Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Men's Fitness UK

INTO THIN AIR Did you know that the oxygen concentration of air doesn’t change at altitude? It’s always 20.9 per cent on Earth, but as air becomes less dense, there are less oxygen molecules to breathe. Climbing Ben Nevis to 1,344m above sea level (as our writer Matt Ray did – p52) you wouldn’t really notice the difference. But above 2,000m you might. People have died from altitude sickness as low as 2,700m before. Above this altitude, you want to be cautious advancing more than 500m of vertical elevation per day – some experts recommend as little as 300m. On the 8,848m summit of Mount Everest there is only a third of the oxygen molecules as at sea level. BEACH BAR How long does it take to clean a 68kg…

NEW BALANCE 850 ALL TERRAIN £110, newbalance.co.uk The 850 All Terrains are a testament to New Balance’s high-performance credentials. Despite being the brand’s first foray into the hiking world, the level of detail is impressive, with Fresh Foam X cushioning, Vibram outsoles and alternative New Balance branding, alongside some mega-grip outsoles. It’s the ultimate combination of both form and function, and unlike most hiking footwear, even after these have been on your feet for half a day or more they’re still comfy as you like. As with most New Balance, sizing up is advised. HAGLÖFS SKUTA LOW PROOF ECO £100, haglofs.com The low-cut version of their Skuta Mid (the brand’s most famous boot), these beauties from Haglöfs are a lesson in pure comfort. A stable trekking shoe with a wide…

TRAIN SMART. Preparing for an ultra-distance race doesn’t have to mean hundreds of miles a month, especially as your first race is likely to be as much of a walk as a run. Instead, focus an equal amount of your time cross-training – strengthening your core and building lower-body resilience – as you do running. TAKE A HIKE. In any other race distance, to walk is to damage your chances of a PB, but in an ultra marathon, walking is not only inevitable, it’s essential. Hike the hills and jog the flats to maximise your chances of finishing. BREAK IT DOWN. If you start the race thinking about how many miles you’ve got to cover, you’ll feel overwhelmed. Dividing it into 10k sections makes it all seem a bit more…

CLIMBING SHOES They should fit snug, so the knuckles of your toes are bent slightly upwards, giving your foot a tight talon-like grip on footholds. La Sportiva Tarantula, £75, snowandrock.com CHALK BAG This is worn around your waist, over the top of your harness. Make sure the mouth is big enough to pass a hand through in a hurry. 8B+ Probag, £18, bananafingers.com CHALK You can buy cotton balls full of chalk or loose chalk in plastic bags, but the best value for money and for the environment are the square blocks sold in paper parcels. Moon Dust Loose Chalk, £6, moonclimbing.com HARNESS Fitting should allow a clenched fist to just pass between your waist and harness. Ensure before purchase there’s extra slack in the tightening strap, so you can…

Rolling green hills, sparse moorland, craggy rock-strewn vistas and waves crashing against the coastline – the British countryside has it all. And more and more of us are seeking it out. Migration to cities has been ongoing since the industrial revolution, but now an ever-increasing number of young people are looking to escape the urban sprawl to adventure in the great outdoors. Country walks have long been considered something for old people: a pastime for Regatta-clad National Trust members. However, recent years have seen a change in thinking. Hiking’s hit the mainstream. Even around our concrete jungles you see brands associated with rural adventure. The North Face, Patagonia and Columbia have gone from outdoor essentials to fashion staples, and luxe-boutique brands like Louis Vuitton have incorporated walking boots onto the…

“Protein is always at the forefront of any rugby player’s mind and their intake should be reflective of their body weight, body composition and playing position. Kyle looks to get 180–226g of protein per day, but he may go higher as bulk can be beneficial for the scrum. By comparison, the average UK male weighs 84kg and needs 67g of protein a day. His protein comes from lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and beans, supplemented by Maximuscle’s special protein shakes like Max Whey, protein bars and Protein Milk drinks. “Leading up to match day, it’s all about fuel. The recommended amount for rugby players is 5-12g of carbohydrate per kilogram of body mass per day. For training, Kyle takes on 30–60g per hour. His choices include unprocessed carbohydrates and…

Hangboarding puts a lot of stress on small muscles and tendons, which requires you to listen to your body as you progress. With an open-handed grip grab, hang-board or pull-up bar, hang using all four fingers. Hold the hang for ten to 15 seconds. If you can hang for longer, either find smaller holds on the hangboard, add some weight to yourself, or rest less between sets. Rest one minute after each hang, and then hang again. Four hangs equals one set. Rest five minutes and do another set of hangs on the same holds. Do four sets in all.…

A head of this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee are introducing six new sports: karate, climbing, surfing, baseball, softball and skateboarding. But plenty more have missed out – among them, Japan’s national and oldest sport, sumo wrestling. Combining balance, aggression and surprising speed, becoming a grand champion 'yokozuna' – the sport’s highest rank – takes a lifetime of commitment. Competitions last an epic 15 days at the elite level. The fights themselves, however, may only last seconds, as one competitor attempts to push the other out of the ring or make his opponent touch the floor with anything besides his feet. There are over 70 methods to achieve those goals, most of them variations on the ‘grab and push’ theme. Tradition and customs are paramount to…

A rock-solid physique, core control and life-affirming experiences are just a few of the benefits guaranteed for anyone who takes up climbing on a regular basis. And while you’re learning the ropes, the bustling social scenes of local climbing centres make for motivating places to get fit and strong. If and when you’re ready to brave the granite of the great outdoors, the challenge of outdoor climbing come springtime takes you on adventures you wouldn’t otherwise have dreamed of. So load up your chalk bag and prepare to “climb when ready!” GET TO GRIPS A first trip to your local climbing wall is often even simpler than an induction at the gym. Pay on the door and take a pair of clean sports shoes, and most climbing walls will let…

So delighted.” When Alex Honnold became the first person in history to free climb (without ropes) El Capitan's 900-metre vertical rock face in Yosemite National Park, that was his response when the film crew for Free Solo – the smash-hit documentary that tracked Honnold's feat – his girlfriend and family asked how he was feeling. “So delighted.” Having just risked his life to such an extreme degree, and achieved such a historic goal, it seemed a strange, almost passive, answer. Yet this nonchalant attitude perfectly sums up the way the majority of us now see and consider extreme exercise. It’s now so ingrained in day-to-day life, we’ve adopted an almost unreactive outlook on people’s endeavours to put their bodies and minds through some of the world’s toughest challenges. And who’s…

Kyle Sinckler is bulldozing into the Six Nations this February on the back of a powerhouse performance at the 2019 World Cup. The 18-stone England and Harlequins prop scored his first international try against Australia in the quarter-final and tore lumps out of the All Blacks with his power and aggression in the semi-final. Unfortunately for Sinckler and for England, he was forced off with concussion in the first minute of the heart-breaking final defeat to South Africa, but as one of the few state school pupils to force his way into the England squad, Sinckler is not one to let hard times get in his way. Men’s Fitness: Kyle, after beating the mighty All Blacks, then losing to South Africa in the final, how have you rewired your mindset…

HAGLÖFS NENGAL JACKET £370, haglofs.com Swedish label Haglöfs has established itself as a big name in outerwear, and its Nengal Jacket – designed with snow sports in mind – is hard to fault. The two-layer (read: well insulated) jacket is warm but not unnecessarily bulky, and it has a reinforced hood to stop the rain and wind smacking your face. It’s also completely helmet compatible. Inside you’ll find a zip-off snow skirt and a couple of nifty inside pockets. Velcro cuffs and the two-day water-resistant pockets also ensure nothing gets in or out. Available in four different colourways (blue, habanero, mineral and black), the Nengal Jacket is ideal for anyone looking for high-quality ski wear that’s not only comfortable and true to size, but lives up to performance expectations. What’s…

“In parts, the Azores feels like a tropical paradise; in others, you could easily mistake it for the Yorkshire Dales” Course maps and pre-event briefings aside, you can tell a lot about how tough a race is going to be by simply looking at your fellow competitors. Trekking poles are a dead giveaway, as are vascular calf muscles and legs criss-crossed with compression tape. These are the marks of seasoned runners; you are in for a serious race. All the above were all on display as I landed on the mid-Atlantic island of São Miguel – part of the Azores archipelago – and checked in to my hotel one evening in late November. But there were also other, more obvious signs that I was in for a testing time: pained…

BELAY – to secure a roped climber with a friction device attached to your harness. BETA – the tactics and technique needed to climb a particular route or problem. BOULDERING – climbing without ropes above crash pads or another safe landing. CRIMP – to grip a hold with the tips of your fingers, sometimes folding your thumb over the tip of your index finger to add extra power. CRANK – to pull as hard as possible on a hold to make upward progress. DYNO – a dynamic lunge where the climber releases all points of contact with the rock to reach the next hold. FLAG – to extend a leg away to your side when climbing to keep balance. FLASH – to climb a route or problem on the first…

Each team will row in excess of 1.5 million oar strokes over a race. Rowers will row for two hours and sleep for two hours, constantly, 24 hours a day.More people have climbed Everest than rowed an ocean. Over €6 million has been raised for charities worldwide over the past four races. At its deepest, the Atlantic Ocean is 8.5km/5.28 miles deep. The waves the rowers will experience can measure up to 20ft high. There are two safety yachts supporting the teams as they cross the ocean. In the 2013 race, one yacht travelled a massive 9,000 nautical miles. The 2013 winning team, Locura, arrived in Antigua with a blue marlin beak pierced through the hull of the boat. Each rower is expected to use 800 sheets of toilet paper…

From £296, satmap.com Explore more with a dedicated outdoor GPS and terrific mapping. Smartphone mapping is great, but the Satmap Active 20 GPS is even better for the tough stuff and real adventures. Waterproof, robust and with a host of great features (including superb GPS accuracy, 100% touchscreen and 100% button control – no other outdoor GPS does this), this is the right gear for the job. Choose from a huge global catalogue of outstanding topographic mapping (450 titles), including Ordnance Survey Full GB 1:25k and custom mapping of anywhere.…

GET A GUIDE The most important safety feature on any mountaineering trip is knowledge – of the route but also of rope techniques, navigation in local conditions and self-rescue skills. Unless you’re already an experienced mountaineer, the only way to get all that knowledge is to hire a guide – Men’s Fitness used Abacus Mountain Guides, run by local climber Mike Pescod. CHECK THE WEATHER MF may have climbed Ben Nevis in the rain, but we knew the windspeed wasn’t likely to be high, so the risk was calculated. As Pescod says, “When planning your route, you should consider (in this order) the weather and conditions underfoot, you and your group’s experience and equipment, and only then start thinking about where to go.” HAVE A HEAD FOR HEIGHTS There’s not…

“My big three strength exercises are squat, bench and military press,” says Sinckler. “They have a lot of correlation for my position, as we are always lifting guys in lineouts. But good technique is so important, which is why working with Adam Bishop, my strength coach at Quins (and World's Strongest Man competitor), has been so good.” BARBELL BACK SQUAT Sinckler’s one-rep max (1RM): 242.5kg “Keep the inside of your heels in line with the outside of your shoulders and your toes externally rotated,” advises Harlequins’ strength coach Bishop. “Grip the bar outside shoulder-width and sit it on the upper traps. As you squat, try to maintain a big chest with your scapula and elbows pinned back and down.” BARBELL BENCH PRESS Sinckler’s 1RM: 197.5kg “Begin with the bar at…

SUNNY SRI LANKAN CURRY Sri Lankan curry can be super high in saturated fat due to the coconut milk. We’ve tempered this bad boy down, using reduced-fat coconut milk instead, but it’s still big on flavour. INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) - 1 small butternut squash - 20g cashews - 1 tsp vegetable oil - 2 large shallots - 3 large garlic cloves - 5cm piece fresh ginger (about 20g) - 1 fresh green bird’s-eye chilli - 1 red pepper - 1 orange pepper - 1 tsp coconut oil - 1 tsp ground turmeric - 1 tbsp curry powder - 1 tbsp black mustard seeds - 1 tbsp tomato purée - 15 curry leaves, optional - 200ml reduced-fat coconut milk - 200ml water - 10g desiccated coconut - 100g fresh baby spinach…

Tim Howell is on a mission. His plan is to become the first person to climb and BASE jump all six ‘classic’ north faces of the Alps. You wouldn’t bet against him. Howell has always been an adventurer. After leaving school and becoming a wildlife guide in South Africa, at 18 he went on to join the Marines, saw combat in Afghanistan and spent every minute of his spare time living life on the edge. “I was climbing and skydiving at weekends while training in the Marines,” he says. “Two-hundred skydives is standard before you learn how to BASE jump, and then more if you want to learn how to fly a wingsuit.” For anyone unfamiliar with the term, BASE is an acronym for building, antenna, span and earth –…

NEW SKILLS ‘Uncertainty helps us learn; stability turns our brains off.’ That’s the conclusion of research by Daeyeol Lee, Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology and Psychiatry at Yale University. When we’re in a new environment, or a new experience, our brains switch on and process new information. “We only learn when there is uncertainty, and that is a good thing,” says Lee. SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT “Completing the smallest action that you wouldn’t normally do can have a huge effect on your motivation,” says Jake Rostron, PureGym instructor and life coach. “Overcoming that ‘first try’ will make all the difference, as once you’re over that hurdle, you can go again and again.” The key, when it comes to breakout exercise, is to ease out of that comfort zone – set achievable but…