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12
OR
P OSE1
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M S S2 H
WORDS: DAN MASOLIVER | PHOTOGRAPHY: AGATA PEC AT HEARST STUDIOSMENSHEALTH.CO.UKA
’S
A O Eclimbing. The second is endurance –
swimming, running or cycling for an
extended period of time. Finally, you need
an explosive practice that requires you to
twist and turn, move up and down, from
side to side. Sports from football to squash
to parkour requires this sort of dynamic
movement. Incorporate all three and
you’ll acquire a well-rounded, proportional
body that not only looks better with your
kit off, but helps clothes fit
better, too. You won’t be
restricted to a tracksuit by
superfluous bodybuilder
bulk, but you will have the
shoulders to fill out a suit.
Your newly functional body will also
improve your health. The endurance work
boosts cardiovascular strength and burns
body fat, distancing you from the growing
obesity epidemic. Meanwhile the full-
body balance and explosive activities
engage not just your visible muscles but
your fascia, too – the band of connective
tissue that stabilises muscles and joints,
and keeps you mobile into your later years(^2). Fitter, leaner and stronger for longer
- you don’t get that on the bench press.
For so many people, keeping fit has
become little more than a chore they feel
obliged to perform. But functional is fun.
Turn your training into a game and the
six-pack will come as a bonus^3. There’s
a phenomenon known as ‘folded fin
syndrome’, which describes how whales,
when kept in captivity, develop droopy
fins. Why? Because instead of using their
muscles to cross oceans, they’re bobbing
around in a tank. The same applies to us:
sitting in chairs, sleeping in beds, walking
in thick-soled shoes, our bodies become
less functional. They flop, they sag. You
are an animal. Don’t pay for the privilege
of being cooped up in a gym. Get outside
and use your body as nature intended.
(^1) ADAPT & THRIVE
People with flexible, varied
fitness routines are more likely
to stick to them, according to
University of Florida research.
(^2) MOTION CARRIED
Multi-planar exercises (moving
in all three planes of motion)
both strengthens your muscles
and reduces the risk of injury.
(^3) POWER PLAYING
Cornell Uni found that people
who view physical activity as
‘fun’ rather than ‘exercise’ are
less likely to overeat afterward.
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
S O G OU
“Turn training
into a game and
the six-pack will
come as a bonus”
’
T
hl ld
dNinja Warrior i r
Put down the heavy metal.
If you want to unleash your
true potential, says parkour
expert and freerunner Tim
Shieff, you need never
lift a weight again
he UK fitness ind
good health. It’s
powerful and – l
‘The Rock’ John
it just keeps growing. Acco
latest figures from indepen
the Leisure Database Comp
memberships in 2016 were
year-on-year. That means
obliterating 9.2m Brits a
members. And ify
of them, you’re w
your time and
Whether yo
craft a hard bo
your long-term
both, you’d be
the gym and m
training functio
functional in the
a means to an end –
action in pursuit of a g
functional in its pur
it will enable you to
stuff. A body manu
the weights room i
an unnatural one,
with musclesthat
bulge in the centre
- a product of linear,
up-and-down
movements such as
biceps curls, which c
aestheticthat hasn’t
since Arnie’s Genera
A functional physiqu
has long, toned muscles th
where they meet your joint
the middle. Just look at the
guys down at the park – the
their bodies through every
motion, and the result is a
It’s more attractive
after survey reveal
athletic bodies tha
and able, not like th
inflated by apneum
To forge a better
forget about dividing your
anatomical area – arms day
legs day, yawn. Instead, ov
of a week, incorporate thre
training 1. The first is for
contro
move
enga
mus
body
through yog
12
BE FIT FOR
PURPOSE13
FLEX YOUR
MUSCLES42 MEN’S HEALTH
THE DEVIL’S
ADVOCATEYOUR WEIGHTS ROUTINE
IS HOLDING YOU BACK.
TIME TO BREAK FREESATAN’S LITTLE HELPER
Tim Shieff is a pro parkour
athlete, two-time World
Freerunning Champion
and Ninja Warriorrwinner