Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i Men's Fitness UK

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1. OVERHEAD PRESS FAIL Dropping the bar too low FIX Go just below chin height Moving a muscle through a full range of motion only matters when it doesn’t negatively affect joint health. Lowering the bar below your chin places excess strain on your shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. 2. BENT-OVER ROW FAIL Turning it into an upright row FIX Keep your torso still It’s tempting, especially when the weight gets heavy, to turn a row into a kind of shrug by raising your torso. Work your back harder by lifting lighter, pushing your bum back, and keeping your torso parallel to the floor. 3. CHIN-UP FAIL Performing half-reps FIX Lock out at the base of the move Numbers aren’t everything, especially if you’re counting half-reps. Fullrange reps work the…

If you’re following a running plan in a bid to chase PBs this spring, injuries are a constant threat. So it’s advisable to take preventative action by doing some injury-proofing exercises – focusing on your feet. The drills here are ‘prehab’ exercises that will improve your capacity to absorb the shock of each stride and prevent joint stress and strain. Perform them in order, either before a run or on non-running days. Some of the movements are subtle, so to get the full benefit follow the form guides and concentrate on the precise movements. 1. FOOT EVERSION • Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. • Secure an exercise band around your mid-foot (not your toes) on both feet so that there…

I’ve run thousands of miles in hundreds of tops over the past decade, covering everything from boiling parkruns, to cold and slow mountain ultras, so I know a good running top when I put one on. I’ve spent the past four weeks putting in hundreds of miles on the towpaths of West London. Here’s my verdict on the best you can buy right now. What makes a good running top? Comfort. Comfort. Comfort. A good running top should fit well and feel great next to the skin. It should disappear into the background the moment you put it on, leaving you to get on with business unimpeded and definitely un-chafed. Now, no running top will stay completely dry when you’re busting out the miles, but the best running tops regulate…

Myprotein has launched its first recipe book, packed with high-protein recipes from the Myprotein Kitchen. Protein Plates features 60 macro-friendly meals – from low-calorie breakfasts to hearty mains – as well as helpful advice from nutritionists and personal trainers. In these pages we’ve picked out just a few of our favourite dishes... PER TACO Kcals 294 Protein 19g Carbs 23g Fat 14g Method: 1. Squeeze the sausage meat from the skins and then spread onto each tortilla using a fork to flatten into a flat burger shape. Make sure the meat is spread evenly and covers the entire surface of the tortilla 2. Heat a pan over a medium heat and start cooking the tortillas. Place meat side down first, fry for two to three minutes, then flip 3. To…

Almost every man starts his weight-training journey with a pair of dumbbells, and for good reason: they’re cheap enough to buy and small enough to tuck under a bed or sofa. But while they may be beginner-friendly, that doesn’t mean they’re basic. Indeed, you’re only really limited by your imagination. For this workout, you’ll do five movements back-to-back. Taken individually, the exercises are easy enough, but combine them into a circuit and you’ve got a fast and effective full-body test. Rest as needed between moves, building up to a continuous round when you can manage it. 1a. GOBLET SQUAT Reps: 10-12 Rest: Go straight into 1b • Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in both hands at chin height • Keeping your chest up and core braced, lower into a squat,…

Cycling, whether on your gym’s stationary bike or in the great outdoors, is a great way to burn body fat as fuel and improve your cardio fitness. We’ve got all the expert advice you need to ride faster for longer. There’s also safety tips, the key bits of kit, the most efficient cycling position, and gym drills to improve your performance on two wheels. RIDE FASTER FOR LONGER Increase your cardio endurance to burn more fat with these tips from Elliot Lipski of TrainSharp Cycle Coaching Use intervals to torch fat Once you’re feeling comfortable on longer rides and are looking to improve your cycling, start to introduce some intervals to increase power and aerobic capacity. “Bike-specific leg strength intervals will improve muscular endurance and power,” says Lipski, who coaches…

Put simply, no. (Thanks for reading…) “A calorie is a unit of energy, and energy is the capacity to do work – the more work we do, the more calories are ‘burned’,” elaborates British commando doc and ultrarunner Dr Josh Bakker-Dyos. “Simple? Not quite. Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) or ‘afterburn’ is the concept of elevated metabolism after working out. The body is working hard and using energy to restore itself back to its resting state and making the adjustments necessary for subsequent improved performance.” Strength training with heavy loads and short rest intervals, utilising exercises that fire large muscle groups, will produce greater afterburn than, say, a run. Afterburn is influenced by intensity, not duration, of the exercise. “There is no ‘magic-bullet’ exercise,” concludes Dr Bakker-Dyos, “but your squats, deadlifts…

Too much sugar is bad the belly, because the excess calories consumes from nutrient-light foods and drinks, such as sweets and fizzy drinks, gets stored as body fat. But too much of the sweet stuff is just as bad for our brains, because it hampers cognitive flexibility, which is the ability to quickly adapt and adjust to changing situations. A diet high in sugar worsens the ratio of bad versus good bacteria in your gut, and this change in microbiome negatively affects the messages being sent to your brain, according to a study from Oregon State University. The findings also showed that it adversely affected immune system function and some physical performance abilities, so keep your sugar intake as low as you can for a smarter brain and a leaner…

Fitbit Charge 6 £119.99, fitbit.com ON CHARGE The Fitbit Charge 6 steps into the fitness arena with new features and a sleek design, but does it meet the high expectations set by its predecessors? Reviewer: Lee Bell The Fitbit Charge 6 is yet another contender in the bustling fitness tracker market. Affordably priced, this sleek device is designed to be a comprehensive tool for health and fitness monitoring. Its goal? To merge the convenience of a fitness band with the added capabilities of a smartwatch. With features like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking and new integrations like Google Maps and Google Wallet, the Charge 6 promises a balance of functionality and innovation. But does it deliver? MF verdict ★★★★☆ The Charge 6 is a solid choice for those focused on…

Happy runners need happy feet, and arguably the next most important piece of kit in your locker after your shoes are your socks. A good pair can make the difference between running in blissful comfort or suffering run-ruining blisters. Specialised running socks tend to be pricier than regular ones, but it definitely pays to invest a little extra. Ergonomic design, padded high-impact areas, breathable fabrics and seam-free designs all help to elevate running socks above your five-pairs-for-a-tenner kind. What makes the perfect pair? With dozens of brands and hundreds of styles, how do you know what makes a good running sock? It’s simple: you’re looking for comfort and durability. What works for you might vary and it helps to think about the shoes you’ll run in, too. Thinner socks are…

CHERRY PICK Accelerate recovery by sipping on the tart stuff Adding a glass of cherry juice to your post-workout nutrition could help you recover faster by reducing inflammation. A study at the University of Michigan found that participants who drank 237ml of cherry juice daily for four weeks recorded significant reductions in several markers of inflammation, thanks to the juice’s high levels of the antioxidant compound anthocyanin. In addition, they also recorded lower levels of triglycerides, which are among the key risk factors for heart disease.…

Research has found that doing five lower-body static stretches – fully extending a muscle and holding it in the stretched position for up to 30 seconds or longer – in a 16-minute warm-up impairs running performance and increases the energy cost of running. In the study, published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, non-stretching subjects ran on average 200m further in a 30-minute treadmill run than those who had static stretched. DO THIS INSTEAD Try this dynamic warm-up to prime your muscles and joints pre-run Complete 30 secs of each exercise for 2-3 rounds in total 1a. Leg swings Leg swings create a pumping mechanism, helping move fluid in and out of your joints. 1b. Lunge and twist Improves strength and balance, and engages muscles one leg at…

Cardiovascular exercise is excellent for your physical and mental health. But to turn running, cycling or swimming workouts into legitimate fat burners, it pays to have a slightly smarter approach than simply plodding it out session after session. And that means you need to make at least some of your cardio – whether in or out the gym – short, sharp and intense. If you’ve tried and failed to lose weight before, the chances are you started doing more running or cycling, especially longer-distance jogs or rides. But while steady-state cardio – which is when you run, cycle or swim at a consistent and comfortable intensity for a significant amount of time – has many health benefits, maximising fat loss isn’t one of them. That’s because this type of endurance-based…

If you find it hard to sit still – not to mention clear your mind – moving your body can help transport you into a mindful state. Whether it’s the beat of your feet hitting the pavement as you walk or the sound of your breathing as you run, rhythmic forms of exercise can induce you into a state of ‘flow’ where, absorbed in the activity, your body and mind work in harmony and all other thoughts fall away. Athletes call it ‘being in the zone’ but you can also call it mindfulness. Studies conducted on runners and athletes when they’re ‘in the zone’, show their brain waves are similar to those that occur during a meditative state. It’s a state of mind and body where performance becomes effortless, races…

Most men know you ‘can’t outrun a bad diet’. And most men know ‘abs are made in the kitchen’. But knowledge is one thing; putting it into action is another. And the simple fact is that most men fare far worse in the kitchen than they do in the gym. Culinary expertise isn’t about memorising recipes, though. It’s about learning the skills and tricks that make cooking both enjoyable and rewarding. Get better at it and both health and happiness will skyrocket. As chef Dr Mike puts it, to achieve the endpoint of improved health “basic cookery becomes a survival skill”. So, we asked some of our favourite chefs and food experts to rustle up some quick tips that can help the average kitchen-shy fitness enthusiast evolve away from boiled…

This is an advanced upper body and core workout with minimal equipment, targeted at those looking to challenge themselves, try new moves, build muscle and improve their body control,” says OrangeTheory trainer Benjamin Augusto. “The bodyweight exercises are scalable depending on your ability. The aim is to perform them with perfect execution and form rather than simply as many reps as you can.” WORKOUT I NSTRUCTIONS • This is a circuit, so perform the exercises back-to-back with minimal rest • Rest for 90 secs once you’ve completed one full round • Aim for a minimum of 3 rounds in total Meet the PT Benjamin Augusto (@b.active_ldn) is an experienced PT and kickboxing coach, committed to guiding clients on a transformative fitness journey. Find out more about Your Personal Training at…

Look at any professional runner, whether a sprinter or marathon runner, and you’ll see that – despite their different disciplines and body shapes – the one thing they all have in common is that they don’t carry much body fat. If you want to build a leaner and more athletic physique, you need to think and train more like the pros. Over the following pages we explain the key areas you can improve to both strip away body fat and become a more accomplished running machine... “ You need to think and train more like the pros PERFORMANCE Make your runs more effective with these tips from elite runner and coach Shaun Dixon Train faster Dedicated speed sessions burn body fat efficiently and make you a faster runner. They improve…