Men's Fitness Workout Manual 2013 (UK) - FiLELiST
Men's Fitness Workout Manual 2013 (UK) - FiLELiST
Men's Fitness Workout Manual 2013 (UK) - FiLELiST
Must-do moves
ne of the biggest mistakes people make when they work out is favouring isolation moves such as biceps curls, which work one muscle group, over compound exercises such as the pull-up, which work multiple muscle groups. The main reason for focusing on compound moves is that they recruit more muscle ibres than isolation moves. They also prompt the release of more of the hormones that are essential if youre looking to swap your gut for guns. By doing compound moves you also teach different body parts to work together, so youll increase your stability and co-ordination and ultimately give your workouts bigger real-world bene its. In this section we look at the key compound moves that you should include in your training programmes. Weve also identi ied three or four assistance moves for each key lift, which you can work on to improve your performance in the big exercises.
These exercises are excellent at building muscle and burning fat. Heres how to get the most out of them
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mensfitness.co.uk
Deadlift
This classic move allows you to lift heavy and grow serious muscle as long as you do it right. We show you how
The deadlift works wonders on your physique because it requires a team effort from lots of muscles and lets you load the bar heavy. To deadlift efficiently and safely you dont just need strong thighs and glutes you should also improve the strength in your core, lower back and erector spinae, which supports and extends the spine. If you have an overdeveloped chest, it pulls you off-balance, and tight hamstrings dont allow you to adopt the necessary arch in the lower back. Heres how to do the lift and four smaller moves that will make sure youre strong in every part of the exercise.
TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Grip the bar just outside your knees with your core braced, your shoulders retracted and over the bar and your back lat.
Use your glutes to power the initial lift, pushing down through your heels.
Keep the bar close to your body and, as it passes your knees, push your hips forward. Keep your shoulders back throughout the move.
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Bent-over row
An overdeveloped chest will pull you forward and knock you off balance when lifting. The pulling motion of the bent-over row strengthens your upper back and lats, which evens out your posture and puts you in a better position for a stronger lift, especially in the mid-shin phase when the bar wants to pull away from the body.
length with your feet shoulderwidth apart. > Keeping your knees soft, balance on one leg and lean your torso forwards until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. > Lift your torso again. Try to keep the bar off the loor for the entire set of reps.
straight and shoulders retracted. Lean forward from the hips and bend your knees slightly. > Grip the bar with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart, letting the bar hang at knee level. > Pull the bar up to your sternum, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top, then lower slowly.
Sumo deadlift
The wider stance of the sumo deadlift recruits the glutes, one of the strongest muscles. It also stretches your adductors and helps you stay upright so you dont stress your hip lexors and lower back as much.
Crouch down into a deadlift position and grab the bar with your right hand in the middle. > Squeeze tight and deadlift the bar while keeping it level.
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Bench press
Its a classic indication of strength but doing it wrong can lead to injury and bad posture
Your one-max rep on the bench press is a good indicator of upper body strength and gym dedication, so everyone wants an impressive score. The problem is that doing too much work on your chest and not enough on your back results in hunched shoulders, which in turn leads to a lack of range of motion and poor posture. It can also cause shoulder pain. You will need strong pecs, deltoids, lats and triceps for this lift..
TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Lie on the bench with a natural arch in your back, your knees bent at 90 and your feet on the loor.
Grip the bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart directly above your chest.
Lower the bar ,slowly to your chest and press back up powerfully, without arching your back.
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Spider-Man press-up
Many men think the bench press is the best exercise for the chest but theyre wrong. This move hits the chest but works the stabilising muscles around the shoulders too. It also hits the abs and lower back, which are often required to shift your weight in sports. bend your elbows until your upper body is just off the loor, moving your right knee to your right elbow as you lower. > Push up to the start using your chest, shoulders and triceps. Repeat on the other side.
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Squat
Strengthen your lower body so you can lift big weights without risking injury
Good squatting promotes balanced strength and a strong lower body, which is a great way to increase growth hormones around the body, But if you arent lowering your body until your thighs are parallel to the loor or deeper, youre not completing the exercises full range of motion. This is usually because of knee pain or placing too great a load on your lower back, so work the weak links for better gains. To do this, strengthen your knee joints and stretch your calves so your centre of gravity doesnt shift forward and place too much stress on your back. Then youll be able to target the right muscles and get bigger and stronger. Follow this form guide to perfect your squat and, to lift more weight safely, do the moves opposite.
TARGETS
SQUAT STRONGER
HOW TO DO IT
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out slightly. Rest a barbell on the back of your shoulders and grip it.
Keeping your elbows back and your core braced, lower until your thighs are parallel to the loor. Your knees should be in line with your toes.
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Wall slide
The wall slide is an excellent way to help you gain the functional control needed for a one-legged squat. It changes the angle of the squat, putting more emphasis on the gluteus medius, and helps strengthen the stabilising muscles in the ankle and knee.
slant. Stand on it facing the lower end. > Balance on one leg, then bend your knee to squat as far as you can, keeping your back straight. > Push up through your heel to the starting position.
against the wall. Lift the foot nearest the wall and get your balance. > With your weight supported by the wall, bend your hips and knees and lower so that your thigh is parallel to the loor. > Push back through your heel and straighten your leg to the start position.
Squat jump
Explosive moves such as squat jumps recruit the maximum number of muscle ibres, which means that when you perform a normal squat you can lift more weight. It works by stimulating the nervous system, which makes your muscles ultra-responsive and prepared for a heavy load.
Place one foot on the platform with your heel close to the closest edge. > Push off the box and drive your opposite knee up towards your chest. > Repeat on the other leg.
apart and rest a light dumb-bell on each of your shoulders. > With your elbows back and your core braced, lower until your thighs are parallel to the loor and then push up explosively to jump up. > Land softly with your knees bent and lower into another squat.
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Bent-over row
Its a classic move for training your upper back, but the technique can be tricky. Heres how to do it right
The bent-over row works the opposite muscle group to the bench press and the main difference is you provide your own platform using your lower body, core and glutes to support your weight. The key to the row is to retract your shoulder blades to allow the bar to come up to your chest, but too many men shrug their shoulders and round their back because they havent got the strength in their traps, rhomboids and rear deltoids to control the movement. This takes the intended muscles out the equation and can cause imbalances. A strong core is also vital, because your upper back is worked the most when your torso is parallel to the loor, so your core will have to work hard to keep you stabilised.
TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Start with your core braced, your back straight and your shoulder blades retracted.
Bend your knees slightly and lean forward from the hips. Grip the bar with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart and let it hang at knee level.
Pull the bar up to just below your sternum, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the move, then lower slowly back to the start.
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or resistance bands and grasp the handles with your palms facing the loor. Stand back so there is tension in the cables. > Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the handles towards you until theyre level with your face. Rotate your arms so your palms end up facing forward. > Return to the starting position by allowing your arms to straighten out slowly in front of you.
Renegade row
Pulling the weights from the loor discourages poor form because you cant use momentum to lift the weights up. Renegade rows also work your lats, deltoids, core strength and your horizontal pushing and pulling muscle groups. loor shoulder-width apart and assume a press-up position over them with your body in a straight line from head to toe. > Shift your weight to the left side of your body, and pull the right dumb-bell towards your hip in a rowing fashion. Return it to the loor slowly. > Repeat on the other side.
Inverted row
How to do it > Place a pair of dumb-bells on the
This move works all your major pulling muscles, but with even more emphasis on your core and lats. The inverted row will also correct bad posture and build your grip strength without putting any pressure on the lower back.
How to do it > Set a horizontal bar at about > Put your feet on a bench and lie
chest height. underneath the bar holding it with an underhand grip, hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. > Keeping your hips in line with your torso, pull your body up to the bar, trying to touch your sternum to it. > Lower yourself slowly to the starting position.
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Pull-up
Raise your game with this upper-body muscle sculptor
The pull-up is one of the hardest lifts because you have to move your full bodyweight entirely and lift against gravity, which means the load on your muscles is very high. The advantage of this multitasking move is that it will balance the pushing work youre doing, so you dont get that hunched look. But if you dont already have the shoulder girdle, grip, forearm and lat [back] strength, you may struggle to do enough reps to get maximum strength gains.
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TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Grab the bar with an overhand grip and your hands slightly wider than shoulderwidth apart, and start from a dead hang with your arms straight.
Retract your shoulder blades, then pull your chin up to the bar. Pause at the top, then slowly lower your body back to the dead hang.
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Muscle
up the centre of your body with your elbow bent and close to your body. Keep the kettlebell in line with your forearm. > Squeeze the handle tightly, engage your core muscles and slowly lower the bell back down to your thigh. > Once the bell is lowered, pause before curling it back to the start.
How to do it > Grip the kettlebell tightly and draw the weight
a dip, with straight arms, upper body upright and chest out. > Push your shoulders and arms downwards, making sure you keep the arms straight throughout the move and focusing on using the lower traps. > Slowly shrug your shoulders and arms upwards to your ears.
Bent-over row
An overdeveloped chest will pull you forward and knock you off balance when lifting. The pulling motion of the bent-over row strengthens your upper back and lats, which evens out your posture and puts you in a better position for a stronger lift, especially in the midshin phase when the bar wants to pull away from the body. straight and shoulders retracted. Lean forward from the hips and bend your knees. > Grip the bar just wider than shoulderwidth apart, letting the bar hang at knee level. > Pull the bar up to your sternum, squeezing your shoulder blades at the top, then lower slowly.
How to do it > Holding a dumb-bell, begin a biceps curl. > When your elbow gets to 90, start to
perform an uppercut-style action with the knuckles going up to the ceiling and arm lifting. Let your body rotate and foot swivel as if you were uppercut punching. > Pause at the top and reverse the move under control, still using the biceps to control the weight.
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Lunge
Build strong, powerful legs with this classic muscle move
When building strong legs most people overlook lunges in favour of squats, but lunging is a basic movement pattern that requires power and co-ordination, both of which are vital for sports, says Neil Odell, a personal trainer and founder of Fit For My Day ( it4myday. com). Lunges work the powerhouse lower-body muscles, such as the glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves, but also involve the adductors, hip lexors and many other stabilising muscles including your core that need to be strong to allow you to move with speed and power.
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TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves
Stand tall with a barbell resting on the back of your shoulders. Point your elbows behind you to retract your shoulder blades and keep your back upright and core braced throughout.
Take a big step forward but keep your knee over your front foot and not beyond it. Lower down until both knees are bent at 90 before pushing back off your front foot to return to the start position.
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foot off the ground. > Slowly lower yourself down as far as is comfortable before slowing pushing back up on your standing leg to return to the start position.
resistance band to a ixed object next to you. > Holding the other end of the band in your hands, lunge forward and rotate your torso away from the object. > Twist back as you return to the start position. Repeat each side.
Curtsy squat
Another great move for sportsmen, because it works the stabilising muscles of your core, hips and legs, allowing you to move more powerfully and under control on the ield. Youll also be able to lift more weight during lunges thanks to better support from these stronger stabilising muscles.
but instead of going straight out in front, swing your leg out and across your back leg before lunging down until both knees are bent at 90. > Return slowly to the start.
How to do it > Start with your feet hip-width apart. > Take a big step forward with one leg
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Triceps dip
Build big arms with this classic bodyweight move
When building big arms, a lot of guys favour biceps moves over those exercises that focus on the triceps. But the triceps make up about two-thirds of your upper-arm musculature, so you cant afford to ignore this muscle if you want to add some size and strength. Dips are also great for working the lower chest and shoulders, especially the small, stabilising muscles of the shoulder joint that get neglected when using resistance machines, and your core, which you must keep tight to prevent your lower body from swinging.
TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
Grip parallel bars, keeping your body upright. With your elbows pointing straight back, lower your body as far down as you can comfortably go without stressing your shoulders. Keep your core braced and dont swing your legs for momentum.
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T press-up
This twist on the classic move requires greater upper-body co-ordination, strong triceps to support your bodyweight and a strong core to rotate upwards.
your bodyweight on your arms. > Keeping your arms straight, push yourself up by squeezing your shoulder blades together. > Keep your chest up and your core braced.
lower your chest to the ground, keeping your elbows close to your side. > Press back up powerfully and at the top of the move, lift one arm off the ground while twisting your torso until that arm is pointing towards the ceiling. > Lower back down before repeating the other side.
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Hang clean
Master this monster move to get stronger and bigger
The hang clean is a great total-body exercise that develops strength and power because you have to perform the move fast in order to move the weight from the loor to your shoulders. This makes it a fantastic exercise to do if you want to build power for sport or improve your performance at other big moves, especially squats and deadlifts. If you have hit a plateau and want to shake things up, its suitably tough as a new exercise. And because it gets your heart pumping fast, its also great for increasing your metabolism so you burn more fat.
TARGETS
Total body
HOW TO DO IT
Stand with feet hip-width apart with your shins touching the bar. Squat down, keeping a natural arch in your back, and grip the bar with your hands outside your legs.
Push down through your heels and straighten your legs. Once the bar is at thigh level, continue its momentum by going up onto your tiptoes and shrugging your shoulders up hard and fast to pull the bar up.
As the bar travels up your body, bend your knees and drop into a shallow squat, lipping the bar onto your ingers and resting it on your shoulders. Straighten your legs to stay fully upright, before reversing the movement to return the bar to the loor.
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Snatch
This Olympic lift builds lexibility and co-ordination as well as muscle. Commonly linked to powerlifting, this posterior chain move improves explosive movement, strength, speed and core stability. Numerous sports mimic its movement pattern in some form for example, lifting a rugby player in the lineout. As with all big lifts, you need to ensure you set up correctly and focus your mind completely on the lift to get it right. This is a tricky move so do it using a light bar to perfect your form before you start lifting serious weight.
TARGETS
Whole body
HOW TO DO IT
Stand with feet hip-width apart with your shins touching the bar.
Squat uat down, wn, keeping a natural arch in your back and your chest up, and grip the bar with hands wider than shoulder-width apart.
Push down through your yo heels and straighten your legs to lift the bar, keeping it close to your legs.
When it reaches s your thighs, pull your shoulders back and bring the bar up fast, lipping it over and onto your ingers while getting your body under the bar by dropping into a squat.
Finish by standing up out of the squat with your legs fully straightened, holding the bar directly above your head with your arms extended.
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other while holding a medicine ball at arms length. > Bend over from the waist and then swing the ball upwards above your head. > As you swing upwards, lunge forward with your legs. Hold the stance when your arms are fully extended. > Return to the starting position and repeat, lunging with the other leg.
Thoracic rotation
To increase the weight on your snatch, you need good mobility, posture and technique as well as strength. This move will help in this, as well as reducing the pressure on your back and shoulders.
Kettlebell clean
Whether youre a beginner or an expert, you can never work on your form too much. This move will increase your strength and stability as well as improve your clean technique.
stand next to it with one foot in front of the other and both legs bent at the knee slightly. > Grasp the band with both hands and pull it across your body. > As you pull, twist your torso against the resistance before slowly returning to the starting position. > Be sure to work both sides of your body.
and keep your back straight and chest out. > Push the kettlebell between your legs before driving your arm forward, using your core, hips and legs to lift the weight and lip it over onto the front of your shoulder. > Slowly return to the start then repeat the move, using the downward momentum get the next rep started.
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TARGETS
Whole body
HOW TO DO IT
Stand with your shins almost touching the bar and feet shoulder-width apart, then squat down and grasp the bar with an overhand grip. Keeping your core braced, your chest up and a natural arch in your back, lift the bar off the ground by driving up through your heels and
pushing your hips forward. Once the bar reaches your hips, rise up on tiptoes, shrug your shoulders powerfully and pull the bar up higher, leading with your elbows. As the bar travels towards shoulder height, squat back down under the bar and rotate your
elbows forward so you catch it on your ingers and the front of your shoulders. From there, bend your knees slightly and then straighten them while pressing the bar directly above your head by straightening your arms. Reverse the move back to the start.
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Squat to press
This is more basic move that mimics a signi icant section of the clean and press. This will help you practise your form without the risk of injury.
grip and position it at chin level with both hands directly above your elbows.
Kettlebell clean
Because the weight is on one side, outside your centre of balance, your abs are going to be contracting hard to keep your torso vertical and stable as you come up with the bar. You are also going to be hitting your glutes, obliques and lats as you work each side of the body independently to stay upright. It will improve your grip strength too. > Place a barbell on your right side. Crouch down into a deadlift position and grab the bar with your right hand in the middle. > Squeeze tight and deadlift the bar while keeping it level.
How to do it
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Shoulder press
Develop the classic V-shape with this bulk-building upper-body move
The shoulder press is a massively important upper-body lift for any guy looking for visible size and power gains. Its a compound exercise, which means it uses multiple muscle groups. In this case these are your arms, your shoulders and the small but important stabilising muscles, and because you stand up you also work your core hard. Improving on the shoulder press will also make you stronger when you bench press.
TARGETS
KEEP ON PRESSING
Cheat your way to bigger muscles
If youre struggling to complete the last couple of reps of a shoulder press set you can convert it into a push press by bending then straightening your legs to use leg drive to power the move.
HOW TO DO IT
With your feet shoulder-width apart, position a bar on your upper chest, gripping it with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart.
Keep your chest upright and your core muscles braced. Press the bar directly upwards until your arms are extended overhead.
During the lifting phase, keep your core locked and dont tilt your hips forward. Stare forward throughout the exercise. Lower the bar back down to your chest and
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with a dumb-bell in each hand. > Lift the weights until your forearms are at 90 to your head, with your palms facing downwards. > Keeping your upper arms still, rotate your arms to raise the weights until theyre level with your head.
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Kettlebell swing
If you want a hardcore total-body move that will build muscle and burn fat, put the kettle on
The two-handed kettlebell swing is an efficient way to build power in the posterior chain muscles, including the glutes and hamstrings, which is essential for any sport that requires explosive movement. Youll improve your strength but youll also feel your heart rate soaring and get a great cardio workout too, because this is a high-intensity exercise that will ire up your fat-burning furnace. As a functional exercise it will also have the knock-on effect of building integrity in your lower spine, making everyday tasks easier to perform and reducing your risk of injury.
TARGETS
HOW TO DO IT
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One-arm swing
How to do it > Lie with your back and hips on
Using one arm means your core muscles need to work harder to maintain your balance, so when you use two hands again youll be able to shift more weight.
width apart, hold a kettlebell in one hand. > Keeping your back straight, bend at the hips and move the kettlebell between your legs. > Brace your core, stand up and snap your hips forward to propel the kettlebell to shoulder height. > Control momentum throughout the swing.
Towel swing
Box jump
Jumps are a plyometric exercise which develop the ability to recruit large numbers of muscle ibres quickly in the lower body. Thats exactly what you need to powerfully swing a kettlebell, says Hodgkin.
Using a towel to grip the kettlebell will increase your strength in the wrist lexor and extensors in your forearms. This will enable you to take on more weight.
squat down and explosively jump up onto the box. > Step back down and repeat.
How to do it > Stand in front of a bench or box. > With your feet shoulder-width apart,
width apart, hook a towel through the kettlebells handle and grip both sides of the towel. > Keeping your back straight, bend at the hips and move the weight between your legs. > Brace your core, stand up and snap your hips forward to propel the kettlebell to shoulder height. > Control momentum throughout the swing.
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Workouts
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Tower of strength
Build big arms, a huge chest and powerful legs in three workouts per week
Photography Duncan Nicholls Model Toby Rowland@WAthletic
The secret to phenomenal muscle growth isnt really a secret at all: you simply need to plan your workouts to give your muscles time to recover, grow and shift serious weight the next time you call on them. This workout follows the classic split of focusing on back and biceps, chest and triceps, and legs on separate days. Training in this manner allows you to push harder because each body part gets the maximum time to recover. You start with big compound moves to trigger blood low and growth hormone release, then move on to isolation exercises that take each muscle to fatigue, creating the perfect circumstances for growth. After four weeks youll see signi icant size and strength gains, setting you well on the way to the muscular physique you want.
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How to do it
Timing Workouts should take about 30 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as press-ups, squats and lunges. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for 30 45 seconds between sets and for one minute between exercises.
How you do it
Turn Over
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Monday
Target Chest, triceps This variation on the bench press will not only engage your pectorals and triceps but also help to improve your explosive strength. To shake things up for an additional challenge, try performing it on a Smith machine, letting go of the bar at the top of the movement before safely catching it. Be sure to adjust the weight. > Lay down on a bench, keeping a natural arch in your back. > Hold the bar with hands wider than shoulderwidth apart and lift it from the rack, holding it directly above your chest. > Lower the bar slowly to your chest, then push it up explosively as if you were trying to throw it off you but dont let go.
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Target Chest, triceps With your chest and triceps starting to get fatigued, switching to this alternative version of the traditional press-up is a good way to shock your body once again. Make sure you warm your wrists up irst to get the most out of the move.
> Get in a press-up position and place your hands together so your two index ingers and two thumbs are touching, creating a diamond. > Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the loor before pushing back up to the starting position.
Target Triceps, abs Another variation on a classic, this will target triceps and abs in a different way to challenge your body after the bench press. The targeted muscles will grow as well as strengthening your core. > Grip the bars either side of your waist. > Lean forward to take pressure off your shoulders and draw in your knees as you dip.
Target Triceps Using only one arm in this classic move allows you to home in on the muscle while concentrating on form. > Set the cable at head height and stand up with your back straight. > Tuck your elbow into your side and pull the handle down. > Squeeze your triceps at the bottom of the move before returning to the starting point.
Target Chest This will put the pectorals under a constant state of tension, taking them a step closer to being completely fatigued. > Stand in the centre of a cable crossover machine and hold both cables, placing some of the tension
Turn Over
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Wednesday
Target Biceps, lats Starting a back routine with pull-ups can increase your size, strength and overall development. Its a tough resistance test that will produce an early growth hormone release and put you in a good mindset for the rest of your workout. > With an overhand grip and your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart, let your body hang straight down from the bar. > Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar and squeeze your lats. > Lower yourself to the start and repeat.
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Target Traps The shrug is essential for building the upper back, which frequently comes under strain from other exercises. > Grasp a dumb-bell in each hand and hold them by your sides with your palms facing your body. > Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a natural arch in your back. > Use your traps to lift the weights. Hold the up position for one to two seconds.
Target Biceps Despite the name, using the EZ-bar isnt an easy option it takes the strain of curling off your wrists and elbows to focus on your biceps. > Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding an EZ-bar at hip height. > Keeping your elbows close to your sides, squeeze your biceps to curl the bar up to shoulder level > Lower the bar slowly back to the start position.
Target Lats Your lower back may get a good workout from deadlifts, but for a balanced physique it needs to be worked more directly. This exercise will do just that, bringing your workout to a strong inish. > Lie face down on a gym ball with your feet shoulder-width apart. > Slightly bend your knees for balance and then curl your chin towards the ball before extending up, bringing your elbows back.
Turn Over
Target Biceps, forearms Targeting both the biceps and the forearms will aid your overall development as well as increasing your grip strength. > Begin by tucking your elbows in to your sides and grip two dumb-bells with your palms facing in. > Curl the weights up to your chest, maintaining the hammer grip throughout the movement.
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Legs
Friday
Target Quads, glutes The deadlift will add size everywhere, but especially the back and legs. For this routine, were focusing on the bene icial effects it has on the lower half of your body. > Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, shins close to the bar, and use an overhand or alternate grip (one hand overhand, the other underhand) with your hands just outside your knees. > Look forward, keep your shoulders back and push up through your heels and move your hips forward as the bar passes your knees.
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Target: Quads, glutes A top move for functional strength we all use stairs every day and it hits the typically under-trained glutes as well as the quads. > Look forward and keep your back upright. > Hold dumb-bells by your side and step up with one leg. > Step down with your trailing leg and repeat, then switch legs.
Target Quads While the standard squat is still a worthy part of any routine, the best way to exhaust your legs is to introduce the sumo variation after performing some deadlifts. It hits your inner quads particularly hard.
Target Calves Your legs should be fully fatigued by now, so its time to shift to your calves. > Place the ball of your foot on the edge of a step. Let your nonworking foot hang free. Hold a dumb-bell by your side and hold
Target Quads, hamstrings, glutes A complete workout for your legs, with the bonus of hitting your glutes as well. This will take the target muscles close to exhaustion. > Stand side-on to a cable machine with a D-handle attached to the bottom clip. > Reach across your body and grasp the handle, then take a big step to the side, bending your leading leg as it lands. > Reverse the move back to the start and repeat on both sides.
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Building muscles is simple: push them to the limit, then let them recover before pushing them again
Push yourself
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How to do it
Timing Workouts should take about 30 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as press-ups, squats and lunges. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for 30 45 seconds between sets and for one minute between exercises.
How you do it
Workout plans dont get much simpler than this. There are three sessions per week: the irst is built around pushing movements, the second on pulling movements, while the third is an all-out assault on your abs. The result? Big, strong, functional muscles and a rock-solid six-pack. What are you waiting for?
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Pushing moves
Monday
Target Legs, glutes, core The session starts with the king of musclebuilding moves, the squat. Performing this big move when youre fresh means you can go heavy on the weight and prime your body with the growth hormones needed to pack on new muscle. Make sure you warm up irst by doing some squats with just your bodyweight or some light weights. > Stand with feet shoulder-width apart with the bar resting across your traps. > Keeping your chest up, a natural arch in your back and your core braced, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground. > Remember to keep your knees in line with your toes.
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Target Legs, glutes, core Performing these explosive jumps will work your fast-twitch muscles ibres, which respond well to growth stimulus, while also iring up your heart rate to help mobilise fat stores for burning.
> Stand in front of a box or bench thats between ankle and knee height. > Squat slightly then power up explosively to land with both feet on the box. > Step back down and repeat.
Target Chest, shoulders, triceps The best move for sculpting a big chest. Doing two big moves back to back will produce lots of muscle-building hormones. > Lie lat on a bench with your feet planted on the loor. > Hold the bar with a shoulder-width overhand grip. > Keeping your glutes and upper back against the bench, slowly lower the bar to your chest before pushing back up. > Dont lock out your arms.
Target Chest, triceps, core The inal move of the session again focuses on the major upper-body muscles. Because this is the last exercise, keep performing reps in each set until you cant do any more with good form. > Start in a press-up position, but with thumbs and index ingers forming a diamond. > Slowly lower your chest. > When youre about ist-distance from the ground, press back up.
Target Shoulders, triceps Stay seated for a more stable base that allows you to lift more weight. > Sit on a bench with your feet lat on the loor.
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Pulling moves
Wednesday
Target Back, core The second session starts with the toughest bodyweight move there is. Performing pull-ups while youre fresh means you can really focus on proper form to work all the main muscles involved in the move, including your core to prevent your legs from swinging. > Hold a bar with an overhand grip with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. > Let your body hang straight down. > Pull yourself up by squeezing your lats until your chin is over the bar. > Slowly lower yourself back to the start position. 52 Workout Manual
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Target Traps, lats, rhomboids, biceps Cable rows target the powerful muscles in your upper back and also tax your biceps. The cable maintains resistance throughout the move. Dont use momentum and perform each rep slowly. > Stand at a cable machine with the attachment at the bottom. > With a bend in your knees, your core braced and a natural arch in your back, hold the handle with a neutral (palms together) grip. > Pull the handle to your sternum, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Target Lower back, hamstrings This tough move is the best way to pack on muscle on the back of your thighs. Make sure your form is perfect to avoid unnecessary strain on your lower back. > Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a bar with an
Target Biceps The session ends by blitzing your biceps and forearms. > Stand with a dumb-bell in each hand, with palms facing each other. > Brace your core and keep your elbows tucked in to your sides. > Curl the weights up, rotating your wrists until theyre at shoulder height. > Return slowly to the start dont rock back and forth for momentum.
Target Hamstrings, core This works your core and legs to improve stability. > Lie with one foot on a gym ball and your body straight. > Raise your hips and drag the ball back with your heel. Pause, then slowly return to the start.
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Friday
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Target Abs, obliques This is another rotational move to test your obliques and those deeper core muscles that stabilise your body and allow you to transfer power between your upper and lower body. > Sit on the loor with your torso held
at an angle of 45 to the loor and your knees bent at 90. > Hold a dumb-bell with both hands and twist one way. > With torso and knees at the same angle, twist the other way. > Use your abs to control the motion, rather than swinging back and forth.
Target Abs Moving the ball back and forth from your hands to your feet engages the entire core region in two ways: crunching up and drawing your legs towards your chest works your top, middle and lower abs, while your deeper stability muscles must hold your torso stable throughout every rep.
Target Abs The instability of the gym ball makes this move far harder and therefore far better for building solid abs than a normal plank.
Target Abs The penultimate move in the workout requires a strong core, and also demands a great deal of co-ordination. > Kneel on the loor and place your hands directly underneath your shoulders. > Draw the opposing knee and elbow together so they touch under your stomach, then extend your leg and arm away from your torso. > Return back to the start position and repeat with opposite limbs.
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Build muscle all over your body with this three-part plan
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How to do it
Timing Each musclebuilding session should take approximately 40 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as squats and press-ups. Before each big move, do a warm-up set with a very light weight. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for one minute between sets and two minutes between exercises.
How you do it
You might be tempted to concentrate on targeting certain muscles with your favourite exercises but thats a lawed workout approach. Doing lower-body moves will help you build your upper body because they generate a big growth hormone response. This three-part plan involves a big upper-body day, a big lower-body day and a session that develops your core and abs. Its the fast route to balanced, all-body muscle growth.
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Upper body
Monday
Target Lats, biceps This effective bodyweight exercise will ire up your workout and prompt a great growth hormone release. It will give you a strong back and help to give you a V-shaped torso. Using a hammer grip will really tax your biceps as well. > Use a hammer grip with your palms facing each other and hang straight down with your arms fully extended. > Pull yourself up without swinging, then lower slowly to the start. 58 Workout Manual
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Target Shoulders The inal upper body part thats yet to be worked, your shoulders, is targeted by this big compound move. By using a barbell you can lift heavy weights, which will lead to
big muscle and strength improvements. > Hold the bar just wider than shoulder-width apart and rest it on the top of your chest. > Press the bar directly overhead, then lower to the start.
Target Triceps, chest Follow the hammer-grip pull-up with another classic bodyweight move. Its a great exercise to do here because its tough but taxes different muscles to the irst move. Itll make your triceps bigger and stronger, and will also work
Target Biceps The inal move of the workout lets you fully fatigue your biceps after youve worked them in the hammer-grip pull-up. Theyve had a good chance to recover from that move, so you can still lift a heavy weight. > Hold the barbell by your thighs, then curl it up to your chest > Make sure you dont rock back because that would mean youre using momentum to help you lift the weight.
Target Chest Youve done all the big compound moves so now its time to focus in on key muscles. This move isolates your chest and the cable keeps the tension constant throughout the move.
Lower body
Wednesday
Target Quads A front squat will focus more of the effort on your quads than a conventional squat would. Thats useful because its still a big move that will give you great bene its, but it also means you can work a different part of your lower body in your next move. > Start with the bar resting on the top of your chest with your palms facing up and your elbows high. > Squat down until your thighs are parallel to the loor, keeping your torso upright and your knees in line with your toes. > Straighten up by pushing through your heels. 60 Workout Manual
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Target Quads, glutes This exercise requires a lot of concentration to stay balanced so it works your stabilising muscles. Youre also going back to working your quads while your hamstrings recover. > Stand with one foot on a bench and your other foot planted one stride in front of the bench. > Rest the barbell on your back with your torso upright. > Bend your knees to lower into the squat, keeping your torso upright and your front knee in line with your toes.
Target Hamstrings, glutes The irst exercise in this workout targeted the front of your thighs. This one focuses on the back as well as recruiting the glutes. Both those muscles are often undertrained, so this is important for balanced growth.
Target Glutes The inal move in the workout targets your glutes. Strong glutes will make you a better runner and are also vital for performing big, demanding exercises, such as deadlifts. > Lie on the loor with one knee bent and the other leg straight and off the loor. > Raise your backside off the ground so your body is straight from knees to shoulders.
Target Hamstrings By now your quads will be fatigued, so this move is all about hamstring and glute strength and stability. It takes effort to control the movement of the ball as you drag it towards your backside. > Lie on your back with your calves resting on the ball. > Lift your hips and drag the ball in towards your backside until your body is straight from knees to shoulders.
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Friday
Target Obliques You start the workout with a big abs move. It teaches your lower and upper body to work together while developing your ability to control big rotational moves. > Squat down with the cable held outside your thigh. > Rise up and bring the cable up and across your body as you rotate your torso. 62 Workout Manual
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Target Lower abs The lower abs are the hardest part of your midsection to hit. This move will home in on that area. Once it becomes easy, make it harder either by doing it with a medicine ball between your legs. > Take an overhand grip and hang straight down from the bar. > Keeping your upper body still, bend your knees, raise your legs and twist to one side.
Target Abs While your abs are still relatively fresh you can do this challenging move. It works your upper, middle and lower abs, as well as recruiting your obliques, which work to make sure
Target Obliques, core The session ends with a static hold. This type of exercise is great for your core and for developing the deep-lying muscles that support your spine. By doing this exercise youll become better prepared for doing big lifts.
Target Abs, core This is a difficult but highly effective exercise. It puts your upper body in a very unstable position so your abs, core and lower back all have to work to keep your spine stable. > Start on your knees with your core braced, your spine in a neutral position and the barbell directly below your shoulders. > Keeping your core braced, roll the bar forwards as far as you can without curving your spine.
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Work on each part of your body separately to pack on muscle all over
Solid build
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How to do it
Timing Workouts should take about 30 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as press-ups, squats and lunges. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for 30 45 seconds between sets and for one minute between exercises.
How you do it
This months workout gets back to basics by breaking the weeks workouts into body partspeci ic sessions. Each one also includes a lot of core work to build a solid six-pack. This approach to lifting is an easy way to really push your muscles hard once a week before giving them plenty of time to recover.
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Monday
Target Back, biceps, core The workout kicks off by targeting the hugely powerful but all too often neglected muscles of the upper back. This move also hits the biceps, while your core must work hard to keep your upper body stable throughout each rep. > Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with an overhand grip. > Lean forward from the hips, not the waist, and keep your back straight and core braced. > Pull the bar up towards your body, leading with your elbows, and retract your shoulder blades to pull the bar in to your sternum. > Slowly lower the bar back by extending your arms.
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Target Back, biceps Your lats are hugely powerful muscles that help create a strong V-shaped torso. This move works the lats through their full range of motion, so keep each rep slow and controlled to maximise results.
> Sit at the machine with your feet lat on the loor. > With a wide, overhand grip, slowly pull the bar down until it is just under your chin. > Pause brie ly, then slowly return it to the top.
Target Chest, triceps The king of chest moves is next. The bench press hits all the chest muscles, as well as the triceps and front of the shoulders. Ensure you lower the bar to your chest slowly so that your muscles do all the work.
Target Lower back, hamstrings, core The inal move of the session hits the muscles of the lower back, a region that, if strong, can help you lift heavier in almost every other move. The added bonus is that this exercise also hits your core and hamstrings.
Target Chest, shoulders This exercise focuses on your chest and the important shoulder muscles. Its vital to maintain good form throughout to avoid injury, so dont start too heavy.
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Arms
Wednesday
Target Back, biceps, core Todays arms workout begins with the chin-up, a tough compound move that hits all the big muscles of your back as well as your biceps. Performing these big bang-for-your-buck moves when you are fresh means you can really push it, prompting a big growth-hormone response from the go. > Hold a bar with an underhand or neutral (palms facing) grip. > Keeping your core braced to prevent your legs from swinging, slowly pull yourself up towards the bar, keeping a natural arch in your back, until your chin passes the bar. > Slowly lower yourself back to the start, making sure your arms are fully extended before starting the next rep.
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Target Biceps After hitting the chest and triceps its now time to tax the biceps again. Performing curls seated means you can isolate the biceps and maintain strict form: its far harder to use momentum to swing the weight up when seated than when standing up.
> Sit on a bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand. > Keeping your elbows tight to your body, slowly lift and twist both hands up until the weight is at shoulder height. > Lower slowly until your arms are fully extended, then repeat.
Target Chest, triceps, core Now its time to hit the opposite muscle groups. Using a medicine ball introduces an element of instability, forcing your core and the smaller stabilising muscles in the chest and shoulders to work harder.
Target Biceps This move will blitz your biceps and break down muscle ibres so that they grow back stronger. > Sit at a preacher bench and hold an EZ-bar with an underhand grip. > With your torso against the bench, slowly curl the bar up to your face. > At the top, squeeze your biceps muscles then slowly lower the bar.
Target Triceps After three tough exercises this triceps-speci ic move will add size by isolating the biggest muscle of your upper arm. Remember to keep your core braced throughout to maintain balance on the ball.
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Friday
Target Total body This total-body move will work every muscle from shoulders to calves. Start with a light barbell to master the basic movements before adding extra weight. > Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees. > Lean forward from the waist, holding a barbell at knee height. > Squat down slightly before standing up quickly so that you rise up onto your toes. > As you drive up, shrug your shoulders to pull the bar up to shoulder height. > Then as the bar travels up, squat back down slightly and rotate your elbows forward so that you catch the bar on your palms on top of the front of your shoulders.
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Target Shoulders, upper back This move really hits your rear delts (the rear shoulder muscles), which are often ignored with standard moves. > Stand between two cable weight stacks with D-handles attached at the top.
> Cross your arms in front of your chest, so your left hand holds the right-side cable and vice versa. > Retract your shoulder blades to move your arms back and off your chest. > Return to the start and repeat.
Target Quads, glutes, hamstrings, core Resting the bar across the front of your shoulders, rather than the back of shoulders and traps, will make your quads work harder. > Stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart with a barbell resting on
Target Shoulders This inal move places a lot of strain on your shoulders so always start with a light weight. > Stand with feet hip-width apart holding a light dumb-bell in each hand.
Target Quads, glutes, hamstrings Side step-ups work the smaller thigh muscles used in sudden lateral movements, making this a great move for improving mobility during sport. > Stand side-on to a box that is about knee height. > Step up on the box with one foot. Drive your body up but dont place your free foot on the box. > Return to the start. > Alternate legs with each set.
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Build a strong core and youll be able to lift heavier in every major move
Power base
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How to do it
Timing Workouts should take about 30 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as press-ups, squats and lunges. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for 30 45 seconds between sets and for one minute between exercises.
How you do it
A house without solid foundations wouldnt last long, and the same is true of muscles. This months workout is all about reinforcing your foundations. A strong, stable core means you will be able to lift heavier weights especially in standing moves such as deadlifts and squats with little risk of injury. The three weekly workouts are split into chest and back, legs, and arms and shoulders. There is no direct abs work, but thats because your entire core region must work hard throughout most of the moves either to keep your upper body stable or because its involved in transferring power from your lower body.
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Monday
Target Back, core Performing pull-ups irst, while youre fully charged with energy, means you can concentrate on maintaining perfect form to really work all the main muscles involved in the move, including your core to prevent your legs from swinging. > Using an overhand grip, hold the bar or handles with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. > Starting with arms fully extended and core braced, pull up until your chin is above your hands. > Squeeze your lats as you pull up, then slowly lower to the start position without swinging. 74 Workout Manual
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Target Back, shoulders This move blitzes the deltoids and lats while bringing your traps into play. Using the barbell allows you to go heavy while working your core to stabilise your torso. > Hold the bar at thigh height with an overhand grip and your
hands slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart. > With shoulders back and a natural arch in your back, shrug and pull the bar upwards, leading with your elbows until its at shoulder height. > Slowly return to the start.
Target Chest, shoulders, triceps This involves the shoulders more than the classic bench press does, while using dumb-bells means you do not rely on your dominant side. > Lie on a bench with a 45 incline. > Hold a dumb-bell in each hand at shoulder height. > Push the weights up. Pause brie ly before your arms lock out. > Slowly lower back to the start.
Target Back This variation of the seated row keeps the emphasis on your back muscles, rather than your biceps, and engages your core throughout. > Stand with feet shoulder-width apart holding a wide bar with an overhand grip, arms straight and leaning back until you feel resistance. > Pull the bar towards you, leading with your elbows. Try to keep your body stationary throughout. > Return slowly to the start.
Target Chest Using the cable makes your chest work hard throughout. > Hold a D-handle cable attachment in each hand with your arms wide but elbows slightly bent. > Stand with core braced and a
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Legs
Wednesday
Target Quads, glutes, hamstrings This variation on the muscle-building squat targets your core and co-ordination, and tests shoulder mobility to the full. > Hold a light bar over your head with straight arms and stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly. > Keeping your back upright and core braced throughout, squat down as low as you can without letting your back arch. > Push up through your heels to go back to the start.
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Target Hamstrings This deadlift variation works each leg hard to build strength, stability and balance. Keep good form to protect your back. > Hold the bar with an overhand grip and each hand just outside your hips. Keep a natural arch in your
back and your head up throughout. > Standing on one leg, slowly lean forward from the hips, not the waist, and allow the bar to travel down your standing shin until you feel a good stretch in your hamstring. > Return to the start position.
Target Quads, hamstrings The lunge requires a solid core and good balance. It isolates each leg to build equal strength on both sides. > Rest the bar across the back of your shoulders, not on your neck. Keep a natural arch in your back and core braced throughout. > Take a big stride forward, lowering your back knee until it almost touches the loor and keeping your front knee above your front foot. > Push off your front foot to return to the start. Swap legs.
Target Quads, glutes, hamstrings An ideal inisher go heavy to wear out your leg muscles. > With your back supported in the seat, place your feet on the platform. > Engage your core, push the platform away and release the dock lever. > Slowly lower the weight again by bending your knees.
Target Adductors, core This strengthens your inner thighs, which are vital in turning movements during sport. > Stand with your feet close together, holding dumb-bells. > Sidestep and turn your foot to 90 to the other, keeping your front knee over your foot. > Lean on your leading leg to lower, staying upright throughout, then return to the start.
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Friday
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Alternating wide 3 shoulder press Sets 3 Reps 10 each side
Target Shoulders This exercise hits your deltoid muscles from a different angle to work more muscle ibres. Like most of the other exercises here, it also involves the core for added stability. > Stand with feet hip-width apart and hold a light dumb-bell in each hand
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by your shoulders. > Keeping your core braced and without swinging your arms, raise one weight out to the side until your arms is straight and at a 45 angle to the body. Keep the other arm still throughout. > Slowly return to the start, alternating arms with each rep.
Target Biceps The bench stabilises your upper arms, meaning your biceps can handle more weight so the move breaks down as many muscle ibres as possible so that they grow back stronger.
Target Shoulders This move fatigues your delts and also works the stabilising muscles. > Attach a stirrup handle to the low pulley of a cable station. Stand sideon to it, holding the handle so your
Target Triceps This simply blasts your arm muscles. If you ind it too easy, you can rest a weight plate on your lap for faster gains. > Sit across two parallel benches slightly less than a legs length apart. > Using your arms to support you, lower your body until your arms make a right angle. > Push back up to return to the start.
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Hit your upper body this month and reveal your six-pack
This months workout has one main aim: to build you an impressively muscular upper body. Thats why each of the three major muscle groups of your upper body chest, shoulders and arms gets a whole workout to itself. Not only that, every session includes some tough core work to boost your six-pack at the same time. Heres the science: each workout starts with a big move, then a smaller, unilateral (one-sided) move before inishing with an isolation move that really fatigues your muscles. You then have two abs moves, the irst with added resistance and the second using bodyweight, to target the upper, lower and side abs in different sessions. The result is a huge step towards a new body in just four weeks. What are you waiting for?
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How to do it
Timing Workouts should take about 30 minutes, including the warm-up. Warm-up Spend ive minutes doing bodyweight moves such as press-ups, squats and lunges. Weight Choose a weight that allows you to complete all your reps but no more. Tempo Take one second to lift the weight, pause, then take three seconds to lower. Rest Rest for 30 45 seconds between sets and for one minute between exercises.
How you do it
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Monday
Target Chest, triceps Kicking off with this classic move means you can lift heavy while you are still fresh, looding your system with more growth hormones. Warmup irst with some empty-bar reps before gradually adding weight. > Lie lat on a bench. > Hold a barbell over your chest with a shoulder-width overhand grip. > Slowly lower the bar down until it touches your chest. Pause brie ly. > Without bouncing, lift the bar back to the start position. 82 Workout Manual
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Target Chest To really fatigue the chest muscles, perform this isolation move. Since your muscles will be tired, start with light dumb-bells you can always go heavier if the irst set is too easy. > Lie with your back on a gym ball, holding a dumb-bell in each hand
directly above your chest. > Keeping your core braced and a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower your hands down and out to the side until you feel a stretch across your chest. Pause brie ly, then return to the top.
Target Chest, triceps With the target muscles now iring, you hit them hard again with this single-arm move. Using one arm at a time allows you to correct any muscular imbalances and makes your core work harder for longer. > Lie lat on a bench with a dumb-bell in each hand just by your shoulders. > Press one weight up until your arm is almost fully extended. > Slowly lower it back down, then press up with the other arm.
Target Upper abs Almost done. All thats left is to inish off your abs with this twist on the classic crunch. Using a gym ball provides a greater range of motion for your abs to work through, resulting in more gains.
Target Upper abs Working your abs with additional resistance, such as that on the cable stack, is a sure ire way of forcing them into growing bigger and stronger. > With the double-rope attachment secured to the top of the cable machine, kneel down facing the weight stack.
Turn Over
Wednesday
Target Triceps, shoulders, upper chest, core The workout begins with this bodyweight move to set todays arm-building agenda. Warm up with some bench dips irst. > Hold the dips bar with arms locked out. > Keep your core braced to prevent your legs from swinging. > Slowly lower your body down by bending at your elbows. Keep your torso upright and head straight. > Once your elbows are bent at right angles, pause, then push strongly back to the start. 84 Workout Manual
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Seated one-arm overhead 3 triceps extension Sets 3 Reps 10 each side
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Target Triceps, core Its time to return to your triceps, which make up the largest part of your upper arm musculature. Isolating them damages the muscle ibres, which will then grow back bigger. > Sit on a bench holding a dumb-bell in one hand directly above your head. > Lower the weight behind your head by bending at the elbow. > Pause brie ly, then straighten your arm to return the weight back to the top.
Target Biceps Next up are the biceps. Working one arm at a time over a bench allows you to go heavy while not allowing you to use momentum. Your biceps have no option but to do all the work. > Stand behind a bench set at about 60.
Target Chest Because its the last move of this workout and one with minimum risk, perform this lower-abs move to failure on each set to really blitz your muscles for maximum reward. > Sit on a bench and lean back with your feet off the loor. Grip the side of
Target Lower abs Knee raises are great for hitting the lower abs. Additional weight from a medicine ball makes them far harder for greater results. > Hang from a pull-up bar with a medicine ball held securely
Friday
Target Front and side deltoids, core Push presses allow you to lift more weight than a shoulder press because you can use your legs to get the bar moving. However, to ensure your shoulders still have to work hard, lower the bar from above your head to your shoulders as slowly as possible. > Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart while holding a barbell with an overhand grip. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulderwidth apart. > Bend down into a quarter-squat, then stand up quickly and push the bar up above your head. > Lower the bar back down very slowly aim for three to four seconds to force your shoulders to control the weight throughout. 86 Workout Manual
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Target Traps Shrugs are great for building big traps. This move has a small range of motion so you can go heavy. > Stand with feet hip-width apart with a heavy dumb-bellin each hand. > Keep your core braced, a natural
arch in your back and slightly retract your shoulder blades. > Shrug your shoulders up to almost ear-height. Pause at this top position and squeeze your traps for a second. > Lower back to the start.
Target Front and side deltoids A slight twist turns the humble shoulder press into this tough move that will build wide shoulders.
Target Triceps Finish off the session by again hitting the obliques. > Lie with one side on a gym ball. Place your ingers by your temples.
Target Obliques This move works the hard-to-target side abs, also known as the obliques. Again, the small range of motion allows you to go for heavy dumb-bells. > Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumb-bell in each hand. > Slowly bend from the hips to one side as far as is comfortable, then return to the upright position. > Repeat on the other side.
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You might have the worlds most wellsculpted abs, but unless you burn off the fat that covers them you wont be displaying a six-pack. These foods should help 1 Apples
Youll get at least 5g of ibre from one large apple, which helps you feel full. US research discovered that people who ate a large apple 15 minutes before lunch took in 190 fewer calories during lunch than those who didnt snack beforehand. This is because apples are nearly 85 per cent water and require lots of chewing, which can make you feel like you are eating more than you are.
10 six-pack foods
For a healthy dessert chop and bake in the oven with cinnamon
2 Cottage cheese
This protein-rich food is brimming with casein, a protein that is digested slowly and provides the body with long-lasting energy. Research from the Netherlands also found that people with a diet high in casein increased their metabolism, their satiety levels and their bodys use of fat.
3 Asparagus
This nutrient powerhouse contains chromium to control blood sugar levels and banish cravings. It also has vitamins K and C, which boost calcium absorption and metabolism. It may also reduce excess oestrogen in the body, which in turn helps the bodys ability to use fat stores for energy.
4 Beans
Every schoolboy knows beans are good for your heart. And theyre good for your abs: rich in ibre, potassium (to balance blood sugar), protein and testosterone-boosting zinc. A US survey found that people who ate beans were 23 per cent less likely to have large waists than those who didnt.
> 1 heaped tbsp Calories 91 Carbs 13.9g Protein 6.4g Fat 1.5g
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5 Grapefruit
The grapefruit diet was just a fad like any other but there are de inite advantages to eating the fruit. In a study, people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 1.6kg in three months. This is because grapefruits lower your post-meal levels of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar and fat metabolism.
6 Olive oil
You may think you should avoid oils when youre trying to lose fat, but the oleic acid in olive oil can give you a helping hand. According to an American study in the journal Cell Metabolism, it can squash appetite because its converted into a compound called oleoylethanololamide (OEA) that indirectly triggers hunger-curbing signals to your brain.
7 Potato
The low-carb craze led people to think you couldnt eat potatoes and lose weight, but they contain starch, which resists digestion and keeps you fuller for longer. Danish studies have also found that starch can improve bloodsugar control, which helps the body burn fat. Eat them chilled to get nearly double the starch from each one.
> Half a grapefruit Calories 41 Carbs 10.3g Protein 0.8g Fat 0.1g
8 Rocket
Rocket is ideal fat loss food low in calories, high in ibre and rich in calcium, an essential mineral for muscle contraction. It also contains glucosinolates, nutrients that eliminate harmful toxins in the body. And since its in the mustard family rather than a type of lettuce, rocket has a strong, peppery lavour that means your salads wont be bland.
9 Almonds
Nuts are high in fat but arent fattening. Instead, research shows the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all their fat, so they provide fewer calories than would be expected. They are also a good source of magnesium, which helps produce energy, maintain muscle tissue and regulate blood sugar levels.
10 Iced coffee
Studies have shown caffeine to reduce appetite and increase metabolism. It blocks the production in the brain of a chemical called adenosine, which makes you feel fatigued and susceptible to pain, so you can work out harder for longer. Make your own iced coffee by brewing up, allowing it to cool then blending with ice cubes and a splash of milk.
Photography Shutterstock
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Get the energy you need for serious weight training with these ideal meals
Breakfast
minutes and stir frequently. Serve with blueberries, chopped almonds and 1tsp honey
Toast and shake 50g cheddar cheese toasted on 2 slices of wholemeal bread and a protein shake made with 200ml semi-skimmed milk
your muscles are primed to take in large amounts of calories (especially carbs) without inducing high levels of fat storage. Breakfast will also boost your metabolism, helping you burn fat for the rest of the day.
Lunch
Turkey, spinach and avocado wholemeal baguette and 1 can of tomato soup
> Spinach will strengthen your bones thanks to its vitamin K content, which helps the body process calcium. It is also packed with iron, an essential mineral that controls the release of energy. > Avocado is full of essential fats, which the body needs to absorb fat-soluble vitamins and store glucose as muscle glycogen. > The wholemeal bread is full of slowreleasing carbs, which you need to fuel your muscles with glycogen. > Soup is virtually fat-free yet full of antioxidants, which may help to reduce muscle soreness and ward off agerelated diseases. 90 Workout Manual
Pre-workout snack
Crunchy biscuits Peanut butter on 2
> Peanut butter is a great source of slowrelease energy that will drip-feed your muscles as you work out. > The ibre in the oatcakes will ill you up so you dont feel peckish mid-workout. > Cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar levels, which will keep your energy up throughout the day and get rid of posttraining sugar cravings. See solgar-vitamins. co.uk.
oatcakes and cinnamon herbal supplement
Post-workout snack
Muesli, berries and yoghurt with a creatine shake Blend 75g natural yoghurt with 25g muesli,
60g strawberries and 20g hazelnuts. 10g creatine powder with 400ml water
> Yoghurt contains protein, calcium and vitamin B12. > Your body uses the vitamin C from the strawberries to aid muscle recovery. > To avoid energy slumps, eat carbs after exercise. The oats and grains in muesli will replace muscle glycogen. > Creatine helps reduce protein breakdown following exercise and can aid recovery.
Dinner
Grilled tuna steak with baked sweet potato
With a side salad with a squeeze of lemon juice
> One sweet potato has about 10 per cent of your daily recommended allowance of potassium, a mineral your body needs for normal muscle function. > Tuna is rich in coenzyme Q10, which gives you energy, vitamin A and zinc for testosterone, and protein to rebuild muscle and torn ibres. > Squeezing lemon juice over your greens will enhance iron absorption, while a selection of lettuce leaves will supply you with phytonutrients plantderived nutrients that will keep you ighting it.
Pre-bed snack
Peanut butter and banana smoothie
Blend 1tbsp peanut butter, 150-200ml semi-skimmed milk, a banana, 1tbsp sesame seeds and 1tsp linseeds
> The high protein content of peanut butter will feed your muscles and make you feel full, so you wont wake up with an attack of midnight munchies. > Bananas have a high magnesium content to help relax and repair your muscles. > Calcium-rich milk helps the brain use the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan and produce melatonin, which regulates your sleep cycle. > Linseeds are packed with omega 3 fatty acids and ibre, which helps detoxify your gut while you sleep.
YOUR MUSCLES NEED nutrients to regenerate while you sleep, so eat an hour before bed if youre trying to bulk up.
TOTALS > 2,909 calories > 270g carbs > 189g protein > 92g fat
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Protein sweets
> 180g peanut butter > 90g agave honey > 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder > 45g porridge oats
Makes 10 12 balls
You dont have to always take your muscle-gain powder in the form of a shake. These sweet snacks will give your protein a tasty twist
Protein balls
TO MAKE
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and form into walnut-sized balls. Place the balls in the fridge for a couple of hours until they harden. The porridge oats have a low glycaemic index, which means they release their energy slowly and keep your blood sugar levels steady so you wont crave unhealthy snacks. The whey protein will also fuel muscle growth, while the peanut butter is rich in monounsaturated fat, which will boost the muscle-building hormone, testosterone.
PER BALL > 147 calories > 12.2g carbs > 6.6g protein > 8.3g fat
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> 3 large oranges with pips removed > 170g almond butter > 350g dried apricots, chopped > 225g porridge oats > 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
TO MAKE
> 125g wholemeal self-raising flour > 25g mixed seeds > / tsp bicarbonate of soda > 1tsp ground cinnamon
Makes 16 bars
Preheat the oven to 190C (Gas Mark 5). Measure 225g of the dried apricots and pure them with the oranges and almond butter in a blender to form a thick paste. Place the oats, lour, seeds, protein powder, soda and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the rest of the apricots and then combine with the pure. Press the mixture into a greased shallow rectangular tin and smooth the top with the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for 20 25 minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool for ten minutes,
then cut into small bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The nut butter and seeds are full of muscle-building protein, while the oats provide the B vitamins needed for efficient energy release. Cinnamon contains anti-in lammatory compounds that soothe stiff muscles, while bicarbonate of soda can reduce lactic acid production in muscles, meaning you can train for longer.
PER BAR
> 202 calories > 25.1g carbs > 7.8g protein > 8.4g fat
Serves 4
> 175g plain chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids) > 350g silken tofu > 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder > Juice and zest of 2 oranges > Grated orange zest and chocolate, to serve
TO MAKE
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly. Place the tofu, protein powder and orange zest and juice in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Spoon into four individual dishes and chill in the fridge until set. Decorate with a little orange zest and grated chocolate.
Photography foodanddrinkphotos.com
Known for their musclehealing vitamin C content, oranges are also packed with photochemical and lavonoids that protect muscles from oxidative damage caused by exercise. Tofu also contains muscle-building protein and calcium, as well as iso lavones, which can block the female hormone oestrogen and make testosterone more prevalent.
PER SERVING > 294 calories > 32.5g carbs > 26.2g protein > 6g fat
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Mammoth appetite
man Eat like a caveman o to add power to your workouts and prevent weight gain
For thousands of years, humans had no re ined sugars or processed foods. So although such modern grub may be tasty and convenient, your body hasnt evolved to deal with it very well and it usually encourages fat storage. This meal plan, created by nutritionist Christine Bailey (advancenutrition.co.uk) and based on the Paleo Diet for Athletes, replaces processed sugary foods and carbs with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds and animal proteins the staple Stone Age foods. It has plenty of healthy unsaturated fats and branched-chain amino acids, which as well as aiding fat loss will help muscle development and anabolic function.
To make
Red onion contains fat-melting vitamin C and chromium, a mineral that helps insulin response, stopping sugar cravings.
Carrots
Crab meat
Olives have omega 3 fatty acids that trigger hungercurbing signals in your brain. They are also rich in vitamins A, C and E.
Tuesday
Breakfast
150g sauted prawns with 6 sliced mushrooms and chopped red pepper. 150g fresh pineapple slices.
Wednesday
Breakfast
Bowl of blueberries and raspberries. 2 poached eggs with asparagus and 4 grilled mushrooms.
Thursday
Breakfast
Slices of melon with cashew nuts. 3 slices of lean roast beef with 2 baked tomatoes.
Friday
Breakfast
Bowl of cherries. 2 scrambled eggs with 5 asparagus spears.
Saturday
Breakfast
Bowl of blueberries and raspberries. 1 cold salmon illet with panfried tomatoes and mushrooms.
Sunday
100g cooked prawns with green beans. 1 chopped apple and 2tbsp seeds.
Breakfast
Breakfast
Snack
1 banana.
Lunch
150g grilled cod illet with lemon juice and freshly ground black pepper. Green salad with lemon juice and 1tsp olive oil, 50g sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, a red pepper and 2tbsp black olives. Bowl of blueberries and melon.
Snack
Snack
Snack
Snack
Snack
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
300ml Covent Garden Scotch Broth soup. Pan-fried venison with cherry sauce.
a carton of Covent Garden Tomato & Basil soup. Cold venison steak served with a bag of mixed salad leaves, red pepper, 2tbsp black olives, sliced cucumber, celery and 1 tomato. Slices of melon.
Lunch
Lunch
300ml Covent Garden Scotch Broth soup. Grilled pork illet with spinach salad (handful of baby spinach leaves, mixed lettuce leaves, red onion, red pepper, chopped fresh cucumber slices, celery). 1 satsuma.
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Grilled turkey breast with 1 baked sweet potato, salad leaves, cucumber, sugar snap peas, a red pepper, 2tbsp black olives and a red onion. Slices of fresh pineapple.
Lunch
Lunch
Snack
Ginger baked turkey. 100g fresh raspberries with 2tbsp laked almonds.
Dinner
2 satsumas.
Snack
Snack
Snack
Dinner
Dinner
Snack
Snack
Snack
300ml Covent Garden Tomato & Basil soup. Baked salmon illet with lemon juice (cook an extra salmon illet for Sat) served with 60g steamed carrots, 60g sugar snap peas, 60g green beans and 1 baked sweet potato.
Snack
Dinner
Snack
Frittata made with 2 eggs, 3 new potatoes, spinach leaves and 1 red pepper. Steamed broccoli and carrots and salad.
Dinner
Snack
Snack
Daily total
protein, 79g fat
1,840 calories, 163g carbs, 130g
Daily total
1,713 calories, 147g carbs, 156g protein, 60g fat
Daily total
1,956 calories, 179g carbs, 130g protein, 87g fat
Daily total
1,841 calories, 201g carbs, 138g protein, 60g fat
Daily total
1,816 calories, 185g carbs, 120g protein, 71g fat
Daily total
1,827 calories, 172g carbs, 133g protein, 72g fat
Daily total
1,746 calories, 159g carbs, 140g protein, 66g fat
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Sports Drills
Be a sports superstar
Train like an athlete with workouts from the worlds top sportsmen
orld-class sportsmen make what they do look easy. The reason theyre able to make what they do look so effortless is because they spend so much time training. Weve showcased sportsmen across a range of disciplines from triathlon to climbing but they all have one thing in common. The moves they do make them masters of their own bodies. All the drills in this section will help improve your coordination, balance and agility. The rowing drills from Olympic gold medal winner Andrew Hodge focus on big powerful moves that build real strngth. Surf champ Romain Cloitre does explosive moves and balance training. Top triathlete Will Clarkes workouts will develop core strength, while leading climber Leo Houlding shows you how to increase your stength to weight ratio. Finally, freestyle snowboarder Marko Grilc focuses in mobility and lexibility. Do them all and youll be better conditioned for any sport.
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Rower Andrew Hodge demonstrates one of the moves he uses to build core strength
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Find out how top British rower Andrew Hodge delivers maximum power with every stroke
Its going well, thanks. Rowings more like boxing than football and rugby. We go through long periods where were just training, then towards competition time we go harder and start to focus more on speed work. When were just training well do three sessions a day with one day off a month its designed to train you right on the red line. Were also doing three or four weight sessions a week, with good steady-rate rowing on the ergo [indoor rowing machine] or on the water. Its about power and endurance, increasing both qualities.
POWER BOAT
water. The ergo is good because youve got hard numbers you can measure lactate thresholds and improve in speci ic areas. But you cant rely on ergo times. There are guys that arent that great on the ergo but are great on the water, either because theyve got a competition mindset or because they motivate other people really well.
I still do technique every day. Its like a ball of putty its always being pushed out of shape and you want it to be perfect and round. Im constantly addressing it, constantly trying to make it as sharp as Thats a lot of training. How it can be. Ill let it fall out shape in certain much do you eat? circumstances. Like if Ive got a back The golden rule nutritionally is to eat niggle, I might need to let it recover by enough. I think Im ignoring certain parts Technique is like of the stroke. But then Ill at around 5,000 calories a day. Some need to perfect it again a ball of putty. people ind it hard before an event. Its being pushed to keep weight on during the camps out of shape and Youve rowed when youre training with Peter Reed you want it perfect since the Oxfordhard, but I can eat above my needs, so Cambridge and round I try to eat healthy. boat race. How You just adapt. Its about sticking to good important is a carbs, not cheap ones, eating steadily good partnership? throughout the day rather than A good understanding with your teammassive meals. mate is paramount a willingness to meet in the middle on things and discuss Do you mainly train on the water, things openly is massively important. or on rowing machines? You need to use each other to Most of the time well try to train on the the maximum.
Age 32 Height 1.92m Weight 100kg Achievements 2008 Gold medallist, coxless four, Olympic Games 2005, 2006 Gold medallist, coxless four, rowing world championship
Andrew Hodge
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Part 1
POWER
Sets 3 Reps 5 each side > With a barbell on your back take
a big step forwards, then bend your front knee until your back knee brushes the loor. Dont return to upright between reps.
Split squat
The key component of a good rowing stroke is delivering maximum dynamic power throughout the body, says Hodge. So well do a lot of fullbody moves that emphasise that. We also do a lot of unilateral movements. When we drive, we drive through both hips at a slightly different angle, and with the amount of strokes we do a day you can get into some real problems because of imbalances in the amount each muscle works. So its important to balance that out in training. Well do a lot of pushing movements for the same reason if you work just your pulling muscles youll end up imbalanced and injured.
Dont drop your tail leg to the loor to make the move easier. You want your back in an upright, strong position.
Hodge says
Power clean
apart and grip the bar just outside your knees. Drive up and rise up on to your toes, pulling the bar upwards, then drop underneath and catch it on top of your chest. As with a rowing stroke, most of the drive should come from your legs you shouldnt really feel this move in your arms.
Hodge says
You want to engage your posterior chain, so stay on your heels through the drive and accelerate as you go up. As soon as your hands pass your knees, accelerate the bar up so you can drop under and catch it.
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Bent-over row
hold a bar at roughly knee height, keeping your back straight and neck in line with your spine. Brace your core and retract your shoulder blades as you pull the bar up to your sternum.
The pull is the last part of the drive phase. It doesnt contribute so much to the speed of the boat, but if you lose control of the oar then youve lost control of the boat. You want your upper body to be strong and capable of handling what your legs can deliver.
Hodge says
supported, holding a pair of dumb-bells at chest level. Your core should be braced and your feet lat on the loor. Press the weights straight up and lower under control. Dont arch your back.
The idea of the bench press is to keep your body balanced. Your press has to be as strong as your pull, or youll end up with weak links.
Hodge says
Part 2
CORE STRENGTH
Sets 3 Reps 8 > This is a one-legged version of the very tough dragon lag. Bend one leg,
then engage your core and raise your legs and hips into the air, aiming to maintain a straight line. Keep your body shape as you lower down under control.
Lighthouse
A huge amount of rowing is about holding a strong core, says Hodge. So the exercises we do are about exposing the little muscles and engaging everything. A lot of it is neural, where youre trying to set up good working patterns. You dont want to just be good at rowing, you want to be good at a lot of things that contribute to good habits. Getting used to keeping a tight core is a big part
Hodge says
The whole point of this is that youre trying to keep a good shape. Try to work to a scheme of six seconds per rep.
Barbell rollout
Sets 3 Reps 8
either side. Kneel and hold the bar with your hands shoulder-width apart, then roll it forwards. If you can touch your chin to the ground, great, otherwise come back up when your hips start to sag.
Thisll take you through the full range of motion youll go through during a rowing stroke and force you to keep tight all the time.
Hodge says
one. Get in a side plank with your forearm and bottom foot touching the loor, and get your partner to apply steady pressure downwards on your hip. Aim for an amount of pressure that will let you resist for around ive seconds each rep.
Sets 3 Reps 5 each side > Youll need a partner for this
Hodge says
This is another move that develops the kind of unilateral core strength you need in the boat.
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Romain Clotre
Age 23 From Runion Achievements 2007 Winner, ASP Junior European Tour 2008 9th, Oakley Pro Junior Global Challenge 2009 6th, European ASP World Qualifying Series
>
Part 1
Seal press-up
than shoulder-width apart and lean forward at the hips so your palms rest on the ground. > Sink down, leading with your face. Your hips and legs should reach the lowest point of the move at the same time. > As your hips reach the lowest position, push forward, then up with your head.Reverse the move to complete one rep.
Clotre says
Even if Im not doing a full workout, I always do this move as soon as I wake up its great for stretching and activating your entire body. Do it slowly so your muscles are under tension for longer.
Press-up burpee
your arms shoulder-width apart. > Sink down until your chest is about 15cm from the loor, keeping your body in a straight line and head facing forward. > Press up and pull your legs forward explosively, carrying the explosion into a max effort vertical jump.
The irst half of this move mimics the pop-up technique you use to get into a standing position on your board. The jump helps you develop extra power, making what can be quite a demanding movement on the board feel effortless.
Clotre says
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about 80 per cent of its capacity so its easier to balance on. In late it more as you get used to doing the exercise. > Adopt a crouched surf-like position on the ball and hold a light medicine ball out in front of you. > Swing to the left then to the right, keeping your arms straight. Thats one rep.
When you start doing this jointstrengthening move, you might need a mate to help you get on to the ball and pass you the medicine ball. It also helps if you put the gym ball on a towel rather than sand, because the latter can be a bit slippery.
Clotre says
up as straight as you can. Hold your hands out in front of you for balance. > Sink down slowly into as deep a squat as you can manage.
I love this move because it works your lower body and core muscles the same way that sur ing does youre moving between the two stages of this exercise, albeit a bit faster when youre riding a wave.
Clotre says
Part 3
CORE STABILITY
Having a strong core helps you transfer upper-body power to your lower body so you can make powerful efficient movements on the board as well as helping you keep your balance, says Clotre. Because youre constantly using your core during surfing, it will start to get tight when youre in the water for any serious amount of time, but the stabilising moves will keep the aches at bay for longer.
back so your back wraps around it. Link your ingers behind your head. > Contract your abs to lift your upper body off the ball. > Curl to your left, bringing your hands out in front of you so you touch your left foot at the bottom of the move.
Sets 4 Reps 12 each side > Sit on the ball, then lean
Clotre says:
Sur ing is such a twisty sport so you need to strengthen the muscles your obliques and underlying chest muscles that transfer turning power from your upper to your lower body.
Sets 4 Reps 12 each side > Kneel on all fours with your
Two-point box
head facing forward and your back straight. > Kick your right leg out and stretch out your left hand as far as you can. Hold the position for a two-count. > Repeat to the other side, keeping your abdominals braced throughout each rep.
The quick, forceful movements you make while sur ing can jar your back, but by stabilising and strengthening the muscles around your spine, this simple move will protect this injuryprone area.
Clotre says:
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Im feeling better than ever. Ive cut out the mad weeks I used to be a big trainer but I found if I did 35 hours one week, Id do 28 the next then 15 after that because I was so knackered. Now Im more consistent. Ive only gone over 30 hours a week a couple of times this year. It screws with your mind. Everyone is trying to attack you and everyone is hurting as much as each other. Its about who wants it most.
The last 3km of a run is when it gets very tough and everyone is starting to think seriously about the win.
Its very good. To be honest, its too good! Weve got the Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan. Alistair is extremely hard to beat and everyones scratching their heads wondering how hes doing it. I hope so. I think the only way to do it is to run faster and be the strongest at the end of the race.
Will Clarke
Age 26 Height 1.83m Weight 70kg Achievements 2009 Winner, London Triathlon 2009, 2008 British national champion 2006 Under-23 world champion 2006 Under-23 European champion
Part 1
CORE STRENGTH
Good posture and core strength is imperative for a triathlete especially in the switch from cycling, where the spine is flexed, to running, where you aim to remain upright and extended in order to run efficiently, says Clarkes strength and conditioning coach, Mark Niemz, whos employed by the English Institute of Sport to train Britains Olympic triathlon squad. Good core stability during swimming allows the athlete to remain in a streamlined position and catch the water [push water behind you and propel yourself forward] during the stroke. This will connect what you do with your arms to your trunk and hips, allowing you to use your whole body to drive your arm propulsion, and not overwork the shoulder and upper back muscles.
handles of the TRX trainer a few centimetres off the loor. Contract your abs to raise your backside up, making your body into an inverted V.
Reps 15 > Get into a press-up position with your feet in the
1a Pike
Reps 15 > Get into a press-up position with your feet in the handles
1b Running
of the TRX trainer a few centimetres off the loor. Bring one knee in towards your chest then, as you return it to the start position, bring your other knee in towards your chest.
The TRX trainer is a convenient way to do core endurance sets because you hold the ixed trunk position, working your shoulders and core, while moving at the knee and hip.
Clarkes tip
1c
Knee tuck
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Sets 3 Reps 10 15 > Lie with your back on the loor, your knees bent and a
barbell across your hips. Contract your glutes and raise your hips off the loor.
Clarke says
If you ind it difficult to go low during squats (below the point where your thighs are parallel to the loor), which is when your glutes and hamstrings are recruited most, this is a good alternate way of overloading the glutes.
Sets 3 4 Reps 6 10 each side > Start in a split stance with your body upright
Split squat
and a barbell across your back. Keeping your core braced and your back upright, lower until both your front and back knees are bent at 90.
Doing a split squat rather than a conventional squat makes it more cyclingspeci ic. Its an easy way to go deep with a lexed hip and knee and will help improve your power output on the bike.
Clarke says
UPPERBODY STRENGTH
You need good upperbody strength in the swim so we work on both vertical and horizontal pulling movements, says Niemz. We use generic upper-body moves such as the chin-up to strengthen the back and swimming-specific moves
Part 3
Clarke says
We do this on a TRX rather than a bar because it allows you to externally rotate the shoulders. You start with your palms facing down and rotate your arms so your palms face inwards at the top of the move.
Dumb-bell pullover
dumb-bell behind your head, arms straight. Keeping them straight, raise the dumb-bell until it is above your chest.
Clarke says
Pull-up complex
3a
3b
3c
Variations on a move let you do more reps than if you did just one movement. We concentrate on the wide grip because it activates the lats, making it more swimming-speci ic.
Clarke says
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Photography Tom Miles Will Clarke is an ambassador for Multipower sports nutrition. Visit multipoweruk.com
3a Wide-grip Take a wide grip and pull up until your chin is over the bar. 3b Hammer-grip With palms facing each other, pull up until your chin is over the bar. 3c Chin-up Use an underhand grip and pull up until your chin is over the bar.
Fearless British climber Leo Houlding has tackled challenges from El Capitan in California to Everest. Heres how he prepares himself in the gym
Last year you nailed the Prophet. much. But if you live in the city, in the Just how tough was it? winter its not easy to train in the ield.
Ive been trying the route for nine years, Ive spent more than 60 days on that piece of the rock. When we did the free ascent it took six days, but four of those were spent in a godawful storm. So there were only two climbing days. We sat on a portaledge that looded in full storm conditions, for more than 80 hours without moving, in a 4ft by 6ft tent, completely soaked and cold, borderline hypothermic, and then we had to dry everything out for a day and a half and go and perform at our absolute peak.
The really difficult bit is this feature called the A1 Beauty: its a beautiful, 35m crack up a totally lat wall. Theres nothing for your hands, nothing for your feet just this minute crack to jam your ingertips in. And at that point youre more than twice as high as Canary Wharf.
If Im on a lead wall [one on which you clip your rope in as you ascend], the classic thing I do to train for endurance on the big cliffs is start on a route thats graded relatively easy for me like a 6a, then do a 6a-plus, then a 6b, then go all the way up to an 8a-plus, then Im usually pretty tired so I might fall off that, then Ill go all the way up and back down. Thats about 28 pitches if you go all the way up and back down again, which should take a couple of hours.
Well, Im a professional so I get to chase the summer around the world, which means I tend not to train inside that
Although you need a basic level of strength, I wouldnt recommend loads of pull-ups, especially if youre a beginner. Its much more important to focus on technique. One of the reasons women often make good climbers is that they usually dont have that upper-body strength, so they have to focus on technique. Also, a base level of itness is important, so you can go on the crosstrainer or on a bike. I tend to get out on my mountain bike for itness.
>
Age 31 Height 1.7m Weight 70kg Achievements First ascent of The Prophet route on El Capitan Free-climbed both El Capitan and Half-Dome in one day Ascent of Mount Everest in the footsteps of George Mallory
Leo Houlding
Part 1
CLIMBING STRENGTH
Sets 3 Reps 5 > Holding a bar with your legs at 90 to your torso, pull until > Lower until your arms are at a 90 angle and hold for two
seconds. Then lower yourself down to a dead hang. Thats one rep.
L lock-off
your chin is above the bar. Pause at the top for two seconds.
The best training for climbing is climbing, says Houlding. Men who come from a gym background tend to think they can do everything by pulling. But someone with good technique will definitely outperform someone with loads of strength but bad technique.
Lock-off strength is important for making some moves easier and the L-sit also lets you work your core.
Houlding says
Circuit training
If you dont have access to a roped climbing wall or a partner, circuits are the best way to make the most of a bouldering wall, says Houlding. You can do a circuit by yourself, and it only takes an hour or two to have a really good session. Find a circuit that requires about 70 per cent of your ability, not too difficult or too easy, containing anything between 35 and 65 separate moves. Ideally you dont want moves that go sideways in real rock climbing you wont go sideways that much. Do the circuit, have two or three minutes rest, then go again. You might only be able to do it a few times at irst. When you can do it without getting tired, add in some harder moves.
grip. Pull up to your left so your head ends up close to your left arm. Pull yourself across to the right, and lower from there.
Houlding says
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Part 2
keeping your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. > Raise one foot and hold it for two seconds before lowering. Repeat on the other side.
You shouldnt let your hips move at all during this move. If its too easy, youre probably shifting to one side.
Houlding says
with one foot on the loor, your body straight and one arm raised. > Raise your top leg until its at a roughly 45 angle with your bottom leg. > Hold for two seconds, then lower it.
I do this a lot, with some other Pilates moves that I can do pretty much wherever I am.
Houlding says
Part 3
INJURY
One-legged balance
PREVENTION
I blew my medial collateral ligament last year so now I do a lot of stability work as rehab, but also as prehab, to stop me doing it again, says Houlding. A lot of its based around balance and proprioception [teaching the body about movement patterns]. Do it on a wobble cushion or a Bosu rather than a wobble board.
cushion on one leg. > Perform a half-squat, making sure your knee tracks forward over your second toe. Hold it for 20 seconds, then straighten back up, keeping the move controlled throughout.
Youre supposed to be wobbling during this move. If you arent, it wont work your proprioception properly.
Houlding says
Hardervariation
a stretch band behind your back as you stretch it. > When you feel the stretch, hold for 30 seconds. > For a harder variation, loop the band around one foot and use it to stretch your leg.
Houlding says
The stretching element will help you with your mobility, but its also to make balancing harder.
Photography Tom Miles
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Veteran Slovenian freestyle snowboarder Marko Grilc takes MF through the exercises that prepare him for pulling big tricks
At 28, youre one of freestyle snowboardings older pros. How has age affected the way you ride and train?
ABOVE BOARD
during my irst jump then go for something bigger off the second kicker.
Marko Grilc
Age 28 Height 1.78m Weight 75kg Achievements 2009 Billabong Air & Style champion 2010 ONeill Evolution champion
I have to do way more off-board training to stay at the forefront of the sport than I did when I was younger. In the off-season I run four times a week, normally for more than an hour this gives me the endurance I need to keep pulling big tricks all day. I also work with a personal trainer in Croatia to improve my balance and build my leg strength. The gym is de initely an old snowboarders best friend.
I used to eat whatever I wanted to but now I try to be healthier. If Im snowboarding in a park, I normally go to a restaurant for a well-balanced lunch rather than carry food up the hill. If Im riding backcountry, I carry a litre of water to keep me hydrated and things to give me a quick hit of energy, such as fruit and chocolate.
Yeah, Ive come a long way from just partying every day and throwing myself off cliffs. But going for it fully is what snowboarding should always be about.
How soon into a training session do you start doing difficult tricks, such as double lips and massive spins?
If Im feeling really good, Ill start trying difficult technical tricks immediately. But normally Ill do a lesser rotation
I had to really battle to perform there because the 2009 fall was always at the back of my mind. Winning really helped me overcome my hang-ups about my hip, which felt like more of an achievement than getting a medal. It had taken me about three months to recover physically from the fall but mentally, the damage lasts much longer. It forces you to realise how easily one bad slam could end your career.
You won London Freeze in 2010 after dislocating your hip during the 2009 event. Did that mean a lot to you?
Part 1
Sitting reach
Your legs and feet are the parts of your body that have to work the hardest during any trick, says Grilc. You rely on them to spring into the air and they have to soak up the impact when you land, so you need them to be strong and flexible.
As well as your hamstrings and calves, this also stretches your back and arms, which is crucial because its easy to pull or strain something if you start busting out spins with cold muscles.
Grilc says
Sets 2 Time 20 seconds each side > Sit with your legs as straight as you
Grab stretch
can and grab the front edge of the board with one hand. > Twist your torso away from your grabbing hand and use your other hand to stop you toppling over if you need to.
This puts your body under the same kind of tension and positions itll be in when you pull tricks off kickers. I do this as soon as I get out of the gondola, so my muscles are fully activated before I start riding.
Grilc says
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Sets 3 Reps 10 each side > Stand with your feet just wider than
Core rotation
shoulder-width apart holding your board against your lower back with the bindings facing away from you. > Make sure the nose of the board is sticking out further than the tail. > Rotate your upper body as far as you can one way, then the other. Thats one rep. > Keep your feet anchored in place throughout the move > Once youve done ten reps, shuffle the board along so the tail is sticking out further than the nose and repeat the reps.
This move mimics the twist your torso goes through during a spin. Having more weight on one side brings your obliques into play to keep your feet rooted to the spot.
Grilc says
Sets 2 Time 20 seconds each side > With your board strapped on, stand on a lat
surface and lean over to one side, grabbing the end of your board with your leading hand. > As you bend, bring your other hand over your head, getting it as close as you can to the end of the board and hold. > Lift your trailing leg and twist your hips to accommodate the movement.
Exaggerated grab
Holding this exaggerated pose puts your back, arms, side abs and the muscles around your pelvis under more strain than doing tricks will. This means your body will feel comfortable when you start throwing nose and tail grabs off jumps.
Grilc says
Part 3
EXPLOSIVE POWER
As well as the stamina to keep riding all day during a competition, a pro rider needs bags of explosive power because youre going to be constantly popping on to, over and off obstacles, says Grilc.
Board presses
Sets 3 Reps 10 each side > With your board strapped on, stand
on a lat surface. > Bring one end of the board off the ground by leaning towards the other end. As you reach the outer limit of your balance, use the boards spring to lick you back the other way. > Land with your weight over your other foot, so the previously grounded side of the board is off the loor, then lean over until youve generated enough recoil to spring yourself back the other way.
Shifty ollie
You want to do this fast to mimic the plyometric effect of pulling combo tricks on rails and boxes. If you jump forward slightly during each rep, it also becomes an effective way of moving up mellow hills without having to unstrap.
Grilc says
with your weight centred over the board. > Sink down as you reach the lip, putting your weight over your back foot to spring-load the board. > Lift your front foot off the ground as you lean back, then use the boards spring to get your back foot into the air too. > Centre your weight as you get both feet into the air, then twist your hips to one side so the board is angled away from where you want to land. > Straighten the board and land on both feet at the same time.
The ollie or jump is the essence of most snowboard tricks. The shifty gets your hips and core ready for all the twisting theyll do and increases your spatial awareness in the air, preparing you for bigger, more technical moves.
Grilc says
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Do these innovative abs moves to get the midsection youve always wanted
heres one thing you need to understand before you start your workout quest for a sixpack. Doing endless crunches is not going to give you six-pack abs. There are two reasons for this. First of all, theyll do nothing to remove the layer of body fat that is currently covering your midsection (unless your body fat is as low as eight per cent). Second, they dont adequately work all the muscles of your midsection. So, to get that cover model look, you need to do big moves that burn fat, such as the ones in the must-do moves section of this book. Then you complement them with abs moves that really test the target muscles, such as the ones in this chapter.
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Vertical twist
Blast your abs from top to bottom and hit your internal obliques as well
STAGE 1
> Lie on your back with your
feet together and your legs straight up in the air.
Sets 4 Reps 10
STAGE 2
ground and twist to the right until your legs are at 45 to the loor. Make sure you lower slowly and under control, using your muscles to control the move rather than letting gravity do the work.
> Return to the top of the move and repeat to the left. Alternate with each rep.
STAGE 3
Six-Pack Training
Turn the humble plank into a dynamic test of abdominal strength and core stability
STAGE 1
Plank walkout
Sets 3 Reps 15
width apart and bend forward at the waist until your hands reach the loor with your body in an inverted V.
> Walk your hands out slowly in > Walk your hands back until
front of your head, extending your body until your lower back sags. youre in the inverted V position.
body is in a straight line and your hands are directly beneath your shoulders.
STAGE 2
STAGE 3
STAGE 4
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> Place a stability ball between your ankles and lie on your right side with your right elbow under your right shoulder. > Lift your hips so your body is in a
straight line.
> Lower your hips towards the loor and hold, then return to the starting position.
STAGE 2
WAN TO MAKT E H A R DE R I T ? Squeeze the ball with your legs and hold at th e top for 30 60 se conds
Six-Pack Training
Mountain climber
> Tighten your abs, then drive one knee up to your elbows. > Alternate sides.
STAGE 2
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Jackknife twist
Challenge your core and build strong abs while working your shoulders and lower back
STAGE 1
Sets 3 Reps 10
ball to your right, turning your legs and hips to that side.
> Bring your knees towards your chest and roll the
STAGE 2
Six-Pack Training
Band sit-up
Work your core and chest with a Bosu ball and resistance band
STAGE 1
resistance band secured behind you, your knees bent and your feet lat on the loor. above your chest, palms facing forward, and raise your head and shoulders.
Sets 3 Time 12 15
STAGE 2
Tie a resis tance ban d around a low objec t and lie on a pillow, facing aw ay from the band .
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Sets 3 Reps 12 15
STAGE 2
Six-Pack Training
Pole push
Get hard abs while also building your core and lower back
STAGE 1
> Kneel on the loor, holding a metre-long pole with your arms outstretched at shoulder height. > Make sure the pole is planted in the ground about a metre in front of your hands. > Move the pole into an upright
position by contracting your abs and extending your body straight from hands to hips.
Sets 3 Reps 12
STAGE 2
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Add an extra hit to the side plank to strengthen your abs, back and hips
STAGE 1
> Start in the bottom position of a side plank with one arm straight and your hip on the loor. > Grab a dumb-bell or kettlebell (start
relatively light to assess your strength) and lift the weight above your body in a straight line with your free arm, using a snatch motion.
Sets 4 Reps 12
STAGE 2
PROTEC T YOUR FOR E A R MS Punc
h upward s past the kettle bell, rathe r than lick ing your wrist so it hits your arm.
Research shows including CherryActive in your diet results in faster muscle recovery*
Available in health stores and sports nutrition outlets. For more information or to order direct, visit: www.cherryactive.co.uk
*Research completed at London South Bank University 2009
Fat Loss
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See off the fat and build abs to be proud of with this killer circuit
How it works
Illustrations Stuart Holmes@Illustrationweb The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
Its working when your core is engaged throughout the move and your back stays lat against the ground as you move your legs.
To get an impressive six-pack you need not only to build your abs but also to get rid of the layer of fat that covers them. This circuit has both parts covered it hits all the muscles in the abdominal wall and burns serious amounts of calories. You start with exercises that switch on your cores stabilising muscles so your stomach muscles are completed warmed up and ready to work to their full
potential. The moves then get progressively harder, hitting the abs from different angles and raising your heart rate. The stabilising moves will help protect your back during this harder section. Do all the exercises in order, with 30 seconds of medicine ball abs slams after each move to activate fast-twitch muscles and burn loads of fat. Complete the circuit twice.
Warm up by doing ten burpees followed by one minute of skipping. Do this three times. Skipping warms up multiple muscles to get you prepared for your workout, while burpees will raise your heart rate. After you have completed the circuit twice, do some gentle cardio for ive to ten minutes to warm down.
START
FINISH
Exercise 6 Rotating gym ball jackknife Time per session 35 minutes Calorie burn 350
132 Workout Manual Reps 15 each side
Start in a press-up position, resting your shins and feet on a gym ball. Keep your knees together and smoothly draw them up to your chest, rolling the gym ball towards you and rotating to your left. Roll the ball back out and repeat to the right.
Its working when the movement is working your abs, obliques and shoulders.
Reps 20
Its working when your core is tight and you roll as far as possible without your lower back sagging.
Its working when your obliques and glutes are tight as you raise your body.
Its working when the move starts with your arms behind your head and your core is braced as you slam the ball down as hard as you can.
Exercise 4 Corkscrews
Reps 10 each side
Lie on your back with your legs pointing towards the ceiling. Raise your hips and twist your legs to the left. Repeat to the right.
Its working when your stomach muscles are drawn in at all times and your lower abs initiate the movement.
Its working when your calves and hamstrings are stretched at the top of the move and your shoulders and core are stabilising your body at the bottom.
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Game on
How it works
Although football is a great sport, taking a keen interest in the game can mean that you spend an unhealthy amount of time in the pub or stuck to the sofa. To stop the booze and junk food taking its toll on your gut, try this heartracing circuit that allows you to blitz calories and protect against injury in less than half an hour. Youll ind that the sprints get your heart rate up quicker than charging across the pub as the ball hits the net, while the plyometric exercises help
Its working when the movement of your feet is a blur and your heart rate is through the roof.
Kick your body into shape with this calorie-burning football circuit
you produce more power when you are actually on the pitch. There are also moves to help you strengthen your ankles and core, and improve your balance, which will make you less susceptible to injury. Do all the exercises in order with as little rest as you can between each move. Once you have completed one circuit, rest for two minutes before repeating it. You then have permission to join your fellow supporters for a well deserved pint.
Illustrations Stuart Holmes@Illustrationweb The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
March on the spot to bring your heart rate down, and do some static stretching to encourage your muscles to dispose of the lactic acid build-up in the body and prevent stiffness.
FINISH
Warm up by jogging on the spot, skipping and doing some burpees for ive minutes until your body is warm and raring to go.
START
Its working when your quads are burning while your shoulders, core, glutes and calves co-ordinate the move.
Reps 30
Its working when you use your leg muscles and glutes to leap high into the air and land with a soft knee to absorb the impact.
Its working when your stomach muscles are tensed at all times and your legs and arms move in harmony.
Exercise 6 Hinge
Kneel on the loor holding the ball close to your chest. Keeping your body in a straight line, slowly lean back. Hold for three seconds, then return to the start.
Time 60 seconds
Its working when our core is tight and your head and spine stay in line with your thighs.
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Being on holiday usually means developing an unhealthy relationship with the sun lounger and the cocktail menu. So see off the guilt and the lab that come with gorging on local delicacies and sitting on the beach nine hours a day with MFs quick ire beach-based, fat-burning circuit. Most of the moves in this routine are based on plyometric exercises, which burn calories and build lean muscle fast. Working out on
sand provides less stability, making the simplest of moves much tougher. Running on sand can also burn over 50 per cent more calories than running on a lat surface would, meaning you dont have to waste precious holiday time with long workouts or punish yourself with an epic workout schedule when your break is over. Perform the exercises in order, with a 40-second run between moves.
Its working when your core is working overtime to keep your body in a straight line.
Warm up by jogging along the beach for three minutes, then walk back to where you started, swinging your arms, hugging your knees and kicking your bum with your heels as you walk.
START
Spend ive minutes power-walking down the beach to warm down. Swing your arms in a circle and shake your legs. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration or sunstroke.
FINISH
Sand running
Reps 40 seconds Between each exercise, run in a straight line over loose sand for 20 seconds, then turn and run back to your starting point, taking short, quick steps. Its working when your legs are working overtime as the loose sand sapsyour energy.
Its working when you land on the ball of your foot and try to jump a little higher with each skip.
Time 45 seconds
Its working when your body stays in a straight line from head to toe.
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Warm up by jogging for ten minutes around the area you are going to use for this circuit. Plan your route and check for territorial squirrels, holes in the ground and other obstacles while you do it.
START
Get outside and lose weight with this 30-minute fat-frying park circuit
muscles. By working against the natural elements of the great outdoors you will switch on new muscles, as they respond to a new environment while burning more calories. Research shows exercising outdoors can boost your core stability, cut tension and improve mental health. Do all the exercises in order with as little rest as you can between each move. Run between stations and try and perform as many reps as you possibly can in the time limit.
Illustrations Sudden Impact The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
Its working when you use your legs and glutes to leap in one luid motion.
Its working when your abs are tight and your hips are high throughout the whole move.
Exercise 2 Get-up
Time 2x1 minute From lying, get up without placing your hands on the ground. Do it by contracting your abs to raise your chest and by bringing one foot in to your backside so you can push off it to get upright. Its working when your core works hard to get you off the ground.
Its working when your core is tight and your shoulders ache as they take the weight of your raised foot.
Its working when your back is straight and the stick stays close to your body.
Reps 1 minute
Its working when your legs move as fast as possible but your back doesnt sag.
Jog another couple of laps of the area, eventually slowing to a walk. Follow this with some gentle stretching, holding each stretch for 30 seconds.
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FINISH
Cant find the time to exercise? Get up earlier and do it before your busy life takes over
How it works
After a long day at work, its all too tempting to forgo the gym and slump in front of Sky Sports. Youll feel a lot better about doing this if youve already done a vigorous workout. Just set your alarm 30 minutes earlier and take the chance to burn hundreds of calories with a high-intensity circuit irst thing in the morning before the chaos of your day gets going. Your testosterone levels are at the their highest point in the morning, which makes it easier to build muscle and burn fat. Since you wont have eaten much youll also blast loads of fat. Do all the exercises in order with just ten seconds rest between each move. Once you have completed one circuit, rest for two minutes before repeating it another three times. You should then treat yourself to a cool shower to increase the blood low to the muscles and stave off muscle soreness. You may yelp with shock but your muscles will thank you for it.
Warm up by alternating star jumps with running on the spot and punching the air above your head for ive minutes. Complete your irst circuit at a steady rather than fast pace to ensure youre warmed up thoroughly.
START
Time 20 seconds
Its working when it takes you longer and longer to get up from the sit-up.
Illustrations Sudden Impact The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
Time 20 seconds
Its working when the move is challenging your pecs and chest and your core is tight throughout the whole move.
Exercise 4 Star-up
Time 20 seconds Lie on your back with your arms and legs outstretched so that your body forms an X. Brace your core and raise your head, arms and legs a few centimetres off the loor. Bring your right arm and left leg together so they touch. Lower back to the start. Repeat on the opposite side. Its working when your stomach muscles are tensed at all times and your legs and arms get into a working rhythm.
Its working when you bring your knees up to your chest with each rep.
Time 20 seconds
March around the room for a few minutes, then inish with some static stretching to lush out lactic acid and prevent muscle soreness.
FINISH
Its working when your triceps are burning and your abs are braced to stop your back from sagging.
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Home gains
This intense circuit will deliver explosive strength fast and burn fat all in the comfort of your own home
How it works
Illustratios Stuart Holmes@Illustrationweb The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
After warming up, do Exercise 1. Rest for 30 seconds and then repeat Exercise 1, then without resting do Exercise 2. Rest for 30 seconds before doing Exercises 1, 2 and 3 without rest, then rest for 30 seconds. Continue the sequence, adding an exercise each time.
PYRAMID REPS
Exercise 1 Shadowboxing
Time 1 minute Get into a boxing stance and start to throw punches at an imaginary opponent. Alternate hands, and combine jabs with uppercuts and hooks. Its working when you are moving around and practising your footwork as you throw strong punches.
There are plenty of advantages to working out at home rather than at the gym. You can do it whenever youve got the time, you can blast out your own music and there are no sweaty blokes with personal hygiene issues. You might not have a full set of free weights and machines, but this
shouldnt stop you. Theres a vast array of bodyweight exercises such as the ones selected for this circuit that will keep your workouts interesting. Meanwhile, the pyramid reps will keep your heart rate high and help build muscle endurance, giving this circuit all the ingredients required to burn fat and build muscle.
Warm-up by jogging on the spot for one minute before running up and down the stairs ive times. Then spend ive minutes doing dynamic squats and lunges.
START
Spend at least ive minutes cooling down. Stretch to help reduce muscle injury, stiffness and soreness.
FINISH
Time 1 minute
Its working when your core is working hard to keep your balance and your calves are burning.
Its working when your heart is racing and your quads, glutes and calves are burning.
Its working when y you are alternating sides in a pedalling motion and your shoulders are off the loor while keeping the tension in your abs.
Exercise 4 Press-ups
Time 1 minute
Keeping your body in a straight line, lower your chest to the loor. Hold for two seconds before pushing back to the starting position.
Exercise 5 Burpees
Begin in a squat with your hands on the loor in front of you. Kick your feet back and lower yourself into a press-up position. Push back up and immediately return to the squat position, then leap up as high as possible.
Time 1 minute
Its working when you have to keep your abs braced to stop your back from sagging.
Its working when your heart is racing and you are jumping as high as you can at the end of each rep.
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Travel training
Your exercise regime doesnt have to take a break when youre away from home. Stay lean with this do-it-anywhere circuit
How it works
Illustrations Stuart Holmes@Illustrationweb The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
Not every hotel has a state-of-the-art gym, but that doesnt mean you should develop an unhealthy relationship with the mini-bar instead. This workout allows you to work on your itness and burn fat without packing your dumb-bells and gym ball. Working on an unstable platform such as a bed
or pillow, according to US research, will make your leg and hip muscles work up to 13 per cent harder as they strive to keep your balance. If you do crash to the loor and disturb other residents, MF takes no responsibility for the arguments just dont do it in the middle of the night
Get your blood circulating by doing ive minutes of jogging on the spot, jumping jacks and heel licks. Then do some squats, walking lunges and press-ups back to back for ive minutes to improve your co-ordination and the elasticity of your muscles.
START
Once you have completed one circuit, rest for two minutes before repeating it.
FINISH
Exercise 6 Superman
Reps 20
Lie on your front with your arms out in front of you. Raise your arms, chest and feet off the loor. Hold this position for three seconds, then lower back slowly.
Its working when your lower abs and hip lexors are working together to crunch your knees into your chest.
Its working when your lower back is doing most of the work and your glutes are squeezed tight at the top of the move.
Exercise 3 Step-up
Reps 25 each side Stand in front of the bed and step up onto it with your right foot, driving up and placing your left foot beside it. Step back down with the trailing leg and repeat as before on the other leg. Continue to alternate legs. Its working when your movement is fast and your quads and glutes are burning as they power the move.
Its working when your hips and leg muscles are working overtime to keep you balanced.
Its working when your obliques are taut and your core and shoulders are working overtime to maintain balance.
Its working when your core muscles are working hard to maintain perfect form throughout.
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Workout Manual
magazine
Muscle Must-Do Moves
Bench press
Its a classic indication of strength but doing it wrong can lead to injury and bad posture
Mo
01
nth
How to do it > Kneel with your hands on a gym > Keeping your body in line, let your
ball, slightly wider than shoulderwidth apart.
Your one-max rep on the bench press is a good indicator of upper body strength and gym dedication, so everyone wants an impressive score. The problem is that doing too much work on your chest and not enough on your back results in hunched shoulders, which in turn leads to a lack of range of motion and poor posture. It can also cause shoulder pain. You will need strong pecs, deltoids, lats and triceps for this lift..
shoulder blades collapse inwards, then push them out while keeping your elbows straight and locked the whole time.
bend your elbows until your upper body is just off the loor, moving your right knee to your right elbow as you lower. chest, shoulders and triceps. Repeat on the other side.
Target Traps The shrug is essential for building the upper back, which frequently comes under strain from other exercises. > Grasp a dumb-bell in each hand and hold them by your sides with your palms facing your body. > Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a natural arch in your back. > Use your traps to lift the weights. Hold the up position for one to two seconds.
2
TARGETS
Target Biceps Despite the name, using the EZ-bar isnt an easy option it takes the strain of curling off your wrists and elbows to focus on your biceps. > Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding an EZ-bar at hip height. > Keeping your elbows close to your sides, squeeze your biceps to curl the bar up to shoulder level > Lower the bar slowly back to the start position.
How to do it > Place a step on the loor and get into > Perform a push-up. > Repeat on the other side.
a press-up position but with your right hand on the step.
Target Lats Your lower back may get a good workout from deadlifts, but for a balanced physique it needs to be worked more directly. This exercise will do just that, bringing your workout to a strong inish. > Lie face down on a gym ball with your feet shoulder-width apart. > Slightly bend your knees for balance and then curl your chin towards the ball before extending up, bringing your elbows back.
How to do it > Stand with your feet shoulder-width > Hold a medicine ball against your > Push with both hands to throw the
ball against a wall or to a partner. chest with both hands. apart and your core tight.
Wednesday
Lie on the bench with a natural arch in your back, your knees bent at 90 and your feet on the loor.
Grip the bar with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart directly above your chest.
Lower the bar ,slowly to your chest and press back up powerfully, without arching your back.
Target Biceps, lats Starting a back routine with pull-ups can increase your size, strength and overall development. Its a tough resistance test that will produce an early growth hormone release and put you in a good mindset for the rest of your workout. > With an overhand grip and your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart, let your body hang straight down from the bar. > Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar and squeeze your lats. > Lower yourself to the start and repeat.
Target Biceps, forearms Targeting both the biceps and the forearms will aid your overall development as well as increasing your grip strength. > Begin by tucking your elbows in to your sides and grip two dumb-bells with your palms facing in. > Curl the weights up to your chest, maintaining the hammer grip throughout the movement.
14 Workout Manual
44 Workout Manual
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You might have the worlds most wellsculpted abs, but unless you burn off the fat that covers them you wont be displaying a six-pack. These foods should help 1 Apples
Youll get at least 5g of ibre from one large apple, which helps you feel full. US research discovered that people who ate a large apple 15 minutes before lunch took in 190 fewer calories during lunch than those who didnt snack beforehand. This is because apples are nearly 85 per cent water and require lots of chewing, which can make you feel like you are eating more than you are.
10 six-pack foods
6 Olive oil
You may think you should avoid oils when youre trying to lose fat, but the oleic acid in olive oil can give you a helping hand. According to an American study in the journal Cell Metabolism, it can squash appetite because its converted into a compound called oleoylethanololamide (OEA) that indirectly triggers hunger-curbing signals to your brain.
7 Potato
The low-carb craze led people to think you couldnt eat potatoes and lose weight, but they contain starch, which resists digestion and keeps you fuller for longer. Danish studies have also found that starch can improve bloodsugar control, which helps the body burn fat. Eat them chilled to get nearly double the starch from each one.
Find out how top British rower Andrew Hodge delivers maximum power with every stroke
Its going well, thanks. Rowings more like boxing than football and rugby. We go through long periods where were just training, then towards competition time we go harder and start to focus more on speed work. When were just training well do three sessions a day with one day off a month its designed to train you right on the red line. Were also doing three or four weight sessions a week, with good steady-rate rowing on the ergo [indoor rowing machine] or on the water. Its about power and endurance, increasing both qualities.
POWER BOAT
water. The ergo is good because youve got hard numbers you can measure lactate thresholds and improve in speci ic areas. But you cant rely on ergo times. There are guys that arent that great on the ergo but are great on the water, either because theyve got a competition mindset or because they motivate other people really well.
Part 1
POWER
The key component of a good rowing stroke is delivering maximum dynamic power throughout the body, says Hodge. So well do a lot of fullbody moves that emphasise that. We also do a lot of unilateral movements. When we drive, we drive through both hips at a slightly different angle, and with the amount of strokes we do a day you can get into some real problems because of imbalances in the amount each muscle works. So its important to balance that out in training. Well do a lot of pushing movements for the same reason if you work just your pulling muscles youll end up imbalanced and injured.
Sets 3 Reps 5 each side > With a barbell on your back take
a big step forwards, then bend your front knee until your back knee brushes the loor. Dont return to upright between reps.
Split squat
Hodge says
Dont drop your tail leg to the loor to make the move easier. You want your back in an upright, strong position.
For a healthy dessert chop and bake in the oven with cinnamon
8 Rocket
Rocket is ideal fat loss food low in calories, high in ibre and rich in calcium, an essential mineral for muscle contraction. It also contains glucosinolates, nutrients that eliminate harmful toxins in the body. And since its in the mustard family rather than a type of lettuce, rocket has a strong, peppery lavour that means your salads wont be bland.
9 Almonds
Nuts are high in fat but arent fattening. Instead, research shows the composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all their fat, so they provide fewer calories than would be expected. They are also a good source of magnesium, which helps produce energy, maintain muscle tissue and regulate blood sugar levels.
10 Iced coffee
Studies have shown caffeine to reduce appetite and increase metabolism. It blocks the production in the brain of a chemical called adenosine, which makes you feel fatigued and susceptible to pain, so you can work out harder for longer. Make your own iced coffee by brewing up, allowing it to cool then blending with ice cubes and a splash of milk.
2 Cottage cheese
This protein-rich food is brimming with casein, a protein that is digested slowly and provides the body with long-lasting energy. Research from the Netherlands also found that people with a diet high in casein increased their metabolism, their satiety levels and their bodys use of fat.
3 Asparagus
This nutrient powerhouse contains chromium to control blood sugar levels and banish cravings. It also has vitamins K and C, which boost calcium absorption and metabolism. It may also reduce excess oestrogen in the body, which in turn helps the bodys ability to use fat stores for energy.
4 Beans
Every schoolboy knows beans are good for your heart. And theyre good for your abs: rich in ibre, potassium (to balance blood sugar), protein and testosterone-boosting zinc. A US survey found that people who ate beans were 23 per cent less likely to have large waists than those who didnt.
> 150g Calories 128 Carbs 5.1g Protein 21.5g Fat 2.3g
Low in fat and filling
> 1 heaped tbsp Calories 91 Carbs 13.9g Protein 6.4g Fat 1.5g
I still do technique every day. Its like a ball of putty its always being pushed out of shape and you want it to be perfect and round. Im constantly addressing it, constantly trying to make it as sharp as it can be. Ill let it fall out shape in certain circumstances. Like if Ive got a back The golden rule nutritionally is to eat niggle, I might need to let it recover by enough. I think Im ignoring certain parts Technique is like of the stroke. But then Ill at around 5,000 calories a day. Some need to perfect it again a ball of putty. people ind it hard before an event. Its being pushed to keep weight on during the camps out of shape and Youve rowed when youre training with Peter Reed you want it perfect since the Oxfordhard, but I can eat above my needs, so Cambridge and round I try to eat healthy. boat race. How You just adapt. Its about sticking to good important is a carbs, not cheap ones, eating steadily good partnership? A good understanding with your teamthroughout the day rather than mate is paramount a willingness to massive meals. meet in the middle on things and discuss Do you mainly train on the water, things openly is massively important. You need to use each other to or on rowing machines? Most of the time well try to train on the the maximum.
Power clean
Andrew Hodge
Age 32 Height 1.92m Weight 100kg Achievements 2008 Gold medallist, coxless four, Olympic Games 2005, 2006 Gold medallist, coxless four, rowing world championship
apart and grip the bar just outside your knees. Drive up and rise up on to your toes, pulling the bar upwards, then drop underneath and catch it on top of your chest. As with a rowing stroke, most of the drive should come from your legs you shouldnt really feel this move in your arms.
You want to engage your posterior chain, so stay on your heels through the drive and accelerate as you go up. As soon as your hands pass your knees, accelerate the bar up so you can drop under and catch it.
Hodge says
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shown in detail
he Mens Fitness Workout Manual is your complete guide to building muscle, losing fat and feeling great. There are sections on key exercises, abs moves, fat loss training and nutrition. You can also follow the workout plans of top sportsmen or you can use the sixmonth programme to get into the shape of your life. Its suitable for those who are new to fitness as well as more experienced exercisers.
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Jackknife twist
Challenge your core and build strong abs while working your shoulders and lower back
STAGE 1
Illustrations Sudden Impact The amount of calories burned will vary depending on your bodyweight and tness level
STAGE 2
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HOW TO DO IT
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exercises
Six-Pack Training
Sets 3 Reps 10
Band sit-up
Work your core and chest with a Bosu ball and resistance band
STAGE 1
> Sit on a Bosu ball with a
resistance band secured behind you, your knees bent and your feet lat on the loor.
Sets 3 Time 12 15
Warm up by jogging for ten minutes around the area you are going to use for this circuit. Plan your route and check for territorial squirrels, holes in the ground and other obstacles while you do it.
START
Exercise 2 Get-up
Time 2x1 minute
From lying, get up without placing your hands on the ground. Do it by contracting your abs to raise your chest and by bringing one foot in to your backside so you can push off it to get upright.
Its working when you are sprinting one way, but getting your breath back the other.
> Bring your knees towards your chest and roll the
ball to your right, turning your legs and hips to that side. to complete one rep.
Get outside and lose weight with this 30-minute fat-frying park circuit
muscles. By working against the natural elements of the great outdoors you will switch on new muscles, as they respond to a new environment while burning more calories. Research shows exercising outdoors can boost your core stability, cut tension and improve mental health. Do all the exercises in order with as little rest as you can between each move. Run between stations and try and perform as many reps as you possibly can in the time limit.
Its working when your core works hard to get you off the ground.
Its working when your core is tight and your shoulders ache as they take the weight of your raised foot.
above your chest, palms facing forward, and raise your head and shoulders. arms, pushing the handle away from you. Pause, then lower to the starting position and repeat.
STAGE 2
Tie a resista nce band around a low and lie on object a pillow, facing away from the band.
Its working when your back is straight and your legs are burning as they power the movement.
Its working when your legs move as fast as possible but your back doesnt sag.
Jog another couple of laps of the area, eventually slowing to a walk. Follow this with some gentle stretching, holding each stretch for 30 seconds.
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FINISH
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