Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2021 i Men's Fitness UK

This lockdown, most people seem to agree, is harder than the others. Some experts have put this down to the dampening of our ‘fight or flight’ survival mechanism. To begin with, the coronavirus crisis places us on high alert: proactive, productive, desperate to bake banana bread. But that adrenaline-fuelled response – heightening the senses in dangerous situations – was not designed to last this long. Now, after an entire year, we’re all just, well, over it. But while the enthusiasm for home hobbies might not be quite what it was, one activity shows no sign of slowing down. According to research published by Macmillan Cancer Support, seven million people across the country have turned to running during the pandemic. This army of runners – over ten per cent of the…

1. TRIAL RUN “Pitch a new tent at home to make sure you can – and that all the parts are there,” says Mike Pescod, owner of Abacus Mountain Guides. “Then strip back what you will need, such as minimal pegs and stuff bags, to keep weight down.” 2. CUT BACK A lightweight rucksack is the difference between joy and tears. First, pack your kit, then unpack to see what you really need, before repacking. You will likely cut your kit by a third or half. 3. STAY WARM A foil blanket, like those given away at running races, makes a great extra insulator for cold nights, especially beneath or inside a sleeping bag. 4. PACK CLEVER Pack dual-purpose items, such as a spork, a cup…

• Running with your head down adds considerable weight to your spine. • Hunched shoulders and slouching reduces your ability to engage your elastic system. • Out of control arms will lead your legs astray and take away balance and symmetry in your movement. • Bending forwards at the waist will reduce your ability to create positive tension in your elastic system. • Overstriding and landing on a heel with a straight leg is a poor way to dissipate and harness the effects of impact. • A low cadence will likely result in overstriding. Too high a cadence will likely mean you’re shuffling (or even walking).…

TZ-1 PE BODYBOARD £99.99, bodyboard-depot.com Top of its class for under £100. A highly durable, intermediate-level board designed for max wave-catching capacity. BILLABONG FURNACE COMP 5/4MM ZIPPERLESS WETSUIT £319.99, surfdome.com One of the best heat-retaining wetsuits out there, with graphene technology and ample flexibility. THRASH DOT-GRIP PRO BICEP LEASH £24.99, bodyboard-depot.com An easy-to-spot high-performance leash with a large, padded cuff. POD PF2 BODYBOARD FINS £46.50, bodyboard-depot.com Advanced fins made from the highest grade natural rubber, with cutting-edge design for both power and comfort. HUBBOARDS DOUBLE TRANSIT BODYBOARD BAG £25, thepitshurfshop.co.uk A reasonably priced bag with comfortable straps and room for a couple of boards, plus extra kit.…

1. SWITCH OFF For many runners, headphones are as essential as a pair of trainers and running is an exercise in blocking out discomfort. For Lawson, that’s missing the point. “I would really recommend running without headphones or being plugged into  anything,” he says. “The beauty of running is having that time to not be plugged in, and just be out in nature. You don’t get those benefits from many other forms of exercise. Keep it simple and enjoy the act of running.” 2. MOVE MORE While your idea of recovery might be lying on the sofa and doing as little as possible before your next run, Lawson says that’s no good for your body. “Movement aids recovery,” he says. “I think a lot of injury problems come…

HOW TO: Complete 15-20 reps of each exercise. Take minimal rest between exercises. Rest for 60-90 secs at the end of the round. Complete 4-5 rounds in total. 1A. MED BALL SLEDGEHAMMER Start by holding the ball between your legs with your back flat. Explosively straighten up to raise the ball overhead. Reverse the movement. 1B. MED BALL PRESS-UP Place both hands on the ball in the top of a press-up position. Lower your chest until it’s fist-distance from the ball, keeping your elbows tucked in. 1C. MED BALL WALL THROW Stand in front of a (solid) wall, holding the ball in one hand at shoulder height. Brace your core and drive your shoulder forward to throw the ball against the wall. Pick it up and repeat.…

A healthy and well-balanced diet will fortify your immunity, but what if you start feeling the early symptoms of a cold or flu? “If you get a sore throat or a runny nose, take some zinc lozenges with more than 75mg of elemental zinc,” suggests Professor Gleeson. These ‘zinc bombs’ serve as antiviral agents, which can help to stop the cold virus from docking with your cells, thereby hampering its attempts to attack your body. “Zinc lozenges won’t stop you getting the cold, but they could reduce the duration of your illness,” says Professor Gleeson.…

NOLAN SUNNASSEE Nolan is an Olympic-level strength and conditioning coach. Read his plateau-busting strength strategies on page 6. STEVE HOYLES Steve is a personal trainer and weightlifting coach. This issue he makes the case for complexes to level up your fitness. SIMON CROSS A journalist with an interest in wellbeing, each issue Simon pulls together the standout research around mental health. JAMES FORREST A record-breaking adventurer, James’ hiking expertise are put to good use in our Get Outside Guide (pages 21-37).…

• LOCKDOWN LIFT • One third of British people work out more since the coronavirus pandemic than they did before 2020. Spending the last year in and out of lockdown sparked a change in our relationship with fitness, according to a study by research commissioned by supplement brand Bulk. Here are the standout stats: 76% said working out vastly helped their mental health during lockdown. 38% of Brits move more now than they did before the first lockdown. 34% tried a new kind of exercise in a bid to stay active in 2020. 33% have taken up running. 85% said they now prefer to workout at home, and nearly three quarters (71%) said they’ll continue to exercise at home. 61% said lockdown made it easier to eat more healthily, and…

1. CRAFT YOUR CORE Without a fully activated core, you are carrying around a sack of potatoes. Try to fit in at least one activity a week that involves a test of your core strength: climbing, pilates or yoga, or some simple breathing exercises. 2. SLOW DOWN Trails are less predictable than tarmac, with natural obstacles in the form of rocks, tree roots and mud. To truly enjoy the trails, you need a more flexible relationship with the ticking clock. 3. ALTER YOUR STRIDE Aim for shorter strides and lighter steps for stability and improved judgement over uneven terrain. Quick steps help to protect your joint, too: by keeping your feet underneath you, less pressure is exerted onto the ankles and knees. 4. LOOK UP Focus…

DANNER WOMEN’S MOUNTAIN 600 £156.34, danner.com Combining outdoor ruggedness with a stylish, retro design, the Danner 600 hits the mark as spring/summer hiking boot. A Danner Dry membrane provides a 100 per cent waterproof and breathable barrier, while an EVA midsole and Ortholite footbed provide maximum cushioning and support. Rugged lugs provide good grip, too. SALOMON QUEST 4D 3 GTX £180, salomon.com The immensely popular Salomon Quest 4D 3 GTX boots will keep your feet happy, no matter how long or muddy your hike. The Contagrip outsole’s aggressive lug pattern provides good traction, a Gore-Tex liner blocks out water, and the 4D advanced chassis, wide forefoot and high ankle cuff ensure top-notch stability and support. INOV-8 ROCLITE G 345 GTX £155, inov-8.com Extremely lightweight, and comfy straight out the box,…

ROBENS ICEFALL PRO 600 SLEEPING BAG £154.99, robens.de A two-to-three season sleeping bag with 600g of MicroThermo Ball synthetic fill that closely mimics down, to provide great compression as well as a warm loft. There are 300g and 900g bag options, too. Extra features include a centre zip and 3D hood. THERM-A-REST NEOAIR XTHERM SLEEPING PAD £195, thermarest.com Therm-A-Rest claims the sleeping pad ‘boasts the most warmth per ounce for an ultralight mattress’. It is 6.4cm deep when  inflated and has a baffled internal structure for good stability and support. It also packs to the size of a water bottle. A one-way inflation valve saves breath when inflating. MSR WINDBURNER PERSONAL STOVE SYSTEM £134.99, msrgear.com The windproof radiant burner and pressure regulator maintain stove performance in windy and cold conditions.…

• Head up with eyes on the horizon. • Run tall with your chest out, creating a bow shape with your upper body. • Keep your shoulders relaxed. • Good arm swing is dynamic but not mechanical. The elbow leads from the rib cage at a right angle and moves to the rear, so the hand goes where the elbow started. The arm should then relax so that the elbow naturally returns and the process is repeated. • Fingers gently touching your thumb to avoid unnecessary tension. • Cycle your legs so that your foot lands beneath you (not in front). • The foot has an amazing set of arches that combine to form a dome for us to rest on. We must land on this natural tripod (not on our toes or our heel) to dissipate…

1. RUN RESPONSIBLY Once you break out of a walk within an urban environment, you hold responsibility for disrupting the natural order of the pavement, which means you waive your right to get angry at pedestrians who amble across your path or appear suddenly out of doorways or side streets. Be sensible, and anticipate the actions of others near you. 2. MIND THE GAPS It may make you feel like a nimble urban warrior to nip in and out of tiny gaps between pedestrians, leaping over obstacles and spinning around lampposts. But pretty soon you’ll start winding people up. When you run in the city, it pays to rein yourself in a bit. 3. STAY CALM When running in an urban environment, it can seem like the…

“WHERE YOUR ATTENTION GOES, ENERGY FLOWS AND RESULTS SHOW” Before we start, let’s get one thing clear. I’m not some bullshitting lifestyle coach who’s never had to deal with the realities of life. I know exactly what it’s like to feel your life slipping out of control. Believe me, I’ve been there. Back in 2014, in the depths of suicidal depression, I stood on the edge of a cliff in South Shields, planning to end my life. My wife, Lesley, had to plead with me not to jump off. “Think about the kids,” she said. “Do you want them to go through life thinking that their dad has given up on them?” That was the turning point. NEW BEGINNING It was time to go home, cut out the crap and…

Running is a straightforward activity often made to seem incredibly complicated. For Lawson, you will get the most from it when you keep things simple and trust your technique – up to a point. “Our bodies know how to run,” says Lawson, “and we all have an efficient way of moving. The only thing I would try to avoid is heavy heel striking: it’s always better to land more towards your forefoot. But that can easily be addressed if you go out and run barefoot on a grass field for ten minutes, two or three times a week. You’ll find you run the way you’re supposed to – in a way you don’t have to when you wear big, bouncy trainers.”…

FUTURE FARM Brazil’s most popular meatless meat brand, Future Farm, has come to the UK. Since launching last year, Brazilians have eaten more than nine million Future Burgers (accounting for 25 per cent of the country’s entire meat burger industry). Products include meat-free burgers, meatballs, mince and sausages – all made from a blend of soy, pea and chickpea proteins. Pick up a pack for yourself in Sainsbury’s.…

Warming up properly is crucial for minimising the risk of injury and ensuring you’re able to get the most out of your workout. Limber up your joints and muscles with this full-body warm-up circuit before every strenuous session. HOW TO: Perform 30 secs of each warm-up drill. Perform the exercises back-to-back. 1A. WRIST ROLL Stand tall with hands clasped and fingers interlocking. Roll your hands around in a circle, rotating at the wrist. Repeat three times, then change directions for another three rotations. 1B. KNEELING ANKLE ROCKER Go down on one knee, with your front knee at a 90-degree angle and your foot directly beneath it, keeping your chest up. Place your hands on top of each other on your front knee, then rock forward, keeping everything in…

I’ve never really been a fitness person. If only I owned an armchair, I’d be the modern-day armchair fan, with streaming links aplenty and a hare-brained assumption that nerding out over fantasy football somehow makes you more susceptible to fitness by osmosis. In truth, I love cricket on the radio, football on the telly and the Olympics on the sofa. Despite my talent for watching screens, I found myself immune to the charms of Joe Wicks. Maybe it’s my tendency to completely miss out on massive cultural moments, but his workout antics during lockdown 1.0 (which were literally designed to help people like me) completely passed me by. I found myself in a rut after a series of unfortunate events. A surging run at five-a-side was met by a crunching…

TWEET RELIEF Even if you’re stuck in your house, finding ways to attract garden birds to your balcony or window ledge can do wonders for your wellbeing as winter gives way to spring. Studies have shown that spending time watching our feathered friends gives a noticeable mental-health boost. Early spring is a good time to put out feeders, as birds begin to prepare for the breeding season.3 Getting quality sleep may be the most important predictor of good mental health and wellbeing in young adults, say researchers at the University of Otago. Plenty of undisturbed rest was found to be key to healthy young minds, ahead of even exercise and time spent outdoors. SPARK OUT Electro acupuncture is being hailed as a possible treatment for insomnia, after researchers found that…

It was an email that took half an hour to draft and several days of nervous deliberation to send. The question – perhaps a bold one for someone who had never written one before – was whether the Mr Miyagi of movement, Shane Benzie, wanted to write a book with me. The answer, in typical fashion for a man dubbed the “Indiana Jones of the running world”, came from a remote location on the other side of the globe: ‘In the middle of the race but came across some internet! I am absolutely up for that. Let’s get together on my return for a chat!!’ And with that, we set off on our own epic journey. It was a journey, though, that didn’t start because I particularly wanted to write…

1. RUN TALL Your fascial system runs up your body like giant elastic bands, from your toes to the top of your skull. Run hunched over with your head down and those elastic bands will be loose and there will be very little recoil, meaning your muscles take all of the strain. If you put height in your body by adopting a tall, elegant posture, you create tension in that system. This provides energy to help propel you forward. Your perception of how you move also plays a significant role. If you think that you’re trudging along aimlessly, that mindset will be reflected in your posture. You must therefore think of yourself as tall, dynamic, elastic and connected. 2. MAKE AN IMPACT The traditional running rule book vilifies impact. Create…

Think watersports and you probably think surfing, wakeboarding, kayaking or paddleboarding. But bodyboarding...that’s just something overexcited children do at the beach? Well, not quite. Because while bodyboarding is the cheapest and most accessible of all watersports – hence its popularity with kids and holiday makers – there’s much more to it than that. If you want to up your game, you need to get out of your depth, but for beginners, bodyboarding provides almost instant rewards. “It’s a sport that welcomes all levels of fitness,” says Rob Barber of bodyboard-holidays.com. “It’s an amazing way to have fun, keep fit, and there are no age boundaries.” Barber, who was formerly the highest ranked rider in Europe, now devotes much of his time to coaching, both in the UK and abroad, and…

“I was so tired that I was thinking, If I do end up getting run over it will be a chance to have a lie down!” “It was mainly along A roads. The route is quite brutal in that respect, but after a while you forget about it” Hiding places are luxuries not afforded to the long-distance runner. Discomfort can be masked for a time, but eventually whispers of pain become injuries screaming for attention. Back in 2018, in an attempt to run the length of the UK in record time, Dan Lawson covered an astonishing 640 miles – mainly along the verges of Britain’s A roads. With two days to go, he had 190 miles left to run (unthinkable for most, but within reach of the man who once…

A major global study in Nature Medicine has confirmed that people with more ‘brown fat’ are less likely to suffer from heart problems, high cholesterol and diabetes. Brown fat is the so-called ‘good’ fat around your neck, shoulders, chest and back, which helps to burn ‘bad’ white fat and glucose to keep you warm in cold conditions. Whereas normal white fat stores energy from food, brown fat burns energy to produce heat. It has a unique protein within its mitochondria, called ‘uncoupling protein’, which rapidly produces large amounts of heat when exposed to the cold. “A gram of brown fat will produce 300 times more heat than a gram of any other tissue in the body when maximally stimulated,” explains Professor Michael Symonds, deputy head of the University of Nottingham’s…

A sports nutritionist to world-class plant-based athletes, Waterfall’s The Plant-Based Power Plan shows you how a meat-free diet can be the not-so-secret tool you need to improve both health and performance. The book breaks down the strategies he uses with Premier League footballers, professional rugby players, Team GB Olympians and endurance athletes, into easy but comprehensive guidance for anyone looking to get the most out of their plant-based approach. Expect science-backed myth-busting, proven tips to help you excel in your sport or training, and a selection of 30 quick and easy plant-based recipes to show you how simple it is to incorporate the most important nutrients into must-try meals. POWER PLANTS Veganism has been shown to promote longevity and protect against all manner of diseases, including cancer and dementia. In…

1A. HANG CLEAN TO OVERHEAD PRESS Start with the bar hanging at knee height. Drive your hips forward and pull the bar to your chest, with elbows underneath the bar. From here, press overhead. 1B. PRESS-UP TO SQUAT THRUST Assume the press-up position. Perform a full rep, then jump your knees into your chest and back out again, returning to the press-up position. 1C. DUMBBELL CURL INTO PALMS-FACING SHOULDER PRESS With the dumbbells by your sides, curl the weights fully up to your shoulders. From here, press them overhead. Reverse the movement with control. 1D. PULL UP INTO HANGING LEG RAISE Perform a pull-up. Once you’ve returned to the start position, stay stable (don’t swing) and lift your legs up so they’re parallel to the floor,…

HOW TO: Do 10 reps of the first move, rest for 5 secs, then do 10 reps of the second move, and so on, until you’ve done all 10 reps of the sixth move. That’s 1 circuit. Rest for 2 mins. Do 3-5 circuits in total. 1A. DB GOBLET SQUAT Stand holding a dumbbell in both hands at chest height. Keep your chin and chest up, and brace your core. Bend at the knees and push your bum back to squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground. Drive through your heels to stand back up. 1B. DB SHOULDER PRESS Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, with palms facing forward. Keep your chest up, core tight and back straight,…

70% The proportion of athlete illnesses that result in a serious disruption of training, according to the Journal of Sports Medicine. 5–10% The sensible weekly increase in training volume recommended to avoid weakening the immune system, according to a review published in the European Journal of Sports Science. 30-60g The recommended amount of carbs consumed per hour of exercise to limit any impairment of the immune system, according to the Journal of Applied Physiology. 33% The reduction in the duration of cold symptoms caused by taking zinc lozenges, according to researchers from the University of Helsinki.…