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OCTOBER 2018 £4.10

9 771356 743149

Crack Your Body’s 6-Pack Code p40

Our Fastest Ever Plan For Strength& Size!

Turn AnxietyInto y Energy p84

BEST PODCASTS IN HEALTH & FITNESS

LATE-NIGHT SUPERFOODS

Boxing With JustinTheroux p50

Unlock Your Inner Athlete

Just Add Carbs! p58

10/18 THE OCTOBER ISSUE

HEALTH P45 AXE AGEING LIKE JAGGER

P31 SOUP UP YOUR GAINS

P47 JOIN THE JET SETS AND REPS

We reveal the front-row ticket to turn back your body clock and amp up your lifespan

A bowlful of ramen can spike growth hormone and supercharge your progress

Forget boozy weekenders – fitness retreats are the way to holiday in 2018. Boarding now

P57 OUTWIT CANCER IN 24 HOURS

P50 FIGHT YOUR FORTIES

P55 STRESS-FREE FAT BURN

Smart new science says you can hack your DNA and take the fight to the Big C, fast

Hollywood’s Justin Theroux shares his advice for strength built to last

This morning supplement has the power to burn fat and beat stress in 25 seconds

P25 BREAKDOWN REPAIR

P102 MASTER THE MUSCLE-UP

P37 A CLASS OF YOUR OWN

Understanding a panic attack will put you back in control

Nailing the marquee move of every gym aficionado isn’t easy. Until now, that is

Bring the calorie burn of spin to the comfort of your own home with this game-changing kit

FITNESS

6 MEN’S HEALTH

MUSCLE

NUTRITION

STYLE & CULTURE

P20 STICK IT TO INJURIES

P72 GREEN FOOD FOR GREEDY MEN

P56 ART THERAPY

Mobilise your muscles with a warm-up that will pain-proof your body and lift your PB

“Ethical eating” may be on trend, but what’s in it for you? Quite a lot, as our guide proves

Get your recovery strategy down to a fine art with our high-brow fix for muscle pain

P32 SHOES VERSUS FEET

P22 SHELLFISH DESIRES

P78 THE 50 BEST HEALTH PODCASTS

Can training shoeless kick-start your fitness? MH strips it down to the barefoot facts

Lean and nutrient-rich, oysters are a worthy addition to your meal prep. Time to shell out

Searching for some fresh audio inspo? Plug into this playlist for sound advice

P112 YOUR NEW TEAM KIT

P111 NO-BAKE PROTEIN

P117 ATHLEISURE’S NEXT MOVE

Take your pitch performance up a league. Our kit bag will elevate your five-a-side

Prep a full week’s worth of moreish, musclefuelling bars and you’ll keep hunger sweet

Brush up on the latest streetwear, blending performance spec with luxe aesthetics

PRIME YOURSELF FOR THE MONTH AHEAD

ON THE COVER P106 BUILD BIGGER ARMS Scale up your biceps in two weeks with a smarter, more functional arms-day plan

P43 LATE-NIGHT SUPERFOODS Give your fitness a boost when ordering from the backlit menu with MH’s fast food tips

P84 THRIVE UNDER STRESS Thrill-seeking athletes share their formula for turning your fear into fuel

P40 SWAP FAT FOR MUSCLE Combine functionality and heavy lifting: welcome to the world of CrossLifting

P58 RENEW YOUR LIVER Feeling the after-efects of summer hedonism? Mitigate the damage over brunch

P91 THE MH GYM AWARDS! From CrossFit boxes and fusion classes to boutique studios – this is where to train

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID VENNI STYLING ABENA OFEI GROOMING NATACHA SCHMITT USING SKINCARE BY CLINIQUE FOR MEN HAIR TONY AT LONDONBARBERHOOD MODEL LUIS YOUNG AT W MODELS T-SHIRT POLO RALPH LAUREN AT MATCHESFASHION.COM TRACKPANTS BRUNELLOCUCINELLI.COM

p72

EDITOR IN CHIEF

TOBY WISEMAN

BREATHE LIFE BACK INTO YOUR ROUTINE AND UPGRADE THE WAY YOU TRAIN WITH ADVICE FROM OUR TEAM OF SPECIALISTS

MIKE ROUSSELL

ROBIN DUNBAR

MARCUS FILLY

NUTRITION SCIENTIST

PSYCHOLOGIST

CROSSFIT COACH

According to Roussell, straying from your nutrition plan needn’t derail your fitness. His tips will help you hack the fast food menu p43

One in three men say they feel lonely on a regular basis. Dunbar explores the challenges of modern male friendships p66

Crush the monotony of curls and carve bigger arms in two weeks with CrossFit Games champion Filly’s functional workout p106

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ALUN WILLIAMS EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO MANAGING DIRECTOR NATASHA MANN BRAND DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR JANE SHACKLETON SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE PHILIPPA TURNER CLIENT DIVISION MANAGING DIRECTOR, BEAUTY JACQUI CAVE

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PERSONAL TRAINER

For extreme free-climbers, fearlessness is par for the course. Can we override our responses to peril? Seymour explains the science p84

If you’re alarmed about parting ways with your hair, you have options. Harley Street specialist Dr Fenton combs over the bare facts p13

After sweating over the top contenders, MH has selected its Gym Awards winners. Vaz Tostes’s practical methods score him extra points p91

THIS ISSUE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY… 11 PERSONAL TRAINERS

3 MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

10 UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS

3 NUTRITION CONSULTANTS

8 LEADING CHEFS

2 CROSSFIT ATHLETES

5 PSYCHOLOGY SPECIALISTS

1 RUNNING PERFORMANCE ANALYST

5 SUPER-HOT CHILLI ENTHUSIASTS

1 BODYBUILDING INFLUENCER

4 NEUROSCIENTISTS

1 WORLD FREE-DIVING CHAMPION

4 MH LAB EXPERIMENTERS

AND 1 FEARLESS CLIFF-FACE CLIMBER

TOTAL

8 MEN’S HEALTH

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THERE ARE MANY PATHS TO FITNESS. DO IT YOUR WAY

Why is the male psyche so partial to violently hot chillies? And what do we gain from the pain? MH sent a fearless writer to sample the flames

PAGE

Luxury menswear is now more about performance than posturing. Here’s our guide to the new informal

Whether you’re hungry for nutrition advice or training tips, there’s an in-ear coach for you. Plug into MH’s playlist of the world’s best podcasts

PAGE

Saving the planet doesn’t have to mean self-denial. Learn the tastiest routes to a spotless conscience

Overcome any obstacle by hacking your mind’s fear response. Ropeless climber Alex Honnold shows how it’s done

Few men would admit it, but a third of us regularly feel lonely. MH takes an unflinching look at male friendships

PAGE

hat is a gym? When I started out at Men’s Health in 2005, it meant one of two things. The first was a spit-and-sawdust temple to boxing or heavy lifting, invariably located under a railway arch, where admission was granted with a grunt and a grimace. The other was a softer, more sanitised afair in the form of a Fitness First or Holmes Place: an update on the community leisure centre of old, where a free, logo-embroidered rucksack was the dubious badge of membership. Having always been more of a runner and a team-sporter, I didn’t really feel at home in either. Besides, I preferred my own bag. Nowadays, the health and fitness landscape is a more invigorating and democratic vista. From boutique fitness emporiums that more closely resemble luxury hotel spas, to outdoor spaces that substitute tractor wheels for dumbbells,

From top chains to luxe facilities, we toast the UK’s ultimate training spaces

to cardio studios with the ambience of salubrious nightclubs, to CrossFit boxes redolent with the salty odour of chalk and sweat, there are now countless ways to train your body and test your limits. In the process, gains have become big business. A recent Mintel report calculated that the UK health and fitness market is now worth £3.2bn, having grown 20% between 2015 and 2018. That’s a lot of crunches. As a result, it’s no longer enough for us simply to show you how to train; also important are where to train and to what end. For the plodding keep-fitters and old-school lifters, there are still the same old destinations, unchanged by trends or capital investment. But now there’s also a whole new genre of class-based fitness

outfits, designed to function as social hubs as much as rooms for improvement. Meanwhile, the explosion of functional fitness spaces reflects a changing attitude in the way people want to exercise, and their objectives for doing so. Building muscle is now seen as the pursuit of a body that is fit for purpose, rather than simply a matter of looking hench in a shrink-wrapped T-shirt. All of these things are undeniably positive developments. This month, we launch the inaugural Men’s Health Gym Awards: a celebration of this flourishing UK fitness scene. We’ve chosen venues that we think reflect the best and the unique. You may be familiar with our selections; you may be angry at our omissions. That’s OK, because it shows there’s healthy competition. Either way, we’d love to know what you think. And if we’ve overlooked any worthy contenders, we want to hear about them. There’s always 2019. #MHBestGyms

TOBY WISEMAN BSME EDITOR OF THE YEAR

MEN’S HEALTH 11

REFRESHING PERSPECTIVES ON HOT TOPICS

PERSPIRATION IS GOOD, SO DON’T SWEAT IT

THE BIG CHILL Water isn’t the only way to rehydrate. Rebalance your body with this cooling shopping list

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID ABRAHAMS, JOBE LAWRENSON

NATHAN, BIRMINGHAM

For a certain type of gym-goer, the sweat patch on their T-shirt is a badge of pride – the surest sign of a workout well done. For others, it gives way to a creeping sense of insecurity that their fitness isn’t up to scratch. Quit beating yourself up, Nathan, because sweating is unequivocally a Very Good Thing. “Perspiration is simply a function of your body’s heat-regulating system,” explains physiologist and performance coach Tom Middlebrough. “The more you sweat, the more physiologically efficient your body is – so relish it.” In fact, the burpee-induced puddle on the mat is also an indication that you’ve triggered excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), which means your metabolism will remain fired up long after your workout.

Even so, we appreciate that returning to the office with a wet back and glistening brow is less than desirable. To combat this, drink plenty of water during your workout – not just after it – and don’t skip your cool-down. “If you stop abruptly, your body will divert blood to the digestive system and other organs. Less will go to your muscles, so they won’t cool as quickly,” says Middlebrough. Just 10 minutes of low-intensity work is enough. Then, in the changing rooms, place a cold towel on your neck while you check your emails: studies suggest that this part of your body is optimal for cooling because of its proximity to the thermoregulatory centre of your brain. So, go ahead and wear that pale-blue shirt without fear.

SPINACH This staple veg is rich in magnesium, an essential electrolyte – along with potassium and sodium – that needs replenishing after your workout. WATERMELON Studies have found that lowfibre, water-packed fruits can hydrate the body twice as efectively as H2O. Watermelon stands out, with an impressive 92% water content. COCONUT WATER A glass packs around 600mg of blood pressureregulating potassium. Plus, its 5mg of naturally occurring sugar make it a worthy alternative to sweetened sports drinks.

MEN’S HEALTH 13

PART WAYS WITH YOUR NIGGLING DOUBTS

TAKE THIS FAR FROM FUZZY ADVICE TO FILL IN THE GAPS

TEXT A PT Every time I go for a run I get a stitch halfway through. Why? Deep breaths, now. Stitches are more common for people who take shallow ones. They’re just a spasm of your diaphragm.

MY HAIRLINE IS RECEDING – FAST. DO I NEED A TRANSPLANT? MARK, CAMBRIDGE

DOES IT WORK?

@STEPHENADJAIDOO | *UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

It’s a tempting option. And, as hair loss affects 25% of men before hitting 30, you’re in good company deliberating the pros and cons. There’s no doubt that going under the knife can yield successful results: “Follicles transplanted from the back of your scalp to thinning areas still ‘believe’ they’re living there, so won’t be subject to balding,” explains Dr David Fenton, a Harley Street consultant dermatologist. However,

it’ll hit you where it hurts: your wallet. Prices range from £4,000 to £15,000, which is the amount Wayne Rooney reportedly paid for his rug. It’s worth looking into cheaper options first – as long as you know their limitations. Lotions such as Regaine can prevent further hair loss, but not all actually encourage regrowth. Or, you could try systemic hormone tablets, which have proven effective for returfing patchy areas. “They block the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, the hormone responsible for baldness,” says Dr Fenton. Yet the results are variable. Another option is to do nothing. In one study*, observers rated bald men as more attractive than the more hirsute. Going full Statham could be your best bet, after all.

OK, but what do I do about it? Press two fingers upwards at the direct point of pain for 10 seconds. Breathe and keep pressing towards your ribs. Stretch, too. Most stitches are on the right, so raise your right hand and lean to the left. That’s better. Will it come back when I start jogging again? It shouldn’t. Try breathing from your belly to take in more air. Thanks, mate. What can I do before heading out in future? Avoid high-fat foods pre-run; they take longer to digest, which can trigger stitches. No eggs and avo, then? Just follow this formula:

Stephen Adjaidoo, running coach

ANCIENT SOLUTION TO A MODERN PROBLEM

KEEP YOUR HEAD Employ Dr Fenton’s hacks to ensure today’s hair isn’t gone tomorrow REST HARD “If you’re training to excess, the nutrients your hair needs to stay healthy will be directed elsewhere. Give yourself – and your locks – a break.”

EAT STEAK “Quality protein is essential for hair growth. Steak is packed with iron, deficiencies of which can trigger balding. It’s also delicious, which is a bonus.”

GO NATURAL “Hair dyes will prevent any lotions you’re using from working properly. Washing your hair more often won’t help either. Highlights are out, anyway.”

I only have half an hour at lunch to work out. Rush it or halve it? Will, Streatham

Better a little that is well done, than a great deal done imperfectly. Plato, Greek philosopher

MEN’S HEALTH 15

99 PROBLEMS BUT A FAMILY AIN’T ONE Sperm counts are falling fast,

ICE ICE BABY

BIRTH PLAN

PUT THE DECLINE OF YOUR SPERM QUALITY ON ICE

WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLIST: MATTHEW FORD AT HERS AGENCY | STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: CASEY LAZONICK IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY | *HORMONE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH

but don’t fret: we have the scoop on boosting fertility s any TV advert for Magnum will amply demonstrate, ice cream can be seductive stuff. And, if you’re thinking of starting a family, you may want to turn your summer fling with a 99 Flake into a year-round love affair. According to a study from the University of Tsukuba in Japan, the amino acid taurine, found in dairy products such as ice cream (and other aphrodisiacs including oysters and, er, turkey bologna), could boost your fertility well into middle age. In a rodent study, the researchers found that a deficiency in cysteine dioxygenase, the protein that produces the amino acid, made mice ten times more likely to be infertile. A lack of taurine put sperm cells at risk of developing a dysfunctional tail – bad news when reaching the egg requires a self-propelled journey equivalent to a cross-Channel swim. However, they discovered that a plentiful supply of taurine could reverse this defect. Another study in the Journal of Biomedical Science found that a taurine supplement stimulated the production of testosterone in rats, working as an antioxidant in the testes to improve overall sperm quality. Fertility has long been considered a primarily female issue, but the attention is rightly shifting to men. With average sperm counts falling by 52% in the past four decades, it’s time you grabbed the responsibility of family planning by the balls. Now, will it be one scoop or two?

WORTH A SHOT Bookend your day with healthy habits that can put the odds of conceiving a child in your favour 7AM: SKIPPING Obesity is associated with infertility. If you want to lose weight quickly, skipping is the cardio option with the most impressive calorie burn. 7.45AM: SALMON Refuel every day with foods rich in vitamin D, such as oily fish, and you can increase your testosterone levels, a good indicator of fertility, by around 25%*. 8PM: ASHWAGANDHA According to an Indian study, this uncafeinated hipster drink can increase sperm counts by 167%, semen volume by 53% and sperm motility by 57%.

HEALTH NEWSFEED 10/18

10PM: BEDTIME Forgo the evening news for an early night. Chinese researchers linked sleep deficiency and late bedtimes to poor semen quality, and therefore a lower chance of conception.

MEN’S HEALTH 19

03 POLE POSITIONS

AND The LUNGING LUNGING BOW AND ARROW ARROW targets every muscle for the perfect warm-up in just one move. Give it a shot

GO WIDE Widen your stance with your front foot pointing forward and your rear foot perpendicular. Sink into the lunge – it’s this position that opens up your hips.

03 PUSH IT Once you’re lunging, twist round to start activating your core. Push away with your lower hand and pull down with your upper. Keep your shoulders back and lean forward. It won’t snap, honest.

WHAT YOU’LL GAIN

20 MEN’S HEALTH

LIFTING POWER

Stand with one foot in front of the other and set up with one hand halfway down the stick. Now, reach up with the opposite hand to grab the handle. So far, so easy.

tick mobility is the emerging trend in the UK, promising to increase range of motion, neuromuscular drive and joint stability – which is a fancy way of saying it’ll reduce your likelihood of getting injured and help you make gains faster. Sitting at a desk all day causes your muscles to tighten and weaken, and the resulting office-worker hunch takes its toll on your shoulders and hips. This not only hampers your performance, but also makes you prone to injuries that will allow hard-won progress to slip through your fingers. “This move activates your shoulders, as well as your hip flexors,” says Loui Fazakerley, personal trainer at Third Space. It targets the problem areas, while creating tension to activate your muscle fibres and prime you for your first lift. “Hold the pose for four slow, deep breaths before performing eight reps on each side.” Make this your pre-training move and you’ll lift heavier and safer within a month. You just need to stick at it.

PAIN-PROOF YOUR BODY

01 STICK MAN

NEW KIT KUDOS

04 TAKE A BOW Hold the position for four breaths to fire up your muscles for the workout ahead. Finish your reps on both sides, then find something heavy to lift.

WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES | GROOMING: NATACHA SCHMITT USING SKINCARE BY CLINIQUE FOR MEN AND MAC PRO | STYLING: ABENA OFEI MODEL: LEON FAGBEMI AT W MODELS | TRACK PANTS NEWBALANCE.CO.UK, TRAINERS ASICS.COM, MOBILITY STICK STICKMOBILITY.CO.UK

THE BEST EXERCISE YOU’RE NOT DOING

EA EH

LT H S N O B ’ S G U I D

Harvest the health beneﬁts of the sea’s most opulent treasure and enjoy a sybaritic, nutritious delicacy from the comfort of your own home

01 GOING NATIVE The oyster tops MH’s uber-food list for good reason. Low calorie and high protein, it contains nature’s most potent health enhancers – zinc, potassium, selenium and iron. Better still, the ﬁnest are sustainably farmed in the UK: “The waters surrounding the British Isles cleanse our oysters, giving them a unique purity,” says oyster authority Jeremy Lee of London’s Quo Vadis. “They are a veritable luxury.” Take advantage of these pearls of wisdom.

A MENAI, WALES Known for its silkiness and earthy flavour, this oyster – named after the Menai Strait waters – boasts 11g more protein per half-dozen than a serving of Greek yogurt. It goes better with a crisp white, too.

B CARLINGFORD, IRELAND A slightly meaty oyster that’s rich in flavour, the Carlingford works especially well paired with cured sausage. Half a dozen will come in at just under 250kcal, besting most salad starters on the menu.

C COLCHESTER, ENGLAND Just a couple of Colchester oysters provide you with your RDA of zinc, a mineral crucial for testosterone production. Native to Essex, this muscle-building catch is firm, fresh and salty.

D DUNGARVAN, IRELAND This oyster has a distinctive depth to it, and a rich mineral flavour. It’s also impressively high in energising B vitamins, which are responsible for supercharging your workouts.

22 MEN’S HEALTH

SHUCKS GIVEN As with meat and vegetables, you should aim to buy the highest-quality oysters your budget will allow. Waitrose sells them for around 80p each, but a ﬁshmonger can source you local varieties – given you provide adequate notice. Store the oysters in the bottom of your fridge, the round side of the shell facing down to avoid leaking juice. When you’re ready to dish them up, grip each one ﬁrmly in the palm of your hand – a Carl Mertens stainless steel mesh oyster glove (£190 houzz.co.uk) will stop you slicing an artery – and insert a Wusthof oyster knife (£35 simplyoysters.com) into the hinge, or pointed end of the shell. Twist in the knife and, once securely in place, prise open to sever the oyster’s adductor muscle. You’ll hear a “shucking” noise as the top and bottom shells part. And, yes, it should feel satisfying.

OCEAN’S FLOOR

DEEP IMPACT

03 DRESSED TO DOWN Once your bivalves are open, loosen each oyster from its shell to make it easier to tip them into your mouth. Now, dress them with your choice of Lee’s adornments and sit them atop a platter – or tray of ice, if you’re one for showing oﬀ. Then all that’s left to do is get the sea’s own sports nutrition supplement down the hatch and smile.

PUSH THE BOAT OUT

A MENAI WITH SHALLOT, VINEGAR & LEMON

B CARLINGFORD WITH SPICY MINI CHORIZO

SERVES 4 Menai oysters, 12 Shallots, 2 Red wine vinegar, 150ml Lemons, 2, sliced into wedges Original and Green Jalapeño Tabasco, to taste

SERVES 4 Carlingford oysters, 12 Chorizo, 200g Seaweed, to serve Lemons, 2, sliced into wedges

METHOD Finely chop the shallots and place in a small serving bowl. Add the red wine vinegar and stir to create your dressing. Pour a teaspoon over each oyster, ensuring there’s a fair share of shallots on every one. Serve with the lemon wedges – and as much red and green Tabasco as you dare.

METHOD Thickly slice the chorizo, fry it in oil, then set it aside to drain. Dress a platter with seaweed and pile your oysters on top, leaving space in the centre for the chorizo. When you’re ready to eat, add a generous serving of the spicy, salty sausage to each oyster, along with a squeeze of lemon.

Crack through more health and fitness boosts from the rest of the sea’s gems

ANTI-CANCER CLAMS

WORDS: DAVID MORTON | PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLIST: TAMARA VOS

Research published in Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine found that the hard-shelled variety of clams (one of the most common) could have an inhibiting efect on gastric cancer cells.

BRAINS AND MUSSELS These are a rich source of omega-3 and vitamin B12, vital for enhancing your brain function and protecting your memory as you age. The smart choice is to serve with chips.

SCALLOPED ABS The MasterChef stalwart is 80% protein for the sum of just 88kcal per 100g, which makes it the ideal fuel for carving out a six-pack at dinner. We’re looking at you, Gregg Wallace…

C COLCHESTER WITH CAPERS & WILD GARLIC

D DUNGARVAN WITH BLACKCURRANTS & SAMPHIRE

SERVES 2 Colchester oysters, 12 Capers, 3tsp Fermented wild garlic, 2tsp Coriander seeds, ½tsp

SERVES 4 Dungarvan oysters, 12 Samphire, 10g Blackcurrants, 6, halved A preserved lemon

METHOD Roughly chop the capers and finely mince the fermented wild garlic, then combine the two in a bowl. Crush the coriander seeds with a pestle and mortar and add to the mixture, as well as a splash of the brine from the capers. Distribute a teaspoon of the dressing onto each oyster and devour.

METHOD After thoroughly rinsing the preserved lemon, remove its flesh and finely chop the rind, placing it in a bowl. Use just the tip of a teaspoon to sprinkle a very small amount of rind onto each oyster. Follow with a halved blackcurrant and a sprinkle of samphire on top to finish. Serve on ice to enjoy in full splendour.

MEN’S HEALTH 23

06 BREAKING POINTS

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN…

…I HAVE A PANIC ATTACK? Only one in 20 of us will have a full-scale attack – but we’re all familiar with the symptoms. MH breaks down the breakdown

03 SIMPLE SOLUTIONS Overthinking a situation – imagining your boss’s reaction to that missed deadline, for example – will only heighten your anxiety. A US study found that refocusing the mind on simple tasks can calm you down. The solution can be as mundane as counting the number of tiles on your ofice ceiling until your heart rate falls and the panic passes.

04 FLIGHT, NOT FIGHT Adrenalin has a half-life of three minutes, which means the initial panic will quickly pass. Cortisol, however, sticks around for longer, so it can take two hours for your more chronic feelings of stress to subside. Bear in mind that if your hypothalamus stays agitated, it’ll keep ordering the release of these hormones*. So remove yourself from the situation: leave your desk for a fiveminute break.

WORDS: TOM WARD | ILLUSTRATION: PETER GRUNDY | *PSYCHOSOMATIC MEDICINE | **DIABETES AND METABOLISM | †NUTRIENTS

01 RED ALERT A panic attack occurs when the mind makes a powerfully negative interpretation of normal events. An impossible deadline, say, can cause your hypothalamus to overreact. When that email from your boss pings into your inbox, the brain region activates your pituitary and adrenal glands, causing stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol to flood into your system. This triggers the “fight or flight” response.

COOL RUNNING

02 WARNING SIGNALS The sudden surge of stress hormones induces shortness of breath, an increased heart rate, trembling, palpitations, and a redirection of blood to specific muscles and organs that can help you overcome a threat. It’s an evolutionary response, designed to maximise your chances of survival – but it can also make your minor ofice crisis feel like a matter of life and death. Try to remember that it’s not.

LEARN HOW TO CALM YOUR STATE OF RED ALERT

In severe cases, doctors may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs along with beta blockers to address heart-rate increases and chest pains. But the best lifestyle prescriptions are these Men’s Health all-stars: omega-3 fatty acids in oily fish significantly inhibit adrenal activation elicited by mental stress**, the B-vitamins in steak slash cortisol levels†, and a lunchtime run produces painkilling, mood-boosting endorphins, while making use of the extra adrenalin. “Flight” is the best way to fight back.

FACTORY RESET

UNCOMMON SENSE

THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE

PROCESSED FOOD ISN’T YOUR ENEMY Anthony Warner, our Hearst Big Book winner, explains why demonising factory-produced meals is dangerously irrational

lentils, quinoa, rice, flour, gluten-free flour, milk, yogurt, pasta, olive oil, virgin coconut oil, spices, dried herbs, chocolate, couscous – all of these are processed in some way. The health-giving properties of the food we eat are determined by their chemical composition, not by some magical origin story. There is no fairy dust of naturalness that makes homecooked (or maybe “home-processed”) meals better for you than any made in a factory. The key to improving the quality and healthfulness of the food that people eat lies in an engagement with food manufacturers, not a rejection of them. Food manufacturers and retailers have great power – far more than any celebrity chef – to improve people’s diets. They can offer sensible, realistic solutions that fit into modern lives. Although the industry should certainly be held to account for its transgressions, it would make my heart sing if, just once, a chef or campaigner commended it when it did something positive. I long for a time when campaigners and manufacturers can

“There is no fairy dust of naturalness that makes home-cooked meals better for you”

THIS MONTH’S ADVOCATE Chef and biochemistry graduate Anthony Warner is the author of The Angry Chef (Oneworld)

26 MEN’S HEALTH

INDUSTRIALLY PACKED WITH GOODNESS

> THE DEVIL’S DETAILS WHATEVER WORKS

LIFE OR DEATH

THE COLD, HARD FACTS

Like many diets, keto villainises an entire food category: carbs. Yet a Stanford study found avoiding them made no significant diference compared to more balanced diets, while the British Dietetic Association warned it could lead to a fibre deficiency.

According to the World Economic Forum, the food industry is a “key stakeholder” in the efort to keep us all nourished. Fortifying foods with nutrients could be an “efective” way to ensure humans don’t... well, starve and go extinct. So those nasty manufacturers might save us all – but only if we nudge them.

Frozen fruit and veg not only last longer, but they often lose nutrients at a slower rate than their fresh counterparts. One study* found more vitamin C in frozen blueberries and green beans than fresh ones, and more riboflavin in frozen rather than fresh broccoli.

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | *UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

f there is one matter on which almost every food writer, campaigner and chef can agree, it is that eating processed, factory-produced food is wrong. To maintain maximum health, we should focus on wholefoods and ditch the manufactured junk that has made us fat and sick. It doesn’t matter if you’re a cleaneating, New Age health blogger, a celebrity chef or a renowned, widely published researcher – the message is the same. The healthiest option is to eat “real” food. And here is where I make myself unpopular. By vilifying manufactured products, we’re making exactly the same mistake that underlies every food fad 1 : we’re attempting to classify food as “good” and “bad” and, in doing so, damaging our relationship with what we eat. Processed foods are broadly defined as any food that has undergone a process to alter its flavour, composition or shelf life. Yet such a definition would encompass a far wider variety of foods than is commonly acknowledged, many of which even the most self-righteous health blogger wouldn’t suggest we avoid. Pulses, beans,

present a united front, happy to praise each other for jobs well done but free to hold each other responsible when disingenuous claims are made. Imagine what a force for change this could be, oﬀering and endorsing sensible solutions to improve people’s lives 2 . Convenience foods are already with us, thoroughly integrated into our lives, invigorating them, enlivening them and allowing us to live them to the full 3 . To reject them and the modernity they represent is completely unrealistic. To attach guilt and shame to them – to make moral judgements about those who choose them – is a dangerous path. At best, it will create the sort of guilt cycle that pushes people towards negative behaviours. At worst, it will permanently damage our relationship with food.

THE BEST GYMS IN THE WORLD

28 MEN’S HEALTH

7 COACHES DROP IN One of the first lessons you’ll learn will be to let yourself fall forward and push into the ground as you roll down a ramp. Leaning back will cause the board to get away from you, and you’ll end up on the concrete – a painful mistake you’ll only make once.

With two permanent staff members and five more on call to assist class members, you can have as much support as you want. The beginners’ lessons will help you build up your confidence – at £5 per session, it’s well worth taking the plunge.

WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM WATKINS | *SYDNEY UNIVERSITY

Make sure your board comes from a proper skate shop – it’s a tool, not a toy. Fit the width to your feet (for size nine shoes, choose an 8in board), and opt for wheels with “flat spot resistance”, which means they won’t square off if you slide on them.

Roll into BaySixty6 skate park to put the thrill back into your training, while shoving your fat loss, mental strength and physical toughness to a new level e know what you’re thinking: can a skate park even be a gym? Well, we’d argue that limiting yourself to barbells and weight plates will only hold you back. So, broaden your horizons – or shred them. We’re not recommending you replace all your interval sessions with tail slides. But, just as glute bridges will add to your deadlift, learning to skateboard is a functional accessory to your weekly programme that will make you a more complete athlete. Skateboarding burns calories. Harvard Medical School notes that a 30-minute ramp session can grind through 222kcal – more than the daily brisk walk recommended by the NHS. Meanwhile, learning new skills bolsters your cognitive functioning*, improving high-level processes such as your working memory. The kicker? The more challenging and enjoyable the skill, the more robust the reward. Add to that the proprioception gains from mastering complex moves such as the pop shove-it, as well as the toughness you’ll develop from stacking it onto concrete. BaySixty6 is the place to jump on board. Beyond the expert kit in the on-site shop, it’s here that you’ll receive the best coaching in the country. “Our main aim is to create a controlled learning environment for people of all abilities,” says founder Paul McDermott. There’s no need to be embarrassed: for every sponsored pro, there’s a beginner attempting his first kickflip. Just don’t play the hero: always wear padding. “What’s cooler – a few pads, or a fibreglass cast and the inability to roll for months?” asks McDermott. We’ll see you in the queue for the helmets.

8 INCHES

GET ON BOARD

RISE AND GRIND

3 WEEKS 10,000 SIGNATURES When the skate park lost its Xbox sponsorship, the council pondered turning it into office space. The local community started a petition to save it, such was its positive impact. It worked, persuading the council to let the skaters keep riding high.

The coaches believe that practising twice a week for three weeks is enough for you to master board control: rolling, avoiding obstacles and even dropping in. More advanced tricks such as the kickflip, however, can take six months.

GYM BAYSIXTY6 SKATE PARK

LOCATION LONDON, UK

WEBSITE BAYSIXTY6.COM

MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HEALTH 29

SOUP UP YOUR MUSCLE GAINS WITH RAMEN The trending noodle broth’s

WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE, GETTY | IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY | *MANY CLAIM THAT THIS DISH ORIGINATES IN SCOTLAND

fermented ingredients will quicken your gym progress ast Asian cuisine is having a moment. Its umami ﬂavours and spices have made it the darling of food bloggers, while its reliance on fermented ingredients has won it praise in this magazine for their positive impact on digestive health. But, should you hunger for any further justiﬁcation, we’re happy to oblige. New science says ramen is the pre-workout fuel. Cook your noodles in a miso broth and serve with spicy kimchi and you’ll gorge on the neurotransmitter GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid). A study published in

MUSCLE NEWSFEED 10/18

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that, ingested before resistance training, GABA increased human growth hormone (HGH) production by a muscular 400%. Normally, HGH is released into the bloodstream during deep sleep, helping your body repair overnight. It builds muscle mass, melts body fat and can even slow the ageing process – which is why the synthetic variety is banned from sporting competitions. HGH levels peak during puberty and decline steeply as you approach middle age, so men find significant gains hard to achieve after 40. That you can fire up your natural reserves with a trending lunch is not only welcome news, but the smartest choice – especially given that black market injections come with hefty health risks (including cardiac arrest). Use your noodle, gentlemen.

MISO MEANS MUSCLES

MAP OUT PROGRESS

GLOBAL GAINS Fuel your fitness with more international ingredients

AFRICA COLLARD GREENS This cruciferous veg is rich in vitamin A, linked to tissue repair and thus improved recovery post-workout.

NORTH AMERICA BISON Build muscle and strength without gaining weight with this prime protein source that is impressively low in fat.

SOUTH AMERICA YERBA MATE Although an acquired taste, Lionel Messi’s drink of choice helps your body use fat for fuel, boosting your energy naturally.

EUROPE TIKKA MASALA Britain’s national dish* may be mild by Indian standards, but it has enough spicy capsaicin to fire up your metabolism.

PLATE UP THIS ASIAN BROTH TO REACH YOUR BODY GOALS

MEN’S HEALTH 31

THE BARE FACTS

GOODY TWO-SHOES

VERSUS FOOT VS SHOE

The natural movement trend has reignited the barefoot training debate. So, is it time you unlaced for good? Let MH step in to help you put your best foot forward

SHOE

years

billion

With our springy foot arches, Homo sapiens is perfectly designed for barefoot running – which was the norm for our ancestors for millennia

Since the 1970s, trainers have become big business. The footwear market in the UK alone is forecast to exceed £9bn by 2022

The revival of barefoot running hit its peak in the UK in 2012. Going shoeless is thought to encourage you to stop striking your heels on the ﬂoor, aiding both safety and speed

THE NUMBERS

Your trainers’ rubber soles provide “energy return”, which propels you further forward with each stride, conserving your energy and increasing your speed

Heel-strikers use less oxygen to run at the same pace as barefoot runners (who often land on the forefoot), burning through fewer carbs for energy

DOES IT WORK?

In 2017, Nike funded research into its Zoom Vaporﬂy 4% sole, revealing it could provide a 4% higher speed boost than any previous model

University of Massachusetts Amherst

University of Colorado Boulder

INJURY RISK

Barefoot running forces your calves to function at an extra 2cm of length, which can cause injury. So, switch gradually Mitchell Phillips, running performance analyst

Despite buzzwords such as “stability”, the injury risk of running with trainers is more than double that of going without Harvard University

Lifting barefoot boosts neural feedback to improve proprioception. This helps you reﬁne your technique and activates more muscle ﬁbres, increasing your power output

HEAVY LIFTING

Lifting shoes come equipped with a raised heel that improves your range of motion for deeper squats. Increased muscle activation means faster results for your efforts

University of Chichester researchers compared the power output of barefoot and shod lifters, revealing that those wearing shoes pushed an average of 12% harder than those without

DOES IT WORK?

The claims hold up: elevated heels promote an upright posture, increasing your squat efﬁciency and ensuring that your lower back is protected while under tension*

VIBRAM FIVEFINGERS

BEST BUY

If you’re not ready to go fully bare, this shoe decreases injury risk, allowing the 33 joints in each foot to articulate†

NIKE METCON 4 On ﬁrm surfaces, the Metcon 4’s solid structure provides the support required for hard yet safe training†

THE MH VERDICT: SHOES WIN! That wasn’t even a close race. While the back-to-basics theories of shoeless training are appealing, the science stumbles. With an impressive variety to choose from, and each pair honed for a speciﬁc ﬁtness pursuit, put your trust in trainers – you’ll leave barefoot athletes in the dust 32 MEN’S HEALTH

WORDS: BEN WELCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC | *INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF BIOMECHANICS IN SPORTS | †LUKE WORTHINGTON, BIOMECHANICS EXPERT

FOOT

SQUEEZE OUT MORE HEALTH Let MH Lab reveal the best

WINNER

new juicers to blend serious beneﬁts into your hydration plan. They’re worth a spin

MICRO MACHINE 85/100 Kenwood PureJuice JMP601WH £220 kenwoodworld.com

SPIN DOCTOR 78/100 Braun Spin Juicer J300 £115 braunhousehold.com

•••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••

Performance Design Ease of use PREP RALLY Lazy men, rejoice: the Braun’s feeder tube can fit three whole apples, so there’s no need to cut or core them. The J300 can process up to 5kg of fruit at a time, but it’s hard to know when it needs emptying – watch out for spillages. EXPERT VERDICT The best of the conventional juicers, this excelled with apples and did respectably with berries, though it struggled with legumes. The noise levels may be too loud for early mornings; thanks to the large capacity, however, this model’s speciality is bulk blitzing for three days of juice.

Performance Design Ease of use

•••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••

POCKET ROCKET The PureJuice packs

a powerful punch: it’s a cold-press juicer, so it crushes (rather than spins) the fruit and veg. It comes with a recipe book and a sorbet attachment, making it a good choice for the more adventurous. EXPERT VERDICT Though the feeding tube is a little narrow, no more than a gentle nudge was required when inserting the ingredients. This compact, elegantly designed model extracted an impressive amount of juice, while the excess pulp was neatly separated for easy disposal. The berry hopper on top of the tube is a useful addition.

WORDS: MATT EVANS | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE FOOD STYLIST: NICO GHIRLANDO AT HERS AGENCY

eak juice hit in 2010. Lululemon acolytes would saunter out of the Pilates studio and reach for their go-to green concoction, the latest way to cram in more vitamins – the £5 price tag be damned. Since then, however, the bubble has burst, punctured by concerns about sugar and an insatiable thirst for protein. By 2020, 100 million litres of liquefied goodness are expected to be wiped off the market. Everything has turned slightly sour. But the rise of cold-press juicers is turning the tide. These new machines direct more fibrous pulp into your glass, offsetting many of sugar’s negatives while aiding weight loss. Meanwhile, a study from Portland State University found that even drinkers of old-school green juices trend towards a healthier waist-to-hip ratio and better digestive health. So, it’s time we welcomed juice back into our nutrition plans. To establish which machines truly deliver on their healthenhancing promise, MH Lab invited the experts of the Good Housekeeping Institute to blitz their way through the best on the market. Berries were blasted and carrots were crushed to reveal the kit worthy of a place on your countertop. Here we present the pick of the bunch.

PRESS TO IMPRESS

JUICE DILIGENCE

THE RULES OF REFRESHMENT The GHI used these criteria to identify the juiciest tech YIELD How much juice your machine extracts. To make it cheaper than shop-bought juice, it needs to be eficient. WASTE With the rise of the cold press, we expect more pulp and fibre in our juice. It shouldn’t leave too much behind. NOISE Your morning doesn’t need the stress of whirring machinery. The aim is to keep the decibels to a strict minimum.

OPEN WIDE 78/100 Omega Mega Mouth Slow Juicer £449 ukjuicers.co.uk

GO LARGE 71/100 Sage Nutri Juicer Cold BJE430SIL £180 sageappliances.com Performance Design Ease of use

•••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••

LOUD AND PROUD The Sage copes well

with dense veg and fruit and, as with the Braun, it can take whole apples. The nozzle that fits over the spout lets you pour into your glass, rather than into the jug provided: handy when you’re in a hurry. EXPERT VERDICT The downside of this unit’s high-intensity approach is its unpleasant noise levels. An excessive amount of mushy pulp collects on the underside of the lid and filter, and this can cause some juice to leak between the container and the base. Although it is generally easy to use, the 3.5-litre pulp collector is awkward to remove.

Performance Design Ease of use

•••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••

ADDED VALUE The Omega comes with

two extra attachments that allow you to create more fibrous smoothies, as well as nut butters and sorbets. It isn’t dishwasher safe, but the pulp is flushed out by a useful auto-cleaning system. EXPERT VERDICT It came close to scoring top marks in our test for juicing fruit, extracting almost every bit of liquid from the apples. Having the berry tray attachment on top of the feeding tube made it easy to juice a lot at once. It didn’t do so well with the veg, and its price is high – but the 15-year guarantee should make it a one-time investment.

CALL FOR AID 81/100 KitchenAid Artisan Maximum Extraction Juicer £369 selfridges.com Performance Design Ease of use

•••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••••••

PREMIUM POWER This cold-press model has multiple filters to handle any pulp volume and comes with a foam screen to strain seeds. Every removable part is dishwasher friendly. Usefully for early risers, it’s quieter than the competition. EXPERT VERDICT True to its name, this machine squeezes every drop of juice from fruit, leaving only dry pulp – but it fares less well with vegetables. With an 800ml jug to fill, more robust veg may end up wasted. But the variety of extraction methods, muted noise levels and excellence with fruit make this a safe bet for the serious juicehead.

BLAZING SADDLE

WHEEL OF APPROVAL

MH GAME CHANGERS PELOTON BIKE

WORDS: BEN WELCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY | *FEE TO RECEIVE UNLIMITED CLASSES

Peloton promises all the cardio beneﬁts of a sweaty spin class, from the comfort of your home. Hop on the saddle

hile the sense of competition and calorie burn of a spin class are alluring, the same can’t be said of many studios’ nosebleedinducing EDM and strobe lights. So, you’re left to either grin and bear it all, or miss out altogether. Now, thanks to Peloton, you no longer need to compromise. Its innovations bring the beneﬁts of the spin class to your home gym – which also means no more dressing for work in cramped changing rooms. Equipped with a 22in screen, this stationary bike connects you with classes from the world’s best instructors. MH jumped in the saddle to test whether the future of home workouts really has arrived. Get ready to step your cardio up a gear.

ii_ iv_

Just five years after its launch, Peloton was valued at £1bn in May 2017, such was its success in the US. Expect it to conquer the UK, too: invest now to get ahead of the pack.

The average number of workouts completed by each user per month. That’s the two cardio sessions in your training week covered, then.

1,087kcal

Men’s Health all-star Hugh Jackman slashed through more than 1,000kcal on his Peloton bike. For non-mutants, the average calories burned during a class is 500kcal.

vi_ £1,995 FOR THE BIKE, PLUS £39.50 PER MONTH*

iii_

In addition to the back catalogue of more than 8,000 classes that are accessible at any time, 14 live sessions are streamed daily, so you can fit your cardio into any schedule.

CELEBRITY BIKE LANE Pedal in the tracks of the rich, the famous and the fitness elite

35,000

The number of people who tuned into a single workout streamed live from the Winter Olympics in Korea – a class big enough to fill London’s Olympic VeloPark five times.

Almost everyone who signs up renews their subscription after a year – a ringing endorsement of a workout that is as enjoyable as it is eﬀective.

MICHAEL PHELPS

HUGH JACKMAN

RICHARD BRANSON

KEVIN HART

CHRIS PRATT

The most successful Olympian of all time has traded the pool for the Peloton.

The Wolverine actor and gym veteran has reinvigorated his training on this bike.

The 69-year-old keeps fit in the saddle, when he’s not kitesurfing of Necker Island.

The fitness-conscious US comedian has taken his workouts to a new gear.

Hollywood A-lister Pratt likes his food. But staying lean is easy on two wheels.

MH PROMOTION

GIVE YOUR SMILE A REAL DAILY WORKOUT. THE WATERPIK® WATER FLOSSER DEEP-CLEANS BETWEEN YOUR TEETH TO KEEP THEM BRIGHTER, FRESHER AND HEALTHIER

A FAST, FRESH FINISH It’s an oral revolution. The Waterpik cleans deeper, so your mouth feels fresher

EASY TO USE Just point the flosser tip between your teeth and along the gum line, and let it do all the work for you. The massage action of the water stimulates circulation to help keep your gums firm and healthy.

ou care about what you eat, and your gym routine is impressive. You’re fit, and you’ve earned it – so what’s not to smile about? Over the past few years, research into oral health has highlighted how caring for your teeth and gums is as crucial to your wellbeing as your looks. Over 50% of us now go the extra mile and floss after using a power toothbrush. Yet what you may not realise is that brushing still leaves debris*, and even flossing won’t remove all of the plaque between your teeth that contributes to bad breath and gum disease. That’s where water flossing makes all the diference.

The Waterpik Water Flosser is clinically proven to be up to 50% more efective at improving gum health than string floss**. There are more than 70 published research studies that demonstrate the safety and eficacy of the Waterpik Water Flosser. Specifically, it can remove the plaque between the teeth and below the gum line, where brushing and flossing can’t reach. It is up to 50% better at reducing gum bleeding than string floss and is ideal for crowns, bridges, implants and braces. Plus, the Waterpik massages and stimulates your gums, improving circulation to keep them strong. Used with your favourite mouthwash, it leaves you feeling fresh and clean. Now you can really smile!

Water flossing your teeth takes only a minute a day, making it easy to improve your oral health and enjoy the cleanest mouth possible. Combine it with your favourite mouthwash for even fresher breath.

EFFECTIVE The Waterpik Water Flosser removes the plaque and debris lurking deep between your teeth and below the gum line, where it’s hard to reach with conventional brushing and flossing. WATERPIK WATER FLOSSERS ARE AVAILABLE FROM AMAZON, ASDA, BOOTS. COM AND SUPERDRUG. FOR MORE DETAILS, VISIT: WATERPIK.CO.UK

*JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY | **JOURNAL OF CLINICAL DENTISTRY

FAST

19 HEROES AND VILLAINS

DOWN

PALM OFF

DOES YOUR SUPERFOOD DELIVER? From kale to kombucha, we

Almost every boutique gym will ofer you coconut water, but researchers found it’s no better for hydration than water. Thirsty? Just drink from the tap. Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism

rate the stars of the health food market to see which is worthy of the preﬁx HOLD

MATCHA OF THE DAY The long-term consumption of green tea’s antioxidant catechins fights cancer and metabolic syndrome, a forerunner of type 2 diabetes. Put the kettle on. Chinese Medicine

FIT$E IND£X SUPERFOODS UP

POPEYE POWER In addition to spinach’s muscle-building iron content, eating one portion per day can significantly reduce your heart disease risk in just a week. Clinical Nutrition Research

AVO GO The Insta favourite deserves its rep: successive studies have confirmed the benefits of avocado to sports performance and heart health. Critical Review of Food Science and Nutrition

DOWN

SPILLED MILK Pricey almond milk is on a par with dairy in terms of vitamins, but the nuts contain phytic acid, which limits their absorption. Molecular Nutrition and Food Research

HOLD

CURL UP Kale is nature’s CrossFitter: this cruciferous veg does it all. Rich in vitamins, it also contains sulphur compounds that could prevent the growth and spread of cancer. Harvard University

WORDS: MATT EVANS | ILLUSTRATION: INFOMEN

MERRY BERRY Not only is açaí full of antioxidants, but it’s also an efective anti-inflammatory. Adding it to your diet boosts recovery and limits muscle damage. Berries worth picking. Biology of Sport

RISERS AND FALLERS UP

HOLD

Mighty meals

Food for Dog’s thought dinners

DOWN

CHIA FEEDER DOWN

GUT FEELING Kombucha promises improved gut health, but the scientific jury is out. A review found few confirmed benefits and several cases of liver problems. Institute of Food Technologists

GROWING SEEDS Think quinoa’s all sizzle and no steak? Wrong. It’s a complete protein, containing every amino acid you need to build muscle. Use instead of rice to fuel your growth. Agricultural Food Chemistry

Despite chia’s high omega-3 content, the average seed-addict sprinkles just 3g on his porridge, rendering its value moot. Use plant protein powder instead. Roehampton University

MEN’S HEALTH 39

HOW I BUILT MY BODY

FLEX AND FLEXIBILITY Instagram star Obi Vincent fuses CrossFit with heavy lifting for extraordinary results. Build on his example

HEIGHT

MAGIC NUMBERS Vincent used this equation to calculate his calorie intake and finally fuel healthy results BASAL METABOLIC RATE = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) - (5 × age in years) + 5

SEDENTARY If you do little or no exercise, consume BMR x 1.53 calories daily.

MODERATELY ACTIVE If you exercise one hour per day, consume BMR x 1.76 calories daily.

VIGOROUSLY ACTIVE If you exercise two hours per day, consume BMR x 2.25 calories daily.

WORDS: TED LANE PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM WATKINS

bi Vincent has always been big. But before he developed his superhuman pecs, he was, well, very overweight. His love of his family’s fried Nigerian dinners left him “big, but in all the right places” – or so he told himself at the time. Vincent’s journey from teenage TV addict to fitness super-influencer has been directed by moments of realisation, the first of which came at his first job. Stung by a colleague’s joke about his weight, he started “running around the local fields”. (“I was too self-conscious to be out on the roads,” Vincent explains.) He overhauled his nutrition, too, opting for an extremely restrictive diet. “I was clueless, and it wasn’t exactly healthy, but it worked. I lost nearly 20kg,” he says. Down from XXL to M, Vincent had his second epiphany. “I saw a man in a club with huge muscles and decided

there and then I wanted to look like him,” says Vincent. The next day, he joined a gym and put an end to the aimless cardio. As with his early dieting, however, Vincent was unorthodox. “I was a typical bro trainer,” he recalls. “I worked on my chest and arms and hated legs.” But when a personal trainer suggested taking bodybuilding seriously, Vincent went all in. “Crucially, I started to learn about nutrition – macros and daily expenditure,” he says. “I went from lean to shredded.” But then he got found out. “I did a YouTube video pitting bodybuilding against CrossFit,” says Vincent. “I was supposed to be an athlete, but I just couldn’t keep up.” So came Vincent’s final awakening and his shift to “CrossLifting” – his versatile training system, which combines bodybuilding, flexibility and endurance. It’s an admission that working out to look good is OK – we all do it – but it shouldn’t be the sole focus. After years of trial and error, Vincent has finally found the sweet spot. It’s simple and pragmatic and, as you can see, it damn well works.

40 MEN’S HEALTH

BODYWEIGHT

UPWARDLY MOBILE

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

CROSS PURPOSES Become a complete athlete with Vincent’s workout, which targets strength, endurance and mobility

A B 01/ BACK SQUAT 5 sets of 3 reps Set up with a barbell across your upper back with feet at shoulder width (A). Your back straight, lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor (B). Reverse the movement.

02/ BARBELL THRUSTER 4 sets of 15 reps With a barbell across your collar, lower into a squat (A). Explode up, lifting the weight above your head (B). Sink back down into the squat in a fluid movement, then repeat.

A B

GROOMING: NATACHA SCHMITT USING SKINCARE BY CLINIQUE FOR MEN AND MAC PRO

03/ COSSACK SQUAT 3 sets of 10 reps each side Your feet wider than shoulder width, squat down holding an unweighted bar overhead, and shift your weight onto your left leg (A). Push back up and repeat on the opposite side (B).

SQUAT PB DEADLIFT PB MEN’S HEALTH 41

22 EAT SHEET

03_

THE BURRITO

HOW TO CHEAT AND PROSPER Dietary wobbles are inevitable,

Chipotle Steak Burrito Bowl “Ditch the rice for extra fibre-rich beans, full of muscle-supporting iron and zinc,” says nutritionist Rob Hobson. Peppers and sweetcorn provide a vitamin boost, too. “Then lose the cheese and dressing in favour of salsa.” This will make room for guacamole and protein-loaded steak without pushing up the calorie count too high.

but derailing your eating plan needn’t be. Here are six options for better dining from the fastfood menu. Pass the napkins 04_

THE BURGER

01_

WORDS: TED LANE

ILLUSTRATIONS 1,3 AND 5: NICK HARDCASTLE | ILLUSTRATIONS 2, 4 AND 6: WONG CHI LUI

THE SANDWICH Pret A Manger Ham & Cheese The grab-and-go sandwich par excellence may surprise you, as its simple combination of cured ham and cheddar is packed with 33.7g of protein. While it admittedly lacks the micronutrients of trendier fillings, it boasts almost 10g more musclebuilding ammunition than the chicken and avocado ofering. It tastes better than yet another protein shake, too.

Burger King Double Cheeseburger Yes, we’re advising you to order a double. That’s because, for the additional 140kcal, this burger boasts 11g more protein than you’ll find in the regular cheeseburger. “Eat it open-faced to cut out at least 10g of carbs,” says Roussell.

NUTRITION CHEAT CODES

THE BREAKFAST

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THE CHICKEN WRAP McDonald’s the Hot Peri Peri One Grilled The Colonel’s handhelds only use fried chicken, and the breading means the carbs add up. This wrap contains grilled chicken, salad, peri-peri sauce and Pepper Jack cheese. “In a pinch, it works as a snack,” says nutrition scientist Mike Roussell. “For a meal, order two, combine the fillings in one tortilla and toss what’s left.” Choose peri-peri sauce over garlic mayo to swap empty calories with a spicy metabolism kick.

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THE SIDE

McDonald’s Sausage & Egg McMuffin If you’re hungover, the saturated fat in the sausage will help to soothe your liver. But if you’re simply short of time, strip out the sausage to cut calories, while still cashing in on the yolk’s vitamin payload. “Admittedly, this won’t be filling on its own, so double up and eat them openfaced,” says Hobson. It’s essentially eggs Benedict on a budget.

Nando’s Supergrain Salad Order an extra portion and take it away with you after your cheeky Nando’s. “On its own, this salad is 386kcal and it only ofers 10g of protein, which won’t be enough after a heavy session,” says Hobson. “But pick up a packet of cooked chicken and some guacamole on your way home, and tomorrow’s post-workout lunch is sorted.” It’ll be brimming with healthy fats and around 28g of extra protein.

MEN’S HEALTH 43

AXE AGEING

POWER CHORDS

LONGEVITY NEWSFEED 10/18

AMP UP YOUR LIFESPAN WITH SCIENCE’S LATEST PROGRESSION

ROCK’N’ROLL FOR LONGER LIFE Finally, a scientiﬁc explanation for WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | FENDER PLAYER SERIES FROM £549 FENDER.COM | *AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY

the Rolling Stones’ longevity: live music adds candles to your cake agger, Richards, Wood and Watts: these legends of live performance continue to fill out arenas and gyrate with unfathomable intensity well into their seventies. But the secret to their snake-hipped durability may have finally been revealed. Previous research had proved that music positively impacts the autonomic nervous system, which controls your blood pressure and heartbeat, and the limbic system, responsible for your emotions. Put simply, it can lead to feelings of mental and physical euphoria. But now, a study by Goldsmiths, University of London, has reported that regularly going to gigs can also significantly amp up your lifespan.

The researchers performed psychometric tests on subjects who had participated in various “wellbeing” activities and found that feelings of happiness increased by 21% after watching a live music performance, whereas yoga and dog walking resulted in boosts of just 10% and 7%, respectively. Crucially, it was the active experience of engaging with the music – not simply plugging into Spotify on your commute – that generated this eﬀect. Weighing up this data against a body of recent evidence connecting subjective wellbeing to longevity, the study’s authors concluded that going to a gig every fortnight could add up to nine years to your life. While wellbeing is a diﬃcult term to pin down, these longevity boons may have been explained by Harvard researchers, who reported that life satisfaction and happiness are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, conditions that account for over a third of all UK deaths each year – yet another reason to turn it up to 11.

PLAY IT BY EAR Tune into our scientific soundtrack and boost your performance in all areas

EXTRA STAMINA “Original Nuttah” by Shy FX, UK Apache One study* found that listening to upbeat songs raised participants’ endurance while performing cardiac stress tests.

EASY WEIGHT LOSS “Weightless” by Marconi Union The University of South Florida revealed that ambient music encourages you to make healthy eating choices, while loud settings can motivate you to pig out.

A SECOND DATE “So What” by Miles Davis Head to a jazz bar. Women are more likely to perceive men as attractive after listening to complex and stimulating tunes, Austrian scientists found.

MEN’S HEALTH 45

TREND SECRETS FITNESS RETREATS

THE JET SETS AND REPS Join the emerging trend for first-class fitness breaks to benefit from sun, sand and a mind-and-body reboot

GREAT ESCAPES

HEALTH TRIPS

GOLDEN TICKETS Ensure your holiday gets of to a flying start with our pick of the prime destinations

GYM FATIGUE? HIT THE BEACH FOR A REFRESH

IBIZA

THE BODY CAMP This eco-friendly retreat improves your performance not only in the gym but in the kitchen, teaching you to cook healthy food. thebodycamp.com

MARBELLA

MIKE’S GYM 01_

WHERE DO I START?

WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES | ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEY | ICONS: ALCONIC | *TRAVELEX

The appetite for fitness travel is increasing, but it’s still a niche market – so dig deeper than the major travel providers and log on to healthandfitnesstravel.com. Here, you’ll find more than 1,000 packages, as well as advisers who’ll help you match your price point, interests and goals to the ideal destination. 02_

04_

WHO’S IT FOR?

WILL IT GET ME RIPPED?

Everyone. Forget the stereotypes of all-female mindfulness tourist groups – research by Health and Fitness Travel found that being active on holiday is now important to 82% of people, while a separate survey* revealed that only one in 20 are keen on a booze-fuelled break. 03_

HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO SPEND? It depends on your destination and duration, but there are good benchmarks. A weekend fitness trip in the UK should set you back around £400; meanwhile, a week’s retreat in Thailand typically costs £2,000. That sounds expensive, but these fees are usually all-inclusive.

LIFT YOUR HEALTH TO NEW HEIGHTS

It’ll do more than that. According to researchers at RMIT University in Australia, a one-week retreat that includes educational, fitness and therapeutic activities along with a mostly plant-based diet improves everything from weight and psychological health to blood pressure.

In efect, a training facility with rooms. Stay within metres of a gym that never closes and Europe’s biggest assault course. mikesgym marbella.com

THAILAND

ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY Choose the Fusion Fitness package for Thai boxing, yoga, circuit training and spa treatments. healthandfitness travel.com

MALDIVES

SHANGRI-LA The luxury option. This idyllic island regularly flies in London’s fitness elite to run retreats as part of the resort’s “expert in residence” series. shangri-la.com

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WHAT ESSENTIALS SHOULD I PACK? It’s not glamorous, but a kit washbag is a worthwhile investment, according to Faisal Abdalla, founder of the PMA Fitness Retreat. If you’re living out of a suitcase, keeping your sweaty clothes separate is crucial. Also, take recovery into your own hands with magnesium oil. You’ll be working out hard, so Abdalla recommends dropping some in your downtime bath to soothe your aching muscles and help you fall asleep. 06_

WHAT SHOULD I AVOID? Look out for labels such as “bootcamp” and “detox”. Industry insiders suggest that these signal a more frugal attitude and a diﬀerent kind of clientele. People booking breaks of this kind are often looking for quick results and will treat the workouts and diet like a punishment, rather than an enjoyable health investment. “Fitness retreat” or “active break”, on the other hand, suggest you’ll still feel like you’re on holiday.

MEN’S HEALTH 47

Cover Model Muscle

Justin Theroux

Justin Theroux is a man with good instincts – both in life and in his training. MH caught up with the actor-producerwriter to ﬁnd out why patience, tenacity and calm focus are the keys to going the distance, whatever you’re up against Words by Mike Zimmerman – Portraits by Ben Watts I’m feeling an excessive amount of eye contact,” says Justin Theroux. So he punches me in the face. For the record, I wasn’t staring into his hazel eyes – I was watching his boxing gloves, positioned just below his eyes to protect “home base”, the point of his jaw. The funny thing is, though I do make excessive eye contact with those gloves, I never see the jab coming. It’s a quick right; he tags my left eye and nose with a sharp sting. He pops me again a few times. He’s punching at will now, and there’s nothing I can do about it. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising. Before today, the closest I’d come to boxing was when I was nine years old and watched Muhammad Ali spar. I’d never had my hands taped, put on headgear, or stepped into a ring with anyone. For the 47-year-old Theroux, on the other hand, boxing is his primary workout.

50 MEN’S HEALTH

We’re at Gotham Gym in New York’s West Village, not far from where the actor lives. Sunlight streams through the front windows, but the dozens of boxing gloves hanging from the ceiling announce: “This is where people come to work.” Despite the chasm in ability between us, Theroux is quick to oﬀer reassurance. He recounts a story about sparring with a female trainer who was about 6in shorter than him. “I hate getting hit,” he says. “But she’s so fast, far better than me. A couple of times, she really rang my bell. I was a combination of hurt and pissed… Am I gonna cry, or knock her head oﬀ? But I couldn’t touch her. She was too quick. I see that a lot: people get emotional, and that’s the point. Just keep breathing, remain loose, not tense.”

Getting Lucky Both in and out of the ring, Theroux handles himself just ﬁne. He’s cruising through his forties looking strong and

engaged. Crucially, he has figured out how to engineer his life so that work is more rewarding than it is soul-crushing. A lot of this comes down to his range: he’s an actor, writer and producer. He played a douchebag director in Mulholland Drive, a psycho with a six-pack in Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle and Evil DJ in the Zoolander films. He also co-wrote the sequel – and was a screenwriter on Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2 and Rock of Ages. That “full retard” speech in Tropic Thunder? All his. More recently, Theroux has gone heavy, headlining HBO’s post-Rapture drama The Leftovers for three seasons and taking parts in The Girl on the Train and the underrated Netflix movie Mute – a neo noir that meandered through a sleazy, Blade Runner-inspired dystopia. Which explains why he was grateful when he was

The tally of Theroux’s diverse acting roles so far, from American Psycho and Sex and the City to Star Wars: the Last Jedi

THEROUX HITS HIS LIFE GOALS BY TRUSTING HIS GUT INSTINCTS

MEN’S HEALTH 51

Cover Model Muscle

Justin Theroux offered a part in the new comedy The Spy Who Dumped Me. “I can tell you I am a spy, and I do dump someone,” he says. “This little bonbon popped up, and I love Mila [Kunis] and Kate [McKinnon], so I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s go to Budapest and do this.’ I get to shoot things, blow things up and be a spy for a while.” Ask him about his formula for life and work, and Theroux offers a simple platitude: “I’m lucky.” Yet there’s evidently more to it. In the early 1990s, after completing a drama and visual arts degree, he became a stereotypical young New York artist, bouncing between acting jobs and painting murals in nightclubs, then expanding into minor film roles and, eventually, bigger parts. “When I was in my early twenties, I was impatient,” Theroux says. “I always wanted things to happen the way I wanted them to happen. And that has gone away. Not completely, because there are still things I want to happen in the time I want them to happen. But I don’t lose sleep over things the way I used to. “I gradually learned that if you do the things you want to do, you’ll produce better work,” Theroux says. “When you’re doing things you don’t want to do, the work suffers. How could it not? You’re not interested. I gravitate towards the next thing I think I’ll enjoy, as opposed to things I think would be smart to do, or a ‘good career decision’.” He has also learned to have enough patience to engage in what might be called deliberate spontaneity – the art of positioning yourself so you can take advantage of opportunities. “I was talking to someone recently about bucket lists, and I was, like, ‘I don’t have a bucket list.’ In ideal circumstances, [whatever is on] the bucket list just starts to happen, if you’re leading your life well. For instance, I happened to be driving by a skydiving school once and decided to go skydiving. A split-second decision: it wasn’t anything I’d planned. I always wanted to ride a motorcycle across Europe. I’ve done that three times now.” Perhaps the best window into Theroux’s mindset might be his attitude to tattoos. He has quite a few and is open to the idea of getting more, but his approach is different from what you might expect. “I don’t put a lot of thought into it,” he says. “I never had a stage when I was, like, ‘I want to get a tattoo, it has to be meaningful, it’s also got to have a yin and yang in it, and be a homage to my mother.’

There are a lot of people designing their own tattoos who are frustrating the tattoo artists. I’m real easy. I’ll say, ‘What should we do?’ And they’ll say, ‘I dunno, what do you wanna do?’ So it’s a matter of when the mood strikes.” Theroux recently got some sizeable ink on his back as a tribute to his deceased pit bulls – a rat for one dog and a pigeon for the other, two denizens of the New York parks. Theroux’s THOUGH EASYGOING TO A is a life of diversity by design. FAULT, THEROUX PULLS

Take It Easy

NO PUNCHES TO SUCCEED

If it sounds like he glides from one success to the next while thinking golden thoughts, that’s not quite true. Yes, he wrote Iron Man 2 and Zoolander No 2, but neither sequel will ever be mentioned in the same breath as The Godfather Part II. Theroux has been juggling projects since decades before the gig economy existed. An actor and writer lives the life of a freelancer, with all of its pitfalls. Does he ever have doubts? “Sure,” he says, “though I think doubt is a good thing. We all doubt ourselves whenever we set out to do anything new. But that motivates us to make it good. It can be destructive if you let it creep over the entire process, but I don’t dwell. I doubt things, but I hope things, too. That’s when you give whatever you’re doing the best chance of success, by working harder or practising or rewriting. That’s how I deal with doubt.” Then he smiles. “Or I just pretend I’m not doubting myself.” Theroux also understands how to handle situations that aren’t working. “I get up and do what I do,” he says. “When I’m in a bad situation, I’m still aware there’s something to be gleaned from that experience. You just have to find some nugget that makes it worthwhile. Otherwise, you’ll give up. Bad work experiences are instructive: first, they tell me what I shouldn’t repeat. Second, they remind me how things are done wrong and how I could do them better.” Outside of work, Theroux fills his life with the things he loves: motorcycles and dogs, among them. If you ask him about his favourite bike, he’ll rattle off a paragraph in one breath. (It’s a BMW F800 GS, by the way.) He is also partial to pit bull terriers, and is taking custody of a new rescue a week after our interview. He tells me he is drawn to the companionship

$617m

The global box ofﬁce for his screenwriting gigs Tropic Thunder, Iron Man 2, Rock of Ages and Zoolander No 2

“I gravitate to what I’d enjoy, as opposed to ‘good career decisions’”

52 MEN’S HEALTH

they oﬀer, but there’s clearly something bigger than that, too. “Dogs drive you crazy,” he says wistfully. “It’s like having a toddler that’ll never speak. Then, towards the end of their life, they get very sweet and tender, and break your heart.” There are many reasons to envy Justin Theroux: the good looks, the varied career, the attractive paramours, the comfortable lifestyle. But, as our interview ends, it strikes me that it’s his easy peace of mind that is perhaps most aspirational in our dizzying, high-pressure world. “There’s nothing I’m dying to do – nothing gnawing at me,” he says, before laughing. “There are things I know I will do. I just don’t know what they are yet.” Keep moving, remain loose, not tense. Theroux’s latest ﬁlm, The Spy Who Dumped Me, is in cinemas now

STYLING: SANDRA NYGAARD | SET DESIGN: BETTE ADAMS FOR MHS ARTISTS | HAIR BY PETER BUTLER USING MATRIX/TRACEYMATTINGLY.COM GROOMING BY ERICA SAUER USING BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA AT THE WALL GROUP

THE WORKOUT If you want a body like Theroux’s into your forties, follow his regimen of timeless exercises. “We stick with the basics,” says his trainer, Gotham Gym’s Rob Piela. They start with 40min of boxing (you can sub in rowing, running or any bodyweight HIIT) and finish with 20min in the weights room, building functional strength or abs

B\ STRENGTH CIRCUIT

A\ SIX-PACK CIRCUIT Do three sets of each exercise, aiming for 20-30 reps per move. Have a 45sec rest between sets. Trust us, you’ll need it. B

B A

01\ HANGING LEG RAISE Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip (A). Keeping your legs straight, brace your core to raise them as high as possible (B), then lower them under control.

02\ DECLINE SIT-UP

03\ CABLE CRUNCH

Lie on a decline bench with your feet firmly anchored, holding a medicine ball over your chest (A). Tighten your abs and raise your torso, keeping the ball to your chest (B). Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.

Connect a rope to a high cable machine loaded with a medium weight and kneel in front of it. Grasp the rope and lower it so that its handles are near your ears (A). Without moving your hips, contract your abs and try to touch your elbows to your knees (B).

04\ BICYCLE CRUNCH Lie on your back, hands behind your head, legs lifted, and knees and hips at 90 degrees. Bring your right knee towards your chest and touch your left elbow to that knee (A). Alternate sides (B).

Do 8-12 reps of each move and push through three rounds. Rest as needed between moves, but keep it short. Use lighter weights, so you can sustain the momentum. • Barbell squat • Barbell deadlift • Pull-up • Press-up • Dumbbell • Shoulder lateral raise • Dumbbell biceps curl • Triceps cable push-down MEN’S HEALTH 53

WORDS BY TED LANE / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOBE LAWRENSON

MAXIMISING LIFE’S GREATEST LUXURY

SECONDS TO SINK STRESS AND TORCH FAT EVERY MORNING

*VU UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER

FIRE UP YOUR MORNING ROUTINE FOR A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BOOST

sually, Berocca is what we reach for from the depths of a hangover, a fizzy vitamin hit that brings us back to life. But waiting 25 seconds for it to dissolve and adding it to your daily regimen could also prime your body for fat-burning, as well as alleviate the stress of another day at work. Not bad for 30p a pop. Shortly after your alarm sounds, your body is flooded with the stress hormone cortisol. This spike is designed to wake you up by sending glucose to your brain; your cortisol levels should then rebalance. In today’s culture of early espressos and morning emails, however, it’s all too easy to sustain that initial stress for the entire day, which is bad news for both your weight-loss goals and your mood. Research published in the journal Obesity found that raised cortisol levels correlate with a wider waist circumference and a higher bodymass index score. The stress hormone has also been linked to the deposition of fat in the abdominal area and a greater susceptibility to heart disease*. But swap your morning coffee for a glass of orange fizz and the 500mg of vitamin C will normalise your cortisol levels and help to limit future spikes, taking the stress out of losing weight. Think of it as your new chill pill.

HOUR TO BRUSH AWAY MUSCLE SORENESS WITH A CULTURE FIX

egs day, was it? If you can feel your lower body seizing up, don’t just sit there. According to researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, soaking up some culture on your lunch hour is your ticket to soothing DOMS. The scientists linked a “sense of awe” to reduced markers of leg-pain-inducing inflammation. If that sounds a little woolly, don’t worry – the science really does stack up. By “awe”, we mean the positive emotions we experience while engaging with works of art or theatre. The emotional efects of a lunchtime spent looking at paintings, for example, were found to be powerful enough to lower levels of inflammatory proteins called cytokines – particularly

interleukin-6, which signals the immune system to work harder. DOMS occurs when your body triggers an inflammatory response to muscle damage following a tough workout. A trip to your local gallery, however, curbs this efect, in much the same way as an ibuprofen tablet. For those with little desire to contemplate a dusty Renaissance portrait, the good news is that the sense of awe extends far beyond the National Gallery. Any sight or sound that truly inspires you will sufice. Pick a favourite lunch spot in your local park and cue up a song that never fails to give you the chills (an awe-inspiring sandwich wouldn’t go amiss, either). It’ll take the sting out of tomorrow’s cycle commute.

GETTY IMAGES

TREAT YOUR LEGS TO A RENAISSANCE AT LUNCH

TIME

HOURS TO CUT YOUR CANCER RISK WITH A DNA-HACKING FAST

asting, in its many forms, remains the darling of diet plans. Advocates of intermittent fasting, for example, insist that cramming all of your daily calories into an eight-hour period is the shortest path to attaining your ideal weight. But major lifestyle overhauls aren’t always necessary to deliver significant results. One in 14 men will be affected by bowel cancer in their lifetime; for women, the risk is one in 19. Yet, according to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, just 24 hours of going without could help you tip the odds in your favour. The results of their animal study, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, suggest that restricting your calorie intake for 24 hours – going from 2,500kcal down to 500kcal,

say – could flick a metabolic switch to double the rate at which the stem cells in your gut regenerate. As you age, intestinal stem cells stop renewing themselves effectively, and older cells left in the lining of the gut can become susceptible to infection and cancer. Increasing the rate of intestinal regeneration helps you maintain healthy tissue and fight off disease. And you can kick-start this process by cutting back on food for just one day – not every day. So, give your small intestine – a site notoriously susceptible to cancer – the best chance at a clean bill of health, and you can go back to supersetting pizza with pasta the following day. Hunger is the best sauce, after all.

FAST FOR A DAY FOR A BETTER GUT (AND LESS WASHING UP)

TIME

MINUTES TO REBOOT YOUR LIVER WITH A BREAKFAST UPGRADE

ut down the bacon sandwich – now there’s a scientific morning-after breakfast option. While you can deal with the bastard behind the eyes that follows a skinful of session IPAs with paracetamol and plenty of water, the toll that booze takes on your liver is more pernicious. But a study published in the Journal of Proteome Research has served up a tasty solution: give your breakfast a Gallic twist. The nutmeg used to spice French toast has now been proven to reduce liver toxicity. The researchers found that nutmeg can help you avert liver damage by restoring healthy levels of various lipids and acylcarnitines in your body. In addition, a compound called myrislignan had a protective efect against liver damage – so it’ll help limit the harm inflicted by alcohol’s inevitable assault next Saturday night, too. It may not be in your repertoire, but French toast is a simple dish to master, taking just six minutes to cook. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt and nutmeg, then dunk in a couple of bread slices. Fry for three minutes on each side, and you’re done. Be liberal with the maple syrup, too – it contains 54 antioxidants, five of which are unique to it. A University of Tokyo study suggests that it could act as a further salve to your poor liver. Serve with a strong cofee and the Sunday papers.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLIST: MATTHEW FORD AT HERS AGENCY | IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY

AFTER A HEAVY NIGHT, RAISE A TOAST TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR LIVER

Redeem the offer at nuffieldhealth.com/menshealth At Nufield Health, you’ll experience a gym that works around you. Our wide range of facilities, many installed with brand new, state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, will accommodate any fitness plan, while our experts – from physiotherapists and nutritionists to health mentors and physiologists – will be on hand to help you meet your goals. Meanwhile, you can expect all of the conventional gym services, such as swimming lessons and personal training, and take advantage of our free Health MOTs. These unique onehour checks keep you informed and on track with your health and fitness – and, because they’re available to members every three months, it means that Nufield Health always puts you and your fitness first. Claim your free trial today for unlimited use of our gyms, saunas, jacuzzis and more throughout your 7-day trial period. Members get access to: Fully equipped gyms and studios Swimming pools* Personal training Saunas, steam rooms and jacuzzis A range of group fitness classes including GRIT™ and spin sessions

Get started with Nufield Health today and claim a free 7-day trial at nufieldhealth.com/menshealth** Terms and Conditions **Redeemable until 11:59 (GMT) on 30 September 2018. Seven-day trial available to over-18s only. A copy of this magazine is required to start the trial. Photocopies will not be accepted. Only one trial per person. Seven-day trial is valid for seven consecutive days, starting on the day of redemption. Seven-day trial entitles you to use only your chosen gym over a seven-day period. Details of participating clubs can be found online at nufieldhealth.com/menshealth. Photographic ID will be required upon attendance. No cash alternative is available. Facilities vary per club. Guest members will not be able to book group fitness classes or Health MOTs. *110 out of 111 clubs have swimming pools; Battersea Club does not have a swimming pool. Guest members will not be allowed to use outdoor pools. Existing Nufield Health members are not eligible for the trial. Nufield Health reserves the right to refuse usage of the trial and facilities where appropriate or deemed necessary.

An obsession with super-hot chillies has become a peculiar quirk of the male psyche. And it’s heating up, as growers around the world compete to create the most violently potent fruit. But how much heat can your body handle? And is there any benefit to feeling the burn? WORDS BY RICHARD GODWIN – PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOBE LAWRENSON

60 MEN’S HEALTH

ARE SOME BRAINS SIMPLY WIRED TO CHASE THE FLAMES?

MENâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HEALTH 61

Here’s a quick primer on some of the world’s most potent fruits. Have we reached our limits – or is there still room at the top?

1,000,000 SCOVILLE HEAT UNITS (SHU)

TRINIDAD MORUGA SCORPION

NAGA VIPER

CAROLINA REAPER

CREATED BY GERALD FOWLER, CUMBRIA, ENGLAND TESTED AT 1.38 MILLION SHU

CREATED BY ED CURRIE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US TESTED AT 1.56 MILLION SHU

NATIVE TO TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TESTED AT 1.2 MILLION SHU

Dr Burnörium’s Hot Sauce Emporium, which has been operating since 2008. If the names sound a bit theatrical, that’s probably because chilli-eating, at its most extreme, is all about performance. The largest crowd the Clifton Chilli Club has seen at one of its events consisted of 20,000 spectators. “The event organiser told us more people watched the chilli-eating than Razorlight, the band that came on after us,” says Smith. Most of the club’s competitions are now oversubscribed. Interested parties must register in advance, and the lucky few contestants – some might say “victims” – are selected at random. Smith attributes this rise in interest to the popularity of the club’s YouTube channel, which has been viewed more than 78 million times. Its 191,000-plus subscribers tune in regularly

“Extreme chillieating is pure performance”

62 MEN’S HEALTH

both for reviews of the latest sauces and to savour the pained expressions on competitors’ faces. Watching it is one thing: a harmless kind of Schadenfreude. But what motivates someone to put themselves through it is a harder question.

INTO THE FLAMES Chillies originate in Mexico and were brought back to the Old World by Christopher Columbus. He called them “peppers” because their pungency reminded him of peppercorns, though the two species are unrelated. The spiciness comes from compounds known as capsaicinoids, which are thought to have evolved as an anti-fungal agent. Ripe chillies are bright red and are attractive to birds. What the plant “wants” is for a bird to eat the fruit, ﬂy

OPENER IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY | CHILLIS PROVIDED BY: CLIFTON CHILLI CLUB, THE CHILLI PEPPER COMPANY, PEPPERWORLD HOT SHOP, CHILLI OLLY | CHILLI MODELS BY JUICY FRUITS

t begins with a warm, orchard-scented taste. Deceptively delicate, almost perfumy: is that apricot? Jasmine? Or something you’d find at an airport Jo Malone stand? As I chew the Trinidad Moruga scorpion – once declared the world’s hottest chilli by New Mexico State University’s Chile Pepper Institute – the flavour develops. The warmth spreads to the sides of my mouth and begins to sink into my tongue. My saliva glands spasm. A little tear of sweat trickles down my forehead. And in an orgasmic rush, my mouth, my head and the whole world are full of lava. “He’s mouth-sucking now!” says my host, “Chilli” Dave Smith, a former army paramedic and founder member of the Clifton Chilli Club in Bristol – the largest group of its kind in the UK. “Mouthsucking” refers to when people breathe air over their tongue in an attempt to relieve the burn. You see it a lot at the chilli-eating competitions that Smith organises at festivals up and down the country. But the relief is temporary. The burn returns. “Just wait until it hits you at the back of your throat,” warns Jay “the Chilli Alchemist” Webley, a bandanna-wearing former wine merchant, who has gallantly kept me company on my capsaicin trip. I don’t have to wait long: the fire promptly tunnels deep into my tonsils, exploring minute chasms of pain. I cough. Smith offers to fetch me a biscuit. “Does that help?” I ask. “Not really,” he says. But I have to admit I’m sort of enjoying this. I feel alert. Aware. Alive. I have come to Smith’s house in suburban Bristol to talk chillies: their cultivation, their taste, their cultish following. “The word ‘cultish’ has a dark undertone,” says Webley defensively. “But, yes, it does bring people out of the woodwork.” These are the sort of people who like to dabble with sauces named Psycho Juice, Pain Is Good, Mega Death and Pure Poison – all available at

Fire Eaters

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DRAGON’S BREATH

PEPPER X

CREATED BY MIKE SMITH, DENBIGHSHIRE, WALES TESTED AT 2.48 MILLION SHU

CREATED BY ED CURRIE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US AWAITING TESTS 3.18 MILLION SHU

HIT YOUR MICROS

108% Vitamin C

How the average red chilli will help you burn through your nutrition RDAs

8% Vitamin K

away, then excrete the seeds. Birds are immune to capsaicinoids. Humans and other mammals emphatically are not. My Trinidad Moruga scorpion comes in at 1.2 million Scoville heat units (SHU), a scale that measures how much sugared water you have to dilute the chilli with before the burn becomes undetectable. Ordinary chillies range from 2,500SHU for a jalapeno to 100,000SHU for a Scotch bonnet – those lantern-like fruits you

11% Vitamin B6 9% Vitamin A 4% Potassium often see in Caribbean greengrocers. In Jamaican cooking, they’re often used like bay leaves, left in the pot to impart their aromatics and removed prior to serving, never intended to be eaten. Capsaicinoids interact with your pain-sensing neurons, which trips the body’s defence mechanisms – increasing your blood ﬂow, raising your metabolic rate, making you sweat and, in extreme circumstances such as those at the contest Smith and Webley recently organised in Reading, producing a phenomenon known

as “the shakes”. You also have pain- and heat-sensing neurons in your digestive system. Not for nothing is Smith’s ringtone Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”. But while chillies trick the body into thinking they’re poison, they’re not actually toxic (unless you have an allergy). It’s estimated that it would take more than 1kg of extremely hot chilli powder, eaten in a single sitting, to kill the average person. Successive studies have shown that, in smaller doses, chillies are pretty good for you. For example, a Chinese report that investigated the dietary habits of half a million people showed a high correlation between the consumption of spicy food and longevity. By dilating your blood vessels, chillies are thought to reduce your risk of hypertension, and the mechanism behind that tingling feeling also increases your calorie burn – your metabolism works overtime to bring your temperature back down. And what feels like pain can be interpreted as a pleasurable rush. “Mind over matter” is a common refrain among competitive chilli eaters. But what do I know? So far, I’ve only tried the fifth-hottest chilli known to man. I use the gendered term deliberately: the consumption of extremely hot chillies is predominantly a male pursuit, as is their cultivation. It’s unclear why this is the case. Perhaps we’re suffering from a form of food boredom, having become immune to the now near-infinite options at our fingertips. After all, once everything has been eaten and uploaded to Instagram, where next to go? Social media has turned our eating habits into a form of exhibitionism. In this context, chilli-eating can be viewed as the Ironman triathlon of the gastronomic world. It’s the ultimate form of culinary one-upmanship, delivering a hit of endorphins and easy bragging rights while requiring none of the skill or training. There are a few cheats. It’s worth knowing that the capsaicin is primarily found in the stalk and the membrane running down the middle of the chilli – not, as is commonly supposed, in the seeds. The tip is the least spicy part, so you might want to bite that bit off and say: “Ha! That’s nothing!” and then hand the more potent half to a friend. Milk and yogurt are commonly used chilli antidotes – capsaicin dissolves in oil, so the fattier,

MEN’S HEALTH 63

the better – but vodka (or any high-proof alcohol) also works well, which suggests a White Russian cocktail would be optimal. The greatest advantage is aﬀorded to novices: once the body knows what it’s in for, it’s more likely to refuse the ordeal.

THE FLAMES OF BATTLE More recently, the Scoville scale’s reliance on taste has led to criticisms of subjectivity – we all have different taste receptors. (A small number of us are even immune to capsaicin; watch out for them at chillieating contests.) Adjudicators now use more accurate liquid chromatography methods. Which is just as well: in this age of high-stakes chilli cultivation, the title of “world’s hottest” is fiercely contested. As a rule of thumb, the uglier and gnarlier a chilli looks, the spicier it will be. And, according to an old piece of African planting lore, the angrier you are when you sow the seeds, the more pungent the resulting plant. In practice, chillies respond well to stresses of a different kind. You have to torture them. “The plant’s main job is to produce flowers and fruit, then reproduce,” explains Gerald Fowler, a grower from Cumbria who created the infamous Naga

viper. “If you put the plant under stress through a lack of water or by picking the ﬂowers out, it puts all of its energy into producing fruit. It becomes hotter.” If you’re at all familiar with cannabis cultivation (and, incidentally, there’s more than a little crossover between chilli-heads and weed enthusiasts), you might think of ordinary kitchen chillies as sun-grown hash and the new varieties as lab-grown skunk. To optimise capsaicin content, they’re often bred selectively using polytunnels, greenhouses and hydroponic lamps. It more closely resembles an elaborate science experiment than horticulture. Developing and testing new chillies isn’t cheap, but it can certainly pay out. “There’s a huge amount of money and kudos if you get into the Guinness World Records,” says Fowler. Following his victory, his business, the Chilli Pepper Company, sold 5,000 bottles of hot sauce to the US. (It also produces a “chilli ﬁre spray”, which Fowler advocates as a pre-gym booster: “A couple of squirts will release endorphins. It’s like having a really, really good workout.”) The competition plays out like a macho version of The Great British Bake

“The Naga viper sauce caused men to pass out”

MAN VS FIRE Fancy taking on your own challenge? Here are five places to pit yourself against the devil’s fruit The Boozy Cow Chilli Challenge, Edinburgh Three hot dishes in 15 minutes. Milkshakes are provided to help you cool down.

Eastnor Chilli Festival, Herefordshire This is hosted by the Clifton Chilli Club – so bring your A-game. 5-6 May 2019

64 MEN’S HEALTH

Pop Up Chilli Fest, Lancaster One of many Chilli Fest events held around the UK. 10 November 2018

MEATliquor Triple Chilli Challenge, London You have just 10 minutes to devour three jalapeñosmothered dishes.

Burger Of XXX Chilli Burger, Hove A burger so hot that you have to sign a waiver prior to taking a bite.

Off. Fowler’s Naga viper lost its title to a variant of the Trinidad Moruga scorpion, before the crown was claimed by the Carolina reaper – the offspring of a ghost pepper and a habanero bred by “Smokin’” Ed Currie of South Carolina. The reaper has since been surpassed by the dragon’s breath chilli, made by a Welsh horticulturist “by mistake” – he was just trying to grow a plant that would look nice for the Chelsea Flower Show. It measures an astonishing 2.48 million SHU, but even this was recently usurped by Pepper X, which measures 3.18 million SHU. Webley and Smith tried it in powdered form for something called the Death Nut Challenge, in which participants eat five progressively spicier chilli-coated peanuts. “I mean, it was really coated,” says Webley. “That one made us both ill. There was a bit of cleaning up to be done.” Still, it wasn’t as bad as when he attempted the Six Million Scoville Burger Challenge in the Czech Republic. “I did finish it but, that night, I was in my hotel room in pieces,” he says. “Oh, man, we’ve had some low moments.” He once tried a fingernail’s worth of a capsaicin paste called Plutonium, which measures nine million SHU, at a chilli expo in New York. He spent the rest of the day vomiting. Just how much hotter can a chilli be? “Years ago, no one could believe the red Savina, which is over half a million Scoville units, could be that hot!” muses Fowler. “But then you’d get one in India that was just over a million SHU, and no one could believe that either.” Pure capsaicin measures 16 million SHU, so it’s only at that point that, in theory, we must finally max out.

THE OUTER LIMITS Naturally, many fail to see the appeal of consuming weapons-grade chillies. A former chilli farmer tells me he is baﬄed by the phenomenon. “I read about that guy who was admitted to hospital after eating a super-hot chilli. If that’s what it does to you, why bother?” He says the furore surrounding his own prize-winning specimen was enough to put him oﬀ. “Once the news about my chilli got out, my life became a nightmare,” he says. “The Russians wanted to use it in pepper spray. We had loads of enquiries. A lot of greedy

Fire Eaters BURNING MAN The ecstasy quickly turns into agony, but each of us has a different sweet spot

HEDONISM

THE TINGLES Capsaicin triggers heat receptors in your nose, mouth and skin, sending a “cool down” signal to your brain.

THE BURN Your metabolism rises and your heart pumps faster in an attempt to help heat radiate away from your skin.

THE RUSH Your pain sensors are activated, causing a flood of endorphins – your body’s natural opiates.

THE SWEATS Your body starts to perspire in an effort to cool itself, while the chilli’s chemicals irritate your nose, making it run.

THE SICKNESS Capsaicin causes your stomach to cramp to rid itself of the burning chemical. Beware: accidents can happen.

MASOCHISM

MEN, MORE THAN WOMEN, ARE LIKE MOTHS TO THE FLAME

people tried to make money off it. We ended up binning the lot.” For most people, however, it’s just a bit of fun. Tom Berk is the proprietor of the Red Dog Saloon in Hoxton, east London. The restaurant’s “wall of fame” celebrates the brave young men – and it’s “99% men”, Berk tells me – who have completed his hot wing challenge since he launched it in 2014. In 10 minutes, you have to eat six chicken wings smothered in Naga viper sauce. No other food or drink is allowed. “At first, it’s like swallowing a thousand burning-hot needles,” Berk tells me. “You get no flavour. The heat overpowers your senses. Imagine eating a ball of fire. It’s easy to fall into a state of shock.” He taste-tested it exhaustively before putting it on the menu. The appeal to him as a restaurateur should be obvious, he says. It’s theatrical, and human beings love to test their limits. The challenge has a success rate of just 5%. “One chap did four out of six wings, then disappeared for about an hour. Later, he came back and asked me: ‘When’s it going to end?’ Some have passed out. It can be… unpleasant. A man was taken away in an ambulance.” Didn’t that make him wonder if this was such a good idea? “He shouldn’t have signed the waiver. And I think it was more of an allergy thing. Overall, though, it’s fun. People know what they’re in for, and you get that rush of endorphins. So, even though it’s painful, most people enjoy the challenge.” One of the more interesting chillirelated studies of recent years was from the University of Grenoble Alpes in France, linking the consumption of spicy food and testosterone. People who claimed to enjoy spicier foods were found to have higher levels of the hormone than those who preferred blander flavours – not so surprising, since testosterone is linked to recklessness. Yet, according to a study conducted at Pennsylvania State University, while men professed to like spicy food a lot more than women, women seemed to enjoy it more than men did in taste tests. Perhaps what the most vocal chilli-heads actually crave is the respect of their peers. “It is possible,” wrote the authors, “that the cultural association of consuming spicy foods with strength and machismo has created a learned social reward for men.” And that might just be the hardest thing to swallow.

MEN’S HEALTH 65

Table for One The effects of isolation aren’t merely psychological. Those who are made to feel socially disconnected are more likely to engage in unhealthy eating habits, according to researchers at the University of Chicago.

ONE IN THREE MEN FEEL LONELY ON A REGULAR BASIS, WITH THOSE IN THEIR MID-THIRTIES MOST LIKELY TO SUFFER ACUTELY. BUT ITS CAUSES RUN DEEPER THAN OUR RELATIONSHIP STATUS OR THE SIZE OF THE CITY WE LIVE IN. ONE MH WRITER REFLECTS ON THE CHALLENGES OF MODERN MALE FRIENDSHIPS – AND ASKS WHAT CAN BE DONE CITIES, LIKE SOCIAL MEDIA, HAVE UNITED US – BUT HAVE THEY DIVIDED US, TOO?

66 MEN’S HEALTH

GUTTER CREDIT

WORDS BY JOSH GLANCY – PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIAN BENJAMIN

GUTTER CREDIT

68 MEN’S HEALTH

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*JOURNAL OF AFFECTIVE DISORDERS | WITH THANKS TO THE REGENCY CAFE, SKYLIGHT SKYLIGHTLONDON.COM EMOJI HEADS: MANDY MAKER IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY | STYLING: RICCARDO CHIUDIONI

few years ago, four of my male friends and I spontaneously organised a trip to the Peak District. None of us is exactly Bear Grylls, and I can’t quite remember how we came up with the idea – but we obviously felt that spending a weekend in a lonely, rural cottage would be an important thing to do. So we packed some hiking boots, emptied Sainsbury’s and committed to 48 hours in the relative wilderness of Derbyshire. Something fascinating happened on that trip, though the schedule was unremarkable. We spent most of the time drinking and gently humiliating each other. There was a failed attempt to cook a beef Wellington and A Problem Shared an ill-judged hike that ended Venting your frustrations with a trespassing incident. when faced with a difficult But that wasn’t the extent situation is a solution in itself: the act of talking of things. Though we had things over with a friend all been good friends since can reduce your levels university, we had never been of immunity-damaging away together. It was liberating stress hormone cortisol*. to leave London and deposit ourselves on a misty, northern moor. Sitting around a fireplace in the middle of nowhere, we somehow felt freer. Embarrassing concerns and old grudges were released from ancient resting places, and we were able to examine our souls. I stayed up all night with one mate, discussing how we felt a little trapped by our lives – I wanted to be a writer and foreign correspondent but found myself chained to an editorial desk job; he had spent several years working in finance but yearned to do something more fulfilling. It was one of those rare conversations that permanently impressed itself upon my consciousness. I’ll never forget its power, nor the extraordinary impact that being away with a group of close male friends can have, creating an atmosphere that was at once fairly savage and deeply comfortable. This trip, I realised a few months later, was the antithesis of loneliness. By then, Do you recognise your I’d moved to New York, having obtained own life in these pages? the coveted correspondent role. My life Take this quick self-test, had swung violently from one pole to the created by psychologist other – London, surrounded by old friends, Rob Stewart, to assess to Manhattan, surrounded by strangers. whether your personal I was single and almost friendless. For the ties need strengthening first time in my life, I was truly lonely.

01\ ASSESS YOUR How often do SOCIAL STANDING you spend more

than two hours talking with your friends? A – Every week B – Every month C – Less often

02\

03\

When you’re stressed or struggling, how many friends would you feel comfortable turning to?

How well do you know your closest friend?

A – Three or more B – One or two C – None of them

A – Inside out B – Less than you used to C – You’re out of touch

THE ANTI-SOCIAL NETWORK So lonely, in fact, that I began to crave the perfunctory smile of the waitress at my local diner. Each morning, I’d look forward to the familiar nod of the corner shop owner who sold me the New York Times. I also developed some strange habits: long, nocturnal walks through the city and pornographic meanderings on my laptop. At times, I took masochistic pleasure in feeling so isolated, letting the city wash over my sense of self, feeling like an extra in an Edward Hopper painting. But mostly it was just miserable. My expectations of New York – the people I’d meet, the conversations I’d have – were enormous. So much of the city’s TV myth revolves around friendships: Girls, Seinfeld, Sex and the City and, of course, Friends. But where was my devoted group of hilarious, dysfunctional pals to help me out of second gear?

with one another, drinking, laughing and kissing. Everyone except me. Loneliness feels a lot like depression, though the two are not the same. One study by the University of California, San Francisco, found that the majority of those who report feeling lonely are not clinically depressed. As for me, I had no chemical or pathological reason to be unhappy during those six months in New York. I was like a computer that had been unplugged from the internet. I just needed to reconnect. I needed friends. Over time, this sensation diminished: I found a girlfriend and eventually made enough friends to get by. I’m happy again. But the experience got me interested in the subject of loneliness, so I began to study and write about it. I read Olivia Laing’s The Lonely City and Sebastian Junger’s Tribe. I delved into Karl Ove Knausgaard’s My Struggle series of books, through which a wide seam of loneliness and disconnection runs. I quickly realised I wasn’t alone. Millions of others were as lonely as I had been – many of them in the largest, most thrilling cities in the world, living lives of outward success and inner desperation. I also realised there was an element of my predicament that had been quite specifically male. Loneliness isn’t gendered, but men in particular often struggle to express their feelings and form meaningful connections. Many of us find it easier to talk about football or politics than to admit to suffering from a low sex drive or feeling undervalued at work. We don’t know who to tell these things, or how to say them. This is why some men flock obsessively to secular evangelists such as Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, who fill the fraternal vacuum with rigorous examinations of the male psyche and spread their gospel through YouTube and podcasts.

“IFF LONEELINESS IS LIKE HUNGERR, URBAAN ISOOLATION N IS ITS OW WN KIND OF STARVVATION”

Lone Wolves

A REGULAR PINT MAY PASS THE TIME, BUT HOW MEANINGFUL ARE YOUR CONVERSATIONS?

04\

05\

How often do you cancel plans with friends for work or other commitments?

Which of these words best describes the majority of your social interactions?

A – Rarely B – Occasionally C – Often

A – Meaningful B – Casual C – Performative

Loneliness is often compared to hunger. It’s a lack of emotional sustenance, the physical pleasure of being in the company of someone who cares about you. But urban isolation is its own type of starvation, and New York City is perhaps the loneliest place to be lonely. I would walk through SoHo or the East Village on a Saturday morning, marvelling at how busy and engaged everyone seemed to be. How did they all seem to know each other? And why didn’t they want to know me? My apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, overlooks the city’s shimmering panorama. It’s one of the world’s most thrilling views – unless you’re feeling lonely. Then the lights mock you, each twinkle a symbol of people connecting

Stewart says: “If you answered B and C for most of these questions, consider the extent to which you may have deprioritised your close friendships. Treat it as you would a work assignment. Decide how many hours you could comfortably put aside each week to meet your friends, and how you’d like to spend time with them – then book it in. Try not to worry if you haven’t seen them in a while. Men are quite forgiving and can pick up where things left of, even if years have passed.”

The Boys’ Club Men aren’t good at talking to each other, or asking for help. This may be a cliché, but it’s true. Personally, I would rather walk around lost for half an hour than risk looking incompetent by asking for

MEN’S HEALTH 69

directions. Every girlfriend I’ve had has found this baffling. I need Peak District levels of comfort and familiarity to open up to another man. The majority of my friends are female, because I generally find the company of women to be more relaxed and engaging. But to help me negotiate my darkest emotions, male company is essential. WhatsApp threads just don’t cut it, no matter how good the banter. Recent research confirms this. A 2017 study at the University of Oxford showed that men bond better through face-to-face contact and activities, whereas women find it easier to hold onto an emotional connection through phone conversations. Our social structures function differently, too. According to a study in Plos One, male friendships are more likely to flourish in groups, whereas women favour one-to-one interactions. “What determined whether [friendships] survived with [women] was whether they made the effort to talk more to each other on the phone,” said Robin Dunbar, who led the Oxford study. “What held up [male] friendships was doing stuff together – going to a football match, going to the pub for a drink, playing fivea-side. They had to make the effort. It was a very striking sex difference.” The conundrum I faced last year was how to make new male friends, a task that seems to get more difficult with age. I’ve only made two close male friends since leaving university, now almost 10 years ago. There have been plenty of mates, colleagues, drinking companions and holiday bromances, but no one new I’d call if my life was falling apart. As men enter their forties, the situation often gets worse. Many become siloed by family life, socialising in couples, maintaining a solid professional network but unable to access the kind of raw, male companionship they need. And many men are more reliant on their partners for emotional support than they’d like to admit. “You have to work to keep it all going,” says one fortysomething friend, who sees his mates less often since they started families. “A Christmas drink or annual reunion isn’t enough. Getting people to commit when they’re dealing with young kids is a nightmare, though.” How do you make male friends in your thirties and forties? It’s surprisingly hard. You may meet people at work, or perhaps through a sports team. But, all too often, you come up against a barrier. When I was

ﬁrst in New York, I’d come across guys I liked – we’d even go for a few beers. But then what? The second man date feels a bit odd. It’s just not clear what comes next.

Going Solo Some of the causes of modern loneliness relate to how much we’ve strayed from our tribal, evolutionary roots. Technology is one culprit. You know the theory: by linking us together, social media has somehow managed to drive us further apart. In a study of adults aged between 19 and 32, those who spent more than two hours a day on social media were twice as likely to describe feeling “left out” or isolated. Our digital ties can feel like the real thing, but they often turn out to be weak and unsatisfying – ghostly imitations of human contact. The decline of traditional communities as a result of hyper-urbanisation is another. Many of us are now “bowling alone”, as US political scientist Robert D Putnam put it in his book about the decline of civic life. Increasing numbers of people are taking up bowling, he pointed out, but fewer and fewer are doing so in organised teams. I grew up in a close Jewish community in north London. As a child, I knew the names of at least half the people on my street. My grandparents lived six doors down, and my cousins were on the next road. I often found this village-style life claustrophobic at the time, but I’d trade it in a moment for the anonymity of my last four apartment blocks. I don’t think I’ve had a meaningful conversation with a neighbour in a decade. One of the biggest hurdles to building modern friendships is time. Friendships need time like a plant needs water. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships estimated that it takes about 90 hours with someone before you consider them a real friend, and 200 to become “close”. But it’s a matter of quality, not just quantity. Friendships require deep time – the nights when you’re in the mood for ﬁve drinks, not one, or the wideopen Sundays when you feel like cooking up a ﬂamboyant roast dinner, rather than just catching up over a burger. One bender is worth 100 quick halves after work.

70 MEN’S HEALTH

Friend Requests Some men are trying to ﬁnd solutions to these issues. I’m ambivalent about Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson’s politics, but the fact that he and many

LEFT: SWEATSHIRT ARKET, JEANS AMERICAN APPAREL, SHOES SUPERGA, RUCKSACK DOUGHNUT BAGS RIGHT: JUMPER JIGSAW, JEANS FRENCH CONNECTION, TRAINERS SUPERGA, RUCKSACK DOUGHNUT BAGS

“ASS MEN N ENTER THHEIR FOORTIESS, ITT CAN BECOME HARRDER TO FORM M NEW BONDS”

ESCAPING THE TIME SINK OF DAY-TO-DAY LIFE CAN HELP CEMENT YOUR FRIENDSHIPS

THE ANTI-SOCIAL NETWORK like him have become so popular is a sign that men are yearning for a profound and emotional conversation. I recently came across the Evryman Project, founded by Dan Doty, a film-maker and nature guide who observed in his work that men were desperate to find a way to connect with each other. The project leads men’s trips into the American wilderness of the Berkshires, say, or Yellowstone National Park. There, they meditate and hike, but their most important task is to sit in a circle and bare their souls. “The simple act of getting together with the explicit intention of opening up, to share all the stuff you don’t Better Together normally share, is incredibly People with stronger social powerful,” says Doty. “It bonds have lower levels of inflammation in the body, doesn’t have to be much Ohio State University found, more complicated than that.” cutting their chances of Most of Evryman’s heart disease. Even those participants are between 26 who enjoy spending time alone are shown to benefit. and 42, the period when men leave behind their adolescent circles and strike out alone into the world. Doty’s goal is to get men in social situations to go straight for the emotional kill. He uses the following equation: vulnerability x time = depth of connection. Doty believes that by amplifying men’s vulnerability levels, he can reduce the amount of time it takes for them to form real friendships. “We could go to the bar and talk about baseball, then maybe open up a little bit,” he says. “Or – for this to benefit me, so I can enjoy my life and be healthy – we could just cut the shit: this is who I am. We could create bonds that mean something, just go right there.” I’ve attended a couple of Evryman sessions in New York. While I found them fascinating, British cynicism prevented me from engaging fully. Besides, I want my friendships to be organic, rather than forged in the New Age microwave oven of organised wilderness bonding. Doty acknowledges that, in an ideal world, his organisation wouldn’t need to help fill the friendship and connectivity gap in people’s lives. But, for many men, projects such as Evryman are increasingly essential. For me, the lesson of my experience of loneliness is that we need to put close friendships at the centre of our lives – to work towards them wholeheartedly and relentlessly, in the same way one might work towards a career goal. I believe that every one of us needs a cottage somewhere, up on a misty moor, filled with people we trust. Otherwise, we’ll all end up bowling alone.

MEN’S HEALTH 71

Saving the p lanet doesn ’t have to m seeds and k ean grazing nitting your on hemp own yogurt. knows that i The smart e t’s possible thicist to care for t while lookin he environm g out for nu ent m ber one. Thi to a new wok s is our guid e lifestyle t e h a WORDS BY SC t’s worth wa ARLET T WRE NCH – PHOTO king up for GRAPHY BY M ICHAEL HEDG E £9.8BN The value of the UK’s ethical food and drinks market, which has doubled since 2008. Get in on the trend

NEW GAME PLAN Eschewing farmed meat earns you more than eco bragging rights at dinner parties. Game is healthier, too, explains Andy Waugh of Mac & Wild restaurants

GUTTER CREDIT

A LEANER, TASTIER WAY TO ENJOY SWINE DINING

NO.1 Indoor-reared pigs are sedentary, which can make sausages made from their meat fatty and bland. You deserve better. “Wild boar is like a cross between beef and pork,” says Waugh. But ensure you get the real thing: “Despite its name, not all wild boar is actually wild, so ask.” What’s in it for me? As well as a stronger, nuttier flavour, boar has a more varied nutrient profile as a result of its diet of foraged foods.

RISK VS REWARD

PIGEON WILL GET YOUR ETHICAL EATING OFF TO A FLYING START

We throw out £13bn of edible food each year. Minimise your waste with this tip sheet from mycologist* Dr Patrick Hickey Risky

Cooked Meat Never ignore the use-by date.

Nut Butter Nuts cultivate a very harmful kind of mould. If in doubt, throw it away.

Raw Meat Cooking kills bacteria, so you have a day or two to play with.

Bread

Hard Cheese Simply slice of the outside layer and it’s good to eat.

NEW GAME PLAN

Milk Slightly sour milk is harmless when heated. Pancakes?

Pickles and Jams The sweeter or saltier, the safer. Just scrape away the top layer.

NO.2 Like lamb, pigeon holds up well against punchy flavours. “It’s my go-to for people who think they don’t like game,” says Waugh. “Because of the diversity of

Oatcakes Without exposure to air, these can last a good 50 years.

Rewarding

its diet, it’s both tender and flavoursome.” And as these birds actually get a chance to fly, the meat is more muscular. Pan-roast and serve medium rare.

What’s in it for me? Wood pigeon is rich in hardto-come-by minerals such as copper, which helps your body burn fat and maintain blood vessels.

CAN I FREEZE IT?

Your Ethical Excuse #1

Grated Cheese

Cream Cheese

Salad Greens

Soups

Cooked Rice

Raw Meat

Cooked Meat

Keeps for 6-8 months

Tastes like sour ice cream

Edible, but unpleasant

Keeps for 2-3 months

Keeps for 3 months

Keeps for 4-12 months

Keeps for 2-3 months

74 MEN’S HEALTH

An Egg Breakfast Baguette at Greggs Recent industry reports concluded that animal welfare was “integral” to the strategy of Greggs, which stocks only free-range eggs and Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar. That should assuage some of your guilt when the hangover kicks in.

FOOD STYLIST: MATTHEW FORD AT HERS AGENCY | STYLIST’S ASSISTANT: CASEY LAZONICK | ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE, DAN MATTHEWS, JOHANNA PARKIN, SIMON VINALL, GETTY, ALAMY, STOCKFOOD, STUDIO 33 | *MYCOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF MOULD. SO HE’D KNOW

White mould? Scrape it of and make croutons. But if it’s black, bin it.

ETHICAL EATING

THE MEAT-CUT MATRIX Butchering a whole cow so we can all order the sirloin isn’t exactly sustainable. Depart from the herd with Michael Reid, executive chef at steak specialists M restaurants

Rib-Eye Liver T-Bone

Tongue

Hanger Rump

Sirloin

ETHICAL AND TASTY!

Delicious

Flat Iron Heart

NOT WORTH THE SPEND

Popular

Neglected

By Andy Waugh, co-founder of Mac & Wild restaurants

Shin

“ORGANIC” The label to seek out. Organic cows spend 215 days a year outside – far more than freerange cows

Strip Loin

Fillet

Overrated

NEW GAME NO.3 PLAN “Rabbit is a white meat, too,” says Waugh. “There was once talk in the industry of farming them intensively [on the same scale as] chickens,

GUTTER CREDIT

THE SELFISH SIDE OF CARING

though you should buy wild.” It’s a little gamier than chicken, but it’s lean and low in calories, with a 4:1 protein-to-fat ratio. Marinate overnight, then sub it in for your Sunday roast.

What’s in it for me? Rabbit is high in iron and selenium, which will help you combat fatigue and low moods during the cooler months.

For a nation of so-called foodies, it’s astonishing how often people show more interest in ticking restaurants off their bucket list than in the ingredients on their plate. Many of us don’t want to imagine the animals we eat living and breathing – but if you’re uncomfortable with the reality of meat, should you even be eating it? I avoid meat unless I know exactly where it’s from. This means that much of the time, I’m vegetarian. When I ran a wild game stall at east London’s Broadway Market, vegetarians would sometimes come up and talk to me. They can get their heads around the ethics of wild meat… Some of them even ended up buying some. Every time you buy meat, ask questions: how big is the farm? Do the animals forage? What’s the farmer’s name? There are reasons to care about provenance beyond ethics. Your interest acts as quality control. Know what you’re buying and you can get a better sense of your personal preferences – and you’ll receive smarter recommendations. Your butcher can save you the best-tasting, most nutritious parts of the animal, which aren’t always the most expensive bits. (We eat a lot of venison shank at home; it’s very cheap but the flavour is excellent.) They might even throw in a freebie every now and again.

RABBIT DANGLES THE CARROT OF MORE ENERGY

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GUILT-FREE THEFT Paying full-price for your groceries is a choice. Here are three ways to salve your conscience without lightening your wallet Plunder Your Neighbours Whether you want to clear out your fridge ahead of an impending holiday or simply don’t fancy paying for an eight-pack of onions, the Olio app connects those with spare food to hungry people in the local area.

olioex.com Ransack Restaurants Launched in London this year, Karma sells heavily discounted food from restaurants that want to clear out their stock. Place your order using the app, then pick it up on your way home from work.

karma.life Steal from Suppliers Oddbox rescues weird-shaped but nutritious fruit and veg that’s not aesthically pleasing enough to be stocked in supermarkets. Its food boxes are fresh and seasonal, and it’s far cheaper than Whole Foods.

oddbox.co.uk

NEW GAME PLAN NO.4 Sick of being told your burger habit is killing the planet? “I treat duck like red meat,” says Waugh. “Mallard has a very savoury, almost liver-like texture.” Pan-fry until it’s crisp on the outside and pink in the middle. You’ll spare yourself the calorific hit, too: “While farmed birds are fatty, wild ducks are surprisingly lean,” he says. What’s in it for me? The majority of its fats are of the monounsaturated variety – the kind that brings down your cholesterol.

Your Ethical Excuse #2

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FOR GOOD FATS, GET YOUR DUCK IN A ROW GUTTER CREDIT

A Grolsch at JD Wetherspoon: Though a world away from the eco-wellness sphere, Spoon’s was early to ban plastic straws, while Ethical Consumer has scored it well for sustainable menu items. Meanwhile, Grolsch owns one of the world’s most environmentally sound breweries. Bore your mates with that over a pint.

ETHICAL EATING 4.4M TONNES The annual amount of “avoidable” household food waste, about 60% of everything we chuck away

WASTE NOT, WANT MORE Repurpose excess fruit and veg as gourmet treats and you’ll eat well while being kind to your bank account – and the planet. Nicholas Balfe from seasonal restaurant Salon has your menu sorted

03\ CAULIFLOWER LEAF PICKLE

Kale or cavolo nero, 250g A lemon, juice and zest Fresh herbs, bunch Hazelnuts, 100g, toasted Parmesan or mature cheddar, 50g Sea salt, 1tbsp Olive oil or rapeseed oil, 100ml

Cauliﬂower leaves, 500g, shredded Sea salt, 2tsp An apple, cored Ginger, thumb-sized piece Garlic, 2 cloves A red chilli Tamari or soy sauce, 2tsp Large carrot, grated Spring onions, 6, ﬁnely sliced

METHOD

01\ CRUNCHY KALE PESTO

1/ If you have half a bag of wilted leaves at the back of your fridge, don’t discard it. Balfe favours kale, but other greens will work, too. Zest and squeeze a lemon – the leftovers from your last party will do – and tip all of the ingredients into a blender except the oil. 2/ Blitz, now adding the oil gradually until it’s well mixed. The extra fats help you to absorb the greens’ immunitysupporting carotenoids, but this pesto works just as well without the cheese, too.

02\ BROCCOLI STALK CHIPS Broccoli, four stalks, peeled Sea salt, pinch Toasted cumin, coriander and fennel, to taste Olive oil, drizzle

METHOD

1/ “The stalk is my favourite bit of the vegetable,” says Balfe. “I see it as a cook’s treat, the plant equivalent of a chicken oyster.” Cut the stalks – rich in vitamin C and folate – into chip-shaped chunks, then season. Drizzle on some oil. 2/ Either bake them in a 180°C oven for around 15 minutes or, weather permitting, grill them on a barbecue. Serve piping hot with a dip such as houmous or labneh.

1/ Massage salt into the leaves, then transfer to a bowl with brine. Weigh down with a plate and leave at room temperature for 48 hours. 2/ Blend together the apple, ginger, garlic, chilli and sauce, then mix into the leaves, along with the carrot and onion. Leave in a jar for up to six days before refrigerating. “It makes an ideal condiment for rich meats, oily fish and cheese,” says Balfe.

GUTTER CREDIT

BRIT SWAP Importing exotic “superfoods” from far-flung corners of the world leaves an unnecessarily large carbon footprint. Trade them in for these local seasonal staples

04\ FRUITY BALSAMIC DRESSING Soft fruits, 500g Balsamic vinegar, 1L Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed Basil, thyme, star anise and pink pepper, to taste

METHOD

1/ Dig out your squashy, over-ripe berries and tomatoes. Mash with a fork, then place in a saucepan with the other ingredients (choose your own herbs and spices, if you like) and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 minutes. 2/ Once it has thickened, allow to cool, then strain into a sterilised jar for an antioxidant-rich dressing. “It will keep almost indefinitely in the fridge,” says Balfe.

Your Ethical Excuse #3

Swap – Açaí Berries For – Blackberries What You Gain Aside from avoiding açaí’s hefty price tag, you’ll enjoy half of your vitamin C RDA per serving.

Swap – Quinoa For – Parsnips What You Gain Foreign demand has priced out the Peruvian farmers who grow this seed. Parsnips match it for fibre and vits.

Swap – Chia Seeds For – Hazelnuts What You Gain Score them free from British woodlands and pick up a potent dose of manganese, which will aid fat loss.

A Quarter Pounder with Cheese at McDonald’s Oh, don’t look at us like that! Fast-food chains still fall at the grubby end of the ethical spectrum, but the Golden Arches’ animal-welfare status is tier 2, far ahead of rivals such as KFC and Burger King. The campaign for a McWild venison burger starts here.

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One in four of us now regularly tunes into podcasts: whatever your niche, passion or discipline, there’s an in-ear coach for you. But with thousands to choose from, it isn’t easy for the MH man to pick out the truly useful audio inspo. So, we’ve whittled them down to 50, each packed with sound advice to upgrade every aspect of your life. Listen, learn – and let them entertain you Key: HEALTH ENHANCER

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NUTRITION HACKS

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

TRAINING UPGRADE

ATHLETE SECRETS

Voice Coaches

01-02 The Tim Ferriss Show The author of New York Times bestsellers The 4-Hour Work Week, Body and Chef wrote the book(s) on speedy selfimprovement. His podcast, in which he “deconstructs world-class performers”, regularly tops the iTunes business chart, as well as Apple’s list of the best podcasts. His subjects range from start-ups to stand-ups, and from athletes to Arnie. The interviews can be long – some stretching past the three-hour mark – but they’re always a productive use of your time. Like that? Try The James Altucher Show, hosted by the entrepreneur, author and chess master. His guests include skater Tony Hawk, former astronaut Mike Massimino and, er, Tim Ferriss.

PLUG INTO THE ELITE’S SECRETS

03-04

PHOTOGRAPHY: LUCKY IF SHARP | IMAGE MANIPULATION: COLIN BEAGLEY

Jocko Podcast Jocko Willink is a former commander of the most decorated special operations unit in the Iraq War, who went on to become the oficer in charge of training all Navy Seals on the US west coast. In short, he is one of the toughest men you’ll ever listen to. (Even the name of his podcast is BS-free.) Learn the fundamentals of training and leadership from the gravelvoiced Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and author of business books such as Discipline Equals Freedom, who wakes up at 4.30am to “get after it”. Like that? Try the Unbeatable Mind Podcast with Mark Divine, presented by a retired Navy Seal commanderturned-author who grills athletes and ex-military personnel for life strategies.

07-08

The Dissect Podcast

05-06

10% Happier with Dan Harris The Emmy Award-winning Harris was a co-anchor on the American TV institution Good Morning America – until he sufered a panic attack live on air, which prompted him to consider meditation. Converted, he wrote a book about it, also called 10% Happier (and a follow-up, Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics). In these meetings of mindfulness

devotees, guests muse upon happiness in its many forms and ask whether striving for success and enlightenment are mutually exclusive. Like that? Try Happier with Gretchen Rubin, in which the US blogger, speaker and author of bestselling books Happier at Home and The Happiness Project ofers “practical, manageable” advice.

Mark Twight founded the hard-line facility Gym Jones, which put Salt Lake City, Utah, on the workout map by moulding the 300 Spartans and Superman himself, Henry Cavill. With fellow alumni Michael Blevins, Paul Roberts and Ross McGarvey, who “prefer verbs over nouns, action over words and ends over means”, Twight has started a new facility, the Sect, and this podcast. You’ll get schooled on what they disparage as “fitnessing”, but also learn that real transformations are far more profound. Like that? Try Starting Strength by old-school coach Mark Rippetoe, who supersets expert interviews with tutorials, “Ask Rip” Q&As and discourses on modern masculinity.

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09-10

The Joe Rogan Experience A show presented by a stand-up comedian might seem a funny choice on a list of the best fitness podcasts, but Rogan also provides commentary for the UFC and is a former US tae kwon do champion. One of the world’s most popular podcasters, with more than 1,000 episodes under his black belt, the self-dubbed “psychedelic adventurer” is as likely to get into the weeds with his guests on topics such as sports science and mixed martial arts as to discuss legalising cannabis. Like that? Try WTF with Marc Maron, another comedian and podcast OG (even Barack Obama graced his garage back in 2015), who is a black belt in beating himself up.

PRESCRIBE YOURSELF A TALKING CURE

13-14 The School of Greatness with Lewis Howes Howes left university early to become a

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pro American football player, only to suffer a career-ending wrist injury. Rather than letting being broke and homeless defeat him, he built a multimillion-dollar online business and made it into Team USA’s handball squad. Having overcome harrowing adversities, he now interviews high achievers to find out “what makes great people great”. Like that? Try How to Be Amazing with Michael Ian Black, in which the comedian, actor and author unpicks how his guests turned their passion into a profession.

The Rich Roll Podcast A former entertainment attorney, athlete and author, Roll had a healthy midlife crisis on the eve of his 40th birthday after struggling up a flight of stairs. Ditching animal products along with alcohol, drugs and more than 20kg of weight, within two years he ranked among the top 10 male finishers at the Ultraman, a three-day, 320-mile multi-sport race. He is now considered one of the fittest men in the world. His wellness conversations with diverse luminaries will make your cardio go faster. Like that? Try No Meat Athlete Radio to tune into non-preachy vegan ultrarunner Matt Frazier, whether you want to run entirely on plants or just a slightly greener fuel.

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15-18

Go to Extra Time With 90 minutes a week not nearly enough time for all the available football podcasts, we’ve selected the Premier League

MEN IN BLAZERS For wit and menswear, the sharpest football analysis is by Roger Bennett and Michael Davies, two expat Brits at NBC in the US. Though the American Major League Soccer gets its fair share of attention, they spend a lot of air time poring over the English Premier League with a pint of Budweiser.

THE TOTALLY FOOTBALL SHOW Last summer’s biggest transfer was Guardian Football Weekly host James Richardson to Muddy Knees Media, home of The Totally Football League Show and the Serie A podcast Golazzo. Makes sense, as Richardson fronted Channel 4’s Football Italia in the 1990s.

GAME OF OUR LIVES Through the prism of the world’s most popular sport, sociologist, journalist and football historian David Goldblatt explores politics, culture, economics, immigration, religion and cinema. Guests who you won’t see on Super Sunday include cult film director Werner Herzog.

QUICKLY KEVIN, WILL HE SCORE? Co-hosted by comedian Josh Widdicombe, this is a nostalgic celebration of the wonderfully unprofessional world of 1990s footy. The line-up of guests ranges from stars of the era such as Matt Le Tissier to like-minded comedian Frank Skinner.

Voice Coaches

23-24 The Hilarious World of Depression Listening to people talk about depression might not sound like a laugh-a-minute experience, but when the people in question are comedians and other wits who periodically feel low despite being at the top of their game, the chortle rate is unexpectedly high. “Depression is everywhere, and it sucks,” says American public radio presenter John Moe. “But talking about it doesn’t. Talking about it is a really good idea.” Like that? Try The Mental Illness Happy Hour with Paul Gilmartin, in which the ex-alcoholic comedian talks to peers about negative thinking, trauma and addiction.

25-26

Finding Mastery

YOUR ROUTE TO UPPERSTREAM FITNESS

19-20

GMB Fitness Show Devised by experts in martial arts, gymnastics and physical therapy, Gold Medal Bodies is a gold-standard bodyweight training programme for developing your skills and flexibility. Co-founder Ryan Hurst holds court with the help of fitness cognoscenti such as Animal Flow creator Mike Fitch and Al Kavadlo of Progressive Calisthenics. Like that? Try The Freestyle Way by Carl Paoli, a national gymnast-turned-CrossFit trainer and the founder of Gymnastics WOD.

21-22

Ted Talks: Health Sadly not a series of wellness monologues delivered by Seth MacFarlane’s foul-mouthed bear, but rather lectures by a global community of thought leaders, curated under the banner of Technology, Entertainment and Design. In practice, the internetbreaking Ted Talks cover anything and everything,

including health. Think of them as lectures from some of the smartest people on the planet – always fascinating and, best of all, tuition fee free. Like that? Try Ted Radio Hour, in which several speakers convene around the mic and share their insights on a topic, from the struggle to find meaningful work to the fountain of youth.

When Felix Baumgartner panicked as he prepared to leap from a hot-air balloon on the edge of space, it was psychologist Michael Gervais who talked him of the ledge. Whether speaking to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella or ropeless climber Alex Honnold (see page 84), Gervais explores the “common thread” connecting the world’s greatest performers as they “pursue the boundaries of human potential”. Like that? Try Mindset RX’d, a WOD for your mind from Tom Foxley, a PT and Royal Marines reservist despite having a heart condition.

LISTEN AND LEARN HOW TO PROTECT YOUR HEALTH

27-28

Eat, Move and Live Better As well as serving up online diet programmes, Precision Nutrition advises companies such as Nike. Fittingly, the emphasis here is on food. There’s plenty of nutritional facts to get your teeth into and, because they’re bite-sized, you can binge on several in a sitting. Like that? Try Sigma Nutrition Radio: science prepared by nutritionist Danny Lennon, with a sprinkling of coaches, athletes and researchers.

29-30

Waking Up with Sam Harris If anyone can help you make sense of our incomprehensible world, it’s neuroscientist Sam Harris, author of bestsellers such as Free Will. His podcast ranges from evolutionary psychology and politics to the meaning of life. Prepare for your mind to be truly blown. Like that? Try the awardwinning On Being with Krista Tippett, in which the journalist and former diplomat ruminates on existence with guests such as Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg.

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31-32 30 for 30 Podcasts When it comes to spine-tingling sports documentaries, American network ESPN is the greatest of all time. And it turns out they work just as effectively without the visuals. A delightfully in-depth refuge from the shallow sports news cycle of previews and predictions, results and reactions, here you can discover the origins of the UFC, learn about the genesis of the Madden NFL video game franchise or dive into the murky world of scandal-hit hot yoga guru Bikram Choudhury. Like that? Try The Bill Simmons Podcast, the most downloaded sports podcast ever, by the journalist and author who kicked off 30 for 30 before founding his own outlet, The Ringer.

33-37 Trivial Pursuits

The podcasts that will make you the toast of dinner parties and the Rambo of pub ammo

NO SUCH THING AS A FISH After learning that 600 men have two penises, the QI “elves” – the writers of the BBC panel show – set this up to share their latest “quite interesting” discoveries. Bonus fact: in 2014, it was named the best new podcast by Apple.

STUFF YOU SHOULD KNOW In one of the most popular podcasts on iTunes, writers from howstufworks.com explain, among other things, the mechanisms behind tsunamis, bullfighting and condoms. At the very least, you should know how the last of these work.

FREAKONOMICS RADIO Hosted by Stephen J Dubner, co-author of the conventionalwisdom-debunking book series, this show “tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t)”, from smarter money to the economics of sleep.

REVISIONIST HISTORY Author of Tipping Point and Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell is a one-man counterintuition industry. Here, he reconsiders misunderstood episodes from the past, such as basketballer Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game.

Voice Coaches

38-39

42-43

Fight Disciples

TheMove

Collecting awards like Anthony Joshua does belts, this is the reigning champion in the Sport category at the British Podcast Awards, having won it the past two years. Hosted by radio presenter Adam Catterall and former Liverpool Echo boxing writer Nick Peet, Fight Disciples doesn’t restrict itself to the Queensberry rules and also covers MMA. It takes on all comers: combatants, coaches and correspondents. It’s the undisputed best brawling podcast. Like that? Try Fight Night, also hosted by Catterall (and occasionally Peet) and part of TalkSport’s stable, giving it a reach that lets it connect with real heavyweights.

It’s an inconvenient truth that one of the best cycling podcasts is hosted by Lance Armstrong, the disgraced former champion who was shorn of his seven Tour de France titles following the revelation of his serial doping. Yes, TheMove is doubtless an attempt to rehabilitate his reputation (and the same goes

GIVE YOURSELF A MENTAL WORKOUT

Hidden Brain

99% INVISIBLE If you haven’t seen this on lists of best podcasts, you haven’t been looking. Host Roman Mars gives visibility to the design and architecture of the world around you, from bar codes to Freud’s couch and New York’s cow tunnels (really).

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Finish the Job Improve your odds of getting through your listening list with these high-powered productivity podcasts HOW I BUILT THIS Guy Raz, host of the Ted Radio Hour (see page 81), quizzes the upper echelons of the business world – such as James Dyson and Richard Branson – about their empires. Sitting on a great idea? This show will get you moving. THE ACCIDENTAL CREATIVE Whether you create for a living, manage artistic temperaments or use the term as a euphemism for “prone to procrastination”, Todd Henry – the “arms dealer for the creative revolution” – will inspire you.

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The multi-award-winning journalist and Harvard fellow Shankar Vedantam – who is also a former science writer at the Washington Post – combines science and storytelling “to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behaviour”, from the surprisingly long history of fake news to the more bafling question of why we lie. Like that? Try Invisibilia, which holds that “unseeable forces” control how we behave – what, for example, makes a brain surgery patient’s hand start stubbing out cigarettes of its own accord?

for The Forward, his terrific series of interviews with athletes, film-makers and authors). But whatever you think of him, Armstrong knows a lot about riding bikes. Like that? Try The Cycling Podcast, hosted by three peloton-leading journalists, which finished joint third in the Sport category at the 2018 British Podcast Awards.

44-45 The Primal Blueprint Podcast Cavemen didn’t podcast – but don’t dismiss this show approved by endurance athlete-turnedpaleo author Mark Sissons. Guests include mobility guru Kelly Starrett and surfer Laird Hamilton. Not just for “ancestral health” evangelists, it’ll help you whether you want to eat and move more naturally or switch to a keto diet. Like that? Try The Paleo Solution Podcast by powerlifter, martial artist and ex-biochemist Robb Wolf, who co-founded the first-ever CrossFit affiliate.

GETTING THINGS DONE Hailed as “the defining self-help business book of its time” by Time, David Allen’s Getting Things Done has even become an initialism: GTD. This podcast version supports your practice with essential advice. HBR IDEACAST Harvard Business Review is a hotbed of innovation, and its podcast – unlike much of its content – is free. Featuring “the leading thinkers in business and management”, many episodes come in at under 20 minutes – a sound investment. EAT SLEEP WORK REPEAT The side hustle of Twitter’s European vice-president Bruce Daisley, a disarmingly chummy Brummie, the number-one business podcast on iTunes looks at productivity through the lens of workplace culture and happiness.

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Alex Honnold scales mountain cliffs without a rope or harness. It may seem like madness, but he has simply learned how to transcend fear. His methods can help you to conquer your own uphill battles WORDS BY TOM WARD – PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIMMY CHIN

REACH YOUR SUMMIT BY HACKING YOUR BRAIN’S FEAR RESPONSE

here is a red insect crawling up a cliﬀ face. It inches higher, a blemish on the vast, grey canvas of the mountain. The treetops below are remote enough to have lost all of their individual characteristics – just a carpet of green. As the red dot persists in its ascent, we realise that it’s a man: Alex Honnold, arguably the most daring, ambitious climber in the world. Slowly, steadily, he makes his way to the top, using only the narrowest ﬁssures as holds for his feet and hands. So begins National Geographic’s new documentary on Honnold, Free Solo. Honnold climbs without ropes or support of any kind, and seemingly without fear. “Here’s what I don’t understand,” a US talk-show host says in voice-over. “One little mistake, one little slip, and you fall and die.” Cut to Honnold, hunched and awkward in the TV studio, his eyes peering out from under a mop of black hair. “Yeah,” he says, shrugging. “You seem to understand it well.” Free-soloing is a niche sport. Of the few who have attempted it, many have fallen to their deaths. At 32, Honnold is a veteran of hundreds of free-solo climbs, and his peers in the climbing community compare his achievements to the moon landing, or the breaking of the sound barrier. One such climb was his 2017 ascent of el Capitan, a forbidding rock formation in Yosemite National Park, California. Within the sport, “el Cap” is considered climbing Valhalla, and it had never been conquered by a free-soloist. This near-vertical, 900m granite rock face has been the scene of numerous tragedies. On 2 June this year, two Americans died in a failed ascent, despite using ropes and climbing equipment. To attempt it without ropes, then, might be considered reckless at best – and suicidal at worst. Not content with his mastery of el Capitan, Honnold, along with fellow climber Tommy Caldwell, returned this

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“A DROP FROM 50M OR MORE WOULD CAUSE A BODY TO EXPLODE ON IMPACT”

FOR FREE-SOLOISTS LIKE HONNOLD, A FATAL FALL IS ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY

year to break the el Capitan climbing speed record, reaching the upper ridge after one hour, 58 minutes and seven seconds. To push yourself to such limits of physical and mental exertion requires dedication, skill and, above all, fearlessness. How does Honnold – who until recently lived in a van – free himself from fear? The trick may be that he doesn’t.

Risk Assessment Fear has always played a crucial role in our evolution. Without it, our species may well have fatally succumbed to apex predators, raging rivers, poisonous fruit,

or, worst of all, other Homo sapiens. And we still live with the legacy of our hunter-gatherer past: in Overcoming Anxiety, clinical psychologist Helen Kennerley explains that we are hard-wired to be born with a fear of snakes, heights, confined spaces and more. In most cases, this is sensible. “Fear is important,” says Catherine Harmer, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at Oxford University. “It’s what stops us from stepping in front of a moving car, or falling off a cliff. But it does more than just protect us – it gives us energy in stressful situations. You’ll find you can run faster if you’re being chased.” You might feel it first in your chest or in your throat, but fear starts in the

FACING FEAR The amygdala is responsible for triggering our “threat response”. Honnold’s should light up when presented with disturbing images – but it doesn’t.

THE MIND OF A THRILL-SEEKER Neuroscientist Jane Joseph tested Honnold’s brain in an fMRI scanner. First, he was shown images selected to frighten, disturb or arouse. Then, he was given a “reward task” – a game in which he could win or lose money. In both cases, his brain barely reacted

ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

The brain’s pleasure chemical, dopamine, is released when you do something exciting. Sensation-seekers such as Honnold may require more stimulation to get the same hit. This may explain why some people thrive under pressure.

thalamus, a small structure in your brain that relays motor and sensory signals to your cerebral cortex. A region called the amygdala then decides how you should react to a given stimulus – all of which happens before you are consciously aware of the danger. Next, the hypothalamus gets involved, triggering processes that result in the release of stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol. With these ﬂooding your system, your blood pressure will rocket, your pupils will dilate, and your breathing will accelerate to send oxygen

to your muscles in preparation for “fight or flight”. How helpful all this is depends on the situation. A surge of energy is vital when you’re trapped beneath a fallen tree, but when you’re stuck in an overcrowded Tube carriage, the same flood of stress hormones – the evolutionary response – can be counterproductive. As we encounter fewer genuine life-threatening dangers in contemporary life, the thalamus can overreact to everyday horrors, from work deadlines, obligatory social functions and relationship conflicts to a drop in your Instagram followers.

In short, our minds have not yet caught up with our surroundings. More than one in 10 of us will suﬀer from a “disabling” fear-related disorder at some point in our lives; according to Anxiety UK, an estimated 13% of the adult population will develop a phobia. And it’s getting worse. A 2017 review by the UK Council for Psychotherapy found that anxiety levels among British workers had risen by 30.5% since 2013, leading to a number of additional conditions including insomnia and panic disorders. What we need is the ability to tap into the fear response when we need it, and to pause it when we don’t. The question is: how?

Scare Tactics Alex Honnold has only ever suffered two injuries while climbing. In one instance, he fell on the first pitch of a climb, sustaining compression fractures in two vertebrae. The second injury was a sprained ankle – no trivial ailment when your career involves supporting yourself halfway up a cliff face. But neither injury, it seems, has caused him to slow down. While he acknowledges that a fall from a height of 50m or more would cause his body to “explode on impact”, fear is not something that rules his climbing. “I like to differentiate between risk and consequence. When I’m free-soloing, I think the risk that I’ll fall is quite low, but the consequence is serious,” he explains. “That’s one of its appeals – taking something that seems dangerous and making it feel safe. Sometimes, my confidence comes from feeling super fit. Sometimes, it comes from rehearsal.” Repetition, then, may be the key to mastering fear. Notably, Honnold doesn’t follow any specific exercise regimen. Instead, since his teenage years, he has used the mountains as his gym, practising finger holds and little else. Physically, he can be in no doubt of his abilities. His training mimics his end goal, and he is accustomed to working in that environment. Free-soloing isn’t the only sport with inherent risks. Free-diving also has its fair share of misadventure. Herbert Nitsch, 48, is the current world free-diving champion and the holder of 33 records, including the world’s deepest free-dive of 253.2m in 2012. He agrees that familiarity is one of the most effective ways of learning to calm the mind when you are under extreme conditions.

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“To be successful in any free-dive, you have to be dead calm. The state you’re looking for is similar to how you feel after waking up on a lazy Sunday morning,” he says. “And you need to stay in this sleepy condition for the duration of the dive. By spending a lot of time in the ocean far below the surface, my fear morphed into simple discomfort and then, eventually, into something closer to joy.” Honnold puts it succinctly: “You’re not trying to control your fear. You’re just trying to step outside of it.” The key, he believes, is to “expand your comfort zone”, so operating in peril becomes almost mundane. “I do this by practising the moves over and over again, to work through the fear until I can’t feel it any more,” he explains. He also uses visualisation, picturing himself on the mountain, seeing every hold, every crevice, every conceivable outcome. This puts him in a meditative state. He practises mentally in this way as often as possible – when he’s walking to the shops, when he’s dressing, even when he’s doing the washing up. “You don’t beat fear by refusing to acknowledge it,” says Nitsch. “You beat it by identifying situations that could cause anxiety and approaching them pragmatically. Put the situation into perspective and dissect it to its minutiae, until you can make sense of your fears. With each situation, you’ll realise there is less to be afraid of than you might think.”

Neuroscience Institute has taken a slightly different approach. Using a method called “decoded neuro-feedback”, Seymour and his colleagues have been looking for a way to scan the brain for patterns of activity relating to specific fears – and ultimately overwrite the memory. In one experiment, they created a “fear memory” in 17 volunteers by shocking them with an electric current each time they were shown a certain image, and noted their brain patterns. Once this was established, they then presented the subjects with a reward every time they displayed any brain activity related to that memory. This scrambled the circuits: the next time the subjects were shown the same images, they barely reacted. “Remarkably, we could no longer see the typical skin-sweating response you associate with fear,” says Seymour’s colleague Ai Koizumi. “Nor could we identify enhanced activity in the amygdala, the brain’s fear centre.” They had erased the fear without the subjects ever being aware of the process. But while such results show promise for those suffering with anxiety or posttraumatic stress disorder, removing fear from our emotional repertoire is not the end goal. The dose makes the poison,

“DISSECT YOUR FEARS – THERE IS LESS TO BE AFRAID OF THAN YOU MIGHT THINK”

Losing Your Nerve Merel Kindt is a professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam who has experimented with the effect of beta blockers on fear. That beta blockers – which disrupt the distribution of adrenalin, lowering your heart rate – can help to keep you calm is not surprising. What is curious, however, is that the benefits can linger long after the patient has stopped taking the drugs. Kindt believes that the body simply grows accustomed to experiencing stress without physically responding to it. This is a crucial point. While our anxious thoughts can trigger the physiological effects of fear, it works the other way, too. Our sweaty palms and hammering heart are what tell our brain that we’re in peril. In the absence of the symptoms, we assume we’re fine. Elsewhere, Ben Seymour of Cambridge University’s Behavioural and Clinical

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FEAR AND LOATHING Think you’re braver than the average Brit*? This is how some of our common phobias break down

42%

35%

Heights

23%

44%

36%

Public Speaking

20%

Key Very afraid Slightly afraid Not afraid

29% 57% 14%

Enclosed Spaces

16% 8% 76%

Needles

FACING FEAR

EXPAND YOUR COMFORT ZONE Exposing yourself to “safe” stress can reduce your sensitivity to it. The next time you find yourself in a nerveracking situation, whether scaling a cliff or speaking up in a meeting, use this method to turn your fear into fuel

Step 1 Feel, Don’t Think Take stock of your physical sensations from head to toe, without attaching any meaning to them. Shallow breathing? Accelerated heart rate? Tense muscles? Check, check, check.

and a little anxiety can be good for us, argues Jeremy Snape, psychologist at Sporting Edge. “We’ve interviewed over 100 world-class performers, and the vast majority have a strong fear of failure,” he explains. “For them, it’s a motivator. The champions use it to strengthen their attention to detail in preparation… Without a healthy dose of fear, we can get complacent.” Again, the focus is on understanding, rather than suppressing, our anxieties. It’s a lesson that holds a lot of meaning for free-diver Nitsch. After a world record attempt in 2012, he suffered from decompression sickness. Doctors feared that he would be partially paralysed for life. The news was so crushing that Nitsch briefly contemplated “a wingless flight” out of his hospital room window. Instead, with long, empty days to fill HONNOLD HAS SPENT TWO in hospital, he decided to DECADES CONFRONTING examine his fears, breaking EVER GREATER RISKS them down one by one to formulate a specific plan of action. “My fear got me going,” he says. “It took me six whole months to be fully upright, walking and talking again. Two years after the accident, I tested my limits in the deep ocean. It was fantastic. I felt like a kid.” He went on to equal many of his previous records.

GUTTER CREDIT *YOUGOV | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC

Pursuing Perfection Nitsch’s recovery relied on similar methods to those outlined by author Tim Ferriss in a Ted Talk last year. Ferriss argues that it’s not our goals that we should define but our fears. He advises separating the fears that you can control from those you can’t, while making notes on the former under three headings: define, prevent, repair. In the first column, you should write down the

Step 2 Reframe Your Responses Now remind yourself that these reactions can also be associated with a range of positive emotions, such as anticipation and excitement. Recall a time when you felt that way.

Step 3 Get Pumped Up Instead of forcing yourself to calm down, harness your “arousal energy” and let it charge your performance. Scientists at Harvard found that this was the best way to outplay anxiety.

worst eventuality; in the second, what you can do to decrease the likelihood this fear coming true; and in the third, how you could rectify the situation, should it all go wrong. By thinking more about our fears, he argues, you may find that they lose their power. In Alex Honnold’s mind, too, the way to coexist with fear is to overexpose yourself to it. He has been climbing since he was 11 years old, gradually subjecting himself to greater risks each time. The cumulative effect of this was to allow him, after 21 years, to do what many had thought impossible. Asked why he climbed el Capitan four times with ropes before free-soloing it, he replied: “Look at it… It’s fucking scary!” Honnold recently underwent a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan (see page 87). The scan found that his brain – though structurally healthy – demands a higher level of stimulation than the average person’s. Hence, perhaps, his ability to scale dizzying heights unassisted. It isn’t that Honnold is incapable of feeling fear; it just takes a lot more to make him afraid. He maintains that the only difference between him and other climbers is his passion. The likes of Tommy Caldwell, he explains, could easily free-solo el Capitan – they just don’t feel impelled to do so, whereas he does. He always has. “I don’t want to fall off and die, but there’s a satisfaction in challenging yourself and doing something well,” Honnold explains. “That feeling is heightened when you’re facing certain death. You can’t make a mistake. If you’re after perfection, free-soloing is as close as you can get.”

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2018 As our ﬁtness regimes become sharper, smarter and ever more functional, our workout spaces need to keep up. For today’s gym-goer, a row of treadmills and dumbbells no longer cuts it. MH has sweated over the UK’s top contenders to ﬁnd the facilities working hardest for you. Grab a towel – you’ll need it

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SHOCK YOUR BODY, NOT YOUR BUDGET, AT DAVID LLOYD

The Best Gym Chain DAVID LLOYD CLUBS, NATIONWIDE davidlloyd.co.uk

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With a recent boom in both budget gyms and high-end oferings, the fitness industry has never been more polarised. But David Lloyd sets itself squarely in the middle, punching higher than the average chain, while keeping its entry fee at a fairly painless £50 per month. There are pools and tennis courts, sure, but Mr Lloyd has also reacted to member demands, stocking up on free weights to reduce queueing, while introducing shorter, sharper HIIT sessions for the pre-work crowd. Now, it’s even going functional: new class Blaze incorporates MMA, floor work, weights and treadmills to cover every base. For boutique on a budget, you won’t find better.

RUNNERS-UP Virgin Active, nationwide virginactive.co.uk More of a team player? Virgin Active reacts fastest to training trends, adding uber-hip group classes such as high-intensity rowing, kettlebell workouts and competitive spin. The lone wolf has had his day.

01/ The Future Cult Hero Das Gym, Vienna Classic bodybuilding photos adorn the walls, lifting platforms fill the floors – and you’ll even find pull-up bars in the showers.

PureGym, nationwide puregym.com

02/ The Lifetime Achievement Award Muscle Beach, California The lifting mecca, made famous by Arnie, ofers day passes for $10. Make gains while the sun shines, then cool of in the Pacific waters.

You don’t actually need bells and whistles to get fit. Largely open 24 hours, with monthly fees starting at £14.99 without contracts, PureGym is an easy win for those who want to get in, go hard and go home.

03/ The Best for Bragging Rights The Dogpound, New York Only three years old, this exclusive gym already has a cult following – helped, in no small way, by the patronage of actor Hugh Jackman.

WORDS: SCARLETT WRENCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: JONATHAN MINSTER | PROPS BY CHROME SPRAY | ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY

THE OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL ENTRIES

Gym Awards 2018

The Smartest Coach

GUSTAVO VAZ TOSTES @gus.wittraining “Most gyms don’t offer a service,” says Vaz Tostes, head coach at London CrossFit space WIT Training (Whatever It Takes). “They just ofer a workout. People turn up, they sweat, they take a selfie, they leave. Who cares whether or not they’re improving?” Vaz Tostes cares – quite a lot, actually. Having developed a love for fitness while studying for a sports science degree in his native Brazil, he discovered CrossFit after moving to London. Its focus on functionality, fun and community appealed to him. When asked to describe his training ethic, he earnestly deploys phrases such as “changing lives” rather than “building muscle”. Although, if his own physique is anything to go by, you’re well equipped to hit any goal on his watch.

VAZ TOSTES WILL KEEP YOUR TRAINING FUN, AS WELL AS EFFICIENT

The Leading Specialist Gym CROSSFIT NORTHUMBRIA, NEWCASTLE crossfitnorthumbria.com

RUNNERS-UP Laura “Biceps” Hoggins @laurabiceps A strength and conditioning coach whose focus is ensuring her clients feel great, not just end up looking swole, Hoggins won’t let you get away with coasting through your training. The moniker isn’t for show, either: she can probably curl a lot more than you can.

Ollie Marchon @olliemarchon Marchon is the man whom many of the UK’s top trainers turn to for their own programmes. At Marchon Performance, there’s a strong sense of community (there’s that word again), with regular team challenges. Assault bike lactate interval day, anyone?

An ironic choice, in many ways, given that part of this CrossFit gym’s motto is: “Our speciality is not specialising”. But it’s exactly this ethos that earns it the top spot. Every day heralds a new challenge, with more than 160 high-intensity classes per month, in a roster that’s constantly shifting and adapting. Plus, the gym prides itself on making its sessions scalable, so newcomers needn’t face the (very real) fear of blacking out during their second round of power cleans. RUNNERS-UP Performance Ground, London trainwithpg.com

*THAT’S CROSSFIT SPEAK FOR “WORKOUT OF THE DAY”

THE UNHOLY WOD* Are you up to a session with Vaz Tostes? This quick CrossFit blast will slash fat while building head-to-toe strength

ADVISED WEIGHTS ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE BEGINNER

DB 18kg 15kg 10kg

KB 24kg 16kg 12kg

WOD #1: Kettlebells As many rounds as possible in eight minutes. • Overhead swing x 14 • Burpee x 7 • Kettlebell alternating goblet lunge x 14 • Mountain climber x 21 • Rest for three minutes, then start WOD #2

WOD #2: Dumbbells As many rounds as possible in eight minutes. • Dumbbell thruster x 14 • Renegade row x 14 • Cossack squat with dumbbell goblet hold x 10 • 10m shuttle run x 10

If what you really want from your gym is sports science seminars and lifting workshops from industry leaders, this is for you. If you’re more of a bro-split guy? Um, maybe not. Grow, London growfitness.co.uk Rowing is the new spinning – you heard it here first. This training space blends cardio and floor exercises to burn fat and build full-body muscle. It’s no gimmick.

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ADD A TOUCH OF LUXE TO MAKE TRAINING LESS OF A CHORE

The Best Boutique Gym THIRD SPACE, LONDON thirdspace.london

There might have been a time when “luxury health clubs” were associated with those who would rather languish with a charcoal tonic than sully their complexions with sweat. Not at Third Space. With five London venues, it ofers every member a comprehensive medical check, fitness assessment, body scan and bespoke programme. There’s a calisthenics rig, climbing wall and hypoxic chamber for your cardio – plus, the staf coach in disciplines such as Brazilian jiu jitsu and Thai kickboxing. In short, Third Space’s members are decidedly not there for show. We challenge you to take it easy.

The UK’s No1 Running Club PARKRUN, NATIONWIDE parkrun.org.uk Only 13 people turned up for the very first Parkrun, held in London’s Bushy Park 14 years ago. It took more than two years for the run to meander away from its original route but, today, Parkrun operates in 548 locations worldwide. The principle remains the same: every run (not “race”, they stress) is 5K long. It’s always free, and always takes place

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CAMARADERIE WILL MAKE THOSE MILES GO FASTER

on a Saturday morning (so, restrain yourself on Friday night). Of course, there are plenty of edgier, more competitive clubs we could have awarded in this category. But for one that caters as much to families and new starters as it does to marathon vets and PB-chasers, there could only be one winner.

BEAT YOUR BEST TIME England Athletics coach Tom Craggs supplied us with his drill for beating your 5K time

“Distance work strengthens your muscles, heart and lungs,” says Craggs. “But to fire them all up over a short distance, such as a 5K, you must also train your nerves and synapses.” For that, resort to a speed ladder.

Drill 1/ Practise running through the rungs, keeping your steps quick and light. Run forward first, then laterally for a greater test of coordination.

Drill 2/ Now, repeat with speedy single-leg hops, swapping legs after each length. Bonus: this will build up your core stability, too.

Gym Awards 2018

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING MAY BE TRENDING, BUT ITS RESULTS ARE NO JOKE

The Ultimate Fat-Burner HOLLYWOOD AT F45, NATIONWIDE f45training.co.uk

BEGIN YOUR ASCENT TO PEAK FITNESS

The Best Gym That’s Not a Gym EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL CLIMBING ARENA, EDINBURGH edinburghleisure.co.uk

F45 Training is a global fitness chain with a simple, specific selling point: it ofers functional (that would explain the “F”) workouts that last for 45 minutes. Well, all except for one: Hollywood, the only class that runs for a full hour. It’s the highlight of F45’s weekly calendar, with 27 diferent exercises for brave attendees to blast through, burning as many as 800kcal. But it’s the inclusion of so many full-body strength exercises that earns it our vote: by building muscle as well as raising your heart rate, it keeps your metabolism high long after you’ve stopped sweating. It’s truly movie-montage worthy.

RUNNERS-UP VersaClimber at Sweat by BXR, London bxrlondon.com

Heat at Virgin Active, nationwide virginactive.co.uk

One for cardio purists. By incorporating handles and pedals, the Versa machine ofers a more complete workout than the average spin bike. The music is loud, the lights are low – and your fitness will reach a new level.

In the class’s promotional shots, sweaty gym-goers run on Skillmills in a burning, abandoned building. In reality? Well, it feels largely the same – minus the health and safety violations. Running drills are mixed with rounds of tough resistance training. Godspeed.

B B

Reps are, by definition, repetitive. For those craving something truly functional, trade the 100kg barbells for 100ft towers. The Edinburgh International Climbing Arena is situated within the cavernous Ratho Quarry, a stone’s throw from Edinburgh airport. Boasting 300 routes of varying grade, plus bouldering rocks that mimic the “real deal”, it’s Europe’s largest indoor climbing arena. It’s also where the pros go: last year, it hosted the IFSC Climbing World Cup, and there’s a Team GB coach on hand should you require any tips. Returning to the weights room will be a wrench.

YOUR FIRE STARTER For this F45 taster, work for 45 seconds per move, then rest for 10 seconds. Complete three rounds in total

A A

01\ CONCEPT2 ROW

02\ BATTLE ROPES

Start by pushing of with your legs (A), then pull your arms to you (B), keeping your core tight throughout.

Whip the ropes five times with each arm in turn (A), then perform five doubles (B). Stay strong, now.

03\ SANDBAG DEADLIFT Hold the bag with hands shoulderwidth (A). Pin your shoulders as you lift, the bag close to your body (B).

B A A A

04\ DUMBBELL BENCH PRESS Alternate arms, maintaining a steady tempo, with your core tight. Don’t cheat by bouncing the weights.

05\ KETTLEBELL GOBLET SQUAT 6\ BURPEE BOX JUMP With feet wide and a kettlebell held to your chest (A), sink until both of your knees are at right angles (B).

Drop (A), jump your legs back and in again, then launch onto a box (B). This one should kill by round three.

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YOU’LL HARVEST REWARDS AT THIS OPEN-AIR GYM

RUNNERS-UP The Yard at Rhino’s Gymnasium, Lincolnshire rhinosgymnasium.co.uk

FARM FITNESS, ESSEX

The Coolest Outdoor Space CULTIVATE STRENGTH Run through as many rounds as you can of Farm Fitness’s threemove combo in 10 minutes. It’s grow time

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farmfitness.co.uk Training outside is inherently better, isn’t it? Even compared to a well-appointed studio, it just feels a little more, well, real. PT Tom Kemp agrees. He was inspired to build his outdoor gym after labouring on the family farm and realising that there are more interesting ways to get ripped than by toiling on machines. His space in deepest Essex

is kitted out with rings, ropes, tyres, sledgehammers and prowler sleds, alongside many of the usual accoutrements. Once you have flipped a 350kg tractor tyre, the recumbent bike will probably lose much of its appeal.

This gym’s fees are just £30 per month. Its outdoor “yard” alone is worth it, with cars to deadlift and atlas stones to heave. Brixton Street Gym, London blockworkoutfdn.org Blending calisthenics with community, Block WorkOut’s gym is unfussy, yet challenges you to master real technique.

B B

B A

01/ DOUBLE KETTLEBELL PRESS 5 REPS

02/ FARMER’S WALK 30M

03/ AIRBIKE 30SEC

Clean two kettlebells to your shoulders, dip at your knees to generate power (A), then press overhead (B), your arms locked.

Pick up two heavier weights that challenge your grip and walk (A and B), to build your forearms and core. Finish at the bike.

Hop on and go all out for 30 seconds, pumping with your arms (A and B). Done? Go back to the kettlebell press and continue.

Gym Awards 2018

BLEND GOALS WITH GRANDEUR FOR THE ULTIMATE SESSION

The Most Luxurious Training Backdrop

MICHELIN MUSCLE Pair a leading nutritionist with a top French chef and you’ll get the Clock’s fat-burning menu, worthy of the finest bistro

THE CLOCK, LONDON theclock.com If you like your fitness scored by a live recital from the Royal Academy of Music, you’ve come to the right place – if you can find it. The door of this townhouse-cum-gym in Marylebone is unmarked. Inside, the atmosphere is more private member’s club than sweatbox: there’s a grand piano in the yoga studio and the custom-designed resistance machines wouldn’t look out of place in the British Museum. But it earns a spot on our list because you’ll still get a proper workout. The gym’s ethos is inspired by 1970s bodybuilding methods, overloading the muscles with short, intense sessions. That you’ll have more time for duck egg brunch, prepared by the in-house chef, is all the better.

Breakfast Mexican scrambled eggs with chorizo, coriander, chilli, soured cream and avocado “We put many of our clients on a high-fat plan. It keeps their energy high while training their bodies to burn fat instead of carbs.”

RUNNERS-UP Bodyism at the Lanesborough, London lanesboroughclubandspa.com The cult wellness brand finds its spiritual home in this high-end Knightsbridge hotel. Its trainers are top notch, but the opulent dressing room – and ultimate selfie spot – is most impressive. Shoreditch House Gym & Fitness Studios, London shoreditchhouse.com Equipped with Technogym gadgetry, it holds classes such as boxing, kettlebells and yoga. But at a venue this exclusive, that’s not really the USP, is it? Do not wear your rugby shorts.

Lunch

Dinner

Avocado gratin with goat’s cheese in a seed-and-nut crust “Not all dairy is of the menu for our members; calcium is a crucial nutrient for fat loss. Nuts and seeds add extra omega fats to increase recovery.”

Braised shoulder of lamb with winter greens and creamy cauliflower puree “Red meats such as lamb are a top source of iron, selenium and vitamin B12, important for immunity. Plus, lamb’s more exciting than chicken breast.”

THE ALTERNATIVE AWARDS 1/ Weirdest Class Upgrade FloatFit, nationwide Thought HIIT training was hard enough? With these floating boards, you’ll perform your usual burpees, squats and jumping lunges – but on water. At least no one will see you sweating. 2/ Tastiest Aftercare Barry’s Bootcamp, London Here, you can preorder your shake before your class, so you won’t have to queue at the bar when it’s over. The nut milk, banana, peanut butter and chocolate whey option is worth working for. 3/ Greatest Reinvention Ministry Does Fitness, London The famed south London club’s booze vault has been transformed into a functional training space, boasting lifting, endurance and mobility classes. Little could be more emblematic of 2018.

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MEN’S HEALTH’S JUNIOR FITNESS EDITOR, MICHAEL JENNINGS, IS TRAINING TOWARDS A HALF-MARATHON PB WITH THE HELP OF SIMPLYHEALTH AND A FULL-BODY ROUTINE erious running is no longer the preserve of stick-thin endurance athletes. Even lifelong gym-goers are learning that, with its impressive cardiovascular benefits, running can have a profound efect on their weightlifting routine. Among them is MH’s junior fitness editor, Michael Jennings. Far from ditching dumbbells altogether as he trains for the Simplyhealth Great North Run, he is spending as much time in the gym as pounding the streets. Preparing for a race is an efective – and fun – way to lift your fitness to new heights. And if you train smart, there’s no need to worry about losing your hard-earned muscles. For running-specific exercise plans to complement your work in the gym, visit: simplyhealth.co.uk/great-run-partnership. Months of running will put a lot of stress on your body, and it’s not uncommon to encounter a few problems along the way. That’s where Simplyhealth comes in. To keep your training on track, we help to cover the cost of a range of health services, from sports massage, gait analysis and overall health checks to broader services such as dentistry and acupuncture. From the treadmill to the start line, Simplyhealth is here to help you on every step of your running journey.

MH PROMOTION

“MY AIM IS TO GET RACE-FIT WHILE HOLDING ON TO AS MUCH MUSCLE MASS AS I CAN”

START-TO-FINISH SUPPORT Whether you’re a beginner training for your first ever race or an experienced runner with many marathons under your belt, the Simplyhealth Active plan is designed to help you stay fighting fit: from the pre-race massage to a body MOT.

SPORTS MASSAGE

STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING Jennings has incorporated these exercises into his weekly routine to unleash his PB potential BARBELL THRUSTER This move will help you get race-fit while retaining as much muscle mass and functional strength as possible. WALL BALL Fire up your metabolism and strengthen your legs and core with this simple but highly efective move. OVERHEAD KB SWING Craft a form-fixing core with the overhead kettlebell swing, an excellent full-body, lung-busting exercise. ROWING ERGOMETER “My plan targets every aspect of fitness,” says Jennings. “The rowers will help me improve my aerobic capacity.” CALISTHENICS Bodyweight moves – from handstands and press-ups to muscle-ups – will help Jennings withstand the rigours of half-marathon training.

Tension and toxins in your muscles can cause you pain. A sports massage releases the body’s endorphins, helping you with your performance, and can aid recovery and prevent injury.

GAIT ANALYSIS The wrong trainers can lead to a variety of injuries. A podiatrist can help you find the right shoe for you, helping you to stay injuryfree and run to the best of your ability.

BODY MOT Stay in peak condition for your run. With the Simplyhealth Active plan, you can have a range of tests and examinations that will give you a complete overview of your wellbeing and identify common health issues. VISIT SIMPLYHEALTH.CO.UK/ACTIVE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SIMPLYHEALTH AND THE ACTIVE PLAN. WHETHER YOU’RE TRAINING FOR YOUR FIRST EVENT OR HAVE YOUR EYE ON A MARATHON PB, SIMPLYHEALTH WILL BE WITH YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. #MYEVERYSTEP

YOUR MARATHON MOBILITY PLAN FOR FAST RESULTS P/ 115

PERSONAL Because ямБt is the new rich EDITED BY MICHAEL JENNINGS

PREP A FITTER PITTA P/ 105 SCULPT BIGGER ARMS IN TWO WEEKS P/ 106

HOME-BAKED PROTEIN BARS P/ 111

PREMIER LEAGUE GEAR P/ 112

RAISE YOUR GAME P/ 102

PT / 10.2018

FORM MASTERCLASS #6 B A

Increase your strength with the bar muscle-up – an elitelevel gymnastic move that uses your bodyweight to add bulk to your back and arms. It also looks very, very cool

START FROM THE BOTTOM Coming out on top of the bar muscle-up requires both pulling and pressing strength. Our fail-safe progressions will prepare your body for each element, so you’ll be ready to conquer the rig with a gymnast’s grace and power

B A

01 CHEST-TO-BAR PULL-UP

02 STRAIGHT ARM PULL-DOWN

4 SETS OF 4-6 REPS

4 SETS OF 8-10 REPS

Your first step is to develop the strength to perform controlled pull-ups. Hang below a bar with an overhand grip, just wider than shoulder width, and your arms fully extended (A). Keep your legs tight together and bent at 90 degrees as you pull your chest up to touch the bar (B). Hold for a second at the top, before lowering back down under control.

Take tension away from your biceps and isolate your larger back muscles. Loop a resistance band around the bar and adopt an overhand grip on the band at hip width. Step away from the bar, so your arms are straight and your lats stretched (A). Pull the band down without bending your arms to bring your hands to your hips (B). Hold for a second, then reverse the move.

B A

EXPERT James Pook KNOWLEDGE As a CrossFit

Level 2 coach and trainer at Perpetua Fitness, Pook makes muscle-ups look easy. Apply his tips to help you soar above the bar. CONTACT @mpt.jamespook

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03 HIP-TO-BAR PULL-UP

04 STRAIGHT BAR DIP

3 SETS OF 3 REPS

4 SETS OF 6 REPS

Generating enough power to bring your hips to the bar is hard to master. Start in the pull-up’s hanging position, then squeeze your shoulders back and down. Swing your legs to create a “kipping” motion (A). As your legs move forward, raise yourself using the same movement as a straight arm pulldown, driving your hips to the bar (B). Push away and swing your legs back for rep two.

Not only will this dip upgrade develop your shoulder, triceps and chest strength; it will also teach you to keep your core tight. Set a barbell in a rack at the height of your upper abs. Extend your arms and bring your shoulders over the bar (A). Dip your shoulders, then bend your elbows to touch your chest to the bar (B). Push back up to lock out.

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES STYLING: ABENA OFEI | MODEL: LEON FAGBEMI AT W MODELS

MASTER THE MUSCLE-UP

COME OUT ON TOP

GROOMING: NATACHA SCHMITT USING SKINCARE BY CLINIQUE FOR MEN AND MAC PRO TRACKPANTS AND TRAINERS BOTH ADIDAS.CO.UK

The bar muscle-up is an advanced move, but follow this step-by-step guide and you’ll learn to execute it with tight technique. Soon, you’ll be able to string together multiple reps to accomplish this toughest of workouts

PHASE 3 SECURE THE LOCK With the trickiest part of the move completed, your muscleup is only a press away. From the bottom of a dip position, call on the strength you built in the final progression move to press your body upward. Keep your core tensed and your legs in front. Take some time at the top to revel in how far you’ve come.

PHASE 1 START YOUR SWING First, create an “active” hang under the bar by squeezing down your lats and shoulders. From here, generate the kip swing by tensing your glutes and abs, while thinking about opening and closing your shoulders. Your legs should move in front (the hollow position) and behind you (the arched position), but your torso should stay centred. Now, it’s time to pull hard.

PHASE 2 HEAD OVER HEELS From the hollow body position, pull down on the bar using your back and shoulders, your arms straight. Lift your hips to reach your hands, then drive your head forward over the bar. Whipping your head is crucial if you want to generate enough momentum to carry you over the bar. Get in the swing of it.

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PT / 10.2018

FITTER PITTA

MICROWAVE MUSCLE MEAL #29

Well, the Near East. With the perfect macro ratio to build muscle post-gym, this falafel pitta is ideal for fast repair

TIME TO MAKE

YOU WILL NEED...

5MIN PROTEIN 17G CALORIES 467 CARBS 51G

• Cherry tomatoes, 3, halved • Cucumber slices, 3 • Salad leaves, handful • A wholemeal pitta • Ready-made falafels, 3 • Low-fat houmous, 1tbsp

0-1MIN Prepare your pitta’s salad by tossing the tomatoes, cucumber and salad leaves in a bowl. The vitamin C in your tomatoes fights oxidative stress from exercise, while the cucumber’s 96% water content will help to rehydrate you post-workout.

3 4

1-2MIN The pitta is precisely what you need after training, as your body is primed to absorb carbs and replenish lost glycogen. Heat your bread and falafel in the microwave for 45 seconds each, and then slice the pitta carefully down one side to create a pocket.

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLIST: NICO GHIRLANDO AT HERS AGENCY

3-5MIN Start assembling your lunch by spreading the houmous in your pitta. Either cut your falafels in half, or leave them whole and stuf them inside, followed by the salad. Drizzle over your tahini (below), then head to the gym to work up some hunger.

YOUR WRAP’S CARB-TOPROTEIN RATIO, OPTIMAL FOR RECOVERY AFTER HARD TRAINING

POWER SAUCE #24

DRESS TO IMPRESS Pack extra protein and vitamins into your pitta with this zingy tahini, which takes moments to prepare for lasting muscle maintenance

In a bowl, mix together a teaspoon each of 0% fat Greek yogurt and tahini paste.

Then, complete your sauce by stirring in a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper.

DAMAGE LIMITATION Dollop a big spoonful inside your wrap for speedy repair.

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PT / 10.2018 THE BIG WORKOUT

Curls be damned. This “functional bodybuilding” workout harnesses the science of movement to add visible muscle to your arms in just 14 days 01B 02A

01A

aesthetics over performance, the new functional training movement does the opposite: the ethos is now “go”, not “show”. This smart workout from CrossFit coach Marcus Filly combines both. “These moves will build and sculpt your body, but variety, instability and new movement patterns will develop your overall ﬁtness, too,” says Filly. Complete these supersets twice a week and restore your gym motivation.

SUPERSET

01 KNEELING STAND-UP

02 ALTERNATE ROW

3 SETS OF 6-8 REPS

Start your first superset with a test for your arms, abs and legs. On your knees, your torso upright, hold two kettlebells at your shoulders in the front rack position (A). Step up with your right foot to stand (B). Return to your knees by dropping your right leg first. That’s one rep. Alternate your legs for each rep until you hit the full count on both sides. Now: rows.

Loop a resistance band tightly around your quads to keep your glutes under tension throughout the row. With a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended beneath you, hinge at your hips to bring your torso parallel to the ground (A). Row one arm at a time up to your abs, ensuring the other arm remains static (B). Once the reps are done, rest for 90 seconds before set two with the kettlebell.

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES

FLEX AND FUNCTION If classic bodybuilding favours

02B

STRONGER IN TWO WEEKS

THE SPEC MUSCLES TARGETED

04A

WORKOUT

03A

MIN RESULTS IN

02 WEEKS GROOMING: NATACHA SCHMITT USING SKINCARE BY CLINIQUE FOR MEN AND MAC PRO | STYLING: ABENA OFEI | MODEL: LEON FAGBEMI AT W MODELS | SHORTS 2XU.COM AND TRAINERS ASICS.COM

LEVEL

HARD

04B

03B SUPERSET

03 OVERHEAD LUNGE

04 SINGLE-ARM BIAS PULL-UP

3 SETS OF 6-8 REPS

3 SETS OF 4-6 REPS

Stand holding a kettlebell in the front rack position with your left hand. With your right hand, press another kettlebell overhead (A). This is your starting position. From here, perform a reverse lunge by stepping back with your left leg, touching your knee to the floor (B). Push back up – that’s one rep. Perform all of the reps on one leg, then switch sides. Head straight to the next move.

Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight (A). Instead of pulling up your body as usual, challenge each arm individually, as well as your shoulder stability, by pulling your chin towards your left hand first, then your right (B). Perform at least four reps on each side, resting for 90 seconds before starting your second set of lunges. MEN’S HEALTH 107

PT / 10.2018

EXPERT Marcus Filly EXPERIENCE CrossFit Games

athlete and Functional Bodybuilding pioneer Filly has a library of innovative exercises online to help you look good and move well. CONTACT @marcusfilly @functional.bodybuilding

01B

02B 01A

02A

PUSH FOR PROGRESS Session one tested your pulling power to build your biceps. Now, Filly wants you to focus on pushing strength to load up your triceps, the biggest upper-arm muscles. “You’ll be familiar with these classic lifts, but they have undergone tweaks to shock your muscles into rapid growth,” says Filly. As with the ﬁrst workout, perform this plan twice a week to reinvigorate your tired training schedule and earn noticeably bigger arms in the process.

SUPERSET

01 FILLY Z PRESS

02 LANDMINE PRESS & ROLL

3 SETS OF 4-6 REPS

3 SETS OF 5 REPS

Use two pieces of kit to fire up your stabiliser muscles and build definition in your triceps and shoulders. On the floor, your legs straight, hold a kettlebell in the front rack position in your right hand. With a dumbbell in your left, perform an Arnold press, pushing it overhead from shoulder height (A), twisting on the way up (B). When all the reps are done on one side, switch.

After completing the Z press, head straight to the barbell. In a press-up position, place one hand on the end of a loaded landmine (A). The unstable base will test your triceps and abs. As you perform a press-up, roll the barbell out in front of you (B), then back again as you return to the top position. After five reps on both sides, rest for 90 seconds before set two of the Z press.

STRONGER IN TWO WEEKS

THE SPEC MUSCLES TARGETED

03B

WORKOUT

MIN RESULTS IN

02 WEEKS LEVEL

HARD 04B

SHORTS NIKE AT MRPORTER.COM, COMPRESSION TIGHTS 2XU.COM AND TRAINERS NEWBALANCE.CO.UK

03A

04A

SUPERSET

03 ELEVATOR STRICT PRESS

04 SINGLE-ARM BRIDGE PRESS

3 SETS OF 4-6 REPS

3 SETS OF 6-8 REPS

It’s a traditional strict press with a diference. Instead of pushing the barbell overhead from your shoulders in one movement, here you’ll pause at diferent stages to keep your muscles under tension for longer, boosting your growth. Pause for two seconds a third of the way up (A), two-thirds of the way up and, finally, at the top (B). Repeat on the way down. Start the next move without rest.

Working each arm individually will increase the tension in your chest and triceps. On the floor, knees bent, lift your glutes into a bridge. Hold a dumbbell in one hand to the side of your chest (A), press it up (B), then lower under control. Complete the reps on one arm and swap sides. Rest for 90 seconds, then it’s set two of strict presses. You’ll earn new muscle, more motivation – and your shower. MEN’S HEALTH 109

PT / 10.2018

SWEET RELIEF

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE ORANGE PROTEIN BARS Wrap up five bars and take one with you each day for an instant hit of muscle fuel

MEAL PREP HERO #7

INGREDIENTS

When afternoon hunger strikes, satisfy your sugar craving while dodging artiﬁcial sweeteners with a week’s worth of musclebuilding protein bars. No baking needed

1/ Oats, 100g 2/ Healthspan Elite Complete Vegan Protein Chocolate Supreme flavour drop, 50g 3/ Dark chocolate chips, 25g 4/ Chia seeds, 15g 5/ Bananas, 100g, mashed 6/ Peanut butter, 25g 7/ Orange juice, 40ml

170 Kcal

5g Fat

19g Carbs

11g Protein

METHOD Step 1 This meal prep couldn’t be easier. Throw all of your ingredients into a large bowl. Feel free to mash up your banana first to make mixing easier. Step 2 Thoroughly combine the components. You should aim for a “solid” consistency. If needed, add a splash of extra juice to soften the mixture, or scatter in more oats to firm it up. Step 3 Separate your mixture into five and mould into rectangles. Wrap each in cling film, twisting the ends to keep them tight. Set in the fridge, and grab one before leaving the house – you’ll need it in the long stretch between your morning workout and lunch.

WORDS: MICHAEL JENNINGS | RECIPE BY ROB EADES @LEANSTUDENTCHEF, LEANSTUDENTCHEF.CO.UK | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE | FOOD STYLIST: NICO GHIRLANDO AT HERS AGENCY

GO ONE BETA

20g per bar Oats are one of the richest sources of cholesterolimproving beta-glucans. Paired with the equally fibrous chia seeds, you’ll enhance your heart health in just a couple of bites.

BUTTER UP 5g per bar Gram for gram, peanuts are even higher in potassium than bananas. These bars have both. They’ll top up electrolytes lost during training, plus reduce lactic acid build-up for quicker recovery.

HAPPY JUICE 8ml per bar The orange juice that binds your mixture is a godsend post-workout. It’s bursting with the antioxidant vitamin C, which, along with the dark chocolate, cuts inflammation and fights free-radical damage. Opt for freshly squeezed.

A SCOOP YOU CAN TRUST

03 05

10g per bar Healthspan Vegan Protein is the first Informed Sportaccredited vegan powder available in the UK, and contains all 20 amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. Choose the chocolate flavour and you’ll enjoy an even tastier bar.

MEN’S HEALTH 111

PT / 10.2018 GEAR CHANGE #27

LIGHTER LACE-UPS Leave your heavy-duty studs for the game. For midweek drills, pick a boot designed for artificial ground that won’t weigh you down. The stretch sock supports your ankles in quick turns, while the leather upper ofers precise control. Puma One 1 Leather Football Boots £180 puma.com

Whether you’re a ﬁve-a-side stalwart or the next Kylian Mbappé, these training tools will help give you the edge over the trickiest of opponents

FLY DOWN THE WING Add resistance to your sprint work and you’ll be the first to the ball. This running parachute’s quick-release buckle means you can accelerate your speed at any stage once you’re clipped in. SKLZ Speed Chute Resistance Sprint Trainer £23 sklz.com

Pinpoint accuracy will leave the keeper without a chance. Develop an eye for the goal by hanging this sheet between the posts and firing the ball low and hard or towards the top corners to hit the targets. Forza Football Goal Target Sheet (21ft x 7ft) £39 forzagoal.co.uk

112 MEN’S HEALTH

PHOTOGRAPHY: LUCKY IF SHARP

PRECISION PLACEMENT

PITCH PERFECT NEW BALL, PLEASE Avoid being out-muscled in midfield by increasing your strength and staying power with this weighted ball. Practise slams and you’ll earn yourself a rock-solid core, plus elevate your stamina, cutting your risk of fatigue in the final minutes. Bulldog Gear Slam Ball 2.0 £23 bulldoggear.eu

THE LONG GAME Shorts are a brave move with cold training nights looming. Instead, opt for a jogger that has sweat-wicking fabric, so you can stay warm, dry and, ultimately, cool when you have defenders on your back. Nike Dri-Fit Flex Strike Football Pants £60 nike.com

TOUCH OF CLASS The deftest control of the ball will see you unlock a defence. Practise receiving it midair –and keeping it glued to your feet – with this rebound net. You can even polish your volleys, too. RapidFire Football Rebound Net £85 networldsports.co.uk

ROLL ON 3PM Prime yourself for kick-of and beyond. With three vibration settings, this roller activates your muscles and ups blood flow pre-game, then flushes away lactic acid afterwards to slash your next-day DOMS. Hyperice Vyper Vibrating Foam Roller £170 wiggle.co.uk

LOSE YOUR MAN Gain an all-important extra yard in a packed penalty box by working on your feet. Side-stepping through these rungs is harder than it looks, and it will train you to find space where others can’t. Speed and Agility Ladder (9m) £19 thesoccerstore.co.uk

MEN’S HEALTH 113

PT / 10.2018

MOBILITY MATRIX

With the Simplyhealth Great North and South Runs fast approaching, make light work of the miles ahead by stretching and strengthening the stabiliser muscles in your core and glutes. You’ll avoid bad posture and prevent injuries. Strong and stable wins the race

02 REVERSE CRUNCH

STEP-UP 3 SETS OF 10 REPS PER LEG

3 SETS OF 15 REPS

Balancing on one leg will boost your stability for the “drive” phase of your run. With a dumbbell in each hand, place one foot on a box, your knee level with your hip (A). As you stand, leave your other leg hanging of the box (B). The extra weight will help you generate power in your glutes for the run. Hold for two seconds, lower, then change legs.

GLUTES

01 DUMBBELL BOX

03 PIGEON HOLD

04 HALF-KNEELING B

2 SETS OF 30SEC PER LEG On your hands and knees, bring your left knee to your left wrist, sliding your right leg out behind you (A). You’ll feel the stretch in your left buttock and right hip as they loosen for a smoother stride. To deepen the stretch, walk your hands forward and drop your elbows (B). Hold, then swap legs. That’s one set.

Strengthen your oft-neglected lower abs and open up the back joints that can compress during long runs. On your back, with your hands flat, lift your legs until your knees are at 90 degrees (A). Raise them slowly to your chest and hold for three seconds, keeping your head still (B). Lower under control and hold A again at 90 degrees for another three. That’s one rep.

A B

ABS

STRENGTHEN

TORSO ROTATION 2 SETS OF 30SEC PER SIDE Boost the range of motion in your abs and hips to prevent stifness as the race goes on. Adopt a lunge position, your right knee bent in front of you at 90 degrees. Place your left arm over your head so your biceps touch your ear, resting your right arm on your leg (A). Now, twist your torso so your left arm moves backward, opening up your chest (B). Hold, switch sides and repeat. On to set two.

EXPERT Steve Ott, founder of Andover Physiotherapy, is a registered Simplyhealth practitioner. Let him help you go the distance

STRETCH MEN’S HEALTH 115

| 10/2018 MH | URBAN ACTIVE |

117

Now, more than ever before, clothes designed for performance before posture are dominating luxury menswear. This season’s runway can take you from the track to the pavement; but it’s not about dressing down – it’s about gearing up. From technical blazers to tailored trackpants, allow us to guide you through the new informal PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK GUEST – STYLING BY ERIC DOWN – WORDS BY SHANE C KURUP – JACKET £1,115 GILET (JUST SEEN) £880 TROUSERS £510 TRAINERS £620 HAT £225 AND BAG £790 ALL PRADA

SPORT + FASHION

MEN’S HEALTH 117

– Street Smart Previous page

Prada

–

The luxury Italian fashion house is renowned for its intelligent use of technical fabrics. This season’s 1990s-inspired pufer jackets and oversized knits will be your street-ready antidote to the winter chill. This page

Belstaff –

Few brands capture the spirit of the rugged man on the road quite like Belstaf. For AW18, it goes beyond heavyduty leathers, ofering highlighter-bright parkas and graphic tees to bolster your existing casual wardrobe.

Tommy Hilfiger

– The quintessentially American label’s latest collection reworks heritage checks and tweeds in unexpected combinations, on hooded parkas and greatcoats. You’ll look smart and urbane – even on dress-down days.

– COAT £895 ZIP-UP TOP (TIED ACROSS CHEST) £195 T-SHIRT £70 AND TROUSERS £215 ALL BELSTAFF – COAT £615 JUMPER £240 AND TROUSERS £210 ALL HILFIGER COLLECTION

118 MEN’S HEALTH

MH | URBAN ACTIVE |

119

| 10/2018

Kent & Curwen –

Kent & Curwen’s blend of British collegiate cool and urban casual wear results in pieces with just the right amount of nostalgia, with one foot in the old school, the other striding into the future. From hero bombers to sleek track zip-ups and heavy-duty tweeds, this is your uniform for autumn and beyond. And with David Beckham on the design board, how can you go wrong?

| 10/2018

– BOMBER £595 AND ZIP-UP TOP £125 BOTH KENT & CURWEN

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120

– Street Smart

Lacoste MODELS: WILLY AT M MANAGEMENT AND ROMAINE AT PRM | GROOMING: KHELA AT CALL MY AGENT | PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: FRANKIE LODGE | PRODUCTION: NEED A FIXER | FASHION ASSISTANT: RICCARDO CHIUDIONI

–

Founded by tennis legend René Lacoste, this brand has athletic apparel in its DNA, but delivers it with a dash of Gallic sophistication. The polos, playfully printed track gear and clean-cut accessories will take you from court to gym to city street – and back again.

Timberland – Although still best known for

designing the sort of hardy footwear that will last you a lifetime, Timberland goes well beyond clodhoppers for AW18. Its colour-block anoraks and hard-wearing denim pieces are cool, sporty and perfectly suited to changeable conditions.

– ZIP-UP TOP £220 JUMPER £210 TROUSERS £170 AND HAT £80 ALL LACOSTE SHOES £295 STONE ISLAND – ANORAK £165 JEANS £90 AND BOOTS £190 ALL TIMBERLAND

GUTTER CREDIT

– Street Smart

Stone Island

– The efortlessly cool Stone Island takes inspiration from the uniforms of the working man and the armed forces. Its sporty, all-weather outerwear is your ticket to negotiating rogue winter downpours with all the flair of an of-duty paratrooper.

Ami –

| 10/2018

Parisian label Ami’s skilfully made, dependable pieces feel contemporary, but they are designed to stand the test of time. The brand’s relaxed yet luxurious sweatshirts and heritage cloth overcoats are worthy building blocks for any well-assembled look.

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– COAT £1,195 STONE ISLAND – COAT £830 HOODY £200 AND TROUSERS £300 ALL AMI

– COAT £2,350 JACKET £1,700 SHIRT £410 TROUSERS £700 AND SHOES £770 ALL DIOR HOMME

Dior Homme

–

| 10/2018

The esteemed menswear label has always had a knack for bringing a razor-sharp edge to Parisian elegance, and this tobacco-hued parka and suit combo shows us exactly how you should be wearing tailoring now – by mixing your genres.

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AMIPARIS.COM, BELSTAFF.CO.UK, BOSS.COM, CERRUTI.COM, DIOR.COM, FENDI.COM, HM.COM, KENTANDCURWEN.COM, LACOSTE.COM, LANVIN.COM, LOUISVUITTON.COM, PRADA.COM, RIVERISLAND.COM, STONEISLAND.COM, TIGEROFSWEDEN.COM, TIMBERLAND.CO.UK, TOMMY.COM, ZEGNA.CO.UK

– Street Smart

Lanvin –

Since its founding in 1889, French fashion house Lanvin has moved with the times. Its AW18 line has a strong military aesthetic, giving you the excuse to dress down (and, crucially, remain comfortable) in oversized, quilted shearling dufels and botanical camouflage prints.

Ermenegildo Zegna Couture –

| 10/2018

Having spent more than a century building a solid reputation on the strength of its tailoring, today the Milanese brand ofers quality on all fronts. Luxe fabrics fused with active wear are the focal points of its new collection, which befits a brand that has run its own artisan mills since 1910.

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126

– COAT £6,565 SHIRT £485 TROUSERS £975 AND SHOES (JUST SEEN) £485 ALL LANVIN – JACKET £8,190 ROLLNECK £1,920 TROUSERS £1,160 AND SHOES £590 ALL ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA COUTURE SOCKS FOR BOTH £12 PANTHERELLA AT SOCKSHOP.CO.UK

126 MEN’S HEALTH

Louis Vuitton –

A brand founded on the spirit of travel, Louis Vuitton often takes a global perspective in its design. AW18’s medley looks to the sporting legacy of the US, with plush baseball gear in slouchy cuts and trackpants given intense, metallic treatments.

– T-SHIRT £1,050 AND TROUSERS £1,000 BOTH LOUIS VUITTON

– Street Smart

reputation on formal elegance, but this season’s collection has casual attitude in spades. For AW18, the punk-inspired, stud-embellished jackets, logo-emblazoned pufers and statement trainers are your fast track to efortless kerbside dressing.

Boss – JACKET £1,550 MONCLER/VALENTINO ZIP-UP TOP £650 AND TROUSERS £590 BOTH VALENTINO SHOES £655 VALENTINO GARAVANI – SHIRT £459 TROUSERS £219 SHOES £449 AND BAG (JUST SEEN) £449 ALL BOSS

– The German luxury fashion house loosens up for AW18, combining its customary precision tailoring with fluid shapes, quilted pufers and trainers slick enough for you to leave the blazer and brogues behind when you head into town.

129 MH | URBAN ACTIVE |

– Valentino may have built its

| 10/2018

Valentino

– Street Smart

H&M Studio

– The Swedish giant’s premium arm utilises fine fabrics and craftsmanship to create a look that punches well above its weight in pounds. This season’s tartan legwear and overblown check jackets will make you stand out in a sea of muted hues – for all the right reasons.

River Island –

River Island has long been a port of call for the stylesavvy man, and this collection marks 30 years of the brand as a mainstay of the British high street. The bold prints, well-cut bikers and solid denim prove that the brand’s three decades in design have been time well spent.

– COAT £80 JUMPER £40 AND TROUSERS £40 ALL H&M STUDIO – JACKET £250 SHIRT £45 AND JOGGERS £40 ALL RI30 BY RIVER ISLAND

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| 10/2018

Fendi –

Never a brand to take itself too seriously, Fendi has been one of Rome’s greatest style exports for more than 90 years. Its tongue-in-cheek graphic prints and trademark logo-embellished accessories are made for the man who isn’t afraid to express his sartorial personality.

Cerruti 1881 –

| 10/2018

With its medley of quilted bomber jackets, louche sweatshirts, graphic knits and hybrid parkas, Paris-based Cerruti 1881 manages to capture the essence of streetwear without neglecting the Italian tailoring techniques of its roots. Consider it your passport to continental cool.

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– JACKET £4,590 T-SHIRT £450 SWEATER (JUST SEEN) £350 TROUSERS £750 AND SHOES £690 ALL FENDI – COAT £1,255 SWEATSHIRT £170 TROUSERS £300 BOOTS £400 AND BUM BAG £450 ALL CERRUTI 1881

– Street Smart

Emporio Armani –

The irreverent younger brother of the venerable Armani stable, Emporio demonstrates its mastery of modern design with its use of plush fabrics and its focus on fine detail. AW18’s jacquard treatments and rakish velvet separates in rich, inky hues will lift your streetwear up a notch.

– JACKET £1,200 TROUSERS £390 AND BOOTS £450 ALL EMPORIO ARMANI

| 10/2018

– Street Smart

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134

Tiger of Sweden

–Whether it’s the cut of the cloth or a well-placed stripe, Tiger of Sweden’s form of modern minimalism is never lacking in detail. AW18’s skilfully tailored overcoats and slick leather goods will instantly sharpen your style regimen.

– COAT £499 T-SHIRT £49 TROUSERS £199 AND BAG £349 ALL TIGER OF SWEDEN

EDITED BY LEAH CRAIG

MH QUIZ

WORDS: RUSSELL PARTON | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON

THE OFFICE NO.43

You’ll spend a third of your life with your nose to the grindstone, so make your job pay back a little. Take our quiz to get greater returns on your ofice time MEN’S HEALTH 137

OCTOBER 2018

Q1\ You’re snowed under. What’s the most efective way to empty your in-tray?

Choose one job

Learn to multitask

Skip lunch

A Attempting to multitask can slow down your output. According to Harvard Business Review, working on a single task in intervals of 25 minutes, followed by a five-minute break, boosts your focus and limits your chances of distraction.

Important message! As per my previous email, could you… A

Answer right away

Ignore for now

\ Q4 Should you join your colleagues for a pint at lunch?

Q5\ Open-plan ofices make you happy and more productive. A

True A

B A University of California study found you’ll waste an average of 23 minutes per day if you reply to every email as it comes in, rather than at pre-set intervals. But that’s not a reason to catch up on the train home: checking work emails after hours hampers your productivity*. Ensure you switch of when you clock of. 138 MEN’S HEALTH

I mean, it is Friday

I’ll have a water

False

No – I’m slammed

A It’s a glass half-full situation. Rather than impair your concentration, an afternoon drink enhances problemsolving. In a study†, tipsy subjects correctly solved more problems after two pints than non-drinkers.

B “Hive” ofices are often touted as beneficial for creativity and team building, but an Australian study found that the distractions and lack of privacy cause motivation to fall. If you find noise-cancelling headphones too antisocial, make your workspace less inviting to chatters: start by banishing the snack drawer that keeps them flocking to your desk.

PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER CROWTHER, GETTY IMAGES | ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEY, ALCONIC | *HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW | †UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO

\ Q2 An email from a client! Should you...?

MH QUIZ: THE OFFICE

\ Q6 Q7\ Men with active jobs don’t

\ Q10 Stocking up on which of

need to exercise.

the following will help you make the best impression?

The best way to ofset ofice stress-eating is more _____.

A A

True

Cofee

Sleep B

False

Water B Surprisingly, scientists at VU University in the Netherlands found that men who are active at work are less healthy, possibly because they don’t feel the need to train in their time of. If you lift heavy objects at work, fit in a Sunday sprint session; if you’re on your feet all day, build weight-training into your downtime.

\ Q9 When deadlines loom, the

A Staying well hydrated will help, but the best way to curb your impulse to snack is to get some rest. The Journal of Applied Psychology found that tiredness makes you more likely to succumb to temptation when under stress.

Q8\ A colleague has brought his dog into work. No one will get anything done!

Biscuits

MON 06:00

Early in the morning

SUN 11:00

Over the weekend

FRI 13:00

On your lunch break

Willpower

best time to train is…

Orange juice A Though a packet of custard creams will keep your colleagues sweet, cofee will do more to raise your standing*. The cafeine will encourage you to be more proactive in meetings, leading your colleagues to view you more positively.

C It might not seem smart, but a Swedish study found that breaking away from your desk to exercise boosts your productivity on your return. If your plate’s too full, simply take a brisk walk up and down the stairs; it’ll channel the blood back to your brain.

\ Q11 By how much does poor air quality hamper your productivity?

9% A

3% B

*OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | †THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH | **CITYMD

False A

True

A Pollution is harming more than your lungs†. Workers were found to be 5-6% more eficient when their indoor air quality was rated “good” by the Environmental Protection Agency, with a downturn when levels were lower. Opt for omega-3-rich mackerel as your go-to protein to safeguard your brain.

Q12\ You might be coming down with something. What should you do? A

Soldier on regardless B

Take a sick day B The presence of a dog at work significantly cuts your stress levels, according to Virginia Commonwealth University, while also lifting the ofice’s morale – which can only be a good thing for work output. Plus, with Psychological Reports finding that just 18 minutes of dog-petting boosts immune function, you’ll feel less ruf all round.

B Almost half of us have crawled into work with flu-like symptoms**, which is more likely to harm your long-term health than impress your boss. A Finnish study found that those who hadn’t taken a sick day in three years were twice as likely to have heart attacks as those who listened to their bodies. MEN’S HEALTH 139

MH QUIZ: THE OFFICE

OCTOBER 2018

Q16\

Q13\ Which of the following is the greatest occupational hazard?

Should you fight back against a hostile boss? YOU F*** A Yes P*** O FF

Your colleagues

\ Q17 Which of these can help land you a promotion? A

Trainers B

Glasses B

Your desk

The biscuit tin

B Work can be a pain – literally, if you’re hunched over your desk all day. Back pain causes three million work absences each year, according to the Health and Safety Executive. Building up your core with moves such as dead bugs and side planks will stabilise your back, as will sleeping with a flatter pillow. It’ll lower your head to help return your spine to a “neutral” position.

\ Q14 You work best listening to…

Facial hair C Far from being an indicator of scrufiness or a lack of professionalism, your stubble could swing you a new job. A study† involving 228 managers revealed that bearded job applicants were more likely to win the role they were interviewing for, rating higher for “personality, competency and composure”.

\ Q18 A messy desk is the sign of an unfocused mind. A

Hit

Myth

\ Q15 To hot-desk or not to hot-desk?

A Your favourite music

Hot

Not

B The sound of silence C Background noise C You may crave silence when your colleagues talk over your head, but moderate ambient noise, such as that of running water or mild chatter, stimulates your creativity and productivity more than very loud or quiet environments*.

How did you score?

140 MEN’S HEALTH

B The freedom to sit where you choose sounds great. But Wolverhampton University researchers found that having your own desk – and the chance to personalise it – makes you feel more in control. No choice? Focus on what you can change, such as picking your desktop image – or at least ensuring you bring in your favourite mug.

B A study in Psychological Science found that “lived-in” workspaces promote lateral thinking, while researchers at Exeter University found that employees who are free to clutter their desks with paper, sticky notes and knick-knacks are more than 30% more productive.

0-6 OUT OF OFFICE

7-12 WORKING ON IT

13+ EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH

Reboot your motivation. A study** found that choosing your work ofers a deeper sense of satisfaction than hitting your targets. Stop stewing over your lack of responsibilities and ask your boss to put you in charge of the next big project.

When it comes to getting the most out of work, it’s a case of mind over matter. The University of Washington found that meditating before you clock in (counting your breaths in and out for five minutes is enough) can minimise your distraction.

You’re bossing it, so don’t be afraid to take a time-out. In fact, procrastinating could surge your output: a study in Human Performance discovered that short breaks of internet browsing can improve your ability to sustain focus.

PHOTOGRAPHY: ROWAN FEE, SUN LEE | ILLUSTRAIONS: BEN MOUNSEY | *UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA | †JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | **FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY

A It may seem a gamble, but Ohio State University found those who push back against combative bosses are likely to have higher job satisfaction and greater commitment, and find it easier to gain respect. Practise this with caution: try to dismiss your boss’s ridicule, rather than embroil yourself in an HR nightmare.

MH CLASSIFIED

Look good and feel great with this selection of life-enhancing products

SHREDDIES Shreddies garments are the perfect solution for all flatulence related issues. Our discreet and stylish designs include an activated carbon panel which absorbs and neutralises flatulence odours. Shreddies range of garments include two styles of men’s underwear, pyjamas and jeans. Visit www.myshreddies.com Prices start from £24.

POWERBALL GYROSCOPIC STRENGTHENERS Harness the Power of Powerball’s gyroscopic rotor to build massive grip, wrist and arm strength / endurance. Powerball develops over 60 times its own weight in punishing resistance training. Over 27kg on our Titan Model shown here. 4 million sold worldwide, with 1000’s of 5 star reviews Perfect for... • Sports people • Strength training • Rehabilitation • Prehab & injury prevention Use discount code “STRONGARMS” for 20% OFF at powerballs.com. Or find us on Amazon.

THE HANNIBAL EXPEDITION

HENRY HERBERT TAILORS Henry Herbert Tailors are London based bespoke suit and shirt tailors. Using the finest fabrics from around the world to make perfectly fitting suits and shirts, quote the discount code ‘MensHealth10 ‘when booking an appointment at www.henryherbert.com

Join Ride and Seek Bike tours on an epic bike tour from Barcelona to Rome following in the footsteps of Hannibal. Inspired by the BBC documentary On Hannibal’s Trail, the tour covers some of Europe’s most iconic and picturesque bike touring routes through Spain, France and Italy. Crossing the Pyrennees, the Alps and the Appenines the tour can be attempted as one epic ride or divided up into three more manageable stages. For more details visit rideandseek.com

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Look good and feel great with this selection of life-enhancing products

THINK HEMP, THINK DIFFERENT, USE ANNABIS Hemp seed oil is fast becoming recognised and respected as an efective remedy for a range of ailments. At Annabis our aim is to harness this wonderous ingredient to the highest quality and therefore improve the quality of life for our customers. Our natural Hemp Gel is an ideal daily complement to aid with soothing, relaxing and refreshing your body and is ideal for frequent use by both adults and athletes. The Hemp Gel with a functional combination of active substances spreads well, is easily absorbed and is non-greasy. Also ideal for body massage and massage therapists. View our full range and buy direct from www.annabis.co.uk 10% readers discount MENSHEALTH 10. Phone: 01387 256099.

BREAKFAST OR LUNCH MADE EASY Get high quality protein, healthy fats, fibre and nutrient dense calories in quickly and easily with Purition. Perfect at breakfast or lunch to fuel you through your day or workout. Honest and nutritious, Purition wholefood protein shakes are made in the UK using natural, nourishing ingredients with no hidden nasties. Our Original Whey Range and Dairy Free Vegan options are available from purition.co.uk with free shipping to UK mainland on all orders.

NATURALLY SUGAR-FREE ENERGY Zero sugar, zero calories, no sweeteners One can = one cup of cofee Every can donates 500L clean water www.virtuedrinks.com @virtuedrinks

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KICK-START YOUR HAIR GROWTH JOURNEY NOW “My hair is so much thicker... less falls out in the brush,” @RissieBlog. Proven to give you thicker, faster-growing hair, It Really Works Vitamins are packed with 22 essential nutrients including biotin, vitamin A, C, D, and E, iron, zinc and a vitamin B complex proven to enhance the thickness and health of your hair. We’re the only brand to give you a 90-day money back guarantee if you don’t notice an improvement in the health of your hair. itreallyworksvitamins.com Get 10% off your first order with coupon code: MENSHEALTHEXCLUSIVE

BOUNCE PROTEIN ENERGY BALLS Bounce Protein Energy Balls are the perfect nutritious, balanced convenient snack, to get you going and keep you going, whatever life throws at you. Great tasting, nutritionally balanced and packed with high quality protein energy, Bounce Balls will satisfy any midmorning cravings, afternoon slumps or provide an energy boost pre-/post your workout. When it comes to smart snacking, we’ve thought about it so you don’t have to. Grab a ball, Grab a Bounce! www.bouncefoods.com

GWC WATCHES Gilchrist Watch Co. is home to a hand-chosen, trend driven and afordable collection of timepieces for the modern gentleman. The strikingly minimal Mesh Chrono from Megir boasts a steel mesh band, precision stopwatch and calendar wheel at 4 o’ clock. 3 variations, £59. Shop the collection at www.gwcwatches.com. Use code MHOCT for 10% of.

AHJAYEE Ahjayee was created for the modern man who wants a little luxury in his everyday products. Made from all-natural ingredients, the Moisturing Beard Oil not only tames and softens the beard but also hydrates the skin, reducing itchiness and razor bumps. www.ahjayee.com

CREATE THE ULTIMATE LEISURE ROOM IN YOUR GARAGE! At last, you can reclaim your garage from clutter, and transform this valuable space into the perfect room for organising your leisure equipment! Dura design and install inspirational garage interiors – with modular cabinets for general storage, a ‘clip-on’ wall system for bulkier items, plus luxurious floor tiles and lighting to complete the room. For a FREE brochure call 0845 371 0048 or visit www.duragarages.com for inspiration!

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QUESTION What item of clothing can make you a better lover – and also improve your sleep?

ne afternoon in June, a woman was travelling home from a party in Sydney when her shoes began to nip at her feet. So she slipped them of. Suddenly, as she stopped at a footpath, pain pulsed through her body and she tumbled to the ground. She’d been electrocuted by an exposed wire at a nearby worksite, the current passing into her through her wet socks. (Thankfully, she survived.) For most of us, the biggest shock that socks ever bring is far milder: the faux pas of a mismatching pair, say, or an unwanted glimpse of the loud yellow ones worn by the colleague who also sported a light-up tie at the ofice summer party. If the fashion police are irked by odd combos and outrageous colours, however, they are appalled by a rather ordinary habit. “Please, guys, never ever wear your socks to bed,” pleads fashion website LooksGud. “Your girl would hate it completely.” A female contributor to a separate blog discussion concurs: “This is the one thing I demand never happens... I’d rather a guy wear a hat.” Warm, cotton-enclosed feet are a turn-of – or so conventional wisdom tells us.

146 MEN’S HEALTH

Socks

But science disagrees. Researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands found that cold feet were an inhibitor to achieving orgasm; in a controlled trial, couples supplied with socks had a 30 percentage-point higher chance of climaxing than their nakedtoed counterparts. Any kind of anxiety can be a dampener for women, while for men seeking physical stimulation, icy extremities are an of-putting distraction. Even if you’re turning in alone, keeping your socks on can heat up your night. According to a team of Swiss scientists*, the warmth they create helps to bring about the “rapid onset of sleep” by dilating the blood vessels in your feet – part of the “thermoregulatory cascade of events” that precede dozing of. Their results suggest that sleeping with your socks on could hasten this process by as much as 15 minutes. So ignore the detractors and hotfoot it to sleep – or something hotter.

WORDS: YO ZUSHI | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | PANTHERELLA SOCKS FROM SOCKSFOX.COM | *CHRONOBIOLOGY AND SLEEP LABORATORY

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