Mens_Health_UK_March_2017

34 MEN’S HEALTH MENSHEALTH.CO.UK

WORDS: ED COOPER | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOS | ILLUSTRATIONS: ALCONIC

A

10

YOUR VOCAL

COACH

06

EVOLVE YOUR

TRAINING

WEIGHT OSS

NEWSFE D

03/17

discovered hormone

irisin. This halts the

formation of flab at

source, preventing stem

cells from becoming fat cells

and forcing your body to put

them to better use by building

bone instead. It also triggers

brown fat cells to use more energy,

thereby boosting the number

of calories you torch.

But while the discovery of irisin

might be at the cutting-edge of

science, harnessing its effect is

more GCSE bitesize than it is

Nobel prize material. To inject

the wunder-hormone into your

weightloss plan, simply follow the

programme used in the study:

researchers found scheduling three

45-minute runs a week, working at

60-70% of your max heart rate, is

an effective way to tap into your

stores. Consider this further proof

that steady-state is well and truly

back in vogue. Skip the HIIT and

lace up – there’s science in action.

W

e’ve long espoused

the many benefits

of harnessing the

body’s hormones –

how the actions we take on the

outside can have radical effects

on our inside, transforming our

health, mood and physiques. But

while testosterone and human

growth hormone (HGH) are well

established as forces for change,

there’s a fresh contender promising

to whittle away at your winter fat

stores. A recent study published in

the American Journal of Physiology

found exercise spikes the newly

GEAR CHANGE

Even truly committed

cardioheads tire of the

treadmill. Try the gym’s

unsung stamina heroes

STEP MACHINE

Take inclines to the next

level by placing all the

emphasis on your lower

body and blasting even

more calories. And yes,

this counts as legs day.

SKI ERG

This CrossFit favourite

works your upper body.

Focus on engaging your

lat muscles to stave off

exhaustion. It will build

a V-shaped torso, too.

VERSACLIMBER

This brutal bit of kit may

have fallen from fashion,

but it’s a great way to

work your entire body

while sparing your spine,

keeping you injury-free.

UNRAVEL THE LATEST

RESEARCH TO REVEAL

YOUR BETTER BODY

THE STEM CELL

SCIENCE OF

FAT-BURNING

Tap into your body’s secret

weapon to wage genetic

warfare on your waistline

TLOSS

EED

07

THE NEXT

STEPS