Men’s Fitness February 2022

WORKOUTS YOU CAN DO ANY TIME, ANYWHERE!

BUILD YOUR STRENGTH Improve your squat, bench and deadlift

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WAYS TO LOOK & FEEL YOUR BEST

BEAT THE BURNOUT Avoid going too hard, too soon p90

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GOLDEN RULES OF GOAL SETTING

Set yourself up for success

EDDIE HALL

WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN TURNED HEAVYWEIGHT BOXER “Every punch I throw has venom”

QUICK AND EASY HIGH-PROTEIN COMFORT FOOD

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ADVERTISING SALES KELSEY MEDIA Commercial Manager Ben Rayment 01959 543 517 ben.rayment@kelsey.co.uk Ad Production Manager Neil Hepden 01233 220 245 neil@tandemmedia.co.uk MANAGEMENT Chief Executive Steve Wright Chief Operating Officer Phil Weeden Managing Director Kevin McCormick Subscription Marketing Director Gill Lambert Retail Director Steve Brown Print Production Manager Georgina Harris Print Production Controllers Kelly Orriss and Anne Meader Senior Subs Marketing Manager Nick McIntosh

Photography: Craig Kolesky

EDITORIAL Editor Isaac Williams Art Director Xavier Robleda Editorial postal address: Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL

EDITOR’S LETTER

ISSUE 262 FEBRUARY 2022

Five-time big air kiteboarding world champion Aaron Hadlow

O

DISTRIBUTION (N. IRELAND AND REP. OF IRELAND) Newspread, Tel: +353 23 886 3850

ne of the fundamental aims of this magazine is to inspire and motivate the everyman. We want to help fitness first-timers get their feet in the door, but we also want to continue to provide more seasoned exercise enthusiasts with the tools they need to prevent progress – and passion – from stalling. And who better to help with that mission than the men for whom fitness is quite literally a lifestyle?

This issue, we’re taking a top-down approach to matters of physical conditioning, by speaking to elite athletes at the top of their games. That means world-record-breaking powerlifter John Haack revealing the strength secrets you need to improve your bench, squat and deadlift numbers, and former World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall providing a glimpse into the 24/7 strongman lifestyle (raw steak in-between sets, anyone?). We also speak to ex-Army officer turned ultrarunning prodigy Tom Evans about his unique strength-focused approach to endurance; Red Bull kiteboarding sensation Aaron Hadlow about balance, backflips and core strength; England cricket legend Stuart Broad about power transfer and unilateral leg strength; and UFC star Dustin Poirier on adopting the cage mentality.

Most of us don’t harbour ambitions to pull a half-ton deadlift, or run 100km through the Alps, but every one of these athletes can teach us something applicable to everyday fitness – whether that’s how to fine-tune your physique for the life you lead, or the art of silencing the voice of selfdoubt when you feel like you’ve got nothing left.

PRINTING William Gibbons & Sons Ltd

Isaac Williams, Editor

DISTRIBUTION (UK) Marketforce (UK) Ltd, 3rd Floor, 161 Marsh Wall, London, E14 9AP, Tel: 0330 390 6555

isaac.williams@kelsey.co.uk

COVER Model: @luongy (BMA Models) Photography: Eddie Macdonald Information given is not a substitute for medical advice, so ensure you check with your GP, medical professional or relevant qualified professional before making any changes to your healthcare, diet or exercise routine.

Check the latest government guidelines before participating in the activities mentioned in this magazine, and always adhere to coronavirus restrictions.

Kelsey Media 2021© all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the original work of the author and not previously published.

Where photographs are included, which are not the property of the contributor, permission to reproduce them must have been obtained from the owner of the copyright. The editor cannot guarantee a personal response to emails received. The views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. Kelsey Publishing Ltd accepts no liability for products and services offered by third parties.

Kelsey Media takes your personal data very seriously. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit kelsey. co.uk/privacy-policy. If you have any queries regarding Kelsey’s data policy you can email our Data Protection Officer at dpo@kelsey.co.uk

WITH HELP FROM… KIERAN ALGER

Our resident tech expert runs the rule over the best sports headphones to soundtrack your sweat sessions (p22).

MARK BAILEY

Regular contributor Mark profiles the rising star of British ultra running Tom Evans, a man breaking the endurance mould.

JOE MINIHANE

Joe writes regular features for our Mental Health section, and this issue he reveals how to master the art of goal setting.

HARVEY LAWTON

The founder of The Movement Blueprint reveals how to stay calm and avoid a guiltdriven early-year burnout.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Men’s Fitness is published every month.

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Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL, United Kingdom WEBSITE Find current subscription offers at shop.kelsey.co.uk/men Buy back issues at shop.kelsey.co.uk/menback ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? Manage your subscription online at shop.kelsey.co.uk/myaccount

FEBRUARY 2022

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CONTENTS

RE AD ER SU RV EY

Give us a few min utes of you r time , and we’l l give you a new -and imp rove d mag azin e p13

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“Obsessed was an understatement for me in the run up to World’s Strongest Man. That was my life, seven days a week.

There were no days off”

IN FOCUS 26 Eddie Hall

The former World’s Strongest Man talks lifting big, eating even bigger, and boxing ‘Thor’

32 Tom Evans

The rising star of British ultra running on the importance of strength as well as stamina

38 John Haack

The pound-for-pound strongest powerlifter in the world on the secrets to serious strength

44 Age with grace UPDATES

PERFECT FIT

Twenty-two science-backed ways to look as young as you feel

48 Stuart Broad

07 News

17 HindSight

Cycling glasses with rear-view technology

England’s legendary fast bowler reveals the unique conditioning of an international cricketer

08 News

20 Gym joggers

54 Aaron Hadlow

22 Headphones

60 Dustin Poirier

How cardio positively changes your cells Breakfast boosts and must-do mobility moves

10 Move of the month

Upgrade your obliques with the Saxon bend

12 3 ways to…

Burn fat and get on track for a six-pack

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Training trousers to work out in comfort and style

Eight of the best for soundtracking your sessions

The five-time big air kiteboarding world champ on the risks and rewards of taking to the skies

The UFC superstar gives a sense of what it takes, physically and mentally, to be an elite cage fighter

FEBRUARY 2022

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ISSUE 262 FEBRUARY 2022

MENTAL HEALTH

FUEL

63 Self help

75 Shroom boom

64 Goal setting

76 Nutrition News

70 Headline stress

78 Recipes

How to manage Covid-related anxiety

Expert tips for setting yourself up for success

Learn how to deal with the relentless news cycle

72 Emotional intelligence

The surprising secret to improved endurance

Protect your mental health with… mushrooms

Facts and findings from the world of food

Fill up but not with these low-calorie, big-flavour dishes

41 “The key to focus is somewhere between rage and serenity”

92 TRAINER 84 Non-specific training

Our resident strength expert reveals the simple method for breaking through plateaus

86 F1 fitness

Performance coach Michael Italiano explains how he gets elite drivers race-ready

88 Battle Cancer

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Founder Scott Britton on the competition combining functional fitness with team sport

90 How to avoid…

Crashing and burning by going too hard, too soon early in the year

92 Space-saving workout

One weight plate is all you need to get a serious full-body pump

94 Tactical dumbbell workout

This ‘reverse Tabata’ format will test your strength endurance

96 Kettlebell workout

Rev up your metabolism and incinerate body fat FEBRUARY 2022

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NEED-TO-KNOW FITNESS NEWS

POWER OF 10 New research suggests a quick ten-minute run can sharpen up your cognitive skills to help turbo-charge your workday performance

ten-minute power run is the secret to boosting your mood and mental performance at work, according to new research by experts at the University of Tsukuba in Japan.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that a short run triggers an increase in blood flow to the prefrontal cortex: the area of the brain associated with executive function, such as planning, decision-making, organising your thoughts, working towards a goal, and short-term memory. Put simply, it’s the part of your brain your boss pays you to use.

In the study, subjects who went on a short ten-minute run displayed better cognitive reaction and brain-processing skills, and also reported better moods. These findings were in addition to the enhanced blood flow observed in the prefrontal cortex, which was monitored using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

“Given the extent of executive control required in coordinating balance, movement and propulsion during running, it is logical that there would be increased neuronal activation in the prefrontal cortex and that other functions in this region would benefit from this increase in brain resources,” explained Professor Hideaki Soya, a biochemist in the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Tsukuba.

We already knew that short bursts of exercise can boost our mental and physical health, but this new study illuminates the specific area of the brain activated by running.

So whether you go for a ten-minute jog in the morning, enjoy a lunch-time dash around the block, or head out for a quick run before an important meeting, start turbo-charging your brain with the power of plods.

Words: Mark Bailey | Photography: Getty Images

A

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●UPDATES

EASY ON THE EARS

Experts at Bond University in Australia have warned of the potential health risks of spending endless hours wired up to in-ear headphones, because it could be causing a harmful build-up of ear wax.

Ear wax is a completely natural and healthy substance, which protects your ears from dirt, and naturally makes its way from the inner to the outer sections of your ears over time. But earphones – particularly those that are ill-fitting or poor-quality – can block the passage of your ear wax, leading to compression and build-up. Cheap earphones can also trap sweat and moisture, making your ears more prone to bacterial and fungal infections.

“The ear has a wonderful process of self-cleaning, and we should do our best to let this occur naturally,” explained Dr Christian Moro and Charlotte Phelps, the authors of the paper. “In most cases earphones are fine, but it might still be helpful to stay aware of how long you spend wearing them.”

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BREAK THE FAST

A team of Iranian scientists have found that people who often miss the first meal of the day are also more likely to suffer from poor mental health. Other recent studies have shown similar results, with scientists recommending that a healthy breakfast should be high in fibre, minerals and vitamins, but low in sugar and fat. Previously published articles have claimed that breakfast consumption is linked to various benefits, including superior mental performance.

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The modern human does 27 minutes less physical activity per day than our recent ancestors, resulting in major evolutionary changes to our average body temperatures, according to research

by Harvard University.

The commonly accepted average temperature of the human body is 37°C. But more detailed analysis of health data, published in the journal Current Biology, revealed that the average body temperature of men born around the year 2000 was 0.59°C cooler than that of men born 200 years earlier.

The researchers believe this may be due to TVs, cars, video games, desk jobs and the accompanying lack of physical activity. When

Head to page 22 for our pick of the best sports headphones to get your hands on this year (just give your lugs a rest from time to time).

you exercise, your metabolism and body temperature rises, but every 1°C decrease in body temperature can be linked to a 10% change in resting metabolic rate. This suggests modern man’s metabolic rate has dropped by 6% – the equivalent of doing 27 minutes less exercise per day.

“Our hope is that this helps people think more about the long-term changes of activity that have come with our changes in lifestyle and technology,” explained Dr Andrew Yegian, of Harvard’s Department of Human and Evolutionary Biology.

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GET OFF THE ROAD If you live in a city, it’s healthier for your brain if you exercise in a park or along a quiet canal path instead of near busy roads. New research in the journal Neurology found that people who do vigorous jogging or competitive sports in areas with higher air pollution get less benefit from their exercise, particularly with regards to their brain health. The effects of exercise on your brain’s white matter – the ‘cables’ which connect the various signals pulsing through your brain – were found to be less beneficial when the exercise was done in a polluted environment.

“More research is needed, but if our findings are replicated, public policy could be used to address people’s exposure to air pollution during exercise,” said researcher Dr Melissa Furlong, of the University of Arizona.

MOBILITY MOVE Relieve tight hips and stretch your legs with the squat to hamstring stretch

• Hinge from the hips to grab the ends of your toes.

• Now squat down, keeping hold of your toes.

• While still holding on, straighten your legs as much as you can – you should feel a good stretch in your hamstrings.

• Release your hold and straighten up, then repeat.

STRESS AND AGEING

Words: Mark Bailey and Simon Cross | Photography: Getty images / Eddie Macdonald

Researchers at Yale University have discovered that stress adds years to your ‘biological age’, even in young and otherwise healthy people. The scientists found that people who suffer from chronic stress experience accelerated ageing markers, such as increased insulin resistance, which make them biologically ‘older’ than their chronological age. The good news is that subjects who developed emotional regulation and self-control – essentially the ability to step back, notice and change their emotions when feeling stressed – were able to avoid the ageing effects of stress.

“These results support the popular notion that stress makes us age faster,” explained Professor Rajita Sinha. “But they also suggest a promising way to possibly minimise these adverse consequences of stress through strengthening emotion regulation and self-control.”

SUPPORT ACT How you share ideas with co-workers could be as important as what you say, according to research

by Iowa State University. The paper, published in the Journal of Management, tested how two different ways of communicating ideas – ‘challenging’ and ‘supportive’ – affect a worker’s success and popularity.

Those who share challenging advice tend to push against the status quo and offer big ideas for change.

Those who share supportive advice tend to respect and value the status quo but offer subtle suggestions for improvement. The researchers found people who offer supportive advice tend to thrive and get invited into more work teams, as colleagues respect their approachability and trustworthiness.

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●UPDATES MUST-DO MOVE

BENT INTO SHAPE

Upgrade your obliques with the overhead Saxon bend You may not have heard of him, but Arthur Saxon, aka ‘The Iron Master’, is a man whose lifting advice you should take seriously. This 19th-century strongman spent his time touring the world and challenging people to match his weightlifting feats. The move named

STEP 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and press a set of light dumbbells overhead. Lock your arms, keep your core braced and don’t arch your lower back.

after him helped build the rock-solid core that contributed to his legendary strongman status.

This move does much more than just give you defined abs, though. That’s because it relies more on your obliques to stabilise your spine, allowing you to

increase the weight on other lifts.

For you, that means improved posture and impressive shoulders. For Saxon, it meant he could press 168kg overhead with one arm. And he only ever lifted in his pants – they don’t make them like that any more.

START WITH 8-10 REPS EACH SIDE x 2-3 SETS

STEP 3: Pause briefly, move slowly back to the middle and repeat on the opposite side.

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Model: @luongy (BMA Models) | Photography: Eddie Macdonald

STEP 2: Keep your hips facing forward and slowly bend to one side, but don’t go beyond a range you’re comfortable with.

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At PhD, we believe in maximising the things you can do, instead of punishing yourself for what you can’t. Whether it’s an extra rep or a recovery day, we know that small choices drive a big impact. That’s why we’ve spent years optimising our range, scrutinising the science behind every ingredient, giving you products that work smarter and taste better. So, from your morning boost to your evening refuel, we make it easier for you.

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●UPDATES TOTA L R ECALL

Get a memory boost with these three simple tips 01. HIT THE GYM It’s not just your muscles that benefit from lifting weights: resistance training twice a week improves blood flow in the brain, according to a study in the journal Neurobiology of Aging.

MRI scans showed areas of the brain associated with memory were considerably more active in subjects who lifted weights than in those who didn’t.

02. HAVE A CUPPA A cup of green tea can inhibit destructive enzymes associated with memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease, research from Newcastle University found. The effect was also shown in black tea but benefits lasted only one day, whereas the protection from green lasted an entire week. Its antioxidant potency also protects the brain from free-radical damage.

LAWS OF LEAN

Start shifting your spare tyre and get on track for a six-pack with these science-backed fat-loss strategies EAT BREAKFAST: People who skip the most important meal of the day are four-and-a-half times more likely to be overweight (and have a belly in place of abs) than those who eat first thing. That’s according to a year-long study of 499 subjects at the University of Massachusetts. Opt for porridge, eggs or other high-protein wholefoods for breakfast.

SLEEP WELL: Not getting enough sleep regularly – that is, between eight and nine hours of good-quality sleep per night – can affect the hormones that regulate satiety, according to research from the New York Academy of Science.

The study reported that individuals who failed to sleep well are more likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes. Zinc and magnesium supplements can help if you struggle to sleep deeply.

LIFT BIG: Crunches and planks won’t carve a solid six-pack – you need to perform heavy lifts that force your core to work hard to stabilise your body. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported that muscle activation in the core was ‘significantly greater’ during squats and deadlifts than in more conventional abs moves.

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30%

Drinking 500ml water increased people’s metabolic rate by 30% within ten minutes, according to one German study, with the effects lasting for up to 40 minutes and burning 100 calories in the process. More significantly, the researchers found that women burned carbs, but in men the energy came from fat. Keep your metabolism ticking over with 2L a day.

TRY THESE: Philips Sports’ new range of headphones includes in-ear, on-ear and bone-conduction options. We’re particular fans of the Philips Wireless Bluetooth Sports Earbuds (£119.99, pictured), which are watertight, dust- and sweatproof, and offer a competitive six hours of battery life (plus 18 extra hours with the charging case). There’s even a built-in heart rate monitor.

Shop the range at currys.co.uk Photography: Getty Images / Philips

03. NAP IT UP A daytime nap of up to one hour can help with declarative memory, the type associated with recalling knowledge, according to a Russian study. If you nap for longer, you’re likely to slip into a deep slumber, which isn’t helpful – subjects who didn’t reach the REM stage of sleep recalled more without reaction time being affected.

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READER SURVEY

Give us a few minutes of your time, and we will give you a new and improved Men’s Fitness The conversation around health, fitness and masculinity is constantly evolving, and we want to make sure we’re delivering the information you want in a way that informs and inspires in equal measure. To do that, we need your help.

So we’re asking you to share your honest thoughts about what Men’s Fitness is doing well, and where there’s room for improvement. Any feedback will help us create more of the content you want, and less of the stuff you don’t.

ABOUT YOU AND MEN'S FITNESS MAGAZINE 1. How often do you buy Men's Fitness magazine?

I’m a subscriber I buy every issue 1-5 issues per year 6+ issues per year This is the first issue in the past year This is the first issue I’ve ever bought I don’t read Men’s Fitness 2. How do you obtain your copy of Men’s Fitness magazine?

I subscribe to either the print or digital edition From a newsstand/retailer From a friend/colleague Digital edition via Readly Digital edition via another platform (not Readly) Free copy I don’t read Men’s Fitness 3. If you are not a subscriber, what is your main reason for not taking out a subscription?

I am a subscriber I don’t want to commit to a subscription payment up front I’ve not got round to taking out a subscription I’m not aware of subscription offers I don’t read every issue Other (please specify) 4. What was the reason you first started buying Men’s Fitness? (Tick all that apply) I was actively looking for a magazine as I wanted to lose weight I was actively looking for a magazine as I wanted to get in shape I was actively looking for a magazine as I wanted to get fitter I discovered it in a shop I discovered it on a digital newsstand I read a copy that I found in my local gym I read a copy that a friend/family member had Other (please specify) 5. How long have you read Men’s Fitness magazine?

Less than 1 year Between 1 and 5 years Between 5 and 10 years More than 10 years I don’t read Men’s Fitness 6. On average, how much time do you spend reading an issue of Men’s Fitness?

Less than 1 hour 1-2 hours 2-4 hours 4-6 hours More than 6 hours None 7. Do you keep Men’s Fitness for reference?

Yes No

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8. If you said yes, you keep your copy of Men’s Fitness for reference, on average, how many times do you go back and read it?

Once Twice 3-4 times 5-10 times More than 10 times I don’t keep my copy for reference

16. Who do you exercise with? (Tick all that apply) On my own With my other half With a friend In a group As part of a club With my dog With my kids Other (please specify)

9. How many other people read your copy of Men’s Fitness?

Just me 1 other person 2 other people 3 other people 4 or more other people I don’t read Men’s Fitness

17. If you exercise as home, do you use equipment?

Yes No I don’t exercise at home If yes, what type?

10. Which parts of the magazine do you most enjoy? (Tick all that apply) Updates Perfect Fit In Focus Mental Health Fuel Trainer I don't read Men’s Fitness Other (please specify)

18. If you exercise at home, what do you do?

11. Which topics interest you most or would you like to read more about? (Tick all that apply) Case studies/real-life stories Fashion and style pages Fitness gadgets/tech Gear/kit testing Health news How to improve your cycling How to improve your running How to improve your swimming The mental health benefits of fitness Workouts to get stronger Workouts to get leaner Training plans Weight loss Interviews New sports/forms of fitness Nutrition Recipes Obstacle racing Walking for weight loss Other forms of fitness 12. Why do you choose Men’s Fitness over other men’s fitness/ health magazines? (Tick all that apply) The range of topics covered The quality of the features The training advice Value for money Informative content Useful workouts In-depth interviews Nutritional info/recipes I don’t Other (please specify) ABOUT YOU AND YOUR EXERCISE 13. How often do you normally exercise each week?

Every day 4-6 days per week 2-3 days per week 1 day per week Less than weekly Less than monthly I don’t 14. How long do you normally exercise for?

0-15 minutes 16-30 minutes 31-60 minutes Over an hour 15. Where do you usually exercise? (Tick all that apply) Gym At home Outside Through woodland On trails On the street In a park Swimming in a lake/sea Swimming in a local pool On a treadmill Yoga studio Other (please specify)

(Tick all that apply)

Use fitness apps Follow YouTube workouts Follow own plan One-to-one sessions online On-demand workouts Workouts in Men’s Fitness magazine I don’t exercise at home Other (please specify) 19. How would you rate your fitness?

Unfit Mid-level Fit Super fit 20. What are your fitness goals? (Tick all that apply) To lose weight To build muscle To get lean To maintain my fitness To maintain my weight To feel better about myself and improve my confidence To train for an event To keep in shape for another sport To improve my mental strength and wellbeing Other (please specify) 21. Which of the following activities do you do?

(Tick all that apply)

Running Obstacle races Triathlons Snow sports Water sports Swimming indoors Camping Walking/hiking Wild swimming Road cycling Mountaineering Off-road cycling Trail running Team sports Indoor cycling Climbing Tennis Football Boxing Rugby CrossFit Yoga Other (please specify) 22. If you walk for fitness, how often do you do it?

More than 3 times a week More than once a week About once a week Twice a month Once a month Less often I don’t walk for fitness 23. If you walk for fitness, what distance do you typically walk?

Half a mile or less Half a mile to 2 miles 2-5 miles 5-10 miles 10 miles+ 24. Have you ever taken part in a fitness event?

(Tick all that apply)

CrossFit Obstacle race Road running Triathlon Other (please specify)

Cycling sportive Off-road cycling Trail running Ultra-distance events

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25. How often do you try the recipes listed in the magazine?

Very often Often Occasionally Hardly ever Never

Entries close 4 March 2022. The winners will be drawn on 5 March 2022 and contacted within three working days. The editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered in to.*We take your privacy seriously.

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26. What, if any, fitness supplement(s) do you take on a regular basis? (Tick all that apply) Energy drinks Energy gels Energy bars Recovery bars Recovery drinks Protein drinks Joint care Multi-vitamins Fat burning Muscle building Other (please specify) 27. Which of the following best describes your dietary choices?

Regularly eat meat Flexitarian (eat meat very occasionally) Vegetarian Vegan Other (please specify) ABOUT YOU AND YOUR SPORTS GEAR 28. Where do you usually buy your fitness gear?

(Tick all that apply)

I don’t In a specialist sports shop Sports Direct ASOS Supermarket Amazon JD Sports TK Maxx Specialist online retailer Wiggle Other (please specify) 29. Which of the following decisions does Men’s Fitness help you make? (Tick all that apply) What apparel to buy What accessories to buy What tech to buy Nutritional choices Creating a workout plan Events to enter Other (please specify) 30. How often do you buy new fitness gear?

Once a year When I feel like it Every few months Once a month I don’t keep track 31. How much do you normally spend when you buy fitness gear?

I don’t Up to £50 Between £50 and £100 Between £100 and £200 More than £200 32. What is the most you have spent on a single piece of fitness kit? £100 or less £101 to £250 £251 to £500 £501 to £1,000 More than £1,000 Not sure 33. When buying fitness gear, do you do any of the following? (Tick all that apply) Do research on the internet Read magazine reviews Read Men’s Fitness reviews Read customer reviews on manufacturer website Visit a local sports shop for advice Ask other people for advice face to face Use social media channels to ask for advice Stick with the same brand

35. Which of the following are influential when you’re deciding to buy new fitness gear?

Very influential

Very important

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Quite influential

Not influential

36. Have you bought any of the following products within the past year? (Tick all that apply) Socks GPS device Running shoes Gym trainers Bike Gym top Gym shorts Headphones Bag Fitness tech Water bottle Headtorch Watch Waterproof clothing Mobile phone belt Home gym equipment (e.g. dumbbells) Waterbag Wetsuit Other (please specify)

43. What other men’s health and fitness websites do you use?

Menshealth.com/uk Coachmag.co.uk Bodybuilding.com Muscleandfitness.com Musclefood.com Other (please specify)

37. Do you currently run or train with a gadget (speed / distance / heart-rate monitor)?

Yes No No, but I’m considering buying one

ABOUT YOU 45. What is your gender?

Male Female I prefer not to self-identify

38. Which of these apps do you use? (Tick all that apply) MapMyRun Runkeeper Nike+ Strava Endomondo Garmin WalkJogRun Other (please specify)

46. What age are you?

39. Which of these words would you use to describe Men’s Fitness magazine? (Tick all that apply) Authoritative Friendly Relevant Humorous Inspirational Lightweight Too serious Helpful Accessible Insightful Motivational Complicated Informative Fun Modern Useful Different Other (please specify) 40. What do you dislike about Men’s Fitness?

41. How do you engage with Men’s Fitness?

(Tick all that apply)

I read the magazine I use the website I receive the weekly e-newsletter I follow on Facebook Instagram Twitter I don’t Other (please specify) 42. If you don’t follow us on social media, why is that? (please specify)

34. How important are the following when you’re deciding on new fitness gear?

Price Value Brand Guarantee Free delivery Being able to try on before I buy Advice from retail staff Men’s Fitness magazine reviews Other magazine reviews Online reviews Customer reviews on manufacturer website Advice from social media channels Peer reviews Endorsements (e.g. 5-star reviews) Delivery lead time

Influential

Ad on TV Ad in magazine Editorial reviews in magazine Online blog reviews Online video reviews Discussion at my club In-store displays Information in store Quality service in store A comparison guide Multi-buy discounts Online ads Other (please specify)

Important

Quite important

Not important

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14/01/2022 12:23

PICTURE PREVIEW One year on from his half-ton deadlift world record in 2016, then World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall lifts 536kg as part of a promo for his book, My Story (though as it was outside of official competition, the monstrous lift didn’t count as a new WR). Hall has previously spoken about the need to take his mind to some “very dark” places to prepare for such exertions, and for this issue of MF he gives further insight into the extreme commitment required to be the strongest man in the world.

Read our exclusive interview with Eddie ‘The Beast’ Hall on page 26.

Photography: John Phillips/Getty Images

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13/01/2022 11:30

INVEST IN YOUR FITNESS

5% OFF: MFM22

AFFORDABLE FITNESS EQUIPMENT VALID FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY

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10/01/2022 13:44

Words: Mark Bailey | Photography: HindSight

KIT BAG ESSENTIALS

REAR VIEW

HindSight’s innovative reflective cycling glasses promise to boost your safety and your aerodynamics

yclists need cardio fitness, power, stamina and balance; on Britain’s hazardous roads, they also need eyes in the back of their head.

HindSight’s reflective glasses strive to make

C

that physical impossibility a reality.

Using patented ‘rear view mirror’ technology, these glasses enable you to see what’s behind you as you ride. That means you will feel safer, and you won’t mess up

your aerodynamic silhouette by repeatedly twisting your head to glance over your shoulder.

HindSight is the creation of Alexander Macdonald, a physicist with a passion for cycling.

But the glasses also draw on the knowledge of award-winning optical engineer Bob Henderson, and feature input from elite athlete ambassador Callum Skinner, a gold medallist in the team sprint at Rio 2016.

The story began with a few sketches in a basement flat, after Macdonald suffered one near miss too many on busy city roads. The idea then moved through a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2020. And the final product is now exciting commuters

and road cyclists around the country.

It’s behind you

The secret to HindSight products are the two-part angled lenses. With a special reflective mirror located in the sides of the lenses, you can see what is happening behind you, so you know when a car is about to overtake you, or another rider is about to fly past. In fact, by turning your head just a few degrees, you can pan your entire rear field of view. And the brand’s True Mirror technology means that objects are exactly as far as they seem. This mirrored section is also semitransparent, to ensure your forward vision is not impaired.

There are several models now available,

from the stylish Edge Sport (£119.99) to the retro Edge Hemp (£249.99). The latest versions also include the more lifestyle-focused Morpheus and Artemis styles (£150), which combine an urban look with attention-grabbing lenses in green, blue and red shades.

The latest models of the glasses still feature the patented rear-view lenses, but in these new versions, the lenses have been integrated into the frames, making them lighter and stronger. The result is a set of glasses which keep you safe on the bike, and ensure you look good off it.

Shop the range at hindsight.store

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●PERFECT FIT GYM JOGGERS

Train in comfort and style with our pick of the best gym joggers

I

n the months before spring, when ice cakes car windscreens and frost carpets the ground, exercising outside or just getting to the gym can seem a mighty effort. Slipping into a pair of warm joggers, though, can make the difference between demotivated and ‘let’s do this’. When the cold begins to bite, the perfect pair make gym journeys more manageable and workouts themselves more comfortable. Here are our favourites…

Lululemon Surge Jogger £108, lululemon.co.uk

Lululemon’s athleisure collections strike the perfect balance between functional and comfortable, and these joggers are no different. The lightweight fabric hangs loose around the leg for a relaxed fit, but the refined cut uses a subtle taper to maintain a sharp look from elastic waistband to zippered ankles.

The lightweight feel belies an impressive amount of warmth, but once you’re working out they’re breathable enough to keep up the intensity without overheating.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Style ★ ★★ ★ ★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★ ★

Words: Charlie Metcalfe

JOG ON

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Under Armour RUSH Fleece Pants £85, underarmour.co.uk

Castore X Reiss Oscar Jogger £95, castore.com

One of the more chic options on this list, the Oscar looks just as good in an airport lounge as it does in the gym.

We found the thick material provided extraordinary comfort best suited for getting yourself to and from the weights room. The Oscar would also enhance any static stretching before and after your session.

The water-resistant fleece of these joggers makes them perfect for outdoor workouts (or a brisk walk down to the corner shop). Their looser fit and elastic-cuffed ankles make them nice and versatile, and a zippered-pocket holds a phone and keys with a bit of room to spare.

Fit ★ ★★ ★★ Style ★ ★★ ★ ★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★ ★

Gymshark Studio Joggers £45, uk.gymshark.com

High-performance, well-cut joggers can be difficult to come by at the mid-price range, but these strike the right blend of comfort and performance. The lightweight, stretchy material moves as you do, meaning WODs and runs can be conquered with ease.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ Style ★ ★★ ★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Style ★ ★★ ★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

Sundried Ortler 2.0 Slim-Fit Jogging Bottoms

WIT Lightweight Knit Joggers

At the lowest price category, it would be difficult to go wrong with a pair of these joggers. While the heavy material makes them best for less sweaty sessions, the plain design can be paired with almost anything.

The warm material of the Ortler 2.0s makes them ideal for strolls to and from the gym. And since the athleisure aesthetic went mainstream, the all-black colourway with grey detailing suits most relaxed environments – the library, a café, the gym. Because these are on the heavier side, we found them best suited to more static workouts.

In need of something tighter to suit a functional workout’s variety of movements? The stretchable fabric of CrossFit-specialist WIT’s joggers will take you from snatches to muscle-ups with a maximum range of movement.

The skin-tight fit probably means they’re best saved for working out rather than lounging around.

Fit ★ ★★ ★★ Style ★ ★★ ★★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★★

Fit ★ ★★ ★★ Style ★ ★★ ★★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★★

Fit ★ ★★ ★★ Style ★ ★★ ★★ Comfort ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★★

£45, sundried.com

MP Mini Mark Joggers £23, myprotein.com

£85, wit-fitness.com

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●PERFECT FIT TECH TALK

PLAY IT BY EAR

Eight of the best new-release sports headphones to maintain new-year motivation Jaybird Vista 2

£189.99, jaybirdsport.com

W

hether you’re lifting heavy, spinning a set on the stationary bike or running around your local park, sticking on some music has proven performance benefits. The right backing tracks can delay fatigue and boost mental toughness to squeeze your effort levels higher. And the latest super minimal, sweatproof, true wireless buds can withstand the rigours of a workout, too, with motivational sound quality, big endurance battery life and beefed-up durability. Here’s our pick of the best.

Jaybird has an excellent track record for sports headphones built to withstand everything the outdoors – or the gym floor – throws at you. The Vista 2 follows a winning formula: big, eight-hour battery life; solid, customisable sound; and secure, comfortable wingtip fit. But there are notable new smarts, too.

This tweaked version now comes with even more total playback time – 24 hours with the case – military-grade durability buds and a weatherpoof case, plus new Active Noise Cancellation (ANC).

The audio performance is pleasingly solid: rich and full, with plenty of bass, a meaty top volume and excellent customisation in the partner app.

That includes a personalised hearing test and the option to create and store different sound profiles to suit your settings.

The 24-hour total workout time in the buds and case means you only really need to charge these once a month – though in our tests, we didn’t quite get that official battery billing. One 45-minute run burned through 10%, while another 90-minute run rattled through 30% with ANC on. And it’s clear with ANC you’ll take a hit.

The durability is impressive, though, with an IP68 rating that means they’re water-, sweat-, dust-, drop- and crush-proof. We left them in a sink full of water for 30 minutes, dropped them on a pavement and walked on them – repeatedly – and they survived.

The compact, highly portable case is also downpour-proof, making the Vista 2 ideal for long days out and wilder outdoor fitness pursuits.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★ ★

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Nothing Ear 1 £99, nothing.tech

A wallet-friendly rival to Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro, the Ear 1 pack five hours of workout time on the buds and a further Apple-beating 29 hours in the case. That’s a combined 34-hours’ staying power, which puts the workout time right up there with the longest-lasting true wireless earbuds.

They’re light and lock relatively tight in the ears.

The sound, ANC and awareness modes aren’t world-beating, but overall these kick out rich, full-bodied tunes and the transparent design gives them some unique style swagger. An excellent budget-friendly option.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

Beats Fit Pro

$199, beatsbydre.com The ear-gripping, wingtipped Beats Fit Pro are like Airpods Pro’s sound meets fitness-friendly design.

They pack the same H1 headphone chip you find in Apple’s buds. This is used to power Adaptive EQ that automatically tweaks the audio to your surroundings, plus ANC, transparency mode and a clever spatial sound feature, which uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to sense where you’re looking in relation to the audio action, for a 360-degree listening experience.

You get a competitive seven-hour battery life with an additional 23 hours in the case. The buds are also sweat- and water-resistant – though the chunky case isn’t, and there’s no wireless charging.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

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●PERFECT FIT TECH TALK

B&O Beoplay E8 Sport £300, bang-olufsen.com

B&O’s eye- and ear-pleasing waterproof and sweat-resistant buds pack style and substance.

If you’ve got big bucks, the E8 pump out some of the best EQ-customisable sound we’ve heard on a set of true wireless headphones. Despite a slightly smaller wingtip and a fairly protruding design, they fit surprisingly tight and don’t shake loose when workouts get bumpy.

There’s sadly no ANC or awareness modes, or Find My Buds tracking, but they do support wireless charging and you get seven hours of workout tunes on the buds, and a total of 30 with the case.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★ ★

BOSE Sport Earbuds £179.95, bose.co.uk

Fit ★ ★★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★ ★

Words: Kieran Alger

A solid pick for audiophile fitness enthusiasts, these sweatproof buds spit out full-bodied and well-rounded sound. You only get five hours of battery life on the buds and ten in the wireless charging case, but that’s offset a little by a 15-minute rapid charge that delivers two hours of sweat time.

There’s no ANC or transparency modes, you can’t tweak the sound, and they’re a little chunky and pricey for the feature set. But if a premium audio experience is top priority, you can perhaps justify the compromises.

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Jabra Elite 7 Active £169.99, jabra.co.uk

The Elite 7 Active utilises a wingtip-free design, relying instead on a new ShakeGrip coating to improve the stay-put fit. However, the fit isn’t as reliable as wingtipped alternatives and fussy ears may struggle to keep them locked in.

You get big battery life, with eight hours on the buds and 22 in the case plus ANC, a customisable HearThru awareness mode and a new slimmed-down charging case. Rapid charge delivers an hour’s sweat time from five minutes on the grid – that matches the Vista 2 – and at just 5.5g, the buds are as light and compact as it gets.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC £170, adidas.com

Adidas launched two sets of true wireless headphones in 2021 and the pricier Z.N.E. 01 ANC option comes with slightly better all-round skills. That includes ANC, in-ear detection with auto pause and a 26-hour total battery life, with six hours in the buds and 20 in the compact back-up case.

The wingtip-free, stem-style buds are light, but there’s a lot of plastic involved. The sound is loud but tinny, with limited EQ options. The ANC and transparency modes work well. They’re sweatproof and water-resistant, and support wireless charging.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

JBL Reflect Flow Pro £159.99, uk.jbl.com

The Pro alternative to the original Reflect Flow true wireless earbuds, these wingtip and ear-gel headphones come with adaptive ANC, Ambient Aware – JBL’s awareness mode – and a TalkThru mode that lets you chat naturally without removing your buds.

A set of 6.8mm dynamic drivers power up to ten hours of beast-mode music from the buds, with a further 20 served up by the wireless Qi-compatible charging case. The sound is OK but not remarkable, and the buds are a tad bulky and protruding, but still offer a decent fit. They are also water-, sweat-, rain- and dust-proof, and fully rinseable post-workout – handy if you’re a heavy sweater.

Fit ★ ★★ ★ ★ Sound ★ ★★ ★★ OVERALL ★ ★★ ★

FEBRUARY 2022

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IN FOCUS EDDIE HALL

HALL FAME OF

Eddie Hall, former World’s Strongest Man, sits down with editor Isaac Williams to talk mammoth diets, marathon workloads and stepping away from the weights and into the ring

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IN FOCUS EDDIE HALL

ddie ‘The Beast’ Hall, you might be aware, is quite a big man. Staring back at me from across the Zoom call, his shoulders are too wide to fit in the screen – his traps almost big enough for their first day at school. It’s quite something, then, that this is the ‘smallest’ he’s been for over a decade.

Since qualifying for his first World’s Strongest Man (WSM) – the pinnacle of professional strongman – in 2012, Hall’s life became a tunnel-visioned quest to be crowned champion.

His diet became the stuff of internet legend, his training videos – including benching 100kg dumbbells for seven reps, and shoulder pressing a couple of 70kgs like they were tins of beans – racking up hundreds of thousands of views.

The training may have changed, but there’s been no let up in intensity since switching from strongman to boxing

We can’t see how much these dumbbells weigh, but a reasonable guess would be ‘very heavy’

Salvation in strength “I first got into lifting weights when I was expelled from school at 14,” he tells me, before a typically frank point: “Rather than sit at home wanking all day, I decided to go to the gym.”

This new hobby kept Hall away from trouble and out of some dark spots: “I found that going to the gym kept me safe, kept me sane, kept my mentality up. I suffered from quite a big bout of depression in my young teenage years, and I found that going to the gym and lifting weights was my outlet – it was my void-filler. Every time I went to the gym I felt better about myself, and got this sense of euphoria.”

Hall, who grew up in Staffordshire, was also an accomplished competitive swimmer, and though time in the pool was gradually phased out in favour of the weights room, he credits swimming with being hugely beneficial to his later strongman career.

“It gave me big lung capacity,” he says, “which you need in any sport. I feel as though the swimming gave me a great cardiovascular base, but it also gave me an even better base for strength. As a swimmer, when you’re pulling through the water you’re not grounded: you’re not using your feet to push you off the floor. That means that your whole body is working from head to toe to keep you moving. Being an elite-level

swimmer was something that translated to strongman very well.”

Fast-forward to 19 years old, and Hall had been training for five years as a bodybuilder. This was around the dawn of YouTube, and by watching videos from fellow British strongmen, Hall quickly realised he was one of the strongest men in the country. He entered his first strongman competition that year, placing fifth “out of about 40 guys”. That same day, he vowed to become the strongest man in the world.

Movement monster When he eventually qualified for his first WSM, Hall was still training in a commercial gym, like an old-school bodybuilder. “All I had access to was a squat rack, a bench, a deadlift bar and some dumbbells,” he says.

“I didn’t have the Atlas stones, I didn’t have trucks to pull – I didn’t have any of that. I was winging it.”

‘Winging it’, it must be said, fairly well: in that time, Hall was fresh off the back of victory in 2011’s UK’s Strongest Man – an event he would go on to win a total of six times, alongside five wins at Britain’s Strongest Man. Non-specific training in a regular gym had its advantages, too.

“I became a kind of movement monster,” he says. “No one could out-bench me, outsquat me or out-deadlift me. That was a fact.

Stood in one spot, moving weight, there was no one in the world stronger than me. Where I fell down was pulling the trucks, lifting the Atlas stones, throwing the kegs. But I built the basics first, then moved to the technical side of things. Although it wasn’t ideal and I probably could have done better had I started strongman events earlier on, building those basics gave me that unstoppable power to get world records in deadlifts, forward holds and so on.”

The first of those world records came in 2014, when Hall deadlifted a monstrous 462kg at the Arnold Classic in Australia – with Arnie himself there to cheer him on. Two years later, Hall surpassed that feat with perhaps his most famous lift: a 500kg deadlift (half a ton in old measures) at the World Deadlift Championships. He’s since spoken of taking his mind to a “very dark place” as motivation to lift the weight, the sheer exertion of which forced him to momentarily pass out.

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“Stood in one spot, moving weight, there was no one in the world stronger than me”

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IN FOCUS EDDIE HALL

“I’ve never heard a boxer say, ‘I wish I was a bit weaker’”

Ripped and ready: an impressively lean Hall shows off his new MYPRO protein and pre-workout

Life of extremes Which brings us to the darker side of strongman. Because while eating big and lifting heavy might seem the dream, such a life is as much about sacrifice as it is excess.

After seven long years, Hall’s hard work paid off, as he became the first British man ever to lift the WSM trophy. He was officially the strongest man in the world. But, by his own admission, he was also the unhealthiest he’s ever been – pushing 32 stone, he was one of the heaviest men in the country. Regular tests revealed liver and kidney markers that were “through the roof ”, and his blood was “like sludge”. Hall’s single-minded WSM pursuit took, by his reckoning, “20 years off [his] lifespan.” But to be the best at anything, he adds, you need to be obsessed.

“I would say obsessed was an understatement for me in the run up to World’s Strongest Man. That was my life, seven days a week. There were no days off, there was no time spent with the kids. Being that size for three to four years took a huge hit on my health.”

He would do it all again, though, no question. “Would you rather live 50 years as a lion, or 100 years as a fucking sheep?” Hall says, defiantly. “I know which one I choose.”

Into the ring Now considerably leaner, and healthier, since retiring from strongman shortly after his victory in 2017, Hall has switched to a sport that, on the face of it, couldn’t be much more different. Some time this year, he will step into the boxing ring with longtime strongman rival Hafþór Björnsson – who won WSM the year after Hall, in 2018. Better known to Game of Thrones fans as Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane, the 6ft 9in Icelander will have a considerable reach advantage over Hall (6ft 2in), but if he’s worried about that, he’s certainly not showing it.

“I’m coming in tactical,” he says. “I’m not going in windmilling. I’m going to destroy him in points, I’m going to destroy him in power, endurance, speed, agility, everything.

The only things he’s got on me are height and

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Why curl dumbbells when you can use a sledgehammer?

DAY IN THE LIFE

Here’s a ‘normal’ 24 hours for Eddie Hall in peak strongman mode 07:00

Full English breakfast

08:00 Sleep

09:00

Another breakfast (big bowl of porridge, heaps of fruit)

Words: Isaac Williams | Photography: Myprotein / MYPRO

09:30 reach, but you ask Mike Tyson how you get around that – there’s always a way.”

While emulating Iron Mike might be a bit of a stretch, Hall’s ‘obsessed to be the best’ mindset means he’s training – if not eating – every bit as hard as he always has.

“I’m doing 6,000-7,000 calories a day at the moment,” he says, “but a lot more wholesome foods. Everything I put in my body now is organic. I eat a hell of a lot of salmon – probably 200g a day – as well as red meat three times a week, and the rest is chicken. There’s also a load of organic vegetables and high-quality carbs. I cook a lot of it in bone broths – anything that’s got good cartilage and minerals in it. It’s a lot of volume still, but it’s a lot healthier. I’ve upped my water intake massively, too, so at the moment I’m doing about ten litres a day.”

Although he detached his bicep in sparring late last year (meaning a delay to the fight), at time of writing Hall says he’s back in the ring and feeling good.

“I’ve never heard a boxer say, ‘I wish I was a bit weaker,’” he says. “Having that baseline strength has been a great transfer into boxing: every single punch I throw has got conviction and power behind it. But even now, my best attributes have come from the swimming, because I’ve got huge lungs and excellent heart function. I’m able to do those long rounds, the runs, the swimming, no problem. It’s bringing that cardiovascular history back to life, while utilising the strongman strength.”

Passion is paramount Whatever the outcome of the fight, ‘The Beast’ will forever be remembered as the first Brit to lay claim to the title of World’s Strongest Man. And while you might not harbour quite that same ambition, for anyone with a keen interest in lifting heavy and pushing their limits, Hall’s main advice is to take what you do outside the gym every bit as seriously.

“Invest in yourself and your recovery,” he says. “Pay for physio; eat the high-quality, organic food; sleep well; hydrate more; consider hot and cold therapy.”

Crucially, you’ve also got to enjoy what you’re doing: “If going to the gym is a drag, and you’re forcing protein shakes down, it’s not for you. You’ve got to love it.”

Eddie Hall is a MYPRO ambassador, and he’s recently released a limitededition MYPRO x Eddie Hall collection, featuring a preworkout and an all-in-one protein powder.

“Many pre-workouts wear off for the last half an hour, but this one lasts longer so you get more bang for your buck,” says Hall.

“It’s designed to give you a nice buzz for a longer period, so rather than hitting you in one go and causing your face to tingle like crazy, this is slower-release.”

Shop the collection at myprotein.com

Sleep

11:00

- 100g cashews - 1-hour physio - Nap

13:00

Lunch (chicken, rice or pasta – “1-2kg of food at every meal”)

14:00 Sleep

15:00

Second lunch (tuna sandwiches, flapjacks – anything to carb-load)

16:00

Gym (4 hours – “Super heavy volume”) with raw steak and extracream milk mid-workout

18:00

Steak or protein shake

19:00

Gym again (1 hour): hot and cold treatment

22:30

Evening meal (steak and potatoes)

23:00

Hyperbaric chamber (1.5 hours)

00:30

Protein bar, then off to bed

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IN FOCUS TOM EVANS

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Tom Evans embodies a new breed of distance runner, powered not just by heavy mileage but innovative training, heavy lifting and cutting-edge sports science. He tells MF why it’s time for all runners to expand their training horizons

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IN FOCUS TOM EVANS

om Evans isn’t like other runners. While many endurance athletes swerve the gym, the worldbeating British ultra runner pumps out heavy squats and deadlifts. Some runners stubbornly cling to old-school training ideas, but Evans sharpens his running gait with the help of biomechanical sensors and 3D motion capture analysis.

And although most runners follow a single-sport training programme, Evans boosts his volume by cross-training with mountain biking, road cycling and swimming.

The 30-year-old is a pioneer and an innovator, locked in a deeply personal quest to stretch his physical limits to the max. And his

BOSU training builds unilateral leg strength and proprioception – essential for an ultra runner

refreshingly open-minded approach is a winning strategy that every runner can learn from.

Military discipline Evans’ journey to the top of the ultra running scene has been dizzyingly fast.

Before he became an elite runner, he served as a British Army Captain in the Welsh Guards, where he learned about discipline, planning and self-control.

Then one night in the pub, his friends were boasting about their performances in the Marathon des Sables (MdS) – the notoriously gruelling 250km race across the Sahara Desert. Eager to shut them up, Evans made a drunken bet that he could beat their times. When he eventually took part in the MDS in 2017, he didn’t just beat his friends’ times, he finished third overall – the best result any European had ever achieved.

Evans then left the Army to embark on a new mission: to see how far his running talent could take him. Fusing old-school military grit with a passion for cutting-edge

Evans makes use of Red Bull’s cutting-edge facilities

training innovations, he thrived. In 2018, he won the 101km CourmayeurChampex-Chamonix (CCC) race around Mont-Blanc, and broke course records in the Coastal Challenge Costa Rica and South Downs Way 50. In 2019, he set the fastest time by an overseas athlete at the prestigious Western States 100 race in California. And in 2020 he set a new course record at the 100km Tarawera Ultra in New Zealand.

After a spell focusing on shorter track and road events in a bid to qualify for the Olympic marathon in 2021, Evans had to undergo knee surgery in 2021. But as he makes his comeback in 2022, he is determined to pursue a life of innovation, self-discovery and adventure.

“I think the main challenge is to do things that nobody has done before,” explains Evans, who lives in Loughborough with his fiancée, the triathlete Sophie Coldwell, their two dogs and… a flock of rescue chickens. “I’ve now competed for Great Britain at trail, mountain, cross-country and road. I think that versatility is fairly unprecedented, but trail is where my heart is. I want to be able to draw on bits from the road, cross-country, mountains and track to create the sweet spot where I can perform at my best.

I have always liked guys like Mo Farah, who won 5,000m and 10,000m gold in two Olympics (in 2012 and 2016), and Emil Zatopek, who won the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon at the same Olympics (in 1952).”

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“I’m trying to become a complete athlete, so I’m now breaking down my running as a movement and strengthening the individual parts”

Bulgarian split squats hit every muscle in your lower body, while forcing your core into stabilising action

Think bigger Evans’ success in mixing up his disciplines proves that by broadening your training horizons you can become a more complete athlete.

“The race experience of ultra running really helps

mentally in the shorter distances, because I put myself in dark places in these long races,” he says. “But the shorter distances have helped my overall speed, and that crosses over onto the trails quite nicely.”

Such an open-minded approach has led him into the world of sports science.

As a Red Bull-sponsored athlete, he recently visited the high-tech Red Bull Athlete Performance Centre (APC) in Austria, where he underwent lung function screening, lactate threshold analysis, force plate tests and motion capture analysis.

While not every gadget is available to everyday runners, the take-home lesson from Evans is that you should address every detail of your performance, in any way you can.

“It aligns with my principle of leaving no stone unturned,” he says. “I am a good runner, but I’m not a good all-round athlete.

What we are doing is trying to make me a complete

athlete. There are areas that I have neglected because I got into this sport late, having been in the Army.

So I’m now breaking down my running as a movement and strengthening the individual parts. I have been running inside and doing video analysis. When I’m running outside, my strength instructor is on a bike with a GoPro to make sure that my gait is right. And I’ve done 3D motion capture analysis of my running, so I have found areas where we can get a 5% or even 1% gain.”

Simple but effective video gait analysis is available to amateur runners for free at stores like Runners Need.

And a skilled coach can visually identify weaknesses or imbalances in your running form. But the secret

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IN FOCUS TOM EVANS

is to keep refining all the details of your performance.

“If you’re not a very good swimmer, but you are swimming next to a very good swimmer, you both look the same because you’re both doing front crawl, but the good swimmer is going three times faster – and with less effort,” explains Evans.

“It’s exactly the same with running. For example, what if I could increase my stride length by 2cm? It doesn’t sound much, but over 100 miles, at 170 steps a minute,

you’re getting about three and a half metres for free, every minute. Times that by 15 hours, over the course of an ultra race, and that’s an awful lot.”

Evans knows that science can make you faster. But his openness to new technology doesn’t mean he is in thrall

Sled pushes develop full-body power, while strengthening the posterior chain

Battle ropes are an excellent, low-impact tool for testing lung capacity and muscular endurance

to every new gadget.

“You have to keep asking yourself the question: ‘so what?’” he says. “I tried a glucose sensor recently, but when I’m exercising I’m not in the ‘glucose performance zone.’ One of my strengths is my metabolic rate. I can run fast and not use much carbohydrate as fuel. I do a lot of fasted training just to get my body used to working efficiently. I have an almost unlimited amount of fat

to fuel my exercise. And the quicker you can run, without using carbohydrate, the better. So according to this sensor, my performance score is very low, because I don’t use much glucose.

But for an ultra runner, that is exactly what you want.

The human element is still important.”

Pace and power A vital part of Evans’ innovative training

“I’ve started planning for the fastest solo to the North Pole”

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people think you need to do loads of reps in the gym,” says Evans, “but if you take 180 steps a minute, that’s 180 reps in just one minute of running, so I do enough high reps when I’m on the run. By contrast, in the gym I mix it up by doing heavy weights and low reps. A standard rep range might be 4 x 6 reps, but heavy.

If I went all out, I could probably lift the weights for 8 or 9 reps. So I lift maybe 80% of what you could do for normal reps and sets.”

Evans also enjoys the diverse benefits of cross-training with road cycling, mountain biking and swimming. A paper in the European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology found that cross-training improves running performance, while a study in Sports Medicine found it can reduce the risk of overtraining.

“There’s just so much transferable skill,” explains Evans. “Road cycling builds

and ultra runner that I can be. I like FKTs (fastest known times) and challenges that people don’t think are possible. So I have started some basic planning for the fastest solo [run] to the North Pole. To do that, and put a climate change awareness theme onto it, is going to mean more to me than running 2:10 at the Berlin Marathon.”

aerobic capacity, but with a reduced load and impact on my legs. And when I’m mountain biking, I’m trying to keep your body straight, just like when running on trails. If I’m running downhill, I want my shoulders and chest to be going downhill, even if my legs might be all over the place. Mountain biking helps me to replicate that and get that muscle memory.

I don’t get why more runners don’t do it.”

TOUGHEN UP FOR THE TRAILS Tom Evans’ go-to strength exercises to compliment off-road running

Next steps Evans’ willingness to think differently also shapes his performance goals. As he powers into 2022, he is motivated by neither medals nor money, but by the chance to pursue lifechanging adventures. It’s a philosophy every runner can be inspired by.

“I want to do something spectacular on the trails, rather than something good on the road or the track,” he explains. “I just want to be the best all-round trail

The daddy of all leg exercises, barbell back squats not only strengthen every lower body muscle, but also build strength and mobility in the hips

SINGLE-LEG WEIGHTED STEP-UP (4 x 6 reps)

“These really teach your body to stabilise,” says Evans. “You gain rock-solid stability in your hips. And they help to recruit more muscle fibres when you’re going uphill.”

LOADED CALF RAISE (4 x 6 reps)

Loaded calf raises will help you to power up steep climbs and control your balance on descents. “You can do them in a squat rack to add the extra weight,” says Evans.

Words: Mark Bailey | Photography: Ian Corless / Red Bull Content Pool

programme is his powerful gym regime. Research in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that strength training can improve a runner’s speed, oxygen consumption and running economy by 2-8% – enough to shave a minute or two off your 10k time.

“I would normally do two strength sessions a week, with some core at the end (see box),” explains Evans, who centres his strength training around lowerbody staples like squats and deadlifts. “Strength training allows me to recruit more muscle fibres, so I can perform at your best. It’s also training to be more robust and move more efficiently.”

The secret for runners is to focus on lifting form and speed, not volume. “Because running is endurance-based,

SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT (4 x 6 reps)

The single-leg element makes this deadlift variant a much more functional exercise for runners. “It really trains your posterior chain and your balance,” says Evans.

RUSSIAN TWIST (3 x 20 reps)

These strengthen the obliques, which are key for runners. “With trail running, you are always changing direction, so your side muscles need to be strong,” says Evans.

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IN FOCUS JOHN HAACK

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John Haack is a world-record-breaking powerlifter and pound-for-pound one of the strongest men on the planet.

Here’s what he has to say about strength, power and… X-Men

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IN FOCUS JOHN HAACK

ohn ‘Bilbo Swaggins’ Haack is not the tallest or the heaviest powerlifter, but pound for pound the 28-year old American is certainly one of the world’s strongest. In September 2021, he set a new world record in the raw (without knee pads) 90kg bodyweight class. He managed a combined one-rep max total in the squat, bench press and deadlift of a massive 1,005.5kg (340kg squat, 263kg bench press, 402.5kg deadlift). Not only did this effort smash his own previous world record (set in 2019) by almost 70kg, it also beat the raw records of the guys in the 100kg and 110kg class for good measure.

Despite punching so far above his weight, and knowing how to put it all on the line when competing at the highest level, Haack is unassuming and relaxed in person, and still holds down a full-time day job as a chemist. Men’s Fitness caught up with him to ask how he does it, and how the rest of us can hit bigger numbers in the gym.

John Haack always knew he was strong (he started lifting at the tender age of ten), but his heroes weren’t the Arnies and Ronnie Colemans of the world. “I grew up watching World’s Strongest Man on ESPN,” he says, “seeing Mariusz Pudzianowki and Bill Kazmaier, so I’ve always had a fascination with strength over aesthetics.”

Despite having a gift for lifting heavy, he was hesitant to take it to the

next level and actually attend a powerlifting meet – he had to be persuaded: “I didn’t think I would be able to compete against these guys, but ended up being very good at it. That was a lesson for me and something I’d say to anyone: just go for it, you might end up being better than you think you are.”

If he started out with low self-belief, then experience has taught Haack to set the bar as high as it will go. “My

Taking the strain: Haack puts it all on the line during competition

Haack’s 402.5kg deadlift contributed to his world record

goal was the 1,000 kilos,” he says. “I know that records by themselves are going to be broken, but milestones are the kind of things that are going to be remembered.

And I always wanted to be the first 90kg lifter to hit the 1,000kg barrier.”

The dream, however, almost turned to disaster when Haack was pushing hard on the lift he wouldn’t call his strongest: “On my third squat, I ended up slightly tearing both my quads, so that kind of affected my bench and deadlift for the rest of the meet.” (As it might...)

Unsurprisingly, damaging such a key muscle made Haack think his world-record bid was over, but he kept plugging away. “After messing up my legs, I was pretty

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down,” he says. “I didn’t think the 1,000 kilograms was going to be there, but I ended up pulling through and just kept chipping away at what I needed for the rest of the meet.”

After smashing his own record, it occurred to Haack that he might been able to take it even further, given he wasn’t able to perform at 100% on his strongest lifts: “I do think I have a little bit more in the tank on those…”

Between rage and serenity As well as staying strong when things are not going your way, Haack is well acquainted with the level of mental focus you need to push past your limits. But he also knows it’s a finite resource: “You have to pick and choose where you’re going to put your mental focus.

Some people get super hyped up before a warm-up set, but I feel like they’re the people who burn out pretty quickly. I’m known as a calm lifter. But it’s just that I stay calm for 99% of my lifts and then have a hyped-up focus for the top 1%, usually on meet day.”

Haack doesn’t seem like the kind of guy to get unnecessarily excited, but it’s a fine line between calm and collected, and going off the boil.

“There’s a scene in X-Men: First Class,” he explains, “where Professor Xavier is explaining to Magneto that the key to focus is somewhere between rage and serenity. I was like, ‘That’s exactly how I feel!’

I’m calm, but my vitals are elevated. It’s clear mind, but almost like a rage. It’s hard to explain…”

Perhaps bossing his sport, while also holding down

a full-time career as a chemist, enables him to remain grounded?

“It’s not that hard of a sport to balance, because it’s basically just lifting,” he says, modestly, “which is what the vast majority of people do working out. I’d probably get really bored if I didn’t have a job outside of lifting, because it’s only two or three hours a day that you’re in the gym.”

Powering up Whatever your goals in the weights room, it’s important to spend some of your time working out for strength.

So we asked Haack, what’s the main skill you need to be a powerlifter?

“Patience is one of the biggest things,” he says.

and there, doing so regularly will cause your progress to fall off. And when you’re starting any lifting programme, it pays to focus on your own performance, rather than others.

“I’m always very competitive,” says Haack, “so I do compare myself to others, but at the end of the day, I’m comparing myself to where I was last training cycle. Am I better now? If not, what do I have to adjust to see improvements?”

We are all individuals, and Haack recommends experimenting with a powerlifting or bodybuilding programme. “Take notes on

“I do compare myself to others, but at the end of the day, I’m comparing myself to where I was last training cycle” “A lot of people get their newbie gains and think that’s going to be a sustained thing. You’ve got to learn to accept that progress does slow down, and you have to keep being consistent with what you’re doing.”

While you can skip a couple of workouts here

it,” he says, “write down everything and figure out what parts of different programmes work for you.

As you progress, you’ll start to hone in on what works for you specifically.”

Of course, you also have to allow your body time to recover. “Knowing your

LIFTING LESSONS John Haack’s best advice for hitting big numbers across the three main lifts

SQUAT • Grip as close to your shoulders as your mobility will allow for.

• Squeeze everything in tight and pull your shoulder blades together, to create a strong shelf for the bar to rest on.

• Try to push your elbows forward to lock everything in, making your upper back ridged to better translate force into the bar.

BENCH • To generate maximum force, you must utilise your entire body with a leg drive.

• A lot of beginners misunderstand how to use their legs, and drive their feet straight down into the ground, causing their hips to rise off the bench.

• The correct way is to try to use the friction of your shoes to leg press the ground away from you, pushing your body in the direction of your spotter.

• Try this just sitting in a chair – push your feet away from you and you will push yourself into the back of your chair.

• This technique will help create tightness and force coming off your chest.

DEADLIFT • The deadlift is intuitively done incorrectly by a lot of people.

• It seems lifters follow the cue of treating the hips as a pivot point and trying to bring their shoulders, along with the bar, back.

• A better way, in my opinion, is to try to bring your hips to the bar.

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IN FOCUS JOHN HAACK

The big five In order to get into record-setting form, Haack is in the gym five days out of seven. “I treat Saturday as my first day of the week,” he says, “because that’s usually my heaviest day.

It’s a squat and bench day, and I typically work up to a moderately heavy single rep.”

He takes Sunday off, then Monday is his heavy deadlift day, where once again he works up to a heavy single rep, after which he does accessory exercises that target a weak point: “So for

Consistent training and auto-regulating his volume get Haack into recordbreaking form

the bench, if my triceps are lagging, I’ll take a close-grip bench press, and maybe some dumbbell work to push off.”

Tuesday is a bench day for Haack, working in the 4-8 rep range, followed by accessory exercises with a barbell movement similar to the bench. Wednesday is a squat day, then Thursday is another bench day, “focusing on lighter weights and more speed to get blood flow going – I do a lot of upper-

body accessory exercises on that day.”

Rather than sticking to a rigid plan, Haack uses how he feels to ‘auto-regulate’ his training volume: “So if I did my Tuesday bench day and went kind of hard, maybe on the next bench day I’ll pull back a little, and instead of doing four sets, I’ll do two or three with a lighter weight.”

Lift off If you’ve been inspired to lift for strength, or even try A 340kg squat is all in a day’s work

powerlifting, Haack says it’s important to look at the fine details. “Watch guys at the top level,” he says, “but who you feel are similar in natural body shape to you, to see what kind of cues they’re doing – a little bit of a wider stance, for instance. I’m a big fan of listening to your body and going with what feels the strongest.”

When lifting at your maximum, there’s a fine line between giving it your all and risking injury. “You have to know when to pull back and when to press on the gas,” says Haack. “As a beginner, it’s hard to do that, so I would recommend getting a coach, or at least a solid programme.”

Haack says it will also pay dividends to train to the standard applied by judges in the powerlifting meets. If you never pause at the bottom of a bench press, for example, start now. “It will generally make the lift harder,” he says, “so it’s better to practice how you play.”

John Haack is an ambassador for Brawn, the community app for strength athletes. Visit brawn.co.uk/virtual-events

Words: Matt Ray | Photography: Shuttersport Productions

body is important,” says Haack. “I haven’t had any catastrophic injuries, and when you’ve been doing this long enough you know the signs of when something’s going to go. That’s when you have to pull back and just do regular de-loads to let your muscles, tendons and joints recover.” (He de-loads about every six weeks, but recommends de-loading every four weeks to start with, then pushing it out further if you want.)

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10/01/2022 14:07 04/01/2022 12:42

IN FOCUS LOOK YOUNGER

PRESS PAUSE

While you can’t slow the ageing process, you can delay looking older than you are. Take these science-backed strategies on board in 2022 to look and feel your best well into your senior years

02

Wear protection It doesn’t matter whether it’s winter or summer, wearing a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 – all year round – will help to combat the signs of ageing by reducing the effect of ultraviolet rays on the skin.

etting older is inevitable, but looking older doesn’t have to follow the same trajectory. Maintaining a youthful appearance comes down to making the right lifestyle choices, eating a good diet and staying active.

But that doesn’t mean excessive restriction, or ending yourself in the gym every day. Making small but sustainable changes is all it takes. The following tips will help you look and feel younger, boosting your energy and self-esteem in the process…

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G

Walk more Whether you’re still working from home, or returning to the office, bag as many short walks throughout the day as you can when the weather eventually picks up. Research by the University of Missouri found that even short, ten-minute strolls can reverse the vascular dysfunction – such as reduced blood flow and increased stress on the artery walls – caused by sitting down for long periods of time during the working day. Use the coming months to nurture a new routine of short, daily walks to deliver long-term gains for your heart health.

01

Stick to the shade Don’t spend too long in the sun – its ultraviolet light damages elastin, the fibres in the skin, leading to facial wrinkles. Too much sun can also cause freckles, destruction of elastic and collagen tissue (causing more lines and wrinkles) and, at the extreme end, skin cancer.

04

Sleep soundly Work out how much you need personally for optimum health (most of us need six to eight hours a night). Get to bed 30 minutes or an hour earlier each night if you can. Keep technology out of the bedroom, too.

3 WAYS TO…

IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP

Limit disruptors If you find yourself constantly waking up in the middle of the night, try reducing activities that disrupt sleep, such as excessive screen time, alcohol or too much caffeine late in the day.

Train in the day Early morning exercise is good if you’re snowed under and want to get it out of the way, but it often means cutting into sleep time. On the other hand, evening training can harm your attempts to get to sleep, as your sympathetic nervous system becomes hyperactive.

When possible, train in daylight hours after a proper amount of rest.

Keep note Anxiety and rumination can stop you sleeping well, so having a notebook next to the bed to ‘brain dump’ can help you take the worries out of your head and onto the paper, to tackle the next day.

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05

Get a pet In a study published

by Pet Place, it was found that stockbrokers with high blood pressure who adopted a cat or a dog had lower blood pressure readings than those who didn’t have pets when they encountered stress.

11

Escape the smog Oxidative damage occurs when we spend too much time in polluted areas.

So the solution is simple: steer clear of them when possible.

3 WAYS TO…

08

Look after those gnashers The state of your teeth affects your overall health, as gum disease can increase your risk of stroke, diabetes and heart disease (gum disease can cause inflammation that can lead to damaged blood vessels in the heart). Be sure to visit the dentist regularly, brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss regularly.

06

Exfoliate daily Using a simple face scrub regularly can give you a clearer and more youthful complexion.

09

Stay active Consistency pays off, so organise a weekly exercise routine that works for you. Researchers at McMaster University, in Ontario, found that even people who started to exercise later in life had younger skin than those who didn’t.

Avoid rush hour A lot of people run to work now, so this isn’t always possible, but if you can’t avoid peak traffic times, research by University College London suggests running just one block back from main roads can reduce pollution by 50%.

Get out early In the summertime when we tend to get ozone episodes (periods with elevated ozone levels) on hot days, ozone levels peak in the late afternoon/early evening, so if you’re running on a hot day, do it in the morning when ozone levels are lower.

Watch your speed To avoid sucking in too many harmful particles, the trick is to run slowly in the pollution ‘hotspots’ and then do intense workouts in the green spaces, where the air is better quality.

07

Moisturise your hands Especially in winter, use a good-quality hand cream when you know you’re going to be outside for long periods of time.

AVOID HIGH-POLLUTION AREAS WHEN OUT RUNNING

10

Don't smoke Smoking is a leading cause of premature wrinkles, as it affects the blood supply that keeps skin looking supple. It can also stain teeth.

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Back off the BBQs Smoked foods contain cancer-causing chemicals, so reducing your intake of these can help to reduce your intake of free radicals.

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IN FOCUS LOOK YOUNGER

15

Manage magnesium This important mineral helps to boost mood, memory and thinking power, as it is involved in nerve signalling at junctions between cells.

Good sources include kelp, seaweed, squash, pumpkin seeds, steamed broccoli and halibut.

13

Up the anti Make sure your diet includes plenty of antioxidants, which neutralise the free radicals that can cause sun damage and wrinkles.

The body can generate its own antioxidants as part of its free radical defence programme (free radicals are unstable atoms that, left unchecked, can cause serious harm), but some must also come from the diet – for example beta-carotene, and vitamins C and E. There are some antioxidants in meat and animal products, but a comprehensive review of the antioxidant properties of more than 3,000 foods worldwide showed that plant foods have an average of 64 times the antioxidant properties of animal-based foods.

14

Take vitamin D This calcium-regulating hormone can help to maintain healthy brain function as we age and also help to avoid age-related eye disease. Research from the Institute of Ophthalmology at University College London gave vitamin D3 to older mice and found them to have improved vision and reduced retinal inflammation in just six weeks. Vitamin D is also thought to help provide protection from cancer, heart disease and infections.

Take alpha-lipoic acid This is an anti-ageing inflammatory supplement that can protect DNA and reduce inflammation in cells.

17

Go green Green tea is rich in antioxidants, so try to drink a cup every day. Antioxidants help to protect skin from free radical damage. In a study of women, those who drank at least five cups of green tea daily had a 42 per cent lower risk of death due to stroke than those who drank less than one cup per day.

Photography: Getty Images

DID YOU KNOW?

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18

Stay hydrated Water flushes waste out of your system and helps to transport nutrients around the body. It also regulates metabolism, which can prevent weight gain. Drinking plenty of water – at least eight glasses a day – can help to keep your skin looking good, too, as dehydration can make skin look dry and wrinkled.

21

19

Eat more fish Consume more oily fish, such as salmon, tuna, mackerel or herring. Oily fish contains essential fatty acids that help to protect skin-cell membranes and stop the skin from getting too dry. Oily fish also protects your joints and boosts your brain function.

Avoid excess sugar If you eat too much sugar, the sugar in your bloodstream attaches to proteins to form harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs for short). As they build up, they damage other proteins in a domino-like fashion. This goes on to damage collagen and elastin, which are the protein fibres that keep our skin firm and toned.

Once they are damaged, they become dry, leading to wrinkles.

CHEW THIS OVER A study published in Physiology and Behaviour found that chewing gum slashes your cravings for sugary snacks by 10%, while research in the Journal of Consumer Research found that clenching your fists for 30 seconds can help you to control any impulses – like fighting off the urge to buy a Magnum every time you pass the corner shop.

22

Lay off the booze Alcohol dehydrates the body (and therefore the skin) and also interferes with sleep quality, which can prevent your body from repairing and recovering fully. Alcohol can also lead to inflammation in the body, which will only speed up ageing.

20

Pick tomatoes Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called lycopene, which gives them their red colour and helps to break down free radicals. These are by-products produced by the body that can stress our bodies, causing ageing and cell damage.

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IN FOCUS STUART BROAD

NO

REST WICKET FOR THE

England’s four-time Ashes-winning bowler Stuart Broad tells MF how he built the strength and stamina to become one of the best fast bowlers in the world

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IN FOCUS STUART BROAD

S

tuart Broad is England’s secondhighest Test wicket taker of all time, with over 520 to his name.

The 6ft 5in paceman has the raw power to bowl balls at close to 140kph, but also the stamina to run 50km during a five-day Test match.

Every time he bowls a delivery, Broad puts ten times his bodyweight through his lower body. But he has diligently built up the durability, fitness and mobility to survive (at time of writing) 150 gruelling Test matches over the course of 15 years – and he has never allowed his lifelong asthma to slow him down. Here, the Nottinghamborn athlete discussed the intelligent training that underpins his success.

Men’s Fitness: What unique physical qualities does a Test match fast bowler require?

Stuart Broad: Although we actually release the ball from our hand, so it looks like you bowl from your shoulder, you actually bowl from your legs. You need your legs to be strong. You also need good mobility through your lower back. Bowling needs virtually every part of your body to be firing. So I’m

someone who works a lot on my strength in my legs and my mobility, because over a five-day Test match you’re going to get stiff and sore.

But one of the biggest things for fast bowling is being able to run. In a Test match earlier this year, the bowlers travelled 22-25k in two days. Obviously a lot of that is walking between fielding positions, but in any seven-over spell, you’ve got 42 sprints. So being able to

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DO THIS: STUART BROAD’S ‘23/7’ PACE AND POWER WORKOUT run, and to have the flexibility in your hamstrings and calves to be strong enough to run for that period of time, is important.

And that’s only one innings.

In a full Test match, you could do 50k. That means recovery has really taken over a big part of my life.

Above: Faf du Plessis of South Africa is caught and bowled by Broad during a Test match in 2016

MF: What strength and conditioning work do you do?

SB: My gym sessions are focused on leg strength and mobility, so I do a lot of lunges, weighted lunges and weighted step-ups.

That’s because we spend a lot of time on one leg as a bowler. We can be slightly unbalanced, because you land on your right leg, with your right leg bent and your left leg straight. A lot of my gym sessions are to rebalance my body.

We also do box jumps and plyometrics. All that mobility, movement and awareness of your body has come in a lot more over the last five or six years. There was a period where big squats came in, but we found that we lost a bit of mobility and speed at the top level. There’s a lot more jumping now, too. I also use a Bosu, which I flip over onto the wobbly side and try to stand on one leg and balance for a minute.

This is all based on developing kinaesthetic feeling. Maybe you’re landing at Lords, and there has been a bit of turf dug out, and it’s uneven. This kind of training helps to create an uneven platform, so you’re training your body to be able to cope with that in a game.

MF: What are your main core conditioning drills?

SB: Pilates is popular now within the group. That has given me a big appreciation of how important it is, but also how naturally strong bowling has made us in that area. I don’t do so much yoga, but Pilates and stretching are very important.

MF: What cardio work and fitness tests do you do?

SB: Our fitness testing has changed from the yo-yo test

to a 2k time trial: simply completing a 2k as quick as we can. We have done that around the Lord’s outfield before. My running training will really vary. If I do three sessions a week, two would be strides and sprint-based work (see box).

Then once a week, I try to get in a 3-5k run.

MF: How have you managed your asthma throughout your career?

SB: I still deal with it on a daily basis, but I’ve learned how to control it. And I’ve

• Set up a 50m area – roughly the length of one half of a football pitch – to use as your sprint zone.

• Sprint the full 50m in seven seconds.

• Turn around and give yourself 23 seconds to recover and get back to the start.

• When those 23 seconds are up, sprint the 50m again in another seven seconds.

• After 6 x 50m sprints, have a two-minute break, and complete 4 sets in total.

Stuart Broad fields during a training session at the Adelaide Oval in December 2021

“Bowling needs virtually every part of your body to be firing”

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IN FOCUS STUART BROAD

learned how to share my experiences with friends and teammates. It wasn’t always as easy as that. My teenage years were definitely the toughest times with my asthma, and it’s frustrating now, when I look back at how I was embarrassed.

I just didn’t share it with my friends. I almost felt like I would get judged at school, so I used to keep it a secret.

My mum was my mentor really, along with my GP, Dr Wyatt. And I wish I had shared it because I share it now with my England teammates and there’s nothing to be scared of. I can sit here after playing 14 years of international cricket and say that it hasn’t hindered me in the slightest. Exercise was good for me – and good for my asthma.

MF: And how do you control your asthma during games?

SB: There might be times that I maybe catch my breath and control my

felt like the right thing to do.

Then I came back in after 45 minutes, fresh and firing.

I also sometimes look above the stands in a cricket ground to take myself ‘out’ of that environment. It’s not necessarily specific to asthma.

But it is about slowing my

“I can sit here after playing 14 years of international cricket and say that it hasn’t hindered me in the slightest.

Exercise was good for me – and good for my asthma” breathing. With my coaches and teammates knowing about my asthma, they’re not getting frustrated that I’ve slowed the pace down. In one game, I had a little break from bowling because that

mindset and my breathing down, which is going to help me control my breathing.

MF: How do you recover quickly between games?

SB: Massage is quite

important, but in specific areas. So I would generally try and get my right quad, my left hamstring and my thoracic back (spine) targeted in a mobility session or with our massage therapist, Mark Saxby. I also use a Normatec recovery pump, which flushes lactic acid out of the muscles.

Before training, the bowlers will meet up in the gym and do a bit of a mobility, recovery and stretching before we get going.

Cricket is not like some sports where they might only play once a week. We have five days performing to two days training. With most

Broad celebrates dismissing India captain Virat Kohli during day four of the 5th Test match between England and India in 2018

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Broad has taken over 500 Test wickets in his 14-year career so far

He puts his long career down to his understanding of rest and recovery

sports, it is five days preparation for one or two days playing. Recovery is really crucial for us.

CAREER IN NUMBERS Age: 35 Height: 6ft 5in Test matches: 150 Wickets: 524 Bowling average: 27.84 Economy: 2.93 Best figures: 8-15 (v Australia in 2015)

Photography: Getty Images

No. of 5-wicket hauls: 18 No. of 10-wicket hauls: 3 Runs scored: 3,370 Highest Test score: 169 (v Pakistan in 2010) Test centuries: 1 Test 50s: 13

MF: How did you prepare for the heat in Australia?

SB: Diet is huge. Making sure you get enough food and protein shakes in, as you really need to feed your body. That’s something our nutritionist has been working hugely with us on, because the heat expenditure and physical expenditure in Australia is so heavy. We need to make sure we’ve got enough fuel to be able to cope with that. We were trying to change our eating habits before we left, so it all felt natural by the time we got to Australia.

MF: Finally, what is the secret to your long and successful career?

SB: It’s natural for a fast

bowler to pick up injuries early on in their career, as their body is still getting used to the stresses and strains, as well as the higher intensity. But I think part of picking up injuries at a younger age is because you haven’t quite worked out what training and recovery works for you. Jimmy [Anderson] and I have been fortunate to play for so long, because we learned a lot from our early twenties about how to train and how to recover.

You’ve got to manipulate your training around how your body is feeling, and be honest with the physios and strength coaches about how you’re feeling. That’s why this [England] environment is so brilliant, as it’s very open and honest. If you have got a really tight calf, it would be a poor option to go on long

distance runs on soft ground.

We are here to perform, and you need to do what you need to do to get yourself right. If that means you need two days away for your mental freshness, do it.

Stuart Broad is working with The Lung Letters campaign, which has been organised and funded by healthcare company Chiesi. For more information, visit lungletters.co.uk

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IN FOCUS AARON HADLOW

ng. of big air kiteboardi ld or w e th in nd ge le Aaron Hadlow is a

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g me-sport conditionin tre ex d an ds ar w re , about risks He tells Dominic Bliss

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IN FOCUS AARON HADLOW

hen Aaron Hadlow was a toddler, his parents used to whisk him off to Portugal and Spain in a campervan.

His father was the keenest of windsurfers, constantly on the lookout for wind and waves. Dipping his toe in the water at such a young age imbued Hadlow with a lifelong love of the ocean and board sports.

“I was only three years old,” he tells MF, “but I remember my dad’s windsurf boards strapped to the campervan. We would often be in the ocean with little bodyboards. It was a very cool experience. Board sports were ingrained in my brain from a very early age.”

Thirty years on and Hadlow is now one of the world’s leading exponents of an extreme discipline known as big air kiteboarding. Riders arm themselves with an inflatable kite; a short board, strapped to the feet; a harness around the midriff; and a control system, with ropes attaching to the kite. They compete in enormously strong

Board sports have been a huge part of Hadlow’s life from an early age

winds, and are judged on factors such as height, power, extremity, technicality and innovation – regularly launching themselves well over 20 metres into the air to execute jumps, twists, flips, somersaults and board grabs, all the while towed by the curved kite.

“This sport is very extreme,” says Hadlow. “Things can go wrong quickly, conditions are fierce, and you’re trying to jump as huge as possible while adding risk and extremity.”

Still, as a five-time World Champion, he seems to know what he’s doing…

King of the Air The standout competition is the Red Bull King of the Air, which has been staged on a beach called Blouberg, in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, since 2013. With the famous flat-topped Table Mountain to the south and Robben Island (Nelson Mandela’s former prison) to the west, it’s an impressive venue and the perfect backdrop for the

extreme, gravity-defying stunts that these big air kiteboarders show off so well. Hadlow has won twice, although this year he progressed only as far as the third round.

It’s a climatic phenomenon known as the ‘Cape Doctor’ that makes Blouberg beach so important in big air kiteboarding.

A strong, persistent wind, it roars in from the southeast.

“It’s very aggressive,” Hadlow explains via a Zoom call from Cape Town, just a few days after the competition has ended.

“If people want to jump high or break

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DO THIS:

Hadlow is a five-time world champion

STRONG-CORE WORKOUT Far from being the reserve of elite athletes, a solid core is something everyone can benefit from, providing a stable base for improved strength and performance in all areas of training. For this circuit, perform each movement for 60 seconds, and rest for a maximum of 10 seconds between moves. Take a 60-second break once one round is done, then do the whole thing 3 more times.

1a. Bear Crawl

• From a squatting position, place both hands on the ground. Get up on your toes, so knees are hovering above the ground and your back is flat.

• From here, crawl forward on your hands and toes, with your feet and knees kicking out a little wider than your hands to generate speed.

• Next, push back on hands and toes to return to the start.

records, they come here. It’s almost guaranteed to be special.”

Buoyed by the Cape Doctor, Hadlow himself has reached heights of 30 metres.

But his highest jump ever was achieved in a storm off the coast of Denmark, when he soared to 34.4 metres.

Although he and his elite counterparts are highly trained, with years of experience behind them, the extreme speeds and heights involved in their sport present certain risks.

“The main danger in an event like this is having a hard impact on the water,” he explains. “But there are jet skis out there, spotting, in case someone has a bad injury.

Knee injuries are common. Ten years ago, I had to have my anterior cruciate ligament reconstructed. With the harness around your waist, rib injuries are very common, too.

Generally, though, everyone is at the top of their game.”

• Begin standing with legs hip-width apart, holding the ball in front of your chest.

• Raise the ball straight above your head, then bring it back down as you squat and tap the ball on the ground to the right of your body.

• Raise back up to the starting position, then complete on the other side.

1c. Plank Pulse

• Begin in a forearm plank position, with your back straight and your bum tucked in.

• Keeping your forearms in position, pulse your body forward so that you are on the tips of your toes and your shoulders are almost above your wrists.

• Pulse back to the starting position and repeat.

1d. Arch Hold Swim

Illustrations: Peter Liddiard

Born to fly Hadlow grew up near Penzance, on the tip of Cornwall, from where he could easily access the north or south coast of the peninsula, depending on optimal wind direction.

Nowadays, he spends around three months a year at his UK base in Hayling Island, on the Hampshire Coast (another kiteboarding mecca), three or four months in South Africa, and perhaps a month in the United States. The rest of the time, he travels the world, working for his sponsor (the kiteboarding equipment manufacturer Duotone), developing new equipment, filming photo and video shoots, and coaching young riders (or ‘groms’, as they’re

1b. Medicine Ball Wood Chop

• Lie on your belly and hover your feet and arms slightly off the ground as you tense your abs and glutes.

• From here, bring your hands towards your face, bending your elbows.

• Next, straighten your arms so your hands sweep out on either side, before bringing them back to your face again and back up.

(Keep them hovering for the entire movement.)

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FULL BOARD

IN FOCUS AARON HADLOW

Aaron Hadlow’s top five UK kiteboarding spots

St Ives Bay, Cornwall

“I grew up in Cornwall,” Hadlow says.

“A few beaches down there are unbelievable, with huge, open, sandy beaches. I love it there.”

Hadlow’s highest ever jump was a monstrous 34.4 metres (or 111 feet)

“While fitness is crucial, in a judged sport like big air kiteboarding, points-worthy technique is more important” Like a footballer, though, he has to work hard on his fitness. In the run-up to competition he will do four gym sessions a week, as well as a few rides on his mountain or road bike. But while full-body workouts keep his body strong and resilient enough to withstand the forces placed upon it, Hadlow says the best conditioning is achieved out on the water: “You really have to tense your body to take the impact. It’s a battle. It’s awesome.”

He uses a training app called TrainingPeaks, through which his trainer,

On the up Since Hadlow first started kiteboarding at the age of 11, the sport has grown enormously.

Various disciplines have developed, from straight-up racing or ‘slalom’, to hydrofoiling and freestyling.

At the next Olympic Games in Paris, kiteboarding will make its Olympic debut in the form of timed racing.

Come 2024, the first Olympic kiteboarders will compete in Marseille, and Hadlow will watch their progress with interest. “It’s a different sport to big air kiteboarding,” he says, “but it’s all about growing awareness.

With kiteboarding, we need to grow the whole pie, and then we’ll all get a bigger slice, whichever discipline we’re in.”

Hayling Island, Hampshire

This is where Hadlow now has his UK base. “There are many spots along the south coast. All around the Solent, so many beaches. I know that area very well.”

Camber Sands, East Sussex

“I’ve spent a lot of time here. When you’re learning, it’s great to have those big, open beaches with plenty of space to launch a kite.”

Hunstanton, Norfolk

“The flat water here makes it ideal for beginners or freestylers.”

Rhosneigr, Anglesey

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“This is another great place, up on the west coast of Anglesey, in Wales.”

Photography: Craig Kolesky / Getty Images

known). His Swedish girlfriend, JohannaCatharina Edin, is also an elite kiteboarder – in a different discipline – and their jobs often allow them to travel together.

Hadlow admits he’s fortunate to make a living out of such a niche sport: “I would never get paid like a footballer, but it’s a great lifestyle.”

Adrian Le Roux (a specialist in cricket and various endurance sports), monitors his progress. Actual kiteboarding, though, always takes precedence over any gym work. While fitness is crucial, in a judged sport like big air kiteboarding, points-worthy technique is more important. Hadlow attributes his success to the fact that he has been able to hone his technique from such a young age.

His other weapon, he says, is his ability to take risks at exactly the right time: not too soon, not too late.

“I’m definitely more calculated now,” he says. “I can approach my limit without going past it. If there’s a situation, say, where I’m in the last minute of my heat and I need one big trick to get through – and it’s all or nothing – then that’s the time I really go for it.”

13/01/2022 16:33

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13/01/2022 17:39

IN FOCUS DUSTIN POIRIER

FIGHTING TALK The UFC superstar on what it takes, physically and mentally, to compete at the elite end of mixed martial arts

D

ustin ‘The Diamond’ Poirier is a perennial UFC Lightweight title contender and one of the most respected names in the sport of mixed martial arts. The UFC Lightweight division is generally regarded as the most competitive class in the entire sport, boasting a host of elite fighters such as Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor and the recently retired, undefeated legend, Khabib Nurmagomedov. Poirier’s current status as one of the very best has been forged in the white-hot crucible of combat, pushing both himself and his opponents to the absolute limits in some of MMA’s most memorable battles. Despite possessing a fearsome striking game within the octagon, not to mention a cardiovascular system that allows him to push harder than most in the crucial later stages of a fight, Poirier has grown as a man, as well as a fighter, in the years since he joined the UFC ranks in 2010.

As a philanthropist, his Good Fight Foundation seeks to improve the lives of others, while Poirier has been praised for the dignified way that he handled the less-than-savoury verbal attacks from Conor McGregor, following his two victories over the controversial Irishman in 2021.

In late 2021, Men’s Fitness caught up with Poirier to discuss the physical and mental approaches he utilises to stay at the very top of his game...

MF: From somebody who has been doing it successfully for a long time now, what do you think it takes to be a parofessional fighter? Is it a natural disposition or can it be learned?

DP: I think it’s a bit of both. For me, what it really comes down to is hard work and the willingness to be dedicated to my craft.

Experience also plays into success: the more you fight, the more comfortable you are in different situations in the ring. With that comfort comes confidence. It takes all the above to be a professional fighter.

MF: One of the more unique elements of your fighting style is your ability to switch from southpaw to orthodox and throw fight-ending punches from your right. What's your approach in training to create such a well-rounded striking game?

DP: I’ve always been a gifted striker – it’s always come naturally to me, but I learned early that I had to be good with my legs to be a top fighter. It takes a wellrounded fighter to win at the highest level. I put a lot of time and effort into training to perfect these specific moments.

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TRAIN LIKE THE DIAMOND Dustin Poirier on how to build the key physical attributes for MMA

MF: You’re seemingly always able push the pace, even as damage and fatigue take their toll on both you and your opponent. How do you reach that level of conditioning?

DP: It’s really a combination of endurance and strength training. A lot of it is mental, too. Knowing how to mentally overcome adversity, be confident in the ring, and ultimately knowing how to trust yourself and your ability. I also surround myself with the best trainers and resources possible.

Interview: Dan Cooper | Photography: Therabody

MF: What about the other end of the training spectrum: recovery?

DP: Recovery is a critical element of training and something that is incredibly important in this sport.

Having a solid routine is really the only way to bounce back faster and stronger. Therabody has been a huge part of how I recover and ultimately how I train. Because I’m able to

060-061_MF_FEB22_dustin poirier.indd 61

shorten that turnaround between workouts, I’m able to go that much harder and make significant progress.

MF: Speaking of recovery, after the Khabib fight you mentioned that you’d switched to a plant-based diet for recovery. Is your approach to nutrition constantly evolving?

DP: I’m always tweaking my diet and changing the way I eat to help strengthen my body. I love food and I love to cook, so I enjoy experimenting with my diet and finding what works best for me. Nutrition is another super-important part of staying in shape so I’m always eating healthy, but I love to have fun with it. I’m from Louisiana, so I love cooking with heat and cajun-inspired seasonings.

I even have my own line of Louisiana Style Hot Sauce.

MF: How has MMA changed since you entered the game?

DP: The sport has grown so much since I started: higher stakes, more money, more attention. My advice to those just starting out is to not get caught up with the external side and just to work hard.

The truth is always going to come out in the ring, so make sure you’re putting in the work, mentally and physically, to be as prepared as possible.

MF: If you could fight any MMA fighter, from any era of the sport, who would it be?

DP: George St-Pierre would be my dream fight. [GSP is the decorated former UFC Welterweight and Middleweight champion, who has previously discussed returning for a Lightweight title challenge.]

“There are so many aspects to training, but I usually categorise them into three main focuses: • Mobility, stability, strength • Speed, agility, power • Reaction and coordination The first focus is really around strength and movement, so I like to work in sled pushes, plyometrics, jumps, resistance, and core work.

The second focuses are the fundamentals of fighting. Quickness, power, agility – it’s all about maintaining control during a fight.

The third is more cognitive conditioning, depth perception and working on muscle memory.

A few of my favourite exercises include box jumps, medicine ball slams and bag work.”

Poirier is a Therabody ambassador

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13/01/2022 11:31

SUPPORT, AWARENESS, UNDERSTANDING

SELF HELP

Manage Covid anxiety by creating some personal calm amidst the chaos ver the past two years, we’ve become intimate with the stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Whether we’ve been traumatised by the death of a loved one, struggled with working from home or found the restrictions on freedoms we once took for granted hard to handle, the toll on our collective mental health has been immense. A study in the journal Nature found that 42% of adults in the US reported symptoms of depression and anxiety in December 2020, up from 11% between January and June 2019.

The speed of the pandemic, and the way in which it can upend lives and livelihoods, mean that it’s ripe for creating anxiety. For those who already suffer, that can add more pain to an already difficult situation, while those who have never experienced worry on this scale may feel overwhelmed. These tips are aimed at helping you manage your Covid anxiety.

O

Words: Joe Minihane | Photography: Getty Images

ASK FOR HELP

The best thing anyone can do if they’re struggling with Covid anxiety is to ask for help, says

Clair Morrow, a therapeutic counsellor at Phoenix Therapy Practice, in Brighton.

“Expectations on men to be self-reliant and stoic are still prevalent, whether or not we sign up to this idea,” she says.

“What we tend to find when we let people know we’re not doing great, is that we give other people permission to communicate more honestly with us. When we do that, we can normalise our experiences and feel less alone with them, which is never a bad thing.”

MANAGE YOUR NEWS INTAKE

When it comes to Covid, it’s safe to say that knowledge isn’t always power. In fact, overdoing it on the news – and social media – can have a detrimental impact on our wellbeing (more on this on page 70). “‘Doom-scrolling’ has emerged as a word through the pandemic for good reason,” says Morrow. “Through Covid, we have all been plugged into the news because we’ve had to be. Things have constantly changed, and we’ve needed to keep up. But maybe we need to give ourselves a brief holiday from the unrelenting difficulties

of the pandemic, by tuning out and switching off, accessing news on a strictly need-to-know basis.”

GET SOME EXERCISE

Making sure you’re in good shape is a sure-fire way to boost your mood, as well as put any anxiety and stress into perspective. The research on physical activity and better mental health is powerful. Even a short walk can work wonders.

“It’s a guilt-free way of avoiding any parts of the world that don’t work for us,” says Morrow. The endorphins and dopamine hit will have a positive, calming effect.

EAT WELL AND REDUCE BOOZE

Looking after yourself isn’t just about getting a run in or going to the gym. Watching what goes into your body will also help with stress and anxiety, especially when news about Covid is hard to avoid.

“It’s a balance,” says Morrow. “Indulgence tends to make us feel better, but excess doesn’t. When was the last time a vat of booze and a ton of sugar actually left you feeling any better?”

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●MENTAL HEALTH GOAL SETTING

READY SET GO

How to set healthy, achievable

goals for 2022 and beyond

hether trying to lose weight, throwing yourself into work in the bid for a big promotion, or looking to make changes in your personal life, setting goals at the start of the year is a well-worn trope – one that, more often than not, ends in failure. Such failure can lead to disappointment, as well as exacerbating existing narratives about your own inability to achieve the things you want to do, with the wider potential to create negative feelings and poor mental health.

Goal-setting theory was pioneered by American psychologist Edwin A. Locke in his 1968 work, Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentive. Locke argued that specific and measurable goals were more likely to lead to success. And while his theory remains sound, the overly stressed world in which we now live suggests that a healthier, less attached approach to goals might be better for our wellbeing.

“I think the problem is essentially that when we work within any model of restriction, it doesn’t fit in line with our psychology,” says Ruth Allen, a psychologist who specialises in treating clients outdoors. “As soon as we start to see things as hard rules and restrictions, then we naturally start to rally against them… I think we have a wilder part of ourselves that undermines that.”

So, how do we set healthy goals? What do we do if we feel that they’re not being achieved? And what if we didn’t set them at all?

W

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01

“People often You need to set goals based on want it, not someone else what they think

they should want, and not on what they really want,” says Rebecca Lockwood, a positive psychology coach and trainer. “That can lead to the goal not being met, because the motivation doesn’t come from within. Then because it hasn’t been met, people think there is no point in setting further goals, because they haven’t achieved the ones they have set already.”

Searching for the truth, says Ruth Allen, is the most important factor here: “It starts with honesty about who we are. I think there’s something healthy about finding true motivation.

If we’re in service to a motivation that is somebody else’s dream for us, then maybe it’s about trying to fit in and belong. But deep down, it’s not something that we really want for ourselves, and we’re starting off on the wrong footing.”

It pays to take time to be radically honest. Allen suggests spending time keeping a journal and writing down ideas about what you want for yourself, to get to the core of your needs.

03

02

Set principles “I think giving and intentions, ourselves a chance to succeed means not not rules

being really hard and fast and rule-based,” says Allen. “So not having a metric that is either ‘you do or you don’t’, ‘you fail or you pass’.” She suggests that instead of being overly specific, you should aim for principles, rather than rules.

“A principle is essentially a guiding intention,” she says.

“A rule is definitive, a principle has got flexibility. If you set yourself an intention to exercise more, for example, rather than running 1,000 miles in a year, then yeah, you can probably do that. You can be flexible with yourself, which is generally a good way to be in the world. It’s giving yourself a fighting chance.”

Don’t overestimate what you can do

“People overestimate what they can do in the short-term and underestimate what they can do in the long-term,” says Lockwood.

“They often set goals and expect so much of themselves, then become disheartened when things do not appear to be working out.”

“We always go in too hard,” agrees Allen. “It’s been proven that we always overestimate our capacity as humans. We think we’re better than we are and we consistently overstate ourselves.”

By choosing to set less stringent goals and not being as hard and fast about the metrics you impose, you can create a more positive narrative, boosting your mood in turn. That can work well when trying to complete a major project or hit a certain mark in the gym. Kindness to yourself is key.

“There’s something great about underestimating – that’s the beauty of a principle,” adds Allen. “If you understate, then you’re setting yourself up for success. You’re setting up the possibility that ‘some of the time or most of the time, I might be able to do this.’”

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●MENTAL HEALTH GOAL SETTING

04

Disregard willpower

Willpower, suggests Allen, is something we should forget about. If the motivation is right, she argues, you will achieve the thing you want to achieve. “This idea that there are people with willpower and people that don’t have willpower is a bit of nonsense,” she says.

Instead, you should focus on the stories you tell yourself, as these can also give you a greater chance of success and, importantly, improve your mental health.

“The stories we tell ourselves are predictors of levels of depression,” she says. “People that hold a hopeful story about themselves generally are not going to be prone to depression. Likewise, people who hold a negative story are likely to be more prone to depression. If we just feed ourselves with things that reinforce a negative story about our lack of capabilities, presumably that will then send us on a path where our self-worth suffers, and we might end up in a depressive state.”

Rebecca Lockwood also believes that goals need to start with a positive story: “Ensure your goals are stated positively, so you can focus on what you do want and not what you do not want,” she says. “Allow yourself to make mistakes and accept that failure isn’t a sign you should stop, but a sign you should change your approach towards achieving it.”

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05

GOLDEN RULES

Set goals when you’re in a regular routine

Locke and Latham’s five principles of goal setting

This kind of goal setting is a slow process. One that doesn’t lend itself to the hazy days of early January, when you may be recovering from a period of excess and your usual routines are off-kilter.

“Make principles in the cold light of day, when your life is following a normal pattern,” says Allen. This, she says, means you’ll be able to ask yourself harder questions. “‘‘Am I a person who lives up to the goals I set for myself?’ If you’re not, you’re going to need a different approach. There’s something very important about the environment in which you make your intentions.”

Edwin A. Locke and Gary Latham expanded on the former’s work on goal setting in their 1990 work, A Theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance.

They laid out five key principles: Clarity: goals should be as clear as possible.

Challenge: goals should be challenging, but not so extreme that they’re impossible to achieve.

Commitment: it should be easy to commit to goals, ideally using visualisation tools to see what your life or work will look like once a goal has been achieved.

06

Accountability is a key factor in success.

Sharing your goals with others will help you become accountable and on track.

In practical terms, setting alarms on your phone is also an easy way to remind yourself what you’re working towards.

This kind of approach is excellent for fitness-related goals, as well as ensuring you take breaks for work tasks designed to help you get ahead.

Share the load

Feedback: if you’re working alone on a goal, set time to reflect on your progress, ideally once a week, so you can make adjustments accordingly.

Task complexity: consider how complex something is before starting it. If it feels overwhelming, lower your sights or give yourself more time.

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●MENTAL HEALTH GOAL SETTING

07

Be open to not setting targets

Words: Joe Minihane | Photography: Getty Images

In a therapeutic setting, where personal growth might be the aim, it can be useful to disregard goals altogether, says therapist Ian Coleman.

“I think that it can be useful to think about what you want from therapy,” he says. “It can also be important to check in, and see how the work you do in therapy relates to how your life is going and what the impact has been on it.”

However, that should really be as far as it goes.

“When someone comes in and talks really specifically about goals and tools, this kind of very practical approach, my heart sinks a little bit,” says Coleman. “Therapy is a subtler process and the process is the work. It allows you to say the unsaid and feel the emotions that you’ve been holding – that you haven’t been connected with. If you just talk rigidly about setting goals – ‘Am I where I want to be and has my behaviour changed?’ – you preclude a lot of that work.”

Instead, he advocates a more open-ended approach: “What leads you to a genuine resilience rather than a superficial behavioural change is getting in touch, allowing yourself to feel whatever it is, and to know what you know and feel what you feel.”

That feeds into Allen’s suggestion of setting intentions rather than rules, and her idea that transformation should be about giving ourselves more, as opposed to taking things away.

A kinder, slower, less severe approach to goal setting: that’s a solid intention for 2022 and beyond.

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13/01/2022 17:37

THIS JUST IN!

Take a break from breaking news and learn how to handle headline-related stress

or anyone with basic internet connection and a TV, rolling news is inescapable. Push notifications, 24/7 news channels, half-hourly radio updates, browser homepages, newspapers and magazines have made the 21st Century the age of the headline – and with so many sources competing for our attention, those headlines have become bolder and more sensationalist than ever before. When that’s combined with genuinely seismic world events, news coverage can really start to stress you out.

According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association in 2017, approximately two thirds of those surveyed cited the 24-

F

hour news cycle as a major contributor to their stress about the world and the future. There’s even a name for it, ‘headline stress disorder’, coined by Steven Stosny, PhD, in relation to the presidential election campaign in 2016.

If you find yourself overwhelmed, angry or otherwise emotionally strained by unrelenting headlines, learning to cope is a matter of maintaining perspective and finding ways to detach from the coverage.

01

Keep your checking in check

If you look at your phone as soon as you wake up, the first thing you’re likely to see is a breaking news headline – and it’s highly unlikely that’s going to fill you with joy for the day ahead.

A simple solution for that is to turn notifications off in your phone’s settings. “This way,” says Dr Jana Scrivani, “you control when and how you consume today's headlines, rather than the other way around.”

Scrivani also recommends setting a daily limit on your news consumption: “perhaps no more than half an hour a day.” Not only is there only so much information we can process, but obsessively checking the news can lead to changes in our brains.

Dr Jessamy Hibberd says that a need for news “is like any tech addiction: constant checking causes the release of dopamine, the feel-good neurotransmitter, which is stimulated by the unpredictability you get when you check online for updates. The fact it’s not guaranteed – there may or may not be more news breaking – adds to that.”

To pull yourself away, Dr Hibberd says something as simple as “moving your phone out of your bedroom, so it’s not something you check first thing in the morning and last minute at night”, can be an effective means of limitation.

02

Be a force for good

When nations the other side of the world are gripped

Words: Isaac Williams | Photography: Getty Images

●MENTAL HEALTH HEADLINE STRESS

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by crisis, it can be tough to just sit back and watch. But while you might be powerless to affect far-flung events, focusing your attention closer to home can alleviate the sense of helplessness.

“It helps to find a way to do something concrete in your own neighborhood or community,” says McNaughton-Cassill. “If you’re concerned about a social issue, find a way to contribute to solutions.”

That might mean volunteering at a local food bank, or helping out with a community project – anything that allows you to address an issue in practical terms.

03

Keep things in perspective

“Disasters, wars, and interpersonal conflict are not new,” says clinical psychologist Mary McNaughton-Cassill.

“The difference is that in a technological, mediated age we know more about things happening around the world than ever before, but often feel helpless to change them.”

McNaughton-Cassill says one solution is to realise that, for most, things could be much worse. “There are of course many inequities and issues we

need to address,” she says, “but when people tell me that the world has never been so terrible I ask them whether they would rather go back to being a slave in Egypt, a peasant in the middle ages, a soldier in the Revolutionary War, or even just a middle-class American 120 years ago.”

04

Look for the positives

With the digital landscape centred on clicks and views, the purpose of headlines is becoming increasingly self-serving: to draw us in.

And shock or scandal grab our attention far easier than positive stories lacking in drama and wide-reaching implication. But those stories do exist, and though they may be given less coverage, it benefits us to seek them out.

“Despite what the headlines say, there are positive things happening in the world,” says Dr Scrivani. She

recommends the Good News Network as a site that can help ensure “positive news us a regular part of your headline diet.”

McNaughton-Cassill also recommends “seeking out and sharing stories of compassion and success.” She points to an organisation called Solutions Journalism, which is urging reporters and media outlets to spend more time covering efforts to fix problems, rather than highlighting negative situations.

Visit goodnewsnetwork.org for a daily dose of positivity

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●MENTAL HEALTH EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

EMOTIONS AND ENDURANCE Ultra-distance cyclist Jim Rees reveals the emotional intelligence strategies he credits with his endurance success

im Rees could be any guy you pass on the street. He was born in Tunbridge Wells and lives in a converted garage in Bedford. After leaving school at 15, he worked as a

J

pharmaceutical storeman.

However, this is far from your average Joe, because unlike most guys you pass on the street, Rees once cycled the entire width of the USA – four times – in

one of the most relentless endurance races on the planet: Race Across America.

Rees claims a welldeveloped emotional intelligence (EI) was crucial to his success. And in

his latest book, Vicious Cycle, the self-dubbed ‘emotional intelligence guru’ reveals the best ways to improve your own EI.

01

Dial in to your emotions

Rees defines emotional intelligence as the ability to recognise and understand your own feelings, at any moment. But that can be difficult when experiencing a high-stress situation – like warming up for a big race.

To better dial in to your emotions, he says: “Ask yourself, ‘What’s my internal

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dialogue saying? What am I saying to myself about this situation?’”

Answering these questions to recognise how you feel is the first step towards a better emotional intelligence. If you can size up your own nervousness, it will be easier to overcome.

02

Words: Charlie Metcalfe | Photography: Getty Images

Avoid the ‘feeling/ thinking trap’

The ‘feeling/thinking trap’ is one motivation to dial-in to your feelings. You need to know them to avoid the trap. Rees imagines someone who set themselves the goal to run every morning before work. The alarm goes off at 6am. The person wakes up tired and hits the snooze button. They tell themselves they’ll start tomorrow before diving back for more Zs. “Their feeling is driving their thinking,” says Rees, “which doesn’t help them with the outcome they’re looking to achieve, which is getting fit.

“What would be better is for them to think about it the night before and say, ‘It’s quite likely that when the alarm goes off at six o’clock, I’m not going to be feeling great, but I’m going to jump out of bed and just get my stuff on and go to the gym anyway.’”

Overcoming your feelings by thinking in this way is crucial to success.

03

Know what you want from life

It’s a cliché that the most attractive men are those who know what they want from

life. But clichés are often founded on truth. And Rees says it’s a big part of a high emotional intelligence. Most of his trainees struggle to answer the question: ‘What do you want from life?’

“Most people are really clear about what they don’t want,” Rees says. “But one of the big things for all of us is to be really clear and focused about what we want in our lives. Neuroscience tells us that to achieve your goals you need to focus on want you want with great clarity.”

Rees recognises this, and uses it in his Ironman training. When he wants to avoid injury, for example, he stops himself from focusing on injury-avoidance. If he focused on that, he may end up over-training. One technique to help you better understand what you want is the ‘handprint model’.

First, draw a handprint and write your goal in the palm. Then write five different things that must happen to achieve that goal on each of the fingertips.

Once this is done, assess how close to achieving each of the Rees has completed Race Across America multiple times

fingertip goals you are. This helps you better understand your current situation. You can then even create a timeline with details about when you would like to achieve each micro-goal.

“I’m an average club cyclist at best, but I know I have a different mindset compared to most other people”

04

Search for your blind spots

Everyone has blind spots.

An ultra-cyclist’s blind spot may be his unconscious fear of pushing too hard in uphill stages. A blind spot is anything unknown to us stopping us from achieving our goals. And as long as you fail to recognise it, you’ll always struggle to overcome it. The problem is finding them. You’re blind to them.

So you need other people to help you see.

Rees says feedback is the best way to notice these blind spots. He calls it the

‘food of champions’. Sports people are particularly open to feedback as they know it’s important to notice blind spots and progress to a more advanced level. But most of us often find it difficult to accept feedback, depending on the culture we’ve been raised in. Making an effort to listen to other people’s criticism, accepting it, and acting on it, will help to enhance anyone’s emotional intelligence.

05

Recognise that we’re all built for greatness

Rees believes we’re all built for greatness. He still refers to himself as “just a normal guy”. But he’s competed in some of the world’s toughest races and thinks anyone can follow his path with a developed emotional intelligence. Most of us, in fact, harbour a strong selfbelief at the age of five. But by the time we turn 18, only around 5% of us feel the same way.

Rees knows this more than most people. In his book he makes himself vulnerable to traumatic experiences he had as a child – adoption, abuse, grooming. But we can always exercise our minds to re-embody that childhood greatness.

“I’m an average club cyclist at best,” he says. “But I know I have a different mindset compared to most other people.”

Order your copy of Jim Rees’ Vicious Cycle at amazon.co.uk

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PROMOTION

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eading health and wellness company Juice Plus+ has introduced the latest addition to its plant-based nutrition portfolio, Juice Plus+ Perform, a fruit-fusion flavoured food supplement shake designed to support multiple aspects of your fitness.

Protein intake and nutrition should be part of a balanced approach to diet and an active lifestyle. What you eat before, during and after exercise are all equally important.

To gain lean muscle mass, you will need adequate protein to support your lifestyle, and a food supplement shake is often the fastest and simplest road to recovery after a particularly strenuous session.

Juice Plus+ Perform contains naturally occurring vitamins and 25g of high-quality,

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plant-based protein per serving – all sourced from wholefood-based ingredients. But this is more than just a protein shake.

The big PLUS is that it supports multiple aspects of fitness performance, with additional ingredients – including B vitamins for mental performance and energy production, and vitamin D for bone support – that most other protein-based shakes simply don’t have.

Juice Plus+ Perform is 100% plantbased, suitable for vegans, and gluten-free, and can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.

For more information on Juice Plus+ Perform go to juiceplus.com

For best results, Juice Plus+ Perform should be taken one hour before or two hours after a workout.

DRINK IT ALL IN

Protein contributes to the growth in muscle mass.

Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) contributes to normal mental performance.

B Vitamins (B1, B2, B5 and B6) contribute to normal energyyielding metabolism.

Vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

14/01/2022 17:08

GET FIT IN THE KITCHEN

BRIGHT AS A BUTTON ushrooms have long been lauded for their health benefits, with previous studies reporting on their antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and cardiovascularprotective qualities. Now new research, from Penn State College of Medicine in the US, shows these nutritional powerhouses may boost mental health, too.

After assessing the diet and mental health data from over 24,000 adults between 2005 and 2016, the researchers

Photography: Getty Images

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discovered regular mushroom eaters had a lower risk of depression than those who left shrooms on the sidelines. They chalk this up to the antioxidant ergothioneine, which is thought to protect against cell and tissue damage.

‘Mushrooms are the highest dietary source of the amino acid ergothioneine…

Having high levels of this may lower the risk of oxidative stress, which could also reduce the symptoms of depression,’ explain the researchers.

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●FUEL NUTRITION NEWS

DON’T CUT THE MUSTARD

TRACT STAR

If you enjoyed a bit of cranberry sauce with your Christmas lunch, it might have helped to keep your pecker in good health. That’s because a large review study has confirmed the old wives’ tale that cranberries can prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). 2 The review of ten controlled trials showed that regular cranberry consumption reduced risk of recurring UTIs by a whopping 38%. It’s thought that these protective effects are due to a group of polyphenols in cranberries called ‘a-type proanthocyanidins’.

TRY THIS:

TOTAL XP PROTEIN CRUNCH

£19.99 (pack of 12), totalxp.co.uk The new protein-packed alternative to crisps, these crunchy snack packs contain 13g protein and just 106 calories. Available in three flavours: Chilli Hotness, Smoky BBQ and Epic Cheese.

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BREAD OF HEAVEN Ezekiel bread might just be the healthiest kind of bread money can buy. It’s made from a variety of whole grains and legumes that have started germinating, or sprouting. This sprouting process changes the nutrient composition of the grains significantly, including reducing their phytic acid content. While phytic acid is a strong antioxidant, it does also bind to zinc, iron and calcium in your food, reducing how much you can absorb.3 So by using sprouted grains, ezekiel bread can provide higher amounts of nutrients than regular bread. (It may be easier to digest, too.)

THE MYTH OF MSG

Reading the words monosodium glutamate (MSG) on an ingredients list often fills people with fear. But the umami-packed flavour enhancer got its bad reputation in the 1960s when older research, combined with racial biases, made many people in the west view MSG as an unhealthy, or even toxic, ingredient.

But MSG is also present naturally in very healthy foods like tomatoes, mushrooms and broccoli, and a recent review has shown that those older studies are based on extremely high doses. 4 At the amount found in foods, whether naturally or added, it’s unlikely to cause any negative effects.

1. European Federation of Food Science and Technology 2. Evidence-Based Medicine 3. Nutrients 4. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety 5. The Journal of Physiology

Mustard plants, native to the Mediterranean, are related to nutrientrich vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts. The seeds can of course be used as a condiment, while the leaves can be cooked like a peppery version of spinach.

Mustard has a long history of use as a remedy in traditional medicine in ancient Greek and Roman civilisations, and modern science is catching up – it’s now linking mustard intake to improved blood glucose control and lower cholesterol levels.1

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NOT COOL

Ice baths have become all the rage in recent years, with health benefits ranging from improved immune function to elevated mood. But a new study has shown that when used after strength training, they limit the body’s ability to handle protein and subsequently impair muscle building and conditioning.5 If you’re a fan of ice baths or cold showers for the feel-good factor, crack on, but if you’re looking to improve muscle conditioning, you might want to reconsider them as part of your post-exercise recovery.

MAKE THIS:

CHICKPEA AND SPINACH CURRY (CHANA SAAG)

Recipe taken from The Plant-Based Power Plan by TJ Waterfall (£14.99, Penguin Life)

This chickpea curry is super simple – and cheap – but is incredibly tasty, with bold and warming flavours. Enjoy it on its own, with rice, chapattis, alongside another curry, or even in a jacket potato. It’s high in protein, and a great source of iron and zinc.

Add the spinach in at the end, pushing it into the sauce until it just wilts down.

PER SERVING Kcals: 559, Protein: 22.1g, Carbs: 11.4g, Fat: 89.9g

TRY THIS:

EXHALE COFFEE From £7.95 (225g pouch), exhalecoffee.com

Healthy, clean, organic coffee, bursting with performance-powering antioxidants. One cup of Exhale boasts the same antioxidant power as 12 punnets of blueberries, 55 oranges or 1.2kg of kale. The pouches are plastic-free and compostable, too, so it’s good for the planet as well as your PB potential.

TIME: 30 MINUTES DIFFICULTY: EASY INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) - 2 tbsp cold-pressed rapeseed oil - 2 large onions, diced - 2 tsp cumin seeds - 1 tsp brown mustard seeds - 5 cloves garlic, minced - Thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely chopped - 1 tbsp ground coriander - 1 tsp chilli powder - 1 tsp ground turmeric - 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes - 2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained - 500g baby spinach - Salt, to taste METHOD Heat the rapeseed oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion gently for about five minutes until beginning to soften.

Add the cumin and brown mustard seeds, along with the garlic and ginger.

Stir constantly for about one minute, or until the mustard seeds begin to pop.

Now add the chilli powder, ground coriander and ground turmeric, and continue to stir constantly for another minute until all the spices become fragrant.

Add the tinned tomatoes and chickpeas, with any salt and pepper to taste, mix thoroughly and simmer for ten to 15 minutes, until the curry is thick and rich.

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●FUEL RECIPES

HEARTY & HEALTHY

Fill up but not out with these low-calorie, big-flavour recipes perfect for keeping new year body goals on track

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CHILLI COD IN TOMATO SAUCE INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) - 2 tbsp olive oil - 1 onion, peeled and chopped - 2 garlic cloves, crushed - ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes - 1 red pepper, thinly sliced - 400g can tomatoes - 100ml white wine - 12 black olives - 4 x 150g skinless cod loin fillets

METHOD Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion, garlic and chili flakes for three to four minutes. Add the red pepper and cook for a further three to four minutes.

Pour in the tomatoes, white wine and black olives, and simmer for eight minutes.

Add the cod loin fillets to the pan and cook for eight to ten minutes, turning once if not covered by the liquid, until cooked through.

Serve on to two plates with two pieces of fish for each person.

PER SERVING Kcals: 425, Protein: 38.5g, Carbs: 19.5, Fat: 16.8g

SPICED SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SOUP INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) - 150g sweet potato, peeled and diced - 150g butternut squash, peeled and diced - 2 tsp olive oil - 1 small red onion, peeled, finely chopped - 2 celery sticks, chopped - 1 green pepper, chopped - ¾ tsp Cajun spice or curry powder - 2 garlic cloves crushed - Lemon juice - 400g tinned tomatoes - Big handful of flat leaf parsley METHOD Sizzle the sweet potato and butternut squash in the oil over medium heat until just golden – about five to seven minutes.

Stir in the onion, celery and green pepper, followed by the spice, garlic and grated zest from the lemon.

Mash a few cubes of sweet potato and butternut in the pan to make a paste, and stir round to mop up the spice. Let it cook down a little, being careful not to burn.

Add a squeeze of lemon juice to loosen everything up.

Pour in the tomatoes and add about 400ml water. Simmer for ten minutes or until the sweet potato and butternut squash are cooked through.

Add half the parsley and use a hand blender to make the soup silky smooth.

Top with the second half of the parsley before serving.

PER SERVING Kcals: 263, Protein: 3.6g, Carbs: 31.2g, Fat: 14.4g FEBRUARY 2022

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●FUEL RECIPES PRAWN AND SPINACH CURRY INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4) - 4 tomatoes - 2 tbsp groundnut oil - 2 red onions, chopped - 1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated - 4 garlic cloves, sliced - ¼ tsp chilli powder - ½ tsp turmeric - 1 tsp ground coriander - 400ml coconut milk - 150g spinach, chopped - 425g raw peeled king prawns - 1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds METHOD Place the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave for one to two minutes, then drain, cut a cross at the stem end of each tomato and peel off the skins and chop.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan, add the onions, ginger and garlic and stirfry for two to three minutes. Add the spices and cook for a further two to three minutes, then add the tomatoes.

Pour in the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Gradually add the spinach, stirring until wilted. Cook for four to five minutes.

Stir in the prawns and cook for a further two minutes or until the prawns turn pink.

Sprinkle with the almonds before serving.

PER SERVING Kcals: 407, Protein: 22.5g, Carbs: 12.3g, Fat: 30.6g

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 2) - 150g beef stir-fry strips - 1 tbsp dark soy sauce - 3 tbsp rice wine or dry sherry - 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder - 2 tsp corn flour - 250g dried egg noodles - 3 tbsp rapeseed oil - 1 onion, thinly sliced - 1 red pepper, thinly sliced - 250g broccoli florets - 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 1 inch piece of ginger root cut into matchsticks - 4 tbsp oyster sauce

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METHOD In a bowl mix the beef with the soy sauce, rice wine, five-spice powder and cornflour.

Set aside to marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the egg noodles and immediately remove from the heat. Cover and set aside for four to five minutes until tender, Drain and cool under running water, then toss with 1 tbsp of the oil.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok or large saucepan and stir-fry the onion and pepper for two to three minutes, until softened slightly, then stir in the broccoli florets and cook for a further two to three minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for one minute, stirring frequently.

Tip the beef and marinade into the pan and stir-fry for three to four minutes until well browned. Pour in the oyster sauce and 100ml water, then add the noodles.

Simmer gently for two to three minutes until the noodles are hot, then serve immediately.

PER SERVING Kcals: 628, Protein: 31.5g, Carbs: 68.3, Fat: 24.2g

Photography: Getty Images

BEEF CHOW MEIN

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08/12/2021 13/01/2022 15:35 17:36

YOUR BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS

LIFT GOING UP

If you’re new to lifting weights – or even if you aren’t – here are five quick tips to help you train smarter and harder 01. Ignore your ego

If you’re unsure of the weight to use on a given exercise, err slightly on the low side and concentrate on good form. As an example, assume you’re aiming for 8-10 reps on shoulder press. If you hit 10 reps in your first set, increase the weight by around 5% at the next session. If you can’t even get 8 reps in your first set, you’ve started too heavy; drop the weight by 5-10% for your remaining sets. If you’ve only got one set of weights, pick a number of reps that means you’re close to failure by the final move, or slow the tempo.

02. Be flexible

If the gym’s busy or your kit of choice is being used by others, you’ll need a backup option. There are alternatives for every move – use a dumbbell for a kettlebell swing, for example, or goblet squats if the rack is in use.

03. Log your lifts

At the very least, record the weights you’re using so you can aim to better them in your next workout. If you’ve got time, though, also record how you felt during sessions, what extra activity you did and how you slept – it all helps.

04. Don’t get distracted

If you’re training at home, set your phone to airplane mode and ring-fence the time you need to work out.

05. Push through

Photography: Getty Images

Everyone has bad days in the gym, but don’t get discouraged if you feel tired or can’t lift more weight than last time. Stick to your plan, push yourself and you’ll keep making progress.

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●TRAINER GIVE ME STRENGTH

SPEAKING IN SPECIFICS Resident strength expert and Wild Training founder James Griffiths on the need to balance sports-specific training with periods of non-specific conditioning ne of the battles I often see, with athletes pushing to elite levels with their strength and conditioning, is how they balance their specific training with their body’s need for balance.

I’ve looked at various popular, functional movement coaching systems over the years, and the theme across them all is that we want our movement quality to be better than our power, and our useful power to be greater than our sport-specific skills. Any time that balance isn’t achieved, two things happen: we expose ourselves

O

Olympian Helen Glover rebuilt her strength post injury at the Wild Training Gym

to a greater risk of injury, and we find it much harder to progress our functional power or functional skill, when our functional movement isn’t optimised.

By definition, training specificity creates weaknesses. If I focus on one type of exercise for a long time, I’ll gain a lot in that specific type of performance, but I’ll also develop weaknesses in all the non-specific components of fitness my chosen type of exercise doesn’t develop. Who said you are only as strong as your weakest link?

Supplement your strength Take a strongman, for example. While programming has evolved generally, we see strongman programming that

each week includes one squat, one press, one deadlift and one events session. Imagine a strongman athlete trying to develop his overhead press strength: log press, axle floor to overhead, Viking press. Maybe they incorporate some accessory exercises – like seated neutral grip dumbbell incline press (one of my favourites) – and if they’re smart, some good row exercises, like a prone row.

Now, one thing inherent in strongman athletes is a massive lack of mobility and huge, powerful muscles that aren’t trained through a big range of movement. Tight shoulders and especially tight lats are likely to make their overhead performance suffer more than a simple lack of power in their press

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events, so strongman athletes at any level may benefit a lot from periodically increasing their mobility work, to see both their injury rate reduce and their performance increase.

I remember training with Laurence Shahlaei, 11-time World’s Strongest Man competitor. We ended up training with my Urban Strength Bar, other calisthenics equipment and even 1kg Indian clubs – all stuff he had never done before, and all stuff he found challenging. Afterwards, he got his log press back up to his previous best before his big injuries, so non-sport specific training helped him progress his sport-specific events, by targeting his weakest links in shoulder mobility and shoulder stability.

If in doubt, work the core Another great example is Helen Glover, who hurt her rib building up to the Tokyo Olympics. She came to the Wild Training Gym and we ended

Photography: Getty Images

Griffiths worked with Laurence Shahlaei, targeting his weakest links to rebuild his preinjury strength

up focusing on Olympic rings training for a phase, to get her core and specifically her shoulder and thoracic complexes working better. It worked, and her confidence excelled to get her back to pre-baby fitness levels. (Nuts to see a mum of three kicking it with the best at the Olympic Games!)

To give some athletes the greatest gains in performance – and to give them better longevity, while being able to manage the high volumes of specific training they need to do to perform at the highest level in their sport without suffering from excessive amounts of injury – athletes need to

Hanging tough: Glover works on her core, shoulder and thoracic complexes

look at smarter training. They need to incorporate non-specific blocks to cover the weaknesses their specific training creates.

Three’s the magic number Often people talk about many components of fitness, which makes it all feel confusing and impossible to balance effectively. Endurance, stamina, strength, power, speed, flexibility, balance, agility, coordination – it can feel too much to make sense in programming, so let’s simplify it.

Power, endurance, control.

Imagine a triangle with those titles at each corner (see below). What we are trying to achieve is the best balance of the three for your sport, without completely ignoring any one of the sections to ensure weaknesses don’t creep in, which might negatively affect performance in specific training.

This idea is something I refer to as Single goal focus, e.g. weightlifters, triathletes

Gymnasts, combat athletes, rugby players

POWER

ENDURANCE

‘breaking the exercise paradox’: the idea that we all exercise to achieve improvements in our health and performance, and often end up with injuries. We take something positive and make it have a negative impact on our health.

This balanced approach to even elite training will help avoid plateaus, reduce increased rates of injury in elite fitness training, and maybe most importantly keep athletes engaged in their training. Doing the same thing for years can get pretty boring, and bored athletes rarely get the most from their training.

Adding variety and new challenges can really help anyone push past previous plateaus, and reignite some passion and excitement in their training. That motivation is why this concept of breaking the exercise paradox is relevant to everyone, not just top athletes.

The people who beat the exercise paradox

POWER

CONTROL

ENDURANCE

POWER

CONTROL

ENDURANCE

CONTROL

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●TRAINER FORMULA 1 FITNESS

RACE READY Calf training, neck strength and lavender-scented pillow spray – Daniel Ricciardo's performance coach Michal Italiano talks us through the unconventional world of Formula 1 fitness

s a renowned performance coach to McLaren F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo, Michael Italiano knows a thing or two about elite-level fitness training. For the past three years, he has devised specific training programs for Ricciardo, tailoring sessions to target the muscles the Australian driver uses

A

most, and advising him on how to physically manage the ebbs and flows of the Formula 1 season.

Away from the F1 circuit, Italiano is now offering his strength and conditioning expertise to clients via his MI Coaching platform.

“I’m looking at new ways of encouraging individuals

to train efficiently and make incremental lifestyle changes,” he says. “The easiest way to achieve your dream health is not by focusing on looking good, but by making it simpler for you to pick up sustainable and healthier habits. Health is so much more than just looking good, it’s about preventing injury Michael Italiano (left) with F1 driver Daniel Ricciardo

and diseases, improving your mental health, feeling happier, developing positive behaviours and building your self-confidence.”

Users of his training platform receive programmes of differing durations and intensity designed around their schedule and home set-up. “The idea is to break the mould of traditional coaching to help my clients transition into a healthier lifestyle that is fun, simple, and accessible,” he says.

What, then, can a man who trains racing drivers at the pinnacle of their sport transfer into routines the rest of us can benefit from?

MF: Michael, what are the key areas of functional training you need to work in a sport as unique at F1?

Michael Italiano: It’s true it’s not as relatable as, say, football training, but some of the training principles are uniform across all sports.

With F1 an obvious area of difference is neck strength.

Drivers have to withstand a lot of G-force, so we do loads of neck work using something called a GS harness. We’ll do this every second day, throughout the season – training the neck muscles to manage the load.

What people probably don’t realise is that drivers have to work really hard on their calves. The brake pressure in these cars is such that you’re having to slam the brakes, constantly, for two hours. The calf muscles have to be strong and very well-conditioned, because the last thing you want at

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300km/h is calf cramp.

On a heavy breaking circuit like Singapore, the calves get incredibly sore and tight, so you need a lot of muscular endurance in that area.

Words: Rob Kemp | Photography: Getty Images

MF: So it’s not so much the driving as the braking that’s most demanding on the body?

MI: Absolutely, and because of the demands of braking the key area we work on is the posterior chain. All that force is going through your calves, hamstrings, glutes, your QLs (quadratus lumborum, or deep abdominals), and a lot of your core is taking a load as well. It’s a principle that transfers from F1 to all sports: if you want to be an amazing athlete, have a strong posterior chain.

MF: What drills are you putting Daniel Ricciardio through to achieve that strong chain?

MI: The key compound movements. A lot of deadlifting. A lot of bench press, because even though they have power steering, there is still a sense of strength they need within their anterior delts. A lot of Nordic hamstring curls and eccentric loading on the hamstrings, and a lot of isolated glute exercises as well.

MF: How are you targeting the calves and neck?

MI: We do a lot of single-leg weighted calf raises. The calves get trained through that posterior chain work, too. For the neck, we put

a harness on Daniel and I've got a handle on the other side, pretty much pulling it to provide the resistance. We have a measuring device that clips onto this resistance band telling me when I'm pulling 10kg or 15kg, say.

On some circuits the drivers will experience up to six G – equivalent to a 45kg load on the neck.

MF: How often are you working with Ricciardo throughout the season?

MI: During the race season it’s all about maintenance.

Pre-season is where we hit our KPIs (key performance indicators), try to beat our PBs and really go hard and set that early race fitness.

Then throughout the season, because the calendar is so brutal with so many races, the emphasis is all about recovery – sleep, massage, dynamic stretching – making sure he’s not stiffening up and maintaining that fitness.

MF: How do you speed up race recovery, including jet lag?

MI: We’ve found that a lot of little things can go a long way. Three years ago, I bought Daniel a travel pillow, because I noticed that hotel pillows were stiffening up his neck, which was not ideal for a racing driver.

We also use lavender spray to aid sleep, and create a subliminal association and

Italiano centres his F1 conditioning around the legs and core, so drivers can withstand the forces put upon them

consistency between home and the hotel room that’s really good for the body.

We upgraded the eye masks to real premium Manta Sleep ones, too.

As for jet lag, we do a lot of things with blue-light glasses, light-optimisation lamps, caffeine and exercise timing, to get the circadian rhythms in balance. Any marginal gains are invaluable when you’re working in thousandth of seconds.

MF: How big a role does hydration play in keeping drivers physically and mentally sharp?

MI: Thermal regulation – the body’s ability to maintain its core body temperature – is a massive part of the sport, because it’s very difficult to achieve it in the cockpit, wearing a fire-resistant suit.

These guys are excessively sweating, so we have to ensure that they don’t dehydrate – which would affect performance with possibly devastating impact.

We have hydration protocols week in, week out with Daniel, ensuring he uses electrolyte powders to make sure he retains water efficiently, and making sure he’s fully hydrated at least 48 hours before the start.

I also give him a urine colour rating (from 1 to 5), which he uses to assess his levels of hydration daily.

MF: Finally, you’re bringing the training you do with Ricciardo to regular clients via your MI platform – how do you bring the nuanced elements of F1 training to everyday fitness?

MI: Many of those simple habits – working the posterior chain, good hydration, eating a rainbow of vegetables, sleeping well etc. – will work for the average Joe, and have the same positive impact as with F1 drivers and pro athletes.

The key thing for me is that clients don't underestimate the effectiveness of online coaching. During Covid I was in the UK, Daniel was in LA, so we had to adopt online training, but he still beat every PB that he’d set the year before. That was a great reassurance that these programmes can really work online.

Michael Italiano is the founder of MI Coaching, the online coaching platform giving you access to elite-level performance training. Find out more at michaelitaliano.com

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●TRAINER BATTLE CANCER

hen former Greater Manchester policeman Scott Britton set about creating an exciting new fitness phenomenon, he drew on the full spectrum of his personal training passions, from Muay Thai and sprinting to power lifting and CrossFit. The innovative result was Battle Cancer: a gritty new event series which blends functional fitness with group challenges to help people raise money for cancer and mental health charities.

Hosted in boisterous venues with live DJs and cheering crowds, Battle Cancer events are part CrossFit workout, part Tough Mudder madness. Following its debut event in Manchester in 2017, the series has now spread around the world – from Berlin to Madrid and LA – and raised around $2.3m for charity.

Here Britton reveals why he went into battle with cancer – and how you can join him.

W

BATTLING WITH BURPEES

Fusing functional fitness with team sport, Battle Cancer is bringing the fitness community together for a common cause

Wherever you go around the world, a Battle Cancer event will always involve four nineminute challenges. We never use barbells or gym rings. The heaviest thing that you will pick up is a 30kg sandbag. But everything is in teams of four (either same sex or mixed) so you will do synchronised kettlebell work, dumbbell work or cardio work, like bikes and SkiErgs. Any runs will be 300m max, as I can’t stand running!

But everything is fun. You might have to piggy-back someone or do bear crawls. They don’t look hard, but nine minutes of them definitely is. People really love the underovers, where somebody makes a bridge with their body, and someone crawls under them,

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then they drop into a press-up position, and somebody jumps over them. So it’s like an extreme burpee with friends. At any Battle Cancer event, you will be out of breath and it will be hard. But you can do it.

I realised that whenever I was trying to fundraise individually, I wasn't that effective.

But when we use the collective power of people, we can do something much bigger.

A lot of people have been affected by cancer, either personally if they have had cancer themselves, or secondarily because they have lost someone or are struggling. We give everybody a focus and an inspiration.

I also saw that there was a gap for an event like this. Mass-participation events often involve running, because you don’t need equipment and you can have 4,000 people there at once. So those events have an amazing energy and a feeling of togetherness. Our idea was to recreate that atmosphere, but with added dumbbells and kettlebells.

Words: Mark Bailey | Photography: Battle Cancer

We knew we had a concept and a form of motivation that everybody loved. Pre-Covid, we were in six places. We matched that in 2021 (Manchester, Belfast, Toulouse, Berlin, Madrid, London), despite the challenges.

We did £500,000 of fundraising through the events last year. And we want to keep expanding. We are now a full-time company with 12 events lined up for 2022 (including Manchester, London and Dublin). But in the next few years, we want to reach £1,000,000 of associated fundraising every year and 50 events globally.

We also do a mass warmup to get people jumping, shouting, cheering and clapping. And that was something I took from the likes of Tough Mudder, where they start in waves.

The overall feeling of the music and the lights is to make everybody feel like an elite athlete and a hero.

We have all shapes and sizes at our events, but we are all here together.

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In London, there were 1,600 people at the event, with 500 people working out at once.

That is nerve-racking.

But you are not going to lose. You may have butterfly nerves, but everyone is there to support you.

I was a very chunky kid in primary school. But the biggest change for me was getting into Muay Thai. I did Thai boxing from age seven until age 18. That was the first sport where I had structure. When I got to my teenage years my coach took me to a bodybuilding gym, so I learned to do weights and structure my sessions with upper body and leg days. By that time I had lost the chunky kid moniker. I was playing rugby at a decent level, I was doing 100m and 200m sprinting at county level, and I was weight training two or three times a week.

I initially got into powerlifting. I was strong for my size and I had good fast-twitch strength from the sprinting and Muay Thai, which are both very explosive. I was competing at European level for two years.

We did a Guinness World Record called the Titanic, where we tried to deadlift the weight of the Titanic in 12 hours.

But over time powerlifting began to feel too samey, so I looked for something new.

I loved the accessible, functional fitness approach of CrossFit. It took me two years to reach the qualifying level for elite CrossFit comps.

In those events you might need to run up a hill while carrying sandbags, or swim in the sea. To be good at CrossFit, you have to look at your weaknesses, and that makes it very good for all-round conditioning.

For Battle Cancer, you need to look at traditional HIIT training, so you can work for nine minutes during the event. An EMOM (every minute on the minute) workout is also a fantastic way to train. There are no 10k runs or really heavy weights to worry about. But you need to get your heart rate up and your lungs ready to recover quickly.

I meet people who have been affected by cancer and I often say: it’s incredibly sad that I get to meet you under these circumstances, but I am also honoured to hear your story.

One Battle Cancer volunteer and judge is a coach at my gym called Craig, who has recovered twice from a brain tumour but is now getting clear health checks. I have met people who have done incredible things and that is what drives us on.

To join a Battle Cancer event in 2022, visit battlecancer.com

14/01/2022 11:16

●TRAINER BEAT THE BURNOUT

HOW TO...

AVOID A GUILT-DRIVEN NEW YEAR BURNOUT

The Movement Blueprint’s Harvey Lawton cautions against going too hard in pursuit of your rebuild ith the festive period over and the perceived Christmas ‘dent’ well and truly done, the temptation to head full throttle back to the gym, ramping up cardio and intensity, is often seen as the obvious solution. You tear through the first three weeks of your fitness programme, switching flat whites for black Americanos and joining the #5amHustleClub in a race to see results.

How many times have you tried this, and how many times has it seen you completely burned out by the end of January? What if, instead, you used the early-year period as a time to set goals, consider the longer journey for the year ahead and reaped the benefits of working consistently at a more sustainable 70-75%?

W

The foot-down ethos We’ve all been there – industry professional or not. But it doesn’t matter how many years you’ve tried it; the outcome remains the same. New Year’s resolutions to get shredded in 30 days, undoing the Christmas binge as quickly as possible, binge exercising (yes, it is a thing) and extreme dieting are some of the most common mindsets heading into January. If this is you, take a few minutes to keep reading. Why? We want to highlight the ‘fine print’ that nobody reads before heading into a complete change of training stimulus.

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The intensity panic switch Christmas indulgence or not, training hard every day is not optimal. ‘Aggressive overload’ will actually cause more harm than good to your central nervous system (your body’s chief regulator). Training hard too often will ramp up your levels of cortisol (stress and inflammation), cause an onset of fatigue, and even negatively impact your psychological wellbeing.

Training goes a lot deeper than just your time in the gym. The sooner you can become more in tune with your body, the higher your success rate (and longevity of success) will be.

The optimal training split While many have their own opinion on what an optimal training split looks like over any given week, the following is one The Movement Blueprint recommends, and

lifting weights or through cardiovascular training. If you want to see a greater training effect, spend 75% of your time working in a controlled and composed state: lifting, breathing and moving sub-maximally. Keeping your foot flat on the gas every day will not bring the positive adaptations you are looking for, it will simply exhaust you. Obviously there are variables to consider here, including training experience, lifestyle, personal goals and individual management of the pillars of performance (right).

has programmed for hundreds of clients who have seen incredible lifestyle changes and long-term results.

• 3 x strength sessions • 2 x cardio-based sessions We recommend pushing the intensity dial one or two times per week, be it through

Achieving lasting results Fitness relies on three key pillars for adaptation and progression: at The Movement Blueprint we know these as training, recovery and nutrition. You cannot have one element without the others in equal part. You can have as much training stimulus as you like – both quality and measured – but without adequate fuel (nutrition) and sleep (recovery), that stimulus will be about as useful as a square tyre.

SUSTAIN & GAIN

Five ways to create a sustainable routine

01

Progressive overload with your strength training.

02

Stick to at least two cardio sessions each week (walking, running, cycling or moving your body with low to moderate stress).

03

Adopt a ‘dimmer switch’ approach to training: sometimes ‘on’, but most of the time regulating.

04

Manage the three pillars of performance.

Photography: The Movement Blueprint

05

“Keeping your foot flat on the gas every day will not bring the positive adaptations you are looking for, it will simply exhaust you”

Have patience.

Looking for support to reach your 2022 training goals? The Movement Blueprint’s TRAIN and PERFORM programmes incorporate periodised strength cycles and progressive energy system development. Find out more at themovementblueprint.co

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●TRAINER WEIGHT PLATE WORKOUT

PLATE ARMOUR

If space and time are in short supply, this weight plate workout is your saving grace You’ve hit the gym for a quick pump, but every machine and bench is in use and all you can salvage is a single discarded weight plate. Luckily for you, there’s a simple solution: this complex. By performing a variety of isolation moves and hitting relatively high reps, you’ll challenge your muscles to adapt and grow.

1b. WEIGHT PLATE OVERHEAD PRESS Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding the plate on your upper chest.

Keep your body upright and core muscles braced.

Press the plate directly upwards until your arms are extended overhead.

During the lifting phase, keep your core braced and don’t tilt your hips forward.

Lower the plate to complete the rep.

HOW TO: Complete anywhere from 8-15 reps of each exercise (depending on available time and lifting experience).

Do each exercise back-to-back, without putting the plate down.

Complete 3 circuits in total, with 2 minutes rest in-between.

1a. WEIGHT PLATE CURL

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Model: @luongy (BMA Models) | Photography: Eddie Macdonald

Stand tall, with your shoulders back and feet close together, holding the plate.

Keeping your elbows tucked into your sides, curl the plate towards your chest, stopping just before your forearms reach vertical.

Lower slowly to return to the start. Avoid rocking back and forth to generate momentum, which takes the emphasis away from the biceps.

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1d. WEIGHT PLATE STANDING TRICEPS EXTENSION Stand with the plate held above your head.

Slowly lower it behind your head by bending your elbows, which should stay pointing to the ceiling.

Without arching your back, slowly return the plate to the start by straightening your arms.

1e. WEIGHT PLATE HALO Hold the plate in front of you, then circle it around your head, without changing your hand position.

Make the range of motion as large as possible. You should feel this move in your abs and obliques.

1f. WEIGHT PLATE STRAIGHT-ARM SIT-UP Lie flat on the ground with a plate above your chest.

In one motion, sit yourself up and try to press the plate up to the ceiling.

Return, with control, to the start position, then go again.

1c. WEIGHT PLATE SQUAT Hold the plate behind your neck and stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with toes pointing outwards slightly.

Squat until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor.

Drive back up through your heels.

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●TRAINER DUMBBELL WORKOUT

DUMBBELL DIAL-UP

Test your strength endurance and form under fatigue with this ‘reverse Tabata’ dumbbell session Farren Morgan is a serving soldier and founder of The Tactical Athlete, a training approach and platform based on full-body resilience and militarystyle conditioning.

“The rigorous training involved has pushed me beyond my physical and mental boundaries,” says Morgan. “It’s instilled a progressive mindset that’s allowed me to continually reach new heights” – including completing the 2021 London Marathon with 34kg strapped to his back.

The following dumbbell circuit might not help you run 26.2 miles, but it will test your lungs, legs and just about every muscle in your body

in a way that conventional ‘3 sets of 10’ strength training simply doesn’t.

The ‘reverse Tabata’ format means you’re going to do 10 seconds of work, followed by 20 seconds of rest. The generous rest ratio means these movements need to be performed all out (without compromising form). Pick dumbbells you can continuously move for the entire session.

Do 10 rounds of the first exercise – 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 – before moving straight onto the next. Perform 10 rounds of each exercise in the order shown. Your mission is to make it through just one full circuit. How hard can that be?

1b. DB THRUSTER 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 Hold the dumbbells on your shoulders, with your hands in a neutral position.

Drop into a squat, keeping your back in good alignment.

Drive up through your heels and punch the weights straight up in the air, using the momentum to your advantage.

Drop down into the next squat and repeat.

1c. DB DEADLIFT 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 Stand tall with soft knees, shoulders back and the pair of dumbbells at your sides.

Press your hips back, keep your chest up and slowly lower the dumbbells towards the ground.

Once the dumbbells are midway down your shin, pause, squeeze your glutes and return to the starting position.

1d. DB GLUTE BRIDGE FLOOR PRESS 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10

1a. DUMBBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 Stand with feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart.

Point your toes out slightly.

Hold the dumbbells over your quads, with palms facing your body.

Bend your knees slightly and slowly descend the weights towards the floor as you hinge at the hips.

Keep your chest high and look straight.

When a stretch is felt (before the dumbbells hit the floor) begin to extend your hips and return to standing.

Lie on the floor with your heels close to your glutes and dumbbells by your sides.

Keeping your heels and shoulders down, raise your hips as high as possible.

Now grab the dumbbells and press the weights directly above your chest – maintaining the glute bridge.

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1g. DB BENT-OVER ROW 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 Holding the weights in front of you, bend your knees, press your hips back, keep your chest up and your shoulders down.

Row the weights up to your side, focusing on the contraction in your lats – not your biceps.

Pause at the top, then return to the start.

1h. DB STEP-UP 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10

1e. DB RENEGADE ROW 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 With each hand on a dumbbell, begin in the press-up position (palms facing each other).

With your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width and your hips level, row one of the dumbbells up. Keep your elbow tucked in and pause briefly at the top of the move.

Return the weight and do the same with the other arm.

Stand facing a box or bench with your feet together. Keep your core braced throughout.

Extend at the hip and knee of your left leg and place your left foot on the box, then push up with your right foot to stand on the box with both feet.

Exhale, step down and repeat on the other side.

1i. DB CLOSE-GRIP DEFICIT PRESS-UP

Model: Farren Morgan | Photography: Redi Bashera

10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10

1f. DB PENDULUM LUNGE 10 secs on, 20 secs off x 10 Stand with the dumbbells held by your sides.

Now step forward into a lunge. Make the step big enough to ensure your front knee doesn’t extend beyond your toes.

Without lifting your back foot, drive through your front heel to go straight into a reverse lunge Repeat with the leg that’s now in front.

Position the dumbbells on the floor, with a small gap between them.

Assume a press-up position, with palms on the ends of the dumbbells.

Now, perform a deep press-up, keeping elbows locked in, hips level and dumbbells held together.

Press yourself back up, before going again.

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●TRAINER HIIT WORKOUT

HIIT THE BELL

This kettlebell workout utilises a 40 on/20 off format to rev up your heart rate, incinerate body fat and ensure a full-body pump to boot High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is the catch-all name for any workout that involves alternating periods of high intensity with those of low intensity. They’re lung-busting efforts – and not for the faint-hearted – but have the potential to provide the fat-burning

benefits of much longer workouts.

This session consists of six exercises.

Perform each exercise continuously for 40 seconds, at a high enough intensity to get your heart rate up, but not so hell for leather that you’re swinging the weights around and

lose any semblance of form. Once your 40 seconds are up, rest for 20 seconds. Repeat that pattern 4 times for the first exercise, rest for 60 seconds, then move on to the second exercise. Rinse and repeat until the mountain climbers are out the way – then breathe.

1. DOUBLE KETTLEBELL SWING

2. KB GOBLET SQUAT

Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4

Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and push the kettlebell off your body to start the swing.

Begin the lowering phase by hinging at the hips, then pushing your glutes back.

When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, drive your hips forward, swinging the kettlebell up.

Don’t worry too much about how high the kettlebell gets – the snap at the hips and drive through the glutes is more important than air time.

Hold a kettlebell by the horns – or upside down at the base – with both hands.

Keeping your back straight and chest up, lower into a deep squat.

Drive through your heels to stand.

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3. KB CLEAN AND PRESS Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4 Hold a kettlebell by the horns.

Clean the kettlebell to your shoulder by extending through the legs and hips as you pull the kettlebell towards your shoulder.

Rotate your wrist as you do so, so that the palm faces forward.

Press the kettlebell over your head, locking out your arm.

Lower the weight to the floor to return to the start.

Alternate sides every 3 reps.

4. KB SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4 Stand with a wide stance and kettlebell between your feet.

Squat and take hold of the horns.

Keeping your chest up and your back straight, drive through your heels and push your hips forward to stand tall.

As you do so, flare your elbows out to the sides to bring the weight up to your chin.

Slowly lower the weight to the floor.

5. KB RUSSIAN TWIST Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4

Model: Sasha Green (BMA Models) | Photography: Eddie Macdonald

Sit on the floor.

Hold the kettlebell in front of your chest with both hands and bring your legs off the floor.

Brace your core to keep your balance, and slowly twist to one side, then the other, without letting the weight or your legs drop.

6. MOUNTAIN CLIMBER Time: 40 secs Rest: 20 secs Sets: 4 Start in the top of a press-up position.

Keeping your shoulders locked, alternate jumping each foot forward so your knee comes towards the elbow of the same side, but your hands stay on the ground.

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