Sunday, May 31, 2015
The Best Men's Sandals and Flip Flops for Summer
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Your Complete Shoulder-Training Crash Course!
Friday, May 29, 2015
5 Must-Read Tips For First-Time Bikini Competitors!
Amid Corruption in FIFA, the U.S. Steps Up to Save Soccer
Your Workout For A Strong And Stacked Back
A Safer Bike Helmet for Hot Weather
Making the upgrade: Beach body
The good news is I really enjoyed my first session, an upper body workout, with my coach Tim Chase. I walked in feeling fairly confident but I got a pretty rude awakening! I thought my form was solid but Tim would make corrections that made moves feel totally different. Those little shifts made me realise I wasn’t getting the most out of sessions and when I’d think I’d done my last rep Tim would get one or two more out of me. We worked at a two-up two-down tempo, which again was new to me. I’d typically just heave the weight as quickly as possible so slowing it down really shocked me with how different it felt.
With sessions we’d start with my weakest body part, in this case my shoulders, before moving onto my chest and arms which I’m much more confident with. It meant I could tackle the machine shoulder press at the start of the session feeling fresh. By the time we moved onto moves I do more often, like the barbell bench press and skull crushers I was tired enough to make them so much harder than normal. We weren’t focusing on trying to lift the biggest weight possible in the session. Tim was more concerned about perfecting form and working to the right tempo.
Above all the thing I found hardest was the rest periods. We’d rest 30secs between every set and between difference exercises. Typically I’d train quite socially, chatting with my friends between sets and it meant workouts would be much longer. Removing those lengthy breaks was a serious shock to the system. On the plus side it does mean I’m finished in an hour.
This might all make it sound like it wasn’t much fun but I really enjoyed myself. I feel really lucky that I have access to all this expert opinion and I feel as though I’ve got the perfect platform to achieve my goals
My biggest challenge at the moment is trying to hit my 3,100-calorie target for the day, which works out at about six meals when I’d normally have four. It’s mostly an issue of planning. When I’m home at the weekends I don’t find it a problem preparing and eating meals but when I’m out and about I’m still trying to perfect how I plan out my food. I found I wasn’t getting enough fat in my diet before, or at least the fat I was getting wasn’t necessarily good fat, so I’ve added a lot of nut butters to what I’m eating to help that. I’m trying to eat lots of clean whole-foods for the most part and I’ve not had any alcohol since I’ve started.
The good thing is that the food on my plan is varied and changes day to day. I’m not just carrying around endless Tupperware boxes of the same thing! On a typical training day my breakfast would be porridge with berries, flaxseeds and half a scoop of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard whey protein. Around mid morning I’d then have a snack of wholegrain bread and peanut butter. On training days I’m aiming to have 30g of carbohydrate with lunch so I’d have sweet potato mash with salmon and vegetables. Before and after training I top of my protein with a shake. Dinner doesn’t have to be really restrictive, and on training days I’d have around 60g of carbohydrates in my meal. A typical dinner would be a small chicken breast with wholegrain rice, vegetables and chilli sauce. The chilli gives it a decent kick!
To make sure I’m getting enough vegetables I’m also having a green smoothie most afternoons, which is designed to help me recover from the tough sessions. I think it’s helping although I’m still getting used to the schedule at this point! Things don’t change too much on the rest days but there’s less carbs in my dinner.
Coach’s verdict
‘Not only is Ben getting stronger but he’s also feeling more energetic,’ says Tim Chase. ‘We’ve just arranged a date for our second session together so I’m looking forward to seeing the early results of Ben smashing the gym. I think at this stage it’s important to keep track of his body fat in case that gets out of control with the calories he’s consuming to put on muscle mass.’
Thursday, May 28, 2015
23 Perfect Gifts for Father's Day
The Stylish Cycling Kit With a Perfect Fit
Powerade Builds Billboards You Can Work Out On
2015 Muscle Beach International Classic - Memorial Day
Powerade Builds Billboards You Can Workout On
3 Moves To Bigger Calves With Hunter Labrada
How Racing Technology Changed the Cars We Drive
Watch the New Trailer for Robert Redford's 'A Walk in the Woods'
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
Lessons From A 95-Year-Old Bodybuilder
The Worst Commissioners in Sports History
31 Arnold-Approved Training Tips
20 Total-Body Workouts, In Five Moves (Or Less)
How to Relieve Heartburn
Look Strong, Lift Strong: Layne Norton's Legs And Arms Blast
Ashley Conrad's Clutch Life: Day 25
The Best High-Tech Grills
The 6 best online training programmes
For triathlon… Smart Triathlon Training
Luis Vargas, founder of Smart Triathlon Training, is a former Ironman competitor who organises online training by event. Pick a triathlon distance and he’ll come up with a plan to prepare you. Vargas gets you to use a heart rate monitor to keep tabs on your progress so you’ll need to buy one. His site’s articles also cover everything from training techniques to coping with race-day nerves. they say… ‘Our goal is to apply stress to the body in such a way that it adapts without breaking you down,’ says Vargas.
‘If someone starts with a 20-minute run at low intensity, for example, we can increase the stress by making them run for 60 minutes at the same intensity or for the same amount of time at a higher pace.’
Cost: From £11.50 a week (minimum three weeks) - smarttriathlontraining.com
For quick results… Scott Laidler
If you want to get in shape fast, Scott Laidler offers a six-week training plan – including meal planner – to help. Tell Laidler your needs and he’ll design a programme specifically for you, although you won’t have much direct contact after that. The meal plan details the exact macronutrients you need, taking the difficulties out of diet. they say… ‘Improving mobility will help you perform every exercise and sport better,’ says Laidler. ‘Here’s one move that does that. With your legs shoulder-width apart, bend at the hips and grasp your feet with arms outstretched. Descend into a full squat position, lowering your hips as far as you can while keeping your arms straight, then return to the start position.’
Cost: £289 - scottlaidler.com
For fat loss… Kommitted
Rather than providing access to ready-made plans, Kommitted owner Karl Williams designs tailored training and nutrition programmes. During the programme you’ll be able to get in touch directly with Williams on Skype or email for feedback and tweaks to your plan. In addition, Williams writes a frequently updated blog that covers everything from fat loss to strength training tricks. The direct contact Williams provides does mean the number of training spots is limited, however. they say… ‘Train a body part twice a week, not once,’ says Williams. ‘Think of it as stimulating the muscle 104 times a year instead of 52. This will lead to greater increases in strength and size.’
Cost: £200 a month - kommitted.co.uk
For Olympic knowledge… Gale Bernhardt Consulting
Gale Bernhardt was part of the 2004 US Olympic Triathlon coaching team. She has published a number of books about training and offers ready-made training plans for several endurance events including running and mountain biking. You simply buy a plan for a one-off cost. There’s no ongoing or regular scheme, although you can pay extra for a consulting session with Bernhardt. they say… ‘Get serious about your nutrition programme – forget the crazy diets and choose something you can maintain for life,’ says Bernhardt. ‘If you are carrying around extra weight, get it off. It’s insane to spend thousands on a bike that helps you burn 3lb [1.3kg] when you’re carrying 15lb [6.8kg] of excess body fat.’
Cost: From £30 - galebernhardt.com
For an action-hero body… Gym Jones
The training team behind Man Of Steel and both 300 films provides its plans for the lot in the members-only ‘Salvation’ section of its site, alongside articles on philosophy, theory and training for endurance sports. It’s worth dropping in for the ‘FYF’ videos – it stands for, er, Fuck You Friday – where the crew put themselves through some of the harshest workouts this side of Sparta. they say… ‘The most important part of our philosophy is that “The Mind Is Primary”,’ says GJ’s Rob McDonald. ‘The physical part is easy – it’s just picking stuff up and putting it down – but if you can’t get right in your head, the physical training won’t produce psychological changes that transfer to every aspect of life.’
Cost: $50 (around £31) a month, but a limited version is available from $10 - gymjones.com
For a fitness community… Train Heroic
Being part of a fitness community is at the forefront of Train Heroic. Whether you need advice, encouragement or a rival to compete against, you’ll find it here. You can join various teams, each with different training methods and led by a single coach who creates the workouts that you follow. Feeling extra competitive? Shoot for the Athlete of the Month award. they say… ‘Regardless of theoretical approach, resources or a coach’s pedigree, there are four common factors in the strongest training environments,’ says Heroic’s Ben Crookston. ‘These are having clear goals, receiving expert instruction, using a structured training plan and having access to immediate feedback. Make sure your training environment has all of these.’
Cost: Free - trainheroic.com
Wingsuits, Cliff Diving, and Big Waves: The Awesome New Point Break Trailer
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
The 4 Most Effective Ways To Burn Fat
HBO Airs the Truth about Supplements in the Military
MusclePharm And Nutriforce Present The 2015 Bodybuilding.com Fitness Expo
Is This the Year for Djokovic to Win the French Open?
Adventurers of Instagram: Photographer Chris Burkard
Summer Skin Survival Guide
The 20 Most Adventurous Beaches
The 6 Greatest Football Catches Caught on Film
How to Spot the Sunscreens That Don't Work
How to be happier
You can’t be happy all the time – and that’s not pessimism, but science. ‘Unhappy brain chemicals helped our ancestors survive by alerting them to danger,’ says Dr Loretta Graziano Breuning, author of Meet Your Happy Chemicals. ‘Once something causes you pain, your brain keeps trying to avoid it to protect you.’ Plus, of course, you need a contrast between good times and bad times – otherwise, how would you really be able to quantify what a good time was? But that’s not to say you can’t be happier. If you’re anything like the rest of Western society, the chances are that your brain chemicals have been knocked unpleasantly out of line by modern living. Your brain ‘learns’ to chase things that feel good – which is fine, unless they’re terrible for you. Get your chemicals functioning properly, though, and you’ll be able to forge good habits while kicking unpleasant or harmful ones to the kerb. Here’s how it’s done.
Dopamine
Often mistakenly called the ‘pleasure chemical’, dopamine actually regulates everything from movement to attention span – as well as promoting surges of happiness when you ingest cupcakes (or cocaine). It kicks in when you score points in videogames and when you move towards goals. Handle with care.
DO…
Work towards your goals with positive expectations. ‘You can’t get promoted every day, but working towards that goal – or even learning to play a musical instrument – will promote dopamine release,’ says Breuning.
Set a routine. Under or over-sleeping can disrupt your body’s supply of neurotransmitters, according to a 2002 study in Neuropsychopharmacology. Aim for a regular seven or eight hours at the same time every day.
DON’T…
Keep refreshing Twitter. ‘Social media promotes “seeking” behaviour, and dopamine can keep you addicted to seeking information in an endless loop,’ says behavioural psychologist Dr Susan Weinschenk. Install an app such as Chrome’s Nanny to help you keep your retweeting to an acceptable level.
Be too result-oriented. ‘They’re never guaranteed,’ says author and entrepreneur James Clear. ‘Instead, focus on your working processes – they’re within your control.’
Serotonin
The mood booster. To oversimplify a bit, serotonin flows when you feel important. Your primitive brain equates that feeling with survival.
DO…
Train your brain to feel confident in your own importance. Easier said than done, but ‘power posing’ is a good start – instead of sitting hunched, spread out or stand like Superman. Studies suggest it boosts confidence in everything from romantic situations to job interviews.
Eat cherries. ‘Drinking a glass of sour cherry juice, or eating about 20 red tart cherries, before retiring at night may help induce a deeper state of sleep and support healthy kidney function,’ says Mark Konlee, author of the Immune Restoration Handbook. Have a scoop of cottage cheese with your cherries for glutamine and calcium lactate, which also encourage serotonin regeneration (and sleep).
DON’T…
Hit the sugar. ‘I’ve heard people recommend a sweet treat to boost mood,’ says nutritionist Mark Sissons. ‘Carbs are a quick fix but do nothing to stimulate long-term serotonin production.’
Focus on others for your sense of importance. ‘Imagine that people respect you instead of assuming the worst,’ says Breuning. ‘It’s probably closer to the truth.’
Oxytocin
This has been called the ‘hug hormone’, but it’s more complicated than that. High levels are associated with physical contact, trust and co-operation – but some researchers have suggested that it can also cause people to cling to any form of social contact.
DO…
Focus on the trust you have with existing friends. ‘You can build trust with anyone by making the steps small enough,’ says Breuning. ‘Create expectations that both parties can meet, and repeat, again and again.’
Go dancing. In one study, it raised subjects’ oxytocin levels by 11%. Karaoke had a similar effect – but only when done with friends. 0 Do something ‘moderately stressful’. Physical activity and watching a horror movie both qualify. Studies suggest that when done with friend this has a bonding effect.
DON’T…
Throw yourself into relationships. One going wrong is not worth it for the quick hit. And although bonding with pets can trigger oxytocin, there are probably better reasons to get a dog.
Endorphins
The pain blocker. Endorphins let our ancestors cope with the anaerobic demands of running from sabretooth tigers – and they give you an exercise high. The catch? It only happens when you exceed your limits – so work hard.
DO…
Keep workouts short and intense. ‘Try 30/30 rows,’ says trainer Pieter Vodden. ‘Do 30 seconds’ rowing, then rest for 30 seconds, for eight minutes in total. Aim for 160m in each interval.’
Train with friends. A 2009 study found that college rowers who worked in synchronisation experienced a greater hormone boost than those who trained alone. 0 Eat a curry. Capsaicin – the compound that makes chilli peppers hot – binds to pain receptors in the mouth, triggering your endorphins.
DON’T…
Just push, push, push. ‘Creating pain to enjoy endorphins is a bad strategy,’ says Breuning. ‘Varying your routine can create endorphins without unnecessary stress.’
How to Spot the Sunscreens That Don’t Work
How to be happy
You can’t be happy all the time – and that’s not pessimism, but science. ‘Unhappy brain chemicals helped our ancestors survive by alerting them to danger,’ says Dr Loretta Graziano Breuning, author of Meet Your Happy Chemicals. ‘Once something causes you pain, your brain keeps trying to avoid it to protect you.’ Plus, of course, you need a contrast between good times and bad times – otherwise, how would you really be able to quantify what a good time was? But that’s not to say you can’t be happier. If you’re anything like the rest of Western society, the chances are that your brain chemicals have been knocked unpleasantly out of line by modern living. Your brain ‘learns’ to chase things that feel good – which is fine, unless they’re terrible for you. Get your chemicals functioning properly, though, and you’ll be able to forge good habits while kicking unpleasant or harmful ones to the kerb. Here’s how it’s done.
Dopamine
Often mistakenly called the ‘pleasure chemical’, dopamine actually regulates everything from movement to attention span – as well as promoting surges of happiness when you ingest cupcakes (or cocaine). It kicks in when you score points in videogames and when you move towards goals. Handle with care.
DO…
Work towards your goals with positive expectations. ‘You can’t get promoted every day, but working towards that goal – or even learning to play a musical instrument – will promote dopamine release,’ says Breuning.
Set a routine. Under or over-sleeping can disrupt your body’s supply of neurotransmitters, according to a 2002 study in Neuropsychopharmacology. Aim for a regular seven or eight hours at the same time every day.
DON’T…
Keep refreshing Twitter. ‘Social media promotes “seeking” behaviour, and dopamine can keep you addicted to seeking information in an endless loop,’ says behavioural psychologist Dr Susan Weinschenk. Install an app such as Chrome’s Nanny to help you keep your retweeting to an acceptable level.
Be too result-oriented. ‘They’re never guaranteed,’ says author and entrepreneur James Clear. ‘Instead, focus on your working processes – they’re within your control.’
Serotonin
The mood booster. To oversimplify a bit, serotonin flows when you feel important. Your primitive brain equates that feeling with survival.
DO…
Train your brain to feel confident in your own importance. Easier said than done, but ‘power posing’ is a good start – instead of sitting hunched, spread out or stand like Superman. Studies suggest it boosts confidence in everything from romantic situations to job interviews.
Eat cherries. ‘Drinking a glass of sour cherry juice, or eating about 20 red tart cherries, before retiring at night may help induce a deeper state of sleep and support healthy kidney function,’ says Mark Konlee, author of the Immune Restoration Handbook. Have a scoop of cottage cheese with your cherries for glutamine and calcium lactate, which also encourage serotonin regeneration (and sleep).
DON’T…
Hit the sugar. ‘I’ve heard people recommend a sweet treat to boost mood,’ says nutritionist Mark Sissons. ‘Carbs are a quick fix but do nothing to stimulate long-term serotonin production.’
Focus on others for your sense of importance. ‘Imagine that people respect you instead of assuming the worst,’ says Breuning. ‘It’s probably closer to the truth.’
Oxytocin
This has been called the ‘hug hormone’, but it’s more complicated than that. High levels are associated with physical contact, trust and co-operation – but some researchers have suggested that it can also cause people to cling to any form of social contact.
DO…
Focus on the trust you have with existing friends. ‘You can build trust with anyone by making the steps small enough,’ says Breuning. ‘Create expectations that both parties can meet, and repeat, again and again.’
Go dancing. In one study, it raised subjects’ oxytocin levels by 11%. Karaoke had a similar effect – but only when done with friends. 0 Do something ‘moderately stressful’. Physical activity and watching a horror movie both qualify. Studies suggest that when done with friend this has a bonding effect.
DON’T…
Throw yourself into relationships. One going wrong is not worth it for the quick hit. And although bonding with pets can trigger oxytocin, there are probably better reasons to get a dog.
Endorphins
The pain blocker. Endorphins let our ancestors cope with the anaerobic demands of running from sabretooth tigers – and they give you an exercise high. The catch? It only happens when you exceed your limits – so work hard.
DO…
Keep workouts short and intense. ‘Try 30/30 rows,’ says trainer Pieter Vodden. ‘Do 30 seconds’ rowing, then rest for 30 seconds, for eight minutes in total. Aim for 160m in each interval.’
Train with friends. A 2009 study found that college rowers who worked in synchronisation experienced a greater hormone boost than those who trained alone. 0 Eat a curry. Capsaicin – the compound that makes chilli peppers hot – binds to pain receptors in the mouth, triggering your endorphins.
DON’T…
Just push, push, push. ‘Creating pain to enjoy endorphins is a bad strategy,’ says Breuning. ‘Varying your routine can create endorphins without unnecessary stress.’
What are plyometrics?
A lot of gyms offer classes that claim to be plyometrics-based – typically featuring endless box jumps – but they’re missing the point of what plyometrics actually are, and what they should be used for.
Feel the force
The aim of plyometrics is to increase your ability to exert force, and force equals mass times acceleration. If you can increase the speed at which you land from a jump or a ballistic press-up, you’ll exert more force, which means you can do everything more explosively. This makes plyos an excellent tool for speeding up the body’s responses and improving athletic performance. But for this to be effective, you have to be performing the exercise at maximum effort and only a handful of times, resting as long as necessary between reps to ensure you can apply yourself with maximum force every time.
Most ‘plyometric’ gym classes use explosive moves such as box jumps or clap press-ups, but in a format where you perform up to 20 consecutive reps as part of a circuit. While this will certainly help you shift excess body fat, it isn’t plyometric, and it won’t improve your explosiveness or athletic performance.
Jump around
If you’re just looking to maintain your general level of fitness, you don’t need to worry about plyometrics. But if you specifically want to get more explosive, make sure you have a solid foundation of strength and mobility before you jump in – no pun intended. Plyo exercises involve dynamic, explosive movements that – when done properly at maximum intensity – put your tendons and muscles under a lot of stress, increasing the risk of injury. To minimise this, I recommend mastering functional exercises such as heavy barbell squats, cleans and snatches before you start doing serious plyo work.
Even when guys do use plyometrics correctly, they tend to spend more time doing lower-body plyo work. If your sport involves explosive upper-body movements – such as throwing balls or punches – I’d add upper-body plyo moves like ballistic press-ups or depth press-ups to your sessions, aiming for sets of five to ten max-effort reps, resting as required between sets. You can even work your upper body while doing box jumps by holding light dumbbells or wearing a weighted vest.
So if you’ve got a good strength base and you want to be more explosive, you should definitely add plyometrics to your routine. But not by going to a class that confuses plyometrics with high-volume fat-loss drills.
This article was written by Ben Crookston, a strength and conditioning coach and the founder of Train Heroic.
Friday, May 22, 2015
Fitstagram Vol. 23: 10 Fit Physiques
Ovadia+ Workout Gear Gets Put to the Ultimate Strength Test
Kristina Olson Fitness 360: Driven To Succeed
The Cask Strength Whiskeys to Buy Now
How to Grow and Maintain a Mustache
A Mobile Service Built for the Military
Pro Tips for Maintaining Your Beard Trimmer
The Best Convertibles to Buy Now
Low-carb food swaps
One of the toughest things about sticking to a low-carb diet is knowing what sides to have to accompany your protein. First of all, you need to get over the idea that a carb-heavy side completes a meal, and after a few weeks of going without you'll realise it's totally doable. One (simple and super healthy) solution is to just have piles of vegetables with every meal. But if you want sides that replicate the classic stodge your appetite is used to, here are thirteen delicious and highly nutritious low-carb food swaps.
Substitute: spaghetti or noodles with courgette spaghetti
Quick and easy to make, all you need is a basic julienne peeler to ribbon your courgette into spaghetti strands, then pan-fry in a dash of olive oil until just tender. A delicious accompaniment to dishes such as bolognaise and chilli, you’ll enjoy the same consistency at a fraction of the carbs. Courgettes are also a good source of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant and immune booster.
Substitute: rice with cauliflower rice
Blitz fresh cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles rice, then either steam or pan-fry with olive oil for a couple of minutes. Cauliflower rice contains almost a quarter of the calories of brown rice, and double the fibre. Cauliflower is a member of the brassica family, known for powerful anti-cancer and detoxification properties. It's also a rich source of anti-inflammatory vitamin K.
Substitute: mashed potato with butterbean mash
Mashed white potato is high glycaemic index (GI), meaning it is rapidly absorbed by the body and can cause spikes in blood sugar and subsequent energy dips. Legumes such as butter beans have a lower GI and are higher in fibre, providing a more sustained source of energy. They are also packed full of B vitamins, vital for energy production in every cell of the body.
Substitute: tortilla wraps with nori wraps
Avoid a post-lunch slump by ditching your white tortilla and instead wrapping your sandwich ingredients in a sheet of Nori seaweed. Seaweed is a source of complete protein, rich in minerals and one of the best sources of natural iodine- vital for maintaining a healthy thyroid gland (your fat-burning regulator).
Substitute: chips with sweet potato wedges
Baked instead of fried, sweet potato (and other root vegetables such as beetroot and parsnip) provide slow-release energy and can help to regulate blood sugar levels. Sweet potato is a rich source of beta-carotene, which is essential for eye health and nerve function. Slice your sweet potato into wedges (leave the skin on for extra fibre), place on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for about 40mins at 200 degrees.
Substitute: couscous with quinoa
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a seed rather than a grain and is a source of complete protein, meaning it contains all the essential amino acids the body requires through diet. It’s also packed full of vitamins and minerals; particularly B vitamins, manganese and zinc. Quinoa is a great base for salads, and as an accompaniment to fish and meat dishes.
Substitute: flour with ground almonds
Ground almonds make a protein-rich and highly nutritious alternative to refined white flour in baking. Combined with egg whites they can form the basis of protein pancakes, a fantastic post-exercise recovery snack. Almonds are particularly rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect our cell from damage and helps to maintain a healthy heart.
Substitute: lasagne sheets with sliced aubergine
With a knife or mandolin, slice aubergine lengthwise into thin ¼ inch slices, lightly grill, and use as a replacement to lasagne pasta sheets. Finely sliced butternut and sweet potato works really well too. A great way to lower the carb content and boost your veggie intake at the same time!
Substitute: crisps with raw unsalted nuts
Nuts are nutritional powerhouses full of good fats and phytochemicals, and both the fibre and protein they contain help to keep you much fuller than crisps. In fact, studies have shown that regular consumption of nuts may actually promote weight loss. Nuts or nut butter make an easily portable post-workout snack.
Substitute: croutons for walnuts
Carbohydrates can cause high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol, which is bad news for your heart. For a healthier salad, replace carb-laden croutons with walnuts, which are high in polyunsaturated fat — a good fat that can lower LDL while boosting HDL (‘good’) cholesterol.
Substitute: beer for red wine
Beer is high in calories and carbohydrates, so switch to red wine. It’s lower in carbohydrates, and you’ll also get antioxidants such as flavonoids that are believed to lower LDL and boost HDL cholesterol. Remember though, all alcohol needs to be drunk in moderation and this is a healthier alternative, not an excuse to up your alcohol intake consequence-free.
Substitute: salad dressing for olive oil and vinegar
Drenching a salad in shop-bought dressing is almost as crazy as smoking cigarettes while jogging. A low-sugar alternative is to use olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Olive oil is packed full of healthy fats, while balsamic vinegar works to suppress the body’s appetite and increase the amount of time it takes for the stomach to empty, which helps prevent overeating.
Substitute: rice for quinoa
Cooked quinoa has 15% fewer carbohydrates and 60% more protein than a comparable amount of brown rice, so it’s a better option if you’re trying to lose fat. It also has 25% more fibre, which can help lower blood cholesterol.
Making the Upgrade: Fitness model
I’ve been training for years and though I’m in good shape, the finely tuned physique of a fitness model has been just out of reach. I was ecstatic when I found out my Upgrader coach would be Shaun Stafford – not only is he a fitness model, he’s one of the best in the country. If anyone can get me to the next level, it’s him.
Shaun created a tailored plan drawing from nearly a decade coaching clients and athletes. It’s all about stripping the training back to basics and doing the right exercises with the correct range of motion and tempo. I thought I knew my way around a gym pretty well, but it turns out I haven’t been going as hard as I thought I was and, more importantly, as hard as Shaun expects me to.
I followed Shaun's plan for a week before meeting up with him for our first training session together. He absolutely killed me in 45 minutes. It was a great session, but definitely one the toughest I’ve ever had. It made for an interesting walk to the Underground afterwards. Thankfully, I’ve also been sorted out with a load of Optimum Nutrition products as well as a nutrition plan. The Gold Standard 100% Whey definitely came in handy after that session.
Shaun’s got me training five times a week, doing four weights sessions and one cardio. A lot of it is supersets of upper-body and lower-body moves, which is tough, but it's a new way of training that I’m enjoying. I like having such a rigid structure to follow, and knowing it’s tried and tested helps too. Rest times and tempo are a big factor, and they help me focus. I'm also out of the gym in 45 minutes to an hour, rather than spending an hour and a half wandering around without a real aim.
So far I haven't seen any significant strength or muscle mass gains, but I'm definitely losing body fat – I weigh less every day. I'm excited about the next phase of my training plan. Bring it on!
Coach’s verdict
‘Overall I’m very happy with how Matt’s getting on,’ says Shaun Stafford. ‘He has a good work ethic and seems very dedicated to achieving his goal, which is a big part of it. If he carries on training hard and sticking to the plan, I’m confident that within six weeks he’ll be noticeably stronger and bigger. And after six months, he’ll have totally transformed.’
Thursday, May 21, 2015
How, When, And Why To Use Athletic Tape
New Zealand's Never-Ending Mountain Bike Trail
Bill Paxton Returns to His Roots in 'Texas Rising'
Bodybuilding.com Park Gyms
Indy 500 Champ Ryan Hunter-Reay Isn't Slowing Down
The Last Stand in Africa's Most Dangerous Park
How to Avoid Getting Posterized; Lessons from Kyle Korver
The Best Tents for Summer Adventures
The Best Standup Paddleboards to Buy Now
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Bodybuilding.com Campus Ambassador Program
Gluten-Free Diets: Real Science Vs. Bro Science
The Right Glasses for Your Face
Ashley Conrad's Clutch Life: Day 24
Like Her MVP Dad, Riley Curry Can't Miss
A Day With Dodgers Slugger Adrian Gonzalez
Brian Sullivan's Day in the Sun: A Sailor's Cautionary Tale
The NFL Fixes the Extra Point, Football's Most Boring Play
Nick Offerman's Life Advice
The True Story Behind 'Texas Rising'
'Mad Men' May be Over, But Rye Whiskey's Legacy Lives On
Monday, May 18, 2015
Ashley Conrad's Clutch Life: Day 22
The 10 Best Men's Sneakers for Summer
Ashley Hoffmann's Summer Shoulder Workout
The 10 Best Adventure Vehicles
25 Action-Packed Summer Trips
72 Hours With the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
Carlos Gómez Proves Why New Helmet Technology Matters
Fabio Studer's freestyle skiing warm-up exercises
As one of Europe’s best freestyle skiers, 28-year-old Austrian ripper Fabio Studer is a regular invitee to the super core Nine Knights ski and snowboard event that takes place every April in Livigno, Italy.
During the seven days Nine Knights runs for, skiers and snowboarders are given free reign to tear it up on a massive fantasy-themed park set-up – the castle – that features battlements, giant medieval weaponry and a vast array of yawning gap jumps, rails, hips and wallrides. This year also saw the inclusion of a mini-ramp on top of one of the features so skateboarders could get in on the action.
The daily sessions take place every afternoon, with special dawn and dusk jams so the photographers and videographers on hand can shoot in truly mesmerising light conditions. At the end of the week there are prizes given out for best tricks, overall performance, best photo and a bunch of other achievements the riders and organisers vote for.
In between castle runs, Studer – who trains hard and regularly to stay in shape for the demands of park and backcountry riding – took some time out to show aspiring freestyle skiers how to warm-up to go big in the park. He also demonstrated what to do if you see anyone exercising in the park when they should be skiing or snowboarding.
To see more footage from the event, including the first ever quad flip performed on a snowboard, or to get more information about the upcoming mountain bike leg of the event, go to nineknights.com. And for more about the GoPro HERO4 camera, on which this entire video was shot, go to gopro.com.
Workout of the Week #19
Take on your 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 Monday 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 #19
Do five rounds of 10 40kg thrusters and 10 toes-to-bar as fast as you can.
Thruster form guide:
Rest the bar across your upper chest with your hands holding it in place and your elbows as high as you can get them. Keeping your chest up and back straight, squat down until your thighs pass parallel, then drive back up, using the momentum to press the weights overhead. Lower the weights to your shoulders and continue into the next rep.
Watch the video, take on the challenge and post your best score in the comments section below.
MF's par time: 6min
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 Monday throughout 2015.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Fit Team Member Of The Month: Shy Franklin
The Best Men's Stores in America
The Clippers Prove That They're Still Just the Clippers
Adventurers of Instagram: Big Wave Surfer Greg Long
The Return of American Muscle
Ashley Conrad's Clutch Life: Day 21
Why Dad Bod Could Spell Dead Bod
The Best Apple Watch Accessories
Low-sugar cocktail recipes
With summer just round the corner it can be tough to say no to a cocktail. The main problem for your health isn;t the alcohol content (though it will be if you don;t drink sensibly), but the insane amount of sugar you end up downing. That doesn’t mean you have to forgo cocktail entirely this summer, follow expert mixologist Claire Smith's recipes and you'll be able to have tipple without running the risk of becoming diabetic. All the recipes use Belvedere vodka because it doesn't contain any sugar, glycerine, additives or enhancers.
Highball Blush
- 30ml Belvedere Pink Grapefruit
- 30ml White wine (Sancerre)
- 30ml Pink Grapefruit Juice
- Dash of soda
Glass: Highball
Rose Hip-Hop
- 25ml Belvedere vodka
- 20ml Sake
- 20ml Lemon juice
- 20ml Rosehip tea
- Dextrose cordial (200ml hot water, 2 tea baga, 300g dextrose - left to infuse for 10mins)
- 15ml egg white
Method: Shake and strain
Glass: Coupette
Unfiltered Cucumber Smash
- 40ml Belvedere Unfiltered
- 30ml cucumber puree
- Dash of St Germain
- Dash of soda
Method: Shake and pour over cubed ice, and then top with soda
Glass: highball
Cloak and Jaggery
- 40ml Belvedere vodka
- 25ml chai tea
- Jaggery (300ml hot water, 3 teabags - leave to infuse for 5mins, add 150g jaggery and stir)
- 50ml full fat milk
Method: Build over crushed/cracked ice
Glass: Tumbler
Watch John Cena Squat 600 Pounds
Heart rate monitor sport watch reviews
You should train in a different heart rate zone depending on whether you want to improve endurance, boost sprint power or burn fat. A heart rate monitor (HRM) records your training intensity and ensures you’re working in the zone that best suits your goals.
Garmin Forerunner 920XT
£390 buy.garmin.com
A triathlon powerhouse, the Forerunner 920XT has an abundance of modes and features, complemented by a display that’s easy to read in any environment and an interface so intuitive that the instruction guide seems like a waste of paper. Its Running Dynamix software marries vertical oscillation, ground contact time and cadence with your heart rate to give you a VO2 max it can use to predict race times. It also comes with two swimming modes – open water and indoor. In open water it relies on GPS, while in indoor mode it uses an accelerometer to track distance. After training, you can use the USB cable and secure charging housing to link it to the Garmin Connect site, where you can crunch your data, use expert tri plans and connect with other Garmin owners.
Pros: Works for all types of session and environment - Extremely simple to use
Cons: Can’t program it for indoor pools less than 15m - Plugging it into a mobile charger during a long ride stops your session
Verdict: Simply the best multi-sport tracker on the market.
Best for… Any triathlete who’s prepared to splash the cash to get the most out of their sport.
Polar M400
£157.50 polar.com
Thanks to the M400’s intuitive interface we barely had to consult the user manual while setting it up – good news for anyone who’d rather spend their time training than reading instructions. It further caters to the impatient with a Back to Start feature that uses GPS to send you home from your current location, so you don’t need to plan every route meticulously. Workouts, steps, sleep and calories burned are logged into Polar Flow through the website or app. Like the watch this service is easy to use, with a bold interface. A large calendar shows your activity over the month, and you can analyse each workout in detail. Based on your recorded heart rate it also lets you know the specific health benefits of each session you’ve done and can suggest future sessions depending on your goals.
Pros: GPS at a low price - Easy to set up and use
Cons: No vibration for alerts or alarms - Constant use requires daily charging
Verdict: A combined HRM and GPS activity tracker at an attractive price.
Best for… Runners who like to track more than just their training sessions.
Suunto Ambit3 Peak Sapphire
£500 suunto.com
A training supercomputer on your wrist, the Ambit3 has preset modes for everything from mountain hiking to open-water swimming, along with specific features for each. Lost during a run? Use the GPS route planner. Worried that a storm might be brewing? Check the weather indicator. Pairing the chest strap and using the watch to record a training session is simple, but delving into its myriad features requires an intimate familiarity with the 121-page user manual. The supporting software (Movescount – available on web and iPhone) is equally exhaustive and even a straightforward run presents you with 22 metrics including the amount of time spent in each heart rate zone, a suggested recovery time and predicted VO2 max.
Pros: Detailed post-training analysis - Vast amount of features and metrics
Cons: Oversized watch - No vibration for alerts or alarms
Verdict A stat junkie’s wet dream, this can record – and even assist with – any activity.
Best for… The hard-training data geek who feels the only way to improve performance is to know everything about every second of a training session.
Timex Ironman Target Trainer
£140 timex.co.uk
Forgoing GPS, a companion app and any way to export data keeps the Target Trainer’s price low and its battery life long. Rather than trying to be a personal trainer, analyst and physio in one, this is more an enthusiastic stopwatch with heart rate monitoring capabilities and a variety of training session options. Its most useful function is the ability to designate the heart rate zone you want to work in and set audio cues to let you know if you’re going too hard or easy. It also has loads of different stopwatch and timer functions, allowing you to create intervals, record laps and set nutrition and hydration timers. Perfect if you have no need for GPS or you just need an HRM for the gym.
Pros: No need to charge - Large memory
Cons: No GPS means no real-time pace - No way to export your data
Verdict: A bare-bones HRM and sports watch with a long battery life.
Best for… Budget-conscious runners and cyclists who don’t race and so don’t need to clock specific distances.
Three ways to last longer in bed
Squeeze
There are three types of squeezing that can help you keep a stronger erection for longer, better control when ejaculating. First, try a cock ring, which will gently squeeze the base of your penis, helping you maintain your hard-on. Second, if you can feel your orgasm approaching prematurely, stop and squeeze the area right below the head of your cock. Apply pressure to the urethra, to repress your climax temporarily. Kiss your partner while doing this, to divert them watching you pinch your peen! Finally, studies show that men with greater pelvic floor control can control their ejaculation time better. Time to hit up those Pilates classes!
Cheat
An easy way to make sure you don’t cross the finish line too quickly is to choose condoms with a discreet helping hand. Durex Extended Pleasure contains a lubricant with Benzocaine 5%, a mild anaesthetic that slightly numbs the tip of your penis to stop you blowing your load too quickly. Also, Durex Mutual Climax has special lube on the inside, with dots and ribs around to stimulate her genitals – they speed up her orgasm, slow yours done, and you’ll most likely have an intense shared orgasm I like to call an ‘our-gasm’.
Practice
If you want to go fro longer with your partner, practice lasting longer alone. If your body is used to you rubbing one out in a matter of minutes, it's going to associate sex with brevity. Private practice helps you ‘train’ your penis, and mind. Try a ‘start and stop’ technique when masturbating, bringing yourself close to climax, and then slowing your strokes so you learn to resist cumming. If you want to get really serious, use hand lotion or even some kind of sex toy to better replicate the feel of a vagina.
Action camera reviews
GEONAUTE G-Eye 2 Escape
£100 decathlon.co.uk
If the price of some action cameras has you drawing a sharp breath, you’ll be pleased to see that the £100 Escape offers 1080p HD video. It’s locked at 30fps, which will be enough for all but the fastest activities, but if you really want that 60fps boost you can turn the camera’s resolution down to 720p. The camera itself isn’t waterproof but when it’s housed safely inside the included watertight case it will happily survive a dunking. With its robust design and solid case, it sits securely in your hand and certainly doesn’t feel like a cheap option. A free app for Android and iPhone gives you wireless control over the Escape so you won’t even need to bring a cameraman with you on your adventures.
Pros: Cheapest option for 60fps - Simple companion app
Cons: Not enough features for pro users - Front buttons hard to reach
Verdict: Basic functionality for the cheapest price, it's ideal for all but the most serious users.
Veho Muvi K-Series K-2
£210 veho-world.com
If you’ve got a long session ahead, you’ll be grateful for the powerful battery in Veho’s K-2, which has the largest capacity on the market and will give you four hours of continuous recording. It’s also the only camera here to come with an SD card, so the memory won’t run out of steam before you do. Record in 1080p at 60fps or 720p at 120fps for ultra-smooth video. The K-2 feels solid when housed in the waterproof case, which protects it to depths of 100m. Particuallry cool is the built-in accelerometer that lets the camera start recording when you move off, and a photo burst mode that takes ten photos a second to ensure you never miss an action shot. The integrated Wi-Fi has a range of 60m so you can use your phone to operate the camera and share videos and pictures no matter how far you are from home.
Pros: High spec but cheaper than GoPro - Long battery life
Cons: Feels fragile outside the case - Big and heavy in the case
Verdict: The long battery life, exhaustive features and cheaper price point make the Veho a serious contender to the GoPro crown
Polaroid Cube
£79 currys.co.uk
This tiny camera is just 35mm in all dimensions, but still manages to record 1080p video at 30fps. It’ll sit happily in the palm of your hand and the simple point-and-shoot nature makes it an obvious choice for people who don’t want to fuss with endless settings. The wide 124° lens will capture a lot of scenery – great for dramatic shots. It’s the cheapest camera here but, unlike the G-Eye 2 Escape, doesn’t offer much in the way of extra features. Its small size and weight make it perfect for chucking in your bag, but the lack of a waterproof case and any ability to mount it – aside from a small magnetic strip on the bottom – lessen its versatility somewhat. If you want a cool, little no-frills camera the Cube is a good choice, although the lack of a 60fps option is disappointing.
Pros: Simple to use - Unique design
Cons: Limited features - No proper mount
Verdict: Perfect if you just want to point and shoot. Doesn’t offer much more, but does look pretty damn cool.
GoPro Hero4 Silver
£330 gopro.com
The GoPro name is synonymous with action cameras, and with good reason. The Hero4 Silver is packed with features, including 1080p video at 60fps and 720p at 120fps. It also has a robust touchscreen that makes menu navigation simple, and a built-in time-lapse mode that starts at the touch of a button. GoPro has a strong online community where you can share your videos and get inspiration for your next shoot – just try not to upload too many shots of you rolling about on the floor after wiping out. The Hero4 Silver even records in 4K, which is the sharpest form of video around and means it’s ready for when Ultra HD monitors become the norm. Hell, some footage in Hollywood action movies is filmed on this badboy.
Pros: Excellent feature set - Thriving upload community
Cons: Expensive - Photos only 12 megapixels
Verdict:Great quality and features but you defintely pay more just for the GoPro brand name.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Marc Megna's Lifting Lessons: Barbell Back Squat
Customize Your Workout With Bodybuilding's "Pro Creator"
A First Look at the Leaked NBA Christmas Day Uniforms
Will Odell Beckham Jr. Survive the Madden Cover Curse?
The Best Bike Lanes in the World
BASE Jumper Heroically Rescued After Wind Pushed Her Back Into the Bridge
Squat Every Day: The Sequel
Sunglasses For Every Man's Face
How to burn fat all day long
Need a way to get rid of unwanted fat, and don’t know how to do it? Burning body fat is definitely not the easiest thing to do, so your body needs a helping hand. Here’s how to make sure it’s firing on all cylinders every minute of the day. Simple changes in your lifestyle will immediately make you see a positive change in your body.
6am - Drink water
Getting properly hydrated not only improves physical and mental performance – which raises your game in and out of the gym – but has also been shown to have a direct effect on carbohydrate and fat metabolism, which translates to an increase of 25% in the rate of fat burning, according to the journal Nature. Need more reasons? Drinking also triggers the mTOR metabolic pathway in your brain, which lays the foundation of muscle growth and aids recovery, according to a German study.
7am - Skip the toast
Muscle tissue is insulin-sensitive, soaking up any carbs you eat at this time of day – but so are fat cells, according to research in the journal Cellular And Molecular Endocrinology. This means both will be absorbing carbs but, in the case of fat cells, those carbs will be converted to fat and stored. Instead, have a protein-rich breakfast of eggs, salmon, spinach and cashews.
8am - Chill out
Your journey to work is one of the most stressful times of the day. Research from Deakin University in Australia has shown that acute stress can increase the drive to consume sugary and fatty foods. Download Marco Union’s peace-inducing trance number Weightless or any other tune with a BPM of 60 – it’ll synchronise with your heart and brainwaves, making it easier to ignore bag-spreading seat-hoggers.
10am - Get up
Sitting is the new smoking – associated with increased risk of diabetes and obesity – and its problems are more serious than just not burning calories. Sitting changes the body at a genetic level: gene expression, which is how the body processes genetic information, changes when you’re seated. Alarmingly, research from various sources, including the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition, shows that these alterations in gene expression and the associated health effects aren’t offset by training. Your prescription? Do as much standing work as you can handle.
12pm - Eat
Fasted cardio might be popular with bodybuilders but if you want to lose body fat, it isn’t a wise choice. Research conducted at Michigan State University shows that eating carbohydrate and protein before training improves the work rate and duration when exercising, increases the amount of fuel used and shifts the balance towards fat usage. Not only that, but the effect can last for a day or more after the training session.
2pm - Use finishers
Gym time is precious, so why choose between muscle-building weights and fat-burning cardio? Building muscle requires physical and metabolic load, and ‘finisher circuits’ targeting either the upper or lower body trigger both fat-burning effects and muscle hypertrophy at the metabolic level, according to recent findings published in the Journal Of Strength And Conditioning Research. Finish your workout with rounds of three pull-ups, five press-ups and seven squats, done as many times as possible in five minutes.
4pm - Cultivate contrast
We all know that the size of your plate can affect the amount of food you eat, but it turns out that the colour can do the same. Researchers from Cornell University found that when participants ate food closely matching the colour of their plate they ate on average almost 25% more. But the Delboeuf illusion, as it’s known, can also be put to good use, helping you increase your intake of green veg by using a green plate.
7pm - Eat carbs
The advice not to eat carbs after 6pm is still trotted out frequently, but more up-to-date research indicates that it’s dead wrong. According to a study published in the journal Obesity, eating the majority of their carbs in the evening actually encouraged lower body fat levels in test subjects. The night-time carb eaters also reported feeling more satisfied and happier with their diets – if nothing else, it makes it easier to order when you go out for dinner.
9pm - Drink early
Alcohol inhibits fat burning because the liver prioritises alcohol metabolism to clear it out of the system – and if consumed late in the evening it can have a huge impact on sleep quality and growth hormone. This hormone increases fat metabolism and aids muscle recovery, and research in the journal Metabolism shows that consuming alcohol before bed can reduce output by around 70%.
11pm - Go dark
Turn all lights off in your bedroom. Light exposure affects sleep depth and duration, which can alter the production of fat-burning hormones, making you more prone to fat gain. Disrupted sleep also sends your appetite haywire by altering your levels of ghrelin, the ‘hunger hormone’, according to Harvard University research. What’s more, research from the Mayo Clinic shows that poor sleep increases calorie intake but not expenditure.
The 50 best fitness holidays
Life is short, and holidays are even shorter. Reject the limits of the mini-break and invest in a holiday that'll leave you invigorated - and in better shape than ever. We've searched far and wide to find the greatest escapes money can buy. Here are the 50 best fitness hoidays in the world.
1. Go Snowbombing
WHERE Austria
PRICE From £404
If you enjoy snowboarding with a hangover then Snowbombing, a week-long festival with world-class DJs and bands, is for you. Shake off the beer haze by hitting the Penken Park – as MF’s Max Anderton is pictured doing here. Read Max's review of this year's festival.
2. Ice swim in Yllas
WHERE Finland
PRICE From £56
Fancy swimming in icy fjords after a day on the ski slopes of Yllas? Such is its powers of invigoration, this has become a weekly social event for locals. ‘Bring courage… and spare socks’ is the official line.
3. Take a heli-bike tour of Queenstown
WHERE New Zealand
PRICE From £200
Experience the Kiwi wilderness from the ground and the air with a Fat Tyres heli-bike trip. This doesn’t mean James Bond-esque flying bikes – you get to goggle at mountainous vistas from a conventional chopper, before you’re dropped off with your mountain bike for a three-hour trail ride.
4. Cycle and camp in Utah
WHERE USA
PRICE From £3,825
Cycle across southern Utah over a week, taking in the arches, canyons and hoodoo rock formations that’ll make you feel like you’re on the set of a Western before setting up camp each night. The company also does a ‘glamping’ version for, you know, massive babies.
5. Raft Rio Futaleufú
WHERE Chile
PRICE From £2,138
You’ll need a strong heart to handle the adrenaline-gasm that comes with nine days of white-knuckle white-water rafting. The landscapes range from snow capped mountains to lush rainforests, although we’ll forgive if you don’t notice them as you cling to your raft for dear life.
6. Run with a champion in Monte Carlo
WHERE Monaco
PRICE From £317
Only the best is good enough in the home of Europe’s old-school mega-rich – and that goes for the personal trainers, too. French 400m champion Marc Raquil runs sessions at the plush Metropole Hotel, so you can train to Olympic standard between gambling sessions.
7. Dive in the Red Sea
WHERE Egypt
PRICE From £995
Set sail in the northern Red Sea, then jump off to explore wrecks, each of which hauntingly captures a long-gone moment in time. The eerie calmness beneath the water is juxtaposed by the glorious sunshine above. Due to the advanced nature of the dives this isn’t a trip that should be taken on by scuba novices – you don’t want to be that guy who’s paid a grand just to sit on his own on deck while everyone else explores the depths.
8. Conquer the Alps
WHERE France
PRICE From £600
Adventures In The Alps lets you use the mountains around Lake Annecy as your personal playground, whether you’re attempting the via ferrata – routes made of cables and ladders fixed to the rock face – mountain biking, canyoning, climbing or trail running. There are plenty of other activities to choose from, including paragliding and open-water swimming.
summer.adventuresinthealps.com
9. Ice climb in Val d’Isère
WHERE France
PRICE From £679
Why settle for going down a mountain when you can heave yourself up it using a pickaxe? Tough as it sounds, the guidance available means this is open to the rawest novice – although doing some pull-ups first would be helpful.
10. Go bouldering in Fontainebleau
WHERE France
PRICE From £515
Fancy climbing a variety of rock faces rope-free? Fontainebleau, or Font for short, has some of France’s best. This week-long supervised holiday will have you scrambling Spider-Man-style over obstacles of all sizes in a forest that’s only an hour from Paris.
11. Parapent in Val d’Isère
WHERE France
PRICE From £679
Throw caution (and yourself) to the wind with Parapenting – a not-for-the-faint-hearted pursuit that involves strapping yourself to a giant parachute and running off the side of a mountain.
12. Surf with a legend in Cascais
WHERE Portugal
PRICE From £893
The luxury Oitavos Hotel in the extreme southwest of Portugal offers a workout programme devised especially for surfers. It’s located near some of Europe’s finest surf spots – and they’ve roped in Portuguese champ Ruben Gonzales to give private lessons.
13. Cycle the Dolomites
WHERE Italy
PRICE From £4,800
Ride some of the routes of the classic Giro d’Italia race, powering along on a Pinarello bike with the support of the resident mechanic who’ll follow you in the team car. And no, you can’t swap places when the hills get tough.
14. Run the Spartathlon
WHERE Greece
PRICE From £350
Before the Ancient Greek Pheidippides ran the 42km distance between Marathon and Athens, he ran 246km from Athens to Sparta. Follow his footsteps in the Spartathlon race, but don’t celebrate too smugly when you finish – he ran holding a shield and didn’t have energy gels to help him.
15. Ride from Manali to Leh
WHERE India
PRICE From £2,099
Cycle across six Himalayan passes at an average altitude of 4,000m. The reward? Aching legs, and some of the planet’s most breathtaking scenery.
16. Train at Club La Santa
WHERE Spain
PRICE From £1,000
This a dedicated sports resort in Lanzarote has cutting-edge facilities for 30 sports including cycling and diving.
17. Go packrafting in Middle-Earth country
WHERE New Zealand
PRICE From £190
No idea what packrafting is? Not surprising - it’s still a relatively new concept. It involves heading off to a remote location with an ultra-lightweight inflatable dinghy and having a whale of a time paddling, hiking, wading and scrambling across a variety of terrain. Because the dinghy weighs just 3kg, is small enough to be stored in your backpack and inflates in ten minutes, you can easily cover distances and travel through areas you’d otherwise never be able to. The landscape will give you ample opportunity to pretend you’re in a scene from The Lord Of The Rings, even if there is a distinct lack of orcs. ‘Make sure you know the grades of the rivers on your route,’ says Arno Marten, founder of Packrafting New Zealand. ‘A packraft is designed to be very durable but it’s easy to get in over your head. A grade 3+ is a challenge even for experienced paddlers – be prepared for a swim!’
18. Go coasteering in Pembrokeshire
WHERE UK
PRICE From £225
Coasteering combines sea level traversing, rock climbing, cliff jumping and swimming into sea caves – and, here, gives you access to National Trust-protected coastlines that are off limits to the public. A word of warning: it’s as cold as it is exhilarating.
19. Become a ninja
WHERE Japan
PRICE From £4,599
It’s not the most in-demand skillset, but you really owe it to your 11-year-old self. Immerse yourself in Japanese archery and, uh, ‘sword dancing’ before receiving martial arts lessons from a sensei famous for taking on 13 Yakuza at once. He won, in case you’re wondering.
20. Train for a triathlon at Thanyapura
WHERE Thailand
PRICE from £867
Those brick transition sessions seem so much more bleak when you’re climbing out of a municipal pool. Thanyapura Phuket has a state-of-the-art triathlon programme headed up by Ironman legend Jürgen Zäck. Just try not to get distracted by the raucous nightlife.
21. Surf the pipeline in Oaxaca
WHERE Mexico
PRICE From £173
Boutique hotels have landed in Mexico with the Hotel Escondido leading the way. Its collection of minimalist thatched cabañas line Zicatela Beach, which is home to the famed Mexican Pipeline wave. If it’s too big, ride the white water closer to shore.
22. Run in the Brecon Beacons
WHERE UK
PRICE From £10
You don’t need to head to far-flung corners of the earth to run amid spectacular scenery. A Brecon Beacons running guide will plot a route of sheer beauty that’ll also fit your pace and ability. ‘Running 10km on a hill will feel very different than 10km on the road,’ says Steve Booker of runwales.net. ‘Typically you’ll cover two-thirds of the distance of your normal running. So if you can comfortably run 20km on the road, start your mountain running at 10-12km – we can extend that if you’re feeling strong.’
23. Hike from Lhasa to Kashgar via Mount Kailash
WHERE China
PRICE From £4,795
Your fitness levels and tolerance for harsh conditions will be tested on this 22-day Tibetan hike, which takes you into Lhasa, at 3,490m one of the highest cities in the world. It’s tipped to be a tourist hotspot by 2020 so get there before everyone and their parents are showing you their photos.
24. Get a sweat on in the Balinese jungle
WHERE Indonesia
PRICE From £3,250
For some, it’s not a real holiday if it’s not sweltering . If that’s you, try this tropical getaway for total relaxation. The Como Shambhala Estate offers tai chi, yoga, Pilates and watersports, while its jungle gym – the name is slightly more truthful here than when used to describe the one in your local park – features a climbing wall that enables you to get a parrot’s-eye view of the rainforest.
25. Trek up Gran Paradiso
WHERE Italy
PRICE From £1,195
Zipping down mountains is easy. Give yourself a challenge and tackle the six-day trek up Gran Paradiso, the highest mountain entirely within Italy, ascending to a height of 3,338m.
26. Sail and ski Scandinavia
WHERE Norway
PRICE From £1,400
Embark on the spa boat Vulkana as it cruises along the northern coast of Norway – you can spend your days skiing and your evenings relaxing under the stars away from any light pollution.
27. Go heli-surfing
WHERE New Zealand
PRICE From £11,122
Expert local knowledge plus private land access and a helicopter equals the perfect surfing opportunity. Don’t sit around waiting for a perfect wave – just strap in and get flown to where the action is.
28. Trek from Mont Blanc to the Matterhorn
WHERE France/Switzerland
PRICE From £1,779
Make your way along the classic Haute Route ski touring path, covering roughly 100km between Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. You’ll be trekking at an average of 1,525m, hitting 2,965m at the highest point, and you’ll pass beneath ten of the 12 highest mountains in the Alps. ‘Before you travel, make sure you can do two six-hour walks in a weekend,’ says Chloe Knott of Exodus. ‘Get in a good mix of ascents and descents to get you prepared.’ Think of it earning your holiday.
29. Try a quadrathlon
WHERE St Lucia
PRICE From £80 plus cost of BodyHoliday hotel
Cycle, run, abseil and kayak across the island, while taking in views of both the Atlantic and Caribbean coastlines before treating yourself to a fruity rum at the BodyHoliday resort.
30. Cycle across Central America
RPICE From £1,675
Journey through Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama on this 435km ride which takes you through wildly varying environments – banana and pineapple plantations, along Caribbean coastlines, over volcanoes and through rainforests.
31. Burn fat in Ibiza
WHERE Spain
PRICE From £1,685
You don’t have to choose between mega-clubs and fat-loss circuits in the sun – this weight loss-focused holiday is based in Santa Eulalia, Ibiza, which is only half an hour away from the big clubs.
32. Sail around the world
PRICE £40,000 or £5,000 for a single leg
Twelve amateur racing-yacht crews battle for first place in the Clipper Round The World, an eight-stage planet-spanning race. While no experience is necessary it is a huge commitment – physically, mentally and financially.
33. Ski cross-country
WHERE Norway
PRICE From £1,099
Head out on any one of the Espedalen Valley’s numerous trails. Beginners can learn on the flat areas around Lake Espedalen, while more experienced skiers will find the views above the tree line a fitting reward for the 1,500m climb.
34. Tailored training in the Himalayas
WHERE India
PRICE From £2,645
Not sure of your fitness level? The Active package at Ananda Spa starts with a fitness consultation, which is used to plan activities such as white-water rafting on the Ganges.
35. Go island-hopping in the Adriatic
WHERE Croatia
PRICE From £730
Feel at home in open water? Then take your aquatic skills to Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. Over a week you’ll swim between the islands in the Sibenik archipelago, covering an average of 4km a day in the water. The route is organised by Strel Swimming, co-founded by Martin Strel, who is famous for swimming the length of the Amazon, Yangtze, Paraná, Mississippi and Danube rivers. Unlike those rivers, the sea around the Dalmatian coast has some of the cleanest water in the Mediterranean so you just have to worry about stroke efficiency. ‘We expect you to be able to swim at least 2km per hour,’ says Martin’s brother Borut. ‘To prepare you should swim up to three times a week covering 2-3km each session.’ There are escort boats that can break away with faster or slower swimmers so you won’t get left alone.
36. Take on the Watumu Beach boot camp
WHERE Kenya
PRICE From £3,335 The location for this Wildfitness training trip regularly features in ‘best beaches in the world’ lists. Learn to run on secluded beaches and swim in undisturbed creeks.
37. Do a Canary Island boot camp
WHERE Spain
PRICE From £780
This week-long British Military Fitness camp at Playitas Resort in Fuerteventura – where the Brownlee brothers have trained – is a more sun-kissed affair than BMF classes in the UK, but you’ll still burn over 2,000 calories a day.
38. Go open canoeing in the Highlands
WHERE UK
PRICE From £795
Explore the remote lochs in the northwest of Scotland. While you don’t need paddling experience to take part in the holiday, ‘upper-body fitness is important because you may be paddling for up to seven hours a day for six days,’ says Rupert Shanks of Wilderness Scotland.
39. Train in a Muay Thai gym
WHERE Thailand
PRICE From £310
Get schooled in Thailand’s national sport at Tiger Muay Thai, which is geared towards tourists who want to train while they’re away from home. Whether you’re a serious martial artist preparing for a fight or a total novice who doesn’t know how to throw a punch, you’ll be in good hands.
40. Survive the Dartmoor lowlands
WHERE UK
PRICE from £999
Mercifully, this four-day survival course founded by Bear Grylls doesn’t involve ingesting your own fluids. Instead, you’ll learn to look after yourself in some of the harshest terrain in the UK.
41. Get DNA Fit in Ibiza
WHERE Spain
PRICE From £1,493
Before visiting the Balearic island you’ll have your DNA tested, which will then be used by the team at Aguas de Ibiza Hotel to tailor a diet and exercise regime unique to you. It also has a venue in Cornwall in case you dislike nice weather.
42. Trek in Helambu
WHERE Nepal
PRICE From £880
Get away from established trekking routes and cut a path through parts of Nepal so remote you’ll wonder if your life back home was a dream. Over 14 days you’ll encounter remote mountain communities and the Holy Gosainkunda lakes and have the chance to climb a 4,500m peak.
43. Ski safari in the Dolomites
WHERE Italy
PRICE From £2,220
This hut-to-hut tour of the Dolomites takes you in a loop, starting and ending in Alta Badia. As well as a different skiing challenge every day, the constant changing of hotels means you don’t have to worry about making enemies of the staff if you over-indulge in après-ski.
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44. Walk the Simien Mountains
WHERE Ethiopia
PRICE From £1,890
The geological conditions that formed these spectacular mountains occur in only two places in the world. This hike takes you across the ‘spine’ of the mountains, and over the course of the eight-day trip you’ll see three UNESCO heritage sites. Make sure your camera batteries are charged.
45. Train to run at altitude
WHERE Kenya
PRICE From £949
Immerse yourself in the culture of the world’s elite endurance runners at the High Altitude Training Centre in Iten, which is 2,400m above sea level. Don’t expect hours gazing at views of the Great Rift valley – the training is merciless.
46. Explore the western USA
PRICE From £2,145
Start in Montana and make your way through six of America’s most famous national parks, including Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and Mesa Verde. The two-week trek ends in Las Vegas, so bring enough cash for a blackjack session.
47. Paddleboard in Peniche
WHERE Portugal
PRICE From £377
Stand-up paddleboarding lets you ride waves and work your core and legs, but there’s not nearly as much falling in as with surfing – and because you’re standing, the views are better. It originates in Hawaii but you can spend a week learning it at this beach near Lisbon.
48. Visit the Arnold Fitness Expo
WHERE USA
PRICE From £21
This three-day Schwarzenegger-fest in Columbus, Ohio, could set a record for the most bulging biceps in one room. Watch the entrants of the Classic 212 bodybuilding contest line-up, or try to meet the man himself – he’s usually there to congratulate the competition winners.
49. Ride through the Mountains of Heaven
WHERE Kyrgyzstan
PRICE From £2,675 Mount up and spend a fortnight following the route thousands of Silk Road traders have taken before you. The vast wilderness will make any job worries seem very far away indeed, and not just because you can’t get a phone signal.
50. Train like a Navy Seal in San Diego
WHERE USA
PRICE From £1,080
Think you’d make it as a SEAL, the US Navy’s most elite soldiers? Put your money where your mouth is and enrol for Camp Kokoro, the San Diego facility that’s used to get special ops candidates ready for the gruelling life. Absolutely no cocktails by the pool here.