The Strength Issue

From impressive physical feats to inspiring mental resilience,

Set a bedtime

WORDS: RYAN DABBS. PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID SYKES. *SOURCES: APPLIED

News you can use

Your TL;DR on the latest health and fitness research

I’ve always struggled to build muscle – are genetics to blame?

To cut straight to the chase: yes, your

Rise, shine, repeat

From Ben Franklin to Tim Ferriss, high achievers swear by the value of a structured start to the day. But what’s really worth including in yours?

William Goodge

The ultrarunner explains how his record-breaking run across Australia was part endurance event and part eating contest

Slumber crunching

Whether you choose to lie on yours or wear it, the best sleep trackers can have a dramatic effect on the quality of your rest

My cholesterol rises?

We do need some of this fatty substance, but too much of the wrong kind can be fatal

Temple of gains

South-east London’s military-inspired stronghold mashes up martial arts, strongman and more for a unique and inclusive experience

Your liver

Your largest internal organ is a master at multitasking. Here’s how to keep it running

Face value

Ageing is inevitable, but with LED light therapy masks it needn’t show on your face

BUILT FOR IMPACT

ELLIS GENGE

HOW GENGE BUILDS HIS BODY

WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING STRENGTH, SIZE AND RAW POWER, GENGE KNOWS WHAT HE LIKES – AND HE LIKES IT BECAUSE IT WORKS. HE FOCUSES ON VARIATIONS OF THESE FOUR EXERCISES TO BUILD UNRIVALLED, MATCH-READY MUSCLE

WHAT DOES IT MEAN......TO BE STRONG?

Strength is about more than just the breaking down and building up of muscle tissue. As some of the world’s best athletes know, the size of your biceps is just a small piece of the puzzle. Here, five men from very different sporting disciplines share what being ‘strong’ means to them – and how you can apply those lessons to your own life today

THE POWERLIFTER

HERE’S THE THING about building maximum muscular strength:

THE CLIMBER

Caldwell needs to look ‘more like a spider

THE STRONGMEN

THE STOLTMAN BROTHERS are strong in the most

THE GYMNAST

Muscle stability and control is vital to gymnasts

THE FIGHTER

TRADITIONAL STRENGTH SPORTS tend to have at least

DO HARD TIMES MAKE STRONG MEN?

Masculinity influencers, alpha-male hustle bros and staid self-help gurus all claim the equation for toughening up is a simple one: hard things done often equals increased resilience. But would a month of 5am wake-ups, cold showers, long rucks and an intimidating physical test extend our writer’s breaking point or just cause him to break?

WHY EVERYTHING YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT METABOLISM IS (PROBABLY) WRONG

In many ways, the average gym-goer has never been smarter or better informed when it comes to fat loss. Most of us understand the complex interplay between calorie balance, appetite and cultural influences that can dictate whether we lose, gain or maintain in any given week. But there is one area in which specious arguments and contradictory theories still abound: metabolism. From supplements that promise to fire up your fat burn, to metabolic workouts, and the new wave of health trackers offering endless insights into how your body processes food, there’s a lot of advice out there… but not a lot of clarity. We put your burning questions to a panel of experts.

WEARABLE TECH WILL SEE YOU NOW

The latest smartwatches and rings are just as interested in optimising health as they are in tracking fitness efforts. In some cases, they’re saving lives and allowing people to take action before illness occurs. But as Silicon Valley giants continue making big promises about wearables, is there reason for concern about where healthcare is headed?

FROM THE ASHES

A LINE OF 17 FIREFIGHTERS CLAMBERED UP A SMOKY MOUNTAIN AS A LOS ANGELES NEIGHBOURHOOD BURNED BELOW THEM.

HAVE WE FINALLY REACHED PEAK PROTEIN?

From doughnuts and biscuits to pasta and crisps, the muscle-building nutrient has become Big Snack’s big sell. But do all these extra grams really add up to more muscle?

CAN FERMENTED FOODS CURB STRESS?

They’re valued gut-health MVPs, but can a dollop of yoghurt or kimchi help you manage your mood, too? MH takes a closer look at the psychobiotic diet

JOIN THE RESISTANCE

From supporting metabolism to boosting energy and mood, resistant starch supplements come with bold claims. We’ve made the science a little more digestible

CHANGE THE STEAKS

Super-fit chef Giorgio Rapicavoli powers his big lifts and long runs with this barbecued pork tenderloin

YOUR DIET NEEDS A SHAKE-UP

Sick of boring, chalky-tasting protein concoctions? Us too. Prepare your blender for a flavour revelation

BLENDS WITH BENEFITS

Shakes are only as good as their hardware. Here are two blenders we rate…

When getting what you want doesn't make you happy

What if everything we’ve held as gospel about goal-getting is, in fact, way off target? Here’s the neuroscientific guide to chasing results you can actually feel good about

‘I got on to the canvas, tears streaming down my cheeks… he wasn’t getting up’

Boxer Malam Varela thought he had delivered a knockout blow, but instead, his punch led to fatal consequences. One year on, he speaks about how his life has changed and the trauma he experiences every day

Surviving uncertainty

When you live with a recurring and potentially deadly cancer for two decades, you learn a few things about how to keep perpetual unpredictability from taking you down

BUILD BIG ARMS FROM THE GROUND UP

The latest science teaches us that the road to supersized bis and tris isn’t all about #armday. Here’s why a full-body approach to muscling up is smarter in the long run

RZA’S WORKOUTS AIN’T NUTHING TA F’ WIT

Wu-Tang Clan’s leader hasn’t always loved the gym, but with a new tour as motivation, he’s looking to solve the mystery of strength training

BETWEEN SETS

Favourite exercise? ‘I would say curls. I love

PRESSING MATTERS

PRESS-UPS are the GOAT for at-home muscle-building. They can also tell you a lot about your fitness. But how many should you be able to do? And how can you pump up your numbers?

IS STREETLIFTING THE NEW CROSSFIT?

The hyped-up hybrid of calisthenics and powerlifting is about to make us all rethink what it means to be strong and fit

JOINTHE MH DUMBBELL CLUB

Pack on size, get stronger and build fitness, fast, using nothing but the humble dumbbell – and these 30-minute workouts

The sunbed is back. Is wellness to blame?

Previously written off by the health-conscious, tanning beds are rising in popularity once again. And they’ve had a rebrand. From ‘responsible tanning’ claims to collagen-boosting beds, MH asks if artificial bronzing can ever be good for you – or if men are in the dark about the risks

Pool of knowledge

Triple Olympic gold medallist Tom Dean MBE trains six days a week, covering around 3.5 million metres a year in the water. He shares the lessons that keep him afloat

Dial it down

Bigger isn’t always better – as the recent rise of slimmer, sleeker watches proves. MH makes a case for hitting the small time

Yungblud

Between arena-filling tours, the untamably energetic 27-year-old musician – real name: Dominic Harrison – is sparring with boxing world champs in a search for clarity, structure and recovery

KINGS OF THE HILL

Fly from London, scale Everest, and be back on your sofa in a week. The climb normally takes two months, but four British Forces veterans believed a smart approach could change that. Were they right?