Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2019 i Men's Fitness UK

Your brain is a clever old thing, but that doesn’t mean you can’t overrule it to keep your daily calorie count down and lose fat faster. Simply telling yourself you’ll have that donut “not now, but later” can be enough to quell your craving. That’s because you’re not denying yourself entirely, just delaying the treat for a while, according to the Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology. The chances are you may not fancy the sweet treat later on, but if you do, try the same mind trick again for as long as it works. This strategy will keep you leaner and help you build greater willpower so all future cravings are easier to combat.…

BURN MORE BODY FAT Of course cardio burns calories, but doing more of it could help you stay lean by altering your digestive system for a more favourable fat-loss environment. Subjects who did three to five cardio sessions a week for six weeks increased the concentration of butyrate in their guts, according to the University of Illinois. This fatty acid reduces inflammation, making it easier for you to burn fat more efficiently. IMPROVE YOUR MEMORY Running, swimming and cycling are fantastic for your heart and lungs – but they’re just as beneficial for your brain. Regular aerobic training increases the size and efficiency of the hippocampus, which is the part of your brain directly responsible for memory and learning, according to research from the University of British Columbia. ADD LEAN…

Metal Vent Tech jersey top Lululemon, £55, mrporter.com In Mind jersey stretch pants Lululemon, £100, mrporter.com Lancaster vest Iffley Road, £53, iffleyroad.com EkoLite mat Manduka, £55, manduka.com/eu Jersey shorts Falke, £110, falke.com Cropped cotton track pants The Upside, £120, matchesfashion.com Track pants Falke, £140, falke.com Organic cotton jersey shorts So We Flow, £40, soweflow.com Natural organic jersey T-shirt So We Flow, £30, soweflow.com DO YOGA TO GET SMARTER AND HAPPIER Taking up yoga and meditation may strengthen your cognitive skills and even help to combat age-related mental decline, according to research published in the Journal Of Alzheimer’s Disease. Subjects in the study were split into two groups: one followed a 12-week yoga and meditation programme, while the others did a dedicated brain-training programme. When scientists conducted cognitive tests on the…

I’ve been working for Men’s Fitness since 2004, and over the course of those 15 years I’ve had the privilege of working with most of the fitness industry’s biggest (some of them really are pretty stacked) and best experts. And if you asked me who I’d select as a coach if I wanted to get stronger, it would be incredibly easy for me to give you an answer. Jack Lovett, founder of the Spartan Performance gym in the northeast of England, would undoubtedly be the person I’d select to help me achieve that aim. The reasons are pretty compelling. He achieved elite status as an athlete by winning Britain’s Natural Strongest Man on multiple occasions, then replicated that success as a coach on the world stage by guiding Donna Moore…

Cycling and food are the twin passions of my life. Performance Chef – the business I set up in 2016 to provide meal planning, recovery strategies and race fuelling advice to elite athletes – allows me to combine my experience as a Michelin-starred restaurant chef with a knowledge of elite sport. The guiding philosophy of Performance Chef is not only that nutrition is an integral part of any athlete’s planning and preparation, but also that food should satisfy the appetite and the taste buds. It’s for both performance and pleasure. Most of the athletes I work with have really rich and varied diets, eating food that helps improve their performance while tasting pretty good. I’m in the fortunate position of working with cyclists of all abilities, from Olympic champions, Commonwealth…

Room temperature Take out the steak from the fridge 30 minutes to an hour before you cook it, so it is room temperature. This is important to ensure the steak is warm all the way through, regardless of how you like it cooked – there’s nothing worse than tucking into a perfect-looking steak that is still cold in the middle. High heat If you’re cooking the steak on a barbecue or griddle pan, make sure both are very hot beforehand. The coals on the barbecue should be white, and if you are using a griddle pan, you need to have it on a high heat for four to five minutes before you start cooking. Seasoning Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides before cooking. This is important…

Building a bigger chest requires a smarter approach than simply bench pressing your way to greater size and strength. To achieve more powerful pecs, you must work your chest from a number of angles and through a variety of rep ranges to recruit – and then fatigue – as many muscle fibres as possible. It’s by taxing more of the muscle that you achieve a more rapid growth response, and this six-move session ticks all the big muscle boxes. Stick to the instructions and start adding size faster. 1 Close-grip bench press Sets 4 Reps 8 Rest 3min Why A narrow grip focuses your form to work your chest harder. How Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with a shoulder-width grip. Lower the bar to your chest,…

To radically transform your physique by getting fuller, harder muscles, you must work them like they’ve never worked before. Because it’s only by asking them to do something new and challenging that you can expect them to grow bigger than ever. If that sounds like hard work, don’t worry: we’ve done the difficult part for you by designing this four-week, 16-session training programme that – if followed to the letter – will allow you to pack on pure muscle size quickly. in those places you must want it, namely your shoulders, chest, arms and back. What’s more, the intensive nature of the plan also works your heart and lungs hard, so you get a bonus fat-burning benefit on your way to achieving your best ever body. HERE’S HOW THE PLAN…

BE ACCOUNTABLE When you’re flying solo it’s incredibly easy to say “mañana” to your fitness mission. The trouble is this “I’ll go tomorrow” attitude can turn into weeks and months. Going to the gym with someone or meeting them there removes the temptation to skip a session, because you’re no longer only letting yourself down. And once you’re there and in the zone you’ll be glad you made the effort. PUSH YOUR LIMIT Having a spotter on hand for every tough lift means you can push your muscles – and your mental fortitude – to the limit. When you know you’re not going to end up stuck under the bar, that’s a confidence boost in itself, and you’ll always lift heavier when with a buddy. GET COMPETITIVE You’re ultimately training…

There was a time when watching the sun rise from a beach in Marbella signalled the end of an epic all-nighter. These days, there’s a different reason to be there, and it’s to take part in a dawn yoga session. That’s just one of the wholesome and invigorating activities offered at the Puente Romano resort, which caters for the increasing number of travellers who prefer to get their highs from an endorphin rush rather than a tequila shot. The list of active pursuits available is impressive: from guided cycle tours or runs along the beach to tennis lessons on an elite-standard court or skiing excursions to the Sierra Nevada mountains. What really stands out, however, is the Six Senses Spa, not just for its sumptuous luxury (although that is rather…

There’s a question I ask myself before I start any strength training plan, and it’s one that I’d pose to any client: how badly do you want it? That’s something that you’ve got to be honest about. Because if I want it badly enough then I will put in the work that’s required. The next thing I ask is, what are the things that are required? I don’t find it stressful or too much pressure to have a challenge put in front of me because I know the systems that I need to put into play and I take a lot of inner strength from that. So it’s pretty simple. If I have a target in mind, I’ll write a programme starting at the finishing date and working back to…

The first chapter in Lovett’s new book, Spartan Strength, focuses on developing proficiency in key movement patterns that you need to perfect if you want to lift heavy weights. Each movement pattern involves key exercises, which often have progressions and regressions depending on whether you’re struggling with or excelling at the lift. To help you start working on those movements, Lovett has identified some of the common flaws he sees releasing to the key exercises. Here’s what he wants you to look out for. HORIZONTAL PRESS PRESS-UP THE FLAW SOFT BODY I see a lot of press-ups performed with no tension in the body and this often causes the individual to drop their hips, placing stress on the lower back. THE FIX GET TIGHT Engaging the core throughout the rep…

Makes 24 cookies Healthy cookies are now officially a real thing! And they’re perfect for when you want to recharge on a ride. These are best served warm if possible, and also make a great dessert topped with some natural yogurt. This recipe makes quite a lot of cookies so I suggest you freeze half the mix to avoid the temptation of eating them all at once. Split the raw mixture two and form half into a sausage shape (approximately 10cm long) and wrap it in cling film. This will keep for up to a month in the freezer. For an easy snack, you can cook straight from frozen – just remove the cling film, slice the dough into 2cm rounds and bake, adding two minutes to the cooking…

HOW TO TRAIN The less time you have to hone your physique the more things you must do right to boost your chances of transformation success. While your training plan should be based around lifting weights for times a week, it makes sense to split your sessions into two upper-body workouts and two-lower body workouts to up the intensity to accelerate your fat-loss results. The first upper-body workout can be a “push” session built on the major pushing lifts that hit the chest, shoulders and triceps; the second should work the back and biceps in a “pull” session. In your two lower-body sessions work the quads, glutes and hamstrings, and these can include abs and core work too. Maximise your calorie burn by doing ten to 20 minutes of high-intensity…

M BREAKFAST 3-egg omelette, 45g feta, 50g mushrooms SNACK 1 banana, 20g peanut butter LUNCH Tofu fajita salad: Pan-fry 250g diced tofu marinated in paprika and cumin, and mix with 100g spinach, 100g sliced peppers, ¼ sliced red onion, 1tbsp balsamic dressing SNACK 40g cheddar cheese, 2 Ryvita crackers, 50g grapes DINNER Quorn risotto: Heat onion, garlic and 50g sliced mushrooms in a pan. Add 250g Quorn pieces and cook. Add 250g cooked rice, then pour over 200ml vegetable stock. Finish with a 1tsp parmesan and fresh parsley SNACK 75g oats, 30g scoop of soy protein powder NUTRITION Calories 2,334 Protein 171g Fat 90g Carbs 210g T BREAKFAST 2 poached eggs, 50g grilled mushrooms, 2 slices of toast SNACK 1 Bounce energy ball LUNCH Egg mayo and Quorn sausage sandwich:…

Carrots Munching on carrots can reduce your chances of suffering from cardiovascular disease. The popular idea that they help eye health also has some credibility: some studies have shown that carrot consumption can cut glaucoma risk. Ginger This spice has a reputation for promoting good digestive health and the science backs that up. In some studies it even outperformed over-the-counter drugs at combating motion sickness. Lime It can help prevent the build-up of plaque in arteries that is associated with increased heart attack risk, says a study in the journal ARYA Atherosclerosis. Scientists put the effect down to flavonoid compounds found in the fruit.…

OVERHEAD PRESS FAIL Dropping the bar too low FIX Go just below chin height Moving a muscle through a full range of motion only matters when it doesn’t negatively affect joint health. Lowering the bar below your chin places excess strain on your shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. BENT-OVER ROW FAIL Turning it into an upright row FIX Keep your torso still It’s tempting, especially when the weight gets heavy, to turn a row into a kind of shrug by raising your torso. Work your back harder by lifting lighter, pushing your bum back, and keeping your torso parallel to the floor. CHIN-UP FAIL Performing half-reps FIX Lock out at the base of the move Numbers aren’t everything, especially if you’re counting half-reps. Full-range reps work the muscles far more…

If you want to keep your smile wide for years to come, you need to up your intake of calcium. That’s the verdict from research published in the journal Nutrition, which found men who are deficient in this essential mineral suffer from greater rates of tooth loss than those who get enough. In the UK the recommended daily intake for calcium is 700mg, which is the amount found in a pint of semi-skimmed milk. Other good dairy sources include yogurt (225mg in 150g) and cheddar (220mg in 30g), and you can also get it from broccoli and leafy greens. Puma Jaab XT trainer A boxing-inspired training shoe that’s not only featherlight but designed for quick, multi-directional movements, whether you’re running around, or out of, the ring. £65, uk.puma.com Aspinal Navigator…

You might expect the entire focus of a strength training book to be loading as much weight on the bar as you possibly can. That’s our end goal. The best way to achieve that goal, in my experience, is to follow what I consider to be the most effective system for long-term progress. It’s one I have refined over 20 years of strength training and coaching. That system, regardless of who you are, starts with mastering some fundamental movement patterns. There are probably pretty good ways of building strength that don’t involve doing all these moves. But I’m not looking for “pretty good”, I’m looking for the optimal way, and this is the best method I’ve found to prepare people to get the most out of subsequent heavy barbell training.…

VERTICAL PULL PULL-UP THE FLAW NOT ENGAGING THE LATS I see a lot of people doing pull-ups and engaging their arms only – not properly engaging the lats. THE FIX INTO YOUR POCKET Focus on trying to pull your elbows towards your back pockets. If you’re struggling to engage your lats, you might need to teach yourself how to engage them in an easier variation of the move. Do a seated pull-up variation in a squat rack – the reduced load will help you to isolate the target muscle. HIP HINGE KETTLEBELL SWING THE FLAW SWINGING TOO HIGH Swinging the kettlebell overhead, as opposed to chest height, can see overextension at the top and soft lockouts with the glutes. THE FIX GO RUSSIAN I coach the Russian swing as opposed…

A robust blood vessel network is essential not only for longterm heart health, but also for better performance on the running track, in the weights room… and in the bedroom. Because the healthier your blood flow, the greater your lust for life. And new research suggests you can improve cardiovascular health and blood vessel function in a simple and delicious way: by eating more blueberries. In the study at King’s College London, subjects who ate 200g of blueberries had better circulatory function within just two hours, and over a month reported a level of blood pressure reduction similar to subjects on specialist medication. It’s thought high levels of anthocyanins are behind the better blood flow, so add berries to shakes, porridge or yogurts for a big heart health hit.…

Garlic and herb crusted sirloin steaks  SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS • 4 x 200g sirloin steaks • 100g parmesan, finely grated • ½ a loaf of sliced white bread, crusts removed • Parsley, finely chopped • Tarragon, finely chopped • Chervil, finely chopped • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed • 100ml rapeseed oil • Salt • Freshly ground pepper TO MAKE • Place the bread in a food processor and blend into crumbs. Add the chopped herbs and the crushed garlic. • Slowly add the grated parmesan. • Place in a sealed container until needed. The herb crust can be made up to 48 hours in advance. • Heat a griddle pan and rub the sirloin steaks with the rapeseed oil, season both sides with salt and freshly milled pepper.…

If there was a secret formula to building rock-hard abs the genius who cracked the code would be sitting pretty on a pile of gold bars. But while many people spend a lot of time and money trying to find the shortcut to a six-pack, the simple truth is that anyone can sculpt a defined core – but only once they start training properly. To this end we’ve devised this six-move abs-specific workout that’s split into two mini-circuits of three moves each, or tri-sets. The exercises selected and the rep ranges chosen will hit and fatigue maximum muscle fibres from across your entire core, helping you make ultra-fast progress towards that athletic and defined torso you want. HOW TO DO THE WORKOUT This session is made up of six moves,…