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DADBOD TO 8-PACK! THE EVERYMAN FITNESS PLAN
p78
11
NOV 2016 £3.99
19-DAY
ARMS!
Bigger Biceps
Double Your
Strength
Faster Gains
107
WAYS TO UPGRADE
YOUR BODY TODAY
6-MINUTE
PROTEIN
FEASTS!
THE FOOLPROOF
£50 FACELIFTp134
9 77135
771356 743132
43
LEAN MUSCLE
SHORTCUTS
MELT
AWAY
FAT!
While You’re Sleepin
TURN WORK
STRESS INTO
LONGER LIFE
WHO
DARES
WIN?
MH Takes On The SAS
INV E STI G ATI
ON
JUSTIN THEROUX, 45, ACTOR, WRITER,
HUSBAND TO JEN & COUSIN TO LOUIS
MUSCLE
FITNESS
P26 IS SUGAR ALWAYS BAD?
P31 GROW WITH THE FLOW
P38 TAKE THE CROSSFIT CHALLENGE
Feeling bitter about skipping dessert? Our
nutritionist has some sweet health insights
This upgraded animal-flow staple will
beast your body for a shredded torso
To complete our toughest test yet, you need
a barbell, a pull-up bar – and nerves of steel
P42 INTERNAL AFFAIRS
P56 THE JUSTIN THEROUX WORKOUT
P46 PLOT YOUR PATH TO A PB
Mirror muscle can mask inner weaknesses.
This workout cuts fat from the inside out
Find out how the Hollywood nonconformist
and alt-movie star built his best body at 45
MH trials the GPS watches that keep your
fitness on track – even when you go off it
P155 BREAKING THE HABIT
P128 PILLARS OF STRENGTH TRAINING
P74 DO THE LEG WORK
Whether it’s Marlboros or Maltesers, follow
our guide to outwit your addictions for good
The kit you need to raise your weightlifting
game from part-time hobby to total pro
This 60-second protocol will slash time from
your Sunday sportive (or Monday commute)
WEIGHTLOSS
STYLE
NUTRITION
P32 BURN FAT IN YOUR SLEEP
P138 RIP UP THE RULEBOOK
P40 TACO THE GLORY
Use your eight hours wisely to give your
fat-torching hormones a wake-up call
Torn denim is no longer the preserve of
grungy teens. This is how to style it just so
MH upsets the food truck to turn Tex-Mex
stodge into a lean, clean treat. De nada
P71 DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
P140 CIRCUIT TRAINERS
P49 THE TRUTH ABOUT GLUTEN
Perfectionism could be weighing you down –
literally. Lighten up to let go of your baggage
As high-end designs step onto the high street,
we pick the best kicks for every budget
Considering making the cut? Here’s the
scientific view on going against the grain
P162 LIFT SOME METAL
P142 STREET WATCH
P119 BOAR DOWN ON DOMS
With your fork, we mean. This lesser-known
mineral is the key to resculpting your body
Find a ticker that ticks all the boxes for under
£100. Our horology expert shows you how
Bounce back faster from your next workout
with a quick, energising pulled-pork bun
18 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
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11/16 BULLETPROOF YOUR BODY & MIND
HEALTH
IN THIS ISSUE
THE LATEST INTEL TO HELP YOU HIT YOUR TARGETS
ON THE COVER
P52 FAST PROTEIN FEASTS
Use our chef’s twist on the
cheese toastie to melt fat
and pile on heaps of muscle
P123 DOUBLE YOUR STRENGTH
Seven small training tweaks
that deliver giant leaps in your
muscle-building progress
P124 LEAN SHORTCUTS
P85 BIG ARMS IN 19 DAYS
If age or indolence have
floored your gains, this plan
will get things off the ground
P86 TURN AROUND STRESS
MH trials the new desktop
tech designed to rewire
your nine-to-five anxiety
Burn 800 calories on your
lunchbreak with the new
science of interval training
THEROUX COVER
PHOTOGRAPHY
PATRIK GIARDINO
P134 THE £50 FACELIFT
MODEL COVER
PHOTOGRAPHY
DAVID VENNI
Industry insiders talk you
through the products that
work – no needles necessary
P92 WHO DARES WIN?
GUTTER CREDIT
Can the SAS keep pace with
the changing nature of war?
Meet the world’s elite fighters
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 19
THE EXPERT PANEL
KEEP YOUR FITNESS GOALS ON COURSE THIS MONTH WITH
NEW EXPERTISE THAT
TH VENTURES OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
TRAACK
PICK UP THE TEMPO
ROB SMYTH
Steady-state cardio is
doing little for your fat loss
goals. Torch calories hard
and fast with F45 trainer
Smyth’s HIIT class p124
WELLNESS AT WORK
RED OR DEAD?
STEVE ILEY
HELEN BOND
Bupa medical director
Iley guides you through
the wellness-enhancing
desk-tech that can bust
boardroom stress p86
Consultant dietitian Bond
has serious beef with
those condemning red
meat. Here she explains
its myriad benefits p37
REST ASSURED
TRIPLE SWEAT
MAN OF ACTION
JEROME SIEGEL
WAYNE EDWARDS
MATTHEW OLLERTON
Insomniacs, put your
sleep problems to bed
with psychiatry professor
Siegel’s doze and don’ts
for a good night’s rest p98
Row, cycle and run from
your risks of heart failure
with a visceral fat-busting
workout from 3Tribes’
head trainer Edwards p42
Special forces veteran
Ollerton puts MH’s SAS
credentials to the ultimate
test at military training
facility Break Point p92
EDITOR
TOBY WISEMAN
DEPUTY EDITOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
PHOTO DIRECTOR
DAVID MORTON
DECLAN FAHY
RACHAEL CLARK
STYLE DIRECTOR
PRODUCTION EDITOR
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
ERIC DOWN
SCARLETT WRENCH
ED VANSTONE
FEATURES EDITOR
ART DIRECTOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR (STYLE)
TOM WARD
TOM PLUMSTEAD
MATT HAMBLY
COMMISSIONING EDITOR (PRINT & DIGITAL)
SENIOR DESIGNER
TED LANE
JESSICA WEBB
STYLE ASSISTANT
PICTURE EDITOR
SUBEDITOR
RICCARDO CHIUDIONI
FRANKIE HILL
AARON TOUMAZOU
JUNIOR FITNESS EDITOR
DIGITAL EDITOR
ASSISTANT DIGITAL EDITOR
JACK HART
ROBERT HICKS
MATT EVANS
GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR
SALES DIRECTOR
BRAND DIRECTOR
SENIOR FASHION EXECUTIVE
ACCOUNT MANAGER
ACCOUNT MANAGER
GROUP CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS DIRECTOR
SENIOR PARTNERSHIPS EXECUTIVE
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ART DIRECTOR
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ART EDITOR
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
PROJECT MANAGER
PRODUCTION MANAGER
HEAD OF MARKETING
MARKETING AND EVENTS EXECUTIVE
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
OFFICE MANAGER AND EVENTS EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
PR MANAGER
CHIEF DIGITAL OFFICER
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
MANAGING DIRECTOR, BRANDS
ALUN WILLIAMS
GEORGINA PARROTT
TOM LAKE
TOM SPRATT
NATASHA BAILEY
MELANIE MCKINLAY
ANDREA SULLIVAN
MORGAN HARRISON-DOYLE
JASON MILTON-BARKER
BEN BRILEY
AOIFE KAVANAGH
VICTORIA STEPHEN
KATHRYN TAIT
ROGER BILSLAND
JANE SHACKLETON
MEG STEPHENSON
MARK PEACOCK
MEGAN BLACKBURN
LISA QUINN
BEN BOLTON
DARREN GOLDSBY
REID HOLLAND
MICHAEL ROWLEY
THIS ISSUE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY…
2 MEDICAL DIRECTORS
14 PERSONAL TRAINERS
2 WINE PROFESSIONALS
12 STYLE AUTHORITIES
1 TOP RESTAURANT CRITIC
6 UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
1 GASTROENTEROLOGIST
4 RESEARCH SCIENTISTS
1 RUNNING PRO
4 NUTRITIONISTS
1 DIETITIAN
3 SPECIAL FORCES VETERANS
AND 1 MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
TOTAL
76 EXPERTS
20 MEN’S HEALTH
CEO, HEARST MAGAZINES UK
ANNA JONES
HEARST-RODALE JOINT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT AND CEO, HEARST MAGAZINES INTERNATIONAL
ANNA JONES
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, HEARST MAGAZINES UK
CLAIRE BLUNT
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, RODALE INTERNATIONAL
ROBERT NOVICK
MEN’S HEALTH IS PUBLISHED IN THE UK BY HEARST RODALE LIMITED, A JOINT VENTURE BY HEARST MAGAZINES UK,
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GUTTER CREDIT
24 TOP TABLE CHEFS
PAGE
EDITOR’S
LETTER
WEATHER THE CHANGING SEASON – AND COME OUT FIGHTING
104
Meet the UK wrestlers
facing off against
Mexico’s finest in the
flamboyant ‘lucha
libre’ tournament
PAGE
78
What do you look like? MH charts
the shifting shape of man to find
a training plan for every physique
86
PAGE
PAGE
98
With insomnia on the
up, there’s big money
in finding a fix. But
could the ‘cures’ be
a false economy?
From deadline anxiety to
desk-bound inertia, we
test the gadgets designed
to short-circuit your
modern workplace woes
PAGE
52
Toasties are so hot right
now. With a few upgrades,
this food-truck trend can
melt excess weight, too
F
BUILD A BODY TO STAND
THE TEST OF TIME (P56)
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
HEALTH.CO.UK
or many, autumn is the most
alluring of seasons. Crisp skies
and cool climes; rusty crimson
foliage dying on the branch;
bonfires, overripe fruit, long
shadows, golden sunlight… I get it, I get
all of it, I really do. But there comes a
time in life when autumn marks another
kind of change – and this one is rather
less evocative of a Keats poem. It’s when
we start getting fat again.
Summer keeps us lean. There’s the
vanity aspect, of course – with just the
fine cotton of a T-shirt between your
naked self and the world, there’s more
incentive to keep yourself trim. But it’s
also about how the bright mornings
and warm evenings make training
more pleasurable; how the glut of
vitamin D energises the body and
nourishes the muscles.
When autumn comes, that
natural vitality starts to seep
away. As more clothes are dug
from the back of the wardrobe, so
the conspiracy to mask returning
Our edit of
the smartest
high-street
buys will keep
you on point
and in pocket
133
PAGE
bulges takes sway. Cosy pubs become
more inviting than stark gyms; kale
salads are upstaged by toad in the hole.
Already, after a long summer of running
and sprinting, I’m conscious of autumn
cloaking me in its swollen grasp and
getting me fitted for a new fatsuit.
Fortunately, if any of these sensations
are familiar, then this is the issue for you.
From the lunchtime workout that burns
800 calories (I find it helps to think of it as
a Sunday roast, enjoyed then annulled)
to the secrets behind Justin Theroux’s
impeccable lean muscle profile at the
spruce age of 45, we’ve got the moves
you need. We also have countless
recipes, wearable tech reviews and
science bulletins, all dedicated to taking
back control of your life, plus a feature
on the new body shapes and how you
can dictate your own. So enjoy your
autumn; take in those sunsets, by all
means. Just don’t let it beat you.
TOBY WISEMAN
BSME EDITOR OF THE YEAR
MEN’S HEALTH 23
ASK
MH
RUN A NUMBE
NUMBER
ER OONN HHARD-TO-SHIFT
ARD-TO-SH BLUBBER
WAIST SIZE NEEDN’T
DETERMINE WHAT YOU
CAN KEEP IN THE TANK
THE BIG
QUESTION
Q
NO MATTER HOW FAST I GET
I CAN’T SHAKE MY PAUNCH.
CAN YOU BE FIT AND FAT?
JACOB, NOTTINGHAM
Aerodynamics aside, that gut isn’t
necessarily slowing you down. While
too much abdominal fat can indeed
be a marker of excess blubber around
your organs – or even of metabolic
syndrome – it’s entirely possible for it
to be harmless. In fact, you can be at
once obese and yet still metabolically
healthier than your doctor. Things like
internal inflammation and cardio fettle
count for far more than the belt notch
you use. Your gut girth is just a sign.
But it can be an unsightly one. Work
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
out whether you’re fit-fat or just fat-fat
by investing in a body composition
monitor, like those sold by Tanita or
Withings. This will tell you if you’re
carrying more subcutaneous (benign)
or visceral (risky) fat. You can check
your waist-to-hip ratio at home, too: if
your gut protrudes relative to your hip
measurement, a scan might be wise.
Meanwhile, eat butter. A new French
study found that the aminos within it
help reverse age-related weight gain
and add muscle mass. We’re calling it
a tasty fix for middle-aged spread.
MEN’S HEALTH 25
ASK
MH
GRAINS OF WISDOM FOR HEALTHY LIVING
AM I
NORMAL?
I GET HEADACHES EVERY TIME
I LIFT. SHOULD I BE WORRIED?
MATTHEW, LIVERPOOL
Sharp spasms in your gut, chest or head
are always worth heeding, but that
doesn’t mean you should worry over
every gym headache. As you load your
muscles, blood vessels in your brain
swell to carry oxygen. If the pressure is
too great, you get an exertion headache,
says strength coach Mike Donavanik.
You can drink more water to relieve the
pressure (blood plasma is mainly H2O,
so dehydration makes blood run thick)
and breathe in with each rep – pushing
against a closed airway makes your blood
work harder to carry limited oxygen. We
also carry tension in our necks and the
fascia around our skulls, which leads to
tension headaches when lifting. Combat
this by massaging your traps (running
from shoulder to neck) and moving your
head in circles, stretching side to side, up
and down. Now hit the gym, no pressure.
DOES IT
WORK?
Q
MY TRAINING BUDDY LIKES TO
NECK CONCENTRATED COFFEE
BEFORE OUR BIKE RIDES. IS IT JUST
A HIPSTER FAD OR WORTH A SHOT?
DIMITRI, LONDON
Believe it or not, there are performance
benefits that make concentrated coffee
worth stealing from the coffee shop
poseurs. Because it’s concentrated, it
boasts more caffeine per ml than the
average cup (which might be why your
pal is pipping you to the post during your
Sunday sportive). Plus, it’s sold in shot
bottles that are easy to take on bike rides.
But perhaps the best thing for weekend
athletes is its lower acidity levels. “The
slow extraction process means you get
less acid in your cup, so it’s kinder on
your stomach,” says First Sukpaiboon,
barista-proprietor at Her Haggerston.
Aficionados claim it’s smoother than
other coffees, too. Three shot bottles
(each makes two cups) will cost you £14.
26 MEN’S HEALTH
Q
CAN SUGAR
EVER BE
HEALTHY?
CHRISTOPHER, BATH
It’s long been the condiment non
grata at your PT’s dinner parties,
but guess what? The alternatives
suck too. Things get cloudy when
companies swap out sucrose and
sell something ostensibly healthier
in its stead. Acids in diet sodas can
actually be worse for you than the
sugar in their full-on counterparts,
says nutritionist Drew Price. Then
there’s the effect on your brain.
According to bods at Harvard
University, artificial sweeteners can
Q
overstimulate taste receptors. This
means that, just like the sliding
scale of a drug’s moreishness, you
end up needing a bigger sweet hit
in future. So yes, controlling sugar
intake is important, but a bag of
Tangfastics every so often won’t
harm you – especially post-gym
when your hungry muscles put
extra glucose to good work. Timed
correctly, it’s fine to dabble in the
second-best white powder on the
planet. (The first is salt, obviously.)
LUNG DISEASE RUNS IN MY
FAMILY. CAN I BREATHE EASY?
THOMAS, BELFAST
As maladies go, lung disease is one better
avoided than treated. We’re going to go
ahead and presume that if you smoke,
you’re at least cutting down. So, swerve
pollution. Get fresh air. And open a damn
window if your other half is a fiend for
scented candles (some are as bad as bus
fumes). Now implement our supplement
plan to soup up your lung power.
i/ TURMERIC
POWDER
Nature’s statin is
the sworn enemy
of inflammation in
your body. Turmeric
supplements are
shown to reduce the
risk of lung diseases
from asthma to cancer
to fibrosis to coughs.
ii/ COENZYME Q10
Not only has this
wonder drug been
proven beneficial to
general lung health,
it also helps keep
them functioning
better when you’re
already unwell.
Researchers say the
effects are particularly
pronounced when
doing exercise.
iii/ FENUGREEK
CAPSULES
This spice helps
clear the bronchial
passages and is
doubly effective when
coupled with fennel.
Perhaps a turmeric
and fenugreek based
curry loaded with
fennel is on the menu?
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
WORDS: ALEX HARRIS | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | HER-HAGGERSTON.COM
Q
DON’T MAKE THE
SWITCH TO CHEMICAL
SWEETENERS YET
EDITED BY TED LANE
E
01
UP
02 LEAN
IN YOUR
BUILD A
ONE-MOVE
SIX-PACK
K
SLEEP
PAGE 32
PAGE 31
10
05
GIVE RED
MEAT THE
GREEN LIGHT
PAGE 37
S
S
E
FIMTEN-CHANGERS
GA
2016
R
E
B
M
E
NOV
07
TE
TEX-MEX
T
MUSCLE
M
MU
USCLE
06
TEST YOUR
PULLING
POWER
PAGE 38
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
14
SHOULD
YOU QUIT
GLUTEN?
PAGE 49
THE
TH
HE FI
F
FINAL
IN
NA
AL
AL
BLOW
BL
LO
OW
WF
FOR
OR
O
R
REST
R
RE
ES
ST
T DAYS
DAY
AYS
PAGE
PA
PPAG
AAG
GE 41
41
PPAGE
PAG
GEE 40
18 FIND T
BEST HE
YOU JOB FOR
R
PAGE BRAIN
55
MEN’S HEALTH 29
A
01
GROW WITH
THE FLOW
WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL HAYNES | MODEL: CHRISTOPHER WHITLOW AT APM | STYLING: ABENA OFEI | GROOMING: SUSANA MOTA | SHORTS NIKE AT MRPORTER.COM | TRAINERS ASICS.COM
Boot out boredom with
the WEIGHTED FRONT
KICKTHROUGH to shred
your abs and train your
brain in a single session
gnore the chumps shuffling back
k
to the bench at the mention of
animal flow; it’s not all crawling
on your hands and knees while
channelling your inner wolf. In
fact, done right, it’s a shortcut to
washboard abs, increased mobility
and a beast of a mental boost, too.
This weighted version of the
regular kickthrough is a complex
movement in the technical sense
of the word, meaning it requires
the coordination of multiple
muscle groups and joints. When
performing it, you need to focus on
n
stabilising your planted arm while
hefting a dumbbell in the other,
kicking your core into overdrive.
However, it’s this complexity that
transfers gains to body and brain.
“This exercise works wonders forr
your grey matter,” says PT Kemo
Marriott, founder of Mayfair studio
o
Holistic Motions. “Learning new
movement patterns stimulates
increased production of a protein
that contributes to brain growth
and development.” Which means
not only will it prove the catalyst for
fulfilling your abs aspirations,
there’s an intelligence kicker to boot.
Now that’s truly training smart.
01
BRACE
E FOR
THE BEST
EXERCISE
YOU’RE
NOT DOING
KICKSTART
GROWTH
TAKE-OFF
OFF
Crouch with your
hands on the ground,
umbbells.
holding dumbbells.
Your heels
ls should be
rectly below
raised, directly
es, and your
your glutes,
knees hovering
vering
above thee floor.
I
02
EXPLODE OUT
Raise your left foot
and tense your abs in
preparation – you’re
about to do a lot of
things simultaneously.
Jump your right foot
to where your right
hand is, lifting your
right hand as you do.
03
KICK
04
THROUGH
THROU
UGH
FOLD BACK
In a fluid movement,
m
kick your left leg
he gap
through the
between your right
eft hand,
foot and left
g your leg
extending
as far as you can.
Still solid?? This next
bit is fairlyy tricky.
Hold th
the extended
positio
position for a beat
before reversing the
move iin the same
order. Then
T
repeat to
the oth
other side. Abs
already aching? You
consider that
can co
it’s working.
proof it
WHAT YOU’LL GAIN...
BEASTMODE ABS
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
HEIGHTENED
COORDINATION
BREAKDANCER
MOVES
MEN’S
M
HEALTH 31
03
DOZE AND
DON’TS
SHEAR
FAT
IN
YOUR
SLEEP
Give your weightloss plan a wake-up call by sending your
WEIGHTLOSS
NEWSFEED
11/16
natural testosterone resources sky-high in your slumber.
Losing while you’re snoozing? It’s the dream scenario
M
any trainers would claim
that, when it comes to
weightloss, there’s no
substitute for sweating it
out under a barbell or spending your
evenings prepping chicken breasts in
Tupperware. But actually, giving your
belly-shrinking ambitions an edge is so
easy you can do it with your eyes shut.
Testosterone suffers from a dubious
reputation, thanks to its association
with top-heavy gym monsters armed
with hypodermics. But this essential
hormone – produced naturally in your
sleep – not only has the potential to
help you gain muscle mass, it can also
target fat around your gut, providing a
raft of health benefits beyond new abs.
Research published in the Journal
of Andrology found that catching
superior Zs results in a T-boost that’s
exponential – and that upping your
kip from four hours to eight increases
your levels of the fat-stripping
hormone by more than 50%.
But simply being horizontal for
the night doesn’t cut it. Studies have
linked sleep efficiency – the quality
and length of your deep sleep – to
even higher testosterone. Think of it
as the nocturnal fat-burning zone.
Follow the steps below to enter this
hallowed state as soon as your head
hits the pillow. So go sleep it off.
IGNORE WOOLY BRO
SCIENCE. DECENT REST IS
THE WAY TO BURN FAT
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT
Deploy sound sleep science before you hit the hay to get yourself in the zone
18:00
20:00
21:00
22:15
22:30
WARM UP
GO OFF GRID
DROP OUT
PUT A SOCK ON IT
ROLL OVER
Worried a post-work
session will leave you
wired? A study* found
working out aids rest
by boosting body heat,
much like a warm bath.
Try a next-level digital
detox and turn off the
wifi: electromagnetic
frequencies in your
bedroom have been
shown to affect sleep.
Supplementing sleep
hormone melatonin
knocks you out faster.
Liquid drops are the
most easily absorbed
(£7 evitamins.com).
Having warm feet
enlarges blood vessels,
lowering your core
body temperature and
helping you to doze
off more rapidly.
Right-side snoozer?
US doctors found
sleeping on your left
reduces the risk of
sleep-disturbing acid
reflux. Now, lights out.
32 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: PETER CROWTHER | *SOURCES: APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERISTY, SAUDI MEDICAL JOURNAL, UNIVERISTY OF MARYLAND, NATURE, PHILADELPHIA GRADUATE HOS PITAL
A
02
MAKE SLEEP
COUNT
THE BEST
GYMS IN
THE WORLD
SCALE UP
YOUR FITNESS
Rock your body at Sheffield’s
Awesome Walls, one of the
country’s highest-calibre
climbing centres, and see
your training go up a level
C
45°
WORDS: JAMIE MILLAR | PHOTOGRAPHY: TOM WATKINS
The most extreme
angle of one of the
centre’s two bouldering
walls. There are also
30-degree, 15-degree
and vertical sections, in
case the demands of the
former prove too acute.
104
The number of ‘lines’ at
Awesome Walls, which
equates to more than
312 potential routes for
you to scale – and zero
risk of getting bored,
as they’re redrawn on
a regular basis.
GUTTER CREDIT
limbing is on the rise, for
a chalky handful of reasons.
“People want an alternative
to the monotony of the gym,”
says Phil Borodajkewycz, duty manager
at the Sheffield branch of the excellently
named Awesome Walls. “It works all
the major muscle groups, can provide
a good cardio workout and is fantastic
for mental health.” After all, nothing
takes your mind off your problems
like concentrating on the more
immediate concern of not falling off.
If you’re down on your training
routine, or anything else, then things
are looking up. So good is the Steel
City outpost that it was the first
climbing gym in the UK to be awarded
National Performance Centre status
by the British Mountaineering Council.
Team GB members and other pros
will regularly swing by, but the majority
of the hangers-on are recreational
climbers. “We attract a huge mix of
people,” says Borodajkewycz. “Male
and female, toddlers to pensioners,
no matter their ability.”
Climbing recently qualified for the
2020 Olympics. If you haven’t, don’t
worry, as you’ll be instructed in all
of the safety aspects such as how to
put on a harness, tie knots and control
the rope before you’re let loose –
metaphorically speaking, of course.
Equipment can be hired on site,
where you’ll also find a cafe serving
homemade brownies, Yorkshire Tea
and baps. This is Sheffield, after all.
34 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
A
04
NORTHERN
HEIGHTS
23M
The height of the
competition wall, the
biggest at the centre,
which comes complete
with a 12m overhang.
As the website says,
“not for the faint of
heart – or weak-armed.”
£19
The price of an initial
‘taster’ session, essential
for learning the, well,
ropes. Then it’s just £8
a session, with even
more cost-effective
weekly and monthly
passes. Tie yourself in.
9.5
The centre’s current
record in seconds for
the 14.5m speed wall,
which also overhangs
at five degrees. The
standing world record
for the same distance
is 5.6 seconds.
GYM
AWESOME WALLS
LOCATION
GUTTER CREDIT
SHEFFIELD, UK
WEBSITE
AWESOMEWALLS.CO.UK
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 35
05
MEAT: YOUR
MAKER
A
THE DEVIL’S
ADVOCATE
YOU NEED TO EAT
MORE RED MEAT
Steak night isn’t killing us after all. In
fact, red meat tears through fat and
keeps hormones
ones in balance – you just
need to choose
the rig
right stuff
ose
WORDS: MARK BAILEY | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC
D
id you know
ow the
number of vegans in
Britain has
as risen by 360%
over the past decade? In that
time, red meat has been relegated to the
realm of ‘man food’, favoured by those
hunting muscle, not gathering health.
But chew over the misinformed hashtags
for a minute and you’ll realise this food’s
nutritional worth is far from being in the
red. Let’s start by skewering some myths.
Red meat provides quality protein,
curbing hunger and supporting muscle
growth. It also contains conjugated
linoleic acid, which takes a bite out of
your belly fat 1 . But many people
have ditched red meat for poultry
and fish, fearing beef’s saturated
fat. Again, this is a mistake. Sat fat
is essential to everything from
brain health to energy. It’s why
NHS guidelines allow for up to
30g per day. A zero-tolerance
approach is unsupported.
Besides, not only is
red meat far from a
death sentence for your
cholesterol 2 , modern
farming methods have
actually slashed the
levels of fat in most
red meat. In fact,
there’s more fat in a chicken breast
with its skin on than a lean slab of sirloin.
But what about the Daily Mail health
police bemoaning the Big C risks? The idea
that meat causes cancer is also misleading.
We need to differentiate between red meat
eaten in its natural form – such as a good
steak – and processed meat, like cheap
sausage and ham. People often mince the
two together but when the World Health
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
“Sat fat is an essential
nutrient... A zerotolerance approach
is unsupported”
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
1
TRIMMING FAT
Red meat’s conjugated linoleic
acid (CLA) helps you cut fat
while maintaining muscle, the
University of Wisconsin says.
2
HEARTY DINNER
Lean beef helps to keep heartharming LDL cholesterol in
balance, reports the American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
SATAN’S LITTLE HELPER
Consultant dietitian Helen
Bond (helenbond.co.uk)
is a spokesperson for the
British Dietetic Association
Organisation declared that red meat
raises your risk of colorectal cancer, it was
processed fare they were talking about.
What we do know is that, if you dodge
red meat and don’t adequately substitute
the nutrients, you risk issues spanning
from low energy
to poor sexual
health. Red meat,
for example, is
a key source of
fatigue-fighting
iron 3 . It also
contains magnesium and zinc, which
support testosterone production, and its
selenium strengthens the immune system.
Plus a good steak is a rare source of vit D,
as well as B12, which fuels your
workouts by
facilitating
energy release.
(Exhausted after
reading that list? You
might be iron deficient.)
Red meat isn’t just beef, either,
but also pork, lamb, veal, goat – any
meat that’s red at room temperature.
Each has its own benefits so it’s worth
mixing it up: lamb is high in niacin –
a mood-balancer – while pork is rich in
heart-supporting thiamin. Of course,
this doesn’t mean you can tear through
more red meat than a tyrannosaurus
rex. Overconsumption contributes to
health problems in the same way as any
other food group. Stick to the 500g per
week advised by the NHS, trim visible fat
and grill when possible. And this is one
part of your weekly shop where it’s worth
spending extra: grass-fed beef is higher
in nutrients. Follow those rules and you
can enjoy steak night without spending
your life on red alert. Béarnaise optional.
3
GIVE IN TO PLEASURES
OF THE FLESH, WITHOUT
CONDEMNATION
MEAT HEAD
A study in European Journal
of Epidemiology linked higher
red meat intake to enhanced
neurological development.
MEN’S HEALTH 37
A
06
LIFT IN THE
MOMENT
PUSH OUT FAT AND
PULL
IN
NEW
MUSCLE
This full-body test is our toughest to date.
RUN THE
GAUNTLET
CROSSFIT
AMRAP
01 \ SET THE BAR
02 \ HANG TIGHT
First up, thrusters. With
the bar in a front-rack
position, lower into a deep
squat before pressing
back up, using the
momentum to drive the
bar overhead. Your rep is
complete when your arms
are locked out, ears in
front of biceps. Give us 10.
Straight from the thrusters,
jump up to a pull-up bar
and knock out 10. Forget
kipping; stick to strict
reps with a tight core
and clean form. If you
can’t manage them in a
row, use your time wisely
and take a 10-second
pause before carrying on.
03 \ FINAL PUSH
When you’ve finished 10
reps of both – correction,
iff you finish – it’s straight
back to the beginning
for another round of 10
thrusters. With 12 minutes
to work, keep the pace
steady or risk wasting
the final five collapsed in
a heap on the gym floor.
floor
> THE SCOREBOARD Tally up your total before checking it against Wallace’s rankings
2 rounds
3-5 rounds
5-10 rounds
10+ rounds
BEGINNER
INTERMEDIATE
ADVANCED
ELITE
M k pull-ups
Make
ll
easier
i by
b
engaging your strong
upper-back muscles first. It’ll
support your arms when they
start pulling down on the bar.
Fi d another
Find
th gear nextt ti
time
by mixing sprint sessions
into your training. It could
increase your anaerobic
capacity by up to 30%*.
I
Increasing
i the
th cardio
di you
do at max speed raises your
lactic threshold, lending your
muscles the stamina they
need to break past 10 rounds.
V wellll done.
Very
d
Now try with
a weighted vest (argos.co.uk/
menshealth), or bump up
the barbell weight. CrossFit
always has another level.
38 MEN’S HEALTH
THE TASKMASTER
Jordan Wallace,
CrossFit coach
“AMRAP – as many
rounds as possible
– is a CrossFit staple.
With a set end point,
you can push yourself
to that ‘dark place’ at
high intensity levels,
knowing it’s only
for a short time.”
Pleased with
your PB?
Shout about it:
#MHgauntlet
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
*NORWAY’S NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH | WORDS: JACK HART | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL HAYNES | MODEL: CHRISTOPHER
WHITLOW AT APM | STYLING: ABENA OFEI | GROOMING: SUSANA MOTA| | TRACK PANTS NIKE AT MRPORTER.COM, PEGASUS 33 TRAINERS NIKE.COM
Complete as many rounds as possible in 12
minutes – and keep that sweat towel handy
T H S N O B ’ S G U I D E T O...
THE HE AL
From reheated burritos to not-sobuenos nachos, your relationship
with Mexican cuisine needs work. MHH
upsets the food truck to inject zing
ng
into your menu. Viva la revolución!
ón!!
HOT OFF
THE PRESS
POWER FLOURS
The food truck phenomenon
shows no sign of abating, with
many new restaurants using
food markets as a springboard
to more permanent digs. Bao,
Pizza Pilgrims and Pitt Cue all
started life on the road before
turning revered restaurants
in their own right. But while
burrito stalls abound, until
recently Mexican fare has
never quite made the step up.
“What most people call
tacos – hard shells filled with
beef mince
nce – are a Tex-Mex
abomination that
hat h
has
as
as
unfairly led to
o the idea that
th
ha
att
Mexican food
od is low-quality,”
low-quality
ity
ty
y,,””
says Jamess Hart, founder
of London’s
on’s new gourmet
taqueria
ia El Pastor. “In fact,
tacos are soft and have fresh,
zingy
gy fillings. They’re not
supposed
pposed to be greasy.”
Using
g all-star ingredients
such as avocados,
dos, chillies and
cured fish, Hart’s mission
ssion is
to unwrap the health cred off
Mexican food. And with tacos,
it all starts with a good dough.
i)
YELLOW CORN
ii)
BLUE CORN
iii)
WHOLEMEAL
iv)
TOSTADA
Clean eaters and
bread abstainers,
rejoice – cornmeal
is gluten-free. And
if you’re looking to
support muscle
recovery, corn also
carries about half
your iron RDA, which
can be supplemented
by adding blitzed
spinach to your mix.
While the cool colour
might divide diners,
you can’t argue with
the fact blue corn
contains 20% more
protein and has
a lower glycaemic
index than white,
drip-feeding your
muscles with power
during the day. It also
has a sweeter, nuttier
taste to help tone
down spicy salsas.
If the idea of white
carbs (or blue, for that
matter) still sends
shivers down your
health-conscious
spine, we’ve got you
covered. These pack
more dietary fibre for
improved digestion
and slump-beating
B vitamins – perfect
for lunch al desko.
Bake
ke your tortilla
tortillass at
180°C
and
C for 20min
20
nd
you’ve got another
er
Mexican classic, the
he
tostada. Brigham
Young Uni says crunch
unch
makes you more
aware of how much
ch
you’re eating, so you
end up consuming
less. Though delicious
toppings could throw
a sombrero in the
works, of course.
40 MEN’S HEALTH
GUTTER
GGUT
GU
UUTTTE
TTER
EERR CREDIT
CREED
CR
EDI
DDIIT
Put down the Old El Paso! Now, in a bowl,
combine a pinch of salt with 115g Maseca
cornmeal (£3.90 mexgrocer.co.uk).
Add 180ml hot water, knead for 2min, cover
the dough with clingfilm and leave for
20min. While you wait, line your tortilla
press (£16 mexgrocer.co.uk) with
clingfilm so you can remove your tortillas
tear-free. Once the dough has rested, place
an iron griddle (£36 robertdyas.co.uk)
on a high heat, and form your dough into
ping-pong-size balls for tortillas 10cm in
diameter – big enough for four mouthfuls,
small enough to stop you overfilling. Next,
place the ball in the centre of the press
and close. Remove, flip and repeat. Go
from press to piping-hot griddle and
cook your tortillas for 2min 15sec, flipping
every 45sec until they puff up slightly. Once
cooked, place in the fold of a tea towel to
stop
going
p them g
g cold. Muy
y bien.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
M
ME
ENS
NSHHEEAL
ALTTHH.CCOO..UK
UK
0077
0088
TTACO
TA
ACCOO TTHE
HHEE
GLORY
GLOORRY
GL
TEAA
TE
SERVICE
SSERV
SE
ERRVVIC
V IC E
A
WRAP
S TA R S
Whether you plan
on tucking in for a solo
feast, or have booked up
a mariachi band for a
real fiesta, an authentic
taste is essential – and
matching your salsa to your
protein is the mark of a taco
connoisseur. “Salsas are
split into two camps,” Hart
explains. “Firstly fresh, made
from tomatillos with lots of
acidity, added to coriander,
garlic, lime and jalapeño” –
pair this with chicken or
white fish for a lighter taste.
For richer flavours and a
higher fat content you need a
smoky, more indulgent salsa:
“Cooked tomatoes, roasted
garlic, onion and chipotle.”
Now, adopt a Mexicando attitude (sorry) and try
these delicious recipes from
Hart and El Pastor. Tacos
Ta
done right. De nada.
i) MONKFISH & SALSA VERDE
SERVES 2
• Coriander seeds, 1tsp
• Peppercorns, 10
• A lime, zested and juiced
• Fresh coriander, handful
• Monkfish tail, 250g
• Blue
ue corn
co tortillas, 6
FORR THE SALSA:
• Tomatillos, 100g
• White onion, ¼
• Poblano peppers, 40g
• A garlic clove, skin on
• Jalapeños, 2
METHOD
Grill the salsa ingredients for 10min;
blend, add salt to taste and set aside.
Toast the coriander seeds and
peppercorns, grind using a pestle
and mortar, and mix with 1½tbsp
vegetable oil and the lime juice and
zest. Add the fish, cover and leave to
marinate for 2hr. Cook the fish in a
griddle p
pan on medium heat forr 5min
per side, until it eeasily comes away
way
from the bone. Flake
k into the tortilla
ortilla
and spoon overr salsa. One tequ
tequila...
uila...
ii) SPINACH, SQUASH & QUESO FRESCO
SERVES 2
• Squash, 250g
• Paprika, 1tsp
• Spinach, 100g
• Wholemeal tortillas, 6
• Queso fresco, 150g
METHOD
Cut the squash into bitesize chunks,
toss in a little vegetable oil with a
pinch of salt and the paprika, and
roast at 180°C until soft and golden.
Steam the spinach then squeeze out
any excess water. Arrange the
spinach and squash on the tortillas
then crumble the queso fresco
o r the top. Two tequila…
ove
over
GUTTER
GUT
GGU
UUTTTTE
TER
EERR CREDIT
CREED
CR
EDI
DDIT
WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: LOUISA PARRY | FOOD STYLING: TAMARA
TAM VOS
SPECIAL BRE
BREW
E
Too early for tequila?
tequ
Traditional Mexican
tea,, or agua, provides
thirst-quenching
a thir
health boost that also
healt
extinguishes chipotleextin
induced emergencies
induc
ICED & SPICED
HIBISCUS TEA
SERVES 2
• Hibis
Hibiscus flowers, 2tbsp
• Cinn
Cinnamon, 1tsp
• Clov
Cloves, 1tsp
• Card
Cardamom, 1tsp
• Agav
Agave syrup, 1tsp
METHO
METHOD
Leave the shot glasses, salt
lime to one side. Add
and lim
hibiscus (which improves
hibisc
immunity), cinnamon
immun
(metabolism boost), cloves
(meta
(anti-inflammatory) and
(anti-i
cardamom (digestion aid) to
carda
a teapot
teap with 500ml boiling
water. Steep for 3min then
strain and set aside to cool.
ol.
When ready to drink, add
agave syrup. Slammin’.
the ag
n’.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
iii) CRISPY
SPY CHI
CHICKEN
I CKEN & SALSA VERDE
SERVES 2
• Salsa ingredients, above
• Skin-on chicken
thigh, 250g
• A chipotle chilli
• A cascabel chilli
• A garlic clove
• Coriander seeds, 1tsp
• Cumin seeds, 1tsp
• Agave syrup, 1tsp
• A lime, juiced
• Fresh coriander, 50g
• Yellow corn tortillas, 6
METHOD
Make thee salsa verde, as above
above.. Add
an of water with
with
the chicken to a pan
he boil
some salt and sugar. Bring to the
boil,
then cool and leave for 2hr. Fry the
dried chillies, garlic and spices, then
grind with a pestle and mortar. Add
the syrup, lime juice and most of the
fresh coriander and spoon over the
drained chicken. Leave for an hour,
then griddle for 20min. Slice and lay on
top of the tortillas with the salsa and
remaining coriander. Three tequila...
iv) TUNA & CHIPOTLE MAYO TOSTADA
SERVES 2
• A chipotle chilli
• Mayonnaise, 1tbsp
• A lime, juiced
juic
• A leek, very finely sliced
i d
• Mirin, 1tbsp
• Light soy sauce, 1tbsp
• Raw tuna fillet, 250g
• Tostadas, 6
• An avocado, sliced
METHOD
Soak the chipotle in warm water
for 10min. Drain and pat dry. Blitz it
into the mayonnaise and add lime
th sliced leek in
juice to taste. Fry the
a small amount of coconut oilil until
til
brown and crisp. Remove from the
pan and drain on kitchen roll. Mix the
mirin and soy sauce. Slice the tuna
into strips, dip into the mirin/soy mix
then arrange on the tostadas. Top
with a little mayo, avocado slices and
the crispy leek. And finally… floor.
MEN’S HEALTH 41
10
LEAVE FAT
FOR DEAD
MAKE GOOD
HEALTH AN
INSIDE
JOB
Mirror muscles can mask
inner weaknesses. Change
up your workouts and put
dangerous fat on the run
C
ardiophobic bros beware:
your bulging biceps may
paint a picture of health,
but the route to longevity
is one best trod in running shoes.
Endurance training is now proven
to be the most effective cure for
excess visceral fat – the internal
kind that swaddles organs
and obscures abdominals.
A recent study
by Obesity Reviews
found that, while
LEAN UP AT LUNCH
Trim visceral fat from your workouts with a plan
from Wayne Edwards, head trainer at 3Tribes
two to six months of endurance
training has little effect on your
weight – good news for those who
fear cardio’s catabolic effect on
their gains – it reduces internal
fat by as much as 6%. This slashes
your risk of heart failure, no matter
how many kilos you’re carrying.
If your waist-to-hip ratio is
above one (a key marker of high
intra-abdominal fat), chest’n’guns
simply won’t cut it. To tackle the
issue at heart you need to push
hard enough to put your body
in the fat-burning zone. This
lunchbreak-friendly triathlon
workout is your go-to.
ROWER
Row as fast as you can to
complete 2000m. Fit guys
should aim for eight minutes,
but 10 is a good target. Make
sure you’re breaking a sweat.
WATT BIKE
Crank it out on the bike
at 60rpm for a standing
climb. Every three minutes,
switch to a seated sprint at
120rpm. Go for 15 minutes.
TREADMILL
Sprints are proven to shift
more abdominal fat than a
steady-state trudge. Do four
minutes at 8km/h and one
at 14km/h for 15 minutes.
HHEALTH
N
NEWSFEED
111/16
1/
WORDS: SCARLETT WRENCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC | 3TRIBES.CO.UK | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC
A
09
THE STRENGH
WITHIN
STEP UP YOUR
CARDIO TO STAND
THE TEST OF TIME
42 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
A
11
DRINKING
GAINS
FIRST ORDERS
VERSUS
WINE
VS BEER
Pass the bar exam at happy hour with our
glass-half-full guide to selecting the best
beverage for your wellbeing.
g This round’s on us
WINE
BEER
VVSS
3.2
2.8
The
T
he number of
h
units
un
ni per pint.
You’re
You’’r looking at
close
clos
se to 220kcal,
or a slice
ssl of pizza
The number of
units in a large
glass. At about
190kcal, that’s equal
to a bag of crisps
ps
ENDORSEMENT
“Red wine could give athletes a boost
by increasing free testosterone”
“Milk is for babies. When you grow
up you have to drink beer”
Kingston University
Arnold Schwarzenegger
TIPPING POINTS
?!
Balances BP
Ups bone density Helps gym recovery Enhances banter
Eases joint pain
HEALTH HERO
ELLAGIC ACID
XANTHOHUMOL
Extracted from pinot noir grapes, this
antioxidant slows the growth of fat cells.
Berries and walnuts are (less fun) sources
The point at which blood-alcohol peaks
after a glass of wine, the University of
Texas says, measured from the last sip.
Time humorous anecdotes accordingly
Adding wine to meat reduces the toxic
chemicals released during the breakdown
of fat. Sauce-up your next casserole
A flavonoid found in hops, it could offer
protection against Alzheimer’s disease.
The required dosage is unclear, however...
HAPPY HOUR
54 minutes
62 minutes
PAIRING NOTES
Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Beer enters the bloodstream slightly
slower. Note, subjects were asked to
savour their beverage over 20 minutes.
Necking it will have variable effects
Marinating meat in lager before flamegrilling cuts the formation of carcinogenic
PAHs by 37%, or by 68% for dark beer
Universidade do Porto, Portugal
THE MH VERDICT: WINE WINS!
Wine’s profusion of heart-healthy antioxidants sets a high bar – but the right beer falls a
close second. While a glass of red is still the top order, a hoppy IPA beats a sweet white. In
moderation, there’s no need to bottle out when minding your health: a vin-vin situation.
44 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
*AS PART OF YOUR WEEK’S 14 UNITS, THAT IS | WORDS: SCARLETT WRENCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC
Aids heart health*
MH LAB
GPS
WATCHES
MH
WINNER
NAVIGATE
YOUR WAY
TO
A
NEW
PB
Good fitness adventures
es
require a proper wrist
assessment, and GPS
watches let you track
your training and plot
a path to a new PB. MH
H
explores your options
S
46 MEN’S HEALTH
DURABLE STAMINA
9/10
Polar V800 £339
Value
Tech
Style
UX
Apps
ON THE MAP
8/10
Suunto Ambit3 Peak £270
Value
Tech
Style
UX
Apps
••••••••
••••••••
••••••••
•••••••
••••••••••
DON’T LOSE FACE If you’re looking for
a long-term workout partner, this watch
will spot you. With a weather trend
indicator and sunrise/sunset timer, you
can outwit the elements and squeeze
extra training time from every day.
EXPERT VERDICT Worth the outlay if
only to access the app, Movescount,
which provides heat maps revealing
the tracks favoured by communities
all over the globe. You can even create
original routes and upload them to
your watch to blaze your own trail.
••••••••
••••••••••
•••••••••
•••••••••
•••••••••
QUIDS PRO GO Fitness nerds, look no
further. Not only can Polar predict the
time needed to recover before your next
session, an orthostatic test shows how
your heart rate responds to stress so
you can tailor workouts accordingly.
EXPERT VERDICT You’d be forgiven for
being a little precious with this level of
tech, but wrapping it in cotton wool might
mess with the GPS signal. Covered with
Gorilla Glass and water resistant to 30m,
it’s hardwearing enough to keep pace.
And at this price, it certainly should do.
IT’S GREAT OUTDOORS
GPS watches are wasted
on those shackled to a
treadmill. But the benefits
of outdoor cardio extend
well beyond being able
to use your new toy
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
GUTTER CREDIT
orry old-schoolers, the
days of lacing up tired
trainers and running
through the wild until
you drop are gone. Today,
unless your kit is feeding back
every iota of available info,
you’re losing valuable ground
on your parkrun rivals. That
means investing in a proper
support team – preferably one
you can carry on your wrist.
But what sets a GPS watch
apart from your ten-a-penny
tracker? Well, using satellites,
they chart exactly how far and
fast you’re running, biking,
or swimming, wherever you
are in the world. That’s a lot
of tech for one wrist, and
precisely the type of statistical
boon that can elevate your
cardio endeavours to new
heights. We chased down
Ben Hobson, Runner’s World
digital editor, and asked him
to map out the GPS watches
capable of keeping pace with
your aspirations. Time to
recalibrate your endurance.
TRIPLE THREAT
8/10
GUTTER CREDIT
ADDITIONAL WORDS: TED LANE | PHOTOGRAPHY: CHARLIE SURBEY
Garmin 735XT £360
Value
Tech
Style
UX
Apps
TRI IT OUT Take your triathlon career up
a notch with a coach’s insight from your
wrist. Feeding back with an analysis of
your ground contact time, stride length,
even lactate threshold, this model lets
you make elite adjustments on the fly.
EXPERT VERDICT Triathlon functions
measure performance for running
(indoor/outdoor), cycling (indoor/outdoor)
and swimming (pool/open water). And
technophobes needn’t worry about
high-tech complicating matters – it’s all
achieved at the touch of one button.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
13
PARK YOUR
EFFORTS
A
7.5/10
Soleus Pulse £170
•••••••
•••••••••
••••••••
••••••••
•••••••
HOBBY INTO HABIT
Open-air training is
more rewarding than
a HIIT class, which increases the
likelihood of making your training
plan stick, claims Environmental
Science & Technology.
GREAT UNKNOWN
12
A MAP ON
THE WRIST
Value
Tech
Style
UX
Apps
•••••••••
•••••••
••••••
••••••••
•••••••
YOUR NEXT STEP As well as standard
training features, its GPS allows you
to record workouts with a new level of
accuracy. Just as there are athletes
whose success is founded on doing the
basics well, the same is true of Soleus.
EXPERT VERDICT Much like when
wearing a GPS watch, it’s worth going
off the beaten track and investigating
the lesser-known. This entry-level
watch provides all you need to maximise
your long-distance workouts without
exhausting your bank account.
PRICE IS RIGHT
With the average gym
membership well over
£300 per year, park runs and
adventures in further fields offer
fitness-boosting opportunities
that won’t break the bank.
PICK UP THE PACE
Not only does hitting the
hills increase leg strength,
but it improves running economy
too, reports Karolinska Institute.
It’ll shave minutes from your PB
when you’re back on the flat.
FINELY TUNED
8.5/10
TomTom Spark £190
Value
Tech
Style
UX
Apps
••••••••
•••••••
••••••••••
•••••••••
••••••••
BRIGHT SPARK The Spark’s ability to
store music makes it gym-friendly, while
TomTom’s MySports app lets you easily
review your progress. With changeable
strap colours, a lot of boxes are being
ticked for a reasonable price point.
EXPERT VERDICT Music is a proven
performance enhancer and can be an
invaluable distraction from the monotony
of long runs. Training with 500 songs –
not to mention getting a free set of
wireless headphones – can make all
the difference to your motivation.
MEN’S HEALTH 47
14
FEEDER’S
DIGEST
WHAT
HAPPENS
WHEN…
IIt’sEAT
GLUTEN?
a nutritional bête noire outlawed
04
by athletes and the #eatclean zealots
alike. But is it all bad? MH breaks
down dietetic enemy number one
Going gluten-free in
the hope you’ll feel
energised? “In some
cases, giving up gluten
can increase tiredness,”
says Akbar. “Foods
containing gluten
provide a range of
other nutrients,
from iron to folic
acid to fibre.
Remove these
from your diet, and
you’re creating nutrient
deficiencies that can
lead to fatigue.” Instead
of simply switching to
wheat substitutes, focus
on eating more fruit and
veg. Don’t make the cut.
NUTRITION
OMISSION
04
01
HARD TO
STOMACH
Like Big Sam Allardyce,
gluten’s image problem
is partly down to its size.
“Gluten is a large protein
with a low surface area,”
says Dr Ayesha Akbar
of the British Society of
Gastroenterology. “As
proteins pass through
the digestive system, a
greater surface area
helps enzymes break
them down.” Help your
body out by chewing
15 times per mouthful.
01
05
02
02
05
03
RIGHTFUL
VILIFICATION
WORDS: DANIEL MASOLIVER | ILLUSTRATION: PETER GRUNDY
A
“In the less than 1% of
people who suffer from
coeliac disease, the body
launches an autoimmune
response to gluten,
attacking the villi (tiny
projections in your small
intestines) and resulting
in the malabsorption
of nutrients.” That’s an
extreme case, but 5-8%
of us can still experience
some sensitivity, where
your villi are intact, but
diarrhoea and bloating
regularly rear their heads.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
03
GUT FEELING
We’re all inclined to think
with our stomachs, but
the relationship between
brain and gut may be
more intimate than you
realise. “There are more
serotonin-producing
cells and nerve fibres in
the gut than anywhere
else in the body,” says
Akbar. “In a recent study
of individuals with
gluten sensitivity, those
given a placebo saw an
improvement in mood
compared to those
given gluten capsules.”
Sensitive souls on
a free-from diet do have
something to smile about.
BLOATED
STATE
Gwyneth Paltrow and
an army of paleo fans
would have you believe
the gluten in your bread
is to blame for bloating.
Reality is a little more
complicated. “It’s not
uncommon for people to
experience bloating after
eating wheat-based
foods,” says Akbar. “But
how much of that water
retention is down to the
gluten, and how much is
because of short-chain
carbs is very hard to say.”
Use your loaf: cutting
off your crusts isn’t
worth losing the fibre.
MEN’S HEALTH 49
PUMP UP YOUR
HEALTH
$TOCK
In our new franchise,
ch
hiiisssee,
h
e, we
we chart
cch
haarrrtt
the rise and fall of
of rre
recent
eeccceeent
nt
month
on
o
nth
nt
th
h,, it
iit’s
t’s
t’s
research. This mo
month,
the best investments
ments
me
m
en
en
ntttss
for your heart
02
GOLD FISH
A diet high in fruit and
veg, fish and unrefined
foods staves off heart
attacks and may also
help reverse effects of
erectile dysfunction.
European Society
of Cardiology
03
GRAB A LIFT
Sports scientists
found that lifting
weights promotes
more uniformly sized
red blood cells –
an indicator of low
heart disease risk.
Uni of Mississippi
04
GO GREEN
Just one kiwi fruit
a week raises ‘good’
HDL cholesterol
concentration in
your blood, reducing
heart attack-inducing
blood clots. Sweet.
Nutrition Journal
05
BREATH OF AIR
A weekly yoga class
lowered heart rate
and blood pressure in
people with abnormal
heart rhythm.
European Journal
of Cardiovascular
Nursing
50 MEN’S HEALTH
05
FIT$E IND£X
HEART
HEALTH
03
02
06
07
01
01
FINE TUNES
Listening to classical
music on your morning
commute cuts stress
and blood pressure.
Even if it’s a loop of
the GoT theme song.
Deutsches Arzteblatt
International
04
12
11
08
06
COUPLE THERAPY
Putting off that
proposal? Tie the
knot and you’ll have
a 14% higher chance
of surviving a heart
attack than your
single friends.
Uni of East Anglia
10
09
13
07
EGG ’EM ON
Cracking the myth
that yolks are bad for
you, researchers
found eggs did not
affect the levels of
‘bad’ LDL cholesterol
in athletes’ blood.
San Diego State Uni
FOLLOWING YOUR
HEART’S DESIRES
WILL PAY DIVIDENDS
08
TEAM PLAYER
Watching your team
struggle against the
drop needn’t end in
heartache. Scientists
found stroke risk is
not notably higher on
match days. European
Academy of Neurology
09
RAY BAN
A new study puts the
sunshine vitamin back
in the shade: both too
low and too high levels
of vit D were found to
raise the risk of cardiorelated mortality.
Uni of Copenhagen
16
14
10
SALT WOUNDS
We already know that
a lack of salt can
hinder muscle growth;
but it turns out that
a deficiency may
increase your risk of
heart disease, too.
McMaster University
11
OIL TRICKS
Using veg oils rich in
linoleic acid instead
of butter may lower
cholesterol – but it
can also make heart
disease more likely.
He who dairies wins.
British Medical Journal
15
QUIT SMOKING
15
12
OVERLOAD
Gym bros, take note.
High-calorie shakes
reduce levels of ANP,
which lowers blood
pressure and gets
rid of excess sodium.
American College
of Cardiology
14
EXHAUSTION
13
EVERY CLOUD
There’s never been a
better time to switch.
E-cigarette vapour
causes little or no
stress response in
artery cells, unlike
conventional smoke.
University of Bristol
The more traffic noise
you’re exposed to, the
greater your heart
attack risk. As if you
needed another cause
of sleepless nights.
Deutsches Arzteblatt
International
Sorry, city-dwellers:
air pollutants speed
the build-up of arterial
plaque, increasing
your odds of heart
troubles later in life.
Reroute the commute.
Uni of Washington
16
TWO BAD
A non-mover – and
largely preventable
in its more common
type 2 form – diabetes
leads to a 50% higher
risk of dying from
a heart attack.
University of Leeds
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
WORDS: LOUEE DESSENT-JACKSON | ILLUSTRATIONS: INFOMEN
A
15
THE TICKER
LIST
BULK UP,
SLIM DOWN
CHEESE
TOASTIE
GREASE THE WHEELS
FOR
FASTER
FITNESS
With a few easy upgrades, the humble
cheese toastie can become the hottest way
to take a healthy bite out of your body goals
g
5C4ARBS
MAKE GRATER GAINS
BEEF UP WITH A BUBBLING SLICE OF MUSCLE FUEL
• Wholegrain
mustard, 50g
• Horseradish
sauce, 50g
• Lemon juice
• Sourdough
bread, 4 slices
• Cornichons, 100g
• Pickled onions,
2, separated
into petals
g
52FAT
UP
INGREDIENTS
LK
Cheese toasties may be a piping
hot trend thanks to new comfort
food eateries such as London’s
Melt Room, but a few tweaks can
transform them into mouthwatering muscle meals. This
salt beef and mozzarella filling
delivers a 77g protein hit to your
muscles, while the lactic acid
bacteria in sourdough bread
reduces blood sugar spikes and
limits excess fat storage. Plus
the addition of cornichons and
pickled onions lend a dose
of blood pressure-stabilising
potassium and bone-building
vitamin K for a health-kick
crunch. Napkins at the ready.
BU
7R7OgTEIN
P
2
9C9ALORIES
BULK-UP EXTRAS
• Salt beef, 400g,
shredded
• Mayonnaise,
100g
• Mozzarella,
8 slices
> METHOD SERVES 2
1/ MIX IT UP
2/ GRILLL TIME
Bind the salt beef with the mustard,
mayo and horseradish in a bowl. Lick
the spoon, then season with salt and
pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Lightly toast your sliced sourdough
in the grill. Top with the beef mix and
two slices of mozzarella on each before
grilling until the cheese begins to melt.
SLIM-DOWN
EXTRAS
• Quinoa, 70g
(dry weight)
• Dijon mustard,
2tbsp
3/ IN A PICKLE
4/ NICE SLICE
French cafes serve their sandwiches
with a side of pickled treats, so while
it’s bubbling, chop the cornichons
and plate up with the pickled onions.
k sandwiches,
d i h
Now layer into two chunky
being careful not to make a beef and
mozzarella mess. Cut each sandwich
in half so they’re easier to shoehorn in.
52 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
16
17
CHEESE
BROAD
FAT GAIN IS
TOAST
A
MELT AWAY INCHES
GRILL YOUR LOVE HANDLES WITH A MED CLUB
THE TOAST MAKER
Name: Steven Ellis
Job: Chef
Ellis’s skill at fusing French cooking
with English and Mediterranean
flavours will raise your cheese
toasties to new layers of flavour.
INGREDIENTS
• Olive oil, 1tbsp
• Garlic, 3 cloves,
crushed
• Chives, 6 sprigs,
finely sliced
• Rye bread, 4
thin slices
For the salsa verde:
• Shallot, ½, diced
• Anchovy fillets, 4
• Parsley, 30g
• Basil, 30g
• Capers, 1tsp
• Olive oil, 1tsp
• Red wine
vinegar, 1tsp
3C2ARgBS
S
P
DOW
3R5OTgEIN
LI
M
21FAgT
N
4A6LO3RIES
SLIM-DOWN
EXTRAS
• Cherry tomatoes,
8, chopped
• A yellow pepper
• A courgette,
chopped
• Halloumi, 150g,
sliced into 6
Halloumi is a smart Cypriot
cheese that stays fairly solid
when heated, so its succulent
slices maintain a meaty texture
that will keep your stomach
satisfied for hours. With one
serving containing 20g of
hunger-busting protein and
a whopping 80% of your bonestrengthening calcium RDA,
it’s a mightier alternative to
traditional cheddar. Serving it
on rye triples the satiating fibre
compared to white bread,
keeping cravings at bay, while
filling up on Mediterranean
veg has been shown to trigger
double the weightloss results
of a bland low-fat diet. With a
dollop of thick salsa verde you’ll
bag enough healthy fats to fuel
workouts and further melt any
dough from your middle.
C
WORDS: MARK BAILEY | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC | FOOD STYLIST:
TAMARA VOS | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC
> METHOD SERVES 2
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
1/ CHOP TO IT
2/ FEEL THE BURN
Set the oven to 180°C then cut up
the vegetables into bite-size chunks.
Mix them together with a dash of
olive oil and crushed garlic cloves.
Place the vegetables on a baking tray,
season to taste, then cook for 15min.
Allow to cool before removing the
cloves and mixing in the chives.
3/ CARE TO SALSA?
4/ PAN HUNGER
Blitz all salsa verde ingredients – bar
the olive oil and vinegar – in a food
processor. Add the oil and vinegar then
pulse for a spreadable consistency.
Toast the rye bread in a hot, dry pan
then remove and add the halloumi.
Smear the salsa over the bread, then
add the cheese and veg and dig in.
MEN’S HEALTH 53
18
19
EXECUTIVE
DECISIONS
WORKS OF
WISDOM
A
MIND
NEWSFEED
11/16
A TAXING JOB IS OFTEN
THE BEST MEDICINE
FOR A MUDDLED MIND
CLIMB THE
COGNITIVE
LADDER
Chasing a bigger pay slip
WORDS: MATT EVANS | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC
*UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH
could be selling your brain
short. Challenge yourself
to keep you mind alive
H
old onto your wallets:
wages in Britain have
fallen by an average of
10% since the financial
crisis, worse than anywhere in
Europe bar Greece. So far, so scary.
But just because your job isn’t
filling your bank account doesn’t
mean your career is bankrupt of
worth. In fact, when it comes to
your next career move, a change in
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
priorities could help make a smart
deposit in your health pension.
A new study in the Journal of
Occupational and Environmental
Medicine discovered a challenging
workplace improves cognitive
powers as you age, meaning
mental stimulation wins out over
salary in the long-term. Sadly, the
reverse is also true – a better-paid
office drone filling in spreadsheets
will find his faculties declining far
faster, increasing your likelihood
of developing dementia.
The western world likes to
equate wealth with health. But it’s
mental stimulation, not money in
the bank, that will guarantee an
upturn in later fortunes. So next
time you update your CV, consider
the jobs (right) designed to boost
bank balance and brain. These are
the thinking man’s career choices.
STIMULUS PACKAGE
The top job criteria for a healthy
brain, matched to your new role*
MENTORING
Stay savvy by sharing
your knowledge. Teachers
rarely lose their edge.
PRECISION WORKING
Tinker with an engineering
career for cognitive gains
through motor skills.
NEGOTIATING
Stimulate debate with
a legal career to get
creative juices flowing.
CO-ORDINATING
Overseeing people in
a management role gets
your brain spinning plates.
MEN’S HEALTH 55
GUTTER CREDIT
STAR POWER
IS BUILT BEHIND
THE SCENES
56 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
COVE R M O D E L M U SC LE
JUSTIN THEROUX
The
Slow
Burner
GUTTER CREDIT
WITH THE PHYSIQUE OF A MAN HALF HIS AGE, A
STRATOSPHERICALLY HIGH-PROFILE WIFE, AND A CAREER
LITTERED WITH QUIET PERFORMANCES IN LAUDED MOVIES,
JUSTIN THEROUX COULD JUST BE THE COOLEST MAN IN
HOLLYWOOD. THAT IS, OF COURSE, IF HE LIVED THERE
WORDS BY COLIN CRUMMY - PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRIK GIARDINO
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 57
Justin
Theroux
is a man who
knows his
wardrobe.
58 MEN’S HEALTH
things in Justin Theroux’s world, he is
taking the beard in his stride. Adapting,
even. “To be honest, there is actually
a beard balm I’m enjoying,” he laughs,
popping into his bathroom to retrieve it.
“It’s lavender. It smells nice.”
Theroux, you also may have gathered,
is a gift to interviewers. He is engaged
and enthusiastic, no matter the topic. Big
or small, he loves or
hates it. He can chew
the fat over his love
of grooming (“I’m
into it,” he says, “kind
of unapologetically,
because it makes me
feel better”), his love of
dogs (he adopts them
and uses social media
to guilt trip others to
do the same, which
works a treat) and his
great, great love of his
adopted hometown
New York City.
When Men’s Health
catches up with him, he’s enjoying a day
off from filming The Leftovers, which
has relocated to Australia for series
three. He is in relaxed form away from
what he calls the “grief fest” of the daily
schedule. That’s because The Leftovers
is heavy-duty stuff; an existential crisis
in boxset form. It begins with 2% of the
world’s population disappearing without
explanation and then asks what happens
next. The answers include: people go
crazy, join cults, smoke a lot and sleep
walk to calamitous effect. The local sheriff
“SCHOOLL
WASS TOUGH,
TOUGH,
BUT LE
LETT’SS
BE CLEAR,
CLEA
LEARR,
IT WASN
WAAASSSN
W
N’T
N’T
SYRIA
SYRIAN
YRIAN
N
REFUG
REFUGEE
EFUGEE
EE
TOUGH”
UGH”
ALTERNATIVE
ASCENT
If Theroux’s route
to stardom has been
long and varied, his
CV reveals an actor
of impeccable taste
2000
American Psycho
His ’80s yuppie character
Timothy Bryce was one
of Patrick Bateman’s
business card jousters.
2001
Mulholland Drive
Theroux played director
Adam Kesher in David
Lynch’s lauded noirthriller masterpiece.
2003
Six Feet Under
After cameos in Sex And
The City, a recurring role
in Six Feet Under brought
the actor to UK screens.
GUTTER CREDIT
His style says downtown New York
biker: leather boots, skinny jeans, vintage
T-shirt. Sleeveless tee if the temperature
heads above 30, leather jacket if it doesn’t.
There are absolute no-nos, even as the
mercury rises in a Manhattan summer.
“The one thing that is unchangeable is
I refuse to wear shorts,” he states with
the confidence of a man who is never off
best-dressed men lists. “I just don’t think
it’s a good look on anybody.” Wait, there’s
more. “It’s the same with flip-flops. I don’t
think anyone should wear those things
unless they’re in rehab, in hospital or on
a beach. I just prefer jeans and boots.”
The grungy New York thing is a tricky
one to pull off without looking like you’re
free-wheeling into a mid-life crisis. On
45-year-old Theroux it simply looks
cool. Sometimes he’ll ride one of his four
motorcycles, but lately he’s opted for
a bicycle to get around town, presumably
giving NYC’s couriers a dressing down
on their presentation. Even the addition
of a beard fell effortlessly under the
‘he wore it well’ category on walls of
shame. The facial hair has, however, not
been the most welcome. “It’s driving me
crazy,” he laughs, “because I actually
love shaving. There’s something that
feels good about shaving.”
The beard, you may have gathered, is
not Theroux’s by choice. He’s grown it for
the third and final series of The Leftovers,
the HBO show that’s pushed him into the
spotlight for reasons more integral than
his ability to wear clothes well or the fact
that he just so happens to be married to
Jennifer Aniston. But like most other
GUTTER CREDIT
THEROUX HAS MADE FEW
CONCESSIONS ON HIS
CLIMB TO THE TOP
Kevin Garvey – played by Theroux – tries to
keep order and not lose his mind. It’s not
a spoiler to say that he succeeds in neither.
TAKING THE LEAD
The show was developed from the Tom
Perrotta novel by Lost creator Damon
Lindelof. It shares with that series a
fixation with the unexplained; its themes
are the big questions of life and death. It
can be baroque and studied, like a series
of high-minded Instagram images. If that
sounds like a lot to stomach for a Tuesday
night in front of the tellybox, Theroux
understands. Series one, he admits, tested
viewers to “breaking point”. But over
two seasons and a change of location,
characters and themes, The Leftovers
has found its groove and a dedicated
audience, willing to grapple with the
brain ache. “The show is disquieting,”
says Theroux. “The people who love the
show are embracing that because there
are existential questions in it that we ask
all the time. Questions about things like
where do we go when we die, why are we
here, what is the point of life? All that stuff.”
The show has belatedly catapulted
Theroux into leading man status after
20 years in the business. Shave the beard
and Theroux is action man personified,
thanks to his Italian heritage and a
dedication to the weights room. Those
sleeveless tees don’t fill themselves. But
Theroux’s starring role isn’t the stuff of
classic heroes. Sheriff Garvey is all outer
strength and inner
bewilderment. His
body may say ‘ready
for action’. His eyes
say ‘what the fuck
just happened?’
Genetics might
have something to
do with his success.
His mother, Phyllis,
was a journalist with
The Washington
Post. His uncle is
the novelist Paul
Theroux, his cousins are writers and TV
presenters Louis and Marcel Theroux
and his father, Eugene, is a lawyer. Yet
despite the bookish background, Theroux
did not thrive in school. He didn’t like
teachers or authority and was diagnosed
with dyslexia and ADHD. “It was tough,
but let’s be clear, it wasn’t Syrian
refugee tough,” he qualifies. His teenage
GUTTER CREDIT
“I ONLY
LY
EVER FIND
MYSEL
MYSELF
ELFF
UNHAPPYY IF
I MISTRUS
MISTRUST
USTT
MY GUT””
60 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
COVE R M O D E L M U SC LE
JUSTIN THEROUX
THEROUX’S RISING
PROFILE HASN’T ALTERED
HIS TIGHT GRIP ON REALITY
years were met with a severe case of
wanderlust. “I knew I wanted to leave my
neighbourhood for somewhere exciting,”
he says. “I wanted to be alone, not in
a melancholy way, but to experience
everything.” Having graduated from
Bennington College in Vermont with
a double major in visual art and drama,
he headed for New York.
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
GUTTER
HAIR: CHRIS
CREDIT
MCMILLAN FOR LIVING PROOF AT SOLO ARTISTS | GROOMING: LISA-RAQUEL C/O
ANNA CASAGRANDE AT SEE MANAGEMENT | STYLING: RYAN HASTINGS AND ANALI MRAOVITCH
When Theroux landed in Manhattan,
he “threw a bunch of stuff at the wall”
to see what worked. He painted murals
for legendary clubs like Palladium and
The Limelight, proving that even when
Justin Theroux just threw stuff at a wall,
it was a pretty cool wall. He did theatre,
then advanced to TV and film. He got
an apartment in Greenwich Village and
indulged his fixer-upper side, refurbishing
salvaged furniture. He decorated his flat
in a singular fashion. A New York Times
interiors feature from 2003 catalogued his
love for collecting curios. A treasure trove
for those who like their comedy black,
home décor at Chez Theroux included
macabre medical instruments to a sweets
bowl filled with human teeth. His cousin
Louis once gifted him a book on syphilis,
which sounds like the documentarian
being weird until Theroux clarifies that
it was to go with all the other objects the
actor has on the STD. “He was just giving
me a companion piece,” he smiles. “But
most of the things I own are not repulsive.
It’s not that I have two-headed babies in
glass jars and formaldehyde. That’s not
what my house looks like at all.”
While Theroux lived his real-life New
York dream in his twenties, a slightly
more sanitised version of Manhattan
living captured the television-watching
public’s imagination. Friends was shot
on an LA soundstage but put forward a
fantasy vision of Big Apple life. It turned
its six leads into megastars and one of
their number, Jennifer Aniston – because
of her persona, her hair and her private
life – into one of the most scrutinised
celebrities on the planet. After meeting
on the set of Tropic Thunder in 2007, they
dated and – after many, many reams of
tabloid speculation – married in a private
ceremony at their home in Bel Air in 2015.
Justin Theroux is not one to complain.
Like the man says, his woes are not that of
the war torn. But the level of spotlight his
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 61
62 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
SHIRTS KELLY COLE RECYCLED VINTAGE, BRACELET
DEAN HARRIS AT BARNEYS, JEANS THEROUX’S OWN BLK
DNM, OTHER ACCESSORIES THEROUX’S OWN
GUTTER CREDIT
COVE R M O D E L M U SC LE
JUSTIN THEROUX
CONSTANTLY ON THE GO,
THEROUX’S FITNESS GOALS
HAVE RARELY DERAILED
ALTERNATIVE
ASCENT
Theroux continues
to hit new heights
2008
Tropic Thunder
This role led to Theroux
meeting his future wife.
Oh, and he was a writer
and exec producer…
2014
The Leftovers
HBO’s slow-burning cult
favourite has made him
a superstar without
sacrificing credibility.
GUTTER CREDIT
2016
The Girl On The Train
In cinemas this month,
Theroux stars opposite
Emily Blunt in ‘the
new Gone Girl’.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
wife, their marriage and he himself deals
with is intense. “To some extent, there’s
no use us bitching about the tedium of the
paparazzi,” he says, even though every
time he leaves his apartment he’s got a
dozen on his doorstep. The couple tend to
ignore the tabloids, but this year Aniston
chose to respond in an op-ed piece to
tabloid reports that she was pregnant,
a story gleaned from pap shots of her
stomach while on holiday. The reality was
she’d just had lunch. For his part, Theroux
is both open and honourable when talk
turns to his uber famous wife. “I was very
proud of what she wrote,” he says. “It was
a rare insight into how disgusting all that
is. At some point it becomes bullying.
It sucks when people aim cameras at
your stomach on some bizarre womb
watch. But more to the point, it’s equally
damaging to the national conversation.”
There is a strong moral backbone to
Theroux, something he credits with living
in New York. He says having the luxury
of doing the latter part of his growing
up there made him open to all kinds of
experiences and people. David Lynch,
the enigmatic director who cast him
in Mulholland Drive back in 2001, has
described him as a ‘modern man’. But
Theroux turns this on its head. “I just
find non-modern men very boring.
Just because they seem rigid, stuck in
the old tropes of what it means to be a
professional, a boyfriend, a father. Those
kinds of things.” Undoubtedly, Theroux
has been a very modern man in the cool
way he’s handled his wife’s fame.
THE INSIDE TRACK
In addition to New York, the couple own
a place in LA, the latter also home to their
chickens. He recently completed another
project close to home in upstate New York,
The Girl On The Train. It’s the only time in
our conversation he turns cagey. But with
due cause; he doesn’t want to give away
any of its many twists. Based on the bestselling book, it is likely to emulate the
success of Gone Girl and thrust Theroux
further into cinema’s major league.
Between bi-coastal living, filming
commitments (he’s off to Berlin next for
another project he’s tight lipped about)
and the global locations for The Leftovers,
Theroux has to manage his fitness regime
accordingly. When in LA, he hits the
weights rack hard. He doesn’t lift absurd
amounts, but heavy weights at low reps.
He sets a goal, reaches it and works out
a maintenance programme when he’s
filming. “You have to come in to filming
in the best shape you can because as the
hours and weeks grind on you, you find
yourself not having the luxury of going to
the gym and doing the big workouts you
like to do,” he says. “I always try to look
into where I’m going to be so I can find
a little spot to work out,” says Theroux.
“The beauty of workouts now is that you
really just need some rubber bands and
a kettlebell and you can set up anywhere.”
Sometimes, though, he doesn’t even leave
the apartment to get with the workout
programme. “I’ve just got this Peloton
bike, which I fucking adore,” he enthuses.
“You can drop in on actual spin classes
in New York on this monitor. I thought it
would gather dust but I tried a class and
15 minutes in I was gushing with sweat.”
Theroux doesn’t sweat the small stuff.
In his thirties, when he was working on
the screenplay for Iron Man 2, he had no
time for the gym. He packed on weight
and developed back pain. He’s turned that
around but the motivation is more about
feeling than looking good. At 45, he’s
conscious of losing muscle mass faster
and he sees exercise as an investment in
living a long, healthy life. “Fitness is a
brain food. It makes my brain function
better. It improves my mood,” he says.
“There are times I don’t enjoy working
out, but I never regret visiting a gym. It’s
about keeping the spring tight, you know?”
Regrets would seem to be few and far
between for Justin Theroux. He may
star in a show about the mysteries of life
but he’s a man who’s cracked the code to
living a happy one. It is perhaps why he
conducts himself in such an easy manner.
It turns out his happiness is instinctive.
“I only ever find myself unhappy if
I mistrust my gut,” he says. “If I make
a career decision that I think will advance
me in some way, it usually ends badly
with me being unhappy in a location I
don’t like. If I’ve learned anything it’s to
do what I want based on my taste. Usually
I enjoy myself. It’s simple advice, do what
makes you happy. But I’ve been very
successful, at least on a happiness level.”
The Girl On The Train is in UK cinemas
5 October. The Leftovers returns in 2017
TURN OVER FOR THEROUX’S
FEELGOOD FITNESS PLAN
MEN’S HEALTH 63
COVE R M O D E L M U SC LE
JUSTIN THEROUX
STEP UP YOUR WORKOUTS
FOR A PHYSIQUE THAT’LL
FILL OUT THE BIG SCREEN
The
Workouts
WORKOUT PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS
SCULPT LEAN LEADING-MAN MUSCLE WITH THEROUX’S FITNESS REGIME
THE FOUNDATIONS
OF FAT-BURNING
Barbell moves and compound
exercises are the building blocks
of Theroux’s physique. This
workout from his PT, Jason Walsh
of Rise Nation, kicks off with a big
1/ THRUSTER
2/ FARMER’S WALK
3/ FRONT SQUAT
4/ L-SIT PULL-UP
3 SETS OF 10 REPS
From a front rack position, bar on
your shoulders, drop into a squat
(A). Press back up explosively and
use the momentum to drive the bar
overhead, maintaining a straight
back (B). Lower the bar and repeat.
3 SETS OF 30SEC
Grab a heavy dumbbell or kettlebell
in each hand, tucking in your pelvis
to avoid your back stooping with the
weight (A). Walk forward over a set
distance (B), not pausing at the end
before yyou turn to walk back.
3 SETS OF 8 REPS
Legs feeling heavy? Push through
to complete 8 reps with a full range
of motion: with a barbell across your
chest, squat down to 90 degrees
(A). Tense your core to stay upright
as you drive back upp to the top
p (B).
3 SETS OF 8-10 REPS
Your legs may get a breather, but
this move is tough on your core. Lift
your legs until your body is bent at
a right angle (A), then drive your
elbows down as you pull your chest
to the bar (B). Lower with control.
lift, engaging all major muscles
while pushing your body into
prime fat-burning territory. The
moves that follow capitalise on
this boost to get you lean, quickly.
A
B
B
B
A
A
A
CUT OUT AND KEEP
B
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 65
COVE R M O D E L M U SC LE
JUSTIN THEROUX
FUNCTIONAL
STRENGTH
Walsh fits as much pull work into
Theroux’s workouts as possible.
His reasoning is that most people
neglect the posterior chain – ie
1/ SLED PULL
2/ TRX REVERSE FLY
3/ TRX ONE-ARM PULL
4A/ TRAP BAR DEADLIFT
3 SETS OF 45SEC
“Justin hates these,” says Walsh.
But they’re not here for sadism: sled
p
p yyour muscles for heavy
pulls p
prep
lifts. Attach the sled with a belt,
be
then sprint for a short distanc
distance.
4 SETS OF 10-15 REPS
Standing in front of a TRX, take a
handle in each hand and lean back
slowly until your arms are straight
(A). Squeeze your shoulderblades
to draw back up to the top (B).
4 SETS OF 10-15 REPS
Holding both handles in one hand,
lean back as shown (A). Steady
yourself by tensing your core and
glutes, then pull your body up (B).
Keep your elbow at your side.
5 SETS OF 8 REPS
Stand inside the trap bar, grasping
the handles with knees bent (A).
Pull back your shoulderblades to
brace your upper body as you press
with your legs too standing (B).
muscles running down your back,
glutes and hamstrings – which
has the biggest potential for
strength and extra fat-burning.
SUPERSET 01
B
A
A
A
B
B
A
B
SUPERSET 01
SUPERSETT 02
SUP
02
4B/ WEIGHTED PULL-UP
5A/ LANDMINE OVERHEAD
OVERH
PRESS
5 SETS OF 8 REPS
Attach a belt with a manageable
weight – Theroux lifts 20kg. From
a dead hang (A), pull your chest to
the bar (B) then slowly lower. Go
back to the deadlifts for another set.
CAREFUL PLANNING AND
TIME-MANAGEMENT GIVE
THEROUX HIGH DEFINITION
4 SETS OF 20 REPS
Stand with one end of a barbell in
your left hand, the other end fixed
in a corner, knees bent (A). Press
to full extension (B), then lower and
repeat on the other side.
B
B
A
A
SUPERSET 02
5B/ LANDMINE BENT-OVER ROW
6/ BICEPS CURL
4 SETS OF 8 REPS
Turn to face away from the base,
holding the bar at your side (A).
Hinge forward
ard and row into your
stomach ((B)) before changing sides.
Return to th
the
landmine
he landmin
ne presses.
4 SETS OF 21 REPS
Round off the session with a classic
bodybuilding routine. Curl a pair of
dumbells up to halfway for 7 reps,
then lower from top to halfway for
7, and finally complete 7 full reps.
B
B
CUT OUT AND KEEP
A
A
66 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
TIME
WORDS BY DAVID MORTON / PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOBE LAWRENSON
MAXIMISING
AXIM
M I S I N G LIFE’S
LI
GREATEST
GREAAT E ST LLUXURY
U
01
WEEK TO CUT LOOSE
AND WATCH YOUR
WAISTLINE SHRINK
I
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY | BALLOON COURTESY OF BUBBLEGUM BALLOONS/NOTONTHEHIGHSTREET.COM
f you’re the sort of employee
who regularly spends his
evenings bathed in the glow of
an Anglepoise, triple-checking
reports and tweaking emails for
the morning, it’s no use blaming
late-night ‘al desko’ dining for your
weight gain. In fact, a recent study
has found that perfectionism in
the workplace will do more than
simply disincline workmates to invite
you out for drinks. It’ll make you fat.
In an article published in the
Journal of Health Psychology, study
subjects with high perfectionism
scores had an increased propensity
to obesity in the short term. Worse
still, career obsessive compulsives
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
showed a 51% higher risk of early
death than their laid-back colleagues.
And that’s a very good case for
closing down those spreadsheets.
“Perfectionism is definitely a virtue
to be extolled within reason,” says
Dr Prem Fry, research professor at
Trinity Western University. “But
beyond a certain threshold, it can
backfire and become an impediment.”
So, while getting things right when it
matters will help you scale the ladder,
letting the minutiae of the nine-tofive slide from time to time will make
you a leaner, healthier man for, oh you
know, the rest of your life. We’ll let you
decide how that one should pan out.
CUT YOURSELF SOME SLACK:
PERFECTIONISM COULD
BE WEIGHING YOU DOWN
MEN’S HEALTH 71
TIME
05
DAYS TO LOOK MORE
DESIRABLE WITHOUT
LIFTING A FINGER
O
f all the things we have
apparently exceeded
ultimate capacity for in
recent years, #peakbeard
was one of the first backlashes to
trend. Yet while the beard boom
has shown signs of abatement, it is
by no means dead yet. And those
men who have persisted with their
facial topiary can justifiably bristle
with pride to learn that the beard
has now been proven to enhance
its wearer’s desirability to women.
Researchers at the University
of New South Wales in Australia
asked women to rate the faces of
variously groomed men. Those
with heavy beards scored highest
for perceived parenting ability,
health, suitability as a partner and
in general appeared more alluring
than clean-shaven counterparts.
The reason, researchers said, is
that the beard suggests a healthy
dose of testosterone.
Pogonophobes need not fret,
however, since you don’t need
to look like you’ve lived in the
woods for six months to reap
the rewards. Heavy stubble was
deemed to be most attractive of
grades studied, so merely cutting
the razor out of your mirror routine
for a few days is enough to see
some decent growth where it
really makes a difference. After
all, it’s unlikely we’re going to hit
#peakhandsome any time soon.
72 MEN’S HEALTH
LOVE IS IN THE (FACIAL)
HAIR. LET IT GROW
FOR MAXIMUM APPEAL
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
A DAILY CARROT HABIT
NEGATES THE NEED TO
ASK YOU DOC WHAT’S UP
24
HOURS TO HALVEE
YOUR CANCER RISK
ISK
WITH CARROT JUICE
UICE
W
hile we’d be inclined to
forgive the type of man
who gives #eatcleann juice
zealots a generous berth
at the salad bar, those with ann
eye on the escalating rates of
prostate cancer would do
well to challenge their bias
against the merits of
so-called ‘rabbit food’.
Epidemiologists at China’ss
University of Zhejiang carriedd out
a meta-analysis of 10 studiess into
the cancer-fighting efficacy of
carrots. Their sums show that
at men
who crunch their way through
gh at
least one carrot a day can halve
alve
their risk of prostate cancer.
Frequency of consumption was
key, with even three times a week
pulling together an 18% decline in
your chances of the disease. But it
was the cumulative effect of a daily
dose which yielded most reward,
slicing odds by 51%. A daily 10g
portion (that’s about one-fifth)
was enough to see the benefits,
but consuming it in juiced form
(try it with apple and ginger) will
spare your colleagues the sound
of virtuous munching. Now,
embrace the root to longer life.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 73
60
SECONDS TO SPIKE
YOUR ENDURANCE
AND FINISH FASTER
I
t’s fair to say it has been
a mightily decent summer for
British cycling. From the
Champs-Elysées to the Rio
velodrome, our athletes have
become the dominant force
on two wheels. And if you’ve
followed in their slipstream, some
new science will give you an added
boost in your weekend sportive.
Research at the Catholic
University of Brasilia found that
performing heavy leg-resistance
moves before a time trial improved
cyclists’ speed and stamina. The
results, published in the Journal
of Strength and Conditioning
Research, credit the effect with
a phenomenon called ‘postactivation potentiation’, which is
when intensive exertion activates
the target muscle and allows it
to work at a higher level directly
afterwards. It’s the same process
by which weightlifters can do more
reps after a short warm-up with
a slightly heavier weight.
The resulting boost in VO2
max and reduced lactic acid led
to 6% faster times over 20km. Two
sets of 10-15 bodyweight squats
with a 20-second rest is surely
the easiest way to stay ahead of
the peloton as the finish wheels
into view – whether that’s the
peak of a category-two climb or
the office door on your commute.
BIKE COURTESY OF SOHO BIKES
WARM UP WITH STRENGTH
MOVES TO BECOME A
TIME-TRIAL HEAVYWEIGHT
74 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
TIME
THIS BIRD KNOWS
HOW TO KNOCK THE
STUFFING OUT OF YOU
03
MINUTES TO FLICK
F
YOUR LEAN-MUSCLE
SWITCH AT LUNCH
I
f the ever-earlier arrival of
Christmas sarnies in your local
coffee shop is an annual source of
ire, try swallowing your grievance.
That’s because a key ingredient in the
snowflake-wrapped snack is a gift
to anyone who wants to gain more
muscle and lose body fat this winter.
Turkey is the richest common
source of tryptophan, a precursor
of serotonin and melatonin, normally
associated with a good night’s
sleep. But results published in the
journal Amino Acids show a strong
link between tryptophan and your
body’s synthesis of protein. In the
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
study, rats were given a daily dose of
oral tryptophan, equivalent to about
2g for humans. Not only did the lucky
rodents show improved muscle mass,
crucially they also lost weight when
compared to the control group.
The researchers believe that
tryptophan induces your small intestine
to absorb more amino acids from
the rest of your food, meaning that
a mouthful of turkey can switch your
body into lean-muscle mode. Whether
you choose to take that mouthful with
stuffing, cranberry sauce and two
slices of wholemeal is, of course, up
to you. But we certainly will.
MEN’S HEALTH 75
ADIDAS WHITE ZNE
HOODY £68
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JOGGERS £52
SEEK OUT GEAR THAT CAN KEEP PACE WITH
YOUR WORKOUTS. AT LABEL, DELIVERED BY
NEXT, THE COMBINATION OF SWEAT-WICKING
TECH AND HARDWEARING FABRIC SUPPORTS
YOUR PERFORMANCE IN THE GYM WHILE THE
STYLISH DESIGNS HELP YOU TO LOOK AND
FEEL LIKE THE ATHLETE YOU ASPIRE TO BE
MH PROMOTION
*NEXT-DAY DELIVERY IS SUBJECT TO STOCK, COURIER AVAILABILITY AND COURIER AREA/STORE LOCATION. OTHER EXCEPTIONS APPLY. SEE NEXT.CO.UK/TERMS
NIKE WHITE MILER
T-SHIRT £24
NIKE BLACK FILAMENT
TIGHTS £40
ADIDAS NAVY ZNE
HOODY £68
ADIDAS NAVY ZNE
JOGGERS £52
WORK HARDER, RUN FASTER, LIVE BETTER
For next-day delivery* from some of the best names
in sports and fashion visit labelonline.co.uk
Does My Body Look
GUTTER
TE CREDIT
TE
CRREDI
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Big / Ski
78 MEN’S HEALTH
M NSSHEAL
ME
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
A TH..CO..UK
AL
The age of ectomorphs and
endomorphs is over. In 2016,
a man’s physique follows
the more modern trends of
Skinny Fat, Gym Bro and
Dad Bod. You might recognise
yourself as one. You may
have aspects of all three.
Either way, you’re not
doing your health or physique
any favours. To transform
you inside and out, we’ve
compiled a guide to the
three shapes, with fitness
prescriptions to cure
yourself of their symptoms.
This is your body of evidence
WORDS BY JAMIE MILLAR
ILLUSTRATIONS BY OLIVER BURSTON
nny / Fat
GUTTER
GUT
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CRREDI
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In This?
MEN
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
NSHE
HEAL
A THH.CO.
O.UKK
ME
MEN’S
EN’S HE
HHEALTH
ALLTH
T 79
79
01
The
Skinny
Fat
Man
GUTTER
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That most deceptive of body types, the
beanpole-fatty boasts a naturally slender
frame, but like an iceberg, most of his bulk is
hidden. It’s this visceral fat around the midriff
that makes him critically unfit, with worrying
long-term health implications. It’s time
to stop hiding and redress the balance
See: Danny Dyer
800 MEN
MEN’S
N’S HHEALTH
EALT
LTTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
ME
ENS
N HE
H ALLTH.CCO.UK
UK
The New Body Shapes
A HEALTHY-LOOKING
FRAME CAN BELIE
SERIOUS HEALTH RISKS
COMPOUND CARVING
While compound lifts reawaken both metabolism and muscle,
there’s more fun to be had in ditching the barbell for unstable
random-object work. These moves from Walker incorporate
the most underused gym kit – so that’s less time queuing at
the rack and more time working. Forget long-distance cardio,
too: cutting down rest between sets is a far superior way of
torching fat. Call it the Everyman Strongman Plan.
1/ FARMER’S WALK
VISCERAL PANIC
GUTTER
GUT
TTE
TTER
E CREDIT
CREEDI
CR
DT
*SOURCES:
AMERICAN
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH,
INJURY EPIDEMIOLOGY JOURNAL, PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE USA, BUCK INSTITUTE
O
ften found hiding in plain sight,
the Skinny Fat man is unlikely
to ’fess up to the appellation –
mainly because he’s unaware of it. Sure,
he looks OK in a T-shirt, but underneath
he’s a not-so-hot mess, with visceral
fat suffocating his internal organs,
drastically increasing his risk of type 2
diabetes. In short, his long-term prospects
are slimmer than his arms – and he has fat
chance of reaching a ripe old age.
“As well as poor training habits,
stress and overeating can cause your
body to stockpile fat,” says PT Tim Walker
of Evolution of Man Training (eomfitness.
com). “As a result, it’s likely that your
testosterone levels have plummeted in
inverse proportion to oestrogen, leading
you to pack on lard in ‘female’ places.”
Think triceps (bingo wings), chest
(man boobs) and hips (they don’t lie). So,
while you may feel in fine fettle, if you’re
carrying a little extra heft, ask yourself: are
you burning the candle at both ends by
getting to work early then staying up
late? Does ‘training’ actually mean the
occasional jaunt round the park? If the
answer to either is yes, it’s time to act.
“The immediate reaction when we
gain weight is to hit the cardio hard,
but steady-state runs actually raise the
stress hormone cortisol, cannibalising
what muscle you do have,” says Walker.
Cue severe iron deficiency, leading
to lethargy, heart palpitations and
headaches – none of which will put you
in an optimum training mindset. “The
key issue at the heart of the Skinny Fat
physique is an imbalance between lean
muscle and fat,” he says. “The solution is
to reverse this ratio in favour of muscle
by shocking your system into action.”
Joining the gym might be a good start.
20%
The fatbegetting
increase in
blood glucose
caused by an
overabundance
of the stress
hormone
cortisol*
21
The number
of days of
HIIT it takes to
reduce visceral
fat by 18%
YOUR
BODY
SHOP
3 SETS OF 30SEC
WITH 10SEC RESTS
Holding two heavy things –
dumbbells, hay bales – walk
forwards, taking short, quick
steps while keeping your
posture upright, shoulders
back (A & B). Keep going
A
until your grip gives out.
B
2/ ONE-ARM
KETTLEBELL SWING
B
3 SETS OF 20 REPS
WITH 10SEC RESTS
Feet shoulder-width apart
and knees soft, take a 12kg
kettlebell in one hand then
swing it through your legs
(A). Engage your core, hips
A
and shoulders to drive it up
to chin height (B). Do 10 reps
per side to complete one set.
3/ MEDICINE BALL LUNGE
GE
WITH OVERHEAD PRESS
3 SETS OF 20 REPS
WITH 10SEC RESTS
Grab a medicine ball (A) and
nd
step forward with your right
ht
foot, lowering your left knee
ee
to the ground. Both legs
should form right angles.
Simultaneously push the ball
overhead (B) and hold for
three seconds. Drive back up
and repeat 10 times per leg.
A
B
DRINK THIS
BUY THIS
A study in Obesity journal found
a direct correlation between
zero-calorie fizzy drinks and
visceral fat around your waist.
Soda water with a slice of lemon
is a sugar-free alternative to hit
that refreshing sweet spot –
don’t be fooled by ‘Diet’ badges.
A pair of dumbbells. If you’re
new to lifting, these are an ideal
tool for teaching stability and
form, with adjustable weight
options preventing you from
lifting too heavy too soon.
Men’s Health Dial Dumbbell
£99.99 argos.co.uk/menshealth
MEN’S HEALTH 81
The New Body Shapes
TOP-HEAVY TRAINING
CAN LEAD TO PAINFUL
POSTURAL DISPARITIES
MUSCLE-BOUND MOBILITY
Bringing in the neglected postural muscles and glutes will
promote far greater mobility than simply alternating chest
and arms ad infinitum. However, bad habits are the hardest
to break and in the gym, our man has a reputation as
someone who lifts and leaves. The solution is to continue
behind closed doors with Wong’s 20-minute evening stretch
ven do it in front of Geordie Sho
ore.
session. You can even
Shore.
1/ YS AND TS
T
his guy is at his best when
approached face-on, thanks to
his habit of constantly training
from the front in the following order:
chest, shoulders, abs. But a sideways
glance tells a different story: his
shoulders slump forward over his
too-tight pecs, his behind protrudes and
his lower back curves because of taut
hip flexors. He may hold the gym’s
deadlift record, but he’d struggle to raise
his hands above his head or complete a
5K without collapsing – all of which can
lead to flexibility issues in later life.
Dalton Wong of Twenty Two Training
(twentytwotraining.com) started out in
mobility and rehab on Harley Street, and
has seen his fair share of poor postures.
“Many men who ‘train’ have that rounded
kyphotic posture, leading to shoulder,
neck and back pain,” he says. “They have
a ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality, so they
work through it. Inside, they’re in terrible
shape: stiff, sore and shovelling protein
into their stomach, which is distended
because they can’t digest it all.” Not the
kind of bulking you had in mind, bro.
When it comes to rectifying the
situation, regeneration is the name of
the game. For the most part, those MMA
fighters the Gym Bro wants to emulate go
hard, go home and get massages. Wong
suggests releasing your hip flexors with a
foam roller and your pecs with a therapy
ball. Not only will this improve your range
of motion, it will also flush toxins from
your muscles, saving you painful DOMs
while boosting your bench press PB in
the long run. You should also rejig your
regime to emphasise your posterior
chain: “For every one chest exercise, do
three back,” says Wong. Having good
posture will never be a negative.
82 MEN’S HEALTH
15
The number of
minutes, three
times a week, you
should spend
working on back
stretches to
maintain good
posture
150%
The rise in
hospitalisations
from weight
training
since 2003
YOUR
BODY
SHOP
2/ SINGLE-LEG SQUAT
3 SETS OF 10 REPS
Start with your right leg
raised off the ground (A).
With your arms outstretched
in front of you, slowly lower
into a squat position with
your left leg bending throughh
90 degrees, and your right
leg parallel to the ground
(B). Return to the start;
10 reps per leg is one set.
3/ PRONE LEG CURL
3 SETS OF 20 REPS
Lie face down with a
resistance band looped
around both ankles. Tighten
your core and bend your right
ht
leg at the knee (A). Bring your
ur
right heel as close to your
glutes as possible before
slowly letting go (B). Do 10
reps per leg to complete a set.
et.
B
A
B
B
A
EAT THIS
BUY THIS
The connective tissues around
your muscles have viscoelastic
properties, meaning they’re
slow to recover from damage.
Give them a much-needed
hit of reparatory collagen by
dining on bone broth after
your toughest session.
A resistance band may not be
the manliest of purchases, but
if you want to keep training long
after your bros have injured
themselves out of the game, this
is the heavy hitter for you.
Men’s Health Resistance Bands
£32.99 argos.co.uk/menshealth
GUTTER
GGUT
U TERR CREDIT
UT
CREDDDIT
UPFRONT IMBALANCES
3 SETS OF 10 REPS
PS
A
Hinge forward at thee
waist, knees slightlyy bent
and back flat. Raisee your
arms overhead to form
orm
a Y shape with yourr thumbs
up (A). Then reach your
arms to the sides for
or Mr T
(B). That’s one rep.
02
The
Gym
Bro
GWORKOUT
GUTTER
GUT
UUTTERR CREDIT
C PHOTOGRAPHY:
CR
EDDDIT
AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS
He definitely lifts, but sadly he’s more
focused on filling his deep V-neck T-shirt than
crafting a well-balanced physique. He might
act like king of the gym, but his egocentric
strength training lacks imagination and is
invariably hiding serious weaknesses – which
become painfully apparent on legs day
See: the cast of Geordie Shore
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
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ME
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HEAL
HEAL
HE
ALTH
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TH.C
O UKK
MEN’S
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MEN’
ME
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HEEAL
ALTH
TH 83
03
The
Dad
Bod
GUTTER
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CCRREDI
E T
The owner of the ubiquitous Dad Bod combines
the occasional moderate hour at the gym
with more frequent epicurean sensibilities.
Unchecked, his Mr Average physique will hinder
both his ability to grow new muscle, and to
repair injury. And, unless you’re a millionaire
film star, it’s a difficult look to pull off
See: Leonardo DiCaprio
8844 M
MEN’S
EN’S
’SS HEA
HEALTH
EAALTHH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
M
ENS
NSHEEALTHH.CO.
O.UK
GAINS NATURALLY SLIP
WITH AGE – ADJUSTING
YOUR TRAINING IS KEY
GROWTH SPURT
If age or indolence has grounded your gains, high-intensity
‘drop sets’ will lift things off the ground. Whatever you’re
doing, aim for twice as many reps as normal, lifting your usual
weight. When you tire, drop the weight by 20% and keep
going with this method until you’ve finished all reps. Pushing
through fatigue engages dormant muscle fibres, promoting
growth and strength to recapture your youthful physique.
1/ DUMBBELL SQUAT
BENCHED BENEFITS
GUTTER
GUT
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TE
CRREDI
E T
W
hether you’re out of the game
completely or no longer
seeing the fast results you did
10 years ago, lapsed athletes face a triple
threat, says ‘career extension specialist’
Mackie Shilstone (mackieshilstone.com).
Having helped quarterback Peyton
Manning lift the Super Bowl trophy this
year after his multiple neck surgeries,
65-year-old Shilstone still terrifies
clients such as Serena Williams with his
fitness levels. “If we let fitness slide, we
face sarcopenia, or age-related muscle
loss; anabolic resistance, which is the
failure of exercise to stimulate growth
like it did when you were 20; and a
reduced ability to recover,” he says.
If you happen to be a Dad Bod denier,
complacency is your enemy. Whether
it’s a penchant for partying or a new
addition to the family keeping you awake
at night, it’s clear your priorities have
shifted since those halcyon days when
you could pack on muscle and keep off
fat while eating whatever, whenever. In
your head, you’ve still got it; in reality,
you’ve got a burgeoning middle-aged
spread and fading muscle memory.
But turning things around doesn’t
require Inception levels of complexity.
“By far the biggest contributor to the
Dad Bod is being too busy or tired to
dedicate proper time to progression,”
says Shilstone. The answer isn’t more
time in the gym, but to rethink what
you’re doing while you’re there. “The
same short warm-up on the bike
followed by those biceps curls you’ve
been doing forever won’t solve
anything,” says Shilstone. To mix things
up, it’s time to embrace a technique
beloved of Arnold Schwarzenegger,
AKA the true fitness daddy.
34%
The amount
by which
testosterone in
new dads can
plummet
2 SETS OF 20 REPS
A
A heavy bar on your back isn’t
n’t
ideal when working toward
failure. Hold dumbbells by
your sides (A) and slowly
lower into a squat with your
back straight (B). Explode
up and repeat, reducing the
weight by 2kg each time you
feel like you can’t go on.
B
B
2/ BENCH PRESS
8
The number of
weeks spent
taking omega-3
supplements
for anabolic
resistance to
reduce, reigniting
your ability to
build muscle
YOUR
BODY
SHOP
2 SETS OF 20 REPS
Lying on a bench, start with
a barbell weight you can
comfortably lift for 10 reps.
Lower the bar to touch your
chest (A), then power it backk
up (B). Once you hit the wall,,
drop 5kg and continue –
with a spotter on hand
should your arms give out
before your will does.
A
3/ DUMBBELL
LATERAL RAISE
2 SETS OF 20 REPS
A bodybuilder’s favourite,
te,
this ropes in the entire upper
back, shoulders and triceps.
ceps.
Stand up straight with a
medium-weight dumbbell
ell in
each hand (A). Raise your
ur
arms to the sides to make
ke
a T shape (B). Lower and
d
repeat, working down the
he
rack until all reps are done.
ne.
B
A
EAT THIS
BUY THIS
Uncovering hidden abs involves
reworking your nutritional
intake. With exceptional levels
of glutamate – source of the
satiating ‘fifth taste’ umami – soy
sauce is your friend. Douse lean
meats and veg in the Japanese
staple to curb overeating.
If you are going back to the
gym, don’t just reach for
your old knackered trainers.
The Nike Metcon offers
the stability and grip you
need to lift with confidence
and stay injury-free.
£110 nike.com
MEN’S HEALTH 85
ARE YOU
FIT TO
WORK?
The modern employee
is more stressed than
ever. Wellness boffins
think they’ve cracked
it, but can algorithmic
bio-tracking really
boost productivity?
MH’s guinea pig plugs
in to the desk-tech
zeitgeist to find out
WORDS BY TOM WARD
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL HEDGE
ow was your day at work? Let
me guess. Optimistic start,
productive run-up to lunch, then
an unexpected afternoon brain
dump, a mad, hair-pulling dash
to get everything done by EOP, followed
by deep-breathing exercises on your
commute home. About right? Unless you
work at Google and spend your day in one
of its deep-immersion, holistic-overhaul,
free-sushi-and-Xbox relaxation pods, it’s
H
likely the above describes at least one of
your nine-to-fives over the past week.
It’s a vexing state of affairs. A recent
study by the government’s Health and
Safety Executive initiative found that
“work-related stress, depression and
anxiety continue to represent a significant
health condition,” accounting for 35%
of work-induced ill health. Worse still is
that British employees are officially the
most stressed in Europe, with pressure to
succeed, overtime and inadequate breaks
putting 46% of us at risk of a (presumably
less violent) Falling Down-style burnout.
And unless Theresa May decides to give
us time off for good behaviour, we’ll likely
be punching in past our 70th birthday.
However, as more forward-thinking
companies and entrepreneurial
trendspotters become aware of the
need for improved corporate hygiene,
a desk-bound existence needn’t come at
the expense of a wellness-sapping career.
There is now a burgeoning industry in
IN BRIEF
What is it? A minimalistic
wristband that scraps
calorie-counting in favour
of rhythmic, calming pulses.
Should I be worried? Fast
tempos can negatively affect
mood and thus productivity.
A University of Wisconsin
study found a tempo of
120-130bpm increases
heartrate, while 50-60bpm
does the opposite, leading
to reduced tension.
Does it work? Independent
researchers at Royal
Holloway University gave
subjects a ‘psychomotor
vigilance task’, measuring
the speed at which they
react to various stimulants.
Those wearing the band
had fewer lapses, indicating
a greater degree of focus.
How easy is it to use?
A refreshingly simple
alternative to Fitbit et al.
GOOD
VIBRATION
Overall score:
••••
Doppel Band £99
doppel.london
tech designed not to save labour as such,
but to save you as you continue to take
on more. For those looking to de-stress,
manage their workloads and revitalise
their health without serving notice and
moving to remote Alaska, there is now a
host of office-centric gizmos available,
tailored to monitor everything from
hydration to blood pressure to posture.
So, with multiple deadlines hunting me
down – then gleefully grinding me into
the ground as they roll past – I decided,
like a white-collar Inspector Gadget,
to plug myself into the mains and see if
they could help me become a brilliant,
more dedicated and diligent worker.
Pressure Gauge
I don’t know about you, but around
3pm, just as I’m on the verge of pushing
my pen into my eyeballs, I rarely think,
“Well, today’s certainly been a kick in the
teeth, but I wonder what all this stress is
doing to my blood pressure?” Wellness
brand Withings clearly takes a different
88 MEN’S HEALTH
approach to after-lunch asthenia and
has acted accordingly, rolling out its new
Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor. The
inoffensive-looking, FDA-approved
cuff is placed around the left biceps and
charts a graph of your blood pressure,
allowing you to share the information
with your GP through the handy app.
The idea is that you’re able to monitor
your risk of hypertension over time,
especially during periods of intense
office-related stress. Every day, then.
According to the British Heart
Foundation, seven million of us are living
with undiagnosed hypertension, putting
us at risk of stroke, kidney damage and
heart disease. Despite this, I’m sceptical
of the need to monitor my blood pressure
multiple times per day – after all, is my
cushy, freebie-laden media job really
going to jack up my vitals that much?
Surely I can get away with exercising
occasionally and worrying about blood
pressure in 30 years’ time.
Professor Julian Paton, a research
fellow specialising in neurogenic
hypertension at Bristol University, puts
a downer on my protests. “You can’t feel
high blood pressure, and you certainly
have no conscious control over it as you
do with breathing. It’s been labelled by
the World Health Organisation as ‘the
single most important risk for the global
burden of disease and death’.”
Disconcerted and out of excuses, I open
the box and get going. I download the
app and receive an email congratulating
me on walking 12,000 steps yesterday,
which is suspicious as I’ve only just got
hold of the device. I’m starting to think
Edward Snowden was right. But things
immediately start looking up: the band’s
installation process is so laborious that
you naturally start with high blood
pressure, and presumably only see
improvements from there. I strap in and
switch on. The cuff squeezes my arm like
an anaconda four times, and I’m told
that every reading has failed. The bulky
white and green device isn’t exactly a
subtle workplace aid, and considering
I’m squeamish about blood anyway, I’m
concerned my colleagues might think I’m
ill. Or, worse, technologically illiterate.
Aware that I’ve wasted an hour of my
working day, I scour the web for help and
discover that, ironically, I may be too
stressed to get an accurate reading. I close
my eyes and imagine a pristine beach,
with not a single email from my editor
in sight. Miraculously, the device works,
informing me I have a systolic reading
(when the heart contracts) of 144 mmHg
and a diastolic (when the heart dilates)
of 84mmHg. I ask Paton to explain. He
tells me I have nothing to
worry about, but to build
up an accurate picture, I’ll
need to continue taking
readings. But I can’t find any
information on how often
decrease in
I’m supposed to do this.
UK workers’
Or what course of action
activity levels
over 50 years
I’m supposed to follow
afterwards. Should I reduce
my alcohol intake? Sign up
for a fun run? Cut back on sodium? The
cuff on my arm doesn’t know. And even if
it did, it’s likely that my GP would prefer to
rely on her own readings – you know, ones
taken by someone with an actual PhD.
“GPs will be cautious when interpreting
the results, because home tests aren’t
20%
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
Are You Fit To Work?
“There is now a
host of office
gizmos that
track everything
from hydration
to posture”
IN BRIEF
PRESSURE
POINTS
Withings Wireless
Blood Pressure
Monitor £110
withings.com
What is it? A stylish
hypertension monitor that
helps you track blood
pressure at home or at work.
Should I be worried? High
blood pressure can lead
to heart disease, kidney
problems, dementia and
stroke. Just 15% more
diagnoses would save the
NHS £850m in treatments
over the next 10 years –
and more than a few lives.
Does it work? “Your
blood pressure fluctuates
constantly so occasional
readings could be
misleading,” says Professor
Julian Paton. “Take it with
you next time you see your
GP to validate its accuracy.”
How easy is it to use?
Through-the-roof levels
of complexity.
Overall score:
••
as accurate as they could be,” confirms
medical director of Bupa Dr Steve Iley,
casting no little doubt on the operation.
At 6pm, as my colleagues are heading
out the door, I take my second reading,
hoping that the end-of-day calm will
provide a more insightful measurement.
This time it only takes two attempts for
the device to work, revealing I have a
systolic rate of 127mmHg, and a diastolic
rate of 80mmHg, which either means I’ve
calmed down considerably, or I’m dying.
Water Weight
After the stress of dealing with the
blood pressure monitor, I need a drink.
But, considering it’s only 10am when I
reach my desk the following morning,
I decide it’s too early to start hitting the
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
hard stuff by at least two hours, and opt
for water instead. Luckily – and hugely
coincidentally – I have a suitable piece
of tech to hand. Any GCSE student can
tell you that we’re made up of 60% water,
and almost every bodily process from
cognition to metabolism is affected if
we don’t drink enough of it. The recent
launch of the Pryme Vessyl ‘smart cup’,
then, seems like the perfect opportunity
to put my own workplace hydration to
the test. Looking like Apple CEO Tim
Cook has snuck into your house in the
middle of the night and redesigned your
tea flask as part of some aesthetically
homogenised iUtopia, the Pryme is a
smooth white cylinder designed to cater
to your ‘individual hydration needs’,
based on metrics from age to height to
biological sex and sleeping patterns, with
an app breaking down your moisture
levels into percentages. I ditch my box of
tea bags and reach for the Vessyl.
The European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) suggests that, of my RDA of 2.5
litres of water, 80% should come from
drinks and the rest from food. But Vessyl’s
health director, Dr Hanson Lenyoun,
thinks it’s not so straightforward.
“You wouldn’t expect Taylor Swift and
Shaquille O’Neal to eat the same amount,
so why would you expect them to drink
the same amount?” he argues, exposing
the extent of our universal ignorance in
MEN’S HEALTH 89
IN BRIEF
one eloquent pop-culture reference.
Iley agrees that being more attentive to
our hydration is a good idea. “Thirst is
a late symptom of dehydration, so
don’t leave it until you’re thirsty before
having a drink.” I fill the Vessyl and
raise my cup to progress.
By 1pm I’ve drunk a full cup’s worth,
amounting to 400ml. According to the
feedback, I’ll have to drink five times this
amount to reach 100% of my potential –
which is directly in line with the general
EFSA suggestions. I ask Lenyoun if the
device’s claims to cater to our personal
hydration metrics are really accurate, and
his answer is confusing. “Pryme won’t
provide you with an upfront hydration
plan – how much you should drink at
what time throughout the day – because
it doesn’t yet know exactly how much
activity you will do.” I turn to Iley, hoping
for clarification. He isn’t so sure about the
cup’s accuracy, either. “Unless the device
is checking your blood results, it can only
ever provide an estimate,” he says. I give
Lenyoun the benefit of the doubt and
press on, wanting desperately to believe
the Vessyl is more than just a fancy cup
resembling the other robot from WALL-E.
I’m soon knocking back fluids like
Shaun Ryder on a heavy night at The
Haçienda. The result being I have the cup
in one hand and my phone in the other,
app open, with a full inbox of unopened
emails waiting on my computer. Contrary
to the device’s claim, I don’t feel like I’m
working at my optimum, or indeed, my
‘Pryme’. Sure, students who drink water
during exams improve their concentration
by up to 5%, but I haven’t got time to be
distracted. Four hours and six cups later,
I’m only – somehow – at 80% of my
Pryme, but I do have a headache coming
on. The cup suggests I keep going. I turn
it off and make a coffee instead. As
caffeine warms my flooded insides, I can’t
help but think that the Pryme’s a nice idea
– and it’s certainly made me drink more
than the hydration app that comes with
my smartwatch – but it’s let down by the
bemusing science surrounding its raison
d’être, the personalised metric tracker.
Still, it looks better on my desk than my
crumpled, ancient Evian bottle.
Corporate Alignment
So far, the two pieces of tech I’ve put to the
test seemed to interfere with my day – or
offer scary prognostications rather than
augment productivity. The Doppel, then,
90 MEN’S HEALTH
What is it? An inoffensive
cushion designed to
monitor posture and
movement through six
separate sensors.
Should I be worried?
A recent Lancet study
found that one million
sedentary British office
workers have increased
their risk of premature
death by up to 60%.
The report strongly
recommends taking
regular breaks to
counter the harmful
effects of inactivity.
Does it work? “We
know that muscle strain
caused by prolonged
sitting leads to a variety of
chronic conditions,” says
Dr Steve Iley. “Take a short
break every 30 minutes and
a longer one every hour or
two.” So, don’t rely solely on
the cushion, but it will help
if you forget to take a break.
How easy is it to use?
As simple as sitting down
(then standing up again).
Overall score:
•••••
“The tech offers
scary prognostics
rather than
augmenting my
productivity”
is a breath of fresh air. Worn on the wrist
like a fitness tracker, it delivers a vibration
against the inside of your wrist, influencing
your heartbeat to help keep you calm and
focused. There’s no step counter. No inbuilt GPS. Nor does it shoot lasers if you
fiddle with the bezel. But does it work?
“The brain responds to sensory
information, and a faster rhythm makes
us more alert, while a slower one calms
us down,” says Professor Manos Tsakiris,
head of the department of psychology
at Royal Holloway University. Tsakiris’
research group was asked by Doppel to
carry out an independent investigation
and put the device through its paces.
CHAIR
CARE
Darma Smart
Cushion £120
darma.co
The study discovered that, at a tempo
of 100-120bpm, the band improved
concentration by up to 5%. Iley backs
Tsakiris’ findings. “Relaxation can
positively influence our stress hormones,
leading to a feeling of wellbeing,” he says.
“Whether you use tech, listen to music
or just stare at the clouds, it’s important
to do it regularly.” I’d like to spend the
day lying in a field looking at the clouds,
imagining I was happy, but London rent
is equivalent to the GDP of a small nation.
Besides, there’s a coat I’ve got my eye on,
so giving up work isn’t an option just yet.
I start with a slow tempo and feel
instantly more relaxed, like there’s a Bon
Iver concert on my wrist. And, owing to
the band’s minimal design and general
lack of ‘look-at-me’ fanfare, I don’t feel
self-conscious wearing it at my desk.
The Doppel does its job, allowing me to
do mine, and as the afternoon draws on
there’s no challenge I can’t deal with.
But if the Doppel calmed me down, the
stiffness in my lower back is threatening
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
Are You Fit To Work?
to send me in the opposite direction. Help
arrives in the form of the Darma Cushion
– a six-sensor pad that measures weight
displacement and sends a reminder to
your phone when you need to sit up, take
a walk or perform some stretches. The
device’s purported benefit is to stop us
slumping over our desks all day – useful,
considering musculoskeletal disorders
accounted for Brits taking a combined
30.6 million days off in 2013. Iley supports
this, explaining that better posture will
ease muscle strain and, as a result, reduce
the amount of stress hormones charging
around. And with a recent Lancet report
strongly advising sedentary people
take a five-minute break every hour, the
Darma seems bang on the money.
To begin with, I’m required to get
into good posture to give it something
to go on. I do this but I’m worried that –
considering I creep around like a Ralph
Steadman illustration – setting my own
questionable standard of good posture
may be slightly redundant. But sitting on
the cushion is a lot more comfortable than
my desk chair, so I throw caution to the
wind and continue on, heroically.
After half an hour the device goes off,
telling me to stand up and twist from side
IN BRIEF
What is it? A sleek,
hydration-monitoring flask
with a design lifted from
2001: A Space Odyssey.
Should I be worried?
A study published in
Physiology and Behaviour
claims that, on average,
dehydrated individuals
make roughly 50% more
errors when concentrating
on mental tasks – such
as driving – than their
well-hydrated peers.
Does it work? The Health
and Medicine Division at
the National Academies,
US, reports, “The
vast majority
of healthy people
adequately meet
their hydration
needs by letting
thirst be their
guide.” Plus, 20% of
our water comes from
food – so getting enough
shouldn’t be difficult.
How easy is it to use? As
painless as pouring a drink.
CUP HALF
FULL
Pryme Vessyl £76
myvessyl.com
GUTTER
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GU
UTTTER
UT
ER CREDIT
CREED
CR
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DDIT
5x
Progress Report
Overall score:
•••
to side. There’s even a video on the app
showing me how to do it. I feel awkward
stretching at my desk, so I give it 20
seconds rather than the recommended
minute and sit down again.
Still, the break has broken
my train of thoughts and
I feel fresher returning to
my work. It goes off again
a bit later, telling me to
WHO exercise
stand up. I’m in the middle
guidelines need
of an important email, so
to rise by this,
say new studies
I half stand, leaning over my
desk as I finish it off, then sit
down again. The device has
no complaints but my heart sinks as
I realise I’m only fooling myself. I resolve
to play it by the book from now on.
At the end of the day I get a message
congratulating me on beating my goals.
I’ve had 91% ‘good sitting time’ and 100%
good posture, which seems ridiculously
impressive for a lifelong sloucher. I’ve
sat for six hours with 14 breaks and, even
though I occasionally cheated, I realise
that I did get up from my desk a lot more
than usual. Best of all, the device informs
me that I’m now just 41% tense, and my
back pain has eased accordingly.
As I box up the various gadgets it seems
apparent that, for now, our tastemaker
overlords are mostly content with putting
a high-tech twist on mundane apparatus,
often with underwhelming results. But
the two most useful bits of kit succeeded
in different ways. The Doppel’s rhythmic
pulse blocked out distractions, while the
Darma offered momentary reprises,
followed by renewed focus and diminished
stress upon my return to my computer.
On the strength of these two devices,
effective and innovative progress seems
to be years rather than decades away.
But with a little more thought given to
practical applications, there’s no reason
why the workplace tech industry can’t
help us all relax. Let’s see pens that
delete emails with every click; computers
programmed to switch off during lunch
hours; desk phones that, when you pick
them up, whisper, “It’s OK, you can do it.”
Because, until we’re all living in Google’s
vision of workplace bliss, we’ll have
to. But for now, the solution may be to
unplug yourself from your desk at least
once an hour. Tech-inspired or not, you’ll
feel better. And, of course, your work will
still be there, waiting for you when you
come back from staring at the clouds.
MEN’S HEALTH 91
DAR I N G
WIN
TO
The SAS might be the world’s elite fighting force,
but high-profile training deaths, unpredictable
new enemies and advanced military technologies
have led detractors to question whether our
glorification of these home-grown super soldiers
comes at too high a price. MH embeds with the
best of the best in the Ecuadorian jungle to ask,
in 2016, what does the SAS really mean?
GUTTER CREDIT
WORDS BY DAN MASOLIVER – PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEVON BISS
92 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
GUTTER CREDIT
SELECTION PUSHES THE LIMITS OF PHYSICAL BRUTALITY,
BUT PSYCHOLOGICAL STAMINA TAKES THE HARDEST HIT
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 93
y the time we find ourselves
kneeling by the freshly dug
grave in the depths of the
Ecuadorian rainforest, MH has
lost all sense of which pains
are real and which are merely
a psychological hangover
from the beastings endured
over the past few hours. The 30-degree
heat, our sweat-soaked combat fatigues
and the aches in our joints all fade into
insignificance as behind we hear what
sounds like a machine gun being cocked.
We feel something against our back
and resist the urge to vomit. But it’s just
Ollie, our ex-special forces guide, telling
us it’s over; telling us that, against all
the odds, MH has passed its unofficial
special forces selection. The fatigue –
compounded through constant burpees
while carrying a breezeblock-filled
rucksack – has made it one of the toughest
challenges we’ve faced. And we’ve only
been at the mercy of our trainers since
6am. As our instructors can attest, this
journo-friendly jaunt through the jungle
pales in comparison to the real thing –
a selection process so tough that not all
who apply make it out alive.
On 13 July 2013, 24 year-old Lance
Corporal Craig Roberts of the Territorial
Army’s 3rd Battalion Royal Anglian
Regiment began the first stage of his SAS
selection: the ‘Fan Dance’ – a gruelling
16-mile march across Pen y Fan, the
largest mountain in South Wales’ Brecon
Beacons. By midday the temperature had
reached 30 degrees.
By 3.30pm Roberts
was found collapsed
and vomiting. He
was airlifted off
the mountain but
succumbed to heat
exhaustion. Two other
reservists – Lance
Corporal Edward Maher and Corporal
James Dunsby – also lost their lives that
day, with 10 others hospitalised after
displaying symptoms of hyperthermia.
During the subsequent inquest,
coroner Louise Hunt ruled that the
three experienced soldiers had died
as a result of neglect. The blame, Hunt
declared, lay with the selectors who had
failed to spot the signs of hyperthermia;
failed to provide adequate water at
the checkpoints; failed, in short, to
3%
The average proportion
of troops who make it
through SAS selection
“ W E LO O K F O R
T H E W I L L TO
KEEP GOING...
PEOPLE WHO
A R E H E R E TO
DO OR DIE”
94 MEN’S HEALTH
ensure their safety. In July this year,
the government rejected the notion
that the Ministry Of Defence should be
prosecuted, arguing that undergoing
the toughest training system employed
by any extant military is “inherently
hazardous”. How else, it asked, are we
to select the best soldiers if they are
not first pushed to their physical and
psychological limits? But one might like
to look at it another way: in demanding
unwavering perfection, are we pushing
special forces recruits to unnecessarily
dangerous extremes? And, with myriad
new technological advances becoming
commonplace on the battlefield, is the
elite soldier becoming an anachronism?
UNCERTAIN TERRAIN
Ever since grainy news footage broadcast
a team of masked men abseiling through
the windows of London’s Iranian
embassy during a spectacular hostage
rescue in 1980, there has been a romantic
fascination with the SAS. The unit’s
actions in the first Gulf War spawned the
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
DA R I N G T O W I N
MENTAL FORTITUDE IN THE FACE OF DANGER IS
WHAT SEPARATES THE FIT FROM THE TRULY ELITE
bestselling memoir Bravo Two Zero, and
the film of the same name, starring Sean
Bean as an SAS soldier. Since then, even
De Niro has signed up, taking on the role
of a retired officer in the 2011 adaptation
of Sir Ranulph Fiennes’ novel The Feather
Men (retitled Killer Elite for the screen).
Former SAS soldiers Andy McNab and
Chris Ryan regularly top bestseller lists
with their SAS-inspired thrillers, earning
£30.4m and £21m respectively. Even
in 2016, when masculinity is no longer
exemplified by the professional warrior,
Channel 4 series SAS: Who Dares Wins –
the reason a ‘civvie’ journalist has been
flown halfway around the world to endure
so much pain – continues to bag viewing
figures in excess of 1.7 million.
Often deployed to hostile environments
at a moment’s notice, British forces –
the Special Air Service (SAS) and Special
Boat Service (SBS) – are sent on missions
that, if successful, you will never know
took place. Hostage rescues, kidnaps,
counter-terrorism, anti-narcotics – all
are just another day in the office. And,
far from damaging the special forces’
rep, these fictional portrayals serve as
much as recruiting fodder as they do light
entertainment. “I liken it to representing
MIND GAME
Ollie’s protocol
will raise your
mental capacity
under duress.
Take 60sec to
memorise 11
random words.
Recite them as
you complete
the workout.
Add 5 words and
5 reps. Repeat
for 3 more sets
your country in the Olympics,” says
‘Foxy’, an ex-SBS member, over the
phone. “It has the same sort of cachet.”
pho
Among international forces, the SAS
A
and SBS have a reputation for being the
best of the best. “Even within the military,
bes
making it into the special forces is seen
ma
an almost unachievable goal,” says
as a
Matthew Ollerton, a six-year SBS vet. “The
Ma
calibre of people you’re working with,
cali
the responsibility… It’s overwhelming.”
Ollerton – or ‘Ollie’ as we come to know
him over the course of our expedition
– cuts an imposing figure, his face all
angles, his body like a sock full of frag
grenades. Retired from the military, Ollie
now co-runs an SAS-style training facility
called Break Point (break-point.co.uk),
making him the perfect candidate for one
of four instructor roles on the Channel
4 show. Ollie leads us through the dense
jungle at an uncomfortable pace. We gasp
for breath in the heavy air. He, however, is
feeling chatty. “Obviously selectors look
for a high level of physical ability, but
after that it’s about digging deeper,” he
says. “They’re looking for people with the
will to keep going regardless. Someone
who says, ‘I’m here to do or die.’”
SQUAD GOALS
The bitter irony is that this “do or die”
attitude is at once the SAS hopeful’s
greatest chance of making the grade and
his greatest risk of ending up in harm’s
way. It has been three years since Kelvin
Roberts learned of his son Craig’s death
on the Brecon Beacons. Over the phone,
he is quick to establish that while he
has the utmost respect for the SAS, he
believes his son’s death was avoidable.
“The greatest protection these men need
1/ PRESS-UP
2/ BURPEE
3/ SIT-UP
22 REPS, NO REST
Hold your body straight, arms extended
and toes touching the floor. Keep your
elbows tucked in as you lower (A). Power
back up (B). Keep reciting those words.
22 REPS, NO REST
From standing, drop into a squat (A)
then kick your legs into a plank position.
Hop your legs in again and power up,
jumping into thee air, arms raised (B).
22 REPS, NO REST
With your back flat and knees bent (A),
sit up by contracting your abs until your
elbows touch your knees (B). Slowly
lower. Rest
st for 10sec, then go again.
B
B
B
A
A
A
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH
HEALT 95
WITH THE DEFINITION OF MODERN WARFARE
SHIFTING RAPIDLY, OUR RECRUITS MUST KEEP PACE
is protection from themselves. That ‘do or
die’ determination means they won’t stop,
even when they should.” His son, Roberts
says with palpable pride, was always
striving to be the best at what he did.
In order to be considered for special
forces selection in the UK, you must
have five years’ military service under
your belt. Only then can you begin an
intense half-year process, which includes
28 days in the jungle. Here, it isn’t just the
physical strain that is an issue, but the
psychological. “The environment is so
claustrophobic,” says Ollie. “You’re taking
leeches off yourself, your skin starts
rotting and every morning you have to
put your dripping wet kit back on. Just the
basic administration of staying mentally
sane is a mission in itself.” The hardcore
few who make it are then given training in
abseiling, demolitions, communications
and survival, before being dumped in the
Brecon Beacons. For their final task, they
must make it to a designated end-point
while evading a hunter force consisting of
helicopters, tracking dogs and a battalion
of men. Succeed and you must then
endure 36 hours of interrogation. Cold,
hungry, exhausted, you must give nothing
away. Of the hundreds who start, typically
90% will drop out, with just a dozen being
welcomed into the ranks of the SAS.
and MP Richard Benyon. “But there’s
simply no need to put men in harm’s
way in selection.” The report’s proposed
measures include ensuring that the GPS
transponders, given to each man and
designed to alert selectors to any problems,
actually work – unlike the allegedly faulty
ones used in 2013. It also recommends
calling off exercises in poor weather, and
ensuring that checkpoints are manned
by medical staff. “None of this,” argues
Benyon, “reduces the fitness requirements
for selection, but it could save lives.”
Yet the majority of those associated
with the special forces – from politicians
to the soldiers themselves – are adamant
that the barriers to entry remain as
stringent as ever. “These guys must
have the ability to adapt,” Dr Sundeep
Chohan tells us when we meet in the
(relative) comfort of a bare-bones hotel
on the edge of the rainforest, prior to
training. Until recently, Chohan was the
chief medical officer for selection for the
Royal Navy, Marines and Air Force. “Take
Afghanistan: the terrain was such that
you could be in the desert flatlands, in the
extreme heat, then be choppered up into
the mountains where it’s minus 30°C.”
The requirement is for “elite warrior
athletes”, as Chohan calls them. “We’re
looking for 3D fitness. A professional
footballer runs on the flat for a particular
period of time. But what happens if you
stick 70kg on his back and ask him to trek
up a mountain? How does a man react
when he’s constantly being belittled?
When he’s seeing the most horrific sights
on the planet? I’ve been out to places
where they’ve been skinning people
alive and eating them. So you strip out
his safety net. You strip out his regular
meals. You strip out his regular sleep.
MORTAL COMBAT
While deaths during selection are
unusual, they are not unheard of. Earlier
this year, Parliament’s Defence Select
Committee published a report outlining
recommendations to keep candidates safe
while retaining the ethos of SAS selection.
“When we send troops on operations,
we require them to put themselves in
harm’s way,” says committee member
FITNESS
MILITIA
Five years in the
Royal Artillery
has put British
Military Fitness’
David Burke
(britmilfit.com)
in prime position
to launch an allout endurance
assault. Let’s
find your limits
Psychologically, that exposes what he is
really like under stress and pressure.”
TOY SOLDIERS
An estimated £5.5m went into every
medal won by Team GB at Rio 2016. While
the figures for special forces are not
publicly available, insiders hold that the
amount invested in training each soldier
will comfortably eclipse that amount.
Understandably, officials want to ensure
every penny is utilised, hence the need
to weed out all but the elite few. But in
2016, sending in troops is no longer our
only option when it comes to resolving
conflicts quickly and with minimum risk.
With unmanned drones and robotics
1/ SIDE PLANK WITH HIP ABDUCTION
2/ HANDSTAND PRESS
3/ TUCK JUMP
3 SETS OF 10 PER SIDE, 10SEC REST
Form a side plank, body in a straight line,
resting on your forearm (A). Raise your
top leg and hold for 3sec (B). Lower and
repeat
at 10 times before switching sides.
3 SETS OF 10 PER SIDE, 10SEC REST
With one foot touching the wall, slowly
lower your head toward the ground
(A), then p
press back up
p explosively
p
y (B)
to hammer you
your
ur core and sshoulders.
3 SETS OF 10 PER SIDE, 60SEC REST
Feet shoulder width (A), jump and bring
your knees as high as you can into your
chest (B). Return; immediately repeat
to boost both agility
ty and your glutes.
B
B
B
A
A
A
96 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
DA R I N G T O W I N
Rogers too believes that as we see a shift
toward irregular warfare – such as
counter-terrorism operations in Somalia
and anti-narcotics deployments in South
America – the roles of both the SAS and
SBS will expand, not diminish. “Special
forces are seen as the way of responding
to irregular warfare and overall, their
activities are on the increase,” he says.
Foxy, the ex-SBS soldier, agrees:
“Combat today is suited to special forces
because we have experts for counterrevolutionary, counter-insurgency work.
Today we’re fighting an unidentifiable
enemy, not soldiers in a different
patterned camouflage. If we didn’t need
the SAS they’d get rid of it, because it’s
a drain on cash.”
In actuality, the
future of the special
forces looks set to
include greater cooperation between
men on the ground
and new technologies,
with the SDSR report
outlining plans to double the UK’s drone
fleet, while investing an extra £2bn in
the SAS and SBS. Rather than lowering
admission standards in order to take on
a greater number of troops, or scrapping
units altogether, technology could well
work in tandem with the forces. Speaking
to BBC Radio 4, Major General Jonathan
Shaw, former special forces director,
suggested this would be an intelligent way
forward. “You can increase the capability
of the supporting assets. The man on
the ground is only as powerful as what’s
supporting him – you need intelligence,
drones, air assets, land transport...”
There’s an argument to be made,
then, that as conventional military are
faced with increasingly unconventional
enemies, far from reducing our special
forces, we’ll rely on them more – whether
they’re the ones operating the drones,
breaking into secure compounds, or
both. Driving back to civilisation, our
12 hours of mock-SAS training over, we
reflect on the duality of the need to create
a thoroughly modern fighting force even
as the definition of this modernity is in
flux. And of testing the mettle of those
seeking to join the world’s elite, while also
ensuring their safety. Of creating ultimate
warriors, capable of surviving in any
environment, yet ensuring prospective
members don’t perish on home soil in the
process. The human cost of producing the
best of the best is shown to be high, but
in a world without special forces, the loss
of life is certain to be higher still.
“IS THE SAS
OUR BEST
P R OT E C T I O N
AG
AGAINST A
CHANGING
E N E M Y? ”
8hr45
GROOMING: LAURA DEXTER | MODEL: JONNY HAMILTON AT
W MODEL MANAGEMENT | CLOTHING FOXTROT-PRODUCTIONS.CO.UK
WORKOUT PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS
How long recruits
are allotted to
complete the toughest
part of selection: the
16-mile ‘Fan Dance’
becoming increasingly prevalent, is our
money best invested elsewhere?
As of March 2016, the UK is believed
to have carried out 682 airstrikes against
ISIS, reports the Stop the War coalition.
A large number of these were carried out
by reaper drones. Guided by pilots many
miles from the front line, these drones are
often equipped with laser-guided bombs.
Even such an elite force as the SAS is
unlikely to pack as much firepower, or be
able to deliver it without taking casualties.
Yet, the argument for replacing soldiers
with drones is not as clear-cut as it seems.
“Drones’ capabilities are limited,” argues
Professor Paul Rogers from defence
thinktank the Oxford Research Group.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
“They can hit targets from afar, but
they can’t – at present, at least – go into
buildings, identify individuals, kidnap
a person and interrogate them.”
The SAS has been carrying out such
bread and butter operations since the
’40s. But, in a world where fanatics storm
concerts armed with AK-47s and drive
HGVs through peaceful parades, is the
SAS really our best protection against
such an unpredictable enemy? Rather
than limiting the special forces’ powers,
last year’s Strategic Defence and Security
Review suggested a second tier force
be formed to provide auxiliary support.
MEN’S HEALTH 97
O
C UNTING
SLEEP
As lives grow more frantic and sleep becomes
an increasingly sought-after commodity,
big money is being made by monitoring our
restlessness. But is the burgeoning shuteye
business simply keeping us awake? Men’s Health
gets its head down to find out if the cure for
your insomnia can really be purchased
WORDS BY MARK RICE-OXLEY
98 MEN’S HEALTH
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIAN BENJAMIN
FRANTIC MINDS
HAVE GIVEN RISE TO
NATIONWIDE INSOMNIA
MEN’S HEALTH 99
PRESCRIPTED REST
Nearly half of those on sleeping pills have spent
more than a decade trying to drop off. Here we
breakdown the make-up of longtime insomniacs*
63%
of Brits will experience a health
issue that leads to sleep loss
100 MEN’S HEALTH
7% – 6 months
6% – 6m to 1 year
6% – 1-2 years
22% – 3-5 years
17% – 6-10 years
42% – 11+ years
‘sleep water’ enriched with l-theanine,
an amino acid that aids restfulness. The
result is that we’re beset by information
on how best to maximise our night’s rest,
compiled from an exhausting profile
of biometrics, exercise habits, diet and
alcohol intake. Yet caught up as we are
in this rush to find a cure, we’ve failed to
ask one crucial question: do any of these
new developments actually work?
“Our round-the-
Nocturnal Creatures
Having trouble sleeping is nothing new,
but in 2016 insomnia has never been more
à la mode. Earlier this year, The Guardian
announced that, among time-pressed
professionals prepared to pay through the
nose for fitness classes and cold-pressed
juices, sleep tops the list of wellbeing
concerns. A good night’s rest is now
“the ultimate status symbol”. Elsewhere,
the BBC has suggested that getting more
sleep may have advantages for your
career, with ‘sleep courses’ promising
to turn around exhausted employees’
prospects through breathing exercises.
Of course, sleep hasn’t always been so
on trend. For a long time, being partial
to a good night’s kip was seen as a sign of
weakness. Margaret Thatcher’s infamous
declaration that “sleep is for wimps” came
at the height of ’80s machismo, with her
ability to get by on just four hours echoing
the cigar-chewing, tommy gun-toting
bravado of another prime minister,
Winston Churchill, who also claimed to
survive on the same amount. It isn’t that
attitudes have relaxed today; rather, that
the round-the-clock working culture that
proliferated under Maggie’s rule seems
to have finally caught up with us and
is now hampering our ability to switch
off. “Anxiety is certainly a root cause of
insomnia,” says Jerry Siegel, professor of
psychiatry at the University of California.
“Some insomniacs just operate at a higher
level of arousal throughout the day,
meaning they don’t get sleepy.”
This increased arousal is arguably
but one symptom of our ‘always on’
culture, in which modern and ambitious
white-collar workers are expected to
arrive at work early, leave late, and check
their emails from their pillows. Sleep
doesn’t get written into the schedule.
According to the TUC national trade
union, the number of employees working
over 48 hours a week has risen by 15%
since 2010. The effect, as outlined by
the government’s Health and Safety
Executive, can have a negative impact
on our home life, removing our “buffer
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
*GREAT BRITISH SLEEP SURVEY 2012
an’t sleep? No, me
neither. I know what
it’s like, lying there
hour after hour as
you gravitate ever
closer to tomorrow.
To start with, there is hope: maybe this
night will be different; maybe you’ll
drift off in the deliciously early hours
before midnight. Seventeen glances
at the clock later and you know it’s not
going to happen. Outside the traffic has
almost stopped. There’s a pulse in your
stomach and your heart seems to have
taken up residence in your throat. The
clock relays its hideous messages: 2:47,
3:13, 4:09. As your sleeplessness deepens
your mind becomes stuck on a massive
feedback loop, insomnia feeding anxiety,
aggravating insomnia, feeding anxiety…
Tonight – according to the most recent
Great British Sleep Survey – this situation
will play out in 23 million bedrooms
across the UK. That amounts to a blearyeyed 36% of the population living with
insomnia. It’s a knackering prospect. But
for entrepreneurial trendspotters, it’s
also a burgeoning business opportunity.
From smart pillows to sleep trackers,
apnea devices and medications, the sleep
industry is a fast-growing sector, with a
predicted global worth of $80bn by 2020.
To put this into perspective, coffee – the
world’s most sought after commodity bar
oil – is worth $100bn.
The latest sleep advancements are as
varied as they are outlandish: Neuroon,
a cross between Oculus Rift and a sleep
mask, monitors biometric data to regulate
sleep according to your circadian rhythm.
Ukranian-made headset Luciding hopes
to encourage lucid dreaming, and thus
nurture a more serene night. And, in
Japan, Coca-Cola recently launched
COUNTING
SLEEP
tech companies and health obsessives
alike, the antidote to insomnia remains
both enigmatic and attractive.
Pillow Talk
clock culture is catching up with us”
MODEL: DAVIDE AT BMA MODELS | GROOMING: JULIE READ AT CAROL HAYES
MANAGEMENT | PYJAMAS DEREK ROSE | THANKS TO COURTHOUSE HOTEL, SOHO
RACING THOUGHTS AND
RESTLESS NIGHTS
BLEED INTO OUR 9-5
against the stressful events of work”.
Essentially, with the thin line between
work and home blurring, the ability to
compartmentalise thoughts has been
lost, with anxiety over tomorrow’s tasks
often the last thing we think about at
night. Now, having identified a pressing
problem, the wellness industry has
morphed and expanded to exploit it.
The net worth of this business in the
UK has grown by a not insignificant
£4m since 2011, and now sits at £28m.
With the average person spending 30%
of their life asleep, seeking to maximise
efficiency here makes as much sense as
trying to boost productivity elsewhere,
be it at work or in the gym. In today’s
lingua franca of calorie and step counting,
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
15
Million
Brits a year take
time off work due
to missed sleep
the health-conscious among us are
learning that sleep is just one more
metric to be recorded. “Most people
have a pretty sophisticated take on their
diet – they understand calories and
BMI,” says Dr Kevin Morgan, professor of
psychology and director of the Clinical
Sleep Research Unit at Loughborough
University. “But until recently, a lot of
us would have struggled to string two
sentences together about sleep and
how it works, despite it being one of the
key pillars underpinning our health.”
This is changing fast. And while there is
yet to exist a quantifiable cure-all for a
lack of sleep, it means that for innovative
Sleep is a natural subject for holistic
overhaul. As most of us can attest, a bad
night’s rest isn’t exactly conducive to an
overall feeling of wellness. According
to the Society for Neuroscience, the
impaired mental capacity we experience
after a restless night is due to underfunctioning metabolism and blood flow
in certain areas of the brain – something
that can only be remedied with, well,
sleep. But there are more serious health
implications than not being able to speak
to anyone until you’ve had your double
shot macchiato. We produce up to 70%
of our human growth hormone during
REM, our deepest sleep cycle, which aids
in the rejuvenation of muscle tissue, bone,
organs and immune cells. To go without
sleep is to deter muscle growth, damage
your organs, and open your immune
system to attack. The real kicker, however,
comes from Tokyo Medical University,
which found that the sleep-deprived
among us are twice as likely to suffer from
depression. With suicide now the leading
cause of death among young British men,
this effect is not to be taken lightly.
Still, the latest data suggests that all
might not be quite as it seems. According
to Sleep Cycle research, the average
Brit gets a respectable seven hours and
22 minutes shuteye per night, positioning
us as the fourth most rested country in
the 50-nation study. So do we really have a
sleep problem? Or have we been suckered
by entrepreneurial trendspotters who
have invented a problem so as to cash
in on the solution? Certainly we have an
appetite for their wares. Ambient ‘white
noise’ apps are becoming increasingly
popular; one, Sleep Pillow Sounds, claims
to have over 500,000 “happy customers” –
each paying £2.29 to download it. Devices
controlling temperature, light and even
scent conditions are also becoming
fixtures in restless bedrooms across the
country. Meanwhile, mattress companies’
decision to target ‘wellness’ rather than
simple comfort reportedly saw the UK
industry emerge from a global recession
with 4.4% annual growth.
So the demand is there. But with the
average British snoozer closing in on his
prescribed eight hours, our perceived
MEN’S HEALTH 101
COUNTING
SLEEP
102 MEN’S HEALTH
Up All Night
NOCTURNAL OCCUPATIONS
Light levels
*DRINKAWARE, **GREAT BRITISH SLEEP SURVEY
Racing minds need something to turn over.
Here’s what’s keeping the nation awake**
Room temperature
natural circadian rhythms. “Universally
they went to sleep as the temperature
dropped, and woke when it reached a
minimum, just before sunrise. In many
ways, this makes them healthier than
people in Western society.” Reconfiguring
our own circadian rhythms, then, may
be a challenge.
Despite their best efforts, the current
crop of sleep devices struggle to account
for the subtleties of the various phases
and waves of sleep. There are five stages
altogether, including REM, and as some
stages are deeper than others, it’s possible
that insomniacs drift around in a sort of
‘shallow sleep’ rather than stay awake all
night long. “Because of their presence in
the room and potential for false feedback,
sleep monitoring devices could well be
creating preoccupation problems, rather
than encouraging sleep,” warns Kyle.
“And, at present, not many of them have
scientific data to support their validity.”
Neither does the insomniac need a device
to tell him what he already knows: that
he’s been awake all night.
Another disconcerting factor is
that, according to the Changes In
Insomnia Prevalence study, the use of
sleep medication in this country has
doubled since 1993. Perhaps that’s
because there are no shortage of options:
benzodiazepines, like Valium, Xanax
and Temazepam, slow down nerve
transmissions in the brain for a sedating
effect, while so-called ‘Z-drugs’, such as
zopiclone and zaleplon, suppress brain
receptors, encouraging a calm state of
mind. The bad news is that in addition
to being a short-term fix, many of these
medicines have also been proven to
be highly addictive, with GPs putting
stringent caps on prescriptions in order
to prevent one problem becoming two.
“There’s a strong likelihood that when
you stop taking sleep medication you will
Naturally, for purveyors of everything
from sleep medication to bio-tracking
apps, profit can only be made while we
remain restless. This begs the question
of whether the sleep industry is really
working for us, or if we’d be better off
to simply stop worrying about sleep.
Siegel believes the latter may be the
answer. “Anything that reduces anxiety
will help,” he says. “What doesn’t help
is worrying that not sleeping will have
dire consequences for your health. For
the most part, it won’t. Unless you’re
taking sleeping pills.”
Despite his suspicions, Kyle is certain
that with more refinement sleep tech will
become an inevitable part of treatment
in the future. “Technology will continue
to play an increasingly important role
in supporting all wellbeing, sleep being
no exception,” he says. “In clinical
practice, people with persistent insomnia
rarely get offered the best treatment,
but wearable devices – if shown to be
reliable indicators of sleep – may have the
potential to provide patients with unique
insights into what’s keeping them awake.”
Until such time, however, Kyle suggests a
more targeted approach may be in order.
“Cognitive behavioural therapy [available
on the NHS] is a structured approach,
addressing thoughts, behaviours and
Partner
We are, of course, unreliable witnesses to
our own sleep – and there’s even a study
(published in the journal Epidemiology)
to prove it. It seems we overestimate how
much sleep we’ve had by 48 minutes – a
significant margin in a game where every
second counts. Sleep monitors (featured
on your Apple Watch, Fitbit, Jawbone et
al) may ironically be part of the problem.
“The most common cause of sleep trouble
is an inability to dial down mental activity
in the evening,” says Dr Simon Kyle,
senior research fellow in Nuffield’s sleep
and circadian neuroscience institute. As
smartphone screens become increasingly
present in our bedrooms, the ‘blue light’
they emit interferes with the body’s
production of sleep hormone melatonin,
meaning that when it comes to drifting
off, that extra 50 minutes of Game of
Thrones could set you back hours.
To test the impact of our lifestyles on
sleep patterns, researchers publishing
in Current Biology monitored huntergatherer tribes in Africa and Bolivia to see
if their back-to-basics habits put them at
an advantage. The hypothesis was that
the tribes would go to sleep as night fell
and wake at dawn. In fact, they stayed
up for a good three hours after sunset –
minus the Netflix binge. Siegel posits that
the tribes’ sleeping patterns are linked to
A pre-bed session at the pub can
slash your number of essential REM
cycles from an optimum seven to
just two, distilling your exhaustion*
Noise
Pacing Hallways
NIGHT CAPS
Physical discomfort
lack of sleep is perplexing. The general
consensus is that it is not how long we
sleep, but rather the quality of our sleep
that matters. According to the Sleep
Cycle study, in the UK we roll out of bed
feeling a meager 60% of our best. This
‘wake-up mood’ score positions us as the
forth-worst sleepers in the world in terms
of quality – just ahead of Japan, South
Korea and Singapore. In fact, by collating
national surveys dating back to 1993
under the Changes In Insomnia Prevalence
And Hypnotic Use In England study,
researchers have determined that rates
of insomnia have doubled over the last 20
years, with “worry” the most commonly
reported cause. Already in the UK, sick
days due to lack of sleep cost the economy
£1.6bn per year, and with job security and
the overall economic outlook dropping
off post-Brexit, it’s likely that few of us are
sleeping soundly any more. As a report
from The Sleep Council explained, “With
Britain in the grip of a serious economic
downturn, it’s little wonder that many of
us are too anxious to sleep.”
suffer rebound insomnia and experience
further trouble sleeping,” says David
Branford, a board member of the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society. “Most people
think that the cure for this is to start
taking the tablets again, but by then
they will have built up a tolerance and
require a higher dose to see any effects.
It’s easy to develop a dependency, and
withdrawal can be horrible.”
67% 36% 34% 34% 19%
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
sy
to develop a dependence on medication”
“It’s ea
OXFORD UNIVERSITY IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS AT ITS SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN
NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE. ENQUIRE AT [email protected]
WHEN THE LIGHTS GO
OUT, OUR MINDS RETURN
TO THE BOARDROOM
arousals that disturb sleep,” he says.
“Decades of research have proven it
to be the most effective treatment for
persistent insomnia.”
Without further research, it’s near
impossible to say which of the latest
batch of sleep gadgets and toys is actually
helping, but it is clear that to many
insomnia sufferers, such devices provide
a degree of comfort – even if the effect
may be more placebo than proven. After
all, the alternative – adding your name to
a protracted GP waiting list – is unlikely
to be of much solace as the clock strikes
3am and you’re yet to drift off.
In my own experience, the best
advice came as I reached the pinnacle
of my desperation. Feeling as though I’d
exhausted all other options, I sought out
Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
at the University of Oxford. “The ultimate
reassurance for the insomniac is that
sleep is irresistible,” he said, citing the
example of First World War soldiers who,
bombarded by enemy shells, scared
rigid in trenches and sentry posts, could
nevertheless not prevent themselves
from dozing while on duty. “You can
resist eating, you can choose not to drink,
but you can’t choose not to breathe
and you can’t choose not to sleep,” says
Espie. And if young men scared witless
in the muddy fields of France can find
shuteye, there’s no reason why I, in my
comfortable London home, shouldn’t
be able to do the same.
Espie reiterates the psychosomatic
root of the problem, advising that rather
than looking to ostentatious technology
or pharmaceuticals, we must instead
embrace our insomnia and face the
problem head on. The technique is
simple: for a few nights stay up very
late and set your alarm to go off early.
Regardless of when you fall asleep, get
up with your alarm. This may seem
counter-intuitive, but going to bed early
simply increases the amount of time you
lie there fretting. Repeat until you find it
harder and harder to make it to your late
bedtime. then behold – your sleep drive is
returning. You will understand, with great
relief, that your insomnia can be managed
on your own terms. And as you drift off
to sleep, victorious, you will find that
bedtime no longer holds such terror. You
will know that, for tonight at least, it is
time for some well-earned rest.
MEN’S HEALTH 103
Away from the combat arenas
of boxing and MMA, a niche
cadre of British fighters are
grappling for position among
Mexico’s flamboyant lucha libre
performers. But behind the
sequined curtain, who are the
men in tights? MH travels
to London’s Bethnal Green to
find out what motivates the
so-called ‘free wrestlers’ and
what could be in it for you
WORDS BY DOMINIC BLISS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW WHITTON
01
104 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
THE MAN
IN THE MASK
01\ Pre-competition,
Brazilian wrestler
‘Zumbi’ straps up
the body parts that
are most likely to
endure a battering.
The fights may be
staged and the
names fake (‘Zumbi’
is Robson Bartelz),
but the risk of
injury is very real
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 105
A HALFNAKED
MAN IN A
SKIMPY
MONKEY
OUTFIT IS
GRABBING
HIS CROTC
leaping about, jabbering. Next to him,
a long-haired Viking in tight leather
trousers applies red make-up to his eyes.
Malik, an Asian from Ealing who likes to
dress up as an evil Mesopotamian demigod, is shadow-wrestling, sweat dripping
down the small of his back. Another man,
going by the name of ‘Lagarto del Plata’ –
or ‘Silver Lizard’ – is tugging on the long
tongue protruding from his reptilian
mask. Backstage in the cramped dressing
room of East London’s famous York Hall,
these men are but a few of the curiosities
to be seen. Together, they are Lucha
Britannia, a local amateur wrestling
troupe gathered here tonight for the UK’s
annual exposition of Mexico’s numero
uno rough-house pastime, an event billed
as ‘The Greatest Spectacle of Lucha Libre’.
Upstairs, in another grubby dressing
room, the professional Mexican and
Brazilian wrestlers who have flown to
London for the weekend are completing
their pre-match routines. Zumbi, a toned
Brazilian from Sao Paolo with unfeasibly
long nipples, is limbering up by doing
handstands and aggressive press-ups.
Next to him is Silver King, a household
name in the lucha libre business thanks
106 MEN’S HEALTH
MARTIAL
RULES
02-03\ Back stage
in east London’s
York Hall, the British
wrestlers limber
up for the big fight.
Some are trained
in combat sports;
others simply rely on
stamina and studied
choreography to
make it to the final
round unbloodied
02
to his appearance as the villain in the
middling 2006 Jack Black film Nacho
Libre. To see the 48-year-old wrestler
slouched on a bench in singlet, baseball
cap and reading glasses, is to be reminded
that 2006 was a long time ago. But as he
dons an ominous black mask and leather
cape, suddenly, he becomes regal. “It’s
fake leather,” he says, disappointedly.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise –
everything about lucha libre is fake, and
that’s the whole point. This isn’t sport
so much as theatre, albeit an extremely
physical, violent and camp version
thereof. “Imagine the lovechild of Hulk
Hogan and The Mighty Boosh,” says
Greg Burridge, one of Lucha Britannia’s
bosses. “Throw in a bit of Benny Hill
and you’re about halfway there.”
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
Spanish for ‘free fight’, lucha libre is
enormously popular across Mexico,
with fans following the fortunes of
their favourite luchadores in the same
way your better half (and perhaps even
you) remains glued to Bake Off. The fights
03
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
C
LUCHA
LIBRE
04
05
IN THE RED
CORNER...
04-07\ The wrestlers
of Lucha Britannia,
clockwise from top
left, are: Malik,
personal trainer
Pure Britannico,
flamboyant ‘exotico’
Cassius and El
Nordico Fuego,
the Viking Fire God.
“They are like the
stuntmen in films
but without wires,
without second takes
and without crash
mats,” explains
troupe boss Burridge
07
FAMILIAR
FACES
08-09\ Zumbi is
from São Paulo,
and stays fit with
capoeira and samba
dancing in his free
time. Some-time
actor Silver King
(real name César
González) is the
most experienced –
and most fearsome
– member of the
lucha libre group
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
06
08
09
are fast-moving and acrobatic,
with wrestlers sporting
masks and colourful outfits.
In common with reality TV
or soap opera, the fights follow
a loose, pre-determined routine
– loose being the operative
word. Combatants regularly
leap or get thrown out of the
ring, literally into the lap of
spectators. The basic rules –
no kicks to the groin, no pinning
to the ropes, no attacking the referee –
are often ignored, to the delight of the
crowd. All in, it’s a bizarre hybrid of
gymnastics, boxing, circus, slapstick
comedy, superheroics and pantomime.
Most matches feature four varieties of
wrestler: the técnicos are the goodies (or
faces), the rudos are the baddies (or heels),
the luchadoras are the female wrestlers,
and the exoticos are the flamboyantly
camp members of the troupe, who often
perform in drag. Lucha Britannia’s very
own exotico is Cassius, AKA Louis Paule,
a 22-year-old from Wood Green, North
London. Immensely excitable, he fights
in hot pants and masquerade tassels
hanging from every possible vesture.
Kitsch ’90s TV series Buffy the Vampire
Slayer was the gateway drug that first
drew Paule to wrestling, before WWEthemed video games pulled him firmly
into its grasp. “I became utterly obsessed
with WWE as a kid,” he says. “When all
my friends grew out of wrestling, I just
carried on.” Paule loves the combination
of sport and theatre that lucha libre offers,
and has already attracted a significant
fan base thanks to regular shows at the
nearby Lucha Britannia venue (where
fights are billed as “10,000 volts of sexy
mayhem”). “Lucha libre is a sport in the
sense that you’re doing something you
have to train for and it’s physically tough,”
he says. “But it’s also theatre in that
everyone’s dressed up and in character.
It’s the best of both worlds. In the ring,
I feel like me times 100.” But you don’t get
to become 10,000% of yourself without
taking the occasional battering. “I will
have a very red chest later because it’s
MEN’S HEALTH 107
10
DOUBLE LIFE
10-11\ Unlike in
American WWE, the
life of a lucha libre
fighter is not easy
and most must work
fulltime to support
their passion. By
day, Malik is a youth
worker, El Nordico
Fuego is a stuntman
and copywriter,
and Cassius is a
clothes shop cashier
GUTTER CREDIT
“If people found out Pure Britannico is a PT from
Havering, it would break the whole illusion”
108 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
11
THE SHOW
GOES ON
C
LUCHA
LIBRE
12-13\ Though
fights may fall under
the theatrical side
of performance,
competitors share
much with athletes.
Without thorough
prep – including
a diet and training
plan – a wrestler’s
career faces an
early curtain call
unavoidable that someone
will chop me [wrestling talk
for a slap across the torso].
You can’t fake the chops. You
have to hit people hard so the
crowd knows it’s real. You’ve
got to make it look brutal.”
ALTER EGOS
One luchador who’s worked
hard to embody this primal
brutality is Malik, the sometime
Mesopotamian deity, a youth
worker from Ealing who holds the unique
position of being the only Muslim in
Lucha Britannia. “Wrestling gives me
a platform to represent Muslim people
in a positive way,” he says, flexing. Like
Paule, he also discovered lucha libre
through his childhood love of American
wrestling. His father – who was once
a professional bodybuilder – gifted Malik
the genes he now utilises to grapple and
throw his opponents. With his body
uniformly shaved (“It makes my muscles
look good!”) and his name in hieroglyphics
sewn onto his shin pads, he cuts an
imposing figure. There’s one kicker,
though: tonight’s wrestling match falls
during Ramadan, which would normally
12
require him to fast during daylight hours.
“Today is an exception,” he explains.
“There’s no way I could perform without
eating. I would probably faint.”
That’s no exaggeration. Lucha libre
matches involve sequences (or spots,
as they are called) of choreographed
jumps, kicks, strikes, tackles and
takedowns which would test the fitness
of any professional athlete. One of
the fittest of the British wrestlers here
tonight is Thomas Dawkins – AKA Pure
Britannico – a 29-year-old personal
trainer from east London. “Before this
I did MMA and drama, so it was a natural
progression. When training, I mainly
focus on calisthenics and bodyweight
exercises for flexibility. I don’t really
lift weights.” Like most of his Mexican
counterparts, Dawkins’ bond to both the
sport and his equipment is routed in
a mixture of tradition and superstition
– the mask, for instance, is sacred; the
face something that must remain hidden.
“It’s a respect thing,” Dawkins explains.
“If people found out that Pure Britannico
is a personal trainer from Havering, it
would break the whole illusion.”
Despite admiring the theatricality of
his unorthodox weekend job, Dawkins’
partner, an actress, is no fan of wrestling.
Like most hobby-beset better halves,
she’s forbade Dawkins to talk about it in
the house. But unlike the long-suffering
wives of the model train set, she also has
to contend with her husband coming
home with blackened eyes and split lips.
“We do injure ourselves,” Dawkins shrugs.
“We’re not afraid to hurt ourselves for our
art.” He points to a bandaged finger, sliced
open recently during a practice match.
Wrestling on a twisted ankle, he explains,
is also a common occupational hazard.
When it comes to his day job, Dawkins is
careful to pre-warn new clients that their
PT may well turn up with a black eye. And
like any sportsman, a wrestler will always
be juggling one or two niggling injuries.
“You get very good at learning how to
13
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 109
C
LUCHA
LIBRE
14
fix yourself in this game. You’re always
somewhat in a state of rehab.”
SMACK DOWN
As show time approaches, York Hall is
thronged by almost 1000 fans. The MC,
a moustachioed chap from Missouri,
bellows in a fake, somewhat hackneyed
Mexican accent to ramp up anticipation.
Before making their entrance through
a mist of dry ice, with huge neon letters
spelling ‘Lucha Libre’ at their backs,
Zumbi and Silver King are getting
a final pump on with press-ups. In
the corridor, the Lucha Britannia
franchise owner is giving his
wrestlers a pep talk. “Lucha!
Lucha! Lucha!” they chant.
Then, with rituals completed, the
wrestlers are sent out to do battle.
Later, when it’s all over, Pure
Britannico sits in the dressing
room, blood flowing over his chin.
Out in the ring, a flying kick caught
him square in the mouth, knocking
him to the mat. The gaping
V-shaped split to his top lip leaves
no doubt as to whether the injury
is real or fake. The scratches across
his chest are a shining reminder of
16
110 MEN’S HEALTH
15
the power of the ‘chops’, while cuts across
his back and – bizarrely – what looks like
a love-bite on his neck, show even the
most patriotic of British fighters cannot
wander into Mexican territory without
returning both bruised and dazed.
He stands, unsteady on his feet but
still pumped on adrenaline, and offers a
breakdown of his injuries. “I was knocked
out three times, I think,” he says. “Twice
I was slightly concussed, and the third
time I was knocked out cold. I remember
coming round as the ref was undoing
my mask to let me breathe.” There’s no
qualified medic here tonight, so an eager
York Hall employee with a first aid kit
will have to do. Concerned, one of the
promoters asks Pure Britannico if he
needs stitches. “Steri-Strips should do the
job,” he replies, admiring his injury in the
dirty mirror. “Then I’ll have a hot salt bath
to get the bacteria out of my skin. And
some yoga to stretch before bedtime.”
But first he has to drive back home to the
suburbs; then, tomorrow, back at his day
job as PT, he’ll have to face
his clients. By then his split
POSED
lip will be ugly and swollen.
PERFORMANCE
And it won’t be his last.
14-16\ Brazilian
wrestler Zumbi
celebrates his
victory after laying
waste to his British
counterparts. In
the hierarchy of
lucha libre, fighters
from the UK remain
very much the
scrappy but hungry
underdogs
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
17
BLOOD AND
GLORY
17\ Injuries may
spur on the braying
spectators, but
an over-zealous
opponent can end
a wrestler’s career.
British hopeful Pure
Britannico has got
off lightly after being
kicked in the mouth
For more, visit
luchalibreworld.co.uk
“The gaping split in his top lip leave no doubt
as to whether the injuries are real or fake”
MH EVENT
LAST CHANCE TO
ASSEMBLE YOUR
DREAM TEAM
GET YOUR TEAM TOGETHER FOR YOUR
LAST CHANCE TO TACKLE THIS SEASON’S
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST! #AREYOUASURVIVOR
NOTTINGHAM 8 OCT
EDINBURGH 23 OCT
MANCHESTER 29 OCT
ENTER NOW @ MHSURVIVAL.CO.UK
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02
01
03
04
KEEPING
YOUR COOL
G
etting that clean, smooth
shave you love – and
she’ll love even more – is
a daily battle for most of
us. And even though you’ve probably
been shaving for decades, it’s hard to
ditch bad habits. One of the biggest
mistakes guys make when they pick up
their razor is to go over the same area
of skin too many times. In fact, most of
us take around 170 strokes per shave.
After the first 50 strokes, the gel is
gone, leaving skin less protected
and open to irritation.
Just like bad form in the gym will
take its toll on your body, bad grooming
habits negatively impact your skin.
And, being more time-poor than ever
before, guys are speeding through
shaving without giving a second
thought to their grooming technique.
But now there’s a way to minimise
the damage and avoid skin irritation
for a more precise shave. Gillette has
a created the Fusion ProShield Chill,
a razor with improved blade cartridges
that shield and cool during the shave
to get the job done right. The Fusion
ProShield Chill works by lubricating
both sides of the blade, so stroke
after stroke there’s extra protection
against bumps and irritation.
Plus, the added cooling technology
held within the Lubrastrip is released
with every stroke to provide a
refreshing feeling and to help you
look your sharpest. So update your
grooming routine to include this
ProShield – and no matter how much
of a rush you’re in, or how many bad
habits you’ve racked up, you can
enjoy a nice clean, smooth shave.
MEN TAKE, ON
AVERAGE, 170 STROKES
EVERY TIME THEY SHAVE –
AND 120 OF THESE ARE
GOING OVER THE
SAME AREAS*
*A 2016 STUDY COMMISSIONED BY THE GILLETTE R&D TEAM
SHAVING CAN BE TOUGH ON YOUR SKIN, AND REDNESS
AND BUMPS THREATEN A CLEAN SHAVE. NOW GILLETTE’S
FUSION PROSHIELD RAZOR WITH COOLING TECHNOLOGY
IS FIGHTING BACK TO KEEP YOUR SKIN IN TOP SHAPE
MH PROMOTION
MEET THE
EXPERTS
The perfect shave is all about
preparation and precision.
Gillette’s fitness experts – who
will be put to the test at this
month’s Men’s Health Survival
of the Fittest adventure race –
know all about these things
FAISAL ABDALLA
@faisalpmafitness
When Faisal is not
hitting the treadmill
hard at Barry’s Bootcamp as
part of a high-intensity workout,
he’s leading an army of runners
through the park in his role
as Nike Master Trainer. For
balance, he prepares his
schedule in advance and
creates workout routines to
keep himself and those he
coaches continually motivated.
AEXPERIENCE
CLOSER
SHAVE: SHIELD AGAINST DAMAGE
A MORE PRECISE SHAVE WITH GILLETTE’S FUSION PROSHIELD CHILL RAZOR
Precision is crucial: it’s the difference
between a good training session and a great
one. Taking that idea on board, the new Fusion
ProShield Chill is designed for precision for
a shave that helps keep your skin in optimum
shape. The breakthrough cooling technology
keeps your skin lubricated and less susceptible
to irritation – no matter how many strokes you
take. It also has advanced features such as
Flexball technology, allowing the razor to
glide along the contours of your skin, and
a precision trimmer for accurate edging.
The launch of this razor is the result of
numerous studies at Gillette’s research
centre in Reading, where every day up to
80 men are invited to shave in front of
two-way mirrors, so the team can analyse
typical grooming habits and provide the best
tools for the daily task. More than 20,000
shaves are carefully analysed each year to
figure out the best way to help guys upgrade
their routine for a more refreshing shave.
The result is the Fusion ProShield Chill –
your strongest ally against skin irritation. It
will transform your grooming routine, so that
you can enjoy the closest of all shaves.
ALI GORDON
@aligordon89
Ali Gordon is
always in fitness
mode, whether that’s lifting
weights in the gym or
stretching out in a bro-style
yoga class. When he’s not
training, he’s filming workout
videos for his YouTube channel
to motivate and inspire others
to fit in their fitness, even if
they are short on time.
01
02
DIFFERENT STROKES
ON THE EDGE
03
CHILL OUT
04
BALL CONTROL
Sidestep the irritation caused
by shaving over the same
areas, thanks to the Fusion
ProShield Chill. It lubricates
before and after the blades
hit your skin, no matter how
many strokes you take.
Staying cool and avoiding
skin irritation is the end goal
of every shave, and the Fusion
ProShield Chill’s built-in
cooling tech can help you
get there, for a refreshing
feeling after every stroke.
The razor features Flexball
technology, which pivots
to respond to your facial
contours, limiting bumps and
scratches. The technology
also provides a closer, more
comfortable shave.
A successful shave depends
on the blade – and the
Fusion ProShield Chill
comes with the thinnest,
finest blade edges. This
means less pulling at the
hair for a smoother shave.
Preparation and precision are not just keys to a great shave – they’re also central
to a great workout. Gillette has teamed up with Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest
to get health gurus Ali Gordon and Faisal Abdalla adventure-race-ready. To read
their workouts and tips go to menshealth.co.uk/gillette.
CHEAT’S PULLED PORK,
READY IN A FLASH
P/ 119
PERSONAL
TRAINER
Because fit is the new rich
EDITED BY JACK HART
TH KEY PILLARS
THE
RS OF
STRENGTH TRAINING
ST
INING
P/ 128
BURN 800 CALORIES
LORIES
ON YOUR LUNCHBREAK
CHBREAAK
P/ 124
WISE WORDS
FOR HUGE GAINS
P/ 123
BRAISE
YOUR
RECOVERY
GAME
P/ 131
TAKE A WRECKING BALL
TO YOUR FAT STORES
P/ 120
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 117
PT / 11.2016
POWER SAUCE #17
SWEET RELIEF
FROM DOMS
i
MICROWAVE MUSCLE #19
BOAR DOWN
ON FATIGUE
18
15
12
548
CARBS
46G
9
7
34G
MIN
PROTEIN
6
CALORIES
3
TIME TO MAKE
21
9
15
6
18
3
12
• Pork fillet, pre-cooked
• Cos lettuce, ½
• Low-fat mayo, 1tsp
• BBQ sauce, 1tsp
21
18
15
9
12
• Light soy sauce, 2tbsp
• Fresh coriander, 1tsp
• Honey, 1tsp
• Red chilli, 1tsp, chopped
6
FOR THE MARINADE:
When you’re ready to feast, shred the
pork with a knife and fork to achieve
a ‘pulled’ consistency. Blast it, with the
marinade, for 2min in the microwave.
Meanwhile, chop up the cos lettuce.
5-7MIN
0
3
Blend 4 peppe
peppers, 100g chillies, one
tomato, 5 garlic cloves and 1 knob of
ginger in a processor until pulped
Rich, tangy flavour in the microwave? You
bet. Pop the pork in Tupperware with our
marinade and leave to infuse all morning
in the office fridge, advises chef Michael
Wignall of Gidleigh Park Restaurant.
2-5MIN
0
YOU WILL NEED...
Tired of tedious chicken
breasts? Our pulled pork bun
is stuffed with muscle-fixing
protein and energising B vits.
Call it your pig for victory
0-2MIN
0
21
Sweet chilli sauce can spice up
flavourless dishes in a dash.
This concoction is packed
with fresh
h ginger to root out
post-gym
any post
-gym muscle
musclle pains
FAST FOOD FIXES
Combine the pork, mayo, BBQ sauce and
lettuce. Stuff it in a brioche bun, or save
yourself 30g of carbs by wrapping it in the
larger outer leaves of the cos, for punchy
flavours with zero post-lunch lethargy.
WITH THANKS TO GIDLEIGH.CO.UK/RESTAURANT | WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC | FOOD STYLIST: TAMARA VOS
08
THE NUMBER OF
ENERGY-ENHANCING
B VITAMINS AMPLY
PROVIDED BY YOUR
PORK FILLET
PULL AHEAD OF
YOUR FITNESS
COMPETITION
Boil the above with
wi 450g sugar,
350ml white wine vinegar, 2tsp
salt, 1tbsp balsamic vinegar and
a pinch of pepper for 15-20min
FIERY CHILLI SAUCE
Puts out the fire in your quads
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 119
PT / 11.2016
1 BIT OF KIT, 10 WAYS #14
GRAB FAT
LOSS BY
THE BALLS
The Swiss ball is a more potent
weapon of fat destruction
than you might think. Stop
rolling past them on the
way to the bench and
start constructing
smarter workouts
01
OVERHEAD MOBILISATION
02
PLANK ROLLOUT
3 SETS OF 30 SECONDS
3 SETS OF 10 REPS
Start by stretching your range of motion.
Kneeling, place your hands on the ball
and tense your abs (A). Hinge forward
at the hips, rolling out until your arms are
outstretched (B); sway from side to side.
Ready to work? Clasp your hands and
rest your forearms on the ball, then
extend your body into a plank (A). Keep
your hips low as you push your arms
forward (B). There and back is one rep.
A
A
B
B
Begin in the ‘handover’ position from
before, with the ball in the middle. Take
away your right arm and left leg, lowering
them to the floor while keeping the ball
stable (A). Repeat to the other side (B).
HOT
I
3 SETS OF 12 REPS
Roll onto your back and hold the ball
just off the ground behind your head (A).
Crunch your arms and legs up to meet
each other, keeping them straight as you
transfer the ball to your feet (B). Repeat.
TN
DF
3 SETS OF 12 REPS
ALL-R
A
ED
UT
RO
INE
A
ES
MH’s gym ball lets you
perform new variations
of classic moves.
Ball £12.99
argos.co.uk/
menshealth
LA
T
B
B
120 MEN’S HEALTH
S
BALLER’S
GUIDE
O UN
04
ALTERNATE HOLLOW BODY HOLD
DE F
03
BALL PASS
NOT
NOT
BALL AND GAIN
05
DUMBBELL PRESS
06
DUMBBELL PULLOVER
3 SETS OF 8-10REPS
3 SETS OF 8-10 REPS
Set your upper back against the ball (A).
Slowly lower two dumbbells beside your
chest (B), then press to the start. Tense
your core to keep your body straight.
Now to balance out those chest presses.
With your shoulders on the ball, raise one
dumbbell (A). Arms slightly bent, lower it
behind your head (B), then press back up.
A
A
B
B
08
DECLINE PRESS-UP
07
RENEGADE ROW
3 SETS OF 12 REPS
3 SETS OF 12 REPS
Hoist your feet onto the ball and adopt
a press-up position. Lift one dumbbell to
the side of your chest (A) and plant it
again (B), then repeat on the other side.
MUSCLES
USED
B
CIRCLE IN ON YOUR
LOVE HANDLES
SPEC
A
A
WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL HAYNES | MODEL
CHRISTOPHER WHITLOW AT APM | STYLING: ABENA OFEI
GROOMING: SUSANA MOTA | SHORTS POLO RALPH LAUREN
ATMRPORTER.COM, ULTRA BOOST’ TRAINERS ADIDAS.COM
Lose the dumbbells and keep your elbows
narrow (A) as you lower your chest (B) and
press back up. The decline angle isolates
upper fibres of your chest for full definition.
B
09
JACKKNIFE
10
OBLIQUE TWIST
3 SETS OF 10 REPS
3 SETS OF 6 REPS
Stay where you are. In press-up position
with your feet on the ball (A), tuck your
knees to your chest (B). Push back out
again to return to the starting position.
Your final move requires coordination.
Roll back from a press-up position so your
hips are on the ball (A), twist to one side
and point your top leg to the floor (B).
WORKOUT
20
MIN
RESULTS IN
3
WEEKS
LEVEL
A
MED
A
B
B
MEN’S HEALTH 121
MH PROMOTION
MUSCLE FUEL
MADE EASY
TOP CHEF DAN DOHERTY PROVES THAT BEING
BUSY DOESN’T HAVE TO DERAIL FITNESS AMBITIONS.
JUST MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR PROTEIN FIX
T he pressure of work means
making time for exercise isn’t
easy. But spinning plenty of plates
– sometimes literally – doesn’t
stop Dan Doherty, executive chef
at London’s Duck and Waffle.
While skipping the occasional leg
day is to be expected (we won’t tell
anyone) there are ways to squeeze more
exercise into your schedule. “Try to use
your commute as much as possible,”
advises Doherty. “I take the long route
to work twice a week and do a 10-15K
fasted run before I get to the kitchen.”
But what about minimising the
time-sink of meal prep? Not everyone has
time to pack chicken into lunch boxes.
“Arla Protein snack pots give the perfect
post-run protein fix before I start work,”
says Doherty. “And with the other
products in the range, such as milkshakes
and cottage cheese, I can easily fuel my
exercise and work throughout the day. ”
Find out how you can add a delicious
twist to these fitness-fuelling ingredients
at menshealth.co.uk/arlarecipes.
SQUEEZING IN A FITNESS
REGIME IS HUNGRY WORK –
TOP CHEF OR NOT. WHETHER
YOU’RE STANDING ON TWO
FEET OR RUNNING ON
TWO FEET, FUELLING WITH
ARLA’S PROTEIN OPTIONS
MAKES EVERY STEP TO
A BETTER BODY EASIER
Find your protein fix in the dairy
aisle of your local supermarket.
Stay strong,
ng, fitness-fans
fitness fans oof Britain
ARLA PROTEIN IS HIGH IN PROTEIN, WHICH CONTRIBUTES TO THE GROWTH AND MAINTENANCE OF MUSCLE MASS
“
PT / 11.2016
TRADE SECRETS
WHAT’S THE KEY TO
PACKING ON SIZE?
Forget the bro science and listen to the real
experts. This is the biological lowdown on
how hypertrophy – muscle growth – really
works, along with some biomechanically
sound tweaks to lift the pace of your progress
IT’S ALL
TRY
RY SSOMETHING NEW TODAY
You’ll
Y
o likely have experienced the symptoms of the
‘repe
‘repeated bout effect’, even if you haven’t heard of it.
Musc
Muscles grow accustomed to exercise movements,
causing a plateau in your progress. Avoid it by
cau
diversifying your workouts and hitting muscles from
dive
different angles. Sideline your bench press PB attempt
differen
favour of press-ups on incline and decline benches –
in favou
you’ll work more muscle fibres for fuller definition.
TAKE
A BREAK
If you’re taking each set to
absolute failure, you’re going to
burn out. Structure your training
into five-week blocks: gradually
increase intensity for four
weeks before taking it
easy for a week, then
start again.
VARY YOUR
REP RANGES
WORDS: JACK HART | ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEY
The classic ‘hypertrophy range’ of
8-12 reps per set needs to be your
mainstay – but don’t get stuck.
Venturing into shorter and longer
rep ranges won’t just alleviate
boredom; short sets build strength
while sets of 15 reps or more
increase your lactic threshold.
EXPERT Dr Brad
Schoenfeld
EXPERIENCE Assistant
professor in exercise
science, Schoenfeld
has some big ideas
when it comes to
building muscle.
CONTACT
lookgreatnaked.com
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
IN
JUST THINK
ABOUT IT
It’s what’s up top that counts.
Research suggests that by
focusing hard on the muscle
you’re contracting, you can
increase fibre activation and
shift more weight. This mindmuscle connection reduces
the efforts of your supporting
‘ancillary’ muscles, isolating
the ones you’re aiming to
grow. Harness your brains
to power your brawn.
RUNNER’S CURSE
CUR
RSE
Excess cardio can be detrimental to mu
muscle
usscle
s l gains
ga
gaiins by
stimulating catabolic – or energy releasing
eaasing – processes,
proce
ces
esses,
ses,
which slow down the body’s ability too synthesise
synthesise protein.
prrrootein.
Without enough protein, your muscles
cle
les
es can’t
cann t repair
repaair and
grow, even if you’re training balls too the w
wall.
all. Limitt
cardio to three high-intensity interval
val workouts
workouts
a week, lasting no longer than 20 minutes
nutes
es each.
GO H
HARD & FAST
Strength gains made early in
Streng
a wo
workout are significantly
greater than any from
g
m
moves
at the end of a
sessio
session.
essio So if your goal is to
bulk up your arms, then you
need to hit
h the preacher bench
straight away. Sure, it sounds
obvious, but
b it’s the basic things
that are too easily forgotten
and yet
y most effective.
BUILDING
BLOCKS
Contrary to what gym junkies might
think, you don’t need to chug protein at
every opportunity. About 1.7g per kg of
bodyweight is the ideal daily quota –
and that’s easily achievable without
downing a pint of raw eggs
at breakfast.
YOUR MIND
MEN’S HEALTH 123
PT / 11.2016
THE BIG WORKOUT
BURN 800KCAL IN 45MIN:
THE NEW SCIENCE OF LEAN
For shredded abs and a redefined torso, heed the call of a growing
movement. This circuit of functional moves keeps the pace high
to burn fat and sculpt muscle, all in the space of your lunchbreak
02A
01B
02B
01A
TURN UP
THE BURNER
If you’re trying to lose weight
with yet another tedious
evening jog, it’s time to face up
to the burning truth of fat loss:
the game has evolved. HIIT
class F45 fuses a high tempo
with functional resistance
moves to torch calories fast.
This workout is divided into
two ‘pods’. At each station in the
first pod, do four sets of 20sec
with 10sec rests. Do another lap
before moving to the next pod.
1124 MEN’S HEALTH
P
O
D
1
01
MEDICINE BALL BURPEE
02
BATTLE ROPES
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
Stand upright with a medicine
ball held in both hands – now
drop to the ground in a press-up
position, your legs out straight
behind you and your weight
supported above the medicine
ball (A). From here, jump your
feet back in and leap as high as
you can, raising the ball above
your head (B). The ball-induced
instability engages more muscle
fibres for sharper definition
throughout your torso.
Fast-paced waves push your
heartrate into its fat-burning
zone. Stand in a half squat with
one end of the rope in either
hand, back straight and core
tensed. Raise your left hand
and quickly whip the rope
down to send a ripple along
its length (A). Immediately lift
your right hand and repeat (B).
Alternate sides in a fluid motion,
keeping your core braced so
just your arms are working.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
FAST & FURIOUS FAT LOSS
THE SPEC
MUSCLES
TARGETED
WORKOUT
03B
45
MIN
RESULTS IN
2
04A
WEEKS
LEVEL
HARD
04B
0
04
4B
04B
03
BOX JUMP
03A
04
MEDICINE BALL SLAM
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
Move straight into some
plyometric jumps onto a high
box – the key is to start close to
the box, so you don’t waste
energy jumping forward. With
a box in front of you, sink into a
half squat and push your arms
behind you (A) before driving
your knees up and swinging
your arms to jump up onto the
box (B). You should land in the
same half squat position you
started in. Step down to repeat.
This strength-based exercise
will keep your heartrate high
to round off a tough first circuit.
Rise to your toes as you raise
a medicine ball above your head
with both hands, stretching
to fully extend your arms (A).
Now slam the med ball to the
ground, following through the
movement to contain the ball
as it hits the floor (B). Throw
all your effort into the slam to
engage your core muscles.
MEN’S HEALTH 125
PT / 11.2016
EXPERT Rob Smyth
EXPERIENCE Director of F45
Training London Bridge,
Smyth knows it’s hard,
fast work that burns fat
– not hours of tedium
CONTACT f45training.co.uk
06B
05B
P
O
D
2
05
RUSSIAN TWIST
06
PLYO REVERSE LUNGE
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
Twisting movements engage
your obliques for more complete
abs definition. Start by holding
a medicine ball to one side in a
seated position with your knees
bent and your body leaning
back to form a 45-degree angle
with the ground (A). From there,
proceed to twist your torso to
either side (B) – the key is to
keep your hips fixed so your
core muscles have to work
harder. You’ll thank us later.
This plyometric version of
a bodyweight lunge proves
anything but easy after four
rounds. The score, though,
is stronger fast-twitch fibres
to boost power and complement
your weightloss. From standing,
jump your right leg back and
land in a deep lunge, left leg
bent to 90 degrees (A). Jump
up and switch legs in mid-air,
landing in another lunge on
the opposite side (B).
126 MEN’S HEALTH
06A
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: PHIL HAYNES | MODEL: CHRISTOPHER WHITLOW AT APM | STYLING: ABENA OFEI | GROOMING: SUSANA
MOTA | SHORTS ALEX MILLS AT MRPORTER.COM, ULTRA BOOST TRAINERS ADIDAS.COM | ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: MATTHEW LLOYD
05A
FAST & FURIOUS FAT LOSS
THE SPEC
MUSCLES
TARGETED
WORKOUT
45
MIN
08B
RESULTS IN
2
WEEKS
LEVEL
HARD
07B
07A
08A
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
07
KETTLEBELL BURPEE
08
DUMBBELL SQUAT PRESS
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
4 SETS OF 20 SECONDS
Weighted burpees might
sound horrendous, but this
move concentrates on the
strength elements without
the tempo. With a kettlebell
in each hand, hinge forward at
the hips and bend your knees
to plant the weights on the
ground (A). Now, with strong
wrists, kick your feet back,
perform one press-up (B), then
jump back up and deadlift the
kettlebells to the start position.
Round off the session using
your largest muscle groups to
keep your body burning fat for
hours after you’re done. Hold a
dumbbell in each hand by your
chest and squat to 90 degrees
(A). Press back up using the
momentum to push the weights
overhead (B). Keep working
until you’ve finished two full
laps of this final pod then revel
in the satisfaction of having
accelerated your weightloss.
MEN’S HEALTH 127
PT / 11.2016
FIRST GEAR #16
Weightlifting is, for most men, a means to an end –
a way of building strength for other disciplines.
But commit to shifting ever increasing numbers,
and you join an exclusive club of athletes. Here’s
the gear you need to get things off the ground
HELPING BAND
These ‘hip circle’ bands, worn
around the legs, correct faulty hip
mechanics, so you can maintain
more power through your squats.
Mobility guru Kelly Starrett
advises all new starters buy one.
Mark Bell Hip Circle £22
improveyourbench.co.uk
WHIP INTO SHAPE
Made from rubber rather than
iron, these ‘bumper’ plates are
designed to be dropped from
a height without wrecking your
environs. Not only are they
perfect for the nervous amateur,
they help you look pretty cool
in the process – a hallmark of
any serious lifter in training.
From £260 strengthshop.co.uk
BIGGER KICKS FOR
STRONGER LIFTS
Resembling chunky wedges,
weightlifting shoes won’t do well
ell
on the track – but that’s because
se
they’re so finely tuned. A rigid heel
provides a stable platform, while
le
upper straps support your ankles.
es.
Nike Romaleos 2 £175
store.nike.com
128 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
RAISE YOUR BAR
BUCKLE UP
If you’re serious about shifting
some steel, a weightlifting belt is
essential. Research published in
Clinical Biomechanics journal
found the intra-muscular pressure
in the abdomen caused by a belt
increased maximum efforts.
Modifit Olympic Weightlifting
Belt £25 mobilitytools.co.uk
PILLARS OF STRENGTH
Even if you have no history of
knee injuries, it’s worth shoring
them up when tackling big weights.
Knee sleeves stabilise your joints
without compromising mobility –
ideal for beginners and vets.
Rehband RX Knee Support £25
rehband.co.uk
BUILDING BLOCKS
OF MUSCLE
Any decent weightlifting gym will
already stock these technique
boxes for balancing barbells, but
if you’re creating a home studio
it’s wise to invest. The various
height options allow you to break
down each move into stages.
Jordan Technique Box Set
£854 jordanfitness.com
GRIP, DON’T SLIP
WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC
Offering the same service as
a piece of chalk – ie increased
grip and lifting style – these keep
the powder contained and stop
it breaking into pieces. You’ll
appreciate that extra security
when launching a barbell overhead.
Simond 2 Chalk Balls £3
decathlon.co.uk
STICK WITH
TH IT
THAT’S A WRAP
TH
Kinesiology tape – try saying
that with a barbell overhead –
provides support to joints and
muscles. And while it might not
directly reduce your risk of injury,
it does enhance proprioception,
helping you stay aware of how
your joints are moving.
Goat Tape £7 battleboxuk.com
Wri wraps provide support
Wrist
without restricting mobility. Tighter
ones are available for powerlifting,
but these 12in options are specific
to Olympic lifts. Plus, they’re
a great way to let people know
that, yes, you do even lift.
Rogue Wrist Wraps £12.50
rogueeurope.eu
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S
MEN’
N’’S HHEALTH
N
EALTH 129
MH PROMOTION
GET
20% OFF!
BRINGING THE
GYM TO YOU
ENTER CODE MH20
AT CHECKOUT*
MH’s Active+ range of home fitness kit
lets you hit every goal at any budget
01
FOAM ROLLER
£24.99
This roller is ideal for
a range of core strength
rength
and stabilising exercises.
ercises.
It assists with stretches
tches
and deep tissue massage.
assage.
02
GYMNASTIC RINGS
£19.99
03
AB WHEEL
£24.99
ps,
With hand and foot straps,
this piece of kit lets
you perform unlimited
exercises to work your
core from every angle.
04
PARALLETTE BARS
05
CABLE MACHINE £299.99
Perform exercises such as arm curls, seated rows, shoulder presses
and pull-ups. Includes triceps rope, seated row/chin bar, revolving
straight bar and 2 snaplock hooks. Weights sold
d sep
separately.
06
SKIPPING ROPE
£9.99
Great for a cardio workout,
improving your strength,
agility and coordination.
Each handle contains a
removable 1.25kg weight.
£39.99
With these bars, master
your bodyweight and
progress from tricep
dips to handstand
press-ups and more.
VISIT ARGOS.CO.UK/MENSHEALTH TO SEE THE REST
*20% DISCOUNT APPLIES TO PRODUCTS LISTED ON THIS PAGE ONLY.
CODE ACTIVE BETWEEN 27/09/16 AND 03/11/16
Build explosive upper
body strength and
master multiple moves
including press-ups,
iron cross and pull-ups.
PT / 11.2016
BULK ORDERS
MACRO ECONOMICS
#02
MACRO ECONOMICS
#06
BRAISE YOUR GAME
A slow-roasted game stew not only offers
comfort on dark autumn
tumn evenings, it
it’ss the
perfect way to cook up a whole week’s worth
of muscle-repairing protein
n
COOKING TIME
SLOW COOKING
FOR FASTER
GYM RECOVERY
6HR
CALORIES
821
PROTEIN
124G
CARBS
52G
FAT
13G
1/2
AS MUCH SAT FAT
IN VENISON
VERSUS BEEF
WORDS: JACK HART | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC | FOOD STYLING: TAMARA VOS
64%
OF YOUR RDA OF
IMMUNISING ZINC
PER BOWL
YOUR GAME PLAN
SERVES 7
• Onions, 3, chopped
• Venison shoulder,
500g, diced
• Venison shanks, 5
• Wild boar neck/shoulder/
belly, 500g, diced
• Chanterelles, 500g
• Bay leaves, 2
• Black peppercorns, 10
• Cinnamon sticks, 2
• A star anise
• Caraway seeds, 1tsp
• Greek yoghurt, 13tbsp
• Dried apricots, 200g
• Beef/chicken stock, 1L
• Eggs, 5
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
METHOD
Step 1 In a pot on a medium
heat, soften the onions for
30min until they caramelise;
set to one side. Season and
brown the meat in batches –
it’s the best way to maximise
flavour, says Andy Waugh,
chef at London’s Mac & Wild.
Step 2 Combine the bay leaf,
peppercorns, cinnamon, star
anise and caraway in the pan.
Stir until the seeds swell, then
add the meat (with juices),
onions and half the yoghurt,
stirring well. Add the apricots
and stock; bring to the boil.
Step 3 Place the pot in a 130°C
oven for 4hr. Remove, stir in
the mushrooms and leave for
1hr. Hungry? Crack five eggs
over the top and bake for
5min more. Serve with extra
yoghurt. Consider it a warm
embrace for mind and muscle.
MEN’S HEALTH 131
---- ------------------------ ---------
----- --- ----------- --- ----------------------------- --------
--- ----- --- ---- ------------------------------------ --------------------- --------- --------------------------------- ------------------------------------
EDITEDD BY ERR IC D OWW N & MMA
MATT
ATT HAMB
HAMBLY
MBB LY
-------- ----------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- -------------------- ---------------------------------------------------
- ------------------------------------------------------ ----------------------------- ------------------ --------- ---------------- -------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------- ------
NOVEMBER
In fashion terms, the link between
European runway and municipal
shopping centre has never been
closer. Know what you’re looking
for
r and this is the best time too
be both on trrennd and in pocket
PHHOTOGRAPPHHY
PHOTOGRAP
PHO
Y BBYY
JOOBEE LA
JJOB
LAW
AWWR
WRENS
REENNSOON
N
----------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- ---------------------------------------------------
---------------- --------- --- ---------------------------------- ------- --- -------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- ---- -------
SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE | STYLING: ERIC DOWN AND RICCARDO CHIUDIONI | SEE OVER FOR PRODUCT AND STOCKIST DETAILS
2016
TAKE CATWALK
TRENDS TO THE HIGH
STREET CHECKOUT
MEN’S HEALTH 133
11 / 16 – STYLE / THE HIGH STREET EDIT
01
Be a baller
--------------01
Grooming and
style author
The Chic Geek
“I like Gillette’s Flexball
razor. It’s like a Dyson for
your face: the ball moves
along the contours of your
chin and jawline, which
means a very close shave
along the curved parts
of the face. In fact, it’s the
best razor I’ve ever used.”
06
03
02
£15
BOOTS.COM
GROOMING
GROOMING
NG
--------------- ---------------------
----------
MANUA
AL
The grooming industry
is a lucrative business,
with cosmetic companies
well aware that men will
pay big to look sharp.
Happily, we’ve met a few
connoisseurs who know
how to spot a bargain
--------------- ----- ------------- ------------- ------ -----------
02
Locks stock
---- --- ----------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------ ------------------------
04
03
Oil slickness
---------------
---------------
Joe Mills, owner
of barbershop
Joe and Co
“Black & White pomade
has a knockout smell and
works on short, textured
cuts through to longer,
messy styles and quiffs.
Use a 2p-sized blob on dry
or slightly damp hair. To
wash it out, shampoo your
hair when dry; lather, rinse.”
Men’s grooming
artist Desmond
van Staden
“I always keep a bottle of
Baby Oil mixed with a few
drops of water on me. You
can use it as a moisturiser
all over your body and,
when diluted, it won’t be
greasy. You can also use
it in your hair to smooth it
out, a little bit like serum.”
£4.65
SUPERDRUG.COM
05
£1.25
BOOTS.COM
04
Dry runs
Soft approach
---------------
---------------
Russ Harris,
head trainer at
Six3Nine fitness
“I get up at 5am and I’m in
the gym with clients all day.
Invisible Ice deodorant by
Sure has what they refer to
as ‘microcapsules’ that pop
when you move, releasing
more antiperspirant. Plus it
doesn’t leave white marks
on my black gym kit.”
Make up artist
and beauty editor
Emma White Turle
“Nivea’s Post Shave Balm
is reliable and suits every
skin type, leaving your face
soft without any greasy
residue. Girls even use it as
a primer. Elsewhere, if your
eyebrows or beard need
taming, use some lip balm
to smooth them down.”
£1
TESCO.COM
134 MEN’S HEALTH
05
£3.50
BOOTS.COM
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
06
WORDS: MATT HAMBLY | PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE | STYLING: ERIC DOWN AND RICCARDO CHIUDIONI
Drop acids
--------------Emmalene Gale,
hair stylist at
Ruffians barbers
“You’ll have to order it
online, but Schwarzkopf
Gliss Total Repair outdoes
many more expensive
shampoos. It contains all of
the 19 amino acids that are
found in your hair, but are
lost if hair is damaged. This
shampoo replaces them.”
£1.59
AMAZON.CO.UK
07
Eye opener
--------------MH associate
style editor
Matt Hambly
“Most eye creams cost
well over a tenner, but what
you’re really paying for is
tannins. Found in tea and
other plants, these reduce
swelling. Put cold teabags
over your eyes – or take a
shortcut and use Bulldog’s
Original Eye Roll-On.”
£9.99
BOOTS.COM
07
08
Multi-tool
--------------Make-up artist
and hair stylist
Oscar Alexander
“I’m a fan of Embryolisse
Lait-Crème Concentré. It’s
a mouthful, yes, but this
slightly thicker moisturiser
can be used as a facemask,
cleanser, and even to shave
with. If you want a product
that will deal with many
jobs in one go, this is it.”
£13
BOOTS.COM
08
THE BILL
RAZOR ___
RAZOR
______
______
______
___ £1
£155
POMADE
POM
ADE __
_____
______
_____ £4.6
£4.655
BABYY OIL
BAB
OIL ___
______
_ _ £1.2
___
1.255
DEODOR
DEO
DORANT
ANT __
_____
______
_____ £1
£1
SHAVE
SHA
VE BAL
BALMM _ ___
_____
__ £3.
£3.50
50
SHA
HAMPO
MPO
P O ____
_ ___
_____
_____ £1.5
1.599
ROLL-O
ROL
L-ONN ____
L-O
_ ___
__ ___
_____ £9.9
£9.999
MOISTU
MOI
STU
T RIS
R ER
E ___
______
___ £1
£133
TOTAL
TTOT
OTAAL
L ___
______
______
___£49
££49.98
49..98
98
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 135
11 / 16 – STYLE / THE HIGH STREET EDIT
THE ROUND-UP
ROUND-U
D-UPP
November Style Digest
MH canvasses expert opinion on the month’s most important
retail highlights, each en route to a high street near you
MEN’S HEALTH
STYLE EDITOR
MATT HAMBLY
----- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
RETAIL STRATEGIST
AT PORTAS AGENCY
GABRIELLE KAEGLER
DRAPERS’ HEAD
OF FASHION
GRAEME MORAN
----------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------
01 / Top Of
The Pops
04 /
Baasic
S titcch
--------------------------------
Topman is collaborating
with exciting new designer
Nasir Mazhar for a 10-piece
collection. Having supported
the young Brit’s career
by featuring him in
LC:M’s acclaimed
Man shows,
Topman deserves
credit for giving a boost to
a burgeoning homegrown
talent. Prices start at £25,
and the collection includes
the kind of outré tracksuits
that got Mazhar noticed.
---------------- ---
Gabrielle:
Graeme:
Mazhar’s skill is in
turning sportswear
into something new:
tracksuits become
Sunday best, shorts
and Ts are clubwear.
All chime well with
the athleisure trend.
While collaborations
with niche brands
don’t often sell well,
this feels relevant to
Topman’s sphere of
influence. It also has
a ‘grass roots’ feel
that big collabs lack.
What better way for
an emerging designer
to widen his fanbase
and sell his product
at an accessible price?
Topman, meanwhile,
picks up extra cool
points. It’s a win-win.
--------------------------------------------------------------------- ----FROM £29
COS X MR PORTER
02 / C ut D ow
own To Si
S ize
-- ---------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------
Moss Bro
Moss
ros ha
has re
reco
cogn
gnis
ised
ed tha
hat, whi
hile
le mad
adee-to
to-m
-mea
easu
sure
re and
besp
spok
okee su
suit
its off
offer
er unp
paral
a le
leled
d ae
aest
sthe
heti
ticc va
valu
luue, the
heyy al
also
soo
t ke a strrip out
ta
u of yo
your walleet. Acccor
ordi
diing
ngly
ly, it
itss ne
new
w Ta
Taililor
or Me
serv
se
rvic
icce is des
esig
igne
n d foor th
thos
o e wh
whom
om
m pri
rice
ce oft
ften
en pro
rohi
hibi
bits
ts..
From
Fr
om £10
00 it willl perf
rfor
o m alte
tera
rati
t on
o s at key poi
oint
ntss in youur
suit’s
su
’s con
onstruct
c ion, tak
akin
ing
g itt froom hi
h gh
g str
t ee
tr
eett ttoo Sav
avililee Ro
Row.
w
Matt:
Gabrielle:
Graeme:
Change
C
ng s are
are mad
m e
while
whi
le the su
suit
it is in
creati
cre
ation,
on, gi
givin
ving
g you
you
the ch
chanc
ancee to
to aadd
dd
d
person
per
sonali
ality
ty to you
yourr
thread
thr
e s – a cru
ead
r cia
ciall
p nt of
poi
o diff
differe
ere
r nce
from
fro
m conv
conv
n ent
ention
ional
a
al
off-the
offthe-pe
-peg
g reta
retaaile
ilers.
rs.
s
Most know
Most
knownn for
fo its
rentab
ren
table
le tux
tuxes,
es, Mo
Moss
ss
Bross has
Bro
has str
strugg
uggled
led
withh styl
wit
stylee poin
o ts.
t Th
This
is
level
lev
el of ser
servic
v e and
vic
and
d ail co
det
could
uld he
h lp the
them
m
win th
t e cust
ustome
om rss
ome
Austin
Aus
tinn Re
Reed’
ed’ss rece
ed’
recent
ntt
c sin
clo
sing
g has
has fre
f ed
e up.
With b
W
besp
poke of
often
ten
vieewed
d as a lux
luxury
ury,,
ury
thiss is a ca
thi
canny
nn mo
nny
move.
ve.
Menn no
now
w real
eaalise
isse
it pay
payss to
to inve
i ve
vest
st inn
fit,, not
fit
not jus
justt bran
bran
r d
name.
nam
e. Jus
Justt don’
on’tt go
go
m on th
mad
thee lini
l ning,
ng,
g,
David
Dav
id
d Dicckinnson
o ...
Uniqlo
Uni
qlo ha
hass a wi
w nni
nn ng
formul
for
mula:
mul
a: sim
simpli
plicit
pli
ci y +
cit
qualit
qua
litty x lo
low
w cost
coss =
world
wor
ld dom
domina
inatio
ina
tion.
tio
n
New re
recru
cruit
cru
itt Lem
Lemair
airee
air
has wi
wisel
selyy reco
sel
rec gni
gn sed
s
t t he
tha
he need
needn’t
eed
edn’t fi
fx
wha
h t isn’
isn’
sn’tt brok
roken.
en
en.
---------------------------- --------
GGaabbr
Gabrielle:
brie
riieellllee:
:
‘Ba
B sic
sics’
s’ col
collec
lectio
lec
tions
tio
ns
havee beco
hav
beco
ecome
me muc
muchh
moree embe
mor
embe
mbelli
llishe
lli
she
h d of
of
late.
lat
e. Thi
Thiss feel
e s like
like
Uniiqlo
qlo’s
’s att
a emp
em t to
f ure
fut
urepro
proof
pro
of its
it elf an
and
d
remind
rem
ind uss ju
just
st how
welll it do
wel
d es essent
ess
s ent
ential
ials.
ial
s.
- ---------------------------
GGrra
Graeme:
aeeme
emme
me:
e:
03 / A Match Victory
--------------------------------------------------------------
The high-street-meets-high-end crossover continues this
autumn as the architects of Swedish minimalism, Cos,
collaborate once more with Mr Porter. Called The Art of the
Everyday, you can expect an upgrade to your regular white
shirt and – as it’s autumn – some outstanding jumpers, too.
136 MEN’S HEALTH
-------------------
MMaattt
Matt:
t:
Matt:
Gabrielle:
Graeme:
Again, these brands
demonstrate why
theirs is a natural
marriage. Inevitably,
Cos’s classic white
shirts are iterated
over and again, and
represent excellent
quality for the cost.
Strategically, collabs
work by introducing
brands to a different
audience. So while
the collection is very
cool, I’m not sure
whom it benefits.
Their consumer is
pretty much the same.
Cos’s stripped down
aesthetic makes it
just about the only
high-street brand
that could work with
Mr Porter. The result
is a quality collection
that looks far more
expensive than it is.
Simpli
Sim
plicit
pli
cityy isn’
cit
isn’
sn’tt alwa
ways
wa
yss
sexy,
sex
y, soo thi
thiss coll
coll
o ect
ction
ion
on
is a way
way of rei
reinje
re
njecti
nje
ct ng
cti
lifee into
lif
into the
thhe bran
ra d.
d
Willl it work
Wil
work
ork?? I th
think
ink so
so..
Trends
Tre
nds coome and
nd go
go,
but
u ev
every
eryone
ryone
on neeeds
ed
well-m
we
wel
l-made
ade juumpe
mpers.
mp
rs
CREWNECK
£35 UNIQLO
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
ILLUSTRATION: ADAM NICKEL | TOPMAN.COM, UNIQLO.COM, MRPORTER.COM, MOSS.CO.UK
--------- ----------------------------------
Matt:
Uniqlo’s latest
collection, Uniqlo
l
U, wass designed by
b
the brand’s new
creative director
C ristop
Ch
o he
h
Lema
m ire.
e His aim
withh U was
as too maake
‘bas
‘b
a iccs’
s for
o you
o r
w rdrobe
wa
rd
d e that ar
ae
a yt
an
ythi
h ng but. So
So,
buusi
s ne
n ss as ussual...
HOW TO
It might sound like teenage profligacy,
but to break new style ground in 2016
you need to rip it up annd start again,
says Topman desiggner Gordon Richardson
PHOTOG
PPHO
HOTTOGRAP
TOG
OGRRAP
RAAPHHYY BBYY
JOBE LA
JO
JOB
LAAWR
LAWR
WWRENS
REENS
ENNSO
SON
ON
------- ------- ----
--- --- ---------- ------
-- ----- --------- -----
- ------ ------- ---- --------- - WEAR...
----------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------- --------- ------------------------------------- ----------------WEARR... ------
---------- --- ----------- ----- ------- ---- ----------------------- ---- --- ------- ----------- --- ---- ------------ ------------ ---- -------------- -- ---------------
LIGHT
SABRE
The rips on our
Topman lines are based
on vintage samples we’ve
acquired and each pair
is laser-cut from a rip
pattern. Anything from
small pocket abrasions
to full blow-out knees.
THROW A
COUNTER
PUNCH
Why ripped? Now that
jeans are ubiquitous from
street to boardroom,
they’ve lost their edge.
Rips remind people this
was once the wardrobe
of counter-culture.
MAKE AN
UNDERSTATEMENT
The key to pulling off
ripped denim is to keep
your top half subdued.
Pair with a plain T-shirt
and don’t over do it. See
Kanye West and David
Beckham for pass notes.
DON’T LOOK
BACK IN
ANGER
Ripped jeans of the
’90s had a far less
flattering silhouette.
New stretch fabrics retain
their fit better than ever,
preventing subtle rips
turning into huge tears.
STEM THE
RIP TIDE
To prevent rips
turning into gaping holes,
wash on low in a wash
bag. But the truth is, they
often look better with
increased wear. If that’s
the case, ditch the bag
and turn up the heat.
ENGAGE
IN JOINT
ENTERPRISE
RIPPEDD J EANS
£45 TOPMAN
If you’re unsure whether
to shred, knee rips are a
good start. A natural rip
would sit directly on the
knee and will be most
comfortable, especially
when sat down.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
THE HIGH STREET EDIT / STYLE – 11 / 16
INSTANTT
UPGRADE
ADE
-
---------------------------------- ---------
Disregard tired
associations with
’70s car dealers
– camel is your AW
wardrobe’s secret
weapon. This is
the best the high
street has to offer
----- ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- --- ---------------------------
-------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------- ----------------
----------------------
BREAST
PRACTICE
Double-vented
jackets were designed
to allow movement for
people riding horses.
Unless that’s how you’re
planning on getting to
work, a single vent will
provide a sleek fit.
WORDS: MATT HAMBLY | SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE | STYLING: ERIC DOWN AND RICCARDO CHIUDIONI | TOPMAN.COM, RIVERISLAND.COM
F
ew items at your disposal this
winter have the transformative
power of a single-breasted overcoat.
Which is fortunate because, since few
items require so much of an outlay,
it pays to invest wisely. An overcoat
is, after all, the first and last thing
people see you wearing, and thanks
to the relaxing of dress codes, it’s
now just as acceptable to pair with
denim or tailored joggers as a suit.
However, if like many Men’s Health
staffers, you are guilty of ‘going dark’
during the colder months, note that
the overcoat’s power is amplified by
colour – in this case, camel.
“Over the last three seasons you
could say that camel has become
the new grey,” says Matthew Braun,
menswear design manager at River
Island. Its camel overcoat is part
of a Style Staples range, which is
intended to form the building blocks
of a sharp wardrobe. “It’s chic and
understated, but still allows you
to stand out in a sea of navy and
black.” In addition, the yellow hue in
camel complements blue and white,
immediately elevating the clothes
that are already on your hangers.
A good coat can be extremely
costly but this one is excellent value.
Cut to flatter your shape and free of
unnecessary detail, it has all the
hallmarks of a classic for well under
£100. Pick up some Savile Row style
on the high street and use it to break
the grey monotony this winter.
FASTEN
FURIOUS
Tradition
dictates the bottom
button of your coat
should be undone. We
say if it’s cold, tradition
can go to hell. Just
make sure it’s not the
only button done up.
SLIM
SHADING
Pulled in at
the waist, this tailored
fit hangs better than
a duffel or parka by
giving you a V-shaped
silhouette – broader
shoulders and a
trimmer waistline.
OVERCOAT
£75 RIVER
ISLAND
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 139
11 / 16 – STYLE / THE HIGH STREET EDIT
--------- -------------------
STYLE CYCLE
YCLE
------- -------------------------
------------ ------ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- -----
MH charts the journey of sneakers from runway
to high street with the help of Dan Bisson,
footwear editor at trend forecasters WGSN,
to find out what you really get for your money
----------------------- ----- -------------------------------------------- -------- --------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- ----- ---- -------------------------------------------------------------
0011
KNITT
KNIT
03
01
APL
Techloom Pro
APL is
£150
££1
1550
50.0
0..0
.00
00
targeting an
audience that values
exclusivity above all.
It’s difficult breaking into
the trainer market from
a performance point of
view, and whether you
get much more than Nike
gives you is debatable,
but the price is close
enough not to throw those
seeking that all-important
point of difference.
02
0022
Nike
Flyknit
03
03
New
Look
-------------------- -----
--------------------
I honestly
£130
££1
1330
30.0
0..0
.00
00
didn’t expect
flyknits to prove as
popular as they have
done. Their success, it
seems, lies in the fact
that Nike has been able
to produce something
that is both stylistically
credible and comfortable,
marrying athletic
performance into the
bargain. Comfort is one
of the big trends driving
footwear at the moment
so it’s a holy trinity.
High-street
£25.
££2
255.
5.00
.0000
0
retailers will
always look for the most
cost-efficient way of
producing footwear. The
outlay for a knitting
machine that can make
these shoes is significant,
so instead they source a
material that imitates the
look. The result does a
decent job of looking the
part, but won’t perform
in quite the same way.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------- --------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alexander
SNEAKER
01
03
Adidas
River
01
01
McQueen
--------- --- -----------
02
02
Stan Smith
------------ -------------------- ----
0033
Island
------- --------------
Designer
£360
££3
3660
60.0
0.0
.00
00
brands are
always looking to push
the envelope as far as
possible. McQueen’s
business model isn’t
based on selling sneakers
in volume, hence this
classic shoe with
take on a class
a much thicker
thicke outsole. If
wondering what
you were wond
such a high
gives them suc
mark-up, think premium
materials and production.
The Stan
£70.
££7
700.
0.00
.0000
0
Smith is
perennially popular for
its clean, classic styling.
It’s a quality product
that looks good on pretty
much any guy. Adidas
has tapped into ’80s and
’90s nostalgia better
than most, and this runs
throughout its clothing
lines, not just its kicks.
In short, the Stan Smith
is a failsafe trainer,
unaffected by the
vagaries of fashion.
High-street
£25.
££2
255.
5.00
.000
0
retailers have
to predict what people
want before they know
it. Footwear takes around
six months from idea to
production, but people
see things online and
want them immediately.
There are limitations, but
high-street designers
produce the best shoes
they can. As a budget
option, these are great.
02
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ----------------- -------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------01
01
SLIP-ON
-ON
03
02
01
Lanvin
Slip-on
Despite what £
£315
£3
3115
15.0
5..0
.00
00
cynics think,
there is a direct link
between production cost
and retail price. Expensive
trainers tend to be made
in Italy or Portugal where
volumes are lower and
better materials are used.
The big difference here is
a durable cup sole made
from a mould – each size
requiring a new one. You
get what you pay for.
Vans
Asos
02
02
Classic
-- ----------- ------------ ---
03
03
Slip-on
--------------------
Vans are
£47.
££4
477.
7.00
.00000
synonymous
with this style, but they
weren’t by any means
the first. The name is
enough to persuade most
customers to purchase,
but a consideration here
is the use of vulcanised
rubber, which means
a rubber strip is glued
around the outsole. This
is much cheaper than
moulding a cup sole,
the trade-off being that
they wear out faster.
Production
£16.
££1
166.
6.00
.00000
methods differ
little from the likes of Vans
at high-street level, and
high volume keeps prices
low. Like Vans, they have
a vulcanised sole and the
materials used to make
the upper will inevitably
be of a lower quality.
The result is cheap,
cheerful and respectable
– just don’t expect them
to last forever.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- --- ----------------------------------- --------------------- ------------ --- ----------------
140 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
PHOTOGRAPHY: JOBE LAWRENSON | ADIDAS.CO.UK, ALEXANDERMCQUEEN.COM, ASOS.COM, ATHLETIC PROPULSION LABS AT MRPORTER.COM, LANVIN AT MRPORTER.COM, NEWLOOK.COM, NIKE.COM, RIVERISLAND.COM, VANS.COM
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- ----
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------HIGH-END
HIPSTE
HIPSTER
S R
HIGH STREET
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 / 16 – STYLE / THE HIGH STREET EDIT
-------- --------- -------- --- -
WRIST
WR
IST
ST ----------ASSESSME
ASSESSMENT
SMENNT
Don’t let the watch snobs
tell you otherwise – it
really is possible to
rock a ticker that ticks
all the boxes without
the three-figure pricetag
------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------PPHO
HOTTOG
OGRRAP
RAPHY
APHHYY BBY
Y
JJOB
OBE LA
LAAWR
AWRENS
WREENSON
NSOON
N
-- ------ -------------------- ------------------------------
--------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- -------- -------
- --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------- ----- --------- ------------
-------- --------------------------------------------------- --
01
ALEX
DOAK
Ass Men’ss HHea
Health
ealth
lth’s
’s
resident
sident watch buff,
buff,
DDoa
oakk will ensurre your
ou
new purc
purchase
hase
ase sta
stand
stands
ndss
thee tteest
st of
of time
tim e
clever about throwing everything at your
creation, only to charge the requisite
telephone-number price for the bother?
The same goes for watches. There
are countless examples out there
costing the same as a Dacia Sandero –
and plenty more besides that match the
pricetag on a Lamborghini Aventador
– which snobs will cite as the only things
worth wearing with pride. And certainly,
£35.
££3
355.
5.00
.00000
-----------------
The fake-gold digital watch trend
is getting a little silly now – you
can barely move in east London
without seeing a bearded sort
drinking jam-jar cocktails with one
hand and wearing one of these on
the other. But if you do want in on
the retro revival, stand out from
the crowd with a more versatile
steel bracelet. This is the watch you
wanted when you were 10; a model
of ’80s playground sophistication.
--02
Swatch
Blue Rebel
£47.
££4
477.
7.50
.55500
-----------------
You wore a Swatch way back when
– and guess what? You still can.
Admittedly, most are too garish
for cool men of a certain age, but
go for this understated number
and have the following riposte
down pat: “Yes it’s plastic, but the
success of Swatch in the ’80s
singlehandedly bailed out most
of Switzerland’s ailing brands.
Breguet and Omega wouldn’t
exist otherwise.” Enough said.
N
ostalgic Top Gear fans might well
remember James May’s particular
(and particularly amusing) obsession
with the Dacia Sandero – a no-frills
car coming in at just under £6000.
His reasoning was that it’s a far more
impressive feat of engineering to
make a reliable, safe motor at such a low
cost than a supercar. After all, what’s so
Casio
A168WA-1YES
--there’s much to be said for investing in
the best that Swiss watchmakers have to
offer – their reputation as masters of the
horological arts is not without reason.
It also goes without saying that, as with
a pair of shoes or a new suit, it pays to
invest as much as you can afford and no
less. But the point is, if you shop smartly,
you can easily spend under £100 on a
watch that is clever, interesting and
invariably well-made. Of course, pieces
like these cannot be judged by the usual
tenets of Swiss watchmaking. But as
affordable, reliable and canny pieces of
engineering, they stand up to the task.
Timepieces in this bracket will not be
driven by micromechanics meticulously
tweezered together by Swiss craftsmen.
In fact, they will almost certainly be spat
out of a vast production line in China,
and might even be made of plastic. But
as our recommendations demonstrate,
heritage, innovative technology and
on-point styling are all you need for
a solid workaday watch that you won’t
mind losing in the locker room, nor will
it get you laughed out of the boardroom.
And that is infinitely more than can be
said for the Dacia Sandero.
03
Citizen Eco-Drive
BM8240-11A
£90.
900.
0.00
.0000
0
------------------ ££9
Japanese giant Citizen created
a nigh-on perpetual motion
machine for the wrist in 1976 with
Eco-Drive, and the technology
hasn’t been bettered yet. By
bending a flexible solar cell
around the dial rather than
underneath, there’s no restriction
on dial layout or decoration.
Remarkably, this tech can come
in at under £100, albeit without
frills – in this case, no bad thing.
--04
Timex The
Waterbury
£75.
755.
5.00
.00000
------------------££7
For people who thought Swatch
was a little too plastic to be
fantastic, Timex has always
been the no-brainer alternative
– albeit rather less trend-led.
The arrival of The Waterbury
collection changes all of that,
however, tapping into the current
move toward a vintage military
aesthetic, complete with threaded
utilitarian strap. Classy, manly,
and bafflingly bargainous.
--142 MEN’S HEALTH
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
STYLING: ERIC DOWN AND RICCARDO CHIUDIONI | SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE
01
02
04
03
MEN’S HEALTH 143
MH PROMOTION
THE FINER THINGS
The Cool Fresh range
is loaded with essential
features to optimise
freshness all day long
DON’T SWEAT IT
Moisturiser
equipped within
the Cool Fresh roll-on
antiperspirant protects
your skin from dryness
and irritation.
FRESHEN UP
A glacial scent
inspired by leading
men’s fragrances
refreshes both body and
mind throughout the day.
GYM BAG FRIENDLY
Cool Fresh
deodorant is
available in a
compressed bottle,
which is perfect for
packing into your
lunch-break gym bag.
KEEPING
YOUR COOL
FRONTING UP TO LIFE’S CHALLENGES
DOESN’T HAVE TO MEAN BREAKING
A SWEAT, AT LEAST NOT WITH DOVE’S
MEN+CARE COOL FRESH RANGE
S ure, your 9-5 might not require
literally picking yourself out of
the dirt like Dove ambassador
Sam Warburton – but the modern
man’s life presents its own obstacles.
Professional athletes and desk jockeys
alike need to keep cool under pressure,
and no matter what your day throws
at you, the right skincare products and
routine are essential for maintaining
a brave – and fresh – face.
Dove Men+Care Cool Fresh is the
latest instalment in the grooming
brand’s impressive skincare range
and is designed to keep performing
when you’re taking the heat, be that
physically or mentally. With shower gel
and moisturiser built into the roll-on
deodorant, helping to combat dry skin
as you progress through the day, it’s
the signature Cool Fresh fragrance
that provides an ace up your sleeve.
The refreshing scent will help you keep
your cool, giving you an extra layer
of protection when you need it most.
DON’T MISS OUT
Put Dove Men+Care Cool Fresh
to the test this year by taking
on Men’s Health Survival of the
Fittest. There’s a free sample in
every post-race goody bag – handy
after taking on the world’s biggest
urban adventure race series.
Enter at ratrace.com/mhsurvival2016
THE HIGH STREET EDIT / STYLE – 11 / 16
Decent frames can be
exorbitant, but who is
anyone to say you should
have gone to Specsavers?
Thankfully, a new breed
of workshops are catering
to the short of sight
withoutt roobbing you blind
--- ----------- --- ---------------------- -----
- --------------- -- -------------------------- ---------------------------------- -------------------------- ----- ---------
------------ --- ---------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------- --------
------ ---- -------------- ------------- --------PPHO
HOTTTOG
TOGRAP
OGRRAPHY
APHY BY
WARDROBE
E
JJOB
OBE LLAWR
AAWRENSON
WRENSON
------------ CLASSIC
--- -------------- -----------
WORDS: MATT HAMBLY | SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE | STYLING: ERIC DOWN AND RICCARDO CHIUDIONI | ACEANDTATE.COM
W
ith over a third of the UK population
requiring four eyes, it’s no surprise
that the spectacles industry is thriving.
But this doesn’t always mean great options.
Many high-street opticians sell cut-price
frames and lenses that are lucky to see their
first birthday. For those looking for something
a little more artisan, prices quickly escalate.
Not so long ago this was a frustration that
faced Mark de Lange, founder of Ace & Tate,
an eyewear label dedicated to producing
quality frames at fair prices. “I bought frames
in the US and the process of fitting them
with lenses was astronomically expensive,”
he says. “I knew there had to be another way.”
Turns out there was. By removing
unnecessary stages in the supply chain,
Ace & Tate is able to design, manufacture and
sell a stylish pair of specs with prescription
lenses for under £100. The quality
doesn’t come up short, either. “We
make our frames in Italy, from the
best acetate, in the very same
factories as some of the big
designer brands.”
MH is particularly fond
of the Jeff model, an update
on the clubmaster design
redolent of ’50s Americana,
with a fit wide enough to suit
most face shapes. “A good fit is
actually not about arm length or
frame width but bridge width,” says
de Lange. “If the bridge doesn’t fit your
nose, your lenses won’t be centred. It’s
most flattering if you’re staring through
the lens dead-centre.” As always in life,
it pays to keep your eyes on the prize.
JEFF GLASSES
ROSEWOOD £89
ACE & TATE
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 145
11 / 16 – STYLE / THE HIGH STREET EDIT
- ------- - -------------------
Merino wool’s luxuriously fine thread and
lightweight warmth are what make quality
knits so damned expensive. These, however,
are high-street options bucking that trend
PRO
O
- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------------------------------- ----------- ---------------------- ------------------------------- --------------
SELECTOR
R
JUMPER
£30 H&M
146 MEN’S HEALTH
PHOTOG
PPHO
HOTTOG
OGRRAP
RAPHY
APHHYY BBY
Y
JOBE LLAWR
JOB
AWRENS
AAWR
WREENS
NSOONN
------------------------------
--------------- ------------ ----
------ -----------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -----------------
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS | SET DESIGN: CARRIE LOUISE | STYLING: ERIC DOWN | PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT: JONNY BAKER | STOCKISTS: ALLSAINTS.COM,
BURTON.CO.UK, COSSTORES.COM, GAP.CO.UK, HM.COM, MARKSANDSPENCER.COM, MASSIMODUTTI.COM, NEXT.CO.UK, SUPERDRY.COM, TOPMAN.COM, WHISTLES.COM, ZARA.COM
£35 BURTON
£35 TOPMAN
PREMIUM
£30 ZARA MAN
£125 COS
£39.50 M&S
COLLECTION
£35 NEXT
PREMIUM
40LB
THE AMOUNT OF WOOL
WOO
OOLL
A PEPPIN MER
MERINO
INO
NO RAM
CAN PRODUC
PRODUCE
RODUCEE EA
EAC
EACH
CH
YEAR
EAR – ENOUG
ENOUGHH FOR
JUST
T 30 SWEATERSS
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
£40 GAP
£65 MASSIMO
DUTTI
£78 ALLSAINTS
£75 WHISTLES
£85 IDRIS ELBA
+ SUPERDRY
MEN’S HEALTH 147
THE HIGH STREET EDIT / STYLE – 11 / 16
------------- ------------- ------------CAROL LIM AND
HUMBERTO LEON
THE Q&AA
-------------------------------------------
The ressurgeenc
ce off Kenzo
hass beeenn celeebraatedd by
thhosee in the knoww, and
those in thhe money.. Butt
even better news for
value huntters is its neew
collaboration withh H&&M.
MH got the lowdown from
design duo Carol Lim
and Humberto Leon
WORDS: MATT HAMBLY | HM.COM
------- -------------- -------------------
Where does a collection
like this start? Is it in the
archives or is it a chance
to start with a blank slate?
HL: This collection is the
first time we’ve ever really
played with the archives.
Kenzō Takada moved from
Japan and founded the brand
in Paris nearly 50 years ago,
and he was a real pioneer. We
want everyone to know the
depth of the Kenzo story, and
to mix and clash it with our
21st-century take on it.
CL: We wanted to push this
collection to the extremes
and make it really bold and
fun. Every single piece is
special. None of it has existed
before – it’s all brand new and
exclusive to the collection.
You’ve talked before about
merging Kenzo’s archive
with the new direction the
brand is taking. Are you
bringing the same principles
to this collaboration?
HL: This collaboration with
H&M has really been like
a conversation between us
and Kenzō Takada. For Carol
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
and I, it has been an honour
to get to know Mr Takada and
he now comes to almost all
of our shows. It’s important
for a new generation to know
about the work he did, and
we want to show how much
respect we have for him
and his incredible legacy.
There’s a definite contrast
in the collection between
bright sweaters and more
subtle bombers. Was this
a conscious decision?
CL: Humberto and I love
fashion that’s wearable. We
want men to come and find
the piece that suits their
personal style best in the
Kenzo x H&M collection,
whether that’s a major
statement piece such as the
fake fur printed hoodie, or
something a bit more subtle,
like the bomber jacket or
black jeans. We’re never
precious about fashion – we
want men to mix these pieces
into their own wardrobes and
wear them in their own way.
CHELSEA BOOTS
£140
PADDED DOWN COAT
£200
TIGER PRINT PULLOVER
£140
Plenty of colour and print
has been deployed, but
mostly in a subtle way. Is
this so that wearing the
collection feels like you’re
part of a special club?
HL: We obsess over the finer
details in everything we do.
In this collection, we love the
zipper pulls, which are in the
shape of tiger heads, or the
beaded logos on the hoodie
and sweater. We really liked
the idea of making pieces
reversible, so that men could
play with their look, especially
the reversible bomber with
the zip-off panel that’s made
up of four different prints.
CL: We always consider every
ssingle detail when we’re
d
designing, no matter how
ssmall it may be. It pushes the
p
product to be the best it can
b
be and makes it more special
fo
for whoever’s wearing it.
H
Humberto and I are both
ssuburban kids from California,
and when we were growing
up, it was these little details
that acted as a code between
you and your friends. It’s very
exciting for us to be able to
incorporate that sentiment
into what we do today.
I guess this is a bit like
asking you to choose
between your children,
but do you have a favourite
piece and if so, why?
HL: That is such a tough
question. If you were to
ask me that same question
tomorrow I’d almost definitely
give you a different answer,
but right now I love the
green tiger pullover top. It’s
a really cool way of doing
outdoor clothing, and makes
for such a strong look.
CL: I’m going to have to go
with the multi-print padded
down jacket with the zipper
details. It’s such a special
piece. I love how this
collection is so immediate.
You have to get it, because
as soon as it’s sold, it’s gone.
MEN’S HEALTH 149
INTO
HIGH
GEAR
UNIQLO TAKES THE
BRAKES OFF YOUR
WEEKEND ADVENTURES
WITH FABRIC BUILT TO
WITHSTAND ALL WEATHER
L DOWN PARKA
L:
PARKA, £99.90
£99 90
T-SHIRT, £9.90
JOGGER PANTS, £29.90
R: DOWN JACKET, £59.99
T-SHIRT, £12.90
PANTS, £29.90
MH PROMOTION
L: DOWN JACKET, £59.90
T-SHIRT, £9.90
PANTS, £29.90
R: DOWN JACKET, £59.90
T-SHIRT, £12.90
SWEATPANTS, £29.90
W
hen you’re penned in by the
forecast, escaping the city can
feel like trying to abscond from
Alcatraz. Rain falls heavy. Wind
puts a dampener on your plans. And
that trendy coat keeping you lukewarm
during your working week just won’t
rise to the challenge as the mercury
falls. You want to get away – to hit the
trail and decompress after a week of
9-5. You rummage through the
functional end of your wardrobe. But
the down jacket gathering dust since
your 2009 ski trip makes you look like
some sort of acid rave Michelin Man.
Dressing for the occasion is fraught.
Thank fabric science that style and
function are no longer mutually
exclusive. Thermal shouldn’t have
to mean ugly. High-tech doesn’t
equal low aesthetics. With Uniqlo’s
autumn/winter range of heat-saving,
water-resistant clothing, the science
is hidden in slick silhouettes and the
colours wouldn’t look out of place
anywhere. It’s function that’s on
form. Function like that interweaved
through HEATTECH garments,
created in conjunction with Toray
Industries – a Japanese advanced
materials firm with knowledge
spanning from fabric technology
to aircraft fuselages. Super-thin
tops, bottoms and underwear have
micro pockets that keep in warm air.
So before you even put on your
jacket, you have an unfair advantage.
You can also layer the Ultra
Light Down jacket, perfect for days
when the weather is changeable and
you want something that packs away
without fuss. Easily transportable as
they are, don’t let the soft shell fool
you: these items are durable.
L: COMPACT DOWN VEST, £39.90
T-SHIRT, £12.90
SWEATPANTS, £29.90
R: DOWN PARKA, £69.90
T-SHIRT, £12.90
JOGGER PANTS, £29.90
With the help of the brains at Toray,
Uniqlo packed all the heat-saving
technology possible into these
lightweight jackets using ultra-fine
nylon yarn (about one tenth of the
thickness of a strand of human hair).
So thin are the resulting garments that
you can easily wear them over your work
clobber if the destination at the end of
the bike ride happens to be your office.
But if you’re heading to the path less
pedalled, you might need something
more heavy duty. That doesn’t mean
you can’t look good en route, mind you.
Using seamless bonding technology,
this season’s down jackets lock in
more heat while minimising weight
and keeping out the wet. So far, so
functional. But add to this the stretch
wool and flattering silhouette and
what you’re looking at is the only
coat you’ll ever need for both work
and play. So you can transition from
bike trip to bar drinks smoother
than Bradley Wiggins on a Sunday
ride. British conditions or no.
DOWN COAT, £149.90
COMPACT DOWN VEST, £39.90
T-SHIRT, £12.90
SWEATPANTS, £29.90
MH PROMOTION
BIKES SUPPLIED BY TOKYOBIKE.CO.UK
DOWN PARKA, £99.90
T-SHIRT, £9.90
PANTS, £29.90
Going further requires
clothing that keeps pace.
To ensure your wardrobe
lasts the distance, invest
in heat-saving fabrics that
work as hard as you do. For
more information on the full
range, visit uniqlo.com/uk
EDITED BY SCARLETT WRENCH
MH QUIZ
ADDICTION
NO.30
GUTTER CREDIT
CAN YOU BREAK
THE HABIT?
Every high can come with an accompanying
low – that of dependence. Our test will help you stay
in control of your compulsions, bad or otherwise
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
MEN’S HEALTH 155
NOVEMBER 2016
\
Q1
Is an ‘addictive personality’ a thin
thing?
\
Q5
Men with a
Q4\
Match the addiction to
its supposed cure:
heavy porn
habit enjoy sex
more than other
people…
A
Yes
A
i
Heroin
Nalmefene
A
B
No
B
ii
Cocaine
Elvanse
C
Alcoholism
B There is no universal ‘addict’
‘addict’. How
However,
the University of Bonn in Germany found
many people who displayed internet
dependency possessed a genetic variant
also found in heavy smokers, suggesting
some people may be innately vulnerable.
\
Q2
Which of the following might
D
True
B
iii
Suboxone
False
iv
Binge-eating
Ritalin
B ‘XXX’ doesn’t always hit the spot.
Cambridge Uni found that addicts craved
sex, but didn’t derive additional satisfaction from it
compared to their non-compulsive peers. In fact,
half those studied struggled to achieve an erection
with their partner. Lots of therapists specialise in
porn addiction; deal with it now, rather than after
you’ve forgotten to delete your browser history.
A, iii / B, iv / C, i / D, ii Needless to say, guidance
from your GP is always necessary. For a softer
approach to compulsive overeating, amino acid
5-HTP has been shown to reduce hunger and
elevate mood-boosting hormone serotonin. Plus
it won’t give you dry mouth and heart palpitations.
prompt a visit from ‘Uncle Rhabdo’?
Q6\
Over
spending
B
Over
eating
C
Over
exercising
C The fitness addict’s nickname for
‘rhabdomyolysis’ is caused by training
to the point of muscle breakdown and
kidney damage. Pain, nausea and
a persistently hammering heart are
all red flags. But that just sounds like
a typical legs day to you, right?
What proportion of men visiting Open Road
needle exchanges were steroid users?
A
50%
\
Q3
How many days of practice does it
take to make a wholesome habit stick?
B
30%
A
21
C
B
C
66
84
B Popular myth has it that 21 is the
magic number, but psychologist Jeremy
Dean found little evidence to back it up.
By asking would-be habitees to keep an
84-day log he arrived at 66. So make it
to 7 March without partaking and your
new year’s resolution should stick.
156 MEN’S HEALTH
70%
C In 2016, the queue for sterile syringes looks less like a Trainspotting audition and more like the line
for the squat rack. It’s more estimated than one million Brits are regular steroid users. Tempted? Try
examining your fat intake first: an International Journal of Sports Medicine study found men who went
heavy on the eggs and avocado had higher testosterone levels. Needles are far less Instagrammable.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
WORDS: MIKE SHALLCROSS | ILLUSTRATIONS: ADAM NICKEL AT SYNERGY ART | PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY, PETER CROWTHER, SUN LEE, LOUISA PARRY, STUDIO 33
A
MH QUIZ: ADDICTION
Q10\
Q7\
According to the NHS, what proportion of
UK men show signs of alcoholism?
Fixed-odds betting terminals generated
a sweet ____ in the UK alone last year...
A
£300m
0m
A
B
3%
9%
C
16%
D
25%
B This is the point at which doctors define you are
not able to function without alcohol. Drying out?
Get your vital organs on side with glutathione –
a nutrient that’s depleted by heavy drinking. Whey
protein is a great way to boost your levels. Drinking
it out of a pint glass probably isn’t a good sign.
Q11\
B
£950m
Certain
n food
foods
ds
are chemically
micaally
addictive...
ve...
C
£1.7bn
A
Truee
B
False
se
C These devices are said to be particularly addictive because of the speed and frequency
with which bets can be placed, as well as the psychological thrill gained from the number
of ‘near misses’. Raging against the machines? The NHS estimates there are 590,000
problem gamblers in the UK. Check gamcare.org.uk if you’re concerned. We bet it helps.
\
Q8
Q
The blissed-out state
ca
caused
by anandamide
is known in fitness
circles as ____?
cir
Q9\
What does the
Japanese word
‘karoshi’ mean?
Q12\
A
Runner’s high
Run
What compulsive activity did Australian Okan
Kaya engage in for 5½ days straight in 2012?
B
Athlete’s foot
Ath
C
Tennis elbow
Ten
A On
Once thought to be caused
by en
endorphins, scientists are
now tturning their attentions
to ‘en
‘endocannabinoids’, the
chemicals stimulated by the
chem
effects of marijuana on the
effec
body. It’s the most legit high
body
you’ll get on your lunchbreak.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
B While coming
ming off
ff the
Krispy Kremes
mes shouldn’t
shoouldn’t
give you thee shake
shakes,
es, studies
by the University
versity of
o Edinburgh
found the hit of
hit of dopamine
pamine we get after eating
can lead too aa compulsion
compulsion to binge
binge. Scientists
say treating this as a behavioural, rather than
substance, addiction would see better results.
A
B
C
Training to Working A drinking
exhaustion to death
game
B Afraid to take your foot off the
gas? Research in the Harvard
Business Review found that people
who use up all of their allocated
holiday leave stand a greater
chance of promotion. Working
yourself into the ground is not
the route to a high-flying career.
A
Playing Call
of Duty
B
Updating
Facebook
C
Re-watching
24
A Although he did squeeze in a few hours sleep.
If you struggle to switch off, psychologist Dr Aric
Sigman suggests only playing with friends who
have better self-control than you do. Consider it
a black ops strike on an insidious habit.
MEN’S HEALTH 157
MH QUIZ: ADDICTION
NOVEMBER 2016
Q16\
Q13\
What surprising cure is credited with helping Robert
Downey Jr and Anthony Kiedis conquer drug addiction?
Which of the following is a symptom
of iPhone withdrawal?
B
A Photography
Loneliness
Lo
onneel
A
B Knitting
C Ultra-running
C Running away from your problems may well be the answer.
Frontiers in Psychiatry posited “neurobiological consequences
of exercise” can reduce compulsive patterns of drug-taking.
Confusion
on
Q17\
Which of these is the world’s most
commonly used psychoactive drug?
B
Cocaine
C
Anxiety
ty
D
A
Less artful
a
lunches
lunch
Cannabis
D
Methylated
xanthine
C
A, B & C Disconnecting
i can carry consequences bbeyond
d missing
i i the
h odd Kanye
meme. The University of Maryland found that four in five of us itch for Insta when
deprived of technology. Switch off your push notifications – starving yourself of
the dopamine spikes from constant alerts is the first step in rewiring your brain.
Q14\
Q15\
Willpower is a finite
resource…
On average, smokers try to give up
how many times before quitting?
Methamphetamine
D Although the non-chemists among us know it better as
caffeine. In moderation, however, the drug has its perks,
including a lower risk of dementia and improved liver health.
Just try to reduce your grande habit to three cups a day.
Q18\
Is there such a thing as an adrenaline junkie?
A3
A
B 12
Yes
B
No
C 30
A True
B False
A & B According to Stanford Uni, those
who believe inhaling a bag of Haribo is
the only way to survive cigarette cravings
generally find this to be true, while those
who view their diet and addictions as
separate get by fine without a sweet fix.
How
did you
score?
158 MEN’S HEALTH
C So found a recent Canadian study,
though a BMJ review determined
answers ranging from six to 142. Swap
cigs for gym rigs: according to Nicotine
& Tobacco Research, smokers who
embark on a 12-week weight-training
programme are twice as likely to quit.
A Medical classifications focus on personality types over
physical cravings, but scientists note similarities between
the brains of thrill-chasing athletes and drug addicts.
0-6
AWARENESS
7-12
RECOVERY
13-18
MAINTENANCE
The first stage in treating an addiction is
acknowledging you have one. Look out
for classic signs like dropping hobbies or
friends, ignoring health difficulties and
becoming secretive. Keep an emergency
stash of your little helper in your car?
It’s probably time to clean up your act.
You can minimise chances of relapse by
developing coping strategies. Top of the
list is to avoid the high-risk situations
known by the acronym HALT: hungry,
angry, lonely, tired. These are the times
you’re most likely to reach for your old
poison, be it Marlboros or Maltesers.
Change never ends with action, say the
experts. While at this stage the addict
is attuned to the situations that can
lead to relapse, work is still required.
Active monitoring of thoughts, ongoing
practice of new skills and maintaining
a support system are essential here.
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK
THE MH DIRECTORY
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MH CLASSIFIED
TRX2 MOLECULAR FOOD SUPPLEMENT FOR HAIR
TRX2 Molecular Food Supplement for Hair is an innovative development of Oxford scientist Dr
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Pricing starts from £39.99 and you will be able to get a 5% discount using the coupon code “MH”,
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REAR VIEW PRINTS
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HAND AND TERRY
TREAT SOMEONE DEAR TO YOU TO
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ONE WORD
ANSWER #30
QUESTION
What kind of
metal should
you be stacking
plates with for a
better body?
ANSWER
Copper
162 MEN’S HEALTH
converts body fat into a useable
source of energy. And the effects are
accumulative, too: “The more copper
there is, the more the fat is broken
down,” says study author Chris Chang.
While iron deficiency is fairly rare
in healthy men, an estimated threequarters of us fall short of the ideal
copper dosage. Sesame seeds are
one of the top sources, so try adding
a spoonful of tahini (a Middle Eastern
paste made of the pulped seeds, and
an essential ingredient in houmous)
to your post-workout shakes in place
of the usual peanut butter. The sun
may be going down on ‘guns out’
season, but there’s no reason to let
that tarnish your fitness goals.
WORDS: SCARLETT WRENCH | PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE
I f your pursuit of a solid physique
begins and ends with heavy lifting,
you’re missing a trick. It seems that
incrementally increasing the weight on
your barbell will only get you so far. In
fact, it’s the metal on your dinner plate
that could make the difference. And that
means copper, which new research from
the University of California has found
plays a crucial part in fat metabolism.
Until now, iron has been the metallic
dietary focus of athletes, thanks to
its part in building red blood cells,
transporting oxygen to your muscles
and providing Arnie with something
to pump. But not only have scientists
found that copper is vital for adequate
iron absorption, this mineral also
MENSHEALTH.CO.UK