Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2017 i Men's Fitness UK

The saying goes that men are supposed to fall into one of two camps: you’re either a lover or a fighter (although try suggesting to a pro boxer he’s rubbish in bed and see how that goes). Until a more accurate third category is discovered, I must be a lover because I’ve never had a fight in my life. I’ve been punched, sure, but I’ve never hit back – and I hope that this run, as well as my fist, never gets broken. But I am fascinated by fighters from all disciplines. There’s their unwavering commitment to the cause; the weeks and months spent locked away from the rest of the world in training camp. There’s the unshakeable confidence; knowing they must take – and overcome – the pain and…

1 Chin-up Using an underhand grip is a better way to recruit the biceps, which is good news for your arm size. Do three to four sets of six to eight reps, with each one slow and controlled. 2 Underhand row Get into the start position for a barbell bent-over row but with a hip-width underhand grip to shift focus and activation to the biceps. Row the bar in to your sternum, then pause and squeeze your biceps for extra time under tension. Do three to four sets of eight to 12 reps. 3 EZ-bar curls The curved bar reduces strain on your wrists, allowing you to lift heavier and through a greater range of motion than with dumbbells or barbells. Squeeze your biceps at the top of each rep…

Originally adopted by hip-hop culture in 1970s New York, and then by surfers for instant warmth after a few hours on the waves, the hoodie has since become a wardrobe staple for anybody who takes their style seriously. It’s ideal for throwing on after a workout – and here MF selects some of the best available.…

Hanz de Fuko Scheme Cream This hair care classic will give you a casual yet stylish look. It contains burdock root, which promotes hair growth, green tea extract to protect your scalp and eucalyptus oil to brush off dandruff. £16, Selfridges Fudge Urban Matte Up Anti-Gravity Powder Styler Apply it to your roots and the wheat protein will help your hair appear thicker. It will also lock in moisture for a fuller, healthier look. £6.99, Boots Kiehl’s Texturizing Clay Made with Moroccan lava clay, this versatile product gives long-lasting hold and can be used to bring volume to your hair without adding weight. £6.99, Boots…

SPEED RACER Upgrade your racing ability with new performance kit Helmet Kask Protone Matt £199 Sunglasses Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road £175 Top Odlo Breathe Jersey £45 Bib shorts Odlo Mamikazi £78 Shoes Specialized Comp Road £150 Bike Specialized Roubaix Comp £2,100 All available from cyclesurgery.com Feet first The dial closure system on the shoes means you can adjust at speed. The soles are made with injection-moulded nylon so they are stiff yet lightweight. Protect and serve This aerodynamic helmet is so light it’s hard to believe that it offers any defence against impact, yet the custom polycarbonate shell provides exceptional protection. URBAN COMMUTER Get to work on time with this smart and stylish look Helmet Bern Brentwood Satin £42 Bag Timbuk2 Classic Messenger Waxed Black Canvas £89 Top Gore Bikewear…

Focus on the positives According to a 2011 study, planning what not to eat is actually likely to strengthen existing bad habits by causing a behavioural rebound. Instead of thinking about what you’re avoiding, aim to drink more water and eat more fruit. Change your patterns Research from Duke University in the US says you often “outsource” activities to your environment. So if you’re grabbing a muffin every time you walk past a particular café, consider changing your route to work. Shift your habits Instead of trying to stop bad eating outright, find your triggers for snacking (boredom, say) and replace the bad behaviours with better ones that still address the problem, like going for a walk or having an apple. It takes time, but it works.…

Smoothies are big business. First they were an indulgent way to get a couple of your five-a-day, then a high-end gym staple and now ubiquitous. The US smoothie market alone was valued at $12.8 billion in 2016 – roughly the GDP of Guinea-Bissau, or enough to buy ten B-52 bombers. Not bad for a load of smashed-up fruit. But while enterprising supermarkets and juice bars are engaged in an arms-race of flavour combinations – mango and mint is surprisingly good – are they actually doing anyone any good? It’s tough to say. A typical bottle of Innocent, the UK’s biggest brand, packs in 33g of sugar, essentially the same as a can of Coke (possibly not surprising, since it’s been majority-owned by Coca-Cola since 2013). The obvious problem: you’ll only…

There’s much more to garlic than vampire-vanquishing flavour – it’s has been used by humans for tens of thousands of years as both an ingredient and medicine. Indeed, it may have become part of our diet many years after it was first identified as a topical remedy for cuts, burns and infections of the skin. Its potent flavour means only a small amount of the bulb is required: it may be true that 100g contains 95% of your daily vitamin B6 requirement, but if you’re eating 100g of garlic in one go you’re going to have bigger problems than a vitamin deficiency. Eat it regularly, however, and you’ll get plenty of health benefits. Here’s five things garlic has going for it. 1 STRONGER IMMUNITY Garlic is high in compounds that…

BARBELL Key moves Bench press, deadlift, squat ESSENTIAL INFO If your gym doesn’t have barbells, you need to double-check that you’re actually in a gym. Barbells are most suited to compound or multi-joint lifts like the bench press, overhead press, squat, deadlift and bent-over row, because they allow for the heaviest amount of weight to be lifted safely. They come in two forms: Olympic bars and regular “fixed” barbells. An Olympic barbell is 7ft (2.13m) long and weighs 20kg. Regular bars are nearly always shorter and lighter, and often are fixed with a set weight that can’t be adjusted, with bars typically increasing in weight in 2.5kg or 5kg increments. PROS Olympic barbells are ideal for the heavy compound lifts that are the cornerstone of any training routine designed to…

Take a look around a busy gym and you’ll notice that most men use their rest periods to either check out social media or, worse, check out the other gym-goers they fancy. If you fall into either category, it’s time to change your ways. The good news is that if you follow the advice below, that 60-second gap becomes an opportunity to get bigger and stronger rather than a period of dead gym time. 1 GO FOR A RECORD After every set, record the reps that you completed and the weight that you lifted. “It’s good for accountability,” says trainer Ashton Turner, founder of Evolve353 (evolve353.com). “It will help to show whether or not you’re progressing. Some people do the same workouts every week, but if you do that you’re…

Doing hundreds of crunches doesn’t result in a rock-hard six-pack, just as doing hundreds of light dumbbell curls doesn’t develop bulging biceps. To develop abs that are both functional and visually impressive, you need to treat this misunderstood muscle group just like every other: hit it from multiple angles with a variety of rep ranges and movement patterns to engage and challenge as many muscle fibres as possible, making them grow back stronger. Try these moves and watch your abs bloom. Hanging knee raise Difficulty rating Easy Targets Lower abs Rep range target 12-15 Form Hang from a bar or rings with your legs straight. Keep your chest up and brace your abs and glutes, then bring your knees up to hip height. Pause and hold for a second, then…

Adding black pepper and other spices to meat may reduce the formation of cancer-causing compounds that form when the meat is cooked, according to research from Kansas State University. According to the World Health Organisation, carcinogenic heterocyclic amines (HCAs) form on the surface of all types of meat, not just the processed kind like bacon, as well as fish when it’s cooked. If you add black pepper and other antioxidant-rich spices and foods such as oregano and garlic, though, they prevent HCAs from forming. The research found marinading meat has a similarly beneficial effect. Caffeine is found in many pre-workout supps because it helps you achieve greater focus. But new research suggests you should also ingest caffeine with carbs after a workout to better replenish your muscles’ energy stores. Subjects…

More than one-third of British employees have fallen asleep at work, according to a study of more than 2,000 people, with 20% blaming long working hours for their constant tiredness. Don’t risk your boss’s wrath and another meeting with HR – snack on these three instant energy foods instead. 1 / Apple The perfectly portable snack is high in fibre for a steady stream of energy. Dip slices in peanut butter for a bigger energy kick. 2 / Yogurt Don’t go fat-free: it may contain more calories but one pot of full-fat has the protein and fats to keep you going until the next meal. 3 / Almonds High in protein, fats and fibre for a sustained energy release, as well as magnesium, which helps produce energy in cells.…

The right trainers can make a huge difference to the quality of your workout – but finding a pair offering the right flexibility and comfort can be difficult. MF has chosen some of the best to enhance your performance in the gym or on the track.…

The aim of new grooming brand Cornerstone is to take the sting out of your shaving routine and make buying products as smooth as possible. Its subscription service involves answering a couple of simple questions about your shaving regime, then creating a bespoke and customisable plan that contains the products you need. The centrepiece of the affordable range (pre-shave scrubs and post-shave balms are both £5, while the shave gels and creams are £6) is the stylish razor, pictured, which is free when you buy six blades for £14. Cornerstone will even personalise it by engraving up to three initials on the end of the razor, free of charge. To get the most out of your shiny new toy, use the expert shaving advice below. cornerstone.co.uk…

Smith Overtake road bike helmet Only 250g, but the polymer core absorbs 30% more force than traditional foams. From £200, smithoptics.com/uk Tribe Sports merino long-sleeve top A lightweight and stylish top that’s highly breathable and odour resistant. £80, tribesports.com Zoggs Advanced Ultra-Fit Predator goggles The gaskets are 15% lighter to reduce eye socket pressure for an invisible fit feel. From £22, zoggs.com Hydro Flask coffee flask A pre-gym coffee increases focus and speeds up fat loss, so keep yours warm en route. £21.95, amazon.co.uk Timex Fairfield Chronograph watch A perfect blend of style and substance to upgrade your look without breaking the bank. From £95, timex.co.uk SAXX boxer shorts These supportive yet stretchy boxers are designed with exercise in mind.…

Instead of a wrap… the K-Roll “This is a snack of my own invention,” says Myles Hopper. “Take a large leaf of kale or another green and fill it with your favourite cooked meat. Roll the meat up in the leaf to create a delicious high-protein roll. Add avocado for a more filling snack.’ Instead of cereal… blueberry and banana pancakes “These are full of protein and super-easy to make,” says Hopper. Mash two bananas, then add two eggs, 2tbsp ground flaxseeds, 2tbsp ground almonds and 150g blueberries (protein powder optional). Then make your pancakes as normal. Instead of dessert… protein yogurt “The biggest mistake people make with yogurt is buying the flavoured rubbish with added ingredients,” says Hopper. “Pick up some natural or Greek yogurt, add spiced nuts, fresh…

1 PEANUT BUTTER HI-PRO With 33% pure peanut protein, Hi-PRO’s crunchy and smooth peanut butters are designed for those who train. Containing no added salt, whey, or sugar, they’re a delicious boost for smoothies, shakes, snacks and meals. RRP £2.95 for 454g in Sainsbury’s. For recipe inspiration head to hipronutrition.co.uk 2 PROTEIN ICE CREAM WHEYHEY Wheyhey! The great-tasting, sugar-free, protein ice cream. Helping you to live a healthy lifestyle, outrageously well. Find Wheyhey in the freezer at Tesco. Available in Chocolate and Vanilla, RRP £4.00. Follow our journey at wheyhey.com 3 PROTEIN SNACK BAR EATLEAN CHEESE Healthy cheese strings?! You HAVE TO try these EatLean high-protein Cheese Snack Bars – made from 100% British milk by expert cheesemakers. Each bar contains over 11g of protein! From just 35p per bar.…

Be honest: when did you last train your back really well? So well that you worked these muscles as hard as your “mirror muscles” on chest, shoulders or arms day? If it’s been a while since your back last burned with lactic acid and had a big pump through hard (yet smart) lifting, try this six-move back-building workout for size. It’s designed to hit all the major muscles of your upper and lower back, including your traps, to build upper-body width that helps you forge that classic V-shaped physique. How to do the workout This is a six-move session divided into three supersets. Do all the reps of move 1A then move on to 1B, sticking to the sets, reps, tempo and rest detailed. Then follow this pattern with moves…

There’s nothing wrong with training for an aesthetic goal – and besides, if someone trains hard but says they don’t care how they look, the chances are they’re lying – but it would be a shame to add muscle without improving the other elements of fitness such as power, strength and agility. These three workouts will give you an amazing all-round fitness benefit, as well as increasing the size of your biceps. The first session is a kettlebell workout designed to build explosive power. The second is a barbell workout dedicated to building strength and the third is a dynamic session that involves lots of whole-body movements that will get your heart racing and develop real-world capabilities. HOW TO DO IT Do each workout once a week for six weeks,…

This month’s main workout has been designed to push your muscle fibres to their absolute limit, eliciting the biggest possible growth response and raising your heart rate sky-high to send your body into fat-burning mode. Giving your body a serious challenge four times a week, then backing off to give your mind and muscles time to recover between workouts, is all that’s needed to make big changes to your body in a month. Turn the page to start building your best ever body. HOW THE PLAN WORKS This four-week plan is based on the principle of high-volume training, which is when you increase the amount of total weight you lift in each session for a limited amount of time. In doing so you really test your major muscle groups and…

If you want a competitive edge in the pool, or just want to complete your laps faster without expending extra energy, try swimming with your fingers spread apart – it’s a more efficient way to move through the water than with your fingers pressed together. That’s the findings of a new Dutch study published by the American Institute of Physics, which found that swimming with your hands in the “rake”position provided a 2-5% increase in drag coefficient. The higher this is, the more efficient each stroke becomes. The researchers examined five finger spacing positions starting from 0° (where the fingers are pressed together like a paddle) and increasing in 5° intervals up to a 20° spread, and concluded that a 10° finger spread will give your strokes the biggest boost.…

In every issue of MF we remind you to think about your muscles flexing and contracting as you do every rep of your workouts. Why? Consciously focusing on the muscle you’re training improves both concentration and the communication pathways between your mind and your muscles. But new research proves that thinking about a muscle contracting, even when it actually doesn’t, leads to greater gains in muscular size and strength. Researchers from Ohio University asked 29 subjects to wear a cast on their wrists for a month. Half the volunteers spent 11 minutes a day pretending to flex their immobilised wrists, the other half did nothing. When the casts were removed, the first group’s wrist muscles were twice as strong. If just thinking about an immobilised muscle can make it bigger…

1 Look for the good Try to see the world in a more positive light: people with high levels of cynicism have poorer brain health than more positive people, and a higher risk of long-term brain diseases such as dementia, according to the journal Neurology. 2 Go for a walk A quick walk can work wonders for your brain. Research published in the Experimental Biology journal found that the impact walking has on the feet sends pressure waves through the body that increase blood flow to the brain. 3 Solve a puzzle Doing a crossword increases your brain’s capacity to complete tasks faster, according to the University of California. After two weeks of doing a daily crossword subjects’ brains didn’t have to work as hard to complete the task. 4…

Don’t suppress your rage It’s crucial to recognise that anger is a perfectly normal human emotion, and suppressing your rage can have far-reaching negative health impacts including anxiety, depression and physical damage to your heart, according to the British Journal Of Health Psychology. That said, moderation is essential because blowing your fuse every five minutes has similar negative health implications for you and those around you, research from the University of Helsinki shows. Find yourself some space When you feel your blood start to boil, get away from the source of the stress for just five minutes of meditation. That’s all it takes to regain your perspective and a sense of calm, according to a Sydney University study. If you can’t slope off then try progressive relaxation, which is when…

You take your workouts seriously – and Jack Wills has launched its first sportswear collection aimed squarely at you. Originally aimed at university students, the label has long since moved on to become a global phenomenon with its British-inspired casual and contemporary collections. The technical Sporting Goods clothing includes the Almsford training shorts, Alderton training hoodie, T-shirts and long-sleeved tops. Whether you’re heading to the gym, a sprint session or a spinning class, they’re designed to help control your temperature and moisture while still looking great with a clean, understated aesthetic designed to show off an athletic body. There are also sweatshirts, jogging pants and T-shirts designed for a post-workout chill. The collection also includes a cool backpack and water bottle for those who want to complete the look. jackwills.com…

L’HOMME PRADA INTENSE This fragrance takes a sophisticated approach to seduction. It’s a mature, refined scent that mixes patchouli and iris with amber and tonka bean. It has a subtle intensity, like something compelling and enigmatic that you’re drawn towards without being able to articulate why. £76 for 100ml PACO RABANNE PURE XS Celebrating the spirit of “opulence and decadence”, this fragrance means business. It’s energetic, sharp and sexy, thanks to a combination of ginger, brown sugar and myrrh. Spray it on and prepare yourself, and your partner, for a night to remember. £64.50 for 100ml CALVIN KLEIN OBSESSED The mood of CK’s new scent is all about feeding your desire, indulging your senses and passions and letting your emotions run free. It’s a concoction that includes black vanilla and…

GRAIN OF TRUTH Your stubble grows in different directions on different parts of your face and neck. Before shaving, run your fingertips along your skin to get to know the direction of your stubble growth - it should feel smooth. If it feels spiky, you are going against the grain. DON’T BE A DRAG Begin by shaving in the direction of your stubble growth - it should feel smooth and the razor shouldn’t drag or pull on your face. If you don’t quite get close enough, make a second pass with your razor, also in the direction of your stubble growth. GET THE RIGHT ANGLE If you want a smoother finish, make one final pass with your razor at right angles to your stubble growth. This will give a closer…

In case you don’t understand just how bad junk food is for your body, there’s a simple study known as the Cafeteria Diet that makes it clear. In an attempt to accurately measure food intake in a group of ten lean, healthy men, researchers filled two vending machines with pancakes, cheeseburgers, French toast, margarine, cakes, puddings, apples, jelly beans, Doritos, M&Ms and fizzy drinks, among other things. Then the volunteers were allowed to eat as much as they wanted for seven days, with no other foods available. The results shocked even the researchers: the men immediately started eating, on average, 1,544 calories a day over and above their previously determined energy needs, roughly a 60% increase for most of them. Over the course of a week, each man gained an…

Can you eat your way to a long life? People in a handful of regions across the globe apparently do. Author Dan Buettner identified seven so-called “blue zones” – places where residents often live past 100 – and analysed the factors that may explain it. Along with lifestyle, nutrition is key. So pick some favourites from each and start beating the odds. IKARIA, GREECE In Diane Kochilas’s cookbook on Ikaria’s food, she called it “the island where people forget to die”. It’s a hotbed of old-agers who follow a Med-type diet but eat less meat than most Greeks, farm or forage many foods, and evidently bonk like bunnies into their twilight years. KEY FOODS Wild greens, olive oil, chickpeas, lentils, black-eyed peas, lemons, goat’s cheese, potatoes, tomatoes, wild mushrooms, sage,…

Eating shellfish like prawns and scallops once a week can protect your brain against age-related memory loss and other cognitive problems, thanks to their high levels of omega 3 fatty acids and low levels of toxic compounds such as mercury. Research published in the journal Neurology found that subjects who ate seafood less than once a week suffered faster and greater mental decline that those who shelled out weekly. Both prawns and scallops contain around 200 milligrams of omega 3 per 85g serving, while containing little neurotoxins like mercury, which can accumulate in fish such as tuna that are higher up the food chain. Try this shellfish stir-fry to keep your brain sharp. EAT THIS PRAWN STIR-FRY Prawns and scallops are an excellent addition to any manly diet. Not only…

Pick a dumbbell weight that allows you to perform the hardest lift for you with good form. Increase the weight weekly as you get stronger You should know by now that you don’t need to spend hours slaving away in a gym to build a bigger, leaner and more functionally fit body. Indeed, more is often less when your training ambition is to look more like an athlete because you need to give your muscles the recovery time they need to adapt and grow. But even though cutting down on your training time is the way to go when wanting a well-defined, athletic physique, you must also guarantee that what time you do spend training is 100% effective. That’s what this six-move total-body circuit offers – all you need is…

After a really tough workout, it can be hard to stomach a lot of water to replace the fluids you’ve lost to start the recovery process. So it’s worth knowing that the temperature of the water is as important as the volume for fast recovery, according to research from the University of Montana. Subjects exercised in 31°C air temperatures, with 50% relative humidity, for three hours. Every ten minutes they drank 2g per kilo of bodyweight of either room-temperature water or ice water, with a third group given ice water at 1g per kilo. Despite drinking half as much, those given 1g/kg of cold water had the same thermoregulation response as those who drank double the amount. Those who drank the full amount of ice water showed fewer signs of…