FLOWER POWER

EDITOR’S LETTER

ISSUE 2 53 MAY 2021 Rejoice! Gyms are

PICTURE PREVIEW

Photography: Dave Mackison Mountain bike and street trials

BRACE IT LIKE BECKHAM

David Beckham has revealed that his secret core-sculpting weapon is the ab roller – here’s why it should be yours, too

15 MINUTES WITH…

WORLD-BEATING SWIMMER ADAM PEATY

QUICK QUESTION: How can I recover my lost motivation?

If you’ve maintained peak motivation for the last

Slim Gym

The weights room might be a bit quieter

SMART MOVE

With job losses rising and businesses under pressure,

COLD START

Photography: Getty Images The spring sunshine might be

STRAIGHT OFF THE BAT

Coming to a sports centre or tennis club

SLINGER BAG

£780, slingerbaguk.frameworksports.com The Slinger Bag is the innovative

TAKE AN INTEREST

Whether you want to learn how to paint,

THE NORTH FACE FLIGHT VECTIV™

£180, thenorthface.co.uk After more than 6,000 miles

GET HIGH

Photography: Getty Images Most people are familiar with

FOOTBALL FAMILY

A Manchester-based campaign to raise awareness of male

Black Minds Matter UK

Has launched a huge fundraising initiative, in the

BRAIN WAVE

Personalised brain treatment is on the way with

MARTIAL MATTERS

Photography: Getty Images Joining a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

STOP THE SLUMP

If you’ve been struggling with low energy, naturopath and nutritionist Michelle Sanchez suggests the following dietary and lifestyle changes to put a spring back in your step

ON YOUR BIKE

British Cycling want you to put your commuting miles to good use

BIKE TECH

We’ve rounded up the latest and greatest tech products to give your cycling a welcome gear change

JERSEY SURE

Saddle up for a summer of two-wheeled adventures with these lightweight cycling tops

BEST BIKES

From pro-level rides to budget buys, push performance and training motivation with a new road bike for the summer months ahead

YOU ARE BACK IN THE ROOM

AFTER THE BEST PART OF A YEAR OUT, SQUAT RACKS AND BARBELLS ARE BACK ON THE MENU. HERE’S  HOW TO MAKE AN EFFECTIVE RETURN TO THE GYM WITHOUT DOING YOUR BODY A DISSERVICE

GROUND RULES

HOW TO HANDLE YOURSELF ON YOUR RETURN TO THE GYM

BRAKING THE MULD

BLACK CYCLISTS NETWORK (BCN) IS THE ALL-INCLUSIVE CLUB ON A MISSION TO CREATE A MORE DIVERSE AND WELCOMING CYCLING COMMUNITY. HERE CLUB FOUNDER MANI ARTHUR TELLS MEN’S FITNESS ABOUT HIS OWN ROUTE INTO  CYCLING, AND WHY A GROUP LIKE BCN WAS LONG OVERDUE

ON THE CHARGE

YOU MIGHT THINK ADDING A MOTOR TO A MOUNTAIN BIKE IS CHEATING, BUT HITTING THAT ‘TURBO’ BUTTON ON THE TRAILS CAN ACTUALLY BOOST YOUR AEROBIC FITNESS AND FULL-BODY STRENGTH MORE THAN A REGULAR MTB. HERE’S HOW

TAKE CONTROL

LEGENDARY  MOUNTAIN  BIKE AND TRIALS RIDER DANNY MACASKILL,  WHOSE LATEST STUNT SAW HIM RIDE DOWN A ROCK CLIMB  ON THE ISLE OF SKYE, TELLS MATT RAY HOW TO BUILD BOTH  CONFIDENCE  AND CONTROL  ON THE BIKE

STUFF OF DREAMS

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO UPGRADE YOUR  HEALTH AND IMPROVE PERFORMANCE, WRITES  DR JOSEPHINE PERRY, COMPELLING EVIDENCE  SUGGESTS THE BEST PLACE TO START IS  YOUR BEDROOM

BACK IN THE SADDLE

Cycling is the perfect low-impact recovery exercise for anyone bouncing back from illness or injury,

MODERN MASCULINITY

MARTIN ROBINSON’S NEW BOOK YOU ARE NOT THE MAN YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE EXPLORES HOW MENTAL HEALTH AND THE FITNESS INDUST RY INTERTWINE

Light Relief

If you’ve got a deficit to maintain but need to satisfy between-meal cravings, these low-calorie options fit the bill

GUT FEELING

1. Nutrients | Photography: Getty Images | Scientists know

SICKLY SWEET

Fructose, a sugar commonly used in sugary drinks,

CRUNCH TIME

Looking to improve your sperm count? Science says

SPICE THINGS UP

3. Fertility and Sterility Fire up performance in

TEA TOTAL

4. Nutrition Reviews That green tea is good

NOT SO FAST

5. European Journal of Sport Science Research shows

KEEP IT REAL

6. Journal of the International Society of Sports

STRESS TEST

7. Nutrients A 16-week programme promoting stress-management techniques

3:2

8. Circulation is the optimum veg to fruit

GET A LOAD OF THIS

You’ve heard of ‘carb loading’, but do you know how to do it effectively? Take our refresher course to fuel your next endurance outing in the best way possible

YOUR PRE-RACE PLAN

HOW TO CARB LOAD IN THE DAYS AND HOURS LEADING UP TO YOUR ENDURANCE EVENT

FAST FUEL

Power your rides with these natural energy-boosters from ‘The Cycling Chef’

DOWN TO THE WIRE

Build a strong, broad chest with the cable flye, says Shaun Stafford, fitness model and performance director of City Athletic gym

BUILT FOR THE BIKE

Develop cycling-ready strength and core stability with this six-move circuit

HIT THE STRAPS

Take your fitness outside with this TRX workout

HIT THE BAR

Combine these five full-body lifts into a full-throttle fat-fighting complex

GO LONG

Boost bike endurance with the following long-ride advice from ultra-distance cyclist  Mark Beaumont

ONE -KIT WONDER: BARBELL

A central component of any gym worth its salt, the barbell is for everyone – regardless of their training goal. In one bit of kit you’ve got endless exercise possibilities, and unlike flash-in-the-pan fitness fads barbell training never goes out of fashion: it simply evolves

RAISE THE BAR

Two barbell workouts to test different facets of your fitness

THE BIG SHORT

You don’t have to cycle hundreds of miles to boost your stamina: by training smart you can enhance your endurance with surprisingly short blasts in the saddle

MEDITATION STATION

Take an athlete’s approach to mental prep by using mindful meditation to get in the zone