MAN Magazine - Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021 | FREE

TOMMY FLEETWOOD OPEN CHAMPION?

SAVE £££S ON YOUR DREAM CAR

GET IN SHAPE AFTER A YEAR OF LOCKDOWN

MENTAL HEALTH WHERE’S YOUR HEAD AT?

XBOX SERIES X VS. PS5

HARRY KANE AND THE SUMMER OF SPORT

SPORT | FASHION | TECH | TRAVEL | HEALTH

HERE’S a Stat i bEt you didn’t kn w oVER HALF A MILLION Sky bEt CuStoMERS uSE DEPOSIT LIMITS TO MANAGE THEIR BETTING BUDGET tHat’S tHE PoPuLation oF HELSinki. (tHat’S a Lot oF FinnS.) SET yOurS TOdAy and ENJOY a SuMMER oF touRnaMEnt FootbaLL.

dEPoSit LiMitS dEPoSit LiMitS tHat’S bEttinG bEttER.

MAN MAGAZINE

HOW

WE MAKE MAN MAGAZINE:

First, we cherry-pick the world’s best writers in the fields of sport, style, cars, music, comedy, health & fitness, travel, adventure, and more.

Then we let them write the stories they want to tell. The stories that matter.

And finally, we give it all away for free.

Because when it’s this good, every man deserves to read it.

The result is the world’s greatest magazine for men who want the best of everything.

WHY manmagazineuk.co.uk

WE MAKE MAN MAGAZINE:

This is the important bit. We know that being a man can be tough sometimes.

Looking after your mental health, and helping your friends and family do the same, has never been more important.

That’s why we work with Mind, CALM, and Time to Change, three of the UK’s leading mental health charities. We want to help end the stigma around mental health and ensure that every man gets the support he needs.

03

Lets get the job done Being in the trade can come with a lot of pressure, from organising the build to the early starts, long hours and being out in all weathers.

Working away from home, working weekends and often working alone. We get it.

At Buildbase we’re more than just order then out-the-door. Pop in and you’ll find a friendly face in our branch teams, with a free cuppa and proper down-to-earth chat.

And we’re also ready to roll up our sleeves and help you get the job done with guaranteed stock of insulation, lintels, drylining, timber, landscaping materials and more. We’ll sort you out with a delivery to suit you, tool and plant hire, electrical wholesale and we offer a free design and planning service for Kitchens & Bathrooms too.

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Proud sponsors of grassroots football in the Buildbase FA Vase and FA Trophy, standing together with our customers and local communities.

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MAN MAGAZINE

HARRY KANE

JO HARMAN

PHIL WALKER

The Spurs and England captain is ready to lead his country to glory this summer, even if it means playing in goal. The nation’s leading marksman reveals all on page 13.

London-based sportswriter Jo is magazine editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly. He chats to England captain Eoin Morgan about a pivotal year for English cricket on page 22.

Phil is editor-in-chief of Wisden Cricket Monthly and former editor of All Out Cricket. He profiles Jofra Archer, the fast bowler with a nation’s hopes in his right hand, on page 26.

JOHN HUGGAN

NICK WRIGHT

KIRK MCKEAND

John has followed the world’s best golfers around the globe for decades, covering the game for Golf Digest, Golf World, The Guardian, The Telegraph, and more. He speaks to Shane Lowry, the man who got two years as Open Champion for the price of one, on page 50.

Hypnotherapist and psychotherapist Nick specialises in fast resolutions for a wide range of stress- and anxiety-related issues, including depression, OCD, PTSD, phobia and trauma, as well as sports and business performance. He explains why the whole world is meditating – and why you should join them – on page 85.

Kirk is Editor-in-Chief of TheGamer. com, a site with millions of readers each week. What he doesn’t know about games is, quite frankly, not worth knowing. He’s spent extended time with the PS5 and Xbox Series X in order to tell you which to buy on page 112.

KEVIN HINES

JOE WICKS

BEN MILLER

One of the world’s leading suicide prevention activists, having survived a jump with a 99 per cent fatality rate, Kevin shares his story and life-saving advice on page 69.

The man who helps millions of people get fitter every day shares his biggest five tips for mental and physical wellbeing on page 83.

A motoring journalist for 20 years, Ben’s driven every important new car since 2014, often quite a bit further than a spin around the block. He helps you save thousands on your next ride on page 118.

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CONTRIBUTORS

MAN MAGAZINE

I

n February last year, I went out for dinner with friends. It was a nice albeit unremarkable evening.

The food was fine, but nothing to write home about (although I’m not sure I’ve ever written home about food, to be honest. My parents would probably be quite concerned if they started receiving postcards about particularly enjoyable brunches I’ve had…)

Had I known then what I know now, I would have savoured every mouthful of food, hugged my friends like they’d just scored a World Cup winner, and generally appreciated the whole evening a lot more.

In my defence, I had no way of knowing a global pandemic was about to change life as we know it, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? You never know what’s around the corner. The dramatic loss of liberty we all experienced last spring proved that things we take for granted are anything but. Without wishing to sound all Joni Mitchell, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.

As I write this, life seems to be starting to return to some level of normality, and we’re once more able to enjoy simple pleasures like hearing live music, going to the pub or cinema, and spending time with friends and family without having to schedule a Zoom meeting.

Right now, these things don’t feel like simple pleasures; they feel like special experiences, to be appreciated and treasured. It won’t take long, of course, for the novelty to wear off, and we’ll once more be taking them for granted, moaning about how long it’s taking to get served at the bar or the extortionate price of popcorn. But what if that wasn’t the case?

Last summer, I started a daily practice of writing down three things I was grateful for. It felt awkward at first, and I assumed I’d quickly run out of things, but I never did. In fact, it rarely took more than a minute to think of three things. And, quickly, that simple act began to shift my mindset.

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

– Epictetus, Greek philosopher Wherever you live, whatever you do, whether you’re the world’s richest man or the poorest, there will always be things you want but don’t have. Spend your time focusing on what you don’t have and you’ll always be discontent. Focus on what you have and you’ll never want for anything.

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“The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance. The wise man grows it under his feet.”

– James Oppenheim, American poet, novelist, and editor This summer, for sports fans, there’s no shortage of things to be grateful for. We’ve spoken to some of the key players in the biggest events, and I hope this issue helps you enjoy an exciting summer of sport even more. You’ll also find articles I hope will help you navigate some of the challenges of being a man in 2021, or put you in a better position to help those close to you. It’s been a challenging 15 months for many people, but if it creates a society that looks out for each other more, in an environment where people are less afraid to ask for help, it could leave us better prepared for the challenges to come.

Rob McGarr MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

Managing Editor

07

MAN MAGAZINE

CONTENTS SPORT

Cover Photographer: Gareth Cattermole - UEFA Executive Editor: Lee Gatland Art Director: Richard Hejsak Managing Editor: Rob McGarr rob@sevenstarmedia.co.uk Sales Team: 01959 543 650 sales@sevenstarmedia.co.uk Published by SEVEN STAR MEDIA LTD 184 Main Road, Biggin Hill, Westerham, Kent Tel: 01959 543659 sevenstarmedia.co.uk Disclaimer: Man Magazine is published bi-annually (twice per annum) by Seven Star Media Ltd. No part of Man Magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted to any form without permission. Views expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Seven Star Media Ltd, and are included to provide advice only. No content is a substitute for professional medical advice. During printing, images may be subject to a 15% variation. © Copyright of content belongs to individual contributors with the magazine copyright belonging to Seven Star Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Please either keep this magazine for future reference, pass it on for somebody else to read, or recycle it.

08

13

40 – Tommy Fleetwood’s Major Ambitions

The European Tour star and Ryder Cup hero won’t rest until he lifts the Claret Jug.

26

50 – Shane Lowry – Emerging from Rory’s Shadow

The defending Open champion is ready to add more majors to his CV.

BE A BETTER YOU

26 – Jofra Archer – Express Delivery

England’s superstar bowler holds a nation’s hopes in his right hand.

34 – Don’t Gamble Your Life Away

How to control your gambling, or stop if it’s got too much.

60 – Get Into the Best Shape of Your Life

33 ways to get yourself looking and feeling better than ever.

69 – “I jumped Off the Golden Gate Bridge”

Suicide survivor Kevin Hines overcame incredible odds just to be here today. What he’s done since is unbelievable.

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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Cover credits: Thanks to Harry Kane & his team at CK66 Ltd

13 – Harry Kane’s Unfinished Business

The England captain is ready to fulfil a lifelong dream and fire his country to glory.

21 – England Cricket’s Biggest Year

With key ODI and test matches, the T20 World Cup, and the Ashes, 2021 is a pivotal year for England cricket.

22 – Eoin Morgan – Behind the Boundary

The World Cup-winning captain reveals he isn’t afraid to upset tradition and ruffle a few feathers if it means getting the job done.

MAN MAGAZINE

78 – How to Help A Friend in Need

The team at CALM have advice that will help you help others.

83 – Joe Wicks’ 5 Rules for Happiness

The nation’s fitness guru shares his top tips for a happy and healthy life.

85 – Is It Time You Started Meditating?

It seems like half the world is suddenly doing it, but why?

112 22

118

40

137

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GEAR 93 – Best Bikes

The most fun you can have on two wheels for under £1,000.

104 – Summer Fashion

Look good on the beach or in the gym with a wardrobe overhaul that won’t break the bank.

112 – Xbox vs. PS5

With stocks finally returning, get the expert verdict on which new console you should go for.

118 – Save ££££s On Your Dream Car

What’s better than getting the car of your dreams? Getting it for half the price.

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

104 TRAVEL 137 – Open Golf Breaks

Play every course on the Open rota, and other must-play tracks to make a weekend to remember.

09

“Mental illness is a struggle. I’m proud of friends, who have suffered some of the darkest moments, for reaching out and opening up.

They were able to receive support and now live happy, loving lives. You aren’t alone, there is hope and you can heal.”

ROD STEWART

PROUDLY SUPPORTS

10

MAGAZINE MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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MAN MAGAZINE

SPORT

PUT THE LOWS OF LOCKDOWN BEHIND YOU AND GET READY FOR AN UNMISSABLE…

SUMMER OF SPORT

With the European Championships, the Olympics, Tour de France, The Open, the Ryder Cup, and the T20 World Cup to get your teeth into, 2021 is set to be a summer to remember. We’ve spoken to some of the main players in the biggest events…

12

England’s captain and goalscoring superstar has been dreaming of firing his country to a major championship title his whole life. He’s ready to bag the Golden Boot and end 55 years of hurt for England fans…

EOIN MORGAN: “I’VE NEVER WANTED TO FIT IN” Ahead of one of the biggest summers for English cricket, World Cup winning captain Eoin Morgan opens up about doing things his own way, being an Irishman in an England shirt, and his big plans for 2021.

JOFRA ARCHER: “SOME OF THE ABUSE I HAVE TAKEN ON INSTAGRAM HAS BEEN RACIST… ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” The world’s most in-demand fast bowler holds a nation’s hopes in his right hand, but is having to battle more than just the world’s best batsmen in his bid to skittle England to glory this summer…

TOMMY FLEETWOOD: “IT’S ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM TO WIN THE OPEN” With two runner-up finishes at majors to date, 30-year-old Fleetwood is ready to go one better this summer and establish himself among the game’s greats. There’s the little matter of a Ryder Cup to think about, too…

SHANE LOWRY: “I WAS ALWAYS LIVING IN RORY’S SHADOW” The man who got two years as Open Champion for the price of one talks pushy parents, a lifelong battle with Rory, and the secrets behind his unbelievable short game.

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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13 22 26 40 50

HARRY KANE: “THE WORLD CUP WAS INCREDIBLE, BUT WE WANT MORE. THERE’S UNFINISHED BUSINESS”

Photographer Credit: Olivia Rose

SPORT

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UNFINISHED BUSINESS ENGLAND’S GOAL MACHINE AND CAPTAIN TALKS WORLD CUP HEARTBREAKS, UNFINISHED BUSINESS, AND PLAYING FOR ARSENAL…

Written by: Rob McGarr, MAN Magazine editor, in partnership with FourFourTwo

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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9.14P

9.14PM,

WE HAD A GREAT TEAM AND I THOUGHT WE HAD A CHANCE OF WINNING IT

manmagazineuk.co.uk

7th June, 2002.

England captain David Beckham steps up to take a penalty in a vital World Cup group stage match against Argentina.

The stakes are sky high, not least because Beckham was sent off against the same opposition during the previous World Cup, and has spent four years being vilified by press and fans as a result.

As Beckham drills home the redemptive spot-kick, cheering at home is eight-year-old Harry Kane, allowed to stay up late specially to watch the action from Japan.

“I’d say his penalty against Argentina was my standout memory of watching England at World Cups,” says Kane, now 27, the same age Beckham was that night in Sapporo. “Given all he’d been through after 1998, for him to step up like that and win us such a huge game was a great moment. He was a big role model for me. The 2002 World Cup is the first one I really remember well.”

England bowed out at the quarter-final stage that year, breaking the heart of a football-mad lad from Walthamstow. “We had a great team and I thought we had a chance of winning it,” recalls Kane. “I’ve got vivid memories of watching the Brazil game – England going 1-0 up, but then Rivaldo getting the equaliser and Ronaldinho scoring the famous free-kick to knock us out. I was only eight and the game was on early in the morning, so we all watched it at school in the assembly hall. It was a long, hard day at school after that.”

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A young Kane no doubt spent some of the day’s lessons sympathising with then England goalkeeper David Seaman, the man caught out

by Ronaldinho’s famous “did he mean it?” free kick, especially as he himself spent more time in goal than scoring goals at that age.

“We used to go over the park behind our house and play between two trees,” says Kane, with a wistful smile. “Charlie [Harry’s older brother] would stick me in goal and take shots at me for hours. I was quite good in goal as a kid. At Ridgeway Rovers [where Kane played between the ages of six and 11] I was originally tried out as a goalkeeper. I loved throwing myself about.”

Although the young Kane never played a competitive match as a goalkeeper, he would still spend training time in nets during his nownotorious season-long spell with Arsenal as a seven-year-old. Tottenham’s homegrown hero was in the Gunners’ academy for less than 12 months, but that was long enough for him to be pictured in the famous red shirt, an image that would end up being shared across the world many years later, as Arsenal fans tried to undermine their North London rivals’ “he’s one of our own” chants.

“He was a decent keeper,” recalls Alex Welsh, who was an academy coach with Arsenal at the time. “But you could see even then that he also had what it took to be a striker. His heart wasn’t really in goalkeeping, probably. We’d get the goalkeepers in pairs taking it in turns to serve and keep goal. Harry loved serving, because it meant he had the chance to shoot and score.”

Kane’s time spent guarding the net has probably contributed to his innate ability to find it. “A striker who has been a goalkeeper can see things from the goalie’s perspective,” Welsh explains. “They know what the keeper likes and doesn’t like. He learned that a keeper doesn’t like a striker who can find space away from defenders; who knows where the ball will drop and is always there; who shoots while the keeper is off-balance.”

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“I always dreamed of playing for England,” he reveals. “I’ve played football since I was about four or five years old, and even back then it was something I imagined doing. It’s always been something that’s motivated me – but I wasn’t always there.

When I was about 15 or 16, I wasn’t in the England setup. I got in at around 17 or 18 years old, but even then I was in and out of the squads. My career was pretty up-and-down at that stage. I was going out on loan further down the leagues just to play some football.”

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Nowadays, Kane has learned that being pictured in an Arsenal shirt is a crime akin to being sent off in a pivotal World Cup match. “I wanted to wear a Tottenham kit, but I don’t think that would’ve gone down well,” he says, explaining that now infamous photo. “I was eight years old.

I was at Arsenal for a year and obviously I was a kid, I just wanted to play football.

I’ve been at Spurs since I was 11 and I’ve always loved the club. I’ve been here 16 years and hopefully many more years to come.”

Alongside his pride of representing Spurs’ cockerel, a young Kane was forever dreaming of pulling on the three lions and representing his country at a big tournament, in whatever position they needed him.

“If I wasn’t playing football, I’d be watching,” he says. “I would have the World Cup and Euros sticker books and the wall charts too. I remember collecting the England coins one year as well.”

With more than 50 caps now under his belt, Kane, who will lead England as captain at this summer’s COVID-delayed European Championships, is living a dream come true.

“50 caps is a special achievement,” he smiles. “It’s gone so quickly. It feels like only yesterday I was making my debut. You have to cherish the moments, take it all in, and look forward to what’s to come. My aim is to get as many caps as possible and hopefully one day get to 100 caps. There’s still plenty more in the tank.”

Given Kane’s status now – England captain; Golden Boot winner at the 2018 World Cup; ninth in the list of alltime Premier League goalscorers; MBE recipient – it’s easy to forget that he didn’t burst onto the scene in the ‘boy wonder’ mould of a Michael Owen or a Wayne Rooney. At the age Kane scored his first Premier League goal, in his ninth top-flight appearance (20 years and 253 days), Owen had scored 50 Premier League goals in 98 matches, Rooney 42 in 132.

Kane, who took a while to break into the Spurs first team, was lagging someway behind.

“It’s not come easy for me,” he admits. “I’ve probably had to work harder than most to get where I am. I think other fans and other professionals appreciate that.

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

Photographer Credit: Olivia Rose

SPORT

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IT’S NOT COME EASY FOR ME. I’VE PROBABLY HAD TO WORK HARDER THAN MOST TO GET WHERE I AM

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practise for match situations. I think that’s why you’ve seen me score every different type of goal this season – inside the box, outside the box, headers, left foot, right foot – because I’ve worked hard to make that happen.

There’s still room for me to improve and my mindset is to keep trying to do that. There are always more goals you can score and more wins the team can get. The moment you think you’ve reached the top, somebody else will come along and overtake you. I always want to try and be better.”

It’s obviously working. Kane has firmly established himself as one of the most dependable goal machines in world football. His ability, combined with his hunger, is good news for England fans this summer.

As is the fact that four of the Premier League’s top seven goalscorers this season are eligible to pull on an England shirt this summer.

“If we can all take our Premier League form into the Euros, we should score plenty of goals,” he says. “We’ve got some great players and I’m sure any team we play won’t be expecting an easy time.

Hopefully we can score a lot of goals and hopefully I’ll get a few myself. Obviously, the focus is on the team, but as a striker you always have your eye on winning the Golden Boot. If I’m feeling 100 per cent fresh and ready, I’m confident I can score goals against anyone.

“I wouldn’t say I expect to score every time I go on the pitch, but I’m disappointed if I don’t,” he admits.

“There’ll always be games where you don’t score, and the key is how you respond to that the following week. That’s been something I’ve done well this season; if I’ve gone two or three games without scoring, I’ve been able to eventually get a goal and then get another little run going.”

Those “little runs” mean he is 100 goals shy of Alan Shearer’s all-time Premier League total of 260, with many tipping Kane as the man to beat that tally. With 33 England goals to his name, he also has the potential to usurp Wayne Rooney (53 goals) as the nation’s greatest ever goalscorer.

More importantly, if Kane can get one of his goalscoring runs going at just the right time this summer, he could be the man to help end England’s – calculators at the ready – 55 years of hurt. “It would bring the nation a lot of joy,” he says. “It would be incredible. I have a great connection with Spurs fans, but to have it with the whole country would be a special feeling. I still feel like we’ve got unfinished business. The World Cup was incredible, but we want more. We want to go to the next stage, and with the Euros this summer and a World Cup the year after that, there’s plenty of opportunities to do something special.”

What helped Kane catch up to his heroes was his relentless work ethic. “I first saw Harry play in about 2005, early in my time in my development role at Tottenham,” says Chris Ramsay, former Brighton, Swindon, and Southend defender, now Technical Director at QPR. “While he always had ability, he wasn’t one of the exceptional or standout players of his age group. But what was always evident about Harry was how hard a worker he was, on and off the pitch. He was obsessive about the game, and that dedication can help to get you to a certain level.”

Kane has worked harder than most to get to where he is today, but he shows no signs of taking his foot off the gas.

“I’m always looking for new ways to improve,” he says.

“I look to guys like Cristiano Ronaldo. To see him, at his age, doing what he’s doing, the goals he’s scoring, the records he’s breaking – that’s what I want to achieve. Look at the condition he keeps himself in – he’s a role model. I’ve worked hard on things like nutrition and recovery, to make sure I’m doing the best possible things between games so I’m as fresh as possible for the next one.

“I stay behind after training to work on my finishing and

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SPORT

A MAKE OR BREAK YEAR FOR ENGLAND CRICKET As England prepare for the pivotal part of their busiest and biggest year ever, we speak to two men who will play a defining role in making it a year to remember or one to forget…

2021 Jun 2 - 14

2-test series vs. New Zealand

Jun 24 - 26

3-match T20 series vs. Sri Lanka

Jun 29 - Jul 4

3-match ODI series vs. Sri Lanka

Jul 8 - 13

3-match ODI series vs. Pakistan

Jul 16 - 20

3-match T20 series vs. Pakistan

Aug 4 - Sep 14

5-test series vs. India

Oct 14 - 15

2-match T20 series vs. Pakistan

Oct 18 - Nov 15

T20 World Cup

Nov 22 - Jan 14 2022

The Ashes vs. Australia

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22 26 MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

EOIN MORGAN England’s World Cup-winning captain isn’t afraid to ruffle a few feathers in pursuit of victory…

JOFRA ARCHER The Barbadian-born fast bowling superstar could be the man to skittle England to glory, if he gets the protection he needs…

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I’VE NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT FITTING Y

ou’ve never been afraid to tread your own path… Who immediately springs to mind when you think about the great disruptors of English cricket over the course of your career?

Straussy [Andrew Strauss] was one for me. He was always perceived as a guy who would be a good England captain, and do the right thing and everything would run quite smoothly, but being involved with him in the Test side at the back-end of his tenure, it was unbelievable to see the planning and strategy that went behind getting to No.1 in the world and winning away in Australia. It went against the curve to be able to achieve something like that. The Ashes in 2010/11 was a great insight into how really good teams work and what goes on behind the scenes in order to produce something like that.

I had never seen that previously.

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And then in his role as the ECB’s director of cricket, how influential was he in the transformation of the ODI side?

He had enough confidence to see the bigger picture. In that role it’s always easy to say, ‘We want to win this, we want to win that’, but he actually did exactly what he set out to achieve, and at the front of that was winning the 2019 World Cup. Coming back to strategy and planning, he was brilliant with that as well.

And being a great leader himself, he delegated and empowered guys to fulfil roles and allowed them to grow within those roles. That was the big thing that came across to me, and it replicated his captaincy.

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IN

ENGLAND’S WORLD CUP-WINNING CAPTAIN TALKS TO JO HARMAN ABOUT SHAKING UP THE SAFE CLOISTERS OF THE CRICKETING ESTABLISHMENT.

Right from the start of your career you’ve stood out as someone who thinks a bit differently and likes to do things in your own way. Is that reflective of your personality more generally?

Yeah, I think it is. My point of view is always different, I think. I see it as normal and logical and there’s a thought process behind everything that I do. It’s not necessarily going with the group’s decision or playing the way everybody plays, because that’s what people do. It’s because I see it as the right decision.

And I’ve always been like that. Since I was a kid and came across to London at 16, I’ve always done things the way that I think is right, or the way I’ve been taught to do them. One of my biggest characteristics is that I’ve always shown belief in my own ability, no matter how bad the form I’m in. I’ve always had the belief that I can get out of it.

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stuck with them until I developed a bit more of a power game.

Yeah, I was. I’d spoken to my dad about wanting to play professionally and wanting to play Test cricket and he said that I couldn’t do that here and we needed to look at other avenues. I think I was 13 or 14 when we sat down with the Irish coach at the time and my dad told him, “Eoin’s said he wants to play Test cricket and would like to go to England if the opportunity ever came about. Eoin would love to play for England”. It was a bit foolhardy, or stupid, or courageous, or brash…

Did you ever have any concerns about being accepted as an England cricketer?

It was in my hands. Playing cricket in Ireland was a challenge in itself because when I was growing up it was certainly viewed as an English sport and looked down upon, so I didn’t ever really feel

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The way you batted was different, too. Playing sweeps and paddles which very few batsmen were playing at the time. Were you always determined to embrace that otherness? Did you see it as a selling point?

The reason I started playing the inventive shots, the stuff that’s normal now, was that in order to get into the Middlesex T20 team everyone was saying that you’ve got to clear the ropes and you’ve got to pick the gaps. I could pick the gaps, but the gaps I picked were different. And I couldn’t clear the ropes. I remember playing a season of T20 when I was 18 or 19 at Middlesex and I was caught in front of the pavilion about three times.

I thought, ‘I’m going to have to find another way here’. I already played the sweeps and laps but there’s a higher risk of getting out, and the judgment of what your coach would say and what people would think. Luckily they worked so I just

Yeah absolutely. Going to India and experiencing it for the first time in 2010 was just the best thing ever. I got to play with Steyn, Kumble, Kallis, Boucher, Pietersen, Dravid, rubbing shoulders with these guys and trying to take everything in. The most I learned in the shortest space of time was always going to the IPL. Watching different guys and focusing on different things, or seeing something that you didn’t think of. Or going there and being reassured that what you’re doing is the right thing and you just need to persist with it. Because it is the best tournament in the world. Right from the first time I went I was like, ‘How is everybody not seeing this? This is the future’.

Was it frustrating then that the first English players to sign IPL contracts were often characterised as greedy, rather than appreciating the development opportunities the tournament offered?

The first year I went I think it actually cost me money because the implications in our county contracts were so drastic, and I wasn’t on a big contract with Middlesex, and I wasn’t making a lot of money at Bangalore. When you say that to people

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Being an Irishman who wanted to play for England was disruptive in itself. Were you single-minded in that ambition from an early age?

like I fitted in playing Gaelic football or hurling. I really enjoyed playing them but in the back of my head I’m thinking, ‘All I want to do is play cricket’. Then when I came across to Middlesex I felt like I was living my dream and didn’t really give much thought to trying to fit in.

You were a vocal advocate of the Indian Premier League long before it was fashionable in English cricket. Did you always feel that was a cause worth fighting for?

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The most notable example of your ‘disruption’ is the metamorphosis of England’s oneday side under your leadership.

How do you think you were able to spark such a dramatic change in such a short space of time?

I had my own ideas about how the team should play but none of that would have been possible without Straussy allowing myself, Trevor Bayliss and Paul Farbrace the freedom to play around with what we wanted to do to achieve that. The style of play was the most important

MY POINT OF VIEW IS ALWAYS DIFFERENT. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY GOING WITH THE GROUP’S DECISION OR PLAYING THE WAY EVERYBODY PLAYS, BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE DO. IT’S BECAUSE I SEE IT AS THE RIGHT DECISION. AND I’VE ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THAT. they don’t believe it. They think, ‘ This lad’s pulling the wool over our eyes’. In the back of my head the longer-term picture was that if I always came back a better player, I would push to play for England. That’s how I saw it.

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Did you ever consider that it could damage your England prospects, swimming against the tide like that?

I absolutely ran the risk of that. Particularly in my Test career. I was advised to come back and play county cricket and fight my way back in through that avenue, but the way that I actually got selected to play Test cricket was through international and other white-ball performances. I’ve only had one full county season. I think I was 22 and averaged mid-40s. I always felt that if I built my white-ball game that would impact my red-ball game.

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thing, and selection was also extremely important. Channeling everybody onto the same page to achieve the same thing with 2019 in mind helped myself, TB and Farby a huge amount, because there was always a continuous message and it never changed throughout the four years. It was consistent and transparent. The selectors were on the same page, Straussy was on the same page, all the senior players knew exactly the direction we were going in and were able to drive that.

Do you think England being so bad at the 2015 World Cup actually helped in that sense?

There was no disputing that significant change was needed.

Absolutely. If we had limped our way to the quarter-finals or even fluked our way to a semi-final there’s no way there would have been drastic measures taken. I don’t

think the job as MD would have been given to Straussy. I think Paul Downton would have been kept on and I don’t think a lot would have changed.

The fast-tracking of Jofra Archer into England’s World Cup plans wasn’t universally well-received, with some concerned that his late arrival could disrupt the dynamic of a successful team. Had you had in mind for a while that Archer would be part of that squad, and did you have any doubts about adding him to the group at that stage?

Everybody had their eye on Jof. Certainly, having played against him quite a bit for Middlesex, you earmarked him as a guy who could definitely play international cricket. I didn’t have any doubts about adding him to our preliminary squad, and then seeing how he was around the group. Did he engage? What was the reaction from everyone else? And the continuous question we asked ourselves: are guys adding value? Jofra certainly did.

Immediately after the World Cup final you said you’d asked Adil Rashid before Archer’s super over if Allah was with you and he’d confirmed that he was. You’ve said since that multiculturalism has made you stronger as a team. Do you feel like it’s especially important to emphasise that point in the current climate?

Absolutely. I think we’re the best sporting team in the country to embody diversity, change, and making things functional and productive in that way, to make a difference. Because we live and breathe it every day when we’re together as a side.

I actually think we need to start talking about it a little bit more because it has become such an important part of society.

Everyone this year was forced to look at where their moral compass was pointing and I think that within our side we take it for granted that we get on really well. We need to start telling individual stories a bit more and being more vocal about how we are as a group.

This article originally appeared in Wisden Cricket Monthly’s feature on the 21 people who have shaped English cricket in the 21st century.

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JOFRA ARCHER

THE MAN WITH A NATION’S HOPES IN HIS RIGHT HAND.

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TWO YEARS AFTER HIS INTERNATIONAL DEBUT, JOFRA ARCHER IS ONE OF CRICKET’S ICONS, INSTANTLY IDENTIFIED BY A SINGLE NAME, REVERED AND FEARED THE WORLD OVER. ENGLISH CRICKET MUST PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS, WRITES PHIL WALKER.

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Photographer Credit: Jordan Mansfield

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WHO WAS THIS GUY? I’D TELL THEM, IT’S A GUY FROM THE CARIBBEAN, A REAL FAST BOWLER, WHO HAD THE NERVE AND THE SKILL TO DELIVER THE MOST IMPORTANT OVER IN ENGLISH CRICKET Rodney Hinds, The Voice

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Photographer Credit : Jordan Mansfield

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HE CAN WALK INTO ANY CRICKET CLUB IN THE LAND AND NEVER HAVE TO BOWL ANOTHER BALL IN HIS LIFE and never have to bowl another ball in his life.

One of the privileged few in the ground is Rodney Hinds, the legendary sports editor of The Voice newspaper. “I was there, I saw it live and direct, and here was a black guy from the Caribbean doing it on the biggest stage of all.

What Jofra did during that moment was to say, ‘Do you know what? Black cricketers can still do the business’.”

In those ecstatic moments when

After the match, Eoin Morgan seized his moment. He spoke about Archer, Allah, Irishness, inclusivity – and a little cricket – in terms that he’d expand on in the next Wisden Almanack. “A team of different backgrounds, races and religions, a team which derived strength from diversity, and represented the best of our country… It’s more important than it’s ever been that the national side epitomises the culture we live in.”

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J

ofra Archer stands by his mark, holding a white ball in one hand and what appears to be a whole cricketing culture in the other. Watching on from his home, in shared agony with eight million others across a country wearied by defeat, former England fast bowler Devon Malcolm literally falls to his knees. Archer runs in, the head bobbing a little, those stilt-like legs stretching out to the crease. Malcolm clasps his hands together. “I’m thinking, I wonder if Jofra realises what he’s taking on here, and I’m saying to myself, please just let England win, please. Because if it goes the other way, that could be the end of him.”

Moments later Archer himself is on his knees, driving his fist into the Lord’s turf like a sugar-high child flattening his sandcastle before the tide. Months of goldfish-bowl constrictions. Weeks of piercing tension. And a few seconds on which to hang a life. Jofra Archer has been an international cricketer for three months, and at 24, he’s bowled the over that wins the World Cup. He can walk into any cricket club in the land

the guard’s down, people see what they want to see. Most saw Jofra, the glistening quick who belongs to us all. To others, it was Jofra, the boy from the backwoods who followed his dream. To a few others still, it was that Bajan who came over here. Not everyone would have seen beauty. But no one could say they hadn’t seen brilliance.

Hinds recalls the buzz in the days after, the kind of buzz that hadn’t been felt for cricket in decades.

“Suddenly, everyone I knew wanted to know who he was. Who was this guy? I’d tell them, it’s a guy from the Caribbean, a real fast bowler, who had the nerve and the skill to deliver the most important over in English cricket.”

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Photographer Credit : Jordan Mansfield

FAST BOWLING DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN. IT REQUIRES A SOPHISTICATED SET OF PHYSICAL COMPONENTS

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a way that black players from previous eras were not.

The story itself is well-known by now, that of the raw talent from the fertile hotbed who slipped through the authorities’ fingers, to be whisked to Sussex on the breathless say-so of his fellow Bajan Chris Jordan, who knew, having faced a few balls in the nets, that his county had to sign him.

An England cricket captain hailing multiracialism as a key component of their success? It felt like a significant moment, and even more so when subsequent revelations a year later jolted the game into a reckoning with itself. There was pushback at the time, of course; some felt that Morgan overegged it. Should anyone still have cause to doubt him, or take issue with the line that it’s more important than it’s ever been, an hour or so on Twitter after Archer or Moeen Ali has dropped a catch should do the trick.

Morgan’s words chimed with those of Gareth Southgate, who used the 2018 World Cup to suggest that his own squad could help invert the “racial undertones” that he felt had festered during the Brexit saga. These were unusual calls for the leaders of English sports teams to make. It almost felt like a coordinated move to push the conversation into the mainstream.

Listening in closely was Trevor Phillips, the black anti-racism campaigner who previously chaired the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and has written extensively about racism in sport. He tells WCM how he heard those statements.

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“The most important impact is that they [Morgan and Southgate] were chasing away the last wisps of doubt about the question: ‘Can you be not white, and also be English?’ Being English isn’t an ethnic thing, it’s a matter of loyalty, patriotism, desire to see your country prosper. Those are the qualities that make you English. It’s not about who your parents are and what they look like.”

A keen cricket fan, Phillips has followed the Archer story closely. His impression is of a brilliant cricketer who’s by and large been embraced by English cricket, absorbed into the culture in such

Jordan’s memo wasn’t quite that of Bob Bishop’s “I think I’ve found you a genius” telegram to Matt Busby after first seeing George Best, but in the context of what Archer has since done, and the fact that he was drifting out of the picture in Barbados, it’s not far off.

So when Archer arrived in England at 18, Jordan took him under his wing.

They now live in the same apartment block on the south coast, cook for one another, and play cricket together for England. “If I had £20,” says Jordan, “I’d share half with him. If I had one pound, I’d split it into 50p pieces. That’s how we live.”

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Photographer Credit: Jordan Mansfield

IT’S NOT ABOUT WHO YOUR PARENTS ARE AND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE

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levels turned into mutterings about attitude and commitment. A perception of Archer was already forming in certain quarters when, in midsummer, between the Tests, he burst his bio-bubble to pop back to his flat. No question it was a foolish move.

It didn’t help his reputation. And it was one he would pay for, forced to listen to the second Test against West Indies from his Old Trafford hotel room.

Cooped-up, chained to social media, feeling hounded, Archer produced a raw sprawling piece for the Daily Mail. “I spoke to the doctor about how I’m feeling… To be straight, if I play and don’t bowl 90 miles an hour it’s going to be news… I sense a lot of negativity… Whenever something cricket-related is posted, the reaction tends to be: he’s overrated… Some of the abuse I have taken on Instagram has been racist… Enough is enough.”

The article came out a year and a week since the World Cup final.

“He has had a massive amount of negative criticism come his way,” says Malcolm, who even called up the England management when Archer was in New Zealand to offer his support. “Some of the comments that were going round on Twitter and various different things put in the press… I wanted to say, ‘Jofra, don’t let these negative things pull you down’.”

On the question of pace, incidentally, this is what Archer told Wisden Cricket Monthly in early 2019, a month before his qualification period ended: “Trying to bowl your quickest [all the time], you’re not going to get the results, you’re only putting yourself at risk. I don’t think you should be express in all three formats. You just put yourself at risk and if you’re off the pitch then that’s opportunities you’re missing out on. You need to know when and when not to [bowl at full pace].”

Not only is this sensible and advisable, it’s also totally necessary.

Fast bowling doesn’t just happen. It requires a sophisticated set of physical components to be aligned in perfect rhythm and sync at the very limits of what the human body is capable of, a few dozen times a day, every day.

“He’s a human being!” says Malcolm, throwing his hands in the air. It was all a bit too familiar.

Perhaps this is the trade-off for all

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ARCHE

Jordan speaks of Archer’s “humility” first and foremost. “It’s the way he deals with his family, and then on the field, his self-belief, and his never-say-die attitude.

That’s why he’s able to step up in some big, high-leverage moments.” Just how good is he? “He could become whatever he wants to be.”

And he’s already quite a lot. Across the globe, all formats, there’s no more in-demand fast bowler. He was the standout quick in the 2020 IPL and the tournament’s MVP; against world stars on flat tracks with short boundaries and two men outside the circle, he went at just a tick over a run-a-ball.

Across the whole of the 2019 World Cup, where he took 20 wickets, his economy rate was comfortably under five, and he bowled with enough pace to clip the top of the off bail and send the ball over the keeper’s head for six, as he did at Cardiff.

He’s a frightening talent in more ways than one. His first summer for England was a ghoulish sideshow of sconnings, pinnings and grillejanglings. He hit three batsmen in the World Cup, including Hashim Amla on the first day of the tournament, and struck Steve Smith in the Lord’s Test with a blow so sickening that it ruled him out of the next Test. His bouncer, delivered with no change of action, no clues offered, is the deadliest in the game.

In his first two Tests at Lord’s and Leeds, he posted back-to-back fivewicket hauls. Yet when he failed to repeat the trick in the next Test at Old Trafford and was a few clicks down on his Lord’s pace (though no slower than he was at Headingley, where he’d been unplayable), the next chapter kicked in with crushing predictability.

On his first winter as an England player, Archer endured his first tricky time. He bowled 82 overs in two Tests against New Zealand – not ideal for your strike bowler – and from there took six wickets in the first Test against South Africa before an elbow injury ruled him out of the tour. It was the first real setback of his career, though for a fast bowler a fairly regulation one: first he was over-bowled, and then he broke down.

Then something weird happened.

The fallout from that winter spilled into the following summer. Increasingly fixated discussions about his pace

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that brilliance and success. Maybe it’s just the way we do things round here. “His profile is so raised and some people won’t ever like it,” says Rodney Hinds. “With Jofra, when he bowled that over, what it guaranteed was that he would be targeted.”

Trevor Phillips echoes the point: “Anybody who is well-known gets this at some point. It’s not fair, but if we allowed ourselves to be bullied out of our careers, you would see no black people in any position of power.”

Archer grew up with social media.

He used to treat it as a playground.

Now it’s not so funny. Hinds: “There was always going to be a percentage of the indigenous community that said, ‘Love, respect’, all of that. But there was also always going to be a small percentage that said, ‘Nah, I don’t like it’. You will always have the anti-Jofra brigade. All I hope now is that the ECB protect this young man.”

Jordan insists that the abuse doesn’t bother his friend for long: “If it’s a constant bombardment, he’s only a human being, it will affect you. But he doesn’t stay in that frame of mind for too long. He understands the bigger picture, and if anything it drives him on. If he can demonstrate a level of strength and control, then that may inspire other people…” Jordan is under no illusions. He adds that it’s time to speak up, to bring about change.

“Something needs to be done. I don’t need to elaborate on it. It’s well documented. The plan has to be to find a solution.”

There are signs that Archer the cricketer is being managed better

by England. Rested for Sri Lanka, he came on strong in the Chennai Test in February, getting the ball rolling with a snorter to Rohit Sharma and bowling some brutish stuff in the second innings. Yet another (different) elbow complaint would keep him out of the second Test. This latest injury is yet another reminder, should we need it, that bowling fast is hazardous work.

Or a mug’s game. Over the next year, inside and outside the rope, Archer will need careful protection.

He’s already given more to English cricket than it could have hoped for.

He’s due something back in return.

This article originally appeared in Wisden Cricket Monthly

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“People think that just because I’m a world champion boxer I must be hard. I’m just like everyone else – I can feel low – but what I have learned is that there is no shame in admitting you feel low and simply sharing your thoughts with somebody helps. If you’re feeling low, talk to somebody. Don’t keep it to yourself.”

RICKY HATTON

PROUDLY SUPPORTS

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WITH SO MUCH EXCITING SPORT HAPPENING THIS SUMMER, IT CAN BE EASY TO GET CARRIED AWAY WITH GAMBLING. BEGAMBLEAWARE’S ADVICE HELPS YOU KEEP YOUR BETTING UNDER CONTROL - OR HELPS YOU STOP IF IT’S GOT TOO MUCH.

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DON’T LET GAMBLING RUIN YOUR SUMMER

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N

obody sets out to have a gambling problem. But a harmless fiver on the footy followed by a few quid on the fruit machine can quickly escalate and, before you know it, you’re chasing losses you can’t afford. Follow this advice to reduce your risk of problematic gambling, or to stop if things are already getting out of control.

10 TOP TIPS FOR SAFER GAMBLING:

1.

IT’S EASY TO LOSE TRACK OF TIME WHEN YOU’RE GAMBLING. SET A TIME LIMIT OR ALARM, AND WHEN TIME’S UP, QUIT

Remember Don’t think of gambling as a way to make money - The

venue is using gambling to make money – it’s not designed to work the other way around. Over time you will give away more money than you receive! If you choose to gamble, think of it as an entertainment expense – just like buying a movie ticket.

2.

Only gamble with money you can afford to lose - Gamble

3.

Set a money limit in advance - Decide how

within your weekly entertainment budget, not with your phone bill or rent budget.

much you can afford to lose before you start to gamble. When it’s gone – it’s over! If you win, you’ve been lucky, but don’t be disappointed if your luck doesn’t continue.

4.

Set a time limit in advance - It’s easy to

lose track of time when you’re gambling. Set a time limit or alarm, and when time’s up – quit!

Odds are that the more time you spend gambling, the more money you will lose.

5.

Never chase your losses - If you lose your

6.

Don’t gamble when you’re depressed or upset - Decision-

set money limit and then try to win some of it back before you leave, then you haven’t really set a money limit. Chasing your losses will usually just lead to bigger and bigger losses.

making can be more difficult when you’re stressed or emotionally upset.

Make sure you only gamble when you’re feeling happy and clear headed.

7.

Balance gambling with other activities - When gambling becomes your

8.

Don’t take your bank card with you -

9.

Take frequent breaks - Gambling

only form of entertainment, it’s unlikely that you’re still just gambling for the fun of it, and your gambling may even be a problem.

Make sure gambling isn’t your only pastime.

This is a good way to safeguard your money limit and not let being “in the moment” warp your judgment.

continuously can cause you to lose track of time and perspective.

Step out for some air or a bite to eat at regular intervals.

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10.

Don’t drink or use drugs when gambling - Drugs

and alcohol cloud judgment, and good judgment stands as your main line of defence against letting gambling get out of control.

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TIME TO STOP Realising you are struggling to stay in control of your gambling is a huge step, so well done for taking it. The problem most people have is that old habits die hard. The best thing you can do is take action now, while you’re aware and in a position to take control.

It’s important to put things in place that will prevent you from gambling again, even if you feel the urge, and to seek treatment that will help address those urges over time.

There are two key things you can do that will safeguard you in case you start to let gambling take over again in the future.

1.

Exclude yourself -

Self-exclusion means asking a gambling provider to exclude you from gambling with them for a length of time, usually 6-12 months.

All gambling providers in Britain must provide consumers with this option, which means you will be refused if you try to gamble again in this time frame.

To self-exclude yourself from online gambling, visit gamstop.co.uk.

To self-exclude yourself from gambling in-person, speak to the staff in the premises, or visit the ‘Responsible Gambling’, ‘Safer Gambling’, or ‘Help’ section of their website.

To self-exclude from multiple gambling providers at once, use selfexclusion.co.uk. That’s a good idea if there are several bookmakers you could potentially visit in the future.

2.

Get treatment - You can get confidential advice and tailored treatments on a range of issues related to gambling.

Whether you just need to talk, want emotional support, or advice about financial difficulties, there’s help for you.

As well as gambling support and treatment services, you can find services that offer support for young people, advice and support for financial difficulties, and organisations that can help with a range of other issues that can be related to gambling such as mental health, domestic violence, and suicide prevention and support organisations.

Here are some of the main types of support available: One-to-one support One-to-one support, such as counselling, CBT and other therapies give you the opportunity to discuss what’s on your mind with a professional in a safe, confidential and non-judgemental way.

Support groups However you’re feeling, you’re not alone. Support groups are a safe way to connect with other people who are in a similar situation to you.

Residential support If you’re struggling to overcome a gambling addiction, residential treatment programmes can be an effective way of helping you to regain control of your life within a safe, nonjudgemental environment.

IT’S IMPORTANT TO PUT THINGS IN PLACE THAT WILL PREVENT YOU FROM GAMBLING AGAIN The National Gambling Treatment Service, commissioned by GambleAware, provides free, confidential advice, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Call 0808 8020 133 or chat online at begambleaware.org/ngts.

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TOMMY FLEETWOOD’S MAJOR THE FIVE-TIME EUROPEAN TOUR WINNER SHARES THE KEY TO HIS SUCCESS, HIS DREAM OF WINNING THE OPEN, AND WHY NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN BAGGING POINTS FOR EUROPE. Written by: Rob McGarr, MAN Magazine editor

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AMBITIONS

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IT’S RIDICULOUS HOW GOOD WINNING A RYDER CUP MATCH FEELS COMPARED TO WINNING ON YOUR OWN MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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1.

You’re starting to get fans back at tournaments – how much of a difference does it make to how much you enjoy the experience?

It makes you realise what a big part the fans do play. I was in the final group of the US PGA Championship last year on the Saturday; we got to the 17th hole at about seven o’clock in the evening, I’m looking around and there’s nobody around. It was quiet and eery. I’m thinking, ‘This is the last group on the Saturday of a major’. It felt really strange.

The energy you get off the crowd makes a massive difference. You get high and low moments in sport, having thousands of people there make the high moments higher and the low moments lower. It’s nice to have the fans back.

2.

Speaking of highs and lows, how important is the mental side of golf?

Huge. In golf, the mental side contributes to pretty much everything else, really.

Compared to other sports, we have so much time to think about things and to deal with something, rather than being

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reactive like in other sports. There’s obviously a huge amount of technical skill, a huge amount of practice and muscle memory that goes into it, but definitely the mental side of golf is such a big part.

You have to come to terms with the fact that you’re going to have good days and bad days, and that’s just the same in everything else that you do.

3.

Do you think the mental side of your game has improved throughout your career so far?

For sure. I think I’ve consistently learnt from different experiences. But it’s funny, because as an 18, 19, 20-year-old, you’re so confident and almost cocky because, at that stage, even if you have failed, you haven’t failed many times, so you’re kind of on top of the world as you’re going through it. With experience you kind of lose that a little bit.

But you learn from so many different situations, good and bad, and the majority of the time, what you learn is something to do with the way you felt, the way you thought, the way you reacted, how you could have handled that particular moment differently. Very rarely do I look back on a round and think something technical about my golf swing at a certain situation. It’s more like, ‘I could have had an extra breath there’ or ‘I could have assessed that situation better’, ‘I could have been more patient’, things like that. Generally, things you’ve learnt from experience are definitely not technical, more mental.

4.

Is that something you do after every round – sit down and analyse how you could have handled certain moments differently?

Yeah, I try to. You kind of do it naturally.

I like to write things, so I like to journal a little bit. I’ll write a page and ask myself some questions at the end of the day: What was good? What could have improved? What will I do going into tomorrow?

And sometimes you just sit there after your round, you might be having dinner or lunch, and you might think, ‘What happened there? What did I do really well or what could I have improved on?’ So I think there’s always an element of reflection, whether it be structured or not.

5.

Alongside journaling, are there other techniques you use to help with the mental side of things?

One of the best things I did, going back to when I was struggling with my game and trying to get it back, was starting meditating. That was massive for me because it was such a helpful process in terms of relaxing at a time when I’m trying really, really hard and it’s so easy to force things. It was just a nice 10 to 15 minutes in a day where it kind of set me in a very present mind.

It helped me a lot in those times where it was long days, working really, really hard, with a goal in mind, trying to get back to somewhere, and grinding when I wasn’t playing very well and I didn’t quite have the ability that I would have like to have had. It could have been a frustrating time, but I think meditation played a big part in helping me through it.

6.

People like Andrew Johnston and Thomas Bjorn have opened up about their mental health challenges – do you think things are improving in that area, with people feeling more ready to open up?

I think it’s great that people want to come out and talk about it, because you might not realise you have an issue until someone shares an experience of it. It’s very easy to struggle with something that can’t be seen. It’s very easy to struggle with something mentally.

But, at the same time, golf is a competitive sport, so you don’t always really want to mention something because it might be seen as a weakness or give somebody else an advantage over you. I don’t always seek somebody out to get something off my chest, because I might go toe-to-toe with them the following day. I prefer writing things down and you feel like you’ve dumped it that way and you can move on from it.

Golf definitely affects your mood. You put a lot into it, and you live and breathe the game. I think it’s easy in sport to relate what you feel is success and failure as a person to what you do in your sport, or in your chosen field. That’s completely not the case, but it’s so easy to forget that the two are different. I think in sport it’s so easy to get lost in that.

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W

hen Tommy Fleetwood turned 30 in January, it was an opportunity to look back on his first decade as a tour pro.

Having won five European Tour titles, accrued over £20m in career earnings, and been part of a record-breaking partnership at the 2018 Ryder Cup, there was plenty to smile about. But it was also a time to look forward. Because Fleetwood has had one burning ambition for as long as he can remember: to win the Open Championship.

It was his dream as a child, sneaking onto the course at Royal Birkdale alongside his father, to play a few holes late in the day without being chucked off, and it’s his dream today, when his unmistakable, curly brown locks are welcome at any course around the world.

He came close in 2019, finishing second behind Shane Lowry, but he wants to go one better this July, when The Open takes place at Royal St. George’s in Kent.

As he openly shares the progress he’s made in the most important part of the game – the mental side – it could be that he’s never been better placed to lift the Claret Jug…

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7.

That’s always a funny one because you always want to know what you were doing when things were going well, but you, and life, it’s constantly evolving, so what worked once might not work again. You just have to take stock of wherever you are right now and go from there.

It’s definitely something I find difficult when I’m in a run of events or I’m traveling a lot, it’s much harder to take a step back and think clearly about what you’re doing now, what hasn’t been great, what you want to do moving forward. When I come home, my mind is so different to what it is on my third or fourth week of travelling, when I’m trying to get up and ready for a tournament.

Finding time for that little half an hour or hour of some clarity and think clearly, write stuff down and give yourself some time to do that, it’s so, so important.

It’s difficult, you get so carried away in trying to make a difference to yourself today, or this week, but it takes longer than that. You can get in such a bad cycle where you know you’re trying to get better, you want to kind of win the day, so you force the day to win it, then you don’t win it, you lose it, you don’t get better, and then you get pissed off that it’s not happened and then it just sends you back into the spiral. It really is the hardest thing to do, and definitely from experience of struggling, it’s so hard to be able to not force it. You know, I’m not doing as well as I should, well I’ll just work harder and I’ll try harder. Why, if I’m not doing great, would I sit down and relax and do something else? That doesn’t make any sense. But, really, that does make a big difference, but it’s so hard to do it when you’re in that cycle and you’re in a run of events, trying to get it right all the time.

Photographer Credit : Ki Price

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You’ve always been very consistent, but what do you do when things aren’t going well on the course? Do you stick to what you know has worked in the past, or try something new to get different results?

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DOES GOLF DO ENOUGH TO ATTRACT KIDS? PROBABLY NOT

8.

When you’re trying to improve, how much do you look at other people? Do you find yourself keeping an eye on people like Bryson DeChambeau, who is chasing mega distance, and wanting to make sure you’re not being left behind?

There’s always people that are playing great, and there’s always people that are really struggling. At some point, you’re going to be one of the guys that are struggling, and another time you’re going to be one of the guys that are doing great. When you’re doing great, everything feels easy, you don’t care at all. When you’re struggling, you can’t understand why people are doing so great and you can’t seem to be able to

do that.

You have to be able to have a really strong self-focus, you have to be really clear with what your goals are, you have to be really clear with where you are in your journey, and it’s not about other people. Somebody like Bryson is so self-focused. He hasn’t thought, ‘I’m going to affect all these people by hitting it miles’, he’s thought, ‘How am I going to get better?’ and he’s set his mind on that and committed to it fully. Then other people try to chase it and some get better, some get worse.

You can only do what you’re doing, and I think you have to assess what is going to make the biggest difference to you at any given time and give that the time to come through. You don’t get from A to B in a day or a week, so you have to set out your plan, whatever you’re doing. You’re not living anybody else’s life, you’re not playing anybody else’s game, you’re doing your thing.

And that’s what you’ve got to do.

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meditated or had a quiet moment to think, I would picture the scene on that first tee. I would picture the people there, I would hear the noise, I would look down the fairway… I’d played the golf course a lot, so it was such a clear picture of what my goal was that year. It was such a big thing for me, and I had that in my mind all the time.

Every week, you look at what your performance has done for you, where it’s put you in the Ryder Cup standings. This time, I managed to have a ridiculously strong start to qualifying so I want to stay there and qualify for the team. Once you’ve played one Ryder Cup, you don’t want to miss another one. It’s such an amazing experience and for us as golfers I think playing in a team environment for one week a year is just amazing.

Majors define careers, whether you have some or you don’t have any. I’ve been pretty open that my dream in life is to win The Open. I had an experience of coming really close to it, and that was very cool and very hard at the same time. I want to win those majors.

You practise all the time and play and work to get yourself to a position where you’re there on a Sunday and you feel like you can win those majors. You get yourself in position and make sure you feel mentally and physically ready in that space to win a major. No doubt about it, you have to be ready to step over the line. If you’re not, you won’t do it. Everything everybody does for those four weeks is to be ready on Sunday to play those 18 holes and walk over the line.

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ONE OF THE BEST THINGS I’VE DONE FOR MY GAME WAS TO START MEDITATING

10.

It’s a Ryder Cup year, how much of a focus is that for you?

A lot. Last time I’d made it a particular goal. I like to make a goal a specific moment, and one of my goals for 2018 was to be stood on the first tee on Friday morning in Paris. For a year, if I sat down and

The bond that you create, the feeling of winning a match for the team or the feeling of winning the whole thing together as a team, it’s ridiculous how good that feels compared to winning on your own.

It’s so different and you appreciate it so much. It is a big thing, it’s such a special sporting occasion, and it’s so great for us that we get to play in it.

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9.

You were in the final pairing at The Open last time out and finished runnerup, how desperate are you to go one better and win a major? Would you swap consistent years of good results for a major win?

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11.

It’s funny, you hear horror stories of that first tee on the Ryder Cup. I remember waking up on the Friday and I was really, really nervous. We were on the putting green and we were the last group to play, so three groups go off before you and there’s a 15-minute gap between each group. Every time somebody walks to the tee you hear the massive roars, you hear the massive roars when they’re on the tee, and then you’ve got the massive screen and you’re watching every tee shot.

Some people hit good ones, then some people hook it in the water, and you’re just watching every outcome while you’re waiting for your turn.

When I stepped on to that first tee, I was there, I was achieving a goal that had been around for a year, so that was really great. And then I had Fran [Francesco Molinari], who was next to me. We were playing Patrick Reed and Tiger Woods, I knew those guys, I’d played with them a lot. I’d played the course a lot, I was looking down the fairway thinking, ‘Well I’ve won on this golf course, I’ve played here a lot’. And then, even better, at the time I had this blue, Nike 5-wood that was my favourite club ever. Eventually it cracked and I never got the same one again but if I had to choose one club to hit to save my life, it would be that club, and it was that club off the first tee. So there were a lot of comforting things at that time that calmed me.

12.

In moments where you do feel particularly nervous or under pressure, what do you do to handle that and still perform at your best?

Breathing and grounding. Breathing is such a big part. I would actually like to learn how to breathe properly, I’ve never done that, I’ve just practised it. I like to feel my feet on the ground and be conscious of that, which is a really good feeling of presence for me.

I never try to avoid the nerves. I always feel like when you are that nervous, clearly you’re doing something that you want to be doing. You’re in a situation that a lot of people would swap you for. Pressure

46

is a privilege is a very good saying and it’s true. I kind of always think, ‘This is what I want to be doing, I’ve prepared really well’.

I try to leave as little to chance as possible.

When you have practice rounds, hopefully you’ve played the shots that you’re about to play or you’ve been practising on the range really, really well.

I try to be as present as possible and I always have one, two, or three little mental goals that I’m going to take with me out on the course that I know I can achieve.

Like I know I can be aware of my presence, I can stand up straight and control my body language, I can talk to myself in the right way… Quite a lot of times I’ll call myself a dick or something but I’ll be aware of that and I’ll make sure I don’t do it on the next shot.

In sport, there’s things you can control and things you can’t. You can’t control a bad break; you can’t control how somebody else plays. But you can control how you think. You can’t always control how you feel, but you can accept that. You can use your words to describe the shot that you’re going to hit and talk to yourself that way and ingrain that. There’s a lot of things you can do that you are in control of, and if you do that it has a calming effect.

13.

You’ve created the Tommy Fleetwood Academy to encourage youngsters, which is fantastic, but do you think golf in general is doing enough to attract the younger generation?

Kids is a big thing for me and I always want to do more. Does golf do enough?

Probably not. I think some things do

need to change. Like dress codes…

I have kids, and they’re very into the sport so they dress nicely, but when they started golf, they would love to go to a golf club and just go in their joggers. Or they might be sat in the car in joggers and a T-shirt and say, ‘I fancy hitting balls’ or something. You should be able to go and do it. I’m not saying you should turn up looking horrendous, but I think the dress codes for kids should change.

I obviously love the game of golf, and my vision for the game is for it to be people’s first choice of sport that they do on a Saturday when they’re not at school. I’ve had a lot of joy from it, and I’ve met a lot of people from it. It’s a great way of having an hour, setting your mind to something. It’s outdoors, you can meet people, you can make friends, you can have a great time, and it gives you a lot of satisfaction hitting a great shot, it really, really does.

I just want kids to enjoy themselves.

The kids at the academy are so nice to each other, they have such a good time and have such big smiles on their faces, and that’s all I really wanted for kids. I think it’s equally the hardest time for kids to grow up at the moment and the best time for kids to grow up. Anything that can help that is a really good thing.

Kids are the way to grow the game, for sure. Making it more accessible, making it fun, easing off certain rules ¬– that’ll help kids. Just try to get kids into it, that’s all I want to do. It’s a game that I completely love and I’ve had a lot of great times. Kids, adults, seniors – anybody can make friends and have a great time playing the game. Hopefully the game continues to grow, and I know that kids are the way to do it.

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Other players have spoken about feeling more nervous on the 1st tee at a Ryder Cup than any other point in their career – did you feel like that?

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THE CHAMPION

SHANE’S STORY

THE DEFENDING OPEN CHAMPION ON BREAKING HIS MAJOR DUCK AT ROYAL PORTRUSH, WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE GROWING UP IN THE SHADOW OF RORY MCILROY, AND WHY PADRAIG HARRINGTON SHOULD PICK HIM TO LEAD THE TEAM OFF IN THE RYDER CUP

my career path a little bit but, as a person, I don’t feel any different. I don’t think it’s changed me.

Words: John Huggan; Michael Catling

S

hane Lowry didn’t mind waiting another 12 months to defend the Claret Jug. It just meant he got to keep the title of Open champion for another year.

The 34-year-old Irishman has been living in America since the coronavirus hit in March, and while he admits to being recognised more in the street nowadays, he’s just glad people no longer mistake him for Andrew “Beef” Johnston!

Lowry is now gearing up for another shot at Major glory at the US Open, where he finished runner-up five years ago, ahead of his delayed Open defence and the chance to prove he’s not a one-hit wonder.

Do you feel any different now you’ve won your first Major championship?

No, the incredible thing is since The Open I actually don’t feel any different. If you had asked me before, “Are things going to change and will you feel different?”, I would have said yes. It’s obviously changed

50

Has the pressure to succeed not increased since your victory at Royal Portrush?

Yeah, but I’ve always put the most pressure on myself over the years.

I’ve always been very critical. You know, I don’t really look outside what other people think. I just go with what I’m doing and just try to do my best.

Pete Cowen tells a great story about seeing you for the first time at an Irish boys coaching session. All eyes were on Rory, but he spotted how good you were right away.

(Laughs) I know what you’re going to say, “the little fellow with the glasses.”

Did you know by then that you had what it takes to play on tour? Pete certainly did...

He’s been around and doesn’t bullsh*t. But he didn’t tell me that story at the time, which is maybe a good thing. I was fairly shy as a youngster and didn’t really know how good I was. Besides, back then

it was all ‘Rory this and Rory that.’ Plus, there were other lads better than me. I’d have been playing about No.5 for Ireland. I quickly improved, though. I won the Irish Close at 19. And when Rory turned pro, I was probably Ireland’s best amateur.

So when did Pete tell you the story?

Much later. But after I won in Portugal, he sent me a text: “Not bad for a little fat lad with glasses.” That made me laugh.

Interesting that he picked you right away.

He’d come for the weekend.

Apparently the GUI (Golfing Union of Ireland) officials were all about Rory. But he mentioned me. I bet they were surprised.

What were the pluses and minuses of growing up playing alongside Rory?

The pluses are obvious. I got to play with a superstar. And when I was younger playing amateur events, thousands of people used to come and watch.

Because of him. It got me playing in front of big crowds early on. My brother plays a bit at that level now. I go and watch when I’m home and there’s maybe a quarter of the spectators there used to be.

The ‘Rory factor’ stayed for a few years after he turned pro. I remember playing the final of the West of Ireland at Rosses Point.

It felt like there were thousands watching, even if it was probably only a thousand or so.

Amateur golf has always been well supported in Ireland. It was all great training for me. At the end of each round we’d speak to the journalists. So when I won the Irish Open as an amateur, I was used to playing in front of big crowds and answering questions afterwards.

The minuses were that I was always living in Rory’s shadow.

When I turned pro and even now people in Ireland expect me to be as good as Rory and win lots of Majors. But I have to explain to them that it’s not that easy (laughs).

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PEOPLE IN IRELAND EXPECT ME TO BE AS GOOD AS RORY AND WIN LOTS OF MAJORS

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When did you know that Rory was special?

From when he was 13 or 14. Then he shot that 61 at Royal Portrush in the North of Ireland. That really made people sit up and take notice.

How would you describe your relationship with Rory?

He and I are good pals, always have been. Rory’s a superstar and, yes, he does keep himself to himself a bit more these days. But I always say, no matter what Jordan [Spieth], Dustin [Johnson] or Justin [Thomas] do, Rory seems to be, in my mind, bigger and more of a draw to people and tournaments.

Was there ever a moment when you thought “I can’t beat this guy”?

Winning the Irish Open as an amateur must have been huge for your career. You could turn pro when you wanted and you had an exemption ready and waiting for you. So why didn’t you wait to play in the Walker Cup that year?

A few people told me at the time that I would regret not playing in the Walker Cup. But I don’t. And I never will. No disrespect to the Walker Cup, but it’s a two-day amateur event, one I would have

52

Rory and Lowry have known each other since their teens.

had to wait five months to play in. Yes, I would have been invited to pro events during that time, but I needed to get experience of playing for money.

I went to Akron that year for the first time. And I shot something like 20-over par for four rounds. If you had told me that I would win that event some day I would have laughed at you.

But what I learned that first time helped me win later on.

Besides, while I had a two-year exemption on the European Tour, if I turned pro right away it was two-and-a-half years. That was a lot to give up. So it didn’t take much thought at all. Rory actually called me the evening I won the Irish Open and asked me what I was going to do. He gave me some advice. At the age of 19 he was giving out advice. But I have never regretted turning pro right away.

Were you surprised when you won the Irish Open?

I didn’t expect to do it, no. But at the time I don’t think I really knew what I was doing. I genuinely don’t. I was playing loads of golf at the time and so many events in a row. So, this was just the Irish Open. It was my first time and I was so happy to be playing there. I remember finishing the Irish Amateur – my third event in a row involving 36 holes in a day.

I actually played 36 holes at Royal Dublin on the Sunday before the Irish Open. I finished fifth or sixth.

Then I went home that night. My mum was up all night washing my clothes. And I went to Baltray first thing on the Monday morning and played a practice round. That’s how happy I was to be there, playing in my first Irish Open. I played a few holes with Rory the next day. I’ll never forget, I was three-over par after

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Below: Lowry claimed the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2015. He currently has five wins on the European Tour.

No. I had a great chance to win at Wentworth a few years ago. The two of us were in contention and he ended up beating me by a shot.

I probably should have beaten him, though. I had a great chance.

And I’ve beaten him in the World Match Play. But I’ve never gone head-to-head with him in the last group on a Sunday. I’d love to.

There really isn’t anyone I’d fear going up against. I relish going up against the top guys.

SPORT

THE BIGGER THE SITUATION YOU PUT ME IN, THE BETTER I GET. I WON’T BE PHASED five holes in the first round. Then I was 18-under for the next 31 holes which is unbelievable.

manmagazineuk.co.uk

The weather on the last day was amazingly bad.

have to be very self-confident.

I feel like you can put me anywhere – the first tee or the 18th fairway at the Ryder Cup – and I won’t be phased.

That’s what I meant by “big-time player”.

That probably helped me. The weather was so bad I wasn’t thinking about anything. I was just trying to stay dry. I still find it hard to believe I did that as an amateur. I know this is a big, bold statement, but I don’t think it will ever be achieved again. Especially in someone’s national Open. Monty was there.

Westwood too. It was a proper field.

How do you reflect on the 2016 US Open when you let a fourshot lead slip in the final round?

You once called yourself a “big-time player.” Does that stem from what happened at the Irish Open?

What did that experience at Oakmont teach you?

I think the bigger the situation you put me in, the better I get. As a golfer you

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

It’s one of those things. I should have won. But there are plenty of top players who have led big events with 18 holes to play and not won. So I’m hardly unique in that. It was a big disappointment and who knows where I would be if I had won?

I just wasn’t aggressive enough on Sunday. I was playing the best golf of my life. I played three rounds of World No.1 golf. I was seven under for three

rounds on the hardest course you could ever play. On the last day I made a good par at the first. Then, at the second – a par-4 I could have driven – I laid up. I was trying to maintain my lead instead of trying to win the tournament. But I look back on that week as one of the best experiences of my life. I learned a lot.

I looked at your biography and up popped the Athlone Institute of Technology. What went on there?

(Laughs) Not much. My parents wanted me to go to college. And this one was 20 minutes from my house.

Doing what?

I didn’t do much. I went there for two years, then went to University College Dublin on a golf scholarship. But at the end of January the golf season started and I was off playing in the Spanish and Portuguese Amateurs, the Lytham Trophy – all that stuff.

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Despite being awarded Honorary Life Membership of the European Tour, Lowry has admitted the Irish Open is likely to be his only appearance in Europe if it happens this year.

No. It’s funny actually. My sister is a teacher and has a degree. And my brother has a degree in finance. On the wall in my parents’ house there are three pictures – them in their gowns and me with the Irish Open trophy. So my degree is okay, too.

54

To get kids into the game, you have to make it fun. That’s why little pitch-and-putt courses are so important. If I had been close to one of those as a kid, I’d never have left the place. But now there are too many pushy parents. I have friends who are coaches who are telling me that all the time. People see the dollar signs. So they want their kids to be great. But if a kid wants to play, then just let them go with a few clubs. Let them go play and have fun and find out what a great game golf is. And if they start to show real promise, get them a bit of guidance from a coach, but the fun side should always come first.

If you get coaching when you are too young and you are standing there beating balls every day, you’re going to get bored.

You’ll hate the game because it will feel like work. When I was a kid I played a lot of golf on my own. I loved being on my own, chipping around the greens and

inventing shots. When I chipped in I was the happiest little kid alive.

The stats mark you out as having one of the best short games on Tour.

What’s your secret?

I suppose the main thing for me is just the time and practise I spend on it. From when I was a kid, I spent hours and hours around the chipping green, and that’s kind of where I self-taught myself how to do it. Still to this day, it’s what I do. Any time I get an hour to go practise, I’ll spend the majority of the time around the chipping green.

Too many try to make the game a science when it is really an art.

That’s right. On the range at every event I see 30 guys with Trackman devices behind them. I think golf is still an art. That’s how I learned to play the game and how I still play it now. There are times when I’m not playing great and thinking too many technical thoughts. But if someone asks me how to hit a fade, my artistic side takes over.

I think ‘fade’ and hit a fade.

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So no letters after your name?

You’re on record as saying kids should learn how to play golf rather than how to swing the club ‘properly’. Can you expand on that?

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He wouldn’t break 80 for sure.

Someone asked me recently what a 10-handicapper would shoot at Sawgrass. A few guys thought 95. But there is no chance he’d break 100. No chance. Scratch golfers don’t get to play courses set up the way we do.

IF I WANT TO COMPETE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, I HAVE TO BE IN AMERICA That brings me to equipment.

Modern clubs and the ball don’t exactly help you play like that.

No, very true.

There is a lot of talk about the golf ball. And I do think I’d do better with the old equipment. More guys have benefited from the new stuff than have been hurt by it, though. Some guys have caught up with the proper ball strikers.

They use their rescue clubs rather than long irons, for example.

And Rory doesn’t get the full benefit of his driving.

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No, he doesn’t. If we were using the old equipment, he would be by far the best driver in the world.

No one plays like Seve any more.

I know what you’re saying. There are no characters like that any more. It’s all so professional. I’m starting to sound like Peter Alliss now (laughs). Guys hit into trouble and chip-out all the time. They never go for the risky shot. Seve would go for those shots. It’s a shame really.

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FIVE OF THE BEST short-game tips from The Open champion

1.

When you miss the green, don’t overthink things and worry about making bogey or double bogey. That only creates tension in the upper arms. Rid yourself of any fear and feel like you’re gripping the club as you would hold a butterfly.

If you can see white knuckles, you’ll know you’re gripping too hard.

Commentators talk about soft hands, and that’s what soft hands is.

2.

Keep your practice fun but competitive. Padraig and myself spend a lot of time chipping against each other for $50 a time. We play first to 10 (closest to the hole) wins. Another fun game is where you have nine holes and you try to achieve nine up and downs with three hard, three medium and three easy shots. I’d aim for one or two over for the nine holes.

3.

Tight fairways. Fast greens. Pins tucked away. If you miss on the wrong side, you’re snookered.

Do you think of yourself as a PGA Tour player more than a European Tour player?

Possibly, yeah. When I won at Akron, I was playing to get my PGA Tour card. When I got it, I decided to play there full time. But I wasn’t having the best time. I was going back and forth and not playing my best golf because I was taking weeks off to go home.

At that point it would have been easy to go back to Europe and play there. But then I thought, do I want to be in Sicily or do I want to be at Quail Hollow? There’s no comparison if you are a competitor. If I want to compete at the highest level, win big events, win Majors, and have the best career, I have to be in America. It’s the place for me and I do enjoy it there.

Picking the right club and the right shot is where most people come unstuck. If you’re a high handicapper, get the ball running on the ground as quickly as possible. If that means playing away from the hole slightly, so be it.

Trying to get every chip shot inside 15 or 20 feet should be your target, because we can all hole a 20-footer.

4.

Playing in from 50-60 yards, you see a lot of amateurs make a long swing and then decelerate, causing either duffs or thins. You should have a short swing with a lot of speed, taking the club back to nine o’clock and driving through it. That’s where you create your spin from.

5.

Be a master on the greens.

I’ve got a practice drill where I use a chalk line and putt for 10 minutes on that a day, aiming to hole every putt for 10 minutes. I feel if I can hole a straight 10-footer I can hole most putts.

55

This article originally appeared in Today’s Golfer | Words: John Huggan; Michael Catling

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78 83 MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

33 Ways To Undo A Decade of Damage Whether you’re recovering from a misspent youth or just the effects of the last year, these smart solutions, instant antidotes, and health hacks will roll back the years and bring you back to your best.

“I Jumped Off the Golden Gate Bridge” Given a second chance after a 245foot fall that should have killed him, suicide survivor Kevin Hines has spent the last 20 years working tirelessly to prevent people from taking their own lives.

How To Support A Friend In Need 125 people in the UK take their own lives every week, 75% of them male, so it’s never been more important to check in with your mates. The experts at CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) have top advice to help you help others.

Raise Your Game With Sir Joe Wicks The man who helps millions of people get fitter every day via Instagram, YouTube, national TV, and more, shares his top five tips to improve your mental and physical wellbeing.

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GUTTER CREDIT

BE A BETTER YOU

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

BE A BETTER YOU

33 Ways To

Undo A

A Decade Of

FEELING BURNED OUT? TIME TO RELIGHT YOUR FIRE FEELING BURNED OUT? TIME TO RELIGHT YOUR FIRE

GUTTER CREDIT GUTTER CREDIT

Damage

Maybe you bought this magazine to Maybe you bought this magazine optimise your fitness plan – or wastoit optimise your fitness plan – orWhether was it redemption you were seeking? redemption you were seeking?

Whether you’re recovering from a youth well you’re from a youth well spentrecovering or looking to undo the agespent or looking to undo the ageaccelerating effects of a tumultuous accelerating effects of a tumultuous year, our smart solutions and instant year, our smart solutions and instant antidotes will smooth the rough edges antidotes will smooth the rough edges and bring you back to your best and bring you back to your best Words by Scarlett Wrench – Photography by Jobe Lawrenson Words by Scarlett Wrench – Photography by Jobe Lawrenson

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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MEN’S HEALTH 97 MEN’S HEALTH 97

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Dr Mark Perera, part of the senior medical team at Babylon Health, is cautiously optimistic. “Even if you’ve been drinking daily for decades, you’re not doomed,” he says. “The liver is the most regenerative organ in the body.” But it will benefit from a little back-up. “Lose excess weight,” says Perera, “as the liver is a common site of internal fat stores.”

21 Do I need to give up salt to heal my heart?

19 What about one of those detoxifying IV drips? Worth a shot?

A one-off dose won’t have any long-term impact, so try boosting your levels of the key antioxidant, glutathione, the natural way. Eat more cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower, kale and watercress. Also, try a milk thistle supplement, which has been linked to liver cell repair.

Not altogether. The latest evidence suggests that a moderate salt intake is harmless for those with healthy blood pressure readings – though you’ll want to get that checked.

It’s now thought that your sodium-to-potassium ratio is a better predictor of heart health than your salt intake alone. ’Tis not just the seasoning.

20 Stress gets to me. What are the effects of 10 years of overwork on a man’s health?

18 Any tips for liver rejuvenation that don’t involve eating less?

Try to avoid overusing non-essential meds, such as paracetamol, even when you have a hangover – they’ll create more work for your overburdened organ. Drink coffee, too. A study in the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology suggests that it reduces the build-up of fat in the liver and increases levels of antioxidants. Or try a shot glass of lemon juice, turmeric, ginger and cayenne powder, which helps to reduce inflammation. It won’t go with that coffee, though.

First, the bad news: chronic stress can have significant physical health implications.

According to Dr Sandeep Jauhar, the author of Heart: A History, it inflames your arteries, increases blood pressure, raises cholesterol and even changes the shape of your heart muscle. It also triggers the adrenal glands to release glucose into the bloodstream. But the good news is that all of these problems can be undone.

Interval training – four minutes at 90% effort with three minutes’ recovery, four times over – has been shown to transform stiff and ineffective hearts into stronger, springier ones.

Plus, neuroscientists at the University of Georgia found that hard exercise releases a neuropeptide called galanin, which works to protect your neurons from degeneration caused by stress. A soothing thought.

22-24

I do worry about my heart. Any other tips to keep things ticking over?

Stress less about what you are eating. Enjoying the odd burger isn’t a crime, despite what Netflix docs may preach.

Instead, think harder about what you’re not getting enough of. Many men fall short on nutrients that can be transformative for cardiovascular health.

Increase your intake of folate (asparagus, sprouts, chickpeas), soluble fibre (oats, beans, apples) and potassium (potatoes, bananas, squash).

25

My eating habits have always been, shall we say, erratic. What’s the damage there?

The emerging field of “chrono-nutrition” suggests that we’re not just what we eat, but when we eat, too.

Research in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society noted a link between obesity and those who eat the bulk of their calories in the evening. Try a more generously proportioned breakfast and lunch (70% of your calories) and a modest evening meal (30%). This will re-sync your body clock, reduce fat storage and boost your metabolic burn.

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MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

MODELS: TRISTAN AND CHRISTOPHER WHITLOW AT ANDI PETERS’ MODELS, LEE MCLAUGHLIN AT W MODEL, BEN KIRBY AT FLAIR, BEN DAVIE, EMMENUAL ALI AT W MODELS, ANDREW TRACEY, BRADLEY SIMMONDS

17 I’ve got into the habit of winding down every evening with a drink (or four).

Is it too late for my liver?

BE A BETTER YOU

Come Back Stronger 26

My metabolism could do with a reset. Any other ways to flip the switch?

Split your workout in two.

A study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that it’ll make you burn 15% more calories, as well as break up your day. Blast through hill sprints in the park before work, then do a brisk bodyweight circuit at lunch. Divide and conquer.

27

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What about the damage already showing up?

Consider a supp. Ironically, while dodging the sun will slow ageing, it will also limit your access to one of the best anti-ageing elixirs, vitamin D, which plays a key role in skin rejuvenation, says Hudson-Peacock.

Meanwhile, dermatologist Dr Vishal Madan advises using a vitamin C serum in the morning and retinol at night. “Don’t use them together, as that can cause irritation,” he says. Exfoliate once a week and you’re done.

I was hoping I could just take a supplement…

You can do that, too. “But no supplement worth taking will directly speed up fat loss,” says Shuhaibar. There are plenty that can bolster your efforts, though: magnesium to support recovery and sleep, a multivitamin to stave off nutrient deficiencies and caffeine to pep up workouts.

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I quit smoking last year. How are my lungs looking?

“After three to nine months, your lung function starts to increase. After 10 years smoke-free, your cancer risk falls to half of that of a smoker,” says Perera.

Performing coughs followed by some slow, deep inhalation can help to reopen the smaller airways when practised daily. “A diet rich in antioxidants can increase lung recovery, too,” he says.

Any food that is purple, dark green or orange is a safe bet.

(Not Wotsits, though.) Plus, regular cardio will help.

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I struggle to wind down before midnight. Can I ever become a morning person?

Yes, you can, but good sleep hygiene entails more than just avoiding late-night screen time and re-corking the wine after the first (or second) glass. Changing your morning routine will have a big impact on your sleep quality, particularly if your habits have worsened since working from home. Invest in a sunrise alarm and set it for an hour earlier than you need to be up, then force yourself straight out of bed. Get some exercise, fresh air and natural light. Do this religiously, even on weekends, and you’ll start switching off sooner.

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I used to run a lot, but my knees started to hurt. What’s up with that?

It might be time to refresh your skincare regimen.

(You do have one, right?)

According to Dr Mark Hudson-Peacock, consultant dermatologist at Stratum Clinics, “Almost all signs of ageing are caused by ultraviolet exposure. It damages collagen, which is what leads to wrinkles.”

Your daily SPF moisturiser should protect against UVA rays, as well as UVB, as these have more long-term effects on the skin. Choose a cream with a fourstar-plus UVA rating.

GUTTER CREDIT

I feel like I’ve aged a decade since March 2020. What do I do about my new frown lines?

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Pain around the knee cap, or “runner’s knee”, is one of the most common overuse injuries. But it’s an issue of biomechanics, not the knee itself. Buy a resistance band and work on strengthening your glutes and inner thigh muscles. And use a massage ball to dig into your glutes, iliotibial band and hamstrings.

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Now for the big one: will I ever pay off my sleep debt?

You can’t counteract a long run of late nights and disrupted rest with a weekend lie-in, says Perera. Offsetting the damage done by poor sleep – metabolic dysfunction, impaired immune response, and so on – requires a commitment to changing your habits for good. But that’s what we’re here for.

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Come Back Stronger

02 Good to know. I’m finally back in the game after a rest week (fine, a rest year). What’s the fastest way for me to lose the extra padding?

Jogging might clock up more points on your smartwatch, but building muscle mass will keep your metabolism high for the 23-plus hours per day when you’re not training.

According to a review in the International Journal of Obesity, your muscles are responsible for a hefty 20% of your energy expenditure at rest, while fat mass uses up a mere 3%. That means getting strong is crucial to staying lean. Perform total-body sessions, rather than splitting by muscle groups, and include explosive moves (such as box jumps) once a week. These will build strength faster than resistance work alone.

07 That’s a lot of leg work.

Can’t I just bench myself back to my best?

The bench press has its place, but there are downsides to a week-long chest day. If you have a habit of repeating the exercises you like and avoiding those you don’t, it can lead to problems. “Erratic gym habits can result in muscular imbalances,” says CrossFit coach Nicola Stiddard. “It can also lead to injury.” Does your back hurt?

ROUND 01 ROUND 02

This four-move workout from MH fitness editor Andrew Tracey will simultaneously build muscle and burn serious calories.

“Don’t hold back,” says Tracey.

“This will gradually push you to the edge of your comfort zone, then hold you there.”

Perform four rounds in total. In the first round, do a set of 20 burpees. In the second, bolt on a set of 20 dumbbell thrusters.

Next, do the 20 burpees and 20 thrusters, followed by 20 dumbbell lunges in round three. And in the final round, add 20 renegade rows, so you’re doing 20 reps of each move. Catch your breath between rounds if you need to. Just don’t quit.

ROUND 03

Unless you’ve set your sights on a late entry into the Tokyo Olympics, we can confidently say no. But don’t just take our word for it: a study in the journal Frontiers in Physiology pitted master athletes in their sixties against exercise-averse men of a similar age and found that both groups were equally able to make gains at the squat rack. What’s more, if you can maintain a consistent training regimen for nine months, studies suggest that it’s likely to stick.

03-06 OK, I’ll pick up the dumbbells after work. Any training suggestions?

ROUND 04

01 Be honest: is it too late for me to get in shape?

08 Since you mention it, yes. Is there a fix for back pain?

According to Stiddard, it’s “not often linked to problems with the back itself. It’s usually a result of overworking some muscles, while neglecting others.” For example, an ache in the lower back is often related to tightness in the hamstrings. Stiddard advises spending 10 minutes at the start of every workout doing bear crawls and inch worms to increase the range of movement through your hamstrings.

13 Sounds good to me.

Although “job satisfaction” still won’t fix this desk posture. And spending less time at the laptop is sadly not an option.

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10 I do that already, but my eyes are still tired. Anything else I can do?

Eat more eggs. One per day increases levels of lutein and zeaxanthin, helping to offset the damage done by screen exposure.

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ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: STUDIO 33, JULIAN BENJAMIN, MICHAEL HEDGE, ADRIAN WEINBRECHT, PHILIP HAYNES, DAN MATTHEWS, SCOTT GRUMMETT, ROWAN FEE, GETTY

Meanwhile, have my years spent staring at a screen ruined my eyesight?

If the WFH office is here to stay, invest in a lumbar support chair or pillow, then raise your screen to eye level, so there’s less pressure on your neck muscles. It’s worth it: “A decade spent slumped forward will restrict your diaphragm, which hinders your breathing, as well as weakening your deep core,” says trainer and sports nutritionist Tarek Shuhaibar.

That will adversely affect your workouts, too.

Your concerns about squinting at screens, whether large or small, are not unfounded. “Excessive screen time can put you at risk of becoming shortsighted,” says Charlotte Cook, an optometrist at Bayfields Opticians. Research

by Bayfields found that more than half of people working from home this year have noted symptoms such as insomnia, headaches and eye strain. (If your head hurts after a day’s work, pay a visit to an optician.)

“It might help to fit an anti-glare cover over your screen,” says Cook. She is also an advocate of the 20:20 rule: “Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look into the distance. Or try periodically closing your eyes for a full 60 seconds.”

14-16 Is there anything I can do to straighten things out?

Thankfully, yes. “Strengthen your hips, glutes and adductors to counteract the fact that they’re in a weakened, shortened position for long periods,” says Shuhaibar. Add these moves to your repertoire:

11 It’s not just eye strain and headaches, though. The past few years have left me feeling pretty burned out. Is that fixable?

It certainly is, though the fix depends on the cause. Perhaps the problem is your attitude to your career. “We can often lose ourselves in our work, to the extent that we let go of our other interests without knowing it,” says careers coach Alice Stapleton.

“Without them, we rely solely on our careers to meet a diverse range of needs.” If you struggle to make time for yourself, try firming up your commitments outside of the office: sign up for an evening class, join a sports team, or volunteer for a cause that you care about. If the discomfort of cancelling outweighs that of packing up your desk at 5pm, you’ll stick with it.

A/ Lying leg raise

Point your toes towards you to take the pressure of the sciatic nerve and focus on contracting the muscles around the hip joint.

B/ Glute bridge

Think about tucking your hips under as you drive up. It makes it easier to brace your core. Lifting aggressively puts stress on your lower back.

12 What if it’s my job itself that’s the problem?

“People change. What motivated you a decade ago might not inspire you now,” says Stapleton. So, take on a new challenge: “Stop feeling like a victim of circumstance by proactively creating new opportunities. Start by choosing one developmental area – ask yourself what training opportunities could you benefit from? Another idea is to incorporate an outside interest into your working environment.” Love running? Set up a lunchtime 5K club, virtual or otherwise.

Fascinated by behavioural psychology? Look into taking some courses in management skills.

C/ Copenhagen plank An advanced version of the side plank, performed with one leg raised. Use it to strengthen your adductors and core.

MEN’S HEALTH 99 MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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A SEALION SAVED HIS LIFE...

SO HE COULD

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SAVE

THOUSANDS MORE

KEVIN HINES WAS GIVEN A SECOND CHANCE AFTER A FALL FROM THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE THAT SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM. HE’S GRABBED IT WITH BOTH HANDS.

Written by: Rob McGarr, MAN Magazine editor

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One of those miraculous few is Kevin Hines. Hines was born and raised in San Francisco. He turns 40 this year, a benchmark in itself, but more important, he’ll say, is the fact he has lived over 20 years past the day he should have died.

“At the millisecond my hands left the rail, it was complete and total, instant regret,” he says. “It was instantaneous regret for my action and the 100 per cent recognition that I had just made the greatest mistake of my life, but it was too late to do anything about it. I thought, ‘This is it. This is where I die.’”

It was a miracle that Hines didn’t die instantly upon impact, but he still wasn’t out of the water, in any sense. “I was going to drown,” recalls Hines. “I couldn’t use my legs and I couldn’t stay above water.”

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He’d sustained devastating injuries and only managed to stay above water long enough to be rescued by the coastguard thanks to a friendly sealion circling underneath, nudging him afloat every time he sank below the surface.

“That sealion saved my life, no question about it. I call him Herbert.”

Hines had shattered three vertebrae upon impact and, he would discover in hospital, missed severing his spinal cord by two millimetres. Doctors performed a 10.5-hour procedure that had never been done before and has never been repeated since, surgically repairing his

back with titanium. “I am so damn lucky not just to be alive, but also so blessed to be able to walk, stand, and run. Every day I awaken is a gift I almost lost by my own hands.”

When Hines made his suicide attempt, in September 2000, the Golden Gate Bridge was the number one suicide site in the world. It has since been superseded by the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in Jiangsu, China. These ‘suicide hotspots’ and others like them see an alarming number of deaths, but more alarming still are the global statistics for suicide.

“That sealion saved my life, no doubt about it” Around a million people die due to suicide every year. That’s a death roughly every 30 seconds.

Every death by murder, war, terrorism, execution – add them all together and you’re still short of suicide’s death toll.

It’s a huge problem, and it’s getting worse. Suicide rates have risen 60% in the last 45 years.

Suicide is now the third-highest cause of death for those aged 15-44. Amongst the younger generation (15-24), it’s second only to car accidents.

manmagazineuk.co.uk

F

our seconds. That’s how long it takes to fall the 245 feet from the Golden Gate Bridge into the water of San Francisco Bay. It’s a plummet someone takes every 7-10 days.

They reach speeds of 75 miles per hour before hitting the water, which, at that speed, is akin to concrete.

The result is near-certain death. Since the bridge opened in 1937, over 2,000 people have jumped. Fewer than 40 have ever survived. (The actual number of deaths is estimated to be far higher, as many bodies are never found.)

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

BE A BETTER YOU

Those harrowing statistics are why Hines has dedicated the last 20 years of his life to suicide prevention. He has shared his story at over 5,000 colleges, universities, and high schools around the world. He has written a best-selling book about his story, produced award-winning suicide documentaries, and co-founded the Kevin & Margaret Hines Foundation, which provides funding and education for suicide prevention. His story has reached hundreds

of millions of people on YouTube.

“I look at my life now and I think I was saved for a purpose,” he says. “I have received thousands of messages over the last 20 years of doing this work in suicide prevention, saying that my story has changed or even saved people’s lives.

People write to me on every social media platform every single day with their struggles and their pain, but also their successes, their turnarounds, and their life story shifts. I’m very grateful that a lot of them are telling their story to me, the first person they’ve ever told it to.

They’re sharing their deepest, darkest pains, with a perfect stranger, because of a story they saw, heard, or read online.”

manmagazineuk.co.uk

“I still have suicidal ideations, but I know I will never die that way” Despite the immense positive impact he’s had, Hines still regrets his actions on that fateful Monday morning.

“I have to be a bit selfish and say that I still wish I never did what I did. It broke my family; it destroyed my friends. It hurt people in ways I can’t fix. It destroyed my relationship with my brother. I once

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

THAT SEALION SAVED MY LIFE, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. I CALL HIM HERBERT. asked my dad if he ever still fears my death by suicide, and his response was, ‘Kevin, every time the phone rings.’

Whenever his phone goes off in his pocket, his first thought is always, ‘Is Kevin alive?’ My actions did that, and I have to take responsibility for my actions.

I regret what I did, but I can appreciate what my survival has done for other people. I am glad that I have been able to turn it around into such a positive.”

Given the way he has turned his life around, it’s easy to think of Hines’ story as one of rebirth or redemption. But his battle didn’t end the day he was fished out of the water; it’s one he’s still fighting today.

“It’s been 20 years of struggle,” he says. “I still have my symptoms of depression, mania, panic, hallucinations.

I still have suicidal ideations, but I know I will never die that way. I will die of

natural causes, because I now know what I didn’t know then: that my thoughts don’t have to become my actions. That’s what I want to teach people who don’t know that or don’t feel that – that they can survive the pain.”

Hines’ pain began at birth. Born to poverty-stricken parents, both diagnosed with manic depression, he and his infant brother would regularly be left alone while mom and dad went out to take, buy, or sell drugs.

“They would leave me and my brother unattended on a mattress in a shady motel, over a concrete slab floor,” he says. “Had we fallen, we could have died. There was dangerous drug paraphernalia on the bed; had we touched it, it could have killed us. That’s how my life began.”

Hines was rescued by his adoptive parents, Pat and Debbie Hines. “They gave me a future, they gave me hope, they gave me light at the end of the tunnel. They saved my life. My brother, he wasn’t so lucky. We were supposed to be adopted together but we both got a vicious strain of bronchitis and he died.”

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Although Hines survived, his health was severely impacted by his early life.

“My birth parents had been feeding me whatever they could steal. Kool-Aid, Coca Cola and sour milk was my first diet.”

Pat and Debbie offered a healthy and loving family for Kevin and two other children they adopted, but some of the damage had already been done.

“I think the initial trauma I experienced as an infant lives on in me today,” says Hines. “I have terrible abandonment issues. if someone I love dies, I feel like they’re leaving me on purpose. I have a detachment disorder that I have had since I was an infant.

These things follow you. They don’t go away just because you want them to. I live with them today, just as much as I did back then.”

With his adoptive family’s support, Hines became a successful and popular adolescent. He was doing well in college, was a key member of the university football team, was varsity champion in wrestling, and was a successful thespian, securing lead roles in college plays. Despite this, things weren’t as they seemed on the surface.

“I was doing very well, but my mental health had started to wane,” he says.

“At 17 and a half, I was acting in a theatre show at the high school, and I had a complete mental breakdown on stage in front of 1,200 people. It was devastating. That’s when I saw my first psychiatrist.”

the overwhelming nature of the voices I was hearing in my head,” he recalls.

“Auditory hallucinations telling me I had to die. Telling me I was worthless and had no value. That I was useless and I had no place to go but to take my life.”

On the morning of 25th September 2000, just a few weeks after his 19th birthday, Kevin Hines sat in tears at the back of a bus travelling to the Golden Gate Bridge.

“I was praying that someone would save me by just saying something kind,” he says. “If someone had said, ‘Kid, are you okay? Is something wrong, brother?

Can I help you?’ I would have told them everything and begged them to save me.

But everyone just stared at me as I yelled

aloud at the voices in my head. People laughed.”

On the bridge, he spent 40 minutes pacing up and down, crying, clearly distressed.

“I just needed someone to save me, but no one did. Eventually, a woman approached me, and I thought, ‘This is it!’ She said, ‘Will you take my picture?’

So I did, she said ‘thanks’, and then walked away. At that moment I thought ‘Nobody cares’, so I ran to the rail, placed both hands on it and vaulted over.”

Part of Hines’ work is helping people identify the warning signs in others around them, so they can make the kind of intervention that would have saved him from jumping.

I WAS PRAYING THAT SOMEONE WOULD SAVE ME

BY JUST SAYING SOMETHING KIND

“If someone had asked if I was okay, I would have told them everything and begged them to save me” Hines would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder and began receiving treatment, but the hallucinations, manic periods, and voices in his head remained.

“What led me going to the bridge and attempting to commit suicide was

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“I want you to look for a recent change in attitude, demeanour, activity, and vocality. Change in patterns, daily activities and routines. Those things will help you notice if someone is contemplating suicide. If someone is normally a big eater and then they suddenly to go eating very little, it’s a clear sign they’re in trouble. If someone is normally an early riser and energised all day long, and suddenly they’re sleeping all day, it’s a huge sign they’re depressed.

“The problem is that people in today’s day and age are so good at being stealthy and hiding their pain. That’s why it’s so important for us to reach

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out to each other. Even our loved ones who seem just fine, it’s important to ask, ‘Hey, it’s COVID-19, lots of people are going through hard times – how are you holding up? Get into the conversation a little bit, go deeper. ‘Have you ever had thoughts about killing yourself?’ It doesn’t put the thought in their mind – that’s a myth – it gives them permission to speak about their pain, and a pain shared is a pain halved.

“When I ask you how you’re going, tell me the truth. All too often people ask how you’re doing just to pass a moment, because it’s natural and because everyone does it. We have to become a society, around the world, that

asks these questions and is ready to sit down and hear the real, true response. Then we can make sure that people who are struggling get the help they need.”

Hines will not rest until suicide stops taking lives. Whilst that is clearly a life’s work, he has been instrumental in campaigning for a net to be erected under the Golden Gate Bridge.

“It’s a harbinger of death, the Golden Gate Bridge,” he says. “As of 2023, when the nets are finalised, not one more person will ever die off the Golden Gate. It will become the largest and brightest beacon for suicide prevention around the world.”

Hines will be there for the occasion, standing proudly on the bridge that nearly marked the end of his own life.

“I recognise today what I didn’t know back then: that your thoughts don’t have to become your actions.

Your thoughts don’t have to own, rule, or define what you do next.

They can just be your thoughts. If suicidal people can grasp that reality and make that their new normal, they can always stay alive, no matter what thoughts they have. It’s a very difficult thing to do, but it is not impossible.

“These issues aren’t going to go away. You’re not going to be ‘cured’.

But you can live with them. You can battle them, you can live with them, and you can even thrive with them.”

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NOW AVAILABLE IN SELECTED TESCO STORES.

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“Be strong, be brave and above all don’t be afraid to be yourself” JESSE LINGARD

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HOW TO

IF YOU’RE WORRIED THAT SOMEONE YOU KNOW MAY BE FEELING SUICIDAL, IT CAN BE HARD TO KNOW WHAT TO DO FOR THE BEST. THE TEAM AT CALM (CAMPAIGN AGAINST LIVING MISERABLY) ARE HERE TO HELP YOU POTENTIALLY SAVE A LIFE.

I

f you’re worried that someone you know may be feeling suicidal, it can be really hard to know what to say to them.

Maybe you’re worried about upsetting them by bringing it up.

But being able to spot the signs that someone could be feeling suicidal, knowing what to say to them, how to say it, and where to find help, really can make a huge difference.

There are over 6,000 deaths by suicide in the UK every year – an average of 16 per day. It can happen to anyone. There’s no such thing as ‘the suicidal type’.

We all go through tough times, whether it’s the breakdown of a relationship, losing a job, or feeling like a failure when good things are happening to other people.

It doesn’t have to be one big thing; it can be lots of smaller things. Everyone deals with things differently.

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SUICIDE CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE

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WARNING SIGNS Sometimes there are no warning signs because the person wants to keep their personal crisis private, and will work hard at hiding their thoughts and feelings. But here are some things to look out for that can indicate possible suicidal feelings:

Unexpected mood changes – including suddenly being calm and happy after being very depressed Social withdrawal Change in sleeping and eating patterns Lack of energy Neglect of personal appearance Reckless behaviour Increased drug or alcohol abuse Anger or irritability Talking about suicide or wanting to die – their statements may be vague or appear to be joking about it Giving away possessions Saying goodbye to friends and family as if they won’t be seeing them again

HOW CAN I KNOW?

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THE BEST WAY TO KNOW IS TO ASK. It sounds scary, but the best thing to do is talk about it. Just showing your support and giving someone space to communicate their feelings can be a huge release for them.

Don’t be scared of the S word.

“Won’t talking about suicide put the idea in their head?” No. If a person is suicidal then the idea is already there, and if they aren’t, it won’t do any harm – it might come as a great relief to actually acknowledge that they’re feeling like this. Saying something is safer than saying nothing. Trust your gut and start the conversation. Saying the word “suicide” won’t make it happen.

WHAT TO SAY You don’t need to say too much. Often, just starting the conversation is enough.

Above all, listen.

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Explore how they are feeling Ask questions like “How does that feel?” that keep the conversation open and allow them to talk.

Don’t deny what they’re telling you, and don’t pretend you know how they feel or try to convince them how lucky they are.

Don’t be afraid to ask the big question If they give any indication they’re feeling hopeless or can’t see the point of going on, ask them clearly, “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” or “Are you thinking about taking your own life?” Don’t be too quick to accept denials or jokes as responses.

Don’t judge or criticise They may be drinking too much alcohol, for example, but pointing this out won’t be particularly helpful to them.

Reassure them

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE ONE BIG THING; IT CAN BE LOTS OF SMALLER THINGS. EVERYONE DEALS WITH THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

Let them know that these feelings won’t last forever and that they can find help.

There’s a list of resources at the end of this article.

Don’t try to solve their problems If someone is feeling suicidal, they need reassurance that they are valued that they can talk about how they feel and that help is available. Problem solving can come later.

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WHAT TO DO NEXT If someone tells you they’re feeling suicidal, make sure they’re not left alone and remove anything they could use to take their own life.

Tell the person that you’d like to get them medical help now. Sit with them and call their GP surgery, call 999 or take them to A&E and stay with them until they are seen by a member of the mental health team.

Even if it’s only a hunch, share your concerns with others. Don’t be afraid to involve family, friends, or colleagues. And talk to them about how you’re feeling.

Use confidential helplines and sources of support. It can be difficult to hear the suicidal thoughts of a friend or loved one and they may be anxious not to frighten or upset you by telling you.

Sometimes people find it easier to talk to a stranger, so encourage them to ring one of the helplines below. You can ring them yourself if you are worried about someone.

RESOURCES CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) 0800 58 58 58 Helpline & web chat available 5pm to midnight every day thecalmzone.net

CALM

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Maytree A sanctuary for the suicidal 020 7263 7070 maytree.org.uk/index.php MIND 0300 123 3393 (Mon – Fri 9am – 6pm) mind.org.uk Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide 0800 068 41 41 (Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm / 7pm – 10pm.

Weekends 2pm – 5pm) papyrus-uk.org

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DON’T BE SCARED OF THE S WORD. “WON’T TALKING ABOUT SUICIDE PUT THE IDEA IN THEIR HEAD?”

Samaritans 116 123 (24 hours) samaritans.org

0800 58 58 58 THECALMZONE.NET UNITED AGAINST SUICIDE CALM is a registered charity in England & Wales no. 1110621 & Scotland no. SC044347

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I

f you found 2021’s lockdowns tougher than last year’s, you are not alone. A YouGov survey of UK employees for the world’s largest job site, Indeed.co.uk, saw 44% of all employees say their mental health has been worse in 2021 than during 2020’s lockdowns. Only 15% said their mental health is better this year than last year.

Fitness coach Joe Wicks, also known as The Body Coach, commented in the report, saying: “One thing I think is more important than ever right now is communicating how you feel with friends and family or work colleagues. A lot of people are suffering with feelings of anxiety and depression and bottling up a lot of emotion. Staying connected with friends or family and letting it out will really help you realise that you are not feeling it alone. It’s essential for your mental health to know you are not alone and to communicate your feelings.”

JOE’S TOP FIVE TIPS FOR MENTAL WELLBEING:

1.

Clear your head, get some zeds

“It’s so easy to get into a routine of having little sleep just trying to push on, but sleep really is essential, especially for our mental health. Studies have shown the importance of sleep for our stress levels and a link between lack of sleep and depression. If you struggle with getting a good night’s sleep and know it could be better, this should be your number one priority.”

2.

JOE WICKS

SIR

THE MAN WHO HELPED A NATION SURVIVE MULTIPLE LOCKDOWNS SHARES HIS TOP TIPS FOR MENTAL AND PHYSICAL WELLBEING.

Exercise when it suits you

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“I’m a big believer in the power of a morning workout to set you up for a positive and energised day, but the truth is exercise is good for you any time of the day, so I suggest exercising at the time you feel most energised.”

3.

Prepare for success

“Since the very start of my journey on social media I’ve been highlighting the importance of meal prepping like a boss to get lean and healthy. Batch cooking big meals like homemade chilli, bolognese, risotto or soups and stews means you are literally setting yourself up for success.”

MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

4.

Water right

“Many people do not hydrate enough. Everything in the body functions better when we are properly hydrated. It helps with feelings of hunger but also helps with your energy, focus and concentration.”

5.

It’s good to talk

“I had a cry on a live Instagram one night in front of 5,000 people and I felt absolutely fantastic after. It’s okay to feel emotional and to let that show. Having a good cry or a talk will release that energy and you’ll feel better afterwards.”

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N E W, U S E D A N D F U L LY R E F U R B I S H E D G YM E Q U I P M E N T

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MEDITATION NO LONGER THE RESERVE OF HIPPIES AND ZEN MASTERS, MEDITATION HAS GONE MAINSTREAM, WITH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ENJOYING ITS MANY HEALTH AND WELLBEING BENEFITS. IS IT TIME YOU JOINED THEM?

Written by: Nick Wright, a fully qualified solution-focused hypnotherapist specialising in anxiety reduction, enhanced sleep, and confidence-building.

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T

Men don’t meditate For many men, the barrier to meditation is the notion that it isn’t very manly.

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IF THE BENEFITS OF MEDITATION WERE AVAILABLE IN A PILL, YOU’D QUEUE ROUND THE BLOCK TO GET A PACK Almost any time you see somebody meditating in a movie or on TV, they’re sitting alone, cross-legged on a mountain top with an expression of Zen wonderment etched across their face.

In reality, though, meditation is a much more down-to-earth experience.

For most, it’s more like a mental workout than a spiritual awakening. Okay, so you don’t have to slip on your trainers and have someone spot you, but it is a workout, nonetheless, and it does require self-discipline, focus and, very importantly, frequent repetition to glean the real benefits.

“Meditation is not easy in the slightest.

For most people, the goal is to quieten and clear the mind, so you move away from thinking about the past or the future,” says Karina Cox, a yoga instructor who also holds breathingbased Calm Spaces meditation classes.

“That sounds easy but it’s actually very difficult to do. You’ll soon realise that your thoughts have spontaneous energy and a life all of their own. It takes time to get them to co-operate. There’s a whole lot more to meditation than simply breathing in and out, and humming.”

Zens with benefits So what exactly is meditation and what changes in your mind and body can you expect to notice once you start?

The answer depends on who you ask.

A yoga teacher, for example, might tell you that meditation is about connecting to something greater, vaster, and deeper than one’s individual self. They might also state that it’s part of a “journey” to

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here’s an old Zen saying that aptly and succinctly tells you everything you need to know about meditation: “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes every day — unless, that is, you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.”

Around a decade ago, research data started to show that meditation offered some pretty impressive benefits. What started as a small trickle of information has, in recent years, become a raging torrent.

It’s no longer a hypothesis that the simple act of sitting still, clearing your mind and focusing on your breathing can produce a wide variety of measurable and pleasing changes to our body’s most vital organ – the brain.

And there’s no shortage of high-achieving meditators out there willing to spread the good word, including Novak Djokovic, Bill Gates, Denzel Washington, Russell Brand, Lebron James, Will Smith, and Paul McCartney. Captains of industry, sport and entertainment are making meditation part of their daily routine in order to boost their welfare and performance. Borussia Dortmund’s goalscoring sensation Erling Haaland has even made a meditation pose his trademark celebration, such is his love for the practice.

A short, daily session of meditation has been shown to help lower your blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, as well as boost your immunity, memory, concentration, productivity, empathy and compassion. If a major drug company somehow managed to cram all of the benefits of meditation into a single pill and made it available at your local pharmacy, you’d queue halfway round the block to get your hands on a pack.

So why on earth aren’t you taking just a few minutes each day to reap the rewards for yourself, especially when you don’t even need to get out of your pyjamas and leave the comfort of your living room to do so?

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DATA SHOWS THAT MEDITATION CHANGES YOUR BRAIN FOR THE BETTER

enhanced self-understanding.

Others, like Leo Babauta, who runs the popular website Zenhabits.net, say it’s part of the process of “finding simplicity and mindfulness in the daily chaos of our lives. It’s about clearing the clutter so we can focus on what’s important, create something amazing, find happiness.”

A neuroscientist, on the other hand, will tell you that there’s a modern, scientific explanation for all of that mystical enlightenment; that meditation increases the amount of white matter – a sprawling mesh of neural connections that joins the four key areas of the brain.

Recent studies have shown that just a few weeks of mindfulness training can actually increase the size of that white matter, leading to better communication among the different lobes and, in turn, improved mood and stress management.

The average human brain contains between 80 to 100 billion neurons, each of which is capable of creating thousands

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of connections. So, with hundreds of trillions of synapses (think on/off electrical switches) constantly firing, can something seemingly so simplistic as allowing your mind to go blank while you focus your attention on your breathing really have a profound effect on your well-being? Do you really have the power to change your own brain?

We do, and that internal superpower is called neuroplasticity.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School (HMS) recently observed what happens in the brain when people perform different tasks, including

yoga and meditation. In one study, the neuroscientists scanned the brains of long-time, experienced meditators. The data revealed that meditation slowed down age-related thinning of the frontal cortex, the region in the brain we use to create and access memories. It’s often said that people tend to become more forgetful as they get older, but HMS’s research found that 50-yearold meditators possessed the same amount of grey matter in their frontal cortex as meditators almost half their age.

In a follow-up study, a group with no previous meditation experience participated in a mindfulnessbased stress reduction program.

The group attended a weekly class and performed daily mindfulness exercises, including a body scan, yoga and a 40-minute sitting meditation.

After just eight weeks, the data showed that people’s brains had changed for the better. In particular, there was thickening in several key regions, including the left hippocampus (the area involved in learning, memory and regulation of emotion/behaviour) as well as in the temporoparietal junction (the area involved in empathy and the ability to rationalise and take multiple viewpoints). The brains of the new meditators also saw a shrinkage of the amygdala – the region that houses our primitive fight-or-flight responses, such as fear, anxiety and aggression. Not surprisingly, this correlated to reduced stress levels in those participants.

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we’re going to slay our dragons, but I think it’s hugging the dragon that is the key.

My proposition is that meditation should be in the pantheon of no-brainers along with sleep, exercise, nutrition, positive relationships, meaningful work and access to nature.”

Get started It almost seems too good to be true that you can achieve all of this amazing neurological rewiring and measurable benefits just by clearing your mind, but it’s the simplicity of meditation that really is its greatest and most attractive attribute.

That said, there are many different varieties of meditation, ranging from simple mindfulness meditation, to spiritual meditation, mantra meditation, transcendental meditation… and many more sub strands in between. Broken down to their simplest form, however, meditations generally fall into one of two categories: focused-attention meditation (otherwise known as mindful meditation), or open-monitoring meditation.

In mindful meditation, you direct your focus and attention to one specific thing, such as your breathing, an object in your eyeline, or a specific feeling or sensation in your body. The goal is to focus on that one chosen thing while blocking out any thoughts or distractions. When distractions

do occur, you quickly draw your focus back to your focal point.

Open monitoring meditation is where, instead of directing all of your concentrating towards one specific thing, your attention is ‘open’ and you remain aware of everything happening around you, including thoughts, feelings, memories, sounds and smells. Instead of engaging with these thoughts or sensations, you are encouraged to simply witness their presence and remain nonjudgemental.

How to meditate Start by sitting with a relaxed but upright posture. Bring your full attention to your breathing and begin to pay close attention to the process of inhaling and exhaling.

You can go as far as becoming aware of all the most intricate details of the process, including noticing the temperature, the texture, and even the speed of the air flowing into your body and down into your lungs. “Breathing is the one subconsciously-controlled activity that we can actually consciously override,” says Cox, “so to assume control of our own relaxation can in itself be a very liberating and enlightening experience.”

So far so good. The more difficult part is being able to continue focusing on your breath like this without your mind jumping in to reflect on things like the recent business meeting that went south or how you’re going to tell your wife that you’ve dented her new car. If you’re a first-time meditator, you’ll likely be amazed by the sheer volume of thoughts that just randomly pop into your mind.

But, as any seasoned meditator will tell you, this is perfectly normal and all part of the learning process. The true skill of meditation comes with accepting that this will happen and, when it does, having the awareness and discipline to restore the focus to your breathing. Continually returning to the breath over and over, whenever you become distracted, trains the mind to live entirely in the present.

Without the emotional burden of looking backwards or forwards, your mind can actually become more aware, more awake, and able to direct its attention inwards.

“When people start with meditation they often think they are doing it wrong because they are unable to clear their mind of thoughts,” says Daneil Negreanu, one of the world’s most successful poker players, who uses meditation to deal with the pressure of high stakes games. “There is no wrong way to do it.

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In another study, Yale University found that mindfulness meditation decreases activity on the default mode network (DMN) – the brain network responsible for mind-wandering and self-critical thinking.

The DMN gets switched on when our mind starts hopping from thought to thought, often ruminating sorrowfully about our past and negatively forecasting our future – behaviour that is viewed as a catalyst for anxiety, depression and other stress-related issues. Similarly, when researchers at John Hopkins University examined the effects of mindfulness meditation on reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety and pain, they discovered it had pretty much the same effect as taking antidepressants.

According to Dan Harris, a former ABC newscaster and war reporter who quit a lucrative TV career to write the best-selling book “10% Happier” and launch his own meditation business, meditation is all about keeping the anxious, primitive part of the brain in check. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve noticed my attitude toward the lizard brain is warmer. It’s not bad. It’s trying to serve you, to protect you, but often unskilfully,” Harris said in a recent interview with Forbes.com.

“Instead of meeting the aggression with more aggression, I blow it a kiss and say, ‘I get it. I salute you. Welcome to the party.’

There is this idea in western culture that

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YOU’VE GOT NOTHING TO LOSE AND EVERYTHING TO GAIN Thoughts will come and go; the mind is designed to have thoughts.

Over time, the thoughts don’t go away, but you become better at simply noticing them and separating yourself from your mind’s thoughts.”

According to Andrew Huberman, a tenured professor at the Department of Neurobiology at Stanford University School of Medicine in California, the relationship between breathing and the brain is anchored through the diaphragm, which “is the only organ in the body that is skeletal muscle designed for voluntary movement”.

Huberman states that since you can control the movement of your diaphragm, “breathing represents a bridge between the conscious and subconscious control of the body”.

In other words, when you take control of your breathing, you can override your brain’s natural, hardwired instincts. When your breathing is calm and controlled, you send a centuries old neurological signal to your brain that you are safe and free from any imminent threat or danger. At the other end of the scale, inhaling rapidly tells our brain that we’re nervous, scared and on edge, and that we need to be vigilant or to prepare for fight-or-flight.

And so, whether you prefer the ancient spiritual explanations of meditation, the modern neuroscience take, or a blend of the two, all the modern research and studies points to meditation as being able to deliver a whole host of life-changing benefits. You’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain from spending a few moments each day simply getting to know yourself better by adopting a simple meditation practice. Namaste.

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JOIN THE CLUB Think meditation isn’t manly? Try telling these guys that…

Clint Eastwood The 90-year-old Hollywood star and Oscar winner, known for playing grimacing tough guys in movies such as Unforgiven, Gran Torino, and The Mule, recently revealed that he has meditated twice a day for almost forty years.

“I’m a great supporter of transcendental meditation. It’s a great tool for anyone to have and to utilise for stress. I think there’s enough studies out there to show that TM can benefit everybody. It works great. I’m religious about it when I’m working. I believe in whatever self-help you can give yourself… so meditation with me was just a self-reliant thing.”

Hugh Jackman The strapping Australian, who commits to hardcore training and eating plans to prepare for his roles in the X Men movies, claims that meditation helps him get through those intense fitness regimes with his mind and body intact. Jackman also turned to meditation to help overcome several irrational fears and anxieties he had carried through from childhood into later life, including some obsessive-compulsive behaviour.

“In meditation, I can let go of everything. I’m not Hugh Jackman. I’m not Dad. I’m not a husband. I’m just dipping into that powerful source that creates everything. I take a little bath in it. With meditation, my anxiety levels dropped considerably. It seems to me that the mind is fuel to the fire of fear.

The mind can make us worry about things beyond their measure. And the great thing about meditation is that, twice a day, the monkey mind just calms down.”

Dwayne Johnson The 6ft 5in, 260lb powerhouse former wrestlerturned-A-list celebrity has had several skirmishes with depression over the years and now includes meditation as part of a wellness program that also includes yoga, hiking, and biking.

“I like having that structure to my day. When I get up in the morning, I have this need to get active, whether it’s doing cardio or yoga or pilates or jogging or meditating. I anchor my day around those activities, and it gives me this incredible feeling of energy.”

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BEST

MEDITATION APPS

THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO DO IT

Insight Timer Featuring meditations from many of the most experienced and popular mindfulness practitioners. Choose your own style of meditation – body scan, loving kindness, anxiety/stress reduction, transcendental, etc – or just use it as a timer with your choice of start and end sound. The app has a tracker that allows you to chart your progress and earn badges that encourage repeat usage. More time is spent meditating on Insight Timer than every other meditation app combined.

Headspace

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One of the most popular and wellknown meditation apps, Headspace incorporates hundreds of guided meditations, mini-meditations, sleep sounds, meditations for emergencies, meditations for children, plus a wide range of animations to help you better understand meditation.

It’s designed to be user-friendly for beginners and endeavours to teach you the basics of meditation within the first 10 days of using the app.

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Calm Offers a wide variety of guided meditation sessions, from three to 25 minutes, covering a huge range of topics, including anxiety reduction, gratitude, mindfulness at work, as well as supplementary techniques and tools, such as sleep sounds, nature sounds, breathing exercises and progress trackers. You can also select from exclusive music tracks, including mixes from stars Sam Smith and Ellie Goulding and celebritynarrated “sleep stories”. There’s also a new daily gratitude check-in feature.

Smiling Mind Smiling Mind was developed by psychologists to encourage mindfulness as a core foundation of wellness, alongside daily exercise, good sleep, and healthy eating. It was originally designed for children and young people but adults are welcome, too. The app features a range of simple 10-minute daily agespecific meditations. There are also specific programs for group use in the classroom or at work.

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Inscape The Inscape app is an extension of the Inscape meditation studio in New York. In the Zen Room, teachers guide you through many different mindfulness practices with the primary goal of sleep enhancement and stress/ anxiety reduction. Choose from a selection of meditations, music and breathing exercises that are tailored to your goals and preferences.

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BEST

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

1.

Michael Sealey

The Australian hypnotherapist was one of the first to leverage the YouTube platform for guided meditation and self-hypnosis. Known for his mellow, dreamy voice and ‘flowery’ language patterns, Sealey’s content covers a range of topics, from stress and anxiety to depression to self-confidence. He now has more than 170 videos on his channel dating back to 2012. youtube. com/michaelsealey

2.

Dauschy

Dauschy has been publishing videos on YouTube for almost six years and has developed an audience of almost 450,000. His hypnotic voice combined with his conversational approach will take you on a journey through a wide range of selfhelp topics, including gratitude, manifestation, law of attraction, confidence, and stress-reduction. youtube.com/dauchsy

3.

Nicholas Wright Hypnotherapy

A shameless plug for the author of this story! Nick is a fully qualified solution-focused hypnotherapist with an online and physical practice. After qualifying in hypnotherapy and studying the neuroscience upon which it is based, he has used his 25-year experience as a writer to craft

vivid guided meditation and self-hypnosis videos, with a particular focus on stress and anxiety reduction, and enhanced sleep and confidencebuilding. youtube.com/ nicholaswrighthypnotherapy

4.

Unlock Your Life

Unlock Your Life is the guided meditation and self-hypnosis channel of Sarah Dresser, a qualified clinical hypnotherapist. Believing that hypnotherapy is a combination of art and science, Sarah’s calming hypnosis includes conversational techniques, as well as neuro linguistic programming (NLP) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). youtube. com/UnlockYourLifeToday

5.

Jason Stephenson

Another Australian therapist, Jason has been creating meditations and music relaxation audio tracks for 15 years. He specialises in creating vivid and colourful longer guided meditations for improving sleep, as well as alleviating a wide range of stress-related issues. He is a best-selling author and a Jack Canfield Success Principles Trainer.

His guided meditation work has now been accepted in prisons across Australia to help with the rehabilitation of prisoners. youtube. com/jasonstephensons leepmeditationmusic

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The experts from Cyclist pick out the most fun you can have on two wheels for under £1,000.

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Best Bikes 2021

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INSPIRED BY THE TOUR DE FRANCE OR THE OLYMPICS? GET ON TWO WHEELS WITHOUT BREAKING THE BANK WITH THESE RECOMMENDED RIDES FROM CYCLIST MAGAZINE

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f you want to get the most from your cycling, you’re going to need to get rid of that rusted Raleigh you’ve had since you were 12 (and the reflectors you got from a box of Kelloggs).

But fear not, because even though the crème de la crème of road bikes can cost as much as a brand new BMW 3 Series, you can pick up a perfectly decent ride for three figures.

If you want something fast and fun that doesn’t cost a fortune, we’d recommend looking at bikes between £500-1,000. It’s at this price point that road bikes begin to look like serious racers. The frame material will be butted aluminium or perhaps even carbon fibre, which means it will be light and stiff for easier climbing and handling. The gears will shift smoothly and crisply, and not clunk or grind. And, assuming you look after it, your bike should last.

You can pick up bikes for less than £500, but often they’re heavy, inefficient and will grumble if you really up the distance. If you’re serious about putting in some mileage, you need a bike that’s up to the job. With that in mind, here’s a rundown of what we consider to be the best road bikes under £1,000.

Written by: Joseph Delves, former editor-at-large of BikesEtc and a regular contributor to Cyclist Magazine and Cyclist.co.uk.

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Best value road bike Vitus Razor W Disc £699.99, wiggle.co.uk

Best for racers on a budget Cannondale CAAD Optimo Tiagra,

A phenomenal amount of bicycle for not a lot of money, Vitus’s disc brakeequipped Razor undercuts everything else we’ve seen on the market. Yet in doing so it doesn’t cut any corners, boasting both a great chassis and a top-quality kit list.

At its heart is a neatly welded aluminium frame and an even lighter carbon fork, both ends of which sport secure bolt-through axles for greater stiffness and cornering accuracy. Driven along by Shimano’s reliable 2x8-speed Claris groupset, the entire bike is then kept under control by Tektro’s allweather-capable mechanical disc brakes.

Sporty without being too forward, the Razor’s geometry will suit riders looking for a first racer. Looking beyond the metallic paint, its finishing kit is equally sparkling; here a comfortable and universally agreeable saddle, wide 28c tyres and zippier-than-average wheels round off a package offering exceptional value.

£850, cannondale.com

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For us, this is the best-looking bike you’ll find for anything like this kind of money.

The Cannondale CAAD Optimo isn’t just pretty, however, it’s properly racy too. Its geometry is similar to the brand’s dearer bikes, a low front end keeps it purposeful, while a light frame and entirely carbon fork do nothing to sandbag its progress.

Fitted with a Shimano Tiagra 2x10 drivetrain, basic wheels and brakes don’t put too much of a dampener on performance, while the contact points and paint are both above average for the price.

You’ll have to be content with conventional rim brakes, but if you can cope with that, you’ll be onto a legitimately race-ready bike.

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Best for long-haul rides Cube Attain Pro £849, rutlandcycling.com

Best for versatility Triban RC520 £850, decathlon.co.uk

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Part of an updated range offered by European sports warehouse Decathlon, the Triban RC520 represents incredible value.

With a short top tube and upright front end, its frame and carbon fork are designed for endurance rather than racing.

However, it’s the superlative 11-speed Shimano 105 R7000 groupset and hybrid mechanicalhydraulic brake callipers that really set it apart. Backed up by lightweight wheels with cartridge bearings and tubeless-ready tyres, it’s also ripe for future upgrading.

There’s an even cheaper model and a gravel-spec edition also in the range, and both are equally good value.

Possessing a geometry that balances speed and endurance, Cube’s Attain also manages a low overall weight despite its powerful disc brakes. The foundation of this feat is its lightweight aluminium frame and skinny full-carbon fork.

With features like flat-mount brake fittings and bolt-through axles, it’s more than worthy of later component upgrades – not that the stock kit is anything other than excellent for the price.

Employing Cube’s own disc wheelset and 28c Continental Ultra Sport tyres, the bike is fast to get rolling, while keeping it moving is Shimano’s reliable 9-speed Sora drivetrain. Using a compact chainset and 11-34t cassette, this means you’re unlikely to run out of gears on even the most fearsome of hills.

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Best value starter road bike Boardman SLR 8.6 £550, halfords.com

Best endurance bike Trek Domane AL 3 Disc £995, evanscycles.com

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Trek’s Domane is a name to conjure with, and a pleasing amount of the tech from the range’s top-flight machines has found its way down into this budget version.

Aimed at riders after comfort over long distances, the AL 3 Disc provides this via a relaxed geometry and widerthan-average 32c tyres.

This is a bike unafraid of being pointed at rough surfaces. In fact, depending on how you define the term, it’ll even cope with light off-road work. With handling that’s less skittish than more aggressive designs, the Domane is a versatile machine that can take mudguards and racks for touring or commuting, yet is equally happy to tackle a speedy weekend century ride.

Fitted out with a full Shimano 2x9speed Sora groupset, in both looks and operation it could easily be mistaken for a much more expensive bike.

Boardman’s entry-level SLR 8.6 is a nicely balanced package. Doing without disc brakes lets its budget work a bit harder elsewhere, which means if you can live without the extra stopping power, you’ll find the rest of the componentry to be solid, while the bike’s overall weight is also comparatively low. As you’d expect, you get an aluminium frame, plus a decent-quality full carbon fork.

These are light enough to start with, and combined with Boardman’s own tubeless-ready wheels and Vittoria Zaffiro tyres, the SLR is an easy bike to get up to speed. The transmission combines a compact 50/34 chainset and 11-32 cassette, a generous range of gears that should cover you for all but the most brutally steep of climbs.

Small details like the width and fitting of the bar, along with the saddle and crank length have all been tweaked to provide a tailored fit. All considered it’s a speedy and capable first racer for riders not bothered by the lack of disc brakes.

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Best all-rounder Specialized Allez E5 £800, evanscycles.com

Best for customisation Ribble Endurance AL Disc

A light aluminium frame, full carbon fork, minimalist wheels and a cool paint job... what more can you want from a bike costing £800? Even if stock scarcity and exchange rates have added another £150 onto this versus last year’s model, it’s still solid value. Made by one of the giants of the bike business, Specialized’s legendary Allez is a top pick for entry-level bikes.

Thin-walled aluminium tubes contribute to a class-leading frame weight and a sprightly ride for an entrylevel bike.

It is fitted Shimano’s Claris groupset, which is much improved over older editions, looking from a distance much like its more expensive stablemates.

Gearing may be limited to a 2x 8-speed setup, but the wide 11-32 cassette range should provide confidence when heading into the hills.

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Tiagra £999, ribblecycles.co.uk At the heart of the Ribble Endurance is a frame that’s designed for comfort over the long haul. This is then fitted with a customisable assortment of components – none of which looks remotely like a weak link.

Available at different price points dependant on the groupset, we think this Shimano Tiagra-equipped model hits the sweet spot. Giving you a 2x10-speed drivetrain to play with, the ratios provided can be chosen at checkout, perfect for tailoring it to your nearby terrain.

Fixed in place via stiff bolt-through axles, the Mavic Aksium Disc wheels are tough and infinitely serviceable. With Tektro MD510 mechanical disc brakes taking care of the stopping, a sub10kg weight is respectable for such a bulletproof build.

Using what was formerly Ribble’s audax geometry, the Endurance is happy to take a rack or panniers, making it good for light touring or winter use. At the same time, it’s still easily sporty enough for sportives or club runs.

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THE RIGHT BIKE

FOR YOU

DON’T JUST GO FOR THE ONE WITH THE SHINIEST PAINT…

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Get the fit right Getting the right frame size is one of the most important aspects of buying a new bike and one of many reasons to visit, support and buy from your local bike shop. With a wide range of sizes available, often with small jumps between them (2cm in most cases), finding the right size from an online chart can be a daunting – often impossible – task.

Fortunately, a good bike shop will take care of you. A word of warning, though: be careful when referring to bikes by their frame sizes. Some manufacturers measure things differently.

Choose your pedals A lot of new bikes don’t come with pedals, so your first big decision is whether to go for flat pedals or clipless.

Flat pedals may be more versatile (because you can use them wearing regular shoes) but they’re inefficient.

Trainers flex a lot at the sole, so you lose a lot of pedalling power wearing them – it’s like trying to knock in a nail with a rubber hammer.

Clipless pedals (so-called because they replaced traditional toeclips and straps) work by binding to a cleat that’s screwed onto the sole of the shoe. The shoes that go with clipless pedals have far stiffer soles to make pedalling more efficient and a lot more comfortable.

There are two distinct patterns of clipless pedal – two-bolt (Shimano SPD) and three-bolt (including Shimano SPDSL or Look) pedals.

Two-bolt cleats are usually recessed into the sole of the shoe to make walking easier – these are favoured by mountain bikers, gravel riders and commuters, since there is typically more walking involved. Walking is possible in three-bolt cleats, but you may look like a penguin. Also check that your shoes are compatible with your pedals – the shop will be able help with this.

With a little perseverance, once you’ve got the hang of clipless pedals, you’ll be able to release your foot far quicker than you could pull your shoes out of old-fashioned toeclips.

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HOW TO FIND

The main two things to worry about are saddle height and reach. There are lots of different methods to work out your correct saddle height, but as a general rule, when your foot is at its lowest point your knee should have a 30-degree bend, as that’s the angle that gets your big glute muscles firing.

The reach is something that you need to get a feel for, but if you’ve never ridden a road bike with dropped bars before, the appropriate reach can actually feel quite stretched at first and will take some getting used to.

It’s almost always the case that when your saddle is the correct height, you won’t be able to remain seated on it and have both feet flat on the floor, since in reality you never really have to do this while cycling. If you’re nervous about it, plan ahead for your stops so you can pull up at a kerb and rest your foot on that.

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Ask the right questions

Before you go and take a look at what your local bike shop has to offer, it pays to do your research and have a good think about what you want from your purchase. Mudguards and a rack? Rim or disc brakes?

Is the bike going to be used mainly for commuting or leisure riding? There are so many different models to choose from, that if you don’t have a good idea of what you need from it, you’ll likely end up totally bewildered. It also helps the shop, as they’ll then know what they can safely recommend, rather than relying purely on guesswork.

Most shops will include a servicing package to help keep your bike in good shape and will probably offer a discount on accessories. If you’d like to swap some parts on the bike straight out the box, ask – but don’t count on the shop doing it free of charge. If it’s an ownbrand stem, they might not have one in stock, but things like cassettes or tyres are normally done for the cost difference.

Sale bikes can be great, but don’t compromise on getting the correct size.

You’ll be much happier – and faster – on a bike that’s comfortable. Buying a second-hand bike can net you a bargain but equally can be a minefield: unless you know the pitfalls to avoid, we’d recommend steering clear.

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Select your essential extras

When buying a new bike you’ll have to reserve a portion of your budget for essential kit. Luckily, most shops will cut you a deal if you buy these at the same time. Expect to spend a minimum of £50 for a decent helmet, and try several makes and models to find the best fit.

Whether you’re planning to ride on your own or with friends, you’ll need enough small tools to be self-sufficient.

You will get a puncture at some point, so practise changing an inner tube at home until you’re confident you’ll be able to do it on the road when all your friends are watching (and heckling).

The minimum kit we’d recommend would include a set of tyre levers (Topeak Shuttle levers, £5.99, extrauk.co.uk), two spare inner tubes (around £5 each; ensure you get the correct type – road bikes use Presta valves), a pack of glueless patches (Park Tool Super Patch, £3.49, madison.co.uk), and last but not least, a mini pump (Lezyne Gauge Drive HP, £40, upgradebikes.co.uk).

Some big brands such as Bontrager and Specialized produce kits that includes all these items, and a saddlebag to stow them in. Buy yourself a multitool

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– look for something that includes 3, 4 and 5mm allen keys (Topeak Mini 20 Pro, £29, extrauk.co.uk).

We’d also recommend getting a bottle cage and bottle too.

Plan your first ride

Once you’ve got the bike all and your kit together, you’ll be keen to get riding, but it pays to spend some time planning your first outing to avoid potential problems that may arise.

Assuming it doesn’t interfere with any restrictions that might be in place, we’d say 20 miles is a good distance to start with – you don’t want to risk running out of food, water and energy, or discovering a fault in your bike when you’re a long way from home.

If you don’t know the best roads for cycling in your area, the Strava website is useful – it has a great ride-planning tool that makes route suggestions based on their popularity with other cyclists. You can then use the Strava app on your smartphone to navigate, while recording your journey.

We’d also recommend komoot for its route-planning tools and ride recommendations from other cyclists.

During your first ride, pay particular attention to how the bike feels. Is the saddle a little low? Get your multitool out and shift it up a little. Short test rides are good for working out any small adjustments like this you may need to make. Before you know it you’ll be considering whether to shave your legs.

MOST SHOPS WILL CUT YOU A DEAL IF YOU BUY EXTRA KIT AT THE SAME TIME AS YOUR BIKE

For more advice on bikes and rides, head over to cyclist.co.uk

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“It’s a message we read everywhere nowadays, but I’m telling you now IT SAVED ME. Anyone experiencing a difficulty with their mental health, please reach out and ask for help. It can be anyone, even a stranger.You are not alone. Everybody can struggle with their mental health. It’s OK to have bad days. I want to remind everyone that asking for support is the biggest strength of all, never a weakness. Ask how your friends and fam are, and ask them twice, because sometimes that second chance to be honest is enough to get the conversation rolling.”

TOM GRENNAN

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FIT PURPOSE

FOR LOOK 1

MAN Active Poly Gym Racer Vest - £10 https://bit.ly/2Sopj3M

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WITH GYMS OPEN AND BEACHES WAITING, IT’S TIME TO UPGRADE YOUR FITNESS WEAR, BECAUSE THAT SCHOOL P.E. TOP ISN’T DOING ANYONE ANY FAVOURS.

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LOOK 2

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LOOK 3

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LOOK 4

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LOOK 5

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Slim Fit Man Pique Tee & Pintuck Short Set - £30 https://bit.ly/3xMrTkk

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LOOK 6

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CONSOLE

GAMING EXPERT KIRK MCKEAND HELPS YOU CHOOSE BETWEEN PLAYSTATION 5 AND XBOX SERIES X.

The Xbox Series X is more compact than the PS5. It’s more subtle. It’s easier to hide behind your TV and forget it even exists. Because the controllers take batteries, the charging of said batteries happens away from the console itself so you can put it at any angle and it won’t matter. Its matte black surface picks up fingerprints when you touch it, but you never have to touch it. Not even with your tongue. *Disclaimer: I have not tasted the consoles.

Winner: Xbox Series X

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f you’re on the fence about which console to pick up as we head into a new generation of video games, let me help you make that choice a little more clear. I’ve spent time with both the PS5 and Xbox Series X - the two most powerful machines you can buy - and I’m now going to make them battle to the death.

DESIGN The PS5 looks like a robot Oreo from the mirror universe where the cream goes on the outside and Oreos aren’t edible*. It’s bulky and strange.

I wouldn’t call it ugly, but it’s not particularly nice either, and it refuses to sit inside most entertainment centres. Because the controller needs to be charged via the USB at the front, you can’t even place it behind your TV either - you need the port positioned so that the charging cable can reach you at the other side of the room.

I had to move my TV off-centre to accommodate it and now my wife has filed for a divorce.

ll e’

t ve ha y ad

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As a library of games, Xbox Series X is phenomenal. Pretty much every Xbox game released across different generations is playable, and most of them benefit from the extra power of the Series X. Old games that didn’t have HDR support suddenly do. You can play stuff like Grand Theft Auto 4 at 60fps. It’s astounding.

It reminds me of the first time I got a gaming PC and I spent ages playing old games at max settings, just to see what I’d been missing.

Unfortunately, it’s launched without any exclusives. With Halo Infinite being pushed back, the only thing it has that’s even nearly exclusive is Yakuza: Like a Dragon, an amazing game that looks like a last-gen game and is also available on PC (it’s coming to PS5 next year as well). Everything else, like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, is available on other platforms.

The PS5, meanwhile, has a console exclusive like Yakuza in Bugsnax, which launches on PS5 and PC. Then there’s Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which also releases on PS4, but the PS5 version shows off new graphical features like ray tracing, as well as fluid loading transitions between interiors and the open-world map. There’s also Astro’s Playroom, which is a five-hour tech demo for the PS5 controller. Sackboy: A Big Adventure and the Demon’s Souls remake are also launching with the console.

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GAMES

c fi a r T lt ew nau N e e R h o T om f y fr d a e R TECH

WARS I haven’t played these two, but it’s clearly a better offering than what’s on Xbox Series X at launch.

And I haven’t even touched on the fact that every PS4 game is backwards compatible, which gives you access to a whole generation of incredible exclusives.

Winner: PS5

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SERVICES

THE PS5 HAS THE PS PLUS COLLECTION, WHICH GRANTS YOU TEN OF THE BEST PS4 EXCLUSIVES EVER MADE

The PS5 has the PS Plus Collection, which grants you ten of the best PS4 exclusives ever made, as well as ten more brilliant third-party games.

These are included as a part of your PS Plus subscription, which allows you to play games online and also gives you a “free” game each month for PS5, and two for PS4.

But this is nothing compared to Xbox’s Game Pass.

Xbox Game Pass now comes as part of your Xbox Live Ultimate subscription.

Game Pass allows you to download and play over 100 games from Xbox and its partners. There are third-party games, Xbox exclusives, and incredible indies included. You get access to every single new Xbox exclusive that comes to the platform, which means you will get stuff like Halo Infinite the day it launches without paying £60 for it from a store.

Microsoft also recently bought Bethesda, so games like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Doom, and Dishonored are also included on the service, as well as any future games from Bethesda’s studios - Starfield, anyone?

The Elder Scrolls 6? All of the EA Play library is also playable. It’s ridiculous. Add xCloud into that - a streaming service that lets you use any device as a screen for your games library - and there’s a clear winner when it comes to services.

Winner: Xbox Series X

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CONTROLLER The Xbox Series X controller is a marked improvement over the Xbox One pad. Its textured grips make it more comfortable to hold, its triggers and bumpers feel more durable, and the analogue sticks have slightly more tension. It just feels more expensive overall. Then there’s the addition of the share button, which makes grabbing screenshots and videos a doddle compared to the faff involved on Xbox One. PS5 is miles ahead here, however. The DualSense controller feels like nothing you’ve ever used before, thanks to haptic feedback and adaptive triggers. The former works in tandem with the controller’s speaker to simulate sensations, with tiny, localised vibrations mimicking what your character is experiencing. Skating across ice or standing under a train bridge feels like you’re doing both of those things, somehow. The adaptive triggers allow developers to tweak the tension as you pull them back to simulate things like pulling the string on a bow, or crushing a tin can with your hand.

The pad also comes with a built-in, high-quality mic for online gaming, and you can mute it at the touch of a button. The controller is perhaps the most impressive thing about PS5 so far.

Winner: PS5

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BOTH CONSOLES ALSO SPORT LIGHTNING-QUICK LOAD TIMES, SO YOU SPEND MORE TIME PLAYING GAMES AND LESS TIME READING TOOLTIPS

As you can see, the Xbox Series X has a slightly more powerful CPU and graphics card, which should mean, in theory, that crossplatform games run slightly better on Xbox Series X.

Winner: Xbox Series X NEXT-GEN CREDENTIALS Despite that extra power, the PS5 somehow feels more like a next-gen machine currently.

It’s a mixture of the launch titles, the new controller, and the fact Sony is treating the console as its own thing. Xbox Series X feels more like a continuation of the existing line of Xbox consoles. Saying that, there’s no denying how impressive Quick Resume - a new feature that allows you to switch between games in a matter of seconds and pick up exactly where you left off - is. That’s a certified next-gen feature on Xbox Series X. Both consoles also sport lightning-quick load times, so you spend more time playing games and less time reading tooltips.

Winner: PS5 (only just) OVERALL

POWER Let’s talk specs. Rather than speaking anecdotally for this one, here are the facts:

Xbox Series X specs:

Both consoles are amazing, but we won’t have a clear winner until we see what’s coming from both parties on the game front.

Launch titles usually aren’t the best showcase of a console, and we’ll see more impressive games in the coming years. For now, given stuck-at-home gamers are more desperate than ever to buy a console and stock has been rarer than swear words in a Mario game, there can only be one clear winner…

Winner: Capitalism

CPU: 8x Cores @ 3.8 GHz (3.6 GHz w/ SMT) Custom Zen 2 CPU GPU: 12 TFLOPS, 52 CUs @ 1.825 GHz Custom RDNA 2 GPU Memory: 16 GB GDDR6 w/ 320b bus Memory Bandwidth: 10GB @ 560 GB/s, 6GB @ 336 GB/s Internal Storage: 1TB Custom NVME SSD

PS5 specs:

CPU: AMD Zen 2-based CPU with 8 cores at 3.5GHz (variable frequency) GPU: 10.28 TFLOPs, 36 CUs at 2.23GHz (variable frequency) Memory: 16GB GDDR6 / 256-bit Memory bandwidth: 448GB/s Internal storage: Custom 825GB SSD

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HALFPRICE HEROES In a world gone new-car finance crazy, there is another way. How about a nicely run-in example of automotive genius at a bargain price? Count us in

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Photography John Wycherley

MOTORING

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MOTORING

I AM YOUR CAKE, EAT ME Two outrageously talented cars to make the everyday exceptional Words Ben Miller

T

here’s a whole tonne of good sense in buying a nearly new BMW M5 Competition or a Ford Fiesta ST, but a big part of the appeal is surely their astonishing versatility. It means the pressure’s off.

Because these two can do it all, they needn’t be second cars; garaged until such time as your diary and the weather can get together around the negotiating table to hammer out a deal – a 100-mile, high-pressure slot, perhaps, in which the thing simply has to blow your socks off because the rest of the time it just costs you money. And gets scuffed occasionally by the mower.

No, an M5 or a Fiesta ST can simply be your car. Your only car if needs be. And still they’ll be ready to absolutely howitzer your socks across the room when the time comes.

Both come from long, rightly lauded family lines. This M5, the F90, was the first all-wheel-drive M car (the M8 followed, as now will the M3 and M4), an idea that was controversial for all of about, ooooh, a week. Then we drove it, and understood its white-hot genius.

Inevitable driven-front-axle understeer? Nah. A chassis balance to die for, even before you start tweaking its myriad adjustable parameters? Yep. All-weather traction? Oodles of it. And slides? Oh yes, in 4WD Sport (the happy medium of the M5’s xDrive modes) and, of course, rear-drive 2WD. An awesomely capable and compelling family car with the class and clout to keep you interested for years? Yep. And it’s a bargain: if £102k for a new one feels salty, know that less than £57k for a sub10,000-mile approved-used example is anything but.

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FORD FIESTA ST SAVE £10K! £26K NEW, £16K USED

If anything, the Fiesta is even more tail-happy than the 592bhp M5

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MOTORING

Incredibly, much of what makes the BMW so special applies equally to the Ford, not least its fondness for going sideways and the otherworldly calmness and cohesion with which it does so. This, truly, is the magic of the Fiesta ST; has been for a couple of generations. But in place of the previous car’s fun but forgettable four-cylinder engine, the seventh-generation Fiesta’s ST variant landed itself a gem of a motor, a 1.5-litre turbo triple that burbles, pulls and parps like a thoroughbred while still managing decent fuel economy thanks to cylinder deactivation.

Throw in a limited-slip differential (part of the must-have Performance Pack), a decent manual shift (something the BMW can’t offer, though the M5’s so indecently rapid the idea of having to change gear yourself with anything like the speed and fluency of the ZF auto is, frankly, terrifying) and the fact that the car’s a bargain new, let alone used, and you have a pretty compelling answer to any question involving the words ‘hot’, ‘hatch’ and ‘buy’. So, £16k for a 15,000-miler with the diff? All day long.

BMW M5

Ford Fiesta ST

The first all-wheel-drive car in M5 history, the F90 launched in 2017 as a saloon only.

M5 Competition arrived mid-2018 with more power, trimming the 0-62mph time to 3.1sec. The car’s S63 V8 was a carryover from the previous M5, particularly the more powerful (and epic) 30 Jahre version.

2020 facelift updated the iDrive infotainment with a bigger screen.

BMW approved-used examples start at £55k for a 2018 car with 32k miles. A new Comp’s £102k…

The Performance Pack (a £950 option) brings Quaife limited-slip diff, shift lights to help you wring out the motor without taking your eyes off the road, and launch control.

You can live without the latter two but the diff is key to the ST experience.

From new, the range is now just two variants; the £26k ST3, with the Pack as standard, or the £23k ST-2, which also runs smaller 17-inch wheels.

Tempting, but not as tempting as an 8000-mile ST-2 with the Performance Pack for £16k…

BMW M5 SAVE £45K! £102K NEW, £57K USED

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BOTH WI LL BE READY TO ABSOLUTE LY HOWITZ ER YOUR SOCKS ACROSS TH E ROOM WH EN TH E TI M E COM E S

NEED TO KNOW

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MOTORING

WHY WAIT FOR THE PUROSANGUE? THE FLAWED BUT DEEPLY COVETABLE LEVANTE IS THAT RARITY: A LUXURY SUV WITH SOUL MASERATI LEVANTE SAVE £33K!

Words James Taylor

£65K NEW, £32K USED

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very spec-dependent. In the right colour and spec they’re a lovely thing but avoid base cars – plastic inserts in bumpers, small wheels, black sills. Sub-Lusso-trim cars don’t have the metal shift paddles, but for another £40 or so a month, very few buyers didn’t upgrade.

‘Go in with your eyes open, find the right car and budget £2k a year to run it properly,’ Brown concludes. ‘Common sense says you’d put your money in an X5 but it’s a bit soulless…’ The man has a point.

NEED TO KNOW Maserati Levante When it arrived in the UK in 2016 the Levante was diesel-only. A light update in 2017 brought active safety assistance and a Levante S with a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 at £11k more than the diesel. Petrol V8 versions followed in 2018 but they’re expensive to buy and run.

Interior colours are cream, tan, red or black – since most are bought as family cars, the latter is the most popular choice.

‘Hold out for a 2018 car,’ says Levante expert Brown. ‘The gearlever was improved and they had free servicing, so there’s no reason they won’t have all the stamps.’

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ich smell of leather in your nostrils, sabre-like metal shift paddles meeting your fingertips, howl of a Ferrari-built V6 in your eardrums… You can quickly get used to life with a Levante.

Former motor trade man Dave Brown has run two examples of Maserati’s five-seat SUV as daily drivers.

‘Honestly, I’d happily buy another one,’ he enthuses. ‘It drives beautifully and it is a real Maserati at heart.’

While it’s 3.0-litre V6 diesel versions that start from the lowest prices (as low as £30k), you’re looking at £40k upwards for the 345bhp petrol V6. Both are great cars. ‘The diesel’s a good strong engine but the petrol is a nicer drive,’ says Brown. ‘It’s 110kg lighter and a lot of that is over the nose. You feel it into a corner.’

He cautions: ‘Running costs are expensive – it would be wrong for me to say otherwise. The reason Levantes drive so well is a complex suspension set-up, and if the geometry is out it’ll shred tyres [which are readily available but expensive]. If all’s well, expect to get 10,000 miles from a set. But if it were on longer-life rubber and basic suspension, it wouldn’t drive the way it does.’

Servicing is once a year for diesels, every other for petrols. ‘Most independent dealers can’t reset the service light, so you should go to a main dealer for an oil change at around £350,’ Brown says. ‘It’s a big, expensive car, so you will get big, expensive bills in terms of tax and servicing – it’s par for the course.

‘There are a lot of ex-contract-hire cars out there. That’s a good thing; they’ll have a full main-dealer service history. Levantes are

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AUDI’S SECRET SUPERCAR FIVE REASONS THE TT RS IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A GOLF IN COUPE CAMO

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While regular TTs get some lusty four-cylinder options, the RS’s 2.5-litre five is an all-time great.

The engine will live on a little longer in the next RS3, but here it’s at its purest.

You’ll detour to find tunnels.

It’s loud visually as well as aurally, with its chunky sills and vents. The fixed rear wing can be replaced by the regular TT’s more demure pop-up boot spoiler, but bewinged cars are more common.

The Mk3 TT’s Virtual Cockpit is now six years old, yet it’s still smart enough to widen your eyes.

The ergonomics remain a benchmark for user-friendliness; in fact, later Audis aren’t so smart.

The 395bhp TT RS can blat from 0-62mph in 3.7sec.

That’s as quick as an Audi R8, and half a second quicker than a Porsche 718 Cayman S, even if the TT’s not as involving when the road gets wriggly.

A TT RS Coupe costs £54,635 new. Used cars are available from £34k. Even if you pay nearer £40k, it’s a lot of performance and presence for your pound.

For the money, nothing else grips so tenaciously.

That engine

It turns heads like little else

The interior’s still a knockout

It’s quicker than a Cayman

Yours for £20k less than new

NEED TO KNOW Audi TT RS

Audi Sport Edition adds designer trinkets and a sports exhaust; Vorsprung adds Magnetic Ride dampers, matrix LEDs and the kitchen sink.

Magnetic Ride is a pricey option on non-Vorsprung cars from new. Optional 20-inch wheels look the part but don’t help the ride.

AUDI TT RS COUPE SAVE £20K! £55K NEW, £35K USED

Words James Taylor

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Launched in 2016, the TT TS is also available as a fabric-top Roadster, with a facelift in 2019.

Pre-’19 cars still look the part, and RS-specific paint colours Nardo Grey and Catalunya Red tell them apart from regular TTs… if the big wing and bumpers don’t do the job.

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THE ACCEPTABLE FACE OF HYBRIDISATION TWO PETROL/ELECTRIC TRAILBLAZERS TO HELP YOU FORGET THE PRIUS

BMW i3 SAVE £21K! £39K NEW, £18K USED

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NEED TO KNOW BMW i3

Honda NSX

The i3 went on sale in 2013, as a pure EV or with a range-extender petrol engine. Battery size has increased over the years, so you’ll see i3s advertised as 60 Ah (22 kWh), 94 Ah (33 kWh battery, 114-mile range) and 120 Ah (42.2 kWh battery, 160 miles in everyday use) examples.

Approved-used cars start at less than £12k for a 50,000mile early 60Ah, and you’ll pay a little more for a range extender of the same age and mileage; £18k buys a nice 94Ah range-extender.

The NSX may be comlicated but it’s also bombproof.

‘Servicing is every year or 12,500 miles,’ explains master technician John White.

‘Camshafts are chain-driven, and the chains are rated for the life of the car. The hybrid system means there are no ancillary belts on the car at all. The platinum-tipped plugs last 60-70,000 miles and you don’t need to check the valve clearances until 100,000 miles. Changing the oil takes time, though – the engine’s dry sump means there are seven drain points…’

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Words Ben Miller

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he universe must have a sense of humour – how else can you explain the fact that, three years to the day since my last drive in Honda’s mighty NSX, I find myself climbing aboard one once again, albeit in circumstances that might be considered the polar opposite.

Last time, brilliant winter sunshine bathed Tokyo, and the tarmac was dry and grippy. It was a day alive with one-in-a-lifetime experiences, from the Honda’s thumping all-wheel-drive launches to its startling agility and accessibility, whether you’re cutting through traffic or chasing apex speeds on a deserted Fuji road.

Today the Honda and I meet again in Corby. It is dark, cold and wet. But still the NSX is a thing of wonder, and as sensible a used buy as a midengined supercar can ever be. The first NSX, from 1990, was lighter and more alive, but this post-2016 car is every bit as innovative, with the kind of hyper-agile, very sophisticated three-motor hybrid drivetrain that Ferrari’s only just debuted on its £400k SF90 Stradale.

You could go either way with it. Use it as its maker intended, every day and in all weathers, or stick some gummy Pirellis on it, go out only when the sun’s shining and wait for its astonishing rarity to halt its depreciation and eventually send values skyward.

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Before Honda was blazing hybrid trails with the NSX, BMW was blowing minds with its i3, the kind of rulebook-pulping production car that only comes along once or twice in a generation.

Good looking, relentlessly innovative, from its powertrain to its interior, and above all huge fun to drive, the i3 is simultaneously entirely unlike any BMW that came before it and absolutely a BMW to drive – alert, agile, punchy and unmistakably rear-drive. The i3 neither changed the world nor made BMW much money, but that doesn’t mean it should be judged a failure. It taught its maker one or two crucial lessons. And it now makes an irresistible used buy.

YOU COULD GO EITHER WAY WITH YOUR NSX. USE IT AS ITS MAKER INTENDED, EVERY DAY AND IN ALL WEATHERS, OR STICK SOME GUMMY PIRELLIS ON IT HONDA NSX SAVE £65K! £150K NEW, £85K USED

Continentals were standard-fit but the NSX comes alive on Pirelli Trofeo Rs

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ALL THE SPORTS CAR YOU NEED FOUR REASONS THE MX-5 MAKES MORE SENSE THAN EVER Words Colin Overland

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It has… some equipment The Mk4, which has been with us since 2015, added a decent amount of kit. There were updates in 2018 and 2020, cleaning up the engines and making more kit standard. You know, touchscreens and everything.

MAZDA MX-5 SAVE £10K! £29K NEW, £19K USED

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It’s a Mazda MX-5s benefit from a philosophy that favours usability over sheer power.

More tangibly, they hold their value well because Mazda’s reputation for reliability is grounded in reality, and backed by a good dealer network.

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NEED TO KNOW

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It’s a team player The 2.0-litre engine is available with a six-speed auto, but an MX-5 with either engine makes more sense with the six-speed manual.

It’s a car to engage with, and it rewards a well-taken corner with plenty of feelgood feedback.

Mazda MX-5 You’re never far from an MX-5 special edition, such as 2018’s Z-Sport or the recent 100th Anniversary, bundling together kit from the options list. But given that the MX-5 really doesn’t benefit much from any of these options, you’re better advised putting your money into a newer, lower-mileage example.

Although many claim to favour the lower-powered

versions of every generation, we’d vote for the current 181bhp 2.0-litre over the 130bhp 1.5. With a 0-62mph time of 6.5sec rather than the 1.5’s 8.3sec, you’ll be glad you did.

And don’t forget the turbocharged Fiat and Abarth 124 variants on the theme, both now discontinued.

Similar prices, arguably stronger styling, plus rarity value.

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Performance you can use The current Mk4 MX-5 comes with a choice of 130bhp and 181bhp naturally-aspirated engines. Modest, but you can actually use what power there is, thanks to a fine rear-wheeldrive chassis.

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C FOR CLEVER CHOICE

WHILE THE HERD HEADS SUV-WARDS, THE SMART MONEY SNAPS UP A C-CLASS

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he new C-Class is nearly with us, looking a lot like every C-Class that preceded it, and bound to be similarly outshone by the rival 3-series and overshadowed by the big-brother E-Class, not to mention Merc’s SUV tsunami. But the current C-Class is a fine car, and currently excellent value.

The headline-grabbing AMG versions – the sixcylinder, all-wheel-drive C43 and the eight-cylinder rearwheel-drive C63 – can be a lot of fun, with more finesse than previous sledgehammer-like C-AMGs. But the for the best value, set your sights on a C220d (192bhp, 295lb ft) or C300d (241bhp, 369lb ft, and a second quicker to 62mph) diesel, with the nine-speed auto.

If you buy into the idea of a Merc as a comfortable, refined, well-equipped conveyance, you’ll need to avoid the lowest-spec models (SE has fake leather and 17s rather than 18-inch wheels), although that’s easily done as they’re thin on the ground. Instead, go for Sport or AMG Line, and you’ll find that many cars’ first owners dipped into the extensive options list, bringing panoramic sunroofs, upgraded seats and fancy materials on the dash.

Estate or saloon? The saloon’s boot is modest by the standards of its class, but you gain about 1000 litres by opting for an estate, so that makes a lot of sense even if you don’t have a dog. It doesn’t give your rear passengers any more room, but it does mean they won’t be sharing seat space with bags that couldn’t fit into the boot, and if losing the rear bulkhead brings any reduction in refinement then it’s a small one.

NEED TO KNOW Mercedes C-Class Introduced in 2014, the Mk4 was facelifted in 2018.

New prices start at £37,510 for an estate, £34,660 for a saloon. The big sellers are the diesels in AMG Line trim, which brings cosmetic changes, sports suspension and bigger wheels.

Facelifted cars start around £20,000 on the approvedused lists. We like the look of a C300d AMG Line estate, ex-demo, 5000 miles, for £31k – £13k less than new.

A new C43 Estate is just over £50k, or a well-spec’d 2018 car can be yours for £20k less.

MERCEDES C-CLASS SAVE £20K!

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£50K NEW, £30K USED

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YES ’CAN DO WHATEVER THE QUESTION, A NEARLYNEW MACAN’S THE ANSWER Words Ben Pulman

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he Macan does just about everything, and does it really well. From the precision of the steering to the bite of the brakes, from the agility of the chassis to the immediacy of response, there’s a true Porsche feel to the way it stops, turns and goes. It not only steers and handles better than any other SUV, but also better than most cars period, utterly disguising the fact it’s a high-riding, twotonne SUV. Thanks to its Audi Q5 DNA you get sensible family transport plus Porsche chassis magic and the same precision to the control weights you find in a 911 or Cayman. Such polish comes at a premium, but the Macan’s been around a while now and Porsche sells so many (nearly 100,000 worldwide every year) that prices are reasonable with plenty to choose from.

The range soon stretched from 2.0-litre four-cylinder to an S with a twin-turbo V6, to an actual Turbo, plus an S Diesel, a GTS to fit between the S and Turbo, and a range-topping Turbo Performance Pack. The entry-level Macan, along with the Macan S and discontinued S Diesel, have been the most popular UK models, and are thus the most plentiful in the used market. A new Macan S starts at £49,420; they’re in high demand, so a well-spec’d 2018 car will still cost you more than £40k.

But there are good basic Macans at reputable dealers for £30k.

And there could be a slight price drop in the next 12 months, when the second facelift arrives. Porsche isn’t rushing out an allnew model when the current one is still selling so well.

NEED TO KNOW Porsche Macan UK deliveries started in 2014 and it was an immediate hit. The 2018 facelift made LED headlights standard, brought a fullwidth rear light bar and updated the widescreen infotainment. The engine range was slimmed down,

with diesel being dropped and the range now peaking with the Turbo.

You can have your suspension in three flavours: standard steel springs, with PASM adaptive dampers, or with air suspension and PASM. Get the dampers, but air isn’t essential.

PORSCHE MACAN SAVE £20K!

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£50K NEW, £30K USED

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MOTORING VW ARTEON SAVE £18K! £35K NEW, £17K USED

THE PASSAT SCRUBS UP SENSIBLE TRANSPORT HAS RARELY FELT AS SPECIAL AS VW’S ARTEON Words Ben Pulman

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o live with the Arteon is to fall in love with it. I ran one for six months in 2018 and it was impeccable. Because as much as we might dream of rear-drive, natural aspiration, a clutch pedal and hydraulic steering, what you often actually need is comfort and convenience. And that’s this big VW’s forte. It’s a Passat under the chiselled skin, but its cavernous interior and comfy ride abide in another league.

I took it through France for our Sports Car Giant Test in 2018, and it played the support car role with aplomb. The 563-litre boot swallowed kit bag after kit bag, and when trekking between locations those who travelled by Arteon arrived fresh, while those choosing a Porsche 911 GT2 RS or McLaren Senna arrived with freshly acquired aches and tinnitus. And a used Arteon comes from a time before VW stopped providing enough infotainment buttons to allow you to keep your eyes on the road.

Okay, the hatchback boot won’t find favour with dog owners, and for some mainstream buyers only an SUV will do these days.

But for the rest of us, this is transport done properly.

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NEED TO KNOW VW Arteon Prices originally started at £31k for a 1.5-litre with 148bhp and front-wheel drive, passing the usual Passat-derived mix of petrols and diesels, before rising up to 40 grand if you wanted four-wheel drive and a detuned Golf R engine.

The 9.2-inch touchscreen, 360º cameras and electrical tailgate are useful options, but if you want the full-blown R

model or the Shooting Brake, you’ll need to wait for used examples, as these didn’t arrive until 2020’s Covid-interrupted summer.

An R-Line with the excellent 1.5 TSI engine is £35k new; get one just a few months old for less than £30k, or drop down a spec level to save a further £5k or more. Or a 2018 entry model can be yours – still approved used – for just £17k.

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AT LAST: A MCLAREN TO EQUAL THE FIRST THE 720S IS A CAR SO INCREDIBLE IT LAY THE GHOST OF THE MIGHTY F1 TO REST. AND NOW YOU CAN BUY ONE FOR 911 MONEY Words Ben Miller

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homas Jennings works for McLaren Leeds. He is, by virtue of his day job and his passion for sports motorcycles, largely inured to the intoxicating speed and glamour of high-performance supercars. But the 720S is different. However ready you think you are, you aren’t.

‘We do see a lot of buyers stay with McLaren, moving up the range, and sometimes they will look at a 720S and say something like, “But my 570S is rapid – how much faster can this be?”,’ says Jennings. ‘It’s the same with customers coming over from Porsche 911s or an Audi R8. I just explain that they’ve driven sports cars, and that the 720S is a supercar – it’s the pinnacle of performance.’

McLaren man in “McLaren is pretty good” shock. But Jennings is absolutely right. CAR counts some pretty grizzled road testers among its ranks but even they take a deep breath when climbing aboard Woking’s achingly beautiful flagship. As Chris Chilton put it, writing our big sports car test of 2017, which the McLaren won: ‘You’ll wish you had a third hand so you could suck your thumb while keeping the thing pointed at the stony stuff…’

Is the 720S worthy of comparison with the F1? It is. It is by most metrics faster. It’s heavier but it’s also more powerful, generates far more grip and has the electronics to keep you from destroying yourself.

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MCLAREN 720S SAVE £75K! £215K NEW, £140K USED

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Like the F1 it also works as well on the road as it does on a track. The steering is magnificent, the ride quality scarcely credible and the all-round visibility, thanks to the dramatic bubble screen and Heinkel-esque glazed cockpit, breathtakingly good, like you’re being hurled through time and space on the tip of a twin-turbo rocket.

A good car? The 720S is the best McLaren’s yet created, and one of the best our species has yet managed. A good used buy? Oh yes. Go McLaren pre-owned and a 720S – run-in, serviced and ready to go, with a 12-month warranty – could be yours for £70k-£75k less than this modern masterpiece’s list price.

With thanks to McLaren Leeds – leeds.mclaren.com

NEED TO KNOW McLaren 720S ‘Servicing is straightforward,’ explains McLaren Leeds’ Thomas Jennings. ‘Intervals are 10,000 miles or each year, and alternate minor and major.’ Check to see which one is due next. ‘Pre-owned cars from a McLaren centre come with a comprehensive 12-month warranty, and in my experience McLaren is generous in terms of honouring claims.’

‘Two trim options are offered above standard, Luxury [silver window surrounds, electric heated memory seats] and Performance [a carbonfibre pack as standard, dark finish to some exterior trim, engine bay lighting].

Both are a shade under £10k new, with Performance more popular. Make sure the car has the nose-lift kit. A lot of people also want the sports exhaust – it’s a £4900 option new.’

THE 720S IS THE BEST CAR MCLAREN’S YET CREATED, AND ONE OF THE BEST OUR SPECIES HAS YET MANAGED

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Hard to miss the clues that this is a pretty special car

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Your essential guide to the world of cars CAR is the monthly must-read for everyone who cares about cars. With its unrivalled access to the key players in the car industry, CAR is where you’ll read about the new cars, the latest technology and the key decision-makers. Every month, CAR delivers a world-beating mix of news, reviews and insight on new cars, motorsport and tech.

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TAKE THE OPEN ROAD GOLF’S FAMOUS OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP VISITS NINE FANTASTIC COURSES IN ROTATION. AHEAD OF ITS TRIP TO ROYAL ST GEORGE’S THIS JULY, WE’VE PUT TOGETHER AN INCREDIBLE GOLF BREAK AT EACH OF THEM, FEATURING THE CHAMPIONSHIP VENUE ITSELF AND OTHER MUSTPLAY COURSES IN THE VICINITY.

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kingsbarns

1 round at Old Course, St Andrews 1 round at Kingsbarns Golf Links 1 round at Championship Course, Carnoustie Golf Links 1 round at Castle Course, St Andrews

Old Course

Royal St George’s

Known as ‘The Home of Golf’, with the game having been played here since the 15th century, St Andrews has hosted The Open a record 29 times, most recently in 2015.

Royal St George’s – 2021 Open venue Royal Cinque Ports

1 round at Royal St. George’s Golf Club 1 round at Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club 1 round at Prince’s Golf Club

Royal St George’s The 2021 Open will be the Claret Jug’s 15th visit to this memorable links layout that measures 7,204 yards from the back tees. The last Open held here was in 2011, when Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke won his first and, to date, only major championship.

Royal St George’s, otherwise known as Sandwich, is ranked the number one golf course in England – and with good reason. “Sandwich has the four prerequisites of great architecture, and it has them in spades,” says one of the world’s leading golf course architects, Tom Doak.

“Challenging golf holes, beautifully crafted greens and bunkers, a character of its own, and stunning scenery.”

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Carnoustie

Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club This fabulous links course hosted The Open in 1909 and 1920. It has since been removed from the rota but is still used for Open qualifying.

It’s a tough challenge, but one that’s well worth taking on, especially given it’s ranked among the best golf courses in England.

Prince’s Golf Club Widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading tournament venues, Prince’s staged The Open in 1932 and regularly hosts the esteemed Amateur Championship. It’s ranked in the top 100 courses in GB&I and is one of the best in south east England.

The Old Course, St Andrews – 2022 Open venue 5 Nights, 4 Rounds - from £4495pp Bed and Breakfast at Hotel Du Vin St Andrews

It’s regularly named the best course in the world, for the history as much as anything, and sits atop almost every golfer’s bucket list.

Kingsbarns Opened in 2000 and already firmly established as one of the best golf courses in the UK, and among the top 50 in the world.

Carnoustie Hosted The Open eight times and will host the Women’s British Open this August. Widely considered one of the world’s best, and toughest, golf courses.

Castle Course Opened in 2008, making it the newest course to be created under the St Andrews Links banner, the Castle Course’s excellent conditioning and dramatic topography see it ranked among the top 100 courses in the GB&I.

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2 Nights, 3 Rounds - from £649pp Bed and Breakfast at Prince’s Golf Club

GEAR Royal Liverpool

Royal Liverpool (2023 Open venue) / Royal Birkdale / Royal Lytham & St Annes 2 Nights, 3 Rounds - from £769pp Bed and Breakfast at Bliss Hotel Southport 1 round at Royal Birkdale Golf Club 1 round at Royal Liverpool Golf Club 1 round at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club

Royal Liverpool

RANKED THE FOURTH BEST COURSE IN GB&I AND 11TH BEST IN THE WORLD Royal Portrush

Also known as Hoylake, Royal Liverpool has hosted The Open 12 times, most recently for Rory McIlroy’s 2014 victory. Recent improvements cement its place among the best courses in GB&I.

Royal Birkdale As well as 10 Open Championships, Royal Birkdale has hosted two Ryder Cups and six Women’s British Opens. Jordan Spieth won The Open here in 2017, despite hitting a shot from the practice ground after a wild tee shot in the final round.

Royal Lytham & St Annes Royal Lytham, ranked the sixth best course in England, has hosted The Open 11 times, the Ryder Cup twice, and the Women’s British Open five times. It’s a fantastic experience, even if your golf isn’t quite up to that calibre.

Royal Troon Golf Club – 2024 Open venue 1 Night, 2 Rounds - from £469pp Bed and Breakfast at The Marine Hotel, Troon

Prestwick St Nicholas

Royal Troon

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1 round at Old Course, Royal Troon Golf Club 1 round at Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club

Royal Troon Hosted the 2020 Women’s British Open and will host The Open for the 10th time in 2024. Henrik Stenson won the last time The Open was here, in 2016, following an epic duel with Phil Mickelson.

Prestwick St Nicholas Royal Portrush

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The 26th oldest golf club in the world and ranked in the 40 best.

Visit for the rich history, as well as the quality of the course.

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Carnoustie Golf Links – last hosted The Open in 2018 2 Nights, 3 Rounds - from £735pp Bed and Breakfast at Malmaison Dundee 1 round at Championship Course, Carnoustie Golf Links 1 round at Panmure Golf Club 1 round at Rosemount Course, Blairgowrie Golf Club

Carnoustie One of the world’s toughest courses, Carnoustie has hosted The Open eight times and will host the Women’s British Open in 2021.

It’s ranked the fifth best course in Scotland and 28th best in the world.

It’s a hugely enjoyable experience, even if it does get the better of you!

Panmure A charmingly old-fashioned, opened in 1845 and continuing to transport golfers back in time to what the game might have felt like before carbon fibre drivers and GPS watches.

Panmure

Muirfield This 16-time Open venue is ranked the sixth best course in GB&I and 14th best in the world. It’s officially the world’s oldest golf club (club, not course), formed in 1744.

Alterations ahead of the 2013 Open make Muirfield a stern test for the modern golfer and it will host the Women’s British Open in 2022.

Gullane Host of the 2015 and 2018 Scottish Open, and a venue for Open qualifying, Gullane is a wonderful golfing experience at any time of year thanks to the immaculate conditioning and breathtaking views.

Royal Portrush – last hosted The Open in 2019 3 Nights, 3 Rounds - October From £679pp Bed and Breakfast at Portrush Atlantic Hotel 1 round at Dunluce Links, Royal Portrush Golf Club 1 round at Castlerock Golf Club

1 round at The Strand, Portstewart Golf Club

Portrush Hosted the 2019 Open after a 68-year wait. Rave reviews from players and fans alike mean it almost certainly won’t have to wait as long again. Ranked the fourth best course in GB&I and 11th best in the world.

Castlerock This lovely links courses lives in the shadow of Portrush and Portstewart but is an absolute gem in its own right and ranked the fourth best course in Northern Ireland.

Portstewart Features a front nine as good as any in the world. Dramatic dunes give a stadium-like feeling and an experience you won’t forget.

Prices correct from Your Golf Travel. Visit yourgolftravel.com to book

Castlerock

Blairgowrie This attractive and classy inland course sits at the foot of the Grampian Mountains, and is ranked the 36th best course in Scotland.

1 Night, 2 Rounds - from £669pp Bed and Breakfast at The Bonnie Badger 1 round at Gullane No. 1 1 round at Muirfield

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Portstewart

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Muirfield Golf Club – last hosted The Open in 2013

“We should all try to be more kind and compassionate to ourselves and encourage the discussion around mental health.”

RITA ORA

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MAGAZINE MAN MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021

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MAN MAGAZINE

THE EUROS.

COVERED. LISTEN TO WALL-TO-WALL COVERAGE AND EVERY LIVE MATCH FOR THE WHOLE OF EURO 2020.

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