Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2023 i Men's Fitness UK

Regular sex is good for your heart, according to new research in the Archives of Sexual Behavior. Most men typically burn around 100 calories during sex, with heart rates climbing to around 170 beats per minute at the more vigorous end. These heart-boosting benefits may explain why men who have sex at least twice a week have a 45% lower risk of heart attacks, according to the American Journal of Cardiology. LOW LIBIDO? On page 62, we reveal the aphrodisiac foods to rev up your sex drive.…

Some sportsmen burst onto the scene, one big game catapulting them into the limelight; others have always seemed destined for the top. Marcus Smith, the 24-year-old Harlequins and England Rugby fly-half, sits firmly among the latter. After a stellar rise through the academy systems at club and country, Smith made his Premiership debut at just 18, with a full England cap coming a few years later. A true generational talent, his creative spark helped Harlequins to their first league title in ten years in 2021, saw him called up to the British and Irish Lions that same year, and receive the accolade of highest points scorer at the 2022 Six Nations. Speaking to Men’s Fitness about his partnership with menswear brand Charles Tyrwhitt, here Smith covers the expectation to perform,…

By simultaneously training for the three most popular cardiovascular pursuits – swimming, running and cycling – dipping your toe into the world of triathlon will test your physical and mental strength in entirely new ways. To succeed, though, you will need to invest in the right kit. There are three essential items: a wetsuit, bike and pair of running shoes. But like any sport, triathlon has a seemingly never-ending list of specialist options – all designed, ultimately, to make you faster, whether that’s improving your aerodynamics while racing, or helping you to shave time off transitions between the three different legs. From watches to rucksacks, Men’s Fitness put some of the latest gear to the test... ENDORSED Garmin Forerunner 955 Solar £549.99 / garmin.com A triathlon watch might not seem…

Acclimatising to be able to run – or just survive at extreme altitude – is a bit like going to the gym. The theory is straightforward: stimulate the body, be patient and the results will come. Start to feel too simple? Add more weight or, in this case, elevation above sea level. Lift more. Climb higher. So far, so easy. On the world’s highest volcano, towering 6,893m above the Atacama Desert in the Chilean Andes, the inaugural Ojos del Salado Sky Race – around 7km of, at times, sheer climbing – was held in December 2022. The start line was a full 400m above the height of Mont Blanc, Europe’s highest peak. The intended finish line: one vertical mile higher up. Running at this altitude demands months of preparation and…

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, has become popular in recent years and – unlike some fitness fads – there’s a lot of evidence to support its effectiveness as a training system. One of the benefits that you don’t need a degree in exercise science to understand is that HIIT workouts tend to be short. Most of the sessions over the folowing pages come in at around 20 minutes. For most people, a short HIIT workout is a far more attractive option than spending an hour in the gym or pounding the pavements endlessly. In fact, in a recent study published in the journal Topics in Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation, researchers found that when they asked subjects to list their barriers to exercise, “lack of time” was the most common response.…

EDITORIAL Editor Isaac Williams Art Director Xavier Robleda Editorial postal address: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL ADVERTISING SALES KELSEY MEDIA Commercial Manager Ben Rayment 01959 543517 ben.rayment@kelsey.co.uk Ad Production Manager Neil Hepden 01233 220245 neil@tandemmedia.co.uk MANAGEMENT Chief Operating Officer Phil Weeden Managing Director Kevin McCormick Operations Director Gill Lambert Retail Director Steve Brown Print Production Manager Georgina Harris Print Production Controller Hayley Brown Senior Subs Marketing Manager Nick McIntosh DISTRIBUTION (UK) Seymour Distribution Limited 2 East Poultry Avenue, London EC1A 9PT, Tel: 020 7429 4000 seymour.co.uk DISTRIBUTION (N. IRELAND AND REP. OF IRELAND) Newspread, Tel: +353 23 886 3850 SPONSORED COVER Marcus Smith, wearing the Charles Tyrwhitt Teal Green Birdseye Pique Polo Information given is not a substitute for medical…

Regular meditation can improve your gut health, according to new research in the journal General Psychiatry. A team of researchers found that meditating Tibetan monks have a much healthier gut microbiome – the friendly microbes in your gut which break down food – which is linked to a stronger immune system and a reduced risk of anxiety, depression and heart disease. This links to the so-called ‘gut-brain axis’ – the two-way connection that links the health of the brain with the health of the gut – and maintaining a stress-free mind through regular meditation appears to work wonders for it.…

SEABLOOM PLANT-BASED TUNA-FREE FLAKES £3.30 (for 200g) / ocado.com If you enjoy a tuna sandwich, but want more meat- and fish-free days, Seabloom could be the alternative for you. Made from pea protein and Scottish seaweed, the nutritional credentials are impressive: 16.1g protein per 100g (compared to around 24g per 100g in a tin of supermarket tuna) and 146 calories. The ingredients list is easy reading, too, with a reassuring lack of unpronounceable additives. The taste and texture are less resoundingly positive – though of course these things are subjective – so try one pack before you bulk-buy ten.…

In this time-strapped age, it’s understandable to want to get the most bang for your buck from your training – to make every minute count. Which explains the continued, immense popularity of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and its claims of noticeable results in a reduced timeframe. However, amidst the search for shortcuts, we’ve lost sight of one fitness fundamental: the aerobic base. A common phrase used by cardiovascular-focused athletes like runners, cyclists and triathletes, a strong aerobic base is touted as the holy grail for long-distance events and something that will help you get over the line of anything from a 5k to an Ironman. It’s not just important for the Saturday morning parkrunners and MAMILs (middle-aged men in lycra), though. A well-oiled aerobic base can lead to a whole…

PANCAKE DAY This indulgent recipe is the perfect cheat-day breakfast Swapping flour for porridge oats kick-starts your day and will go some way to helping you avoid the dreaded midmorning slump. INGREDIENTS (serves 1): - 3 egg whites - 40g oats - ½ tsp baking powde r - 30g caster sugar - 1 tbsp Greek yogurt - 1 tsp honey - 30g crushed hazelnuts - ½ banana, sliced - Pinch of cinnamon - 20g dark chocolate METHOD: 1. Blend the egg whites, oats, baking powder and caster sugar. 2. Heat a little butter in a pan and add as much of the egg mix as you want to form a pancake. 3. Cook until it bubbles, then flip and cook for a further three minutes. 4. Repeat as required. 5.…

If this issue has failed to lift your spirits, try forcing yourself into a fake smile. New research by Stanford University, Florida State University and the University of South Australia found that consciously forming your facial muscles into a smile can actually improve your mood. The study offers “a compelling argument that human emotions are linked to muscle movements,” says researcher Dr Fernando Marmolejo-Ramos. “Knowing that we can somewhat ‘fake it till we make it’ is a reassuring proposal.”…

Men’s Fitness is published every month. UK annual subscription price: £59.88 Europe annual subscription: £72 USA & Canada annual subscription: 72 Rest of world annual subscription: £78 CONTACT US UK subscription and back issue order line: 01959 543747 Overseas subscription order line: 0044 ( 0 ) 1959 543747 Toll-free USA subscription order line: 1-888-777-0275 UK customer service team: 01959 543747 Customer service email address: cs@kelsey.co.uk Customer service and subscription postal address: Men’s Fitness magazine, Customer Service Team, Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL, United Kingdom WEBSITE Find current subscription offers at shop.kelsey.co.uk/men Buy back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/menback ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? Manage your subscription online at shop.kelsey.co.uk/myaccount…

1. AVOID STILLNESS Even if you sit in an upright position often viewed as ‘perfect’, you will develop aches and pains if you stay there long enough. Our bodies are designed to move, so change your posture regularly. Walk around your office or home regularly, and try hourly thoracic rotations, shoulder rolls and head turns. Setting yourself email or phone reminders can be useful. 2. STAY ACTIVE There is evidence that doing 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week can counteract the effects of a sedentary working day. Any sport or activity that takes your spine through a large range of movement is great for posture. 3. MAINTAIN STRENGTH Strength work can improve your bone health and make you more resilient to different postures. Aim for at least two resistance…

For Charles Tyrwhitt, Marcus Smith was an obvious choice to represent the brand’s philosophy and showcase its latest collection. Smith has proven himself to be a rising star, generating the kind of buzz that surrounds exceptional players destined to go down in history. Aged 18, he joined Harlequins, and in July 2021 made his debut in the white shirt of England. Known for his exceptional creativity on the pitch, he’s far from your average player. With the Guinness Six Nations in full swing, we’re going to see a lot more from the exciting fly-half – who looks just as good off the pitch, sporting Tyrwhitt’s new spring collection. Smith channels the effortlessly sharp aesthetic in tailoring that fits him like a glove: from a staple Royal Oxford shirt to a…

Designed to be worn during and after training, the primary aim of compression gear is to increase blood flow: moving oxygen to – and waste away from – tired muscles. During tough sessions, these tight-fitting baselayers also help to support the muscles, cutting the impact vibrations that can cause more of the micro damage that leads to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The best compression tights and tops can therefore help to fight muscle fatigue and reduce post-workout muscle soreness, as well as speed up recovery between sessions. While plenty of athletes and trainers swear by compression gear, the scientific jury is still out as to whether wearing it will actually enhance your performance during workouts. However, there is much more compelling evidence for the positive impact it has on…

In April 1961, Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin became the first human to venture into outer space. While his orbit lasted a mere two hours, his endeavour showed that it was possible to leave Earth’s atmosphere and return safely. Gagarin walked so Armstrong could leap. In the 60 years since the Russian’s pioneering mission, we have stepped foot on the Moon, built the unfathomably complex International Space Station (ISS) and even launched billionaire tech moguls towards the stars. We are becoming more adept at journeying into the cosmos, and growing bolder and more ambitious, yet it’s fair to say that space is far from conquered. If humanity is to, for example, visit Mars – and potentially head even further afield – numerous hurdles will first need to be overcome. And, when it…

Sex drive taken a nosedive? It’s only natural for libido to dwindle with age, as levels of testosterone – men’s main sex hormone – start to dip. Throw in hectic work schedules, kids, relationship problems and general day-to-day stress, and it’s little wonder between-the-sheets motivation takes a knock. Luckily, alongside plenty of exercise and less stress, the world of food can provide a libido lift.* So take the following ingredients and get ready to cook up a storm… 1. Saffron Supplements can be used if you struggle to fit it into your diet, but either way this is one ingredient worth seeking out. “A group of men who took 30mg of saffron every day for a month,” says Alex Glover, senior nutritionist at Holland & Barrett, “noticed greater improvements in…

Part of the B vitamin family, B12 is required for the normal functioning of the nervous system, making healthy red blood cells and helping prevent fatigue. It’s present in animal foods, such as meat, fish, eggs and dairy, but is missing in plant foods (although some, like mushrooms, have trace amounts). So if you follow a vegan diet, B12 is one nutrient to add. You can do so either by eating fortified foods (with added B12) or by taking a dietary supplement. UK guidelines state adults need around 1.5 micrograms (mcg) a day, but in supplement form a daily dose of around 10mcg is recommended for optimal absorption. Even at these larger doses, supplemental B12 is considered safe, as the body doesn’t store excess amounts. Boots Vitamin B12 Spray £4.25…