body functional…

Your six-pack should be for more than just show. Anyone can put their rectus abdominis on display through diet and discipline, but for a strong, functional midsection you need to work your whole core. That’s where this guide comes in. Every workout is designed to build a core that leaves you prepared for real-life challenges as well as showing off on the beach. And with TRX, barbell, pull-up and no-kit plans, there’s a training option to suit any situation you may find yourself in. Get them done and build a midsection that’s about go as well as show.…

BETA-ALANINE A type of amino acid that improves your levels of focus and concentration during workouts or sports that require repeated sprints or bursts of power. Take it before a workout to attack your abs with unparalleled intensity. BCAAs Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) comprise three essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine and valine. Use them to hold on to muscle while you’re doing fat-burning cardio to reveal your abs. CASEIN This form of protein is commonly found in dairy products – it makes up around 80% of cow’s milk. It’s a slow-release protein, which means it takes longer for your body to digest, so you get more of a ‘drip-feed’ effect of protein into your bloodstream for a longer period. Take it before bed to stay fuelled. CREATINE Your body metabolises…