Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2024 i Men's Fitness UK

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 Matt Gilley 01959 543517 matt@talk-media.uk Ad Production Supervisor Gracie Standen 01732 445300 production@talk-media.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 COVER Model: Mark Thompson (W Models) Photographer: Eddie Macdonald Information given is not a substitute for medical advice, so ensure you…

Co-founded by geneticists Dr Samantha Decombel and Dr Stuart Grice, FitnessGenes’ in-depth analysis reveals how your unique genetic blueprint and physiology – together with lifestyle factors such as food choices and activity levels – impacts your health and performance. “Many diets and workout programmes fail because they are generic and not tailored to an individual,” says Dr Decombel. “But FitnessGenes analyses your DNA and lifestyle data to provide you with workout, diet, supplement and lifestyle advice that’s personalised to your unique genetic make-up and physiology. “For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your genetics may be increasing your cravings or rendering you less able than other people to feel full when eating certain foods. Using this knowledge, we can provide actions that advise what foods to add to…

First up, this is a performance jacket, so no surprises the focus is more locked-in than smart-casual, but that’s worth bearing in mind. If you need a coat that serves dual purposes – trips to the shops as well as winter hikes, for example – you may be better off going one size up from your usual. Practicality is provided by a full-length front zip and two zipped hand pockets – both of which are plenty big enough for a phone, keys or even small water bottle. There’s a hood, too, which sits tight against the head and – though I’m no climber myself – is designed to fit easily under a helmet. And that front zip extends all the way to the chin, so with the hood and zip…

Brought up in a military family in the Bedfordshire town of Luton, Jason Fox joined the Royal Marines at the age of 16, first becoming a Commando and then joining the Special Boat Service. ‘In the Special Forces I learned to manage fear, emotional breakdown, pain in hostile environments and the horrors of war,’ he wrote in his biography Life Under Fire. ‘I thrived in events that would have crushed most people, and work was a ten-year rollercoaster of physical and mental extremes.’ Fox operated ‘at the military’s sharpest point’ in some of the world’s most perilous war zones. His missions included hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, counternarcotics and counter-insurgencies. But years of intense battle and the witnessing of the horrors of conflict took its toll on his mental health. Diagnosed with…

Suspension training allows your whole body to strengthen as a unit, and while the larger muscles are the main targets, your smaller, stabilising muscles are also being engaged. That means that by developing your entire body, you’re reducing any weak points in the system and improving both efficiency and movement. The more muscles recruited at once, the greater the calorie burn, so these exercises have the double benefit of building core strength and torching away the stubborn body fat that covers your abdominals. 1. FLYE Main targets: Chest, abs, core Difficulty: • Stand tall, holding the rings with your palms facing in. • Lean forward, allowing your arms to come out to your sides to form a T-shape, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. • Bring your arms back…

In the world of exercise, if the 2000s were all about the rise of group cardio, and the 2010s the importance of ‘functional strength’, there’s a strong case for the hot topic of 2024 being ‘hybrid training’. Catalysed by the boom of CrossFit and, more recently, Hyrox, hybrid training is so called because it is a multifaceted approach, simultaneously targeting strength and endurance. Hybrid training doesn’t target one single facet of fitness; instead, it aims to develop a wellrounded athletic profile. Typically involving a mix of resistance training, cardio (often running) and mobility, in many ways the hybrid athlete is more akin to a decathlete or heptathlete, who competes across a broad spectrum of disciplines. What’s it good for? Hybrid training offers a number of physical and mental advantages. Physically,…

Climbing walls across the country have become the playgrounds for those hungry to get fit, have fun and explore new experiences. The proof is in the pudding: more than 30 walls have sprung up in London alone in the last five years. This isn’t a trend. It’s a movement that shows no signs of slowing down. In 2019, the catalyst for my journey was a casual comment from a work colleague about her newfound climbing hobby. Little did I know that this seemingly offhand remark would lead me into a world that has transcended its roots in underground dens – a place pro climbers would visit during off-season to level up their abilities on the mountain tops. Today, climbing is more than scaling walls; it’s a lifestyle. It’s about staring…

In the attempt to reach peak physical performance, or simply to become slightly healthier versions of ourselves, most of us have been guilty of overlooking and undervaluing the importance of recovery and relaxation. While committing to regular exercise is a big part of the puzzle, so is giving the body the opportunity to recuperate and decompress. For some, undergoing a massage is an effective and enjoyable way to aid rehabilitation. While others see this ancient practice as luxurious and decadent. So, what is the truth? What does the science say? Are some of us guilty of selling massages short, or should we all class them as nothing more than a pleasant indulgence? Looking back It’s likely that massage first emerged in ancient India or China, before spreading across Asia and…

1 Curl higher Four-time Mr Universe, sometime Governator and noodle-armterminator Arnold Schwarzenegger has always been a stickler for good form. With the biceps curl, that means flexing and extending fully at the top and bottom. Any lateral movement away from the line between your hand and shoulder is a cardinal sin – if you move your hand in or out a fraction, you’ll ease the tension on your biceps and stay closer to the noodle zone. And squeeze at the top. 2 Go heavier You can do this and still follow the sound advice to ‘leave your ego at the door’ – the key is to cheat the concentric (lifting) part of a lift and then focus on the eccentric (lowering) phase. A study at the University of Florida found…

When you’re shopping for new training kit, your priorities are likely to be fit, comfort, looks, and ability to handle the task at hand – whether that’s lifting shoes with a stable platform, or a running top that’s breathable and effective at wicking sweat away. In recent years, though, another important factor has emerged: environmental impact. According to research by The Roundup, 87% of the materials and fibres used to make all clothing will end up in incinerators or landfill, while clothing and textiles currently make up at least 7% of the total amount of waste in global landfill space. Commonly made out of manmade materials like polyester, nylon and Lycra, workout wear is particularly bad during its lifecycle too. Friends of the Earth claims that every time you wash…

We know that navigating the world of nutrition can be bewildering, with every company marketing their products as being invaluable to health and fitness. Which is why we run these awards: to point you in the right direction and showcase the brands that really are worth your attention. Every product in the pages that follow – across the categories of Muscle & Strength, Endurance, and General Health – have been tried and tested by an expert team of independent nutritionists (more on those below), with each of the winners selected on the basis of nutritional merit, quality of ingredients and performance benefits. THE ENTRY PROCESS While nutrition brands needed to enter for a chance to be featured in these Awards, the entry process was simple and completely free. So you…