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MALAYSIA SEPTEMBER 2017

MUSCLE MADE EASY! MALAYSIA’S NO.1 MEN’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

100% USEFUL!

www.mens-health.com.my

Extreme Flirting Secrets MH GUY

Ryan Reynolds The Hollywood

superstar’s 7½ rules of success

Big Gains In Just 4 Moves

6

RM10

DESTROY YOUR BEER BELLY NOW! Superfoods To Build A 6-Pack

LOOK 5 YEARS YOUNGER IN 5 MINS ISSN 1675-6932

What You Need To Know About Your Penis

COVER STORIES ________

09.17

19 DESTROY YOUR BEER BELLY

You won’t need a passport to get the world’s best fat-blasting advice – everything’s right here.

22 MUSCLE MADE EASY Four simple moves that will stimulate maximum #gainz.

32 PENISES ON FIRE

Everything you need to know about the infections that could destroy you (and your dingaling).

38 SIX-PACK SUPERFOODS Joe Wicks (@thebodycoach) shares his favourite things to eat that will help you sculpt abs.

41LOOK FIVE YEARS

YOUNGER IN FIVE MINS

The secret weapon you need to win the fight against aging.

45 FLIRTING SECRETS

We asked the women of Women’s Health to reveal what turns them on, and what you should be doing about that.

51 RYAN REYNOLDS

How to win at life like Deadpool (and not Green Lantern).

51

www.mens-health.com.my 3

09.17

MORE USEFUL STUFF! FITNESS

24 JUMPSTART YOUR ABS

New tricks that will get you shredded from the man behind The Anarchy Abs Workout.

HEALTH

17 TAKE CARE OF

24

26 56 MASTER THE HANDSTAND THE TRUTH ABOUT Mike Marchese is back, and he’s gonna teach you how to execute the ultimate man-move.

29

YOUR KNEES

BRO SCIENCE

Stop obeying the gym bros and start following our panel of experts.

STYLE & GROOMING

42 STEEL THESE LOOKS

54

The classiest watches are not always the shiniest – or even the most expensive.

5 nuggets of knowledge that will help you avoid every athlete’s nightmare injury.

66 SPEED OFF IN STYLE

29 PROTECT YOUR HIPS

You can wear the greatest clothes from the latest collections at the fanciest restaurants and at the stadium track.

4 exercises to upgrade the engine of your body.

62 MAINTAIN YOUR BRAIN

GUY SKILLS

54 WISDOM: ALFRED HO

The 68-year-old blind singer and guitarist on ambition, achievements and adventures.

ON THE COVER RYAN REYNOLDS PHOTOGRAPH ART STREIBER

14 clever ways to prevent your grey matter from degenerating.

Ryan Reynolds wears ALTERNATIVE APPAREL T-shirt, MICHAEL KORS jeans, PIAGET watch.

FOOD & NUTRITION

15 THE MH GUIDE TO CEREAL Separate the facts from the fiction that’s found on your breakfast boxes.

35 HOW TO GRILL THE PERFECT BURGER

Our step-by-step guide to cooking the best patty you’ll ever taste.

4 SEPTEMBER 2017

35

66

The reporting in Men’s Health is meant to increase your knowledge of current developments in health.

Because everyone is different, the ideas expressed by researchers cannot be used to diagnose or treat individual health problems. A doctor can best guide you.

Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd (580051-K) Level 36, Menara Ambank 8 Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia www.mens-health.com.my

RODALE INTERNATIONAL Executive Director, Business Development and Global Licensing Kevin LaBonge

Editorial Director, Men’s Health and Women’s Health Laura Ongaro

All Enquiries Tel 03 2166 6650 Fax 03 2166 6651

Director, Business Development and Global Licensing Angela Kim

Editorial Director, Prevention, Runner’s World, Bicycling and Books Veronika Taylor

Editorial editor@mens-health.com.my Editor Eugene Phua Deputy Editor Anis Taufik Writer Patrick Loh Staff Photographer Bryan Ong Contributing Sub-editor Chan Wai Kit Contributing Photographer and Stylists Chee Minh Geh, Christina van Zon, Lukasz Wolejko-Wolekszo, Maria Ehrlich

Director, Global Marketing Tara Swansen

Associate Editor Samantha Quisgard

Global Development and Marketing Coodinator Erica Mazzucato

International Editorial and Content Coordinator Natanya van Heerden

Art production@mongooseasia.com Associate Art Director Elynn Hah Production Executive Nor Faridah Mustafa Multimedia Producer Yuthika Peiris Junior Designer Rozalya Rayceal Website www.mens-health.com.my Web Editor June See Web Editorial Assistant Denise Lim Web Manager Elana Chee Mei Ling Assistant Web Manager & Senior Designer Vincent Chua Web Designer Kenneth Lee Digital Marketing & Ad Operations Manager Averell Leiking Web Developer Puah Char Wee Digital Ad Operations Co-ordinator Abdul Azim Razali Marketing & Communications marketing@mongooseasia.com Marketing Director Miki O'Farrell PR & Marketing Manager Aileen Wong Marketing Executive Fiffy Jeffry Events events@mongooseasia.com Assistant Manager, Events Hariz Ong Advertising advertising@mens-health.com.my Vice President of Sales Nicholas Ng Sales Director Ashley Loh Sales Manager Arthur Jeng Operations accounts@mongooseasia.com Head Of Operations Camy Yee Senior Operations Executive Liyana Nadrah Accounts Executives Norshakila Abdullah, Siti Fazillah Yunus Accounts Assistant Nu’Man Hadi Mohamed Ashraf HR Manager Zubaidah Razak Admin Assistant Nur Hayati IT Support Engineer Reshwant Singh Dhillon Circulation Executive Mohd Sukri Circulation Assistant Mohd Khairie Abdul Karim Dispatch Muhammad Fitri Badrul Sham, Mohd Khairil Hafizie Mohd Zamzam Management www.mongooseasia.com Executive Chairman Graham Paling Group CEO Patrick Brennan COO Mark Harvey Editorial Director Muna Noor Intl. Business Development Director Richard Beatty Executive Publisher Intan Shafinas Bte Meor Zailan Production BHS Book Printing Sdn. Bhd. Lot 4, Lorong CJ 1/1B, Kawasan Perindustrian Cheras Jaya, 43200 Cheras, Selangor.

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LATIN AMERICA Sergio Rodriguez

AUSTRALIA Luke Benedictus

NETHERLANDS Ronald Janus

TURKEY Fatih Büyükbayrak

BULGARIA Vladimir Konstantinov

NIGERIA Osagie Alonge

UNITED KINGDOM Toby Wiseman

POLAND Aneta Martynow

UNITED STATES Matt Bean

CROATIA Krešimir Šego GERMANY Wolfgang Melcher GHANA Godfred Akoto Boafo GREECE Vasilis Georgakakos HUNGARY Máté Pásztor ITALY Aldo Ballerini KAZAKHSTAN Irina Utesheva

PORTUGAL Pedro Lucas

MIDDLE EAST

ARGENTINA

EL SALVADOR

ARUBA

GUATEMALA

CHILE

HONDURAS

COLOMBIA

MEXICO

COSTA RICA

NICARAGUA

CURAÇAO

PANAMA

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

PERU

ECUADOR

VENEZUELA

Carlin Gerbich ROMANIA Mihai Ghiduc

BAHRAIN

RUSSIA Maxim Semelyak KUWAIT

SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO Ivan Radojcic

OMAN

SINGAPORE Kelvin Tan

QATAR

SOUTH AFRICA Arthur Jones

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

SPAIN Jordi Martinez THAILAND Chatchawin Unhanun

MEN’S HEALTH MALAYSIA BOARD OF ADVISERS HONG YA CHEE Chief Nutritionist, iLife Nutrition JERRICAN TAN CSCS, ACE, Director, Fitness Innovations Malaysia (FITM)

This magazine is published by Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd (580051-K) under license from Rodale Inc, publisher of Men’s Health in the United States. All rights reserved. Title and trademark Men’s Health©Rodale Inc. The views expressed in the articles, features and listings are not necessarily those of Mongoose Publishing Sdn Bhd (580051-K) or Rodale Inc. While every reasonable care is taken in compiling the magazine, the publisher shall not be held responsible for any omission, error, or inaccuracy. Please notify the publisher in writing of any such omission, error or inaccuracy. Editorial contributions are welcome but unsolicited materials are submitted at the sender’s risk. The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for loss or damage. No part of this publication can be reproduced in any form without the publisher’s permission in writing.

6 SEPTEMBER 2017

GLOBAL EDITIONS/EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

CHINA Gao Zhen

International Content Processor Cindy Perosa

DR JAMEELA SATHAR MD, MRCP, Senior Consultant Haemotologist, Ampang Hospital DR MOHD HUSNI ADMAD MBBS (Mal), M.S. ORL, Head and Neck Consultant, Gleneagles Hospital DR GEORGE LEE MA MB BChir FRCS (Urol), Clinical Associate Professor at Monash University, Sunway Campus DR IRENE LEE CHEW KEK Consultant Dermatologist Pantai Hospital Cheras

THOMAS LING Certified Sommelier, UK, Certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits, US, Certified Sake Professional –Sake Education Council, Japan DR HARJEET SINGH MBBS (India), MS Ortho (UKM), MRCS (Edinburgh), Consultant Orthopaedic and Sports Injury Specialist, Columbia Asia Hospital YEOH EE LING Dietitian, ACE Personal Trainer Fitness Innovations Malaysia (FITM) A/P DR CHRISTOPHER HO CHEE KONG MD, MS, MRCSEd, MBU (Cert), MFSTEd, AM, FICS (USA), FRCS (Urol) (Glasg), FECSM, FRCSEd Consultant Urologist & Sexual Medicine Physician , Dept of Surgery, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre

DR YAP YEE GUAN BMedSci (Nottm), MBBS (Nottm), MD (Lond), CCT (UK) (Cardiology & Int Medicine), Eur Cardiol (Europe), Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Prince Court Medical Centre DR MARTHA LEE DHS (US), Clinical Sexologist, Eros Coaching DR EUGENE WONG MBBS, MS Ortho (Mal) DipSurgAnat (Melb) AM (Mal), Adult and Pediatric Spine and Orthopaedic Surgeon, Pantai Hospital DR SAM HUNTER Mtech Chiro (RSA), Consultant Chiropractor, Clinic Director, TAGS, Spine and Joint Specialist Clinics, Ampang and Penang

FROM THE EDITOR

We Can Be Heroes Lantern – is your hero (or idol). But, as another hero sang decades ago, “We can be heroes” too.

You don’t need millions of followers to inspire, encourage and motivate people. You don’t need to write a bestselling book. You don’t need to be the subject of a heart-warming documentary. You – yes, you – can lift the spirits of those around you simply by working your hardest, saying your kindest and being your best. You may not realise it, but someone is always looking up to you – whether by obligation or by choice – and your words, actions and life impact them more than you can imagine.

If you’re feeling the burden of responsibility all of a sudden, I don’t blame you. But I also urge you not to adjust your behaviour just because some(one) admire(s) you. You just keep doing you, and let Men’s Health keep doing Men’s Health – helping you be your best ever. Then maybe, just maybe, we won’t need Hollywood to supply the world with heroes anymore.

Eugene Phua Editor

Men’s Health Malaysia

@menshealthmy

@menshealthmalaysia

Correction

In the July article, “Your Heart’s Three Deadliest Enemies”, it stated that cardiac arrest happens when your heart quivers. It should be: cardiac arrest happens when your heart stops pumping. Also, in the article’s “Understanding Ventricular Fibrillation” section, it stated that your brain and other organs will be damaged due to the lack of oxygen. It should be: your brain and other organs will be damaged due to the lack of blood.

We apologise to Dr. Peter Jesudason and Pantai Hospital Ampang for the errors.

8 SEPTEMBER 2017

PHOTOGRAPH KAHMUN/MYTH STUDIO GROOMING KF BONG

There are very few Hollywood celebrities that Men’s Health venerates, simply because it is an industry predicated on creating hyper-realistic fantasies – but Ryan Reynolds is one whom all of us respects.

He could easily make bank on rom-coms and comic book blockbusters, yet he often pushes himself beyond box-office comforts (check out Buried and Woman in Gold). In an age when social media presences are obsessively pre-packaged, @vancityreynolds is a treasure chest of one-liners and zingers that would “destroy” the “brand” of any wannabe influencer – yet all they did was made Reynolds more popular than ever. And Canada’s Walk Of Fame proudly notes an example of his philanthropy: raising more than $100,000 for the Michael J. Fox Foundation (Reynold’s late father suffered from Parkinson’s disease) when he ran in the New York City marathon.

Those are just some of the reasons why Reynolds has appeared on the cover of Men’s Health in other editions around the world multiple times. So I won’t judge you if he – and not just Deadpool or, ugh, Green

GUY, CHAILEY

Why do I get ill every time I go on holiday?

Keep calm and carry on with our first-class aid

The idea of spending a week washing down flu medicine with your poolside cocktail is enough to make you call the whole thing off. Yet the phenomenon of which you speak is fairly common. It even has a name: “leisure sickness”.

As for its cause, Dutch psychologist Ad Vingerhoets has two theories. One is “competition for symptom perception” – basically, you’re too busy to notice your pounding head until you power down your laptop. “It’s also possible that your body is continuing to produce excess adrenaline long after you need it,” he says. Your body has no use for the energy, causing a

hormone imbalance that weakens the immune system. Whichever the case may be, there are ways to reduce your risk of sun, sea and sniffles. Vingerhoets advises fitting in a pre-holiday workout to “use up” that extra adrenaline. Also, try tapering your workload over a period of three days, rather than slamming on the brakes at the 11th hour. Maintaining a similar schedule to the one you have during the week – eating regularly, waking early – could also help. Failing that, try our edit of immuneboosting pills (see right). There’s only one thing that should be making you sweat on holiday, and that’s the sun.

SUN’S OUT, SUPPS OUT Employ the right kind of recreational drugtaking on your break

L-THEANINE An amino acid found in tea leaves, theanine is both a natural anti-anxiety aid and has been shown to fight off infections.

ASHWAGANDHA Studies show this herb brings cortisol back to baseline, as well as reducing the immunosuppressive effects of stress.

VITAMIN C Your go-to coldkiller can curb the physical impact of stress by rebalancing adrenal hormones and cutting your blood pressure.

10 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

WORDS SCARLETT WRENCH AND DAVID MORTON PHOTOGRAPH K AT PISIOLEK AT HEARST STUDIOS AND AGATA PEC

– GREGORY

I’m in decent shape but can’t seem to lose my paunch. What am I doing wrong?

– SIMON

First, let’s broadly rule out food allergies.

Although the swelling gluten-free industry is keen to link all bloating to grains, only two percent of adults have an intolerance.

It’s probably nothing to do with how hard you hit the intervals at lunchtime, either.

Rather, it’s the greater part of your 9-5 that’s likely the culprit. “Anterior pelvic tilt” pushes your hips forward, glutes back and belly out, the most common cause being a sedentary lifestyle. Thankfully, you can iron out your office-chair belly without straying far from the sofa. Kneel down and put one leg behind you against the wall or couch. Step your other leg in front. Lift your torso and lean into your front knee. Hold for a minute, then swap sides. Try to bring your back knee closer to the sofa as you improve. As your hips become mobile, that insistent roll will flatten – just in time for the sun lounger.

My gym mate is taking collagen protein.

Is it time to replace my daily whey?

*BHF.ORG.UK /HEART-HEALTH/RISK-FACTORS/CHECK-YOUR-HEART-AGE

– DARREN

Ah yes, another nutrient subjected to an image overhaul. Once best known from anti-ageing skincare ads, this protein is now being pushed as a fitness supp. And, just to be clear, you’re supposed to drink it, not massage it into your face.

Purported benefits include boosting muscle growth by providing glycine, a building block of creatine. However, Kurtis Frank of nutritional analysis group Examine is sceptical: “Most proteins have a fair bit of glycine, so implying collagen is unique is likely a ploy to sell more of it.”

It is anti-inflammatory, however, so if you suffer from joint issues, it could ease your aches. But as your daily powder? “It’s horrendous compared to the other forms of protein: obscenely high in glycine and low in glutamine,” Frank says. Shake some sense into your gym buddy at your next workout.

Be wary of taking hair-raising headlines to heart

I’ve recently read that grey hair is linked to heart attacks. As a silver fox, am I in trouble?

TICKED OFF Discern which of these purported heart-stoppers are truly worth your worry BAD TEETH

Top dental experts say links between poor oral hygiene and heart issues are backed by “robust scientific evidence”, so don’t brush this one off.

– JAMES

Concerned that a liberal coating of Just For Men Mahogany won’t get you out of jail this time? It’s true that cardiologists recently linked premature greying to heart issues. They believe the mechanisms driving coronary artery disease – oxidative stress, inflammation – are also responsible for adding more salt to your pepper.

However, the research merely shows correlation, not causation. According to the British Heart Foundation (BHF), “A larger study is needed before we use hair colour as a measure of risk.” In other words, undue stressing is likely to have a worse effect on your ticker than your follicular situation. But if you’re 40 and older, and you’re concerned about your health (as you should be), ask your doctor for a check-up.

?

NOISY ROADS

Although a Danish study correlated traffic noise to heart attack risk due to stress, the NHS claims there’s “still a chance that this is just a coincidence”.

FIZZY DRINKS

US studies linking diet canned drinks with strokes showed “no links when looking at longer term patterns”, say NHS experts. Not that it won’t do other kinds of damage...

www.mens-health.com.my 11

PROMOTION

FEED YOUR MUSCLES WITH THIS HIGH-PROTEIN HOMEMADE ICE CREAM •

IF YOU WANT TO GET LAID, BE A NICE GUY •

ONCE AND FOR ALL, HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VITAMIN C

HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED ON

www.mens-health.com.my

Men’s Health Malaysia

6 SIMPLE MOVES TO BUILD TOTAL-BODY STRENGTH

@menshealthmy

@menshealthmalaysia

HERE’S HOW TO GET RID OF YOUR ACNE SCARS•

PHOTOGRAPH ISTOCKPHOTO

USEFUL STUFF

Stay Cool

These hacks will chill your workouts. (But stop if you feel faint, queasy or weak.)

1/ Chill Your Palms Hold a frozen water bottle. Switch hands every five minutes. The chilled tissue will cool the blood that flows into it, says Stanford biologist Craig Heller, Ph.D.

2/ Swish Up

Carry travel-size mouthwash. The menthol makes you perceive the air as cooler, says Christopher Stevens, Ph.D., a researcher at Southern Cross University.

The Manual For Enlightened Living

3/ Ice Your Neck

A neck-cooling collar can trick your body and brain into feeling cooler. Ultramarathoner Pete Kostelnick swears by an ice-filled bandana around his neck.

www.mens-health.com.my 13

USEFUL STUFF

YOUR FAT-LOSS SWAPPING LIST

✘

GRANOLA

Rise And Define

Here’s some news worth getting out of bed for: embracing early mornings puts your body in the right rhythm for faster fat loss The Hollywood stars who grace MH covers may differ in their approaches to fitness – but if there’s one point on which they all agree, it’s the benefits of rising early. The Rock rarely hits snooze past 4am. And Mark Wahlberg runs through a round of golf long before the rest of us have opened our bleary eyes. Although you may aspire to their wages more than their wake-up calls, a new study in the journal Obesity suggests this could 14 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

be your simplest route to a dream body come true.

In their research, Finnish scientists found that (smugly) self-identifying “morning people” naturally select healthier foods throughout the day, making their weight-loss efforts more profitable. Latestarters, on the other hand, are predisposed to eating more sugar and less protein, and have a higher risk of heart disease. But making the change needn’t exhaust

your will power. Simply by sleeping with the curtains open, you’ll be exposed to more early morning light, which lowers levels of the sleep hormone melatonin in your blood. This hormonal change shifts your circadian rhythm forward, helping you to wake earlier, naturally.

Combine this with Appalachian State Uni research, which found that archetypal “rise and grinders” – those hitting PBs at 7am – power down easier and produce more growth hormone, and it’s clear this is a very bright idea. Might we suggest a venti americano on day one?

Your bowl might look healthy, but the grains will be baked in oils and syrup, making this dish best left to cheat-day.

✘

VITA COCO

Sure, it’s better than a coke, but each 250ml glass of coconut water still packs 12g of sugar.

Not exactly beach ready.

✘

✔

PR-OATS

For guilt-free sweetness, soak your high-fibre oats overnight with chocolateor vanillaflavoured protein powder.

✔

WATER

Downing two glasses before a meal will boost your metabolic rate by 30%, says Obesity journal, to burn more fat.

✔

SAUSAGES BACON

Unlike butcher’s bangers, store-bought sausages can pack just 70% meat – leaving plenty of room for lardy fillers.

Kyoto University found the nutrient coenzyme Q10 in your rashers could double fat-burn during your workouts.

WORDS ED COOPER PHOTOGRAPH PAVEL DORNAK AT HEARST STUDIOS FOOD STYLIST MATTHEW FORD AT HERS AGENCY STYLIST’S ASSISTANT LOLA MILNE

Up with the larks? Good start.

Now optimise your extra hours by enjoying a better breakfast

Navigate The Cereal Aisle Don’t be dazzled by flashy packaging. Follow this guide to the big boasts and fine print on the boxes, so that you don’t start your day on the wrong note

WORDS RACHEL MELTZER WARREN, R.D.N. ILLUSTRATION CHRIS MALBON

Skip “Made With Whole Grain”

This phrase is as empty as a donut’s hole. Apple Jacks bears this claim, but the cereal’s first ingredient is sugar.

“Anytime you see a claim on the front of the box, check the ingredients on the back,” says Phil Lempert of Supermarket Guru. Something like “whole grain wheat” should occupy that first spot in the ingredients list.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Fast facts to help streamline your diet

Beware Of Stealth Sugars

Fill Your Bowl With Fibre

Don’t Fall For Fruit

CLEAN EATING’S DIRTY TRUTH Confused about what makes a food “clean”? We don’t blame you. None of the “clean” food products studied by the Center for Science in the Public Interest reduced added sugars, which means that clean foods aren’t always the best for you calorie-wise.

GO FOR THE WHOLE Your stomach may have a palate.

People who ate whole grains had healthier gut bacteria than those who ate half that amount of refined grains, a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found. Pick products that list whole grains first.

KEEP EGGING ON Huevo haters, stand down: eggs have lots of nutrients that may shield you from cognitive decline, scientists in Finland report. People with the highest intake (about an egg a day) were less likely to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s than those with the lowest.

Sucrose, fructose, rice syrup – it’s all sweet stuff. Stay under 10 grams of sugar per serving, says Valerie Berkowitz, R.D., of the Center for Balanced Health. Don’t be seduced by branding. Cascadian Farm Organic French Vanilla Almond granola has 13 grams of sugar—that’s the same as Marshmallow Fruity Pebbles.

Aim for at least 5 grams of fibre per serving, Berkowitz says. To stay full until lunch, add a minimum of 30 grams of protein to your cereal: stir in Greek yogurt (17 grams of protein in 6 ounces, or 170g; versus 8 grams in a cup of milk), protein powder (10 grams in 2 tablespoons), and almonds (8 grams in ¼ cup).

Surprise: Strawberry Frosted MiniWheats has no actual strawberries!

Even most cereals with freeze-dried berries or raisins don’t have enough of them to equal a serving. Yes, not even Raisin Bran. So eat real fruit instead. A delicious way: top your bowl with kiwis, peaches, green apples, pomegranate seeds, or figs.

www.mens-health.com.my 15

USEFUL STUFF

The Fast Way To Boost Endurance

The benefits of fewer calories are not restricted to endurance alone. Here’s how you can refrain and gain

GROWTH SPURT

Growth hormone has been shown to increase as much as five-fold in your blood, helping you build muscle quicker.

Journal Of Clinical Investigation

FASTER FAT-BURN

Temporarily cutting calories can elevate your metabolic rate by up to 14%, for extra weight loss with no extra effort.

American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Intermittent fasting could not only reduce the severity of Alzheimer’s symptoms, but also delay its onset.

Neurobiology Of Disease

WORDS TED LANE PHOTOGRAPH JOBE LAWRENSON

a big bowl of pasta, your muscles will have more If you’re hungering for extra stamina, an firepower than ever before.

You’ll need to cut out empty plate could be the key to smashing more than your morning your cardio goals oats, though. Try restricting By now you’re doubtless to 800 calories, mainly grind than glide as you’re used to hearing that fasting from protein, the day temporarily forced to use has been linked to increased body fat, not carbs, for fuel. before training to deplete longevity. But such distant your glycogen. Therein lies But the Swedish School of promises can be tough the difference between a Sport and Health Science to swallow in the shortfound that the stress placed meagre increased fat-burn term, especially when, well, provided by fasted cardio on your muscles when swallowing isn’t an option. and a certified endurance training without adequate Thankfully, new science boost. Follow this protocol glucose yields incredible suggests there’s a more once a week in the three physiological changes, immediate benefit to getting responding with an eightmonths leading up to your hangry. A European Journal fold increase in mitochondria race and you’ll sink your of Applied Physiology study – your cells’ energy factories. teeth into a PB – without has found that combining having to chew through This means that once you intermittent calorie restriction restock with glycogen via “the wall”. with cardio modifies your muscles on a cellular level, to serve up a feast of previously off-menu stamina.

Yes, running on empty will undeniably feel more

WHEN LESS IS MORE

16 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

A Crash Course In Looking After Your Knees Your knees are a notoriously tricky body part – here’s how to ensure they go the distance First, the good news: we’re getting fitter as a nation and doing more sports and exercise. The bad? This means an increase in injuries, as seen by Dr. Charanjeet Singh, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Sports Injury at Gleneagles Kuala Lumpur. We chatted to him recently about your knees and how you can take better care of them.

WORDS JUNE SEE PHOTOGRAPH ISTOCKPHOTO

1/ Identify The Most Common Offenders Dr. Singh explained that common injuries differ by age group, and that those who are younger tend to have more ligament-related injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, meniscal tears and cartilage injuries. Older folks tend to suffer more from wearand-tear conditions, such as arthritis – but that “all depends on your age and what sports you do,” Dr. Singh says.

2/ Understand The Most Common Causes When it comes to sporting injuries, particularly ACL tears, Dr. Singh adds that, usually, “There must be a significant amount of force. Either it’s some sort of a pivot or a twisting movement.” Another contributing factor is if you are hyper-mobile. That cool party trick you could do when you were 12 years old might actually be what predisposes you to

sprains and getting hurt.

3/ Make Activity Safer Anybody who’s active but has been injured before has probably heard: “Don’t play lah!

Then you don’t get hurt.” But as we all know, staying sedentary (coupled with a lousy diet, poor sleep patterns and high levels of stress) might as well be a death sentence. Dr. Singh’s advice is to “do it in moderation. Certain sports have a higher injury rate, but that doesn’t mean that if you’re Neil Armstrong, you don’t explore the moon. So, I would still

say do what makes you happy, but know what and how to minimise injury.”

4/ If In Doubt?

Get it checked out. If you have a wonky knee, don’t put off getting it seen by a doc. “A clinical examination will give a diagnosis,” Dr. Singh advises, and certain tests can be done to determine whether there is ligament damage or not. “It’s better than finding something out 20 years later when the damage is done and it’s too late,” he adds.

5/ The Road To Recovery For those who are bouncing back from a knee injury?

Make sure your injured knee is comparable to your good one. “If the bulk of your injured knee is not as good as the other leg, you should not be going back to play,” Dr. Singh says. “If you’ve done all your strength, endurance and pivoting conditioning [i.e. your rehab], then you can go back to games.”

For more info, visit gleneagleskl.com.my. www.mens-health.com.my 17

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WORDS BRIELLE GREGORY PHOTOGRAPH ISTOCKPHOTO *SOURCE: REPORT COMMISSIONED BY THE ASIA ROUNDTABLE ON FOOD INNOVATION AND IMPROVED NUTRITION, AND PRODUCED BY THE ECONOMIST INTELLIGENCE UNIT

Fitness

WorldClass FatBlasting Secrets

Almost half of Malaysians are either obese or overweight. So we searched the globe for the best ways to lose weight and keep it off SURPRISE: THE NATION WITH

the world’s highest men’s obesity rate isn’t the US – that dubious honor goes to the Cook Islands. But think twice before you celebrate with nasi lemak: there are more obese people in Malaysia than in any other Southeast Asian country, and our government spent one to two billion US dollars on healthcare in 2016*. To turn that fate around, we’re going global for a kickstart. •

www.mens-health.com.my 19

Fitness 2

3

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1

2/ ICELAND

3/ UNITED KINGDOM

4/ SPAIN

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 84 W H AT T H E Y D O : E AT T O N S O F B E A N S

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 50 W H AT T H E Y D O : S K Y R T H I N G S U P

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 21 W H AT T H E Y D O : FA S T 2 DAYS A W E E K

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 3 7 W H AT T H E Y D O : CA L I S T H E N I C S

WHY IT WORKS: In Brazil, lunch isn’t a burger and chips – it’s beans and rice. Brazilians get about 10 percent of their calories from beans and legumes, versus 1 percent for Americans, according to a report Nutrition Journal. In one study, people who ate legumes daily lost more weight than those who didn’t. It’s all about the filling fibre and protein. And because legumes are chewy, you end up eating less and staying satisfied.

WHY IT WORKS: Skyr, a thick, plain yogurt, is an Icelandic staple. It’s packed with protein yet low in sugar, which is a combo that bodes well for your belly and sets a high bar for other yogurts. That’s because protein is the most satiating macronutrient, says Men’s Health nutrition advisor Alan Aragon, M.S.. Bonus: skyr packs in a lot of of calcium. When combined with protein, calcium helps with muscle preservation.

WHY IT WORKS: This diet, which involves fasting for two days and staying flexible the other five, is gaining popularity in the U.K. “It appears to work,” says Louis Aronne, M.D., of Weill Cornell Medicine. For people counting calories, fasting is a good way to stay on track. “By shortening the window of eating, some people find it easier to eat less, therefore helping them reduce calories,” Spano says.

WHY IT WORKS: Outdoor training is exploding in Spain. At the top of the docket? Calisthenics. “Many cities in Spain are now installing basic bars,” says Julio César Ortega of Men’s Health Spain. In parks and on beaches, Spaniards use bars for exercises like pull-ups and push-ups.

Men’s Health fitness advisor Mike Boyle says moves like these can enhance weight loss for about the first three weeks of a new plan.

STEAL IT: Make a quick salad of lentils, chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley, says San Diego dietitian Erin Peisach, R.D.N.. Or heat up a can of Amy’s Organic lentil soup. At dinner, use lentil or bean pasta in place of the regular kind.

STEAL IT: Sports nutritionist Marie Spano, R.D., C.S.C.S., suggests a daily skyr snack. Try Siggi’s plain, which has 17 grams of protein in 100 calories. Eat two if you weigh more than 90kg. And toss in ⅔ cup of berries, Aragon says.

STEAL IT: On fast days, eat 600 to 800 calories, the majority of which should be protein. The rest should be vegetables so you get enough fibre, Spano says. On other days, eat as well as you can. Just don’t relive your junk food days of yore.

STEAL IT: Boyle recommends covering these four bases: squat, push-up, pull-up, and plank. “You should do as many technically sound reps as you can do,” he says.

After three weeks, add a weighted vest to challenge yourself.

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ILLUSTRATIONS NILS-PETTER EKWALL (NOTE: A HIGHER RANKING MEANS THE COUNTRY HAS MORE OBESE PEOPLE)

1/ BRAZIL

FAST FACTS &FOURUSEFUL TIPS MORE WAYS TO PROPEL YOU CLOSER TO YOUR WEIGHTLOSS GOALS

5

MEAL PREP ROCKS Men who plan meals days in advance have less obesity risk than those who don’t, a 2017 French study found. On weekends, make proteins, vegetables, and grains to mix and match all week, suggests Mia Syn, M.S., R.D.

6

7

15K

Daily step count exceeded by study participants with zero metabolic problems.

Source: International Journal of Obesity

5/ NETHERLANDS

6/ SINGAPORE

7/ AUSTRALIA

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 76 W H AT T H E Y D O : B I K E E V E R Y W H E R E

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 133 W H AT T H E Y D O : PAC K I N T H E T O F U

W O R L DW I D E O B E S I T Y R A N K I N G : 17 W H AT T H E Y D O : S O F T - S A N D R U N N I N G

WHY IT WORKS: Dutch people bike an average of 1,000km a year.

“About 25 percent go to work on a bike every day,” says dietitian Karine Hoenderdos. Boyle gives biking a big thumbs-up: “If you’re going to point at one thing for weight loss, I like biking the most,” he says.

Without the element of ground contact, you’re less likely to strain tendons or sustain injuries from the pounding your joints take during a run.

WHY IT WORKS: It’s common to find our neighbours south of the Causeway enjoying dishes like yong tau foo. And why not? Tofu is packed with protein yet low in calories.

“I think it’s one of the best plantbased proteins,” Spano says. Sure, a hardcore carnivore might say there’s nothing like that first bite into a juicy Angus beef burger, but there’s a good reason why it’s commonly seen in #eatclean posts.

WHY IT WORKS: Instead of pounding pavement, Aussies hit the sand. Find some soft sand, not the densely packed stuff. It may look cushiony, but don’t be fooled: soft sand will give you a better workout. You can ramp up the intensity of your training session without increasing the duration, says trainer Kev Toonen. You’re likely to burn more calories than you would during a neighborhood run.

STEAL IT: Start with 20 minutes on a stationary or single-speed bike (opt for the ones with the high handles, Stranger Things–style). They’ll limit flexion, a culprit behind back pain, according to Boyle. From there, add five minutes every week.

STEAL IT: Use tofu as a complement, not the main event. Mix 100g to 200g of the soft version with a splash of light soy sauce, a squirt of sriracha sauce, and a few drops of sesame oil, Aragon says. Then add it to your favourite salad.

STEAL IT: Start with soft-sand walking. When you start running, “distances should be varied between shorter, faster runs and longer, slower runs,” says MH advisor Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S. No beach? Run on a soft, grassy nature trail.

PERILS OF POUNDAGE Men who gained 20kg or more between ages 21 and 55 raised their risk of. . .

• Diabetes by 719% • Hypertension by 111% • Cardiovascular disease by 72% Source: Harvard School of Public Health

285

Average reduction in people’s daily calories when they were told to limit sugary beverages to 240ml a day Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

www.mens-health.com.my 21

Fitness

Brace Yourself For Big Gains Four supplementary holds that will build you a better body, without needing much space or movement IF YOU’RE A LIFTER WHOSE GOAL

is to attain bigger muscles, adding more sets or more weight may not be the best answer, according to a new report from the University of Mississippi. Instead, you need to work those muscles more frequently. But how do you do that without wearing down your joints?

The solution, says Chad Waterbury, D.P.T., a physical therapist and trainer based in Los Angeles, is isometrics – that is, contracting a muscle as hard as you can without actually moving anything.

The isometric holds that Waterbury uses with his clients target the stabilising muscles in

their hips. The holds are quite effective for relief of back or knee pain. But to Waterbury’s surprise, he also found that they could increase glute size. This benefit, he realised, didn’t come from occasional practice. Frequency was key: his clients did three isometric holds a day, most days. The holds he

uses most successfully – two for the glutes and one each for chest and calves – are shown below.

You can experiment on other muscle groups as well. The targeted muscles should feel as if they’re working hard, and your joints shouldn’t feel any strain or discomfort.

LESS MOVEMENT, MORE MUS CLE Do these isometric holds three times a day and watch your muscles grow DIRECTIONS Do the exercises 6 days in a row. Start the first day with a 20-second hold in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Every third day, add 5 seconds to each hold. In 3 weeks, you’ll work up to 60 seconds per hold. Do these isometric holds in addition to your regular workouts.

1. Side Plank With Clam

2. Hip Raise

3. Swiss Ball Chest Fly

4. Calf Raise

Stand holding a Swiss ball between your forearms, with your upper arms parallel to the floor. Pull your elbows in against the ball until you feel a contraction in both pecs. Hold.

22 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Use a thicker miniband on your lower thighs. Then, lie on your back, keeping your hips and knees bent, and heels 30cm apart. Raise your hips to form a straight line, and push your knees out until you feel a contraction in both glutes. Hold. Keep your hands spread out wide, with palms facing upward.

Rise up on your toes, going as high as you can, feeling the contraction in both of your calf muscles. Hold.

WORDS NEAL PLISKE ILLUSTRATIONS +ISM

Slide a miniband around your lower thighs. Lie on your left side, with your hips and knees bent. Raise your body into a side plank. At the same time, raise your right knee until you feel a contraction in your right outer glute. Hold.

Switch sides and repeat.

Workout Routine During the week, Izwan does all sorts of weight exercises in the gym MONDAY

Weight exercises TUESDAY

Rest day

WEDNESDAY

Weight exercises THURSDAY

Rest day FRIDAY

Weight exercises SATURDAY

Morning jog and run in the park SUNDAY

Morning jog and run in the park

BELLY OFF CLUB

Doing It For The Fam Always wanting to be there and to provide for his loved ones, Izwan Ishak is proof you just need to find the right reasons to fuel your motivation

WORDS PATRICK LOH PHOTOGRAPH BRYAN ONG LOCATION CELEBRITY FITNESS, NU SENTRAL KL

IZWAN ISHAK HAS HAD A LIFELONG

struggle with his weight. When he hit his teen years, he tried swimming and going to the gym, but the scales wouldn’t budge. “There was a time when I stopped eating rice and all other forms of carbs for 25 days, yet I still didn’t manage to shift any weight,” he recalls.

Outdoor activities like jungle trekking and hiking also wore him out easily. “I didn’t have the stamina and I experienced shortness of breath,” he adds. “I just felt really uncomfortable.”

But being 40 and unfit with various health problems was Izwan’s greatest fear. “I really wanted to be a healthy father and husband,” he says. “I felt the pressure to stay fit for the sake of my family before it was too late.”

It wasn’t until 2015 – when he managed to carve out time for

jogging and running from his busy schedule at MEASAT – that he finally saw positive results. Now that he has, Izwan is determined not to fall back into old habits when temptation is everywhere.

For example, his job requires him to travel frequently and dine out. “I can’t control what lands on my plate when I’m travelling for work, networking and entertaining clients,” he says. “Weight gain is inevitable, especially during the festive season, but you need to be disciplined when it comes to eating right and exercising right.”

When he’s at home, Izwan wakes up at 7.30am for a run in the park every weekend. When he’s on business trips, he drags himself out of bed as early as 6.30am so he can hit the gym before his day starts.

As painful as it might sound (who doesn’t prefer being tucked away in

bed at that hour?), all the hard work has paid off. “After two years, I feel fit and full of energy. To my surprise, I really enjoy running, swimming, hiking and doing weights in the gym,” Izwan says, before adding that exercise is his therapy for stress. He no longer feels sluggish, and that means more quality family time. “I can go jogging in the park with my daughter and still have a tremendous amount of energy left for my wife and kids,” he notes.

Needless to say, Izwan’s fears of being overwhelmed by a litany of health issues when he hits the big 4-0 are no more. He has reached his goals at only 38. “Do what it takes to stay fit and healthy,” he says . “Losing weight is a bonus; that shouldn’t be your main goal.” As long as you make healthy living a part of your lifestyle, staying motivated will be a piece of cake (minus the calories, of course!).

Diet Regime

Apart from his usual balanced fare, Izwan likes to drink homemade juice in between meals BREAKFAST:

Wholemeal bread with tuna or eggs MID-MORNING SNACK:

Homemade juice LUNCH:

Rice and vegetables with chicken or beef AFTERNOON SNACK:

Homemade juice DINNER:

Smoothie or homemade juice ADDITIONAL SNACKS:

Muesli, oats or fruit

BEFORE:

88kg After:

77kg NAME: IZWAN ISKANDAR ISHAK AGE: 38 HEIGHT: 170CM TIME TO REACH GOAL: 2 YEARS

www.mens-health.com.my 23

Fitness

1/ HOLLOW HOLDS MOLD ABS

Conventional wisdom tells us to push our shoulder blades down and in during most traditional gym exercises. It’s a way of countering the hunch associated with desk jobs. But in the gym, this posture causes your abs to relax, allowing your rib cage to expand and limiting oxygen intake.

Enter Speer and the hollow-body hold: a textbook gymnastics move, it’s a key part of his abs-and-cardio routine. Lie on your back with feet together, arms overhead, and entire body tight. Now raise your arms; keep your shoulder blades, head, and legs a few inches off the floor and your lower back pressed into the floor. This forces your abs to contract deeply, pulling your rib cage downward.

Jumpstart Your Abs A six-pack of core secrets from Andy Speer, the trainer who created The Anarchy Abs Workout

This isn’t what I expected: it’s early in the morning in Brooklyn Bridge Park, and I’m getting worked over by trainer Andy Speer in an odd abs-and-cardio session. First I’m learning to jump all over again; then I’m doing a reverse plank. It’s 30 minutes of surprises from The Anarchy Abs Workout, Speer’s new DVD and streaming programme (anarchyabsworkout.com). The plan blends metabolic training with strength work and gymnastics to fry your core. And it taught me a six-pack of lessons.

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Over the course of our workout, Speer finds other ways to make the hollow-body hold, a challenging move in its own right, even harder.

First I’m rocking back and forth while maintaining the position, then kicking my feet in and out, and then flaring my arms out to my sides while remaining in the hold.

Each tiny adjustment challenges your already stressed core to counterbalance the movement and stabilise your body.

Add a challenge to your own workout: the next time you do, say, a plank, lift one foot off the floor and contract your glutes. Different feeling in your core, right?

3/ HEART RATE FUELS RESULTS

Speer’s routine mostly alternates between hollow-body hold variations and a series of jumps: basic vertical jumps, 180-degree jumps, side-to-side bounds, and more. Everything is done against the clock. We perform the hollowbody hold for 45 seconds, rest briefly, and then immediately begin the next 45-second set of jumps.

The purpose is simple: it’s a creative way to raise my heart rate between

WORDS EBENEZER SAMUEL GROOMING MARCO CAMPOS/ORIBE HAIR CARE/GIORGIO ARMANI MAESTRO

2/ SMALL MOVES EQUAL BIG GAINS

“Sometimes it seems like, ‘When are we getting to the workout?’ But if you do the steps properly, you’re going to get a workout from the technique work,” says Andy Speer, left

sets of hollow-body work, adding to the challenge of the core training while also honing athleticism. “You can do a plank or hollow-body hold when you’re fresh,” he says. “But maintaining those positions with an elevated heart rate is a really athletic way to train.”

4/ PROGRESSION IS A WORKOUT

I’ve probably jumped a million times in my lifetime, but this morning we’re starting from square one. I explode onto my tiptoes but never leave the ground during my first set of “jumps”.

But this is by design. Speer is guiding me through the oftenoverlooked technique of a jump,

learning to load my hamstrings correctly before eventually leaping side to side. And it all combines to nudge my heart rate upward.

“Sometimes it seems a little like, ‘All right, when are we getting to the workout?’ ” Speer says. “But if you do the steps properly, you’re going to get a workout from the technique work.” It’s a way to turn any complex athletic motion into its own workout. Try working through the phases of a running motion the next time you’re planning to run.

5/ TIME COUNTS MORE THAN REPS

It’s incredibly easy to fall into a habit of counting reps and sets in the gym, especially if you train alone. But a

separate 15-minute arm workout with Speer, which he puts me through after the abs-and-cardio routine, is a reminder that there’s another way.

Every Anarchy workout pits you against time – working 40 to 50 seconds, and resting 10 to 20 seconds. Speer adapts that same formula for the arm session as I battle the clock in JM presses for triceps and curl-to-presses for biceps. Incorporate this into your next arm workout, banging out curls for 40 seconds and resting for 20 during a 4-minute set. You’ll want to use a lighter weight than usual, but the change in the pace of your workout will leave your biceps crying.

6/ SPIDER LUNGES ARE SCARY GOOD

Speer introduces a variety of stretches throughout the Anarchy workout, but today he has me performing just one: a variation of the spider lunge. To do it, start by assuming a push-up position; then, keeping your left glute tight, move your right foot just outside your right hand. Finally, reach your right arm overhead.

This is the one stretch you should do daily, says Speer, whether you’re working out or not.

Do 5 to 8 reps per side, 2 or 3 times a day. “You get a whole lot of bang for your buck with the spider lunge,” he says. “It’s a commonly used stretch drill for a reason.” www.mens-health.com.my 25

Fitness

Master The Handstand!

DESIGNED BY

Mike Marchese, World Calisthenics Organisation Master Trainer, and Creator of The Daily BAR.

BEST FOR

Establishing the basic foundation and strength components that enable you to perform handstand push-ups and hold handstands.

Now that you’ve mastered calisthenics for beginners (check out our June 2017 and August 2017 issues if you need a refresher), we’ve got a new challenge for you: handstands. To help you ace the move, we got some insider tips from Mike Marchese when he conducted his workshops with FIT Malaysia recently. Follow the guide below, and you’ll be turning head over heels in no time

DIRECTIONS

C

B

A

1/ Assisted Handstand Push-Ups

[A] Set your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart against the wall. Ensure that your fingertips and elbows are aligned.

[B] Using that width, place your palms on the ground, and kick up.

Bend your left leg at a 90-degree angle with your left foot against the wall, and keep your right leg straight in the air.

[C] Lower yourself until your head almost touches the ground.

Tap your left foot against the wall as you go down, and keep your right leg off the wall.

26 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

WORDS ANIS TAUFIK PHOTOGRAPHS CHEE MINH GEH LOCATION CROSSFIT PAHLAWAN

Do between 10 to 12 reps for each exercise.

Do at least three sets for each exercise. Focus on executing each move with the proper form.

Top tip: “Don’t treat it like you’re trying to push the ground away, but more like you’re doing a bench press,” Marchese says.

2/ Assisted Handstand Push-Ups With Handles

A

B

[A] Set two bars on the ground, also using the same width from before. Ensure that your fingertips and elbows are aligned.

[B] Grip the handles, and kick up.

Bend your left leg at a 90-degree angle with your left foot against the wall, and keep your right leg straight in the air.

[C] Lower yourself until your head almost touches the ground. Tap your left foot against the wall as you go down, and keep your right leg off the wall.

C

B

B

A A

3/ Free Handstand With Handles

[A] Grip the handles, and kick up. Keep your legs off the wall and as straight as you can.

[B] Lower yourself until your arms are almost parallel to the ground.

4/ Handstand With Ab Mat And Weight Plates

[A] Place an ab mat atop a weight plate; then get into an assisted handstand push-up.

[B] Lower yourself until your head touches the ab mat. www.mens-health.com.my 27

PROMOTION

M.MY

.MEN WWW

S-

TH.CO HEAL

Health

A Scary New Hip Trend More young guys than ever are being sidelined by hip pain

WORDS DEVON SCHUYLER PHOTOGRAPHS JUSTIN STEELE

KYLE O’FLAHERTY USED TO BE

stoked by his weekly workout routine: a heavy rotation of cycling, boxing, jiu-jitsu, and running. But even at age 20, his hips started to ache, and not just during exercise. He’s not unusual.

“I’ve seen a tremendous spike in young, active men with hip pain in my practice in the past five to 10 years,” says orthopedic surgeon Benjamin Domb, M.D. In fact, more 45- to 54-yearolds are opting for hip replacement, according to a National Hospital Discharge Survey. Follow our guide to stay out of the operating theatre and keep your hips pain-free.

www.mens-health.com.my 29

Health

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3

THE HIP WRECKERS

Healthy guys can get achy hips too. Here are four possible causes

2

3 7

1

HOW YOUR HIPS GO HAYWIRE Each thigh bone attaches to a socket in your pelvis. A cartilage coating allows for smooth movement. Ligaments, tendons and muscles provide stability and range of motion. But things can go awry. Watch out for these seven common hips problems, and learn how to avoid them

1/ Muscle Strain

This happens when your muscle fibres stretch or rip, often during a sudden turn or jump – common movements in football or hockey. The typical remedy is rest and alternating ice and heat therapy to relieve the pain as it heals.

2/ Tendinopathy

Muscle weakness or overuse can damage the tendons that link your glutes to your hip bones.

You might feel sore when walking, climbing stairs, or lying on the affected side.

Train your hip abductor muscles – learn how on the next page.

2

HIP CHECK

Diagnose trouble with our quick self-test

30 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

3/ Bursitis

Bursae are like mini pillows that cushion your hips; the average hip has six of them. Bursitis occurs when these sacs become irritated. Your risk goes up if you run on hard surfaces, so go with a track or grass.

4/ Torn Labrum

The labrum is the gasketlike ring of cartilage that lines each hip joint.

Squats and lunges, which require deep bending, can wear it down until it tears.

This may require surgical repair. If these moves cause hip pain during your workout, avoid them.

5/ Arthritis

The cartilage in your joints can deteriorate over time from wear and tear, injuries, deformities, and too much body weight.

To stay active, try Nordic walking, that kooky style of striding with poles. It can help you strengthen arthritic hips without irritating them, according to Scandinavian research.

6/ Genetic Issues

Exercise can cause pain in people who have an underlying hip abnormality.

Dysplasia is when a hip is slightly dislocated because the socket is too shallow.

Doctors try to detect this in babies, but it’s often missed

and lingers into adulthood.

Impingement is when extra bone in a hip makes the thighbone crush the socket.

Surgery may be needed.

7/ Stress Fracture

If you do the same motion too often, a hip bone can crack. Training for a marathon, for example, may cause a stress fracture. Your risk spikes if you suddenly amp up the intensity, so follow a gradual training plan.

And we’ve got plenty for you on our website: mens-health.com.my/ tag/keyword/running

Do your hips seem stiff? That’s not just old age. Try this at-home test: lie on your back, and bring your right knee up toward your left shoulder as far as comfortably possible. Then repeat on the other side. If you feel pain in your groin during these motions, then you may have impingement (see No. 6 above). You’ll need to see a physical therapist for targeted exercises, but even adjusting your favourite activities could make a big difference.

Running could be okay as long as you avoid hills or take shorter strides, for example.

1/ ALL THOSE TWOA-DAYS YOU DID BACK IN SCHOOL

Serious sports training for kids who haven’t finished growing may change the shape of their hip bones, leading to problems that could show up in adulthood. Boys who play ice hockey, basketball or football three or more times a week in adolescence have an increased risk of hip trouble, a recent study review revealed.

2/ YOUR JOB

The average guy spends nearly eight hours a day on his keister. All that sitting weakens your hip flexors, IT bands, and other important hip-supporting structures. Gentle exercises that stretch and strengthen the muscles can help you counteract this. (See the next page.)

3/ YOUR EXTRA POUNDAGE

Obesity is tough on hips. Each kilogram of weight adds about 5kg of force on each side. (See page 19 for weight-loss strategies.)

4/ YOUR OVERTRAINING HABIT

People nowadays know that they need to be active in their spare time, says Rafael Sierra, M.D., a professor of orthopedics at the Mayo Clinic. Exercise is healthy, but many signature moves of CrossFit-type programmes (squats, lunges, box jumps) can be pretty stressful on hips. O’Flaherty, an avid exerciser, had underlying bone deformities and then tore his hip cartilage. He needed surgery and physical therapy.

GROOMING MARCO CAMPOS/ORIBE HAIR CARE/GIORGIO ARMANI MAESTRO PHOTO -ILLUSTRATIONS GRAHAM HUTCHINGS ILLUSTRATION +ISM

6

OPENING PAGE: EYSOM TANK, LULULEMON SHORTS, ADIDAS SHOES (MAN ON LEFT); VUORI TANK AND SHORTS, NIKE SHOES (MAN WITH BALL). THIS PAGE: VUORI TANK, RHONE SHORTS, ASICS SHOES, NEW BALANCE WATCH

5

THE HIP PAIN PREVENTION PLAN

To keep your hips strong and supple, do these moves

by David Reavy, D.P.T.. Hold each move for three seconds; then repeat each 20 times

1/ KNEELING HIP THRUST

Place a resistance band just below your butt. Anchor the other end to something secure in front of you.

Kneel, and push your hips forward as you tighten your glutes.

2/ KNEELING HIP THRUST, PART 2

4

HOW BAD HIPS HURT YOUR BODY

Stiff Hips BACK PAIN

You may overcompensate for stiffness by rotating from your lower back instead of your hips, says Joe Eischen, P.T., of the Mayo Clinic. This can lead to back pain.

Impingement TORN ACL

People with limited internal hip rotation may have a greater risk of tearing an ACL. When you have trouble twisting from your hips, your legs take some of the work.

The muscles and joints in your hips form a bridge between your upper and lower body; so when they’re messed up, your whole body pays the price Hip Pain ACHY FEET

Hip pain can make you walk funny, which inflames the tissue that supports your soles. Treating the hip problem often helps the foot problem, says Dr. Domb.

Labrum Tear GROIN PAIN

Impingement and labrum tears can show up as groin pain, especially if your workouts are intense or require cutting or jumping, as with basketball and tennis.

Loop the band around your hips.

Anchor the other end to something secure behind you. Kneel and push your hips forward as you tighten your glutes.

3/ HIP FOLD

Place the band around one thigh; anchor it on the same side. Kneel and drop that hip inward, toward the opposite knee.

4/ HIP SLIDE

Lie on your back. Wrap the band around one leg, by your groin.

Anchor it to something secure on the same side. Raise your leg and pull the band across your body. www.mens-health.com.my 31

Health

Do You Have A UTI And Urethritis?

Yes, men can get them too. The problem is, you, along with most men, are unaware of how a UTI (urinary tract infection) can seriously harm your junk. So we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the painful infections

32 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

KPJ Sentosa KL Specialist Hospital, explains that UTIs and urethritis can be very severe in men. Here’s how you can detect the symptoms, avoid infections, and counter them.

1

Symptoms Of Lower UTI You’ll experience discomfort when urinating. “You’ll feel pain or a burning sensation near the bladder,” Dr. Saren says. Sometimes, you will experience lower abdominal pain or suprapubic pain where the

bladder sits. These are also classified as common UTI. It will last three to five days and, sometimes, there will be no pain, despite the presence of a bacterial infection. Prescribed antibiotics will resolve this issue.

2

Symptoms Of Upper UTI Complicated UTI involves the upper urinary tract and will usually cause pyelonephritis – inflammation of the kidneys. “You will experience fever, chills, rigours and back pain where

your kidneys are located,” Dr. Saren says. You’ll also feel pain in your loins. This is considered a severe UTI case, and you will need intravenous antibiotics to treat it.

3

Constant Urge To Pee Identify where the pain comes from: at the start of urination (dysuria), or at the last few drops (terminal dysuria), Dr. Saren adds. The other symptom: when you pee more frequently than usual. “This can be with or without

WORDS PATRICK LOH PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCKPHOTO

DO YOU EXPERIENCE A BURNING

sensation when you pee? Listen up – you might have a UTI. There are two types of UTI: the more common Lower UTI that starts below your bladder and involves your urethra; and the more complicated Upper UTI that can happen anywhere between the bladder and the kidneys.

Urethritis – inflammation of the urethra caused by a bacterial infection – falls under the UTI umbrella as well. That’s when you feel a burning sensation or pain when urinating. Dr. Vikramjit Singh Saren, Consultant Urological Surgeon from

blood in the urine. If bloodstains are spotted, that also means the infection is very severe,” he says. As this affects the lower UTI, oral antibiotics will usually be prescribed.

difficulty peeing, especially those with an enlarged prostate.

4

Watch Out For Urethral Strictures And Kidney Stones Too

Prostate Issues Will Cause A UTI As Well Early or late prostate issues such as prostatitis – inflammation of the prostate caused by a bacterial infection – can cause a UTI. “You’ll need prostate surgery if you have concurrent prostate problems, because the prostate itself is contributing to the infection and causing a UTI,” Dr. Saren says.

A resection surgery or laser surgery is needed especially for men in their sixties or seventies; their prostates are usually the culprit when they experience a UTI.

5

Difficulty Peeing Can Cause Bacterial Build-Up Basically, this will affect your urinary tract. “You’ll usually find [residue] in the urine. When you are unable to empty your bladder, you might even get a secondary bacterial infection that will cause a severe UTI,” Dr. Saren says. Men above the age of 60 have a higher chance of getting a UTI when they have

6

A urethral stricture, or the narrowing of the urethra, is caused by an injury or a tumour. “Most of the time, you will experience pain and major discomfort when urinating,” Dr. Saren says. This could also indicate the presence of stones in your kidneys, he adds.

If left untreated, they will cause a UTI as well. “Get yourself checked if you pee frequently and pass small amounts of urine each time with a burning sensation,” Dr. Saren advises.

7

Understanding Urethritis Urethritis is the inflammation of the urethra caused by a bacterial infection. “This usually happens in younger males when they contract diseases during sexual contact,” Dr. Saren says. Younger men who lead a promiscuous lifestyle with random partners and those who don’t use condoms are more susceptible to urethritis. Some men will get a mild infection, which will subside on its own, according to Dr. Saren.

What To Do When A UTI And Urethritis Strike

When you feel a burning sensation and pain while you’re peeing, you need to do the following...

Drink cranberry juice and citrus drinks such as lemon, lime and orange. “It will ease the pain and the discomfort but won’t eliminate the bacteria,” Dr. Saren advises.

See a doctor for antibiotics.

Take oral antibiotics, urine alkalisers and painkillers to treat a Lower UTI. It’s best to get these at the pharmacy, according to Dr. Saren.

Drink more water to flush out your kidneys and to clear the urethra. “Increase your fluid intake and that will take away the uncomfortable feeling,” Dr. Saren says.

You could get a fever, chills and pain in your kidneys area if you have a complicated UTI. Your GP will ask for a urine sample before getting a blood sample to confirm it

www.mens-health.com.my 33

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HEALTH•BEAUTY•FITNESS•FASHION•WEIGHT LOSS•FOOD•LOVE & SEX

Food & Nutrition

The Burger, Perfectly Done Everyone swears by a different method. To find the best way, we put 5kg of meat through a trial by fire WORDS RODALE TEST KITCHEN PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCKPHOTO

A PALATE-ALTERING BURGER

must possess three vital traits.

First, it must be grilled. Obviously.

Second, it must have a chindrippingly juicy interior and a satisfying crust. Last, it must be simple. You can futz with flavours when you top your burger, but first master the basics – choosing the beef and forming the patty. We spent weeks perfecting the craft.

Here are the results. •

www.mens-health.com.my 35

Food & Nutrition

STEP 1

DEPEND ON CHUCK

Every butcher we consulted for this project pointed us to 100 percent ground chuck – specifically from a boneless blade roast. This is because the blade roast tends to be more marbled

STEP 4

with delectable intramuscular fat than, say, a shoulder roast would. You’re going to need about 1kg of chuck blade roast to make eight burgers. Order accordingly.

Marbled meat is tastiest...

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? Grass-Fed Beef It’s inherently leaner, giving your burger a crumbly texture.

STEP 2

...and boneless blade roast has great marbling.

Grain-Fed Beef Its fat helps hold the ground beef muscle together.

GRIND IT OUT

Grinding your own meat lets you control what goes into your burger. You can have a butcher grind it, you can grind it yourself using a food processor, or – for the juiciest burger with the best bite – you can use a real grinder. Try the sturdy, durable STX International STX1800-MG Magnum (stxinternational.com) or the KitchenAid food grinder attachment for your mixer (kitchenaid.com).

2

Too many well-made burgers are ruined by being manhandled on the grill. The secret to a meaty burger with a good bite: doing nothing. Put the patties on a hot grill and then step back. Don’t press on them with a spatula.

Don’t shuffle them around the grate. Don’t close the grill lid. Our repeated tests showed that the burger patties we flipped just once developed a better outer crust and juicier centre than burgers we flipped frequently.

1

Wipe the grate with an oiled paper towel. Place the meat over direct medium-high heat. Set a timer for 5 minutes.

START CRANKING

1

GRILL WITH PATIENCE

3 2

Cut the beef into 2.5cm cubes, place them on a baking sheet, and freeze them for 25 minutes.

That way, the meat won’t turn all gummy in the grinder.

Attach a fine grinder plate to the hopper. Fill a bowl with 2 tsp each of kosher salt, ground black pepper, and dried minced onion; these reinforce the beefy flavour.

Feed a few cubes through the grinder, followed by a pinch of the spices. Repeat.

Our tasters preferred burgers with the spices ground in.

After 5 minutes, flip. Wait 3 more, or until done to your specs (60°C for medium; 63°C to satisfy the USDA).

3 STEP 3

SHAPE THE PATTIES

The key is minimal handling; too much packing yields a tough burger. Gently form the meat into a 150g ball (imagine it’s a tennis ball) and then

THE DATA BEHIND THE METHOD 36 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

flatten it to slightly wider than your bun.

(It’ll shrink.) Do this shortly before grilling.

Room-temp patties are juicier and contract less than cold ones.

5

KG O F B E E F U S E D I N T E ST I N G

Don’t overpack it!

B E S T PA L AT E C L E A N S E R

EDWARDS & SONS BROWN RICE SNAPS (BLACK SESAME)

1

NUMBER OF GROSSED-OUT V EG E TA R I A N M E N ’ S H E A LT H T E ST K I TC H E N E M P LOY E E S

A burger will tell you when it’s done. See the blood and juice seeping through the surface? Translation: “Eat me now!”

RM52

AV E R AG E C O ST P E R K I LO G R A M OF CHUCK R OAST

43

PAT T I E S M A D E

Wanna grill an Instafamous burger? Don’t touch it when the patty is cooking

News Bites All the essentials, none of the junk, for your health

JOLT YOUR DNA Coffee drinkers are more likely to have longer chains of DNA than coffee abstainers. (Short DNA chains have been linked to cancer.) The phenols – not caffeine – may prevent DNA damage.

Brigham Young University

28%

Drop in cardiovascular disease risk when people ate 10 daily servings of produce rather than little to none.

International Journal of Epidemiology

THE EARLY BIRD DIET

STEP 5

First, toast the buns to reinforce structural integrity. Next spread a protective fat layer on the bun (butter, mayo) to prevent sogginess. Finally, build within reason. Try to hit as many textures and flavours as possible. We like these combos:

PILE ON THE TOPPINGS AMERICAN

FRENCH

Creamy

Mayo

Salty

Bacon

Chopped cornichons

Tangy

Red onion, dill pickle slices

Dijon mustard

Sweet

Ketchup

Caramelised onions

Fresh

Romaine

Gooey

American cheese

BBQ

×

CAPRESE PESTO Mozzarella slice

Coleslaw

×

Potato chips

Pesto

×

Tomato slice BBQ sauce

×

× Gruyère

Baby arugula Cheddar cheese

Early risers eat fewer calories, less sugar, and more protein than night owls, the journal Obesity reports. Scientists speculate that people have an easier time making healthy decisions in the morning, when the brain is fresher and willpower stronger.

7.8%

Reduction in hospitalisations for heart attack in New York counties with trans fat restrictions versus those without.

JAMA Cardiology

×

www.mens-health.com.my 37

Food & Nutrition

6 Superfoods To Feed 6-Pack Goals Nuts are a great way to introduce healthy fats into your diet, and Wicks makes almonds his staple. Comparatively low in calories – a 10-nut serving has roughly 60 calories with 2g of carbs – their fibres stabilise blood sugar and reduce hunger, according to the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A winning strategy for your abs aspirations.

OIL THE ENGINE

No #LeanIn15 video is complete without Wicks chucking a spoon of coconut oil into the pan. And he’s onto something: 60% of the oil’s fats are MCTs, which quickly convert to energy. They’re a bit like carbs in that sense, but won’t impact blood sugar. A study by the American Society for Clinical Nutrition found that subjects who used MCT oils, instead of olive oil, lost more body fat too.

STAY FIT FOR PURPOSE

Minimise missed workouts by following Wicks’ lead and adding star anise to your curries. It’s a source of shikimic acid, which a study in the Journal of Medical Virology found contributes to improved immune function.

It’ll support protein absorption too, activating digestive enzymes that help your body process the muscle-fuelling macronutrient.

BRING BACK FATS

Healthy fats support testosterone production.

In a Finnish study, men on low-fat diets saw a spike in T when they added the macro back in.

38 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

WORDS MICHAEL JENNINGS PHOTOGRAPHS PAVEL DORNAK AT HEARST STUDIOS

CRUSH YOUR CRAVINGS

Working out is half the battle. Become the leanest you’ve ever been by adding Joe Wicks’ go-to ingredients to your grocery shopping list. Consider them your tools for total reconstruction

BLITZ EXCESS WEIGHT

Wicks adds antioxidant-packed blueberries to his smoothies and oats. And it’s a habit we’d happily endorse: not only are they rich in polyphenols that inhibit the formation of fat cells, they’re also a source of catechins to fight that fat which has, well, already formed.

Finally, the berries’ skins contain ursolic acid, which the University of Iowa found halts muscle breakdown. You’ll only lose weight where you want to.

TREAT YOUR HEART

Wicks has a sweet tooth like the rest of us. When cravings hit, he breaks off a few squares of dark chocolate, which is packed with natural flavonoids. In a study by the University of California – San Francisco, a daily dose of dark chocolate was shown to improve blood vessel function, delivering more oxygen to your muscles during your workouts for better performance and quicker recovery.

PICK LEANER GREENS

He says “midget trees”, we say broccoli, but let’s not call the whole thing off.

Wicks’ favourite veg is rich in sulforaphane, which the US Diabetes Association found creates “brown fat” – the calorie-burning kind. It’s also a source of blood sugarbalancing chromium, keeping your energy levels up. Trust us, you’ll need it for Wicks’ YouTube HIIT sessions...

DARK MAGIC

Opt for 70% cocoa or more. As well as boosting blood flow, cocoa contains epicatechin, which is shown to improve muscle endurance. www.mens-health.com.my 39

PROMOTION

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Style & Grooming

3 Ways To Maintain Your Skin’s Youth Keep fine lines, wrinkles and acne from taking root

Men these days are becoming increasingly fixated with hunting down products that prevent and minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Simply using the correct formulas guarantees more than just clear skin and less visible pores; it actually prevents dehydration, acne and skin damage that could accelerate the ageing process. Here’s Alice Ng, Training Director of Bella Skin Care and Men’s Skin Centres, with three top tips on how to treat your skin right.

1/ Speed Up The Renewal Process Treat acne wounds medically and follow-up with skincare products to avoid scarring.

“It takes five to 10 years for skin to replace lost tissue,” Ng says. “Speed up the healing process with recovery creams, moisturisers and serums.” She recommends Bella’s Crystal Skin Therapy, which stimulates the skin renewal process to smooth out stubborn scars.

WORDS PATRICK LOH PHOTOGRAPH ISTOCKPHOTO

2/ Sebum Is As Important As Moisture Sebum is the skin’s natural barrier against the ageing process. “What you should be concerned with is the overproduction and underproduction of sebum. It is this irregularity that sparks the ageing process,” Ng says. “Serums and moisturisers help to address this.”

3/ Sleep And Water Are The Best A good night’s sleep is key to your skin’s recovery process. “Seven to nine hours of sleep a night is crucial for repairing damaged tissues,” Ng says. Don’t forget to chug plenty of water too. This keeps skin hydrated and stops the over-production of sebum that causes acne, according to Ng. Together, sleep and water will put the kibosh on fine lines, eye bags and acne scarring, which are all age accelerators.

For more info, visit menskincentre.com.my and bellaskin.com.my

www.mens-health.com.my 41

Style

02

Full Metal Jacket It has a reputation for hardiness over refinement, but even at the more rarefied end of the market, steel is having a bit of a moment. MH explains why it’s not always sensible to strive for gold

42 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

WHEN WATCHES FIRST MIGRATED

from pockets to wrists, a hardwearing material was needed to protect them from the knocks they were set to sustain. In 1913, Sheffield metallurgist Harry Brearley offered a solution in the form of an alloy of iron, chromium and nickel that took the rough with the smooth. He called it rustless steel. You will know it by a different prefix: stainless steel.

It was revolutionary. Although it had the technical chops, stainless steel never garnered the prestige of precious metals such as gold. Cynics might say that, in today’s difficult

economy, this is precisely why there seems to be a flourish in steely wrist candy. But Sandy Madhvani, boutique manager for London jewellers David M Robinson, begs to differ: “Yes, the prices are inviting, but steel remains both constantly in demand and on trend, regardless of the economy,”he says. “Crucially, manufacturers have been working to produce iconic styles that will always have a place in the watch world.”

So, for an affordable timepiece that will weather the hands of time and transcend the vagaries of fashion, steel is the real deal.

PHOTOGRAPH JOBE LAWRENSON STYLING ERIC DOWN

01

01/

New Material

It’s called Irony for a reason: instead of the plastic which made Swatch famous, this chassis is forged out of solid steel. And, given the finessing its complex case shape requires, with a matte ‘brushed’ polish to boot, the higher price, over a standard Swatch, seems like small bucks for a big bang.

— Swatch Irony Blue Boat; RM520, swatch.com

02/

British Steel

It was only natural Farer ventured into mechanical territory; after all, it’s a brand inspired by the adventurism of explorers past, whose wrists would be equipped with nothing else. The Beagle has a 36-hour power reserve and automatic movement housed in a 10mm-thin case – which is just ace.

— Farer Beagle; price N/A, farer.com

03

03/

Shining Armour

04

05

IWC’s Portofino collection is so-named for its affinity with the elegance of the Italian Riviera. This watch’s “Milanese” mesh bracelet, however, is named after a distinctly less relaxed Italian speciality: chainmail armour, crafted in Milan. Its polished steel links are silky-soft on the wrist, and boost your style points.

— IWC Portofino Automatic 36; RM20,1000, iwc.com

04/

Iron Proficiency

Beyond Rolex and Breitling, few watchmakers have succeeded in engineering metal links that don’t catch your hairs, feel cumbersome or sound “clacky”. So it’s even more impressive to do all that with such a distinctive design. Maybe that’s why Jason Bourne wears one.

— Tag Heuer Aquaracer Calibre 16 Automatic Chronograph; RM12,150, tagheuer.com

05/

Driving Force

Bringing manufacturing back to Detroit’s industrial wasteland, Shinola’s homespun watches are as solid as anything you’d expect coming out of Motown. However, the Chrono’s precision mechanics and beautifully engineered steel casing come from Swiss suppliers.

— Shinola The Canfield Chrono; price N/A, shinola.com www.mens-health.com.my 43

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Sex & Relationships

The Golden Age Of Sex

Rejoice, fellas! Now, more than ever, is the best time to get it on with your missus. And we’ve got the numbers to prove it to you

WORDS ELISABETH SHERMAN & JERILYN COVERT ILLUSTRATIONS GOÑI MONTES

IN THE PAST 10 YEARS ALONE, APPS

have greatly expanded the dating pool.

People are now more open to using – and inventing – gadgets to fire up their bedrooms. And let’s not even get into how much the Internet has revolutionised how much (and how many) content you can watch to turn you on...

So, sex should be better than ever! But is it? To find out, we joined forces with Women’s Health to poll thousands of men and women on their sex lives. We compared the results with those from a survey MH did in 2006, and then asked the experts for pointers and advice.

The good news: you’re having the best sex ever. (Or, at least, you soon will be.)

www.mens-health.com.my 45

Sex & Relationships

PRESS THE RELAX, ALREADY PLAY BUTTON

We keep asking, and women keep telling us: more foreplay. In our survey, it beat out oral, touching, kink, and dirty talk as their prime request. Women need foreplay for the arousal that leads to desire, says Ian Kerner, Ph.D., a sex counselor and the author of She Comes First. His female clients also complain about a limited sex menu, so foreplay’s variety (all that kissing, rubbing, talking, stroking) can work wonders. Even hot shows like The Girlfriend Experience or Masters of Sex can help. “Humans can get very aroused without any physical touch,” he says. Be showered and ready before you dim the bedroom lights and press play. Then tell her she’s hotter than the actress in the show.

of women want more foreplay, the 34% number one thing they want more of in bed. Number two: touching during sex (22%). Number three: light bondage.

46 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

GO FASTER. NO, SLOWER! NO, BOTH!

People tend to have sex sooner in a relationship than they used to, our numbers show – but they’re also getting married later. Fisher calls this “slow love”, which may lead to an era of more happy marriages because couples know each other better. Although couples have more sex and earlier sex as they wade through a widening dating pool, the pre-commitment stage is lasting longer.

Feeling pressure to perform? Can’t blame you: “Women are beginning to demand good sex,” says anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., and author of Anatomy of Love. “They’re not just lying back and thinking of England.” Today’s career women can be pickier, Fisher says. Plus, men have a natural desire to want to please women in bed. That said, our survey indicates you’re doing fine. So try to relax a little. Distract yourself by focusing on intimate details, such as her sounds, her physique and her expressions. Encourage her to tell you what to do, says Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., a sexuality expert at the University of Washington. “Sometimes women are afraid they’ll sound like traffic cops.” Say you like it when she tells you what she wants.

71% of women are happy with their sex life. Men: 52%.

SWIPE NIGHT

USEFUL DIGITS

The Internet is the biggest thing to happen to courtship in the past 100 years – and perhaps since the agricultural revolution thousands of years ago, says Justin Garcia, Ph.D., of the Kinsey Institute. By the time you two meet, you’ve already been flirting for hours, courting with emails, texts, even emojis. You can learn tonnes about a person – job, romantic history, cocktail preferences—before the first date. And it shows: our recent survey showed that more than half of dating app users met their last partner online; meanwhile, 43 percent say technology has helped their sex life, while only four percent say it’s made it worse. But Tinder won’t do all the work for you.

“They’re not dating sites. They’re ‘introducing’ sites,” says Fisher, an advisor to Match.com. It’s still up to you to meet, listen, flirt and charm. Your great profile pic is no match for your dazzling personality.

36%

FACTS & FIGURES TO HELP YOU SPICE THINGS UP EVEN MORE!

91%

of single men still aren’t taking advantage of online dating. What are you waiting for? Start swiping!

of women rate their sex drive as normal or higher. Men: 95%. See? She’s almost as horny as you are.

44%

of women are satisfied with how long sex lasts, up from 38% when we asked the same question 10 years ago; 65% of men wish they could last longer.

Maybe ask her first.

HER BIG O

“Women are beginning to demand good sex.

They’re not just lying back and thinking of England.”

“Women can find it difficult to climax from intercourse alone” – it’s something the experts have been telling men for years. But more women are getting there now, our survey suggests, with 30-somethings leading the way: forty percent of them said vaginal sex was the most likely way for them to reach orgasm in bed; it was the top answer in nearly every age group. (For 50-plus, it was second, behind oral.) Men, women – all of us! – have gained more “clitoral awareness”, Kerner says. Couples are probably expanding their repertoire too, according to Garcia. And the more varied the stimulation, the more likely she is to climax – something MH has reported in recent years. “It’s possible the tips really are working,” Garcia says.

of women climax during sex, up 10% from 2006.

37% vaginal

SHE’S THINKING ABOUT WHO?

Nearly three out of four women fantasise to help them reach orgasm. Here’s who’s on her mind.

An Ex 30%

Friend 19%

Stranger 22%

Celebrity 16%

Porn Star 9%

Coworker 4%

30%

of women have recorded sex on video, versus 19 percent of them 10 years ago. For men, the percentage jumped from 23 to 37. And the number of people who foolishly share these videos? Too many.

20%

of men and women say they’d like to have sex several times a day! May they find each other – and report back to us.

MH TOP TIP: KEEP YOUR HAIR ON Men are grooming their pubic areas more than they used to – and maybe more than they have to. About 42 percent buzz it short, up from 33 percent in 2006. But a plurality of women (46 percent) say they like their mate to do just “a little trimming – but that’s it.”

As for women, 60 percent shave completely bare.

www.mens-health.com.my 47

Sex & Relationships

ASK US NOW

June See will answer your questions on women, dating, sex, love and relationships. Email her at editor@mens-health.com.my

My girlfriend has always been “one of the guys”. She has a lot of guy friends and she often watches movies or goes for meals with them one on one. She tells me about it and I tell her I’m okay with it. But I get very jealous, and sometimes angry, especially if those “dates” last past midnight. I don’t want to tell her how I feel because I don’t want to be the “over-possessive boyfriend”. What do I do?

– ARJUN

Firstly, if you’re not okay with it, you probably shouldn’t tell her that you are! Secondly, if you’re not okay with it, you need to: (a) ask yourself why and (b) tell her in a way that is fair to her – for example, don’t say “I forbid you from seeing so-and-so!” without explaining anything.

If you were hurt in the past, it’s understandable, but you need to be able to recognise the situation as it currently is and not as a projection of something from the past. It may be worth your while to get to know her friends; it may help you work through your insecurities, and you may also make a few new friends and gain an understanding of her world while you’re at it.

My fiancée recently asked me about my past sex life.

I used to date around a lot.

Should I tell her every single detail?

– RUDY

48 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

You don’t have to tell her every single detail. It will benefit both of you to be open with her about your history; but also remind her that it’s in your past and that you’re no longer that person.

She’s your present – remind her of that and of your commitment to her. But don’t be surprised if she needs time to adjust to this new information.

I’m divorced with a son. Most girls I meet are a bit put off by that. How and when do I tell them?

– PAUL

The how and when are undoubtedly important, but another important

Why does my girlfriend enjoy popping my pimples and blackheads?

– YEE MENG

Ah, she’s a rare breed of pimplepopper, my friend. Basically, she finds catharsis and satisfaction from getting gunk out of your face. If you want her to lay off your face for a while, distract her with videos posted by Dr. Sandra Lee (a.k.a. Dr. Pimple Popper) on YouTube. Her channel is a goldmine of pimple-popping, blackhead-extracting goodness. You’re welcome!

My female friend always asks me out and texts me.

My friends tease me about us being an item. But she’s just a friend to me, and it’s impossible we will ever be together.

Should I continue as it is, or should I stop?

– NASARUDDIN

If you enjoy being friends with her, be friends with her. You may need to tell your friends to lay off giving you crap about being an item (and your decent friends will recognise and respect this).

But ultimately, the friendship is between the two of you. If you both enjoy each other’s company, why pay attention to the unnecessary noise?

PHOTOGRAPHS ISTOCKPHOTO; KAHMUN/MYTH STUDIO (JUNE SEE) MAKE-UP NAOKE CHU/LANCOME HAIR JAY SIM & DANSON SWEE/AM & PM HAIR STUDIO, USING L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL

GIRL NEXT DOOR

aspect is who you share this information with. If they’re a bit put off by it now, chances are, they’re a long way from being 100% okay with this situation. Once you find someone you really have a connection with, there’s a good chance they’ll be a lot more receptive to you and all of your history.

INSIDEOUT

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS

Check out our website at mens-health.com.my for the latest event and promotion updates.

KOSÉ SAVE THE BLUE CAMPAIGN

According to conservation NGO Lang Tengah Turtle Watch (LTTW), Green Turtles in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia have decreased by 95% over the past few years. Moved by this troubling situation, KOSÉ started the “Save The Blue” programme, which sees 2% of the sales of the grooming brand’s featured products donated to LTTW. These funds are used to conserve turtle eggs found in the beaches of Terengganu.

Men’s Health recently joined KOSÉ and LTTW at Tanjong Jara Resort to participate in turtle nest inspections, beach cleaning efforts together with university students, and turtle hatching activities. Witnessing the baby turtles returning into the South China Sea was truly an unforgettable experience.

Stay tuned to mens-health.com.my for pointers on how you can help LTTW. Visit kose.com.my and langtengahturtlewatch.org for more info

TIFFANY & CO. CT60 CHRONOGRAPH 42MM WATCH

This timepiece is covered in black stainless steel, which heightens its masculinity (and yours). Its case is given a DCL treatment (Diamond-Like Carbon), which helps to protect the dial from harsh impact.

Other features include two sub-dials, a nylon NATO strap, and classic hands for a clean, charismatic design.

RM33,100; tiffany.com

KIEHL’S GROOMING SOLUTIONS NOURISHING SHAMPOO+ CONDITIONER

This two-in-one shampoo and conditioner is a time saver. The creamy lather is designed to remove product build-up and dirt, but still gentle enough on your scalp, leaving it hydrated and refreshed. It is also paraben- and sulphate-free, so it’s suitable for all hair types.

RM100 (250ml); kiehlstimes.com.my

www.mens-health.com.my 49

PROMOTION

WORDS MIKE ZIMMERMAN PHOTORAPHS ART STREIBER

Guy Skills

The 7.5 Rules Of Awesome

Ryan Reynolds is a disruptor, a joker, and a flat-out great guy. Here’s how to be like him

WE NEEDED A NEW HERO. ONLY A

few people knew it. Others disagreed.

The rest of us simply had no clue.

The problem? “New” is risky. New is disruptive. New is...“New is great,” says Ryan Reynolds. “As long as it’s useful. If it’s not, it’s gone in a heartbeat.” Sort of like what happens to bad new movies. And what would’ve happened to Deadpool if that film hadn’t scratched a deeply

unscratched itch. In the land of superhero flicks, who knew that itch required Reynolds’s 2016 R-rated sex-gore comedy with authority issues? Reynolds kind of did. He spent 11 years trying to get Deadpool made. Aside from a persistent guy, does that make him an innovator?

Perhaps. “We’re in an age of ultracommunication, scoops, leaks, all these things. We’re bees; we spread

information instantly,” he says. “It’s increasingly harder to surprise an audience in any capacity.” Although his newest, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, offers smart twists. Reynolds’s brand of innovation does have its set of laws. To wit: innovate does not mean alienate. Pushing boundaries does not include causing pain. For a guy like him, that means inviting you to join him on the ledge. • www.mens-health.com.my 51

Guy Skills

YOUR LAWS FOR REINVENTION Disrupt, BS and curse your way to success – just like Ryan Reynolds!

“There’s an old saying on a film set, ‘If you can’t find the asshole, it’s you,’” Reynolds says. You never want to be that guy. “At work, I like everyone to be part of the process. That means if the caterer has a good idea, you want to hear it.” Be friendly. Be open. Be a catchall. And be sure to give credit to the person who first thought of the idea. No one likes a thought thief.

LAW #2 PIVOT WHEN NECESSARY For Reynolds, serious is stale. Before shooting began on The Hitman’s Bodyguard with Samuel L. Jackson, the initial script felt flat. “It was so different by the time we went to camera, a tongue-in-cheek deconstruction of buddy-cop action movies,” Reynolds says. “And that all happened about three weeks before shooting.”

LAW #3 STAY NIMBLE Reynolds has worked with his personal trainer Don Saladino for eight years. “[Don] has programmes that I can access online because when I’m shooting, my hours are so erratic,” Reynolds says. “I don’t want to have to meet somebody at 4 in the morning in a dark gym. I just want to go when I can go.” When you plan your travels, plan your workouts as well.

LAW #4 OWN YOUR FLAWS “I am not innovative in the kitchen,” Reynolds says.

“If I cook, you’ll have a structure fire. The firemen will kick down our door, take my wife away, and give her a better life.” If you know your limitations, accept them – especially if they could result in the incineration of personal property.

HOW TO BE A CARING, LOVING AND SOMETIMES MEAN FATHER ON TWITTER

BY RYAN REYNOLDS 52 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

LAW #5 DON’T BE INSANE Reynolds eats “clean, whole foods” every two or three hours when he’s bulking for a role. But he stops short of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine diet, which reportedly involved 6,000 calories, some of which were eaten at 2am. “Hugh Jackman has a dedication to his craft that I’m afraid I don’t share. If I’m up at 2 in the morning, it’s because something has gone terribly wrong.”

LAW #6 B ALL-BUST Speaking of Jackman, Reynolds maintains an ongoing “feud” with the Aussie. (Example: Jackman tweets a lovely photo with a group of Chinese fans; Reynolds replies, “Pretty sure those are protesters.”) “Busting balls is a great thing, but busting balls needs to work in stark contrast to that person’s character.”

LAW #7 CURSE CREATIVELY Everyone and their grandma uses the same swear words, usually in the same context. Push yourself harder: “I love a good compound swear word,” Reynolds says. “‘This party’s shitty’ isn’t nearly as effective as ‘This party’s a total shit symphony.’

That gives it a little jushe.” This law is only half a law because, really, come on.

LAW #7.5 TOY WITH THE LINE “I’ve certainly said things online where I’ve thought, oh boy. I’m fortunate that there’s some precedent for me acting like a jackass. If I were somebody like, I dunno, Condoleezza Rice, it might be a bit different.” Then he smiles. “But you have to set precedents at some point.”

“The mobile above my daughter’s crib is just a whole bunch of NuvaRings. So she remembers how lucky she is.”

“The Internet is so hostile, so many people have so many opinions, I have no problem sounding like a hot bag of ignorant shit if it’s going to make people laugh a little bit,” Reynolds says.

STYLING BRIAN BOYÉ AND SANDRA NYGAARD GROOMING KRISTAN SERAFINO/ TRACEYMATTINGLY.COM MAJESTIC SHIRT, MICHAEL KORS JEANS ILLUSTRATIONS MICHAEL BRANDON MYERS (SHIELD, LAW); PETER WONSOWSKI (TICK)

LAW #1 LET IDEAS FLY

FOUR WAYS TO ARMOURPLATE YOUR BODY Work toward long-term fitness, says Don Saladino, Ryan Reynolds’s trainer. Start here:

1

“On our 6 a.m. walk, my daughter asked where the moon goes each morning. I let her know it’s in heaven, visiting Daddy’s freedom.”

“That’s what Twitter’s for. 140 characters?

That’s for jokes.”

Find Focus

“This ‘ is a mindset issue,” Saladino says, “but at the end of the day it doesn’t matter if Ryan’s benching 127kg. What matters is that he can perform with optimal energy, recovery, and resiliency. That’s why we train.”

2

Prep First

3

Do Variations

4

Train For Function

“Went to Disneyland because my daughter’s obsessed with Mickey Mouse. She was so excited when I got home and told her.”

“We go for an hour,” Saladino says, “but we always start with 5 minutes of foam-rolling and then 10 to 12 minutes of movement prep where we attack any areas of his body that are tight and need to move better.”

“One thing that worked for Deadpool was incorporating heavy training. Instead of doing 8 and 10 reps, we’re starting with 4s, 3s, and 2s, progressing from 75 percent of max to 85 percent, then 95 percent.”

Reynolds does jumping, throwing, and carrying in every session. “People underuse carries,” says Saladino. “Double farmer walks, single-arm carries, and up-down carries really help stabilise the core and shoulders.”

“I take fatherhood seriously. I just don’t take the perception of it seriously.”

www.mens-health.com.my 53

Guy Skills

WISDOM

In Tune With The Rhythm

LIFE IN THE KEY OF AWESOME

Take note of Alfred Ho’s sage advice, and you too could be on top for decades

Alfred Ho has been performing music for more than three decades – yet he’s still chasing success. Find out what keeps this 68-year-old singer and guitarist going strong

54 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6

in bars and pubs. But he found the double schedules exhausting, so, in 1984, he asked his employers to hire another blind person (which they did) so that he could pursue music full-time. Five English albums, one Chinese album and three decades later, Ho has no regrets about taking the plunge. “Of course, I was scared and apprehensive – but nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Ho says.

“I knew I could sing, so I took the challenge and I came down to KL and started my adventure here.

“Having all these challenges makes you work harder,” he continues. “And if you work harder, hopefully, you might be successful.

But so far, success has eluded me.”

Considering all that he’s achieved in the three decades that he’s been a professional musician, it’s surprising that Ho considers himself neither successful nor popular. But, to him, the more he plays – which is often, as he performs regularly at the AK Busk Stop in Avenue K Shopping Mall – the more it drives him on to realise his ambitions. “As long as there’s

breath in my body, I’ll keep going,” Ho states confidently. “I’ll only give up when my health fails me. But as long as I can be up and about, I’ll do what I can to achieve success and I’ll fight to get to where I want to be – that is, to get wider recognition and to play abroad.”

At an age when other men are happily retired and horsing around with their grandkids, Ho shows no signs of slowing down, let alone hanging up his guitar. In fact, he’s searching for a reliable, capable agent who can help him take his music to the next level. But don’t you worry: he won’t mind if fellow Malaysians – like you – take the leap of faith like he did to follow their dreams. “You must believe in yourself. If you believe that it will be good for you, why not go for it? More so if people tell you that you’re good. You just have to try,” Ho says. “But if you don’t succeed, you can’t blame anybody.

Life’s like that – some days you’re lucky, some days you’re not. When I got into music, the climb was very slow – but I never gave up.”

“You must have the talent and, of course, you must work at it.

I also believe in God’s guidance: if God has given you the talent, then you should try to exploit it to the full. But mainly, you must be interested in it. For me, I put my heart and soul into singing.”

NO MATTER WHAT, YOU HAVE TO PRACTISE

“If I don’t sing for a month or two, I’ll feel a bit rusty so you must keep at it. I have fewer jobs so I’ve been busking. I don’t feel ashamed to, because it’s like practice for me, and people from all walks of life can hear me.”

KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP

“Be active whatever you do. A lot of people are okay, but once they retire, they go downhill. So, the main thing is to keep the brain healthy, then the body healthy.

For me, it’s music: I learn new songs periodically, and all of the music is in my head. It’s how I keep my brain and body active.” alfredhomusic.blogspot.com

WORDS EUGENE PHUA PHOTOGRAPH BRYAN ONG ICON ISTOCKPHOTO LOCATION AVENUE K

IF YOU ASK HIM, ALFRED HO WILL

tell you that he’s been a musician since 1984. But it won’t take you much longer after that to realise music has been an integral part of his life since he was a boy.

Blind since he was three years old due to measles, Ho became enamoured with the guitar when he heard his schoolmate at the St. Nicholas School for the Blind in Penang playing it. Slowly but surely, he taught himself to play the instrument, and soon started singing for fun – especially as those around him encouraged and complimented him. But his hobby became something more serious in 1971 when he joined Bakat TV, a talent contest on RTM. “I thought it was just an entertainment programme, so I had nothing to lose,” Ho recalls.

“But I went right up to the semifinals, which was an achievement to me because I was an amateur.”

Although Ho found steady work as a telephone operator for the Penang city council, he never quit music, as he moonlighted as a singer

CULTIVATE THE SYNERGY OF TALENT AND HARD WORK

INSIDEOUT

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS

Check out our website at mens-health.com.my for the latest event and promotion updates.

ADIDAS CRAZY EXPLOSIVE 17

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The single-piece upper is designed to create more stability and structure in key areas of the foot – so that you have the confidence to go for more rebounds. We’re also liking the sneakers’ full-length BOOST midsole, wrapped with a lateral TPU roll cage, which oughta enable you to make the winning jumper in the fourth quarter.

RM720; shop.adidas.com.my

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The orange on the rubber strap, dial and bezel are standout features; but what really makes this diving watch outstanding is its 80 hours of powerreserve. So that means you won’t have to worry whether you’re 200 metres deep in the sea, or deep in a conversation with your date.

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H&M STUDIO KIMONO BOMBER JACKET

For autumn/winter 2017, H&M Studio is inspired by mountaineering – adventure, thrills, skills and toughness. The Swedish brand reworked the classic bomber jacket so that it’s still the timeless look you remember, yet with a modern twist.

This 100% polyester jacket will suit you well, whether you’re on a hike in Tokyo or posing for street-style bloggers.

RM399; hm.com www.mens-health.com.my 55

The TRUTH Bro

ABOUT

SCIENCE They may well be the kings of getting #hench, but it’s worth taking what the #fitpros of the weights room say with a pinch of whey. To help distinguish bro hits from faux myths, we gathered a team of the best exercise and nutrition scientists to set the record straight 56 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

E

WORDS ALEX HARRIS PHOTOGRAPHS SUN LEE ILLUSTRATIONS PETER HORVATH PROP STYLIST KERRY HUGHES

H Prepare to reprogramme your gym session intelligence!

www.mens-health.com.my 57

Bro Myth

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

“Can you feel it, bruh? That’s weakness leaving the body” — That searing spasm through your spine isn’t a sign your biceps are swole. “No effort, no gain is more correct,” says Professor Phillips.

“Pain is not a prerequisite for growth. It’s after muscle damage subsides that true growth occurs.” Bulging neck veins aren’t a good look, either.

THE BRAINS TRUST

MEET THE MEN WHO REALLY KNOW BETTER DR. BRAD SCHOENFELD Director Of Human Performance Lab At Lehman College KEVIN TIPTON Professor Of Sport, Health And Exercise Science ALEX HUTCHINSON Author Of Which Comes First, Cardio Or Weights?

Bro Hit

STRETCHING IS FOR THE WEAK

“WTF dude?

Ballet class is next door” — It’s a hit, at a stretch. “There’s a lot of evidence that static stretching results in temporary loss of strength, likely related to neuromuscular signals,” Hutchinson says. “Shift to ‘dynamic’ stretching, moving through the range of motion you’ll be using, but not pushing to extremes.”

No need to worry about skipping yoga, then.

TONY GENTILCORE Co-Founder Of The Cressey Sports Performance Centre STUART PHILLIPS Professor Of Kinesiology At Mcmaster Uni DR. NICK KNIGHT GP Specialising In Sports And Exercise Medicine DREW PRICE Nutritionist For Everyone From Top Athletes To Ceos And Global Brands

Bro Myth

S T E A DY- S TAT E I S F O R C H I C KS

“Cardio? That’s a type of Spanish food, right?”

— The link between cardio and catabolism is overplayed. “Cardio can attenuate gains, but it won’t kill them,” Phillips says. “Many studies show incorporating endurance and resistance improves both fitness and strength.” Don’t let the treadmill have you running for the hills.

Bro Myth Big macros are more important than a fasted life

Eating’s cheating

“My fat-loss workout meal? Two scoops of BCAA, 125ml water, serve” —

“There’s no evidence to show that working out fasted makes a lick of difference to your fat loss,” Phillips says. “To quote a recent study on thermodynamics, ‘The strongest correlation of change in fat mass was ExEE [energy expenditure of the exercise].’”

In other words, hard work begets bare gains, bare cupboards and fridges do not.

Bro Hit

BMI Is BS

“Where’s the box for my biceps measurement, doc?”

—

Somewhere along the line, BMI escaped the doctor’s office and got inside our heads. “It doesn’t take into account fat or muscle mass,” says Tipton. “Plus, BMI was always meant to be used on a population level, not an individual level. Get rid of it.”

58 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Bro Myth TRAIN ASS TO GRASS

“Thighs past parallel. Knees out.

Drop it like it’s hot” — Although full range-of-motion is ostensibly “gainz-y”, going past the point of no return will put your bum on the bench, not the floor. “Try as you might, you may not have the physical capability,” Gentilcore says.

Bro Myth

MACHINES ARE FOR NOOBS

Bro Myth

S Q UAT S > C R U N C H E S

“Sit-ups? Sit down!”

— Who needs core work when the squat is the ultimate, broapproved six-pack chiseller?

Turns out we all do. “Just because you’re strong or have a big squat or deadlift, that doesn’t mean you won’t benefit,” Gentilcore says. “It could be your hip flexors or back muscles doing all the heavy lifting in the first place, so factor in five minutes of abs work at the end of every session.”

We call that crunch time.

Broaden the spectrum of your workout to see mountainous gains

“If you need me, I’ll be curling in the squat rack” — It’s time to let the machines rise again.

“Despite evidence to the contrary, some continue to belittle machinebased exercises as having no functional relevance,” Schoenfeld says.

Indeed, it’s a popular bro-ism: free weights or no weights at all. “Truth is, machines can help target individual muscles.” Added into a full-body routine, machines are essential for micromanaging your goals, instead of the entire gym.

Bro Hit

F R U I T M A K E S YO U FAT

“It’s even in the Bible, bruh!”

— There’s truth here, but it’s tempered in common sense.

“Fructose makes you fat,” Price says. “So it follows that overconsumption of fruit will make you fat.” But to write off fruit altogether is to do your body a disservice. “Liquid calories are easy to over-consume, so cut back on juices and eat more veg than fruit.” An apple a day will do you no harm, but five will keep your abs away.

Bro Hit

ENDURANCE ISN’T TRUE FITNESS

“I train for total, all-over, complete, functional fitness.

In my biceps” — Fit means different things to different people. “To runners, it’s the ability to run far and fast; to sumo wrestlers, it’s the ability to eat 50 eggs for breakfast,” Hutchinson says. “In sports science, it’s usually cardiorespiratory fitness – how well your heart and lungs are working.”

But to gym goers, it means a lot more. “There’s no point having the heart of a lion if your arms are too weak to push out of a chair aged 60. No one type of exercise will maximise your overall fitness.

Variety is king.”

Bro Myth

Monday is chest day Bro Hit

B E A M E AT H E A D

“I think I might be an apex predator” — Bros love meat, which is why they’re so keen to resemble a cellophanewrapped length of sausages. But they’re on to something. “All meat is a concentrated and high-value source of protein,” Price says. “Other protein sources come with excess calories – carbs in quinoa, fat in nuts – and also lack key aminos,” Price says. In other words, for complication-free bulk, meat is the way to grow.

“And on the third day, he worked arms and back, and saw that it was good” —

Stop dissecting your body parts into separate days like some sort of rippling Hannibal Lecter.

“The majority of training should be either functional, i.e. mixing compound with isolated exercises, or specific and relevant to your sport,” Knight says. “Your body doesn’t work one muscle at a time in life, but rather as one musculoskeletal beast – exactly how your training should be.” Anyone for CrossFit? www.mens-health.com.my 59

Bro Hit

Bro Hit

Lift in the evening

PROTEIN BARS ARE ONE O F YO U R F I V E - A - D AY

“They’re like dessert for your gainz” — Good news for your sugar cravings.

Sort of. “If something is delicious, it’s usually too good to be true,” Price says. “But a decent bar is a great source of extra protein. They’re best employed as a treat, though. Down too many and they become nothing but glorified chocolate bars.”

“You’re 110% stronger after 5pm” —

Actually, it’s more like 2% stronger. “For the most part, circadian rhythms dictate that your physical performance will be highest in the early evening (in the region of 6pm),” Hutchinson says. “Which also happens to be when your body temperature is highest. These variations are minor, though, and don’t really matter unless you’re trying to set records.”

Gym rule #134: Never take advice from a man in a loincloth

Bro Myth

MAINLINE YOUR I N S TA G R A M S

“The anabolic window, it’s closing.

My gains, they’re fading!”

— “Emerging research shows that the ‘anabolic window of opportunity’ is really more of an ‘anabolic barn door’,” Schoenfeld says. “Muscle is sensitised to protein intake for at least 24 hours post-workout.” For best results, take a pre-workout one hour before training and consume protein somewhere in the next eight hours. Stick that in your shaker and drink it.

Bro Hit

MO’ PROTEIN, MO’ MUSCLES

“Whey powder actually makes great seasoning for chicken” — The body has a finite ability to turn protein to muscle, but a little extra is no bad thing. “A surplus does several things,” Price says. “It helps slow the breakdown of existing muscle tissue, supplies essential fats, vits and minerals, and keeps you full.”

Bro Myth

IT’S THE FINAL REP T H AT C O U N T S

“If Arnie says it, I do it” — “The ‘final’ rep may squeeze a little more water from the dishrag, but most of the water’s gone,” Phillips says. For best results work to 8/10 of total effort at all times. Despite what you may have heard from Spinal Tap, nobody can go to 11.

60 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Bro Myth

TESTOSTERONE = MUSCLE

“I can feel it in my balls, man” —

Beware any workout promising testosterone boosts. “Hormone levels don’t predict how effectively people gain muscle or strength following weight training,” Hutchinson says.

“Our understanding of the role of various hormones is very limited, and the cartoon version of ‘muscle > endogenous testosterone > muscle’ is oversimplified.”

Just don’t tell that T-riddled ’roid bro – it’ll only needle him.

Bro Myth

HAIL TO THE FAIL

“The Rock trains with a toilet in the squat rack. I wear a nappy” — End each session dribbling into the matt?

Wipe your mouth. “There’s little evidence that training to all-out failure is necessary to maximise gains,” Schoenfeld says.

“Moreover, consistently training to failure may lead to long-term muscle damage.

Take each set to within a rep or two of failure instead.” That way, you’ll leave with a pump and your dignity.

Bro Myth

NO BREAD BEFORE THE BEACH

Bro Hit

It’s all about the kcal

“You’ve gotta hit 1,000kcal before breakfast.”

—

“The research is clear: calories are the primary driver of weight change,” Price says. “Macro balance can control what you gain or lose, especially if training and/or dieting hard.” But ultimately, eat enough to grow, or cut enough to lose fat. It’s that simple.

“Don’t you know that wholemeal slices are just a Big Food conspiracy?”

— Don’t be a tater hater. “There’s no evil insulin fairy that waves her wand to turn on fatstorage mechanisms,” Schoenfeld says. “Fat loss is based on energy balance; if you reduce kcal below expenditures, you’ll lose fat.” In other words, a sprint session is the perfect seasoning for a bag of chips.

Bro Myth

RESPECT THE BROWN R I C E WAT E R S H E D

“Did cavemen eat carbs right before bed? I think not” — “A landmark paper in Obesity found night carbers lost more weight than those who kept them to the day,” Price says. Not only is this great news for your local Italian restaurant, a carbonara after eight could also toss the weight-gain myth for good.

“Another study found high-GI dinners help increase night-time metabolism too.”

Careful though; while delicious, a pizza before bed won’t quite cut it.

Bro Myth

BIG MUSCLES ARE STRONG MUSCLES

“Shirtsleeves are for big girl’s blouses” — Alright, bigger muscles technically have a higher propensity for strength, but more often than not, you’re just building the fluid between the fibres.

“In most cases, there is actually a rather poor relationship between muscle size and strength,” Phillips says. “Strength is much more neurological than anything else.”

Which is to say: no brain, no gain.

Bro Myth

Go hard or go home

“Your mum called. She wants her workout back” —

Bro Myth

B C A A S = H O LY W AT E R

“Hand me my branched chains, bro” — Aminos? Oh no. Although every Tom, Dick and Arnie chases those curls with a glug of BCAAs – leucine, isoleucine and valine – all that’s growing is their bills. “BCAAs are at the weaker end of the evidence spectrum,” Price says. “Stick to shakes.”

Swollen youth?

Make bad gym habits a thing of training past

Iron pumpers might not know it, but gentle recovery is double-timing protein to your muscles. “Low-impact days between big sessions restore muscle glycogen and repair traumatised muscles,” says Knight. “Training hard is useless if the delivery of macros is slow. Increase blood flow via low-intensity exercise to expedite the process.”

Go slow, then come back while the gym bros moan about their DOMS. They can’t be right all the time, after all. www.mens-health.com.my 61

In the coming decades, millions of men will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and other brain disorders. Tap the latest science to avoid becoming one of them

14

SMART WAYS TO

MAINTAIN YOUR BRAIN

62 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

IN JULY 2015, JEFF BORGHOFF,

WORDS JOHN BRILEY PHOTOGRAPHS THE VOORHES

a high-level IT professional and father, noticed his memory slipping. He was 51. “I used to have no problem recalling entire conversations,” Borghoff says, “but that became so hard I started recording some of them.”

He asked for a less demanding job – no small step for a high achiever. But before the transfer was set, Borghoff was hospitalised with a stomach virus and facial twitching. Doctors were stumped by his trouble with memory, speech, language, and cognition.

After months of frustration, Borghoff went to Columbia University Medical Center. His doctor looked at his family history, questioned his wife, and did spinal fluid and neuropsychological testing. The diagnosis: early-onset Alzheimer’s, a disease that had struck his father, grandfather and uncle.

Borghoff is no longer employed, but he belongs to the Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisory Group and follows its recommendations. He walks, jogs and cycles. He’s watching his diet and is learning to play a musical instrument. He and his doctor are optimistic that a cure for Alzheimer’s will be found soon.

Something needs to happen, because Alzheimer’s cases could nearly triple by 2050. Fortunately, the past few years have brought new discoveries, tests and treatments, plus more effective strategies for brain health. Read on for 14 exciting new developments.

www.mens-health.com.my 63

Some people think the brain operates outside the rules that govern the rest of the body. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” says neurologist David Perlmutter, M.D., the author of Grain Brain. Many factors that raise your risk of heart disease – such as unhealthy cholesterol levels, high blood-pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle – threaten the health of your brain. These factors can lead to restricted blood flow, inflammation and clots.

DON’T FORGET: Think of your next blood test as a report card on your brain as well as your heart. Likewise, view your cardiologist as an early-warning neurologist, says MH advisor Murali Doraiswamy, M.D., a professor of translational neuroscience at Duke School of Medicine.

3

2

BACTERIA COULD HELP ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Gut bacteria produce mood-influencing chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine, which reach the brain via the bloodstream.

Scientists are developing bacterial treatments in the hope of rebalancing brain chemicals to treat conditions such as depression and anxiety. Until then, eat more fermented foods packed with good bacteria.

64 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 7

Antibiotics Could Compromise Memory

The damage antibiotics can do to the beneficial microbes in your gut is well established. And now it appears that antibiotics can also negatively affect your brain. A recent animal study in the journal Cell Reports suggests that they may inhibit new cell growth in the brain region associated with recall.

DON’T FORGET: Take antibiotics only when necessary at the direction of your doctor. You may want to pair them with a probiotic supplement, which might help restore the good gut bugs killed by the medicine.

4

This Simple Sniff Test Is An Early-Warning System For Alzheimer’s

Mayo Clinic researchers gave a standardised smell test to 1,430 people with an average age of 80. The sniff test was designed to assess how accurately the senior citizens could identify a dozen scents, including cherry, lemon, soap, and roses. Those who scored the lowest had the highest risk of developing memory problems and/or Alzheimer’s disease. Experts speculate that the brain’s smell and memory centres may be linked.

DON’T FORGET: Take a whiff of Jif if you’re older or have Alzheimer’s in your family. Peanut butter is one of the scents scientists have used to test for developing brain disorders. In a University of Florida study, people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s were less able to detect PB with their left nostril than with their right nostril. If you failed the test, don’t panic, but say something to your doctor.

5 EXERCISE IS LIKE MIRACLE-GRO FOR THE BRAIN Physical activity can spur growth of new neurons in parts of the brain that control memory. In a study of seniors published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers found that even moderate exercise, such as gardening and dancing, promoted the formation of neurons in these brain areas and reduced Alzheimer’s risk by half. Aim for 150 minutes a week of cardio, spread over three to five days. Ronald Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, advises using some of that time for interval training – spurts of intense effort alternating with active recovery periods. “Exercise may turn out to be one of the best things we can do to protect ourselves from Alzheimer’s disease,” he says.

OG Kush Might Someday Clear Foggy Brains

If you looked through a microscope at Alzheimer’s patients’ brains, you’d see clumps of protein, called beta-amyloid plaques, gumming up the works. Although scientists suspect that betaamyloid is a major player, its precise role is unknown. New studies suggest that it may be helpful initially, arriving in the brain to surround and subdue viruses, bacteria, or other invaders – like a pearl forming around a sand grain. But eventually, it turns destructive. “Are plaques the tombstones of the disease, or an early warning?”

Dr. Petersen asks. “We just don’t know yet.”

DON’T FORGET: Compounds in marijuana, including THC, might promote the removal of beta-amyloid, suggests research from the Salk Institute. Don’t try it just yet, though; the results are preliminary. And, well, say no to drugs.

7

Alzheimer’s Screenings Will Soon Be Routine

Part of the diagnostic challenge with Alzheimer’s is that doctors can’t easily see what’s going on.

That’s changing. “We can now successfully image Alzheimer’s proteins in the brain,” Dr. Petersen says. That’s a major advance. The research is helping neurologists develop therapies to stall the progression, just as cardiologists do with arteriosclerosis. “We’re trying to detect the ‘cholesterol of Alzheimer’s’,” he says. Imaging technology can also show brain shrinkage, reduced cell activity, and amyloid plaque buildup.

DON’T FORGET: Until these tests go mainstream, take periodic standardised tests to evaluate memory, problem-solving, and thinking skills.

Ask your doctor about these.

8

Germs Take The Blame For Some Brain Problems

No matter how clean we try to keep our thoughts, our brains contain tens of thousands of dormant microbes, Dr. Doraiswamy says. Scientists suspect that some bad bugs can be roused by triggers such as stress or certain drugs, after which they contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s.

DON’T FORGET: Numerous microbes – like the ones associated with herpes, toxoplasmosis, HIV, Lyme disease, and the human form of mad cow disease – could infect your brain and hijack your cognitive processes. In fact, Alzheimer’s and other dementias may turn out to be bug-induced in some way that’s not yet fully understood. In other words, you could conceivably “catch” a brain disorder.

ILLUSTRATION PAUL BLOW PHOTOGRAPH ISTOCKPHOTO (SIDEBAR; IMAGE USED FOR ULLUSTRATION PURPOSES ONLY)

1

Healthy Heart = Healthy Brain

6

9

The diabetes link to cognitive problems is no secret, but the connection is growing stronger.

One of the earliest brain deficits in people at risk for Alzheimer’s is an inability of the nerve cells to use glucose, their main fuel. Dr. Doraiswamy calls this “diabetes of the brain”. Scientists are testing exercise, low-glycemic-index diets, and anti-diabetic drugs as preventive approaches to Alzheimer’s disease.

DON’T FORGET: Get tested for diabetes, and if you have it or are at risk, work with your physician on lifestyle changes.

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Make Sure Diabetes Doesn’t Raise Your Risk

Learn More Stuff To Offset Mental Decline

Continually challenging yourself with new and complex tasks – chess, a new sport, a second language, a musical instrument – can strengthen or open new lines of communication among neurons. With piano lessons, for example, neural networks will expand between your brain’s hearing and movement centers.

Becoming a serial learner creates a reserve of brain power. “Even if disease knocks out part of the brain, you have kind of redundant cellphone towers as back-up,” Dr. Doraiswamy says.

DON’T FORGET: Last year, a 10-year study showed that a brain game that shortens your response time may also reduce your dementia risk. “If these findings can be replicated, it will be a game changer,” Dr. Doraiswamy says.

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YOUR BRAIN’S FAVOURITE CUISINE IS MEDITERRANEAN The brains of people who ate the Mediterranean way – fruits, vegetables, legumes, non­ processed grains, fresh fish, olive oil, and red wine – were younger­looking in autopsy studies, Dr. Doraiswamy says. In one study, people on the so­called MIND diet, which focuses on plant­based nutrition, had up to a 53 percent lower risk of Alzheimer’s.

Testosterone May Be A Brain Booster

Testosterone therapy is often touted as a fountain of youth. And in the brain of someone with low T, adding the hormone appears to help prevent damage from oxidative stress – the build-up of harmful by-products produced by aging cells.

But there’s a catch: once that stress reaches a certain threshold, adding testosterone can actually accelerate brain damage, warns Rebecca Cunningham, Ph.D., who studies hormones at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

DON’T FORGET: “The only way to know if androgen therapy is right for you is to see a doctor who knows your full health profile and history,” Cunningham says. Low testosterone is one of many risk factors for brain disease – not a guarantee you’ll develop it.

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Researchers Now Recognise The Concept Of “Mixed Dementia”

TWO NEW MEDS TO WATCH

Eli Lilly’s solanezumab and Biogen’s aducanumab are being studied for early Alzheimer’s.

Both attack amyloid plaques in the brain, usually considered the culprit behind reduced mental performance. In early studies, people on each of those drugs seemed to show less cognitive decline than the placebo groups did.

In the early stages of vascular dementia, patients show declines in judgment, decision making, planning, and reasoning. Symptoms of early-stage Alzheimer’s are chiefly memory related. But as each disease progresses, the symptoms overlap.

Doctors now recognise that many people have a blend of the two, known as mixed dementia.

DON’T FORGET: Knowing the relationship between the conditions could help doctors manage the disease, Dr. Doraiswamy says.

A BABY WHO WILL NEVER GET ALZHEIMER’S

That’s the hope of his parents, who spent nearly RM170,000 on a new treatment to protect him When Jim’s mother died of early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 61, it was a wake-up call.

“The disease has hit every generation of my family,” says Jim, a software engineer. (He and his wife requested anonymity.) “I thought, ‘If there’s anything we can do to prevent this from happening to our kids, we should do that.’”

Turns out there is.

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Jim, 36, learned that he could be tested for gene mutations that cause early-onset Alzheimer’s. Through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), he and his wife, Melissa, could then screen their embryos and implant one that lacked mutations.

The decision to do these “pre-implantation genetic diagnostics” was agonising. “You

realise that once you know the information, you can’t unknow it,” Melissa says. But they proceeded. Jim tested positive for the presenilin 1 mutation.

“It’s pretty intense to be told you’ll get Alzheimer’s in 15 years,” he says. “I’ve always planned life assuming it was going to happen, but there’s something different about it being definitive.”

Three of the couple’s viable embryos lacked mutations. The first one doctors implanted in Melissa didn’t take, but the second one did,

and the couple now has a healthy 14-monthold son.

Genetic analysis is available for a suite of diseases, says Svetlana Rechitsky, Ph.D., of Reproductive Genetic Innovations, the company that did Jim and Melissa’s screening.

Jim and Melissa know their son isn’t immune to Alzheimer’s, because lifestyle factors are involved; but they feel fortunate that they’ve been provided with the opportunity to reduce the odds in their family tree.

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PHOTOGRAPHS LUKASZ WOLEJKO-WOLEJSZO STYLING CHRISTINA VAN ZON GROOMING MARIA EHRLICH MODEL DANIEL/INDEED

SPEED SPEED OFF OFF IN IN STYLE STYLE Newsflash: sportswear isn’t just in trend, it’s here to stay.

The world’s best designers and fashion houses are now combining classic athletic silhouettes with technical features to create clothes that are modern yet timeless.

Try these looks, and you’ll be miles ahead of the rest

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Jacket, pants and shoes, all by ADIDAS; STANCE socks.

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SEE THE LIGHT Fashion’s best pieces are often released during the Autumn/Winter collections every year, so that means Malaysians almost never get to flaunt them (or even feel them, in many cases). But it’s not all doom and gloom for us – in fact, we should be lighting things up. “Light colours are really pleasant to wear when it’s hot, so why not style your whole outfit in one colour tone?” says Christina van Zon, fashion stylist. “Elegant off-white works in a business setting or as an elegant evening look. Pastel khaki is also the perfect camouflage for the modern man. And with an all-over look in bright orange or yellow, you’ll be unforgettable.” Wanna elevate your outfit even further? Pair your clothes – even a suit, a dress shirt and elegant trousers – with a crisp pair of sneakers. “Play with unusual colour combinations or patterns, if you want the look to be even more modern.”

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Shirt and shorts both

by PUMA X NATUREL; LACOSTE backpack.

Z ZEGNA pullover. www.mens-health.com.my 69

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BEN SHERMAN shirt; FRED PERRY trousers; CONVERSE shoes.

Jacket, shirt and pants, all by PAUL SMITH; HUGO BOSS belt; PAWAKA sunglasses.

HAIR TODAY, GONE TOMORROW It’s 2017 – now, more than ever, you have the license to try new looks and new hairstyles.

We’re not suggesting you go for dreadlocks and a septum piercing right away, but it’s definitely time to break free from your primary school prison. “The time when men wore the same hairstyle for decades is definitely over,” says Maria Ehrlich, hairstylist and make-up artist. “It’s important to allow a little chaos on the head, and to be less strict with details.”

She also stresses the importance of using oil-free moisturiser in the morning to ensure your face is as fresh as your clothes. “During the day, I also recommend refreshing your face with a chilled thermal water spray that’s not only cooling, but also has an antibacterial effect and soothes irritated skin.”

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VALENTINO shirt (from matchesfashion.com); T-shirt and shoes both by PUMA; SAMSØE & SAMSØE trousers; BARTON PERRETRA sunglasses.

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LACOSTE shirt; DOLCE & GABBANA trousers (from matchesfashion.com); STANCE socks; shoes and backpack, both by FRED PERRY.

RUN THE GOOD RACE Here’s the thing: there are virtually limitless sources of excellent clothes, great styles and fantastic looks this year and every year. We even had to leave some great photos produced by Lukasz, Christina, Maria and Daniel on the editing room floor (they were very painful decisions). So we won’t blame you if you feel overwhelmed when it comes to deciding what deserves a spot in your closet. Remember: “Know your body, and pick the fit and colours you feel comfortable in,” van Zon advises. “You can stay up to date with trends, but the most important thing is that you feel good in what you wear. A can’t-fail look would be to wear your favourite pieces, and to wear them with a smile.” www.mens-health.com.my 73

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YEARS OF EXTRA LIFE BY TURNING PAGES ON YOUR COMMUTE

You don’t need us to tell you that reading this publication is good for you. With the latest health and fitness advice compressed onto every page, that should be clear.

But it turns out that simply burying your head in your favourite magazine (or book, even) can add valuable chapters to your lifetime.

A study published in the journal Social Science and Medicine examined the reading patterns of 3,635 people aged 50 and older. On average, regular readers were found to live almost two years longer than the less literary. They also displayed improved cognition

and a lower risk of dementia, leading to an improved quality of life far into their retirement years.

But before you reach for that dusty doorstop volume of the collected works of Tolstoy, you should know that – though the study authors found the more you read, the greater the effect – as little as 30 minutes of reading a day was still beneficial in terms of increasing longevity. In other words, swap thumbing through social media on the way to work for cracking a spine or two, and your epitaph will remain unwritten for a while longer.

WORDS MICHAEL JENNINGS PHOTOGRAPH ROWAN FEE

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