Men_s Health Australia - April 2016__

“I MAY BE TURNING 50but I honestly feel

like I’m 22; I don’t feel any different. I’m

lifting as much as I ever have. The gym just

works for me because it’s something I’ve

always done. I aim for 2-3 sessions a week,

complementing that with cycling and stand-

up paddle boarding.

“I know I’ve got good core strength

from my waterskiing days. But I always had

problems with my right shoulder. I know

how easy it is to damage, so these days, with

something like the bench press, for example, I

really work up gradually. I guess I train a little

bit smarter.

“I’ve tried a million different strategies in

the gym over the years, but the one that works

for me is one I heard Hugh Jackman talk about:

lifting heavy but short. I lift heavy for five or

six reps, whereas when I was younger I always

followed the old three sets of 10 rule. This way

helps you lift more. You just try to add a little

bit more each time to get the most out of your

body. I finish a session completely exhausted

and I know I’m burning fat for fuel for the rest

of the day.

“On the bike I do 100-200 kilometres a

week, working up to 300-400km ahead of the

Tour de Cure. Someone told me once, women

talk face to face, men talk to shoulder to

shoulder, and I reckon that’s true. It’s not just

about surface stuff either. If you’re on a bike

with someone for a few hours you really get

down into their lives.

“My longest ever bike ride was 287km

• Hunter to Tamworth. It was a horrific day.
  I thought I was done at lunchtime, mid
  afternoon, late afternoon. At the end of the day I
  collapsed and they put me on a drip. I learned so
  much from that about how you can push your
  body. It was a great lesson in the power of your
  mind. If your mind says no, we’re not stopping,
  your body will find a way to make it happen.”

94 APRIL 2016

50

Put your foot down now and

you’ll have the tools to take

life’s hardest punches

MAINTAIN YOUR GAINS

MARKBERETTA

TheSunrisehost and former waterskiing champion

anchors his life around exercise, using weight training

and cycling to keep his mind and body in sync