EDITOR’S LETTER

ISSUE 2 65 MAY 2022 Strength is one

STRENGTHEN YOUR SLEEP

New research suggests weight training holds the key to successful shut-eye

UPDATES

SORE POINT Don’t measure the effectiveness of a

CROSSFIT ATHLETE AND FITTEST MAN IN IRELAND SAM STEWART

Photography: Jon Payne I used to do kung

PICTURE PREVIEW

Photography: Rúnar Geirmundsson Two former winners of World’s

MISSING LINK?

MF tests the new Sony LinkBuds

TRACK, HACK AND BOOST

These products represent the ultimate tech toolkit for bossing the health basics and boosting your fitness

22 WAYS TO GET STRONGER

From emphasising the eccentric to exposing yourself to heavier loads, we asked a panel of strength specialists for their favourite get-strong protocols

RESISTANCE RENAISSANCE

The growing popularity of functional fitness has seen the fall in use of fixed-path resistance machines, but used smartly they can help seasoned gym-goers target hard-to-hit muscle and break through plateaus. Here’s why it’s time they got a second chance

PATH OF MOST RESISTA NCE

Sean Murphy, global personal training director at Ultimate Performance, breaks down the most effective resistance machine exercises for every body part

TRAIN LIKE A VIKING

Earn your place in fitness Valhalla with Viking training expert James Buchanan

VIKING CONDITIONING

The Viking Training System has created the following unique challenges based on the exploits of famous Viking warriors…

STRANDHOGG

A Strandhogg was a lightning-fast coastal raid for booty and supplies. Complete the exercises in this intense circuit back-to-back with no rest. Once 1 round is complete, rest for a minute, then do the whole thing twice more

SIGURD

Sigurd won the heart of the goddess Brunhild by winning three feats of strength and fitness: long jump, javelin and shot put. Replicate his heroics by completing 3 rounds of the following

ON THE MOVE

Replicate traditional Viking movements with these full-body exercises

MAN MOUN TAIN

Prior to his recent boxing victory over another former World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, Icelandic giant Hafþór ‘Thor’ Björnsson sat down with Charlie Metcalfe to talk training, fighting and transforming his physique

MENTAL FITNESS

JOG ON Coopah is the new running app

HOW TO BE LESS STRESSED

Expert strategies to cope with, combat and manage the harmful effects of too much stress

GET YOUR BREATH BACK

You do it without thinking – until someone mentions it, like now – yet how you breathe has the power to change your entire way of being

GET FIT IN THE KITCHEN FUEL

Photography: Getty Images | 1. FAU University PINT-SIZED

FUSS-FREE & FULL OF FLAVOUR

Quick and delicious recipes from chef of the moment Chris Baber

INTO THE BLUE

Wave goodbye to intermittent fasting and paleo, and hello to the ‘blue zone lifestyle’

SQUAT TER’S RIGHTS

Master the highly technical overhead squat for shoulders of steel, a rock-strong core and next-level mobility

HOW TO... MAXIMISE GYM TIME

If you’re rushing from pillar to post and struggling to find time to strength train, just 30 minutes per session can be enough to see genuine improvements, as The Movement Blueprint’s Harvey Lawton writes

THE WAY YOU MOVE

Poor mobility could be undermining your performance in the gym and health outside of it. Here’s your five-step plan for improving your movement patterns

35 BEST BARBELL EXERCISES

Utilise the barbell’s heavier load to get big, strong and powerful

FULL-BODY WORKOUT

TOTAL-BODY TEST Leave no stone unturned with this full-body workout from fitness coach Danny Osborne

RUN-STRONG CIRCUIT

Work the major muscles used for running with this high-rep bodyweight workout

GYM-FREE GAINS

The power is in your hands. In fact it’s in your arms, legs and torso, too, because all you really need to get strong and lean is... your own body

POWER OF TEN

Complete the following ten-minute test as a finisher or short-and-sharp standalone session