ABS DOLPH and
FLORIAN
of
CRUSH THE DRINKS SEX STRESS
EASY MEALS,
10 YEARS YOUNGER
Introducing COACH PLATINUM , The NEW FRAGRANCE for MEN
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Winter wonderlands are always within reach. Presenting the all-new 3-row Subaru Ascent.™
We’ve built the biggest Subaru SUV ever to help you make the most of winter. Standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive + up to 27 mpg* gets you out there. Wi-Fi capability† and up to 8 USB ports** keeps you connected along the way. The all-new 2019 Subaru Ascent. Love is now bigger than ever.
Ascent. Well-equipped at $31,995.** Subaru is a registered trademark. *EPA-estimated highway fuel economy for 2019 Subaru Ascent and Ascent Premium models with standard equipment. 2019 Subaru Ascent Limited shown is rated at 26 mpg highway. Actual mileage may vary. †Internet access is purchased separately through AT&T with monthly, per gigabyte, and unlimited data options available. Existing AT&T customers have the option to add an additional line to their AT&T Mobile Share plan. **Requires third-row dual USB charging port accessory. ††MSRP excludes destination and delivery charges, tax, title, and registration fees. Retailer sets actual price. Certain equipment may be required in specific states, which can modify your MSRP. See your retailer for details. 2019 Subaru Ascent Limited shown has an MSRP of $41,945. Vehicle shown with accessory equipment.
12.2018 “EVEN THE STRONGEST MAN IS GONNA GET OLD. PUSH IT AHEAD AS MUCH AS YOU CAN.” DOLPH LUNDGREN, p. 74
Above, on Munteanu: Bathrobe ($725) by Versace; versace.com. Boxer briefs ($28) by Calvin Klein Underwear; macys.com. Shorts ($45) by Nike; nike.com. Necklace ($550) by Esquire Men’s Jewelry, created for Macy’s. On Lundgren: Shirt ($17) by Champion; champion .com. Joggers ($170) by Under Armour; underarmour.com.
FEATURES 74 DRAGO FAMILY VALUES
Thirty-three years after Rocky IV, Dolph Lundgren gives up the title to Florian Munteanu— but not without a fight. BY AMOS BARSHAD
82 THERE WILL BE TEARS
There’s a place you can go to understand what it means to be a man. But you’re going to be sad there. And scared. Also: bears. BY NATE GREEN
PHOTOGRAPH BY BEN WATTS
90 THE MAGIC BEAN
The benefits, the science, and brand-new ways to consume one of the most powerful substances in the world: coffee. BY SCARLETT WRENCH
94 WHAT’S YOUR FITNESS AGE?
There’s how old you are. And there’s how old your body is. How to tell what stage of life you’re really in. BY MICHAEL EASTER
102 THE HOLLYWOODIFICATION
It takes a fitness, fashion, and grooming overhaul to turn an actor into a superhero movie star. Here’s how Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II transformed himself for Hollywood. BY LILI GÖKSENIN
104 THE SNOW STORM
When your partner lives with a chronic illness, an icy drive home becomes an existential trial. BY ALEX BELTH MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
5
LIFE
Waterproof boots are a godsend. Find more heavy-duty winter classics on page 56.
35 How to make
getting to work not a $%#^ing completely %&$# experience.
640 Below Boots ($190) by Timberland; timberland .com. Traveler pants by Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com.
40 Ask Her Anything:
Michelle Obama on strength, boot camps, and Cheetos.
44 Side dishes
that don’t suck. (We still love you, greenbean casserole.)
46 Best Foods: The
jarred-tomato face-off! (Wait, is that blood?)
48 Mixologize like a pro: The six bar tools your home kit needs.
49 Make sure she’s satisfied: Closing the orgasm gap.
52 You may be
coming off as a creep without knowing it.
54 How to shop for
grooming products everywhere.
56 Layer up! The 12 cold-weather style essentials.
PLUS! FLIP THE ISSUE FOR:
60 A cruise director’s high-seas workout.
THE MEN’S HEALTH TECH GUIDE 2018
62 Cool Dad: Chef Tyler Kord’s harshest food critic? His toddler.
76 must-have gadgets, cars, and gear to make your entire life smoother, easier, sleeker, and much more fun.
MH WORLD
BODY
11 The year in shoes; a vegetable-soup recipe for kids; Belly Off! Club; the movies and football to watch.
19 It’s all about the
On the cover: Munteanu and Lundgren photographed by Ben Watts exclusively for Men’s Health. Styling by Ted Stafford, grooming by Jodie Boland using Lab Series Skincare for Men, prop styling by Anthony Ansaro & Kendyll Legier/Art Department. On Lundgren: Tank by Tommy Hilfiger; joggers by Todd Snyder + Champion; watch by Hublot. On Munteanu: Shorts by Todd Snyder + Champion; boxer briefs by Champion; watch by Hublot.
6
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
“flow” to help you grow more muscle.
22 King-in-Waiting:
How the 76ers’ Ben Simmons is visualizing his way to the top.
24 Thing to do with a
medicine ball #1,843.
26 The new no-weights, all-body workout.
MIND 65 Brain Gains: Can
a jolt to your cranium boost performance?
28 Seven foods you
should always throw in your cart. (One of them is beets. Sorry.)
68 Dear Men:
America’s Blackout Epidemic—a plea.
30 Snacking? Good! Most snacks? Bad! This story? Helpful!
70 Let science tuck
32 Can a supplement
72 Are you nailing your
you in.
treat stress? MH investigates.
9-to-5? Take our quiz!
33 Here’s what your liver wants for the holidays. (Hint: It ain’t booze.)
+ 110 Above Average Guy: At the Gym
PHOTOGRAPH BY ALLIE HOLLOWAY
DO N ’T L E T
NUMB E RS D E F I NE YOU
NEW MUSEUM ® CLASSIC PERFECTION UPDATED. AN ICON OF MODERN DESIGN. MOVADO.COM
EDITOR’S NOTE
“What message do you have for the young men of America?”
I
try to keep politics out of Men’s Health.
Not because I don’t care about the hows and whys of public life, and not because I think you don’t care, but because politics today is too often a draining, depressing, and divisive race to the bottom. I want Men’s Health to be a place where everyone feels welcome, and where health, itness, and the drive toward self-improvement is a shared and unifying value. There are no Republicans or Democrats in a weight room or a doctor’s oice or a grocery store—there are just people who are doing the best they can, and maybe trying to do a little better. All that said: It has been a week. I’m writing this just days after the sentencing of Bill Cosby, and the testimonies of Christine Blasey Ford, Ph.D., and Judge (now Justice) Brett Kavanaugh, and my own personal cataclysm of learning that three diferent women in my
life were sexually assaulted (one by her own father) as teenage girls. So when a reporter capped off an 80-minute press conference by asking President Trump what message he had for young men—and he answered that he thought it was a scary time to be a young man, when any accusation can derail a life—I thought about how I would’ve answered the question. Here’s how I would have answered. Men have to do a little better. A few of us— not a lot, but enough—have to do a lot better. We have to stop being shocked when women tell us they’ve been harassed or assaulted. It is happening, all the time, all around us, and we have to stop saying that we had no idea. And if we choose to do nothing about it—if we hide behind #notallmen or “boys will be boys” or “it was the ’80s!”—then we have to accept that we’re part of it. As in: partly
responsible, and the only thing most of us want to be responsible for is making sure that nobody is terrorizing our wife or our sister or our friend in accounts payable. How do we do a little better? How do we not do nothing? Advice like “listen to women” is too vague and, frankly, too easy. Instead, be a part of building stronger systems of prevention and accountability in your community. Vote for leaders who will invest in law enforcement that investigates accusations with speed and deliberation. Ask your boss and/or HR department about what they’re doing to prevent harassment and assault, and then ask them how they’ll make sure that any investigations are fair to everyone involved. (False accusations against men are rare, but they happen, and for any system to work, everyone has to believe that the deliberations are thorough, balanced, and fair. Anything short of that is pretty scary.) Call out friends or coworkers who say and do things that you wouldn’t want said or done to your wife or your sister or your friend. (Start with “Shut up.” Escalate accordingly.) Get of the sidelines. Be the change. Do better. Because all of us can stand to do a little better, and it has to start now.
RICHARD DORMENT Editor-in-Chief
Richard Dorment EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Helene F. Rubinstein Executive Managing Editor Jamie Prokell Creative Director EDITORIAL Ben Court Deputy Editor Ross McCammon Special Projects Editor Marty Munson Health Director Paul Kita Senior Editor Ebenezer Samuel Fitness Director Janna Ojeda Assistant Managing Editor Matt Goulet Senior Associate Editor Joshua St. Clair Editorial Assistant PHOTOGRAPHY Alix Campbell Chief Photography Director, Hearst Magazines Jeanne Graves Director of Photography Sally Berman Deputy Director of Photography Sinikiwe Dhliwayo Photo Production Coordinator FASHION Ted Stafford Fashion Director COPY John Kenney Managing Copy Editor Alisa Cohen Barney Senior Copy Editor Connor Sears, David Fairhurst Assistant Copy Editors RESEARCH Robert Scheffler Research Director Jennifer Messimer Research Chief Kevin McDonnell Senior Associate Research Editor Alex Gardner Researcher Nick Pachelli Assistant Research Editor DIGITAL Sean Evans Digital Director EJ Dickson Deputy Editor Jordyn Taylor News Editor Louis Baragona Style, Grooming, and Gear Editor Brett Williams Associate Fitness Editor Melissa Matthews Health and Nutrition Writer Eric Rosati Designer Ashleigh Morley Branded Content Editor Mark Emery Senior Social Media Editor Ryan Bird Video Producer Connor Reid Video Producer Angela Kim Executive Director, Business Development and Global Licensing Natanya van Heerden International Editorial & Content Analyst HEARST MEN’S FASHION GROUP Nick Sullivan Fashion Director Matthew Marden Style Director Michael Stefanov Market Editor Alfonso Fernández Navas Fashion Assistant HEARST PHOTOGRAPHY GROUP Darrick Harris, James Morris, Justin O’Neill Directors Cary Georges, Fiona Lennon Deputy Directors Lauren Hechel Senior Editor Lauren Brown Editor Cori Jayne Howarth, Larisa Kline, Ignacio Murillo Associate Editors Amy Cooper Assistant Ronan Gardiner VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHING DIRECTOR ADVERTISING SALES NEW YORK (212) 649-2000 Caryn Kesler Executive Director, Luxury Goods John Wattiker Executive Director, Fashion & Retail Doug Zimmerman Senior Grooming Director Joe Pennacchio Eastern Automotive Sales Director Sara Schiano Integrated Account Director Gil Tiamsic Advertising Sales Director John Cipolla Integrated Account Manager, Southeast Brad Gettelfinger Sales Manager, Hearst Direct Media CHICAGO (312) 964-4900 Autumn Jenks Midwest Sales Director Emily McCoy Midwest Sales Manager LOS ANGELES (310) 664-2801 Patti Lange Western Ad Director Anne Rethmeyer Group Sales Director, Auto SAN FRANCISCO (628) 208-0648 Andrew Kramer Kramer Media DETROIT (248) 614-6120 Marisa Stutz Detroit Automotive Director Samantha Irwin General Manager, Hearst Men’s Group Karen Ferber Business Manager Paul Baumeister Research Director Alison Papalia Executive Director, Consumer Marketing Mike Ruemmler Senior Production Account Manager Cindy Wenrich Production Account Specialist Madeline Bednar, Savannah Bigelow, Zoe Fritz, Shelby Iannello, Kayla Savage, Toni Starrs Sales Assistants MARKETING SERVICES Cameron Connors Executive Director, Head of Brand Strategy & Marketing Stephanie Block Associate Integrated Marketing Director Jackie Lebowitz Integrated Marketing Manager Alison Brown Special Events Director Jiri Seger Creative Director, Marketing PUBLIC RELATIONS Nathan Christopher Public Relations Executive Director Kelsey Leiter Public Relations Manager PUBLISHED BY HEARST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Steven R. Swartz President & Chief Executive Officer William R. Hearst III Chairman Frank A. Bennack, Jr. Executive Vice Chairman Catherine A. Bostron Secretary Carlton Charles Treasurer HEARST MAGAZINES DIVISION Troy Young President Michael Clinton President, Marketing and Publishing Director Kate Lewis Chief Content Officer Debi Chirichella Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer David Carey Hearst Magazines Chairman Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F. Miller Publishing Consultants HEARST MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL Simon Horne SVP/Managing Director Asia Pacific & Russia Richard Bean Director of International Licensing and Business Development Kim St. Clair Bodden SVP/Editorial & Brand Director Chloe O’Brien Deputy Brands Director Shelley Meeks Executive Director, Content Services Men’s Health is a registered trademark of Hearst Magazines, Inc. HOW TO REACH US: Customer Service: To change your address, pay a bill, renew your subscription, and more, go online to menshealth.com/customer-service, email HLHcustserv@rodale.com, call (800) 666-2303, or write Men’s Health Customer Service, P.O. Box 3064, Harlan, IA 51593-0128. Editorial offices: 400 South 10th Street, Emmaus, PA 18098; Feedback: MHLetters@hearst.com; Licensing & Reprints: Contact Wyndell Hamilton, Wright’s Media, (281) 419-5725, ext. 152, whamilton@ wrightsmedia.com. Absolute satisfaction guaranteed. Scent-free subscription available on request. From time to time we make our subscriber list available to companies that sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings by postal mail, please send your current mailing label or exact copy to: Men’s Health, Mail Preference Center, P.O. Box 3064, Harlan, IA 51593-0128. Men’s Health carries the latest health, fitness, and nutrition reporting to provide you with useful information about your health. But every body is different; individual diagnoses and treatments can come only from a health care practitioner. Printed in USA.
8
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
TO FIND NEW STYLES AND GREAT FITS, VISIT WRANGLER.COM
DEAR HIV, ’ WE DIDN T GIVE UP. XOXO, SCIENCE There is no cure, but science is still in the battle against HIV. Today’s HIV treatments may help you get to undetectable. That means the amount of virus is so low it can’t be measured in lab tests. Ask your healthcare provider about HIV and treatment options.
Learn about an HIV-1 treatment option at
XOXOSCIENCE.COM
XOXOSCIENCE.COM, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. © 2018 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC5531 05/18
TM
WORLD
BEHIN D THE SCEN ES W ITH THE EX PERTS, A DV ISORS, A N D R E A DERS W HO BR ING MEN’S HEA LTH TO LIFE.
CASUAL SHOES WEIGHTLIFTING SHOES
PROJECT ROCK 1, Under Armour
NETTO DUE, M.Gemi
DRESS BOOTS DRAGON, Taft
RUNNING SHOES
WORK BOOTS
GEL-KAYANO 25,
SIX-INCH PREMIUM WATERPROOF, Timberland
CROSS-TRAINERS
CASTELLANO MONK, Florsheim
DRESS SHOES
FREE X METCON, Nike
WINTER BOOTS CARIBOU, Sorel
THIS MONTH ON THE WEB: SHOES!
FINDING THE RIGHT pair of shoes is no easy feat. (Sorry, had to do it.) That’s where the MensHealth.com team comes in. We tried, tested, and dirtied dozens of pairs for every kind of foot-challenging activity, be it at a CrossFit gym or in a high-stakes work meeting. These are our 2018 Footwear Awards winners.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
11
WORLD MEET THE MEN’S HEALTH ADVISORY PANEL A SOUP FIT FOR A DAD
We’d be nothing without our panel of experts. These are the doctors, scientists, and trainers who keep us accurate and updated on the latest in health and fitness. BRAIN HEALTH:
GASTROENTEROLOGY:
SLEEP MEDICINE:
P. Murali Doraiswamy, M.D. David Liebeskind, M.D.
Mark Welton, M.D.
W. Christopher Winter, M.D.
MENTAL HEALTH:
SPORTS MEDICINE:
CARDIOLOGY:
Thomas Joiner, Ph.D. William Pollack, Ph.D.
Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S. Nicholas DiNubile, M.D. Jordan Metzl, M.D.
John Elefteriades, M.D. Prediman Krishan Shah, M.D. Eric Topol, M.D. DENTISTRY:
Mark Wolff, D.D.S., Ph.D.
NUTRITION:
Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., F.A.C.N., F.A.S.N., C.N.S. Mike Roussell, Ph.D.
DERMATOLOGY:
OPHTHALMOLOGY:
Adnan Nasir, M.D., Ph.D.
Kimberly Cockerham, M.D., F.A.C.S.
EMERGENCY MEDICINE:
Travis Stork, M.D.
OTOLARYNGOLOGY*:
Jeremiah Alt, M.D., Ph.D., F.A.C.S.
ENDOCRINOLOGY:
Sandeep Dhindsa, M.D.
PAIN MEDICINE:
Paul Christo, M.D., M.B.A.
EXERCISE SCIENCE:
Alexander Koch, Ph.D., C.S.C.S. Mark Peterson, Ph.D., C.S.C.S.*D FAMILY MEDICINE:
SEX & RELATIONSHIPS:
Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., M.P.H. Justin Lehmiller, Ph.D.
Ted Epperly, M.D.
Tyler Kord, cool dad and chef of New York’s No. 7 Sub (see page 62), fixes us holiday fuel that will please any family member.
TRAINING:
Mike Boyle, M.Ed., A.T.C. Ben Bruno Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S.*D David Jack UROLOGY:
Elizabeth Kavaler, M.D. Larry Lipshultz, M.D. Judd Moul, M.D., F.A.C.S. WEIGHT LOSS:
David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., FACPM, F.A.C.P. Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. *OTOLARYNGOLOGY is the medical term for the ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialty.
1. In a small stockpot,
The best tips from MensHealth.com this month:
Nicholas DiNubile, M.D., Premier Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
When a doctor’s injecting a knee, why don’t they inject the spot that actually hurts? Think of the knee as a tall building with only several small proper and safe entries. Often, the site that hurts is not only one a needle can’t penetrate but also one that would be uncomfortable for the patient if attempted. Instead of going through this metaphorical tenth-story window, we enter through the ground floor—a spot where a needle (and medication) can easily enter the joint. Once the medication is injected, it spreads throughout the entire knee, reaching where it hurts. Don’t be surprised if the needle goes somewhere other than the pain site. That’s just anatomy.
Work Out Like a Wahlberg
2. Rinse the stockpot and
MH TWITTER POLL
Can you tell when she’s faking it?
Yes
(So, no.)
No
44%
You know, she doesn’t have to fake it. And you can ensure she won’t need to by following the advice on page 49.
30%
She’s never faked.
26%
Based on 1,579 Twitter responses to @MensHealthMag.
It’s all about the push and pull for Mark Wahlberg’s trainer Brian Nguyen. The emphasis for his most recent film, Mile 22: explosiveness, posture, and functionality. We’re talking band work (overhead holds, hip bridges), body weight (pushups, bear crawls), floor exercises (like a barbell floor press), and kettlebell and battle-rope work. —BRETT WILLIAM, digital fitness editor
WHERE TO FIND US: We’re on all your favorite platforms.
12
combine 1 lb chicken bones (these could be left over from a roasted chicken) with 1 quart water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock. If you no longer have a quart, add water until you do. add 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, ½ small yellow onion peeled and chopped, 1 medium zucchini chopped, 1 medium russet potato peeled and chopped into ½-inch pieces, and 1 head of broccoli chopped into ½-inch pieces. (Add half a Tbsp salt here as well. Then at the end, taste and adjust as necessary. The right amount of salt is what takes this soup from pretty good vegetable soup to one of the greatest things on planet Earth that you can put into your mouth.) Over medium heat, stirring occasionally, cook the vegetables until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, reduce to low, and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Serves 3
Follow, tweet, comment, like, respond, and tag us. You could be featured in MHWorld. Instagram & Twitter @menshealthmag
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
YouTube & Pinterest /menshealthmag
Facebook /menshealth
On the web menshealth.com
And send us your feedback at MHletters@hearst .com. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
CORY DAWSON (soup), courtesy Mark Wahlberg (Wahlberg)
. . . AND THE QUESTIONS THEY GET ASKED ALL THE TIME
Use of the Blue Angels name and logo is with the permission, but not endorsement, of the U.S. Navy.
GO FURTHER
Available at Select KAY® Jewelers and KAY.COM
#MyCitizen
WORLD
ASK MEN’S HEALTH
BELLY OFF! CLUB A BILLY JOEL–INSPIRED TRANSFORMATION
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts.
How much damage is regular spin class actually doing to my taint? —COREY, New York, NY
THE WAKE-UP CALL A few years ago, my girlfriend, Suzie, and I went to a Billy Joel concert. I literally could not fit in the seat. An usher found us a diferent seat in the handicapped section. It was humiliating—sitting there solely because of my size. I finally took control of the situation and went to see the doctor about getting bariatric surgery. THE FOOD I had tried weight-loss plans in the past, but none of them were long-term solutions. I would lose 10 pounds and then put 15 back on. Before surgery, I started my own program in order to make the transition easier. I cut out sodas and sweets. I limited sugar and sodium. Since I’m on the road often, I order healthy options at restaurants—a lot of grilled chicken and salad. Where I used to reach for a candy bar, I now carry a thermos with flavored water to curb any temptation to snack.
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
THE FITNESS Walking a few miles every day using the Couch to 5K app got me down to 348 pounds before my surgery. After surgery, I switched from walking to jogging and was soon running local 5Ks. I started of slow, grateful for just being able to finish. As I got faster, the weight came of faster. The goal was to get down to 230 within the first year after the surgery. I got there after seven months. By the one-year mark, I was down to 173. Now every day I run almost six miles and do more than 40 situps, pushups, and squats. I completed my first marathon in New York City in November. THE REWARD I have more energy, more confidence. If you had told me five years ago that I would be doing a marathon, I would have laughed. But thanks to the weight loss, I continue to be active and confident about my physical future. SOME ADVICE This is the biggest thing I always tell others about getting surgery: This is not a cure. It’s like a tool you buy at Home Depot. If you don’t use the tool correctly, then it’s not the fault of the tool; it’s your fault. So use the tool right.
STEVE YOUNGKIN: STATS AGE: 49 LOCATION:
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio OCCUPATION:
Computer consultant BEFORE WEIGHT: 421 CURRENT WEIGHT: 182
KIND TWEET OF THE MONTH Awesome!! I love getting my Men’s Health in the mail every month. Solid magazine. @CHRIS_H00D
I do a single “superset” of about 15 different exercises that isolate different muscle groups. It takes about 30 minutes. Others do two sets of various exercises and complete sets on one body part before moving to the next. Which approach burns more calories and provides better fitness? —GEOFF, Charleston, SC MH itness director Ebenezer Samuel says: Sigh. It’s always a competition over whose workout is better. Your 30-minute whole-body blitz racks up quick calorie burn; hitting longer workouts will eventually rack up calories too. But congrats on winning the itness war. Your cardiovascular system is stronger since you’re working with so little rest time.
Courtesy Steve Youngkin
THE SETBACK I was always a heavy child, but during my first marriage and soon after it ended (in my early 30s), I started putting on weight even quicker. Each year, I would have to buy all new pants and shirts (at one point: 6XL). I also developed sleep apnea and high blood pressure. I travel for a living. It became embarrassing: I’d always have to ask for a seat-belt extender.
We each have diferently shaped pelvises, and stress to the pudendal nerve and perineum (the, uh, “taint”) can lead to diferent outcomes. On the more extreme end might be pudendal neuralgia or “entrapment,” which is fairly common among cyclists who spend a lot of time in the saddle. Symptoms vary from pain anywhere in the genital area to pain during activities like sex. It’s uncommon in spin class but certainly possible. What’s more common is numbness in those regions, due to compression on the pudendal nerve. The severity of this depends on the seat. If you can’t change seats, try wrapping a towel around yours to provide a more forgiving saddle. If soreness is recurrent after each class, you may need to rethink your spin-class obsession. — The Expert: BILL HARTMAN, P.T., C.S.C.S
Every family has a black sheep. Or two. Hornitos® Black Barrel® is aged like a whiskey for ultimate depth and complexity. Hornitos® Cristalino is triple-distilled and charcoal-filtered for clarity and smoothness. Two añejos that break tradition with every sip.
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WORLD
DECEMBER GAME PLAN What the Men’s Health staff is looking forward to this month.
VIDEO GAMES Just Cause 4 PS4, Xbox One DECEMBER 4
Live out your hyper-action-movie fantasies by flying jets, shooting bad guys midair in a wingsuit, and just blowing up a lot of crap. —E. S.
BOOKS 2018 national champions Alabama.
SPORTS College Football Playoffs DECEMBER 15 TO JANUARY 7
Sure, everybody proits except for the athletes. But bowl games retain that bootleg-Statue-of-Libertyoption-ofense fun that the NFL can’t seem to capture.
The best insights from MensHealth.com this month:
SHOULD YOU SPRING FOR PLASTIC SURGERY? Muscle implants cost more than $4,000. Make sure to speak with former patients and carefully choose your doctor, as it’s not the most frequent procedure (and you want someone with experience). Sounds expensive and ludicrous? It is. A healthy self-image truly maketh the man. —MARIO ABAD
Mr. Nice Guy By Jason Feifer and Jennifer Miller OUT NOW!
4 WINNERS
They say write what you know. Jason Feifer, a Men’s Health alumnus, published a novel with his wife, Jennifer Miller, an author, about writers writing about their sex lives. Juicy. —PAUL KITA, senior editor
—JORDYN TAYLOR, news editor, MensHealth.com
SWEEPSTAKES
Roma DECEMBER 14 (NETFLIX)
Alfonso Cuarón’s first Spanish-language film since his incredible Y Tu Mamá También, Roma follows a domestic and the troubled family she works for in 1970s Mexico. It’s a slice-of-life film sure to take home some gold come awards season. —JOSHUA ST. CLAIR, editorial assistant
Aquaman DECEMBER 21
Yeah, Batman v Superman was awful, and Justice League was a new superhero-movie low. So Aquaman can’t be that bad, right? Plus, if DC did one thing right, it was casting Jason Momoa, who was a bright spot in Justice League and seems born to make the king of the sea finally seem badass. —EBENEZER SAMUEL, fitness director
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse DECEMBER 14
It may be the first Marvel-based film to actually look like a freakin’ Marvel comic. I couldn’t be more pumped about seeing Miles Morales come to such stylistic, web-slinging life. —MATT GOULET, senior associate editor
16
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Never Grow Up
EVENTS
By Jackie Chan DECEMBER 4
Jackie reflects on his multidecade, cross-continent, HongKong-to-Hollywood ass-kicking career, as well as some hard lessons from fatherhood. —J. S.
STYLE Madewell Denim Madewell recently launched men’s wear for the first time. Count on stylish, quality, perfectly fitting basics at fair prices (starting at $115). I’m picking up a pair. —TED STAFFORD, style director
DECEMBER 1
Pendleton Blanket-Lined Cruiser Jacket
Now in its 20th year, this international occasion is an effort to further awareness of the disease affecting roughly 37 million people. For reference, that’s the entire population of Canada. —M. G.
Best Made Co. is known for well-built supplies, just like this canvas jacket, with its unique striped-blanket lining. It’s a little pricey, but it’s an investment in cold-day comfort. Like a Christmas present to yourself. —T. S.
World AIDS Day
GET CAFFEINATED ON US! There’s brewing coffee for coffee’s sake, the time-honored, craftsmanlike process for the perfect cup. (See page 90.) And there’s brewing coffee for your sake. When you just need to one-touch rip it and still want a satisfying cup. For fans of the latter, we’re giving away a De’Longhi Magnifica S Cappuccino Smart machine this month. All you’ve got to do is go to beverage.menshealth.com to enter. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Men’s Health De’Longhi Magnifica S Cappuccino Smart Machine Sweepstakes. Sponsored by Hearst Magazines, Inc. Beginning November 13, 2018, at 12:01 A.M. (ET) through December 24, 2018, at 11:59 P.M. (ET), go to beverage.menshealth.com on a computer or wireless device and complete the entry form pursuant to the on-screen instructions. Four (4) winners will each receive a De’Longhi Magnifica S Cappuccino Smart Machine. Total ARV: $3,999.80. Important Notice: You may be charged for visiting the mobile website in accordance with the terms of your service agreement with your carrier. Odds of winning will depend upon the total number of eligible entries received. Must be 18 years of age and be a legal resident of the 50 United States, or District of Columbia. Legal residents of Canada (excluding Quebec) who have reached the aforementioned age in their province of residence at time of entry are also eligible. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited by law. Sweepstakes subject to complete official rules available at beverage.menshealth.com.
Crimson Tide Photos/UA Athletics (football team), Jasin Boland/™ & © DC Comics (Aquaman), Getty (World AIDS Day)
MOVIES
INSIDEOUT
EVENTS & PROMOTIONS
RHONE - THE NUN - CRUNCH
FIRST CLASS Walking past first class never bothers you until you’ve tasted those cookies or draped a hot towel over your face. If that feeling bothers you, do not buy the Commuter Pants. They will ruin all other pants for you and you’ll realize that nothing comes close to the comfort, flexibility and effortless style that these pants possess. DO NOT BUY THE COMMUTER PANTS Find out more at Rhone.com
LOOK FOR THE DIGITAL MOVIE AND ON BLU-RAY™ While investigating a suicide, a novitiate and priest risk their life and faith when they are confronted by a malevolent force in same form of a demonic nun that first terrorized audiences in “The Conjuring 2.” Find out more at facebook.com/NunMovie
#TheNun © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved.
FITNESS, FUN #NOJUDGMENTS WITH CRUNCH Crunch is a gym that believes in making serious exercise fun by fusing fitness & entertainment and pioneering a philosophy of ‘No Judgments’. Crunch serves a community for all types of people, with all types of goals. Headquartered in New York City, Crunch serves over 1,200,000 members with over 250 gyms worldwide in 25 states, Puerto Rico and 4 countries. Here’s a 3-day pass on us!
Crunch.com/MensHealth
®©2017 TYSON FOODS, INC.
Hillshire farm® turkey is slow roasted for hours. And devoured in seconds.
At Hillshire Farm , right after we carve our deliciously seasoned turkey, we double seal every slice for freshness. Which leads to the best Turkey, Arugula & Tomato sandwich you’ve ever tasted. Visit HillshireFarm.com for more sandwich inspiration. ®
N BA M USCLE MOV ES
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A N EW A N Y TIME, A N YW HER E WOR KOU T
SEV EN FOODS YOU SHOU LD E AT EV ERY W EEK THE HECK A R E . . . A DA PTOGENS?
GO WITH THE FLOW
The Perpetual Motion Workout The way to develop strength, lexibility, and abs all at once: Learn the art of the “low.” BY SEAN HYSON, C.S.C.S. REMEMBER your last burpee?
To do that burpee you essentially did a squat, then a pushup, then a frogger, then a jump squat, chaining all four movements together in rapid succession. That swift and seamless connection of a variety of exercises is known as “lowing,” and it’s an exercise style that can fry your muscles, stoke your metabolism, and make you more athletic with just a few reps a week. Flows can grow far more complex than burpees, and they can do far more than get your heart racing. Trainers like Get Primal’s Eric Leija (known better on Instagram as “primal .swoledier,” a low expert) use powerful kettlebell lows to help you pack on muscle, while Mike Fitch, creator of Animal Flow, will have you lowing to improve your mobility.
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALLIE HOLLOWAY
SHIRT BY Under Armour. SHORTS BY Rhone. SNEAKERS BY APL.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
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BODY WHEN YOU FLOW, you’re poaching from yoga, gymnas-
tics, martial arts, and break dancing. Like those disciplines, lowing pushes you to do more than reps; your body must make small transitional movements to get in position to, say, do a pushup after the squat as part of the burpee. Few training programs cover those transitional movements, says Fitch. Flows can work in surprising ways. A recent study in Human Movement Science that followed subjects who performed training similar to Animal Flow for four weeks found that their ground-based movements improved proprioception (your sense of where your body is in space) and cognition.
Other trainers are focusing more on lows that build strength. Leija posts kettlebell lows you can do for multiple rounds for a short workout or for one round as a inisher. “With moderate to heavy weight in your lows, you can stress your muscles to induce gains,” he says. Whatever you use them for, you can expect them to be more fun than counting to 20 on another set of curls, says John Wolf, chief itness oicer at Onnit Academy Gym in Austin. “Which is more popular: lifting or dancing?” he asks. “Dancing. So you end up doing that more often. People want to do things they enjoy.”
Ready, Set, Flow! Get started with these two flows from Leija, who’s been creating kettlebell and bodyweight flows for the last six years. Do 3 to 5 reps of each flow. Do 3 to 5 rounds, resting at least two minutes between rounds.
THE BODYWEIGHT RIPPER
START
END
20
2
3
Quadruped Kick-Through
Frogger
Jump Squat
Get on all fours and raise your heels. Your hands should be in line with your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. Twist to your right side, raising your right hand and extending your left leg out straight. Continue turning until your butt touches the floor and you’re sitting upright. Reverse the direction and repeat on the opposite side. Then return to all fours.
From that quadruped position, rock your weight backward just slightly, then jump your feet forward; lift your hands from the ground as you do this. Land in a squat with your feet just outside shoulder width and your toes turned slightly outward. Make sure to land with your knees bent and your weight in your heels. Work to keep your chest up and your core tight.
As soon as you complete the frogger, jump as high as you can, throwing your arms backward to generate maximum momentum and power. Land with your knees slightly bent, cushioning the impact, and then immediately lower back into another squat. That’s 1 rep. Return to quadruped position, ready to begin the next rep of the flow sequence.
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Grooming by Deepti Sadhwani
1
THE SINGLE-KETTLEBELL CRUSHER
START
END
1
2
3
4
One-Arm Deadlift
One-Arm Row
Clean
Squat to Press
Place the kettlebell on the floor between your feet. Draw your shoulder blades together and down and bend your hips back to reach down and grasp the kettlebell with your right hand. Your shoulders should be parallel to the floor and directly over the weight. Push through your heels to extend your hips and stand tall. Bend your hips to return the kettlebell to the floor.
Keep your back flat, contract your abs, and once again squeeze your shoulder blades. From this position, draw your shoulder back and downward as you row the kettlebell with your right arm to your right side. Pause for a moment, then lower the weight so your arm hangs naturally. Don’t let it rest on the floor, though, and fight to keep your back flat.
From that position, rotate your hand inward so your palm faces your shin. Perform the same deadlift motion explosively, and simultaneously pull your elbow back close to your body. The momentum will help you muscle the weight up to shoulder height. “Catch” the weight at your shoulder with the handle just under your chin and your forearm vertical.
From the clean position, turn your toes out slightly, then bend at your knees, lowering your torso until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Keep your chest up as you do this. Stand back up and press the kettlebell overhead explosively, keeping your core engaged. Return the kettlebell to the floor, then repeat the entire flow with your left hand. That’s 1 rep.
GET THE FLOW DOWN One of the best parts about flows: You can build them yourself, combining a variety of exercises in ways that work for you. Always aim to do one leg exercise (such as a squat, deadlift, or lunge), a pulling exercise (such as a row or clean), and a pushing exercise (such as a pushup or shoulder press) in your strength flows. Follow the rules below to build your own.
1. Start with the basics.
3. Be conservative.
Don’t start flowing until you’re comfortable with some basic exercises, like squats, pushups, and bear kick-throughs (start in a plank, then lift your right arm off the ground and kick your left leg through to your right side), as well as kettlebell moves like the row, press, deadlift, and clean. If you’re not comfortable with an exercise, don’t use it in a flow.
If you’re flowing with dumbbells or kettlebells, only use as much as you would with your weakest exercise in the flow. And in general, you should use half the weight you would use if doing an exercise by itself.
4. Don’t overflow. 2. Keep it tight. As in never flow with more than 5 exercises, never do more than 5 reps, and never do more than 5 rounds of a flow. Flows build up fatigue more quickly than, say, a set of pullups, so your conditioning can improve even with just a few reps.
Flows are a changeup to your regular workout, not your workout’s foundation. Flowing daily can lead to sloppy form. Use them just once a week to prove to yourself that you own the exercises within them. Onnit’s John Wolf says, “You’ll walk away feeling like an animal.”
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BODY
THE76TH SENSE Ben Simmons’s sprint to NBA superstardom started with a long-term vision and some heavy lifting. BY BEN JHOTY
is already the offensive engine who makes the title-contending Philadelphia 76ers go. He’s already been nicknamed the Young King by none other than the King himself, LeBron James. And he’s already inspired a TV sitcom (Brotherly Love, which will be coproduced by James and eventually land on NBC). Did we mention Simmons just started his second year in the NBA? Great, right? Except that’s not nearly enough for the sixfoot-ten Aussie. When Simmons mapped out his NBA future years ago (yes, really), the now-22-year-old had “NBA title” at the top of the list. And he can’t stop repeating that, both in this interview and to his teammates. Says Sixers head coach Brett Brown: “He sees his future quite clearly.” Learn from his mind-set and you’ll set yourself up for long-term success, too. BEN SIMMONS
NEED HELP, SO 2 YOU’LL HELP OTHERS HELP YOU
Simmons’s father, Dave, played for the Melbourne Tigers in Australia’s National Basketball League, and he introduced his son to the sport when he was barely out of diapers. Go deep enough down the Ben Simmons YouTube wormhole and you just might find video of a pint-sized Simmons dribbling between his dad’s legs and dunking on a kid-sized hoop. But Dave wasn’t the one coaxing Ben out of bed to work out most mornings. It was a teenage Simmons who woke Dad up to train him. “He was the one who made me get up early and put the work in,” says Dave, “and he was always letting me know that it’s not going to be easy. It was going to be hard work. But it was all going to be worth it.”
TO NEXT SEASON (AND 1 LOOK THE SEASON AFTER THAT, AND . . .)
DENY, DENY— 3 DENY, BUT ONLY PUBLICLY
The moment Simmons entered the NBA, he received heavy criticism for his “shaky” jump shot, and some have suggested that Simmons, a left-hander, should shoot his jumpers with his right hand. And why not? After all, he made just 56 percent of his free throws, and he didn’t hit a single three-pointer all year. It’s the one criticism that makes Simmons bristle. “People like to make shit up. Maybe I’m writing with the wrong hand, too?” he says. “I averaged 16 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists per game last year. Guys haven’t done that their whole careers. I think I’m playing well.” Not well enough to stop fixing his jumper, though. He’s working on it, says Brown. “And when he grows his shot, he becomes unguardable.” LeBron is going to love that.
Steve Boyle
Even before Simmons was on NBA-prospect leaderboards, he was pondering his professional legacy. Once he reached high school, he mused to his older half brother, Sean, not about the start of his NBA career but about its golden years. “He’s always thinking down the track. He’s thinking championship,” says Sean. “That’s what you get judged on at the end of your career.” Envision yourself in your final years on the job, not at the very beginning. It’s the only way you can truly set a long-range goal, and it’s your best chance to chase lofty expectations. “You’ve got to set the bar high,” says Simmons. “Unless you reach high, you’re not going to get high. That’s the way I’ve thought since I was in high school.”
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
SCORE SOME NBA MUSCLE Build a basketball-worthy body by doing high-rep sets of fundamental exercises in this three-times-a-week workout from Simmons’s trainer, Michael Atkinson. 1. 45-Degree Incline Leg Press
“I’ve always believed in myself, even before I met all the NBA guys. I know who I am.” —Ben Simmons
5 sets (20 reps the first set, 15 the next, 15, 12, 12) In a loaded leg-press machine, lower the weight until your knees almost reach your chest before pushing explosively back to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
2. Neutral-Grip Incline Dumbbell Press 5 sets (20, 12, 10, 8, 8) Set up on an adjustable bench at a 30-degree incline, holding dumbbells directly over your chest, arms straight, palms facing each other. Bend your elbows, lowering the weights until they nearly touch your chest, pause, then straighten your arms. That’s 1 rep.
3. Close-Grip Lat Pulldown 5 sets (20, 12, 10, 8, 8) Set up in a lat-pulldown station and grasp the bar overhead with your arms slightly narrower than shoulder width. Tighten your core (think of pulling your rib cage down) and pull the bar to your upper chest. Pause, then return the bar to the start. That’s 1 rep.
4. Seated Row 5 sets (20, 12, 10, 8, 8) Sit at a row station, bend your knees slightly, and grasp the row handle. Tighten your core and, without moving your torso, pull the handle to the top of your rib cage. Hold for a moment, squeezing your back, then return to the start. That’s 1 rep.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
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BODY #TRYTHISNOW
Baller Move Pummel your core with the A. J. Triple Threat, boxer Anthony Joshua’s take on the classic medicine-ball slam. onto your toes.
BY EDWARD LANE
a classic, totalbody conditioning exercise. You raise a medicine ball over your head with two hands and then slam it down explosively. It targets your core, hamstrings, and glutes and works out your aggression. As good as it feels, though, it’s a little basic, which is why world-champion boxer Anthony Joshua preps for ights with a new take on the slam, one that leaves your abs saying no más. His move, dubbed the A. J. Triple Threat by his strength coach, Jamie Reynolds, starts with the typical ball slam, then adds a rotational challenge. You twist and throw the ball at the wall sideways, and then you lift the ball and ire it at shoulder height at the wall. (Don’t worry, we’ll explain how!) “Med balls are excellent tools to build up your power, especially when you’re rotating and throwing them upwards, and also downwards,” explains Reynolds. “Their versatility ofers an efective way of ticking the boxes when you’re pushed for time.” Here those boxes are core strength, calorie burn, and upper-body power. That power will make you stronger while etching detail into your abs and obliques. Try the Triple Threat as a seven-minute inisher to a total-body workout, or do it for 20 minutes on its own for a crushing core session.
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3. FULL SWING Rotate back to the left as you throw the ball as hard as possible at the wall with both hands. Focus on the rotation. You should throw with your core, not your arms.
4 THINGS YOU’LL GET FROM THIS MOVE Explosive power
Fierce calorie burn
Rotational core strength
Ripped abs
Philip Haynes; styling: Abena Ofei, grooming: Natacha Schmitt/Mac Pro, model: Faisal Abdalla/@faisalpmafitness, author of The PMA Method, clothing: shorts by Nike, mrporter.com; tights and sneakers by Nike, nike.com
T
HE BALL slam is
© Copyright 2018 American Pistachio Growers
AmericanPistachios.org
BODY OUR FAVORITE WORKOUT EVER . . . THIS MONTH
The Bodyweight Burner The anytime, anywhere workout for staying on track during the least predictable month. TRAINER: BEN BOUDRO, C.S.C.S.
DIRECTIONS Do this workout at least three days a week; for optimal results, try to do it six days a week. (Remember: It takes only 25 minutes!) Aim to go for a 10- or 15-minute run on days when you can’t find time for this workout.
THE WARMUP Before you start training, loosen up your hamstrings and hips and relax your back with 2 minutes of quick drills. 1. Pushup to Downward Dog Start in pushup position, hands directly below your shoulders, core tight, then do a pushup. Return to the start, then raise your hips high, bending at the waist. (Shift your feet forward if you need to.) Keep your legs straight as you do this, stretching your hamstrings, and try to form a straight line with your arms and torso. Return to pushup position. That’s 1 rep. Do reps for 1 minute.
EB SAYS
“Don’t focus on the number of reps. Fewer is better in the warmup; do each one slowly. Feel the stretch.”
YOU’RE AT THE AIRPORT. You’re shopping for gifts. You’re shopping
for gifts at the airport. We know you don’t have as much time to hit the gym this month. Instead, you’re doing a 25-minute, no-equipmentneeded burner from Ben Boudro, C.S.C.S., of Xceleration Fitness in Detroit, who’s trained several NFL players and specializes in crushing you with body-weight workouts. Do it anyplace, whenever you can (heck, even twice a day if your light’s delayed long enough), to hit every muscle in your body, rev up your metabolism, and improve balance and coordination.
THE WORKOUT Do 2 rounds of this circuit. In the first, do each exercise for 40 seconds, rest 20, then do 40 more seconds. Rest 90 seconds. The next round, do each move for 30 seconds, rest 15, then do 30 more seconds.
1. Around-the-World Pushup Set up in pushup position, core tight. Do 1 pushup rep. Then, keeping your core tight, lift your right arm from the floor, rotating your torso as you reach your arm toward the ceiling. Continue rotating your torso so that your chest faces the ceiling (you can shift your feet as you do) and then place your right hand on the floor. Try to form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Reverse the moves to return to pushup position. That’s 1 rep. Alternate directions with each rep. EB SAYS
“When your chest is facing the ceiling, squeeze your glutes to straighten out your body.”
Lie facedown on the floor, arms and legs extended. Tighten your glutes, raising your feet and thighs a few inches in the air. As you do this, squeeze your back muscles, lifting your arms and chest off the floor. Hold for 2 seconds, then lower back to the floor. That’s 1 rep.
EB SAYS
2. Spider-Man Lunge with Overhead Reach Start in pushup position, hands directly below your shoulders. Keeping your left leg straight, bring your right foot forward so that it’s just outside your right hand. Pause, then lift your right hand from the floor and raise it toward the ceiling, reaching as high as you can. Reverse the movements. That’s 1 rep. Alternate sides for 30 seconds. 26
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
“If you have time for just one exercise every single day, make it this one. It’ll fire up your mid-back muscles—a key to helping improve your posture.” PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALLIE HOLLOWAY
Grooming: Megan Kelly/Kiehls/Atelier Management
2. Superman Hold
YOUR MUSCLE MASTER
Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., Men’s Health’s fitness director, is a certified strength and conditioning expert who has trained with professional and Olympic athletes. He’ll be your guide through this workout.
3. Lateral Bound to Pushup Start in an athletic stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent slightly, then leap to your left as far as you can, landing on your left foot. Gather yourself as quickly as possible, then leap back to the right, landing on your right foot. Complete 5 total jumps back and forth, then immediately do 5 pushups. Stand back up and repeat the pattern until time is up.
THE FINISHER Set a timer for 3 minutes. Do 1 pushup, then 1 Russian twist. Then do 2 pushups and 2 Russian twists. Keep laddering up until time expires; rest as needed. 1. Pushup Get in pushup position. Bend at the elbows, lowering your torso until you’re an inch from the floor. Pause, then straighten your arms and return to the start. Focus on keeping your core tight and keeping your elbows close to your torso on each rep. EB SAYS
“It’s easy to get lazy with pushup form, so here’s a way to avoid that: Count your reps out loud.”
4. High-Knee Run Start standing, knees bent slightly, feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed, then begin running in place, concentrating on driving your knees up as high as you can. Aim to get your thigh higher than parallel to the floor on each stride. EB SAYS
“Don’t let this only be a lower-body movement. Make sure you’re pumping your arms as if you’re really running; that’ll help you drive your knees higher, too.”
2. Russian Twist
5. Knee Tuck Lie on your back, then press your lower back into the floor. Raise your shoulders off the floor slightly, supporting yourself with your hands. Keeping your legs straight, raise your thighs a few inches. This is the start. Now pull your thighs toward your chest, bending your knees as you do; squeeze your abs. Return to the start. That’s 1 rep.
Lie on your back, knees bent, feet a few inches off the floor. Tighten your abs, raising your torso so it’s a foot above the floor. Clasp your hands together just above your chest. This is the start. Keeping your legs as steady as possible, twist your torso to the right and touch your hands to the floor on the right side. Then twist to the left and touch the floor on the left. That’s 1 rep.
6. Burpee Broad Jump
Illustration by Kyle Hilton
Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and put your hands on the floor. Kick your feet backward into plank position, then lower your chest to the floor, as if doing a pushup. Reverse the movements to stand back up, then leap forward. Backpedal to your starting position. That’s 1 rep.
CLOTHING: Nike
MEN’S HEALTH
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BODY
2. LENTILS
3. BEETS
These little UFO-shaped “pulses” are the edible seeds of legumes. At the supermarket, you’ll most likely find green and red lentils dried in bags.
Commonly bloodred, beets also come in candy-cane and golden varieties. They’re subtly sweet and hearty.
IF YOU’RE SIMILAR TO the average guy, your shopping cart
WHY THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOU:
is a mix of things like frozen pizzas, chicken breasts, block cheese, and a case of soda, according to USDA research. But if you add or swap in these seven foods on your grocery trips, science suggests you’ll consume the nutrients you need to ight disease, have more energy, and live longer. So read up. Then stock up. BY JILL WALDBIESER
Lentils are so fibrous they make Grape-Nuts worried: A half cup of cooked lentils has eight grams of fiber. Plus, the fiber in lentils may blunt spikes in blood glucose—so much so that swapping lentils for half a serving of instant white potatoes led to a 35 percent decrease in blood sugar after a meal, a 2018 study in The Journal of Nutrition found.
Eating nitrate-rich foods like beets may be linked to increased exercise endurance and lower blood pressure in older adults. Now there’s growing evidence that beetroot juice might keep your mind fit, too. In 2017, scientists at Wake Forest University found that beetroot juice may enhance the effects of exercise on the brains of older adults with high blood pressure.
1. WHOLE-GRAIN
BREAD
A.k.a. not the white-asGwyneth-Paltrow kind. WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU:
Contrary to what carb haters would have you believe, there’s evidence linking whole grains to a longer life span. A Harvard study found that people who consumed whole grains had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a lower risk of diabetes, and a lower risk of hypertension than people who did not. HOW TO EAT MORE: For a smart snack, toast or grill one slice of bread and top it with a heaping helping of halved cherry tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, or avocado with sliced radishes.
HOW TO EAT MORE: Deploy them as a fortifier to burgers or meatballs. All lentil varieties have a mild, nutty flavor. Red and yellow types develop a softer texture when cooked, so save those for slow-simmered dishes, says Ginger Hultin, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Brown and black lentils retain their texture better, which means they work best in heartier meals.
WHY THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOU:
HOW TO EAT MORE: Roasted beets are great with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper as a simple side to steak or lamb chops. One downside: They can make your kitchen look like a crime scene. So buy packaged, precooked beets like those from Love Beets. You can also try pickled beets or golden beets to avoid the mess. (The golden variety has beneficial compounds like its red brethren.)
Food styling: Jamie Kimm, prop styling: Kaitlyn DuRoss/Honey Artists
Grocery Cart Gold
4. SEAFOOD
5. WATERCRESS
6. KIMCHEE
7. BERRIES
Salmon, lobster, shrimp, mackerel, sardines, crayfish, trout, cod, skate, crab—whatever the variety, you probably aren’t eating enough of it.
If leafy greens were the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, watercress would be Nick Foles: It may not have as many believers as kale or spinach, but it’ll deliver. Watercress has stubby, ear-shaped leaves that top long, curved stems, and it tastes peppery.
Kimchee is a traditional Korean food made with cabbage, chile peppers, salt, and sometimes other vegetables, all of which undergo fermentation with lactic-acid bacteria. Its taste can range from mellow and tangy to pungent and spicy.
Fresh or dried, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and gooseberries are small-but-mighty nutritional powerhouses. (Yes, gooseberries are a real thing.)
WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU:
Your gastrointestinal tract, filled with billions of tiny microbes, may play a big role in your immune system and overall health. Good bacteria, called probiotics, may counterbalance disruptive bad bacteria. Found in foods like kimchee, probiotics may also help fight obesity, cholesterol, and cancer, though further research is needed.
WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU:
Seafood, especially seafood high in omega-3 fatty acids, is a powerful force in fighting cardiovascular disease. Plus, in a 2018 study, Harvard scientists found that 92 percent of couples trying to conceive who ate seafood more than twice a week were pregnant by the end of one year, compared with 79 percent of couples who ate less. One explanation: The fishier couples had sex more often, possibly due to elevated hormone levels from a high-seafood diet. Score! HOW TO EAT MORE: If you hate
cooking fish, then don’t cook it, says Carolyn Williams, Ph.D., a dietitian in Alabama. Canned tuna, salmon, sardines, and shrimp are ready-to-eat. Just add mayo or sour cream, lemon juice, chives or parsley, and salt and pepper. Or raid the freezer aisle for heat-andeat options from LoveTheWild. Try its salmon with red coconut curry to start.
PHOTOGRAPH BY CORY DAWSON
Watercress is nutrient-dense, meaning it offers a large payload of nutrients per calorie. In fact, a 2014 study published in Preventing Chronic Disease ranked this leafy green the most nutrient-dense fruit or vegetable. Credit its high concentration of vitamins and minerals. HOW TO EAT MORE: Think of watercress as a “zestier spinach,” says Hultin, and use it accordingly. Chop a handful and stir it into frittatas, stir-fry, or marinara sauce for pasta. It’s also delicious as a swap-in for basil in homemade pesto. You can enjoy it in a salad, but balance its bite with mellower greens, like romaine, butter, or green leaf lettuce.
WHY IT’S GOOD FOR YOU:
HOW TO EAT MORE: “Kimchee makes a great swap for coleslaw, but you can also try it as a sandwich or taco topper, or scrambled into your eggs,” says Brigitte Zeitlin, R.D., owner of BZ Nutrition in New York City. Aim to have one cup at least twice a week. Just make sure you’re buying your kimchee unpasteurized, the kind found at a good supermarket (we like the brand Mother-in-Law’s) or Korean grocery store. Pasteurization can kill probiotic bacteria.
WHY THEY’RE GOOD FOR YOU:
They’re a great source of fiber (one cup of fresh blueberries has almost four grams; one cup of blackberries has more than seven), but they may help you breathe easier, too. People who reported eating three to four servings of fruit daily were 57 percent less likely to have airway restriction, a signal of lung dysfunction, than those who reported eating little to no fruit. Fruits (especially berries) are high in antioxidants that may help tamp down the chronic inflammation that can lead to lung disease. HOW TO EAT MORE: Berries aren’t just great for breakfast. Mix golden raisins into a quinoa grain bowl, scatter raspberries over a greensand-balsamic salad, or place sliced strawberries atop a homemade ricotta, arugula, and olive-oil flatbread.
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BODY MIDAFTERNOON
WHAT TO EAT: A breakfast bal-
WHEN YOU NEED IT: A pre-noon
WHAT TO EAT: Turn to produce,
WHEN YOU NEED IT: Siesta time.
ancer. Woke up with oatmeal? Pick protein. Eggs for breakfast? Sneak in some fruit.
slump. Breakfast jumps your metabolism, but you may run out of fuel before lunch.
not a second cup of cofee. Most vegetables are low in nap-inducing empty carbs.
Your body temp drops between 2:00 and 4:00 P.M., triggering the release of melatonin.
Adding chia to yogurt may cut hunger and sugar cravings. Enjoy with cubed cantaloupe.
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( 2:
00
–
(9:
.M.
Your Perfect Day of Snacks
)
Americans eat at least one snack a day, according to the research firm Mintel. (And we’re suspicious of that other 6 percent.) The right choices can help you lose weight and build muscle. The wrong ones won’t. Know the difference.
Make a shake with yogurt, milk, banana, and tart cherries, which contain melatonin.
00
P.M
.)
Try a mixture of cottage cheese, sliced banana, and roasted walnuts for a sleep-aiding combination.
BEFORE BED
.M.
A PB-andbanana halfsandwich hits your pre-gym needs without weighing down your workout.
0P
–1
0:
Hummus supplies steady energy rather than a blood-sugar spike followed by a plummet. Carrots love it, too.
7: 0
00
BY RACHEL MELTZER WARREN, R.D.
)
SNACKING: WE LOVE IT. Fully 94 percent of
(9:
Mix cooked quinoa with canned salmon and black-olive spread for protein and omega-3s.
.M.)
0P
Oatmeal fills you up due to its viscosity. Stir in powdered PB and sliced banana for protein and fiber.
1
A :00
Red peppers are high in H20. (A 1 percent fluid loss can affect your ability to think clearly.) Dip in guacamole.
5:0
–1
Protein and fiber may help you eat less lunch. Do 1 boiled egg and ½ avocado with everything-bagel seasoning.
Test subjects who had a berry snack ate less at dinner. Add nuts for good fats to help fill up.
00 ( 5:
Premeasure a serving of crackers (check the box) rather than munching from the bag. Schmear with spreadable cheese.
–
Tahini is a good source of protein and healthy fats. Drizzle it on a small, fiber-rich baked sweet potato.
AFTER WORK
WHAT TO EAT: Having trouble
WHEN YOU NEED IT: You’re
WHAT TO EAT: Good carbs lend
WHEN YOU NEED IT: If you’re
sleeping? A serving of fruit may help your body produce sleep-promoting hormones.
trying to increase your total muscle mass. Note: not if you’re bored or stressed.
your body quick, easy-to-digest energy that your muscles need when you exercise.
headed to the gym to run or lift for an hour or longer and haven’t eaten since lunch.
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Berries, almonds, red pepper, banana, peanut butter, bread, walnuts, quinoa, canned salmon, and cantaloupe: Mitch Mandel; sweet potato, egg, and tahini: Getty Images; sliced bananas, banana, and avocado: Studio D
MIDMORNING
Recover from your workout with low-fat chocolate milk. It’s scientiďŹ cally proven to refuel your muscles so you can dive back in at full strength.
BuiltWithChocolateMilk.com/science
JUNK
WHAT’S UP WITH . . .
Adaptogens Stressed? Can’t focus? Low energy? High energy? Feeling too normal? Read this before you try the latest supplement craze. BY MICHAEL EASTER
S
EVENTY-NINE PERCENT of Americans say they’re stressed-out—thanks, work, screaming kids, social media, and deciding what to have for dinner tonight— which explains the rise of the multibillion-dollar antistress marketplace. With a bevy of attractive, shiny options, you can choose between established practices—therapists and an array of prescription pills—and more esoteric stuf like meditation, tapping, and yoga. The newest in the latter category: adaptogens, a group of (supposedly) stress-ighting plants that are showing up in today’s trendiest teas, cofees, and snack foods. Adaptogens (a hard-to-pin-down category that even the dictionary deines only as “plant extracts that increase the body’s ability to resist stress”) come from obscure and god-awful-tasting plants, roots, fruits, and fungi that survive in harsh conditions, making scientists believe they help humans do the same. They’re sold for a too-high price with too-gorgeous packaging in too-precious web stores like Moon Juice and Goop. They have exotic, spelling-beeinals names—including ashwagandha, rhodiola, reishi, Panax ginseng, and Cordyceps—and promise to take you back to your center and make you feel normal again, no matter what’s going on. Such vague and sweeping declarations typically send our BS detectors into threat level midnight. But some nonquacky experts are inding glimpses of truth in the far-out claims. 32
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
?
SC
IE
OR
E
BODY
NC
Brenda Powell, M.D., director of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, for example, often recommends adaptogens when people with anxiety and depression aren’t sure they want to take pharmaceuticals. “Adaptogens can help lessen the physical reaction you have from stress,” she says. It works like this: When stress strikes, your hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, a complex system that controls your stress response, ires a surge of the ight-or-light hormone cortisol. In the long term, this can cause chronic inlammation, the problem that’s now linked to so many of the top-killing diseases of our time, says Roy Chengappa, M.D., a professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh who has researched adaptogens. A daily dose of adaptogens, the theory goes, may help your cells turn on their stress-protecting mechanisms. That increases your HPA axis’s stress threshold, meaning you may be able to take on more stress, or that the same level of stress will have less of an impact, says Dr. Powell. Think of it as tuning the engine of a car: If the car used to overheat around 70 mph, you can make it so that 90 is the new overheating point and 70 is an easy drive. A review in Pharmaceuticals suggests there’s merit to the thinking, and studies in humans give it support. Among them is the Creighton University research that found drops in C-reactive protein—a marker of inlammation linked to stress—in people who took a supplement that included Siberian ginseng and rhodiola for four weeks. Another looked at ashwagandha—a shrub whose Sanskrit name translates to “smell of horse,” because it has the funk of a damp illy—and saw that subjects who received it along with counseling had a 57 percent drop in anxiety, while counseling-only people experienced just a 31 percent dip. Promising results, indeed, but medical authorities aren’t proposing you trade in your Zoloft for rhodiola yet. Studies have been small, so there are still big question marks. Plus, adaptogens can interfere with prescription drugs (including some immunosuppressant, sleep, and antianxiety meds) and can upset your stomach unless you take them with food. Where that leaves you: Stress is a problem. And in America, we sell solutions, including stress-busting powders, pills, and chocolate bars. We get the appeal. But there’s probably ADAPTA-WHAT? a better way to manage what IF IT SEEMS LIKE adaptogens gets thrown at you. “If someare everywhere, it’s because scientists have identified at one wants to use adaptogens, least 54 of them, and many I get them to igure out what’s go by a few different names. causing their stress, which Yet there are only a handful is usually some questionable that we know much about so far; most others still sit behavior pattern,” says Trevor in the “What the heck does Kashey, Ph.D., a biochemist this do?” category. and nutrition consultant in Columbus, Ohio. “Then I ask if TOPNOT they think a magic mushroom RESEARCHED THERE YET or root powder will ix that patRHODIOLA CORDYCEPS tern and, well, you can guess • what they say.” Still, if you want PANAX to sip an adaptogen-spiked chai • GINSENG REISHI while you’re sorting your stuf out, it may make you feel better, if only because you’re making a ASHWAGANDHA HOLY BASIL move to shake of stress. ILLUSTRATION BY ANDY MARTIN
AVAILABLE AT MACY’S, MACYS.COM AND MONTBLANC BOUTIQUES
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER— NOW IN PA PER BACK!
Discover the healing power of food
powers of food.”
from personal experience,
Also available in ebook and audiobook editions wherever books are sold.
SimonandSchuster.com
BODY
Your Hardest-Working Organ Right Now This might be a fun month for you, but December’s a rough one for your liver. BY ALICE OGLETHORPE FOUR NOGS? Your liver drinks them, too. Extra gravy? Your liver consumes it as well. Half of a jellied-cranberry log? Your liver would have stopped at a third, but you’re in this together, so... The important part is nearly every bite you eat and every drink you down ends up getting managed by the same organ in your body: your liver. Although it’s
1
one of your largest organs, the stuff you do to it this month can overwhelm it and leave you with long-term damage. Which means it has less bandwidth to regulate blood sugar, process cholesterol, and make certain hormones that you need to...you know...live. Here’s how the wreckage happens and how to avoid it. (Hint: Easy on the nog.)
THE FIRST SIP OF BOOZE . . .
When you have a drink or two, your liver kicks into gear and performs triage: It transforms the alcohol in your sidecar into harmless water and carbon dioxide, which you then pee out or exhale. It also holds on to anything it can use, like the antioxidants in wine or the carbs in beer. The whole process is a no-brainer for the liver, but the metabolism of alcohol creates fatty acids along the way, which get stored as triglycerides— a kind of cholesterol—until your body can use them up. Typically, if you eat and drink reasonable amounts, it will use them just fine. Until you . . .
3
NOW, SOME FOOD. A LOT OF FOOD.
You don’t even have to drink alcohol to mess up your liver. Seasonal foods (you know, with saturated fat, refined carbs, or processed red meat) combined with holiday-associated weight gain can lead to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). “It’s estimated that up to 30 percent of the U. S. population has NAFLD, and there aren’t symptoms, so people usually don’t know and aren’t doing anything to reverse it,” says Mazen Noureddin, M.D., director of the Fatty Liver Disease Program at Cedars-Sinai. Meanwhile, that fat is wreaking the same havoc alcohol does— inflammation and eventual scarring—without the libations. NAFLD could develop in as little as six weeks if you really overdo it. Levi Brown
2
And you thought you had a lot to do: Your liver has more than 300 jobs.
A FEW MORE DRINKS. . .
“If you binge, then binge again, then binge again, your liver gets shocked each time and can’t recover,” says Christopher Koh, M.D., a researcher at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The more you drink, the more your liver shuffles those triglycerides into the “burn later” pile . . . until the pile is so big that your liver can’t get to the bottom of it. This causes inflammation and eventually kills off liver cells, leaving scar tissue in their place (and can lead to cirrhosis, a problem that’s increasingly affecting 25- to 34-year-olds). Not good. Just three get-togethers a week through the holiday season can initiate inflammation, if each outing involves more than five servings of alcohol in two hours. Not to mention when . . .
HOW TO HIT “RESTORE” Your liver can actually regenerate—if you stop beating it down. You don’t need an activated-charcoal smoothie or a beet-juice detox cleanse to do it. Your liver naturally gets itself back in working order if you move the heck out of its way. A month or so without a drop of alcohol (no beer during the game, no wine at the client dinner) can reduce the fat storage in the liver and help tame inflammation. You can undo some of the fat that causes NAFLD by cleaning up your diet and cutting portion size: Losing 5 percent of your weight can reduce fat in your liver by up to 30 percent.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
33
insurance and you could save.
geico.com | 1-800-947-AUTO | Local Office
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. Boat and PWC coverages are underwritten by GEICO Marine Insurance Company. Homeowners, renters and condo coverages are written through non-affiliated insurance companies and are secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Inc. Motorcycle and ATV coverages are underwritten by GEICO Indemnity Company. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. Š 2018 GEICO
LIFE
Buckle Up, Strap In, Flourish: How to Optimize Getting to Work
A
44
.......
DON’T FORGET THE SIDES!
49 ............ HOW TO FINA LLY CLOSE THE ORGASM GA P A R E YOU CR EEPING HER OU T?
52
.....................
56
........................ ST Y LE!
GET COLDW E ATHER R E A DY
LL TOLD, we spend on average about nine days a year going
to and from work. Other ways you could spend nine days a year? Restoring a motorcycle, writing several chapters of a novel, going on vacation, driving cross-country a couple times. Armstrong went to the moon and back in eight days and change. Just because you’re sitting behind the wheel or packed onto the subway doesn’t mean you can’t accomplish something. Even if it’s just maintaining your sanity or working up a sweat, there are ways to get the most out of getting to work. Here are a few of them. MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
35
LIFE ON TRAINS / BUSES
ON YOUR FEET
COURTESY 101
The Smug Superiority of the Run Commute
here’s an impulse on public transportation to plug the earbuds in, put your head down, and enter a zone of nonhumanity. That’s terrible. Once you stop ignoring and start seeing your fellow commuters, you’ll understand we’re all miserable here, and you might be more inclined to make the ride easier for folks by:
EARLY IN my career, I’d
The Big Gesture When you see an older person trying to haul a piece of luggage up a steep set of stairs, or a mom trying to navigate a stroller down the same, pause, remove the buds from your ears, and just say, “Can I help?” They might wave you of. They might say thank you. Get them to the bottom or the top and your commitment is done.
!
BOOKS YOU WANT TO BE SEEN READING
EMBRACING HELPLESSNESS THE TRAIN’S delayed. It’s standing room only on the bus and the large dude with the backpack will not give up an inch. Or you’re crawling along the tracks at a pace best described as not quite moving. Or the air-conditioning isn’t working in the subway car and you’re breathing in the collective 85-degree respiratory output of your fellow passengers. Things aren’t good. And while you can try your best to be part of the solution (see Courtesy 101, above), sometimes you have to surrender to the state of your public-transit commute. That’s where the classic mindfulness
36
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
trick comes into play. When you find yourself stewing on the platform for the train that just won’t arrive, stop. Recognize that you’re freaking out. Pinpoint why you’re freaking out (the train should be here by now). And let it go. You can even prepare for the inevitable stress caused by hellacious commutes by downloading some soothing music or relaxing podcasts. (See the next pages.) Tell yourself you’re going to get to work anyway. Send an email to the pertinent people informing them that you’re trapped by transit. They’ll understand. We’ve all been there.
Equal parts entertaining for you and intriguing to the people around you.
KILLSHOT Elmore Leonard A classic by the king of literary crime fiction might make you miss your stop.
IMPOSSIBLE OWLS Brian Phillips Pick off these deeply reported essays from a Grantland alumnus one trip at a time.
THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A F*CK Mark Manson Fun title on the outside, sage advice on the inside.
—Matt Goulet …And Now You’re Sweaty Congratulations, you got to work and got a workout in under the same token. Now try not to ofend your colleagues. Before arriving at the oice via bike or run, prepare your workplace: Pack a dopp kit with a spare stick of deodorant, body wipes (which are meant not to substitute for a proper shower but merely to peel some sweat and dirt of the back of your neck), and hair product to abate helmet head. In your desk drawer, keep a clean shirt and an emergency pair of underwear. Build ten extra minutes into your commute to cool down, wipe down, and change once you get there.
Previous page: Rocketpixel/Freepik. Commuters: The New York Times/Redux
Sneezing into your elbow Taking of your backpack Keeping your kneecaps only as wide as the width of your seat or hips Standing for pregnant, disabled, and older passengers
leave for work in running shorts, with a thermos of cofee and my work shirt and pants stufed into a Deuter Speed Lite bag strapped around me. (I’d keep my change of shoes at the oice.) I’d sprint a mile and a half from my apartment to the very last bus stop, where I’d catch a ride through a tunnel across a river. Then, out on the other side, I’d run another mile and a half up to the oice, weaving around those racing to work by actually racing to work. Nothing better prepares you for the professional hustle than treating your commute like a high school cross-country race. I’d pick out brownshoed, white-collar dudes a block and a half ahead of me, stalk their position, and blow past them, just as I hoped to do in the job.
IN THE CAR
CONTROL YOUR CRUISE: HOW TO REDUCE ROAD RAGE s a magazine editor who covers cars, I often find myself “testing” interesting “product” from my midtown office to my home, 35 miles north of New York City, and back. The trip takes me on five major highways, lasts one to three hours (depending on how soul-withering traffic on Manhattan’s West Side Highway is), and involves aggressive delivery vans, oblivious Ubers, and a shocking number of slow-moving white Camrys. The journey requires an almost existential calm. Here’s how I get there. —Ross McCammon
1
2
RELIGIOUS USE OF THE TURN SIGNAL
CLASSICAL MUSIC, PREFERABLY GERMAN
This is the one traffic law to obey without fail. It will separate you from the guy who’s just weaving in and out of lanes with no apparent spatial awareness. The signaling will make you feel smug. And you can’t be angry and smug at the same time.
Take Brahms’s Requiem. It’s mournful but not depressing. Anthemic but not overwrought. It turns a slog into a spirit-stirring odyssey. Any classical music will do. But I carpool with Johannes.
3
4
5
BRAKING YOUR BRAIN
CARLESS DRIVERS
BABIES
George Mason University psychology professor John Riskind’s method for decreasing anger: Imagine your rage level on a speedometer. Above 90: explosive; 75: irate; 55: mad; 45: frustrated; 35: calm. Slowly let off the gas until you’ve settled down.
Imagine all these people, including yourself, moving down the highway at high speed (or low) in a seated position without their vehicles surrounding them. Weird but effective.
That guy who just cut you off? Former baby. His mother loved him. She might not love him now. And who can blame her? But at some point, he was loved. So imagine him in that state, and just like that, tenderness displaces rage. “Son of a—awww!”
The Car Correction
Cars: Andrew Cullen/The New York Times/Redux
Sitting behind the wheel isn’t great for posture. Do this five-minute fix when you get out of the car. By Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.
Seriously. Plenty of major cities like New York and Detroit ofer fast, safe bike lanes in which you can inline-skate. Rollerblades let you glide to work without worrying about what the hell you’re going to do with the bike once you arrive at the ofice. Plus, these totems of the ’90s provide a substantial glute and hip workout: Blading just nine miles per hour burns ten calories a minute. If you haven’t been in them since your street-hockey days, consider wrist guards.
Lunge Stretch
Scapular Retractions
Rag-Doll Pose
From standing, step one foot forward, then bend your front knee. Hold for 15 seconds. Do 3 reps per side.
Place your hands on a wall. Squeeze your shoulder blades, then release them. Do 2 sets of 10.
Stand with knees slightly bent, then lean over, letting your head hang. Hold for 30 seconds. Do 3 reps.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
37
THREE MORE RIGHT TWIX TO CRAVE & THREE MORE ®
LEFT TWIX® TO DETEST.
MORE FLAVORS. SAME SIDES.
LIFE
A HEARSATL SPECI T EVEN
The former FLOTUS (shown here in 2013) breaks it down.
You even say [you and Barack] argue differently? —OPRAH WINFREY, O, The Oprah Magazine
Oh God, yes. I am like a lit match. It’s like, poof! And he wants to rationalize everything. So he had to learn how to give me, like, a couple minutes—or an hour— before he should even come in the room when he’s made me mad. And he has to understand that he can’t convince me out of my anger. That he can’t logic me into some other feeling.
Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party? —LUCY KAYLIN, O, The Oprah Magazine
This Month’s Special Guest:
The Michelle Obama! The former First Lady fielded questions during a recent trip to the Hearst Tower in New York to promote her memoir, Becoming (out November 18). A few floors up from the Men’s Health offices, she took questions from a handful of editors and even sat for an extended interview with an up-and-coming journalist named Oprah Winfrey. The highlights:
What’s your deinition of strength? —LIZ PLOSSER, Women’s Health
Equal parts confidence, compassion, and a conviction about something outside of yourself. Because what does it mean to be strong if that strength is just inside and you don’t use it on behalf of anybody else? And what good is being strong if you don’t have empathy for someone else? You can’t get anything done if you’re not confident, if you don’t have security, if you don’t feel good in yourself. 40
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Barack, my mom, Malia, Sasha, my brother. To sit and listen to our kids and to give them that space. It’s so important for us to make sure that our kids and our family know that Barack and I are there for them, and that when we have time, we give it to them. Because we had opportunities for those dream dinner parties. We opted for family.
As I grow older and busier, it’s harder to stay in touch with friends. Any advice?
Let’s say your husband is left home alone with a whole bag of Cheetos. What percentage of that bag is left when you and the girls get home?
—MICHELE PROMAULAYKO, Cosmopolitan
—RICHARD DORMENT, Men’s Health
I tell folks that I learned to plan my life like I plan my work. I started planning these boot camps at Camp David every three months. I would have my trainer, one of the chefs from the White House, go to Camp David and we’d set up, like, four days of really hard exercise. We worked out three times a day. I eliminated sugar and wine. And then people were like, I’m not coming back. I put the wine back on.
One hundred percent that bag isn’t even taken out of the cabinet. His taste doesn’t even align with junk food. And it could be because of being raised in Indonesia, he even had diferent lavor palates, as far as I’m concerned. He likes bitter tastes. He doesn’t like chocolate. Chips and fresh guac—that he cannot stop eating. If it were up to him, Cheetos wouldn’t even be in the house. But I have a teenager, so sometimes they get in.
Alamy
ASK HER ANYTHING
One Emergen-C every day and you’ll emerge restored, fortified and replenished. A super fresh formula packed with B vitamins, electrolytes, antioxidants,† and more vitamin C than ten oranges^. Why not feel this good every day?
©2018 Alacer. †Antioxidants include vitamin C, zinc and manganese. ^Based on using the USDA.gov nutrient database value for a large, raw orange.
presented by
delight
in the
FLAVOR Nick Evans wants to get you cooking with confidence. Why? Because even if you don’t enjoy experimenting in the kitchen as much as he does, home cooking is healthier, more economical— and for dedicated followers of Nick’s “Macheesmo” food blog—a whole lot of fun. With football season in full swing and Super Bowl Sunday coming fast, Nick shares how everyone’s favorite gameday snack can be made tastier and lighter using the KRUPS Digital Air Fryer.
LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS Nick’s enthusiasm for transforming common extras from the fridge inspired this recipe’s secret ingredient. So don’t toss out that pickle juice the next time you have an empty jar. According to Nick, “It actually makes an incredible brine for chicken!”
BRINE & DANDY Not familiar with brining? It’s sort of but not quite like marinating, where you submerge your protein in a salty solution to boost tenderness and flavor. Here, you brine wings with pickle juice for about an hour (or leave up to overnight).
OIL GONE “To avoid the added fat from frying, I love using an air fryer, like this one from KRUPS, which uses hot air technology to give you the same crispy outside and tender inside that you get with deep-frying, without using all of that oil.”
AS GOOD AS IT GETS “I know a good wing when I try one,” says Nick, “and these are very, very tasty.” He also makes it clear that in the end, there’s only a tiny hint of pickles. “The result is basically like a brined chicken: juicy, tender, seasoned perfectly.”
the
KRUPS DIGITAL AIR FRYER All hail this little beauty, the healthier solution for enjoying your everyday crispy and tasty air-fried foods. It fries fast without the guilt of unhealthy oil, while a wide range of pre-programmed settings takes the guesswork out of cooking. The patented extra-large basket offers capacity for even larger portions of your favorite fried-food recipes; it’s also dishwasher-safe, and delightfully easy to clean.
NICK’S PICKLE BRINED CHICKEN WINGS
YIELDS: 3 pounds
PREP TIME: 30 min
COOK TIME: 20 min
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
3 lbs chicken wings
1 tsp onion powder
24 oz pickles, juice only for brine
1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp neutral oil
1 tbsp black pepper
Ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping
2 tsp chili powder
TOTAL TIME: 50 min
1. Using a bag, brine wings in pickle juice for one hour (or 30-minute minimum). 2. Remove wings from bag and pat dry with paper towels. 3. Make spice rub mixture (salt, pepper, chili power, onion powder, dried oregano, and cayenne pepper). 4. In a bowl, toss wings in spice rub
mixture and oil. 5. Add wings to the KRUPS Digital Air Fryer. 6. Select the Chicken button and press Start for a perfectly cooked wing. 7. Serve wings with ranch or blue cheese for dipping and pickles on the side.
FOR MORE WAYS TO DELIGHT THOSE YOU LOVE WITH DETAILS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE, VISIT MENSHEALTH.COM/KRUPS.
LIFE
Three one-pan, make-and-take side dishes for wherever the holidays take you. BY PAUL KITA
Rosemary Glazed Carrots In a large nonstick pan over medium, heat 1 cup chicken stock and 1 Tbsp butter. Add 8 carrots cut into ½-inch circles and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the carrots are al dente, about 7 minutes. Remove the lid and cook until no liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp honey and the chopped leaves from 1 rosemary stem and cook until glazed, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Feeds 4 PER SERVING: 123 calories, 3g protein, 20g carbohydrates (4g fiber), 4g fat
Charred Honey-Orange Walnut Brussels Sprouts In a large bowl, toss 1 lb Brussels sprouts (trimmed and halved) with ¼ cup olive oil, 2 Tbsp honey, zest from 1 orange, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Transfer to a cast-iron pan over medium high and saute till well charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the juice from ½ orange and 1 cup chopped walnuts. Cook till glazed, about 1 minute. Add back to the large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Feeds 4 PER SERVING: 375 calories, 8g protein, 23g carbohydrates (6g fiber), 31g fat
Balsamic Mushrooms with Herbs In a cast-iron pan over medium high, heat 1 Tbsp canola oil. Add 6 oz mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, and/or trumpet). Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar. Saute until a glaze forms, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, season the mushrooms to taste with salt and pepper, and add 1 Tbsp chopped herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley). Feeds 2 PER SERVING: 139 calories, 2g protein, 5g carbohydrates (1g fiber), 13g fat
Food styling: Jamie Kimm, prop styling: Kaitlyn DuRoss/Honey Artists
Death to Green Bean Casserole!
FOR MORE DELICIOUS, NUTRITIOUS ONE-PAN RECIPES, pick up a copy of
the A Man, A Pan, A Plan cookbook at menshealth.com/manpanplan.
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
PHOTOGRAPH BY CORY DAWSON
LIFE
B E S T FO R
F MEATBALLS NOT INCLUDED, SO YOU’LL HAVE TO BYO.
MEN
O O D S
BEST HERB-INFUSED
NEWMAN’S OWN FOR THE COMMON GOOD ORGANIC TOMATO BASIL Too many “Italian herb” sauces we tested smacked of dried, stale herbs. This sauce, though, “tastes like someone chopped up a bunch of fresh basil and threw it in,” said one tester. It’s fresh, it’s slightly chunky, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to charity. FIND IT AT: Most supermarkets
WHAT WE LOOKED FOR Nutritionally, you want the same ingredients on the label that you’d use if you were making sauce at home, says Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., co-owner of the nutrition consulting company Mohr Results. That means tomatoes, olive oil, basil, oregano, and garlic. That also means no added sugar (some brands can carry around 20 grams of the stuf per cup) or soybean oil (one “Old World style” brand we found had it—who are they kidding?). Using Mohr’s recommendations, we narrowed down our list, tasted the remaining contenders, and issued our awards.
CHEF-IFY IT!
46
BEST CLASSIC
MUIR GLEN ORGANIC ROASTED GARLIC PASTA SAUCE
CUCINA ANTICA GARLIC MARINARA Traditional shouldn’t mean boring, which was how many marinara sauces we tried tasted. The garlic and a one-two combination of black and white pepper in this one surprised us. “It has a good, chunky texture, and it’s garlicky but not overly so,” one of our testers reported. FIND IT AT: Target, Whole Foods
Three ways to gussy up jarred sauce, according to Fabio Trabocchi, chef/owner of Fiola restaurants.
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
BEST WILD CARD
When they say garlic, they mean garlic. “This will really repel your date, but it’s tasty AF,” one tester wrote. That’s because Muir Glen purees roasted garlic into the sauce, so every bite has a punch of pungency. Brush a good spoonful atop toasted crusty bread. FIND IT AT: Most supermarkets
1. REINVIGORATE
2. CRANK THE HEAT
3. ADD CREAMINESS
As you simmer the sauce, stir in a clove or two of freshly minced garlic and a glug of high-quality olive oil.
A spoonful of Calabrian chiles ($13, williamssonoma.com) adds an oomph of spicy smokiness.
Save a mugful of pasta water. When stirred into the sauce, it lends a velvetlike texture. Pour in a bit at a time.
Raymond Hom; food styling: Vivian Lui, prop styling: Gerri Williams (spaghetti), Cory Dawson (splatter)
Smackdown
LIFE
The Barspoon Smart bartenders depend on a 40cm Hoffman barspoon to create perfect cocktails, says Andrew Nichols, bar manager at the new Elk Room in Baltimore. The length handles even the tallest of highball glasses, and the low-profile head nimbly swivels around solid ingredients. You scoff, but the better you stir your drinks, the better they taste. The spoon can also double as a strainer, stopping loose ice from plopping into your serving glass when you pour. $30; cocktailkingdom.com
What to Buy Your Booze for the Holidays z
If you’ve been following our advice, you have the right bottles. Now you need the right gear. The Quick Juicer First, always mix with fresh juice, not carton OJ. But hand-squeezing and picking out seeds is frustrating. Jillian Vose, coauthor of The Dead Rabbit Mixology & Mayhem (out now), recommends the Oxo Good Grips citrus squeezer for superfast pulverizing. $16; surlatable.com
THE THREE BEST BAR SNACKS According to Paul Kita, Men’s Health food and nutrition editor Pork rinds They’re salty, they’re crunchy, and they’re all protein. The Chili & Lime from 4505chicharrones.com is perfect partnered with an IPA. The BBQ flavor is best friends with a whiskey.
Shishito peppers
The Old-Reliable Jigger
z z
Pouring spirits from a stubby jigger—or, worse yet, a shot glass—can create a mess. Instead, leverage a Japanese-style jigger to measure and transfer drinks with precision, says Jeff Bell, bartender at N. Y. C.’s Please Don’t Tell. This tapered option, much like a Champagne flute, makes carrying whatever’s inside easier. $9; cocktailkingdom.com
Sweeter than a bell pepper, these take well to a quick blistering in a hot cast-iron pan. Drizzle with good olive oil. Squeeze on lemon juice. Scatter with sea salt. Eat. Sip. Repeat.
Pistachios You know how you always down the entire bowl of cashews? Well, pistachios come with a little flak jacket that you have to unlatch, which helps with pacing. Plus, healthy fats!
The Power Peeler
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The Sturdy Strainer
The Prestige Mixing Glass
The stainless-steel Buswell four-prong Hawthorne strainer nestles atop any mixing vessel, and the spring coil combs particles efficiently, says Aaron Paul, beverage director for the Alta Group. Because no one likes chewing their gin fizz. $14; cocktailkingdom.com
For any stirred drink, you want to gently combine the ingredients. Larger vessels, like a Yarai mixing glass, work best, says John McCarthy, coauthor of Be Your Own Bartender (out now). The sturdy-as-heck glass has a squat profile and heavy base that anchor it to your surface. $33; cocktailkingdom.com
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
PHOTOGRAPH BY KEVIN SWEENEY
Prop styling: Miako Katoh
z
A great drink smells as amazing as it tastes. Elevate aromas with one easy trick: twisting a citrus peel over a glass—not dropping it into one, says Alex Holder, assistant beverage director for McGuire Moorman. The oils settle on the rim and the surface of the drink, which results in a perfume of tropical notes. The Oxo Good Grips Pro Y peeler cuts a nice, wide swath. The larger the peel, the more oil you can express from it. $13; amazon.com
LIFE This is what a female orgasm actually looks like as it’s occurring. See the next page for more on the photographer behind it.
So... Was
It
Good for
You? Women aren’t having orgasms. Men are confused. So let’s talk about it. BY JULIE VADNAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALINA OSWALD
romantic. Animalistic. Should be pleasurable. Egalitarian. Messy, but in a good way. Fun. Often, it’s straight-up confusing. When it comes to a guy’s climax, the routine is fairly simple: You get a little turned on, there’s some touching or rubbing or partnered stimulation of some kind, and then when you’ve reached the point of no return—a release! SEX CAN BE
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Yes, they’re really having orgasms. These photos are part of German-based photographer Alina Oswald’s “Moments” project, a series she started in 2016 in which she captures real people (herself, her friends, even, uh, her coworkers) mid-climax. So far, she’s photographed 35 subjects; these are three of them.
But women’s orgasms can be as confounding as a Westworld plotline. First we have to feel generally comfortable around you, then remember whether or not we left our curling iron plugged in this morning, reassure ourselves that we unplugged it, then remind ourselves that we’re making out with a guy we really like. The blood eventually rushes to our genitals, and the touching from then on has to be juuuuust right—not too hard, not too soft, and usually on the exact right spot. Things are going well! We’re feeling it! And even then, sometimes when an orgasm is ascending like a irework— poof!—it turns out it was just a dud. So it’s not exactly shocking to read new research in The Journal of Sexual Medicine that says that men have a diicult time telling when (or even if) women climax during a sexual experience. In the study, which looked at a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,700 newlyweds, researchers found that 43 percent of husbands misperceived how often their wives orgasm, in most cases overestimating their wives’ O’s. Remember, these weren’t random hookups but people who put rings on it and, barring any 90 Day Fiancé–type situations, had had a few years or so to explore each other’s bodies. “The general lack of men’s awareness was surprising,” says Nathan Leonhardt, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toronto and lead author of the study. “We were expecting some [gap in awareness], but such a high percentage tells us this is a very prevalent issue.”
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Why the Confusion— and Why It Matters If you look around, you’ll start to see similar data in other less, um, scientiic places. A recent survey of 1,000 men by sex-toy start-up Cunni—they make an oral-sex simulator, obviously—asked if men gave their partners orgasms during oral sex. Fifty-seven percent of men answered yes. But when asked if they knew what their partners liked during oral sex, 59 percent of guys said they didn’t. And then 67 percent said they sometimes weren’t even sure what they were doing during oral sex. Maybe it’s true that all those men really did give women orgasms. But they also could use a lesson in what women actually want in bed—even if they don’t think they need it. Another recent survey found that 42 percent of men gave themselves an A rating in bed. Nice, guys. So what’s really going on here? Why the disparity between what men think is happening and. . . reality? (Before you go there, yes, faking happens, but you can’t fake it forever.) Not all men are clueless around a vagina. But that’s not to say some of y’all couldn’t use a refresher. Understanding the female orgasm takes some practice, but it’s important to school yourself on your partner’s pleasure, says sex therapist Ian Kerner, Ph.D., the man who literally wrote the book on it, 2004’s She Comes First. “In my practice, there are a lot of orgasm gaps and imbalances,” Kerner says. “And I can tell you that if any partner is not consistently enjoying sex and orgasm, it can have a big negative impact on a relationship.” Of course, most guys in a committed relationship want to please their partner
during sex. “In the vast majority of cases, a husband wants his wife to be pleased with the sexual experience and wants her to have an orgasm,” Leonhardt says. “Sometimes men just need to have the courage to bring up the subject, talk it through, and be willing to adjust the things that they’re doing to make sure she’s having a good experience as well.”
What She Says Because how a female gets to orgasm can be as complicated as trying to understand blockchain (seriously, what is it?), we asked real ladies and experts to tell us what women want more of in bed—and why it matters that you get it right. First things irst: Women deinitely want to orgasm, probably just as much as you do. “There’s a big, culturally propagated misunderstanding women don’t care as much about having orgasms during sex as men,” says Kerner. “And that does an injustice to women.” In fact, in Leonhardt’s study, a wife’s sexual satisfaction was directly linked to the frequency of her orgasms. The more often she orgasmed, the more content she was sexually. But there’s more to good sex than a bed-breaking climax. As tempting as it is to rush to P-in-the-V action as the clothes are still hitting the loor, spending some time to warm up her nether regions is worth it. Most women, up to 77 percent in some research, say foreplay is necessary for a good orgasm. “The best kinds of sexual experiences I’ve had are when it isn’t all about the sex,” says Zoe, 21. “So often I feel men are in it just for the act of penetrating and inishing, meaning they
skip the foreplay, and as soon as they inish, it’s over. Chances are if you inished, she hasn’t yet.” According to Kerner, most women need at least 15 to 20 minutes of pre-penetrative acts (kissing, touching, and sexy talk) to get aroused. “I think the mistake that a lot of men make is thinking, ‘Oh, we got into bed, we got undressed, I kissed her for 30 seconds, and now I’m going down on her for two minutes, and then I’m going to insert my penis,’ ” Kerner says. “There’s a whole Act I that’s missing.” Female arousal takes time, but it’s worth the wait. When it comes to oral, do it. “It’s refreshing when men go down on women,” says Elizabeth, 21. “And it’s better if it’s not a tit-for-tat exchange but an unexpected move, without the assumption of ‘returning the favor.’ ” Once you’re down there, women want you to be mindful of your technique, too. “There’s a diference between a poking tongue and a lat tongue,” says Grace, 32. For the record, she’s a lat-tongue fan—it creates a softer touch.
The Moves That Get Her There Suggestions from individual women are subjective, of course, but they aren’t just anecdotal. There’s serious data to back up what kinds of touches are most likely to make women orgasm. Unsurprisingly, most techniques involve the clitoris, that nerve-packed area at the top of where her labia meet. It’s about the size of an eraser head and packed with thousands of nerve endings—similar to the amount in a penis. Last year, the Kinsey Institute partnered with OMGYes, a research-based
website that educates users on female pleasure, in a groundbreaking study that found exactly what kind of clitoral action gets women to climax. Of the 1,055-strong sample, 37 percent of women said they needed clitoral stimulation to orgasm during intercourse, while another 36 percent said it isn’t necessary but that it enhances the whole experience. The researchers went even deeper and asked what kind of clitoral touching women liked most, and two thirds of respondents said they enjoyed direct clitoral touching. When asked about the shape and style of touching, women responded that they like, in this order: up and down motions, circular, side to side, pulsating (rapid pushing in one spot), pressing, then licking. For patterns of touch, nearly all women in the study said they preferred repeated, rhythmic motions. An almost equal number said they liked circular motions around the clitoris. May your ingers and tongue never get lost again.
How to Talk About It— with Confidence Even when you know exactly what most women crave, the truth is every woman is diferent. One woman’s orgasmic heavy
breathing could be another woman’s signal that she’s just, well, tired and out of breath. And not all women whimper and howl as they’re about to climax, even if that’s what porn taught you as a teen. There’s only one way to truly ind out what the woman you’re sleeping with likes: You have to ask her. Foreplay can be a great way to get the conversation started, says Kerner. “Arousal actually releases a neurochemical cocktail that disinhibits you a little bit, so use that time as an opportunity to begin communication,” he suggests. As a pre-sex makeout sesh begins, start to describe a fantasy of yours, then ask her hers. Or describe the parts of her body you love the most—and then kiss her there. If you can’t tell if she’s feeling it, stop for a second and take stock by asking her, “Does that feel good?” If the answer is no, redirect. And don’t worry about it messing with the low, which can be resumed. “Being attentive is hot,” Elizabeth says. “It shows you’re into me and into having a great time.” Plus, Kerner says, the way you communicate early on in a sex session (and in a relationship) paves the way for future talks. And much less confusion.
DO BETTER How to please her during every moment.
Before
During
After
Early in the game, spend time caressing and kissing her less obvious erogenous zones: the insides of the wrists, behind the knees, the earlobes. Soft touches in unexpected areas create hot intrigue—and give you the chance to check in with her along the way.
Most women need clitoral stimulation to orgasm—it’s science! When you’re doing it doggy, slip a finger between her legs and move it from side to side, like a windshield wiper. Giving her C-spot some attention is an almost guaranteed way to make sure she’s satisfied.
Some experts say that “afterplay,” the time you spend cuddling and recapping a job well done, is as important as the deed itself because it strengthens your bond. Spend time in each other’s arms after you’ve both orgasmed— after you’re done high-fiving.
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YOU GUYS
What Creepy Looks Like Even the most innocuous behavior can be unsettling if it’s not welcome— especially on social media. Men’s Health columnist Lauren Larson (it’s her first column!) shows you how to read the clues (and nonclues).
I WAS SWEATING profusely on the
subway platform on a sticky summer day when I spotted a man I knew from college. I hadn’t particularly liked him back then, but I remembered that only later. In the moment, the surprise of a familiar face in New York’s stinky underworld caused me to greet him with an enthusiasm I usually save for Seamless deliveries. We exchanged brief, friendly chitchat and what I assumed were insincere promises to hang out “someday.” I immediately forgot about the conversation. 52
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
I am incapable of delivering disappointment to men. I say, “Let’s hang out someday” when I have no interest in hanging out, and I say, “Sorry, I have a boyfriend” when I really mean “Leave me alone.” And when the man from the subway sweetly reached out to me on Facebook a few hours after the fact to make plans to hang out—I had, after all, said we should—I replied that I would be out of town for a while. I would be out of town for a while, and I hoped his invitation would wither in my absence. It did not. Over the next two months, he kept
reaching out, sending me messages every week. Each began with “Yo yo!” followed by an inquiry into my schedule. At irst I responded with excuses (“weird time at work!”), but then I stopped responding. The “Yo yos!” kept coming. The dynamic hadn’t started out creepy, but when he began to ignore the clues that I wasn’t interested in hanging out, as friends or otherwise, it started to feel sinister. I can understand how a guy might wonder why I didn’t just tell the man from the subway that I wasn’t interested, why I didn’t just block him on Facebook, and ILLUSTRATION BY MOON_PATROL
YOUR EXPERT
In this column, Lauren Larson will be writing about the evolving dynamics between men and women—from hooking up to working together to . . . everything else.
why I expected him to be able to hear “No” when I’d said, “Yes, deinitely!” But I don’t think I should have to explicitly reject a man I chatted with on the subway. If a guy were to tell me he was “too busy with work” or if he failed to respond when I texted him three times in a row, I’d consider that an explicit enough rejection. Very little separates a creepy man from a noncreepy man beyond the ability to tell when a woman isn’t interested in what he’s putting out there and to back of accordingly. But since sex-ed teachers spend more time instructing kids how to suit up a banana than they do on the subtleties of nonverbal cues, we all hit adulthood totally unit for social survival, predisposed to creep and be creeped on.
Illustration by Kyle Hilton
SO HERE ARE SOME GUIDELINES:
That women can tell a guy is creepy just by looking at him is a myth perpetuated by “incels” and other “men’s rights” proponents online. We have no radar for creepiness, which is why I once went on three dates with a man who thought he was a prophet. Creepiness has nothing to do with appearance (although a pencil mustache suggests a certain alienation from civilized society). Michael Shannon, for example, may look like the personiication of the dark basement in The Conjuring, but he’s still a low-key sex symbol because he’s so polite. Shannon has, in 2018 parlance, “big dick energy.” BDE, the opposite of creepiness, is characterized by quiet conidence. I bet that if a woman didn’t message Shannon back right away, he would be very cool about it. He would not send her a 300word text tirade about how women are teases, and he would not continue to ire of invitations just in case she changes her mind. Likewise, a guy can be objectively attractive and wholesome looking and still come of very creepy. James Franco may look like Fireighter Jesus, but it was still unsettling when he repeatedly booty-texted a 17-year-old girl.
“
We have no radar for creepiness. Which is why I dated a man who thought he was a prophet.
”
Creepiness has very little to do with specific behaviors and a whole lot to do with context. With the exception of criminally creepy behavior, like upskirt photography, very few actions are inherently menacing. While I might be thrilled to get a dick pic from a boyfriend, receiving one from a stranger on Tinder is always unwelcome. And I’d be perfectly comfortable with a guy sitting on my side of the booth on our second date, but it was creepy when a guy once boxed me into a booth on our first date. The trick is knowing where you’re at on the intimacy spectrum. There are circumstances when that’s really straightforward—a 17-year-old girl cannot legally be interested in James Franco, so that’s an easy one— but in most cases you have to pay really close attention. It’s rare that a woman will tell you when you’re being creepy. Women are nice to men for the same reason you don’t eat blowfish every day: Each bite might be the one that kills you. I’ve seen a lot of Lifetime original movies, so when a man starts talking to me, looking at me, or standing too close to me, I’m always aware of the chance that he may stalk me relentlessly until I’m forced to move to a remote ranch in Louisiana, where he will find me years later in the embrace of a swole local
and go insane with jealousy, killing us both. So instead of explicitly rebuffing a man’s creeping, I try to passively deflect it. Nicely. But there are degrees of niceness. If a woman is interested in you, she will be very, very nice. She will make eye contact when you’re talking. She will answer your texts. She will ask you questions about your life. If you’re getting anything less than extreme niceness from a woman—even if she’s still being base-level nice—you should take a metaphorical and literal step back. If a woman is even a little bit rude to you, she’s probably extremely uncomfortable. Failing to respond to the man from the subway’s messages is as un-nice as I get. (As of press time, he seems to have finally gotten the point.) If you’re at all worried you’re creeping on a woman, you should back off and see what happens. If she starts to pursue you, she’s interested. If she takes no action, she’s probably relieved that you’ve stopped bothering her. In this era, women aren’t “playing hard to get” anymore. If I’m interested in a man, I text him back immediately. I tag him in memes. I miss work and skip funerals to hang out with him. Sometimes I can be a little bit creepy. MEN’S HEALTH
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“Men’s Grooming? That’s in Aisle 8 . . . and 9 . . . and 10 . . .” TA R G E T
CVS
NORDSTROM
THE VIBE Target is redesigning its men’s sections to spotlight your grooming. “Our male guests view style as more than just apparel,” says Christina Hennington, SVP for merchandising, essentials, and beauty, and this modern outlook seems to have inspired the refreshed areas, which are packed with more than 600 products. Target has introduced cool niche brands like Byrd and Rebels Reinery, Internet favorites such as Harry’s, and items for men’s various skin tones and hair types, like those from Hue for Every Man.
THE VIBE Stacked amidst your deodorant and dental-loss go-tos are Korean skin-care products, natural shampoos, and brand-spanking-new updates to the oferings you expect from companies you already love. It’s the perfect place to try novel things like acne patches (little stickers that start zapping breakouts overnight—and yes, they do work) and a kind of bodywash that comes out of the bottle already foamy (who needs a washcloth?).
THE VIBE At its New York City store, Nordstrom has started to ofer haircuts, shaves, spa services, and special events geared to men. “Men want their own space where they feel special and comfortable,” says Gemma Lionello, executive vice president of accessories and beauty. Not only do you get a judgment-free zone to ask questions and learn about new products, but you can also sample anything the store carries. (Pro tip: If they don’t have it, just ask.) Nowhere else has the same level of try-before-you-buy service.
What to Buy
What to Buy
What to Buy
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Degree Men UltraClear Black + White Dry Spray Antiperspirant Deodorant A spray that won’t discolor your clothes— even black shirts.
Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate Putting this overnight serum on your face before bed helps combat dry skin and rough appearance.
Byrd Light Pomade Use Byrd’s surfer-cool pomade for a piecey, textured look, like you just got back from the beach.
Dove Men+Care Clean Comfort Foaming Body Wash This means you’ll use that old loofah even less.
Murdock London Sea Salt Spray Gives your hair a textured look without weighing it down.
Rebels Refinery Hair Styling Paste This upstart offers twisted takes (it’s packaging, but still) on classic products, most of which are natural.
Gillette Sensor 3 Cool Men’s Disposable Razor A built-in cooling strip helps make dragging a blade across your skin a little more comfortable.
Le Labo Beard Oil Le Labo is known for its colognes, but its new beard oil offers you a shot of subtle fragrance and whisker health.
Hue for Every Man New York Shave Lotion Specially designed to combat ingrown hairs, a problem common among African American men.
Axe Gold Wash & Style From the next gen of combo hair products, this shampoo has a light-hold styling formula mixed in, so no need for pomade.
Malin+Goetz Peppermint Shampoo This shampoo may perk you up (and it cleans, too). It’s like a breath mint for your head.
Gift sets aren’t just for the holidays.
Don’t be afraid to sniff.
Do use testers.
Most brands offer them year-round. They’re a great way to scoop up a ton of stuff at a slightly discounted price.
There’s no factor more important than scent when it comes to which products you’ll stick with.
Many stores have clearly labeled products available for testing. Plus: free stuff!
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Getty Images
Harry’s Fig Body Wash Harry’s is now doing for body care what it did for shaving: disrupting your routine, with well-priced bodywashes in high-end scents.
FIVE Y E AR S AGO,
WHEN YOU WALKED INTO YOUR LOCAL DRUGSTORE, LECTRIC SHAVE WAS STILL TAKING UP A SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF THE “MAN CARE” SECTION. BUT THE MEN’S GROOMING CATEGORY HAS RECENTLY EXPLODED, AND THERE ARE LOADS OF NEW PRODUCTS—NOT ONLY FROM LEGACY BRANDS BUT FROM UPSTART COMPANIES— AT THE PLACES WHERE YOU’RE ALREADY SHOPPING. BY GARRETT MUNCE
AMAZON
WHOLE FOODS
I N S TA G R A M
THE VIBE It’s hard to beat the convenience of an Amazon Prime membership. The site sells almost everything, but dedicated men’s grooming sections make it simple to cut through the noise. There are even new “shops” specific to hair type, so finding an item that will work for you is a breeze. Our favorite feature, though, lets you easily subscribe to individual products so you never have to remember to reorder.
THE VIBE Because the FDA has no speciic regulations about what makes a grooming product “organic,” Whole Foods created its own (very strict) standards, which go beyond the usual suspects (phthalates, microbeads) to ban more than 100 ingredients. You’ll notice, too, that its items don’t stop at Dr. Bronner’s. Whole Foods now has full men’s sections, with shaving creams, hair products, and sheet masks. The retailer also ofers hand-poured soaps and a complete travel-size bonanza.
THE VIBE I nternet-native brands can innovate faster, release new products quicker, and let you know about their goods more rapidly thanks to social media. Use Instagram as a way to expand your horizons by looking at what other people are talking about. Many good small brands aren’t sold in traditional stores, and they may even offer trial sizes or package deals that make it easy to check out new stuff with just a tap of your thumb.
What to Buy
What to Buy
What to Buy
Baxter of California Clay Effect Style Spray It’s like hair clay (what, you don’t know about hair clay?) but in spray form. They’ve weaponized hair clay.
Every Man Jack Charcoal Sheet Mask Oil Defense The charcoal helps absorb oil and remove dirt. Good for selfies, your position on selfies notwithstanding.
Knight Co. Complete Moisturizer Use this moisturizer twice daily for glisten-free protection from the elements. (Never glisten.)
Perricone MD Face Finishing & Firming Moisturizer It’s like an Instagram filter you apply to your face.
Jason Natural Coconut Body Wash Coconut oil + shea butter = moisture. (The ’70s revival has hit grooming, too. )
Black Wolf Activated Charcoal Face Wash The salicylic acid in this charcoal-infused cleanser is a breakout blocker.
Ahava Purifying Dead Sea Mud Mask Use it once a week for an extra-deep cleansing, without making your face feel like stretched leather.
Bulldog Original After Shave Balm Bulldog’s balm is thick for an aftershave and uses aloe and green tea to saturate and revitalize skin.
Herb Essntls Body Lotion A body lotion that contains cannabis-seed oil? Pass it over.
Jack Black Turbo Wash Energizing Cleanser This rosemary-eucalyptus bodywash won’t replace your coffee, but it will tingle. (We’re pro-tingle.)
Do read reviews. But in shopping, as in any kind of gymnastics, always throw out the highest and lowest scores.
Do use travel sizes as testers.
Don’t sleep on trial offers.
If your store doesn’t offer testers, check out the travel sizes.
Many online companies provide free or reduced-rate trials. Take advantage of them; just cancel if you don’t like it.
WAIT, WE ALMOST FORGOT SOMETHING . . . Here’s a secret: Many “for men” items are basically the same as the women’s versions one aisle over. Cut through the marketing edicts and open your mind. These products work as well as, and sometimes even better than, the ones that say “sport” on the bottle. You’ll get a massive selection, you’ll find things you never knew existed (like charcoal cleansing pads and hair oil), and you’ll look like the most secure man in the store.
Try these: Whamisa by Glow Studio Charcoal Chai Tea Pore Refining Glow Pad Shea Moisture Green Coconut & Activated Charcoal Purifying & Hydrating Shampoo L’Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Treatment
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LIFE 1-2 THE COAT AND THE CORDS The naval roots of the peacoat give it a strength that holds up against wind, water, and cold. Pair it with fine-wale cords cut like jeans for a more casual look. Wool-blend peacoat ($250) by Nautica; macys.com. Cotton-blend sweater ($68) by Abercrombie & Fitch; abercrombie.com. Corduroy pants ($60) by Levi’s; levi.com. Black Bay Fifty-Eight watch ($3,250) by Tudor; tudorwatch .com. Leather weekend bag ($695) by Coach; coach.com.
12 STYLE
HEAVY-DUTY ESSENTIALS
Be ready when the weather turns terrible. These are the time-tested staples that will get you through the next few (wet, cold) months.
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ALLIE HOLLOWAY
A m Training Guide
GET A STRONG, LEAN, ATHLETIC BODY with The Beginner’s Guide To Strength Training
BUILD a stronger body!
MASTER the best exercises for strength!
TRAIN smarter & harder for results that last!
MensHealth.com / Begin 15345
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THE PLAID Buffalo plaid, that is. The icon of can-do American style has been perfected by the Japanese: Uniqlo’s spread-collar take lets you dress it up under a blazer or with a knit tie. Flannel shirt ($20) by Uniqlo; uniqlo.com.
THE SHITKICKER Waterproof with a grippy rubber sole, Eddie Bauer’s moctoe boot is your all-weather go-between, the kind of shoe you can trudge through slush in and leave on at the office.
THE WINTER JACKET AND THE LAYER The Japanese brand Descente forgoes the quilting of a traditional parka and relies on thermal-bonded construction so you can maintain heat. Layer it with an underdog essential: a Heattech tee to regulate your body temp. Lumilet wool 2L down jacket ($1,050) by Descente; descente.com. Heattech T-shirt ($15) by Uniqlo; uniqlo.com. Series 4 watch with Milanese loop ($799) by Apple; apple.com.
Grooming: Heather Schnell/Honey Artists, tailoring: Darlene Deandrade, location: Planta Baja
Leather boots ($170) by Eddie Bauer; eddiebauer.com.
Leather shoes ($175) by Kenneth Cole; kennethcole.com.
9-11 GYM-READY PERFORMANCE An elevated terry-cloth hoodie favored by the likes of LeBron James?
Yes, this is a smartwatch. The slim case, functional side buttons, and subdued face mean you can keep high-tech features like heartrate tracking without sacrificing looks. Gen 4 Q Explorist smartwatch ($255) by Fossil; fossil.com.
pression, not to mention a sleek superhero look, to your routine? Check. A detailed leather gym bag carryall? Check. Cotton hooded sweatshirt ($198) by John Elliot; ($48) by Fourlaps; fourlaps .com. Nylon shorts ($68) by
KEVIN SWEENEY/STUDIO D (still lifes), prop styling: Miako Katoh
($32) by Nike; nordstrom .com. Metcon 4 sneakers ($130) by Nike; mrporter .com. Nylon-and-leather weekend bag by Banana Republic; bananarepublic .com. Socks ($10 for three-pack) by Champion; champion.com. ATH-M50x Technica; audio-technica .com. Series 4 watch with sport band ($699) by Apple; apple.com.
THE SWEATER Made out of nature’s performance fabric, wool, the Irish fisherman’s sweater has kept seafaring and landlocked men alike warm for ages. Wool fisherman’s sweater ($169) by L.L.Bean; llbean.com.
MEN’S HEALTH
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LIFE The 6:00 A.M. Workout with:
Matt Mitcham How a (very) busy cruise director’s (very) early morning sweat session steadies him for a (very) long day on the high seas. BY JOSHUA ST. CLAIR
The workout never really stops for Matt Mitcham. He starts his days with 200 pushups and hits the gym early, but he’ll go for a run later if he has time and needs a little bit of stress relief.
T
AKE YOUR current
job. Add thousands of people whom you have to make happy for days and days. Add a staf that includes comedians and blackjack dealers. Add a Motown Night, the mechanics of which you still need to igure out. Also, your oice might get tossed around by a bomb cyclone. Oh, and you live at your workplace. That’s what Matt Mitcham faces as cruise director of the
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Carnival Vista (population: 5,384), with guests all looking to him for an amazing time all the time. He is the North Star. The spirit guide. President of Float Nation. “If I don’t keep my cardio levels up, doing highly active events gets exhausting,” he says. In other words, if he doesn’t work out, he doesn’t show up. And then Aunt Naomi won’t be cabbage-patching at the “nightclub” tonight. For Mitcham, that’s a tragedy at sea. So every day begins with the
33-year-old rolling out of bed and banging out 200 pushups in six minutes. He began working at Carnival at age 21. Three years later, he took the main mic when his boss sprained his wrist. Mitcham’s been keeping the crowds raucous ever since, whether emceeing morning trivia for kids or leading oldsters through Zumba classes. He’ll typically work one cruise ship for six to eight months, take a month or two of “real” vacation, then head to the next ship. He’s a mini celeb on each cruise, and being recognized (and having roughly 29,000 Instagram followers) is part of the job. “My goal is
to make guys want to be best friends with me and make girls fall in love with me and make the grandmas want to marry me,” he says, not joking. It’s an exhausting set of duties, so six days a week, he spends early mornings in a bare-bones crew gym. “It’s not a land gym,” he says. PHOTOGRAPHS BY ARTURO OLMOS
THE BREAK OF BRAWN Try Mitcham’s ten-minute abs workout. Directions: Do each move for 45 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds. Repeat the entire circuit twice.
Hollow body hold: Start lying on your back, legs straight, arms extended overhead. Raise your legs 1 inch from the ground. Raise your shoulder blades 1 inch from the ground, arms still extended. Press your lower back into the ground. Hold until time expires.
SMALL TALK What’s on your workout playlist?
“Old-school hip-hop—that’s my go-to. Biggie and Tupac, they always have a story, so they’re really good to listen to in the gym.” Favorite gym move?
“Chest press with dumbbells. Let’s be honest: Every guy wants a big chest.” Most hated exercise?
“Curls with dumbbells. It’s uncomfortable. I’ll do curls with resistance bands just so I don’t have to do them with dumbbells.” You’ve traveled—and trained—throughout the world. Where’s your favorite place to work out?
Mitcham uses moves like military presses, bench presses, and rows, or runs around the Vista track. Usually by 7:00, he’s in his cabin doing an abs inisher, then taking a cooldown swim. It’s all over before the guests have looded the pool area. Then he’s of to igure out Motown Night.
“Bali, Indonesia. You get to work out in the Griya Villas and Spa, a hotel that overlooks the mountains and the rain forest out there. And it’s always nice to work out somewhere where you can go for a fresh swim straight after.” Weirdest question people ask on a cruise?
“Do crew members sleep on board the ship too? No, we come in on helicopters and Jet Skis every morning.”
Bicycle crunch: Start lying on your back, legs straight and 1 inch above the ground. Your shoulder blades should also be of the ground, your hands behind your head. This is the start. Bring your right knee toward your chest; bring your left elbow toward your right knee as you do. Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.
Penguin crunch: Start lying on your back in situp position, feet flat on the floor. Your arms should be straight and at your sides. Lift your shoulder blades of the floor 1 inch. Keeping your arms straight, reach your right hand toward your right foot, twisting your torso so that you can reach farther. Return to the start and repeat on the other side. Leg raise: Start lying on your back with your legs straight. Place your hands under your tailbone for support. Keeping your legs straight, raise them until your feet point toward the ceiling, pause, then return to the start. Reverse crunch: Start lying on your back in situp position, feet flat on the floor. Keeping your shoulder blades on the floor, lift your feet and your tailbone of the ground. Squeeze your abs, then return to the start.
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LIFE
COOL DAD
Food Fight! I’m a chef. My daughter is unimpressed by my cooking. That can be hard to swallow. BY TYLER KORD I C A N TA K E pretty much any ingredient you can throw at me and, once I pick it up of the loor because I am not great at catching things, I can make something delicious with it. I don’t need to look online to remember the ingredients for a chicken potpie, chicken cordon bleu, or even a chicken cordon bleu potpie. If you challenged me to make a soulé, I would have to look at a recipe, but I wouldn’t necessarily follow it to the letter and it would still be a pretty excellent soulé. I’m a good enough cook that I could put a little twist on it— like if it was a tomato soufflé, I might add a splash of elderflower s y r up, which wou ld + catch you of guard but in Tyler Kord a sweet and comfortable is the chef of way that might make No. 7 Sub in New you say to my daughter, York City and “Wow, Barbara, you’re the author of A Super Upsetting so lucky to have a dad like Cookbook About Sandwiches. Tyler to cook for you.” 62
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“No,” 22-month-old Barbara would say. And herein lies my challenge: to feed my child while trying not to feed my ego. Barbara is a toddler who knows how to say only one word but loves a wide range of foods, from blueberries to cheese to anything that is salty or crunchy, or that I am about to put into my mouth. She especially loves when her mom gives her cooked pasta with nothing on it. What could be more delicious than dried pasta boiled in water, cooled to room temperature, and served with a glass of water? I’m sure that it tastes even more delicious when her father, who has spent the past 20 years of his life dedicated to the pursuit of a relatively high level of culinary understanding, stands by, observing as his daughter shoves istfuls of plain shells into her mouth while watching Coco for the 64th time. I’m trying. I take her beloved pasta and I add cheese and milk and a bit of laxseed meal, which thickens the sauce to a velvety consistency, turning good cheese and organic milk into fancy Velveeta, and she will take a bite, at which point I will set up FaceTime on my phone to show my wife what an incredible Chefdad I am. Barbara will take advantage of my lack of attention and dump the rest of the pasta on the loor. “Bon Appétit named my restaurant one of the best new restaurants in 2009, and I am
pulling cat hair of pasta and considering still feeding it to you!” I shout at a toddler who thinks I am a terrible cook but also that my exclamations are hilarious. Recently I cooked her some broccoli— and yes, I get that kids don’t like broccoli and it is totally my fault, but I gently caramelized it in a touch of olive oil to give it that magical toasted-broccoli lavor, then gently poached it in garlic-laced chicken stock, emulsified with more butter than my wife would be comfortable feeding to our daughter, and Barbara wouldn’t even taste it. My broccoli has been mentioned in The New York Times, and she pointed at a box of whole-grain bunny crackers because I guess she can’t read The New York Times. My friends ask if she likes broccoli because it’s kind of my thing, and they’re only kidding, but I pretend that something else has caught my attention. I cooked jasmine rice in a combination of milk and chicken stock with some tiny pieces of carrot and a little butter, and after it cooked, I stirred in a very mild shredded mozzarella. It was a bunch of stuf she likes, fortiied with some protein and fiber, but in a way that even a child could love, and of course she tried to push it off the table, shouting, “You’ve never even been nominated for a James Beard Award for cooking!” and I calmly told my little girl that at least I got a writing nomination and put her to bed and drank vodka while eating cheesy rice. And frankly, it’s okay. I will simply take the high road, as I do with my wife and parents, and hold on to the frustration so that years later I can throw it right back into the faces of the people I love most. Actually, I’m really looking forward to teaching my daughter how to cook. Right now, however, I must remain patient—a truth that I’ve found links cooking well and parenting well. Someday, I imagine that we’ll make a simple soup, one of the irst things I learned to make, and together we’ll chop vegetables, gently sweat them in butter, add a little stock, and simmer them. I’ll let her season the soup and make sure it tastes just the way she wants it to. We’ll set the table and sit as a family, and I will try not to spit the soup all over the loor.
THERE’S MORE!
Tyler Kord gave us a recipe for a homemade soup that adults and maybe children will enjoy. Find it on page 12 in the MH World section. ILLUSTRATION BY ROSS M AC DONALD
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Power Up Your Brain
A MER IC A’S BL ACKOU T EPIDEMIC
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............................... SLEEP
BETTER TON IGHT
Athletes, musicians, and Air Force elite think that a jolt of current to the brain can give them a performance edge. Is this approach high-tech BS or maybe really worth it? BY JEFF BERCOVICI
E
V E RY CYC LI S T has a measuring-
stick climb, the one you’ve done so many times that you can track the ups and downs in your itness level by the sound of your breathing when you reach the last turn. For me, it’s Tunnel Road. The gateway into the rocky hills overlooking Berkeley and Oakland, it’s three miles of eucalyptus-lined S curves with a mild but unrelenting grade. The irst 50 or so times I climbed it after taking up cycling three years ago, I was able to notch personal records at will as my VO2 max and technique improved in tandem. Since then, not so much. After I rode my PR of 14:06 a year ago, I was conident a sub14:00—maybe even a sub-13:00—was just a matter of time. Alas, at 41, getting faster with practice is no longer a foregone conclusion. Since that PR ride, I have yet to even break 15 minutes, despite weekly eforts.
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So my ears perked up when I heard the claims of a company called Halo Neuroscience, which says using its brain-zapping headset for 20 minutes before workouts or practices can help athletes achieve gains in strength, skill, and endurance substantially faster than they would on their own. Halo Sport ($399; haloneuro.com) is one of several consumer devices applying the science of transcranial direct-current stimulation, or tDCS, and the only one made speciically for athletes, who can wear it during their warmups to supercharge subsequent training sessions. Based on research originally conducted by the U. S. military looking for ways to make special-forces snipers and ighter pilots better at their jobs, it is already in use at the highest levels of athletics, including by teams in the NFL, the NBA, and Major League Baseball, and by U. S. Olympians. Andrew Talansky, a former pro cyclist with the elite Cannondale-Drapac team, says “neuropriming” with Halo before his workouts sped his transition when he switched to triathlons at the beginning of this year despite barely swimming a stroke for 15 years. “It helped me accelerate the process, basically,” he says. Halo is the brainchild—sorry—of Daniel Chao, M.D., a San Francisco physician and neuroscientist, and Brett Wingeier, Ph.D., a biomedical engineer. In the early 2000s, the two helped develop the NeuroPace RNS system, a brain implant that uses pulses of electrical current to halt epileptic seizures before they start. The niche success of the RNS system, which has now been implanted in around 1,300 patients, left them thinking a brain-stimulating device that didn’t require open-skull surgery could appeal to a broader market. (Imagine that.) Surveying the research, they discovered a large body of data suggesting that running low-level current through the brain’s motor cortex, which controls voluntary muscular contractions, inluences how neurons there respond to subsequent stimuli. “It puts the brain into this more excitable state where the probability of two neurons firing in synchrony is increased,” says Dr. Chao. “That’s good,
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Halo Sport’s regular-looking headset pairs with a smartphone app to deliver the current to your brain that may turbocharge performance.
because that’s how a new circuit is formed. There’s a saying: Neurons that fire together wire together.” Halo’s word for this excitable brain state is “hyperplasticity,” its term for heightened neuroplasticity. For athletes, what hyperplasticity means in practice is big reductions, um, in practice. Dozens of studies have documented the efects of tDCS on the acquisition of new skills, from playing guitar to solving math puzzles to ski jumping. Many of them were overseen by Andy McKinley, Ph.D., chief of the cognitive-performance optimization section of the U. S. Air Force’s applied-neuroscience branch. “Obviously, the military is interested in reducing the amount of time and money necessary to train someone to an expert level,” says McKinley. In his group’s trials, tDCS reduced the time required to achieve proficiency in tasks like identifying targets on a simulated radar screen by 25 percent. “It takes fewer days to train to do the same thing,” he says. In its own studies, Halo has documented a 50 percent increase in the rate of motor learning for tasks like playing novel piano chords and throwing darts. That’s very cool, obviously. But I wasn’t looking to master Rachmaninof’s Concerto No. 3 or hand-tohand combat. I just wanted to get faster on a bike. Could tDCS help me with that? Definitely, Dr. Chao says. That’s because speed isn’t a straightforward function of itness. “Endurance is all about biomechanical eiciency,” he says. “There’s a skill of eiciency.” When you’re running, swimming, or cycling, a little wasted energy in each step or stroke can add up to extra seconds and minutes in your inish time. But tweaking your form in those sports is hard precisely because they’re so repetitive. “You’re trying to unlearn this movement pattern that has been ingrained in your brain for literally a million reps,” Dr. Chao says. By making the brain temporarily more neuroplastic, tDCS can make it easier to alter those deeply grooved movement patterns. “I think of it like loosening my motor cortex so I can reprogram myself,” says Dr. Chao (who is, let the record relect, not just a scientist and an inventor but a damn strong cyclist to boot). That’s exactly the beneit Talansky found. A swimmer in middle school, he had just enough experience to have stubborn bad habits—in particular, one arm that swung out too wide while the other crossed over the midline. As a relative latecomer to the Ironman circuit, at 29, he didn’t want to waste time. “It allowed me to swim, I think, a lot better than most people without a heavy swim background would after basically eight months of swimming again,” he says. There’s also strong data showing that tDCS improves the brain’s own endurance. In his studies for the Air Force, McKinley has delved deep into its efects on cognitive fatigue, testing the ability of subjects to sustain attention during rote tasks, such as image sorting, with and without brain stimulation. Control-group subjects typically start losing focus
Previous page: Francesco Zerilli/Gallery Stock
MIND
The current is like the feeling you get when you wear a ski hat too long.
rapidly after 20 minutes. “What we ind when we add stimulation is it gets rid of that decline for about six hours,” McKinley says. Six hours! I had heard all I needed to hear to give neurostimulation a try—except for one thing. Is it safe? In an era when health experts are warning that the blue light from your iPhone could be interfering with your sleep and that Facebook might be contributing to depression, the idea of a new tech product that targets one’s brain structures sounds a little of-putting. While some experts have warned that tDCS hasn’t been around long enough to identify potential longterm efects, or that it could inadvertently reinforce unwanted circuits like bad habits or traumatic memories, the most comprehensive reviews of past studies have declared it safe when done correctly. “The safety quickly grasped Dr. Chao’s point about eiciency being record of tDCS is exceptional,” McKinley assures me. a trainable skill. Isolating each side, I could suddenly Relieved, I asked Dr. Chao for help designing a feel how I’d been jamming my pedal straight down not-so-scientiic clinical trial that would allow me to rather than rounding of my stroke. By my second sesnab that elusive sub-14:00 Tunnel Road. He started sion, I could already feel myself pedaling in smoother by lending me a Halo Sport unit, which looks like a circles, my legs no longer ighting each other. During normal set of can headphones. Underneath the band the intervals, I was able to spin at a higher cadence connecting the earpieces are three foam electrode than normal—about 100 rpm versus my usual 80. pads, which, when wetted, nestle through the hair After four neuroprimed workouts, and conduct current through the scalp and I was feeling ready for a test. I warmed into the brain. up for my Tunnel attempt with the Halo Dr. Chao told me to wear the headset for on and ended up riding a 14:07—one 20 minutes while I warmed up and then consecond behind my PR. A promising duct my workout in the 60-minute period start. My second attempt, with brain of hyperplasticity that followed. It didn’t 4 more things tDCS may again juiced but legs still tired from matter too much what kind of workout I help you do: the first, was a bust. But on my third did, he explained, as long as it was repetitry, everything felt good. In the steep tive and diicult. “You need to be attentive DRIVE SAFER. middle section, I reminded myself to to the movement,” he says. He suggested If you spend long hours at the wheel, tDCS focus on a smooth stroke rather than single-leg pedaling drills to refine the may be better than coffee at helping you just trying to gut it out like I usually smoothness of my stroke and high-output focus on the road. Its effects last longer, and there’s no letdown when they wear off. did. As I sprinted past the end of the VO2-max intervals to practice maintainsegment, spent, my bike computer ing form in the face of fatigue. Because beeped: 13:58. Success! I’m not all that much of an athlete to begin LEARN TO PLAY A NEW SONG. If it requires fine motor skills, like playing with—I average ive to ten hours a week in guitar or piano, you can probably cut down the saddle—I was likely to see rapid results, WAS IT THE HALO that put me over the your practice time by neuropriming beforeunlike a pro like Talansky, who’s already top? Seeing as I beat my goal by a mere hand. Halo Sport has different settings operating close to his potential. “We can 0.2 percent, I have to think every little depending on which hand you use more. often get more dramatic results in novices bit counted, down to my freshly shaved because they’re on that really fun, chunky legs. On the other hand, the biggest BE MORE ACCURATE. part of the learning curve,” Dr. Chao says. difference surely came from doing a Making snipers deadlier was a major One last thing: “There’s almost nobody proper, focused warmup (something I reason behind the military’s early interest in tDCS. In some of its research, Halo who likes the feeling,” he says. “I’ll just usually skip) and concentrating on my employs Aim Hero, a target-practice warn you about that.” form even when it got hard. I needed program video gamers use to hone their When I put the Halo on for my irst trainneuropriming as motivation to do first-person-shooter skills. ing session, I understood what he meant. those things, but I could’ve done them Even at full intensity, the current doesn’t without it. More than anything, my RAISE YOUR SINGLE-REP MAX . hurt, exactly, but it tingles in a way that’s experiment helped me see how much There’s a difference between the force mildly unpleasant, like the feeling you get more low-hanging fruit I have to pick potential of a muscle and the force you can generate contracting it. Neuropriming helps when you wear a tight ski hat too long. The before I resort to newfangled tech for your brain send better output to the muscle. headset is also heavy—ine for sitting on a performance boost. But it’s nice to Dr. Chao likens the effect to a spotter who my Peloton bike for 20 minutes but too know that, should I ever find myself helps you lift a heavier bar for the first time. cumbersome for a more active workout. on the lat side of the learning curve, I As a newcomer to pedaling drills, I won’t be out of options.
PLUG IN, TURN ON THESE OTHER SKILLS
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MIND
AN OPEN LETTER
I WANT TO TALK about your drink-
ing. But first, you should know some things about me: I loved beer, too. Beer and bourbon and red wine and tequila neat and martinis that were so dirty with olive juice they were like slurping down the ocean. Sometimes, though, I forgot parts of an evening. It might be a sliver of a memory, a minute here or there, or it might be an hours-long swath of time. I tried to ignore these missing pieces. If I didn’t remember a thing, hey, maybe it didn’t happen. It took a long time to understand the damage of my blackouts. It took a long time to understand blackouts, period, because most of us don’t. I’ve found a surprising number of people think blackouts are the same as passing out, but those two activities are quite different. A passed-out person is unconscious, while a person in a blackout may be conscious, but the next day they will have no memory of events. A blackout is a temporary memory loss likely brought on when the hippocampus stops placing information into long-term storage; it’s the brain’s version of “failure to send.” Not everyone has blackouts. The link may be genetic, but environment plays a part, too. Blackouts are rife in binge-drinking circles, because they’re caused by a rapid rise of alcohol in the blood, so it’s not just how much you drink that matters but, among other things, how fast. College provides an ideal landscape for blackouts. Shot contests, beer bongs, all those cutesy-clever games designed to force otherwise diligent students to chug mystery punch from red Solo cups. Drinking on an empty stomach can bump up blood-alcohol content and lead to blackout; drinking before going out to drink 68
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more, pregaming, is a good example. Social drinkers experience blackouts more than people once thought, and a landmark 2002 Duke University survey of college students found that about half of them had a blackout at some point in their life. Subsequent studies have backed up its findings. (Yes, it wasn’t even until this century that the medical industry began to see how pervasive blackouts are, even though drinkers themselves were familiar.) College kids have made a morning-after ritual out of scrolling through their camera rolls and laughing about the antics their brains didn’t record. When I mentioned this at a dinner party recently, a skeptical friend called over her 20-year-old son to confirm. He blushed
Sources, Blackouts: By the Numbers: Journal of American College Health; Injury Prevention Journal; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; The Journal of Sex Research.
and told us the name of his last frat party: Blackout or Back Out. For decades, society hasn’t looked too hard at this excess. College kids drink; that’s what they do. One problem with such an attitude is that many of us hold on to those habits well past graduation. I left a trail of empties across my 20s and early 30s, as my social activities and friend circles became more dependent on the bar. I moved to New York, where I never had to worry about driving, and a guy I used to drink with called our blackouts “time travel.” That sounded nifty to me. We weren’t drinking to the point of our brains shutting down; no, no, we had a superpower. That blackouts are both morally and medically dangerous and yet touted as a badge of honor is a strange paradox. Somewhere along the way, extreme drinking became a rite of passage, a marker of courage and badassery for some, a mask of coolness for nerds like me. Drinking eased my social anxiety, my nagging sense of never being smart or pretty or brave enough. But the blackouts ratcheted up the anxiety alcohol was meant to manage. What did I say last night? Does everyone hate me now? I finally cried uncle at 35, and in the years after I quit, I decided to write a memoir about my drinking. People wanted to talk about women and their blackouts—that sounded dangerous, maybe salaciously so—but they rarely asked about the men, even as the men showed up in my in-box to hauntingly recount the damage. Punching walls. Punching friends. Punching girlfriends. All questionable manner of verbal and sexual assault. DUIs, jail terms, divorces. I’ve heard it all, and I can promise you that none of them are like that awesome tiger scene in The Hangover. That 2009 buddy comedy has probably done more than any other movie to elevate the fantasy of oblivion drinking into hilarious hijinks. But in real life, the hangovers are not so fun. The terror of blackouts is that you don’t know what you’ve done. You become an unreliable narrator in your own life. But just because you don’t remember something doesn’t mean you aren’t responsible for it. I realize nobody wants to talk criminal liability at the kegger. But we have emerged into a moment when failing to discuss the repercussions of men’s excessive drinking is not only a failure of decency; it’s dumb. Heavy drinking and blackouts are like a river raging underneath today’s headlines:
campus sexual assault, fraternity deaths, the #MeToo movement, an epic tussle over a Supreme Court nominee, not to mention the less sensational but no less tragic number of personal injuries and alcohol-related deaths that happen literally every day. And here’s the thing: You don’t have to drink to such excess. You don’t have to quit drinking, either. You can just drink differently. Skip the shot contests, drink water between cocktails, try limiting yourself to two or three drinks in a night, instead of ten or 12. (Can anyone imagine ordering 12 slices of cake?) Stop egging each other on toward oblivion. No more chugging, no more guzzling. Our culture has lied to young men. We told them the more they drank, the more impressive they’d be, but take a look at the frat boys facing probation for their brother’s death, or the college students forced to answer for sexual violence they committed in a blackout, or the grown men whose reckless pasts have come up for revision. Excessive drinking will unravel a future much faster than it will ever build it. What’s impressive is the man who knows his limits. Who has learned to savor the moment, not disappear inside of it. —SARAH HEPOLA, author of the best-selling memoir Blackout: Remembering the Things I Drank to Forget
BLACKOUTS: BY THE NUMBERS How often does this really happen? The stats are striking.
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THE PERCENTAGE OF COLLEGE STUDENTS WHO REPORT “ BLACKING OUT” AT SOME POINT IN THEIR LIFE.
T H E INCREASED ODDS OF A LC O H O L - R E L AT E D I N J U R I E S REPORTED BY STUDENTS WHO SAID THEY’D HAD FIVE OR MORE BLACKOUTS IN THE PAST YEAR COMPARED WITH THOSE WHO’D HAD NONE.
I N O N E S T U D Y, T H E P E R C E N T A G E O F M E N AT A NIGHTCLUB WHERE PEOPLE WERE DRINKING WHO SAID THEY WOULDN’T INTERVENE IF THEIR MALE FRIEND WANTED TO HAVE SEX WITH SOMEONE . BY C O M PA R I S O N , O N LY 3 3 P E R C E N T O F WOMEN SAID THEY WOULDN’T INTERVENE WITH A FEMALE FRIEND.
27
THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE 18 OR OLDER WHO HAVE R E P O R T E D “ BINGE ALCOHOL USE” WITHIN THE PAST MONTH. (FOR MEN, THAT’S U S UA L LY F I V E O R M O R E DRINKS IN TWO HOURS.)
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MIND 9 THINGS WE KNOW ABOUT . . .
A Better Night’s Sleep The top easy-ish ways to stop tossing and turning and get real, satisfying, outlook-lifting, heart-attack-busting, stop-feeling-lousy-all-day rest.
READ (BORING IS BETTER) As school taught you, late-night reading can help you nod of. Just avoid screens; their light can suppress natural sleep hormones. —Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
TRY MAGNEZZZIUM Magnesium supplements helped some older people fall asleep faster and increase the quality and duration of those z’s. Trying them? Take only recommended doses, obviously. —Journal of Research in Medical Sciences
LET YOUR SLEEPING DOG LIE Having the dog in your bedroom (on the floor, not licking your face) doesn’t disrupt shut-eye—your hound can provide a sense of comfort and security that may help you snooze. —Mayo Clinic Proceedings
CUT THE WEED Your friend swears that weed helps him sleep. Research goes back and forth, but the latest suggests daily users have more insomnia and lower sleep quality than nontokers. —Journal of Addictive Diseases
WAKE AND BAKE Open seating? Set up by the window. One study found workers with exposure to daylight have better sleep than their cave-dwelling ofice peers. —Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
11
MAKE A DO-IT-LATER LIST Set tomorrow’s tasks to paper: Pre-bed to-do lists can earn you longer slumber. The more specific the list, the faster sleep sets in. —Journal of Experimental Psychology
DRINK UP A small study in older adults with insomnia found that average sleep time among participants rose by 84 minutes on days they drank 16 ounces of tart cherry juice. —American Journal of Therapeutics
DECAFFEINATE YOURSELF Don’t be fooled—decaf still contains some cafeine. Sub in a mug of chamomile to put a lid on cafeine-related tossing and turning. —Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine
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Illustration by INFOMEN
STOP THE LEAK To stem 2:00 A.M. toilet trips, skip late-night liquids and try compression socks. The socks prevent the fluid accumulation in your legs that can give you the urge to pee. —Cleveland Clinic
MIND
Give Your Job a Promotion You spend nearly a third of your life on the clock. (We’ll let you take a 15-minute break to process that.) Are you getting the most from those hours? See if your ofice smarts need an upgrade. EDITED BY LEAH CRAIG
An email just came in. You should . . . A
Ignore it for now
B
Ignore it forever
C
Jump on it
Answer: A Interruptions force you to pick up the pace to get back on track, which increases your sense of pressure and stress, per UC Irvine research. Check email at preset intervals rather than replying to every message as it comes in.
If your job keeps you on your feet, you don’t need the gym. A
True
B
False
Answer: B A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that men who are highly physically active at work are less healthy (as in 18 percent more likely to die earlier than their peers). So in your off-hours, augment with the right stuff: If you lift heavy objects at work, fit in a Sunday sprint session; if you’re standing all day, build weight training into your downtime.
A
Hot
B
Not
Answer: B The freedom to sit anywhere you choose—aka hot-desking—sounds like a perk (no getting stuck next to the loud gum chewer). But researchers at the University of Wolverhampton in England say that having your own desk makes you feel more in control, which means less stress and more motivation. No choice? Try this: Focus on what you can change, such as the background on your screen or the design of the coffee mug you bring.
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Jobe Lawrenson (briefcase), Ben Mounsey (illustrations)
To hot-desk or not to hot-desk?
DEC ’18
THE WORKPLACE QUIZ
The best way to stop stress eating is to . . .
You work best listening to . . . A
Your new playlist. Loud.
A
Pound extra water
B
The sound of silence
B
Sleep more
C
“The Sound of Silence” (It holds up!)
C
Stop going to work
D
The noise from the kitchenette
Answer: D Silence isn’t your smartest soundtrack, and your playlist isn’t so helpful, either. According to research from the University of British Columbia, a moderate level of ambient noise, such as running water or soft chatter, stimulates creative problem solving more than working where there’s a lot of noise or nearly none at all.
Which office hazard wrecks your health more? A
Your screen
B
Your chair
C
The little gap between the restroom stalls. Stressful!
Answer: B Cornell University scientists say that sitting puts up to 90 percent more pressure on your back than standing. Give it a break: Place your chair’s lumbar support at the curve of your back and sit so your hips and knees are bent at right angles.
Sun Lee (desk)
Which of these could help land you a job interview? A
Abs
B
Glasses
C
Facial hair
D
Your impeccable reputation
Answer: D, obviously. But also C. Believe it or not, your stubble could swing you a new job. In one study, job seekers who sported a beard in their LinkedIn profile photo were perceived as having more experience than their clean-cut competitors.
You’ll be more productive if your desk is . . . A
Pristine
B
Tastefully done up
C
Personal and lived in. “And over here’s the breakfast nook . . .”
Answer: C Sparse offices don’t help you get more done. Studies at the University of Exeter found that people in spaces decorated with plants and pictures were 17 percent more productive than those in pristine ones. But those who cluttered their offices as they liked—sticky notes, team gear—were the most productive (32 percent more than sparse-space workers).
The best way to handle a hostile boss is . . . A
Push back
B
Don’t engage
Answer: A An Ohio State University study found that people who push back against combative bosses are likely to have higher job satisfaction, more commitment to their employer, and possibly an easier time getting respect from their colleagues.
Answer: B Job stress wears down your mood and your self-control, as everyone who’s come home and torn right into a bag of chips before dinner (and maybe after, too) can attest. But research in the Journal of Applied Psychology suggests that when stress is everywhere (as in too much work, too many frustrating people), a good night’s sleep leaves you more resilient and less at the mercy of Doritos.
When you’re facing a big deadline, hit the gym . . . A
Early in the morning
B
On your lunch break
C
When all the work is done
Answer: B You’re not going AWOL; you’re getting stuff done. Swedish researchers found that exercising during your workday makes you more productive when you clock back in. Even a short, brisk walk can help you reduce anxiety, dial up your energy, and make that project history.
HOW MANY DID YOU GET RIGHT? 0 TO 3: OUT OF OFFICE
4 TO 7: WORKING ON IT
8 TO 10: EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
Maybe you’re just distracted. Embrace your inner Luddite and silence technology. A Stanford study found that tuning in to several streams of electronic information at once messes with your ability to concentrate and to remember things.
You’ve got the basics; now master your mental game. University of Washington researchers found that meditation training not only helped people stay focused on their work; it helped them feel less stressed when they were required to multitask.
You’re killing it, so don’t be afraid to take a time-out. A study in Human Performance discovered that for younger workers, short breaks of Internet browsing (not multitasking, but a true break) can improve your ability to sustain focus when you go back and do actual work.
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DRAGO FAMILY S E U L VA Thirty-three years after Dolph Lundgren took on the mantle of the greatest villain in the Rocky canon, he’s handing it down to a newcomer, and a new generation of men, with Florian Munteanu. BY
A M OS BA RS H A D
PHOTOGRAPHS BY B E N WAT TS 74
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On Munteanu (left): T-shirt ($30) by Armani Exchange; armaniexchange.com. Joggers ($128) by Michael Kors; michaelkors.com. On Lundgren (right): Tank ($40, pack of three) by Calvin Klein Underwear; macys .com. Joggers ($170) by Under Armour; underarmour.com.
On a picnic bench at a sunny bar in a part of Brooklyn littered with postapocalyptic-looking warehouses used for photo shoots sit a father and son, sort of. The younger man is Florian Munteanu. He’s 28, a boxer and fitness model born and raised in Germany to a family that fled Nicolae Ceaușescu’s Communistcontrolled Romania. The older man is Dolph Lundgren. He’s 61, a damaged Swedish nerd and survivor ofHollywood’s ’80s action wars. In 1985’s Rocky IV, Lundgren gifted us Ivan Drago, the USSR’s indestructible killing machine. The movie came during the last throes of the cold war and was a rif on realpolitik that was huge in every way: bufoonish, xenophobic, totally thrilling. And Drago— tremendously yoked, nearly mute, and glistening (always glistening)—was a note-perfect embodiment of theoretical Russian evil. He was “Death from Above” built in a lab by white-clad mad Soviet scientists (who basically, come to think of it, invented advanced analytics). He murdered Apollo Creed and broke Rocky’s heart, and we can never forgive him for that. But the reason he’s still stuck in our minds is that his very image sowed fear. As much as Kubrick or any of the French auteurs, Ivan Drago was pure cinema: visuals and sound. This year, with Creed II, Drago is back—and he’s brought his irstborn, Viktor Drago, along. In a development both stupidly inevitable and undeniably good, Munteanu’s Viktor will fight Michael B. Jordan’s Adonis Creed—the long-lost son of Apollo, the man Ivan killed in the ring. Our global conlicts, our ideals of strength, our relationships with our dads—what hasn’t changed since the moment Apollo hit the canvas? And yet, somehow, the ostensibly 2-D characters are here to grapple with all these revolutions. We are into the ifth decade of the Rocky franchise, and I sincerely hope we have ive more to go. The two large men sit side by side—Munteanu in a rad vintage Bulls zip-up, Lundgren in a tight white T-shirt and Buddhist prayer beads. I feel like their combined breadth could block out the sun. (I knew, of course, that Lundgren was a big fella. Munteanu’s size tripped me up slightly. When we exchanged niceties, the six-foot-four Munteanu clasped a hand on my shoulder, efectively enveloping me; fumbling to correlate my movements, I leaned in to his expansive chest for a hug neither of us was expecting.) In Creed II, they play a tortured—is there any other kind?—father-and-son pairing. In real life, they show of an easier rapport. 76
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On Lundgren: Tank ($24, pack of three) by Jockey; jockey .com. Cargo joggers ($60) by Russell Park; saksoff5th.com. On Munteanu: Performance boxer briefs ($20, pack of three) by Champion; champion.com. Shorts ($78) by Todd Snyder + Champion; toddsnyder.com. Chuck Taylor sneakers ($50) by Converse; converse.com. Big Bang Unico Red Ceramic watch ($26,200) by Hublot; hublot.com.
Styling: Ted Stafford, grooming: Jodie Boland using Lab Series Skincare for Men, prop styling: Anthony Asaro & Kendyll Legier for Art Department
Lundgren goads Munteanu into drinking tequila shots, which has them recalling a recent big night out. “Remember the Russian singer? From the Russian restaurant?” Munteanu says. “She’s still texting me!” Then Lundgren switches to goading Munteanu into downing a sloppy joe, an item of food that seems to fully, understandably, confuse the European. Munteanu ends up getting a blue-cheese double burger, which he patiently waits to eat until the bartender brings over a fork and a knife. Soon after being cast, Lundgren and Munteanu started working out together in L. A. “When you train together,” Lundgren says, “you develop a very pure type of respect for the person.” For Munteanu, it had echoes of his childhood, in Munich gyms with his dad, an obsessive boxing fan. “Immediately, I felt that I went back into the past with my father again.” When Lundgren shot Rocky IV, he was the same age Munteanu is now. The age difference was its own inspiration. “If I could match him in something,” Lundgren says, “it was enough for me. And I was thinking, as I was watching Florian”—he turns to the young man—“there’ll be a day when you won’t be able to do that anymore. Some people are driven by that. It’s part of my life. And it’s great to see somebody who can do that too and has a bright future ahead of him being that physical person.” The bar’s gotten noisy. It’s dotted with young people (estimated dates of birth: post–Rocky V, at least) absolutely crushing their after-work frozés. We chat a while longer, loosely. We reminisce about all the muscle-bound greats that Munteanu now
hopes to emulate. Sly, of course. Schwarzenegger. Van Damme. Seagal! Claims Lundgren, “You could put a camera on Steven Seagal, he could ight ive guys in here right now.” On cue, we look around the room at the competition, young men fulilling clichés in lannels and beards. “You think you could ight these guys?” I ask. Munteanu smiles. Lundgren picks a target for him: “Maybe that fat guy back there. . . .” Then Lundgren thinks of his own life lived in mirrored weight rooms. “I’m realizing, Shit, how many times have I gone to the gym? Millions and millions? And somehow, I enjoy my physique now more than when I was 27. All the gladiators and great warriors, they have their heroic feats. And even the strongest man at some point is gonna get old and frail. You just want to push it ahead as much as you can.” I go settle our check, and by the time I come back, Lundgren and Munteanu have swiveled to face each other and have locked into some strain of intensity not accessible to me. “You have to see why you are who you are,” I hear Lundgren say. Munteanu, the supplicant, nods with solemnity. “Exactly.”
A BROOKLYN BAR IS A WAYS AWAY
from where the two men started. Munteanu was discovered by a Bucharest entrepreneur named Eduard Irimia, the founder of a ledgling MMA league called Superkombat Fighting Championship. Irimia is trying his best to brand him Florian “Big Nasty” Munteanu. To that end, Munteanu has intense hazel eyes and Anthony Mason–esque buzz-cut stylization. But all calculated intimidation melts away in the purported Big Nasty’s warm puddle of earnestness. His Instagram features at least three photos of him posing in front of the same bit of L. A. angel-wing street art. When I ask him how he likes the food in the States, he answers, “I like it. For example, I like cheesesteaks.” Lundgren spent his own youth in Stockholm doing martial arts and diferential calculus. His father, a Swedish army oicer and electrical engineer, pushed young Dolph into brainy MEN’S HEALTH
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“IWANTEDTO FEELTHE NIGHTMARE HEFELTAT THEEND.”
On Lundgren: Sweatshirt ($158) by Todd Snyder + Champion; toddsnyder.com. Tank ($24, pack of three) by Jockey; jockey.com. Cargo joggers ($60) by Russell Park; saksoff5th.com. On Munteanu: Track jacket ($150) by TommyXLewis; usa.tommy.com. Boxer briefs ($18) by Jockey; jockey.com. Joggers ($128) by Michael Kors; michaelkors.com.
—DOLPH LUNDGREN
overachievement. He was also rage-illed and physically abusive. “My father had problems in his work, and he took it out on the family,” Lundgren says. “Well, mostly me and my mom. The others, he never touched them. I loved him, and in many ways I still emulate him. But I had a period where I wanted to really hurt him.” By the time he was in his early 20s, Lundgren had moved from Sweden’s Royal Institute of Technology to the University of Sydney, where he was inishing his graduate degree while freelancing as security at rock concerts. One night, Grace Jones—pop star, actress, radical aesthete—played a show in town. She spotted the genius-brawler and, that very night, took him up to her hotel suite. Then she brought him into ’80s downtown New York. He met Warhol. Bowie. Michael Jackson. Gianni Versace personally made him a pair of leather pants. He partied at Studio 54 and Limelight and the Tunnel, where the VIP rooms came with menus listing drugs available for purchase. He’d been accepted to a Ph.D. program in chemical engineering at MIT, the greatest technical school in the universe. It was the culmination of his father’s dream. But the world he’d chanced upon— Jones was the irst real girlfriend he ever had—was too much to pass up. He chose New York. Then he landed Rocky IV, which made him instantly famous. “I’d been thrown in the business very quickly,” he says, “and it was a shock. And the aftershocks were going on for seven, eight, nine years after it happened.” Lundgren nabbed role after role—Masters of the Universe, Universal Soldier, Johnny Mnemonic—despite, as he readily admits, not knowing how to act. “I made big money and I could go to Paris and meet a diferent young lady every night if I wanted.” But onscreen, “I didn’t know what I was doing. I had no skills.” Amid the success, though, he’d never truly worked through his anger at his father. “It’s very diicult to raise hands against your parent. By the time I was strong enough to get back at him for what he did to me, there was no reason. To beat up an old man? For what happened years before?” Munteanu’s family was endlessly supportive. His mother was a lawyer, his father a dermatologist. Seeking the opportu78
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nities of Western Europe, they left the small Romanian town of Târgu-Mureș without informing any members of their expansive extended family. “In times of communism, you had to live a censored life,” Munteanu says with a shrug. “They led, by foot and car. They made the decision that they didn’t want to have children under those circumstances. After the dictator was murdered and they were safe, they made the decision to have me.” Munteanu was born in the fall of 1990, ten months exactly after Romanian army generals carrying out a coup d’état executed President Ceaușescu by iring squad. In 2003, a decade and change after the fall of the iron curtain, the Munteanus managed to track down every last missing relative. “Since [then], we have [had] these reunions for many years,” Munteanu happily explains. “I have 43 male and female cousins!” His family was splintered by the vagaries of life in the Soviet bloc. They left Romania in 1985, the same year Rocky IV was released. Now Munteanu will get his big break playing the son of pop culture’s ultimate Soviet villain. What can you do? History churns on.
FIGHT AGE LIKE LUNDGREN Back in the day, Dolph Lundgren got jacked to play Ivan Drago without using his genius-level IQ. He just lifted the biggest, heaviest weights he could. “I was one of them. . . . A lot of people are lifting with their ego,” he says. But at age 61, he stays jacked by training smarter than ever. 1)
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
Lundgren trains 5 days a week, doing chest and arms one day, back the next day, and shoulders and biceps the next. He’ll train legs and core twice a week. Years ago, he’d stick to that routine maniacally. Not anymore. “I have a plan in the evening what to do the next day,” he says, “but I adjust on how I feel. If I don’t feel like doing something, I won’t go.”
2)
LIGHTEN UP THE WEIGHTS
Before shooting Creed II in Philly over the spring, Lundgren revisited his star-making role. “I wanted to feel the nightmare he felt at the end”—after Drago loses to Rocky. Spooling out the character’s backstory, Lundgren imagines Drago has spent the decades since driftless, broke, bitter, betrayed. Abandoned by his country. Unable to countenance his downfall. “Basically, life turned to hell.” After the shoot—14-hour days of scowling and nailing exacting ight choreography—Munteanu had “a little breakdown. It took me a month to be Florian again. I was telling Dolph: We never smiled once in that movie.” Before ilming began, the director, Steven Caple Jr., had Munteanu engage in a therapy session with an acting coach in which he unveiled every painful moment he could recall. “I had to tell all the dark and deep moments I was living in my whole life. He knew everything.” Later, during shooting, Caple would use the real-life incidents as triggers to get Munteanu to snap into character. And when that didn’t work, all Munteanu had to do was gaze at Lundgren. “I was looking into his eyes. I could read the pain on his
One-rep maxes are cool, but Lundgren’s days of lifting heavy weights are over. He’s found other ways to maintain his muscle. With upper-body exercises, such as biceps curls, bench presses, and rows, he’ll do 4 sets and ladder the reps. He
opens with a 30-rep set, then does 20 reps, then 15, and then 10. “When you start with that many reps, you get blood into the muscle,” he says. “Each set after the irst one gets easier.”
3)
WALK THE PLANK
“When I was 27, I had the core strength there so I could do crazy stuf,” he says. “As you get older, you lose those stabilizing functions.” So today, Lundgren spends extra time training them, focusing on side planks. He’ll also do forearm planks, then lift a foot of the ground for 2 seconds, tightening his core so his hips don’t tilt to one side. Aim to do three 30-second side planks per side and 2 sets of 10 forearm-plank leg lifts in every workout. Lundgren does hip thrusts, too, to strengthen his glutes.
face. And so it was easy for me to deliver the pain.” The fact that a Swede and a Romanian-German were playing Russians was only slightly problematic: The two just went ahead and memorized their lines phonetically. “We’re arguing, trying to get emotional,” Lundgren says, “and we really don’t know what we’re saying.” Coincidentally, U. S.-Russian relations haven’t been this chilly since the end of the USSR. Creed II won’t focus as heavily on the geopolitics as Rocky IV, but Lundgren cracks, “I do think that marketing-wise it’s quite good.” “So no Putin cameo?” I ask. Munteanu laughs. “He did not come to the ight.” MEN’S HEALTH
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On Munteanu: Joggers ($128) by Michael Kors; michaelkors .com. Microfiber boxer briefs ($18) by Jockey; jockey.com. Chain necklace ($550) by Esquire Men’s Jewelry, created for Macy’s. I-5923 sneakers ($130) by Adidas Originals; adidas.com. Socks ($10, pack of three) by Champion; champion.com.
AFTER LEAVING THE BAR, Lundgren and I say goodbye to Munteanu and slide into the buttery seats of a massive black GMC Yukon. The truck crosses the Ed Koch Bridge and moves slowly, yachtlike, through sufocating midtown traic. I have a few more questions to ask Lundgren. Slightly more personal ones. Lundgren’s father passed away in 2000, around the same time his career began what he himself calls a “nosedive.” For the next decade, he primarily starred in direct-to-home-video schlock. During those years, his marriage to Anette Qviberg fell apart, largely thanks to his own admitted inidelities. They’d raised two daughters together in Marbella, on the southern coast of Spain, far from Hollywood. Lundgren’s connection to the industry had frayed. He knew that. But he was concerned less about his career and more about his personal well-being. He had some shit to sort out. When he met Jenny Sandersson, his current partner, she pushed him into therapy and daily meditation. He’s spoken repeatedly and openly about how much it’s all helped. We glide down 57th Street, heading toward Lundgren’s luxe hotel on Central Park South. He thinks back to his irst brush with the city, when Grace Jones brought him here all those years ago, back before anyone cared who he was. He’d met Sylvester Stallone and was auditioning for Rocky IV. But he hadn’t yet gotten the role that would change everything. He’d walk all through the city, practicing his Ivan Drago, practicing being as still as possible. Warren Robertson, his legendary school-of-Strasberg acting coach, told him: “Don’t move at all. Don’t do anything.” Lundgren didn’t tell anyone he was up for the part. “I didn’t want them to make fun of me.” At the screen test, on a soundstage at MGM, Lundgren faced 80
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of against two other massive blond dudes. There were dozens of people behind the cameras with Stallone, all kinds of unidentiied important-seeming people in suits. The other big blonds went for an over-the-top Russian Mr. T. Lundgren laughs, imitating their horrible Slavic accents: “I will keeeeeeel you!” He played it cool. “I was just standing there, ighting the urge to do something.” He clicks into character, recalling the simple, hushed monologue he delivered. He’s barely talking above a whisper. “My name is Drago. I’m a ighter from the Soviet Union.” That was it. Stallone called him a couple days later. Lundgren was with Jones, down in the Village. Now he clicks into a very good mumbly Sly impersonation. “You got the part, kid.” Appropriately enough, in 2010, it was Sly who pulled Lundgren out of his home-video purgatory by casting him in The Expendables. “That brought me back to the big screen,” he says. Now, with Creed II, he’s inally getting to do a bit of acting after all these decades in ilm. “I don’t know why it’s turned out that way. Maybe people get a diferent energy from me now.” He also says he’s forgiven his father. “Did you ever tell him that?” I ask. “I didn’t. I couldn’t talk about it. He’d blanked out anything he’d done. He was in a lot of pain over it. Anybody who beats up their own kid or beats their wife—that’s coming from their trauma. I realized that as I got older. He had a very difficult childhood, too. He was a little, you know, scared boy as well, at some point.” When he got sick, before he died, Lundgren was there. “I was with him right at the end. And I think he knew that I loved him
no matter what.” Even now, Lundgren says, “I think about him every day.” Repeatedly, Lundgren has found himself with substitute father igures: karate instructors, acting coaches, even Stallone. And unavoidably, playing Ivan Drago again—as the character has bloomed into a twisted, manipulative father seeking redemption through his son—hit a nerve. “It became quite emotional because I got to be the other guy,” Lundgren says. “I got to be him.” Looking at his onscreen son, too, he found it hard not to compare lives. “Florian, he’s much more self-assured,” Lundgren says. “He was given love and attention as a kid.” Earlier, when we were at the bar, Munteanu and Lundgren had fallen into banter about whether anyone watching Creed II could possibly ind themselves rooting for the Dragos. After all, Donnie Creed and Rocky Balboa are the rich guys! The Dragos are down and out, looking for the one thing anyone looks for in a boxing movie: One. Last shot. At redemption. Lundgren wasn’t so sure. But Munteanu insisted. “People are gonna be shocked. They underestimate him, underestimate his abilities as an actor. Only see him maybe as ‘badass motherfucker who wants to destroy everything.’ They’re going to be fascinated about the way he’s playing Ivan Drago now.” Is it possible? That the Rocky franchise has now gone on for so long that it might afford Ivan Drago, of all characters, some humanity? Munteanu assured me: “There will be tears for us.” AMOS BARSHAD has written for the Fader, Grantland, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Magazine.
THE DRAGO JR. SHRED When Florian Munteanu signed on to play Viktor Drago in Creed II, he weighed in at a hefty 250 pounds. That wasn’t going to work for the film. He had to slim down to 225. Fun? Munteanu shakes his head no, but he did unlock three shredding secrets you can use.
very basic,” he says. “Only vegetables and tuna.” Tuna is a high-protein, low-fat ish, with one gram of fat per 100 calories. 2)
TRAIN HARD “We were training every day for ive or six hours, because I had to shrink down,” says Munteanu. You don’t have that kind of time, so maximize your half hour in the gym. If you’re trying to drop body fat, instead of counting reps, put your workout against the clock. Do each move for 45 straight seconds, banging out as many reps as you can, then rest for 15 seconds before beginning your next set. 3)
1)
FOCUS ON FISH
RUN CONSISTENTLY
Munteanu inhaled protein day and night (aiming to eat a gram per pound of body weight). But his evening meals focused on one protein source. “I kept it
Munteanu kept his cardio sessions simple, running for a half hour. His game plan with running: a few miles at a consistent pace three days a week.
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T H E R E
W I L L
B E
Five nights in the wild at Evryman, a new breed of men’s retreat, where you cry and laugh your way to being a better you. By NATE GREEN Photographs by NILS ERICSON
82
T E A R S
Looks comfortable, doesn’t it? Nice, even? Well . . . 83
G
OD, I’M SO UNCOMFORTABLE.
My palms are sweating and my heart is pounding. Why did I think this was a good idea? I could be home right now with my girlfriend and my dog, having a beer and watching Netlix. But no. Instead, I’m staring directly into the eyes of this small, pale man with a huge red beard. Andrew. I think he said his name was Andrew. From Alaska. His breath smells like peppermint and pine needles. Did he eat pine needles? Can you eat pine needles? My thoughts are racing. I shift my feet. Andrew shifts his. We continue to stare at each other. Finally, Andrew takes a deep breath and speaks. “If you really knew me, 84
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you’d know that I smoke too much pot and use it as a coping mechanism. And you would know I’m ashamed of it.” His gaze lowers, embarrassed. He looks back up and we lock eyes. Now it’s my turn. “If you really knew me, you’d know that I sometimes drink too much alcohol and it worries me.” I have never spoken those words out loud before. I instantly feel lighter, like a giant weight I didn’t even know was there has
been lifted. Andrew smiles, happy to not be alone in his confession. “Thanks,” he says. “Thank you,” I say. We’re standing in a clearing in Big Sky, Montana, the most appropriately named town in America. It’s 20 minutes to sunset and the clouds are just starting to turn purple around the edges. From where we are, you can turn 360 degrees and see for miles in every direction. The tall grass gives way to dense pine trees, which give way to jutting, snow-capped mountains that seem to prop up the big—no, massive—sky. To our left and right are 16 other men, paired off just like us. Behind us sits a gigantic log cabin that will be our home for the next two nights. After that, we’ll carry 50-pound packs into the backcountry of Yellowstone National Park, where we’ll walk and sleep among the grizzlies, mosquitoes, and stars for three more nights. We all met maybe an hour ago. “Nice work, guys.”
Opposite: On the first full day of the retreat, the men raft Montana’s Gallatin River. Left: Dan Doty, the leader and a cofounder of Evryman, gives the guys a heads-up on what to expect on the river.
“Finish this sentence,” Dan says. “ ‘The thing I’m most grateful for is . . .’ ” Aaron and I stare into each other’s eyes. Ten seconds go by. Twenty seconds. The boundaries of my body start to dissolve. I have the feeling of looking into a mirror. “I’m grateful I’m here with you,” Aaron says finally. “I’m grateful I’m home, close to my wife and my son. And I’m grateful I found this group.” The sounds of night begin to envelop us. Crickets chirp. A tree leans and groans in the wind. Up and down the line, the men lean, too. They sniffle and sigh. Tears trace their way down Aaron’s cheek, but he doesn’t wipe them away.
“MEN ARE HURTING,” says Dan.
That’s Dan Doty, who’s leading this group. “Get to the edge of your comfort zone and then go a little past it,” he continues. “Let yourself open up.” Dan is 36 years old, muscular, with reddish-brown hair and a full beard. For the past hour, he’s been walking around in bare feet. Give him a cardigan sweater and a White Russian and he could pass for an outdoorsy version of the Dude from The Big Lebowski. Dan is a cofounder of Evryman, an organization established in 2016 that arranges weekend retreats and weeklong expeditions aimed at teaching men how to access and express their emotions.
The men here occupy different rungs on the socioeconomic ladder and come from all over the country. There’s a woodworker from Seattle. A recently fired hedge-fund manager from Manhattan. There’s a project coordinator from Iowa, a medical-cannabis grower from Arizona, and a guy who owns an Italian restaurant in Queens. At least four guys are ex-military. We have different jobs, different religions, and different numbers in our bank accounts, but we’ve all spent $3,500 for the same reason: to connect. With nature, ourselves, each other. “Switch,” says Dan. My next partner is Aaron. He has closecropped hair and a well-manicured beard. His arms are covered in tattoos. I will later learn that he spent 14 years in the Army, seven of those as a Green Beret in remote outposts in Iraq and Afghanistan. I will learn about his parachute accident, his brain injury, and his PTSD. I will learn how he went from being a weapons-and-tactics sergeant to the operations manager at Evryman. But right now, he’s just another man in front of me. “Get closer,” Dan instructs. “Reach out and put your right hand on the shoulder of the man in front of you.” Aaron and I move closer. He puts his hand on my shoulder and I put my hand on his. His eyes well up with tears. They’re blue and glossy and beautiful, and I am suddenly so overwhelmed with emotion that my eyes start to water, too. He just looks so . . . hurt. Aaron takes a deep breath. He lifts my hand off his shoulder and places it over his heart. He holds it there. I can feel the thump, thump, thump deep in his chest.
We’re sitting in a coffee shop in downtown Bozeman, Montana. It’s two weeks before the retreat, and I’m here to ask if I can come along. “Suicide rates are climbing. School shootings. The #MeToo movement and sexual abuse,” he says. “Men are hurting themselves and they’re hurting other people. But men are not getting the help they need.” In Dan’s view, there are two main things hurting men: repression of their emotions and lack of deep human connection. He knows this because he’s seen it with boys. When he was in his 20s, Dan was a therapeutic wilderness guide who led troubled boys through the woods. Overall, he spent 12,000 hours in the backcountry with hundreds of boys. The kind of boys who hurt themselves and each other. The kind of boys who are on a direct path to prison. Or worse. But slowly, while sitting around the fire, Dan showed these boys how to open up and feel. And he did it by going first. Talking about being scared. Opening up. “It starts a chain reaction,” Dan says. “When one person opens up, it gives everyone else in the space the permission to do the same. It’s an act of courage.” Of course, boys grow into men. And as men grow older, they tend to grow further apart from everyone else. In other words: Men need to talk to each other. And not just bullshit “locker room” talk about sports and sex, but about real things of consequence: how we’re handling our relationships, the things that scare us, what we’re ashamed of, what we’re proud of, our failures and dreams. “I went to my first men’s group in 2009 and it fucking blew my mind, and I just knew that I needed it in my life,” Dan says. Men’s groups have been around since the ’60s and are like any other type of gatherMEN’S HEALTH
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ing in that there’s a set time and a structure. But mostly it’s guys sitting around in a circle, talking with one another about their lives: the good, the bad, and everything in between. “I didn’t even know what a men’s group was,” Dan says. “Some German dude at a dinner party invited me to his group, the Brotherhood NYC. So I went. At that point in my life, I was feeling lost. But after that very first group, I knew I needed to keep coming. And I knew I needed to start something of my own to spread the message.” It would take him a decade to do that.
A
FTER LEAVING his job as
a wilderness guide in 2010, Dan became a producer and director of the hunting show MeatEater on the Sportsman Channel. Eventually his passion for men’s work got in the way of his actual work. When his son Duke was born in June 2016, it inspired Dan to take action. “I want Duke to grow up in a world where he can be himself fully,” he says. Five months later, he started Evryman with his friends Sascha Lewis and Lucas Krump and his mentor, Owen Marcus. Evryman’s first retreat took place in December 2016 at Race Brook Lodge, in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts. Twenty-five men attended. Since then, nearly 1,000 guys have either joined Evryman men’s groups or participated in one of its retreats. Evryman wants to “get a million men in men’s groups all over the world,” Dan says. It supplies men with the tools and the structure they need to start their own group in whatever city they’re in. “Rather than focusing on what it means to ‘be a man,’ like it’s some kind of checklist, we’re trying to teach men how to connect to their own experience,” he explains. “Because it’s only when you can fully connect to your own experience and allow yourself to be vulnerable that you can truly connect to others.” Or, putting it another way: “There are as many ways of being a man as there are men on the planet,” Dan says. “We’re just trying to give them some tools.” Whether or not guys want those tools is another story. It can be a tough sell to get men together to talk about their feelings. Especially if they have to shell out a couple grand to go on a retreat. However, other organizations, like Junto and the ManKind Project, offer similar retreats, so the movement is growing. 86
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“Some men resist the idea of talking about their feelings and will avoid it at all costs,” says Edward M. Adams, Psy.D., president of the Society for the Psychological Study of Men and Masculinity, a division of the American Psychological Association. In the ’60s and ’70s, a whole nation of Silent Generation and baby-boomer men started to grapple with their own repressed emotions, just as the women’s liberation movement was picking up steam. In order to support women—and support themselves— men needed to do a new kind of work that had nothing to do with physical labor. And so began 50 years of trying to define masculinity, with everything from drum circles and sweat lodges to “character stories” built around Jungian archetypes (or the “mythopoeic stage” of human thought). It’s an old topic with a new urgency. Adams believes that men right now are at a “danger point.” “Without connection to each other, men tend to lose their sense of identity and their sense of compassion for themselves and others,” he says. “But some guys think this kind of work sounds too soft and not manly. They think they can handle it on their own.” I can relate. I’m luckier than most guys. I’ve had a best friend, Jason, for more than 20 years. I’ve had mentors in my life who have challenged me to grow and learn. My dad kissed me and hugged me and told me he loved me. My long-term partner of ten years—a wonderful, intelligent, beautiful woman— pushes me to grow and to love.
Staring into the eyes of another man, talking about my deepest emotions, and blubbering like a baby is near the bottom of my to-do list, right around “punch myself in the balls.” And yet, if I’m being honest with myself, I do crave more connection in my life. I can be self-centered and callous. I can get wrapped up in appearances and become overbearing—talking over people, interrupting, and manipulating situations to get what I want. I’m not proud of it. Maybe I do need to connect with other men more often. But will doing it with strangers help? We stand. Dan gives me a hug and starts to walk out the door, phone in hand. Wait, I say. What about the article? Can I join the retreat and write about it? He looks at me. “Yes,” he says. “But you can’t just be a fly on the wall. You have to jump into the shit with the rest of us.”
EIGHT OF US sit in a circle. It’s Day 2. The midmorning sun shines brightly, but here in our rocking chairs, we’re shaded under the roof of the porch. Against the wall a cord of wood sits with us, neatly stacked, 25 across and 13 high. Fuel ready for a fire. This is our “small group.” There’s Chris, an antiques dealer from upstate New York; Bob, an IT guy at a large community college in California; Foster, an executiveleadership coach for Fortune 500 companies; and Kris, a former talent agent who left his company and is going back to school for his MBA. There’s also Craig, a former police officer who now installs sensory-deprivation tanks; another Chris, who works at a food co-op; and Blayne Doty, Dan’s dad, from Minnesota. The rest of the guys are scattered around the house in their own groups. For some of them, this is their second retreat with Evryman. Others are first-timers like me. The purpose of this small group is to give each man time to open up and space to be seen and heard. If all goes well, we’ll end this session with our “work statement,” a short sentence that captures what we need to work on for the rest of the trip. It will become our personal mantra. Each man gets 30 minutes to become the focus of the group. But it’s not just idle conversation. There’s a process to get us out of our head and into our body. Step 1 is to slow down. Step 2 is to feel what you’re feeling, both physically and emotionally. Step 3 is to share. Easier said than done. Craig, the former police officer, kicks things off. “I’m grateful that I can spend
Chris Berman, 42, is a facilities manager of a food co-op in Bozeman, Montana.
Craig Salazar, 37, is a former police oficer who now lives in Grantsville, Utah.
Foster Mobley, 62, is an executive-leadership coach for a firm in San Diego.
Nate Green, 33, is the author and lives in Missoula, Montana. MEN’S HEALTH
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time with you guys. I get the sense that you don’t know my story, so I just want to share that quickly. “At the expedition last year, we sat in a bigger circle with everyone. I didn’t know what I was going to say, but when it came time for me to talk, I just fucking. . . exploded.” Craig tells us about his life leading up to last year. He had an emotionally distant father. Craig cheated multiple times on his first wife. He tells us about the terrible things he saw as a cop on patrol in Utah. “Shit you can’t unsee.” “During last year’s retreat, the level of rage I felt was unlike anything I’d ever felt in my entire life. I was shaking and screaming. I had no idea this shit was in me this deep. It scared people.” After the yelling and the crying and the purging had stopped, Dan had instructed Craig to stand up and walk around the circle of men. “He wanted me to look them in the eye one by one so I could see the support surrounding me.” But Craig could barely meet their gaze. “I was so ashamed,” he says. “But I locked eyes with a guy across from me, and the love pouring out of that man changed everything. It gave me permission to forgive myself.” And just like that, Craig’s story starts the chain reaction Dan talked about. One guy opens up and everyone else has permission to do the same. Foster talks about his son, how he lost him for eight years to a methamphetamine addiction before he got clean. “He taught me about what I can control and what I can’t. I put him out on the streets knowing he didn’t have a place to go. I still feel pain from that. But it was the right thing to do.” Chris the antiques dealer talks about his father and his daughter. “My dad taught
THAT EVENING, after three hours of raft-
me that crying was for little girls. I was taught to never show emotions. Now I get inspiration from my four-year-old daughter. She has so much passion and fire and heart. I see my younger self in her.” I open up about what it was like to grow up poor. I talk about how I barely graduated from high school and didn’t make it to college and how that made me try so hard to be successful. At some point, I realize tears are running down my face. “I always feel like I have to perform,” I say. “I feel like I have to do whatever I can to impress you and to be accepted. I want to know what it feels like to stop trying so hard and to just be okay being myself.” After I finish, Bob looks at me. He reaches over and touches my knee. “Nate, you don’t have to say or do anything to fucking impress us. We all see you and accept you as you are.” It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.
GET CONNECTED Stand a couple of feet away from another man (to start, preferably someone you know) and look into his eyes. It will be uncomfortable. You will want to laugh or make a joke or look away. Fight those urges. Stand there for a full minute, without speaking. Then take turns inishing the following sentences:
1
“If you really knew me, you would know that . . .”
2
“The most painful thing in my life right now is . . .”
3
“The thing I’m most proud of is . . .”
4
“The thing I’m most grateful for is . . .”
5
“The thing I most want to accomplish in life is . . .”
“When you let yourself have a true connection with another man, a deep part of you wakes up and comes online,” says Dan Doty. “It’s a ‘holy shit’ moment that gives an opportunity for your compassion and humanity to shine through.”
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ing Class III rapids on the Gallatin River— an activity that pushed us to communicate and work as a unit—the entire group is gathered in the living room, where a large fire crackles in the corner. Tomorrow we go into the woods. Dan speaks. “This circle is gonna close out the first phase of the trip and prepare us for Phase 2. I’m feeling the love and the presence of every man in here. Let’s share our work statements.” One by one, we share the sentence we need most right now. The thing that will serve as our compass while in the woods. “I honor my needs.” “I feel loved.” “I’m sad, afraid, and angry.” “I need to let go.” “I have feelings.” “Turn down the heat.” “I’m proud of myself.” “I go toward the fear.” Mine is “Don’t try.” The words float into the center of the room and break open in front of everyone.
IN THE WOODS, there are burned trees next to new ones. There are distant mountains. Patches of snow. Grizzly bear tracks. One day I count 37 mosquito bites on my arms and back. Conversations are overheard, joined, then abandoned. “The best porn is when the girl actually gets off and has a crazy orgasm, right? Or when two girls use the same dildo at the same time?” “Shitting in the woods is complicated. You have to start making moves when you’re at a six or a seven on the ten scale. You really gotta plan your shits out here.” What do you expect? We’re guys. But the chitchat about sex and shitting is tempered with real talk. We ask questions. We learn about one another. Luke, a business-systems consultant, lost his wife to breast cancer; now he has a son to raise on his own. Cody, a former Coast Guard rescue swimmer, lost a little girl to the water. He got her out but she died the next day. A man from Manhattan and a man from rural Ohio talk about transgender rights. A group of us reevaluate our past sexual behavior and how we treated women. Some guys have clear consciences. Others do not. Every evening, we sit around the fire and watch the flames lick the wood. We sleep under the stars, talking to each other like kids at a sleepover. Every morning, we piss in the woods, pack up camp, eat breakfast, and start walking.
family members are not aware of. I know what scares them. I know what excites them. I know what keeps them up at night and what keeps them going the next day. They know me better than some of my best friends. I trust them all implicitly. We’ve been together for less than a week. As the sun starts to set behind the mountain, Aaron, the former Green Beret, speaks. “Guys, sometimes I feel like I’m running on one cylinder. But right now, we’re a well-oiled machine. We’re running on all cylinders. We created this engine. So let’s harness all the power, love, acceptance, and gratitude we’ve experienced and let’s take it back into the world. Let’s take this love back into our relationships, into our jobs, into the strangers we meet on the street, and into our communities. Let’s make this world a better place.” Forming a bond even with someone you have just met can be a life-changing experience.
IT’S DAY 4 of the re-
treat and Andrew from Alaska is sitting on a log, crying intensely. I walk over to him and put my hand on his shoulder. We sit together. “I’m not ready to be a father,” he says in between sobs. Andrew tells me that he and his wife are adopting her sister’s kids. Their father died and their mother is not in a position to take care of them. They need a family. They need a dad. It’s the right thing to do. And so they’re living with Andrew. “I’m so scared I’m going to fuck them up,” he says. He’s crying so hard he’s shaking. The violence surprises him. “What’s happening?” he says. “I need to lie down.” I help him to the ground. He’s shaking so much he can’t control it. A few other guys come over. One bends down and grabs Andrew’s ankles. Another touches his arm. Dan walks over, bends down, and puts his hand directly on Andrew’s chest, palm open. He speaks in a quiet but firm voice. “You’ve been holding this shit in for so long, Andrew. Let yourself feel it. We’re right here.” Andrew lets out a small yelp. His face is wet with tears. I look at the faces of the other men around me, their eyes soft and watery. We sit there and let Andrew cry. I feel a deep sense of what I can only describe as love wash over me, flooding every part of my body. After a few moments, Andrew starts to get his bearings. “Thank you,” he says. “Thank you.” His crying turns to soft laughter. “Holy shit,” he says under his breath. “Holy shit.”
Later, on the trail, I catch up with Dan to ask him what happened. “Andrew’s been wound so tight, but being out here in nature with us opened him up,” he says. “He’s likely never allowed himself to feel that deeply.” I look behind us. Andrew is walking up the trail, smiling and looking off into the distance, his arms swinging freely. Like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
O
U R L A S T N I G H T in the
woods. Around the fire, Dan asks us if we know what a drip torch is. “A drip torch is a handheld fuel tank with a long spout, filled with a mixture of 30 percent gasoline and 7o percent diesel,” he says. “Wildland firefighters use drip torches to ignite prescribed burns. They walk around and drip flaming liquid on the ground to start fires on purpose.” These small fires have two objectives, Dan explains. They influence the behavior of larger, more destructive fires and stop them from burning everything. And they remove excess debris, renew the ground, and start a new phase of natural growth in an ecosystem. Sometimes the best thing you can do— for yourself, for the people you love, for the world—is to walk around and start your own fires. To talk about how you feel, express your emotions. Sure, it takes courage. But if you let it do its work, the fire will help you grow. We stand and gather into a circle, our arms around each other. Over the past few days, I’ve learned some things about these guys that their closest friends and
THE DAY I GET OUT of the woods, my girlfriend of ten years breaks up with me. I barely have time to put down my backpack. I did not see this coming. We sit on the couch and talk for three hours. She tells me that for the past year she’s felt like she’s had one foot in and one foot out of the relationship. I tell her I have so much love and respect for her. I tell her I support her completely. I tell her that we’ll both be fine. It’s the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. Then she’s out the door to stay with a friend for the night. She will later tell me that that conversation was the most open and connected she’d ever felt with me. She’ll tell me that a wall came down. That there was no ego. That she felt like I really saw her. A couple hours later, I get a text from Charlie, one of the guys from the Evryman retreat. He tells me he’s taking an extra week off before he heads back home. He’s going to drive through my town and wants to know if I want to hang out. I tell him what happened. About my relationship. About everything. He responds immediately: “I’m sorry, man. But I’m pumped for you. Take care of yourself for the night. I’ll be there tomorrow.” I turn off my phone, sit on the couch, and do what Dan taught me: I check in with myself. I close my eyes and breathe deeply. I allow myself to feel my emotions fully. I allow life to move through me. The tremors come. The tears flow and I can taste the salt in my open, smiling mouth. NATE GREEN writes about health and fitness. His website is nategreen.org. MEN’S HEALTH
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BEAN
THE MAGIC
COFFEE is man’s original
performance-enhancing drug, and new research is proving how it can sharpen your mind, power your workouts, and toughen up your disease defenses. Make every cup count with this step-by-step, bean-to-brew guide.
BY
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Scarlett Wrench
WHY DRINK COFFEE? Staving of sleep is the least of its abilities.
Bowel Bolstering Though more research is needed to prove an effect in humans, rodent studies show that a key coffee compound, chlorogenic acid, may act as an antiinflammatory in those with a certain bowel disease.
Easy Energy Caffeine is an alkaloid in the same class of compounds as nicotine and cocaine; it works on your neuroreceptors to block relaxing adenosine. Quite unlike the other two, however, every weekly cup also reduces your risk of heart failure by about 7 percent compared with those who don’t drink coffee, according to research in the journal Circulation.
Fast Focus Drinking a cup of coffee before participating in a group activity helped individuals feel like they worked together better as a team, says a 2018 study conducted at UC Davis. The participants attributed the results to increased alertness.
Diabetes Protection Research shows that people who drink coffee also have less risk of type 2 diabetes than those who abstain from the drink, cites a 2017 review. Even decaffeinated coffee may produce the effect. Findings suggest that the polyphenols (a source of disease-fighting antioxidants) in coffee may play a role.
Heart Health Coffee likely won’t raise your risk of cardiovascular diseases, and compounds in coffee may ease blood pressure, found a 2017 review in Planta Medica. There’s also some indication that coffee might improve your blood flow, according to an American and Swedish review.
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MAP YOUR TASTES
02
South America
Southeast Asia
Nutty, sweet, chocolaty “This is the powerhouse of the coffee world,” says Langdon, and the blends are consistently good. Brazil has a very high yield, producing about a third of the world’s coffee. Brazilian beans tend to offer a sweeter, heavier base due to natural processing methods, while Colombian coffees have a little more acidity. “If you’re a regular drinker, you’ve almost certainly tried a Brazilian-Colombian blend,” Langdon says. In short, beans from these locations are your fail-safes. Good for: Fans of rich flavors.
Musky, earthy, smoky “Asian coffees are divisive, but I’m a fan,” says Langdon. The quicker processing method—the beans are often transported before they’re fully dry— means their flavor stands apart: “It’s heavy-bodied and soil-y. There’s cedar, there’s tobacco; it’s kind of funky.” While most coffee beans are a pale green when raw, Asian beans are closer to a jade blue. “They’re robust, so slightly better suited to espresso than filter coffee.” Good for: Lovers of strong tastes.
03
East Africa Citrusy, floral, aromatic Be it in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, or Rwanda, this part of the continent produces some world-class blends. The coffee is grown at high altitudes and has a more complex flavor. “Kenyan coffees can have a very high acidity, almost lemony,” says Langdon. “Ethiopia is kind of a wild card, an outlier.” The beans aren’t very uniform in size, making an even roast harder to obtain. But in the hands of a pro? “The complexity of the cup is phenomenal: floral, almost tealike.” Good for: Aficionados.
DECODE THE BEAN BAG Now that you know your preferred cofee region, zero in on the best beans by deciphering label lingo.
ALTITUDE
WASHING
SEASON
In cofee terms, “highaltitude” tends to apply to anything grown above 4,500 feet. The beans mature slowly due to the lack of oxygen, developing a more vibrant lavor than earthier low-altitude beans, explains Langdon.
The term refers to stripping the fruit of the bean and then fermenting to remove excess sugar. This results in a brighter and fresher taste. In “natural” processing, the fruit is left on to ferment, and the bean absorbs some of its lavor.
Just like any other fruit, coffees from diferent regions come in and out of season and are at their best lavor when the time is right. Not all bags will display a harvest date, but high-quality ones often do.
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Previous page: Louisa Parry (coffee bean)
The irst step to a better cup is knowing what you like. Sam Langdon, head of cofee at Caravan Cofee Roasters in London, gives you a tour of the cofee belt.
ASSEMBLE YOUR GEAR
04
You don’t need a $3K all-in-one machine to make an excellent cup at home. Just match your level of cofee geekery to the tools you require. THE GRINDER
THE BREWER
I JUST WANT CAFFEINE
If you have a spice grinder, clean it out and use that. It won’t lend to lavor extraction as much as other options, but it’ll do. Cuisinart has a trusty Spice & Nut Grinder ($40; williams-sonoma.com).
The Ninja Cofee Brewer ($100; ninjakitchen.com) isn’t fancy, but that’s exactly the point: It’s all you need and nothing more. Our tests have shown that it can take a beating and keep on dripping.
FLAVOR IS NICE
Upgrade to a burr grinder, which pulverizes beans to a more uniform powder that results in a more even-tasting cup. Baratza makes great ones. The $139 Encore model (baratza .com) is a good start.
The Six Cup Classic Chemex is an old standby for pour-over fans. You have to buy a rig ($44; chemexcofeemaker.com) and special ilters ($10 for 100), but the system produces a smooth-as-silk cup.
I’M PICKY
You’ll want to hand-grind. Manual options ofer the most control over the ineness of your grounds. The Hario Ceramic Cofee Mill “Skerton” is $40. Bonus: You sneak in an arm workout.
It looks like a Breaking Bad prop, but the $70 (on Amazon) Hario “Technica” Syphon Cofee Maker (left) vacuum-pulls cofee from grounds, yielding a luscious, luxurious drink.
05 BREW AN INCREDIBLE CUP When industry experts want to test the measure of a new brew, they use a method called “cupping.” This process generates the purest flavor of the cofee— and it also makes a pretty damn good cup if you have the time.
Andrea Manzati (illustrations), SAM KAPLAN (coffee)
1 2 3
Imprecision won’t do: Ideally, you want a digital scale accurate
to 0.1g. Weigh out 11g of beans and grind them to the coarseness of filter coffee. Preground works, too, if you’re just practicing. Pour 180ml of water—just below boiling—on top of the grounds.
This coffee-to-water ratio isn’t too strong, so it’s ideal for assessing the flavors. Steep for four minutes and then stir three times. Breaking the surface of the liquid will release more aromas. Skim any foam off the top, as this can taste fairly bitter. Allow the
coffee to cool to drinking temperature. Enjoy the brew as is, or slurp it with a spoon, though preferably not in public.
TAKE THIS ADVICE WITH YOU
06 THE P ODS, PEOPLE Yes, they’re wasteful. No, the cofee they make isn’t that great. But they’re convenient—and sometimes all you have. Because pod cofee is better than no coffee, we ranked the most popular K-Cup flavors. HEY, THAT’S NOT BAD!
• NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS SPECIAL BLEND • TULLY’S COFFEE HAWAIIAN BLEND • EMERIL’S BIG EASY BOLD • THE ORIGINAL DONUT SHOP COFFEE • GREEN MOUNTAIN DARK MAGIC • FOLGERS BLACK SILK AM I DRINKING MOTOR OIL?
Smart companies have created better-tasting stir-and-drink instant options for your portable coffee mug. We like anything from the brands Voilà and Swift Cup Coffee. MEN’S HEALTH
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WHAT’S YOUR FITNESS AGE? PHOTOGRAPHS BY
BY
ANDREW HETHERINGTON
MICHAEL EASTER
That’s right: “itness age,” which researchers believe can be course, on how you exercise. Here’s how to calculate how old 94
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a lot higher or lower than your actual age—depending, of you really are and how you can stay stronger, longer.
It’s
the garage loor gasping, I ask myself: Why do I exercise so hard, and so often, at age 32? Is all this manic exercise worth it? And if it isn’t, then what does training for more, better years look like? Thanks to research, we know that a person’s heart can have a diferent age from that of, say, his kidneys or his brain, which is to say diferent organs within a single human body can show varying degrees of stress and strain. (Which, if you think about it, is really all age is: a manifestation of how much stress or strain your body has endured and exhibits.) But we also know that for the average guy—let’s call him “you”—lung health and mental speed peak around your mid-20s. Beginning at age 30, I began training like this, ive hard hours a your muscle strength and size start decreasing by about 3 to 8 percent per week, nearly two decades ago. Roughly 4,500 decade, and cardiovascular endurance dies of by about 1 percent a year. By hours of my life have been spent in a state of 40, you’re slower on your feet. Once you hit 50, your brain is shrinking and exercise-induced discomfort, and I’m not bones are softening. From 60 on, it’s Murphy’s Law: What can go wrong will always sure why. Men have a lot of reasons go wrong, all aches and pains and doctor visits. Then you hit age 76 and, if for working out. Vanity and performance are you’re like the average American male, you die. the big ones. But I quit giving a damn about Theories on why this happens abound: Your telomeres, caps on the ends my abs after I got married, and I really don’t of your DNA, shorten and prevent your cells from dividing; free radicals care who I can beat in a pushup competition cause your cells to accumulate damage; your endocrine system loses its or organized footrace. The most recent line ability to regulate hormones; and so on. Yet I couldn’t tell you the length of I’ve fed myself is that all this time sweating my telomeres, or what free radicals have done to my body, or the eiciency of is good for my health. It’s going to give me my endocrine system. The shit’s too abstract for anyone not in a lab coat. more, better years on earth. But as I lie on There might be a more basic answer. The National Institutes of Health recently bet $170 million on a program called Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity in Humans. Researchers from around the country will collaborate in a consortium within the program, known as MoTrPAC. The goal: to better understand the health beneits of A glimpse into the ways that getting (and staying) fit can help you exercise at the molecular level. These beat back the aging process—and even death. researchers will investigate the biologyI F YO U ’ R E F I T, YO U ’ R E . . . altering phenomena that may not only slow your aging clock but even turn it back, helping you feel and perform as if you were decades younger than what’s on your birth certiicate. Scientists have a name for it: itness age. And its primary LESS LIKELY LESS LIKELY LESS LIKELY LESS LIKELY metric is something even a meathead TO T O DIE OF TO T O GET can and does quantify: itness. “Exercise DEVELOP DIE CARDIOLUNG DISEASE is medicine. We know that when you DEMENTIA (WHICH KILLS OF VA S C U L A R 7 P E R C E N T O F exercise, your muscle produces beneiCANCER DISEASE AMERICANS) cial compounds that circulate and com-
THE ULTIMATE DE-AGER
44% 46% 36% 37%
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Prop styling: Bette Adams for Mary Howard Studio, grooming: Cindy Adams for Halley Resources, shirts by Aether, shorts by Rhone, shoes by Reebok
It’s 100 degrees in my Las Vegas garage gym as I crank through another round of squats and all-out air-bike intervals, trying to block out the creeping pain in my legs, lungs, and—well, hell—everywhere else. Just keep moving, I tell myself. Faster, faster. When the reps are done, I’m destroyed: I hit the hot concrete floor and begin hyperventilating and punching my legs to flush the pain. My German shorthaired pointer tilts his head and gives me a baffled look that crosses mammalian distinctions. “Dude, what are you doing?”
Spencer Lowell
municate with the liver, bone, heart, brain, and more,” says Scott Trappe, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University, who leads one of the 23 research sites involved in MoTrPAC. And so a few months ago I set out to ind my true itness age, working closely with Doug Kechijian, D.P.T., cofounder and owner of Resilient Performance Systems in New York City, and Michael Fredericson, M.D., professor and director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation division at Stanford University, to invent a itness-age formula that would incorporate all diferent kinds of metrics. Would I be younger or older than the 33 candles on my next birthday cake? Have those 4,500 hours of itness-related discomfort all been for nothing?
DISCOMFORT IS SOMETHING that Ulrik Wisløf, Ph.D., knows intimately. He is a professor of exercise physiology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and his specialty is cardiac itness, speciically VO2 max, which measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise. Wisløf, 50, has measured the VO2 max of 5,000 Norwegians, and his research has made him skeptical of time: Tell him about your habits and he’ll tell you why your birth certiicate is bullshit. In 2006, he coined the term “itness age” and created the itness-age calculator. Go to worlditnesslevel.org, plug in some info—age, waistline, resting pulse, how hard and often you exercise—and his algorithm spits back your itness age, which, he claims, is your true age. “So you could be 50, but if you have the itness age of a 30-year-old person, you are really 30 years old,” he says. The reverse is true, too. Wisløf’s algorithm estimates your number by comparing your age, heart rate, and activity level with the data he’s collected. If the calculator tells you your itness age is, say, 40, it means you have the VO2 max of the average 40-year-old. His papers have been cited more than 20,000 times (most exercise studies are lucky to be cited twice), and Garmin now incorporates itness age into its activity metrics. The calculator has a legit health utility: “VO2 max has been shown to be the single best predictor of current and future health,” says Wisløf. The American Heart Association agrees. It also says that cardiorespiratory itness forecasts impending death better than established risk factors like smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. The higher your VO2 max, the bigger your dose of age-bending medicine, Wisløf explains. The point at which you optimize health by exercise and signiicantly drop your itness age is when you are able to generate 10 to 12 metabolic equivalents of tasks, commonly known as METs. Based on oxygen consumption, METs are a measure of exercise intensity. Sleeping is one MET. Walking 4 miles per hour earns you ive METs. Running about 8 miles per hour or cycling 16 miles per hour scores 12 METs. Building the itness to hit 12 METs is where it gets tricky. Wisløf found that standard aerobic-exercise advice—150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 of vigorous activity weekly—is lawed. Forget that only half of Americans meet the aerobic-activity recommendations. He says that even if you do exercise “enough,” the exercise you are doing may be insuicient to make you truly it. “The problem is these numbers don’t account for intensity and don’t relect how your body responds to a certain activity,” Wisløf says. If you’re not challenging yourself, building an ability to hit or exceed 12 METs, you’re not optimally protected against disease. This notion led Wisløf to study the impact of high-intensity interval training. His research indicates that intervals are ideal for spiking your
VO2 max is often measured with a mask that tracks oxygen uptake. It’s considered the gold standard for determining fitness age.
VO2 max and challenging your heart, which in turn adapts by increasing the amount of blood each beat pumps, boosting oxygen delivery. Wisløf created the calculator because, like telomere length, VO2 max is a igurative and literal pain to measure directly—a fact I would learn for myself. To put his theory to the test, I head to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. I enter the physicaleducation complex, a 140,000-square-foot cold-war-era research compound just a mile from the casinos of the Strip. Ph.D. student Nathaniel Bodell is waiting for me in the exercise-physiology lab. He stoops over a computer that’s lanked by treadmills, erg bikes, and squat racks. After making small talk, he straps a mask onto my face, has me stand on a treadmill, and punches a few buttons that initiate a VO2-max test. The belt kicks. I start stepping. “Just so you know,” says Bodell, “this won’t be the most comfortable thing you do today.” The irst four minutes of running are easy—slowly ramping from a lat 2 to 5 miles per hour—but soon I’m running 7.5 miles per hour and Bodell is increasing the incline. The mask clamped to my face is calculating how many oxygen molecules I breathe in and out. The fewer oxygen molecules I breathe out relative to those I breathe in, the better my body is at shuttling oxygen from my lungs to blood to working muscles. Bodell increases the incline by 2 percent every minute or so, making the test progressively more diicult. The longer I run before tapping out, the higher my VO2 max and, according to stacks of medical MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
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literature, the further I am from the most popular ways American men die. The treadmill has been spinning for 15 minutes, and I’m running 7.5 miles per hour at a 12 percent incline. I tap out. Bodell cuts the speed, then walks to his computer to analyze my numbers as I remove my mask and heave for air. “Uh, are you a runner?” asks Bodell. “I trail run a day or two a week and can hold a sub-seven-minute-per-mile pace.” “It shows,” he says. I register a 64.9, and I can hit 19 METs. According to Wisløf’s itness-age protocol, my itness level is aligned with someone under 20 years old. Maybe those thrice-weekly HIIT workouts are really worth it. Wisløff’s idea for deriving fitness age—stratifying a person’s “true” age based on cardiac capability—is intriguing, but I can’t help thinking there are other variables that have to be factored in. Look at serious endurance athletes. Sure, their VO2 max is off the charts, but they look like they’re on the tail end of a hunger strike, and they’re weak as heck. Some researchers disagree with Wisløff and think he’s overemphasizing VO2 max. Many experts I spoke with—people who study other fitness markers and work with average guys day in and day out—argue there’s more to understanding the aging process than what you can find out from a treadmill run. That the most important data requires no complicated masks or lab software—just old-school iron and a little grit.
“MUSCLE IS KING,” says Andy Galpin, Ph.D., a muscle researcher at California State University, Fullerton. “It causes, controls, and regulates your ability to move. If you lose muscle quality and can’t move, everything else fails quickly.” Healthy muscle controls blood-sugar levels and mitigates overinlammation, which is implicated in pretty much all the diseases that’ll kill you. Powerful muscles may be just as important as a powerful heart regarding mortality: Swedish researchers found that the strongest among a group of men of all ages were the least likely to die over two decades compared with those with the least muscular strength. And in creating a formula to calculate my itness age, Kechijian and Dr. Fredericson insisted that I test my strength in four key areas. First up: a trap bar (a barbell shaped like a hexagon with two handles). I step inside 98
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
BUILDING MUSCLE BECOMES HARDER WITH TIME. BUT EVEN 70-YEAR-OLDS WHO LIFTED THREE TIMES A WEEK FOR 12 WEEKS IMPROVED THEIR STRENGTH AND MUSCLE MASS. the bar, which weighs 170 pounds (also known as my body weight), grab its handles, then stand, lifting the weight. I walk with it 100 feet across the loor. This task, a deadlift to farmer’s carry, tests three qualities: handgrip, lower-body strength, and the ability to carry weight over ground. Men with the strongest handgrip and greatest muscular strength reduced their risk of death by 31 and 14 percent, respectively, according to a recent review. Next I go for 300 pounds, 1.75 times my body weight, an optimal metric for health. I stand inside the trap bar, grip it, rip it—and it rises. I stroll the 100 feet. Pass. On to strength test two: pushups. The classic exercise tests whether you’re strong for your body weight. Further evidence that relative strength is linked to mortality is revealed by the obesity paradox: Obese people are more at risk of various ailments, like heart disease. But unit, obese men with heart disease had a lower 13-year mortality risk compared with their normal-weight counterparts, according to a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. One possible reason: Obese people tend to have more muscle and strength, due to carrying their own weight. Build adequate strength without the fat and you’ll likely avoid disease and be in better shape to beat it if you get it. I drop to the ground and crank out my reps, reaching 40, which is 12 more than the target number for optimal aging for guys in their 30s, according to Dr. Fredericson, citing recommendations from the Mayo Clinic. Time also changes the very composition of your muscles, which comprise an array of iber types. At the most basic level you have Type I and Type II ibers, and hybrids of the two. Pure Type I ibers drive slower, everyday movements, while pure Type IIs power explosive movements. Time plus inactivity shifts the balance to Type I ibers, one reason older people tend to move more slowly. The smaller your Type II ibers, the seemingly older your muscle. Doing only VO2-max-enhancing activities—cycling and running— tips the balance no matter your age to Type I ibers. The worst exercise approach is doing nothing, but you’re massively compromising your health if you’re doing only cardio. Consider the indings of a study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. The researchers compared two identical twins, men with the exact same DNA but 30 years of diferent exercise habits; one was not a regular exerciser and the other was an endurance athlete. As you’d expect, the endurance twin had a healthier cardiovascular system—better blood pressure and lipid panels, higher VO2 max. “But he had no better strength or muscle quality,” says Galpin, who led the study. He actually had far more Type I muscle ibers than his sedentary twin. The lesson: Chasing one form of exercise at the expense of all others improves some health metrics, but it weakens other critical links in the aging chain. For test three, I grab a jump rope, which I’ll use to assess my Type II ibers. I begin skipping rope, bouncing of both feet, then transition to jumping on only my right. “1, 2, 3, 4 . . .”
I CALL KELLY STARRETT —a physical therapist and mobility guru who works with people ranging from Navy SEALs to elite athletes to Silicon Valley CEOs—and ask him what I’m still missing. “So many people chase ininite cardio or strength capacity,” he says. “You need just as much movement capacity. Many people go months without taking their joints through a full range of motion.” That not only sets you up for disaster in the long run, but it also makes you more likely to experience aches, pain, and injury each workout. Starrett suggests a inal test in my aging assessment, an overhead squat with a broomstick. How hard could it be? Forget strength and cardio. This test challenges total-body mobility, which many experts believe could be a key to preventing age-related degradation. Populations in Asia and the Middle East who do many activities in the squatting position, for example, 100 December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
CHECK YOUR FITNESS AGE Do this six-step workout to assess whether you’re younger or older than your calendar age. TOTAL STRENGTH
VO2 MAX/CARDIO
DIRECTIONS:
Take the irst ive tests, noting the ages associated with your results. Add those ages and divide by 5, then add your mobility test score to ind your itness age. Not happy with the results? Spend extra time each week training in the areas in which you struggled most.
TEST RESULT
FITNESS AGE
1)
2)
ONE-MILE RUN
TRAP-BAR DEADLIFT AND FARMER’S WALK
Your quest to know your itness age starts with VO2 max, but who has time for the complicated test our writer took? Not you, so here’s a simpler test to measure your oxygen uptake: Crush a one-mile run. Do this outdoors, if possible.
Now measure your overall strength and your grip strength. Stand inside a loaded trap bar, grab its handles, and lift. Walk 100 feet without dropping the bar. Don’t have a trap bar? Use heavy dumbbells or kettlebells.
TIME
% BODY WEIGHT CARRIED
<7:20 <7:40 <8:00 <8:40 >8:40
175% 150% 125% 100% <100%
25
35
45
55
65
25
35
45
55
65
see little to no hip and lower-back diseases. In the U. S., the number of hip and back surgeries performed continues to increase each year. I stand with my feet under my shoulders, raise the stick overhead, push my hips back, and begin to descend. My goal is to lower into a full squat, feet lat on the loor. Things go smoothly until I hit parallel; I can’t go deeper without peeling my heels from the ground or tipping my torso and arms forward. This is old-man movement, but it’s not uncommon among guys my age, even those who work out. Starrett says that’s because we see the gym as a great place to build strength and capacity, but we don’t care to just move. That’s a mistake. Research in the Journal of Evolution and Health suggests movement creates both localized and whole-body changes. Furthermore, moving through full ranges of natural motion—for example, a full squat with your arms overhead—may jump-start dormant cells that ight aging. The data suggests that people who move in a variety of ways have signiicantly longer telomeres than less active people. Your movement capacity is only as old as you’ve made it, says Katy Bowman, a physical therapist, biomechanist, and author of Move Your DNA. Kids have full command of their joints and can easily squat, lunge, lift overhead, and more. But mobility is a use-it-or-lose-it proposition. Those kids eventually sit at school desks, then join average Americans at work, sitting roughly six to eight hours a day, according to the CDC. When adults do move, it’s typically through a few repetitive motions, like walking and getting in and out of a chair, says Bowman. A standard workout of cycling, running, some bench-pressing, and curls is beneicial,
+ISM (illustrations)
This tests my coordination, too. Falls kill roughly 33,000 Americans a year. “Let’s say you trip,” says Kechijian. “Your ability to recover has little to do with balance and everything to do with your ability to quickly shoot your foot or arms out to stabilize yourself.” That’s all coordination and Type II ibers. “. . . 48, 49, 50.” I hit 50 skips on my right foot, then repeat on my left, optimal numbers for each side. Strength is varied, though, and we need to measure more. The inal strength test is the Turkish getup, which focuses on my movement and ability to rise from the ground. People who were unable to get up using only their legs were ive times more likely to die over a six-year period, according to a study in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. I grab a 24-kilo kettlebell and lie on my back, bell overhead. The task: get up while keeping the bell overhead. I ace it. Not everyone can. “No matter your age, you want to build a reserve of strength and muscle,” says Trappe, the Ball State researcher. That becomes harder with time, but his research discovered that even 70-year-olds who lifted three times a week for 12 weeks improved their strength and muscle mass. The men who stopped lifting saw strength drop quickly, while the ones who kept up a once-aweek routine maintained their gains. My itness age is starting to come into focus. I’m deinitely younger than my 32 years. I have the VO2 max of a 20-year-old, and I overachieved on all my lifts. Except my back screams otherwise.
THE MINDS: Doug Kechijian, D.P.T., cofounder and owner of Resilient Performance Systems in New York City; Michael Fredericson, M.D., director of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation division at Stanford University.
RELATIVE STRENGTH
FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH
3)
4)
COORDINATION
MOBILITY
5)
6)
PUSHUPS
TURKISH GETUP
SINGLE-LEG JUMP ROPE
OVERHEAD SQUAT
Total strength is one thing, but how well can you manage your body weight? Find out by iring of as many pushups as you can. Note: Your body must remain straight and your chest must touch the loor on each rep.
You have to be able to get up from the ground. Lie with your back on the ground and a kettlebell in your dominant hand, then hoist it overhead. Your challenge: Reach a standing position while keeping the kettlebell overhead at all times.
Fit people have coordination, which can’t be trained with running and biceps curls. Grab a jump rope and do a couple skips to warm up. Then do as many consecutive single-leg skips as you can. Repeat on your other leg. Your lowest number is your inal score.
The inal piece is often the most forgotten. Grab a broomstick and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed at a slight angle. Hold the stick directly overhead. To pass, squat to parallel while keeping your arms straight and your feet planted, not leaning your torso forward.
TOTAL REPS
MAX WEIGHT (KG)
CONSECUTIVE SKIPS
REACH PARALLEL
28
21
16
12
11
24
20
16
12
0
50
45
35
25
10
Yes
No
25
35
45
55
65
25
35
45
55
65
25
35
45
55
65
-1
+3
yes, but we aren’t moving enough or with enough variety to slow the loss of movement, says Bowman, or avoid injury, says Starrett. That’s my problem. My cardio engine is huge at the expense of mobility. Movement is my weak link, the “oldest” part of my itness. My lack of complete movement may have caused cellular maladaptations, making me more likely to have shorter telomeres, according to a study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Cellular maladaptations? Yikes, I need to start doing signiicantly more mobility training.
THROUGH ALL THE RESEARCH AND TESTING, I can’t help thinking of something Starrett told me. “There is no more of a complex system than a human being,” he said. “So many factors can predict health and longevity. We should move away from trying to choose a single silver bullet.” Believing you have that silver bullet can cause you to miss the target on overall health. “I think we need to step back and challenge what we’re doing exercise for,” says Galpin. “What you really want for general longevity and wellness is to stimulate, challenge, and stress the body internally, in multiple ways. What you actually do to get there—your actual workout—it’s just noise.” After all the testing, I run the numbers laid out by the experts and discover my itness age is 28, even with subpar mobility. I’ve bought my body almost a half decade.
I still do five weekly workouts, but they’re different. Most are no longer an exercise in the art of suffering. Sure, I still occasionally push the intensity—it helps relieve stress. But it’s no longer a compulsion. All out all the time, I now understand, won’t give me as big a return on time and effort invested as I once thought. What will? I’ve traded a running session for a workout in which I forget the numbers on the stopwatch and barbell and focus entirely on improving my mobility. I’ll even count a long walk through the desert with my dog as a workout, a moving meditation that improves my health, my mind, and the quality of my years. Has my itness slipped? Doubtful. Push me and I can do all the things I could before. But those hip and back pains that used to come alongside the doing? They’re long gone. MICHAEL EASTER is a health and fitness writer and a visiting lecturer at UNLV. MEN’S HEALTH
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A. (where he was
giving Aquaman a big wet punch in the face. Moving swiftly from one achievement to another is sort of Abdul-Mateen’s thing.
belt. He wanted to wear the suit; he didn’t want the suit to wear him. He and his trainer, Stuart Walton, spent two-plus months at the gym, doing workouts that sound slightly ludicrous. “You know, like 100 reps of something, weights stacked up to my chest,” he says.
painfully aware of the challenges of
that it was 20 pounds.” (Warner Bros. conirms it was 70 pounds.) AbdulMateen has always been physical— the actor shaved an inch of his waist
“That suit is no joke,” he says. “I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say it was
EFFORT
PHYSICAL
THE
THE HOLLYWOODIFICATION OF
he keep it up now that he’s moved on to the next project? “Absolutely not, no way.” But the beauty in working out like crazy for this movie is that he now has a gym regimen for whatever comes next.
103
for men (which includes a face wash and a shine-control moisturizer) and emphasized that after you’ve washed, exfoliated, and moisturized, you’re not done: Next, use sunscreen. “Every time you shave, you’re taking a little layer of your skin of and exposing it to the elements. You need
.”
to protect it.” Her favorite is Glossier’s Invisible Shield Daily Sunscreen (which can, mercifully, be ordered online). That said, she sends Abdul-Mateen into the lion’s den to stock up on essentials. “I go to Sephora now,” he laughs. “I make sure that I have my proper serum, moisturizer, and cleanser, that I’m changing my brushes in my Clarisonic. It’s nice to have the resources to be able to take care of yourself.” Abdul-Mateen has also taken to juicing. No, not the sort that gets you banned from baseball. He’s literally making fresh juices for himself at home. The same kid who would rib his older brother for demanding fresh vegetables after coming home from college (“I thought he was just being a snob”) now swears by beet, carrot, and orange juices and, of course, kale. Sugar—speciically the kind found in a certain orange-and-green O-shaped cereal—is verboten. When your job, and your ability to succeed, is tied to the way your body looks and feels, these types of shifts can be life-changing. “I love Apple Jacks,” he says. “They send me over the edge. Once I start eating Apple Jacks, I start to crave sugar, and next thing you know, my bills are late and I don’t know my lines and I’m late to set.”
LILI GÖKSENIN has written for GQ Style and Vogue.
helmed Watchmen series for HBO, collecting entries on his IMDb page like stamps. The opportunities are emanating from his eforts—moves that separate superstars from onehit wonders. Of course, raw talent helps, too. This is a man who left architecture for acting on a whim and made it work. Yet he still thinks of himself as striving toward the big time. “I still hang my hat on that irst job,” he says. He’s crossed “superhero movie” of the lifelong to-do list, so now what? “Best Actor” has a nice ring to it.
HE’S RIDING the Aquaman wave into three more projects, including the Damon Lindelof–
t a ke Ya h y a A b d u l - M a t e e n I I n ex t ?
the skin care, the style moves—
some help?), but for now, his instincts are serving him well. He’s spent enough time on his body that he might as well show the damn thing of: “I’ll rock whatever complements my waist, long legs, and broad shoulders.”
W h e r e w i l l t h e w o r k —the physical regimen,
He has even pulled of a wide-brimmed Borsalino hat. “My style is classy with a little bit of left turn,” he muses. It’s notable that, like many of the stars we ind most stylish (Jonah Hill, for example), Abdul-Mateen isn’t working with a stylist. He’s building and evolving his look on his own. He hasn’t ruled out the possibility of
superstardom: getting his style nailed down. All the greats have something
THE LAST STEP in a man’s journey to
THE PART
DRESSING
THE
SNOW STORM Falling.
Waiting. Hoping.
Nearly 18 million men are caring for a sick loved one right now. Here’s how one of them survived the slippery terrain of a partner’s illness.
BY A L E X B E LT H
I L LU ST R AT I O N S BY FA B I O C O N S O L I
104 December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
WITH A STORM IN THE FORECAST AND SNOW already falling,my wife, Emily, arranges to leave early from her job at the hospital. I’m home cooking when she calls to report the roads are in rough shape and so are her tires. “I can’t believe I waited so long to replace them,” she says. “My stomach is in knots,” and mine tightens too. I want to stay on the phone, hoping my voice will soothe her, knowing it won’t. Growing up, Em learned how to drive a tractor and a truck, and she knew how to change a tire before she got behind the wheel of a car. She is an excellent driver, which is good because I’m an excellent worrier. I go downstairs to see an inch of snow already covering the parking lot. Without a shovel of my own, I drag my boot through the snow trying to ind the diagonal yellow lines of our designated space. Then I make the mistake of calling back. “I’ve never felt so unsafe behind the wheel,” she says, and explains that her tires have lost their grip. “I’m going really slowly.” I could have guessed that. I nicknamed her Sparky a long time ago because she moves with such careful determination. I walk to the front of our apartment building and settle in, like a dog on a porch waiting for its owner. For my wife, a drive is never just a drive, because she struggles with a set of illnesses that are as frustrating and mystifying as they are debilitating. Which means, of course, that so do I. EM AND I went to a suburban high school together
an hour north of New York City, but we didn’t really meet until we were in our late 20s. It was a small school, so of course I knew who she was. She was one of the hot chicks—you don’t forget them—with full glossy lips, an upturned nose, and heavy-lidded stoner eyes. But she was only a pleasant, vague memory a decade later when we met with a group of mutual friends on Columbus Avenue one gray November afternoon. Em’s dark hair was slicked back into a bun and she wore a svelte black leather coat. When she shook my hand, she looked directly into my eyes and lashed that photogenic smile. The irmness of her 106 December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
grip came as a surprise from this ive-foot sprite— “ive and three quarters,” as she had it. Her laugh was genuine and easy, and I made her laugh right away. She worked as a unit secretary at the nurse’s station of an emergency room and was going to nursing school. One thing for sure: Nothing about her suggested that she was sick. Em was 22 and had just graduated from college when she developed Crohn’s, an incurable autoimmune disease. Five years and nine surgeries later, the illness consumed her life. At a time when most of her friends were getting their careers and families going, she became a professional patient, in and out of hospitals, preparing and recovering, forever going to specialists and surgeons who poked and prodded, cut her open and sewed her up again. The active disease was eliminated in an early operation when her large intestine was removed, but the scar tissue from subsequent surgeries presented its own complications. “I’m not sick,” Em will say matter-of-factly. “I just need to take a lot of naps.” Technically, that’s true. She’s in remission. But the afterefects made it clear that she wasn’t what she had been—an athlete who hardly ever got a cold as a kid, did chores around her dad’s farm, and once spent a couple weeks in a canoe down in the Florida Keys on an Outward Bound trip. Now, after getting ready for work, she’ll lie back down in her scrubs for additional rest before she leaves. There is no mercy at the dinner table. She has to eat often, noshing like a bird, but is restricted by what she can digest. Raw vegetables are out, but Em loves my salad dressing, so she’ll suck the dressing of a leaf of
lettuce. Finding a restaurant can be exasperating to us both; I get frustrated at how many places we can’t go, and she feels like a drag and gets delated, too. After eating, she’s careful to sit still while digesting because the scar tissue can lead to an “obstruction.” She’s endured a thousand small obstructions and half a dozen major ones that put her in the hospital, those dreaded visits always occurring in the middle of the night. I thought I knew what I was getting into when we started dating. Em told me about the Crohn’s, but it wasn’t until the irst time we made love that the reality set in. We were lying in bed in my apartment; Em stilled my hand as I started to unbutton her jeans, and prepared me for what was next. I had never seen an ileostomy bag before and, now confronted with it, secured just above Em’s right hip, my curiosity masked my shock. I made sure not to look disgusted, and in fact, I wasn’t. I asked questions about how it worked and how often she changed it—you know, the usual foreplay. Then we moved on to the fun stuf, unfettered. In our mid-30s, after we’d been together a few years, Em was diagnosed with chronic migraines and something called “convergence insuiciency,” which means her eyes don’t work in concert with each other, which you’d never guess because her eyes look perfectly normal. That’s because it’s actually a confounding neurological and spatial mishap—her vision is 20/20, but tracking anything on a page or a screen gives her a sinister headache. Em hasn’t been to a movie theater in more than a decade and has to limit use of her smartphone. She white-knuckles it through her shift at work, which, of course, involves looking at a computer screen—Em’s ailments knocked her out of nursing school after two years, but she continues to work part-time in the ER. At home, I do the shopping and cooking; she does the laundry and accounting. I feel helpful when I can pick up any slack on chores, like preparing her lunch, to save her even a nominal amount of energy. She hates that she can’t do everything herself but isn’t too proud to appreciate the help. On the occasions when Em isn’t able to join me at dinner with friends or at family gatherings, I ield a barrage of well-meaning inquiries about her health. I’ve learned to gloss over them with “She’s just resting”—because how would getting into the complicated truth really help?
A good night’s sleep is the diference between a great day and a lousy one, so I tiptoe around the apartment until she’s awake, quieting my chirpy nature. I know she’s restored when she emerges from the bedroom and says, “Here I are,” which is what she said as a little girl the irst time someone asked, “Where are you?” THAT ALMOST MAGICAL quiet that accompanies
a snowstorm has settled on the city and I’m chucking snowballs at a stop sign when Em calls again. She isn’t close enough, but she’s making progress, and all I can think is: I can’t protect my wife. EM CAN’T HAVE CHILDREN. She’s unable to con-
ceive, and beyond that, doesn’t have the stamina to be a parent—which rules out adoption. It was a potential deal-breaker, and we dated ive years before we got married, schlepping to couples therapy looking for answers. In time, she’ll feel better and change her mind, I thought, when actually it was me who had to accept that kids were not in our future. You wish for love, but when it arrives, you never know how it will look. Kids or not, I love Em because I can be myself with her. She’s devoted, unwaver-
Our back-andforth life, as it goes: In N.Y.C.’s Chinatown, 2002; resting after a trip to the ER on New Year’s Eve, 2010.
ing in her afection, forever cheerleading. I ind her Post-its throughout the apartment—in the fridge or the medicine cabinet: “Morning handsome! I love my life with you!” We look at each other with curiosity and amusement because we have such diferent interests—she’s into neuroscience, sharks’ teeth, and photosynthesis; I’m into cooking, Buster Keaton, and the Yankees. (I used to think that kind of stuf—having the same taste—mattered. It doesn’t.) MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018 107
Above all, I was attracted to her ighting spirit. There is something reassuring about being with someone who is not going to freak out in a crisis, and Em is unafraid when things get tough, which they always do. She doesn’t like being sick, of course, but understands the nature of living with sickness. Like fame or good looks, you’d best not make too much of these things. You learn how to deal. I’ve had to learn it, too. Since I wasn’t going to be a dad, I doubled down on other pleasures and even tried to lose myself in caregiving. But when Em isn’t available sexually, I get frustrated, even take it personally. I curse my self-absorption. Here’s my wife, living in constant discomfort, and all I can think about is getting my rocks of. But the disappointment is there, and we brood, the tension mounting, before we ight. Early in our relationship, we were quicker to argue. I once punched the bedroom light socket in a it of anger, but now our blowups are rare, and when I think I am going to do or say something I’ll regret, I excuse myself and take a walk around the neighborhood, to return only after I’ve cooled of. Mostly, I handle my anger by denying it. Em asks, “What’s wrong?” And I say, “Nothing,” but she knows it’s something because she can sense it even if I can’t articulate it. I think I should be over being mad, so I ignore it and compensate by being overly nice, the hostility lacquered beneath all the courtesy and good intention. At times, I’ve stopped exercising, eaten too much food, and smoked too much weed. I haven’t chased women, but I’ll catch the hypnotic way a girl’s ponytail swings back and forth as she jogs along, and part of me can’t help but feel heartbroken for Em, who can’t simply throw on a pair of shorts and go for a run like she used to. For years, I went to a men’s group run by a therapist I was seeing. In a room of ive or six guys ranging from their 20s to their 60s—married, single, divorced—I’d talk about what was going on in my marriage. The group sympathized with my struggles, and there were times when the sound of another man’s voice expressing compassion made me feel 108 December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
less alone. The guys challenged me not to feel sorry for myself. I might be denied certain adventures in my marriage, but who has it all? Life is disappointing, they reminded me; how you handle it is what’s important—in my case, having trust that in the long run I will get what I need, if not everything I want. THE SNOW IS WET and heavy when a plow inally
trudges by, spritzing salt in its wake, like rice at a wedding. Tom Petty was right, the waiting is the hardest part. Waiting for her next appointment, for a new medicine to kick in, for her to get well. Waiting for her to digest so we can make love, waiting for her vision to clear so we can binge-watch Netlix like a normal couple. Waiting to stop waiting. EM HAS BEEN relentless in her pursuit of getting well. She visits neurologists and surgeons at prestigious hospitals and of-the-grid holistic practitioners. Em’s gone to talk therapy, practiced yoga and meditation, explored acupuncture, tapping, and craniosacral therapy—no modality is too obscure. With each doctor, she hits a dead end where they pass her along to the next specialist. Privately, she feels like a failure, as if being ill means that she’s weak. “Do you think I will ever get better?” she asks, and I always say yes, because what else am I going to say? I need to believe it, too. THERE ARE SO MANY cars that look like hers that when I inally spot it, I’m not sure it isn’t a mirage. The car moves so slowly it seems to loat, but it’s her. Of course it is—steady, unhurried, safe. Sparky, my beautiful tortoise. Here I Are. She parks in the space I sort of cleared and looks drawn but relieved; it’s taken two hours to make the half-hour drive. Upstairs, Em changes into her pj’s and plops down on the couch. I put my right hand in the middle of her chest and she places her hands over mine. I used to think that because I was helpless to make her better I was also useless, but as she closes her eyes and presses my palm to her chest, taking in my warmth, I know that I am useful, like when I dice vegetables small enough for her to digest, or listen—really listen—to her without trying to solve or ix anything. She’s hungry, so I heat up a small bowl of the polenta I cooked earlier. What a night. She tells me how she worked her meditation programs in the car but found it hard to concentrate. “I don’t even want to tell you what was going through my mind,” she says. I tell her she doesn’t want to know what was going through mine. We agree to leave it at that.
Consider “That must be hard” to be an answer. “This is a generalization, but men tend to want to fix things,” Whiting says. “Women often just want someone to listen to them.” So “I’m sorry you’re going through that; tell me more about it” is a perfectly reasonable response when your partner starts talking about what’s wrong.
NAVIGATING SICKNESS AND HEALTH Of the roughly 44 million unpaid caregivers in the U. S., 40 percent are men. And when it’s your partner that you’re caring for, you’re not just dealing with an illness. You’re dealing with a changed relationship. To help steady your course:
Give the rock a rest. “Male caregivers, in general, have the tendency to play tough guy and not allow themselves to experience any feelings,” says Barry Jacobs, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist who’s a national spokesperson on family caregiving for the American Heart Association. That breeds a conspiracy of silence that shuts out your partner and doesn’t give honest conversations—the stuff healthy relationships are built on—a chance. “Illness doesn’t kill a relationship; lack of intimacy does. It’s hard to feel warm and fuzzy about a warrior,” he says. (Which also explains why people’s sex lives evaporate.)
Team up. You’ve got to find a way to bring up what you’re feeling, even if it’s negative. One way to start is to define the illness as a couple or family issue—“us against the disease,” says C. Grace Whiting, CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving, a research and advocacy group. Then together you can acknowledge what has been lost and the sadness around that.
Build a new fire. Limping along and trying to pretend nothing has changed becomes an exhausting chore of fanning the embers of what used to be. Instead, find ways to construct your new reality; look for new things you can do together that are different but still meaningful. They can be daily rituals or special events, but shouldn’t be about the illness or caregiving—you already have enough of those.
Collaborate. “Out of all best intentions, the well partner often takes on more than they should, making the ill spouse feel disempowered and diminished,” Jacobs says. “That affects the level of affection between you.” The relationship may never again be as egalitarian as it was, but it’s important to feel like there’s effort on both sides (even as simple as Em’s Post-its around the house). Figure out how each of you will contribute. Not going well? Talk to people who’ve been there: Try the Well Spouse Association (wellspouse.org) or Hidden Heroes, designed for military caregivers (hiddenheroes.org); both have advice and support communities for navigating the new normal. —Marty Munson
ALEX BELTH is the editor of Esquire Classic. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Esquire, and Deadspin. MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018 109
THE (Above) AVERAGE GUY HOW DO YOU RATE?
THIS MONTH
At the Gym
“TILL I COLLAPSE,” by Eminem, is the single song found most frequently on men’s Spotify workout playlists in the U. S.
70.1%
OUR WORKOUT BUDDY: KANYE WEST of men listen to music while exercising.
The rapper appears twice on the list of top five songs on workout playlists created by U. S. men. The top two:
At the gym:
“POWER”
70%
of these men listen to their own tunes.
HOW MUCH SMALLER THE WAISTS OF MEN WHO’VE BELONGED TO A HEALTH CLUB FOR MORE THAN A YEAR ARE COMPARED WITH THOSE OF MEN WHO HAVE NOT.
1.6" inches
GO LESS, DO MORE:
1.9%
2%
Increase in lean muscle mass among people who did highfrequency training (three sets for each muscle group, three times a week).
1
THE TOP 5 MOST CONSUMED SUPPLEMENTS: Whey protein and powders Multivitamins Branched-chain amino acids Caffeine Creatine
GO TO A CROWDED GYM, BECOME MORE GIVING
GO MORE, DO LESS:
Increase in lean muscle mass among people who did lowfrequency training (nine sets for each muscle group, once a week).
30%
succumb to whatever’s playing over the gym’s sound system.
“STRONGER”
30–39
WHO’S LISTENING:
47.7%
The age group
playlist streams.
4 TO 7 40.5%
Days per week older adults hit the sauna to lower their chances of stroke over 15 years by 61 percent.
Washington, D. C. Percentage who met federal guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
OF MEN WHO EXERCISE TAKE A SUPPLEMENT TO INCREASE OR MAINTAIN MASS OR STRENGTH, OR TO BOOST RECOVERY.
One study found that guys who smelled androstadienone, a part of male sweat, were twice as cooperative and generous when asked to complete given tasks as a control group who hadn’t sniffed sweat.
110 December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
AND
South Dakota Percentage who met federal guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.
17.5%
Getty Images (men in gym), Universal Music Group (Kanye album covers), Spotify (playlist cover)
30,200,000
NUMBER OF U.S. MEN WHO BELONG TO A HEALTH CLUB.
Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
8. 9.
10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
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Publication title: Men’s Health. Publication number: 0073-0200. Filing date: October 1, 2018. Issue frequency: Monthly, except combined issues in January/February and July/August. Number of issues published annually: 10. Annual subscription price: $27.94. Complete mailing address of known ofice of publication: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Contact person: Kolin Rankin. Telephone: 212-649-2816. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business ofice of publisher: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Full names and complete mailing addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor. Publisher: Ronan Gardiner, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Editor: Richard Dorment, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Managing editor: Helene Rubinstein, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Owner: Hearst Communications, Inc., complete mailing address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Stockholders of Hearst Communications, Inc., are: Hearst Communications, Inc., complete mailing address: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. None. Not applicable. Publication title: Men’s Health. Issue date for circulation data below: September 2018. Extent and nature of circulation:
Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months A. Total number of copies: 2,166,561 B. Paid circulation (by mail and outside the mail) 1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 1,213,862 2. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: not applicable 3. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid distribution outside USPS: 111,338 4. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS: not applicable C. Total paid distribution: 1,325,199 D. Free or nominal rate distribution (by mail and outside the mail) 1. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 433,169 2. Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: not applicable 3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: not applicable 4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail: 6,268 E. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 439,437 F. Total distribution: 1,764,637 G. Copies not distributed: 401,924 H. Total: 2,166,561 I. Percent paid: 75.10% 16.
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No. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date A. Total number of copies: 2,122,406 B. Paid circulation (by mail and outside the mail) 1. Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: 1,211,793 2. Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541: not applicable 3. Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid distribution outside USPS: 90,000 4. Paid distribution by other classes of mail through the USPS: not applicable C. Total paid distribution: 1,301,793 D. Free or nominal rate distribution 1. Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 431,405 2. Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: not applicable 3. Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: not applicable 4. Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail: 4,546 E. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 435,951 F. Total distribution: 1,737,744 G. Copies not distributed: 384,660 H. Total: 2,122,406 I. Percent paid: 74.91% 16.
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17.
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HOW MUCH SMARTER CAN TECH GET? WE’RE NOT SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT THESE PRODUCTS—THE BEST NOT-DUMB STUFF THAT WE CAME ACROSS ALL YEAR—SUGGEST THE SMART ERA IS JUST GETTING STARTED. Cover and feature photographs by JAMIE CHUNG Prop styling by MEGUMI EMOTO/ ANDERSON HOPKINS Illustrations by ZOHAR LAZAR Contributors: ERIC ADAMS AARON BIBLE DANIEL DUBNO MICHAEL EASTER MATT GOULET PAUL KITA TOM SAMILJAN EBENEZER SAMUEL Cover: Apple iPhone XS Max
06
KITCHEN
10
HOME
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GADGETS
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GYM
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FITNESS
22
CARS
26
ADVENTURE
29
TOOLS Parrot Anafi
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Elevate your camera game with this ultraportable 4K HDR-shooting drone (page 12).
Men’s Health (ISSN 1054-4836) Vol. 33, No. 10 is published 10 times per year, monthly except combined issues in January/February and July/August and when future combined issues are published that count as two issues as indicated on the issue’s cover, by Hearst Magazines, Inc., at 300 W. 57th St., New York, NY 10019, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hearst Communications, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing ofices. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Oficer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. Hearst Magazines Division: David Carey, Chairman; Troy Young, President; John A. Rohan Jr., Senior Vice President, Finance. Copyright 2018 by Hearst Magazines, Inc. All rights reserved. Men’s Health is a registered trademark of Hearst Magazines, Inc. Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2); NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY FACILITIES: Send address changes to Men’s Health Customer Service, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593-1500. IN CANADA: Postage paid at Gateway, Mississauga, Ontario; Canada Post International Publication Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40012499. Postmaster (Canada): Send returns and address changes to Men’s Health magazine, P.O. Box 927, Stn Main, Markham ON L3P 9Z9 (GST# R122988611). Mailing Lists: From time to time we make our subscriber list available to companies that sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such mailings by postal mail, please send your current mailing label or exact copy to: Men’s Health, Mail Preference Center, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA, 51593. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by email. Customer Service: Visit service.menshealth.com or write to Men’s Health Customer Service, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593-1500.
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
5
Preheat Your Oven to “Steak” A FOOD WRITER RUMMAGED THROUGH THE CABINETS OF THE MODERNIST-KITCHEN ERA TO FIND THE PRODUCTS YOU MIGHT ACTUALLY USE. TURNS OUT, THERE ARE TWO. BY JONATHAN KAUFFMAN
MATT VAN HORN, CEO of June Oven, offers
to cook me a steak in his company’s San Francisco offices. He sticks a temperature probe into the center of a small filet and slides the meat into the “intelligent” oven, which resembles a sleek microwave. He keys a few commands into its interface (the oven remembers that he likes his steaks cooked to medium rare), and he allows the programming to do the rest: convection roasting, broiling, resting for a few minutes, high-heat roasting again. There are eight steps in all. When the June intelligent oven appeared on the market in November 2016, with a price tag of $1,500 and 48 preset cooking programs, it was hyped as the smartest appliance in a smart-kitchen movement that over the past ive years has produced tea makers that notify your phone when your oolong is ready and WiFi-enabled refrigerators that, I don’t know, have built-in cameras so you can see inside instead of just opening the dang door. At their most frivolous, these devices seem like Inspector Gadget toys for tech bros. Some of the early appliances failed fast (the Google-funded Juicero), stirring up skepticism in American markets about just how “smart” home cooks want their devices. But in the two years since it was introduced, the June has evolved quickly and silently. The second generation of the oven, released in August, now costs $599. It includes air-fryer and slow-cooker functions, plus 100 cooking programs driven by customer demand, including how to make kale chips and warm tortillas. With the new release, the smart oven seems less like an eye-rolling Silicon Valley fantasy and more like a tool I might want to use. The creators of such new devices, like June Oven, trust in what they call “pre-
cision cooking,” the belief that any home cook, regardless of skill level, can create uniformly amazing food by letting software take care of the temperature and time. Precision cooking emerged from the molecular-gastronomy movement of the early 2000s. In order to torque foods into strange new shapes and textures, molecular gastronomists leverage tools—CVAP ovens, siphons, freeze dryers, immersion circulators for sous vide cooking—that have become ixtures in high-end restaurants. Now innovators are inding ways to produce home versions of those professional, Willy Wonka–esque machines. I’ve almost forgotten the beef by the time the June emits a soothing series of chimes, and Van Horn jumps up to bring me the steak. After an oven-suggested ive-minute rest, he slices in: The beef is deep pink through and through, with a steakhouse-worthy crust. “We have
MEN’S HEALTH
NOW INNOVATORS ARE FINDING WAYS TO PRODUCE HOME VERSIONS OF THOSE PROFESSIONAL, WILLY WONKA–ESQUE MACHINES.
June Oven: It’s $599, or $799 with accessories and a three-year subscription to its recipe database, through juneoven.com.
/ December 2018
7
professional chefs who are teaching the oven their brains,” he says. This gives the June a sort of AI-based intuition that’s powerful and exact. As a party trick, it’s a pretty impressive one. With its eight steps, the steak program is one of the oven’s most complex. Though every June program relies on precision cooking, Van Horn says his company’s target market isn’t the kind of precisioncooking enthusiasts who buy the sixvolume Modernist Cuisine books and keep xanthan gum in their spice rack. Some of the most passionate users are busy professionals with kids who’d rather cook than order takeout. The June is successful, he argues, not because the oven is smart but because it outperforms even the old-school appliances you have in your kitchen right now. BY CONTRAST, the Anova Nano looks
Anova Precision Cooker Nano: $99 at anovaculinary .com or more mainstream retailers, such as Target and Best Buy.
8
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
and performs nothing like a tabletop oven. Instead, it resembles an immersion blender with a clamp on one side and a simple beveled display at the top. It’s designed to clip onto just about any pot in your kitchen for sous vide cooking. The best-known precision-cooking technique, sous vide (which means “under vacuum” in French) refers to the process of sealing ingredients in food-grade plastic bags to cook in a low-temperature water bath. It sounds fussy, but the method is similar to Crock-Pot cooking, in which low-andslow heat produces fork-tender food. The added beneit of sous vide is that you can set the water temp at a speciic degree for palate-shifting results. Immersion circulators for sous vide cooking had generally cost more than $700 until 2013, when Anova, formerly a lab-equipment manufacturer, created the $199 Anova One for home kitchens. Rather than searing the outside of a steak, say, and keeping it in the pan until the center reaches 135 degrees, you slow-cook the beef at 135 degrees until it’s medium rare through and through, then hit it with a blazing-hot pan to quickly give it a dark, umami-rich crust. This past June, Anova released the $99 Nano, which its in most utility drawers and can be operated through touch controls or a smartphone, connected to the device via Bluetooth. “Sous vide sounds complex, and the fact that it came from
restaurants to the mainstream made it sound diicult,” says Anova CEO Steve Svajian. “Ofering a connected device so you can do it with the assistance of the phone was a big thing.” Connectivity isn’t a draw in itself. The June oven’s link to the web and smartphones helps users troubleshoot culinary disasters, introduce cooking programs remotely, and simply let their phone know that their four-pound chicken will be ready in 32 minutes. Svajian argues that the recipes are the raison d’être for the Anova Nano’s connectivity. When I dropped a sealed bag of seasoned chicken thighs into a pot of water and selected “Sous Vide Chicken Thighs with Lemon Sauce” from the 1,000-plus user-generated recipes on the app, it automatically sent the cooking time (two hours) and temp (149.9°F) to the device. I came back from a shopping trip and plucked one thigh out of the bag to sear in a pan. The chicken was almost obscenely juicy, its lavor infused with the herbs I’d stuck in the bag with the meat. John Van Den Nieuwenhuizen, Anova’s VP of hardware, says the company once tried to tailor its marketing and content to a broad swath of the public. It found that precision cooking, with its exact degrees and upending of traditional cooking methods, tends to attract cooks with a geeky bent. It turns out, though, that there are a lot of them around the world. Anova fans haven’t just contributed recipes to the app: More than 30,000 Instagram posts, in Chinese, Korean, and German as well as English, are now tagged #anovafoodnerd—though perhaps you could attribute that to “smart” marketing. Subjecting your food to the supposed wonders of the still-new smart-kitchen movement can be risky, especially when so many products launch with a sky-high price, lofty language, and the hope they can lure enough early adopters to propel the gadgetry into home kitchens. But second and third generations of these types of products have become afordable and, in the best sense, pedestrian. Are the June intelligent oven and the Anova Nano technical marvels? You could say that. But more important, do they make you a killer dinner? You’ll have to taste the steak for yourself.
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Duparquet Copper 9-Inch Fry Pan
Bodum Bistro Nouveau This teapot is clear, so you can monitor the darkness of your green tea. You’re drinking your antioxidant-loaded afternoon cuppa, not a two-liter, right? $15; bodum.com
What happens when a Cornell engineering graduate turned coppersmith decides to reinvent traditional pans? He forges cookware with incredible heating speed, control, and retention. It also happens to look awesome. $275; duparquet.com
Finex 5-Quart Cast-Iron Dutch Oven Food 52 x Epicurean XL Matte Black Natural Fiber Cutting Board You can’t put wood cutting boards in the dishwasher. Plastic and glass cutting boards ruin knife blades. This material bridges the gap. From $55; food52.com/shop
The Portland, Oregon– based craftsmen applied the octagonal shape of their skillets to this pot. Spiraled stainless-steel handles make for no-burn transportation. $300; finexusa.com
Hinoki S1 Gyuto Chef’s Knife You customize the knife (handle, blade, monogram). Japanese bladesmiths craft the finest piece of cutlery you’ve ever held. $375; hinoki.shop
This wine opener doesn’t need a carrying case.
Crock-Pot 8-Quart Express Crock XL Wait, no Instant Pot? This option is cheaper by $40 and lines the insert with a nonstick surface, unlike Instant Pot’s stainless steel, which typically requires a thorough postcook scrubbing. $140; crock-pot.com
Rabbit Axis Lever Corkscrew The classic Rabbit was the best wine opener ever, except that the thing was bulky and hard to take with you. This fold-out version, slightly larger than a pack of cards, fixes that. $50; rabbitwine.com
Soma Brew Bottle Char-Broil Kamander There used to be one player in the kamado-style grill game: the Big Green Egg. But then companies started to realize that maybe people don’t want to shell out $1,000 for a heavy ceramic pot (but it’s green!). Char-Broil’s version is the Drogon of your backyard—formidable in build, respectable in firepower, and surprisingly nimble. $400; charbroil.com
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Brew to-go hot coffee all winter. Steep cold brew overnight come summer. Double glass walls reinforce its durability, and a BPA-free plastic shell guards it from drops. $40; drinksoma.com
Anker Nebula Capsule Projector
S PE A K E R S
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R E V E LRY
This soda-can-sized projector displays up to 100 inches in high contrast for up to four hours on a single charge, via WiFi; Bluetooth; USBconnected streaming sticks; or HDMI-, AirPlay-, or Miracast-connected laptops and smartphones. In other words, everything! Use it in your garage to stream workouts, in your kitchen for recipes, or in your living room for movies, games, and concerts. $350; seenebula.com
Samsung The Frame The new 55-inch 4K UHD television from Samsung, long a leader in flat TVs, makes everything from Netflix to video games jump into your living room. Then it turns into a customizable work of art (with more than 800 options, or you can upload your own high-res photos).
WHAT I WANT
CHARLIE PALMER Executive chef of Aureole New York City Gamers will love the G903’s instantaneous button responsiveness and crisp rebound, as well as its precision sensor and 11 programmable buttons. Nongamers? They’ll dig the same things. The mouse is nimble whether you’re surfing or, um, spreadsheeting. It’s also compatible with Logitech’s G PowerPlay charging pad. $150; logitech.com
I have a few Shinola watches (shinola.com) and am always looking to see what they’re coming out with next. I actually had the same watch made for each of my four sons—all engraved—which was really special. I just love that they’re American made and based in Detroit, but I also just think they’re really cool—especially the Statue of Liberty collection.
$750; lenovo.com
sensors around the house to manage hot and cold spots for even and com-
Sonos Beam Sound Bar
SMACKDOWN !
Jamie Chung (projector, toothbrushes), David Livingston/Getty Images (Palmer)
home theater. But the highlight is Alexa, which can turn on your TV, check the weather, and resume your Game of Thrones binge the moment you yell. Beam plus two Ones, $797; sonos.com
TOOTH FAIRIES Smart, sensitive brushes that glow if you push too hard, have multiple heads, and track performance.
Oral-B Genius 8000
ability to deactivate the noise cancellation when talking by cupping your hand on the earpiece. $350; sony.com
The small heads make precise brushing easy, and the two-minute timer ensures you don’t cheat. The app lets you set goals (gum health, whitening, etc.), and it uses your smartphone camera to help you adjust your technique. $180; amazon.com
Sonicare DiamondClean Smart With five modes to fit your need (e.g., whiten at night, this brush saves you some elbow grease. The app monitors how well you do, noting where you neglect, like the backs of your front both of the brushes): a
to see if you’re hitting your goals. $229; amazon.com
MEN’S HEALTH
/ December 2018
11
Master & Dynamic MW07 Wireless Earbuds Made with an acetate shell, these earbuds drip style. Their sound and functionality are flawless, too, with high-end drivers, smart sensors, and custom wings that ensure a snug fit. $299; masterdynamic.com
Beoplay P6 Speaker
Parrot Anafi Drone With a 2.8x-zoom 4K HDR camera, AI-enabled flight modes, and a gimbal mount that tilts the camera 180 degrees, this drone lets you capture stunning images from any direction, including straight up and down. It’s also lightweight and collapsible, making it the perfect adventure companion. $700; parrot.com
Tapplock One Combinations and keys are so 1994. Release your bike or locker almost instantly with the fingerprint sensor, or use the Tapplock app. Both methods also allow sharing.
SMACKDOWN !
Even jaded listeners will be wowed by the sonic punch from this two-pound, book-sized, aluminum speaker. It’s thanks to the two 1.5inch drivers, a 4-inch woofer, an amp with a peak output of 215 watts, and some Danish acoustic alchemy. Setup is simple, and the battery keeps the party bumping for 16 hours. $399; beoplay.com
SHOT CALLERS A new breed of digital cameras dispenses with the mirror and prism found in DSLRs and replaces them with a high-res electronic viewfinder and screen. Each excels in a different way.
Sharp Focusing The Canon EOS R will make sure that everything you want to be in focus will be, courtesy of its incredible 5,655 autofocus points, compared with 693 in the Sony and 273 in the Nikon. $2,300; usa.canon.com
Fast Shooter
Jamie Chung (drone)
Nikon’s Z6 will shoot up to 12 frames per second, so you can nail any great action moment. An adapter connects your existing Nikon lenses. From
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Is the Smart Gym Dumb?
SILICON VALLEY CHANGED MUSIC, MOVIES, HEALTH, AND OFFICE NAP TIME. NOW IT’S TRYING TO DISRUPT THE WAY WE WORK OUT— WHETHER WE WANT IT TO OR NOT. BY EBENEZER SAMUEL, C.S.C.S.
I’VE DONE exactly three reps each of four dif-
ferent exercises—shoulder presses, pulldowns, bench presses, and deadlifts—but the artiicial intelligence in this Tonal unit, a cable-based system with a video screen mounted to a wall like a TV rotated vertically, thinks it has me all igured out. It thinks I should bench 63 pounds of resistance per arm next. WTF? I typically bench 90-pound dumbbells, so as I position myself in the Tonal unit for a 63-pound bench press, I’m all set to exact some revenge. I brace my torso, plant my feet, press upward, and the weight moves . . . just like 90 pounds would have. I hadn’t accounted for Tonal’s electromagnetic resistance feeling diferent than that of traditional weights. Tonal’s AI did. The future of home itness doesn’t simply give you a workout; for $3,000, it provides you with equipment, spots you, motivates you, and pushes you. And it keeps you guessing. The lagship product of a three-year-old San Francisco startup of the same name, Tonal is the most publicized entry in the “smart gym” revolution and promises you a quality home workout with expert instruction—all without turning your living room into a Marriott itness center. After watching the rise of Peloton, which went from unknown connected-stationary-bike company in 2012 to a $4 billion valuation in August, Silicon Valley is all in on home itness. Tonal and another startup, the Manhattan-based Mirror, represent a wave of devices that want to bring big-box itness home, so you can do preacher curls right before you hit the dinner table.
As recently as a decade ago, a home workout was a P90X DVD and a mess of dumbbells across your living-room loor. For that three grand plus $49 a month for streaming workouts, Tonal cleans up the mess. It’s a slim, 22-by-51-inch unit that attaches to your wall, an LED touchscreen in its center, two adjustable cable arms hidden behind it. When it’s training time, you pull out the arms and the screen lights up, displaying a Netlix-like collection of workouts. These range from exercises to improve your distance-running performance (Run Faster, Run Further) to HIIT sessions (HIIT It Hard) to muscle-building circuits. You can also select Free Lift, transforming Tonal into the kind of cable machine you’d ind in just about any gym. Its AI doesn’t guide you in this mode, but the device still tracks your motion, delivering feedback that gym experts will appreciate. Fresh of that bench press, I enter this mode, getting more of a feel for Tonal’s resistance and its advanced “smarts.” I do reps of shoulder presses, enjoying the smooth resistance and watching the screen. After each rep, a bar chart appears. The machine is tracking my reps and showing my power output in each one. The unit’s handles have gyroscopes to track range of motion, and its internal sensors measure power output. Tonal can collect and store this data along with other basic info (your favorite workouts, your typical resistance, the reps you complete), eventually feeding the data through its AI algorithm in order
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TONAL’S MOVEMENT TRACKING AND RESISTANCE MAY SEEM RIGHT OUT OF THE JETSONS, BUT TO FORWARDTHINKING TRAINERS IT’S FLINTSTONIAN.
The Mirror Sure, a trainer greets you and puts you through the paces. But the best part: It’s so reflective you can perfectly see your form, good or bad.
to optimize resistance. The goal is to be more than a smart gym; Tonal could be a smart training assistant. Its workouts are designed by the company’s training staf, but its AI helps you choose the right weights and directs you toward workouts that suit your goals and preferences. A Tonal unit could someday determine better exercises for you based on such things as height, age, even motivation, but the company doesn’t have a timetable for this. For now, Tonal’s ability to mimic various resistance-training strategies is its selling point. Its electromagnetic resistance can be altered in an instant, and its programming allows it to simulate more than merely lifting weights. You can use advanced techniques that normally require extra equipment—for example, curling as if you had chains attached to your weights (with the resistance progressively increasing as you lift)—or even employ eccentric loading techniques, with the resistance increasing as you lower the weight. I bang out a set of lat pulldowns, then a set of biceps curls with simulated chain resistance, and start getting a solid burn. Next I experiment with more bench presses, this time using the unit’s automated spotter system to push out a few
extra reps. This doesn’t feel quite right; essentially, the “spot” is a programmed weight reduction that I can’t change. I tell Tonal’s representatives that a human spotter would force me to keep working for my rep. They mention that issues like this can be ixed quickly with a software update. “You can wake up one morning,” says David Azaria, Tonal’s head of software, “and just ind new functionality.” Because the hardware is modeled after a cable machine, it’s ideal for muscle-building exercises like curls and shoulder presses, but not cleans, snatches, and other functional movements that have grown so popular. Over the past two years, trainers have started favoring total-body moves; even budget-priced big-box gyms like Blink Fitness now have battle ropes and medicine balls. Tonal’s movement tracking and resistance may seem right out of The Jetsons, but to forward-thinking trainers it’s Flintstonian. “In the itness world, we are clearly going away from machines,” says Mike Boyle, a veteran Boston-based trainer. “You can get an awful lot of stuf done with dumbbells and a bench.” Tonal founder and CEO Aly Orady counters that I can ind other ways to perform the moves that the unit doesn’t accommodate. No power cleans? I can tweak my workouts to do deadlifts and jump squats. But given its price tag, should I need to do that? AT A GLANCE, the Mirror
looks a lot like Tonal: another wall-mounted unit for the home-itness future, minus the cable arms. But its training approach is diferent. Founder and CEO Brynn Putnam, a former professional dancer and veteran of the group-itness scene, designed the Mirror ($1,495 plus a $39-a-month subscription fee) to be essentially a giant iPhone with a well-built streaming itness app. (Think Nike Training Club or Beachbody on Demand.)
Slidier Sliders These laser-cut steel Havyk sliders offer multiple grip points for your hands and feet, and they work on any surface, from cement to rubber to grass, unlike regular sliders, which typically operate only on smooth floors. $150; roguefitness.com
Its screen sets it apart: It’s highly relective, so I can see my form as I’m watching an onscreen trainer. Using the Mirror’s app, I select a workout on my iPhone, sync my Apple Watch, and I’m greeted by Gerren Liles, my video trainer, who’s going to put me through a high-intensity interval workout. It’s Peloton for biceps. My heart rate, measured via my Apple Watch, is displayed in the bottom left corner, along with a list of other users doing this same workout. A few minutes later, I’m in irst place on the leaderboard—and soaked in sweat. “The quality of an iPhone workout isn’t great,” says Putnam. “I wanted to get people more excited.” A pair of dumbbells and a bench can’t do that. The Mirror’s workout library includes yoga, HIIT, and strength-building dumbbell routines, but Putnam doesn’t see the Mirror as simply a itness machine. She sees it as a new platform. “You have your TV and your phone,” she says. “We’re vying to be the next screen in your life. Fitness is our irst vertical.” The Mirror and Tonal are giving the itness world a heads-up: Don’t be surprised if electromagnetic-resistance machines land in your gym soon. For now, expect stumbles, but know that Tonal and the Mirror are on the right track, giving us home workouts that involve way, way more than burpees and body weight.
YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP
Tonal You’re always warmed up before a Tonal workout: The machine takes you through several drills before you start moving its cables.
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Because You Might Not Know Squat A perfect squat has you carefully distributing your weight between your heels and your forefeet—and it’s harder than you think. SmartSquat will sense how you’re balanced and subtly tip in directions that assist you in honing your form. $180; smart-squat.com
Smarter Dumbbells The Bowflex SelectTech 560 are the world’s first smart dumbbells to use Bluetooth to track weight, reps, and sets. A trainer on the app even gives you tips on basic exercises like biceps curls and shoulder presses. Adjustable up to 60 pounds per weight. $499; bowflex.com
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SNEAKERS
TR AC K E R S
FAT B U R N E R S
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joints full range of
Trigger Point Nike Zoom Fly Flyknit By combining the responsive carbonfiber plate that’s in its marathon race shoe with a plush foam, Nike created a durable shoe for all runners looking to add speed to their stride. $160; nike.com
WHAT I WANT
TODD SNYDER
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
Jamie Chung (sneaker), Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Modern Luxury Manhattan magazine (Snyder)
as a hobby. You can change the
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These merinowool training socks are knit in North Carolina using a 200needle machine (that’s the highest), so they’re fine and strong. The side ventilation is a bonus. $20; farmtofeet.com
District Nako Black Rose Sunglasses With engineering from Japan, District makes lightweight running sunglasses that ooze performance but don’t scream jock. The Nako has a titanium-and-nylon frame with rose lenses to protect against UV rays and enhance your vision in any weather. $199; districtvision.com
SMACKDOWN !
Farm to Feet Greensboro
TRACKER STARS Running (and lifting) with the best of the new smartwatches.
Apple Watch Series 4 This fourth iteration of the watch is smarter, has a 30 percent bigger screen, and handles almost all activities. We like it most for running and cycling, where the superior heart-rate sensor excels. Lifesaving bonus: The ECG app is FDA cleared, and you can send a PDF to your doctor! From $399; apple.com
Fitbit Charge 3 Lighter, smarter, and with longer battery life, Fitbit’s latest fitness tracker pushes beyond heart rate and calories burned to give you insight into how you’re sleeping and deliver personalized guided-breathing lessons. It’s more basic than some smartwatches but still super useful. $150; fitbit.com
Suunto 9 Baro Building on the brand’s adventure heritage, this Suunto thrives off-road— hiking, running, climbing, exploring— where its new GPS algorithm works efficiently while you enjoy extended battery power, ensuring you won’t get lost, even on a 120-hour expedition. $599; suunto.com
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus A hybrid of the Apple and the Suunto, this beefy watch lets you track endurance on long runs and hikes and performance when strength training. Add in a 500-song capacity and cashless payment via Garmin Pay and it transitions to more relaxing pursuits, too. $700; garmin.com
Reebok Sole Fury
Three-dimensional pods help wick away moisture.
Jamie Chung (smartwatches)
Tackle your next workout in these cross-trainers, which have cushioning to make running comfortable, along with support and ground-feel for
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP
MensHealth.com/gift-guide
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Your Car, Your Friend NEW SAFETY TECHNOLOGY FOCUSES ON YOUR VEHICLE’S SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FEATURE: YOU. BY SEAN EVANS
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
YOU’RE DRIVING down the highway, alone,
late at night. Suddenly your blood pressure decreases. You’re not as attentive as you were a few minutes ago. You’re shifting around in your seat. You let the car drift into another lane. Instantly, your car activates the hazards and safely steers itself to the shoulder and stops. The music cuts off and you hear a 911 operator’s voice say that you may be experiencing an acute health crisis and the car has transmitted your location and an ambulance is ready to be dispatched. If the car had sensed things were even worse, it would have driven you straight to the hospital. My interest in high-tech car safety began in high school, the irst time I got in my used 1991 Honda Accord and the seat belt strapped me in automatically. Three decades later, almost every vehicle I drive in my role as resident “car guy” for Men’s Health ofers lane assist, active braking, and collision warning. You can get advanced safety technology in everything from a Mercedes C-Class to a Chevy Malibu. Yet there are still more than 6 million crashes annually, with an average of 102 deaths every day, per the National Highway Traic Safety Administration. Why are things still so bad? Human error. It’s oicially responsible for more than 90 percent of all accidents. Drivers are always wondering: Can cars get even safer? But what automakers are asking is: How do we build safer drivers? And they’re spending billions to do precisely that. But is there any indication it will work? IN 2017, Mercedes-Benz introduced
Energizing Comfort to the U. S. in the
S-Class, a feature aimed at calming or stimulating a driver by using climate, lighting, seat massagers, and entertainment systems as a whole. Six programs try to stimulate your physical, mental, and emotional states, all while you drive. I’ve tried the Comfort program and can attest that a heated full-back massage coupled with soft blue lighting and the kind of music you hear in a Mykonos hotel elevator entirely lives up to the hype. “Our studies show that the more relaxed you are, the
“How ’Bout a Little Enya?. . . No?” With the launch of the 2020 GLE, Mercedes’s Energizing Coach system will take information from the Garmin you’re wearing (what, you’re not wearing a Garmin?!) and environmental factors like temperature and road conditions and create an in-cabin experience just for you.
”Eyes on the Road, Pal!” A hands-free driving system that uses driver-facing infrared camera, lidar map data, and high-precision GPS, the Cadillac CT6’s Super Cruise works only when you’re actively looking ahead.
HOW YOUR CAR WILL TALK TO OTHER CARS Vehicle-to-vehicle technology, which uses dedicated shortrange communications and the GPS system in concert to transmit all kinds of data to other cars in the vicinity, has been under development for more than a decade by multiple automakers simultaneously, all backed by the government. It’s already actively used by Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and other companies, as well as in Cadillac’s CTS. “We all use standard rules about how the messages are coded, because it’s a broadcast system and every vehicle equipped with this technology must be able to decipher a message,” says Cem Saraydar, director of the Electrical & Controls Systems Research Lab for General Motors. Messages coming in on the CTS now include hard braking ahead, disabled vehicle, and slippery-road conditions. The system’s range is about 1,000 feet, but it can process thousands of vehicles at once.
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December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
better you drive,” says Benjamin Westphal, a product manager for Daimler AG, producer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Currently drivers have to tell their Mercedes what their mood is. But with the launch of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE, manual input will be reduced and intuitive automation will take hold. GLE drivers with Garmin wearables like the Vivoactive 3 and the Vivosmart 3 will tap into the brain of a system Mercedes is caling Energizing Coach. “We analyze and synthesize your data from the Garmin and from the car to give real-time program recommendations,” Westphal explains. The recommendations are based on a number of factors, including the quality of your sleep, your heart rate, road conditions, how long you’ve been driving, whether or not you’ve had to perform emergency braking, and other considerations. Racing pulse from a near collision? “We want to let you take the time to get over a situation irst, then prompt you,” Westphal says. If it senses you’ve performed emergency maneuvers, Energizing Coach may delay the delivery of a stress-reduction suggestion. The hardware inside the GLE is primed to handle more automated comforts than Westphal is willing to disclose, though he says personalized thermoregulation could eventually be possible. “The
minute you step inside, the car can set the temperature accordingly. We just need humans to consent to giving us data so the car can know it’s you,” he says. One way to know who’s driving is facial recognition, which was a luxury option until Subaru introduced its DriverFocus technology to the 2019 Forester Touring edition. The compact SUV, which starts at just under $35K, will use a near-infrared-camera system in the dashboard to detect up to ive diferent drivers, greet them by name, and adjust individual preferences such as seating and mirrors. It dovetails with an existing Subaru driver-safety suite called EyeSight, which detects the car’s surroundings, including other vehicles, traic lanes, and pedestrians. It helps enable features like adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and precollision braking. “When you add in DriverFocus, if the Forester realizes that the driver isn’t paying attention, those EyeSight systems kick in earlier,” says Kenneth Lin, director of product management for Subaru of America, meaning the car is on high alert, ready to step in and help mitigate an impending crash by slowing down or fully braking. It’s not a stretch to take these same technologies and monitor eye motions or blink rate to determine whether a driver is nervous or scared. FOR GENERAL MOTORS, fostering
attentiveness is on equal footing with engendering comfort. The Cadillac CT6’s Super Cruise, a hands-free driverassistance system for the freeway that uses lidar map data and high-precision GPS, works only when you’re actively looking ahead. Look away long enough and the system shudders to alert you. Your hands can be of the wheel for a long period of time, leaving you free to do things like eat your lunch, but you
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need to be paying attention to the road— although GM PR wouldn’t quite put it like that. Hands-free systems have limits, and the driver must always be ready to resume control. “The handof between automation and the human is critical. It must be very smooth. Airplane manufacturers have understood this for a while,” says Paul Krajewski, director of General Motors’ Vehicle Systems Research Lab. In pursuit of the most luid humanmachine interaction, Krajewski and his researchers study eye tracking, heart rate, brain waves, and galvanic skin response to determine the eicacy of any given piece of technology. Previously, study participants would inish a stint in a simulator and then take a survey. Now biometric responses are mapped over the survey results to glean more accurate information. The more data you ofer up, the better informed the car could be. The theoretical applications are endless. “The goal is a system where the vehicle knows your calendar’s schedule and adapts,” says Krajewski. It would play calming music if you were en route to an early-morning meeting with your boss, for example, or understand that you were headed to see a concert and ire up a playlist of the band’s hits. Your preferences should also follow you, whether it’s your car, your spouse’s, or an Uber. “Imagine getting into a diferent vehicle and your temperature, music, and the rest of your preferred settings are implemented.” Lin paints a similar picture. “If your
place on your route home.”
are everything, but transparency from
companies collect data without a use case, that damages trust,” Westphal secure is very important.” Which brings us to a vital question: downsides of sharing heaps of personal data with your car company? For
starters, there can be multiple medical explanations for basic biometric reactions, like an increase in heart rate. Maybe you’re on prescription medication and it elevates your pulse. Would you then have to disclose your list of meds to your car company so it can weed out your anomaly? Even if it’s anonymized, the manufacturer could share your data with insurance companies, which could determine that drivers of a certain brand of car have more road rage and raise their premiums. Or if an algorithm were developed to lag when someone’s driving drunk to activate engine lockouts, a false positive would be very annoying. Worst of all, if your health is entangled with your vehicle, are you then going to be served with weight-loss ads on your dashboard? Westphal hopes to integrate other smart systems, saying he doesn’t think smart clothing has been explored enough, and points to a smart health vest developed in Daimler’s trucking division that detects when a driver is not in a condition to drive, triggering safety systems to take over. “We have scent difusers inside some vehicles, so we could think about custom scent systems,” he says. If your stress score spikes, imagine smelling cookies baking in a bid to calm you. Our car will someday make betterinformed decisions, including whether or not to drive us to the hospital if we’re hurt. Until then, we’ll settle for increasing our creature comforts in small, fun doses.
“THE GOAL IS A SYSTEM WHERE THE VEHICLE KNOWS YOUR CALENDAR’S SCHEDULE AND ADAPTS,” SAYS A GM ENGINEER.
”Yo, Steve, Where To?” The 2019 Subaru Forester Touring edition, which starts at just under $35K, will use a near-infrared-camera system to detect up to five different drivers, greet them by name, and adjust preferences such as seating and mirrors.
PAC KS
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PA RT Y S TA RTE R S
BioLite CampStove 2
Name Tktktk Tktktk
Glampers, rejoice: This hybrid is a stove and a charger! Light kindling via an easy-start chimney and use that energy to charge your devices. It weighs a meager two pounds, and BioLite enhanced the power output and air controls so you can adjust the heat depending on what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re cooking. A display monitors fire strength, fan speed, and electric charge. $130; bioliteenergy.com
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Adidas Terrex Fast Mid GTX-Surround It’s the grip and cushioning of an athletic sneaker smashed with the waterproof protection and support of a hiking boot. Wear it to backpack, trail run, and play Frisbee at the park, all without missing a step. $200; adidasoutdoor.com
Chill in the air? Hurry up, zip in a new liner!
The North Face The One Bag Three sleeping bags in one (hence the name), this sack features interchangeable layers. In seconds, you can swap the insulation to accommodate 5-, 20-, or 40-degree temperature ratings. The 800-fill-down midlayer dou-
WHAT I WANT
LUKE BRYAN Singer; his What Makes You Country album is out now Mystery Ranch Robo Flip Pack Basic and tough, this pack has a design suited for men on the go, whether it’s a spec-ops mission or a tough commute. The top zips open so that you can quickgrab your stuff. A padded sleeve protects electronics, and side straps cinch for stability. $99; mysteryranch.com
I started cycling a couple years ago. I met some people with Trek, and they built me an electronic motorized mountain bike (trekbikes.com) that I use for turkey hunting. It’s camo’ed out in a custom realtree paint job. The beauty of an electric is that it’s quiet and goes through the woods stealthily. It’s nice not to have exhaust polluting the woods.
Eddie Bauer BC EverTherm Down Jacket Most down jackets have baffles (sausage-like sections) that secure the insulation but also create cold spots and ventilation. This jacket eliminates that problem with a down fabric that blocks drafts and doesn’t need baffles to stay in place. A waterproof shell repels rain and keeps you warm down to -20°F. $499; eddiebauer.com
Jamie Chung (stove), JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Images (Bryan)
Larq Water Bottle No need to fear the stink and germs that may plague your reusable water bottle (and the H20 inside it). This rechargeable, self-cleaning 17-ounce vessel uses hospital-grade UV-C light technology to eliminate 99.9 percent of bacteria and viruses in a minute. $95; livelarq.com
Rylo Action Camera With built-in image stabilization and the ability to shoot in 360 degrees, this POV action camera creates droneworthy video with 6K resolution. Edit via a mobile app for instant socialmedia bragging. $500; rylo.com
MSR Hubba NX Tent The original Hubba won over campers with its one-pole-to-pitch design. This upgrade deploys even lighter poles, and a new treatment on the tent body and fly utilizes watertight seams and a durable waterproof coating. Choose from one-, two-, three-, and four-person options. From $380; msrgear.com
Spy Optic Ace EC Goggles Few guys carry and change out swappable lenses on the slopes. It’s a hassle. Spy Optic’s smart solution: electrochromic lenses that can shift from light to dark at the push of a button. Genius! $275; spyoptic.com
Fischer Ranger Free 130 Walk Dyn Ski Boots
are stable and responsive on hardpack. It also opens up the backcountry, allowing snowboarders to tour as efficiently as their pals on skis. $935; chimerasnowboards.com
They’re the pick of a fresh generation of ski boots designed for both lift-served downhill skiing and off-piste touring. You can unlock 55 degrees of cuff rotation (the top end of what’s available), they’re easy to hike in, and thanks to a carbon-reinforced shell, they weigh in at a skinny 1,540 grams per boot. $800; fischersports.com
Patagonia Capilene Air A blend of 51 percent merino wool and 49 percent recycled polyester, this base layer is warm and soft, and it stretches just the right amount. Its 3-D knitted construction eliminates seams for less chafing. $130; patagonia.com
Inov-8 Terraultra G 260 Trail Runner
Outdoor Research BitterBlaze Gloves
It’s the first sports shoe to utilize graphene—a material that’s 200 times as strong as steel—in the outsole. That adds durability to a lightweight trail runner, which has zero drop from heel to toe and great groundfeel. $150; inov-8.com
With the combination of Gore-Tex, goat leather, and NASA-grade Aerogel fused into the palms and fingers, you’ll have not only spaceage warmth on the slopes but also the dexterity to pull out your phone and take selfies on the chairlift. $135; outdoorresearch.com
SMACKDOWN !
Gigantic coolers hog space and are a pain to haul. So we tire-kicked the smaller softies. THE TEST
We filled each cooler halfway with ice and put them outside. Over three days with variable weather, we unzipped them every few hours to assess ice melt and noted how many hours the ice lasted.
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Yeti Hopper BackFlip 24 $300; yeti.com BEST FOR: Fans of beer and rucking. Hauling a standard cooler along on a hike is about as much fun as not having booze at all. Fill this backpack with 20 cans of beer, plus ice, and hit the trail. It weighs 5.3 pounds empty. TEST RESULT: 55 hours
Hydro Flask 24-Liter Soft Cooler Tote $275; hydroflask.com BEST FOR: Farmers-market raiders. Cooler bags can’t stand up to the heft of grass-fed rib eyes, squash,
December 2018 / MEN’S HEALTH
and a kombucha growler. The liner is BPA-free and washable, and pockets stash cash and keys. TEST RESULT: 48 hours
Pelican SC12 Soft Cooler $230; pelicancoolers.com BEST FOR: Job-site gourmets. Pelican covered this cooler with a tough fabric, but it cushioned the inside with an FDA-approved food liner to pad your mealprepped lunches. The stainless-steel tie-downs double as bottle openers. TEST RESULT: 58 hours YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP
Jamie Chung (coolers)
ICED OUT
MensHealth.com/gift-guide
Milwaukee M12 Fuel Sometimes a small drill gets the job done better. This 7.75-inch, 2.3-pound drill/driver excels in tight spaces, and its lithiumion battery generates 350 inch-pounds of peak torque—plenty for most DIY projects. $129; milwaukeetool.com
BLADES
D R I LL S
H A M M E R TI M E S
CRKT Technician Pliers, a wire cutter, a fine and rough file, a bottle opener, and a knife blade that opens with one hand are standard on many multis. This device outdoes its rivals with a telescoping magnetic pickup device, a chisel/scraper, and an interchangeable ¼-inch standard Phillips-head and flat-bit driver. $90; crkt.com
Leatherman Raptor Shears Upgrade your everyday carry with this mini multi-tool, which houses an arsenal, including foldable medical shears and a carbide window-glass breaker. $70; leatherman.com
Ledlenser MT10 Flashlight This tiny water-resistant flashlight shines with 1,000 lumens (as much as ten times brighter than a typical LED headlamp). Charged via USB connection, the lithium-ion battery blasts away for 6 to 144 hours, depending on the brightness. Use it to spot raccoons raiding your yard or as a lantern during a blackout. $80; ledlenserusa.com
Stihl MSA 200 C-BQ
Jamie Chung (CRKT)
Estwing AL-Pro Swing with abandon when using this vibration-dampening hammer, crafted from an aluminum alloy that’s lighter than titanium. The steel head and claw provide exceptional strength, and there’s a magnetic nail starter in the head. $100; estwing.com
While not as powerful as a gas-powered chain saw, Stihl’s cordless batterypowered rig supplies enough muscle for yard work, light cutting, and pruning. It has a 36-volt lithium-ion battery that lasts up to three hours per charge, and it’s easy to start it up and check oil levels. Best of all, it doesn’t stink up your yard. $340; stihl.com
Tile Pro Sport Tracker Attach the waterproof device to anything you often misplace (bags, keys, jackets, kids). The Bluetooth sensor pairs with your smartphone, and you can use the app to trigger a loud beep from the tile to help you locate whatever is lost. $25; tile.com
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