Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2025 i Men's Fitness UK

My Dad would often remind me of the old idiom "horses sweat, men perspire and women blush". It is, of course, utter baloney. Sweat rates are affected by a multitude of factors - your fitness, the type of exercise you're doing, the temperature outside and the humidity, for example - but if you've ever done a boxing session in the gym, you'll know that anyone and everyone can sweat. And sweat in buckets. I've never sweated so much than doing a boxing class with ex-pro boxer Tommy in the gym next door. I mean it was literally pouring off me after only five minutes. And, with a large pair of boxing gloves on, wiping the sweat away was something of a challenge. No wonder professionals have someone in their corner…

Leading athleisure brand, Lululemon, commissioned a sizeable study involving 16,000 participants across 15 countries that, encouragingly, indicated 89% of us made more effort to improve our wellbeing than in the previous year. So far, so positive, although the small-print hid a somewhat disturbing term - ‘wellbeing burnout’, with a worrying 60% reporting they felt under pressure to appear well, so much so they started to feel overwhelmed. A contributing factor is the omnipresence of wellbeing solutions. Some sound (literally) interesting in the case of meditating to harmonious Tibetan singing bowls, but others highly questionable - hay bathing anyone? The confusion caused by often-conflicting advice regarding how to achieve physical and mental good health can lead to a feeling of stress which, if left to build, can lead to the state…

Starting from a laying down position, holding a kettlebell in your right hand, above your chest with arm extended, wrist and elbow in vertical line with your shoulder. Bend your right knee and place your right foot on the ground. Keeping the weight directly above your shoulder, sit up a few inches and place your left forearm on the floor, then sit up further and place your left hand on the floor. Push into your right foot and drive your hips up and at the same time swing your left leg underneath you so you’re in a half kneeling position, left knee stacked under the left hip. Now drive through your right foot and stand up. Throughout the whole movement, the kettlebell remains above your shoulder, arm extended. Now repeat…

ROOM FOR LEGUMES People who eat more red meat, especially processed red meat like bacon, sausage and bologna, are more likely to have a higher risk of dementia when compared to those who eat very little red meat, according to a new study. The study, published in the online issue of Neurology, reveals that red meat is high in saturated fat and has been shown in previous studies to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease - both of which are linked to reduced brain health. Researchers found that replacing one serving per day of processed red meat with one serving per day of nuts and legumes was associated with a 19% lower risk of dementia…

HOLD IT Isometric training - holding the weight in a static position - has divided opinion over the years with some believing it’s a useful training mode variation and others convinced it is only of value in rehab. However, research published in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that it can be effective in building both size and strength, proposing protocols of three holds of 30 seconds at 75% of one rep maximum for extra inches; and six holds of 5 seconds at 100% of one rep maximum to increase force. A key bonus is that it was discovered that these neuromuscular improvements can be achieved without causing excess fatigue.…

The ketogenic – keto - diet has become very popular in recent years, especially for its short-term weight loss results. The diet has become much beloved by celebrities and social media influencers and has been discussed at length in magazines and documentaries. But what is a keto diet? A daily dietary carbohydrate (carb) intake of less than 130g is considered low-carb. But with an even lower daily carb intake – typically less than 50g – ketones appear in the blood or urine. Ketones, or ketone bodies, are chemicals produced in the liver by healthy individuals to provide energy when glucose is low or absent in the diet. So, a daily carb intake of less than 50g is consistent with a keto diet. Evidence shows that low carb, high healthy fat…

Men’s Fitness is published every month. UK annual subscription price: £92.88 Europe annual subscription: £116.88 USA & Canada annual subscription: £116.88 Rest of world annual subscription: £128.88 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…

Unilateral exercises focus on single arm or single leg movements and are worth occasionally introducing into your regular workouts for the benefits they bring. Firstly, through thousands of years of evolution, our bodies have naturally figured out the easiest way to get stuff done. One manifestation of this can be seen (or at least felt) when lifting, as your dominant side will do most of the work due to it being stronger than your non-dominant side, so this is more efficient. Unfortunately, this can lead to the non-dominant side becoming even weaker by comparison, but also the possibility of over-training your dominant side and risking overuse injury. Unilateral exercises allow you to develop your weaker side, narrowing the strength gap. In addition, a study published in the European Journal of…

Men’s Fitness is about more than rippling muscles, or chicken and broccoli dinners. These days, we’ve expanded our remit slightly. Our extensive collection of workouts, strength training tips and nutrition advice will help you look the part, sure, but it’s an unfortunate fact that big muscles don’t equate to happiness. Which is why in the pages of our monthly issues and online at mensfitnesstoday.com, you will also find the tools you need to improve all the unseen aspects of your health, too. If you’re looking for celebrity training plans or quick-fix diets, you’ll be better served elsewhere. However, if you want to learn how to make a healthy way of living second nature – no matter how busy you are – we’ve got you covered. And now, for a limited…

You can throw on any set of headphones when you step onto that gym floor. Find a pair that are truly equipped to handle smashing out sets and can survive a HIIT class and you’ll have one less thing to think about when it’s time to sweat. High intensity workouts call for headphones that will stay put. If you’re taking your training outside and don’t want to entirely close your ears off to the world around you, there are now more fitness headphones that can keep you in tune with sounds outside of yours. Buds with big battery life and a quick charge mode means you won’t be caught short when you forget to power them up. Fortunately, there are a lot of workout-friendly headphones claiming to be the ultimate…

With an estimated 2.5m of us who eat a purely plant-based diet, instruction on how to fuel ourselves on plants has never been more in demand. When it comes to exercise, a vegan diet is often (mistakenly) viewed as limiting to performance, but no one has more specialist knowledge and experience in this field than Alan. In his new book – the cycling chef: plant-powered performance – Alan shows how we can eat a fully plant-based diet- and still get all the nutrients and energy we need to power ourselves through our day and our fitness. With over 60 fresh and mouth-watering recipes, bespoke meal, nutrition and training plans, and invaluable expert guidance it will be a must for anyone who wants to perform on a plant-based diet. Pearl barley…

You know that feeling when your workout is almost finished, and it’s time to cool down, rest, and recover, but there’s a nagging feeling that you could do just a little bit more - introducing finishers! Love or hate them, finishers are designed to be your final push and are typically intense bursts of strength or cardio exercises. We discuss how finishers can target different groups of muscles and give some examples to try during your routines - to ramp-up results and expend every last ounce of energy. Full-body benefits While in recovery after exercise, your body keeps burning energy. This energy helps you to return to your resting state and includes the increased use of oxygen and calories. It’s known as the ‘afterburn effect’ or post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).…

The kettlebell is beginning to get the credit it deserves, and for good reason. Its top-mounted handle makes it the ideal tool for ballistic, swinging movements, giving workout options that are tough to replicate with dumbbells or a bar. Because moves like the swing, snatch and clean use virtually every muscle, they can be done for low reps to build full-body explosiveness, or ultra-high reps (50 in a set isn’t uncommon) for fat burn and cardio. But there’s more. Since the 1700s, farmers and strongmen have been using lifts like the windmill and bent-over press to show off their strength and coordination, and incorporating them into your routine will help you build physical powers you barely knew you had. Want to get strong, explosive and lean? Time to unleash bell.…

A YouGov survey revealed last year that over two-thirds (70%) of Brits abandon their resolutions within a month, with 13% giving up after just one week; 8% quit their fitness goal within one or two days. For those that began their New Year’s fitness resolutions on the 1st of January, fitness expert Leon Bolmeer, from Geezers Boxing, reveals that March 1st is the exact date you will begin to see fitness results. Training consistency, he says, is the key to success. "Seeing results from a workout routine takes time, and how long it takes depends on several factors, including your fitness level, training type, and lifestyle habits like nutrition and sleep,” says Bolmeer. “Beginners often notice progress sooner, typically within two to four weeks, as their bodies adapt to new…

Subscriptions FROM £15 Reasons to subscribe: • Save on the shop price • Never miss an issue • Delivered directly to you door OVER 45 TITLES TO CHOOSE FROM GO TO SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/NY25 SCAN THE QR CODE AND GO DIRECTLY CALL 01959 543 747 AND QUOTE 'NY25' Terms & Conditions: Lines are open Mon-Fri 8.30am to 5.30pm Calls are charged at your standard network rate UK customerrs only, Offers end 28th February 2025…

“Incorporating parkrun into my running was a revelation The average age of participants in running events is on the rise. Several studies – examining marathon entry data from around the globe – have found that the over forties age group is among the fastest growing worldwide. In most European running events, more than a third of competitors tick the 40-49 age group box. A recent Running USA study also noted big jumps in the proportion of 55+ runners taking part in half and full marathons. In South Korea the most popular age group category for marathon entrants is 50 to 59 (35.93%). Across the board there are growing numbers of runners signing up to events in their sixties, seventies and eighties. Taking up running in later life doesn’t necessarily mean…

IN EVERY ISSUE… WORKOUTS & TRAINING PLANS NUTRITION ADVICE OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PRODUCT TESTS & REVIEWS GREAT REASONS TO SUBSCRIBE • Save £17 on the shop price • Every issue accessed straight from your device • Expert advice on toning up with workouts to suit your lifestyle and nutrition tips to improve your diet • Receive the free weekly e-newsletter VISIT SHOP.KELSEY.CO.UK/MFDIG25 OR CALL 01959 543747 and quote code MFDIG25 HOTLINE OPEN: MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8.30AM-5.30PM. CALLS ARE CHARGED AT YOUR STANDARD NETWORK RATE SCAN HERE Terms & conditions: Offer available for UK Direct Debit customers only. You will pay £29.99 every year and receive the digital version of Men’s Fitness. *Savings are based on the standard digital cover price of £3.99 for one year. Offer ends 31st December 2025. Your subscription will…

Resistance bands are often dismissed as little more than warm-up or rehab tools, but when you know how to use them, they can also be valuable additions to your strength training arsenal. “Resistance bands offer a flexible and affordable introduction into resistance training,” says David Birtwistle. “They can be excellent tools for developing strength if you don’t have a wealth of weights at your disposal.” In the gym, you can add bands to weighted lifts like the bench press or deadlift, to apply greater resistance throughout the movement. But if you’re working out from home, one decent set of bands is enough to get an effective full-body workout in. There are two principal ways in which the body builds muscle: mechanical tension and metabolic stress. The first, which sees muscles…

This full-body warm-up from recovery app pliability is designed to prepare your entire body for movement, making it an essential addition to any fitness routine. By focusing on gentle mobility poses, the warm-up targets key areas like the hips, spine, chest, and shoulders to promote flexibility, alleviate tension, and enhance overall efficiency. Incorporating poses such as twisted cross, saddle, pigeon and puppy dog, this flow activates and opens up muscles that often become tight or restricted from everyday activities, ensuring your body is primed for exercise. Whether you’re heading into a strength training session, a cardio workout, or simply preparing for a dynamic day, these poses work together to optimise your movement and prevent potential stiffness or discomfort. 1. PIGEON POSE Pigeon Pose is one of the best stretches to…