Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2017 i Men's Fitness UK

Getting a six-pack – a proper, chiselled set of clearly defined abs – is not easy. Like anything in life worth having it requires motivation, willpower and an awful lot of hard work. But I’m convinced that a lot of guys make this difficult physical and psychological challenge far harder than it needs to be. What do I mean? They get obsessed by finding the “perfect” training programme or nutrition plan to build those washboard abs, but no such thing exists. We are all different, and that means we all respond differently to various exercise and eating approaches. Some get lean fast on low-carb diets, while others struggle with such low energy that even thinking about the gym sends them into a cold sweat. At MF we know there’s no…

Two million Brits have eye problems – but, according to the RNIB, as many as 50% of these are preventable. Want to protect your eyesight in the long term? The best place to start is in the kitchen. 1 / Salmon Omega 3-rich foods protect tiny blood vessels in the eyes. Make sure you eat wild-caught, and add a sprinkle of chia seeds to top up. 2 / Carrots The see-in-the-dark thing was a myth but vitamin A does reduce age-related macular degeneration to protect your vision. 3 / Spinach Most leafy greens are full of lutein, an antioxidant that safeguards your eyes against harmful UV rays. Eat it in salad.…

In less than a decade, Tough Mudder grew from a ramshackle obstacle course in Pennsylvania to a global phenomenon with more than 2.5 million participants – but the organisation’s founder and CEO knew that this success could only last if the event continued to evolve. “It was imperative that every time people came to a Tough Mudder – and we want the tribe to return over and over – they would be excited by a new dramatic test of determination or teamwork,” says Will Dean, the British entrepreneur behind the TM brand. “Innovation was never a choice for us, always a necessity.” Here are Dean’s rules for staying vital – and staying ahead of the competition. BUILD IT YOURSELF When we were trying to turn the Electroshock Therapy obstacle into…

STYLE BRAUN MULTIG ROOMER 3080 With 13 hair length settings and separate heads for nose and body hair, this multi-groomer gives you a precise and convenient all-in-one manscaping option. £52.49 WASH CLINIQUE HAPPY FOR MEN BODY WASH Keep your hair and skin happy with this two-in-one wash, which is luxuriously thick and has a refreshing, natural citrus scent. £23 TREAT CLARINS MEN ACTIVE HAND CARE Your hands take a battering in the gym and also during the winter. Use this non-oily, triglyceride-rich lotion and you’ll still be able to caress – rather than sand down – your partner. £16 SCRUB AESOP REDEMPTION BODY SCRUB Two or three times a week, it pays to get a bit more aggressive with your ablutions and use a body scrub to get rid of…

When you’ve got a tough session ahead, which pre-workout supplement do you swear by to help your train harder for longer? And after that killer circuit, which whey protein do you favour to kick start the recovery process to help you get bigger, stronger and leaner? Now’s your chance to vote for your favourite sports nutrition products in eight categories, and by casting your vote you could win a free spa day at Marshall Street Everyone Active in London. For full details of the prize, including how to vote, go to coachmag.co.uk and search MF Sports Nutrition Awards 2018. Simply choose your category winners and you’ll be automatically entered into the prize draw! Turn the page for a quick overview of the categories and finalists to help you decide what…

PUSH PRESS WHY This is a useful exercise to use when you become fatigued doing conventional overhead presses. It’s also good for developing the dynamic press movement used in a jerk. HOW Start in a conventional overhead press position, then dip into a quarter squat. Straighten your legs and use the momentum to press the weight directly overhead. DUMBBELL PRESS WHY It’s an accessible exercise that will also be beneficial for joint health because it requires you to use your smaller stabilising muscles to control the weight. Because it’s a unilateral movement, you’ll also get balanced muscle growth. HOW Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height and press them overhead, keeping your elbows directly below your wrists. KETTLEBELL PRESS WHY An ideal move for ensuring that you have…

While we would never advise you to avoid training your legs for an extended period of time, we recognise that you might want to devote more attention to some muscles than you do to others. So for four weeks only, we’re letting you off training your wheels so you can concentrate solely on your upper body. Each workout in this plan is devoted to a major upper body muscle group - your chest, back and shoulders. Follow them faithfully and you’ll add strength and size up top. Once you’ve done that, get the next issue of Men’s Fitness for a workout that concentrates on building leg strength and power. HOW TO DO IT Follow the sets, reps and rest instructions for each move to get the maximum benefit. Do each…

Have you ever wondered how much lean muscle mass you can add to your body in just four weeks? And have you then been disappointed when a month of hard lifting failed to deliver the physique-transforming changes you were anticipating? While training hard is very important to building a bigger and stronger body, it’s just as important to train smart. And that means following a structured and progressive training plan that ensures you leave no stone unturned in your question to pack on serious size. We’ve put together the following 16-session training block for you to follow for the next 28 days. Try to increase the weight (or reps, if at first you can only manage the lower end of our rep target) each week. HOW THE PLAN WORKS Packing…

Sure, green is good, but for post-workout soreness relief you might want to go ruby – according to new data published in the Journal Of Agricultural And Food Chemistry . In a study published this year, athletes who drank watermelon and pomegranate juice before a heavy squat workout reported lower exertion during the same training session – and less muscle soreness afterwards. Crucially, though, the biomechanical markers of muscle damage stayed, suggesting that the workout maintained its effectiveness while hurting less. Sweet. 20% Updating your Instagram or other social media account between sets? Start stretching instead. According to a study in Research In Sports Medicine, bodybuilders who stretched their antagonist muscles during their rests were able to do an average of 20% more reps in subsequent rounds…

Work in timed bursts “A technique I use to power through tasks I’m procrastinating over is the Pomodoro timer,” says productivity expert Lee Garrett. ‘It’s a simple premise: choose a task, work on it for 25 minutes solidly, then take a five-minute break.” That’s one pomodoro (the name comes from the Italian for tomato, after its inventor’s round red kitchen timer, in case you’re wondering). “You’ll build momentum,” says Garrett. “I find myself forgoing the break because I don’t want to ruin the flow.” Schedule busy times Don’t worry, you’ll enjoy it. A study by the University of California found that workers tend to be happiest when doing mundane tasks – probably because it provides the dopamine hit created by accomplishment without the stress of more challenging work. The secret…

Although the fashions of the 1970s have spent most of the following decades being derided, they weren’t all about flared trousers and hippies – in fact they’ve been a big influence on the past few years’ trends. So it seems rather appropriate that American rapper, producer and fashion designer Pharrell Williams has partnered with sportswear giants Adidas on a tennis collection inspired by the decade’s vibrant style. Combining modern Adidas technology with a spirit –and a colour scheme –that reflects the 70s, the Tennis Collection by Pharrell Williams includes knitwear, polo tops, cable-knit sweaters and track tops offering an updated version of the styles made famous by the tennis stars of the decade, from Rod Laver to John McEnroe. Accessories include brightly coloured sneakers, retro-looking headbands, knee-length socks and visors,…

CREED VIKING Crafted for “the modern man who goes against the grain”, this powerful scent has a complex, spicy heart and a woody base. Spray it on valiantly before plotting your next adventure. £255 for 100ml L’ENVOL DE CARTIER Created with the lofty ambition of capturing the power of a mythical elixir fashioned by Greek gods, this does an exquisite job of combining vibrant top notes with a classy woody base. £84 for 100ml AESOP HWYL Never a brand to follow the crowd, Aesop has created a celebration of ancient Japanese forests with this daring fragrance that blends smoky aromas with lush moss. £83 for 50ml DUNHILL ICON RACING GREEN This new scent in the Icon range is all about the thrill of humming engines and adrenaline-fuelled racing. It has…

“Think of a fragrance as a pyramid made of three building blocks – top, middle and base,” says Moeglin. “It’s essential to have these three building blocks if you want to create a fragrance. A single ingredient will either sit at the top, in the middle or in the base. You can’t change the chemical structure of that ingredient.” TOP NOTE “The top is made of ingredients that are quite volatile in their chemical structure,” says Moeglin. “They’re fresh and uplifting and they stay on the skin for ten to 15 minutes. It’s your first impression of the fragrance.” HEART NOTE “The mid or heart note is something you smell a little bit longer – 20 minutes to four hours,” says Moeglin. “Chemically speaking, these ingredients are a little heavier…

WHY Steak bordelaise is delicious made with most cuts of steak. One of my favourites is flank steak, otherwise known as bavette. It has a lovely grain and good marbling and is very well priced because it’s considered a second-class cut of beef. The trick with flank is that it can’t be too rare and it certainly cannot be cooked past medium or it becomes chewy. The cooking times I have given will work well if you use steaks that have been cut across the grain into 225g (8oz) portions before cooking. I’m sure your butcher would be happy to help you with the cutting. You’ll notice that the recipe calls for 500ml of good-quality red wine, preferably Bordeaux. This allows you to share the remainder of the bottle between…

1 GO FOR MULTI-MOVE SETS Doing straight sets of a single lift is the right approach for building muscular strength, but doing different moves back to back – or even doing many different lifts in a circuit – is a better path to follow when losing your belly is the priority. A superset is one move followed by another with little or no rest in between and can either target the same muscle group (eg biceps), antagonistic muscle groups (biceps and triceps) or upper- and lower-body muscle groups (biceps and quads). A tri-set is three lifts grouped with little or no rest, while a giant set is four or more moves. Quite when a giant set becomes a circuit is semantics, but the effect is the same: greater increases in…

We all want bigger biceps, but turning your training goal into a real-life reality can be a slow and frustrating journey. That won’t be the case if you do this six-move biceps-building session. We’re not going to lie: it’s a tough session that’s going to make your biceps burn and get your heart rate high, but shocking your muscles into growth (rather than trying to coax them) can sometimes be the best strategy to burst through a plateau. Focus on form and quality reps throughout for the best very results. How to do the workout This is a six-move session divided into two straight-set moves followed by two supersets. Do move 1, sticking to the sets, reps and rest shown, then do move 2. Then do moves 3A and 3B…

In the pursuit of a six-pack most men fixate on their upper abs. Why? Moves that hit the upper abs are generally easier to do than those that target the rest of the region, and it’s the part of abs that begins to “show” first. But you want a six-pack, not a two-pack. To sculpt aesthetically pleasing and performance-boosting abs you must hit your lower abs too. That’s what this five-move session does. Do the exercises in order, sticking to the sets, reps and rest, and bring your lower abs into the picture. 1A Hanging leg raise Targets Lower abs and core Sets 3 Reps 8-12 Rest 0sec Form Hang from rings or a pull-up bar with an overhand grip. Brace your abs and raise your legs, keeping them straight,…

Yoga has a mixed reputation in fitness circles – for every ringing endorsement from Ryan Giggs, there’s a man with a topknot lowering the tone with his own “novelty” version. But with evidence for its benefits mounting, the time’s probably right to add some asanas to abs day. In its most pure form, it’s an active strength-builder as well as improving mobility, but some of the key benefits are mental. A report presented at the US Anxiety and Depression Association conference linked yoga to lowered levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which affects everything from sleep and recovery to fat storage. Thinking of cranking up the heat? First, consider why. One study by the American Council for Exercise compared hot yoga sessions – in rooms heated to around 30°C –…

Convenient, portable, cheap, good for recovery – there’s a lot to like about foam rolling. But could you be timing it better? Quite possibly. While a recent meta-analysis of studies suggests that rolling does have a positive effect on delayed-onset muscle soreness – better known as DOMS, or those muscular aches, pains and soreness that make it almost impossible to sit down on the toilet in the days after a tough legs session – doing it immediately after you work out doesn’t make sense. To flush fluid out of your muscle tissues for processing, you should be moving around, not lying on your Trigger Point Grid ( tptherapy.com , £27.99). Save the roller for at home or on rest days: basically, any time you’re feeling tight and in…

Going on a keto diet – an ultra-high-fat, low-carb eating plan to encourage your body to use molecules called ketone bodies for energy – has been getting good press for fat loss and longevity for a while – but a recent rodent study at the University of California suggests it might work for building strength too. Mice that were fed predominantly on fat not only improved memory and age-related inflammation markers, but also saw increased motor function – leading to better strength and co-ordination. Making a coffee? Grab the coconut oil……

1 Set the standard Benchmark your pay by looking at internal adverts and online salary surveys for your sector and type of job. If you are underpaid you can use this as objective evidence that supports your pay rise request. 2 Time it right Choose a time to speak to your boss when you’ve got their undivided attention and when you and the organisation are performing well. Also time this just before the start of the annual budget-setting for next year so it can be incorporated into the new budget. 3 No empty threats Remind your boss of what a great job you do and how your job has grown in responsibility. It’s expensive to hire new staff and it’s cheaper and easier for organisations to keep existing staff happy,…

Watches that are tough, durable and water-resistant have been popular since the early 20th century, when Rolex first received an official chronometer certification for a water-resistant watch. Today, there are many variations on the classic diving watch to suit various sporting activities. With so many styles and functions to factor in, choosing the right watch can be difficult – so we’ve chosen a few of the best to help you make the right decision.…

The secret to getting the lean, defined look of a fitness model: whittling your body fat down. Under 12% is the threshold, although you can try to go as low as 6% depending on how much you want your abs to pop. To do that, you’ll need to cut about 500 calories a day and adopt a high-intensity resistance-training programme to add muscle and shred fat. This will see you lose about up to a kilo a week. Use this three-day sample eating plan to ensure that the weight coming off is actual body fat – not water weight – then use the same principles to create your own long-term plan. DAY 1 WORKOUT Drink 500ml water BREAKFAST 2 slices sprouted-grain bread topped with 1tbsp natural almond butter 1 fresh…

1 Energy hit You’re no doubt already aware that beef is high in protein but you may not know that it also packs a big dose of vitamin B12, which is involved in energy metabolism and aids cardio health. 2 Healthy heart The consumption of resveratrol, a phytonutrient found in red wine as well as grapes, cranberries and blueberries, has been associated with reduced heart attack risk. 3 Garnish gains Parsley isn’t just for show. It contains flavonoids that function like antioxidants, counteracting the negative effects of oxidative stress caused by intense exercise.…

Use a pair of dumbbells that allows you to complete all the reps for the exercise. You will need to use lighter weights for exercises 2 and 4.  We have a warning for you before you embark on this workout. It’s, er, a bit challenging. The good news, though, is that the reason it’s so hard is also the reason it’s so effective. Instead of using a sequence of exercises that target different muscle groups, this workout involves doing pairs of exercises that target the same muscle group. You start with a pair that works your chest, then move on to a pair that works your back and finish with a pair of lower-body moves. That may not seem particularly difficult, but doing back-to-back exercises that work the same…

What does it mean to be fit? Really fit? We think it’s the right combination of speed, strength and stamina, which is why we’ve launched the 2017 FitBrit Challenge, in association with Fitness First and DW Sports gyms, to find the UK’s fittest man, fittest woman and fittest couple. If that sounds like you, read on! ENTER THE EVENT The FitBrit Challenge is live now, and you can sign up today to enter the nine-station event and post your qualifying time at a Fitness First or DW Sports gym. Simply go to your local Fitness First or DW Sports gym and take the challenge. It doesn’t matter if you’re not a member: you can get a free three-day pass (visit tinyurl.com/ya4e3z6o) so you can enjoy all the facilities as well…

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