Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2023 i Men's Fitness UK

A new study has flipped traditional thinking on its head by finding the best way to lower blood pressure is not through cardiovascular exercise, but isometric strength training.1 The analysis of various trials involving 16,000 people found that while all exercise did have a positive effect on blood pressure, wall squats and planks in particular were shown to encourage blood flow. These exercises “increase the tension in the muscles when held for two minutes,” said study author Dr Jamie O’Driscoll, “then cause a sudden rush of blood when you relax.” It’s precisely that large and sudden flow of blood through the vessels that leads to the improvements in blood flow regulation. “Performing 4 x2 minutes of wall sits, with 2 minutes’ rest in-between, three times per week, is an effective…

German body composition (GBC) training was introduced by the late, legendary strength coach Charles Poliquin around 20 years ago. It’s an advanced protocol involving intense supersets and giant sets that keeps your muscles firing on all cylinders without a moment’s rest. It’s a full-body blitz that targets multiple muscle groups at once. In a 2002 study, researchers investigated the impact of GBC-style training on body composition. They found that participants who followed a GBC programme for 12 weeks saw significant reductions in body fat and increases in lean muscle mass. The study concluded that GBC training is an effective way to improve body composition. With GBC, compound movements take centre stage. Needless to say, lifting heavy weights with minimal rest is very hard work. But because the metabolic demand is…

Training tool A single dumbbell Training goal Core power How to do the workout Reps 8 Circuits 4 Rest between circuits 90 sec SINGLED OUT Sometimes, simple is best. And when it comes to carving a six-pack, it doesn’t come much simpler than a single dumbbell The lack of etiquette on the gym floor has been the ruin of many a well-planned workout. Whether it’s because fellow lifters are using the dumbbells you want or they’ve been left in the furthest corners of the cardio section, you can’t always guarantee you’ll find the pair you need. The solution? A one-dumbbell routine that hits every muscle in your all-important core, allowing you to blitz your obliques, abs and back with a handful of carefully selected moves. And if worse comes to…

Anine-year-old boy orphaned by war in South Sudan, Dominic Lobalu escaped to a refugee camp in Northern Kenya before being discovered on the streets of Nairobi and eventually finding a home with the Athlete Refugee Team. Dominic’s remarkable story of personal growth, courage and gripping determination in his quest for representation is now revealed in a full-length feature film. In 2017, at age 19, Dominic was recruited by the Athlete Refugee Team’s renowned Olympian, founder and coach, Tegla Loroupe. However, while travelling overseas in Geneva for an international competition, Dominic left the team unannounced and sought asylum in Switzerland, forfeiting any chance of representing the official Olympic Refugee Team in Tokyo. “Setbacks always happen. But they are not the end At age 21, Dominic had a chance meeting with Markus…

Pre-programmed gym workouts rarely go entirely as planned. The squat rack’s in use, you can’t find the dumbbells you needed, and the lat pull-down is out of action. These situations either call for some smart swaps – goblet squats in place of back squats, rows with dumbbells instead of a barbell, or simply higher reps if the heavy weights are being hogged – or, if it’s that busy, a more time- and space-efficient approach. From p86, we’ve got just the ticket, with one-kit workouts that require nothing more than, well, one bit of kit.…

Modern golf is a power game. For some, that game might be a bit broken due to its one-dimensional nature, but the truth is that for almost every single week on the calendar, length matters and, without it, you’re not going to be a factor. Anyone who gets paid to hit a golf ball is trying to hit the ball further and the pros are now outgrowing both the equipment and the best courses in the world. Augusta National, home to the Masters, recently purchased land from the adjacent Country Club to extend one of their most iconic holes. At the Old Course in St Andrews, they have had to use tees from other courses to be able to host The Open. As things stand, we are in the middle…

Despite what many people think, creatine isn’t a steroid or a dangerous substance. It’s actually naturally occurring in your body and is present in some foods, such as meat and fish. Approximately 95% of your body’s total creatine pool is found within skeletal muscle (the muscles attached to your skeleton that you exercise in the gym), with the remaining 5% found in other tissues, such as your brain, heart and testes. In simple terms, if a diet naturally contains a couple of grams of creatine, then your creatine stores may only be 60-80% saturated. So additional supplementation can increase the creatine levels in your body by an additional 20-40%. That can help with short-term energy demands, such as weightlifting or sprinting. How to use it... Creatine monohydrate is the most…

Developed in collaboration with CrossFit pro Noah Ohlsen (pictured), mobility app pliability’s Neck + Shoulder Stress Release Path is designed to help you ease tension, boost mobility and foster recovery, through targeted sessions focusing on your neck and shoulders. “Chronic shoulder and neck tension can lead to numerous problems and aggravations for your body,” says Cody Mooney, director of performance at pliability. “Our new pathway is designed to help relieve pain by targeting areas around the neck, upper back and shoulder region. We aim to loosen, strengthen, and bring flexibility and mobility, to help with discomfort and allow your body to move freely.” 1. WALL ISOMETRIC ROTATION HOLD Time: Up to 2 mins This pose helps to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles, helping to reduce stress in your neck and…

Many of us use stretching exercises to improve our general mobility. But doing so also helps us become more flexible. We often treat these two abilities as one and the same thing. There are, however, subtle differences between them – and understanding those will help you get a handle on your training needs and how best to meet them. Mobility vs flexibility The key takeaway here is this: mobility is to do with joints; flexibility is all about muscles and connective tissue. So, mobility is about how well you can move your body freely – that means freedom of movement of joints and limbs. It’s essential to our quality of life, especially as we get older. When we talk about flexibility, we’re referring to our bodies’ connective tissues – so…

For the past 30 years, Gordon Buchanan MBE has travelled to just about every corner of the globe, filming wild animals in wild places. He’s hand-reared grizzly bear cubs in Siberia, integrated himself with an Arctic wolf pack, and tracked cheetahs on foot through the searing heat of the Kalahari Desert. To spend months at a time in these environments requires no shortage of physical and mental resilience. Even on days spent driving through the bush, rather than hiking up mountains, time pressures and unpredictable wildlife mean absolute concentration is required at all times. However, in speaking to Buchanan it becomes clear that whether he’s trekking through a tropical forest, or sinking into knee-deep Arctic tundra, he feels most at home in environments most of us would find inhospitable. The…

Macronutrients are the three main nutrients that our bodies require in large quantities to function optimally: carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Each of these macronutrients plays a unique role in providing energy, supporting muscle growth and repair, and maintaining overall health. Carbohydrates The body’s preferred energy source, carbs come in two main types: simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are found in processed foods like sweets and white bread, while complex carbs are found in wholegrains, fruits and vegetables. Complex carbs contain fibre, which slows glucose release, providing sustained energy. Simple carbs provide a quick energy fix but lack essential nutrients, which can spike blood sugar, leaving you with a post-eating slump. Opting for complex carbohydrates, such as wholemeal bread, sweet potatoes, brown rice and quinoa, will help to fuel your workouts…

Embracing a vegan lifestyle not only promotes animal welfare and environmental sustainability, but also offers numerous health benefits. And there are plenty of high-protein vegan foods that can power you through your day and support muscle development. So whether you’re an athlete, a fitness enthusiast or simply health-conscious, these protein-packed plant-based options will nourish your body and satisfy your taste buds. 1. Legumes A cornerstone of any vegan’s protein-rich diet. These include chickpeas, lentils, black beans and kidney beans, among others. A mere cup of cooked lentils offers around 18g protein, making them a fantastic choice for stews, soups and salads. In particular, opting for green lentils packs a punch, with around 9g protein per cooked cup. 2. Tofu Made from soy milk, tofu is a versatile and popular vegan…