XMAS EXCESS

HELLO DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND

It’s winter again. How did that happen? After a scorching

WRESTLE MANIA

WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT (WWE) IS GOING THROUGH SOME INTERESTING TIMES. PROFESSIONAL BOXERS ARE BEING DRAWN INTO THE SPORT, HANGING UP THEIR GLOVES AND REPLACING THEM WITH SPANDEX, HAM ACTING AND HANDSOME PAY CHEQUES

15 MINUTES WITH… SIMON NEWTON, BODYGUARD TO THE STARS

SN: “I started in the British Army. When I left

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM

DR JOSH BAKKER-DYOS EXPLAINS HOW TO AVOID PILING ON THE POUNDS OVER CHRISTMAS

MYTH BUSTER BEER IS BAD FOR YOU

It might be high in calories, but that’s not the

3 WAYS TO... STRENGTHEN YOUR GRIP

Grip strength is needed for everything from lifting weights, to

HERO OF THE MONTH

Joe Kovacs is the new shot put World Athletics Champion

MIND

Look at the TV or stare at your phone too

BODY

Fancy yourself as a big man in the weights room?

GLIDING LIGHT

ASICS’ ALL-NEW GLIDERIDE RUNNING SHOE UTILISES PIONEERING ENERGY-SAVING TECHNOLOGY TO DELAY FATIGUE AND ALLOW YOU TO RUN HARDER, FOR LONGER

GOING AGAINST THE FLOW

Professional climber James Pearson learned his trade on the dry

SOUND CHOICES

Turn to Tech Talk on page 24 for the sports headphones that came out best in test, but before then here are five simple steps for picking the perfect pair

WINTER WARMERS

Cold-weather kit to keep the elements at bay

FACE THE MUSIC

Resident fit-tech expert Kieran Alger rounds up the best sports headphones to soundtrack your sweat sessions

Changing the Face of mental Health

SINCE 2003, MOVEMBER HAS FUNDED MORE THAN 1,250 MEN'S HEALTH PROJECTS AROUND THE WORLD AS THE 2019 CAMPAIGN GETS UNDERWAY, DANIEL JONES EXPLORES THE IMPACT THE FOUNDATION HAS MADE, AND THE HUGE CHALLENGES STILL TO OVERCOME

SCIENCE VS. FICTION

HOLLYWOOD’S GREATEST TRAINING REGIMES WERE DESIGNED TO LOOK GOOD ON THE SILVER SCREEN, BUT COULD THEY REALLY COMPETE WITH A MODERN, SCIENTIFIC APPROACH TO SPORTS COMBAT? FILM WRITER DAN COOPER GOES BEHIND THE SCENES TO FIND OUT

LOOSEN UP

Yoga can be hugely beneficial – transformative even – for both body and mind, but for many men the mere thought of getting into a downward dog is enough to leave them running to the comfort of the weights room. Joe Minihane looks at the stigma that still exists and speaks to the people trying to break it

OUT IN THE COLD

HOWEVER SORRY YOU FEEL FOR YOURSELF WHEN THAT LONELY ALARM GOES OFF BEFORE DAWN, KNOW THERE’S ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO’S GOT IT HARDER. UNLESS, THAT IS, YOU HAPPEN TO BE RUNNING THE IDITAROD INVITATIONAL 1000MILER: THE WORLD’S TOUGHEST AND LONGEST WINTER RACE. WITH TALES OF FROZEN EYELIDS FROM THE ALASKAN ODYSSEY, MF HOLDS YOUR FROST-NIPPED HAND FOR A JOURNEY INTO THE WILD AND WONDERFUL WORLD OF WINTER RUNNING

THE FALL GUY

British climber James Pearson battled slippery rocks and thundering spray to conquer the highest waterfall in Japan. He talks to MF about the unique sport of Sawanobori (‘stream climbing’) and reveals how to steel your body and mind for vertical adventures

RISE AND SHINE

Work regular morning sessions into your weekly routine and reap the endorphin rush of being an early riser

PAIR SHAPE

Think an effective workout requires a gym full of kit? This session, featuring just one pair of dumbbells, shows you otherwise

SET THE TRAPS

Build boulder shoulders with this ten-move session from online PT Luke Grainger

WHAT IT TAKES... TO BE AN OLYMPIC KAYAKER

OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALLIST AND RED BULL ATHLETE JOE CLARKE REVEALS WHAT’S NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN THE WHITE-WATER WORLD

BUILD A BASE

FRUSTRATED BY A LACK OF LEG GAINS? HERE’S WHAT THE SCIENCE HAS TO SAY ON ADDING LOWER BODY BULK

WINTER FITNESS

MAINTAINING A CONSISTENT ROUTINE AS THE COLD NIGHTS DRAW IN AND FESTIVITIES TAKE HOLD IS NO MEAN FEAT, BUT REST ASSURED IF YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THE DEPTHS OF WINTER IN RELATIVELY GOOD HEALTH, THE MONTHS TO COME WILL BE EASY TO HANDLE

BODY MOVIN’

Benching your bodyweight or super-sizing your squat is all well and good, but to get a true sense of where your strength and fitness is at, bodyweight moves provide the answers

YOU’VE BEEN FRAMED

Punch, sprint and squat your way to a lean physique with this Box Train session courtesy of Frame gym

DIY NUTRITION

SAVE YOUR PENNIES WITH THESE HOMEMADE FAST-FOOD OPTIONS

CRUNCH TIME

If you’re finding it difficult to maintain a healthy weight,

MEATY TOPIC

“Based on the research, we cannot say with any certainty

8 in 10

UK fitness enthusiasts are ‘clueless’ over the nutritional benefits of

CHAIN REACTION

A new study published in the BMJ has found calories

MILKING IT

It's not the most appealing, but bovine colostrum has been

VINE DINING

A combination of lycopene, found in tomatoes, and whey protein

OIL UP

If you struggle with muscle stiffness, it might be wise

TRY THIS: MY PROTEIN CLEAR WHEY

A juicy alternative to milky shakes, Clear Whey is a

LEAVE NOTHING TO WASTE

PIG OUT WHILE PROTECTING THE PLANET WITH THESE ECO-FRIENDLY, PLANT-POWERED RECIPES FROM MAX LA MANNA’S MORE PLANTS LESS WASTE

RED ALERT

Are you exercising more, controlling what you eat and still not losing weight? Or maybe you’ve been pursuing a long-term goal – a 10k PB, or a certain aesthetic – that’s left you wiped out and feeling low? REDs may be to blame, as performance dietitian Renee McGregor explains

ON THE RIGHT SNACK

Sometimes conventional meals just aren’t enough, but snack time doesn't need to mean a salt and sugar overload, as these products prove