YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING LEAN BEST BURN KETTLEBELL EXERCISES FAT MENTAL FITNESS How to cope FAST! with anxiety Quick ways to boost your metabolism
CREATE A WINNING MINDSET Adam Peaty WAYS TO on discipline SWIM and success STRONGER SIX-PACK SECRETS ARE ICE BATHS How to sculpt WORTH THE
abs of steel p48
PAIN?p54
BEST GYM TOPS June 2022 • £4.40 • mensfitness.co.uk
FOOTBALL NUTRITION
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
PRESS-UP TEST
Lightweight. Breathable. Natural.
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
YOUR GUIDE TO GETTING LEAN
BEST
BURN
KETTLEBELL
EXERCISES
FAT
MENTAL FITNESS
How to cope
FAST!
with anxiety
Quick ways
to boost your metabolism
CREATE A WINNING
MINDSET
Adam Peaty WAYS TO
on discipline SWIM
and success
STRONGER
SIX-PACK SECRETS
ARE ICE BATHS
How to sculpt
WORTH THE
abs of steel p48
PAIN?p54
BEST GYM TOPS June 2022 • £4.40 • mensfitness.co.uk
FOOTBALL NUTRITION
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
PRESS-UP TEST
Lightweight. Breathable. Natural.
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
ISSUE 266
EDITOR’S LETTER JUNE 2022
EDITORIAL
Editor Isaac Williams
n recent years, this
Art Director Xavier Robleda
magazine has championed
Editorial postal address: I the fact that getting
Kelsey Publishing Ltd, The Granary, Downs fit benefits far more than
Court, Yalding Hill, Yalding, Kent, ME18 6AL physical appearance. But while
mental wellbeing and general
ADVERTISING SALES resilience are undeniable
benefactors, there’s also no
KELSEY MEDIA
denying that, for most men, Commercial Manager Ben Rayment
exercise is aligned with some
543 517
kind of body-composition
ben.rayment@kelsey.co.uk
goal. So this issue we’re
Ad Production ManagerNeil Hepden
celebrating that, too, with
220 245 features, interviews and
neil@tandemmedia.co.uk training tips to provide you
with the tools needed to not
MANAGEMENT only build sustainable fitness,
Chief Executive Steve Wright but also burn through body fat and carve out your strongest, leanest physique to date.
Getting things off to a fast start is our exclusive interview with swimming legend Adam Peaty, Chief Operating Officer Phil Weeden
who takes us on a deep dive into the secrets of his extraordinary success, and what it takes - in and Managing Director Kevin McCormick
out the gym - to be a record-breaking Olympian. Subscription Marketing Director Gill Lambert
Continuing the ‘lean muscle’ theme, we’ve got 20 science-proven strategies for speeding Retail Director Steve Brown
up your metabolism and torching through calories - even at rest; five fitness coaches outline Print Production Manager Georgina Harris
their tried-and-tested tips for unveiling your abs; and we brace ourselves for the recovery- and
Print Production Controllers Hayley Brown performance-enhancing benefits of regular ice baths.
Senior Subs Marketing Manager Also in this issue: how to cope with anxiety, natural remedies for IBS, gym tops, swimming
Nick McIntosh gadgets, and 23 of the most effective exercises to do with a kettlebell.
DISTRIBUTION (UK)Marketforce UK Limited,
Isaac Williams, Editor
-141 Westbourne Terrace, London, isaac.williams@kelsey.co.uk
W2 6JR. Tel: 0330 390 6555
DISTRIBUTION (N. IRELAND AND REP. OF IRELAND)
INSIDE: HOW TO...
Newspread, Tel: +353 23 886 3850 PRINTINGPrecision Colour Printing Ltd
COVER Model: Adam Peaty
Photography: Ben Lumley
Information given is not a substitute for medical advice,
so ensure you check with your GP, medical professional
or relevant qualified professional before making any Swim better Rev your Get six-pack abs Relieve anxiety Train with kettlebells
changes to your healthcare, diet or exercise routine. Seventeen ways to metabolism Five ripped fitness Author Tim Clare’s Swing to win with our
Check the latest government guidelines before push performance in Science-backed tips coaches outline their honest account of his favourite kettlebell
participating in the activities mentioned in this magazine, the pool (p36). for torching fat (p42). fail-safe methods (p48). mental ill-health (p62). exercises (p90).
and always adhere to coronavirus restrictions.
Kelsey Media 2022© all rights reserved. Kelsey Media is a trading name of Kelsey Publishing Ltd. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden except with permission in writing from the publishers. Note to contributors: articles submitted for consideration by the editor must be the
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order line:01959 543747 Ltd, The Granary, Downs Court,
JUNE 2022
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
CONTENTS
“I’ve always found a way UPDATES
to get better - to get
News
Surprising HIIT-related research
faster, stronger, fitter”
News
Lift to live and how to boost leg power
15 mins with…
GB swimmer Ben Proud
PERFECT FIT
Sensate
MF tests the new portable meditation device
Training tees
The best t-shirts for warm-weather workouts
Training shorts
Not forgetting your lower body
Swim tech
Gadgets to boost
performance in the pool
IN FOCUS
Adam Peaty
The Olympic legend talks discipline, lifting and why ‘motivation’ isn’t enough
Swim tips
Inspired to hit the water? Here are 17 ways to swim with style and confidence
Rev your metabolism
Hack your metabolic rate to torch through calories even while at rest
Six-pack secrets
Five fitness models outline their fail-safe training and nutrition strategies
Cold-water therapy
Are ice baths worth the pain?
JUNE 2022
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ISSUE 266 JUNE 2022
MENTAL FITNESS
Mood music
New research highlights the power of listening
to uplifting songs
Coping with anxiety
Key anxiety-relieving lessons from author
“The unique
Tim Clare’s new book, Coward shape of the
Mental health days
kettlebell Why it’s time you took some time out
provides
exercise
FUEL
options that
Trick not treat
are tough to Use this simple hack to curb unhealthy cravings
replicate with Nutrition news
dumbbells or Facts and findings from the world of food
IBS
a bar”
Science-backed tips for lessening the effects of irritable bowel syndrome
TRAINER
Squat swap
If you struggle with back squats, trade the barbell for the kettlebell
How to…
Use strength training for a fat-loss goal
Ask the expert
efforts - and how you can too
what part of
HWPO workout
their body Sample session from CrossFit king Mat Fraser’s
new training platform
they would
Best kettlebell exercises most like
Dust off your forgotten lockdown purchase and get to work
to improve,
and the Press-up test
Put your pecs to the test with this deceptively
majority will difficult ten-minute challenge
point to their
stomachs”
JUNE 2022
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UNIVERSAL
PERFORMANCE
c236b28-87c3-40e9-b0fe-88f40b5739e9
NEED TO KNOW FITNESS NEWS
TAKE THE HIIT
Surprising new research suggests vigorous workouts protect
your body against long-term aches and pains
regular high-intensity physical exercise challenging exercise improves long-term
your cardiovascular fitness and - defined as vigorous activity at least once muscle function, cartilage health and bone
H
the post-workout endorphins; not a week - was linked to a lower risk of mass better than mild exercise, to help
so good for your body. At least, that might musculoskeletal pain ten years later. protect your body against pain in later life.
the logical assumption. But new research HIIT and spin classes are prime Vigorous exercise is also very effective for
suggests vigorous sessions may actually examples, but anything that challenges controlling body weight, which helps to
help to prevent longer-term pain. your body seems to help. Examples of reduce the unwelcome muscular
A recent study of around 6,000 vigorous activity referenced in the study degradation and joint pain which can be
subjects by the University of Portsmouth include swimming and jogging, while caused by piling on the pounds.
found that people who perform regular moderate exercise included dancing, And the evidence is growing. This new
moderate to intense exercise suffer less stretching and fast walking. study backs up a 2014 research paper in
bone, joint and muscle pain in later life the Journal of Pain, which found that doing
than those who settle for more ‘mild’ Muscle maintenance more moderate to vigorous exercise
pursuits. Although all forms of exercise Researchers believe this pain-reducing helped protect people from chronic pain,
were found to protect against pain, only phenomenon could be because whereas lighter activities did not.
JUNE 2022
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●UPDATES STUCK
IN A SLUMP
If you feel out of sorts
after an extended break from exercise, you’re not
alone. A global study supported by ASICS found that when regular exercisers were asked to take a week-long break from training, they reported a 20% drop in confidence, a 16% decline in positive thinking, a 23% loss of energy, and a 22% reduction in their ability to cope with stress. The study further enforces the fact that regular exercise serves as an invaluable tool for maintaining positive mental health. The good news is that you can quickly get back on track from unplanned absences, with the study finding just 15 minutes of exercise is enough to lift your mood.
TRY THIS:
THE NORTH FACE
YOUNG PRINTED FIRST DAWN
JACKET
AT HEART
£155 / thenorthface.co.uk
Drinking enough water not
As part of its Discover Your
only supports essential body Trail campaign - designed
functioning, but may also slash to encourage everyone to
risk of heart failure - when the get out and explore the trails
heart fails to pump enough around them - The North Face
blood for the body’s needs. has released the First Dawn
The study in the European packable jacket. It’s light as a
feather, wind- and waterproof, Heart Journal, which followed
and easily scrunched up and
,000 subjects, found that
stowed away when the sun
regular fluid intake supports
breaks through.
blood vessel function, and helps the heart to pump blood efficiently around the body.
JUNE 2022
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WAYS TO…
IMPROVE HILL
POWER ON THE BIKE
. Strengthen
your legs
For a leg day on wheels, triathlon and strength coach Phil Paterson recommends performing ten-minute high-power efforts (at 95% of your max heart rate) in a big gear on flat roads.
. Take a stand THE BIG QUESTION:
“On shallower climbs Is it worth overhauling
when you’re climbing fast, your running technique?
aerodynamics are still a factor, so seated climbing
THE EXPERT
is actually more efficient,”
Stephen McGregor,
says Paterson. “But once
director of the
the gradient kicks up
Running Science
above 10% and you slow
Lab at Eastern
down, it’s more about
Michigan University
power, so standing up may give you better power
Our lab, among others, has
production.”
been investigating this question
LIFT TO LIVE
for years with no clear evidence
. Keep up According to research in the British Journal of Sports that any one running style is
the cadence Medicine, performing just 30-60 minutes of strength best for speed and economy.
“Riding in a big gear at a training per week could slash your risk of dying - even For most recreational runners,
without doing any additional cardio exercise. Based on
low cadence (50-60rpm) running style is low on the list
an analysis of 16 studies, covering 25 years of research
may feel satisfying,” says of items that could help them
and 480,000 subjects, strength workouts were shown
Paterson, but sticking to go faster - a position seemingly
to cut the risk of death from heart disease, diabetes,
an easier gear at a higher cancer and other illnesses by a significant 10-20%. justified by a study conducted
cadence (70-90rpm) will by USA Triathlon, which
help you to sustain your showed that when sub-elite
power for longer. triathletes focused on changing
running technique towards a particular style for 12 weeks, their running economy actually got worse.
That said, there can be value in modifying running form. In our laboratory we’re currently working with Olympic triathletes, helping them tweak their form to hopefully make the 1-2% improvement in performance that can be the difference at elite level. We assess changes over time to ensure things are going in the right direction.
HIIT THE We’re not recommending fast or
wholesale changes that would
DRINK
SHOE AWAY GERMS put them into a ‘form box’, but
Super-fit people may drink more
small changes to weaknesses we
If you want to stay healthy at
booze than inactive people,
see from our measurements.
home, leave your shoes on the
according to a surprising study But in most healthy
porch. According to researchers
in Medicine & Science in Sports individuals, the improvements
from Indiana University’s
& Exercise. The research - based on data from 38,000 that can come from the changes
Environmental Resilience
people - found that fit people were 63% more likely to be are overstated and, without an
Institute, wearing shoes indoors
moderate or heavy drinkers. Some experts believe this is individually tailored approach,
can infect your home with a
down to the ‘licensing effect’, as exercisers give themselves can even be counterproductive.
range of harmful
microorganisms. These include more ‘rewards’ for their hard work. But despite loving a few For most people, running
drug-resistant pathogens, beers, the fittest men were also found to be less likely to improvements come from
consistent training with
cancer-causing toxins from exhibit signs of alcohol dependence. That suggests a regular
rational incremental increases
roads, and hormone-disrupting exercise routine may serve as a healthier focus for men who
in volume and intensity.
lawn chemicals. might otherwise get their kicks from drink.
JUNE 2022
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●UPDATES CBD
DROP THE TOPIC
It’s used by elite athletes for recovery and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed it from its banned list in 2018, but what exactly is CBD?
CBD - or cannabidiol - is the new kid Health Organization (WHO) says CBD is
on the mainstream recovery block ‘generally well tolerated with a good safety
and, like so many other get-fit-quick profile’, but a Harvard Medical School
supplements, there’s a lot of hype around it. publication claimed nausea, fatigue and
The substance is one of more than 100 irritability are potential side effects. And
chemical compounds (known as while CBD still has a lot of fans and
cannabinoids) of the cannabis plant, and potential, it doesn’t come cheap.
the list of supposed benefits is extensive: Ultimately, until more large-scale
better sleep, reduced inflammation, pain studies are carried out, the benefits of CBD
and anxiety relief high among them. will remain largely anecdotal. But that’s not
Despite the general lack of evidence for to say it won’t work for you. Many people
CBD benefits in humans - most studies have reported genuinely excellent results
involve its effects on rats - the market from regular CBD usage, but if you are
boomed at the end of the last decade. interested, be sure to build your dosage
And Marc Burbidge, from the Centre for very gradually - and don't be too
Medicinal Cannabis (CMC), predicts the disheartened if it doesn’t completely
industry in the UK alone will be worth £1bn transform your health and fitness.
by 2025.
“Larger doses of CBD have been found
Warrior has just launched a range of CBD Vegan
to balance neurotransmitters within the
Gummies and CBD Oil at BodybuildingWarehouse
body and help with a variety of anxiety
| eBay Stores.
related issues,” says Jess Hillard, nutritionist from leading sports nutrition brand Warrior. “And although further research needs to be done, there is evidence that CBD activates neurons in the brain, leading to increased amounts of dopamine released. That increases both energy levels and mood.”
CBD may also help to calm the central nervous system, as backed up by several studies. And recent research has shown that CBD could reduce pain and inflammation. It does so by influencing the endocannabinoid receptor system, which works within the nervous system, to ease pain via neurotransmitters.
Athlete awareness
However, sports bodies - such as UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) - urge caution. ‘Despite the permitted status of CBD, there is still a risk to athletes,’ states UKAD. ‘Athletes must still consider the risk of inadvertently ingesting a CBD product that either has a higher THC concentration than expected or contains another cannabinoid that is prohibited in sport.’
All cannabinoids other than CBD are prohibited in sport and USADA says they can stay in your system long after using them. It also claims it is almost impossible to obtain pure CBD extract or oil from the cannabis plant.
Confused? There’s more. The World JUNE 2022
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THE UK’S
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●UPDATES MINS
MINUTES
WITH…
GB
SWIMMER
BEN PROUD
Swimming isone of the few sports that can target every aspect of fitness, strength and mobility. Once you become familiar with the water, you can make small changes to sessions and train completely different aspects of your health - from highintensity intervals to low-and-slow relaxation. It can be a dynamic form of yoga.
I can betraining up to 20 hours a and weak; week two I start to get
week - a mixture of pool and gym time are your greatest friends. To familiarised with the exercises; week
sessions. As a sprinter my focus is on make a true impact on your body and three I find my body’s natural ranges;
short, sharp exercises with perfect health, it's best to have a slow and and by week four feel confident and
form. On a big week, 15 hours are steady approach, and avoid rushing ready to push my boundaries.
spent in the pool and around six in through a new programme.
the gym. I love food and fortunately swimming
My favouritemethod of training is requires a high-calorie diet, so much
choosing three to four compound lifts so that often the battle is providing
(bench, deadlift, squat) and arranging my body with the right amount of
them over two to three gym sessions energy to keep up with the workload.
a week. ey will be done for either 5
sets of 5-8 reps, or 3 sets of 1-3 reps, I’ve founda huge amount of value
starting with the higher workload and in learning to listen to my body. For
tapering down as the year goes on. example, when I’m craving a pizza
It’s important to mention that I rarely I’ll ask myself why: am I needing
ever work at 100% capacity, as we extra calories? Do I need extra fat in
like to focus on form and avoid any my diet? Is there a nutrient my body
serious fatigue. is lacking? Often you’ll find that a
craving is just your body’s way of
Whenever I’mstarting a new cycle asking for what it needs.
of training it typically takes four
weeks to get into the swing of things: Ben Proud is the 50m World Short Course and Commonwealth Games champion. He’s also
week one movements feel awkward
an Aquasphere athlete and Dare to Dream ambassador for airasia.com
JUNE 2022
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PICTURE PREVIEW
Adam Peaty celebrates moments after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke Final on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Victory meant Peaty - also an eighttime World Champion, sixteen-time European Champion and threetime Commonwealth Champion - was the first British swimmer ever to retain an Olympic title. Yet having won just about everything there is to win in the sport, Peaty’s passion and drive are as unrelenting as ever, as we found out when we spoke to him for this issue’s cover interview (p30).
Photography: Clive Rose/Getty Images
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KIT BAG ESSENTIALS
BUZZ CHILL
Sensate is the portable meditation device and accompanying app that uses a combination of vibration and relaxing soundscapes to calm the mind
know how much of that is down to the probably won’t feel the need for it, if you’re
ross-legged ‘Om’ meditation, vibrating device, the meditative music, in need of some headspace, and can
Ic
Sensate was designed with you or the simple fact you’re taking ten to do afford the pricetag, there’s no doubt
in mind. A palm-sized device that sits on nothing at all. The likely answer, of course, Sensate takes you to a place of calm.
your chest, it works in tandem with is a combination of all three, and Sensate
relaxing app-based music to create a does make it easy to reach a stress-less
sense of deep relaxation - all you need to state. Our only question is: why does it
do is recline and zone out. cost 200 quid?
The science is something like this… As well as the intended dual use, we
Low-frequency vibrations - the strength experimented by using just the device (no
of which are adjustable on the app music) and just the music, and found the
- target the vagus nerve (responsible for main benefit was provided by the latter.
the gut and internal organ functions), to Prolonged use may well, as the makers
reduce the physical symptoms of stress. claim, strengthen the parasymphetic
These vibrations mirror the highs and nervous system and ‘improve resilience
lows of the instrumental soundscapes to stress over time’, but the most tangible
of the app. The result is a genuinely short-term relief was more a result of the
immersive and highly relaxing relaxing sounds than the expensive thing
The Sensate 2 is
experience. buzzing away on the sternum.
available for £199
Ten minutes before bed achieves the That said, while anyone who already
from getsensate.com
desired calming effect, but it’s difficult to has their mind-clearing practices in place
JUNE 2022
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●PERFECT FITTRAINING TOPS
TEE TIME
In the gym or on the run, push your performance with these short-sleeved training tops
UA Rush Seamless GeoSport Short Sleeve
£50 / underarmour.co.uk
Cutting-edge science meets next-level comfort with the latest tee in Under Armour’s long-standing Rush range. There’s all the usual sweat-wicking, sports-focused technical detail you’d expect from a UA bit of kit (and one that’s going to set you back £50), but beyond the jargon this is simply a very comfortable training top. It fits nicely on the shoulders and arms, without pulling tight around the stomach, and does a fine job of staying light and breathable no matter the intensity of the workout. FitH HH H ComfortH HH H H BreathabilityH HH H OVERALLH HH H H
JUNE 2022
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Gym+Coffee Surge Tee SAYSKY Clean Pace T-Shirt Represent 247 T-Shirt
£29 / uk.gympluscoffee.com £45 / saysky.co.uk £60 / uk.representclo.com
Irish brand Gym+Coffee marries SAYSKY is a Danish brand primarily If you’re the proud owner of a recently
sustainability (the Surge Tee is made marketed at runners, but its technical grown set of guns, this is the tee for you.
from recycled fabrics) with genuinely tees are as at home in the gym as But while the slim fit is exactly that,
excellent products that come pounding the pavements. There are high-stretch material keeps the top from
surprisingly cheap. For less than £30, loads to choose from, but the Clean feeling overly restrictive. It’s got a nice,
the Surge - just one in a long line of Pace stands out for its clean design and soft finish to it, too, and though average
sports tees worth checking out - fits ultra-soft feel. Made from recycled breathability means you probably
a dream and looks the part. Made for polyester, it’s light without feeling flimsy wouldn’t do too much cardio in it,
running, but just as suited to gym work, and won’t overheat when the going weights work won’t be a problem.
this is an ultra-light, high-performance gets tough.
FitH HH H ComfortH HH H H
top that doesn’t cost the Earth.
FitH HH H ComfortH HH H BreathabilityH HH H OVERALLH HH H
FitH HH H ComfortH HH H H BreathabilityH HH H OVERALLH HH H
BreathabilityH HH H H OVERALLH HH H H
Puma Formknit Seamless Gym King Sport Ombre MP Men’s Tempo Ultra Training Tee
£25 / uk.puma.com Grindle Tee
Seamless T-Shirt
£25 / thegymking.com
£30 / myprotein.com
It feels like Puma’s upped its training
game in recent years, and its Low cost belies the high-quality feel of
Simple but effective, this is a low-cost
of new competition on the this impressive bit of kit from relatively
does-the-job option. The fit isn’t quite as
fitness block HYROX shows new brand Gym King. Arms, chest and
good as pricier products in this list, but
brand’s commitment to this corner shoulders are hugged just the right
seamless construction increases the
the market. The Formknit tee is amount, but there’s also enough room to
comfort, and ‘Coolmax yearns’
a good example, being perfectly breathe. It’s lightweight, though true to
maximise airflow. For us the main selling
and breathable for any name it’s best reserved for steady-state
point, though, is how light this top is
manner of exercise. lifting rather than anything too intense.
- perfect for sticky summer sessions.
FitH HH H H ComfortH HH H H FitH HH H H ComfortH HH H H
FitH HH H ComfortH HH H H
BreathabilityH HH H OVERALLH HH H H BreathabilityH HH H OVERALLH HH H H
BreathabilityH HH H H OVERALLH HH H H
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●PERFECT FITTRAINING SHORTS
SHORT
NOTICE
Have the freedom to move without chafing or restriction with these highperformance shorts
SAYSKY Ranger Shorts 8”
£67 / saysky.co.uk
Copenhagen-based SAYSKY has made its name in the world of running, but these shorts are perfect for the gym - sitting just above the knee, with (and here’s the clincher) two uniquely deep side pockets for keys, phones and any other hand-sized essentials. Four-way stretch material moves in all the right places, and they stay pleasantly light and dry no matter how hard you’re working. Comfort★ ★★ ★ ★
Movement★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★
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Represent 247 Active Shorts
£85 / uk.representclo.com
Gym King Flex Short
£25 / thegymking.com Luxury brand Represent’s 247 range UA Vanish Woven Snap Shorts
styles itself on being ‘worn anytime, for £45 / underarmour.co.uk
Another impressively high-quality but every purpose’, though these dual-
affordable bit of kit from Gym King, the layered shorts are going to be better Under Armour kit is always reliable, and
Flex Short is the perfect length for suited for your weekly 10k than an these shorts were made to make your
weight training: short enough to move afternoon at the pub. That baselayer workouts as comfortable as possible,
freely, but long enough to protect your inner provides a good amount of featuring temperature-regulating Heat
modesty when sat on a bench. Light and cramp-delaying compression, and two Gear tech and a breathable mesh detail.
breathable, there’s also an internal brief sizeable zipped pockets bring the The ‘snap’ relates to a slight split in the
lining to keep everything secure. practicality. sides to improve flexibility.
Comfort★ ★★ ★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ Comfort★ ★★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ ★ Comfort★ ★★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ ★
OVERALL★ ★★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★
adidas Train to Peak
Castore Active 7” MP Men’s Tempo
HIIT Training Shorts
Stretch Shorts £35 / adidas.co.uk Ultra Shorts
£60 / castore.com £35 / myprotein.com
Made from at least 60% recycled
High-stretch fabric moves as you do, materials, these versatile shorts are Designed with stretch woven fabric
providing complete freedom of designed to withstand the demands for unrestricted movement in the
movement whether squatting or of functional strength training - from weights room, while being durable
sprinting. They’re nice and light, too, box jumps to burpees and everything enough to be worn for running. They
with handy zipped pockets and in-between. ‘AEROREADY’ tech keeps are short, though, so only buy if
reflective logos for visibility if you’re sweat from soaking in, and the woven you’re happy putting your pins on
running in low light. design moves free and easy. full display.
Comfort★ ★★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ Comfort★ ★★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ Comfort★ ★★ ★ Movement★ ★★ ★ ★
OVERALL★ ★★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★
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●PERFECT FITSWIM TECH
STROKES OF GENIUS
The best gadgets for unlocking your inner Adam Peaty
probably should be. Regular water-based workouts can help build endurance, Iit
improve muscle strength, increase muscle mass and turbo-charge your cardiovascular fitness. If you’re brave enough, wild swimming and colder-water dips also deliver mental health, immune system and big heart health benefits. There’s plenty of tech to help you find your water wings, too. From coaching trackers to pool-friendly heart rate monitors and headphones, we dive into the latest swim tech to help you fly along in the fast lane.
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Polar Verity Sense
£76.50 / polar.com
On dry land, the optical heart-ratetracking Verity Sense is a comfortable alternative to chest straps that can be worn on your forearm, wrist or bicep. But where things really get interesting is in the pool. The tiny sensor comes with a clip that attaches to your swim-goggle straps to track your real-time heart rate from the temple. That cuts out the inaccuracies you can get when movement through water interferes with chest straps and wrist-based trackers. It packs a 20-hour battery, 16MB memory and 150m broadcast range; and pairs with watches, smart goggles or direct to the Polar Beat app. DesignH HH H H BenefitsH HH H H
OVERALLH HH H H
Form Smart Swim Goggles
From £18 per month, goggles included / uk.formswim.com
A good multisport GPS watch will track swim stats, but having the data on your wrist makes it hard to check your vitals mid-crawl, without messing up your flow. Bluetooth doesn’t play nice in water, so audio updates over headphones aren’t an option either. So the moment you dip a toe in the water, you’re swimming blind.
Form’s augmented reality goggles change that. They look and feel like regular goggles, but they automatically track your efforts in the pool. Stats monitored include distance, duration, split time, length count, pace per 50m or 100m, interval time, rest time, stroke rate and count, distance per stroke and calories burned.
Waveguide optical display technology - specially designed to work underwater - beams these pleasingly simple dot matrix readouts into your eyeline, overlaying up to 12 real-time metrics on your goggle lenses fighter-pilot style.
You get 18 hours swim time from a single charge, and open-water swimmers can also pair them with top-end Garmins and an Apple Watch to get enhanced outdoor swim stats and heart rate monitoring. Plus, you can link them with Polar’s goggle-worn, swim-friendly Verity Sense HRM to get real-time effort readouts to guide your training.
DesignH HH H H BenefitsH HH H H OVERALLH HH H H
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●PERFECT FITSWIM TECH
Finis Smart Goggles
$199 / finisswim.com
Another set of smart goggles that beam your real-time vital swim stats onto your goggles, these cheaper-feeling goggles have a removable Smart Coach sensor that clips into the side of the eyepiece. It can be swapped between compatible goggles, making it easier - and cheaper - to replace your eyewear. You get six hours of swim tracking on a single charge and the detailed Finis app tracks total swim time with breakouts for active time and rest time (plus pace, distance, lap count and lap splits). It also breaks down your sets with time, distance and
average splits for each set. Design★ ★★ ★ ★
Benefits★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★
Triton 2
From $16 per month / tritonwear.com
Plunging a little deeper into the serious end, this head-worn swim tracker is used to eke marginal gains out of medal-chasing Olympians. But there’s plenty here for mortal pool-goers, too. The sensor sits under your swim cap and serves up an impressive suite of swimming metrics, including distance, stroke type and count, lap splits and pace; and also goes deeper with killer stats such as distance per stroke, push off strength and even breath count per length. It works offline, so you can track and sync later. The Triton 2 boasts 15 hours of swim time. Design★ ★★ ★ ★ Benefits★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★
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hokz OpenSwim
.95 / uk.shokz.com
luetooth and water don’t mix, so if you eed music to ease the monotony of cessantly lapping that 25m pool, these 0g water-resistant, bone-conduction eadphones are your best bet. You on’t get the big bass or perfect audio f regular headphones, but they feature built-in MP3 player with 4GB storage that’s enough for around 1,200 songs. drag-and-drop console makes it easy o sync tunes from your laptop. There’s lso an eight-hour swim-time battery fe, and that IP68 rating keeps them afe underwater up to two metres for
two hours.
Design★ ★★ ★★ Benefits★ ★★ ★★
OVERALL★ ★★ ★★
INCUS Cloud Swim
£199.99 / incusperformance.com
Worn on the spine in a sports-bra-like bib, this capable tool packs a powerful ten-axis motion sensor to capture all the micro movements that reveal form and efficiency in the pool. Swim stats include body roll, pitch angles, stroke rate, drag and kick, and independent stroke analysis. Haptic feedback guides your training brilliantly in real time in the pool, coaching pacing and cadence. An excellent training tool for honing your swim technique, but you’ll need confidence to pull off the look. Design★ ★★ ★★ Benefits★ ★★ ★ ★
OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★
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●PERFECT FITSWIM TECH
Garmin Swim 2
£219.99 / garmin.com
While many Garmin watches track swimming, if you really want to dive into your swim training with serious intent, the Swim 2 goes much deeper. Its raft of swim-specific metrics and training tools include open water and pool swim modes, pacing alerts, drill logging, automatic rest tracking, Critical Swim Speed that estimates your anaerobic threshold speed, plus a big selection of workouts to follow. You get 72 hours of swim time in pool mode and 13 if you’re using GPS to track open-water dips. It’ll also track outdoor running and cycling, making it a good option for triathletes.
Design★ ★★ ★ ★ Benefits★ ★★ ★ ★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★
Ruckraft
£164 / abovebelow.sc
If monotonous laps of chlorinated pools don’t really float your boat, this fully inflatable raft will give your swimming and training an adventurous edge. The Ruckraft comes with a giant drybag that happily swallows up - and waterproofs - a full 70-litre expedition pack, letting you conquer rivers and lakes in your Speedos while towing your dry kit with you. The raft inflates in 30 seconds, supports up to 320kg of your worldly goods, and when you step ashore it all packs down nicely, adding just 1kg to your carry weight.
Design★ ★★ ★ ★ Benefits★ ★★ ★★ OVERALL★ ★★ ★ ★ JUNE 2022
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TRAIN SMARTER WITH
CLOTHING THAT
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IN FOCUS ADAM PEATY
“THERE’S NO WAY AROUND IT, YOU’VE JUST GOT TO BE WILLING TO GO GET IT EVERY
SINGLE DAY”
Record-smashing swimmer and Castore athlete
Adam Peatysits down with editor Isaac Williamsto talk discipline, hard graft and why ‘motivation’ isn’t enough
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ADAM PEATYIN FOCUS
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“Strength and conditioning
IN FOCUS ADAM PEATY is the fun side of training”
hink ‘athlete’ and there’s a good chance you also think ‘swimmer’. Because in terms of raw physical fitness - coupled with invariably high-def physiques - the
pros who live life in the fast lane are a cut
above just about everyone else.
No man typifies that more than
Adam Peaty. Weighing in at 95kg of pure muscle, the only thing more impressive than his rig is his career CV - demonstrated by household name status in a sport only widely televised once every four years.
Peaty first made a splash outside of swimming circles at the Rio 2016 Olympics, where his 100m breastroke victory made him the first British male gold medal-winning swimmer since 1988. Five years on, he defended his title at the delayed 2020 Games in Tokyo, becoming the first British swimmer - male or female - ever to retain an Olympic gold.
But while Olympics exploits captured national attention, Pursuit of perfection
Peaty’s year-on-year performances on the less-publicised Clearly, such success is founded on a huge amount of natural talent. In fact,
swimming circuit are the real mark of his greatness. A Peaty’s physiology means he was virtually born to swim breastroke. Standing
three-time Commonwealth Champion, 16-time European at 6ft 3in, with size 12 feet and shovel-like hands, he’s able to pull himself
Champion and eight-time World Champion, very few through the water with uniquely powerful strokes. Add to that double-jointed
athletes have so utterly dominated their discipline over such knees and ankles that allow him to kick more effectively, along with
a long period of time. It’s not a case of simply beating the monstrous lung capacity, and you have the blueprint for brilliance.
next-best man, either; Peaty isn’t so much in competition However, ability is nothing without application, and though all
with the unfortunate athletes in the same pool as him, as he professional athletes possess greater drive than most, it’s difficult to imagine
is with himself. It’s a point proven by the remarkable stat that anyone with a more unwavering commitment to continual progress. Despite
at one stage in 2021, he held each of the 20 fastest times ever all he’s achieved, Peaty is far from satisfied.
recorded over 100m breaststroke. “It’s about relentless effort in the pursuit of excellence,” he says, when
I ask how he continues to stay motivated - for the 5am alarms and relentless training - after winning virtually all there is to win. “For me, especially over the past seven or eight years, I’ve always found a way to get better - to get faster, stronger, fitter.” It’s a lifestyle, he admits, which “comes at a cost” (Peaty has a young son with long-term girlfriend Eirianedd Munro), but though two years of coronavirus lockdowns allowed more time at home, he remains “addicted to this way of life.”
Mentality monster
Such a cast-iron mindset is something he’s seemingly always had. Youth swimming gets a bad rap in popular culture - overcompetitive parents and reluctant kids are common tropes - but speaking to Peaty provides the clearest possible sense that he simply loves what he does, and has done for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve never really been into team sports,” he says. “I think it’s because I know that my performance is solely in my hands. I like my own standard and my own results. I enjoy going hell for leather - heart rate up at 200 - and pushing myself to my limit.”
That passion may have been a constant, but soon after turning pro Peaty was also quick to recruit the help of a sports psychologist to help him realise his true potential. In 2014, he started working with the world-renowned Bill Beswick - who has Manchester United on his list of clients. “Funnily enough,” says Peaty, “it was around then I started to get good.”
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ADAM PEATYIN FOCUS
On their first meeting, Beswick gave the account of a rugby game between
PEATY’S POINTERS
France and the New Zealand All Blacks.
Three quick swim tips from the king of the pool
Before the game, the All Blacks
performed their traditional ‘Haka’
. Slow down
dance, which had the desired effect of
“Slow your technique right down before trying to go any faster. Technique
intimidating the already-underdog French is the base.”
team - and it showed. France went on to
get resoundly thumped. However, in the . Breathe better
next meeting between the two teams, the “Whether it’s breathing every three strokes or every two, find a formula
that works for you. I recommend every three, so you have balance.”
French vowed to face the Haka down and
show no sign of weakness. Staring the
. Follow your hands
All Blacks directly in the eyes, a member
“Where your hands are, your head and legs will most likely follow, so
of the New Zealand team eventually focus on where they’re entering the water.”
looked away. What followed was a famous
French win. “Bill told me,” Peaty
concludes, “that’s what you need to do: with a bit of Metallica, and just going for it. I love the challenge of it.
you need to look the challenge head on Swimming is extremely hard, but I’ve been doing it all my life, so I can
and say, ‘Not today.’” always find a way to do it. If I’m doing new exercises in the gym, it’s
a fresh challenge.”
Respect the process He gives the example of a barbell complex (essentially doing all the
But is that refusal to be beaten all that exercises without putting the bar down) recently introduced to his routine:
spurs him on, or are there other motivating factors? Well x hang clean, 6 x front squat, 6 x shoulder press. “Do that five times,” he
motivation, it turns out, is a weak motivator... says, “and it absolutely hammers you. I’m less used to this type of stuff, so it’s
“David Goggins [former Navy SEAL turned ultra- building a completely new side to my fitness.” On Saturdays, he also cycles
endurance athlete] once said, ‘Motivation isn’t strong enough through a high-intensity bodyweight circuit (see p34) - “these exercises are
to get you through the tests of life,’ and I completely agree. easy for anyone, but it’s all about intensity. Much better to do a 15-minute
Motivation can be a useful thing, but there’s no way around intensity block than 30 minutes half-arsed.”
it, you’ve just got to be willing to go get it every single day. Regular readers will remember our interview with strongman Eddie Hall
It comes down to dedication and respect: that I’ll always a few months back. Hall credited much of his superhuman strength to years
show up and give 100% both for the coach and myself.” spent swimming competitively as a teenager. Towards the end of the
Performance in training is one thing, but what about conversation with Peaty, I ask if he agrees that swimming can be a useful
when he’s lining up at the start of an Olympic or World complement to work in the gym. The short answer: yes. “Swimming creates
Championship Final - how does he stay composed enough flexibility,” he says, “and if you’ve got flexibility in your joints and muscles,
to put the thousands of hours of training into practice? you have a very good base from which to build muscle and strength.”
“Pre-race I will imagine every single possible scenario,” But for anyone tempted to dip their toe in, Peaty brings the main benefit
Peaty tells me, “so before the breastroke final in Rio, I had back to the mind. “To progress in any sport,” he says, “you have to be willing
swam that race thousands of times in my mind. When to push through when you feel like you’re going to break. For me, the main
I actually swam it, it felt easy, because I’d already been there. thing is that swimming makes you a grafter.”
“In the pool, it’s all muscle memory. I will have done that race thousands of times and trained it pretty much every day for the last 15 years. I’ll just be thinking about the fine details to do with technique, as well as awareness of where I am in the water, then towards the end it’s fight or flight, going as hard as I can.”
Embrace the grind
However, in sport a powerful mentality can do little with a weak body, and Peaty’s commitment to mental strength is bettered only by his commitment to, in his words, “hard graft”. In the pool, that means 55,000m each week - length after endless length, perfecting every aspect imaginable. Out of the pool, it’s about building the strength and mobility to move as powerfully as possible through the water. And that’s the stuff he loves.
“Strength and conditioning, for me, is the fun side of training,” Peaty admits. “I love putting my headphones in,
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IN FOCUS ADAM PEATY
TRAIN LIKE ADAM PEATY
Complete the following exercises as a circuit, doing 45-60 secs of each and resting
15 secs between moves. Aim for 4 rounds in total.
a.KETTLEBELL SWING
WHY: To create an explosive hip drive and strong glutes.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and push the kettlebell off your body to start the swing.
As you lower, hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes back. When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, drive your hips forward,
swinging the kettlebell up.
Don’t worry too much about how high the kettlebell gets - the snap at the hips and drive through the glutes is more important than air time.
c. COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP
WHY:To build explosivity and train the fast-twitch muscle fibres
in the lower body.
Stand tall.
Drop into a quarter squat, then immediately extend through the knees and hips to jump as high as possible.
Land softly, reset and repeat.
b.ALTERNATING V-UP
WHY:To build core strength and single-limb proprioception.
Lie on your back with legs out flat and your arms extended overhead.
Keeping your arms close to your ears, contract your abs to press your lower back into the ground.
Point your toes and, squeezing your quads and glutes, lift one leg and upper back off the ground, while reaching your opposite hand forward to meet your foot.
Keep your core engaged as you slowly lower to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side. JUNE 2022
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ADAM PEATYIN FOCUS
d.PRESS-UP f.LUNGE
WHY:To build strong shoulders and pecs, plus a stable core. WHY:To improve proprioception, hip mobility and
lower-body strength.
When you lower, aim to keep your elbows tucked into
your body. If you let them flare out it will place extra strain From standing, take a big step forward with one foot.
on your elbow joints, which could lead to injury. Now bend at both knees, so your back knee drops
Make sure your hips are level throughout the exercise. towards the floor and your front leg forms a right angle.
If you let them sag it’ll put strain on your lower back. It’s Make sure your front knee doesn’t extend beyond your
also a sign that you’ve lost core control, so keep them up front toes.
to make sure that you’re staying stable. Drive through your front heel to step back to standing,
then repeat on the other leg.
e.FEET-ELEVATED CRUNCH
WHY:To build core strength.
Lie on your back, pressing your lower back into the floor, with fingers on temples.
Maintaining this position, lift your feet off the ground. Now raise your upper back, too.
From here, bring your knees and elbows in to touch somewhere above your chest.
Maintain tension in your abs as you lower back down - without letting your feet touch the floor.
Adam Peaty is wearing
latest Castore Spring/
Summer ’22 collection. Visit castore.com JUNE 2022
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IN FOCUSSWIM TIPS
WAYS
TO IMPROVE
YOUR SWIMMING
Swimming is one of the few sports than can give you a full-body workout and meditative release at the same time. But before you dust off your Speedos and hit the pool, heed the following swim-boosting advice
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SWIM TIPSIN FOCUS
here’s a strong case to be made for swimming being the ultimate physical activity. With correct technique, it provides a full-body workout and taxes your cardiovascular system, with a fraction of the injury risk of land-based sports. Which begs the question: why don’t
T more of us do it?
Despite the endless list of benefits, for most men, heading to the pool is secondary to the gym or other exercise. Many hit the pool to cool-down or recover, rather than using swimming as the main event. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with a leisurely swim, but doing the same thing week in, week out isn’t going to do anything for your general fitness. But once you’re truly comfortable in the water - and know how to structure your sessions effectively - a whole new world of strength and cardio gains are at your fingertips. Here’s my best advice for pushing progress in the pool…
TIME IT RIGHT
THE EXPERT Generally, public leisure
Ella Foote is a swim centres offer regular-lane swimming
teacher, open-water sessions throughout the day. Morning
coach, open-water
sessions between 7am and 9am and
lifeguard and
early evening before 7pm are usually
year-round outdoor
swimmer. She is the busiest. It’s worth trying different
the founder and director of Dip session times to work out what type
Advisor, an outdoor swim guiding
of swimmers are swimming and
business, and editor of Outdoor
when. You don’t want to be heading
Swimmermagazine.
to the pool during a family session;
conversely, often the last lane session of the day is empty, so you can make the most of your time in the water. A 30-minute session can be enough.
GET GOOD KIT
One of the best things about swimming is that you don’t need
masses of expensive gear. Which is why it always surprises me how little people invest in the few pieces of kit they do need. One pair of decent goggles, that fit correctly, can completely transform your experience. Buy a pair you get on with, then look after them like your favourite pair of sunglasses. A good pair of goggles should fit the size of your head, and frame of your face and eye sockets, without leaving heavy marks around your eyes.
WARM UP
Because swimming is low impact, it’s easy to overlook a warm-up
before getting in the pool. But it’s still a good idea to wake up the muscles and raise your heart rate gently - your performance will benefit. Start your warm-up before you get in the water, focusing on the shoulders, chest, head, neck, lower back and legs. Aim for five minutes out of the water, before getting in and doing a mix of strokes at a gentle pace.
DO THIS:
The shoulders are most prone to injury, so the following drill will warm up the delts and rotator cuffs
• Hold your hands up, with elbows at right angles (as if at the bottom
of a shoulder press).
• Now bring your elbows together, to meet in front of your chest. • Bring your elbows back to the start, then bring your hands behind
your back, clasping your fingers and extending your arms. • Return to the starting position, and repeat the sequence 6-8 times.
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IN FOCUSSWIM TIPS
REMEMBER TO BREATHE
Breathing is the biggest obstacle for most first-time
swimmers. Mastering it is also the quickest way to make real progress in a short space of time.
“Your swimming breathing should be the same as your land-based breathing,” advises Keri-Anne Payne, two-time 10k open-water world champion, and an Olympic silver medallist. “If it is different, you will struggle.”
Often people take large gulps of oxygen with big movement, then explosively breathe out. You wouldn’t do this with any other activity. Breathing should be calm and relaxed.
DO THIS:
• Learn to breathe out through your nose when you’re face
down in the water, before taking a small breath in, with a small movement, as your head comes up.
• A common mistake is to try to breathe both out and in
during that short time between strokes.
FOCUS ON FORM
LEARN THE STROKES Like lifting weights at the gym, if your technique is
Most people will switch between breaststroke and front sloppy, you’re going to be more prone to injury and you won’t
crawl - these are the easiest and most common strokes people get the maximum benefit from your swimming. Experienced
master. Butterfly is the most demanding, and will burn the most swim coach and teacher, Paul Fowler, runs 100% Swimming.
calories - if you have the space and skill, it’s a great workout. That He says, “Choose good form over speed or distance. Always
said, front crawl is equally beneficial if you push yourself, and you swim well, practise good technique and be the best that you
won’t upset your fellow pool users quite as much. can on any given day. Technique will support long distance
or faster swimming speeds, so short sessions at the pool,
focusing on your form, can be more beneficial overall. Build
BREAK IT DOWN up correct form and speed, and the distance will follow.”
Breaking your chosen stroke down to component parts
and working on them individually is the best way to improve
your overall performance. When you learn to swim, a teacher BE CONSISTENT
will tend to look at your whole stroke, then each part, then Swimming once a week is better than nothing,
whole again to see the improvement. This is an effective way but you won’t see much benefit or progress. Frequent, short
for you to focus your solo sessions, too. swimming sessions will see a more sustainable improvement
over time. If you can aim for three swim sessions a week,
perhaps dedicate each session to either a different part of your
DO THIS: stroke or a different stroke entirely. Working on just arms or
• Do a gentle warm-up, then break the stroke down into legs isn’t reserved just for the gym. Dedicate short sessions to
arms, legs, breathing and body.
arms, legs, body and breathing - paying attention to form.
• At the end, pull it all together.
Look at your swim plan over a month, rather than by week,
• Time yourself on your first whole stroke length, then at
the end to see the progress - it can be really satisfying. and you could see a huge difference.
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SWIM TIPS IN FOCUS GET HELP
Your local leisure centre will have a list of
teaching staff who can help with the basics for each stroke, and help you identify areas to work on. If you can’t sustain front crawl for more than 25 meters, you need help. Understanding where you’re going wrong and how to make changes will make swimming more enjoyable and comfortable. If you’re more advanced with your swimming, try using a coach who can help you set and reach more targeted goals.
WATCH YOURSELF
Get a waterproof case for your smartphone
take a mate swimming with you. Get them to film you swimming towards them, from the side, below and above. Often our brains tell us we are doing one thing, but our bodies are doing something very different. Over-crossing arms with front crawl is common and puts a strain on the shoulders - being able to clearly see it on camera can help you adjust. Look at your catch and kick: are you swimming as
efficiently as you can? If
taking any camera to a pool area, seek permission from the lifeguard/pool manager, as there are safeguarding procedures in place at all pools - and only ever film yourself.
“Breaking your chosen stroke down to component parts and working on them individually is the best way to improve your overall performance”
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IN FOCUSSWIM TIPS
USE OPTIONAL EXTRAS FUEL UP
There are loads of swim accessories you can take to the Swimming uses a lot of energy, so it’s common
pool, though in my experience it’s best not to take them all at to leave the water feeling ravenous. Ensuring you have
once, and the basic offer is often the best. Different toys do something in your body before you start swimming will
different things. The most common equipment you will find enable you to perform better, but too much food and it can
at your local pool is a kickboard - simply a flat rectangular be uncomfortable. Choose easy-to-digest foods: wholegrains,
float. There are several drills you can do with one, and it yogurt, nuts and fruits are all good. If you can’t face food
can help with a leg session, body positioning and breathing before a swim, make sure your last meal had a good portion
technique. If your pool doesn’t have one, they are inexpensive of slow-release carbohydrates.
to buy and a worthy investment. Other than that, there are
pool buoys, paddles, gloves, fins - the options are endless.
Seek advice and do your research to get the most out of DRINK PLENTY
your kit. You don’t notice or feel the discomfort of sweating
in the water, so can easily forget to hydrate. Thirst can also
be supressed by water flushing in and out of the mouth. It’s
DO MORE DRILLS always surprising how few water bottles I see pool-side when
Simply, drills are a way to work on your technique I’m swimming, but you wouldn’t head out for a long run
and fitness. They are a way of incorporating accessories into without water. If you suffer with cramp in your legs or feet
your swimming, and can help increase speed and power while swimming, mixing in a hydration tablet or gel with
through the water. They’re a useful way to teach your body electrolytes can help.
how it should feel during a certain technique. Drills are great for creating habits: so your body moves naturally, rather than you having to think about the movement too much.
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SWIM TIPS IN FOCUS TAKE IT OUTSIDE
Another brilliant way to challenge yourself and make
swimming more interesting is to leave the confines of the pool. There’s a reason outdoor swimming is increasing in popularity and people get all evangelical about it. Beathing fresh air, exercising in natural daylight and immersing in nature boosts the physical and mental benefits of swimming. Swimming in open-water also requires new skills and ability. Not being able to see the bottom or push off the end of a pool can feel totally different. There are plenty of open-water venues across the UK, offering safety, support and facilities, as well as marked distances to tackle.
SET TESTS
If you’ve mastered your technique and are maximising
your swim sessions, but now find you’re getting bored, set yourself challenges to engage and motivate. They could be as simple as being able to swim faster or further, but you could also look at pool and open-water events.
DO THIS:
Swimathon takes place at over 450 venues across the UK, and offers distances from 400m to 30.9k. It’s a popular annual event and can be done individually or as a team. Find out more at swimathon.org
GET STRONG
Improvement can be made outside the pool, with
strength training and exercises that enhance your time in the water. Personal trainer and open-water coach Viv Rickman encourages swimmers to reach a level of ‘zen’ in the water. “For me,” she says, “it’s the moment when my breathing, arms and body are aligned. When my rotation feels perfect, when I have that cool abyss of nothingness below me, my rhythm just flows and my focus is in the here and now.”
DO THIS:
Viv Rickman recommends strength training to aid swimming form and the cable woodchop is
“Drills are great for creating habits: so your
the perfect core strengthener
body moves naturally, rather than you having
• Attach a handle to the top setting of an adjustable
cable machine. Stand next to the machine with your to think about the movement too much”
feet shoulder-width apart.
• Extend your arms upward and grab the handle with
both hands above one shoulder.
• With your arms fully extended, pull the handle down
and across your body to your opposite side. Allow your hips and torso to rotate, and keep a slight bend in your knees.
• Slowly reverse the movement to return to the
starting position.
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Rev up your engine with these science-proven strategies for boosting your metabolism and accelerating fat loss
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METABOLISM IN FOCUS
our metabolism, a 24/7 machine, is the Think ‘little and often’
sum of all the chemical reactions in your Because of TEF, eating more often can help you lose weight. “When you eat large
body. It energises 37 trillion cells, powers all meals with many hours in between, your metabolism slows down,” says Dr Kinsella.
your vital organs and ensures your immune Research published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition,
Y system functions to keep you alive. But it’s however, shows that having a small meal or snack every few hours keeps your
also poorly understood. metabolism whirring away, so you burn more calories over the course of a day.
“On the most basic level,” explains Dr Michael
Mosley, metabolism specialist with thefast800.com, “it Muscle up
is the process by which your body turns what you eat “Building and maintaining lean muscle tissue is important,” says Dr Kinsella. A
and drink into energy. You need that energy to move, pound of muscle can burn up to 20 calories a day, whereas a pound of fat can burn
digest food, keep warm, breathe and even think. The only five calories. “Since lifting weights helps build muscles and also burns fat,” adds
whole process is known as your basal metabolic rate.” Dr Kinsella, “it has a dual benefit in weight-loss programmes.” Ultimately, the more
How that metabolic rate works, and how much muscle someone has, the more calories they will burn - as highlighted by a wealth
energy it uses itself, is determined by a number of of research in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research.
factors, including your size, build, gender and age.
“In general, men tend to have less body fat and more Pile on the protein
muscle than women, which means men burn more Protein is the best food for speeding up metabolic rate, and it’s estimated that
calories,” explains Dr Martin Kinsella, hormone regular protein intake with every meal can ramp up that rate by more than 15%.
specialist with bioidhealth.com. “Even when you’re “Anything you consume that’s going to support your skeletal muscle mass is going
resting, your body needs energy to function, grow and to influence how many calories you burn each day,” adds Dr Greg Potter, chief
repair. Muscles, including the brain, burn up to 300 science officer at Resilient Nutrition. “High-quality protein and creatine
calories every day.” monohydrate are especially effective.”
Body composition changes, activity levels and diet can influence that burn rate, too.
Eat to burn
“As well as your metabolic rate, another factor that determines how many calories you burn is thermogenesis, or the processing of food,” says Dr Kinsella. “When you eat food, it’s digested, absorbed, transported and stored - and all of these processes use calories. This is called the thermic effect of food, or TEF.”
Starving yourself won’t burn calories; regularly eating meals of the right kind will.
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IN FOCUSMETABOLISM
Crank up the cardio influence how many calories you burn,” says Dr Greg
“A high
“Raising your heart rate, increasing blood flow to the Potter. “Not a huge amount, but some stimulants do
dose of limbs and muscles, challenging your lungs and triggering affect energy expenditure.”
the effects of exercise on the body not only requires
caffeine
energy in the form of glycogen, but also makes Add spice
demands on the body that raises the metabolic rate,” “Hot spices, such as chilli and hot peppers, will
will
says Dr Kinsella. “Cardiovascular exercise is a great way also have the same effect,” says Dr Kinsella. “Studies
influence of stimulating your metabolism - and in some studies suggest that as much as 10% of calories are burned
it’s suggested that it could be better than resistance work.” through diet-induced thermogenesis.” A range
how many
of studies using a variety of doses of chilli intake
calories Go green confirm that its magic ingredients - especially that
Green tea has got plenty of skin in the game when it hot-kick substance capsaicin - facilitate weight loss
you burn” comes to encouraging thermogenesis. US researchers and thermogenesis.
found that - in a study of sedentary young men -
green tea with caffeine significantly increased energy Face fats
expenditure (4%) and fat burning. Control groups Dabbling in fad diets is something to be avoided
given just caffeine or a placebo experienced no when it comes to weight loss. But having a shot at
significant changes. a low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diet can contribute
to a metabolism surge.
Or stick to the strong stuff “When glycogen stores run low, around 10 to 12
If you can’t face the thought of asking for a green tea hours after eating, your body turns to fat as an energy
at the greasy spoon, opt for a strong black coffee source,” explains Dr Mosely. This flips the metabolic
instead. “If you have a high dose of caffeine, then switch. “Your liver then converts that fat into ketone
your sympathetic nervous system is going to crank bodies, which the body uses as fuel. And research
out substantially more stress hormones, which will shows that people who do a keto diet are more likely
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METABOLISM IN FOCUS
to preserve their muscles (and their metabolic rate) as they lose weight.”
Drink more
Water plays a vital role in processing calories, whereas mild dehydration can slow your metabolism. In one study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, adults who drank eight or more glasses
of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water before every meal, and snack on melons and citrus fruits - which naturally contain lots of water.
Sleep it off
Studies published in the American Journal of
Epidemiologyare a wake-up call to those suffering “A range of
with sleep deprivation. It too can alter the glucose metabolism and hormones involved in regulating
studies on
metabolism. Not getting enough shut-eye reduces
leptin levels (leptin is the hormone that makes us feel chilli show
full) and increases ghrelin, which makes us eat more
its magic
than we need.
ingredients
Keep moving
While your metabolism still ticks over even when - especially
you’re sedate, you can raise it even by doing the most
that hot-kick
basic exercise. Walking instead of taking the bus,
cycling on what are usually short car journeys, and substance
holding stand-up meetings all contribute.
capsaicin
“Any form of exercise has a great effect on hormones,” explains Dr Kinsella. “The release of
- facilitate
growth hormone (GH) is sensitive to exercise, and
increased GH - released when we exercise - is thought weight loss”
to contribute to metabolic fuel adaptations when exercising, as well as tissue repair afterwards.”
Check yourself
“There is a very close relationship between metabolism and hormones,” says Dr Kinsella. The thyroid secretes hormones that are responsible for metabolism regulation. “Fluctuations in hormone levels can lead to weight gain or loss, and for that reason getting your hormone levels checked by your GP is a good way to identify if treatment is needed to rebalance them.”
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IN FOCUSMETABOLISM
Sip supps
“Ashwagandha and ayurveda natural extracts - which have been around for thousands of years - can help with metabolic burn,” says Dr Greg Potter. “Research suggests that when people consume extracts of ashwagandha for several weeks, in conjunction with doing resistance training, they grow muscle tissue and gain strength faster than people who take a placebo”
- adding to overall metabolic burn. “Protein-rich snacks can keep your
metabolism ticking over, burning
Hit the bar
University of California researchers discovered
through fat. Cottage cheese is
that eating chocolate - the dark stuff with at least
% cocoa content - triggered a spike in the a recommended protein source”
metabolism of some lucky human guinea pigs.
The key ingredient isn’t hazelnuts or nougat, though,
it’s the less tasty theobromine, a chemical which can Let it B
stimulate adrenalin. Having a banana at bedtime is another option.
B vitamins play an essential role in the metabolic rate.
Snack strong Some key B vitamins include B1 (thiamine), B2
Protein-rich snacks (of around 150 calories or less) can (riboflavin), and B6 (pyridoxine). Great natural sources
keep your metabolism ticking over, burning through include bananas, baked potatoes and eggs. According
fat. Cottage cheese is the recommend protein source to US research, a balance of B vitamins in your diet
from the Florida State University team, who looked will support the work carried out by other nutrients
into such nocturnal metabolic occurrences. - including protein - to keep the fires burning.
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IN FOCUSABS TIPS
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ABS TIPSIN FOCUS
SIX-PACK
SECRETS
Five strength coaches and fitness models outline their tried-and-tested methods for sculpting abs of steel
ightly or wrongly, most men who work out regularly will have Rat least some desire for visible abs. The reality, however, is that
hardly anyone does. Why? Not because they don’t train hard enough, but mostly because they don’t work smart enough.
There’s also one inconvenient truth: you will only start to see your abs when your body fat is low enough. Many people find they train their abs year-round and never get a six-pack, because it’s covered in a layer of belly fat. If you’re going to put so much effort into training your abs, put the same level of effort into your eating, otherwise you’ll never get to see all your hard work in the gym pay off.
Carving out a six-pack requires time, devotion and consistency, but maintaining it for the long haul also requires some big lifestyle changes and a few sacrifices along the way. All of which begs the question: is it worth it?
Well first, a disclaimer: six-pack abs are not the secret to endless happiness. Single-digit body fat will not make all your wildest dreams come true. And even if visible abs were the Holy Grail, some people’s genetic makeup makes them difficult to achieve. In short, don’t pin all your hopes on a washboard midriff.
However… ask 100 men what part of their body they would most like to improve, and most will likely point to their stomachs. The six-pack remains a highly coveted physical attribute - even though, it must be said, visible abs have no functional benefit. But if you’re still after those abdominals, the days of endless sit-ups are long gone.
We spoke to five fitness models who know a thing or two about being camera-ready at any given moment. Here are their training, nutrition and lifestyle tips for sculpting and sustaining a solid set of abs.
SIX-PACK SCIENCE
The six-pack is the rectus abdominus, a paired muscle that runs vertically on each side of the abdomen, separated in the middle by a band of connective tissue called the linea alba, or ‘white line’. This line, and those that run horizontally across the muscle, create the six distinct parts of a six-pack. It’s an important postural muscle, responsible for flexing your spine forwards. It also assists with breathing, stabilises the torso during exercise and protects your internal organs from impact. Everyone has a six-pack, but most people can’t see theirs for one simple reason: it’s hidden under a layer of fat.
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IN FOCUSABS TIPS
of bodyweight. Remember,
SHAUN STAFFORD
though, Rome wasn’t built in
(@shaunstafford)
a day and the same goes for
Fitness model and WBFF Fitness your fat-loss goals.”
world champion Shaun, 38, is also
the founder of London’s leading DAY TO DAY…
performance centre, City Athletic. Drink more water
“The easiest fix, and the
IN THE GYM… most underrated, is simply
Compound moves are king to drink more water,” says
Stafford recommends switching up your Stafford. “It improves
training to focus less on crunches and more everything from the inside
on big, compound exercises. “These are out: it boosts energy, dulls
going to increase your calorie burn, but also cravings, helps you drop fat,
help you maintain lean muscle when you’re and detox. Aim for about
in a calorie deficit,” he says. “Hit big lifts a third of a litre of water per
three to four times a week max and you’ll be kg of bodyweight and
keeping your engine revved up. Think squats, you’ll be there or thereabouts
deadlifts and chest press, for 5-6 reps.” for optimal hydration.”
For a simple way to
IN THE KITCHEN… ensure you’re drinking
Feed your muscles enough, Stafford
“Protein doesn’t just keep you fuller for recommends getting
longer, stopping you from reaching for a refillable two-litre bottle
unhealthier foods, but it’s also the building and drinking it all before
block for bigger muscles,” says Stafford. “As midday; fill it up again, then
a general rule, aim for 1g of protein per kilo finish the next before bed.”
DAN HYMAN
“Hit the big lifts” (@dan_hyman)
Based in London, 31-year-old Dan Hyman is a PT and founder of Eat.Look.Feel. He’s modelled for the likes of Calvin Klein, Versace and D&G, to name just a few.
IN THE GYM…
Train your TA
“Training the transverse abdominis (TA) muscle helps improve the aesthetic of the six-pack, while also supporting the rectus abdominis - the visible muscles,” explains Hyman. “Plus, it helps provide a solid foundation for you to get stronger, fitter and more robust, ultimately making that six-pack easier to achieve and maintain.”
Hyman recommends planks, ab rollouts, cable rotations and the pallof press, all of which will target the TA directly.
IN THE KITCHEN…
Focus on micros
Along with the three macronutrients - protein, fats and carbs - micronutrients are of optimum importance, says Hyman. These are the vitamins and minerals
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ABS TIPS IN FOCUS
typically found in fruits and vegetables, which can help with mood, energy and hormone balance. “Shoot for seven to ten portions of fruit and veg a day, and focus on including micros in every meal,” he says.
“Shoot for seven to ten
portions of fruit and veg a day”
“A morning smoothie is also a really effective way to get lots of micros in conveniently,” Hyman adds. “If it’s something you’re neglecting often, a green drink can be a good option, but these should be used more as a top-up rather than something you become
“I don’t calorie count;
reliant on.”
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