JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026

The power of prayer

DEFENDER

THE POWER OF PRAYER

A new generation of fitness enthusiasts are combining religion with training, but can belief in a higher power really increase your motivation to build a faster, stronger and healthier body?

THE MH DIRECTORY

Just do it

New man: Ed Sheeran’s on a fitness and

Take your training outside

WORDS: RYAN DABBS. PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES. MODEL: CHRISTOPHER

News you can use

Consider this your health and fitness crib sheet

Jonny Marsh

Private chef to elite athletes like Andy Murray and Kevin De Bruyne, Jonny Marsh balances long hours in the kitchen with even longer sessions in the gym

The sweat spot

Sauna may be a hot topic across Britain right now, but how legit are the health benefits?

I give up caffeine

Tired of being roasted for your coffee habit? These are the likely outcomes if you give caffeine withdrawal your best shot

If I want to hit PBs in the gym, do I need to give up alcohol entirely?

I’ve seen a lot of people kick booze

‘I started training at 54 and had nothing to look forward to other than getting faster’

He’s a 69-year-old Hyrox champion, but John House only turned to fitness later in life to cope with personal and professional troubles. Since then, he’s found the older he gets, the faster he goes

Your mitochondria

They’re called the ‘powerhouses of the cell’, but

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO FOR THEM

WORK OUT ‘There’s a straight relationship between fitness

WHAT ELSE HEALTHY MITOCHONDRIA MIGHT DO

Because mitochondria have so many jobs, they hold

Walk this way

Getting out of the gym and into nature requires the right bit of kit. To help you on your way, we’ve assembled the best walking boots for every occasion

‘I’m scared to have a boy’

Society is failing young boys in a variety of ways, placing even more pressure on parents to pick up the slack. As our writer – a mother of two girls – contemplates a third child, she weighs up whether she is up for the task of raising a boy in today’s world

THE SHAPE OF ED

THE BIG INTERVIEW

The future of fitness

From old-school training and functional fitness to the era of anti-ageing and biohacking, the health and wellness space is approaching an increasingly busy crossroads. To cut through the noise, we assembled a hand-picked group of experts to lay odds on how we’ll be training, eating and recovering in 2026

How to have better sex at any age

Don’t believe what they say: you can have pleasurable and thrilling sex well into later life – as long as you’re willing to work with the benefits and challenges that each decade brings

THE BIG BATTLE OVER FAKE FAT

David may be the hot new thing in protein, but its key ingredient has sparked a storm of controversy that threatens to upend the entire protein bar market

SPORTS NUTRITION AWARDS

Diet is king, but when it comes to going the extra mile, the support of a good supplement goes a long way. However, not all supps are created equal. From gels and electrolytes, to creatine and protein powder, we’ve sifted through the lot to give you only the very best

FIBRE FIX

Ever since gut health gained a spotlight, fibre has become a key talking point. But can you get your full fix of the nutrient in supplement form?

IS NOT FASTING THE NEW FASTING?

The Fasting Mimicking Diet promises longevity without abstaining from food, but is it worth the hype? MH surveys the science

CHICKEN & RICE, BUT AWESOME

Fit chef Yia Vang takes the classic muscle-building meal and makes it extra juicy and delicious

Therapy 2.0

Picture the scene: man forms bond with AI therapist. AI therapist coaches man to tragic end. It could be a Black Mirror episode. Only, this isn’t pure fiction. Increasingly, worryingly, men are outsourcing their mental health needs to non-sentient AI chatbots. Is this the future of therapy or a step closer to a dystopian future?

Biomarker companies want your blood

We asked for second opinions

‘My only way of dealing with the trauma was drink and drugs’

When he was just 13, Jordan, now 30, lost his dad to alcohol addiction. A few years later his own battles with substance abuse began

HOW FAR SHOULD YOU GO?

If you’re looking for a running challenge in the new year, there’s one at every racing distance – from one to 100 miles. But, which is best for you?

VUORI’S FIT KING

The brand he founded a decade ago may be valued at over £4bn, but Joe Kudla is still evolving athleisure wear and his own training

OLD-SCHOOL WISDOM, FRESH NEW GAINS

In fitness, sometimes it pays to go back to the tried-and-tested classics. Case in point, this gem from the glory days of muscle-building

NEW EDITION

We caught up with Ed Sheeran’s trainer, Matt Kendrick, to discuss the road to getting cover ready

FIT FOR ROYALTY

Before being cast as ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed, Amir El-Masry’s fight experience was more boxercise than pro boxing. It took adopting a ‘monk-like’ mentality for the actor to be able to pass as, arguably, the greatest featherweight Britain has ever produced

CHUCK NORRIS

The legendary action star and black belt martial artist is busy at 85. This gear keeps him going

About face

Gone are the days when a shower, shit and shave sufficed as a self-care regimen. In our age of heightened visuals, the pressure to save face is driving a boom in men’s aesthetic ‘tweakments’. One writer investigates the rise – and goes under the needle himself

Eau de endurance

How longevity became the new fragrance frontier

Under the radar

Against the ongoing backdrop of colourful watch releases, some are flying the flag for a more inconspicuous design. Just don’t call them grey, says Men’s Health ’s Chris Hall

PARADISE LOST

The Sandals Foundation Island Challenge sees athletes take on four epic events in four days. Our fitness director, Andrew Tracey, was at its latest iteration in Saint Lucia to run, kayak, hike and climb across the island

Declan Rice

The England and Arsenal midfielder on pre-match pancakes, gym tunes and why confidence starts with a clean trim