BURN FAT FAST WITH OUR TOTAL-BODY TEST JULY 2020
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EDITOR'S LETTER ISSUE 242 JULY 2020
EDITORIAL Editor Isaac Williams Art Director Xavier Robleda Editorial postal address: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL ADVERTISING TANDEM MEDIA LTD Managing Director Catherine Rowe 01233 228750 catherine.rowe@tandemmedia.co.uk Account Manager Ben Rayment 01233 228752 ben@tandemmedia.co.uk Ad Production Manager Andy Welch 01233 220245 mensfit@tandemmedia.co.uk MANAGEMENT Managing Director Phil Weeden Chief Executive Steve Wright Chairman Steve Annetts Publishing Director Kevin McCormick Subscription Marketing Director Gill Lambert Senior Subscription Marketing Manager Nick McIntosh Retail Distribution Managers Eleanor Brown, Steve Brown Head of Events Kat Chappell Print Production Manager Georgina Harris DISTRIBUTION (UK) Marketforce (UK), 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU, Tel: 020 3787 9001 DISTRIBUTION (N. IRELAND AND REP. OF IRELAND) Newspread, Tel: +353 23 886 3850 PRINTING William Gibbons & Sons Ltd COVER Photo: Getty Images Kelsey Media 2020 © all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published. Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties. Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit kelsey.co.uk/privacy-policy. If you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk.
A
s I write, lockdown restrictions have been slightly eased in England to allow unlimited exercise outdoors, which is excellent news for ultra runners and anyone in need of an escape-the-kids bike ride, but for most of us the situation hasn’t changed all that much. We’re still living through [insert ‘strange’, ‘unprecedented’ or ‘troubling’] times with no clear end in sight, and anyone interested in fitness is still forced to take matters into their own hands. But while you might be missing the comforting support of the squat rack, or longing for the padded protection of the incline bench, hopefully this time inside has reminded you that fitness doesn’t need to be confined to the four walls of your gym. This issue of Men’s Fitness continues the themes of bodyweight training and home fitness, to give you the workouts and wisdom you need to keep both body and mind in the best shape possible. And if you’re still not convinced you’ve got enough space or equipment to build muscle, burn fat or just keep things ticking over from home, our lead feature with the ex-inmate behind the prison system’s Eliminate bodyweight training bible, Cell Workout, excuses should go some way to showing that if with this you’ve got a square foot of space, you’ve ex-inmate’s no-space got all the room you need. bodyweight That said, a healthy body is nothing workouts (p28) without a healthy mind, so in this issue you’ll also find expert, isolation-specific advice on maintaining your wellbeing and managing the worry and anxiety that is only natural in a time like this – from self-care strategies, to how to maintain a sense of normality while working from home. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to do as we say on page 40 and shoulder-press a big bag of soil. Isaac Williams, Editor
isaac.williams@kelsey.co.uk
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JULY 2020
3
CONTENTS
44
“IN YOUR TWENTIES, PERFORM MAXIMUM STIMULATION EXERCISES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PEAK HORMONAL RESPONSE”
28
UPDATES 09 15 Minutes With…
IN FOCUS 28 Get Prison Fit
Release your inner inmate with this ex-convict’s equipment-free training plan
Men and Mountains founder Dan Stanley
18
10 News
34 Garden Gains
he man who scaled verest – on his mum’s stairs
How to keep fit from home and make a gym out of whatever outdoor space you’ve got
2 Mind
42 Stronger for Longer
How sticking to outine can ease oronavirus anxiety
Smart training tips to live longer and maximise muscle as you age
4 Body
48 Isolation Mindset
Why lifting, not ieting, is key to etting in shape
5 PT Corner
dvanced moves o upgrade your ome workouts
8 Simple
Sessions
Pack your bag for his six-move ackpack circuit
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JULY 2020
Save ambitious goals for simpler times to protect your wellbeing
PERFECT FIT 22 Yoga Kit
Vinyasa in style with our pick of the best home yoga gear
24 HR Monitors
Get in the zone with the best wrist and chest-based trackers
22
52 Man Down
Charlie Hoare’s step-by-step guide for men and mental health
56 Big Interview
Gymnast Max Whitlock on pressure, parenthood and sofa circuits
48
ISSUE 242 JULY 2020
60
FUEL 66 Nutrition News
Food findings to keep your health in check
68 Simple Superfoods
Nutrient-packed food comes in tins, too
72 Intermittent Fasting
“FROM THE AGE OF 11, I WAS TRAINING FOR UP TO 35 HOURS EVERY WEEK”
A beginner’s guide to managing meal times
76 Plant-Based Bars
The best vegan protein bars on the market
66
TRAINER 80 Total-Body Blast
Get every muscle firing with this tough-test circuit
86 Running S&C
Ward off injury with these lower-body essentials
88 Press-Up Variations
Eight moves to target more than just your chest
92 What it Takes
MF meets visually impaired climber Jesse Dufton
94 Power of 10
Training and lifestyle tips to look and feel younger
98 Survival of the Fittest
Can you conquer this conditioning circuit?
72
92
98
JULY 2020
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NEWS⁄MIND⁄BODY
LIFE IN LOCKDOWN
THE RESULTS OF A MYPROTEIN SURVEY SHOW HOW THE NATION IS COPING WITH ISOLATION
1 IN 3 2 IN 3 41% Brits are exercising at least once a day.
of us are doing more cardio.
6
MILLION monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
Brits say their usual sleeping patterns have changed, with 20 per cent reporting less sleep.
64
56%
per cent of Brits have experienced some change to their eating habits.
friday
saturday
sunday
of us are exercising every single day.
On Your Bike
SIMPLE CYCLE SESSIONS YOU CAN DO FROM HOME
of us have at least one fitness concern, with the biggest worry being our diet.
73% of gym-goers miss at least one thing about the gym, including workout equipment (49%), socialising (24%) and classes (30%).
Canyon’s Stay Fit, Stay Healthy campaign encourages people to stick to their fitness goals, or set new ones, despite the current situation. Here’s a couple of at-home workouts from the campaign:
Warm-up 10 mins starting easy and building resistance gradually to a 5/10 effort Main set 30 secs all-out effort / 30 secs rest (repeat x 10) Cool-down 4 mins easy recovery Warm-up 10 mins starting easy and building resistance gradually to a 5/10 effort Main set 20 secs all-out effort / 40 secs rest (repeat x 10-12) Cool-down 10 mins easy recovery
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NEWS
15 MINUTES WITH…
MEN AND MOUNTAINS FOUNDER DAN STANLEY
Photo The Content Creators
TELL US ABOUT THE GROUP… “We’re based in the beautiful Brecon Beacons in South Wales and the concept is simple: to allow men to make a commitment to themselves once a month. It’s simply about taking time out from life by getting outdoors, having a walk and a talk, while getting some exercise. For many members, it represents a way to de-stress and regain perspective on life in general.” WHY DID YOU SET IT UP? “I have always enjoyed time in the mountains. I find it to be cathartic. Space, nature, the exposure, the wilderness – it makes me feel alive. 2018 was a particularly busy and stressful year for me and family. As I reflected back on the year in general, I felt I lost my sense of
self. I had let life ‘get in the way’ and had sacrificed the things that make me, me. At that moment, I made a conscious decision to take responsibility for ensuring that in 2019 I would be happy and healthy, both mentally and physically. Initially, I rounded up a few friends and asked if they would like to join me in meeting once a month to walk and talk. Since then, our ranks have grown and there are now over 90 active members.”
and I would say the best time to feel the benefits of the environment is at sunrise. Making the commitment to yourself, having the discipline to get out of bed, and the intrinsic motivation to meet the sunrise as it crests the horizon will make you feel alive. There will be less noise pollution and fewer people. You will be able to hear the birds sing and feel the space around you; you will feel as though you have stolen a step while everyone else is in bed.”
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE MOUNTAINS, IN PARTICULAR, THAT BOOSTS WELLBEING? “First and foremost, calmness. A stunning landscape is a pleasure and not just for the senses. In nature there is less sensory information coming into the body – less noise, less distraction, less risk – so the brain can wind down and refresh. Walking in the mountains also creates resilience. It’s often said that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, but how often, in today’s technologically advanced world, do we ever enter our ‘discomfort’ zone? Stepping into the unknown, at the mercy of the elements and Mother Nature, is demanding but endlessly rewarding.”
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR MEN TO FIND TIME FOR THEMSELVES? “There’s no escaping the fact that poor mental health among men is a huge societal concern. While mental ill-health can be heredity, it is more commonly brought on my environmental factors such as stress, pressure and isolation. Creating space for men to connect with other men goes some way to alleviating these factors. Having a psychologically safe space to communicate, share experiences, reflect, learn and listen helps to release the pressure valve.”
CAN THOSE SAME BENEFITS BE FELT WITH WALKS IN THE CITY? “Yes, absolutely. All cities have green space
TO FIND OUT MORE, EMAIL DAN STANLEY ON DAN@BETTER-MEN.UK OR MESSAGE HIM ON LINKEDIN.COM/IN/DAN-STANLEYBETTERMEN-COACHING
JULY 2020
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NEWS
3 WAYS TO... TORCH FAT WITHOUT ANNOYING THE NEIGHBOURS 1. KETTLEBELL SWINGS
Not only does regular kettlebell swinging improve maximal and explosive strength,1 it’s also one of the most effective exercises for getting your heart rate up without causing an earthquake in your living room. Remember to use your arms for guidance only, keep your shoulders ‘packed’ in and ‘snap’ up through your hips and glutes with every swing. Once you’ve mastered the movement, see if you can crank out five minutes of unbroken swings.
2. DUMBBELL THRUSTERS
recovery from the freak accident that doctors feared could leave him completely paralysed, Jackson’s left leg remains in a permanent brace, which makes his stair-conquering feat all the more remarkable (you try doing several thousand single-leg squats). All money raised goes towards Wings for Life and the Friends Forever Appeal in support of the NHS – donate at virginmoneygiving.com/edjackson8
* Quick Question * Should you be eating less during lockdown? “Lockdown or no lockdown, if you’re eating more than you need, and not burning it off, chances are you will gain weight,” says registered dietitian Tabitha Ward. “But that’s not to say you necessarily need to eat less. Many of us are cooking healthy meals from scratch and working out more than normal, so can probably eat in a similar pattern to prelockdown and not expect a change in weight. My advice is not to focus on how much you’re eating, but on the type of food, and using lockdown as an opportunity to form some healthier habits.”
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20% The reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, or dying from heart disease, associated with drinking tea every day. A large study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that habitual tea drinkers had 17 extra months disease-free life for heart conditions, and 16 months longer life expectancy at the age of 50. “The heart health benefits are due to the rich array of polyphenols found in black and green teas,” said Dr Carrie Ruxton from the Tea Advisory Panel. “These have been shown to support optimal vascular function and help with blood pressure control. Tea polyphenols are also powerful antioxidants. Around four cups of tea a day seems to confer the most hearthealth benefits.”
3. T PRESS-UPS
Using your bodyweight to begin with, and progressing to very light dumbbells once you’ve got the move down, perform a press-up/dumbbell press-up, and as you return to the start, twist to one side, loading your weight on your supporting arm and leg, and extend the opposite arm to the sky. Return with control and repeat on the other side. An excellent core and shoulder strengthener guaranteed to raise your heart rate.
The dumbbell thruster is the perfect move to raise a sweat with minimal noise
Photography Ed Jackson / Eddie MacDonald / Getty Images | 1. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
When MF sat down with him for a feature in the April issue, rugby player turned mountaineer Ed Jackson mentioned that scaling Mount Everest was a distant ambition. But just a few months on, he’s already conquered the 29,029ft that make up the world’s highest mountain – by making 5,783 trips up and down his parents' 16-step staircase in Bath. Despite making a miraculous
Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height, squat down, return to standing and press the weights overhead. Now catch your breath and repeat – aim for 60 seconds if you’re using light weights, or 10-12 reps with heavier dumbbells. Any movement that requires you to take a weight from down low to up high is going to fire up your metabolism and make every muscle work.
MIND
ZEST FOR LIFE
day to keep up your ACE Tuck into oranges and mangoes each mins A and E, while vitamin levels. Mangoes are high in vita n C. These vitamins are juicy oranges are chock full of vitami they’re also proven to not only good news for your body, but wing regular intake can help with your mind, with studies sho 2 lessen generalised anxiety disorders.
4 OUT OF 5
ROUTINE MAINTENANCE Struggling to separate work time from leisure time while working from home? Create a ‘mock commute’ to help your brain adjust, advise mental health charity ‘Chasing the Stigma’. The charity recommends trying to work somewhere you won’t be disturbed and sticking to your usual hours. Then when it’s the normal knocking off time, head
READING THE SIGNALS
Mobile phone data could be used to measure the impact of Covid-19 on mental health. Smartphone apps are already in use to remotely monitor physical factors such as blood pressure and body temperature, now a team of psychiatrists are suggesting that the same kind of technology might be put to use to deliver ‘realtime’ remote monitoring of the wellbeing of a range of patients. Data could involve questions as well as ‘passive monitoring’ of patients.2
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JULY 2020
out for a walk to create that sense of leaving work – when you get back home it’s time to relax.
STRESS O’CLOCK People who struggle with anxiety about current events could benefit from only watching the news during a scheduled ‘worry time’ in order to manage their mental health. Training your brain that there are times when it’s ok to worry, and times when it’s not, will help you manage feelings of anxiety that can otherwise become overwhelming.
HEAD IN THE GAME
Rugby players and anyone who takes part in a high-impact sport should do their utmost to protect themselves from concussion, in order to ward off potential future psychological difficulties. Teams of researchers looking into former elite athletes and teenagers who suffered from repeated sports-related concussions say that the injuries correlate with increased incidences of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in later life.3
FEEL-GOOD FASHION
Clever clothing choices could be genuine ‘retail therapy’ for thin men, say researchers. Lots of men with a naturally wiry frame struggle with not being able to ‘bulk up’, but new research in the Journal of Medicinal Humanities suggests clothes could hold the key to greater confidence, while also showing thinner men how much of their anxiety is built around perception. As a result they can be left feeling better about the way they look, and understanding why they felt bad in the first place.
Words Simon Cross Photography Getty Images | 1. Sports Medicine 2. The Lancet 3. Journal of Affective Disorders
British adults are worried about the effect that the coronavirus pandemic is having on their lives, according to the Office of National Statistics. A nationwide survey established that 47 per cent of adults admitted to having experienced ‘high levels’ of anxiety due to the crisis, while 53 per cent said it was affecting their wellbeing. Nearly 80 per cent of those surveyed said that staying in touch with their family via computer or mobile phone is key to helping them cope with staying home during lockdown.
BODY
CUT WITH CARE
If you’re determined to lose weight, opt for a slow and steady approach to avoid losing all your hardearned gains. A study in the journal Obesity found that followers of extremely low-calorie diets tend to shift 18 per cent of their weight through muscle loss. To avoid that, keep your calorie deficit to 500kcals or less.
As much as 20 per cent of your metabolic rate – how quickly you burn energy – can be attributed to your muscles, while just three per cent is down to your fat stores. That means if you want to get lean, strength training is the way forward.
IMMUNE BOOST.
As you’re reading this, we can assume you’re no stranger to the power of exercise, and a new study suggests keeping fit is more important now than ever before. Researchers from the University of Bath found that daily exercise plays a key role in maintaining a healthy immune system, making your body better placed to ward off harmful infections.
GET OUT MORE
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JULY 2020
Take your daily workouts outside as much as possible. Research published in Journal Scientific found that people who spend two hours or more in nature every week report Turn to page better health and life 34 to find out satisfaction than those how to make use of who don’t. whatever outdoor space you’ve got.
35%
say they’re more active the start of lockdown, with a quarter of those turning to YouTube and Instagram workouts to keep fit.
ROLL WITH IT
Just two minutes of foam rolling can increase your muscles’ range of motion by ten per cent, according to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. For the best foam roller moves for every body part, head to mensfitness.co.uk
TRY THIS HYPERICE VYPER 2.0 £179.99, sportsshoes.com
Take your warm-ups to another level with the ‘world’s most powerful vibrating fitness roller’ – just make sure your other half knows what’s going on in the bedroom.
Photography Getty Images
LIFT IT TO LOSE IT
PT CORNER
NEW MOVES
Use home time wisely and take your no-equipment workouts to another level with these advanced bodyweight exercises 1. PETERSON STEP-UP WITH HEEL LIFT
Stand on one leg on a box (or solid surface), with your other foot hanging off the edge off the box. Hold your hands together in front for stability and slowly pull down on the standing leg, flexing at the knee and ankle. The opposite leg should stay straight, tracking the side of the box. At the bottom position, allow the heel to rise up on the standing foot to put emphasis on your quad. Press your heel back down and return to the start position, maintaining an upright stance. Repeat for 10 reps each leg.
PT TIP: “This exercise focuses primarily on building the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), an inside quad muscle just above the knee, to improve knee stability,” says PT and co-founder of Starks Fitness gyms James Stark. “The depth of the exercise is completely individual. Perform under control to maximise quad recruitment.”
2. ARCHER PRESS-UP
Start in a press-up position with hands wider than shoulders and feet the same width. Slowly ‘pull’ down on one side, keeping your elbow tight to your torso on the loaded side. Press back up to the start position. Repeat on the other side. Aim for 10-15 reps on each side.
Photography Stark Fitness
PT TIP: “Engage your hips
by tucking your pelvis in and squeezing your glutes – doing so will help with core stability,” advises Stark. “You may find during the reps it’s more comfortable to roll onto the heel of your hands. Add a pause at the bottom position to increase intensity.” James Stark is a personal trainer with 10+ years of experience, He’s the co-founder of Starks Fitness gyms, SF Nutrition and SF Retreats
3. BRIDGE ROTATION
Start in a seated position with hands and feet at the same width and distance from your body. Press one hand into the floor as you raise your hips up by pressing down with the heels of both feet. Reach with the opposite arm to the top position and pause. Lower back to the start and repeat on the other side. Aim for 10-12 reps each side.
PT TIP: “Make sure you press into
the floor with the planted hand to maximise stability in the shoulder joint,” says Stark. “By focusing on pressing through the heel of the feet, you’ll get a better engagement of your glutes.”
4. PIKE HANDSTAND PRESS-UP
Start with your feet on a box and hands on the floor, both at shoulder-width. Push your hips upwards into a pike position, pulling into your lower abs and extending your lower back. Pull towards the floor, keeping on your tiptoes. Press back to the start position by fully locking at the elbows and extending your shoulders. Maintain a neutral spine. Repeat for 15 reps.
PT TIP: “Grip the floor with your hands at all
times, with a wide finger span,” says Stark. “In the top position, imagine you are pressing the floor away from your body to maximise the contraction and movement through your shoulders.”
5. GORILLA WALK
Start by standing with your feet together and placing both hands on the floor with straight legs (bend slightly at the knee where required). Push up on to your tiptoes, loading the weight onto your hands. Shift your weight forwards over your hands, loading your shoulders until your toes lift off the floor. Pull your feet towards your hands, using your abs to compress – pressing up through your shoulders throughout. Reset, walk hands forward a small step and repeat for 20 reps.
PT TIP: “Your forward fold will be dictated by your flexibility – the distance between your hand placement and feet,” says Stark. “Turn your hands slightly outwards so your index fingers are pointing forward to help relieve pressure on your wrists.” JULY 2020
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BACKPACK WORKOUT
PACK YOUR BAGS Try this backpack workout from F45 Tooting trainer and co-founder of the Plant Based Games Connor McDonald
ANY WEIGHT WILL DO
“Fill your bag with books, tinned food, bottles of water, or anything else you can find to add enough weight that will challenge you,” says McDonald. “Perform each rep with control and focus on form throughout.”
BENT-OVER ROW 15 reps / 4 sets / 60 secs rest between sets The bent-over row is an excellent strengthbuilder for the upper back, as well as the posterior chain and biceps. Keep a soft bend in your knees and hinge at your hips until your torso is almost parallel to the floor. Start with arms at full extension, then contract your lats to pull the bag into your stomach, keeping your elbows tucked in. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement, then lower with control. To increase the difficulty, single-arm row the backpack instead.
SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 12 reps / 4 sets / 60 secs rest This move targets the hamstrings and glutes. Gripping the bag, step one foot out in front of the other, keeping both feet hip-distance apart. From there, slightly bend the back knee to increase the tension in the lead leg. Keeping your chest up, hinge at the hips, leaning forwards until you feel the stretch. Rise back to the start, complete the reps, then repeat with the other leg in front.
RUSSIAN TWIST 30 secs / 6 sets / 30 secs rest Start by sitting up with your legs slightly bent and heels off the floor. Hold the bag out in front and focus on keeping your spine neutral. Rotate your shoulders from side to side and rotate your trunk. Just before the bag hits the floor, twist across to the other side. Keep it up for 30 secs, rest for 30, and repeat.
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OVERHEAD LUNGE 12 reps / 5 sets / 60 secs rest This move works multiple muscle groups while challenging core strength and stability. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Raise the bag above your head on one side, brace your core and step forward with your opposite foot. Drop your back knee until it’s just off the floor, then return to standing. Focus on hitting a 90-degree bend in both knees when you’re at the bottom phase.
UPRIGHT ROW 15 reps / 4 sets / 60 secs rest The upright row is a great exercise to build shoulder strength. Hold the bag with a narrow grip. Allow your elbows to flare out to the side and raise them as high as possible, as you lift the bag up – keeping it close to your body. The focus on this exercise is to isolate the shoulders with a slow, controlled movement, and to keep elbows higher than the wrists at the top. To progress, try using just one hand to pull the bag through the movement.
PRESS-UP 12-15 reps / 5 sets / 90 secs rest Start in the high plank position with feet and hands shoulder-width apart. Keeping your core tight, bend at the elbows to slowly lower your chest down to the floor, ensuring your elbows stay close to your body. Once your chest is just off the floor, press yourself back to the starting position. To make it harder, raise alternate legs off the floor with each press-up, or bring the hands closer together to target the triceps more.
FOR JUST £20 A WEEK YOU CAN TRAIN AT HOME WITH THE F45 TOOTING TEAM, WITH UNLIMITED STRENGTH AND CARDIO CLASSES ON ZOOM. TO FIND OUT MORE, EMAIL TOOTING@F45TRAINING.CO.UK AND FOLLOW @F45_TRAINING_TOOTING ON INSTAGRAM
JULY 2020
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PERFECT FIT SUCCEED IN STYLE
HEAD STRONG
ADIDAS’ ALL-NEW RPT-01 HEADPHONES OFFER EXCEPTIONAL SOUND AND STYLISH DESIGN f all the things you thought your sports headphones were lacking – comfort, bass, volume, battery life – knitwear isn’t likely to be top of the list. Enter adidas’ cryptically named RPT-01, to show you just what you’re missing. As well as bass-heavy sound ideal for high-octane sessions, the headphones’ USP is that knitted design. As far as aesthetics go, it’s likely to divide opinion, but we’re on board with the look, and especially impressed by the on-ear comfort those knitted ear cushions (removable and washable) provide. There’s also a reassuring ruggedness to the RPT-01: unlike other high-end headphones, or much smaller earbuds, wearing these doesn’t bring with it an underlying paranoia that they’re going to get lost or break. The combination of plastic, metal and nylon – with simple two-button control – is certainly workout- if not bullet-proof, and you can chuck them in your gym bag without too much thought. Add in exceptional battery life and rapid charging, and you’ve got a top-quality set of cans for soundtracking your life in lockdown.
O
ADIDAS RPT-01 SPORT ON-EAR HEADPHONES £129.95, ADIDAS.CO.UK
JULY 2020
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YOGA KIT
FIND YOUR FLOW
From downward dog to chaturanga, perfect every pose with MF ’s pick of the kit and equipment you need for your home yoga endeavours
SO WE FLOW EASY SHORTS £60, soweflow.com
Described as ‘the ultimate yoga, climbing and movement shorts’, high-quality and super-stretchy organic cotton make these just about the comfiest pair of shorts we’ve ever had the pleasure of wearing. Of course, that makes them perfectly suited for lunging and twisting to your heart's content, but we imagine you’ll be wearing these for a lot more than just your early-morning flow.
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Comfort
★★★★★
Design
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★
SO WE FLOW MINDFULNESS VEST £30, soweflow.com
A nice hand-drawn design isn’t the only thing this vest’s got going for it. Like the shorts, organic cotton makes for an extra-soft feel, and the lightweight fabric comes into its own during more demanding practices.
£6.99, decathlon.co.uk
LULULEMON METAL VENT TECH SHORT SLEEVE 2.0
Perfect for beginners and essential for some specialised poses, a yoga brick adds support and stability to difficult stretches, as well as coming to the rescue if your flexibility isn’t quite there. This particular brick is sustainable, affordable and easy on your hands.
Lululemon’s bestselling tee features ventilated mesh construction for the ultimate in breathability and next-to-skin comfort. It’s made from 100 per cent recycled polyester and the relaxed fit makes it perfect for yoga.
DOMYOS CORK YOGA BRICK
£58, lululemon.co.uk
Comfort
★★★★
Comfort
★★★
★
Comfort
★★★★★
Design
★★★★★
Design
★★★
★
Design
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★
OVERALL
★★★
★
OVERALL
★★★★★
WARRIOR ADDICT ECO-WARRIOR SWEATPANTS £80, warrioraddict.com
A product of the brand’s zero-waste initiative, these up-cycled left-over leggings are eco-friendly and comfy as anything. Although described as sweat-wicking, they’re best suited to low-intensity sessions or post-workout lounging.
£58, lululemon.co.uk
SUNDRIED MONTE LEONE SHORTS
That’s a lot of money for a yoga mat, but a good-quality base is just about the most important bit of kit you can own. A mat that’s too thick, too spongy, or too slippy is going to ruin your experience, but the Arise Mat is as quality as they come, with a natural rubber base and just enough cushioning.
Sundried’s ethically created, sustainably sourced shorts are made from high-end Italian materials to deliver premium comfort. The knee-high fit might be a bit longer than you’re used to, but the seamless design allows for full freedom of movement.
LULULEMON ARISE MAT
£32, sundried.com
Comfort
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Design
★★★★★
Design
★★★★
Design
★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
★★
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TECH TALK
FOLLOW YOUR HEART Resident fitness tech expert Kieran Alger STRAPS straps on the best heart-rate trackers for keeping POLAR H10 you in the zone £76.50, polar.com etting fit is half art, half science, and if you want to be a bit more boffin about your training, a heart-rate (HR) monitor is a very useful tool. From chest straps to watches, a HR tracker not only provides a real-time window into your cardiovascular work rate – so you can ensure you’re hitting the right efforts to achieve your fitness goals – but it’s also a great way to benchmark your progress.
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If you’re really serious about HR training and recovery, reliable accuracy is essential. Just one or two beats per minute can tip you into the wrong intensity zone or give you a bad read on your rhythms and recovery the day after. While wrist-based sensors have improved, the chest strap is still the go-to for elite athletes, and the ECG-based Polar H10 is the gold standard. The H10 offers better comfort than most chest-worn trackers, with a combination of a small and lightweight (39g) tracking unit along with a soft fabric strap, studded with silicone grip dots that help to keep it in place. The sensor responds rapidly and reliably, in real-time, to changes in your workout intensity, and your data can be fired simultaneously to two Bluetooth and ANT+ devices, including most sports watches, bike computers and gym cardio machines. It also plays nice with the top performance-tracking apps like Strava
and Zwift, and you can connect it to your phone and unlock a decent selection of free workouts in the Polar Beat partner app. If you’re a swimmer or a triathlete, it’s waterproof to 30m and tracks in the pool, although chest straps don’t tend to be 100 per cent reliable in the water. You can train phone-free (you’ll need to start the workout in the Polar Beat app first) and the built-in memory stores one workout between syncs, with up to 400 hours’ training time on a single battery. One final smart touch: the H10 updates over-the-air so, just like you, it can actually improve with age. Accuracy
HHHHH
Comfort
HHHHH
Battery
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OVERALL
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MYZONE MZ-3
£129.99, myzone.org The MZ-3 levels the fitness playing field, rewarding effort not fitness. It turns your BPM-based toil into points, so you can compete with friends, family and other gym-goers regardless of your starting point – or the activity you do. It broadcasts to most gym cardio machines and devices via ANT+ or Bluetooth, stores 16 hours of workout data, and its rechargeable battery gives up to seven months on a single charge. Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
POLAR OH1+
GARMIN HRM-TRI £99, garmin.com
£20 per month for six months, whoop.com
The brilliantly versatile OH1+ is an optical heart-rate sensor you can wear on your forearm, bicep and even your temple. It’s not quite as accurate as the H10 on dry land, but it’s perfect for events where you need your tracker out of the way, or strapped to your goggles during pool workouts. It’s ANT+ and Bluetooth compatible, packs 12 hours of continuous tracking and a 200-hour memory.
Designed for triathletes, this ECG chest strap works in the pool and open water, storing workouts on the small sensor and beaming them via ANT+ to connected devices. In addition to zone training, HR-variability-powered recovery and training-load feedback, motion sensors also track torso movement for running insights including cadence and ground contact time. You get ten months of training on a single replaceable battery.
Essentially a screenless optical heart-rate monitor, Whoop is designed to be worn 24/7. It tracks five heart-rate metrics at high frequency, including resting heart rate and heart-rate variability, and recommends how hard you should train based on your recovery. It’s useful if you need to dig deeper into your body’s rhythms during training, but a subscription is needed. It has a five-day battery life and broadcasts to Peloton, Strava and TrainerRoad.
£69.50, polar.com
WHOOP STRAP 3.0
Accuracy
★★★★★
Accuracy
★★★★★
Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
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OVERALL
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OVERALL
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TECH TALK
WATCHES GARMIN FORERUNNER 45 £149.99, garmin.com
Smashing out loads of mid-intensity running is a guaranteed way to plateau your progress. If you’re hoping to shift body shape or improve fitness – and running is your cardio fitness weapon of choice – investing in a heart-rate monitor to guide your workout intensity is a smart step. This entry-level watch is tailored for running but packs plenty of sport modes. It’s great for zone and interval training, with reliable optical BPM tracking on the wrist, an easyto-read colour screen and a lightweight, comfortable design. The heart rate is used to generate VO2 Max fitness estimates. They aren’t as accurate as a run-till-you’re-done full lab test, but still offer a simple way to benchmark your progress and are far less gruelling. You also get 24/7 continuous heart-rate tracking, with high and low resting heart-rate alerts, and a solid 13 hours of training time on a single charge. It’s also waterproof to 50m and it’ll beam your heart stats to other ANT+ devices.
COROS APEX
£299.99, coros.com If going long and getting a bit more wild is your prefered way to raise your heart rate, the Apex packs between 25 and 35 hours of training time with BPM and GPS fully firing. You get interval and zone training, and sport modes for everything from trail running, to snowboarding and cross-country skiing. It’s waterproof to ten metres and offers heart-rate based VO2 Max estimates, plus recovery time recommendations so you can monitor your progress. Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
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Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
POLAR IGNITE
£174.50, polar.com A training watch tailored to general fitness, the Ignite offers zone training for a range of activities, but also uses its built-in optical sensor to get deep into recovery. It tracks your Autonomic Nervous System to reveal how well your body has bounced back from your last gut-busting overnight, then uses this data to generate tailored workout recommendations, complete with duration, intensity and drill-by-drill walkthroughs. Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
FITBIT CHARGE 4 £129.99, fitbit.com
This fitness band’s wrist-based sensor tends to read a little high and suffers some lag, so if accuracy is critical there are better options. However, if you’re in the market for some general motivation, it’s great. It encourages you to move with intent, converting your effort into Active Zone Minutes and setting daily targets. You’re automatically rewarded with one point each time you hit the fat-burn zone, and two for shifting gears into the cardio or peak zone. Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 From £399, apple.com
If you want a smartwatch with solid heart rate, good fitness skills and plenty of all-day appeal, the Series 5 is it. It tracks BPM continuously during training and for three minutes after, to show how well you recover. But you also get 24/7 readings beyond workouts, revealing resting heart-rate patterns and any underlying rhythmic abnormalities. You can also take ECG-standard heart-rate readings and access hundreds of apps that bring your data to life Accuracy
★★★★★
Comfort
★★★★★
Battery
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★★
JULY 2020
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IN FOCUS CELL WORKOUT
“The only other fitness manual that had been written specifically for prisoners was by Charles Bronson and that seemed completely crazy, so I decided to make the type of plan I had been looking for myself �
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MANUAL CREATED BY NG NI AI TR HT EIG W DY BO A IS CELL WORKOUT INMATES ALL OVER THE ED IR SP IN S HA IT . RS DE AN FL EX-OFFENDER LJ D MENTAL FITNESS, AND AN AL IC YS PH EIR TH E OV PR IM COUNTRY TO ENT-FREE APPROACH TO PM UI EQ E TH ED OS CL IN MA RE WHILE GYMS O FITNESS COULD HELP YOU, TO
LJ Flanders is proof that you don’t need weights to build muscle
ll it took was one drunken fit of fury to change LJ Flanders’ life forever. On an unremarkable Tuesday evening back in September 2011, the East Londoner had gone for a night out on the town with friends and family. A boozy dinner turned into long, drawn-out drinks at a local bar, followed by a few more. Finally, when time was called, an argument broke out with another group over a taxi and before long it turned into a nasty brawl. “I didn’t start the fight, but I guess I ended up finishing it,” says Flanders, looking back at the unfortunate incident. “And from there everything becomes a bit of a blur. The police turn up, I’m arrested, taken to Bethnal Green Police station, shipped off to Thames Magistrates Court and then, in less than 48 hours, I find myself locked up in Brixton prison. It was all very sudden and surreal.” The gravity of the situation only really kicked in when Flanders was escorted to a 10x7ft cell and the warden shut the heavy metal door on him with a bang. Sitting down on the bunk, he slowly took in his new surroundings – four concrete walls, a stainless steel toilet and a barred window. Until then, he had been looking forward to celebrating his own 21st birthday a few days later with his friends and loved ones. Now, without bail and with a charge of Section 18 Assault (Grievous Bodily Harm) looming over him, he was looking at spending the next three years behind bars. Even with his eventual early release for good behaviour, Flanders would be 23 years old by the time he next got to blow out candles on a cake as a free man…
A
ISOLATED MUSCLE
To overcome the feeling of panic quickly rising inside him, Flanders knew he had to keep busy and take his mind off things, but in the bare cell there was literally nothing to do or look at. “Before I knew it, I was down on the floor doing press-ups,” he recalls. “And JULY 2020
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with each rep, I started to feel a little bit more composure. Then when I couldn’t do any more, I simply started doing sit-ups. That was it.” Little did Flanders know that starting this simple exercise routine was going to transform his life, give him the focus to rebuild himself and set him on the right path for the future. Today, nearly ten years later, he’s a qualified personal trainer and director of a successful social enterprise, who tours the country’s probation centres giving training workshops. He’s also the author of Cell Workout, a bodyweight training bible – which has the dubious honour of being the most stolen book in British prisons.
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
Prisoners using idle time to develop their bodies isn’t anything new, and thanks to Hollywood we all know the stereotype of tattooed hard men who spend their time pumping iron in the yard and intimidating newcomers. The reality, however, is something quite different.
GET UP, GET DOWN Burn fat with this simple but effective bodyweight circuit WARM-UP 5 mins jog on the spot 5 mins mobilisation exercises
WORKOUT 5-10 rounds / 30 secs rest between rounds While jogging on the spot, tap each of these body parts on the floor (standing up after each tap). Keep going for 1 min. Right hand Left hand Right elbow Left elbow Right shoulder Left shoulder Right knee Left knee Right hip Left hip Stomach Back Bum Forehead (be careful!)
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Finding any possible way to numb the excruciating boredom is actually the norm. Indeed, inmates are often confined to their cells for more than 23 hours a day – especially in the first few months before they are allowed to get a job on the wing. This goes some way to explaining why prison services all over the country have big problems with drug use and substance addiction. Thankfully, Flanders soon got access to the prison gym and library, where he could expand on his rudimentary knowledge of bodyweight training. But even then, access was extremely limited (less than an hour a week at best) and the only information he could find was badly adapted to his particular needs. Often books and magazines would feature special equipment that was out of his reach. To counteract these limitations, Flanders discovered that some inmates get quite creative when it comes to improvising gym equipment. “You’d be surprised what prisoners can do with next to nothing,” he explains. “You can put water bottles in your pillowcases, you can bench press your bunk, you can roll up mattresses and put them in your chair, etc. But the problem with dodgy equipment is that it’s really easy to injure yourself.” As months passed, Flanders started to piece together his workout using trial and error, advice from fellow prisoners, lessons learned from staff at the prison gym and studying books such as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Encyclopaedia of Modern Body Building. He then enrolled on a course to get his personal trainer qualifications, which developed his scientific knowledge of physical exercise and enabled him to get a job at the prison gym. There he worked with remedial prisoners, who constantly asked him to recommend bodyweight workouts that they could do in their own time. “I had this lightbulb moment,” he says. “I realised there was a massive demand for information and guidance on in-cell workouts. The only other fitness manual that had been written specifically for prisoners was by Charles Bronson and that seemed completely crazy – especially the chapter about training your penis – so I decided to make the type of plan I had been looking for myself.” Instead of taking a modern multimedia approach showcasing complicated equipment
The prison library where Flanders genned up on bodyweight training
and routines, as was the trend at the time, Flanders opted to strip things back to basics. His goal became creating a simple paperbound manual with photo illustrations that would take users through the basics of personal training. Making it easy to follow was key for Flanders who, like many other prisoners, suffers from learning disabilities. “My aim isn’t to tell people what to do,” he explains. “I want to empower readers with the right information to develop themselves through training. Then they can follow my ten-week workout plan, for beginner, intermediate and advanced fitness levels. This will torch body fat and significantly change body composition, improving health and skill-related fitness, while also being beneficial for mental and emotional wellbeing.”
COPING WITH CONFINEMENT
Three years after Flanders was released, he finally self-published Cell Workout. Since then, he has signed a book deal with a large international publisher, sold more than 10,000 copies and his book is now even used by prison staff to help inmates with their mental health. “Looking back, you could think it was easy, but it wasn’t,” says Flanders. “I had a number of setbacks to overcome and the biggest battle was with my own mind. Weeks can sometimes feel like months when you’re in prison, especially at times when you’re on lockdown and there’s nothing to look forward to.” Flanders isn’t unique in feeling that way. Rosie Meeks, a professor of psychology at Royal Holloway University and the author of a government report into sport in the justice system, explains that mental health is a very common problem among prisoners. “Depression is a big issue for inmates and anxiety is another one of the most common
HM Brixton Prison, where Flanders was locked up for two years
SIMPLE SHOULDERS Push and pull to sculpt your upper body WARM-UP 5 mins jog on the spot 5 mins mobilisation exercises
WORKOUT 30 secs per exercise / 5 rounds / 60 secs rest between rounds
1C. FAST HAND TAP Assume a full plank position, with your hands under your shoulders, feet hip-width apart and toes tucked under. Maintain a straight line from head to heels and look at the floor. Engage your abdominals and keep your arms straight. Lift one hand and tap it down on top of your other hand. Continue the movement, alternating hands and gradually increasing the speed of the taps.
1D. HAND GRASP PULL Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Clasp your hands in front of your chest with your elbows bent and level with your shoulders. Keeping your hands clasped, pull them against each other. Hold this tensions for 30 secs.
1A. HAND PUSH Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your hands out in front, at shoulder height and held wider than your shoulders. Keep your arms slightly bent. Rotate at the hips and straighten one arm as you push your hand across your chest and out to the side, at shoulder height. Lift up onto the toes of your back foot to reach further. Bring your hand back to return to the start position. Repeat on the other side.
1B. ‘I’ FORMATION WITH ARMS IN FRONT Lie on your front with feet together and nose lightly touching the floor. Keep your head relaxed. Extend your arms straight up in front of your head, so that your body forms an ‘I’ formation. Looking down, keep your chest in contact with the floor and raise your arms off the ground, maintaining the ‘I’ formation. Continue the movement, slowly lowering your arms back down to the start position.
1E. PIKE SHOULDER PRESS Assume a standard press-up position. Raise your hips up high and lift onto your toes. Maintaining this pike position, bend at the elbows to lower your head to the floor. Press back up and repeat.
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LJ Flanders
issues in jail,” she says.” Then there is a long list of more extreme issues, such as personality disorders and undiagnosed learning difficulties that prison won’t know about. Many of which are often exacerbated as a result of people being locked up.” During her research, Meeks has found that exercise offers a number of interesting benefits that can really help prisoners improve their mental health and wellbeing. It also has a big impact on their rehabilitation. “Sport is important, because it gives The visiting room at HM Brixton Prison
prisoners a bit of control over their body and seeing an improvement can boost moral,” she explains. “It also provides them with an emotional and physical outlet that’s healthy and gives the added bonus on the chemical side of releasing endorphins, which is clinically proven to improve your mood.” Meeks also sees physical exercise as a way of bringing back an element of structure to inmates’ lives and is a great building block for then moving into the outside world. She references great results in schemes supporting prisoners to develop work-based skills, as well as success in sports-based learning for people who have trouble with traditional learning environments. “People are encouraged to see an alternative identity for themselves through sport,” she adds. “So rather than defining themselves as an offender or an ex-offender, something that’s not very positive, they’re actually a gym-nut or a good rugby player. For me, psychologically, that impact is really powerful. And it’s not just about making
CORE CONTROL Build strength and stability with this static-hold workout
prisoners’ lives better, it’s ultimately about reducing the risk of them reoffending and having safer communities in the long run.”
LOCKDOWN LESsONS
In normal times, it’s quite hard to make these problems relatable to the wider public, but with the coronavirus lockdown, a much larger percentage of the population is having to deal with the negative effects of isolation. For Flanders, there are two big takeaways from his experience behind bars. Theses are the importance of not seeing incarceration as lost time, and the value of setting a daily
Hold each position for 60 secs, with no rest in-between.
2A. PLANK
2B. STRAIGHT-ARM PLANK
2C. STRAIGHT-ARM SIDE PLANK
Assume the plank position. Brace your abs and maintain proper alignment with your body, forming a straight line from your head to heels.
Instead of a forearm plank, place your hands directly under your shoulders, with your arms straight. Engage your abs and maintain proper alignment.
Assume a side plank position. Extend the upper arm, in line with your shoulder, straight up towards the ceiling. Maintain a straight line with your head, neck and body as you push down through your forearm and feet, to lift your body up until your arms and legs are straight. Go for 30 secs, then repeat on the other side.
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routine. Both, he explains, are crucial to keeping yourself well-balanced and focused. “A lot of prisoners think their life goes on hold while they’re away, but it doesn’t, your biological clock is still ticking,” he says. “When you get out those doors you will be X amount of days, weeks, months, years older. That’s why you should focus on doing something positive. For people who are experiencing lockdown because of Covid-19 it’s the same: it’s not wasted time, but an opportunity to do something different.” In addition, Flanders is keen to highlight the importance of creating a routine with goals and objectives. Since leaving prison, he has continued to organise his life using the same weekly training plan he developed in his cell – even though there is a deluge of extra activity to pack in. “You could perhaps say I’ve become a little bit institutionalised,” he jokes, talking about the paperbound planner he relies on. “It’s a week in-view style thing, where I write out my tasks, objectives and goals. Having short-,
medium- and long-term plans has really helped me develop and achieve my ambitions. It also helps me maintain a sense of purpose, which I think I was lacking before I went to jail and is perhaps why I slipped up in the first place.” In this light, Flanders aims to expand his Cell Workout operation outside of prisons and start working with vulnerable teenagers and young adults, to try to keep them away from crime. He thinks the lessons he learned the hard way could deter others from making similar mistakes. “Even though it helped me turn my life around, my spell in prison will live with me forever,” he concludes. “It’s a chunk of your life that you’re never going to get back and you’ll never fully forget the feeling of having your freedom taken away.”
2D. REVERSE TABLE TOP
2E. AIRPLANE
Sit on the floor with your knees bent. Place your hands underneath your shoulders, so that your fingertips point towards your hips. Engage your glutes and raise your hips up towards the ceiling. Keep your shoulders, hips and knees in a straight line. Your shoulders should be directly over the top of your wrists.
Lie on your front, with your legs extended straight behind you and your arms extended out to the sides. Keep your eyes fixed on the floor, and your neck and head in a neutral position. Engage your abdominals. Slowly raise your head, chest, arms and legs off the floor. Maintain floor contact with your hips.
NO SPACE, NO PROBLEM
LJ Flanders’ golden rules for working out wherever you are
CELL WORKOUT BY LJ FLANDERS IS AVAILABLE TO BUY AS A HARDBACK FOR £19.99 OR DOWNLOAD ON KINDLE FOR £3.99. A SPORTING CHANCE: AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OF SPORT IN JUSTICE BY ROSIE MEEKS IS AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD FOR FREE AT GOV.CO.UK
DO SOMETHING
“Never forget, doing anything is always better than doing nothing.”
CARDIO IS KING
“The base of all fitness is your ticker, so make sure whatever you do involves cardio. Running on the spot or jumping jacks are great.”
SPACE IS A LUXURY
“Even press-ups can be done against a wall if there’s not enough space to lie down.”
Words John Silcox Photography Drew Shearwood (drewshearwood.com)
MIX THINGS UP
“You don’t need to know hundreds of exercises to build muscle. Variations in volume, intensity, tempo and symmetry can make big changes.”
PERFECT YOUR FORM
“Quality over quantity is my main mantra to avoid injury and maximise muscle engagement.”
STAY FOCUSED
“Setting out clear targets will focus your workout and help you reach your goals.”
KEEP IT FUN
“Don’t be too serious. Making fitness engaging will help you stay motivated and consistent with training.”
REST UP
“Give your body time to recover. Make sure you give yourself enough rest between workouts.”
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IN FOCUS GARDEN FITNESS
TAKE IT
OUTSIDE
LOCKDOWN DOESN’T MEAN LOCKED UP, SO GET OUT IN THE GARDEN OR PARK AND KEEP YOUR BODY AND MIND TICKING OVER WITH THESE TOTAL-BODY OUTDOOR SESSIONS
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F
or many, the shutdown of Britain’s gyms came as a serious blow. There’s no question this was a sensible course of action, but it left gym-goers across the UK cut adrift, wondering how to stay in shape with no equipment and limited space. Fortunately, with a bit of know-how and inventiveness, anyone can keep their training on track from home.
OPPORTUNITY NOT SACRIFICE For someone whose income relies on the struggling corona-hit fitness industry, Londonbased PT Daigo Smith’s outlook is surprisingly upbeat. Where some see stagnation and decline, he sees possibilities. His message to locked-out, locked-down gym users is that, with the right approach, this could be the best thing to happen to their fitness regimes. “This is an ideal opportunity to get fit,” he says. “There’s an upside to working from home and that’s the extra time you’ll gain from commuting less or perhaps not at all. An extra hour a day? That’s five hours a week. If you’re dedicated, try to set aside at least half of those extra hours for physical activity. The Covid-19 pandemic will undoubtedly take its toll on the UK, but if we use our time wisely and focus on fitness, the future health of the nation could arguably improve.” It’s certainly true that many of us find ourselves with a lot more time on our hands. But with the gyms padlocked shut, the question perhaps is not so much when to workout, but where? Since founding FutureProof Fitness 12 years ago, Smith has made a career of coaxing his clients out of their gyms to exercise in the parks and gardens of his native Hackney. The outdoors, he says, holds the key. “My motto has always been ‘escape the gym’, because I believe there are alternatives that will leave you fitter in both body and mind.”
Photography Getty Images
TRAINING TWEAKS However, these are strange times and while we are allowed outside to exercise, many people remain understandably wary about encountering too many people. Not a problem, Smith says, adding that you will be amazed by what you can achieve with just a small patch of garden or patio. In fact, he goes even further, believing gym users should look on the bright side and turn the closures to their advantage: “Other than giving up, you’ve no choice but to change your workout routine. Thankfully, by doing
so, you can help yourself blast through your fitness plateau.” He says many people fall into the habit of repeating the same workout week in, week out. Eventually their progression stalls and their fitness levels off. What the body needs is change and the bigger the stimulus the better. Sean Johnson, a trainer for OrangeTheory Fitness, agrees, and takes a similarly upbeat approach: “You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how tough you can make a home workout and what progress you can make even in a small garden. Bodyweight movements will become your ally. And if you want to increase your resistance for packing on muscle that little bit faster, get creative with what you can find in the house or the shed. A big bottle of water or your wife’s favourite vase will work just fine. Don’t forget, it’s still a weight – it just doesn’t look like a dumbbell!” His advice chimes with Smith’s when it comes to changing things up and breaking out of comfort zones: “People may find it’s a way of smashing through their fitness plateaus because of a change in the FITT principle: Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. If you alter one or more of those, it can be a great way to break through to the next level. Maybe those home sessions aren’t such a loss after all.”
REP IT UP Johnson has written a series of workouts, specifically designed to be performed at home (see pages 36-41), and he also recommends the below ‘Bodyweight 550 Rep’ session for those working out in tight spaces: Bodyweight 550 Reverse Lunges x 100 reps each leg Sit-Ups x 90 reps Mountain Climbers x 80 reps each leg Press-Ups x 70 reps Plank Jacks x 60 reps Pop Jacks x 50 reps Star Jumps x 40 reps Jumping Lunges x 30 reps Jump Squats x 20 reps Burpees x 10 reps “Try to take this sort of full-body approach,” he says. “Doing so will help keep those muscle groups firing on all cylinders and elicit a serious calorie burn. The fluctuation of lactic acid up and down the body will stimulate the growth hormone, aiding muscle growth.” With a flexible mindset and a little experimentation, Johnson believes people should be able to get pretty close to replicating their gym workouts at home or in the garden.
“You may not be able to get that exact feeling of some of your favourite machines in the gym, but you can certainly hit those specific muscle groups. It may take some ingenuity, but a chest day, back day or leg day can still be done from the comfort of your home. Time under tension will be key, especially if you can’t find objects around the house or garden that are as heavy as what you’re used to lifting.” So far, so encouraging. And there may be other reasons why an enforced holiday from the gym could be just what the doctor ordered, for our minds as well as our bodies. Smith lists numerous reasons why he believes exercising in the fresh air is superior to gymbased activity: from burning more calories to relieving stress; lowering blood pressure to boosting the production of infection-fighting white blood cells. But how much of this is anecdotal (who doesn’t feel better after a walk or a run in the woods, for example?) and how much is established scientific fact?
SIMON SAYS Simon Penn, a sport and fitness lecturer with the Open University, has reviewed many of the international studies which have looked at outdoor exercise. He feels much more detailed work is needed, but the existing research does suggest some distinct fitness benefits. “Exercising in a natural environment is associated with increased energy, more enjoyment and a greater chance of repeating the activity,” he says. “Increased enthusiasm, through enjoyment, may lead to people exercising for longer or harder. “And compared with indoor workouts, exercising outdoors may be more salutogenic (helping the body by boosting mental health). That’s because exercising in nature is more effective at helping us relax and switch off from the daily stresses. Also, exposure to sunlight increases vitamin D production, which may have a mood-enhancing effect.” While Smith believes the fitness industry may never be the same again after the pandemic has passed, he’s confident that once people have discovered the joys of exercising outdoors, even in the confined spaces of their gardens, the gyms may struggle to entice them back indoors. “My biggest hope,” he says, “is that people will view exercise as less of a chore and more part of everyday life. If people commit to exercising at home or in a park on a regular basis, it will become habitual. Combine this with a realisation of the convenience and cost benefits, and I believe the outdoor fitness revolution has begun!” JULY 2020
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IN FOCUS GARDEN FITNESS
• LOWER-BODY WORKOUT 1A. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT REPS: 10 (each leg) REST: straight into 1B Stand in front of the chair/bench, with feet hip-distance apart. Position one foot on the chair and the other foot around 1ft in front. Keeping your rear foot as static as possible, lift your chest and bend your front knee until your front quad is parallel to the ground. (Make sure you are stood far enough away from the chair to ensure your knee doesn't extend beyond your front toes during the lunge.) Drive back up to the start and repeat 9 more times. Too easy? Hold a weight in each hand.
1B. STEP-UP REPS: 10 (each leg) REST: straight into 1C Make sure the chair/bench is sturdy enough to support your full weight. Place one foot on the chair. Engage your glutes and quads to drive through the elevated leg and bring the other leg to standing. Keep the elevated foot on the chair and return your other foot to the floor. Repeat the movement with the same leg for 9 more reps, then repeat on the other side.
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EQUIPMENT: 1 chair/bench
1C. TAP SQUAT
1D. JUMP SQUAT
REPS: 20 REST: straight into 1D
REPS: 20 REST: 60 secs, then repeat the circuit SETS: 3-4
Stand facing away from the chair/bench, with feet slightly wider than hip-width apart. Keep your head up, shoulders pinned back and core braced, then hinge at the hips to squat down. Squat until your backside lightly touches the chair (don't fully sit down), then drive back up to standing. Add weight to make the move more challenging.
Repeat the movements for the tap squat, but without the chair behind you. Instead of simply returning to standing, explosively drive through your heels to perform a mini-jump on your way back up (don't jump too high, to keep tension in your quads). As you land, immediately squat back down and repeat.
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IN FOCUS GARDEN FITNESS
• UPPER-BODY WORKOUT
EQUIPMENT: 1 chair/bench 2 tins of paint
2A. BICEP CURLS (WITH PAINT TINS) REPS: 12 REST: straight into 2B You might want to use duct tape on the handles for better grip/ comfort. And make sure the lids are on properly... Grab both tins by the handles, with palms facing away from your body. Curl both tins up, keeping your elbows fixed, and squeeze your biceps at the top. Return with control.
2B. HIGH ROW (WITH PAINT TINS) REPS: 12 REST: straight into 2C Begin with your hips back and chest up, holding a pair of paint tins just above your knees. Drive your hips forward and drag the weights up in the air, so your elbows flare out and the tins come to around chest height. Pause briefly at the top of the move with elbows wide. Return to the start position and go again.
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Outdoor Essentials
Fitness kit to elevate your garden training Domyos Push-Up Wheel Grips £10.99, decathlon.co.uk “Use the bottom half wheels for sliding mountain climbers, dynamic downward dogs and hamstring curls,” says Daigo Smith. “Attach them to the handles for some supremely challenging sliding press-ups.”
2C. ALTERNATING PRESS-UP (ON PAINT TIN) REPS: 12 (each side) REST: straight into 2D Assume a press-up position, with one palm on top of the paint tin, the other on the floor. Perform one press-up, then swap hands and perform a press-up with the opposite hand on the tin. To make the move harder, ‘jump’ each hand onto the tin.
Escape Core Bags £70, bestgymequipment.co.uk “A great functional and strength trainer,” says Sean Johnson, “and a good way to add resistance to your garden workouts.” Reebok Resistance Tube £20.99, amazon.co.uk “The sheer number of exercises possible with this simple piece of kit makes it my first recommendation to clients for home training,” says Smith. Fitness-Mad Pro Suspension Trainer £44.99, powerhouse-fitness.co.uk “This can be fitted to doors or walls,” says Johnson, “helping you to target your back, which can be difficult with bodyweight moves.”
2D. TRICEPS DIP REPS: 12 REST: 60 secs, then repeat the circuit SETS: 3-4 Stand facing away from the chair/bench. Sit down and grip the edge of the chair with both hands. Extend your legs straight in front and hinge at the elbows to dip down as low as you can. Drive back up until your arms are extended and repeat. For added resistance, place the paint tin (or any weighted object) on your lap.
Perform Better Agility Marker Spots £13.20, performbetter.co.uk “These six multi-coloured spots brighten up any workout,” says Smith. “Target your core and upper body by ‘hand-walking’ across each pair of dots with alternating press-ups.”
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IN FOCUS GARDEN FITNESS
• FULL-BODY WORKOUT
EQUIPMENT: 1 bag of soil 1 large plant pot
3A. SQUAT THRUSTER (WITH BAG OF SOIL) REPS: 10 REST: straight into 3B Hold the bag of soil at chest height. Do a deep squat, keeping your back in good alignment. Drive up through your heels and press the object straight up in the air. Drop down into the next squat and repeat the process.
3B. SUMO SQUAT (WITH PLANT POT) REPS: 10 REST: straight into 3C Hold a plant pot at chest height. Stand with a wide stance and toes at 45-degree angles. Keep your chest up and core engaged as you drop into a squat. Keep going until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Drive back up through your heels.
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3C. BURPEE TO JUMP OVER REPS: 10 REST: 60 secs, then repeat the circuit SETS: 3-4 Place the bag of soil or any object on the floor to one side of you. Bend your knees and place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Keeping your feet together, thrust them out then back in again. (Make the move harder by lowering your chest to the ground as well.) Drive yourself up and instead of jumping straight into the air, perform a hop over the object on the floor. Bend your knees as you land and go straight into the next burpee, then reverse the jump.
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garden gains
Daigo Smith on how to keep your training on track 1. Keep a Weekly Activity Plan Set yourself a weekly target of physical activity. Print it off and stick it on your fridge for maximum visibility. 2. Prepare your ‘Exercise Zone’ Ideally you’ll need at least 2m x 2m. If you can do burpees and jumping jacks without hitting anything, that’s a good indication! Beware of wet, slippery decking. 3. Invest in a bit of training kit Bodyweight is great, but you’ll want to mix it up if we’re in this for the long haul. You don’t need to spend a fortune.
Words Jim Old Photography Sean Johnson (OrangeTheory Fitness)
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4. Set objectives Choose some components of your fitness you’d like to improve. For example, core strength. Time how long you can hold a full plank. You could see big improvements in just three weeks. 5. Train with Friends Train together via video call. Schedule in a time to work out and you’ll motivate each other. 6. Embrace Online Classes From HILIT (highintensity low-impact training) to ‘animal flow’, there are plenty of effective and engaging classes online.
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IN FOCUS TRAIN FOR LONGEVITY
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Fit for Life
OLD AGE MAY BE INEVITABLE, BUT A SMART AND ADAPTABLE APPROACH TO FITNESS – AND STRENGTH TRAINING IN PARTICULAR – CAN KEEP YOU YOUNG IN BOTH BODY AND MIND, WRITES WELLNESS COACH DIEGO CARRETE
T
ime flies, and as the years roll by your body will shift and change – adapting with age, but also to the new habits and levels of activity you become accustomed to as you get older. Some of that change is entirely natural and, unfortunately, inevitable, but instead of passively dancing to the beat of your biological drum, you can take active steps to train smarter, feel younger and possibly even live longer. In the pages that follow, you’ll find frequently asked questions, and ways to train and exercise as you age to keep you injury-free and stronger for longer.
“Is training for a long, healthy life the same as training for peak physical fitness?” In a nutshell, no. When there are different goals, there are normally different protocols in order to reach those goals, although there can be some similarities. For example, studies show that improving cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) from low to moderate will progressively improve cardiovascular
prognosis and overall survival. In short, that means for someone inactive or sedentary, it is crucial to increase activity levels to normal or moderate (even walking will help, or more movement in general). However, above a metabolic equivalent of ten (MET is the ratio of your working metabolic rate relative to your resting metabolic rate), there is no evidence of additional survival benefits.1 The absolute fundamental, for both a healthy life and improved fitness, is resistance training – no matter the discipline you want to excel in. And when you train for longevity, you need programmes that will include progressions, to fight natural adaptations and teach the movements of your day-to-day life. These include:
Hinging For longevity in training and in life, it’s important not to strain or overuse certain body parts, such as your lower back. It’s also important to strengthen your hamstrings and unlock your pelvis to prevent injuries and facilitate common, day-to-day movements. Shoulder Retraction Another movement that is key to longevity in order to fight forward head posture or inward shoulder rotation. Overhead Pull Strength This will help for all the reasons stated above: mainly posture and a resilient upper body.
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“Are there any forms of fitness scientifically proven to help you live longer?” Consistent exercise is proven to lengthen lifespan for a variety of reasons, ranging from heart health, bone strength and disease prevention, to general sense of wellbeing. A combination of vigorous and moderate activity, alongside strength sessions every week, will help you reap the longevity benefits. Consistency is the name of the game, so take up whatever discipline you see yourself doing in the long run. Forcing an activity will not lead to progress, because it will be started with an end date in sight. Personally, I recommend choosing anything you see yourself doing ten years from now – walking consistently for a decade is better than training like an Olympic sprinter for just six months.
“Is training little and often better than pushing to the limit twice a week?” There has been a fairly recent and broad study that concluded people walking for 450 minutes each week – slightly more than an hour a day – were 39 per cent less likely to die prematurely than those who never exercised.2 Another study by renowned author Klaus Gebel suggested that anyone who is physically capable of activity should try to reach at least 150 minutes of physical activity a week, and ensure around 20 to 30 minutes of that is high-intensity. As you age, recovery slows down and it becomes more difficult to perform at a high level on a regular basis. Throw in the increased risk of injury and I’m all for a sub-maximal approach to training, prioritising frequency and consistency over going hell for leather.
“Does your training need to change as you get older?” We become less resilient and recover slower as we age, and training needs to change accordingly. Compensation issues also arise, stemming from forgotten past injuries. But rather than the common belief that you simply have to start stretching more, the importance lies in strengthening your muscles to create proper muscle recruitment. Doing so will help minimise imbalances, which will lead to injuries and many other problems.
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train as you age
As we get older, our fitness goals tend to change, so it only makes sense that our training changes as well. Aesthetics might still be on our minds – you still want to look and feel good – but we start focusing more about factors like longevity and overall health. One constant should be cardiovascular health: being aerobically fit relaxes blood vessels over time and keeps your heart running efficiently, both of which keep your blood pressure low. But while regular cardio is simple (at least in theory), strength training – which is no less important – requires a more tailored approach. Focus on weight training to develop bone density and muscle mass. Perform maximum stimulation exercises and compound movements to take advantage of muscle growth and peak hormonal response. Your body will recover fast, so high frequency can be implemented, although you still need at least one day’s rest a week. You can experiment with high-frequency techniques and with different high-volume protocols. That said, cardio is still key, for both weight management and protecting your heart later in life. Think of exercises involving big muscle chains and moves that will recruit a large amount of muscle fibres: squats, deadlifts, standing shoulder press, for example. The more muscles you recruit to perform an exercise, the better. A popular split routine for experienced gym-goers is push, pull, legs, twice a week (so six days total training), with one rest day on day four:
20-30
“In your twenties, think of exercises that will recruit a large amount of muscle fibres”
Monday: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps) Tuesday: Pull (back, biceps) Wednesday: Legs Thursday: Rest Friday: Push (chest, shoulders, triceps – with different exercises/hitting different angles) Saturday: Pull (back, biceps – different exercises) Sunday: Legs (different exercises) Make sure you warm up properly before the main compound lifts, and dedicate 70 per cent of your training to those. At the end of the session, you can focus on smaller muscle groups, or perform isolation exercises related to the muscle groups you’ve worked on.
Focus on progressive overload training – the gradual increase of stress placed on the body through slightly more reps and sets, or less rest, each week – and put special focus on developing healthy, sustainable habits: body posture, muscle symmetry and a balanced physique that will last as you age. Poor technique or bad habits in your thirties can lead to compensation issues in the future. Improving your physical condition, so your body performs better and fatigues less in the long run, should be prioritised. Improving your abilities to keep moving, lifting and carrying objects will make it easier for you to preserve muscle mass – something you should definitely look into, because it decreases as we age (somewhere around three to five per cent per decade).
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Perfect your Posture Pull: most of us are anterior (front) dominant, so pay particular attention to pull exercises to keep the ‘hunch’ at bay. Stretch: particularly the pectorals, to prevent inward rotation.
Rise: walk tall and lift your sternum, and sit up straight at your desk. Form: maintain perfect technique in every rep of every exercise. Core: a strong midsection is fundamental to good posture.
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40-50
In your forties, increase time under tension to reduce joint stress and create greater muscle-building stimulus. This is the age to shift to tempo, rather than weight (lighter and slower, over heavy and quick).
In our fifties, it’s important for most people to train utilising isometrics, unilateral work and slow tempos – with four to five exercises maximum per workout. Safety is a priority more than ever, alongside recovery and consistency. Three 30- to 40-minute sessions a week of resistance training is ideal. That way you can stick to a reduced version of the push, pull, legs split mentioned earlier.
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Make every set last at least 40 seconds. Avoid ‘locking out’ at the top of reps to keep your muscles engaged. Stick to a tempo of 3:3. That means three seconds in the positive phase of the movement and three seconds in the negative.
I recommend transitioning into pull-dominant routines to fight anterior rotation caused by age and lifestyle, and work on the inner back (narrowgrip rows, for example). Work with lighter loads and focus on time under tension, because when we load bigger weights, the big muscles take over, leaving the muscles we really want to work with little chance of stimulation. And to maintain muscle mass, use the progressive overload principle to fight age-related adaptations.
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hold out FIVE ISOMETRIC MOVES FOR YOUR FIFTIES 1. Wall Sit
Muscles worked: core, hamstrings, glutes Lean your back against a wall, with feet around 2ft in front. Squat down to a 90-degree angle. Hold this position for 30-60 secs. Repeat 3-5 times. 2. Straight-Arm Plank
Muscles worked: core, back, anterior delts Get into a press-up position. Breathe deeply and ‘press’ the floor away from you.
Photography Getty Images | 1. mayoclinic.org 2. JAMA
three ways To Increase Time Under Tension
Hold this position for 30-60 secs. Repeat 3-5 times. 3. Static Lunge
Muscles worked: quads This is a unilateral exercise, so both legs have to be worked separately. Take a large step forward. Bend both knees to 90 degrees, but make sure your front knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes. Hold this position for 20-30 secs. Repeat 3-5 times on both legs. 4. Glute Bridge
Muscles worked: glutes, lower back Lie on your back with knees bent. Squeeze your glutes to raise your hips off the floor. Form a straight line from your chest to your knees.
Hold this position for 20-30 secs. Repeat 3-5 times. 5. Superman Hold
Muscles worked: lower back, midback, glutes, hamstrings Lie flat on your stomach. Stretch your arms overhead, with feet pointing straight behind you. Raise your hands and feet off the floor and hold this position. Hold this position for 20-30 secs. Repeat 3-5 times.
In your sixties and beyond, a certain amount of decreased muscle and fitness is an inevitability, but regular exercise remains crucial to keeping your heart and your health in check. If you’re willing and able to keep up the resistance work, one or two exercises should be performed for each muscle group, leaving free weights aside and focusing on machines, with controlled range of motion.
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Rise of the Machines
A WEEKLY RESISTANCE PLAN TO STAY IN SHAPE IN YOUR SIXTIES Day 1 – Push
Machine Bench Press 10-12 reps / 4 sets / 2:2 tempo Machine Lateral Raise 10-12 reps / 3 sets / 2:2 tempo Triceps Rope Push Down 10-12 reps / 3 sets / 2:2 tempo
Day 2 – Pull
Lat Pull Down 10-12 reps / 4 sets / 2:2 tempo Cable Row (narrow) 10-12 reps / 4 sets / 2:2 tempo Preacher Curl 10-12 reps / 3 sets / 2:2 tempo
Day 3 – Legs
Leg Press 10-12 reps / 4 sets / 2:2 tempo Leg Curl 10-12 reps / 3 sets / 2:2 tempo Machine Glute Kickback 10-12 reps / 2 sets / 2:2 tempo
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O D V E N I
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IN FOCUS MENTAL HEALTH
MA
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Fitness can provide an invaluable escape during the coronavirus period, but to protect your wellbeing, writes mental health campaigner and yoga teacher James Downs, it’s best to save the ambitious goals for a more stable time
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IN FOCUS MENTAL HEALTH
MIND HOW YOU GO I’m happy to watch my enthusiastic students taking leaps and bounds forwards in their practice now that they have more time to train, even if it’s from a screen. I’m impressed to see some of my friends already boasting their beach bodies as they work out around the clock, even if they’ll only sit by the paddling pool this year. I also hope, however, that they’re not taking a deep dive into their fitness without paying equal attention to their mental wellbeing. As well as learning to handstand, isn’t there a strength in learning to sit with the discomfort, uncertainty and pain we might be feeling now? As well as crunching our way to six-pack abs, isn’t it time we looked at the other things we need in our lives to make us strong? As much as it’s time to keep up our physical fitness as best as we can, we need to face the
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challenges of responding to tough situations with mental balance and self-care. This will look like different things for different people, but there are some key things we can all be working on to help support our mental health. Getting enough sleep, eating a balanced and varied diet, and moving our bodies because it’s fun – not because we feel we have to. These are all fundamental to mental health, but so is being able to talk to people, and to reach out to those you know will respond with care when you’re not feeling
so great. It’s just as important to know when to rest, and how to keep yourself OK without having to fill up your time with being busy and meeting your goals. Crucially, staying non-judgemental about how you’re coping or how well you think you’re doing is key. If you don’t feel like sticking to your exercise plan, take a break. If you’ve not eaten so well because you feel tired or upset and reach for the snacks, do so without guilt. You are doing the best you can, and being able to be psychologically flexible is just as important as being physically strong at this time. If we are going to get through this, we need to work on all aspects of our health, because no amount of physical strength will make us mentally adaptable and resilient on its own. There is no obligation for any of us to be using this time to be getting better at anything. It’s OK to not be writing a book, or learning a language. It’s OK to not be productive or burning calories in any extra time you might have on your hands. It’s OK to not be achieving your life goals – fitness or otherwise. It’s OK to be surviving, to be getting through this time, and to come out the other side. No slimmer, no better, no firmer, no stronger, but intact.
“As well as learning to handstand, isn’t there strength in learning to sit with the discomfort, uncertainty and pain we might be feeling now?” Photography Getty Images
D
uring this pandemic, some of us are working extra hard to combat the crisis. Doctors, nurses, carers and other key workers are more exhausted than ever as they try to hold the country together and look after the sick. Others of us are working night and day to complete Netflix before lockdown ends. Experiences of coronavirus are varied, but for those of us with more time on our hands, this seems the perfect time to work on our fitness goals. Not working at the moment? Time to get #FurloughFit! Missing the gym? No worries – get #QuaranToned at home! At the tap of your phone, you can access all kinds of fitness classes and exercise programmes from around the world, often for free. While many people don’t have gardens or much indoor space, technology or equipment to hand, the ingenuity with which we have found new ways to stay fit has been genuinely impressive. As a yoga teacher, I had to switch almost overnight from face-to-face group classes to teaching virtually. Hosting classes of up to 100 people from all around the world has been a powerful reminder that we are connected beyond the barriers that separate us now more than ever. And I’ve had endless requests for help from people who have decided that now is the time they will finally get that perfect handstand or the core strength they’ve always dreamed of.
Mental Health Maintenance ” Focus on the Now
find a balance
soak up the sun
Limit Social Media
“There is so much speculation about what is going to happen, and a lot of things that are out of our control,” says David Birtwistle, founder of Endeavour food, movement and mindset coaching. “When we think about the uncertain future, it can be overwhelming; instead, think about what you are doing right now. What is the one, most important thing that you have to do? Focus on that and tick things off one at a time.”
“Processed and refined foods are often high in simple sugars, which cause spikes in blood sugar levels, followed by a slump, potentially contributing to mood swings, hormonal imbalances and inflammation,” says nutritional therapist Emma Bulbeck. “Now, more than ever, it’s important to eat a balanced diet consisting of fruits and veg, quality protein, fats and complex carbohydrates.”
“There has been a drop in pollution levels worldwide since lockdown began, resulting in improved air quality and brighter sunlight,” says Bulbeck. “Vitamin D contributes towards the normal function of the immune system and encourages serotonin production (our happy hormone). Studies also suggest exposure to bright light could help both seasonal and nonseasonal depression.”
“With extra time on your hands, it might mean you’re scrolling through social media more often,” says Bulbeck. “But it’s wise to set yourself a daily limit, or create a new account and follow people that inspire you. Everyone’s lives are different, and you shouldn’t compare your behind-the-scenes to someone else’s highlight reel.”
Reach Out
Take back control
put health first
keep connecting
In these times, hope is found in a sense of community and togetherness. Having purpose and feeling valued are effective ways to improve mental wellbeing. Volunteer in your community or with the NHS, or simply check in with family members and let them know you’re there.
“We can get sucked into worrying about things that are out of our control,” says Heather Beach, director of The Healthy Work Company. “Whatever problem you have, ask yourself what you can control and what you need to just let go of. Limit your news consumption and stick to one or two verified sources.”
“Nutrition, exercise, rest and sleep are integral to our mental health,” says Beach. “In this period, most people are being more mindful about food shopping, eating and staying active. These are all positives, but active acknowledgement is needed, as it's all too easy to slip into habits that could unbalance us at a fragile time.”
“Humans are hardwired to connect with each other,” says Beach, “and while we need to be physically distanced from anyone not living in our house, that socialising needs to be maintained in some way. Just five minutes of interaction can boost your mood significantly, so make that phone call or join that Zoom quiz – communication is key.”
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IN FOCUS MAN DOWN BOOK EXTRACT
MAN DOWN CHARLIE HOARE’S MAN DOWN IS A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR MEN ON MENTAL HEALTH. IN THIS EXTENDED EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK, HE OUTLINES SOME SELF-CARE STRATEGIES YOU MAY FIND HELPFUL IN MAINTAINING YOUR OWN MENTAL WELLBEING
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ike many other men, on the surface it looks like I have life pretty sorted. At the age of 36 I’ve got a wonderful partner, a baby on the way, a house, a supportive family and friends. I’ve lived and worked abroad for five years, completed a dream trip of cycling 10,000 miles from Malaysia to London, co-founded a business and been back to university to study for a master’s degree in positive psychology. But underneath this ‘successful’ exterior, I’m a man with deep insecurities and anxieties that prevent me from sleeping more than five hours per night, connecting with others and generally enjoying life. You might question why someone with these sorts of issues is qualified to advise; but having experienced mental health disorders, had professional help and tried a lot of alternative coping strategies, I have learned lessons, some of which may be of use to you.
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH? We all have mental health, just as we all have physical health. Sometimes our bodies are in good shape and sometimes they’re not – the same can apply to our minds. It’s important to understand the common causes of mental health issues, as well as the different types of mental health issues, so that we can treat ourselves in the right way to feel better. Self-care treatment methods are explored later in the book, but you should seek professional advice if you are struggling for more than a couple of weeks without any signs of improvement. It’s important to note that you don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder to justify how
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“You don’t have to be diagnosed with a mental health disorder to justify how you feel. Perhaps you generally feel down, helpless, different or a bit worthless. That is all totally OK” JULY 2020
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IN FOCUS MAN DOWN BOOK EXTRACT
DO ‘POINTLESS’ THINGS
There is great value in doing 'pointless' things
you feel. Perhaps you generally feel down, helpless, different or a bit worthless. That is all totally OK. I believe that mental health disorders are not an exact science – as previously mentioned, each of them is on a continuum from mild to severe and it’s totally possible to be suffering with elements of a few disorders without being diagnosed as being so. Your experience is simply that: it’s yours. The key thing is to identify how you feel and then figure out the best way to reach out for the help you need – that might be through talking to a friend, self-care or speaking to a therapist.
SELF-CARE STRATEGIES Self-care means, quite literally, taking care of yourself, and it is important for everyone to do, regardless of their gender. There are things that we can all do to maintain and improve our mental health or fitness. But what’s right for you will likely be different to what is right for others. Our experience of life is unique and so are the ways in which we deal with life’s ups and downs. It’s worth trying lots of different selfcare methods to see what helps to boost your mood; then you will have a toolkit of things that you can integrate into your life as and when you need them.
In our competitive, global world where technology constantly updates us on the lives of others, we can feel that everything we do must have a reason to it. Perhaps we must learn something, achieve something or impress others with our actions. There is almost always a goal in mind. But there is great value for our mental health in doing socalled ‘pointless’ things – that is, things that have no desired outcome other than the moment-by-moment enjoyment of doing them. How could you reclaim your childlike playfulness and ability to do something solely for the sake of doing it? It could be lying on your back, spotting cloud shapes or doodling on a piece of paper destined for the trash. Be there in that moment and don’t try to achieve anything from what you’re doing.
GET INTO NATURE The times I spent messing around in the woods near the house where I grew up are some of my fondest memories – I’m always drawn to nature, particularly when I feel anxious or depressed. This could be explained by ‘biophilia’, which is a hypothesis that humans possess an innate attraction to Get into nature to silence the part of your brain associated with worry
Factors that Can Contribute to Mental Health Issues Stress: major stressful life situations,
such as financial troubles, death of a loved one or relationship break-ups.
Genetics: having a blood relative with
a mental illness.
ISOLATION: having few close friends
or healthy relationships.
TRAUMA: traumatic experiences, such
as being abused, assaulted or bullied.
Illness: having a chronic medical
condition.
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nature, resulting from our biological connection with it. Nature is non-judgemental, present and simply healing. scientifically speaking, being surrounded by the natural environment has the power to decrease activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is the brain region where rumination takes place.
REMEMBER TO BREATHE Breathing can be an extremely powerful tool to help us become calm and centred and as we spend our entire lives breathing, it’s easy to assume that we know how to do it effectively. But often when we feel stress it becomes choppy, quick and shallow, and we end up in a cycle of stress causing shallow breathing and shallow breathing causing stress. This sets off the sympathetic nervous system, priming us
for activity and response. If you can focus on your breath and slow it down, breathing fully and deeply, you can bring balance to your mind and body. Breathing from your abdomen, with the belly expanding and the chest not rising, is called diaphragmatic breathing and is performed by all mammals when they are in a state of relaxation. If you watch a baby breathe, you’ll see this in action. We can each create this state of relaxation by adopting this original breathing technique. personally, I find that three really deep, slow breaths from the abdomen are enough to calm me down in a moment of panic.
GET SOME SLEEP Sleep is just as important as what we eat and drink. It restores and repairs the body, and allows the brain to consolidate memories and process information, which enables us to function effectively during the daytime. Sleep and mental health are inextricably linked, and research shows that a lack of sufficient sleep is linked to psychological distress. So a healthy sleep routine is key – have a regular bedtime and wake-up time, remove digital devices from the bedroom, get some exercise during the day and avoid stimulants close to bedtime. Bed should be for sleep and sex only – if you are awake for more than 20 minutes, get up until you feel sleepy again.
EAT WELL It’s now widely recognized that what we eat and drink can affect our mental state. Research is showing a two-way link between the nervous and gut systems, which perhaps should be no surprise if you’ve ever had an upset stomach when you’re nervous about an exam or presentation. Eating a healthy diet will give your gut the nutrition it needs to keep
Make sufficient sleep a priority to de-stress and give your brain the time it needs to process thoughts and emotions
both your body and mind in good shape. This diet will be different for everyone, so when you’re trying to eat more nutritious foods it’s important to listen to your body’s response to the fuel you’re giving it. Check in and see how you feel during eating, straight after and hours later. We are all different so there is no one-size-fits-all diet. work out what makes you feel best and try to make food choices on that basis. You won’t be able to stick to it all the time, so don’t beat yourself up for that. I work on an 80/20 rule; that is, if I can eat well for 80 per cent of the time, I’m giving myself a pretty good chance of feeling healthy, while not making my life a diet-controlled hell.
CONCLUSION
Photography Getty Images
Healthy eating keeps your mind, as well as your body, in shape
We all have mental health and if, like me, you sometimes struggle with yours, remind yourself that it’s totally normal. Life can be tough and your experience of it is totally unique, so the way that you will manage it will also be unique. It’s a journey, not a quick fix, and accepting where you are is the best place to start. Asking for professional help if you need it and building a self-care toolkit with healthy habits that you can build into your routine will set you up for a happier, healthier life.
MAN DOWN IS PUBLISHED BY SUMMERSDALE PUBLISHERS AND PRICED AT £9.99. AMONG OTHER TOPICS, IT COVERS ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, STRESS, SUICIDAL THOUGHTS, GENDER EXPECTATIONS, SELF-CARE, HOW TO OPEN UP, AND WHERE TO SEEK HELP.
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e h t To
Photo Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images
BRITAIN'S MOST SUCCESSFUL MALE GYMNAST ON PRESSURE, PARENTHOOD, 35-HOUR TRAINING WEEKS AND KEEPING FIT FROM HOME
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ive-time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock MBE first caught the eye of the watching world at London 2012, with a bronze-medal winning display as a fresh-faced 19-year-old. Four year later in Rio, he went two steps further by grabbing gold in the Floor and Pommel Horse events, and more recently – having secured a third World Championship Gold in 2019 – he’s been keeping his army of social media followers fit and entertained during coronavirus lockdown with a series of home training videos and a recently released book, The Whitlock Workout. MF caught up with the 27-year-old – still fresh-faced, but with plenty to show for the eight years since his Olympics debut – to talk adapted training, toddler-assisted exercises and lessons learned from doing too much too young.
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Men’s Fitness: Anyone following you on Instagram will have noticed that your kid is a willing training partner for your home workout routines. How are you finding fatherhood? Max Whitlock: “I absolutely love it. I feel like the luckiest man alive, to be honest. I’ve tried to be hands-on from the start with our daughter, Willow. Even when my wife, Leah, was pregnant, I liked to get involved as much as I could. We knew that we were ready to have kids. Don't get me wrong, it’s a scary, nerve-wracking experience. You both go through different emotions when you’re expectant parents, but my mindset was that no-one knows exactly what they’re doing, so don’t worry about it. Somehow, as every parent knows, you make it work.” MF: How are you managing the work-life-baby balance? MW: “Well, there are a lot of people who have much more
“FROM THE AGE OF 11 UNTIL I WAS ABOUT 22, I TRAINED UP TO 35 HOURS A WEEK”
Whitlock on the pommel horse during the apparatus finals at the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in October 2019 Photo Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images
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MF: Speaking of life changes, how do you find competing on the world stage now you’re a world-renowned gymnast, compared with 2012 when you first burst onto the scene? MW: “I try to make things as similar as possible to my time back then, in that I try to have the same mindset I had when I was that complete underdog. When I was the young gymnast at the 2012 Olympics, going out there, enjoying it and giving it my best shot, there was no pressure. But recreating that is becoming increasingly difficult. It gets much harder when you achieve success. Some gymnasts who are chasing their targets will look at me – having just got my third world title – and they’ll be thinking, ‘Oh nice for him, it must be easier now.’ But from my point of view, it’s a hundred times harder to retain than to chase. When you’re chasing you’ve got nothing to lose. That was proved to be the case in 2018. For me, that was a year of silver medals – and it was seen as a failure year in the eyes of the public. If I don’t come away from a competition with gold now, it’s deemed that I wasn’t successful.” MF: How do you handle that pressure? MW: “As an athlete, and just as a human being, you can’t do something perfectly every single time. I try to take the pressure off myself by switching off, but going into the last World Championships, it was hard not to feel the weight of expectation. Also, I’m getting older and recovery is
Photo Alex Livesey/Getty Images
demanding jobs than I do, so I’m lucky in respect that I can be quite flexible when it comes to when I train and when I have family time. At the beginning, it was amazing that I could be home a lot to help Leah out with the baby, but there are swings and roundabouts. As an athlete, I go away for long periods of time, which is difficult. Even before Willow was born I always struggled with having to go away. That’s become ten times tougher since she was born.”
Build the Body of a Gymmast
Whitlock’s weekly routine for lean muscle and a killer core Eat Right “Breakfast is always poached eggs on toast, and before training I’ll get my carbs with some fruit and a banana. Nutrition is all about energy and recovery, and recovery is all about making sure I get protein and carbohydrates in. I always try to have a good meal post-training, but if I don’t have time, I’ll have a shake.” Protect Yourself “Fitness training and injury prevention days feature a short run – a mile in the quickest time possible – which suits the need for plyometric, explosive power. After that, it’s a lot of stretching and joint-strengthening moves, focusing in my case on my ankles and wrists.”
Photo Dan Jones
Rest Up “Although I train most days, I treat Friday as a rest day. Even though I still go to the gym, I’ll only do stretching and possibly revise some drills that may not have gone quite to plan earlier in the week. When I go home, I’ll get the foam roller out and iron out any knots in the legs.” Keep It Real “Saturday training sessions replicate competition events, so we’ll wear our competition gear, have judges present, and livestream or record sequences – it helps us prepare for the pressure of the real thing.”
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Photo Alex Livesey/Getty Images
more important. What it does mean is that when I actually got that gold medal in 2019, the feeling of achievement was just unbelievable. When the pressure is cranked up and the whole build-up is much harder, the end result is so much more rewarding.”
MF: You touched on the impact of age – how have you adjusted your training over time? MW: “When I was a youngster, it was literally about racking up those hours in the gym. From about the age of 11 onwards I was doing 20 hours a week and building on that. I was coming out of school early three days a week, I’d start training at one in the afternoon and finish at eight at night – so seven hours a day, up to 35 hours a week until I was about 22. Then I got glandular fever, which was a huge negative at the time. I went from being probably the fittest I’ve ever been to the absolute opposite. I would wake up most mornings feeling massively fatigued. I’d get to the gym, start swinging my arms to warm up and then admit to my coach that I wasn’t going to be able to do anything that day. But I now look back at that glandular fever bout as being a huge blessing in disguise. “It taught me to train smarter: to be more efficient with my training and, crucially, it taught me the importance of
Whitlock waves to the crowd at the European Championships in Glasgow, in August 2018 Photo Naomi Baker/Getty Images
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Whitlock’s interim coach (centre) takes no prisoners
Simple Circuit
do 3 sets of this high-rep bodyweight workout to light up every muscle
Photo Dan Jones
1A. 1B. 1C. 1D. Press- Triceps Squats Pull-Ups Ups Dips (25 reps (25 reps (25 reps (25 reps / 30 secs / 30 secs / 30 secs / 30 secs rest) rest) rest) rest) recovery. Over my career, I’ve watched others who’ve trained like juniors when they’re actually seniors, and they’ve burned out. Also, I’ve seen others that don’t train as hard as they need to. I’ve observed and sought out the balance between those extremes. It’s the same with my food, too: I’ve learned that it’s all about balance and learning what’s best for you as an individual.”
MF: How has striking that balance shaped your training routine? MW: “I’ve reduced my training hours to around 20-25 a week. My focus is a lot more on recovery: taking care of my body and prolonging my career as much as possible. I still train six days a week, but for fewer hours and with the emphasis on quality over quantity. When I’m getting close to competition, I’ll taper training even more, coming off the pedal completely in the week before. All I’ll do is an hour’s training a day, then come home, ice, recovery, get good food in and conserve my energy, so I’m right for that competition day.” MF: You’ve adapted your training, but are the career goals still the same? MW: “Of course the Tokyo Olympics has always been in the back of my mind, but it’s been kept in there since the Rio
Max’s Medals
Gold
Olympics. It’s the short-term targets that are key. You need to achieve those in order for the long-term plans to come into view. Taking every competition at a time is crucial, so my main focus before this was the World Championships and making sure that went right. There’s no point in focusing too far ahead, because you won’t get there if your progression isn’t right. Those middle years between the major events like an Olympics are as important, if not more so.”
MF: Back to those Instagram workouts that your daughter gets involved with – would you like her to follow in your footsteps and take up gymnastics one day? MW: “Well, she has been going along to ‘Baby Gym’ sessions, so who knows. Right now, I’m just pleased that Willow has come along at a time where she can see me competing live and not just seeing old video clips. “I’d like as many children as possible to have the opportunity to try gymnastics, because it really is one of the best foundation sports there is. It’s a great way for youngsters to get into almost any other sport they want to do.”
Silver
Bronze
Olympic Games World Championships
Interview Rob Kemp
European Championships World Cup Commonwealth Games JULY 2020
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IN FOCUS WHITLOCK WORKOUT
Try this six-move circuit from The Whitlock Workout
1A. SINGLELEG SQUAT A challenging squat variation that, along with being excellent for lower-body strength, is also great for balance. Set up as for a squat, but stand using one leg, extending the other leg out in front of you. Come right up onto your toes to challenge your balance, then sit back down with control. Switch legs and repeat.
HOW TO:
30-45 secs per move 10 secs rest between moves 3-4 rounds 1 min rest between rounds
1B. ELEVATED HIP BRIDGE SINGLE-LEG LIFT A hip bridge progression, bringing in straight-leg lifts which demand good hamstring flexibility. From a hip bridge hold position, keeping both legs straight, raise one, aiming for a 90-degree angle to the other leg. Lower the leg with control and lightly touch the sofa with your calf. Perform 3 reps with one leg, change to the other, perform another 3 reps and keep alternating.
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1C. DECLINE PLANK
1F. ELEVATED PIKE PRESS
By elevating your feet, you increase the difficulty of the plank. Ensuring that your elbows are directly under your shoulders and that you’re up on your toes, hold a plank position with your feet elevated on the sofa.
The press-up movement throws the emphasis onto your upper chest and shoulders. Kneel on the edge of the sofa and place your hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart, on the floor about a foot from the sofa. Pivoting on your knees, lower your head towards the floor by bending your arms. Aim for a 90-degree bend in your arms with your upper arms parallel to the floor. Lift by straightening, not locking, your arms and repeat.
1D. LEG RAISE This works your lower abs as well as building lower-back mobility. Lie on your back facing away from the sofa, with straight legs and your hands under the sofa. Keeping your legs straight, raise them off the floor, pressing your lower back into the floor. Once your legs pass 90 degrees, release your lower back and, as your legs continue over your head for a toe touch on the sofa, allow your lower and mid-back to peel fully off the floor. Return to the start position with control and repeat.
1E. PLANK CLIMB
Photography Dan Jones
A dynamic planking movement that’s a workout for your upper body, too. Set-up in a press-up hold position with your hands on the edge of the sofa. Step one hand down to the floor. Follow with the other hand and then climb back up to the start position. Keep working in this way, alternating your hands.
XTRACT TAKEN FROM HE WHITLOCK WORKOUT BY MAX HITLOCK (HEADLINE HOME, £20)
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GET THAT GOOD
GUT FEELING Grow your good gut bacteria with Bimuno
our immune system is your inbuilt security system against harmful viruses and pathogens, and over 70 per cent of it resides in the ‘control tower’: your gut. So to keep the immune system in the best shape possible, it’s really quite simple: you’ve
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got to look after your gut. Home to trillions of bacteria in an evershifting composition, science is beginning to understand the crucial bodily influence of the gut, which ranges from mental wellbeing to the health of your immune system.
BAC FOR GOOD Studies suggest that a healthy, diverse gut microbiome – home to your body’s bacteria – could help support the overall immune system, with bifidobacteria, the so-called ‘good bacteria’, playing a key role in digesting fibre and complex carbohydrates that the body can’t digest on its own. Many foods are high in these nutrients, but if your diet, like many of us, doesn’t contain enough fibre, Bimuno® DAILY is one way to give bifidobacteria the fuel it needs to flourish. You can enjoy Bimuno DAILY powder stirred into hot drinks, or sprinkled into your protein shakes or on your porridge, and the targeted supplement stimulates the growth of
bifidobacteria, proven to begin working in just seven days*. It’s also a great way to boost your daily intake of fibre. Start your journey to better gut health with Bimuno DAILY. Available at Boots, Holland & Barrett, Tesco, Sainsburys and Lloyds Pharmacy, as well as bimuno.com
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GET FIT IN THE KITCHEN
TH Y’RE MAGIC Photo Getty Images | 1. Canadian Medical Association
NUTRITIONIST TJ WATERFALL SPILLS THE BEANS
eans are cheap, simple to prepare and, as masses of research shows, incredibly healthy. In particular, they’re a great way to load up on protein, complex carbs and fibre, making them perfect for anyone seeking both sustained energy and optimum postworkout recovery. The most common beans in the West are haricot (aka navy – the type used for most tinned baked beans), kidney, butter, black, broad, and pinto beans. While each has a slightly different nutritional
B
profile, they’re generally high in protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins. They’re relatively low in calories too, making beans one of the most nutrient-dense foods around. One cup of most beans also provides around half the recommended daily intake of fibre – something most people in the UK are lacking. GOOD FOR THE HEART Because protein and fibre are both important nutrients for weight loss, beans can be a useful tool for lowering
body weight. In fact, a review study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition linked bean intake to reduced body fat percentage, even when diets aren’t intended to be calorie restricted. Because of their excellent nutritional profile, they also have many other proven health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.1 To reap all those benefits, try incorporating beans and other pulses into your favourite dishes – chillies, casseroles, soups and curries are good high-protein, low-fat options.
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NUTRITION NEWS
is the daily intake of vitamin C provided by one bell pepper. It’s also packed with plenty of other vitamins, minerals and fibre. Chop it into a salad or stir-fry, or roast it and add to a curry or pasta sauce to keep your immune system strong.
When we eat sugar, the sweet sensation starts with our taste buds. But a recent study shows that sugar molecules also trip sensors in the gut that directly signal to the brain. The research showed that sensors in the lining of the intestines sparked signals via the vagus nerve to a specific region of the brain that responds to sugar. Artificial sweeteners don’t trigger that same gut-brain response, which might explain why they often can’t quite replicate sugar’s appeal.1
HOW ’S THAT SPELT? Spelt is a distinct form of wheat, often cooked in its whole-grain form or used to make an alternative to regular wheat flour. It’s an ancient grain, meaning it hasn’t changed much over thousands of years, and it tends to be much higher in antioxidants than modern wheat.2 As it’s a relative of wheat, it does contain gluten, so wouldn’t be suitable for people with coeliac disease. However, it might make a good alternative for people with wheat intolerances: a study in Australia showed that out of people who had a wheat allergy, only 30 per cent also tested positive for a spelt allergy.3 As with all whole grains, spelt is highly nutritious and provides a great source of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fibre, plus a whole host of vitamins and minerals.
On Good Turms
Turmeric’s health-promoting properties – including protecting the heart and brain – are nothing new, but now it looks like the spice could aid weight loss, too. A recent review study showed the active compound in turmeric, curcumin, could act by suppressing particular inflammatory markers that play a role in obesity, and enhancing sensitivity to the hormone insulin.4 Piperine, another compound found in black pepper, can boost absorption of the curcumin in turmeric by up to 2,000 per cent, so use both in your cooking, or try turmeric and ginger tea with a couple of grinds of black pepper.
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Words TJ Waterfall Photography Getty Images | 1. Nature 2. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 3. Cereal Research Communications 4. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 5. British Medical Journal 6. Alzheimer's & Dementia
centimetres is how much regular drinking adds to your waistline, according to a new study from University College London.5 The study examined the association between heavy drinking and a range of health indicators in nearly 5,000 adults. As well as a larger waistline, heavy drinking is also linked with higher blood pressure, poorer liver function, and increased stroke risk. Try monitoring your units to keep them in check, especially if you’re looking to shift a few pounds.
SIT OUT SATS.
A recent review study published in Clinical Nutrition has shown that a high intake of total fats, especially saturated fats – found in meat, dairy and tropical oils – can decrease the diversity and richness of beneficial bacteria in our gut. That’s not ideal, considering gut bacteria can influence almost every health system in the body, from immunity to mental health. Try limiting saturated fat intake by eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, which will also protect your gut health by providing all-important fibre. A review of 121 studies assessing 14 various popular weight-loss diets showed that most lead to a modest weight reduction after six months. However, at a 12-month followup, most weight was regained in all diets and any improvements in cardiovascular risk factors – such as blood pressure and cholesterol levels – had essentially disappeared.6 It looks like long-term lifestyle changes, rather than quick weight-loss plans, are the the best bet for long-term weight management and important health benefits.
DIETING DOESN’T LAST
Stress Eating
While a high amount of short-term stress can shut down appetite, long-term, persistent stress is another story. It can cause the adrenal glands to release cortisol, which can rev up your appetite, and a recent study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that stressrelated or ‘emotional’ eating was the main cause of weight regain following a diet. You may not be able to control the stressors in your life, but learning to counter them with meditation, exercise and social support can certainly help. JULY 2020
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STORE-CUPBOARD STAPLES
e l p Sim s d o o f r Supe UPBOARD C E R O T S E S E H T, BUT T S E B E B Y A M NTY OF H E S L P T FRE E G L IL T S OU CAN Y E V O R P S E BUDGET L P A A N ST O K C U B R U FOR YO G N A B L A N IO IT NUTR
Each of these foods come power packed with a wide range of essential nutrients, from highquality protein stacked with essential amino acids, to antibacterial qualities and gut-healthy fibre. And to give you a helping hand, Michelin-star chef Tom Kerridge has provided some simple recipes you can rustle up with the bare essentials.
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SUPERFOOD
CANNED TUNA A can of sustainably fished tuna is hard to beat in terms of lean, high-quality protein (up to 30g per can). Tuna supports muscle health and contains essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary for neurological development. “Two omega-3s in particular, EPA and DHA, can be found in large quantities in tuna,” says Dr Warren Bradley, head of nutrition at Goal Master Fitness. “These are essential to cell health, reducing inflammation and facilitating recovery of damaged muscles.”
TUNA, MIXED BEAN, ROASTED PEPPER AND FETA SALAD INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) - 1 can of tuna, drained - 1 jar of roasted peppers, oil drained and roughly sliced - 150g fine beans, topped, tailed and blanched - 1 can of chickpeas - 80g pitted mixed olives - 1 can of mixed beans, drained - 10 basil leaves, torn - 20 flat-leaf parsley leaves - 120g half-fat feta FOR THE DRESSING - 2 tbs olive oil - 3 tbs cabernet sauvignon vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, grated - ½ tbs rosemary leaves, chopped - ½ tsp salt METHOD: In a bowl, mix the tuna, vegetables and beans together. Add the herbs and toss together. In a separate bowl, whisk the dressing together and pour it over the salad. Spoon the salad into a large bowl, crumble over the feta and serve. Per serving: Kcals: 380, Protein: 22g, Fats: 15g, Carbs: 42g
SUPERFOOD
PRUNES
Another set of plums that you should be paying attention to, prunes contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and are an excellent source of fibre. “Prunes provide a tasty and effective means to increase dietary fibre in your diet,” says Dr Bradley, “but be mindful of their high sugar content (approximately 50 per cent) and eat in moderation to avoid tooth decay.”
BREAKFAST MUFFINS INGREDIENTS (SERVES 8) - 170g self-raising flour - 50g porridge oats - 140g light brown sugar - 1 tsp cinnamon - 1 vanilla pod, seeds only - 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda - 1 egg, beaten - 3 tbs vegetable oil - 3 tbs sesame oil - 150ml low-fat yogurt - 175g Agen prunes, stones removed and chopped - 85g toasted and chopped hazelnuts - 20g oats for topping METHOD: Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan.
In a bowl, mix the flour, oats, sugar, spices and bicarbonate of soda. Rub everything together with the tips of your fingers until you have a crumbly texture and it’s evenly mixed. Whisk the egg, oils and yogurt together. Stir this into the cake batter, then fold in the chopped prunes and nuts. Spoon the mix into eight cupcake moulds and sprinkle over the oats. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until fully baked. Use a cocktail stick to check if they are cooked: when you prick the muffin, the stick should come out clear. Once baked, remove and leave to cool. Per serving: Kcals: 390, Protein: 7g, Fats: 15g, Carbs: 58g
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SUPERFOOD
CHICKPEAS If the closest you’ve been to a chickpea is a bowl of hummus, you need to think again. This humble legume – eaten in the Middle East for the past 7,500 years – comes with a diverse nutritional profile and makes a worthy addition to any plate. “Chickpeas are a fantastic lowfat source of protein and dietary fibre,” says Dr Bradley, “and they contain a wide variety of vitamins and minerals that can contribute to your five-a-day.”
INGREDIENTS (SERVES 6) - 2 tbs mustard seeds - 1 tbs cumin seeds - 12 cardamom pods, crushed - 2 tsp turmeric - 3 tbs vegetable oil - 2 onions, grated - 5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed - 2 tbs ginger paste - 500ml water - 250ml can of coconut milk - 1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped
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- 1 packet of fine beans - 2 cans of chickpeas, drained - ½ bunch of coriander, roughly chopped - 4 green chillies, sliced - 1 lime, cut into wedges METHOD: Add the spices into a pestle and mortar and grind into a fine powder. Fry the onions until golden brown. Add the spice mix, garlic and ginger and cook out for a few minutes. Pour in the water and coconut milk and
bring to the boil. Add the butternut squash and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Then pour in the coconut milk and reduce by half. Once ready, add the beans and chickpeas to cook through and reheat. Stir in the coriander and green chillies. Drizzle with lime juice and serve with rice or your favourite naan bread. Per serving: Kcals: 320, Protein: 12g, Fats: 13g, Carbs: 41g
Words Claire Turrell Photography Shutterstock
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND CHICKPEA CURRY
SUPERFOOD
COCONUT MILK
SUPERFOOD
QUINOA
Pronounced ‘keen-wa’, this grain has been powering up Peruvians for centuries. Archaeologists have even discovered the Andean plant in ancient tombs. Not only is quinoa low-fat and gluten-free, but it also contains all nine essential amino acids critical to muscle repair and growth. “That makes it a complete protein,” says Dr Bradley, “and an excellent choice for vegans. It contains a rich source of anti-inflammatory nutrients, fibre, fatty acids, and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals – quinoa is an exceptionally nutritious food.”
ROAST HALLOUMI, BROCCOLI AND QUINOA SALAD INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) - 4 squirts of spray oil - 250g broccoli florets - 250g asparagus spears, roughly chopped - 150g pouch of quinoa, ready cooked - 250g low-fat halloumi cheese, diced - 150g frozen broad beans, defrosted and popped - 30 mint leaves, chopped - 100g edamame - 2 avocados, peeled, stone removed and diced - 150g frozen peas, defrosted - 100g rocket leaves, washed
Coconut milk is the opaque, milky-coloured liquid created from blending shredded coconut flesh with water. It comes in cans and cartons – save the canned version for curries and use the carton version for smoothies as it’s more diluted. Coconut milk is vegan and lactose-free, but also comes with other benefits, as Dr Bradley explains: “It contains lauric acid, which is antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral. It can also break down a load of damaging organisms, which may help to protect the body against infections.”
BANANA AND COCONUT SHAKE INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) - 360ml unsweetened coconut milk - 40g porridge oats - 2 tbs nut butter - 3 bananas peeled, sliced, placed into a zip-lock bag and frozen - 2 tsp sugar replacement - 2 tsp vanilla extract - Pinch of cinnamon - 4 ice cubes METHOD: Put all ingredients into a jug blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses. Per serving: Kcals: 321, Protein: 6.6g, Fats: 13.6g, Carbs: 95g
FOR THE DRESSING - 60g 0% fat yogurt - 2 tbs water - 1 tbs extra virgin olive oil - 1 lemon, zest and juice METHOD: In a non-stick pan, add a couple of squirts of spray oil and heat until smoking. Add the broccoli and asparagus, and stir-fry for a couple of minutes. Then stir in the quinoa to warm through (2 minutes or so). Remove from the pan and place in a bowl. Return the pan to the heat and spray on a bit more oil. Add the diced halloumi and fry until golden brown. Tip the crispy cheese into the warm salad items. Add the broad beans, mint, edamame beans, avocado, peas and rocket, and toss together, then spoon into a large serving bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, water, olive oil, lemon juice and zest, then drizzle the dressing over the salad. Per serving: Kcals: 578, Protein: 29g, Fats: 33g, Carbs: 40g
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INTERMITTENT FASTING
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IF and WHEN MOVING LESS AND EATING MORE IN ISOLATION? INTERMITTENT FASTING (IF) COULD HELP YOU FIGHT THE FAT WITHOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT OVERLY RESTRICTIVE DIETS OR CALORIE COUNTING, WRITES F45 NUTRITIONIST KIM BOWMAN
orking from home poses many problems for the persistent snacker. With the kitchen in close quarters, the promise of quick eats – free from the prying eyes of co-workers – can be too much to resist. Within reason, that’s fine, but home working tends to mean less movement throughout the day – your two-second commute from the bedroom to the living room isn’t going to do much for your dwindling step count – and less movement means less calorie burn. Add snacking to the mix and you get a perfect storm for weight gain. The solution could be to live life in the fast lane.
W
WHAT IS IT? Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn’t require macronutrient restriction (protein, carbs, fats) but instead focuses on meal timing. While ‘yo-yo dieting’ can be unsustainable and may only lead to short-term weight-loss results, the goal with IF is to develop lifestyle changes. The mind is connected to your eating habits, and developing an eating routine that incorporates meal timing automatically creates an internal sense of awareness about food choices. Planning meals throughout the day makes you more conscious of the food, and portions, that you select. By cycling through periods of fasting and eating, while consuming wholesome meals with quality ingredients, you should crave foods high in sodium or refined sugar less. JULY 2020
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INTERMITTENT FASTING
“Working from home poses many problems for the persistent snacker. With the kitchen in close quarters, the promise of quick eats – free from the prying eyes of co-workers – can be too much to resist”
THE SCIENCE Complex carbohydrates, particularly refined grains, are broken down into sugar, which your cells use for energy. Insulin, a hormone made in the pancreas, brings sugar into fat cells and keeps it there. While fasting, the body adjusts hormones to make fat more accessible. Specifically, there is a reduction in insulin to facilitate fat burning and utilise stored fat for energy. On the other hand, during the eating window insulin levels are high as the body is digesting and absorbing food – that lasts three to five hours. The key difference between a ‘fed’ and fasted state is that sugar can only enter your cells with insulin. Therefore, a period of fasting has shown to allow insulin levels to drop low enough that you enter a period of fat burning (as long as you achieve an overall energy deficit). While there are a range of beneficial physiological processes that occur when IF is done correctly, the success of weight loss stems from the energy deficit that is created.
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make if work Plan your food shop for the week. Optimise food quality by fueling with predominantly wholefoods (fruits, vegetables, beans, lean proteins and healthy fats) while avoiding sugars and refined grains. Prepare your own comfort food. Having healthy snacks or sweets will minimise cravings for sugar and processed foods. Avoid snacking late at night, while incorporating snacks rich in quality protein and dietary fibre between meals to help manage appetite. Avoid sugary drinks and diet sodas. Stick to lots of water, or black coffee, within the fasting window. Hydration is key during fasting to maximise whole-body detoxification.
Photography Getty Images / Shutterstock
In fact, studies have found that IF has numerous health benefits, not only for maintaining a healthy weight, but also for improving blood sugar levels, cholesterol profile, and reducing inflammation within the body. Fasting has also been shown to increase levels of the human growth hormone, promote lean muscle development, and improve body composition and metabolism. What’s more, IF protocols have shown promise for those with pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes, as indicated by reductions in waist circumference and improvements in insulin sensitivity.
There are a number of different IF protocols, but the 16:8 or 14:10 methods are the most common: cycling through an eight to ten-hour eating window – 8am to 4pm, or 10am to 8pm, for example – followed by 14 to 16 hours of fasting.
MAIN BENEFITS • Weight loss • Improvements in blood sugar • Improvements in high blood pressure • Improvements in cholesterol • Whole-body detoxification • Reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation That said, it’s important to note that while there is recent research highlighting the short-term benefits of IF for weight loss and overall health, the long-term effects are unclear. More evidence is needed on the long-term benefits before it can be prescribed for clinical use. Therefore, your best health strategy is to develop an eating routine that works for you and your lifestyle. It’s also important to note that you should always speak with a healthcare professional before engaging in a long-term diet change. And if you have a history of eating disorders or take certain medication, IF isn’t recommended.
14:10 Sample Day 10:00am FAST BREAKER Banana Protein Smoothie
12:00pm MEAL 1 Breakfast Burrito
1:30pm SNACK
Chocolate Date Protein Balls
3:30pm MEAL 2
Pesto Chicken and Salad Wrap
6:30pm MEAL 3
Avocado and Sweet Potato Salmon
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VEGAN PROTEIN BARS
PLANT-BASED PROTEIN BARS The best dairy-free fuel to power your recovery
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MY VEGAN CARB CRUSHER £21.99 (box of 12), myvegan.com
They say: ‘Covered in a rich darkchocolate coating with less than 2g of sugar per bar. Yes, really.’ We say: OK, so there are bars with fewer ingredients on this list, but My Vegan’s Carb Crusher (available in Peanut Butter, Chocolate Sea Salt, and Chocolate Orange) gets the MF seal of approval for its balance of protein – a better-thanaverage 15g per bar – and first-rate flavour. Post-workout recovery has rarely tasted so good. Taste
★★★★
Health
★★★★★
Protein
★★★★★
OVERALL
★★★★
BULK POWDERS VEGAN PROTEIN BAR
£1.86 (per bar), bulkpowders.co.uk They say: ‘Most bars aimed at the vegan market contain 10-12g protein per bar, but these contain a massive 21g per bar.’ We say: Some might find these slightly too chalky in texture, and the sizeable 279 calories can’t be ignored, but that shake-matching protein count is difficult to beat. If you find protein sh kes hard to stomach, or you just nee more convenient post-workout option, give these a go.
PULSIN PEANUT CHOC PROTEIN BOOSTER
£19.99 (box of 15), bodyandfit.com
They say: ‘Bursting with crunchy peanuts and naturally sweetened chocolate chips for the perfect post-workout snack.’ We say: Pulsin’s Protein Booster contains an optimum blend of pea and rice protein for a complete amino acid profile, and the Peanut Choc flavour is up there with any bar we had the not-so-tough task of sampling. Each bar comes in at 231kcal, with 12.1g of protein.
They say: ‘Delicious plant protein bars with a delightful taste – perfect if you need extra protein for an active lifestyle.’ We say: If you’re looking to replace your post-training shake, this bar’s 10g protein content isn’t quite going to cut it, but for a recovery-assisting midafternoon snack there are few better options – thanks largely to its barelythere 140 calories. The Sea Salted Nuts flavour gets our vote.
NUTRAMINO NUTRA-GO
£32.22 (box of 18), pulsin.co.uk
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£19.99 (box of 12), myvegan.com
£2.50 (per bar), phd.com
They say: ‘Whether you’re vegan or not, Smart Bar Plant delivers on all macro levels without compromising on taste.’ We say: With a chart-topping 23g of protein bar, look no further than PhD if that’s the only factor you’re interested in. The texture won’t be to some people’s liking, but you do get used to it – and those recovery credentials make a bit of perseverance worth your while.
They say: ‘A natural blend of protein, crafted using the finest cacao butter, chocolate chips, and roasted nuts.’ We say: Free from the stodge or heaviness of some protein bars, the PeaNut Square is pleasantly filling without making you need a lie-down after eating. The 12g of protein is a bit less than My Vegan’s other offering in this roundup, but still makes for decent muscle fuel alongside your afternoon brew. Taste
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GRENADE GO NUTS PERI PERI BAR
MY VEGAN PEA-NUT SQUARE
PHD SMART BAR PLANT
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£26.85 (box of 15), grenade.com They say: ‘Featuring absolutely nuttin’ artificial, the Go Nuts™ protein nut bar is set to revolutionise healthy snacking.’ We say: Fibre and antioxidants are thrown into the mix, as well as 11g of protein, but there’s no denying the love-it-or-hate-it Peri Peri flavour will divide opinion. We’re in need of some convincing, but if you’re sick of overly sweet bars this might be the one for you. Taste
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YOUR BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS
MUSCLE UP
BIGGER WEIGHTS DON’T NECESSARILY MEAN BETTER GAINS. TO SCULPT THE BODY YOU WANT, YOU NEED TO TRAIN WITH FOCUS AND FORM
TAKE TECHNIQUE SERIOUSLY
Before you even think about picking up a dumbbell or loading a barbell, make sure you’re completely comfortable with how to perform all the exercises that comprise your workout. Form is crucial, not only to prevent injury, but also to ensure that each rep of every lift hits the target muscle or muscle group efficiently, with no wasted effort. That’s the key to making big changes to your body.
LIFT THE RIGHT WEIGHT
It’s always tempting to select the heaviest weight you think you’ll be able to lift. The heavier the weight, the bigger your muscles grow, right? Not quite. While weight does matter, it’s more important that you’re able to complete all the reps of all the sets, while keeping to the stated tempo and rest periods of your chosen programme. That will place more tension on the working muscles, which is what you want.
CONTROL THE MOVEMENT
Tempo – the speed in seconds that you lift and lower a weight for each rep – determines how much tension your muscles must manage, which is one of the biggest factors in promoting muscle growth. That means you need to keep each and every rep as controlled as possible, without jerking or bouncing the weight around.
THINK ABOUT IT
The mind-muscle connection is one of the most effective tactics to build muscle, but also one of the most underused. All it means is that when you’re performing each rep you need to focus on the muscles that are working to move the weight. Actually looking at the muscle, either directly or in a mirror, is a great way of focusing your mind and recruiting maximum muscle engagement.
Photo Getty Images
HONE YOUR MINDSET
You need to start every session with the mentality that this is going to be the best workout you’ve ever had. Attacking each set with intent, purpose and positivity goes a long way in pushing you outside of your comfort zone. Shut out any negative thoughts, stick on your headphones, turn up the volume and train like your life depends on it.
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FULL-BODY WORKOUT
ALL IN
Shake yourself out of isolation inertia with this total-body circuit to get all systems firing
HOW TO:
The circuit starts off with some slow and controlled bodyweight movements to activate your muscles and loosen up your joints, before ramping things up with weighted full-body exercises, guaranteed to fire up your metabolism and work every muscle. Do each move for 45 secs, take 15 secs rest between moves, rest for 2 mins at the end of the round, do 2-3 more rounds, have a lie down.
YOU WILL NEED: 1 kettlebell 1 exercise mat 2 dumbbells A strong coffee
1A. PRESS-UP PLUS
Photography Eddie Macdonald | Model Luke Worthington (W Model Management)
WHY: Mobilise your shoulders and upper back, and target the oft-neglected serratus anterior muscle, which supports your scapula and promotes a full range of motion in your arms and shoulder blades – crucial for many Olympic lifts. HOW: Get into a press-up position, with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your abs. Keeping straight arms, lower your upper back ever so slightly, so your shoulder blades come together. Push back up so your shoulder blades pull apart again and repeat.
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1B. BANANA ROLL WHY: While your abs will be doing most of the work, this move also targets your quads, hamstrings and shoulders, as you keep your limbs off the floor. HOW: Lie on your back with arms extended overhead. Lift your arms and legs off the floor to form a hollow hold or ‘reverse Superman’ position. Maintaining this position throughout, engage your abs to roll over onto your front, keeping your arms and legs off the floor. Reverse the movement.
1C. DIAMOND PRESS-UP WHY: Target your triceps with this hands-together variation. HOW: Get into a press-up position. Bring your hands close together so that your thumbs and first fingers touch to form a ‘diamond’ shape on the floor beneath your chest. Keep your elbows tucked in as you lower down with control, until your chest is an inch off the floor, then press back up.
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FULL-BODY WORKOUT
1D. ROCK PRESS WHY: Get your shoulders working, while also prepping your hamstrings for the leg work to come. HOW: Assume a downward dog position, with hips up high and chin tucked into your chest. Slowly rock forward onto your toes and as you do so, bend your elbows to lower your head down to the floor. When your head is almost at the floor, push into the ground to return to the starting downward dog position.
1E. BEAST SHOULDER TAPS WHY: An excellent core stabilising exercise that will also prime your hips for the deck squats to follow. HOW: Get on all fours, with knees under your hips. Keeping your feet and hands in this position, raise your knees off the floor slightly. Brace your abs and keep your torso as still as possible, as you reach one hand up to tap the opposite shoulder. Return that hand, then repeat on the other side. Try not to let your hips rotate, and keep your back flat – don’t let it drop.
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1F. KETTLEBELL DECK SQUAT WHY: Improve full-body mobility, strengthen your core and rev up your metabolism. HOW: This move requires excellent hip and ankle mobility. If you’re not quite there, swap in kettlebell goblet squats instead. For the deck squat, stand at the top of an exercise mat with feet a bit wider than hip-width and turn your toes out slightly. Hold a kettlebell by its handles (‘horns’) and perform a deep squat, so your elbows come down between your thighs, taking your backside as close to the floor as possible. At the bottom of the squat, roll backwards onto your backside and allow the momentum to carry you onto your back. On your back, extend the kettlebell behind your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Engage your core and use the momentum of the kettlebell to throw your arms forwards, back into the deep squat. Drive through your heels to return to standing.
1G. BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT WHY: Build unilateral leg strength, balance and core stability. HOW: Stand about one foot in front of a chair. Rest one foot on the chair. Brace your core and retract your shoulders, standing straight, as you sink into a lunge – making sure your front knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes. Drive up through your glutes and front heel to return to standing.
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FULL-BODY WORKOUT
1H. KETTLEBELL COSSACK SQUAT WHY: Improve your hip and ankle mobility, while also working your quads and core. HOW: Stand tall, holding a kettlebell by its horns at chest height. Shift your weight to one leg and bend that knee. As you squat down on that side, extend your other leg out straight, lifting your foot up onto its heel. Hold for a count, then push back up with the squatted leg to return to the start. Repeat on the other side.
1I. DEVIL’S PRESS WHY: This aptly named move is a combination of a dumbbell burpee and a dumbbell snatch. It’s full-body and it’s full on – remember to breathe. HOW: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, hanging by your sides. Hinge at your hips to lower the weights to the ground, touching down in line with your shoulders. With your hands on the grounded dumbbells, kick your legs back and perform a press-up. Keeping tension in your core, and avoiding a rounded back, jump your legs back in. Pull the dumbbells all the way back between your legs, keep a flat back and contract your glutes, as you stand up and swing the dumbbells overhead. Lower the dumbbells with control and repeat. Godspeed.
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1J. HIGH KNEES WHY: A fast-paced finisher to maximise calorie burn as you close out the round and take a well-deserved rest. HOW: Stand tall, with arms by your sides. Brace your core, keep your chest up and gaze ahead. Jog on the spot, driving through your glutes to lift your knees high with each rep. Pick up the pace (without sacrificing form) to make it harder.
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RUNNING S&C
STRENGTH ENDURANCE If you’ve joined the no-gym run club, keep injuries at bay with these core and lower-body-specific circuits from strength coach Dan Fallon
CORE VALUES. “The most common running injuries are always around the knee,” says Fallon, “and knee stability is affected by
how strong – or weak – your core, glutes and hips are. Being an exercise rehabilitation specialist, I’ve got first-hand experience of the fact that runners who neglect to strengthen these areas are the first to wind up injured.”
BRIDGE AND SPLIT SQUAT CIRCUIT
“The hip is the epicentre for all lower-body strength and control,” says Fallon, “and hip strength should always be the first port of call when building a foundation of strength for runners.” EXERCISE
TIME
Glute Bridge
40 secs
Rest
20 secs
3D Bridge
40 secs
Rest
20 secs
Split Squat Left
40 secs
Rest
20 secs
Split Squat Right
40 secs
1A. GLUTE BRIDGE Position your mid-back against your sofa or a cushioned chair. Step your legs out in front, feet hip-width apart, until your quads are parallel to the floor and your body forms a straight line from your chest to your knees. Lower your backside with control, until it’s just above the floor. Brace your core and drive through your hips to return to the top of the movement.
SEE HOW IT’S DONE
REPEAT CIRCUIT X 3-5
vimeo.com/336181109
1B. 3D BRIDGE
1C. STANDING SPLIT SQUAT
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Drive through your heels to raise your hips off the ground. As you do so, twist your upper body to one side and reach your arm overhead, tapping the floor on one side. Return to the start and repeat with the other arm.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Step one foot back. Place your arms out to the side for balance and melt both knees down until the rear knee finishes just above the floor. Drive back up, tensing your glutes as you do so, and immediately repeat the movement, continuing for the allotted time.
SEE HOW IT’S DONE
vimeo.com/336176432
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SEE HOW IT’S DONE
vimeo.com/336368531
PLANK CIRCUIT
“Just as mastering the bridge movements for strong hips is crucial, building core endurance is equally vital,” says Fallon. “As we’re working from home, it’s easy for sedentary behaviour to creep in, but plank movements can offset some of the core weakness associated with too much sitting. And as a runner, the core stabilises the spine to prevent unwanted movement, so you’re going to want to invest some time in making sure yours is as strong as possible.” EXERCISE
TIME
Straight-Arm Plank
20 secs
Rest
10 secs
Left Side Plank Rotation
20 secs
Rest
10 secs
Right Side Plank Rotation
20 secs
Rest
10 secs
Ninja Plank
20 secs
REPEAT CIRCUIT X 3-5
2A. STRAIGHT-ARM PLANK Assume a press-up position, with hands under shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Squeeze your glutes and keep your gaze ahead. Hold for 20 secs.
SEE HOW IT’S DONE
vimeo.com/336188915
2B. LEFT SIDE PLANK ROTATION Assume a side plank position, with your left elbow supporting your upper body, and your right foot stacked on top of your left. Keep your hip up at all times, as you extend your right arm up to the sky. Keeping your lower body as still as possible, lower your arm and bring it underneath your body, twisting your torso as you go. Return to the extended arm position and repeat.
2C. RIGHT SIDE PLANK ROTATION As with the left side plank rotation, but on the opposite side.
SEE HOW IT’S DONE
vimeo.com/336189169
2D. NINJA PLANK Assume a regular plank position, with forearms on the floor. Squeeze your glutes as you lift your left leg off the floor, keeping it straight. Hold for a couple of seconds, then lower. Now lift your right arm off the floor by ‘rowing’ your elbow into your side, keeping your elbow tucked in. Return your arm to the floor and repeat with the opposite leg and arm.
SEE HOW IT’S DONE
vimeo.com/336190614
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PRESS-UP VARIATIONS
GO TO PRESS
It’s a bodyweight favourite for first-timers and elite athletes alike, but instead of cranking out rep after rep of plain-old pressups, give these variations a go to chisel more than just your chest ARCHER PRESS-UP
WHEN YOU READ ‘ASSUME A PRESS-UP POSITION’ HERE’S WHAT TO DO Position your hands underneath your chest – in the press-up position, you should be able to draw a straight line from your nipple to your thumbnail. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your heels – think straight-arm plank, with an extra movement. Stay ‘tight’ throughout: clench your glutes and tighten your abs, as if you’re about to take a punch to the stomach. ‘Screw’ the heels of your hands into the floor. Doing so will stabilise your shoulder joints and give you more strength for each rep.
Photography Eddie Macdonald | Model Luke Worthington (W Model Management)
MAIN FOCUS: pecs, shoulders Assume a wide press-up position. Keep one arm straight as you bend the other and lean into the bent-arm side. The aim is to use the straight arm as little as possible, making the opposite pec and shoulder do all the work. Keep the elbow of the bent arm tucked in throughout to increase stability and prevent shoulder strain. Pause at the bottom of the movement for a twocount, then drive through your armpit to return to the start and repeat on the other side.
PRESS-UP POINTERS
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FOAM ROLLER PRESS-UP MAIN FOCUS: core, pecs, shoulders Assume a press-up position but place your feet on a foam roller rather than the floor. The instability of the foam roller places extra emphasis on your core. Perform a regular press-up, maintaining perfect form throughout.
SPIDERMAN PRESS-UP MAIN FOCUS: core, pecs, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quads Assume a press-up position. As you lower yourself to the ground, bring your right knee up to touch your right elbow – think Spiderman climbing a wall. Press back up and return your leg, then repeat with the other side.
PRESS-UP WITH SINGLE-LEG RAISE MAIN FOCUS: core, pecs, shoulders, glutes Assume a press-up position. As you begin to lower, squeeze your glutes to raise one leg off the floor, keeping it straight. Raise your leg as high as your hip mobility will allow. As you press back up, lower your leg, then repeat on the other side.
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PRESS-UP VARIATIONS
DECLINE PRESS-UP MAIN FOCUS: pecs, shoulders, biceps, triceps Assume a press-up position, with feet elevated on a chair or similar object behind you. Keep your hands underneath your chest and don’t let your hips sink – maintain the same straight line as you would with a regular press-up. Lower until your upper chest touches the floor, then press back up.
SUPERMAN PRESS-UP MAIN FOCUS: pecs, shoulders, core, lats Lie on your stomach with arms and legs extended, so your fingers and toes touch the floor. Drive through your feet and your hands to raise your body up, parallel to the floor. Lower back down to complete one repetition.
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PIKE PRESS-UP MAIN FOCUS: shoulders Assume a press-up position. Lift your hips up and walk your feet in – similar to downward dog, but with more emphasis on your shoulders. Keep your legs straight throughout. Bend your elbows to lower your head to the floor, then push up through your shoulders to return to the start. This is similar to the rock press on page 82, but without the lower-body movement.
PUSH YOURSELF THIS PRESS-UP WORKOUT COMBINES EACH OF THE VARIATIONS LISTED 1A. ARCHER PRESS-UP
Reps: 10 each side Rest: straight into 1b
1B. DECLINE PRESS-UP
Reps: 10-15 Rest: straight into 1c
1C. FOAM ROLLER PRESS-UP Reps: 15-20 Rest: 60-90 secs Sets: 3-4
2A. DIVE BOMBER PRESS-UP
DIVE BOMBER PRESS-UP
Reps: 10-12 Rest: straight into 2b
MAIN FOCUS: pecs, shoulders, core Assume a downward dog (aka ‘inverted V’) position. Keeping your legs straight, bend your elbows (but don’t flare them out to the sides) and lower your chest to the floor. As you near the bottom of the movement, shift your weight forwards and press up to straighten your arms. Reverse the movement to return to the start.
Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: straight into 2c
2B. SPIDERMAN PRESS-UP 2C. PRESS-UP WITH SINGLE-LEG RAISE Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 90 secs Sets: 3-4
3A. SUPERMAN PRESS-UP Reps: 12-15 Rest: straight into 3b
3B. PIKE PRESS-UP Reps: 12-15 Rest: 60 secs Sets: 3-4
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WHAT IT TAKES
WHAT IT TAKES...
TRUST, INTUITION AND CONSIDERABLE COURAGE ARE CRITICAL FOR PARACLIMBER JESSE DUFTON world-renowned rock climber and expedition leader, 33-year-old Jess Dufton has conquered some of the toughest climbs the UK has to offer. He’s also blind. Dufton suffers from a degenerative condition called rod-cone dystrophy, as well as astigmatism and cataracts. He was born with approximately 20 per cent of his central vision and from that drastically low baseline his vision has deteriorated further ever since. A member of GB’s Paraclimbing Team in the Visually Impaired category, B1, Dufton is ranked fourth in the world in International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) competitions, which take place on artificial climbing walls. However, it’s his climbing on rock and ice that sets him apart. On home
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soil, he often climbs ‘on-sight, non-sight’ challenges with his sighted climbing partner and fiancé Molly Thompson, who guides him via a radio earpiece. But when MF caught up with him he’d just returned from further afield, having become the the first ever blind person to lead climbs in the Arctic circle.
REGIME
“We train around six times a week, for around three hours a time at our local climbing wall in Loughborough,” says Dufton, “but when I need to do rope climbing we'll head up to Sheffield to the Awesome Walls climbing centre. I much prefer climbing outdoors. When I’ve got a major climb on the horizon, we’ll work out where I need to peak for and taper down the training sessions towards that date.” Using radio headsets, his partner, Molly Thompson, describes where holds are on the rock face through a wellrehearsed system based on an analogue clock. “She’ll say something like, ‘The next hold out is at ten o’clock,’ which will be relative to the previous hold,” Dufton explains. “That works really well indoors, but it’s tougher outside, because
there aren’t those brightly coloured blobs on the wall indicating holds – so there’s much more emphasis on me just working it out as I go. “A key difference when climbing outdoors is the safety element,” Dufton continues. “I’ll know, based on balance and experience, which hand I’ll need to move.” But when he’s leading outdoor climbs, he’s also placing the metal protection blocks into the rock for the rope to feed through. These ensure that if he, or any of the climbers he’s leading, fall, they don’t fall far. “That’s the bit that really blows most climbers minds – that I’m the one placing the gear, leading the climbs.” While much of the power comes from the legs when climbing, Dufton says it’s his forearms that take the biggest battering: “After a while on a route you get pumped, the lactic acid builds up and you basically lose the ability to grip anymore – that’s the real endurance element of the sport.”
NUTRITION
Dufton says the key priority for any climber is simply maintaining a
Words Rob Kemp Photography Molly Thompson / Montane
TO BE A VISUALLY IMPAIRED ROCK CLIMBER
“CLIMBING GETS QUITE SERIOUS, BUT CROSSING THE ROAD ON MY WAY TO WORK IS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS”
Watch Jesse Dufton in Climbing Blind, the multiaward-winning documentary that follows him becoming the first blind person to lead climb the Old Man of Hoy, a famous sea stack off the north coast of Scotland. vimeo.com
manageable enough weight to do what you do. “You don't want to weigh too much, because your power to bodyweight ratio is key,” he explains. “I changed my diet when I got selected for Team GB, mainly reducing carbs. I have salads for lunch now and don’t eat too much pasta.” Unlike endurance sports, there’s no need for carb-loading. “If you’re climbing in the UK,” he says, “there’s no need for any specialist food or diets – though expeditions outside the UK can be a bit different, because you need to consider time away from base and high-energy snacks. “I was in a documentary called Climbing Blind and in that I do seem to eat quite a few pork pies, but more often than not it’s chocolate brownies.” I don't go silly with food, though. Some climbers do run the risk of becoming anorexic and the BMC (British Mountaineering Council) has just brought in a requirement that your BMI has to be above a certain level to be able to compete.”
MINDSET
With life or death consequences, Dufton appreciates he’s in a risky business, but he also approaches it with a healthy dose of perspective:
“Climbing gets quite serious sometimes – when the consequence could be death, obviously – but I personally don't think that climbing is the most dangerous thing I do. Crossing the road on my way to work is much more dangerous for me, because there's only a limited amount of control I have, whereas with climbing, through my skill and experience, I’m actually quite safe.” And while outdoor climbing is tougher and riskier, it’s what motivates him the most. “It’s a multi-faceted challenge,” he says. “There’s the physical side: am I strong enough to climb these holds and in the right sequence? It’s like a chess game, using the holes in the correct order. Then there’s the skill in the rope work: placing the pieces of gear and making sure I don't get my ropes tangled. And the third aspect is mental: when you’re way above your last piece of gear and you're sketching your way up, having the mental control to keep everything together is paramount. If I can do a climb well and address all those challenges, I get the greatest sense of achievement out of it.” JESSE DUFTON IS A TEAM MONTANE ATHLETE AND THE EPITOME OF THE BRAND’S ‘GO FURTHER. FASTER’ ETHOS. FIND OUT MORE AT MONTANE.CO.UK
TRY THIS:
JESSE’S GYMNASTICS OFFSET PULL-UP
“Most of my training is fairly climbing specific,” says Dufton. “I use gym rings for things like off-set pull-ups – with the rings at slightly different heights.”
TUCK UP
“This is a great move for core and upper-body strength. Hang from the rings, then tuck up into a ball and fire your feet straight up to the ceiling. This replicates when you're hanging off your arms and you need to pick your body up and put your foot onto a high hold.”
‘SKIN THE CAT’
“Start hanging from the rings facing forwards. Pick up your feet, then pass your feet up between your hands as you rotate all the way through to 270 degrees – then unwind yourself. This is great for building up shoulder stability.”
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POWER OF 10
UP YOUR WEIGHTS-TO-CARDIO RATIO
“I recommend doing two or three weights sessions for every cardio session,” says Sean Lerwill, a personal trainer with a degree in molecular genetics. “Resistance training prevents muscle wastage, triggers biological reactions that help to remove free radicals and oxidative stress, and increases blood flow.” It also boosts growth hormone, which helps you retain bone-building calcium and fat-burning muscle as you age. A study in the journal Obesity confirmed that people who lift weights have less visceral fat – which is linked to age-related problems like heart disease and diabetes – than those who just do cardio.
DO HORMONE-BOOSTING LIFTS
“You don’t lose muscle because you get older, you lose it because you stop using it,” says Lerwill. “Compound moves like squats, deadlifts and pull-ups are best for reversing the clock.” After the age of 40, you can lose eight per cent of muscle mass every decade, slowing your metabolism and weakening your body, so cement good habits early.
BIO HACK
MAKE THESE TRAINING, NUTRITIONAL AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES TO HACK YOUR BIOLOGICAL AGE TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUNGER HIIT PAUSE WITH CARDIO SESSIONS
Research by the Mayo Clinic has shown that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) slows cellular ageing by boosting the regeneration of mitochondria – your body’s energy-producing powerhouses – by up to 69 per cent. It also enhances lung, heart and circulation health to keep your body young. “Cardio sessions like spin classes, sprints or CrossFit classes will keep your weight down and strengthen your heart and lungs,” adds Lerwill.
BEND THE RULES OF TIME
“To lower your body’s age you need to stay supple,” says Lerwill. “Dynamic flexibility training in your warm-up or before breakfast is great. Use yoga, dynamic flow or animal flow exercises to keep your hips and joints open. Sitting at a desk is terrible for our posture but, these exercises fight the bad habits which age you.” Try doing stretches throughout your working day: University of California research found that routinely sitting for ten hours a day increases your biological age by eight years.
BIOLOGY LESSON. Your age influences many things about your life: your wage packet, insurance premiums,
dating habits, even your TV tastes and holiday preferences. But it reveals surprisingly little about your personal health, fitness, vulnerability to injury and illness, or cognitive function. What really matters, according to a growing number of health experts, is your 'biological age': how your body is functioning relative to your calendar age. Also known as 'health age', this vital statistic can reveal if you have the health of a spritely teenager or a bed-bound pensioner.
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EAT MORE OMEGA-3S
“Aim to eat foods that have a natural anti-inflammatory action,” says nutritionist Angelique Panagos. “Good fats like omega-3 fatty acids get broken down into anti-inflammatory chemicals in the body, which help keep your cells at a good age. You get them from oily fish, olive oil, raw nuts, seeds and avocado. ”Research by Japan’s National Centre for Global Health and Medicine suggested that a traditional Japanese diet high in omega-3-rich fish delivers a 15 per cent lower mortality rate.
REIN YOURSELF IN
A heavy one-rep max day or brutal CrossFit class is fine, but not every session should be a pain-fest. “Hammering yourself every day creates cortisol and stress responses so your central nervous system takes a beating,” says Lerwill. Your exercise should be regular – 40 minutes, five days a week will cut your biological age by nine years, according to Brigham Young University – but moderate exercise is fine: a study by Appalachian State University showed that moderateintensity resistance training is as good as hypertensive medication at lowering blood pressure.
REMOVE STRESS
BE MORE EUROPEAN
A University of California study revealed that stress is linked to shortened telomeres and higher oxidative stress – both markers that correlate to reduced longevity. Try noticing if you often use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’, because thinking in extremes and absolutes is a sign of stress. Keeping a daily journal can help you achieve clarity and a sense of closure, and writing always involves a beginning and an end. The process itself encourages you to find solutions.
Photography Getty Images
A study in the British Journal Of Nutrition suggested that changing to a Mediterranean-style diet of fish, vegetables, wholegrain and unrefined carbohydrates – even later in life – brings a 25 per cent reduction in all-cause mortality. Research in the journal Neurology has also shown that following this diet helps you retain brain volume to ward off dementia and memory loss.
AIM FOR ANTIOXIDANTS
They’ll inhibit the damaging effects of oxidation. “Foods high in antioxidants include darkgreen leafy veg and colourful fruit,” says Panagos. At mealtimes always aim for half a plate of non-starchy vegetables, and for an antioxidant hit, try Panagos’ body-boosting green smoothie: made from three handfuls of kale, two sticks of celery, two apples, one quarter of an avocado, one teaspoon of ground flaxseeds, and as much water as you like.
SLEEP YOURSELF YOUNGER
Get your eight hours. A study in Biological Psychiatry found that sleep deprivation heightened inflammatory markers linked to cardiovascular disease, hypertension and type 2 diabetes, while an American study suggested people who sleep less than five hours a night had an “excess heart age” 5.1 years beyond their real age.
JULY 2020
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SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
ROW HARD & GO HOME Test your capacity with this mixed-modality conditioning workout taken from The Movement Blueprint’s Performance programme
THE WORKOUT
Rowing
TIME CAP: 15 MINS AIM: TO INCREASE YOUR ROW OUTPUT (SPEED) EACH ROUND ROW: 500M / 400M / 300M / 200M / 100M After each row, complete the following: 10 X DUMBBELL THRUSTER - Focus on the quality of the movement each round: hips should be below 90 degrees in the squat, with arms fully extended overhead. 8 X SLAM BALL OVER SHOULDER - Break the lift up into a ‘pull’, then ‘catch’, then ‘throw’ – the power should come from your legs. 6 X BURPEE OVER SLAM BALL - Ensure a two-footed take off and twofooted landing, with chest to floor each rep. Slam Ball Over Shoulder
Burpee Over Slam Ball
BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE The Movement Blueprint’s Performance programme offers a unique, cutting-edge training system that blends corrective exercise and performance training. Designed to improve your mobility, strength and aerobic capacity, the programme guides you through periodised strength cycles and progressive energy system development month by month. Expect to burn fat, build strength and muscle mass, and benefit from greater movement efficiency. Train smarter, not harder. Heat to themovementblueprint.co for all training programmes.
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Photography The Movement Blueprint
Dumbbell Thruster