Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2022 i Men's Fitness UK

The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says that switching to e-cigarettes may help smokers wean themselves off real cigarettes. But a new study by the University of California San Diego and Moores Cancer Center, which tracked the habits of 13,604 smokers for two years, found that smokers who switch to e-cigarettes are more likely to relapse. “Our findings suggest that individuals who quit smoking and switched to e-cigarettes increased their risk of a relapse back to smoking over the next year by 8.5 percentage points compared to those who quit using all tobacco products,” explained Professor John P. Pierce. “Quitting is the most important thing a smoker can do to improve their health, but the evidence indicates that switching to e-cigarettes made it less likely, not more likely,…

A lack of sleep affects your mood, memory and motivation, but a new study has shown that a bad night’s kip can also affect your gait and balance. The study, by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of São Paulo, found that sleep-deprived subjects lost balance and muscle control when walking on a treadmill. It’s likely that sleep-deprived athletes would experience the same problems when running, leading to a higher risk of injury. But the study also found that people who caught up on their sleep with weekend lie-ins enjoyed better gait control. “For those who are chronically sleep-deprived, like shift workers, if they build in regular sleep compensation, they might have better control over their gait,” said Dr Hermano Krebs, the principal research scientist.…

01. Boost your metabolism If your comfort zone for cardio sessions is the indoor treadmill or trainer, step outside to feel bigger benefits. Exercising outdoors in winter has been shown to fortify the immune system – cutting your risk of sickness and injury – and research in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism has shown cold-weather training encourages the body to burn through calories at a greater rate. 02. Realise your potential “Challenging yourself with a new fitness routine – increased weights, or longer, harder, faster sessions – forces you to dip into your previously untapped resources,” says life coach Jake Rostron. “You unleash previously unseen effort, calling upon your resources of energy, motivation and willpower. You don’t know what you’re made of until you venture outside of your…

Visit mensfitness.co.uk/fitness/survey The conversation around health, fitness and masculinity is constantly evolving, and we want to make sure we’re delivering the information you want in a way that informs and inspires in equal measure. To do that, we need your help. So we’re asking you to share your honest thoughts about what Men’s Fitness is doing well, and where there’s room for improvement. Give us a few minutes of your time, and we will give you a new and improved Men’s Fitness. Simply follow the link above to tell us what sort of content you would like to see more of. Any feedback will help us create more of the content you want, and less of the stuff you don’t. Thank you. isaac.williams@kelsey.co.uk GO TO MENSFITNESS.CO.UK/FITNESS/SURVEY…

There are many ways to get a stronger, leaner body – you just need to find the approach that works for you, whatever lifestyle you lead. So, we’ve assembled a team of expert personal trainers and strength coaches to provide time-saving, workout-enhancing and energy-boosting hacks to help you to reach your goals in the year ahead. 01. TAKE A BREATH Feeling sluggish at the start of your workout? Everything from stress to poor posture can lead to taking short, ineffective breaths that miss out on the energy of a properly oxygenated brain and body. Try this quick fix: breathe in through your nose for five seconds and let your stomach push out, then breathe out through your mouth for ten seconds. Slow the exhalation down by pressing your lips together…

Not that long ago, it was a tall order to watch the best female athletes on the planet on TV outside of a tennis Grand Slam or a major athletics championship. Now, women’s sport is everywhere – and about time, too. The sea change seems to have come – to borrow Hemingway’s phrase – “gradually, then suddenly.” After generations of women playing second fiddle in the billing and on the payroll, the last few years have seen an explosion of interest, of commercial backing, and of talent to match. Everywhere, female athletes are pushing boundaries, fighting for equality and representation, and not taking no for an answer. They are smashing records, breaking through barriers, and sometimes even beating the men in their own games. For the first time at the…

Tennent’s Light £13.75 (12 X 300ML), TENNENTS.CO.UK Made from Scottish-grown cereals and fresh highland water from Loch Katrine, Tennent’s Light is bright and balanced, with a nice blend of bitter sweetness – and there are just 60 calories per bottle. We’ll have five. SkinnyBrands Premium Lager £4.60 (4 X 330ML), GROCERIES.ASDA.COM A rising star in the world of low-calorie beer, SkinnyBrands Lager tastes as good as any regular beer –.the only thing missing is the triple-figure calorie count. Clean, crisp and refreshing, it’s also vegan and gluten-free.. The Original Small Beer Session Pale £52 (24 X 350ML), THEORIGINALSMALLBEER.COM A rare pale ale entry –.brewed using the historic ‘small beer’ method that was once a staple of British life – the Session Pale comes in at an impressive 85 calories per…

FIND YOUR RHYTHM For long-distance events like the Great Glen, you want to settle into a comfortable rhythm, with a smooth, efficient stroke. Try to ‘catch’ the paddle blade as far forward as possible, stacking your hands one over the other to help keep your board straight. RIDE THE WAVES You’re likely to be paddling with a tailwind – which, on Loch Ness in particular, means waves. When you’re down-winding, the focus is on catching the wave in front of you. Keep your weight forward to accelerate onto the bump, and step back into a surf stance if you need to bring the board’s nose up to stop it from pearling. In stronger winds, you’ll need to use your paddle in a low brace position, leaning against the water’s surface,…

Campaigners have warned the government against leaving a ‘loophole’ in the law which will allow religious groups to continue to offer ‘conversion therapy’ – aimed at people unsure of their sexuality or gender identity – after it has been outlawed. A 2018 survey found that approximately 5% of LGBT people have been offered conversion therapy, which may take the form of conversation, or prayer. Politicians looking at banning conversion therapy because of the serious mental health impacts it can lead to are keen to avoid restricting the religious freedoms of those who seek out spiritual support concerning their sexuality, but campaigner Jayne Ozanne warned she was “deeply concerned” about the potential dangers of adults consenting “to these harmful and degrading practices”.…

BAR STAR These oat bars are the perfect pre- or post-workout fuel: high in protein for recovery, with a good mix of simple and complex carbohydrates to refuel your muscle glycogen stores. This version is oil-free and gets its sweetness from bananas, dried fruit and just a little maple syrup. They’re soft in the middle, chewy on the outside, with some crunch from the nuts and seeds. Time: 5 minutes prep + 25 minutes cooking Difficulty: easy Storage: keep in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze for up to three months INGREDIENTS (MAKES 12 BARS) - 2 large ripe bananas- 150g oats (or GF oats)- 25g pumpkin seeds- 25g sunflower seeds- 50g walnuts, roughly chopped- 80g raisins- 180g smooth peanut butter- 5 tbsp maple syrup- 3 tbsp…

Turkey As well as being packed with protein and containing minimal fats, turkey contains hormones similar to serotonin, which promotes better sleep and boosts your mood. Cranberries These are rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which makes them an effective immune-boosting addition to your Christmas menu. Chestnuts Rich in fatty acids, which can provide a host of benefits for your heart and skin. Salmon A rich source of omega 3 and B12, salmon provides numerous benefits to aid heart health, as well as reducing cholesterol. Stuffing Stuffing recipes often contain nuts, seeds and dried fruits, which are packed with fibre and other essential nutrients, such as vitamin E. Red Cabbage Full of anthocyanins, which reduce your risk of heart disease. Red cabbage is also loaded with flu-fighting vitamin C.…

Every so often, an idea comes along that gets me really excited about my job, because I know it will help a lot of people enjoy their training. The 6XM programme is exactly that. Based on six concepts of movement, I believe it’s all you need to reach a higher level of strength and general physical conditioning. I’ve been a full-time personal trainer since 2007, and in that time the challenges in helping people enjoy their exercise and see results have not changed. There have always been three problems to solve: getting started, maintaining effective training, and avoiding injury or loss of interest. In the pages that follow, I will outline how to tackle each problem head on and introduce the 6XM system, which I believe has the power to…

Over the festive period, increased calorie consumption can very easily become an indulgent pleasure and body image meltdown at the same time. With more social events in the calendar, more ingredient-rich meals with all the extras you only ever eat once a year, and all those boxes of temptation everywhere you go, navigating diet and training can feel challenging However, what if you could put those inevitable extra calories to good use? What if you could utilise the extra food you consume as fuel to perform and continue making gains? If you want to ensure maximum bang for your buck with time spent in the gym, as well as best turn winter calories to your advantage, read on… 01. CHANGE THE NUTRITION NARRATIVE The health and fitness industry has, through…

KATE CARTER is a writer and presenter. This issue, she profiles the game-changing female athletes all men can look up to (p44). ROBBIE BRITTON is a former GB 24-hour runner turned endurance coach. On p58 he dishes out some expert advice to help you run better. KEITH DREW is a travel writer who packed his paddleboard to take on the 92km Great Glen Challenge. Read how he got on from p64. HARVEY LAWTON is the founder of The Movement Blueprint. On p96 he explains how to turn extra Christmas calories into muscle.…

Standing up during work meetings and office chats, or while sorting through your bills and laundry at home, could reduce your risk of Type 2 diabetes. A study in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found that when subjects stand up, they enjoy better insulin sensitivity, possibly because of the extra muscles used. “These findings should encourage people to replace part of their daily sitting time with standing more often,” explained Taru Garthwaite, a doctoral candidate at the University of Turku in Finland, and the co-author of the study. TRY THIS: VARIDESK® PRO PLUS™ 36 £365, vari.com The standout standing desk features a two-tier design, stable base and a smooth, spring-assisted lift.…

The North Face has launched a new initiative to increase participation, diversity and inclusivity in outdoor sport and exploration. The Explore Fund Council has been created to break down barriers and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the realm of outdoor exploration. It comes in light of a 2020 Sport England report, which concluded that those from BAME backgrounds are likely to be less physically active, and that sport is ultimately failing BAME groups. “I’m excited about being able to work alongside The North Face on their Explore Fund Council, helping more people to experience the joy of the outdoors,” said Council member and racial equality advocate Phil Young.…

Lululemon Power Stride Tab Sock £28 (pack of 3), lululemon.co.uk Arch support, a foot-specific ErgoToes™ design and seamless toe construction make the Power Stride your perfect running companion. Sweat smells, meanwhile, are kept at bay by Silverescent™ technology. Under Armour Charged Cotton 6” Boxerjock £36 (pack of 3), underarmour.co.uk Made from Charged Cotton®, which dries quicker than the regular stuff, these Boxerjocks are free from side or back seams to improve comfort and reduce the risk of chafing. The four-way stretch fabric is also silky soft. CXP Core XP £30, cxpofficial.com CXP’s run-focused boxer shorts move as you do, but manage to avoid feeling too tight or restrictive. The ultra-light waistband negates any abdominal pressure, and the sweat-wicking, four-way stretch fabric is tailor-made for men on the move Castore White…

Depending on who you listen to, your fitness is either all about lifting weights or just cardio workouts, but the reality is that it’s always going to have a combination of different factors for every individual. If you are into a spot of running, be it on the treadmill, on the roads or up and down some local trails, there will be at least a handful of tips that will help you in my new book, 1001 Running Tips. The sections cover a whole range, from how to start out, setting your own training or working with a coach, to what are the best bits of kit (hint: you already own them) and how to keep your head in the game during your goal race. The aim was to keep…

Anxiety, depression, bipolar. Chances are you’ve not just heard of these common mental illnesses, but either know someone who struggles or have had issues yourself. But as more and more people open up about their mental health, it’s becoming clear there are other conditions that are less well known, but equally deserving of attention. One such condition is cyclothymia. Cyclothymia made headlines in late 2021 when DJ, broadcaster and musician Matt Edmondson revealed on social media that he had been diagnosed with the condition. Edmondson said that he had been suffering for a number of years, describing how he oscillated from periods of high mood and rapid productivity to lows that included extreme anxiety and catastrophising. If that sounds a bit like bipolar, that’s because it is. According to the…

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New research suggests you really should trust your nose whenever you smell something bad. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that negative smells associated with unpleasantness or unease – like rotten food or harsh chemicals – are processed by the brain much quicker than nice or alluring smells, and trigger an intense physical avoidance response so we actively move away from them. Unpleasant odour signals can reach the brain within 100-150 milliseconds of inhalation, which means our sense of smell acts as a vital rapid warning system. “The results suggest that our sense of smell is important to our ability to detect dangers in our vicinity, and much of this ability is more unconscious than our response to danger mediated by our senses of…

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ThruDark is the adventure clothing brand created by a group of Special Forces (SBS) veterans. The name, ‘Thru-Dark’, represents overcoming the kind of testing situations its founders – Louis and Staz– experienced in the SBS. Tough times, in extreme environments, call for kit that’s built to last, and ThruDark’s products – from parkas to baselayers– deliver next-level durability. The Patriot Down Smock is the perfect example. Developed for severe cold-weather conditions, you’ll do well to find a jacket that’s comfier or more fit for purpose. The outer layer is made from a rip-stop, water repellent Pertex® Quantum material, injected with 850 Fill Power, which provides exceptional warmth to weight ratio without compromising durability.  And if you’re planning on wearing it for more than the weekly trip to Tesco, further reinforcements to the…

You can’t improve what you can’t measure. That’s why a reliable fitness watch is a powerful tool for setting, chasing and achieving your fitness goals. Today’s trackers offer real-time coaching to guide your training, benchmark your progress and let you know when it’s time to go hard or back off. But the latest generation of smart fitness watches also go beyond simply measuring performance on the run, ride or in the gym. These holistic tools help you take charge of every aspect of your health, monitoring those all-important foundations of fitness with 24-7 heart rate reads, sleep, stress and recovery insights. Whether you’re just looking to move a bit more, or you want to bench your own bodyweight, here are the best timepieces bringing intelligence to your training. Coros Pace…

01. STRENGTH Explosive lifts, like jump squats, sled pushes and tyre flips, help to build baseline functional strength and power. “We want to build quality (explosive) muscle, not crappy, slow muscle,” says Gill. 02. PLYOMETRICS Athletics-style plyometric drills, like hurdle hops, box jumps, skips, bounds and knee tucks, crank up the players’ fast-twitch muscle fibres. “That means a lot of jumping and a lot of accelerations,” says Gill. 03. ENERGY SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT Wattbike sprints help the players to boost their power endurance. “It is one thing being powerful, but in rugby you need to be powerful 20, 30, 40 or 50 times,” explains Gill. “So we do short, high-intensity sprints on the Wattbikes with short recovery periods, just like in a game.”…

Seedlip Drinks Prices vary, seedlipdrinks.com Seedlip was the world’s first non-alcoholic spirit, and their growing range of herbal blends taste (almost) like the real deal, making it easy to cut back on alcohol without missing out on flavour. The key is to build your drink like you would a decent G&T: think quality tonic, plenty of ice and lemon or lime, plus a mint or cucumber garnish. Punchy Drinks ‘Golden Hour’ Soft Punch £12 (6 cans), punchydrinks.com Fed up at the lack of genuinely tasty alcohol-free beers? Meet Punchy Drinks, the company on a mission to bring non-alcoholic drinks to a level playing field with their alcoholic counterparts. Its Golden Hour – with blood orange, aromatic bitters and cardamom – is low in sugar, high in flavour and a Great…

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Betaine is a modified amino acid found in shellfish, flour, many vegetables like beetroot and spinach, citrus fruit, alfalfa sprouts and wheat germ. A new study in professional footballers shows betaine supplementation can improve one-rep max, maximal oxygen uptake and repeated spring ability.6 The same authors showed in a previous study that it may help to increase testosterone to cortisol ratio and reduce systemic inflammation, which could explain these improvements in performance.…

SPICY CHICKEN BURGER WITH SWEET POTATO ROSTI Tempted by a cheat-meal dirty burger? Try this zingy stack of goodness instead INGREDIENTS (SERVES 1) - 1 chicken breast, butterflied- 1 egg, beaten- 1tbsp wholemeal flour- 2 handfuls of breadcrumbs- 1tsp chilli flakes- 50ml rapeseed oil- ½ sweet potato, peeled and grated- 1tbsp cornflour- Salt and pepper- 25g unsalted butter- 1 wholemeal bun- 1tsp tomato ketchup- 1 slice of cheddar cheese- 1 slice of tomato- Handful of cooked kale METHOD • Dust the chicken with the flour, then dip in the egg. • Mix the breadcrumbs and chilli flakes in a shallow dish. Press the chicken into the breadcrumb mix to coat it on both sides. • Fry the chicken in the rapeseed oil over a medium heat for four minutes on…

Many men who exercise regularly fall into one of two camps: muscle chasers, and endurance enthusiasts. The former enjoy strength training in pursuit of a certain body type; the latter want to be as aerobically fit as possible. However, the reality is that to reach your true fitness potential – in our out the gym – you need a healthy balance of both. If you’re a runner, cyclist or swimmer, a stronger physique is going to provide you with the power and resilience to go faster and further. Equally, if strength training is your primary pursuit, both performance and aesthetics will be improved by having a better engine. But making cardio integral to your routine will also set you up for a longer, healthier life. “Regular cardio training strengthens your…

This AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) – from Haidar Haskins, head of fitness at Retrofit London – targets all the primary movement functions, while being simple and minimalistic so you can do it anywhere. All you need is a resistance band and medicine ball (swap out for any weighted object if working out from home). The focus is on primal movements, teaching your body to move more effectively. Do it on your rest days to improve mobility and flexibility, and improve recovery-assisting blood flow. Start slowly and find a pace you can maintain for the duration. Complete all exercises one after the other, and go for as many rounds as possible within the allotted time. However, opt for perfect technique over speed –.the latter will come as you get…