32 MensHealth.com | December 2016
From top: Ty Allison/Getty Images, STEVE SANFORD, Jan Wolak-Dyszyński/Getty ImagesUseful
StuffRock the Gym
Rock-hard muscles—arms, shoulders, core—and heart-racing thrills
make indoor rock climbing a worthy winter workout. By Lisa Jhung#3
Ranking of being obese
or overweight among
preventable causes of
cancer, after smoking and
excessive drinking. Over
two-thirds of U.S. adults
are in this weight category.
Sources: Cancer Epidemiology, CDCFall Intentionally
J i t ter y? D o so me tes t
falls early on. When
you’re roped up and on
belay (held safely by
a partner on the floor
who’s got the rope),
make a few moves up
the wall and then fall
back so the rope (and
your belayer) stops you.Focus on Your Feet
Rock climbing isn’t all
upper-body work and
pulling with your hands.
Look down and not
just up as you place your
feet. Stand firmly on
each placement while
you scope out your next
move. Push with your
legs when possible.Avoid the Death Grip
Grab the plastic holds
with the least force pos-
sible. Using a delicate
grip preserves your
endurance and keeps
your arms from getting
so “pumped”—that is,
tight and swollen from
overwork—that you just
can’t grab another hold.Stop and Loosen
Pause often to shake
o u t yo ur ar ms (o ne at
a time!) to let the blood
circulate and relieve
forearm burning. The
arm you keep on the
wall should stay straight
to re duc e fatigue. A nd
while you’re at it, chalk
up for a better grip.Source: Mark Eller, former climbing guide and editor at Rock and Ice magazineThe Modern
Man’s Rulebook
Learn CPR Between Flights
A guy keels over—can you save him? According to the American
Heart Association, seven in 10 people feel helpless to act on a
victim of cardiac arrest, the cause of over 350,000 deaths a year.
So learn CPR. New airport kiosks let you practice on a manne-
quin, get feedback, and take a test. Find them at Dallas/Fort
Worth, Atlanta, Baltimore-Washington, Indianapolis, and Chicago
O’Hare. If you get good and feel heroic, download PulsePoint
Respond; the free app alerts you if someone in walking distance
needs CPR. Until then, call 911 and start compressions with the
he el of yo ur hand c en tere d o n the v i c tim’s c hes t. P ush hard and fas t ,
100 to 120 compressions a minute (to the beat of “Stayin’ Alive”).No. 17/
Your Other Right to Remain Silent
Far too often, people expect you to
explain yourself. Why’d you pass
o n that of fer? O r b et o n the Raid er s?
I f yo u’re so inc line d , hey, have at
it—share all your motives for moving
to V ietnam. B u t i f yo u’re a m o re
private guy, don’t feel compelled
to walk folks through your reasons
for anything. Sometimes you don’t
even know why you trust Plumber
A or definitely don’t trust Doctor B.
You have reasons you don’t yet
understand, wolf-level instincts
that k i c k in l o ng b efo re yo ur muc h
dumber brain shows up to the party.
If total silence seems too cold, then
go with a vague non-answer, some-
thing like “ F e els r igh t ” o r “ D o esn’ t
work for me.” Both make you sound
like a self-possessed guy who
knows himself, trusts himself, and
prefers not to be cross-examined if
that’s all right with you.By Hugh O’Neill