AlphaFit Magazine Issue 5

THE UK’S FASTEST GROWING FITNESS MAGAZINE

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NET GAINS

Team GB’s basketball skipper Drew Sullivan on training methods and building arms of steel

SUPER STYLIN’ STAY FRESH, TAN SAFE AND LOOK GOOD! FOLLOW OUR TOP TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

ISSUE 5 AUG/SEP 2012

Latest gadgets Canine capers Jobs for the boys

TRANSFORMER! FOLLOW OUR MAN AS HE TRIES TO SHAPE UP IN 12 WEEKS

TO BE Photo Works / Shutterstock.com

SHORE

Geordie Shore star Ricci Guarnaccio reveals how he works hard and plays harder

TIPS FROM INSIDE THE MANCHESTER CITY CAMP p58 TRAIN LIKE CHAMPIONS EXCLUSIVE

Issue 5

Contents

What’s in store for this month 06 Warm up 08

Set off the right way

p 11

12 Grooming 16

19

22

38 Wicked work

We compare sport’s quickest competitors Move to the beat Tune in to the latest gym mix for better results

START RIGHT

Lighter fragrances as we hope for an indian summer Seaside style Summer’s not over, so check out these tidy threads Be cool Top tips to stay fresh Work hard, play harder Find out how you can shape up and drink up with Geordie Shore’s resident Italian, Ricci Guarnaccio

Getting you through your day p 24

WORK RIGHT

26 Transformers 30 32 34

One man, 12 weeks and hundreds of swear words…

Numbers game We reveal the right digits for the best workout results Smash HIITS Big in motivation but short on time? No problem...

Grill drills BBQs needn’t just mean burgers and sausages

Ditch your 9 to 5 for an ace job in the sporting arena Make the most of what’s left

p 41

16

52

LIV RIGHTE

42 Relationships 48

Is the love of your life right across the gym?

The great outdoors Make a tent your friend with these camping must-haves

Diversions

32

54

50 Introduction Use suspension straps to aid your workout, plus we preview the Paralympics 52 Gadgets Bag the latest gizmos to make life a little bit easier 54 It’s all in the arms Slam dunk the supersets with Team GB Basketball skipper Drew Sullivan for an Olympic-style upper-body workout 58 Sky-blue thinking If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em… get fit with the Premier League champions 62 Barking mad!

Love dogs and working out? Combine the two with Canicross 66 Off the record The best tweets from the fitness family

34 58

48

62

Editor’s letter

S

o, how was it for you?

London 2012 was everything we hoped it would be and more. Danny Boyle’s scintillating opening ceremony kicked off a series of iconic moments of sporting excellence that will live long in the memory.

It wasn’t just about the gold medallists either, though they were truly inspiring.

Some athletes were beaten

only by incredible feats of athleticism while others opened our eyes to new sports and disciplines.

Gymnastics, synchronised swimming, handball… even GB’s basketballers, with one win out of five, impressed as they pushed some of the world’s best teams all the way. Team captain Drew Sullivan reveals how to build arms of steel while

elsewhere in this issue we preview the Paralympic Games. Meanwhile, there is hope for us mere mortals.

Our man shows promising signs as he attempts to get ripped in just 12 weeks while Geordie Shore’s Ricci shows us how we can shape up without giving up our social life. Hurrah!

Nick Judd, Editor nick@alphafitmagazine.co.uk

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 3

Hair affairs Hair care

Hair transplants aren’t just for the rich and famous, as Salvar Bjornsson from the Vinci Hair Clinic explains

W

ayne Rooney’s hair has attracted as many column inches as his football in recent years – little wonder that more and more people are pouring over the bald facts of hair transplants.

But while the likes of Rooney, and celebrities such as James Nesbitt and Jason Donovan, are living proof of the advances in hair transplant technology, it’s still an area of cosmetic change that has the potential to baffle as well as amaze.

One of the country’s leading hair transplant specialists is Salvar Bjornsson from the Vinci Hair Clinic. Bjornsson, a certified hair transplant technician and senior consultant, is also the the writer of Hair today, gone tomorrow. Your complete guide to hair loss.

“I am a hair transplant patient myself and I did a lot of research before I had my work done,” says Bjornsson.

“Afterwards I was fascinated by the results and what could be done. I was shocked at how good it was. I wanted more people to know about what could be done. I have always done a lot of sports and kept in shape, but even though you are in great shape, hair loss can make you look older than you are and it certainly did in my case.

Celebrity hair transplants such as Rooney’s are raising the profile of the work carried out by the likes of Bjornsson.

His clinic also specialises in female hair transplants, eyebrow and body hair transplants as well as medical and other hair restoration treatment.

“We offer a range of services from transplants to medical treatment to stop hair loss, which people don’t think is possible,” he says. “[We offer] FUT, which is the most practised hair transplant and what I had done to get my hair back; FUE, which extracts hair follicles directly from the back of the scalp and was made extremely popular by Wayne Rooney and then we have the Vinci Max, which combines the two; this is for people with more advanced hair loss.

“Besides the surgical hair restoration techniques we also have MSP, Micro Scalp Pigmentation, non-surgical treatment which is becoming increasingly popular. This creates the look of a shaved head or shortly cropped hair and completely hides balding this is also helpful for patients who have scars in scalp they want to camouflage.

“Consultation is usually the first step. They are free of charge and there we evaluate the quality of the donor area, the size of the area that needs work, look at if the 4 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

MSP – Micro Scalp Pigmentation can create the look of a shaved or cropped hair without surgery even for those who are completely bald. clients expectations can be met and give them an honest evaluation as well as a price quote.”

Rooney’s hair transplant cost a reported £30,000, hardly loose change, but Bjornsson argues that the treatment is becoming ever more affordable and you would be more likely to spend something from £4,000 - £6,000 on a hair transplant, with FUE still being considerably more expensive than the FUT method.

“This might seem like a big investment but, remember that the transplanted hair is permanent, it doesn’t need any special attention, it will grow for the rest of your life like your own hair. Why? Because it is your own hair! The procedures simply redistributes the hair where you have more use for it,” explains Bjornsson.

The days of hair today, gone tomorrow are, it seems, well and truly over.

For more information on Vinci Hair Clinic and a free consultation with Mr Bjornsson, you can contact the clinic on 020 300 494 84 or through their website www.vincihairclinic.com

Hair care

It will grow for the rest of your life like your own hair, why?

Because it is your own hair!

Salvar Bjornsson before his Vinci Hair Transplant

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 5

Opening

WARM UPs

Catch me if you can First Wimbledon and then the Olympic Games, everybody was obsessed with stop clocks and speeds. Here, we trawl sport’s finest who felt the need for speed 156mph

27.79mph

131.82mph

127.02mph

Big-hitting American Andy Roddick is widely believed to have the biggest serve on the tennis tour. He once served at 155mph, a world record, but he was beaten by giant Croat Ivo Korlovic in March 2011. The 6’ 10” star registered 156mph in a Davis Cup doubles tie.

Former Sheffield Wednesday striker David Hirst was widely considered to have the fastest shot in football, after he hit the crossbar in a game against Arsenal at Highbury in September 1996 at 114mph. However, according to one Guardian reader, Sporting Lisbon's Brazilian left-back Ronny Heberson reportedly struck a freekick against Naval from 16.5 metres in 0.28 seconds, which equates to 131.82mph.

22.37mph

Talking of footballers... last April, the Daily Mail attempted to work out the top speed of Premier League players.

Thirteen names were clocked at 22.37mph including Manchester City's Mario Balotelli and Tottenham winger Gareth Bale.

162.95mph

Hold on to your seats, Colombian F1 racer Juan Pablo Montoya lapped Monza in 2004 at an average speed of 262.242km/h (162.95mph) in his Williams FW27 in pre-qualifying.

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The fastest man in the history of the 100m is Usian Bolt, who clocked 27.79mph while finishing the 100m in 9.58 seconds at the Berlin World Championships on 16 August 2009. He was unable to beat the time in London, but he made up for it in the 4 x 100m relay final.

The PGA Tour swing speed average in 2011 was 112.64mph according to the TrackMan launch monitor used at PGA Tour events.

GolfDigest.com suggest Bubba Watson had the fastest swing on tour, with a whopping 127.02mph, followed by American J.B. Holmes at 125.12mph.

125mph

The fastest ever Bobsleigh speed is reported to be 125mph, although the United States Bobsled and Skeleton Federation remain doubtful as a result of a lack of documentation.

81mph

Canadian cyclist Sam Whittingham once reached 81mph in Battle Mountain, Nevada in 2001 on a flat, paved surface without using a pace vehicle. In August 1995 Bruce Bursford recorded an astonishing 208mph.

However, he was using a specially designed stationary bike with helium-filled tires and a two-foot chain ring, set on rollers.

Opening

WARM UPs Kurve and burn H

ere at AlphaFit, we’ll try anything once whether it’s gadgets, footwear, supplements or retreats. So when we got a call from Uni-Kurve, who claimed they could work us harder than an extreme workout at the gym, we accepted without hesitation.

The team at Uni-Kurve came to meet Dan (the fella on pages 26-29) at one of his gruelling PT sessions. After being shown the limitless ways of using Uni-Kurve, the challenge involved a workout that covered every major part of the body, including the all important core. We could lie and say Dan breezed it, but the truth is it’s tough – in a good way. We would highly recommend it as either an addition to your current scheme or an excellent tool for personal trainers with limited space. This product comes in two weight categories and the possibilities are endless... Our verdict... thumps up!

Urban goodie Collective

I

www.unikurve.co.uk

The eyes have it!

F

inding a decent of pair of shades for exercise and workout use can sometimes be a hazardous business. The good news is eyewear specialists IceJem boast a range of products that have been roadtested by skiers, mountain bikers and tri-athetes.

The end result is a range of products that protects your eyes from flying grit and grime with unique “IceJem Defiance Rated” lightweight polycarbonate lenses.

The eyewear also offers tested and proven optical accuracy with their JemClear lens technology to give exceptional visual

coverage and UV protection. The product range is designed for serious athletes as well as the casual enthusiast and all products are available in three lens types, so you can choose which is best for your sport. You can trust IceJem, too, for they boast more than 50 years of optical manufacturing experience in the UK, so when they say their products provide an added competitive edge with a look that shows you mean business, we believe them!

You can get a free water bottle with every order, too. Simply visit: www.IceJem.co.uk

f you’re after a hit of protein with your breakfast or lunch then The Collective gourmet probiotic yoghurt range could be worth a go.

They contain more protein per 100g than some other shakes, are 95% fat free and contain two layers of rich fruit compote, so are perfect for those wanting a healthier option without compromising on taste.

Based on a New Zealand recipe, but using West Country milk, the yoghurts are available in a variety of flavours including Russian Fudge, Rhubarb and Strawberry + Apple and Spice. All the yoghurts contain probiotics (cultures A,B and C) and have no artificial additives or preservatives.

The Collective range of Passionfruit, Luscious Lemon, Cherry + Pomegranate and Russian Fudge are available in 500g sharing pots priced at £2.39 and are available at Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Ocado, Wholefoods, Nisa and Booths.

Rhubarb + Strawberry and Passionfruit are available in a 4-pack (95g per pot) priced at £2.29, and Apple + Spice, Passionfruit, Russian Fudge and Cherry + Pomegranate are also available in 170g pots priced at £1. Both the 4-pack and 170g pots are available from the majority of The Collectives stockists.

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 7

Opening

WARM UPs

Tune in,work out!

Two of the biggest forces in health clubs and house music have teamed up to produce the ultimate ‘Health Clubbing’ soundtrack series. Plug yourselves in...

W

e’ve all been there... sat fiddling with our mp3 player trying to find a track with an adequate beat and bassline to get us going. Well, those days could be over thanks to a new mix that promises to deliver the ultimate in performancerelated, quality, credible house music for the workout enthusiast.

BODYMUSIC Presents GYMBOX is mixed and crafted in association with leading dance music brand, Defected, and fitness professionals to specific BPM’s with the science necessary to create a flow, rhythm and musical journey to keep your mind from fatigue. The unique mixes allow each individual to increase their workout performance.

It is hoped the GYMBOX series will challenge a saturated fitness music marketplace full of generic mixes featuring hit-driven commercial dance with no true fitness credentials or heritage.

Music is reported – and proven – to enhance a workout. According to Dr Costas Karageorghis, an expert on the effects of music on exercise at Brunel University, in his book Inside Sport Psychology, “listening to music while running can boost performance by up to 15 per cent”.

Last month, BODYMUSIC Presents GYMBOX released Workout 1, two 60-minute mixes – ‘Cardio’ and ‘Conditioning’ – as well as a ten-minute warm-up/cool down mix available exclusively on iTunes.

“The goal-specific Cardio mix is at a 138 BPM tempo and the Conditioning mix is at 128 BPM – each designed to accompany your individual workout,” explains Pierre Pozzuto, GYMBOX fitness trainer. “When music is used as a ‘pace maker’, a constant that is always followed in my class, all other variables can then be more accurate.

I use music on the single, double or

8 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

‘freestyle count’. It’s one major way to change intensity.

Using the beat helps everyone feel part of the music and part of a team in class. So if the resistance is fixed (say to effort level seven out of ten), then intensity can be controlled simply by using the single, double or freestyle pace…”

The downloads feature steady, melodic beats combining electro and tribal sounds with uplifting vocals and dramatic breakdowns to utilise those endorphin rushes and optimise your workout.

The mixes have been designed to mirror the feel of a live DJ clubbing experience, where you can’t leave the dancefloor and are immersed in the sound. In terms of workout potential, a one-hour cardio workout at this BPM could burn 600-800 calories!

Music is always of paramount importance for the GYMBOX bods and all their gyms are designed around a DJ booth with Live DJ sessions everyday. BODYMUSIC Presents GYMBOX is a natural extension of this and the download series allows GYMBOX to reach out to a broader audience, giving everyone, everywhere and anywhere, the opportunity to sample a structured system of sound.

It’s guaranteed to get your hands in the air and your butt in gear, so what are you waiting for?

START RIGHT

GROOMING FASHION NUTRTION

Set off the right way

HIDE AND SEEK! Britain’s Got Talent contestant Mr Zip struck a chord with the nation with his catchy number, ‘Where My Keys, Where My Phone’. Most – if not all – of us endure a frantic dash at some point when it comes to finding some or all of our valuables. Yet help is at hand thanks to Eric Legge, a doctoral student in comparative psychology at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada and his adviser, Marcia Spetch.

According to PLoS ONE, the publication of peer reviewed science, the duo conducted an investigation to analyse people’s hiding and searching strategies in a room. 102 case studies hid and searched for three objects in complex real and virtual rooms.

The research found that case studies tend to put things either in the centre of a room or just inside the entrance. Yet when it came to looking for things they would head for the darkest parts of the room first. Simple solution, hide your valuables in the darkest recesses, i.e. the least obvious place, and save yourself time and stress!

10 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Grooming Fragrances

ATTACK OF THE

DKNY MEN SUMMER

COLOGNES

£34 for 100ml eau de toilette from The Perfume Shop.

AlphaFit’s resident grooming expert David Lee sniffs out this year’s best late-summer fragrances

Housed in a skyscraping 9” bottle, this fresh, citrusy fragrance featuring grapefruit and Yuzu (an oriental citrus fruit with a unique smell), also contains white pepper to give it a certain spiciness.

It also boasts cedar, which gives it a warm, woody base that enables it to cross over from daytime to nighttime use.

If buying another bottle of fragrance when you’re not even halfway through the one you got for Christmas seems like a waste of money, then think again. The raft of fragrances that appear during the summer months aren’t just a clever marketing ploy to shift more ‘units’, they’re specifically designed to work with the warmer weather.

Heat tends to intensify fragrances, making some of them overpowering in the process.

Summer versions of your favourite scents are remixed and reformulated to avoid this problem, giving them that extra icy freshness needed when the temperatures start to climb.

What’s more, they tend to come in larger bottles and are cheaper than their regular counterparts, making them excellent value for money. Here’s our pick of this year’s offerings...

DAVIDOFF COOL WATER PURE PACIFIC £33 for 125ml eau de toilette from Debenhams Already the perfect summer fragrance, Davidoff’s best-selling Cool Water has been given a limited edition summer treatment with the addition of lemon, mandarin and grapefruit, giving the fresh, aquatic feel of the original a fruitier, distinctly Mediterranean quality.

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JEAN PAUL GAULTIER LE MALE STIMULATING SUMMER FRAGRANCE, £38.50 for 125ml from Boots A true modern classic, Le Male is one of the most distinctive fragrances around. It’s sweet and heady too, though, which makes it great for nighttime but a bit heavy in the day.

This version is fresher and lighter, adding a touch of mint to the existing combination of notes to provide a much more invigorating scent. Cool limited edition bottle, too.

START RIGHT PAUL SMITH SUNSHINE EDITION FOR MEN, £22.10 for 100ml eau de toilette from feelunique.com A spicy cocktail of nutmeg, black pepper and coriander, with a sharp citrus top note of grapefruit and a warm, mossy base, this perennial favourite is – as the name suggests – like a blast of sunshine in a bottle. This is the perfect holiday fragrance and great value, too.

MOLTON BROWN COOL BUCHU EAU DE TOILETTE, £36 for 50ml eau de toilette from nivenandjoshua.com Superbly fresh, this invigorating eau de toilette is available all-year round but is perfect for summer.

It gets its zing from water mint, tangerine and buchu – a shrub with a blackcurrant-like fragrance. Totally unique, this is a great fragrance if you don’t want to smell like the next guy.

4711 COLOGNE, £7.66 for 50ml eau de cologne from Boots If the success of a fragrance can be judged by its longevity, then this light, crisp blend of citrus fruits and aromatic herbs is a clear winner – it’s been around since 1792 after all. Since it’s a cologne it has one of the lowest concentrations of fragrance extracts, so you’ll need to reapply throughout the day but it’s a true summer classic. Inexpensive too.

YSL LA NUIT DE L’HOMME FROZEN COLOGNE, £38 for 60ml eau de cologne from Debenhams Although it contains the fresh, fruity notes found in most summer fagrances (in this case, a bracing combo of mandarin, lemon and bergamot) this reworked version of La Nuit De L’Homme also has an energising spiciness courtesy of black pepper and a warmth provided by cedarwood, making it perfect for the hot summer nights.

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 13

Fashion

The Bright Stuff

AlphaFit’s Summer isn’t over andofield fashion expert Ali Sch lines up the key trends

As with white, br ights highlight a good tan.

Unlike white, brigh ts don’t look like yo u’ve had an accident if you get wet sand on them.

If you don’t want to go the whole orange -vested hog, this bag (belo w) is a more subtle nod to the trend; we lik e a bit of summer luxur y, but there’s a nylon ve rsion for £77 if three fig ures is a little steep.

Asos yellow vest, £10 www.asos.com

Longchamp Le Pliage travel bag, £455 www.longchamp.com

Havaianas Brasil in marine blue, £18 www.havaianas-store.co.uk

Fat Face Fistral Flat Front Shorts, £35 www.fatface.com

16 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

START RIGHT Sporting Summer

Paul Smith Classico Campione tee, £89 www.paulsmith.co.uk

r While we’d neve – do ee Sp a te ca advo ay seriously, step aw ty a spor from the lycra – hwear ac be ur yo to nt sla at wh d en -tr on ry is ve with the largish ting international spor this event we’ve had hion summer. Extra fas e os th to go points hion who choose a fas e interpretation, lik ng cli cy ith Sm ul Pa this tou er ov , tee inspired ear. and-out sportsw

Marc by Marc Jacobs eyewear white, red and blue geometric sunglasses, £115 Safilo*

Nike 6.0 Legacy board shorts, £85 www.store.nike.com

Havaianas Power in navy blue, £22 www.havaianas-store.co.uk

M&S Blue Harbour drawstring swim shorts, £12.50 Marks & Spencer www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 17

Fashion Stripe tee, £25 www.crewclothing.co.uk

Nautical But Nice The blue, white an d beige colour palet te of sailor-style ma kes it the most weara ble stalwart summer trend.

If you’re the type to concern himself with referencing child hood reading matter in current wardrobe choices, you’d do well to remember Sw allows and Amazons ov er Pugwash or Pope ye.

Swallow print polo, £22 www.topman.com

Fat Face Men’s Straw Trilby, £18 www.fatface.com

Levi’s shorts, £60 www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Office Solemate espadrilles, £9.99 www.office.co.uk

Dior Homme Black Tie tortoiseshell sunglasses, £195 Safilo*

Love Brand & Co Pineapple Punch Swimming Trunks, £128 www.lovebrand.com

ASK ALI, FASHION FIXER! Got a question of a sartorial nature? Send your style-based queries to editor@alphafitmagazine.co.uk and our expert will answer the best in the next issue.

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Prints Charming If you’ve been too scared to embrace the clashy print trend in your everyday wardrobe, then your beach shorts might be a good place to s start. And if pineapple ’t don l stil y sle pai and appeal, you can always show fashion nous with a classic pair of patterned shades.

Hom Cashmere Swim Short, £69 www.deadgoodundies.com *for stockists contact Safilo, 01423 520 303

Grooming

Be Cool

Feeling hot and bothered?

Don’t worry, here are ten ways to stay cool and smell fresh

Words: David Lee

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 8

9

10

STEER CLEAR OF SYNTHETICS Man-made fibres don’t

allow the skin to breathe so opt for loose-fitting cotton clothes instead. Or go for sportswear featuring CoolMax fabrics which ‘wick’ moisture away from the skin to keep it cool.

WEAR WHITE Black clothing may make you look slimmer but it absorbs every wavelength of visible light making you feel hotter. White clobber, on the other hand, reflects light keeping you cooler for longer.

GET TRIMMING The bacteria that cause body odour treat body hair like a breeding ground. By trimming it back you won’t just look better, you’ll feel cooler and smell fresher, too. For the ultimate trimmer try the Philips Bodygroom Pro (£76 from amazon.co.uk), which has different heads for trimming and shaving.

CUT BACK ON CAFFEINE It might improve your

concentration but it won’t help keep you cool. In fact, caffeine increases sweat production so swap tea, coffee and fizzy drinks for water or fruit juice instead.

TREAT YOUR FEET With 250,000 sweat glands producing nearly a cupful of moisture ever day, feet are bound to get a little whiffy. Minimise the problem by wearing cotton socks and leather shoes (both of which allow feet to breathe) and wash feet in warm water with a few drops of tea tree oil.

KEEP A COOL HEAD As much as 80 per cent of the body’s heat is passed through the head, so if your head feels hot and sticky, you will too. Keep hair and scalp cool and fresh by washing daily with a shampoo like Head & Shoulders Cool Menthol anti-dandruff shampoo (£2.99 for 250ml from Tesco).

Menthol widens blood vessels, helping your body regulate its temperature and cooling the scalp.

LIE DOWN “It sounds odd but armpit sweating switches off when you lie flat,” says Dr Margaret Stearn, author of Embarrassing Problems.

INVEST IN A SUMMER FRAGRANCE Lighter and

fresher than regular fragrances, summer scents are specially formulated to work in warm weather. Those containing citrus notes are especially good because they literally ‘zing’ off the skin, making it feel cool and making you smell good.

FACTOR UP Not only does sunburn look uncool it actually reduces the skin’s ability to release excess heat, making you hotter. Always apply a sunscreen if you’re heading into the sun. For daily protection use a moisturiser, like Clinique Skin Supplies for Men M Protect SPF 21 (£22.50 for 100ml from boots.com), which includes a built-in sunscreen.

EAT LITTLE AND OFTEN Eating smaller meals at regular intervals won’t just keep you trim, it’ll give you more energy, put less stress on your digestive system and help keep you cool and comfortable in the process.

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 19

Nutrition

Under

starter’s orders

kfasts Get each day off to a flyer with David Stache’s brilliant brea

I

t’s often stated that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, usually by nutritionists and dieticians.

However there’s no real physiological reasons behind this, it just boils down to the fact that people who make the effort to eat a breakfast are more inclined to look after the rest of their diet and not rely on high calorie snacks for their energy.

So start the day as you mean to go on and that means without cereal, too – often the box it comes in is more nutritious. Recent research discussed at the Institute of

Food Technologists (IFT) 2012 Annual Meeting and Food Expo highlighted that breakfast skippers in general miss out on key nutrients through the day, consume more sweets and fewer vegetables and led to more over eating.

So a good breakfast certainly sets you up for the day ahead. A point of note also raised was that protein at breakfast time was key to control over eating and satiety, however the staples we consider for breakfast are often low in protein and high in carbohydrates, far from optimal.

Here are our top six breakfasts to get your day started…

Fat-burning smoothie For those of you who live a fast-paced life but still want something nutritious to help kickstart your day and boost that fat burning, then here’s a simple recipe. Throw it all in a blender and you’ll have a great start to the day: • 4 slices of pineapple • ¼ grapefruit, peeled and sectioned • 250ml low-fat natural yoghurt • 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds • 2 tbsp coconut oil • 1 scoop of strawberry protein powder

Pre-race breakfast This is the preferred ‘pre-race’ or endurance event breakfast. Preparing clients for a marathon or other endurance events usually requires carbs in the days leading up to the event.

The key thing to remember here is your glycogen stores will be at near capacity; you just want to top up but also avoid foods which wont sit well.

So pick foods which agree with you.

A bagel with peanut butter and half a banana is always a good choice; you’ll get protein and fats from the peanut butter, which will slow digestion, and the bagel won’t sit too heavy, while the banana will give you an early morning boost to give you a quick start and a good mix of energy.

Don’t overdo it though, you don’t want any unwanted pit stops!

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Why it’s so good: Pineapple is high in fibre, keeping you fuller for longer while the grapefruit is high in fat burning enzymes an also reduces insulin spikes. The natural yoghurt is a rich source of calcium, iodine and protein and has been shown to boost immune function. The pumpkin seeds are full of good fats, as is the coconut oil, which promotes fat burning. Finally the protein powder will help keep you fuller for longer.

START RIGHT The healthy alternative to the fry up Scrambled eggs, grilled bacon with the rind removed, grilled tomatoes, fried mushrooms, roasted rye bread.

People are always surprised when they’re told they can have a full English on a weekend, but this version is high in protein, has healthy fats and slow-release carbs from the rye bread.

The tomatoes give a boost in vitamin C and antioxidants while the mushrooms (shitake being the preferred choice) are low in calories, but filling, and are great for boosting the immune system.

Meat and nuts The meat and nut breakfast has become the favoured breakfast of leading Strength and Conditoning coach Charles Poliquin.

“The meat allows for a slow and steady rise in blood sugar. The nuts provide a great source of healthy smart fats that allow the blood sugar to remain stable for an extended period of time.”

Suggestions include steak and almonds, venison steak and cashew nuts and chicken and hazelnuts.

The complete porridge An all-year round favourite, nothing quite beats this for quality and satiety. This really does keep you going until lunchtime! If you’re having a big legs day in the gym, this is the ideal way to get your day started.

Paleo bacon buttie This is so simple yet so tasty. It almost sounds like it won’t go, but this is a great mouthwatering way to start the day. Similar to the meat and nuts breakfast, it offers meat and healthy fats and is quick and easy to make.

• 50g porridge mixed with water or skimmed milk – a complex carb which is slow releasing, keeping you fuller for longer.

• 1 tsp of cinnamon – research has shown this helps to control blood sugar.

• 2 scoops of Reflex instant whey deluxe banoffe flavour – protein is a must at breakfast time, whatever your goals.

• 40g of frozen blueberries – full of antioxidants (frozen blueberries will bring the temperature down quicker so you can dig in!)

• 1tbsp greek yoghurt – lower in lactose than normal yoghurt and with twice as much protein.

Simply grill four rashers of bacon and spread guacamole on one, placing another slice on top making a sandwich.

The benefits of this are the healthy fats and protein, keeping you fuller for longer and controlling blood sugar levels. nomnompaleo.com

From fat burning to pre-race, all these great breakfasts have one thing in common: protein. For the healthiest start to your day, always base your breakfasts around protein.

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 21

Celebrity profile

G N I H T E R SHO

, but Ricci ore might be over ay harder Sh ie rd eo G of rd and pl The latest series you can work ha w ho s al ve re o ci Guarnac

T

here is hope for us all.

Italian Geordie Ricci Guarnaccio, along with his male co-stars, is living proof that you don’t have to give up all your guilty pleasures in the quest for a better body. Of course, healthy eating, regular workouts and rest are crucial, but those who regularly watch the reality TV programme will know the male members all boast beach bodies despite partying 24/7.

Good news for the rest of us!

“It’s not easy [staying in shape], particularly when you’re drinking every single day!” explains Ricci, who was thrust into the limelight in the second series of Geordie Shore and who returned for the latest instalment of chaos, set in Cancun, Mexico. For those unfamiliar with the programme, it’s the North East’s answer to hit US reality show Jersey Shore and finds a group of Geordies living and partying together.

“I try and work out four times a week but it can be tiring fitting that in. I like trying new things, such as German Volume Training (ten supersets, ten reps) or the Spartacus workout. You really have to push yourself, not just going to the gym but in your diet as well. We’re on the road all the time, pretty much every single day, so sometimes you have to grab sandwiches at garages, which isn’t ideal. And sometimes your hotel doesn’t have a gym, so it’s up to you to go and find one.

If you’re on the road three or four times a week, then it’s a challenge.”

Not surprisingly, spending a lot of time half naked in front of the nation is a huge motivator when it comes to staying in shape.

“It’s hard work trying to look good and keeping a good body shape, but because you’re in the public eye people always look at you and comment, maybe saying you look good or not, or you’ve put on or lost weight,” says Ricci. “You’re always getting looked at, particularly in

22 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

the summer. The trick is to try and maintain a healthy diet.”

Eating healthily comes naturally to Ricci. His parents own a fish restaurant, which comes in handy.

In addition, he attempts to get through as much chicken and rice as he can when work permits.

“I do tend to use protein shakes as well, but I like to get everything I need in my diet anyway. I’m able to eat a lot of fish at my parents’ restaurant and when I’m home I always eat well,” he says.

Not surprisingly, it was harder to maintain his diet while filming in the latest series in Mexico. And of course then there’s the drinking… “[Laughs] I’m quite luck really in that I’ve always been quite lean.

It means I don’t have to worry too much about what I drink. I don’t tend to put weight on in that respect.

If I don’t eat enough, weight just drops off, but I’ve always been lucky in that I’ve always had a six-pack by eating right. When it comes to drinking we normally do vodka Red Bulls. We tend to stay away from pints, which probably helps.

“Filming in Mexico was hard,” he continues. “Sometimes it was enjoyable, sometimes it wasn’t.

We found it particularly tough going to the gym over there. All the lads love going, so we try and push each other to go, particularly when we’re in the house.

“I wasn’t a huge fan of the food, I have to say. It was always nachos, fajitas and fried beans, which is completely different to what I usually eat. Me and the lads were mainly living off protein shakes most of the time. I lost a stone in weight!”

Not only that, but try and imagine a six-week 18-30s holiday, multiplied by two (at least!) and you start to get an indication of the lack of sleep Ricci and the cast were getting.

“The problem we’ve all got is that we all drink a lot! You’re going to a beach party every day, coming home

“I do tend to use protein shakes as well, but I like to get everything I need in my diet anyway” and speaking to camera and then, after an hour or two of sleep, you’re back out again. It’s non-stop for six weeks! The beach parties were sick and the clubs pretty amazing. It was 36 degrees every day as well, which is tough when you’re solidly drinking every day. And Rebecca [Walker] woke us up early every morning.

She’s 18 and was up and shouting, it’s like ‘shut up, man!’. She can get away with no sleep at 18, but I find it harder! You need your sleep. The house is so intense you take every bit of rest you can.”

Not that you’ll find Ricci complaining too much, of course.

Geordie Shore has brought the 25-year-old into the public consciousness, he’s travelled to Mexico – “Some of the beaches were unbelievable, really nice and secluded” – and through the programme he met the love of his life, cast member Vicki Pattinson.

The duo got engaged while filming the current series, Vicki no doubt impressed by his beach body and natural six-pack.

“Ha ha, I think I was rocking the best body, although I reckon I got the smallest shorts of all the lads.

I guess that’s the Italian blood coming out in me! We might get married in 2015. Vicki has pushed our engagement party back to October, but there’s no rush for us to dive in, we’re happy at the minute and we’ll take things as they go.

Not surprisingly, Ricci attracts a lot of attention form the girls but those who tune in will know he only has eyes for one woman.

“Being on Geordie Shore works one of two ways; you’re either loved by all the girls or all the boys. If the lads love you it’s because you’re going out and banging every bird.

I’m 25 and I’ve done that. I went four years without a girlfriend before going into the house and meeting Vicki, so I’ve done all that. You can’t please everyone!”

START RIGHT

The Italian Job

Ricci heads to the gym four times a week. Here’s how he fills those t-shirts…

Day 1 Chest & biceps Bench press (alternate between incline and flat) 4 x 8-12 reps Flies 3 x 12 reps DB curls 3 x 12 reps EZ bar curls 2 x 8 reps Day 2 Legs Leg press 1 x 20 reps, 4 x 12 reps 3 x 12 lunges (dumb bell each hand) Straight leg dead lifts 4 x 12 reps Calf raises 5 x 20 reps Day 3 Shoulders and triceps Barbell shoulder press 1 x 20, 3 x 8 reps Lateral raises superset with front raises 3 x 10 each set (“gets a canny burn!”)

Dips x 3 x 20 reps Cable push downs 3 x 12 reps Kickbacks 1 x 20 reps Day 4 Back Deadlifts 1 x 12, 3 x 8 reps Wide arm chin up 3 x 12 reps Bent-over row 3 x 8-12 reps Abs: “I tend to work these two-three times a week!”

“I try and work out four times a week but it can be tiring fitting that in. I like trying new things, such as German Volume Training (ten supersets, ten reps) or the Spartacus workout.

You really have to push yourself, not just going to the gym but in your diet as well”

Eating not cheating

Here’s how Ricci fuels his lifestyle 24 hours to a better body, eat right and promising results will follow 06.30 Strong black tea/coffee 40-50 minutes lowintensity cardio

7.30 breakfast Porridge: 30g oats + skimmed milk + tsp sugar 3 egg whites + 1 egg yolk (scrambled) 200ml fresh fruit juice

10.00 100g chicken breast 2 oatcakes Fruit Mug green tea

12.30 180g tuna or mackerel salmon or chicken breast 30g wholemeal pasta or basmati rice Large mixed salad Mug green tea

15.00 100g chicken breast 2 oatcakes Fruit Mug green tea

45 minutes preworkout 20g whey protein powder in water 2 oatcakes

Banana Drink water 45 mins intense weight training.

Immediately post workout: 40g whey protein powder + 5g glutamine in water

Evening meal (60 mins later) 150g lean red meat or 180g salmon steak 40g wholemeal pasta or 40g basmati rice or 2-3 small boiled new potatoes Large serving mixed vegetables

22.00 Cutting smoothie: Ingredients 1 tbsp linseeds, ground 300ml skimmed milk 1 medium banana 2 apples 2 heaped tbsp low-fat natural yoghurt 75g organic jumbo oats 3 scoops whey protein powder 1 tbsp wheat grass Water Bedtime 200g cottage cheese

Image: MTV

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 23

WORK WORKOUTS DINNER

WORK RIGHT Getting yo u through your day

i-RAGE! Technology, amazing isn’t it? Well, yes, although more and more of us are admitting to gadget-related rage at work or at home. Nine years ago, in 2003, a UK poll conducted by the Symantec Corporation suggested 86 per cent of people surveyed had experienced IT-related stress. And that was before tablets and smart phones.

More recently, a 2007 survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by an industry-research firm showed the typical computer averaged problems once every four months, wasting around 12 hours each month trying to fix them.

From losing unsaved documents to connectivity problems and outdated equipment, we’ve all experienced our fair share of crashing and freezing. So what’s the answer? As well as managing your own time and switching off when you leave the office, it pays to keep up to date with the latest equipment – it’ll help preserve your sanity. Talking of which, try and get into the habit of screen breaks and deep breathing, and discuss the use of yoga or massage in the workplace – if your company hasn’t done so already, suggest it. Don’t let the machines win!

24 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Transformation

Let the

transformation begin!

There’s no better motivator to get into shape than a wedding. AlphaFit’s Daniel Bond sought the help of our fitness expert David Stache in an effort to get in peak condition for his own impending nuptials. Here, in the first of three parts, David takes up the story…

D

aniel and I first met eight years ago while he was a DJ/club promoter and I was planning a club night in Leeds. Now our paths have crossed again, only this time he is asking for my advice to get ready for his wedding in September. Understandably, he wants to look his best on his big day, so he enlisted me as his personal nutritionist and trainer over the next 12 weeks. I warned him it would be tough but rewarding, I explained that I don’t accept excuses. Thankfully he accepted the challenge. You can too by following the plan I have put together and watching the progress both he and you make.

DANIEL’S BACKGROUND

THE PHASES

routine, so it was not needed.

Both nutrition and training are a numbers game, you just have to know which variables to work with to build the tailored plan. To obtain more variables, I needed more data:

At the beginning of every transformation, you need to assess the starting point and decide realistically what can be achieved. In Daniel’s case this was pretty simple: he needed to drop considerable body fat and increase lean body mass, neither a cut or a bulk, which isn’t that simple in 12 weeks.

Two weeks before we started, I asked Daniel to record the results of a simple workout, which gave me good indication of his strength and fitness levels.

3RM bench press – 77kg 3RM deadlift – 95kg 3RM squat – 105kg 2000m rower – 8.15 minutes 1.5km treadmill – 6.39 minutes 10km bike – 20.09 minutes 1RM testing isn’t that applicable for those who don’t train with weights regularly, because of the increased risk of injury. Moreover, Daniel won’t be performing a 1RM throughout the

26 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Daniel is a busy man. Spending just 30 minutes with him usually leaves me on a bit of a high; he’s driven, motivated and intelligent. I learn from him every time we see each other and I have a lot of respect for how he balances his life: he’s not one to do something half hearted, which is why I agreed to take him on. The motivation to get results is there to see; he has a goal and, by documenting his progress in the magazine, he is accountable to all the readers while having my resources as his coach.

Juggling family life, work and constant personal progression always present difficulties. Unless you’re a professional sportsman, gym and dieting can be something we easily let slip in favour of other areas of our lives. Any plan has to be manageable, otherwise it just won’t work.

To get the best results, everything has to be working together; diet, training and lifestyle have to fit, otherwise you’re hoping for results rather than hitting markers and progressing. Consistency delivers results: just watch how Daniel’s physique is transformed throughout the 12 weeks.

Weight 13st 5lb Height: 5ft 10” Waist around bellybutton: 36” Hips: 38” Chest: 36” Right arm: 14” Left arm: 13” Right quad at widest part: 38” Left quad at widest part 36.5” Looking at Daniel’s posture, you can see that his shoulders are rounded forward, most likely a result of his years of DJing, slumped over the decks. So, along with the imbalances, this is something we will need to address separately from the routine.

Weight 13st 5lb Height: 5ft 10” tton: 36” Waist around bellybu Hips: 38” Chest: 36” Right arm: 14” Left arm: 13” part: 38” Right quad at widest part 36.5” Left quad at widest

WORK RIGHT

PHASE 1 DIET

The diet is, without question, the most important aspect when getting results and transforming a physique, but there’s no one-size-fits-all plan you can follow. We are all different in body type and lifestyle, so Daniel’s diet might not work for everyone. There is, however, one similarity that rings true for everyone: the leaner you are, the more carbs you can have in your diet when you’re looking to get leaner. The dieting principles are based around eating good quality nutritious foods, utilising both macro and micronutrients when needed.

The Diet BREAKFAST MONDAY (Weights day)

TUESDAY

LUNCH

FRIDAY SATURDAY (Weights day)

SUNDAY

SNACKS

NOTES

Porridge with mixed berries plus nuts and protein shake

Prawn salad with mayo (prawn cocktail)

Shepherds pie with parsnip, sweet potato or cauliflower mash (instead of potato), mixed green veg

Mixed nuts (not salted) + celery sticks with hummus, protein shake post workout, oatcakes pre-workout

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon

Bacon, hard boiled eggs and tomato, spinach, lettuce, cucumber salad with full fat mayo

Garlic and lemon chicken

Mixed veg and guacamole

Chicken breast, steamed veg and avocado salad

Red meat, with garlic crushed boiled new potatoes and vegetables

Olives and mixed nuts, protein shake post workout, oatcakes pre-workout

Porridge with mixed berries plus nuts and protein shake

Tinned salmon, avocado, tomatoes, red onion and lettuce salad with olive oil

Citrus roast chicken with sweet potato fries

Mixed nuts (not salted) + celery sticks with hummus, protein shake post workout, oatcakes pre-workout

Scrambled eggs with mackerel

Lean mince stuffed peppers

Venison steak with broccoli and green beans

Mixed veg and guacamole

Porridge with mixed berries plus nuts and protein shake

Cheat meal

Cheat meal

Olives and mixed nuts, protein shake post workout, oatcakes pre-workout

Fast

Fast

WEDNESDAY Bacon and asparagus (weights day) omelette, rye bread THURSDAY (weights day)

EVENING MEAL

Bacon and avocado Roast beef with sandwiches with roasted veg eggs

In addition to your diet, there are key supplements you should be using:

ZINC 30MG AM

Allows for a more robust release of testosterone, growth hormone and igf-1, all key for muscle gaining and fat loss

WHEY PROTEIN

FISH OILS (high strength)

6g per day, split with first three meals of the day, reduces the inflammation from physical training, as well as improving cardiovascular health profile

VITAMIN D

10000iu per day, a wonder supplement!

Most people are deficient which causes muscle weakness

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 27

Transformation

PHASE 1 TRAINING

The first four weeks of training are based around increasing fitness and strength, with two strength workouts, two lactic threshold training sessions and one five-a-side football game per week.

STRENGTH SESSION A

STRENGTH SESSION B

UPPER BODY

LOWER BODY

Warm up on bike or treadmill.

Warm up on X-Trainer.

A1 Dumbell bench press (slight incline) – 6 reps x 5 sets A2 Cable crossovers – 8 reps x 5 sets

A1 Squats – 6 reps A2 leg extension – 8 reps

B1 Bent over Dumbell rows – 6 reps x 5 sets B2 Lat pull down (progress to wide grip chins) – 8 reps x 5 sets

B1 Deadlift – 6 reps B2 leg curls – 8 reps

Complete A1 and A2, rest for two minutes and then complete B1 and B2 and rest for two minutes.

Repeat from A1.

C1 Heavy dumbbell shrugs – 6 reps C2 Side lateral raises – 8 reps Repeat for three sets total, rest between sets for two minutes – two minutes 30 seconds.

Complete A1 and A2, rest for two minutes and then complete B1 and B2 and rest for two minutes.

Repeat from A1.

C King Kol’s Killer Kalves routine Find out the routine at: davidstache.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/king-kols-killercalves-routine-for.html Cool down on X trainer.

Cool down on bike or treadmill

THE STORY SO FAR

The results have been impressive: Daniel’s weight is down 8lbs, his arms are noticeably bigger and there’s a definite reduction in the waist. The upper back muscles are showing through, his overall strength and conditioning is getting better and his interval distances are increasing just as weights on the bar are increasing. Daniel has referred to me as ‘the devil’, told me he doesn’t like me anymore and moaned the gym was too hot when I was pushing him close to breaking point! Overall, I know his breaking points and won’t push him past them.

In relation to Daniel’s upper back and posture, which have suffered, his bench pressing is very good, whereas his rowing is quite weak. To address this, we have added face pulls, rowing and shoulder rotation and scapular to the overall routine.

THE PROGRESS...

WEEK 1

28 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

WEEK 3

WEEK 7

WORK RIGHT

Daniel’s Training Week DAY

AM

PM

Monday

OFF

Weights/Lactate PT session – upper body dominant

Tuesday

OFF

OFF

Wednesday

Strength session A – upper body

Five-a-side football

Thursday

OFF

Weights/Lactate PT Session – lower body dominant

Friday

OFF

OFF

Saturday

Strength session B – lower body

OFF

Sunday

OFF

OFF

CONTINUES NEXT ISSUE... www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 29

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www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 31

Work Issues

32 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

WORK RIGHT

Smash HIITS Short on time but big on motivation? Personal trainer Mollie Mollington explains how you can pack a lot into a little time with the latest trend

E

London-based personal trainer Mollie Millington offers health, fitness, and wellness information on her website, ptmollie.com You can also follow her on Twitter @PTMollie

veryone is short on time. Between work, family, commuting, sleeping, emailing, watching TV and eating… our days fill up quickly. Health and fitness unfortunately end up being a low priority, making people looking for the secret to getting fit with minimal time and effort. Gone are the days of cooking nutritious meals with vegetables from the garden.

We grab a coffee and bacon buttie in the morning, a quick lunch and often squeeze in a pint after work. The only exercise we get is running for the train and a kickabout. So, how can we get the most out of the limited time we have for left exercise?

First, remind yourself that it is called a workout because it is work.

You will sweat and get out of breath.

Your muscles will start to fatigue and you will take that as a sign your set is complete. Working with a trainer, your workouts can be more efficient and effective. A good trainer will vary each session to continually challenge your body, avoiding a performance plateau.

The combination of cardiovascular training and strength training will boost your metabolism, causing your body to slim down and tone up.

The hot new trend in the fitness field is “high intensity interval training” (HIIT). HIIT consists of repetitive sessions that alternate between periods of sub-maximal (just below the most your body can physically do) all-out effort and periods of recovery at low-intensity.

The sub-maximal effort will feel like your heart is about to explode out of your chest and your lungs simply can’t provide your body with enough oxygen to keep going. Your muscles will quickly feel like jelly as they fatigue. But this is what a HIIT session should feel like.

Intervals are a long-standing fitness tool that help to increase your heart and lung strength, as well as improve your aerobic fitness. Both elite athletes and novice exercisers can benefit from interval training. Intervals are functional, meaning that in everyday life you may be required to work

at a sub-maximal rate for a short amount of time (such as walking up a set of stairs, catching the bus, or beating the red light on your bike). If you’re training for a particular sport, intervals will develop your fast twitch muscle fibres for short distances. As an overweight footballer once said, it only matters who is fast enough to get to the ball first, not who is the fittest.

HIIT can be practiced in several sports activities. It is important to warm up for five-ten minutes (you should just about break a sweat) at the beginning of the session. The total workout usually lasts less than 20 minutes depending on your training objectives. There is no standard pattern for intervals of effort and recovery length, which is where a personal trainer or coach can come in handy. Working with a trained professional to identify your fitness goals and how to reach them is advised to avoid injuring yourself and wasting your precious training time.

HIITs are used by elite athletes as well as those wanting to be stronger and healthier. A study in the British Journal Sports Medicine found that sprint interval training was as effective as endurance training (longer sessions at low intensity) but only required 90 per cent of the time. Another benefit of HIIT is improved cardiovascular risk factors which may help you avoid coronary heart disease when you are older. Regular fitness also reduces your risk of diabetes, heart attack, stress, and allows you to sleep better.

As many others have pointed out, interval training (or any exercise program really) needs to be put into place, respected as a priority (no excuses for skipping a workout!) and then completed as the schedule requires. Combined with a planned nutritional strategy and regular strength training, HIITs will soon have your body transformed. With your improved fitness, you will develop confidence in your abilities and be keen to try new things, such as other sports, outdoor activities, or finally asking out the hottie in the office. www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 33

BarbecueDinners

Host a healthy

BBQ

Burn your fat, not your sausages! Our resident fitness guru David Stache reveals how to stay healthy round the BBQ this summer...

Grapefruit and watermelon salad Not all salads have to be boring, this one gives you a huge kick of vitamin C...

WHAT

• 1 whole lemon, plus the coarsely grated zest and juice of one large lemon • 2 pink grapefruits • ½ small watermelon, peeled, cut into 1.5cm slices, then into tortilla-size triangles • 150g ricotta, drained • 100g unrefined caster sugar • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint • 60g watercress, large stalks removed • 1 small red onion, finely chopped • rye bread, to serve

HOW

1. Pare the zest from the whole lemon and segment it by slicing the top and bottom off, using a sharp knife, then slice away the outer skin with even downward strokes. Discard the skin and pith and cut between the membranes to free up the segments, then finely chop. Discard the membranes. Peel and segment 34 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

the grapefruits in the same way but don’t chop. Set aside the grapefruit and chopped lemon separately.

2. Put the watermelon pieces in a large bowl, add the lemon juice and season well to taste. Set aside for 20 minutes to marinate.

3. In another bowl, mix the ricotta together with half the lemon zest and then season.

4. Meanwhile, make the dressing.

Put the sugar into a saucepan with 100ml water and stir over a gentle heat until dissolved. Bring to the boil and bubble for five minutes, until syrupy.

5. Remove from the heat, and immediately stir in the juices from the watermelon (if the sugar syrup seizes, stir over heat until it dissolves). When the dressing is cool, stir in the remaining lemon zest, the finely chopped lemon and mint.

6. To serve, divide the watermelon, grapefruit segments, watercress and red onion between plates.

Drizzle with the dressing and dot the lemon ricotta over the top of the salad. Serve with a slice of rye bread

WHY

Per serving: 330kcals, 5.7g fat (2.9g saturated) 9.4g protein, 64.3g carbs, 42.5g sugar, 0.7g salt.

T

he BBQ season is upon us. Well, it will be if it ever stops raining.

Which means bingeing on burgers and knocking back the beers, right?

Well, it doesn’t have to be, particularly if you’re looking to stay on track when it comes to dieting or eating for the gym.

A barbie doesn’t have to be all fatty meats and white carbohydrates, both of which are best avoided. If you want damage limitation, think outside the box. It doesn’t need to be just sausages, steaks or bland kebabs. Look at more interesting options such as fish and venison – grilling both is one of the healthiest forms of BBQ food, for the process itself brings out the flavour, reducing the need for high sugar and high calorie sauces. For burgers try lean mince kebabs for a healthy treat. In short, keep it simple and you’ll keep it healthy. Here are some great suggestions to keep your barbie a lean, mean, grilling machine...

WORK RIGHT MUSHROOM BURGER One for meat eaters and vegetarians alike...

WHAT (makes six)

• 8 large field mushrooms • 4 tbsp olive oil • 2 small red onions, finely chopped • 2 large garlic cloves, crushed • 1 tsp ground cumin • Good pinch ground coriander • 180g baby spinach • 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped • Grated zest of one lemon • 120g feta, crumbled • 6 flatbreads and Greek yogurt, to serve

HOW

1. Light/preheat the barbecue.

Brush the field mushrooms all over with 3 tbsp of the olive oil, then season.

2. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan over a low heat and gently fry the onions and garlic for five minutes until softened.

Add the spices and cook for two more minutes, then transfer the spiced onion to a bowl.

3. Put the spinach in a colander, pour over boiling water from the kettle to wilt, refresh under cold water, squeeze dry, then roughly chop.

4. Stir the spinach, chillies, lemon zest and feta into the onion mixture and season to taste.

5. Barbecue the mushrooms for five minutes, flat-side up, place to one side, turn over and divide the filling between them. Place back on a medium heat part of the barbecue for a further ten minutes until cooked through and the filling is piping hot.

6. Toast the flatbreads on the barbecue for a minute, then use to wrap the mushrooms, and top with a dollop of yogurt, and serve.

WHY

Per serving (based on 6): 373kcals, 15.9g fat (5.8g saturated), 14.7g protein, 46.2g carbs, 5.7g sugar, 1.7g salt.

Morrocan lean minced beef skewers Treat ‘em lean and keep ‘em keen

WHAT

• 2 lbs ground beef • 1/2 medium onion, grated • 2 garlic cloves, minced • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped • 1 tsp paprika • 1 tsp cumin • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1/2-1 tsp cayenne pepper • 1/2 tsp Ras El Hanout Moroccan Spice Mix

HOW

1. Combine the beef, onion, parsley, cilantro and spices in a large bowl, refrigerate for one hour.

2. Wash your hands but don’t dry them. Gently pack small amounts of the meat mixture around the skewers, forming a four-inch long sausage shape on each skewer.

3. Grill over charcoal, turning the kebab time to time so not to burn. Cook throughly. Serve with the salad or some other dense bread.

WHY

Serving Size: 1 (163 g) Servings Per Recipe: 4 Calories 500.7 Calories from Fat 308 (61% of daily allowance) Total Fat 34.2g (52%) Saturated Fat 13.3g (66%) Cholesterol 154.2mg (51%) Sodium 443.2mg (18%) Total Carbohydrate 2.7g (0%) Dietary Fiber 0.6g (2%) Sugars 0.7g (2%) Protein 42.6g

INTENSE MARINADE! Can be used on all meats to keep the calories down...

WHAT

• 1 tbsp garlic powder • 1 tbsp celery seed • 1 tbsp onion powder • 2 tbsp paprika • 1 tbsp chilli powder • 2 tsp pepper • 1 tsp lemon pepper • 1 tsp sage • 1 tsp dried mustard • ½ tsp dried thyme • ¼ tsp dried cloves and then of the fat burning ingredients add • 1 tbsp parsley • 1 tbsp oregano • 1 tbsp basil • ½ tsp rosemary • ½ tsp cayenne pepper

HOW

Mix all the ingredients together and rub in to the meat 20 minutes before placing on the BBQ, the flavours will beat anything you can buy in the shops and you’ll benefit from the effects of fat burning!

Top five herb seasonings for fat loss!

PARSLEY

great for digestion

OREGANO

helps combat cortisol and stomach bloating

BASIL

excellent for preventing hunger cravings

ROSEMARY

helps control stress and cortisol

CAYENNE PEPPER

can increase your body’s metabolism www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 35

LacticAcid

Acid test We’ve all felt the pain of lactic acid, but what can we do about it? Predator Nutrition’s Hassan Muzaffar has five tips to beat the burn…

M

ost people have been in a situation where they’re working hard and enjoying a good session when suddenly an awful burning sensation in the muscles arrives and the workout has to stop. This is the build-up of lactic acid. ‘The burn’ associated with lactic acid can act as motivation to some gym-goers during workouts, but sometimes it can actually get too severe and become counter-productive.

Lactic acid build-up actually occurs when your muscles have used up their energy stores, but are still required to do more work. Now that we know the cause, what strategies can we actually adopt to delay the build-up and fight fatigue for longer?

• TRY SOME SODIUM BICARBONATE (AKA REGULAR BAKING SODA!)

Pick up some baking soda from your local supermarket and try 0.3g per kg of bodyweight, one to two hours before exercise (eg if you weigh 75kg, try 22.5g). Sodium bicarbonate actually acts as a lactic acid buffer, however some users do experience some gastrointestinal distress after ingestion, so please approach with caution.

• DECREASE YOUR WORKOUT INTENSITY

Lactic acid generally builds up more quickly during fast, high-intensity exercises, so try working out a little less vigorously and increasing overall workout time in order to delay lactic acid onset.

• EXERCISE MORE REGULARLY

This may seem like a strange one, but increasing your workout frequency will actually help your body increase its lactic acid tolerance for future sessions.

• BETA-ALANINE SUPPLEMENTATION

Beta-alanine is fast becoming the new super supplement, with several published scientific studies supporting its ability to maintain an optimal pH level and delay fatigue.

A dose of 3.2g – 6.4g per day is recommended for performance benefits.

• INCREASE YOUR REST PERIODS AND STAY HYDRATED Adequate rest and fluid levels will help remove lactic acid from the muscles during your workouts, helping you to exercise for longer.

36 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Work in sport

Sporting chance If your hopes of playing professional sport are fading, why not try and land the next best thing? Here, four case studies tell Richard Edwards how to get a job in sport…

W

e’ve all dreamed about running out at Wembley or smashing a century at Lord’s, but when the reality hits that this is as likely as flying pigs, we start scrabbling around for alternatives.

So if you can’t play top level sport, what’s the next best thing?

Well, how about working in sport instead?

These four people have all carved out successful careers off the field of play – but close enough to the game to feel part of the action.

THE PHYSIO

THE PRESS OFFICER

LAWRENCE WEST, ENGLAND HOCKEY “I joined English hockey in a low-level PR exec role just after the Beijing Olympics in 2008. As the business has grown and expanded, my role has progressed and I’m now the communications manager. I had a marketing degree and a little bit of experience working in that environment, which I think helped. I had a hockey background with a huge interest in sport and I think that having an understanding of a sport gives you a solid foundation to work from.

“The most challenging part is to balance the spread of what we do because it’s now a big organisation.

Everyone wants to talk about their element of the sport and it’s all about being proactive at the right time. It’s great being part of a team that’s doing well on the international stage – you get a real kick out of that.”

TREVOR KEYS “I worked at Southend United and Charlton Athletic football clubs when I was an undergraduate. As with many professions, it was a case of who you know, not what you know. Southend offered me a post looking after their academy players and I had the same role with Charlton. That opened some doors for me and I’ve recently switched from Barking Rugby Club to Westcliff Rugby Club – both National League clubs. A lot of the posts advertised ask for previous experience in sport and I have to admit I’m a bit of a slut really – I just love working in different sports and with different athletes.

“It’s a pretty tough world to get into but if I had one piece of advice it would be to make sure you’re prepared to do some jobs that maybe aren’t necessarily related to your skills and your profession – wash up some bottles, because you never know what it could lead to.”

38 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

WORK RIGHT THE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS COACH BOB DONOVAN

“I was working on the London Stock Exchange in IT, but had always had a passion for tennis. I’d played the sport from an early age, but then took up squash. I suffered a knee injury that put pay to that, so I went back to tennis and started having lessons again. After the year 2000 – and the millennium bug which never happened – the IT work started to dry up. I gave up my job in the city and took up tennis coaching full-time.

“I really began by focusing on the technique side of the sport, drawing on my background of diagnostics in IT. Now I’m one of the few coaches who takes a laptop onto the court to show players slow motion clips of them in action. Not too different from IT after all!”

THE PERSONAL TRAINER TOM FROST

“I was at University and, if I’m honest, was a bit of a porker, so I hit the gym in a big way and managed to lose four stone. I had done a degree in engineering, but really fancied having a crack at something more vocational, so I did a personal training course and it went from there.

It’s not an easy career, I think from the 20 people on the course I completed, only three or four of us are still making a living, the rest have drifted away.

“I was 16 stone when I decided to lose some weight and now I’m back there again – only this time most of it is muscle. The majority of the training I do now is weights-orientated and I probably have about 16 or 17 clients a week that I work with on a regular basis. I definitely made the right decision.”

HOW DO I GET A JOB IN SPORT? Simon Vincent is the head of media at Hampshire County Cricket Club and believes that anyone looking for a career in sport has to look beyond the jobs pages of newspapers and websites. “Very often these jobs aren’t advertised, and sometimes professional clubs don’t even know they need someone like you until you turn up and show them what you’re capable of,” he says. “Do some work experience or work for free, it gets you noticed.”

For those who prefer the more traditional routes, then scour websites like www.sportsjournalists.co.uk,

which often features jobs with governing bodies. UK Sport also advertises a range of positions on its website www.uksport.gov.uk/jobs, while other popular sites include www.jobswithballs.com and www. sportsrecruitment.com.

Like Vincent said earlier, however, the best thing to do is simply get yourself out there, showing prospective employers your passion for sport and the abilities you have – you never know where you might end up.

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 39

HEALTH FRIENDS LOVE LIFE

LIVE RIGHT Make the m ost of wha t’s

GRAB A PIZZA THE ACTION! Last month, Glasgow University’s Chair of Human Nutrition Professor Mike Lean, together with a company called Eat Balanced, revealed plans for a selection of pizzas they claim are “the only nutritionally balanced pizzas you can buy”.

Apparently they provide a third of your daily nutritional requirements, including fibre, protein and fat thanks to… Hebridean seaweed, which supplies iron, iodine, and vitamin B12. Until they hit the shelves, comfort yourself in the knowledge that normal pizzas aren’t all that bad for you either, in moderation. Here’s why...

•For years researchers suggested eating pizza can reduce your chance of getting cancer thanks to lycopene in the tomato sauce. In April this year, Researchers from New York’s Long Island University studied carvacrol, a chemical in oregano, and found that it eliminated prostate cancer cells.

•Oregano is also an antioxidant. Even a teaspoon of dried oregano boasts small amounts of vitamins A, C and K, which protects your cardiovascular system and helps maintain healthy bones. It’s also high in iron – essential for carrying oxygen to human blood cells – manganese and Omega-3 fatty acids, which help metabolic processes in the body.

•Most pizzas are seasoned with a dollop of garlic, which is an excellent source of selenium, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and sulfur (allegedly a key constituent of nutrients essential to human health).

40 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

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Relationships

Looking for love in the gym?

Dating Coach Caroline Brealey of Mutual Attraction matchmaking consultancy (mutualattraction.co.uk) says that the gym could be a perfect place to find a partner in crime.

“When looking for a partner, it’s important your lifestyles complement one another. By meeting through training, you’ll know they’ll share your enthusiasm for keeping fit and looking great. But don’t just stand there and watch her sweat, offer up some helpful tips to improve her workout. Just don’t overdo it. A woman can spot a show off easily, especially if you’re constantly flexing your pecs at her!”

Events for sporty singles Fit2date (fit2date.co.uk) sessions mix exercise and the chance to score a date with someone really fit! With locations currently in London, Brighton, Bedford and Chelmsford, the company originated in Australia, where fit2date boasts 12 marriages. “At the very least, fit2date participants have a really great workout. The best case scenario is they meet the love of their life!” says founder Erica French. Fit2date also offers fourweek training programmes, eight-week run clubs and ski trips for those looking to get fit and find love.

In addition, Mutual Attraction (mutualattraction.co.uk) runs fitness sessions in London, led by Paul Weinreich of Titan Fitness. “It’s like speed dating combined with a training session,” says Paul. “Single people get the chance to meet someone who shares their passion for exercise and sport. The sessions encourage as much interaction as possible... and they are a lot of fun!”

42 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

in love

Where’s the best place to find a ‘fittie’? The gym, of course!

Three fellas share their stories with fitness writer Nicola Joyce Ian Gosling, a runner and duathlete, is 40 and lives in Reading.

He met his girlfriend four years ago through a running club.

“I took up running in 2004 and joined my local running club a year later.

I never thought I’d end up meeting my partner there, although there were plenty of running club couples.

“I didn’t really know Ellie at first, because we were in different ability groups, but I didn’t find it awkward to talk to her. It wasn’t until I had an invite to a wedding (of two people who met at the running club!) that I invited her along as my guest. In fact, I think she invited herself, to be honest! The snag was, it was at a friend’s mansion and most people were camping overnight. Let’s just say that we didn’t turn in until 3am, and we’ve been together ever since.

“Ellie wasn’t hugely sporty when we first met, but now it’s a different story: she’s a Personal Trainer and has gone on to compete in triathlons (reaching the GB team for age-groupers) and I have taken up duathlons, competing at the World Championships as a GB age-grouper.

“If we didn’t share the joy of running then we wouldn’t have met. And now, I believe it is part of the glue that keeps us together. We use exercise to unwind and train at the same time.

We even go on training holidays. In fact, last year, whilst en route to the South of France, we stopped for a couple of days cycling up and down the legendary 21 bends of Alpe d’Huez!”

LIVE RIGHT

You’re training, she’s thinking...

“If you spent as much time lifting the weights as you do trying to find the right song on your iPod, you’d be twice the size in half the time!”

Karla, Brighton “How can he not know how to use a towel?!”

Bridgitt, London “... what the hell is he doing?”

Amie, Bridgend

There’s something about testosterone in the room that helps me push harder (Kat, London)

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 43

Relationships Richard Clarke, 34, is an Elite Personal Trainer with Advanced Sports Performance, Swansea. He met his wife Ellie, at the gym, and asked her out after six years of waiting.

“I’ve always thought it was possible to meet your partner in the gym. I think you get a better quality person there, as opposed to the local pub or club on a Saturday night.

“I remember thinking Ellie was pretty and had great legs, no doubt from all the hard work she put in at the gym. But I didn’t ask her out for six years and, when I finally got round to it, she said she was flattered but was in a relationship. Talk about embarrassing! About six months later, I found out she was single, so I asked her out again. The rest is history: we were engaged within a year, married in two and had our first child a year after that. Sometimes I think it’s mad that my future wife was there in the gym the same time as me for all those years.

“Exercise has strengthened our relationship. We train together a lot, and make health a priority in our house. The magic of exercise hormones! On that note, Ellie says the fitter the husband, the better the sex...

If that’s not motivation, I don’t know what is!”

Steve Howarth from Rotherham is Director of EQ Nutrition. At 45, he is a champion natural bodybuilder with two World titles and three British titles. He met his wife Liz at the gym.

“I was into football long before I got into bodybuilding and played semi-pro until I was 30. At 14, I started weight training – I was skinny as a rake – and within a year I had put on over two stone. I loved the changes in my physique, and thought it might help with the ladies, but ladies didn’t go to the hardcore gyms!

“I first saw Liz at the gym in 1995. She had the most pert beautiful little bottom I have ever seen. I was smitten! In fact I told my training partner, “I am going to marry that bottom!” I don’t do small-talk whilst training, but outside the gym, I was happy to approach her. She admitted to being pleasantly surprised that I could walk upright without dragging my knuckles!

Liz is an ex-dancer, and taught aerobics, so she loved the gym, if not the stereotypical grunters who frequented them. She still trains every day. We’re married now with two daughters, and have been together for 17 years.

“We have gained a real understanding over the course of our relationship, so training never becomes a barrier, even when I have to be really strict when I’m competing for British and World titles.

The real bonus is Liz still looks like she did in her 20s. And, yes, that pert bottom is still there!”

44 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Health

BRONZE AGE MAN AlphaFit’s guide to getting a top tan – as safely as possible Words: David Lee

DO factor up

“Go for sun creams with a minimum SPF15 and ones that protect from both UVA and UVB rays,” says consultant dermatologist Dr Bav Shergill. Nivea Sun Moisturising Sun Lotion SPF30 (£5.25 from boots.com) is a good buy and offers UVA and UVB protection.

DO use plenty of suncream

Most of us skimp on the sunscreen – with devastating results. Always apply at least a finger-length strip to your neck and face, to each arm and each upper leg, and for each lower leg and foot. The same amount again will need to be applied individually to your upper back, lower back, stomach and chest.

DO treat sunburn

If you do burn, the most important step is to rehydrate the skin to assist the repair process and prevent further dehydration. You can calm skin with cold water, natural yoghurt or calamine lotion and treat sunburn on you face by applying aftersun lotion as if you would a face mask, leaving it on for ten minutes and then wiping it off.

DO skip the sunbed

According to a study by the World Health Organisation, the earlier you start using sunbeds the worse your prospects. The study said that men who use sunbeds in their teens and 20s were 75 per cent more likely to develop malignant melanoma than those who began using sunbeds later in life. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

DO think about faking it

Self-tanners have never been more popular with men, nor – thanks to improved formulations – more realistic.

If you’re worried about applying one yourself think about having a professional spray tan. You can even have shading done to improve the definition of your abs. It’s cheating we know, but every little helps, right?

46 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

DON’T ‘binge burn’

According to Cancer Research UK, a dose of sunburn doubles your chances of developing malignant melanoma – the most fatal form of skin cancer. Instead of blasting your skin for hours the moment you hit the beach – especially between the hours of 10am and 4pm – build up your tan slowly and steadily.

DON’T get scalped

Dermatologists often see men with skin cancers on the top of their heads. So if you’re bald or your thatch is thinning protect your bonce with a product like Banana Boat UltraMist Sport SPF30 (£12.29 from amazon.co.uk) and wear a hat during the hottest parts of the day.

DON’T be rash

Never hit the beach with freshly-shaved skin – it’ll be sensitive and its defences will be inadequate to protect against sun damage. Instead, shave last thing at night.

DON’T scrub

The pigmented cells that give skin its colour are shed once they reach the surface – a process that takes about 20-30 days and face and body scrubs will only speed this process. Keeping skin moisturised with a body moisturiser like Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body & Face Lotion for Men (£3.79 from Boots) is another good way to help prolong your tan.

Festivals

Get equipped for

Easy Camp Comic Pixel Sleeping Bag £20

Bright and funky, the Comic Pixel is the perfect sleeping bag for camping, caravans or festivals, with easy care polyester and polycotton fabrics. You can unzip it to use as a duvet, and the polyester fibre fill is warm enough for two season use.

Weight: 1200g Comfort Lower Limit: +5°C Pack size: 38 x 19cm Single layer polyester fibre fill 100% polyester shell Polycotton lining two-way zip with duvet style, full-length zip baffle

festival

There’s more to surviving festivals and tent holidays then wellies and throwaway barbecues... Cotswold Outdoors reveal the essential items to make you a happy camper

Coleman Comfort Double Chamber Airbed £45

Gelert Solar Shower £6.50

Fill it with water, hang it up in the sun and the insulating fabric heats up the water inside – undo the valve and wash!

Capacity: 20 litres Lightweight Durable PVC construction Complete with shower head Flow control and hanging cord

This clever double airbed comprises two separate air chambers, so that each user can define their own level of comfort and when one of you move the other won’t fly up in the air!

Made from an advanced type of PVC (Phthalate-free) which is kinder to you and the environment.

Weight: 3700g Double Lock valve locks in air Carry bag and repair kit included Dimensions: 137 x 188 x 22cm

Multimat Profile 35 Inflating Mat £35

Great value for a budget, selfinflating mat that’ll see you through spring and summer camping and into warmer autumn days too. PU foam gives fast inflation, and a PVC membrane gives an airtight seal.

Weight: 1475g Dimensions: 180cm x 55cm x 3.5cm

All items are available from Cotswold Outdoor at cotswoldoutdoor.com

48 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

LIVE RIGHT

season!

Go Rock Stereo Mini Speakers £30

The Portable Stereo Mini Speakers are high quality, compact and small in size with an excellent, unrivalled sound quality.

The speakers can be connected to your iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook, MP3/MP4 player, computer, laptop, PSP, Nintendo DSI, mobile phone or any other music source with a 3.5mm audio jack. Its built-in lithium battery allows for seven hours of use from full charge

by USB. Imagine the convenience of taking the mini speakers with you and being able to enjoy your music anywhere you happen to travel.

Freeloader Classic Solar Charger £40

The Freeloader Classic is the new star of the solar mobile charging world. Sleek and robust it contains the most cutting edge electronics capable of powering the world’s most popular devices including the iPad. Covered in a hard wearing and stylish aluminium skin, Freeloader Classic now has super powerful solar panels and is capable of giving power to an iPod/iPhone for 18 hours, a smart phone for 44 hours, a PSP or DS for 2.5 hours and an iPad for two hours. Classic’s in built LCD data panel provides useful information about battery level, power input and connectivity. Supplied with nine connector’s tips, including the new “standard” micro USB and a USB socket, Freeloader Classic is ready for action, straight from the box!

Vango Deluxe Flocked Double Chair £28

Lowe Alpine TFX Kongur 65:75 £120

Sumptuous comfort and camping don’t often go together, but relaxation is guaranteed with this inflatable double chair. The flocked PVC is soft to touch and easy to clean, too.

Dimensions: 150 x 85 x 53cm Flocked PVC Repair kit included

A large front opening means you can quickly gain access to items without having to take everything out, additional front lash points helps if you need to stow bulky items on the outside of the pack while the bellows side pockets are perfect for easy-to-reach items.

The additional ten-litre lid extension comes in handy when you may need to stop over for more than one night.

Capacity: 65 + ten litres TFX 4 Torso fit backsystem Hydration compatible Secure internal lid zipper pocket Bellows side pocket Mesh water bottle pockets Raincover

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 49

GEAR,TOYS & GREAT IDEAS

Diversions

Kit, caboodle, inspiration and brain food for the active modern man

Strap yourselves in!

FKPro - Suspended Bodyweight Training Kit £149.99

Resembling something out of an S&M club, suspension straps consist of straps that can be anchored to a post or hang from a T-frame.

Mobile versions of this kit even allow a workout in the park, garden or basically anywhere on the go.

It requires the user to pull up or push off from the straps as Rob Joyce,

The world of athletes meets the gym with this simple mobile contraption that works every muscle in the human body...

WORDS: Richard Bevan

Fitness Instructor, explains: “As soon as you take your feet off the floor doing a body weight exercise you get so much more muscle activation. But equally if you keep your feet on the floor you can do various degrees of different upper body movements.”

In the gym, suspension straps are usually anchored to a frame, but with the mobile Gflex version they can be tucked away in a sports bag and set up anywhere, just hook the device around a secure post, pole or tree and start working.

It’s an excellent system for building body strength. For example, by grabbing both rings and doing the same press up as you would on the floor means you’re exerting greater effort to stabilise yourself. This is

where the challenge comes in. Fixed resistance machines don’t require the same level of stabilising muscle groups.

Suspension straps also help enhance flexibility and strength while benefiting users of any age.

“I’ve had 78-year-old ladies doing upright press ups on it,” says Rob. “They are such a good exercise system that I think they should be used as part of anyone’s everyday exercise routine.”

And what’s better than being able to just stick it in the doorway or on a doorknob at home? Just make sure you hang a ‘do not disturb’ sign.

HISTORY OF FITNESS THE TREADMILL For years the humble treadmill has polarised opinion.

For some, it’s a useful alternative to running outside, particularly handy in winter (or summer, if this year is anything to go by). For others, it’s the epitome of misery, encapsulated by hours of graft while attempting to avoid falling off the back.

The internet tells us treadmills date back 4,000 years, when the actual word ‘treadmill’ was linked to ‘treadwheel’, a contraption resembling an ancient stair stepper whose primary use was to lift buckets of water.

The same technology was later adapted to create rotary grain mills, pump water and power dough-kneading machines and bellows.

Treadwheels were also used as a punishment in prisons and, in the 1900s, to power machines, but the first

50 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

medical treadmill is widely believed to have been created

by University of Washington duo, Dr. Robert Bruce and Wayne Quinton in 1952.

It was a fine year, the same year Mr Potato Head was patented, and the design was used to help diagnose heart and lung disease. In 1968, doctor of medicine and former Air Force Colonel Dr. Kenneth Cooper published the book Aerobics, which explained the benefits of cardiovascular exercise and prompted the development of treadmills for exercise.

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH CONTINUES!

The Paralympics Games run until September 9.

For all the essential knowledge, look no further…

LONDON 2012: VITAL STATISTICS London 2012 will be the 14th Paralympics Games.

A crowd of 80,000 are expected to attend the Paralympic Opening Ceremony.

Team GB are aiming for at least second place in the medals table. They finished second in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

HISTORY The first official Paralympic Games were held in Rome in 1960; 400 athletes from 23 countries competed. The title of Paralympic Games was first widely coined in 1988 in South Korea, when they were held in the same host city as the Olympic Games, and using the same facilities.

A total of 3.8 billion viewers watched the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games. This is expected to grow in London 2012.

RECORDS At the Beijing 2008 Games, Paralympic records were broken in 122 events. 108 of which were world records in their respective events.

Image: CHEN WS / Shutterstock.com

The most successful Paralympian of all time is US swimmer Trischa Zorn, who won 51 Paralympic medals (37 of them were gold).

Hungarian fencer Pal Szekeres remains the only person to have won gold at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Nigerian powerlifter Ruel Ishaku once lifted more than three-and-a-half times his bodyweight, and broke the world record, lifting a whopping 169kg.

TEAM GB’S HOPFULS Footballer Martin Sinclair, brother of Swansea City winger Scott, will represent Team GB in midfield in CP Football.

World no.3 Paralympic tennis player

Peter Norfolk (MBE, OBE), 51, is looking to make it three in a row after winning gold in 2000 and 2004. He also boasts five grand slam title wins.

Former swimmer Jody Cundy won five medals, three gold and two bronze, between 1996 and 2004 in the pool before switching to the cycling track, where he won gold again – and broke the world record – in the Kilo in 2008.

Archer Danielle Brown won gold at Beijing 2008 and again at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she competed against able-bodied athletes.

Starting as she hopes to go on, 29-year-old swimmer Susie Rodgers won five golds – 400m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 4x100m freestyle relay, 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle – at the 2011 European Championship, her first major competition Judo world and European champion Ben Quilter comes into the 60kg competition as world no.1. The visually-impaired athlete finished fifth during the Beijing Games in 2008 and will be targeting gold in London.

Staffordshire-based dressage rider Lee Pearson OBE is aiming for his tenth Paralympic gold this summer having won a hat-trick of golds in the last three competitions.

Sarah Storey OBE is another to have won golds in more than one discipline. She swept up five gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Games in the pool before switching to cycling in 2005. She won double gold on the track in 2008.

Wheelchair athlete David Weir MBE won gold in Beijing in the 800m and 1500m and is going for four golds this summer. He also won the London marathon earlier this year.

Rower and former Saracens rugby player Tom Aggar won gold in the single sculls at the Beijing Games in 2008 and he is currently unbeaten at World Championship level. www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 51

GADGETS

Diversions Scosche MyTREK Pulse Monitor

Who says men can’t multitask? MyTREK’s new heart monitor not only allows you to track your pulse while training but also control your tunes – and volume – at the same time. MyTREK resembles the watch used by The Hoff when talking to KITT in Knight Rider and connects to your iPhone via bluetooth (3GS, 4, 4S or iPod touch). It uses integrated LED and optical sensors to track your ticker and has five fitness levels. It provides audio prompts for real-time feedback and comes with a free app. The battery lasts for five hours, so perfect for runners. £99.95 from store.apple.com/uk

intelli-Diet/Super Diet Genius app Dieting can be a tough gig, which is why the intelli-Diet and Super Diet Genius apps are worth a look. They’re among the best-selling apps in the health & fitness category and allow users to see exactly what – and how much – to eat thanks to a sophisticated algorithm.

It calculates portion sizes for each food based on age, height, gender, activity level, food preferences, current – and desired – weight and even what food you have in the kitchen. Sorry, but those biscuits will have to go. £2.49 from itunes.apple.co.uk 52 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Musuc Bag

Camping can be a precarious business; one minute you’re fast asleep and the next you’re desperate for the loo, tripping over your sleeping bag in the dark and falling face first into a rogue peg. Well fear not, for the clever folk at Musuc have created a sleeping bag suit. It features all the warmth and comfort of a traditional sleeping bag and is made from materials able to fend off even the harshest conditions. The design is based on the Selk Tribe’s clothing and allows you to walk around. You might look like an astronaut, but you’ll be over the moon (sorry) with this purchase. £98.99 from www.sleepingbagsuits.co.uk

Leica Pinmaster II

Most of us will do anything to get the upper hand on the golf course, from dropping a ball down the trouser leg to ‘forgetting’ the odd stroke.

The Leica Pinmaster II is a laser rangefinder that delivers exact distances up to 820 yards and aims to help cut your handicap.

It’s light, waterproof (essential in England) and gives clear readings thanks to its LED display. All of which should help you when it comes to club selection. One thing it won’t do is help you with your swing… the creator of that little minx will be a millionaire!

Visit uk.leica-camera.com for details and dealers

HH Duffel Bag

Whatever adventure you’re planning, make sure you take the Helly Hansen duffel bag with you. It's made from a hard-wearing and durable water repellant fabric – made from 100% nylon tarpaulin – perfect for withstanding wet and windy conditions. So, perfect for fishing, camping, sailing and surfing. It boasts a 90-litre capacity, too, so feel free to pack the kitchen sink should you so wish. It has three separate compartments to organise your luggage while the padded shoulder strap comes in handy for lugging around. £60 from shop.hellyhansen.com www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 53

TRAINING

Diversions

Hoops & Dreams Team GB Basketball skipper Drew Sullivan might not have won a medal at London 2012, but he’s hoping he can help inspire the next generation. Here, he shares his fitness secrets with AlphaFit

A

nyone who followed Team GB’s athletes on Twitter, watched interviews on television or read about them in print media before or during the Olympic Games will know how much competing in London meant to them.

Take Basketball captain Drew Sullivan, for example who, like Olympics ambassador David Beckham and London 2012 silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu, was one of several athletes who grew up or lived a stone’s throw from the Olympic site. Not surprisingly, he couldn’t wait to lead his side into the Basketball Arena.

“It’s going to be incredible being a part of it all,” he explained when AlphaFit caught up with him before the Games. “Representing your country at the Olympics is the highest honour you could ask for and that won’t be lost on any of us.”

Team GB had high hopes of reaching the last four, although they were up against some experienced nations.

Sullivan knew competition would be stiff but he still dreamt of winning a medal in front of GB’s own fans.

“To be selected for the team is the greatest honour an athlete could have, so to win a medal would be very special,” he said. “I can’t think of anything better than being on the podium at the London Games from a sporting standpoint.”

Unfortunately, Team GB were eliminated before the semi-final stage after losing four games out of five.

“Sometimes in international basketball you can play teams that are better or worse than you, but at this level, if you 54 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

don’t come out and play at the level you’re supposed to, you could lose to any team,” Sullivan admitted.

Yet the results only tell half the story.

They were edged out narrowly by Spain – losing by just one point – and Brazil, two of the best teams in the world behind favourites USA before beating China. Sullivan scored 11 points in that last game in a victory the team hopes will help inspire future generations to take to the courts.

For Sullivan, his career continues.

A sprinter in his formative years, he was – and will continue to be – one of Team GB’s more experienced players.

One of two remaining players from the squad’s first training session in 2006 – along with Nate Reinking – he won a Commonwealth bronze in Melbourne in 2006 and boasts a string of domestic titles. He was a championship play-off winner with the Newcastle Jets in 2004/05 before winning a BBL Trophy and cup double a year later, Sullivan winning in the play-offs again to make it a clean sweep. He played on the club circuit in Spain and Belgium before returning to the North East for another BBL double in 2008/09.

Now at Leicester Tigers and having launched the Drew Sullivan clinics – basketball sessions dedicated to developing the ability of players towards the top end of the spectrum between the ages of 18-24 – he is hoping to make sure any buzz created by the Olympic Games continues.

AlphaFit caught up with the forward to discuss legacy, as well as how he shapes up for the court…

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 55

TRAINING

Diversions You’ve won a bronze at the Commonwealth Games and now played at the Olympic Games, how do the experiences compare?

This was my first Olympics and I was keen to take it for what it was and approach the matches like any other basketball games. Obviously it’s a competition on a different scale.

From a professional point of view, playing in the Olympic Games is what you work towards.

You must have spent months preparing, when did training start?

Pretty much as soon as the domestic season finished, to be honest. I tried to have some kind of break, maybe ten days or so because your body needs a little bit of a rest. But after that it was straight back into the gym and working on my cardio.

This was a one-off, a once in a lifetime opportunity so you don’t mind training after the season finishes.

You were captain of the team, what were your main responsibilities?

My main role, along with some of the guys, is to pick the lads up if they need it and relay the message of the coach.

Sometimes it can be hard for him to get his instructions across. In terms of motivation, I doubt the other players need me to do that.

When training, how do you divide your time between the gym and the basketball court?

I’d say it works about a 2:1 ratio, so spending more time on the court working on drills before doing a hard hour in the weights room.

Tell us a little bit about what you get up to in the gym?

I always start out on the bike or on the treadmill to warm up and get the body moving. After that, it depends on what day it is in terms of what body part we focus on.

Some days it’s upper body, others it’s lower body and sometimes we do sessions of varying intensity. We do a lot of strength work, but each session is very specific towards different needs.

56 www.alphafitmagazine.

We have a schedule that dictates different workouts and different parts of the body on different days.

Our upper body sessions (see side panel) are sometimes different from the lower body in that when we’re training our legs we might do higher reps and power weights. Leg work is usually more explosive.

SLAM DUNKING SUPERSETS

Do you have a specific diet when you’re training?

I’m probably the worst person when it comes to eating specific things in relation to my training. I struggle maintaining my weight when I’m not training, mainly because a lot of my body is muscle mass and when I’m not working out that is hard to maintain. But I’m quite fortunate in that when I am training I can eat what I want. I don’t eat a lot of junk food, but I eat to maintain that muscle mass. I don’t really use any supplements either.

What do you think are the main physical attributes a successful basketball player needs to have?

There are a lot of explosive movements in basketball, such as trying to make a cut or using speed to get away from a player or driving towards the basket. There’s a lot of jumping, too, so we do a lot of exercises from a standing position to gain that explosive moment as well as things such as single leg press. We try to isolate certain muscles and get them working independently of each other. In basketball your legs tend to do that, to work at different times. Most of the things you need, agility, speed and strength, come from your core. Most of us have pretty strong abs muscles, which allow us to perform different tasks.

Do you think the Olympics will help the popularity of the sport in this country?

I hope so. I don’t think the game will grow just by being played at the Olympics, I think it will need a lot of hard work from other sources. But it will hopefully be a great springboard.

Basketballers have perfected the vest look, so who better to ask for advice on building better biceps and triceps?

Here are Drew’s superset tips...

“We do a lot of superset work. Sometimes we vary the repetitions because some days you need to push harder than others and all the time your goals are constantly changing.

When it comes to chest and arms, we might do 8-12 reps on the bench press followed by similar reps with a med-ball drops. Lie down and get a partner to drop the ball towards you. With arms outstretched, catch while arms are straight, bring the ball to your chest and thrust the ball back in the air.

“We do a lot of curls, but add some lower back work to them. So, after your 8-12 bicep and tricep curls, do a similar number of Latpull downs to not only strengthen your lower back, but to also add strength to your arms and work on your core.”

Lucozade Sport, the Official Sports Nutrition Supplier of GB Basketball, provides support to players performing at the highest level, offering them a range of contaminant-tested sports nutrition products and support services.

Lucozade Sport’s isotonic performance fluids provides the players with the fuel they need to sustain performance and the isotonic fluids they need to stay hydrated before, during and after games. To find out who else Lucozade Sport helps go Faster. Stronger. For longer. visit youtube.com/Lucozade

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 57

TRAINING

Diversions I

t’s the last day of training at Manchester City’s Carrington complex and the players and staff are milling around, collecting their personal belongings and reliving the drama of the most dramatic climax to a season in Premier League history.

The Blues scored twice in added time to beat QPR on the final day of the season and clinch the title for the first time in 44 years.

As the players say their goodbyes for their summer breaks, they make one final stop at the sports science department. It’s not just a handshake and a pat on the back for their efforts over the past nine months, they also get handed a detailed document outlining their fitness programme for the summer months.

Manchester City’s players can forget the sangrias and french fries, it’s a damage limitation diet and training schedule to keep them in match-fit condition.

“When players finish for the season, they receive an individual programme, including nutritional and training guidelines,” Manchester City’s Head of Strength and Conditioning, Simon Bitcon, tells AlphaFit. “This program fits smoothly into what they do when they arrive back for pre-season [in July].”

After a gruelling Premier League campaign, they are advised to take two weeks off, before starting their bespoke workout plan.

“Once the players have had a chance to unwind, they’re instructed to complete crosstraining type work, such as swimming or cycling,” Bitcon explains. “These are ideal activities for the off-season because they’re great for maintaining cardio and they’re low impact, reducing the risk of injury.”

This is off-season training 21st century style. Things haven’t always been this way of course.

As graduates of the old school would testify, summers used to involve boozy holidays and fast food binges, and players would return to pre-season carrying a spare tyre, and not the one in the boot of their new Jag. The archaic cross country run on the first day back at training usually climaxed in a crescendo of vomiting.

But this started to change with the inception of the Premier League in the early 1990s. With TV money fuelling clubs’ extravagant spending, England’s elite were able to attract highly-paid foreign stars, who arrived on British shores more in tune with sports science.

This was a wake-up call to beer-swilling Brits and marked a shift towards greater professionalism.

One player who realised he had to optimise his conditioning work or get left behind was former Blackburn Rovers and Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage.

“You used to be able to go on holiday, have a drink every day, not train, go to the beach and return a bit overweight and try and catch up. Now you can’t do that,” admits the veteran of over 650 professional games.

“When I was a player, I had three weeks off and then for the next three weeks I did my own training regime to get back and try and be a step ahead of everybody else,” says Savage. “At the start of pre-season players were playing catch up with me.”

For Bitcon, he wants the rest of the Premier League

58 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

playing catch up with City’s super-fit players, especially with the challenge that awaits them next season. As reigning champions, Manchester City head into the 2012/13 campaign with a target on their backs. Everyone in the Premier League wants their scalp.

Bitcon knows that if the opposition can’t match the Blues for talent, they will try and drag them into a physical battle, which is why the players can’t afford to switch off over the summer. They need to hit the ground running.

“The players are highly tuned athletes, therefore it is important to keep their bodies ticking over during

TRAIN LIKE

CHAMPIONS

The football season is upon us once more and you can get fit by training like the reigning Premier League winners, Manchester City. Here’s how...

Words: Daniel Bamber Image: PA Photos

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 59

TRAINING

Diversions Workout

the break and not totally shut down for too long,” he explains.

“Shutting down for too long means you would have to work harder to get back to a high level of fitness.”

Traditionally players dread the first day back at pre-season, fearing a battery of tests designed to measure their physical condition. If they’ve overindulged during the summer, they know they’re going to be found out with heart-rate monitors and GPS units recording their every move.

But as Bitcon explains the game has moved on from the time of the ‘dreaded test day’.

“Players come back in very similar shape to when they left us, consequently we do not need to hammer them with high volumes of fitness work, so no runs to exhaustion on the first day back,” he reveals.

“When our players return for pre-season, we complete some baseline tests to allow us to monitor them throughout the season.

“But we prefer to focus on constant monitoring, rather than periodic tests,” Bitcon explains.

He believes this creates a more relaxed environment, empowering players to take responsibility for their own fitness throughout the season, rather than pushing themselves to the point of exhaustion just to pass an examination.

Professional players also recognise that by sticking to their summer program, they can make their mark during pre-season, catching the manager’s eye.

“Completing prep work over the summer allows you to start pre-season at a higher level,” says Bitcon. “You arrive at the first game in better shape than if you are playing catch-up by arriving at pre-season in poor shape.”

An idle summer can start a domino effect, slowing down a team’s overall pre-season plans and ultimately act as a hinderance to the start of their league campaign, as former Crystal Palace and Coventry City boss, Iain Dowie explains.

“The ripple effect is that is your pre-season is disturbed and if you’re not prepared physically, you’ll find injuries, you’ll find a lack of form, a lack of cohesion and your team unity won’t be great – working over the summer is that fundamental.”

60 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

Get ahead of the game and start the new season in match-winning condition thanks to this essential workout, courtesy of City’s Head of Strength and Conditioning, Simon Bitcon body and back, giving you the edge in those shoulder-to-shoulder collisions.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 3 Reps: 12 Times a week: 3

SUMO SQUAT TECHNIQUE

PLANK

TECHNIQUE

Assume a press-up position, but rest your weight on your forearms and your toes, with elbows tucked under your shoulders. Tighten your stomach muscles, ensuring your body forms a straight line from your heels up to your head.

HOW IT HELPS

Every muscle relies on your abs, hips, and lower back, aka your core.

Developing your midsection will help you build muscle and power so you’re stronger in the tackle.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 3 Reps: 20 seconds Times a week: 3

GLUTE BRIDGE TECHNIQUE

Lie on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet flat on the floor.

Raise your hips so your lower back is off the floor, keeping your knee and upper torso aligned.

HOW IT HELPS

Building a strong core helps reduce the risk of injury.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 3 Reps: 20 seconds Times a week: 3

INVERTED ROW TECHNIQUE

Using a Smith machine or squat rack, grab the bar with an overhand grip with your hands shoulder-width part.

Keeping your body straight, pull your chest up to the bar, hold and then lower yourself back to the start position.

HOW IT HELPS

This exercise will strengthen your upper

Set your feet about twice shoulderwidth apart, with your toes turned out at an angle. Lower yourself, by bending your knees until you thighs are parallel to the ground, hold and drive back up to the start position.

HOW IT HELPS

By boosting your glutes, hamstrings, and calves, you will add extra firepower to your shot.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 3 Reps: 12 Times a week: 3

SINGLE LEG SQUAT JUMPS TECHNIQUE

Stand on one leg, squat down slightly and jump up as high as possible bringing both feet off the floor. Land onto two feet, absorbing the impact with soft hips and knees.

HOW IT HELPS

Use this exercise and you will develop explosive power in your legs, boosting your strength, speed, and balance.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 3 Reps: 3 Times a week: 2

5 METRE SPRINTS TECHNIQUE

Using different starting positions – lying down, sprint, standing – sprint for five metres, keep low and pump your arms, with your upper body leaning slightly forward.

HOW IT HELPS

Working on your speed off the mark will maximise your acceleration and sprinting speed, helping you to leave opponents for dead.

WHAT TO DO

Sets: 2 Reps: 3 Times a week: 2

TRAINING

Diversions

T

here’s nothing better than stretching the legs with a good mate, even better if they have boundless enthusiasm, are always ready to train and never whinges about their latest injury.

Canicross originated as an off-season sport for sled dogs, explains Paul Roberts of Canicross Scotland (canicross-scotland.co.uk). “It’s cross country running with your dog,” he says. “The dog wears a specially-designed running harness and is attached to the human via a bungee and a belt.”

As well as a great way to exercise both the human and the hound, the two-legged half of the partnership gets a sweet deal: Canicross actually helps the human to run faster, something Susan Westlake from Canicross Scotland discovered.

“I run 5k three minutes faster when I’m with my dogs,” she says. “It’s quite an ego boost to overtake superior runners on the hills without even getting breathless!”

Why go for a run and then squeeze in a dogwalk later in the day?

Canicross combines your training and your dog’s exercise in one. “You work as a team, so it’s a great way to bond,” adds Paul Roberts. “The dogs get a runner’s high too!” With obesity levels thought to be at around 30 per cent for both dogs and humans in the UK, it has to be a good thing.

How do you know whether your dog is suited to Canicross? Veterinary nurse and author Annaliese Morgan (annaliesemorgan.com) gives us some checkpoints. “As long as the dog is fit, healthy and well behaved, not showing signs of arthritis, heart disease or aggression, there is no reason why they can’t run with their owners,” she says. “Just use common sense: don’t let them run into the road or expose themselves to other injuries or accidents.”

Like humans, certain dogs are more biomechanically suited to running.

Some will benefit more from a little and often approach, some will cope with long distances and some will prefer to sprint. “Short-skulled breeds are rarely able to cope with fast or long exercise because their breathing and cooling abilities are impaired,”

62 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

FACT!

Running with a dog will shave around 10 per cent off your regular 5k time

warns Paul Roberts. “But generally speaking most dogs (and people) can take part at some level – just let your dog set the pace. Build up the distances carefully, even if you’re already fit.”

Rachael Netherway from Newport, South Wales, took up Canicross with her dogs Badger, a three-year-old Springer/Collie cross and Dexter, a nine-year-old English Springer.

“I did the Couch25K running plan which enabled me to slowly get fit enough to run with the dogs,” she says. “We progressed up to eight miles by ourselves, then did our local Parkrun 5K. Now we’re regulars, and Team Dexter always gets a very warm welcome! I’ve even joined my local running club – something I never thought I’d do. The dogs absolutely love Canicross and it’s given me the confidence to enter a half-marathon.”

If your dog’s a youngster, wait until he/she’s a year old before putting them in a pulling harness. Most

Canicrossers like X-Back or Euro harnesses which enable you to utilise the dog’s natural pulling strength whilst protecting his neck and spine.

Interested? Then get involved.

Canicrossers are all over the UK, with local groups starting to form. Search the internet or Facebook for clubs and groups, or keep it to a twosome if that’s more practical. However you choose to do it, Canicross is a great way of using your local terrain and getting off-road onto the trails, hills and beaches of Britain.

FIND OUT MORE

What you’ll need: a harness, belt and gangline will make the experience comfortable for both of you (try snowpawstore.com for kit) For more information or find local groups go to: canirunners.co.uk For information on official races go to: canix.co.uk Dogs are welcome at most Parkrun races: parkrun.org.uk

MAN’S BEST FRIEND! Like running? Like dogs? Introducing Canicross – Nicola Joyce explains…

Feel the need for speed?

You can fuel your competitive edge with your four-legged friend...

Tracy Evans, Lincolnshire, takes part in races with her rescue GSD/Husky cross, Oscar.

“We compete in CaniX [Canicross] races although we are not particularly fast.

I am getting fitter and faster and have made new friends. Oscar is fitter, more confident and his behaviour has improved. It has also strengthened the bond between us: he now runs off-lead with me the same as he does in harness. CaniX people often camp at races and there’s a great social scene. It’s addictive! If your dog is more than half your body weight, you need to teach some steering and stopping commands. Oscar and I have run at Crufts and will be running in the European Canicross Championships at Cirencester this October. Every race is great fun and I usually end up in lots of mud and water.

In our first race, Oscar ran round all the puddles... I went straight through the middle!

www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk 63

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Closing

QUOTE THEM ON THAT! Olympic fever dominates our sports-related tweets this month “I’m delighted to join Chelsea FC.” Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard ends a summer of transfer speculation “Dear Tetris, thank you for making me really good at loading my dishwasher.”

Former Australia bowler Shane Warne goes all domestic on his followers “I made it from nothing......

N ima keep grinding like I ain’t got nothin.......#realtalkBO.” Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Eric Maynor on a humble background

“Thank you Mr. President!!

It’s an honor representing the USA !! The best country in the world!!”

Michael Phelps replies to a congratulatory message from US President Barack Obama

“This is what I worked hard for...!!!! Shabba...!!!!

Yeeeezzzzzz!!!! Thanks everyone...!!! ” Mo Farah celebrates his gold medal. Shabba!

66 www.alphafitmagazine.co.uk

“Your Attitude determines your Latitude. Make this life count.”

Wise words from Olympic and Paralympic hero Oscar Pistorius

Don’t forget to keep up with AlphaFit yourself on Twitter @AlphaFitTweet alphafitmagazine.co.uk) Sales director: Susan Hedges (sue@alphafitmagazine.co.uk) 01778 392580 Advertising executive: Rob Watterson (rob@ alphafitmagazine.co.uk) 01778 392580 Publisher: Target Eye Publishing Ltd Director: Daniel Bond Director: Faris Fisher Contact address: AlphaFit, 9 East Parade, LEEDS, LS1 2AJ Tel: 0113 245 1168

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“Nearly spat me poached eggs out seeing England are 3rd in Fifa rankings... #shambolic.”

Fomrer Chelsea midfielder Jody Morris reacts to seeing England ranked third, above Brazil, in the FIFA rankings

“Like I said before, those BRITS are some PEDALIN’, RECORD BREAKIN’, MUTHACYCLINPHUCCAS!!

Congrats UK!” Samuel L. Jackson pays tribute to Team GB’s cyclists in his own inimitable style

“Always reach for the moon cuz if you slip up u will be a star!!”

US swimmer Ryan Lochte’s number of followers climbed after his pool success, and he wasn’t afraid to offer some advice

Editor: Nick Judd (nick@alphafitmagazine.co.uk) Sub editor: Will Hughes (will@alphafitmagazine.co.uk) Contributors: Daniel Bamber, Richard Edwards, Nicola Joyce, David Lee, Mollie Millington, Hassan Muzaffar, Ali Schofield, David Stache Design: Adrian Mirfakhrai (adrian@

“I can’t thank everyone enough for the support they have given me over the past few weeks! I’m blown away! Can’t believe I’m Olympic Champion!”

Jessica Ennis completes the reaction to what was one of the greatest nights in British sporting history

Send all editorial enquiries to editor@alphafitmagazine.co.uk.

AlphaFit is published in the UK

by Target Eye Publishing Ltd. Copyright ©2012. All rights reserved. AlphaFit is printed and bound by Webmart UK. While every endeavour has been made to maintain accuracy in the magazine, AlphaFit can take no responsibility for errors. All opinions expressed are the opinions of the writer expressing them, where stated.

The old and the new The five-a-side workout. Be the king of the cage The future of fitness revealed!

We get medieval on your body Beat the snacks - win!

AlphaFit Sep 2012, out at all good gyms in late Sept

Workout Tables

AlphaFit workout checklists for

August

Rip out this page to keep a handy record of how you are progressing on this month’s workouts W

T) GfHusing I E i (

T SE

S

P RE

S

Geordie Shore Ricci’s workout p.22

CUT OUT AND KEEP

Day 1 - Chest/biceps

(if

Transformation p.26

SE

TS

RE

PS

Session A

Chest: bench

4

8-12

SouChest: flies

3

Biceps: DB curls Biceps: EZ Bar curls

A1 Dumbell bench press

5

6

12

A2 Cable crossovers

5

3

8

12

B1 Bent over d’bell rows

5

3

6

8

B2 Lat pull down

5

8

Day 2 - Legs Quads: 1 x 20 reps

W

T GsHing) I Eu

C1 Heavy d’bell shrugs

6

C2 Side lateral raises

8

4

12

Quads: lunges

3

each 12 hand

HS: Straight-leg dead lifts

Session B

4

12

A1 Squats

Calf raises

5

6

20

A2 Leg extension

8

B1 Deadlift

6

B2 Leg curls

8

Day 3 - Shoulders/triceps S: Barbell shoulder press

3

8

S: Lateral raises superset

3

10

T: dips

3

20

T: Cable push downs

3

12

Plank

T: kickbacks

3

1

20sec

20

Glute bridge

3

20sec

Inverted row

3

12

Day 4 - Back

Train like Champions p.58

Deadlifts

3

8

Sumo squat

Wide arm chins

3

3

12

12

Single-leg squat jumps

Bent over row

3

3

3

8-12

Five-metre sprints

2

3

Abs

2-3 times a week

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