Men's Fitness UK

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Whatever your reason for reading Men’s Fitness, you likely know all about the benefits of regular exercise. Even if it remains a bit of a slog, chances are you continue to keep fit because you know it helps you look, feel and act like the best version of yourself. However, any fitness fan worth their salt will know that exercise is only half the battle. Because while it might not be as gratifying or immediately rewarding, good nutrition is every bit as important. And yet exercise novices and aficionados alike often find themselves caught in the monotonous meat-and-veg trap, assuming that any attempt at improving their health dooms them to a life of bland meals and minimal enjoyment. This issue of MF, however – and specifically our lead feature –…

Humans instinctively run at the most energy-efficient speed, regardless of the distance they are covering, according to new research. A team of scientists from Queen’s University in Ontario, and Stanford University in California, analysed data from runners in a lab, as well as runs recorded with the help of wearable fitness trackers. The results, published in the journal Current Biology, found that our natural tendency is to run at a sustainable speed which conserves caloric loss. And we instinctively want to run at this naturally balanced pace, whether running 1km or 10km. From an evolutionary perspective, it makes perfect sense that we naturally want to run at an ultra-efficient speed which burns the least amount of energy. And most of the time, it’s a good idea to trust your body’s…

PERFECTION PROBLEM Athletes who seek sporting perfection and fixate on their mistakes are at risk of emotional burnout, according to a new study conducted by the University of Essex. Analysing more than 250 athletes – from a diverse range of sports including weightlifting, football, golf and athletics – the researchers found that hyper self-critical competitors can suffer from exhaustion, loss of motivation and stress. “Athletes may be better served by being less self-critical, which should allow them to celebrate successes in performance, and embrace failures as an opportunity to reflect and improve rather than beat themselves up,” concluded lead author Luke Olsson. 31% of runners prefer hip hop, while 35% of cyclists like training to electronic dance music. Gym-goers, meanwhile, like to lift weights to high-energy pop music. Surprisingly, the…

A male version of the contraceptive pill could be a step closer, following positive trials out of the University of Minnesota. Researchers have developed a pill which was 99% effective in mice, with no observable side effects, and the drug is expected to enter human trials later this year. Previous attempts at developing a male pill targeted testosterone, but caused worrying side effects such as weight gain, depression and raised cholesterol. The new pill, however, is non-hormonal, and instead works to block a protein called ‘retinoic acid receptor alpha’, to help disrupt sperm formation. Words: Mark Bailey…

After I broke the world record for the 5,000m indoor row [with a time of 14 mins and 53.9 secs] in February, it was the worst I have ever felt. I was just lying on the floor, trying to get as much air in as possible. It hurt like hell. Pain was shooting through my legs and my lungs. I couldn’t move. But you want to do these challenges for yourself – and you want to show you can be a key part of a crew. The 5k erg test is actually part of my normal training programme for the Olympics and the [Oxford-Cambridge] Boat Race. But ultimately, indoor training is just a tool to help us perform on the water at the Olympics [bronze, 2020], the World Championships [bronze,…