Home//Men's Health UK/May 2021/In This Issue
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE EXPERT PANELTOM COWANPHYSIOLOGISTFitness is a numbers game, but which truly count? Cowan and others interrogate the most commonly cited benchmarks p54ZACK GEORGECROSSFIT ATHLETEThe UK’s fittest man joins our elite line-up to dispense the advice you need to make this your biggest, most gainful year ever p110JOE MARLERPRO RUGBY PLAYERWorld Cup star Marler opens up about how talking about his mental health struggles has helped him – and others – find new strength p88WILLIE STEWARTNEUROPATHOLOGISTAn expert in concussion management, Stewart warns of a coming wave of sports-related brain damage. How can we stop head injuries? p60MARION NESTLEFOOD RESEARCHERIs saturated fat a healthy part of your diet, or a heart attack waiting to happen? Nestle and other scientists serve up the final word p80WILL SELFNOVELISTDeath awaits us all, but nobody wants to talk…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021FOR NEW MUSCLE, KNOW THE ROPESIt’s a move that’s reminiscent of climbing trees. If you could do it as a five-year-old, how hard can it be? Well, as your inability to deep-squat like a toddler will attest, very – that is, unless you have the right technique. “Your form will make or break each rep,” says PT Chris Jillard. “This rope climb will challenge your coordination, strength, endurance and grip.”Your goal is to make each rep as efficient as possible. “When you start, it’ll feel like a strength exercise,” says Jillard. “But once you get more comfortable, you can use it as a conditioning tool within workouts.”The key to this variation is using your feet on the way up, but then switching to an L-sit for the descent. Calling in the support of your powerful…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021HEAVY HITTERSEver since Rocky Balboa heaved logs, chased chickens and went hell for leather on the heavy bag, the idea of getting “boxing fit” has had a certain guts-and-glory glamour. But there’s scientific heft to it, too. We all know that boxing gives your cardio engine a sixth gear, but the benefits of bag work – throwing punches at a deadweight – extend far beyond aerobic endurance. One of the most demanding workouts that you can get stuck into, it’ll boost your stamina, strength and power. It’ll also help you improve your reaction times, while developing your balance and coordination. Your arms, shoulders, chest, back, legs and core – nothing escapes the full-body flurry of working the bag.Before you throw your first punch, however, you need to choose your opponent wisely.…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021HIT ’EM HIGH WITH BUSTAPerform back to back. Rest for 30 seconds between supersets. Do three sets of 12 for each superset.SUPERSET 1A1/HAMMER CURLHinge at the elbow and curl the bells upward, keeping your palms facing each other. Pause, then lower.A2/TRI PRESS-DOWNGrip a bar or rope attachment at chest height. Straighten your arms, driving the attachment downward.SUPERSET 2B1/BENCH PRESSLie on a bench, holding a loaded barbell with a close grip. Lower the weight. Press back up.B2/SPIDER CURLLie with your chest on a bench set to 45°, holding a dumbbell in one hand. Curl it up, squeezing your biceps. Switch arms.…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021A NEW WAY TO TRI YOUR BESTTriathletes love tech. From aerodynamic bike accessories to drag-reducing race suits, when you’re pushing your limits to master three disciplines, marginal gains can maximise your results. The Wahoo Elemnt Rival multisport watch is custom-built for that purpose.At 53g, it’s light for a performance watch, but it’s heavy on features: a 1.2in, 240 by 240 pixel display; a built-in optical heart-rate sensor; the connectivity to sync with a range of accessories, slotting neatly into any tech set-up. Most impressively, its “touchless transitions” feature automatically clocks your tri legs – from the water onto your bike, or from two wheels into the run – without you having to press a button, and the battery covers seven days’ training. Tri-curious? Here’s what else you can expect.i_4The tracker packs four sensors, offering GPS, an…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021DO DIFFERENT PULL-UP GRIPS REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE?Few exercises build strength quite like the pull-up. It’s a straightforward movement, albeit an unforgiving one. But there’s more than one way to pass the bar – as Dali Khalef, head coach at Outrivals, explainsOVERHANDWhen you grip the bar with your palms facing away from you, it’s a pull-up. “It’s the hardest and the best for improving overall strength,” says Khalef. This grip targets your back muscles, balancing out your upper body after lots of pressing.UNDERHANDIf your palms face towards you, it’s a chin-up. This shifts the emphasis away from the upper back to swell your biceps and pecs. Chin-ups may be easier, but when it comes to boosting your pulling strength, they’re still potent, says Khalef.NEUTRALThe neutral grip brings your palms parallel to focus on your forearms, biceps and…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021ZOOM FORWARDRAISE YOUR SCREENLow angles can be unflattering – they’ll give you a double chin, or show off that lockdown neckbeard. Use a stack of books to elevate your screen to eye level.LOCATION, LOCATIONSit facing a window. Light shining directly onto your face smooths out your complexion. Avoid overhead lights and backlighting, which create shadows.STRAIGHT SHOOTERAfter your eighth Zoom meeting of the day, it’s tempting to slouch. But sitting up straight both elongates your neck and makes you appear slimmer.…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 202102MORNING MINDSET WARM-UPBREATHETake a deep breath for five seconds and let it out for 10. “Giving yourself the luxury of a long exhale signals to your brain that you’re safe,” Gervais points out.BE GRATEFULThink of one thing for which you’re thankful and feel that gratitude. Some experts say it can take around 14 reps (or two weeks) of doing this before the benefits start to kick in.SET AN INTENTIONDefine a single, clear objective for your day. “Tell yourself that there are good things happening in the world,” says Gervais, then decide what part you want to play in it.MEDITATE“People who practise meditation tend to be more optimistic,” says Gervais, who recommends a minimum of eight minutes a day, concentrating on one breath at a time.…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021EXCUSE ME WHILE I ZOOM AHEADAs we slowly transition out of lockdown, our first instinct might be to rush back to everything that we’ve been denied for so long. Crowded restaurants. Holidays abroad. Gyms full of people gasping aerosolised saliva droplets all over each other. That sort of thing. But to do so would be foolish. We can all learn things from the past year and a bit. For example, even though I once secretly entertained the idea, I now home-school my children ever again. And supermarkets should always have arrows on the floor to prevent dickheads from meandering along the aisles aimlessly.Also – and this is a big one – I now only want to communicate with people via Zoom. I have become convinced that Zooming represents the pinnacle of human achievement.Oh, sure, I…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021KEEP IT REALFIND A LEGIT LEADER BOARDRaces based on honesty-system reporting always feel somewhat anticlimactic. Instead, choose an event with an interface that uploads stats from your tracker (Garmin, Strava, Fitbit, etc) and then declares a winner.ENLIST A FRIENDDo the race with people you know. Start together in different locations. Compete against each other, or break up a marathon into parts and see if everyone on your team can run their leg with a personal best.CHECK OUT THE SWAGIf a medal or a T-shirt motivates you, there are plenty of races that send those out. Alternatively, if raising money for a good cause helps you to push yourself, there are many opportunities for that, too.SET THE STAGEComeau put his bike in his basement with two air conditioners, two industrial blower fans, two…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021Train Like MBJYour strength typically peaks in your mid-thirties – after that, your muscle mass and quality begin to decline. To move, look and feel your best for decades to come, follow Jordan’s lead and maximise your strength with four workouts per week. He used bodybuilder routines to sculpt the mountains of muscle he needed for Creed. But to play a shredded, athletic Navy SEAL in Without Remorse, he needed to forge real-world strength and out-of-this-world endurance. So, he tweaked his training, tackling intense full-body exercises and circuits with his trainer, Corey Calliet. Build muscle, burn fat and get in the greatest shape of your life with Calliet’s total-body countdown session.Directions: Do the exercises in order, resting as needed between sets (but keeping rest to a minimum). Do 10 rounds, with 10…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Fragile MindA round the world, a network of laboratories is stockpiling and studying the brains of dead athletes. There are thousands of them: some were donated in wills, a small number in suicide notes and many more by bereaved families searching for answers. In life, these brains belonged to footballers, boxers and NFL stars; cyclists, martial artists and rugby players. In death, they are pieces in a puzzle.The neurologists who scan and dissect these brains are looking for damage and abnormalities that may have been caused by head impacts in sport. They want to know how prevalent these injuries are, and how a collision on the field of play can lead to life-changing symptoms in the short term, or a neurodegenerative disease over time.On one level, it’s a question of simple…13 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Rugby ProA Welsh-capped ex-rugby union player, Alix Popham was diagnosed with probable CTE and early-onset dementia at the age of 40. With a group of other ex-professionals, he is filing legal claims against the sport’s governing bodiesWhen I had the diagnosis, it was terrible news. But, in a funny way, it came as a relief. It gave me answers to why things were happening: losing my temper, not being able to concentrate, forgetting conversations with my wife 20 minutes later.The scans showed that there were five areas of my brain that were significantly damaged. My neurologist described it as a leaking tap: a tap dripping on mud once or twice would cause no damage. But if it drips for 14 years, as it did in my case, there would be a…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021Men’sHealth HOME GYM AWARDS 202101 Best Bodyweight Workout UpgradeAdidas Door GymThough press-ups and planks are effective, we won’t blame you if you feel they’ve become somewhat uninspiring over the past year. Take your bodyweight training up a level with a pull-up bar. Suitable for most frames, the Door Gym has padded grips for comfort to spare your forearms, with three handle variations so you can switch up your focus. It also extends a little further from the door than most bars, allowing for a greater range of motion. Plus, it can be used on the floor to pump up your press-ups.£24 amazon.co.uk02 Best Barbell for Every-Level AthletesEleiko XF 20kg BarOne for anyone who wants to perfect their push-jerk technique in the garden. “By choosing a good barbell, you’re not just improving your performance but…10 min
Men's Health UK|May 202101 Wagyu SteakINGREDIENTS(SERVES 1)• WAGYU SIRLOIN, 200G• UNSALTED BUTTER, 30G• A PICKLING ONION, HALVED• THYME SPRIG• PARSNIP PURÉE, 75MLFOR THE PURÉE• PARSNIPS, 200G, PEELED AND CHOPPED• WHOLE MILK, 100ML• BUTTER, 50GMETHODThe secret is in the breeding, says chef Mike Reid, author of M: A 24-Hour Cookbook. It predisposes wagyu to impressive marbling in the muscle tissue. While this is partly made up of saturated fat, much of it is nutritious oleic acid, the kind of fat you find in olive oil. It’s also rich in zinc, which supports your immunity. But first, the parsnips: in a pot, heat the milk and butter with 100ml of water and a pinch of salt. Add the parsnips and cook until tender. Transfer the parsnips to a blender and blitz, adding some of the cooking liquid…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 202104 Mince on Dripping ToastINGREDIENTS(SERVES 6)• BEEF DRIPPING, 25G• DRY-AGED QUALITY BEEF MINCE, 1KG• 1 CARROT, PEELED AND DICED• 1 ONION, PEELED AND DICED• DRIED THYME, 1TSP• TOMATO PURÉE, 1TBSP• DARK CHICKEN STOCK, 300ML• DARK BEEF STOCK, 300ML• RED WINE, 200ML• PINCH OF MALDON SALT• SOURDOUGH, THICK SLICE• WATERCRESS, HANDFUL• MUSTARD DRESSING, 1TBSPMETHODFor chef Shaun Searley, this is a grown-up take on a snack that he ate as a kid: beef dripping from the can kept next to the stove, slathered on bread. This recipe is from The Quality Chop House by Searley, with Dan Morgenthau and William Lander. Heat a teaspoon of dripping in a saucepan and brown the mince in batches. Transfer to a colander to drain off the fat but keep the pan and cooking fats.Over a medium heat, gently fry…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021YOUR NEW COACHES01 NAME ANDREW TRACEY@theandrew.tracey The Men’s Health fitness editor has a total of 16 years of experience in the industry. As a top-flight trainer, “AT” runs a continual personal experiment that involves him attempting as many fitness disciplines as possible with minimum gym access. His resulting specialisation in the domain of home-made gains has made him your richest source for low-tech, high-yield workout advice. Favourite workoutAny EMOM. Just press play and you’re off. If it’s got a bench press in it, so much the better. Special skillI can successfully name any major brand of takeaway pizza in a blindfolded taste test, nine times out of 10. Rest day looks like…Training to one day be able to get my pizza taste test statistics up to 10 out of 10, while watching…6 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021WORKOUT #01 GET LEAN FOR LIFEDuring the past year of lockdowns, you’ve likely done more sitting and a lot less walking. Consider this workout from Andrew Tracey an antidote to your sedentary existence. Its simple moves are designed to get you moving, and to build a body that’s strong, mobile and fit to handle the rigours of everyday life. Perform 10 rounds of this circuit as quickly as you can, resting only as necessary. Between rounds, complete a 100-200m run, or do 100-150 skips with a rope.01 SINGLE-ARM ISO FLOOR PRESS5 REPS PER ARM Start with a shoulder-burning variation of a classic move. Lie on your back with your knees bent, holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest (A). Lower the right dumbbell until your elbow touches the ground (B). Press back up…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021WORKOUT #3 ADD FUNCTIONAL STRENGTHAs Britain’s fittest man, Zack George knows exactly how to maximise your fitness using minimal kit. He’s also a believer in simultaneously taxing muscle and mind. Here, he delivers both to your workout arena of choice.This two-part session starts with a sweat-inducing sprint, then moves into a 10-round test of your grit. Perform the first two moves back to back; start at 15 reps of each, followed by 12 and 6. Rest for three minutes, before tackling the second two moves as a circuit for a full 10 rounds, aiming for the quickest time possible.A1 SQUAT CLEAN15, 12, 6 REPSKick off the proceedings with a full-body blast. With your back flat, hinge down to grasp your dumbbells (A). Stand up explosively, using the momentum to pull them up onto your…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021GET A GRIP ON WFH FITNESS01 GET OVER IT Whether you’re working with a dumbbell, kettlebell, sandbag, or anything else, set it down next to you. Start the timer, squat and place your hands on the ground. Jump your legs back, finishing at the top of a press-up. Lower your chest, then press up explosively. Jump your feet forward and leap in the air, moving over the top of your object laterally. Land on the other side, and repeat for a total of four reps.02 INTO THE SWING OF THINGS After your final burpee, straddle your kit. With soft knees and a flat back, hinge down to grip it. Pull it back between your legs before explosively standing upright, using the momentum from your hips to swing it forward powerfully, up to your eye line.…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021Over-Achieve Down Under01 The Big LiftThe place to come for unconventional equipment and dynamic, challenging sessions that will leave you sweating buckets.ludusmagnus.co.nz02 The Ultimate CardioA half-hour ferry ride from the city, Rangitoto Island has a challenging 3.5km trail to the summit of a volcano.doc.govt.nz03 The Alternative SweatYou’ll find the beautiful Omaha Beach an 80-minute drive to the north. The swell is perfect for learning to surf.saltwatereco.co.nz04 The Virtuous FeedSmoothies, hearty salads and healthy versions of all the staples. The NZ beef brisket rice bowl with chilli paste and Asian pickled slaw is a winner.misters.co05 The Pig-Out SpotBy far the best burgers in Auckland (mine’s a Kiwi Classic, thanks). Four locations, all delicious. Good milkshakes and sides, too.burgerburger.co.nz06 The Watering HoleFew people know about this cool, little Mexican tequila and cocktail bar, but…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021ONE WORD ANSWER #75QUESTIONWhat much-missed form of entertainment could increase your lifespan by a decade?ANSWERGigsThe show must go on, even in a pandemic. In June last year, the South Korean boy band BTS took to a revolving stage to perform in front of 756,600 fans – none of whom was actually there. The largest ticketed online concert of all time, “Bang Bang Con” gave its viewers multiple camera angles to choose from and the option of broadcasting their applause. Audience members were offered virtual “lighting sticks” to wave around, as well as access to a live chat, presumably to simulate the kind of conversations they would have had with fellow devotees at a brick-and-mortar venue. But as successful as the gig was (it took in more than £14m), was it… well, a gig…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021EDITOR’S LETTERAs I sit down to write this, spring has sprung. The daffodils and hyacinths are out in force, the tulips about to bloom. New shoots are emerging from dormant clematis stems. Outside, the mercury nudges optimistically above 20°C. Earlier today, for the first time this year, I took my lunchtime run cross-country, now that the slurry of the surrounding paths and fields has been slowly baked by sun and breeze. To romantics, these hallmarks of seasonal change are associated with a sanguine disposition – for Shakespeare, a bleeding-heart softie when the mood took him, spring “put a spirit of youth in everything”.Indeed, my own temperament has always been enhanced by blue sky and hot rays. Throw in a cold beer and I’m the veritable life and soul. Yet, to my…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE HEALTH SNOB’S GUIDE TO THAI FOOD01 EASTERN PROMISESThai cuisine has a rep for being esoteric and best outsourced to Deliveroo, but it needn’t do your noodle. “It’s very easy to cook,” says Saiphin Moore, founder of Rosa’s Thai Café (rosasthaicafe.com). “It’s about balancing the flavours of sweet, salty, spicy and sour.” Restock your cupboard with these essentials and you can tuck into home-made fitness fuel that delivers flavour and health benefits by the wokful.A RICE NOODLESFar more than just a portion of performance-boosting carbs, rice noodles also boast a hefty mineral payload. They contain selenium, a compound that works to combat the oxidative stress linked to mental decline and even Alzheimer’s.B LIME JUICEThough best known for bolstering your immunity, vitamin C also happens to be essential for retaining muscle mass as you age. The juice…4 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021SHAKE, RATTLE OR ROLLMASSAGE GUN£405 MILLIONTheragun’s first device launched in 2016. By 2027, we will be spending almost half a billion pounds a year on massage guns.FOAM ROLLER£340 MILLIONThough percussive therapy has made a big noise in the market, roller sales are expected to surge by 86% over the next half-decade.THE MH VERDICT: THE FOAM ROLLER WINS!Though massage guns are a promising new tool, there’s too little long-term research into their performance and recovery benefits for them to aim for the top spot just yet. That means this battle comes down to cash and convenience – so keep rolling for now.…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021PUMP UP YOUR BICEPS WITH PRUNESDespite their unglamorous association with kick-starting your daily motion, prunes deserve a regular role in your muscle-building plan. Pre-workout shakes are often hit or miss: either they’ll make you feel ready to run through walls, or the face tingles and palpitations they cause will make surviving the next hour your chief concern. Fortunately, researchers at Oklahoma State University have identified prunes as a healthier alternative that’ll help you unlock new gains more fruitfully.While studying the effects of prunes on bone density, they noticed that a daily portion of the dried fruit boosted concentrations of IGF-1 in their test subjects by 17%. This protein regulates the effects of growth hormone, encouraging development in your bones and muscle tissue – in other words, it’ll help you pump up your arms. That’s why…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021I’M 40. ARE MY FAT-LOSS AMBITIONS NOW OVER THE HILL?Don’t let yourself be discouraged by that little groan you make when you get out of bed – there’s no reason why you can’t outmuscle fat in middle age. But to tip the scales in your favour, you need to know what you’re up against.When you hit your thirties, your body starts to self-sabotage: testosterone, progesterone and human growth hormone (HGH) begin their slow decline, causing a reduction in muscle mass that makes your metabolism stutter. By the time you reach 40, your T-levels are deteriorating at a rate of 1% each year, making muscle gain more difficult. Meanwhile, an enzyme in fatty tissue converts lingering testosterone into oestrogen, causing your waistline to expand, and levels of the stress hormone cortisol begin to rise. High cortisol levels stimulate muscle breakdown…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021CAN THERAPY APPS REALLY PROTECT MY MENTAL HEALTH?While it’s no substitute for the therapist’s couch, digital therapy deserves a place in your mental health toolkit. Tap in to give your brain a system updateHEADSPACE£10 per monthheadspace.comBest for mental clarityCutting through the noise of a plugged-in society, Headspace helps you to manage anxiety through meditation, boost focus with soundscapes and unwind with a “sleepcast”. Just 10 days can slash your negative emotions by 28%.CBT THOUGHT DIARYFreecbtthoughtdiary.comBest for depressionIf you’re struggling to make sense of your thoughts, try a virtual journal. Through cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, it helps you identify negative thinking patterns and teaches you to reframe them.WORRY WATCH£4 worrywatch.comBest for anxietyWhether it’s a mortgage payment or a job interview, log your anxieties, noting whether the outcome was as catastrophic as you imagined. A statistics dashboard helps you…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021HOW TO MAKE OPTIMISM YOUR NEW SUPERPOWEROptimism is a performance-enhancing drug. According to a study of former Olympians, it was one of the key traits that separated those who exceeded expectations from those who fell short.“Optimists tend to take a posture of confidence and persistence, while pessimists are doubtful and hesitant,” says Kristen Dieffenbach, director of the Center for Applied Coaching and Sport Science at West Virginia University. “Optimists are able to succeed because they look for opportunities, not problems. Even when they see problems, they’re able to identify solutions.”This superpower extends far beyond the world of sports. Soldiers rely on it, as do corporate leaders and average men with above-average health. Research shows that optimists live up to 15% longer, sleep better and are significantly more likely to have superior cardiovascular health than pessimists.If you’re…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021MAKE GAINS WHILE THE SUN SHINESIt seems that trendy indoor boot camps – even with their strobe lights and thumping house music – are no match for simple workouts in the local park. Of course, we support a post-COVID return to the gyms, but if the £20 price tag of a boutique class feels like an expensive hurdle to your long-term goals, simply bring your training plan into the light. That’s because, as with most Brits, your health is probably in dire need of some extra vitamin D.The sunshine vitamin isn’t just crucial for maintaining healthy skin and bones. It’s also a natural ally in your quest for better body composition. When scientists at Kyung Hee University in South Korea studied the effects of a circuit training programme with and without vitamin D supplementation, they…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021CHASE DOWN STAMINAIRLHolden Comeau, a former pro triathlete, is 600m from the finish line of the Zwift National Championship race. He is in third place, pedalling steadily to maintain his lead against the 750 or so competitors behind him. He sees the two cyclists ahead start to pull away, but he waits until the 100m mark to make his move. When it’s in sight, he stands up to deliver his maximum sprinting power – 1,353 watts – into his pedals. It’s just enough to edge past the leaders to win the race and make him Zwift’s top-ranked rider. Comeau sits up, pumps a fist in the air and erupts with joy.This is racing on Zwift, a virtual racing platform for cyclists and runners that has logged a threefold increase in rides in…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021A Hero’s LegacyMichael B Jordan is somewhere off the coast of Saint Barthélemy, sinking slowly into the depths of the Caribbean Sea while holding a lava stone steady above his head. When he hits the sandy bottom, he takes 20 steps, drops the rock, then rises back to the surface. This aquatic workout is an apt metaphor for how many of us have felt over the past 12 months: head underwater, weighed down by the heaviness of the times.It’s early January, and the year is off to a grim start. COVID-19 has reached devastating new milestones, despite encouraging signs from the vaccine rollout, and the lead by Trump era has ended with a cosplay coup attempt – a violent storming of the Capitol orchestrated by white nationalists that played out on social…13 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021ACTION FIGURES#1 Clock 10,000 Steps a Day According to Harvard Medical School professor Dr I-Min Lee, the origins of this prevalent figure can be traced back to a Japanese company, whose pedometer is named Manpo-kei, or “10,000-steps-meter”.Can you count on it?It’s the default setting on many popular activity trackers, but research suggests that this is an imperfect prescription. Dr Lee’s studies suggest that while mortality rates progressively improve as we get in more steps, they level off at 7,500 per day. A separate study by the University of Texas at Austin, which examined metabolic responses to exercise, concluded that 5,000 steps are too few, but about 8,000 are likely sufficient.It’s difficult to separate out the benefits of walking compared to exercise in general. A better goal might be to shorten the…8 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Team CaptainAfter suffering two concussions in quick succession, former Leeds Rhinos captain Stevie Ward retired from rugby league at the age of 27, with wide-ranging symptoms that still affect him todayI was always prepared to sacrifice my bodily health to win – to play for my team mates, to do something special on the pitch, to be a part of something. In 2017, I played the week after I dislocated my shoulder in a semi-final. In the final, I played the full game and made the most tackles.It’s a game that has allowed me to build my resilience and character and improve communication. You go through the mill in terms of the physicality; you’re conditioned to work hard and to play through pain. But the brutality of the game should never…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The CampaignerJohn Stiles, a former pro footballer, is the son of 1966 World Cup-winner Nobby, who died in October 2020 with advanced dementia and prostate cancer. His brain was donated to science and discovered to have CTEI know that my dad was killed by heading the ball. His brain was sent to Dr Willie Stewart, who found CTE right the way through. I estimated that in my dad’s career, he headed the ball at least 70,000 times.I’m an ex-pro. I played for Leeds in the 1980s, and we would use old match balls in training. Sometimes, the cover had come off; they were like concrete. Centre-forwards and centre-halves, they’d head the ball 30 or 40 times a day. You do that four days a week and multiply that for 38 weeks…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Power of VulnerabilityWith 66 caps for England and two for the British and Irish Lions, Joe Marler is at the top of his game. Over the past two years, he has also been tackling his mental health – a fact that didn’t prevent him from being one of England’s few plus points in the 2019 World Cup final loss, though he recently stepped back to spend more time with his family. His book Loose Head is four parts #banter and one part honest assessment of his mental health journey. Meanwhile, he says that his podcast, The Joe Marler Show, is helping him – and all men – to speak honestly about how we’re feeling. Because it’s good to do so.Men’s Health: You have first-hand experience of how beneficial talking can be for…5 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021INVEST IN AN ELITE KIT UPGRADE01 RAISE THE BARBy Faisal Abdalla“I use this bad boy for everything from empty bar warm-up drills to all of my Olympic lifts. I can’t recommend this enough for all-round performance.”BLK Box Belfast Olympic Barbell £300blackboxfitness.com02 KEEP YOUR CHIN UPWhen you’re ready to kick your excuses to the curb and start conquering gravity, this portable station from Bulldog will be your saviour. It’s light, collapsible, cost-effective and durable. It’s time you mastered those pull-ups.Bulldog Portable Pull-Up Rack £93bulldoggear.com03 HEX APPEALBy John Chapman“The beauty of hex dumbbells is that you can comfortably rest them on your shoulders and do press-ups on them without worrying about them rolling away. They make workouts easier, and will last longer than you.”Wolverson Dumbbells £15wolverson-fitness.co.uk04 PACK IT INDecided to renew your gym membership? Or will you…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021WORKOUT #02 UNLEASH A WFH ATHLETEThere are days when you want to push yourself but even more bodyweight HIIT isn’t going to cut it. Requiring a single dumbbell, this session from Tracey is smart enough to build new muscle wherever you may be. You can even do it in the gym.Work in max-effort bouts of 40 seconds; rest for 20 seconds, then move to the next move. Follow this format around the circuit for 12 minutes, or three rounds in total. Go all out, take a break, then go again. You’re only ever 40 seconds away from your next break, after all.01 PRESS-UP OVER DUMBBELL Begin with a locomotive twist on a staple move. Set up with one hand on a dumbbell and the other on the ground. Perform a single press-up (A). At the…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE BIG MACRO MEALWhat I want to do here is to give you some solid guidelines to follow for your whole diet, explained through one of my favourite, go-to post-workout meals. That means we’ll be talking about your macronutrients: fats, carbohydrates and protein.The first thing you’ll want to add to your post-workout meal is a high-quality protein source. The International Society for Sports Nutrition suggests a daily requirement of 1.4g to 2g per kilo of bodyweight per day for athletes. So, we can say that an 80kg man needs around 160g of protein per day. This should be divided between your meals and snacks, with each meal containing at least 20g of protein, ideally 30g.Consuming carbs after a workout is a great way to replenish all of the energy you’ve just used, and…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Call of the RewildTowards the end of 2020, as the lockdown enforced upon the regions and counties of England reached Tier 3, before finally exceeding itself in achieving the previously unattainable Tier 4, there was one area that remained at only the first level of alert. Cornwall, despite being one of the poorest counties of the entire mainland, seemed at once rich and verdant – as well as being a bracing sanctuary from the face-masked hordes.But the truth is that Cornwall always has been. With travel within the UK and overnight accommodation becoming increasingly possible as we pootle along the roadmap, shun the crowded bays and coves of Croyde and Sennen and travel instead to the Roseland Peninsula. Surrounded by the Fal estuary and the Atlantic, and part of Cornwall’s area of outstanding…4 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE MH DIRECTORYPREMIUM GYM EQUIPMENT AT HOMECreating a home gym? Whether it’s a full garage conversion or a few key pieces of kit, look no further than Physical Company.From gym flooring to functional, combat, studio and strength equipment – and more besides – we give you access to the same trusted, reliable brands we supply to many of the UK’s top gyms.We can help design your space, too. And with commercial warranties on our equipment, you can train as hard as you like in total peace of mind! Visit www.physicalcompany.co.uk to explore our full range and use discount code MH20 for 20% off (some product exclusions apply).CREATE THE PERFECT SPORTS ROOM… IN YOUR GARAGE!Dura is Europe’s leading garage interior company, with a wealth of experience in creating cycle rooms and home gyms.…7 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021BEANS, BEANS, THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOUR HEARTThe superfoods aisle at a health shop might seem like your safest bet if you’re hoping to eat your way to a longer life. Yet you’ll find the most effective life extender at your local corner shop. According to epidemiologists working for the World Health Organisation, bean intake is the best predictor of longevity, beating fruit, veg and wholegrain cereals. For every 20g of beans that the subjects in their study ate per day, their chances of dying from any cause fell by 8%.The study focused on four countries well known for having long-lived inhabitants: Japan, Sweden, Greece and Australia. The first three of these are committed bean-eating cultures. Legumes are present in Japanese cuisine in soya, tofu, natto and miso; they also feature heavily in the Scandi and Mediterranean…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021…I TAKE CREATINE?01 ADDED VALUESome may associate creatine with bodybuilding and other, less salubrious, anabolic supps. But this compound occurs naturally in our livers and contains the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine. Its main dietary source is red meat but, as more people turn to plant-based diets, supplementation is becoming increasingly common. Deficiency causes lethargy and brain fog and can slow down your gym progress.02 SLOW BUILDAvoid short cuts. The over-zealous bodybuilder’s habit of loading up on four 7g doses per day could leave you bloated and lumbered with the sudden weight gain endemic among the über-muscled. Your body simply can’t store that much creatine, so build up over time. Research suggests that taking 3g per day over four weeks results in maximum phosphocreatine saturation, with minimum unwanted water retention.03 MIND…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021BUST A GUT IN YOUR FORTIES“If this goes smooth, I can get to the gym and get another workout in,” says Busta Rhymes, rubbing his hands together, each finger adorned with a large ring. The hip-hop legend is as energetic at 48 as he was starting out in the early 1990s.When Men’s Health speaks to Rhymes – born Trevor Smith Jr – he is basking in the acclaim for his 10th album, Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God. It took him 11 years to complete. Rhymes began making it in 2009; at the time, he was in good shape. But two tragedies struck. In 2012, his friend and manager Chris Lighty died. Two years later, Rhymes’s father passed. “Those were the two most important male figures in my entire life,” he says.Shaken by…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021JOIN THE BAND FOR TOTAL-BODY GAINS01 HIGH PULLStand tall with one end of the band under your feet and the other in both hands in front of your hips (A). Pull your elbows out and up towards your ears, lifting the band to your chin without shrugging your shoulders (B). Lower and repeat.02 ISO DEADLIFTWith the whole of a band under both of your feet, bend down to grab each loop (A). Contract your core, pull up for the first few inches of a deadlift and hold, working against the band (B). Tense your body, then release.03 PULL-APARTWith your arms stretched out in front of you, grip the full band in both hands at shoulder width (A). Contract your shoulder blades together and pull your arms apart until they are fully extended at your sides…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021MY KNEE HURTS. CAN I RUN THROUGH IT?Today 6:14amI’ve just about made this new running habit stick, but now my knee hurts. Should I grit my teeth and keep going?Not so fast. It depends on the pain and whether you have any other symptoms. If it’s a dull ache, you could try a short run. If it’s a sharp, severe pain, you need to rest.It’s an ache that started just after I bought new trainers… Could they be to blame?Trainers alter your gait – the way you walk and run – by slightly changing the force distribution in your legs. Using a new pair without breaking them in can cause problems, as the biomechanics of your legs haven’t adapted.Oops. I wore them fresh out of the box. What can I do to ease the pain and get…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021HOW TO FACE DOWN AGEINGTHE PROBLEM THE FIXCROW’S FEETThe wrinkles around your eyes become more pronounced as your skin loses elasticity with age, says dermatologist Camille Howard-Verovic. Hydrate with hyaluronic acid, which helps retain moisture in your skin, making it appear both smoother and plumper.Olay Retinol24 Night Eye Cream £30 boots.comThis contains retinol to target fine lines, as well as hyaluronic acid and glycerin to keep skin looking “full”.UNDER-EYE BAGSPuffy, swollen skin around your eyes can be the result of a lack of sleep, but the real culprit is fluid retention. Cold temperatures can slow circulation and reduce inflammation, says Howard-Verovic. Cool the affected areas to eliminate puffiness.Patchology FlashPatch Eye Gels £14 patchology.co.ukTry these patches. Failing that, aesthetician Sofie Pavitt recommends using two cold, wet teabags.DARK CIRCLESWhen blood vessels are close to the surface…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 202101THE EXERCISESDAY 1PRACTISE POSITIVE PERFECTIONISMDAY 2SEEK OUT MARVELSDAY 3VISUALISE THE OUTCOME YOU WANTDAY 4CULTIVATE SPONTANEITYDAY 5REWIRE YOUR BRAIN FOR HAPPINESSWHY IT WORKSPositive perfectionism involves focusing on doing your best, knowing that mistakes will sometimes happen and that you’ll be able to figure out how to correct them when they do.Your mind naturally has a negative bias, because it has evolved to look out for danger. “To train your brain for optimism, you have to scan your world and find things that are amazing,” says Gervais. This will help you relax.Sports figures use the technique of visualisation to help them recover from a bad play. Instead of dwelling on what went wrong, they keep their mind’s eye focused on what they truly want to happen.Don’t be afraid to do things that you…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE CRYSTAL MAZEWhen you join the world’s Watch Geek Community, after you’ve been shown the secret handshake, you’re taken through the rules. “Thou shalt never buy an Invicta,” they tell you. “Wearing thine watch on the inside of the wrist will forever make you look like an arse.” Then comes the main commandment: “Quartz bad, mechanical good.”The reasons for this are many. There’s history, for a start: the invention of the quartz watch by Seiko in 1969 ravaged the Swiss watch industry. Half a century later, the industry still holds a grudge. This isn’t to say that most Swiss brands don’t use quartz in some way – but quartz movements in general, comprised of batteries, electric motors and printed circuit boards, are anathema to the hand-crafted ideal of a traditional Swiss timepiece.…3 min
Men's Health UK|May 20215 VIRTUAL RACES TO TRAIN FOR NOW01 ROUVYCycle with avatars of your friends along routes incorprating videos of real roads. Regular races also test your mettle on well-known courses.From £10 a month rouvy.com02 SPARTAN RACESAn obstacle race where you take on burpees, tuck jumps and the like. Various lengths include the Beast, a half-marathon with 30 obstacles.Free spartan.com03 ZWIFTDaily cycling competitions range from sprints under 10 miles to races of 50-plus, on a variety of courses with different terrain.£12 per month zwift.com04 WINGS FOR LIFE WORLD RUNYou run as far as you can, until a catcher car nabs you. The entry fees support a charity for spinal cord injuries.wingsforlifeworldrun.com05 PREMIER ROWING LEAGUE RACESEach week, test yourself against a different time and distance, such as an all-out 200m. You join a virtual league and earn points.premierrowingleague.comADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY:…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Quick-Fire RoundFavourite cardio?Swimming.It’s low impact and full body. You work your upper body, your core, your legs, your breathing. Your breath is so important for your mental state and staying calm. Swimming really helps me, because I’ve had so many injuries. The water keeps my joints comfortable. I often use it as a warm-up for my strength workouts.Frenemy exercise?Kettlebell swings.Workout anthem?“BB King Freestyle” by Lil Wayne and Drake.Jedi mind trick?Descending ladders.You start with 10 reps, then nine, and keep going down to one. It tricks your mind, because when you only have five left, you say, “Only five? I can do five.” And you push and push yourself.Cheat meal?Lasagne.Heroes?My parents.Also, the incomparable Bryan Stevenson [founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative].SWIM TRUNKS AND WATCH COACH, TANKTOP HANES, SHORTS RHUDE,…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE NEW TENETS OF TRAINING4+2+1“I do four weight sessions per week and two cardio sessions; I take one recovery day. This helps me hit the goals I set for my training programme, while ensuring that I don’t overtrain.”9:1“That’s nine weeks of training at my regular intensity and one ‘de-load’ week, in which I reduce my effort to around 60-70%. It’s a ratio that has worked well for me and my clients.”3-4“Weeks for which I stay on a programme. Your body adapts quickly – that means you need to make tweaks in order to progress, though these don’t have to be major.”80%“If you stick to your training and nutrition plan for 80% of the time, you don’t have to sweat in the remaining 20%. Building good habits is fundamental. Don’t rely on your willpower alone.”…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Brain ScientistA consultant neurologist based at Homerton University Hospital, Dr Richard Sylvester provides the neurology assessment for concussion clinics at the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health. He has also advised the FA and World RugbyWith the vast majority of brain injuries, you don’t lose consciousness: probably less than 10%. Usually, what happens is that people are confused, their behaviour is altered and they feel slowed-down and drowsy. One of the important things with the management of head injuries on the pitch is that it can’t be up to the player as to whether they should carry on playing.It doesn’t have to be an impact to the head – it could be an impact to the chest that causes your head to move suddenly. Anyone who has symptoms should come off…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021The Boxing CoachA former professional boxer, Gary Lockett is now a trainer. He was in the corner of British fighter Nick Blackwell, who suffered a bleed on the brain and was placed in a medically induced coma in 2016 after a fight with Chris Eubank JrI don’t think young boxers and amateurs are aware of the risks. I wasn’t: I started boxing when I was eight. I had close to 100 amateur fights and 32 pro fights. I was involved as a coach and manager – before the incident with Nick – in probably about 300 fights. I’d never realised the extent of the devastation it can cause.Now that Nick is some way towards well, we can look back on it with some perspective. It was a very scary prospect. I told…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021fat lot ofgoodalbi Skenderi is speaking to Men’s Health from his studio apartment in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District.A road bike leans on a wall, and a punch bag hangs in a corner. Beneath it are a yoga mat, a medicine ball and a few dumbbells. He’s wearing a Henley shirt that accentuates his build: 6ft tall and a muscular 82kg.The Meatpacking District is an aptly named neighbourhood for Skenderi to live in. “I switched to a carnivore diet a couple of months ago,” says Skenderi, who is 33 and works in finance. “One of my colleagues was heating up steak in the microwave at 8am. I was like, ‘Dude, what are you doing?’”His colleague, who had heard about the diet on an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, replied, “Meat is all…10 min
Men's Health UK|May 202103 La Gran CarbonaraINGREDIENTS(SERVES 4)• EGGS, 3• EGG YOLKS, 6• PECORINO, 90G, GRATED• PARMESAN, 90G, GRATED• SPAGHETTI, 400G• GUANCIALE, 8 THIN SLICESMETHODAs every good chef knows, real carbonara is made without cream – but is no less indulgent for it. In a bowl, mix the eggs and yolks with the cheese and a teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Egg yolk is a top source of vitamin B12, which helps to balance your mood and energy levels. Boil a large pan of salted water and cook the spaghetti al dente. Save the cooking water.Heat a dry frying pan and sear the guanciale – Italian cured pork cheek – for five minutes, or until crispy. Add a teaspoon of the pasta water, then the spaghetti.Remove from the heat, add the egg and cheese mix and…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021Shop02 Bomber Jackets03 Tool Knives04 Running Socks05 Titanium Watches06 Pomades07 Neroli Fragrances08 Vodkas09 Button-Down Shirts…2 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021THE ROAD MAP TO YOUR FITTEST SUMMER EVERFor some people, the past 12 months or so have presented an opportune time to focus on their fitness. For others, the exact opposite has proven true. Wherever you land on the spectrum, over the next few months, most of us will be deciding whether or not we’ll be looking to rejoin the rank and file in commercial gyms, or opting to continue honing our workout-from-home habits.The smartest option, however, is to strike a balance between the two, leveraging the best of both worlds to optimise not just your pursuit of gains, but your work-workout-life balance to boot.Just as many companies are transforming their corporate culture, so, too, can we curate a training regimen that fits around the rest of your life. That may be one of the biggest positives…1 min
Men's Health UK|May 2021HEAD RUSH01 HAND-RELEASE PRESS-UPAssume a plank position (A) and slowly lower your chest to the ground. Lift your hands (B), then place them back down, explosively pushing up. Pause at the top and repeat.02 PIKE PRESS-UPFrom a plank, walk your feet forward, lifting your hips until you create an inverted “V” (A). Bend at the elbows, lowering your head (B). Pause, then push back up. Repeat.03 ELEVATED PIKE PRESS-UPReturn to your plank, this time with your feet on a box. Walk your hands towards it (A). With your legs straight and elbows bent, lower your head to the floor (B). Push up, pause and repeat.…1 min
