“I’m one of the guys who, if I break something, I just bin it and buy new – but it’s costing me a fortune, and I’m keen to repair what I’ve got instead,” he says. Hall is still lifting weights, too (really big ones, naturally). So when Men’s Fitness managed to wrestle him away from his promotional duties, we asked him to preach his essential strength training commandments. 

Train your legs

“It’s the age-old thing with a lot of guys building muscle: they neglect the legs and lower body in pursuit of the chest, arms and back. I recently took part in a Loughborough University study looking into the DNA of my muscle structure, and it turns out I’ve got a rare genetic trait called the ‘Hercules gene’, which allows me to carry much more muscle mass than the average person.

“During the study, we found my leg muscles were three-and-a-half times larger than the average man’s. But while my muscles were 300% bigger, my tendons – like the patella and knee tendons – were only 15% larger. So, I’ve got regular tendons supporting muscles that are way bigger than normal, which shows that it’s hard work and not just genetics.”

Have a master plan

“The most common mistake people make in the gym is going in without a clear plan. They do random exercises, hitting a bit of everything – arms, legs, back – without any focus. To build muscle effectively, track the weights you use and aim to gradually increase them over time to ensure you’re progressively overloading.”

Keep consistent

“I’ve always emphasised the importance of consistent training to achieve progress. My training has changed a lot, especially since transitioning from strongman. Back then, I would train for about four-and-a-half hours a day, mostly strength training with little bits of cardio. Now, I do much more cardio – about an hour every morning – and I strength train in the afternoon. On average, I’m training between eight and 12 times a week, twice a day most days. 

“But you don’t need to spend hours in the gym – 45 minutes a day can transform your body. Stick to the basics, enjoy what you’re doing, and be consistent. It took me 30 or 40 competitions before I won World’s Strongest Man. It’s about perseverance and believing in yourself. Just keep going, and the results will come.”

Throw some punches

“A lot of strength trainers don’t enjoy running, but you need cardio work to increase your muscles’ ability to synthesise energy. More energy equals more intense sessions. My cardio involves lots of fight drills: throwing punches, kicks, grappling and doing rounds that simulate actual fights, with three to five minutes of work followed by a minute of rest. Right now, it’s all fight training. I’ve turned to MMA, and one of the fights I’m trying to line up is against Mariusz Pudzianowski, who won World’s Strongest Man five times and has been an MMA fighter for 15 years. We’re working on getting the contract signed.”

Move your muscles

“The best shoulder power-building moves I ever did in my entire strongman career were drills where you kept the muscles under constant pressure. At my peak, I could easily press 120kg dumbbells in each arm, but I would do 50% of that (60kg), for 40 to 50 reps in one go. These weren’t strict full reps – maybe an inch off the shoulder and probably an inch-and-a-half from lockout. That way, you’re keeping the pressure on your muscle – you’re working the muscle constantly, not resting at the bottom or at the top. Just keep it moving – it worked wonders.”

Train heavy, train smart

“I’ve always believed in heavy lifting, but also in smart programming to avoid burnout and injury. You’ve got to find the right balance, too. I’m sitting around 160kg now, which is about 26 stone. When I won World’s Strongest Man, I was 32 stone – just under 200kg. The fight training I do now requires me to be a lot lighter so I can stay fast and nimble. I’ve found a balance where I’m still strong but can move well and fight comfortably. You need to train smart and adapt to make your training suit your goals.”

Develop your diet

“My diet is always evolving. Right now, I’m on the carnivore diet, eating only meat and eggs. It’s been great for reducing inflammation, improving sleep and boosting performance. I’m giving it a try for three months, but I’m always a bit sceptical. Sometimes your body adapts or rejects a diet after a while, so I’ll decide afterward if I stick with it or go back to eating some carbs. I’ll tell you one thing, though, I’m definitely missing pizza and cheesecake!”

And don’t sit still

“Things like lifting Atlas stones and pulling planes are old news for me now. I’ve done it all – won World’s Strongest Man, lifted half a ton. I’ve proven what the human body is capable of, and I’m happy to leave it there. I want to live a long, healthy life, and staying at 200kg for too long just isn’t sustainable.”

Self-confessed ‘clumsy man’ Eddie Hall teams up with Currys to urge British consumers to ‘Repair, not Replace’ as new research reveals the nation wastes over £9 billion per year replacing broken technology. Find out more at currysplc.com/sustainable-business/circular-economy

Related content

• Try This Dumbbell Leg Workout
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• Dumbbell Chest and Core Workout

The post Training smart with ex-World’s Strongest Man Eddie Hall appeared first on Men's Fitness.

Men’s Fitness: You’ve played both grass and beach football. What are the differences between the two sports?

James Temple: Balance is a big issue because we play on soft sand, so stability is tricky. There’s also a huge conditioning difference – pushing off and accelerating in soft sand is like running in porridge! The ball spends more time in the air, which makes for a very acrobatic, high-paced game with lots of volleys and overhead kicks. It’s quite a spectacle for fans.

MF: Is it a five-a-side format?

JT: Yes, it’s five-a-side with rolling substitutions. You tend to play for 3 to 6 minutes before needing a breather, and the game is split into three periods of 12 minutes. It’s very fast-paced, almost like basketball with its tactical fluidity. The pitch is slightly bigger than a five-a-side grass pitch, so it’s intricate and full of action.

MF: How do you balance beach football with your day job?

JT: I’m lucky – I’m a personal trainer, so I’m always in and around gyms. We train every Sunday most of the year, and we’re expected to do individual or small group work during the week. Most of us live close to some form of sand, so we can train locally too.

Training for beach football

MF: What kind of training do you do to sharpen match fitness for beach football?

JT: We have a strength and conditioning coach, Felipe Lira, who gives us all guidance and I’ll do a lot of work on my upper body strength too. Beach football, requires that horrible blend of explosive speed, strength, and a base level of endurance. So conditioning is centred strength work for legs, often unilateral work to help with balance; lunges, split squats etc.

I do a lot of plyometric work to maintain that explosive speed element. Although there’s are fewer injuries in beach football it’s physical in the fact that you’re using your body to shield and manoeuvre opponents almost constantly. My workout sessions will include battle ropes, 500 rows and 20 push ups that I’ll repeat for 45 mins at a time. The endurance is taken care off by spending as much time on the sand as possible doing interval work and fast 5km distance runs. On tour and off we are constantly working on mobility and core strength in and around the other the conditioning.

MF: You mentioned fewer injuries in beach football. Is it easier on the body?

JT: Yes, in many ways. The sand is more forgiving on the joints, and there’s no slide tackling or dangerous challenges. The game is played with a lot of respect, and it lacks the aggression you sometimes see in lower levels of grass football. It’s physical, but the atmosphere and the nature of the sport keep it more enjoyable and safer.

MF: Do you have a specific position?

JT: It’s fluid, but players tend to have a preference. Some are more attacking or defensive-minded. Goalkeepers, though, are crucial – they’re like a fifth outfield player, setting up plays with their feet. I’m an attacker, but you’re expected to do everything, so defensive roles can rotate quickly.

Playing for England

MF: What about your international experience? Where have you played, and who have been your toughest opponents?

JT: I’ve had the privilege of earning almost 150 caps. My debut was in South Africa, playing against a team that hadn’t lost in years. It was a huge step up from what I was used to, and I broke my toe and scored an own goal in that match! But it’s been amazing – beach football has taken me all over the world, from Europe to places like El Salvador, Tahiti, China and Nigeria.

MF: How good is England in the world of beach football?

JT: We’re currently in Division B in Europe. Division A has the top teams like Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Many of our players, including myself, have played club football in Europe, in places like Spain and Switzerland. The sport is more established there, with stronger FA backing, which helps them be more competitive.

MF: Beach football doesn’t seem to get the same profile in the UK as other football formats. Why is that?

JT: It’s hard to say exactly, but I think it’s partly because we don’t have the best beaches, and summer is short. But when you watch a pro tournament it’s incredible. The settings are stunning, there are live DJs, and the games are packed with action like overhead kicks and volleys. It’s visually exciting, and we’re trying to raise its profile here.

MF: I’ve seen some crossover with ex-professionals from grass football. Has that influenced the game?

JT: Yeah, the most famous example is Eric Cantona. He played and then managed the French beach football team, even winning a World Cup. Some grass footballers adapt quickly, but others find the transition tough because it’s so different – especially the conditioning required.

Getting involved in beach football

MF: If someone wants to get involved in beach football, how would they go about it?

JT: There are various tournaments in the UK where anyone can turn up and play. You can also contact England Beach Soccer through their website or Instagram. They occasionally hold open trials for players to showcase their abilities.

MF: You’re prepping for World Cup – what’s next for you?

JT: Our next tournament is in Cadiz, Spain, in October. Then we fly to Neom, Saudi Arabia, in November. It’s a stunning new development, and the tournament they put on there is incredible. The likelihood of us qualifying for the World Cup isn’t high because only 4 or 5 teams from Europe can play in the finals, but we’ll be going to the qualifiers fired up for it.

Follow James’ progress with the England Beach Football Team on Instagram.

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Dominic Taylor, 26, has coached at least a dozen athletes to the Ironman finish line and completed Ironman Wales twice himself, so he knows exactly what it’ll take for you to do it too.

A former rugby player, Taylor took up running when shoulder injuries forced him out of the game, progressing to triathlons and completing his first Ironman in 2019. He’s since conquered Ironman Wales for a second time as well as the Ironman Barcelona event.

“The first one is always the hardest,” explains Taylor, who finished his first Ironman in 11 hours. “That’s mainly because you’re more worried about not finishing than the race itself. There’s a lot of anxiety about all the training leading up to it, but once you’re in it, it’s all about getting through the day.

“When I stepped up to training for this, I used the Don Fink method, which is a straightforward Ironman plan that’s more time-based than anything: building up slowly from shorter sessions to longer, and striking that important balance of intensity, endurance, and recovery.”

Ironman requirements

“Each individual’s circumstance will be different,” says Taylor. “For example, I don’t have kids yet so I have more time to dedicate to training. You train in four key areas: swimming, biking, running, and strength conditioning.”

What will get you through an Ironman

Physical fitness: You must have high levels of endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness. This includes having a robust aerobic base, muscular strength for biking and running, and the ability to sustain prolonged periods of activity. Training often involves multiple hours per day of swimming, cycling, and running, and should include strength training and core conditioning.

Training commitment: Preparing for an Ironman typically requires at least six months to a year of dedicated training. Competitors often train 15-20 hours a week, depending on their starting fitness levels. A typical training week includes long bike rides and runs, interval training for speed, technique drills for swimming, and brick workouts (back-to-back cycling and running sessions) to mimic race conditions.

Nutrition and hydration: Proper nutrition and hydration strategies are crucial both during training and on race day. Athletes need to fuel their bodies with the right balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and electrolytes. Many competitors practice their race-day nutrition in training to determine what works best for them to avoid gastrointestinal distress during the race.

Mental toughness: Completing an Ironman is as much a psychological challenge as a physical one. Athletes need to develop mental resilience to push through pain, fatigue, and adverse conditions. Mental strategies such as visualization, positive self-talk, and mindfulness can help competitors stay focused and motivated throughout the race.

Time management and lifestyle: Balancing training with other life commitments like work, family, and social activities is essential. Many athletes find it challenging to maintain a balance due to the significant time investment required for training and recovery.

Technical skills: Proficiency in swimming, cycling, and running is necessary, but so is the ability to handle a bike effectively and navigate through open water. Athletes need to be comfortable with various aspects of cycling, such as gear shifting, climbing, descending, and maintaining aerodynamics, as well as the technique of open-water swimming.

Equipment and gear: Investing in proper equipment is essential. This includes a high-quality triathlon bike, wetsuit, running shoes, and other gear like helmets, cycling shoes, goggles, and nutrition products. Knowing how to maintain and repair your bike is also vital, as mechanical issues can arise during the race.

Example Ironman training plan

A typical training plan would look to cover these key areas in the weeks building up to the event. For a 20-week training plan your first week could look something like this:

• Monday – REST DAY           
• Tuesday – INTERVAL BIKE: 40min (6 x 20sec sprints) / INTERVAL SWIM: 8 x 25m (1km)
• Wednesday – EASY RUN: 8km
• Thursday – INTERVAL SWIM: 4 x 100m (1km total) / EASY BIKE: 40min
• Friday – INTERVAL RUN: 40min with 6 x 20sec sprints         
• Saturday – ENDURANCE BIKE: 40km           
• Sunday – ENDURANCE RUN: 10k / ENDURANCE SWIM: 1km

By week 17 of a 20-week build-up to an Ironman your training week could be looking something like this:

• Monday – REST DAY           
• Tuesday – TEMPO BIKE + TRANSITION RUN: 1hr 20min bike with last 30min comfortably hard + 10min easy / INTERVAL SWIM: 10 x 100m, 10 x 50m (3km total)
• Wednesday – EASY RUN: 11km
• Thursday – INTERVAL SWIM: 4 x 400m (3km total) / EASY BIKE: 1hr 20min
• Friday – INTERVAL RUN: 1hr with 3 x 5min fast      
• Saturday – ENDURANCE BIKE + TRANSITION RUN: 160km easy bike + 10min easy run         
• Sunday – ENDURANCE RUN: 30km / ENDURANCE SWIM: 4km

Ironman nutrition

“You need to use your training time to train your stomach to handle the massive calorie intake required for such events too,” insists Taylor. “For 2019 Ironman, I was consuming 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day, and on weekends that could go up to 6,000 or 7,000 depending on the training load.

“I like to stick to simple carbs: porridge, pasta, rice cakes, and the like. It’s nothing fancy, but it works for me. I try to keep my diet clean, but during races you also take in a lot of sugar through drink mixes and gels.

“In the build-up to a race my days often start at 4:30 or 5 in the morning with a session before work, followed by another session after work. Then it’s bed, sleep, eat, and repeat. In 2022, I did two Ironman events three weeks apart – Wales and Barcelona – because Covid had postponed one of them. That was mentally tough. But the discipline of sticking to the plan is crucial.”

How to conquer Ironman Wales

“Ironman Wales is incredibly tough,” says Taylor. “Not just physically but mentally. There’s a point where you’re relying entirely on yourself. You’ll see your family or support group maybe once or twice, but mostly it’s just you out there.

“Course knowledge is key to completing it. Wales is tough for a reason – it’s technical, with lots of corners, descents, and climbs. Knowing where to push and where to hold back is crucial. It’s also essential to know your body well by that point.”

Taylor’s experience and expertise means he also coaches others in taking on these iconic sporting challenges. “We often take athletes down to train on the course to simulate race day conditions, which helps a lot. We call these ‘metric days’, where we do a scaled-down version of the Ironman – where the athletes complete metric versions of the mile distances – so 26.2km instead of 26 miles – as part of their warm-up to the event. It’s also about practicing race-day breakfast, nutrition, and pacing. It gives athletes confidence or an eye-opener if they need to adjust their expectations.”

IRONMAN Wales takes place on 22 September 2024. To enter for a 2025 Ironman event head to ironman.com/im-wales

The post How to conquer an Ironman, according to a recent finisher appeared first on Men's Fitness.

“Climbing is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world,” Team GB medal hopeful Hamish McArthur told me in an exclusive interview before the Games began. “You can see it from the increasing number of climbing walls and people taking up the sport as a hobby. The exposure from the Olympics has been incredible.”

The sport’s organized competitions began in 1985 with SportRoccia in Bardonecchia, Italy, followed by the first artificial wall event in Vaulx-en-Velin, France, in 1986. Sport climbing debuted on the Olympic stage at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, gaining popularity for its spectacle and suspense. 

It joined the Tokyo 2020 Games and will continue as one of the additional sports in Paris 2024 alongside breaking, surfing, and skateboarding. Climbing looks like it’s got a firm foothold, too, as it’s confirmed as being part of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

Climbing at the Olympics

Until this Olympics, sport climbing has comprised of three formats: bouldering, speed, and lead. In bouldering, athletes climb 4.5m walls without ropes, aiming for the fewest attempts within a limited time. Speed climbing is a head-to-head race up a 15m wall, with top athletes completing it in under six seconds for men and seven seconds for women. The lead event challenges climbers to ascend as high as possible on a 15m wall within six minutes, without prior knowledge of the route.

“But for Paris bouldering and lead climbing are combined, while speed climbing has its own medal,” explains McArthur. “Bouldering is about power, coordination, and fast movements, while lead climbing focuses more on endurance, efficiency, and technique. They are different, but they complement each other well. The best boulderers are often also the best lead climbers.”

The speed event also captures the imagination of newcomers to the sport for its sheer pace and agility, as two climbers aim to be the first to reach the top of the climb in the quickest time. It looks, to the untrained eye, like a mad scramble by Spiderman wannabees, but McArthur insists it’s much more complex: 

“It’s very delicate, almost like a dance when it goes well and things flow. A lot of my preparation is about zoning into that feeling. There’s a lot of physical training too. It’s a highly physical sport where you need really good coordination and awareness of where all your limbs are and how much force you’re applying.

“Competing in climbing is about making tiny micro-adjustments and decisions under pressure. From the outside, it looks very macro—big muscle groups and big movements —and yeah, you need to be as strong as possible in every body part. But at this level, the mental dance makes the most difference.”

Climbing at Paris 2024: when it’s on and what to expect

At Paris 2024, sport climbing will feature two medal events per gender: speed, and combined (boulder + lead).

Speed: 28 athletes (14 per gender) will compete. The event includes a qualifying round and head-to-head races, with the top climbers reaching the finals.

Combined (Boulder + Lead): Athletes compete in both boulder and lead disciplines, with a maximum of 200 points available (100 per discipline). Points in bouldering are awarded for reaching zones and the top; in lead climbing, points decrease from the top down.

Sport Climbing at Paris 2024 runs from 5-10 August.

Collaboration and competition

For climbers like McArthur, taking part in the bouldering + lead event, the first time they will see the wall they’re about to climb is just a few minutes before the competition starts. “We get that five minutes to look at it and figure out the route from the ground,” he says. “We’ll all discuss ideas, then we go back into isolation and come out one at a time. It’s a collaborative effort to maximize everyone’s performance, which is a great part of the sport.”

McArthur doesn’t feel any rivalry as such – he’s known a lot of his co-competitors since junior climbing days. “Many of them are friends that I’ve competed against since I was 14. We support each other, and I genuinely want the best for them.”

“Team GB’s Toby Roberts is one of the favorites going into the games, he’s an awesome climber,” adds McArthur. “It’s great to have such talent from our country. Especially since the UK hasn’t been dominant in climbing like in other sports such as cycling in recent years.” Key competitors in the speed event to watch out for include Matteo Zurloni (Italy) and Aleksandra Miroslaw (Poland).

Feeling the heat

One factor that McArthur says may be something of a ‘leveller’ in this event is the heat and humidity forecast for Paris. The indoor climbing arena, with its excited crowd and sweating athletes, will generate a lot of moisture as things heat up. 

“It’s a good point and one a lot of us are talking about,” says McArthur. “Generally, climbers prefer it to be cold and dry to increase friction. But in Paris, mid-summer in a packed arena, the conditions will be challenging.

“Many climbers will have mini-fans cooling their hands down or hold ice packs before climbing. We also use liquid chalk, which is chalk mixed with alcohol. You rub it into your hands, and as the alcohol evaporates, it dries your hands which can make all the difference when gripping those minuscule holds.”

But when it comes to the pressure of performing to a worldwide audience of hundreds of millions, McArthur is in the ‘no sweat’ camp. “Sure, there’s definitely pressure, but it’s also an incredible opportunity,” he says. “The fact that Team GB has qualified its maximum quota of climbers this time is amazing. We have four athletes competing, providing different role models for aspiring climbers. There’s a responsibility to use this opportunity for good, not just for single-minded competition.”

If you’re interested in finding out more about climbing, visit thebmc.co.uk

The post All you need to know about sport climbing at Paris 2024 appeared first on Men's Fitness.

Aidan Heslop started cliff diving in 2018, becoming the youngest diver in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series, at 16, when he made his debut at the season finale in Polignano a Mare, Italy. In his second appearance in 2019, Heslop landed on the podium in Bilbao, Spain, performing the same dive list as record champion Gary Hunt. 

With back-to-back runner-up finishes in the last two seasons, Heslop has proven himself as a major player in the sport. I grabbed a moment with him during this year’s thrilling World Diving World Series to discover how fit and fearless you have to be to leap off cliffs for a living.

Aidan, what kind of strength and conditioning work do you do for cliff diving?

I do a lot of bodyweight conditioning in the dry dive before training. Lots of core work. Our coach set all the exercises up for us and the bodyweight conditioning helps with speed and power in our dives so that we can jump higher, spin faster, twist quicker and then in the gym it’s more heavy weights but low reps. So again, that’s working on power more than strength to get bigger jumps off the platform and more time in the air. It’s all with the aim to give me more time to do more somersaults and twists.

Where do you train?

I’ve been training recently at Red Bull’s Athlete Performance Centre, which has been super helpful as we get an unbelievable amount of information just from a small amount of testing. I’ll go home and take the findings to my coach and my S&C coach. A lot of the training here is endurance-based, which is helpful for recovery and long-distance travelling.

Presumably a fear of heights wouldn’t fly in this sport?

Ha, no! When I was getting into high diving, it was less about the fear of the heights and more for me about the adrenaline of going higher and trying harder dives. I was very young to start high diving for my time. There are some juniors now, but at the time I was by far youngest and I didn’t really have that fear kick in yet. I was always that kid that would mess around on the trampolines and throw my body into stupid situations. I think that was helpful for my progression at the start of my sport. Now there’s more caution around the safety involved to keep my body as healthy as it can be in and ready for the big impact of the dive. 

What’s your favourite dive?

My favourite dive at the minute is where I have to do two front twists – that is one of the hardest dives in the world. I’ve got a lot more comfortable with it in the last three years and it’s usually quite a high scoring dive. I also really love my reverse double pike. It’s a lot slower and I have more time in the air, adopting a kind of Jesus pose as I fall from 27m. That probably sounds weird to some people but it’s one of the coolest feelings for me.

And do you have any favourite diving locations?

Takajo in Japan. It’s in the middle of nowhere, and in Japanese culture it’s known as the birthplace of the planet. Legend has it the last people to dive into the gorge there was ‘the gods’ 400 years ago, so it was a complete honour and privilege to perform there. Then, to win the competition at that spot was extra special.

How prevalent are injuries in this sport?

Injuries are a big part of diving, but we put all the precautions in place to make it as calculated and as safe as we can. There are scuba divers, ambulances and sometimes helicopters nearby on standby. Personally, I haven’t had too many big injuries. I broke my tailbone in my first ever event, but that’s been my worst injury so far. There are a lot of knockouts, punctured lungs and broken ribs, though, I’m sure I’ll get those at some point – hopefully not soon.

How’s this season going?

After the first two competitions, I’m in a pretty good spot, though I could definitely be a little bit higher. My first competition in Greece didn’t go to plan and I started with a sixth place, which was quite a big upset for me, but I managed to bring it back in Boston with a win and kept up the good form at Polignano a Mare – one of my favourite and more successful spots. We have a really long season this year, so I’m trying to keep my body fit and healthy enough to go the distance.

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As Euro 2024 kicks off, Manchester United’s legendary striker and England Euro 96 hero Teddy Sheringham is urging Brits to get active. Collaborating with The FA and Nuffield Health to promote the Healthier Nation Index, Sheringham highlights the benefits of low-intensity but still big-benefit activities like walking football and golf, as well as exercise that can be performed within the confines of the best exercise mats, like yoga and Tai Chi. I caught up with Teddy, now 58 and enjoying a break in the Maldives, to learn more about his fitness regime.

According to the Healthier Nation Index, nearly 3 in 4 Brits aren’t hitting the NHS’ recommended 150 minutes of exercise weekly. You did this consistently during your playing days – how about now?

Teddy Sheringham: I’m definitely maintaining that 150 minutes a week, if not more. Nowadays, my passion is golf, and I walk the course instead of using a cart. Playing golf at least twice a week keeps me active for around four hours each session. 

And in the Maldives, where there aren’t 18-hole golf courses?

TS: It’s more about mental health here. I just took my first Tai Chi class, which helps release stress and improve energy – it’s great for detoxing. 

Tai Chi is relatively low-intensity, but do you still kick a ball about?

TS: I’m running a football camp here, joining in games with the kids and coaching staff. While I do play occasionally, my knees have taken a toll over the years. These days I enjoy putting my cycling shoes on and going for a ride, as it’s easier on the joints. High-impact activities like running aren’t a big part of my routine anymore.

So now it’s about remaining active without heavy impact?

TS: Correct. I’ve been lucky to avoid severe injuries, though my knees aren’t what they used to be. Golf, gym workouts, and occasional at-home exercises like press-ups keep me fit. 

Any fitness habits from your playing days that you still follow?

TS: My eating habits have remained pretty strong, and I’m big into golf, which involves hours of walking. I mix in upper-body exercises like press-ups and swimming for the odd full-body workout.

How do you keep mentally sharp?

TS: I’m out here in the Maldives with my family, and me and my son have had the Scrabble board out. And if he beats me, I challenge him to a game of table tennis. I always like to compete. You name it, I’ll keep competing and keeping that side of my brain active.

Any nutrition habits from your football days that you still follow?

TS: I didn’t have the best diet as a footballer but now I believe in moderation. Staying active helps manage my weight, so I don’t stress over food.

Teddy Sheringham is raising awareness about the importance of physical activity, supported by findings from Nuffield Health’s Healthier Nation Index.

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While the world’s press focused on the incredible cross-continent efforts of Russ ‘Hardest Geezer’ Cook [who recently ran the length of Africa], another exceptional runner – 57-year-old Keith Boyd – found himself negotiating his way out of a hostage situation while on a journey to break a different running world record.

In his journey from Cape Town to Cairo, along the treacherous Eastern coast, Boyd aimed to surpass the 26-year-old record of 318 days. Despite grappling with a heart condition and asthma, Boyd dedicated a mere four months to training for what would become one of the toughest and most perilous footraces in the world.

On May 22, 2024, Keith Boyd etched his name in the annals of history by completing the Cape to Cairo route in a remarkable 301 days, 20 hours, and 58 minutes. His epic journey was not devoid of challenges, as he encountered adversity in the form of being beaten and held at gunpoint during his endeavours through Ethiopia.

I spoke to Boyd soon after he reached Cairo, to discover the sheer determination and courage it took to run the Eastern coast of Africa – a testament to the indomitable spirit of human endurance.

Here’s my interview with Keith Boyd

What was your motivation to do this run in the first place?

I ran this for the British Heart Foundation and Rainbow Leaders. The BHF is close to my, well, heart, because when I decided to do a full Ironman about 12 years ago, I had a top-to-toe medical which revealed I had enormously high levels of calcification in my coronary arteries. But I’d never felt healthier, so since I was 45 I have been on statins and having to manage my cholesterol. I take fortnightly injections to reduce my lipoprotein production, and I do triathlons to keep fit.

And Rainbow Leaders is a charity that aims to encourage youngsters in South Africa to vote. The vote is something so many fought hard to achieve there, but they’re disillusioned. I want to help change that.

What did a typical running day look like for you during this challenge?

When running through Sudan and Egypt I got into this rhythm of starting at 5:30am and roughly running in four blocks of 12.5km stretches, with a 20-30-minute walk between blocks. I would do up to 50km days, but some days were no more than 5km. Where I stopped running at the end of the day is where we would camp for the night.

How did you stay (relatively) fresh and recovered?

Stretching and using a roller works for me. I also tried to get eight to nine hours of sleep a night. I’d take 35g of protein in a shake, plus a protein bar (another 20g) per day. I did lose weight and muscle mass on my thighs, though, which was a concern around my knee stability. I wasn’t able to take any anti-inflammatory drugs, so I took ginger and turmeric instead. 

What other impact did the run have on your body?

My feet, and my left ankle especially, would swell up, which isn’t great when you’re doing 50km a day. I also suffered from tendonitis. To help combat that I used three sets of running shoes: a stability shoe to sort out my ankle issues, a soft-sole shoe to prevent joint impact issues, and a trail shoe for rough terrain. That variety helped a lot.

Did you need to be disciplined to conserve energy?

Absolutely, I’ve learnt that you can’t damage your body more than it can repair overnight. Those of us doing various foot races in Africa – including Russ Cook – have all been in touch with each other. We’ve been encouraging each other along the way. But one young German guy really injured himself about 1,300km out of Cape Town – you really have to manage what you’re putting your body through. If ever I found myself wanting to get into a bit of a gallop I’d consciously slow down.

Talk us through your Ethiopian experience.

We got to Addis Ababa OK, although I was getting crowded by people every time I stopped for a break, just because I stood out as a foreigner. Then we headed north out of Addis. We had protection from the state police, but even they said I was nuts because I was heading for an area run by a Liberation Army that have a reputation for kidnapping.

We were going through a small village, Yetman, in the Amhara region. I was walking with the videographer, Michael, when these armed gunmen stopped us. They demanded we contact our support lead (Shadley) and get a ransom of $10,000. They clobbered us, I got hit on the head with a hand grenade, and then threatened to take us out into the forest, where it would be all but impossible for authorities to find us. 

Shadley arrived back with us, not realising that we were in trouble. But by then we’d managed to agree a deal with the bandits, which cost us $1,000 in the end. They allowed us to turn back, and though I tried one more time to run through Ethiopia before Cairo I had to abandon that stretch until later after further violence. 

But when you returned, the difficulties continued?

The last 500km through northern Ethiopia were hellish. We were forced off the road at gun point, and kicked and threatened by a drunk with an assault rifle. Our team was locked up overnight without any charges, kept in a filthy, overcrowded cell, with no toilets or water. What the people in the northern Amhara region of Ethiopia are going through right now is appalling. Fortunately, I was able to complete the final stretch and get out again safely, thanks in large part to a heroic and humble team of Ethiopian civilians and local officials. 

What an experience. But there have been some highlights too?

Absolutely! The children in every country have been amazing. You can communicate with kids without even having language. They have a laugh, they’re engaged. As a dad, it’s especially uplifting. They also provided some of the most memorable moments. I saw a girl in Ethiopia who was carrying this enormous bundle of wood on her back, with a look of sheer determination. She couldn’t have been much older than seven or eight but it’s an image that’ll live long in my memory.

Finally, any particular songs that kept you putting one foot in front of the other?   

I’m a Tracy Chapman fan and have been for decades. Also, Joan Armatrading, LadySmith Black Mambazo and a track by Juluka called ‘IMPI’ really gets me going. ‘Mississippi’ by Bob Dylan slows me down to what I call an ‘Ironman shuffle’. 

Keith Boyd’s record-breaking run: by the numbers

• 301 days on the road
• 125 days was the longest stretch of back-to-back running
• 45km was the average distance covered on running days
• 5,000kcals consumed per day
• 60 non-running days (54 due to Ethiopian security and paperwork issues; 5 due to illness; 1 due to re-packing)

The post I Spoke To The Man Who Just Ran The Length Of Africa (No, Not That One) appeared first on Men's Fitness.

MF catches up with both Tom Stoltman – who won the World’s Strongest Man title an astounding three times in four years – and fellow strongman, older brother Luke, to get the Stoltman brothers’ guide to building superhuman strength.

Men’s Fitness: How often you train and what proportion of your work is devoted to heavy lifting?

Tom Stoltman: Monday is big lifts like deadlifts; Tuesday is a press day; Wednesday and Friday is specialist Strongman stuff like pulling trucks; Thursday is leg day; then on Friday we go back to the warehouse and do stuff like lifting the big Atlas stones.

MF: Where do people go wrong when performing deadlifts?

Luke Stoltman: Tom and I normally go bare feet – just in our socks – for a proper, stable foot position. Those thick-soled trainers guys wear to the gym now just force you into a lean and you become unstable. Footwork is often overlooked with big lifts.

A while back Tom told me that my deadlift stance was looking too narrow, so I tried widening my foot placement and straight away that worked better. Also, keeping the weight as close to your body as you can is key to a good deadlift. You’ll see both Tom and myself almost scraping the bar up our shins to keep it nice and tight to the body.

MF: Training together has its advantages, then?

TS: Yes, there’s always small ways you can tweak things to help with lifting. I’m a better deadlifter than Luke, but Luke’s got a better press than me. Even if you’re the best in the world there are always things you can learn – and we send videos to our coaches who also advise us where we’re going wrong, even by that wee inch.

MF: So you still have stuff to learn?

LS: Absolutely. You need to leave your ego at the door when you go to the gym and be able to take advice. If we sat here thinking we cannot learn anything more that would be a detriment to our training.

You also need to make sure you’re following your training programme and not increasing weights too dramatically, because that’s when injuries occur.

MF: What’s the Stoltman secret to a good leg day?

TS: If you don’t do squats, you’re not going get strong legs. Squats and leg presses can transform strength drills like deadlifts, because you’re driving your feet into the ground and powering up.

MF: How important is diet to building strength?

TS: It’s crucial. I’m on 10,000 calories a day right now, Luke’s around 7,500-8,000 – and for that we eat a lot of food. My breakfast is ten eggs. That protein is key for recovery and growing muscle. Protein should be part of every meal you eat.

When it gets into competition time – the week of the World’s Strongest man – that’s where junk food comes into play. We have a big pancake blow out, our second and third meals will be pasta, fourth is burgers and chips, and then our last meal will be pizzas and cheesecake.

MF: How do you vary your strength training to prevent any plateaus?

LS: Many of the people we train at our strength academy say they’ve hit a plateau or been training weeks and not getting any results. We show them how to have that analytic nature and self-reflect.

Keep going back to your goals and work out what you want from the gym. Use that to investigate new ways of changing your training. The beauty of this journey is that there is no one rule for everyone: we all have strength and weaknesses. Routinely analysing what you’re doing helps you to keep improving.

MF: What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started out?

LS: From my early 20s I really enjoyed strength training, but I didn’t know how to optimise it with nutrition. I was always cutting out carbs and going very high protein, but I’ve learned how you need to be open to taking on carbs for energy and to support muscle growth.

TS: I went to the gym because I had autism and I was feeling uncomfortable in my body. In the first month or two of going I was thinking, This is the best thing I have ever done.

I only look back now and think if I had not started working out, I would not be on the path I am now. I would not be competing and winning Strongman events. Sometimes it pays to remind yourself of how great you feel after a session and the rewards strength training can bring – especially on the days when you’re not feeling 100% beforehand.

The Stoltman Brothers are Reign Total Body Fuel athletes. For more information about the zero-sugar performance energy drink, visit reignbodyfuel.com

The post The Stoltman Brothers’ Guide To Getting Stronger appeared first on Men's Fitness.

“Evidence does indicate that listening to music [through a pair of the best running headphones] can positively help with running: impacting strength and power output, an improved work rate, and energy efficiency,” says Dr Martin Turner, Reader in Psychology at Manchester Metropolitan University specializing in sports and exercise. “Also, music has been shown to trigger various physiological changes that can all help with running performance.”

Recent research from the Sports Science Research Group at the Federal University of Alagoas, Maceio, Brazil, delves into the effects of music on runners during a 5k time trial. The study assessed pre-run brain activity, arousal, and heart rate variability, along with during-run perceived effort and time, and post-run mood and heart rate variability.

Four music scenarios were examined: pre-run motivational (110-150bpm), slow music during running (80-100bpm), fast music during running (140-160bpm), post-run calming music (95-110bpm), and a control scenario with no music.

Pre-run music reduced vagal tone (raising a runner’s capacity for bodily stresses and challenge) and heightened runner arousal, better preparing them for 5k time trials. During 5ks with music, initial laps were faster compared to no-music conditions – though subsequent lap time differences diminished.

The findings suggest that music holds the potential to enhance both mental and physical aspects of running performance.

How does music help with running?

“The main psychological mechanisms at play are mood, perceived exertion, motivation, attention, and performance preparation and recovery,” Dr Turner suggests. He emphasises six key performance factors enriched by music:

• Mood: Uplifting music tends to evoke more positive feelings than downbeat or melancholy tunes.
• Perceived exertion: Music can reduce the perception of exertion, enabling individuals to work harder and longer.
• Motivation: Music motivates and when runners craft playlists aligned with their preferences, they look forward to running, enhancing overall motivation.
• Attention: Music acts as a distraction during exercise, diverting attention from pain and exhaustion.
• Performance preparation: Integrating music into your warm-up serves as an effective stimulant to get individuals pumped up and focused.
• Recovery: Music plays a role in the post-performance wind-down, including sleep.

So, are there specific types or genres of music that have been found to be more effective in enhancing running performance?

“Not necessarily,” says Dr Turner. “But there is evidence that if the music is synchronised to the exercise, then the effects of the music can be enhanced.

“The foot lands on the beat – either on the kick drum or the snare. A stride rate of 180 could be paired with music that has 90 or 180 beats per minute (bpm), for example. Hip hop music often sits in the 90bpm range, with songs such as ‘The World Is Yours‘ by Nas and ‘Gangsta’s Paradise‘ by Coolio being potential choices.”

But more important than all of this, is that runners choose music for certain purposes. “So, if I say to myself that ‘Rock and Roll‘ by Led Zeppelin is my go-to track for intense parts of run, then I will make sure this is the music I select when I reach that stage of my run,” says Dr Turner. “I will not use this song for any other purpose, because I want to strengthen its associated with the intense parts of my run.”

Be intentional and specific with music choice is the message here. But what about any potential downsides or distractions associated with listening to music while running?

“Noticing traffic, obstacles and the like can of course be affected if you are deeply absorbed in music,” warns Dr Turner. “Also, if music becomes a key to your running, and you cannot run well without it, then you may find that in events where earphones are not permitted that you may struggle to perform well.”

So, while there’s plenty of benefit to be had from tuning in on your runs, it’s also worth running without music on occasions just to prepare yourself for events or occasions when you can’t plod along to your favourite playlist.

Related content

• How to improve running form
• The merits of treadmill vs outdoor running
• Benefits of running

The post Does Music Help With Running? appeared first on Men's Fitness.

Common running advice is that you should ditch your trusty best running shoes after 300-500 miles of wear. For those clocking in 20 miles a week, that means saying goodbye to two to four pairs a year – even more for high-mileage runners.

For ultrarunner Damian Hall, however – author of We Can’t Run Away From This – that advice is outdated. “I’ve never seen evidence that running in shoes that have passed the manufacturers ‘use by’ date can cause injury,” he says.

Hall points out that semi-serious runners will run five to eight times a week: “If we wore the same shoe on every run, 310 miles would be just six to eight weeks. Strava even auto-notifies you after 250 miles in a shoe (though you can tweak the setting up to 800 miles), and repeats the scaremongering: ‘replace shoes between 300 and 500 miles to prevent injury’.”

Hall is a co-founder of The Green Runners – helping runners reduce their impact on the planet – and he concedes that trainers do wear down over time: “Obviously the soles will wear and the mid cushion will compact – though there’s a separate argument about how much cushioning we actually need.”

But what can we do with those shoes once we feel it’s time to replace them? Overconsumption, coupled with the complexity of running shoe construction, make them difficult to recycle.

“The foamy midsole (the cushiony bit) is usually made from EVA,” Hall adds, “a petroleum-based product that is thought to hang around for at least 1,000 years.”

Sustainable solutions for old running shoes

One person aiming to address this issue is Tony Piedade. Piedade founded JogOn to collect unwanted running shoes for redistribution.

“We collect unwanted running shoes from individuals, running groups, gyms, and sports clubs,” he explains. And although the shoes may have lost their peak shock-absorption qualities, Piedade insists there’s plenty of life left in your old kicks. “Around 87% of discarded shoes are still suitable for reuse,” he says.

“We take all running shoes, sort them, ensure they are properly paired up and tied together at the laces, and prepare them for distribution. There’s a genuine need for trainers at schools in the UK and many places overseas. Most of them are perfectly useable for walking, even if they’re not as good for running as they were before.”

At the 2023 National Running Show in Birmingham, Piedade collected 1,200 pairs in one weekend, and he’s hoping some of the major gym chains will come on board as collection points in the future.

JogOn have now partnered with delivery group EVRI so that those of us looking to offload old shoes can do so for a postage fee of just £2.

“With a max weight of 15kg,” Piedade explains, “you could send us 40 pairs of running shoes in a box for the cost of £2.”

For any shoes deemed unsuitable for reuse, JogOn collaborates with an energy-generating facility, ensuring responsible disposal. Other organisations that will take your old sports shoes include:

• PlayItAgainSport
• Sharewear Clothing
• RunnersNeed

Planet-friendly purchases

The environmental impact of running shoes was recently highlighted by adidas’ launch of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 – a shoe designed to last for just one marathon.

“Making the average running shoes creates around 14kg of carbon emissions,” explains Damian Hall. “Globally the training shoe industry has the same emissions as the whole of the UK.”

While some brands offer to recycle their old shoes, Hall points out that this is more a case of ‘downcycling’ – using some components to help create things like rubber tennis courts. But the rest goes to the dump.

However, Swiss brand On have now developed a shoe that’s made from 100% recyclable material. The On Cloudneo is purchased on a monthly subscription. Once they’re worn out, you can replace them with a fresh pair.

Breaking free from the myth of mandatory replacement and embracing initiatives like JogOn may significantly reduce the environmental impact your sports gear has on the planet – and mean your old running shoes find a new purpose beyond the landfill.

Related content:

• How to choose the right running shoe
• Best trail-running shoes
• Best running socks

The post How To Recycle Old Running Shoes appeared first on Men's Fitness.