Friday, February 27, 2015
2015 Arnold Classic Physique International Preview
How to conquer the CrossFit Open
The door to the 2015 CrossFit Games is open. The first of several workouts to qualify through the CrossFit Open has been announced (a simple nine-minute AMRAP of 15 toes-to-bar, ten deadlifts and five snatches followed by a one-rep max clean and jerk). Get through the Open and then the Regionals and you'll have the chance to compete for four-time winner Rich Froning's 'Fittest Man On Earth' mantle in California this July. But how hard do you have to train if you realistically want to win it? Here's how 2008 winner, and last year's third place finisher, Jason Khalipa typically trains on a 'deload' day. So much for overtraining.
WORKOUT 1: 40MIN CARDIO ENDURANCE
Airdyne @ 80% of max effort for eight minutes
Airdyne @ 100% of max effort for one minute
Rest for one minute
Alternate burning 20 calories on a rowing machine every minute on the minute (EMOM) with burning 15 calories on a ski-erg for 20 minutes
15 burpees EMOM for ten minutes
WORKOUT 2: LOWER BACK STRENGTH
185kg deficit deadlift (with feet raised on a low platform to focus on working your hamstrings and posterior chain). Sets 10. Reps 3.
He's not done yet. Keep reading below.
WORKOUT 3: SKILL WORK
Row 100m
Handstand walk 15m
Sets 10
50 burpee penalty if you fall on the handstand walks - 'I made sure I didn't fall,' says Khalipa.
WORKOUT 4: METABOLIC CONDITIONING
4 rounds
10 pull-ups
10 45kg thrusters
A good time? 'Under three minutes,' says Khalipa.
Fat To Fit: Hunter Labrada's Definitive Guide To Weight Loss
How to make ceviche
Bubker Belkhit is head chef at The World's End Market in Chelsea, and a one of the best ceviche chefs in the country. A traditional Peruvian dish of raw fish marinated in citrus juice, ceviche is kind of like a South American sushi. It’s cheap, it’s healthy, it tastes amazing and it’s packed full of healthy fats, muscle-building protein and vitamin C. Not only that, it’s also one of the easiest dishes in the world to make, and with no cooking required there’s pretty much no way you can get it wrong.
Ingredients
White fish (see below for details) / 2 lemons / 1 large orange / 1tsp soy sauce / 1 red onion, finely sliced / 2 red chillies, diced / 2 green chillies, diced / Pinch of salt / Pinch of black pepper / Fresh parsley
Method
- Use a sharp knife to cut the filleted fish into thin slices.
- Squeeze the orange and lemons into a bowl, and then add the soy sauce, black pepper and salt.
- Place the fish in the marinade and leave for up to 30 minutes, depending on how thick you cut the fish (you will know when the fish has been in there long enough because it will whiten as the citrus ‘cooks’ it).
- After marinating, take the fish out of the bowl and place on a plate.
- Add the red onion, chilli peppers and parsley to serve.
- While it's easy enough to prepare, there are still a few things you need to consider before diving in headfirst. Here, chef Belkhit shares his top tips for making the best ceviche.
The fish
‘The freshness and type of fish you select will determine how good your ceviche is,’ says Belkhit. ‘Always select the freshest white fish possible from the fish counter or a fishmonger. Choose firm-fleshed snapper, sea bass or sea bream, and ensure the eyes are crystal clear and that the fish has bright red gills. Raw fish is an amazing source of omega 3 fatty acids, and the fresher the fish the more there will be in the flesh.’
The marinade
‘Use any citrus fruit you like as long as it's organic,’ says Belkhit. ‘We mix both orange and lemon juice at my restaurant for a fruitier flavour, but feel free to experiment.'
The marinating
‘Marinating can take up to 30 minutes if you cut the fish thick. However, I like to slice it very thin for two reasons: first, the flavours of the sauce easily combine with the texture of the fish when it is cut thinner, and second, because it creates a more delicate texture,’ says Belkhit. ‘Bear in mind though, if you do cut it thin it will marinate in about two or three minutes. Don't leave it in the sauce for too long otherwise it will start to break down and spoil the omega 3 fatty acids and proteins.’
Final touches
‘While some people serve it with loads of extra ingredients added after marinating, others avoid using any at all,’ says Belkhit. ‘I like to minimise the amount of ingredients so the natural taste isn't lost – once it’s marinated, I only add red onions, small chilli peppers and parsley – but feel free to try whatever you like. Tomato, avocado, coriander, sweetcorn and prawns are all garnish ingredients that work well.’
Tiger’s milk
‘The remaining juice at the bottom of the bowl after marinating is known as tiger’s milk and is prized by the Peruvians who drink it as a hangover cure,’ says Belkhit. ‘You can either drain the bowl after you've eaten and drink it, or drain it before you start eating and sip it along with the meal. Delicious!’
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Body Transformation: Elizabeth Blaser Got Her Groove Back!
How to survive your first marathon
When I started competing 11 years ago, I didn’t set out to run marathons. My job with the Kenyan police involved short-distance running as part of the training. I wasn’t fast enough to win but I found the slower pace of long-distance running suited me better. Running for over two hours makes it easier to set a consistent pace and make up for errors.
Our definitive guide to marathon training.
Flat out
When choosing a marathon, think of your strengths. No two courses are the same, so consider how your abilities will work alongside factors such as the weather and terrain. I ran my first marathon in Paris in 2009. I chose it for its fast, flat course and I came second with a time of 2hr 7min 13sec.
I was delighted when I set the world record [2hr 3min 23sec] at the Berlin Marathon in 2013 [since beaten by Dennis Kimetto who ran Berlin in 2hr 2min 57sec in 2014]. That’s my favourite race, but I really rate London too. It’s a great course and the crowds really spur you on.
Strong finish
In training, it’s vital that you make a plan and stick to it. I run 15km twice a day, and motivate myself by trying to get faster each time. Mentally you need to be strong and focused. Let your mind control your body, not the other way round, so you run when you’ve got a clear head rather than when you’re stressed.
It’s also important to build up your strength. Bodyweight squats and lunges are good, but I also do press-ups and sit-ups. Don’t neglect your upper body – it will help to power each stride. Keep the weight low but reps high, between 12 and 15 each set.
So many runners overestimate their potential and set off too fast so they’re flagging before the finish. Instead, set yourself a manageable target and try to improve on it in every subsequent race. If you can do that, you’re on the right track.
Three marathon running tips from MFers that have completed the dreaded 42km's
Don’t skip breakfast
‘I wish I’d eaten more breakfast. Fearing toast-bloat, all I had before the Brighton Marathon was an apple and handful of cashews. I hit the wall 29km in. If I did it again, I’d load up on porridge and a banana for carb and sugar propulsion.’
Run to the beat
‘Make an upbeat playlist. Halfway through the Geneva Marathon, Leonard Cohen came on my iPod. It put me in reverse. Also, try different foods to fuel you during practice runs. Energy gels take getting used to and some brands can make you pretty, er, windy.’
Leg it
‘Build up the strength in your legs – one at a time. I ran the Greensands Trail Marathon where the terrain changed constantly. Driving up steep slopes one step at a time required an effort more akin to step-ups than squats, so do lots of unilateral strength exercises.’
The Return of the Classic North Face Mountain Jacket
Kirk Miller six-pack workout
Kirk Miller’s fat-loss sessions aren’t for the faint-hearted - mammoth sessions filled with lard-torching giant sets and intense exercise. Try the one below, and stick to the tempo shown: the first number is the time you take to lower in seconds, the second is a pause, the third is the time you take to lift, and the fourth is another pause.
Legs circuit
- 1 Squat
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 Sprinter Lunge
- Reps 10 Tempo 2011
- 3 Stiff-leg dumbbell deadlifts
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Sissy squat
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Chest circuit
- 1 60° incline dumbbell press
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 30° incline dumbbell press
- Reps 10 Tempo 4011
- 3 Incline dumbbell flye
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Dumbbell bench press
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Back circuit
- 1 Weighted pull-up
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 Deadlift
- Reps 10 Tempo 4011
- 3 Bent-over row
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Dumbbell ski slope rows
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Shoulder circuit
- 1 Dumbbell overhead press
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 Dumbbell side lateral raise
- Reps 10 Tempo 4011
- 3 Bent-over reverse flye
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Dumbbell shrugs
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Biceps circuit
- 1 Standing barbell curl
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 Zottman curl
- Reps 10 Tempo 4011
- 3 Narrow-grip E-Z bar curl
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Reverse-grip barbell curl
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Triceps circuit
- 1 Narrow-grip bench press
- Reps 5 Tempo 2210
- 2 Lying skullcrusher
- Reps 10 Tempo 4011
- 3 Lying dumbbell extension
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Standing overhead extension
- Reps 20 Tempo 1010
- Rest 2min
Abs and core circuit
- 1 Dragon flye
- Reps 5 Tempo 4011
- 2 Windscreen wipers
- Reps 10 controlled
- 3 Hanging knee raise
- Reps 15 Tempo 2011
- 4 Plank
- Time 20sec
- Rest 2min
Squat finisher
- 1 Bodyweight on squat bar
- Reps To failure
- 2 2/3 bodyweight on squat bar
- Reps To failure
- 3 1/3 bodyweight on squat bar
- Reps To failure
Healthy seafood soup recipe
What food has the highest lean protein content? Chicken or turkey, perhaps? Nope. It’s seafood – in particular white fish and shellfish – that has the best protein-to-calorie ratio of anything you’d stick on a plate, making it an ideal choice if you want to add lean muscle rather than flabby bulk. This simple chowder recipe from Michelin-starred chef Adam Gray features six types of seafood, offering a combined 41g of protein. Eat it often enough and you’ll be able to outlift Poseidon.
More protein packed, healthy recipes right here.
Ingredients (serves 4)
150g pollock fillet, cut into chunks / 150g cod fillet, cut into chunks / 150g haddock fillet, cut into chunks / 150g raw tiger prawns / 50g mussels / 50g clams / 100ml rapeseed oil / 1 onion, diced / 1 fennel bulb, diced / 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed / 1tsp smoked paprika / 400g canned chopped tomatoes / 750ml chicken stock / 2tbsp curly parsley, finely chopped / Salt and pepper to taste
To make
- Heat the oil in a large thick-bottomed saucepan.
- Add the onions and fennel to the pan and cook gently until the onion softens, then stir in the smoked paprika.
- Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer for ten minutes.
- Reduce the heat and add the fish and shellfish. Simmer for four minutes or until the clams and mussels are opened and the fish is almost cooked through, then add the prawns and cook until they turn pink.
- Season with salt and pepper.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Dymatize Project Mass Trainer: Cycle 3, Microcycle 2, Day 79
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Watch Mich Kemeter Walk a Slackline Between Two Sailboats
The Best Road Bike Tires for Every Ride
Watch a BASE Jumper Blindly Dive Into the Clouds
Liam Hemsworth workout
Hemsworth worked with ex-SEAL Logan Hood to prepare for the Hunger Games movies. Mimic his efforts with the Big 55. Do ten reps each of the circuit below, then nine, then eight and so on down to 1. Oh, did we mention you’ll be going as fast as possible? Don’t be surprised if your arms mount their own rebellion.
Warm-up: Ten minutes’ rowing
1. Bench press Lie on the bench with your hands just outside shoulder-width (with high reps, you need to protect your shoulders). The bar must touch your chest during each rep.
2. Overhead press Stand up straight with a bar at shoulder height, then press it overhead, bringing your head through to finish the move.
3. Dumbbell flye Lie on a bench holding dumbbells in a neutral grip, palms facing each other. With slightly bent elbows, lower them to the sides, then bring them back up.
4.Dumbbell pull-over Lie on a bench with one heavy dumbbell overhead. With both hands, bring it down behind your head and then pull it back up.
5.Dip Grasp some dip bars, and lower yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Press back up.
Monday, February 23, 2015
What You Can Learn From An Old Gym Rat
The 15-Minute Workout You Can Do Anywhere
The Real Life Sons of Anarchy
Style Lessons from the Oscars Best-Dressed Men
The Complete Guide to Getting Fitter Faster
Sunday, February 22, 2015
The Affects Of Smoking In Male Sexual Health
Smoking is one of the habits that many people develop slowly as a way of having fun with friends. It is one of the substances that give young people a sense that they have been promoted to adulthood. They indulge in this reckless habit even though they know of the possible affects. After some period […]
The post The Affects Of Smoking In Male Sexual Health appeared first on Rota Doc.
Friday, February 20, 2015
The Best Black Tie Alternatives
Nepal Changes Route One Year After Deadliest Day on Everest
Freshwater Spearfishing: Fishing's Controversial New Frontier
How to look after your muscles
If you lift weights or play sports regularly, chances are you repeat the same movement patterns a lot. The key to getting stronger, building more muscle and staying injury-free is to look after the muscles that perform these movements. If you don’t, they’ll tighten over time, restricting the range of motion through your joints, especially your ankles, hips, back and shoulders.
Mobility is the ability to apply strength through a functional range of motion. If that range of motion is compromised, it will stop you from working out to your full capacity. For example, if you overwork your chest with too much bench pressing, your pectoral muscles will tighten, reducing your shoulders’ range of motion. The resulting restriction on the force you can put through the joint will limit how much weight you can lift.
Pause for thought
The main thing you can do to avoid these problems is warm up properly. A lot of guys do a couple of light sets then jump straight in with heavy weights. But a far better way to prepare your muscles for a session is to break each exercise down into stages and pause briefly between each one. This will give your body a chance to adapt to the different muscle lengths and tensions the moves require.
If you’re bench pressing, pause for a couple of seconds at the bottom of the movement, and really draw the bar into your chest and squeeze your shoulder blades back and down. With the deadlift, pause and create some tension in the bottom position by pushing your feet into the floor and gripping the bar, without actually lifting it off the floor. For squatting, sit into a deep bodyweight squat for three to five seconds, then stand up explosively. Aim for five sets of five reps for each move.
All filler, no killer
Another useful tool is adding ‘filler’ exercises to rest periods during your main workouts. These are usually stretches that work the opposing muscle groups to the ones being targeted by the lift, whether it’s the bench press, deadlift or squat (see the box ‘Fill Me Up’, left).
It might seem like a hassle, but taking the time to add these to your sessions will help you train more frequently and with greater intensity and consistency, because your joints won’t be restricted by a reduced range of motion. And that means more strength, more muscle growth and fewer injuries.
Fill me up
These filler stretches will enhance your ability to boost strength and build muscle
When you’re… bench pressing - Gym ball Kneeling lat stretch
Hold this stretch for 40-60 seconds between sets, pushing down through your shoulders to open your chest out.
When you’re… deadlifting - Anterior pelvis lunge - Anterior pelvis lunge
Perform this stretch for 30-40 seconds on each side between sets, extending forward through your hips.
When you're... squatting - Cross-body glute stretch
Hold this stretch for 30-40 seconds on either side between sets, making sure you can feel the stretch in your glutes and core.
Workout of the Week #7
Take on our Men's Fitness workout of the week, a new 52-part series to keep you inspired and challenged for 2015. We'll post a new workout every Friday and for an added incentive, we'll take on the workout too so you can see how your best time compares with a member of the MF team.
Workout of the Week #7
Complete four rounds of 250m runs at a 10% incline and 20 16kg kettlebell swings as fast as you can.
So each round is a 250m run and 20 16kg swings.
250m run form guide: Before you begin, warm-up gently on a treadmill. Set the incline to 10% and start at a brisk walking pace. Gradually increase your pace over five minutes until you find a speed you think you can maintain for each 250m run. The key to getting a good time will be to jump on and off the treadmill without having to decrease its speed. But to do this you need to be careful. After your first 250m, grab the supports either side of the treadmill firmly and at the same time lift yourself off and plant your feet either side of the moving belt. Carefully step off the treadmill and rep out your kettlebell swings. Now get back on the treadmill belt carefully by again using the supports. Turn your legs over quickly to match the speed of the belt, but don't let go of the supports until you feel you've got your natural running gait back. Now release the handles and chase down that 250m. Repeat this process for each round.
Watch the video, take on the challenge and post your best time in the comments section below.
The MF time to beat:
MFer: fitness editor Sam Rider Time: 7min 55sec Tip: 'Think of the swings as active recovery to help shake out the lactic acid from the incline runs. You can only do them so fast, but it's on the runs where you'll make up the most time,' says Sam.
This workout was shot at The Athlete Centre in Oxford. Check out our Workout of the Week YouTube playlist for more gym challenges. Subscribe to the Men's Fitness YouTube channel for our weekly Workouts of the Week, posted every Friday throughout 2015.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Sitting: The Most Unhealthy Thing You Do
The New Chevy Colorado: A Truck, Only Smaller
Fat burning smoothie recipe
Want to lose weight and get ripped? It’s time to turn up the heat. Although chilli powder may not be the first thing you reach for when making a smoothie, sports nutrition specialist Scott Baptie recommends adding some – alongside some other fat-torching ingredients – because it contains capsaicin, which fires up your metabolism to help you burn more calories. Flame on.
Ingredients (makes 4 servings)
- Juice of 1 orange
- ½ a chilli
- 1 scoop of whey protein isolate
- 400ml green tea, cold
- Handful of kale
Oranges are rich in vitamin C, and studies have shown people with high levels burn fat more efficiently.
Chilli contains capsaicin, which – as well as its metabolism boosting properties – helps to suppress appetite.
Whey protein isolate helps build muscle. Because muscle is active tissue, the more you have, the more fat you burn.
Green tea contains the antioxidant ECGC, which causes an increase in fat oxidisation.
Kale is a source of calcium, a mineral that plays a key role in regulating body fat levels.
How to injury-proof your hip
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. The socket sits in the large pelvic bone, while the ball is at the top of your thigh bone, or femur. A layer of tissue called the labrum keeps the ball securely in the socket. Several muscles and tendons support the hip, and these – like the joint itself – can be injured during exercise.
1. Hip labral tear
‘The labrum can be injured during activities that require repetitive rotation or twisting. It’s common in sports such as football, golf and tennis, while poorly performed squats or lunges can lead to labral injury. You’ll usually feel pain in the groin, and you may feel a catching sensation in the joint.’
Prevent it: ‘When performing squats or lunges, ensure your kneecap remains in line with your second toe to avoid twisting and damaging the hip joint. A single-leg glute bridge is also an excellent exercise for improving hip stability.’
2. Tendonitis
‘Tendons around the hip joint are vulnerable when you increase exercise intensity or frequency too quickly or use poor form. You’ll feel hip flexor pain at the front of the hip joint, or gluteal tendon pain just behind the bone. Muscle adapts quicker than tendon, so it’s important that you progress gradually in the first six weeks of a programme.’
Prevent it: ‘When introducing a new exercise, avoid taking the weight to the end of your range for the first six weeks. For example, with squats, avoid too much knee bend initially. Instead work from standing to 45˚ and focus on keeping the bar under control. You’ll drastically reduce injury risk when you eventually go deeper.’
3. Hernia
‘Herniation – when abdominal contents penetrate the groin through a weak point in the lower abdominal muscle – is a common cause of hip and groin pain. Typically it happens during heavy lifts or straining. While many people simply have an anatomical tendency towards hernia there are techniques that help reduce the risk.’
Prevent it: ‘Planks and mini-crunches build up abdominal wall strength. But it’s also important to keep breathing when you lift. Holding your breath while exhaling against a closed airway increases intra-abdominal pressure and the risk of hernia. Inhale on the eccentric and exhale on the concentric part of each rep and throughout static moves like the plank.’
4. Groin and hip flexor strain
‘Pain at the front or inside of the groin can be a sign of adductor or hip flexor strain, which is common in those with poor hip and pelvic control while running or lunging. If you get pain when you squeeze your fist between your knees you may have an adductor or hip flexor problem.’
Prevent it: ‘Before any leg workout, spend a minute working on your hip control. While looking in a mirror perform 15 single-leg squats on each side, keeping your waist horizontal and knee straight.’
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Toby Stephens Sets Sail
Watch the First BASE Jump From Kilimanjaro
How to make cabbage better
The cabbage soup diet might be a waste of time, but MF heartily recommends the nutrient-rich veg itself, which offers many fat-burning benefits as well as high levels of bone-strengthening vitamin K and brain-boosting folate. The problem for many people, of course, is the taste. But you can disguise that with the right recipes, such as the ones below, while reaping the benefits of this butt-ugly green nutrient powerhouse.
You'll love cabbage like this:
Creamy chicken and colcannon - Ingredients (serves 4)
350g cabbage, shredded / 4 chicken breasts / 175g mushrooms, sliced / 550g mashed potato / 2 spring onions, sliced / 75g butter / 3tbsp milk / Black pepper / Juice of 1 lime / 2tbsp soy sauce / 1tsp honey / 2tbsp sunflower oil / 150ml chicken stock / 4tbsp crème fraîche
To make
Marinate chicken in lime juice, soy sauce and honey for 1hr. Boil cabbage for 2-3min and mix with potatoes, spring onions, black pepper, milk and half the butter. Heat oil in a pan, cook mushrooms for 5min then remove. Cook chicken for 15min and remove. Heat stock and remaining marinade in the pan. When bubbling, stir in crème fraîche. Return chicken and mushrooms to pan. In another pan, fry potato mixture in butter 5min each side until brown and crisp. Serve.
Turkey and cabbage cakes - Ingredients (serves 4)
115g cooked cabbage / 450g mashed potato / 225g cooked turkey, diced / 1 can sweetcorn, drained / 25g unsalted butter / 1 onion, chopped / Salt and pepper / 3tbsp olive oil / 1tbsp breadcrumbs / 2tbsp flour / 1 egg, beaten / 2tbsp vegetable oil / 220g yogurt / 1tbsp white wine vinegar / 4 spring onions, chopped / 2tbsp mint, chopped / 2tsp caster sugar
To make
Heat butter in a pan and cook onions for 2min. In a bowl, mix onion with potato, turkey, cabbage, sweetcorn and seasoning. Add olive oil, form mixture into four cakes and dust with flour. Brush with egg and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Heat vegetable oil and cook cakes for 3min each side. Whisk yogurt, vinegar, spring onions, mint and caster sugar and serve as a dressing.
Beef and cabbage stir-fry - Ingredients (serves 2)
½ cabbage, shredded / 350g rump steak, cut into strips / 3tbsp soy sauce / Juice of 1 lime / 1tsp sesame oil / 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped / 2tbsp sunflower oil / 200g mushrooms, sliced / 125g tenderstem broccoli / 75g bean sprouts
To make
Marinate the steak strips in soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and chilli for several hours. Heat 1tbsp of sunflower oil in a wok or large frying pan. Remove the steak from the marinade, stir-fry it for 2min, then set aside. Heat the remaining oil and stir-fry the mushrooms and cabbage for 2min. Add the broccoli, stir-fry for 1min, then add the bean sprouts and fry for another 1min. Return the steak to the pan with any leftover marinade and cook, stirring, for 2min until piping hot.
How to perfect the pull-up
Let’s be honest: you should be able to do more pull-ups. Yes, they’ll carve you a head-turning V-shape, counteract your nine-to-fiver slouch and burn unholy amounts of fat – but more importantly, you can almost always find something to do them on so there’s no reasonable excuse. Double digits is the benchmark – and if you’re already there, make a concerted push towards the holy grail of 20. There’ll be no kipping, butterflying or other cheating on the form here, thanks – the strict standard is head above the bar at the top, arms straight at the bottom and minimal leg movement throughout. Time to get your back in action.
The move
First, tweak your pull-up form for maximum efficiency. Instead of pulling down, pull back – aim to get your elbows behind you as you pull up and you’ll fire up your lats, reducing reliance on your arms. Brace your abs as well – according to studies, a properly-done pull-up incurs more muscular activation than even a weighted crunch. Finally, resist the temptation to ‘bounce’ – it might get you another rep, but the elbow tendinitis isn’t worth it.
The assistance
This plan includes weighted pull-ups: some heavy, some light. Your options: hold a dumbbell between your feet, wear a belt or get a weighted vest (pictured right). The latter two are preferable, since they allow you to devote all your effort to getting over the bar – but use whatever kit’s available.
The plan
Do pull-ups three days a week, with at least 48 hours’ rest between sessions. Do them during a regular gym workout or as a separate session. Here’s how it breaks down.
| Week | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Week 1 | Sets:5 Reps:5 | 20 | 2x max reps |
| Week 2 | Sets:6 Reps:4 | 25 | 3x max reps |
| Week 3 | Sets:7 Sets: 3 | 30 | 4x max reps |
| Week 4 | Sets:8 Reps:2 | 35 | 4x max reps |
| Week 5 | Max Reps | Max reps | Max reps |
Day 1: Heavy weight
‘Warm-up sets don’t count towards your total,’ says Jason Sayler of trainheroic.com. ‘Choose a weight that makes the reps hard but doable. If you have to drop to four on the final set, take a couple of seconds and then do the last rep, that’s acceptable. Rest for three to four minutes between sets.’
Day 2: Light weight
Add much less weight than you used on day one – 6-8kg will do it. ‘Break the reps up into as few sets as possible,’ says Sayler. ‘And time yourself, aiming to go faster each week.’
Day 3: Bodyweight
‘The goal here is to get the most reps possible in total,’ says Sayler. ‘So don’t “hit the wall” at any point. Stop one or two reps shy of failure on each set.’ Rest for two minutes between sets.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
The Right Way to Train Your Core
The Biggest Debuts from the Chicago Auto Show 2015
John Oliver Exposes Big Tobacco’s Intimidation Tactics
8 must have fitness gadgets of 2015
Stylish, fast and light are not typically words you’d associate with folding bikes, but a new breed is starting to change that. Tern’s VergeX20 weighs just 9.3kg and avoid the issue some folding bikes have with excessive flexibility by converting the rear of the bike into a three-dimensional truss for greater stiffness. You can easily fold or unfold the bike in around ten seconds, and its smooth, rapid ride approaches what you’d expect from a standard road bike.
With its many compartments, this is a veritable Orient Express of backpacks. As well as room for your gym clothing, laptop and notebooks, it has three insulated gel packs (two small, one large) to keep food fresh and five leak-proof slide-out meal containers to allow even the most calorie-depleted gym-goer to refuel. There are zippered pockets for supplements or cutlery, two mesh pockets for water bottles and an external cord for shoes or wet towels. The padded straps make for a comfortable ride, even when the backpack is fully loaded. It’s fairly compact at 28cm by 23cm by 48cm, weighs 3.5kg when empty and comes in four colour schemes.
Ruined another pair of earphones by damaging the wires? Then the Earin wireless earphones are for you – the tiny earbuds are completely cordless. The two separate buds operate as one unit and come in a carry case that doubles as a charger, which should mean it’s harder to lose one or other of them.
Fed up with sleeping on lumpy ground when camping? You could always pitch up in the trees. We’re serious – the Stingray is a three-person tent (oh go on, portable tree house) that can be suspended between trees. The removable fly sheet exposes a mesh roof for ventilation – and fantastic views.
The AirDyne is making a comeback thanks to the gigantic cardio wallop it packs. The AirFit is the upgraded version, offering extra robustness (so it won’t break during a thrashing) and improved computer options to see just how many calories you can burn in a minute. Approach with caution.
Foam rollers are fine tools, but in 2015 the mobility buzzphrase will be ‘tissue shearing’ – smashing your squat-addled glutes into better shape from a variety of angles. The Battlestar is made of firm-gripping urethane to do just that – and it comes with a brace of handles for improved rehab.
The adrenaline junkie’s video camera of choice now has four times the resolution of regular HD, 40m water resistance and Wi-Fi connectivity for easy transfers. It’s got superior low-light performance for night-time shots, and there’s a time lapse mode to auto-fire the shutter at set intervals for hands-free use.
The Sport edition of Apple’s watch is 30% lighter than the standard one and measures your daily activity. Fitness apps feed you suggested goals, live stats for calorie burn, distance and pace, and reminds you to get moving after periods of inactivity.
How to lose fat by eating it
We’ve been told to avoid eating fat for decades – but new evidence shows that we’ve been led astray. Not only does it increase weight loss, but it can lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes too. Author Nina Teicholz explains why dietary fat is a force for good.
Since the 1970s, people have been told to eat less fat if they want to lose body fat. This came about because scientists assumed that eating fat must make people fat, simply because it packs nine calories per gram whereas the other macronutrients, carbs and protein, have only four. This was based on the assumption our bodies are straightforward mathematical calculators processing all kinds of calories in the same way.
But when the low-fat approach was tested in clinical trials (long after it had been adopted as official policy), it proved ineffective at helping people lose weight or get healthier. In short, cutting out fat backfired.
Big fat truths
Instead, a diet high in fat and low in carbs is far better for weight loss. The proof? Dozens of clinical trials on thousands of people lasting up to two years. Scientists don’t exactly know why a high-fat diet works better – it could be partly that fat and protein are naturally more satiating, that people feel full after high-fat meals and are less likely to snack or overeat during the day – but there’s little doubt that it does.
Carbs such as cereals and potatoes are converted into glucose in the body, triggering the release of insulin, a hormone that is the number one culprit in storing fat. So if you fill up with fat and leave less room for carbs, it will have a positive impact on your body composition.
Lard gainer
Make sure your shopping basket contains foods that are naturally high in fat: butter, cheese, eggs and all sorts of meats. These are dense in essential nutrients, and while you might worry about their high saturated fat content, all the recent evidence shows these fats don’t cause disease. In contrast, the processed oils in margarine and many packaged foods often contain trans fats that can increase your risk of cancer, heart disease and other problems.
Other foods with good fats are avocados, nuts and olive oil, but it’s always been hard to make a full meal out of them. Returning to animal foods solves that problem. You can make lots of main courses using cream sauces, red meat and even offal – just as our grandparents used to do long before obesity became a crisis.
So eat fat to lose fat. It’s not a fad but a return to the way we ate for millennia before the low-fat diet took hold. Nutrition science has finally corrected itself.
Chew the fat
Reach for these high-fat treats to ward off the belly bulge
Butter
Butter is a natural fat, rich in nutrients, as opposed to margarine, which is artificial, made from processed vegetable oils and has only been part of our diet for a century or so. Grass-fed butter is especially high in omega 3 fatty acids.
Red meat
Historically, the fattiest cuts of meat such as T-bone were the most prized, and lean cuts such as sirloin were fed to the dogs. Likewise, organ meats, such as kidneys and liver, were preferred because these are especially nutrient-dense.
Cheese
Full-fat dairy of any kind is always the best choice. When removing the fat from foods, manufacturers must use ‘fat replacers’ to make up for lost texture and flavour, which are nearly always carbohydrate-based. So dodge the low-fat cheese.
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5 reasons you’re losing muscle
Putting on lean muscle is the perennial struggle of many a gym-goer. Obtaining the magic combination of the right amount of weight training, bodyweight exercises, protein intake and cardio exercise is a lot easier said than done. As difficult as it is to put on the muscle, it’s always baffling to see people making the same old mistakes that result in rapid muscle loss. Much like a Christmas dinner, it takes an age to reach the finished product but far less time to see it all disappear.
Here’s how to make sure that your muscle stays exactly where it’s supposed to:
1. You’re not eating enough
Don’t be afraid of extra calories. The wrong kind of calories can indeed add extra belly fat to your midsection, but of you’re eating clean and lifting weights correctly and consistently, most of what you’re eating should be converted to muscle. If you’re a naturally lean guy who’s looking to put on muscle mass, only eating 2,000 calories per day simply wont be enough. This will, in fact, probably contribute to the loss of muscle as the body will shift into starvation mode where it starts to shed muscle for energy, it’ll also result in you storing more fat for emergency energy. So keep eating, as well and as often as you can.
2. You’re doing too much cardio
There are three ways that cardio can put a halt to your muscle gains: If you’re doing it too often, or doing it for too long, or doing it on an empty stomach. Doing some sort of cardio everyday will burn too many cumulative calories to allow your body the surplus that it needs for muscle mass. Try to keep cardio sessions to mornings and make them shorter and at a higher intensity instead of long drawn out sessions that’ll burn up calories that you might not be eating enough to replace.
3. You ignore stretching
It might not be the most enjoyable of ways to spend your time at the gym, but stretching is a great way to speed up muscle recovery and increase a muscle’s range of motion, making more room for your muscle fibres to grow. Only lifting weights and nothing else will increase your risk of injury and severely limit your ability to move athletically, which could limit your growth potential.
4. You stick to the same routine
Doing the same old thing week in, week out will, at best, prevent you from making new gains, and, and worst, lead to fatigue or burnout. Failing to impose any new challenges on your muscles, such as increasing weight or number of reps will cause stagnation, whereas pushing yourself harder than you’re used to will spur on muscle growth rather than stop it.
5. You ignore supplements
Not that they’re absolutely essential, but drinking a protein-and-carb mixture after your workout will start the recovery process straight away, replenishing lost glycogen and providing the nutrients that your body requires in order to repair muscle and grown more of it. So don’t skip the shake and just wait for your next meal, it’s essential for keeping consistent growth going.
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Gym of the week: Elements Martial Arts
Type of facility: Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) and jeet kune do training gym
Membership costs: A range of monthly membership options from £40 to £80 as well as drop-in rates of £10 per class
Opening hours: Classes run Monday to Saturday, with the earliest at 7.15am and the latest starting at 7pm
Address: 2 b&c Stockwell Lodge, Hove BN3 3LW
Phone: 07958 485864
Website: elementsmartialarts.co.uk
Tucked away in a cosy corner next to Brighton bus station and a stone’s throw from Hove train station, Elements Martial Arts is a small gym that’s more like a community than a business. A wide range of abilities train under the watchful eyes of black belt jiujitsu and jeet kune do coaches and co-founders Miad Najafi and Yousuf Nabi. We speak with Nabi about what makes Elements Martial Arts such a great place to train.
What’s the ethos behind Elements Martial Arts?
We wanted to take the minimalist flavour of a traditional martial arts dojo and combine it with an open-minded approach to training so we created not only a respectable gym, but also a progressive one. The idea being we are never afraid to make changes for the sake of improvement.
Elements is a place where anyone can feel at ease training because of the friendly environment, which we pride ourselves on. While there is respect among our clients and trainers, there is no pecking order and for that reason a wide array of characters and competitors training here.
What made you think a martial arts gym could work in Hove?
There has been a huge surge in popularity for BJJ in recent years. Miad and I were previously teaching at a rented location nearby when we realised the demand was there for a permanent facility. So we bought our own place and matted it out. The high number of members we currently have would suggest we made the right call.
How did you go about recruiting coaches?
Elements is lucky to have numerous skilled students who also teach themselves. We have our own team strength and conditioning coach in Sam Pont of Submission Strength. He trains here as a student and also runs his own S&C session. We also have a brown belt instructor in multi-skilled martial artist, Howard Newton, who takes a morning class for anyone who wants to train before work.
What’s the first thing you get beginners to do when they join?
First and foremost, we want beginners to feel welcome. We start by partnering them with people who show them the basic movements and let them settle in at their own pace. Nothing is forced or rushed and we never presume a base level of knowledge. Once a beginner has been coming for at least a week, we let them start sparring.
What makes Elements unique?
It’s the only BJJ school with two black-belt instructors. Also, from white belts all the way up to black belt level, our team consistently wins medals at the biggest competitions. It’s unusual for somewhere to maintain such a friendly and laid-back vibe while achieving such a high level of competitive success.
What are your future plans for Elements?
We want to continue growing the club and ensure it remains the friendliest and most welcoming club in the area.
MF takes on the Paleo diet
The diet
The Paleo diet is based around the foods our Paleolithic, hunter-gatherer ancestors would have consumed before the advent of farming and processed foods, which means you avoid entire food groups – including dairy produce and grains.
We put together a week long Paleo diet meal plan incase you fancy giving it a try.
The claim
The argument is that by ‘going Paleo’ you’ll be eating the foods that the human race has been eating for the longest amount of time, which are therefore the foods to which your body is best adapted. Recent changes in diet brought about by food processing are at the core of many modern lifestyle-influenced diseases, and Paleo advocates claim that cutting these foods out can reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, and even prevent or cure auto-immune diseases.
The method
The diet is based around meat, fish and vegetables, with some fruit, nuts and seeds. Grains, dairy, legumes and cooking oils are all off the menu, as well as anything that’s been processed, which means you basically have to cook all your meals from scratch using fresh ingredients. There’s a common myth that a Paleo diet entails low carbs and lots of meat – a kind of caveman Atkins – but it doesn’t actually specify different macronutrient portion sizes or ratios. The focus is on what you eat, not how much.
Check out Drew's month long attempt at the IIFYM diet.
The reality
Grains and dairy products are cheap and make things taste better, which is why they’re used in so many meals and snacks. Grains in particular are often the blank canvas that you arrange most other ingredients on or serve them with, so to get around their absence you have to be more creative with your cooking (see the eggs Paleo recipe, right).
Getting starch, which we rely on for a lot of our energy, is a problem. White potatoes – a modern agricultural creation – are banned, which means that after a month of Paleo I never want to eat another sweet potato or pumpkin. Going strict Paleo was tough, and I fell off the wagon a few times, especially when I was eating out.
The results
With no portion control prescribed, I wasn’t expecting to see significant changes in body composition, but after a series of tests conducted by Speedflex I found that my body fat had still dropped half a percentage point without any significant loss of muscle mass. The real eye-opener was the impact Paleo had on markers of long-term health. In addition to small improvements in my ‘good’ HDL cholesterol and visceral fat (the fat around your organs), my IGF1 – insulin-like growth factor 1, a protein associated with cancer – and ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol levels had gone down by 30% and 25% respectively, which my doctor described as a ‘dramatic improvement’.
The verdict
If you’re looking for quick and dramatic fat loss or muscle-building results, going Paleo isn’t the best option for you. But if you want an eating regime that will significantly improve your health and – to a lesser extent – your body composition, and you can put up with the extra cost, temptations and endless sweet potatoes, it’s an excellent choice.
Caveman eats
This Paleo twist on eggs Florentine swaps hollandaise sauce for mashed avocado and a muffin for a tomato slice
Ingredients
1 avocado / 1 free-range egg / Handful of spinach / 1 tomato
To make
Slice the tomato and lightly steam the spinach. Remove the skin and stone from the avocado and mash it into a paste with a fork. Poach the egg in a pan of boiling water. Place the poached egg on a thick slice of tomato and serve with the spinach and avocado on top.
Price’s verdict: ‘This might be a popular Paleo recipe, with lots of protein and good fats, but it’s not fooling me. It’s fairly tasty – but I’d choose the muffin every time.’