Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Men's Fitness UK

The idea of an optimum ‘musclebuilding rep range’ of 8-12 is being challenged by a growing body of research that suggests much higher rep counts – up to 30 – can be just as effective. One notable study, published in Sports Medicine, found that high-rep ‘lower-load resistance training’ (with weights less than 50% of one-rep max) completed to failure can work just as well as lower-rep higher-load training (with weights over 70% of one-rep max). In other words, lifting lighter weights to the point of failure can be as effective as lifting heavier weights for fewer reps. Ultimately, that’s good news, because it means one less barrier to strength training. If you enjoy lifting heavier weights, great, but for anyone intimidated by gym settings, recovering from injury, or limited by…

ROAD SHOES For athletes whose feet don’t pound the ground like runners, kick balls like footballers or jump and land like basketball players, cyclists are surprisingly dependent on shoes. Although riders often neglect new kicks in favour of a stylish new jersey or a snazzy set of eyewear, they may be the most important kit investment a rider can make. After all, your shoes are the key body-to-bike connectors. They help to maximise power transfer and speed, as well as your bike handling ability. They provide vital grip, balance and control when riding. And whether you need good breathability over summer, or extra warmth over winter, your shoes are also essential for your overall comfort and enjoyment on long days in the saddle. A quality pair should also offer benefits…

“I’m always blitzing up smoothies, as they’re super simple to make even when I have a busy training day,” says Hughes, British record holder over both 100m and 200m, and 100m bronze medallist at the 2023 World Championships. “They pack all the right ingredients into my diet to aid recovery and keep me topped up with the good stuff. “ “I always start with Vita Coco, as it’s coconut water, which contains potassium – a key electrolyte in the body to support recovery, especially when you’re sweating a lot.” The Swift Smoothie is the perfect balance of carbs and protein to support recovery after training. Carbohydrates – supplied by the tropical fruits and honey – assist with the replenishment of glycogen, which the muscles need for energy, while protein is…

1. BARBELL SQUAT • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, with a barbell resting on your upper back. • Lower your body by bending your knees and hips, keeping your back straight. • Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground. • Push through your heels to return to the starting position. 2. DEADLIFT • Stand in front of the bar with your feet hip-width apart. • Hinge at the hips and bend your knees, keeping your back straight, to grasp the bar. • Lift the bar by straightening your hips and knees, keeping the bar close to your shins throughout. • Lower the bar with control back to the ground, maintaining a neutral spine throughout. 3. DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS • Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell…

Combined with a complex format – where you perform moves back to back without resting or setting the weight down – kettlebells are an unbeatable quick-fire fat-fighting solution. If you’re limited for time, space and equipment, this complex will guarantee a high-intensity session that burns fat and develops strength. Each move in this complex flows into the next, which allows for quick transitions and progression of movement patterns. This means that you will develop functional strength and increase your range of mobility, all while revving your metabolism and turning your entire body into a fat-burning furnace. WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS Complete 8 reps of each exercise. Do all six moves back-to-back, with no rest between moves. At the end of the round, rest for 90 secs. Repeat the circuit 3-4 times. 1.…

Get enough of it, and sleep is your superpower, contributing to the storage and consolidation of long-term memories, muscle recovery, strengthening of the immune system, increased attention and the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The different stages of sleep have different functions and benefits, too. Non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) has four different sub-stages, which progressively lead to deep sleep. It is in the more advanced stages of NREM sleep that the immune system is boosted and rebalanced, together with the cardiovascular system. Furthermore, memory consolidation and the strengthening of neural connections also occurs during NREM sleep. Rapid eye movement sleep (REM) is associated with an increase in creativity and emotional balance. Get too little, on the other hand, and the consequences can be severe. Inadequate sleep (classed as four hours…

The sun hadn’t yet risen when I joined the dawn patrol at Whistler Blackcomb, the largest ski resort in the whole of Canada and North America. It was mid-December 2023, the temperature slightly below zero, and I was glad to be wrapped up in my Dope Snow Jacket. As we glided over the untouched snow on the higher slopes, I tucked my chin beneath the chin guard. My hands, meanwhile, were secure in the wrist gaiters beneath my gloves, ensuring they never got exposed to the cold. Medium-weight in its insulation – 60g per square metre on the body and 40g on the sleeves and hood – this jacket is perfect for those who plan to ski aggressively, but probably not warm enough for casual skiers. It benefits from a…

Having won 2022’s edition of Love Island, clocking up a hefty 1.6 million Instagram followers in the process, you could forgive Davide Sanclimenti for taking his foot off the gas as 2024 gets underway. But before finding fame – and love – on the ITV2 show, Sanclimenti’s original passion was fitness. A qualified personal trainer and entrepreneur, with degrees in economics and finance, he’s now become the brand champion of nutritional brand SCI-MX, to promote the importance of well-balanced supplements that place quality of ingredients front and centre. Sanclimenti’s journey to becoming one of the UK’s most renowned fitness fanatics didn’t start easily. As he wrote on Instagram at the end of 2023, his focus on fitness started after a period of body shaming, which he suffered as a child…

1. HACK SQUAT • Position yourself on the hack squat machine with your shoulders against the pads. • Place your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform. • Lower your body by bending your knees, keeping your back against the pad. • Push through your heels to return to the starting position. 2. T-BAR ROW • Place the T-Bar handle between your legs and load the appropriate weight. • Bend at the hips, keeping your back straight, to grasp the handles with both hands. • Pull the T-Bar towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. • Lower the T-Bar with control back to the starting position, maintaining a stable core. 3. BARBELL BENCH PRESS • Lie on a flat bench with a bar positioned over your chest. • Grip the…

Higher, lower. Higher, lower. No, we’re not watching reruns of Bruce Forsyth’s Play Your Cards Right (that was Sunday). We’re talking about the merits of alternating between upper- and lower-body exercises for shifting fat, known as peripheral heart action (PHA). This six-move, doublekettlebell complex uses PHA, enabling you to perform at a sky-high intensity for longer because your upper-body muscles can recover while the lower ones are working, and vice-versa. As a result, you burn a shed load more calories than if you were hammering one exercise relentlessly. The main focus of this routine is to torch fat. But the secondary benefits are huge. Because you’re juggling two awkward kettlebells without resting between moves, you will also boost your grip, core and functional strength. WORKOUT INSTRUCTIONS Complete 10 reps of…

From motivational beast-mode playlists to distracting podcasts, science shows that being immersed in audio on your runs can boost your enjoyment and your performance. So what better way to pump up your potential than with this tried-and-tested selection of the best running headphones. What makes the perfect pair? The most important thing to look for in a set of running headphones is secure, lock-tight fit. It doesn’t matter how good your headphones sound if they don’t stay put when you pick up the pace. Ear hook designs offer a more reliable fit, so if your ears don’t play nice with in-ear buds, this is the way to go. Durability is important, too. Reliable waterproofing is a must, but also look for sweat- and dust-proofing. Thankfully, the sound quality of running…

Lack of time is the most commonly cited reason for either not exercising at all, or exercising less than you should. However, it is perfectly possible to get into fantastic shape in less than 90 minutes per week. This no-fuss plan will help you boost your strength, size and cardiovascular fitness. Make sure you have a good base level of fitness and have a health check-up by your doctor before starting this programme, as it’s intense and demanding. But it’s also rewarding and energising, helping to put you in a great frame of mind to hit your other weekly goals. Strength training The resistance training part of the programme is pretty simple: hit all major muscle groups for a total of 3 sets each, resting no more than 75 seconds…

1. LEG PRESS • Sit on the leg press machine with your back against the pad. • Place your feet hip-width apart on the platform. • Push through your heels to extend your legs. • Lower the platform under control. 2. BENT-OVER BARBELL ROW • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip. • Bend at your hips, keeping your back straight, and lower the barbell towards the floor. • Pull the barbell to your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. • Lower the barbell back down with control. 3. DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS • Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended over your chest. • Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a…

1a. KETTLEBELL SUMO SQUAT • Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. • Hold a kettlebell in front of your chest. • Lower into a squat, keeping your back straight and chest up, then return to the starting position. 1b. DUMBBELL SHOULDER PRESS • Stand with your feet placed shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at shoulder height. • Press the weights overhead, fully extending your arms. • Lower the weights back to shoulder height with control, engaging your core. 1c. DUMBBELL BICEPS CURL • Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms fully extended, palms forward. • Curl the dumbbells up towards your chest, keeping your upper arms stationary. • Squeeze your biceps at the top, then lower with control. 1d. PUSH-UP • Start in a high plank position, hands…

Sitting for prolonged periods can be detrimental to your posture and overall musculoskeletal health,” says Cody Mooney, director of performance at recovery app pliability. “The sedentary lifestyle that many people lead, whether at a desk job or while watching TV, often leads to poor posture habits, making our muscles weaker and tighter in the neck, shoulder and lower back regions. You can counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting by consistently practising mobility and stretching exercises, alleviating strain and soreness.” Remaining seated for a long period of time can result in rounded shoulders, a forward head posture, and a slouched back, all of which contribute to discomfort and pain. Long-held stretches help to ease these symptoms, assisting in maintaining proper posture and preventing postural problems in the future. This mobility…