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Men's Fitness July - August 2015 (Digital)

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This month on MensFitness.com

Gotta Maintain The three workouts you absolutely need to keep your body in check throughout the summer party season. mensfitness.com/keepittogether The Art of the One-Summer Stand Sad but true: You know it’s a shortterm deal. Here’s how to get out without coming off as a putz. mensfitness.com/nostrings Be the King of the Grill How to throw a seriously slammin’ summer barbecue but keep it superhealthy. mensfitness.com/firedup Everything You Need to Know About Laser Hair Removal Our style and grooming editor takes the dive and tries it firsthand. Find out if you should, too. mensfitness.com/cleanup Don’t Be a Burnout Overtraining is easy to do and much more common than you think. Are you at risk? mensfitness.com/burnt GET THE APP Download it for free on your Apple or Android mobile device to unlock deals, offers, and exclusive videos. SUMMER SIX-PACK! Add these core- carving moves for your best beach…

This month on MensFitness.com

How have you evolved over the past year? ¶ No, scratch that. How have you evolved over the past five years? Ten years? ¶ If you look back on yourself, what do you see? ¶ As a longtime CEO, I’ve been blessed with a “View from the Top” for many years. And one of the things I’ve learned from this lofty perch is that there’s actually no such thing as “the top.” No matter where you are, there’s always farther to climb. And that’s a good thing. The place you are right now—in your career, in your relationships, in your fitness goals—is entirely temporary. If you don’t love exactly where you are, rest assured: Things are going to change. And if you do love where you are, remember: Things are going…

STRENGTH TRAINING CJ Murphy, M.F.S. Owner, Total Performance Sports, Everett, MA Jim Smith, C.S.C.S. Owner, Diesel Strength & Conditioning Zach Even-Esh Owner, Underground Strength Gym, Edison, NJ Ben Bruno Personal trainer, Los Angeles, benbruno.com PHYSICAL THERAPY Jay Dicharry, M.P.T., C.S.C.S. Director of biomechanics, Rebound Physical Therapy; coach, USA Track & Field; coach, USA Cycling, Bend, OR WEIGHT LOSS Bob Harper Fitness expert; best-selling author of Jumpstart to Skinny; trainer, NBC’s The Biggest Loser Chris Powell, C.S.C.S. Trainer; author; transformation specialist, ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss Frank G. Bottone Jr., Ph.D., R.D. Author, The Diet Denominator: Fill Your Tank for Less NUTRITION Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D. Award-winning writer, nutrition consultant, spokesperson Angela Lemond, R.D.N. Owner, Lemond Nutrition; spokesperson, American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics FOOD Danny Boome Celebrity chef; international TV host, currently on Good Food America for Veria Living Candice Kumai Author, Clean Green Drinks, candicekumai.com Devin…

Outrun the Grim Reaper

You’ve read all those studies saying that intense exercise is just the ticket for revving up your metabolism, building lean muscle, and attracting admiring glances around the pool. But now there’s research that proves it’s good for something even more important—keeping you alive longer. ¶ Exercise that gets you huffing and puffing—like running hard or playing competitive tennis—can reduce your risk of early death by up to 13%, new research in JAMA Internal Medicine shows. The six-year study on more than 200,000 people also found that those who exercised vigorously for more than 30% of their workout got the most benefits. ¶ “This modest but significant additional risk reduction shows that there are greater health benefits from vigorous activity,” confirms researcher Klaus Gebel, Ph.D. ¶ So a casual jog or…

Outrun the Grim Reaper

Broc, stock & barrel

NO. 1 You’re cooking it to death A recent Wakefield Research survey found that 76% of Americans cook broccoli for way too long—10 minutes or more—and 13% think high heat will actually activate its healthy enzymes. In fact, it’s just the opposite: Long, hot blasts of heat degrade essential nutrients and deplete the valuable phytonutrient glucoraphanin, which protects against oxidation and cellular stress. To max broccoli’s benefits, follow these cooking steps: • Cut florets into small pieces and slice stems thinly to rupture cell walls, allowing the enzyme myrosinase, a precursor to glucoraphanin, to form. • Squeeze a little lemon juice over chopped broccoli to help activate even more myrosinase. • Let broccoli sit for 5 minutes for maximum enzyme creation. • Steam the broccoli for up to 5 minutes on stove or in microwave till it turns…

Broc, stock & barrel

Holy shiitake! these are some healthy mushrooms

Asian mushrooms have been picked and eaten fresh, or dried and powdered for thousands of years for use in traditional Chinese medicine. Now a new study is adding to their mystique—and their street cred. ¶ Eating one 4-oz serving of dried, reconstituted shiitake mushrooms a day for four weeks can boost your immune system by measurably increasing killer T cells and antibody levels— both badass assassins for the immune system, the U. of Florida reports. ¶ Pick up dried shiitakes at a natural market and add them while cooking vegetable soup, or soak them for up to eight hours, rinse, and enjoy them with your favorite proteins and veggies. Maple syrup finally does something right Your favorite pancake topper may be good for more than just, well, topping pancakes. It could actually…

Holy shiitake! these are some healthy mushrooms

Checkmate your way to a sharper mind

A stimulating hobby can keep your brain firing on all cylinders well into your late decades, a new Mayo Clinic study has discovered. ¶ The four-year research project, which involved 256 elderly subjects who showed no signs of dementia, found that those who regularly engaged in hobbies like painting, sculpting, playing board games, woodworking, knitting, and computer gaming showed a significantly lower risk than normal for developing mild cognitive impairment, or MCI. ¶ Not surprisingly, participants who began pursuing their hobbies around midlife had better results than those who started later; in fact, the earlier you start, the better, says study head Rosebud O. Roberts: “These activities are important to maintaining brain health, so find an activity that works with your schedule, and continue it throughout your life.” Garlic fights brain…

Checkmate your way to a sharper mind

Reach your style gooooooooooooal!

ESPN broke U.S. audience records for men’s World Cup matches when 11.1 million sets tuned in to watch our guys play Ghana last year; and American youth soccer registration is soaring. ¶ Now, to further fuel our fandom of “the beautiful game” (as Pelé dubbed it), there’s Associated, a sharp, news-printed fashion pub featuring cutting-edge athletic-inspired looks, noteworthy professional players, and soccer communities countrywide. And these are looks you can actually wear: Says its editor and founder, British soccer enthusiast Allan Kennedy, “We make a point of showing the soccer physique—it’s more accessible for the ordinary guy than that of traditional American sports, where size can get freakish.” ¶ With its mix of players, fans, and models sporting cutting-edge casual gear, Associated bridges the gap between athletic style and sports…

Reach your style gooooooooooooal!

Boost your MacGyver factor

THAT PENCIL (OR COMB, OR CANDY BAR) IN YOUR POCKET COULD GET YOU OUT OF A DANGEROUS JAM. You never know where danger lurks, but you don’t have to carry a Ruger or own a rottweiler to always be prepared. ¶ According to the entertaining new book A Guide to Improvised Weaponry (if a book on how to stab a villain’s leg with a pencil-turned-shoespike can be considered “entertaining”), no matter where you are, a weapon of self-defense is right at your fingertips. Yes, say authors Terry Schappert—a Green Beret and host of Discovery Channel’s Dude, You’re Screwed —and Adam Slutsky, just a little quick, out-of-thebox thinking can make you more Bond than Boy Scout. ¶ A thug threatens your Sunday brunch? Throw a handful of salt in his face, then…

Boost your MacGyver factor

The 42-year-old intern

Better late than never Seven years ago, Andrew Brill was more or less your average American guy. He had a job he didn’t love, but it paid the bills and supported his family. The New York native grew up loving sports and even once dreamed of making a living in that world. But, like many boys who grow up to become men, it just didn’t happen. ¶ In college, Brill majored in business, but by the time he graduated he still had no idea what he wanted to do with his life. “As a kid, you think 20 is really old, and that you have time to think about what you’re going to do,” he says, looking back. “What you don’t realize is that it goes really fast and you have…

The 42-year-old intern

The Late-Bloomer Hall of Fame

Jon Hamm Before Mad Men, Hamm was a St. Louis drama teacher who made quite a lasting impact in the classroom. Ellie Kemper— star of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt—was actually a student of his and recalls: “He was just as handsome back then. [Having Jon Hamm] teach you theater, it was like having a hunk in the class.” Dick Costolo Before he was the CEO of Twitter, Costolo was a comedian rising through the ranks of Chicago’s The Second City, the improv troupe that launched the careers of Stephen Colbert and Mike Myers. “People have Plato’s form in their mind of...what a CEO is...a bunch of elements I really don’t conform to,” he told The New York Times. “ I came to the conclusion that I don’t care.” Ken Jeong Most M.D.s have…

The Late-Bloomer Hall of Fame

The right plan (for you)

OVERANALYZING YOUR WORKOUTS IS HALTING YOUR GAINS. Think about this: “Methods are many; principles are few. Methods always change, but principles never do.” ¶ It’s a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote often used by trainers to describe why one workout can be as effective as another even if the two are wildly different. If you’ve been struggling to find the “best” workout program, you’d do well to heed this advice—after all, Emerson was ripped. (No, we can’t verify this, but go with it, OK?) ¶ Because there’s no such thing as a perfect program, it’s a mistake to scour the planet for the next 5/3/1, StrongLifts, Starting Strength, or other trendy workout plan when simply learning what makes workouts effective can set you up for a lifetime of gains. ¶ It’s time…

The right plan (for you)

The Principles of Muscle Gain

Balance. You won’t make any progress if you’re hurt. A program that doesn’t include at least as many sets of pulling exercises as it does pushing will set you up for shoulder injury. You also need time for recovery, so make sure your workouts are spaced appropriately and don’t lift heavy more than three times a week. “If you’re over 35, it’s never necessary to go heavy,” Ferruggia says. Challenge. There’s a reason squats and bench presses are used frequently in studies that measure muscle and strength—they work. Base your program around hard exercises that work the most muscles, such as squats, presses, rows, chinups, deadlifts, and all their variations. Specificity. If your goal is to boost your bench press, you need to train on the bench frequently and target your weak…

“How much cardio do I need to burn fat?” CEDRIC L., DANBURY, CT Consider this: A hard aerobic workout can burn about 500 calories in an hour, but a meal of chicken, rice, and vegetables is around 400 calories. Even when you work very hard to burn calories you can easily replace them with food. What about HIIT? Well, high-intensity interval training is helpful, but it’s a bit overblown. Proponents argue that it revs your metabolism for hours after the workout, but this isn’t as dramatic as it sounds. A review in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that this metabolic effect amounted to, at best, only 15% of the calories you burned in the session. So if you burned 300 calories, you may burn another 45 over the next day. Whoop-de-doo. I’m…

Smarten up your routine

Everybody loves a quick fix, but playing the long game is the real key to making lasting changes. One recent study from the American Journal of Public Health showed that when people use strategies like setting goals and making minor adjustments to a routine—rather than attempting overly ambitious life changes— physical activity levels soared. Sneaking a few new behaviors into each day can add up to a whole new you. 6:30 a.m. Wake up with a stretch Flexibility work first thing in the morning helps limber up muscles tightened up from the day before and increases blood flow. But don’t jump right into the static stretches— dynamic moves ease you into the stretch and get blood flowing. Try the Lunge Twist This will activate your core and legs 1) Step forward into a lunge with…

Smarten up your routine

Rough it the right way

FEW THINGS CAN TOP THE SIMPLICITY of setting off into the wild with whatever you can carry on your back. But there is one thing that has a slight edge: immersing yourself in that same grand and beautiful setting along with a six-pack of your favorite microbrew and enough wood for a solid three-hour campfire. And for that, you’ll need a great base camp. ¶ Sure, some call it car camping. But we like to think of it as simply making yourself more at home—if home were at the base of a 3,000-foot granite wall in Yosemite National Park or tucked among the sand dunes along Lake Michigan’s remote coast. You wouldn’t eat freeze-dried lasagna or sit on a bare floor at home, would you? We didn’t think so. But…

Rough it the right way

America’s best summer base camps

ICONIC ROCK WALLS Yosemite National Park, CA • The most spectacular view of Yosemite’s towering granite walls and cascading waterfalls is looking up at them from Yosemite Valley. North Pines Campground has several riverfront sites and trails heading to Mirror Lake, Nevada Fall, and, much farther on, the roof of Half Dome. Plus, it’s a fiveminute walk to showers and a grocery store in nearby Curry Village. nps.gov/yose DESERT AND DUNES Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO • Many of the tent sites in the only campground in this national park have unobstructed views of the park’s otherworldly dune field, full of 750-foottall mountains of sand. Rent a sandboard in nearby Alamosa and rip down the dunes all day. Then, in the evening, kick back and watch the alpenglow light up the blood-red Sangre de…

America’s best summer base camps

The toys of summer

MUSEUM-QUALITY MITT Nokona x Shinola Baseball Glove In collaboration with Nokona—a baseball equipment company that’s been around since the ’30s—men’s luxury brand Shinola has handcrafted a no-break-in Horween leather glove that’s almost too beautiful to take outside. But it gets even better with age and should last you decades, even if you do bring it with you to the diamond. $435, shinola.com THE PERFECT TRAVEL TOOL 1) Leatherman Tread The Leatherman Tread bracelet—also available as a watch strap—is intentionally covert. Designed by a Leatherman president after being denied entry to Disneyland with his plier-tool combo, this may be the only tool that can make it through airport security. And it still has most of the utility of traditional models. When you’re ready to use one of its 25 tools, including a screwdriver and a…

The toys of summer

From spicy salsas and moles in Mexico to jerk chicken in the Caribbean to curries in India, there’s a reason people in the hottest climates are also drawn to fiery foods: When that heat crosses your lips, it raises your body temperature and makes you sweat, improving circulation and helping you cope better with the weather around you. The same is true with cocktails. A spicy drink is actually more refreshing when sipped slowly on a hot afternoon. Plus, by swapping in low-calorie peppers to replace fruit or mixers, you also cut the calories in your drink significantly. All that, and they taste great with every type of liquor—it’s definitely time to get lit! Jalapeño Basil Gin and Tonic 1 jalapeño, sliced 2 sprigs fresh basil ½ small cucumber, sliced 2 oz gin Tonic TO MAKE:…

A fight worth paying for

Given today’s boring—sorry, more technical—style of boxing, few fighters would dare move like Robert De Niro’s Jake LaMotta did in Raging Bull. Which is why Jake Gyllenhaal’s Billy Hope is a refreshing throwback. In Southpaw, Hope is an undefeated heavyweight champ whose victories leave his face looking like an eggplant. Jacked and tatted for the role, Gyllenhaal is all but unrecognizable from the rapacious, nefarious, and fast-talking sociopath he played in last year’s sleeper hit Nightcrawler. You’ll wince as his Billy wears down opponents by offering up his face as a speed bag. Then, when his body’s been reduced to blood and gristle, he bull rushes them for the win. Southpaw tells yet another story about a self-destructive fighter, the flawed but indomitable everyman. Billy doesn’t seem to hear his wife,…

A fight worth paying for

Aziz Ansari, Love Guru

PROBLEM: Someone asks you out, via text, and you’re not interested. Do you respond or give the person the silent treatment? AZIZ SAYS : “We actually prefer to be lied to. Write back: ‘Sorry, can’t do dinner tomorrow. I’m leaving on a secret mission with the space program! When I return to Earth, I will have barely aged at all, but you’ll be 78 years old. I just don’t think it’s a good time for me.’ “ PROBLEM: You’re leaving the country, and you forget to call your girlfriend to say goodbye. Later, you tell her you were busy packing, but she doesn’t buy it: On Instagram your friend posted a picture of you playing with a vintage Polaroid camera before the flight. AZIZ SAYS: When Valentine’s Day rolls around, ask if she…

Aziz Ansari, Love Guru

HOLYFIELD VS. HOLLYWOOD

An ‘A’ for effort Will Smith in Ali (2001): Holyfield says no actor has given a truly great boxing performance but that Smith’s turn as Ali was admirable. “Ali is hard to do. The shadowboxing, the footwork—it was ballet. Will Smith is a great actor, but it’s like asking someone to paint a Rembrandt.” KO’d by a co-star Mark Wahlberg in The Fighter (2010): Holyfield says the brother, played by Christian Bale, resonated with him more than Wahlberg’s character. “I had an older brother who followed me around, and at fights he’d yell, ‘Ain’t nobody going to beat my brother!’” Boxing-by-numbers Sylvester Stallone in Rocky (1976): Yes, the greatest boxing movie ever features its worst boxing performance. “It’s very choreographed— always punching and stumbling and bouncing off ropes. In reality you’ve got…

HOLYFIELD VS. HOLLYWOOD

Your new summer run

GET FASTER, STRONGER, AND USE 150% MORE ENERGY DOING SAND DRILLS. Whether you’re looking to change up your regular running routine or just sneak a workout in during your next vacation, running on sand can strengthen your feet and ankles, not to mention increase overall aerobic conditioning. You expend at least 150% more energy and burn more calories running on sand than on hard surfaces—and it actually makes you faster. “Your body has to work harder to get over it,” says R. Amadeus Mason, M.D., assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Emory Healthcare and a physician for Georgia Tech’s track and field team. “It adds resistance and fires muscles you’re unaccustomed to using. Think of it like putting weights around your ankles, or running with a parachute on.” But beware of…

Your new summer run

Travis Van Winkle

“ I’M NOT THE TYPE TO HIDE UNDER A ROCK—I’M WILLING TO MAKE A STAND FOR PEOPLE.” THE GUY On TNT’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Last Ship, Travis Van Winkle plays a Navy SEAL trying to save the planet from a viral pandemic. If he were in this situation in real life? “I’d want a romantic interest, a close friend, some family, and one stranger with me,” he says. “We’d create a new civilization up in the trees, like Avatar; maybe even paint ourselves blue.” But the hero thing isn’t just an act. Last year, Van Winkle trekked the muddy paths of Nicaragua to help build a school as part of a service trip. “These villages seemingly have nothing, yet they have everything,” he says. “They’re rich in culture and family values. It…

Travis Van Winkle

Is your skin ready for summer?

CLARISONIC SMART Profile It may seem like a little soap and water are doing the job, but sometimes a deeper clean is necessary to remove buildup and toxins that cause breakouts. The Clarisonic SMART Profile, which brushes away oil and dirt from your mug in less than 60 seconds (with multiple speed settings for more sensitive areas) can be used on any type of skin for a thorough, invigorating scrub. $265, clarisonic.com A BETTER COMPLEXION STARTS WITH A SMART CLEANSING ROUTINE AND THE RIGHT TOOLS. WELEDA 1) Men’s Shaving Toner This all-natural witch hazel aftershave balm prevents razor bumps. $23, usa.weleda.com AMORE PACIFIC 2) Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System If your skin tends to need an extra moisture boost, go for this bamboo sap-based formula. $35, us.amorepacific.com ACQUA DIPARMA 3) Smoothing Body Scrub With the earthy scent of Sicilian pine, this full-body scrub neutralizes…

Is your skin ready for summer?

If you’ve been anywhere near a radio lately, you’ve heard Jhené Aiko’s soulful collaborations with some of the planet’s biggest artists, including Big Sean (“Beware”) and Drake (“From Time”). But Aiko isn’t just standing on the shoulders of giants—with her latest solo record, Souled Out, she’s being dubbed a bona fide R&B star. That’s not to say she’s feeling any pressure. “I like to keep it chill,” she says. And like some sort of anti-diva, the Grammy-nominated 27-year-old likes to chow down on Thai takeout in the studio and slip into conversations about the stars. But Aiko, whose roots are Native American and Japanese, is all business when it comes to her art. “With work, there’s no time to waste,” she says. She asked her mom to help her write her first…

The natural edge

Taking supplements can be a smart way to fill in nutritional gaps, but eating real, whole foods will always be the bedrock of a healthy diet. It can be tricky, though, to know which to pick, what they can do for you, and how best to eat them. Since these five may not be on your radar yet, here’s all the info you need to make them part of your new menu. Burn fat with green tea Besides its powerful antioxidants, cancer-fighting properties, and memory-enhancing powers, green tea’s active ingredient catechin also boosts metabolism to help burn fat. Plus, new research shows that the caffeine in green tea improves performance in the gym by reducing feelings of fatigue and increasing adrenaline levels. THE BEST WAY TO DRINK IT: Make a pitcher of iced…

The natural edge

How to beat the bonk

TO AVOID CRASHING, YOU NEED TO GET YOUR CALORIES, HYDRATION, AND TRAINING PACE JUST RIGHT. During the 2005 New York City Marathon, Benjamin Rapoport crashed hard— his legs were racked with pain and his stomach was a mess of cramps. His muscles had run out of fuel—glycogen—and were now burning fat alone. Technically speaking, he bonked. It’s a predictable phase of long-distance running. “You start to slip,” he says, “and then you’re gone.” Rapoport, who has a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from MIT and an M.D. from Harvard, decided to study the phenomenon and made a few surprising discoveries. “No one had developed a mathematical way of determining—based on an individual’s biometric characteristics—how to optimize performance with respect to pacing and carb loading,” he says. So Rapoport created an online…

How to beat the bonk

Even the best bonk

Chris Legh Triathlete During the 1997 Hawaii Ironman Championships, Legh hit a wall made famous in a Gatorade commercial. The Australian was 50 yards from the finish line when he staggered lef t, then right, then fell over and began crawling. He was so dehydrated he required emergency surgery to remove part of his large intestine. Legh realized his in-race hydration routine was way off. THE FIX: After recalculating his ratios of sodium to water, Legh competed in the Australian Long Course Championship and won by 14 minutes, then went on to become the top-ranked longcourse triathlete in the world. Meb Keflezighi Marathoner Keflezighi, attempting his first-ever marathon in New York’s 2002 race, was in fourth at Mile 19 when he dumped some cold water on his head. “It shut my engine off. It…

Even the best bonk

Overhaul your habits

Last year on his blog, Jay Z announced that he and Beyoncé were going on a 22-day vegan-only diet, writing, “Psychologists have said it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. On the 22nd day, you’ve found the way.” ¶ Nice rhyme—but not necessarily true. In fact, much of what we think we know about habits can be downright counterproductive. It can take months, even years, to build healthy habits, whether you want to quit smoking, start eating better, or just go to the gym more regularly. ¶ Here, the best ways to create good habits that will last a lifetime. 1. Give yourself at least 66 days to make a habit stick That’s right, it can actually take two months or more to create a solid habit, according to…

Overhaul your habits

The Navy SEAL’s guide to success

GREAT INVESTORS DO THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT THEIR EMOTIONS URGE THEM TO DO. IF ERIC GREITENS WERE your commanding officer, you’d have to listen to him—the military is tough like that. Of course, he’s not your CO, but you should listen to him anyhow because he’s a worthy superior in every way. A former Navy SEAL and commander of an al Qaeda–targeting cell, he’s a also a boxing champion,a taekwondo second dan, and a sub-3-hour marathoner who bench-presses 280.5 pounds. ¶ That’s not all. Greitens is also a Rhodes scholar who got a full academic scholarship to Duke. And, most obnoxiously, he’s not obnoxious, either. In fact, when he returned from Iraq with a Purple Heart, he used his combat pay to found a charity, The Mission Continues, which helps veterans…

The Navy SEAL’s guide to success

Be the smartest (money) guy in the room

Claw back from debt… …with the right card. A study by CardHub has named the Barclaycard Arrival Plus the best rewards card, estimating that it yields $1,621 in travel rewards during the first two years, based on average consumer spending. Beware race scams If you’re tempted to hit up one of the popular color runs (paint races), beware: You could be left seeing red. While some are legit, others have turned out to be complete scams, in which organizers take your money but never hold a race. If you do sign up, use a credit (not debit) card. Buy now Feel like you’re getting hit with continual rent hikes? Well, you are. U.S. rents have jumped about 14% since 2010. If you’re renting, lock in your lease for two years. And while…

Best tickets ever

THE TWILIGHT OF SUMMER IS ALWAYS THAT SPECIAL time when America morphs into a live-eventgoing nation of ticket buyers. And 2015’s shaping up to be the biggest summer yet (for more on that, see page 83). So whether you’re a Deadmau5 fanatic or a Nascar buff, a Lollapalooza regular, or a Chicago Cubs diehard, there’s no reason you should find yourself marooned on the couch, the only one of your friends who didn’t score a ticket. Thanks to the rise of e-tickets and the secondary market online for ticket resellers, there’s just about zero live events you can’t game your way into at the last minute, and at a reasonable price. Here’s what you need to know. How to crash any sold-out concert at the last minute Okay, so all the tickets…

Best tickets ever

Rock an EDM running festival The Night Nation Run bills itself as the world’s first “running music festival”: 3.1 miles of thumping EDM (electronic dance music) beats and a course filled with multiple DJ stations, smoke machines, spotlights, and vertiginous laser shows—all bookended by pre- and post-race dance parties that last for hours on end. With six summer events in cities ranging from Boston to Los Angeles, there’s likely one right around the corner from you. The registration fee ($30–$60) includes a glow necklace. Of course it does. (nightnationrun.com) Soak in some international soccer— right here at home This summer, the U.S. hosts the Concacaf (Confederation of North, Central America, and Caribbean Association Football) Gold Cup. USA, led by Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, and DeAndre Yedlin, plays Honduras (July 7; Dallas), Haiti (July…

A boxy figure in a blue suit, collared shirt, and no tie emerges backlit from smoke and shadow. He walks toward you, hands in pockets, fabric draping in symmetrical billows, his gait even, steps steady, and pauses, yellow light now hitting him full in the face. Mark Wahlberg nods once, then blinks, and asks, “How was that? Again?” He turns, walks back into the shadow and smoke, stands there, waits. He’s here on a Hollywood soundstage, filming a promotion for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. For payper-view watchers—in other words, all of us except the precious few who could afford the many thousands of dollars it cost to be in the MGM Grand Garden Arena that night in May—the first thing we saw before the big fight, after the preliminaries, before the ring…

When stress doesn’t suck

“You seem tense,” my iPhone texts me, and suggests I take a brief meditation break. Is it reading my mind? No, it’s just a message from the two-inchlong gray orb attached to the waistband of my jeans, called Spire, which monitors my respiratory rhythms and alerts me whenever it senses a period of rapid, shallow breaths. Spire was invented by Neema Moraveji, Ph.D., a computer scientist who directs Stanford University’s Calming Technology Lab, where his team has studied prototypes like Mail0, touted as “the world’s first calming e-mail client,” as well as Morphine Drip, an app for injured athletes stressed out because they can’t play. “We’re also trying to bring natural elements into sterile work environments,” says Moraveji. “This includes outfitting desks with real grass.” These are just some of the latest…

When stress doesn’t suck

Monitoring my stress monitor

Countless new gadgets advertise the ability to monitor your stress. Some log heart rate; others record electrical impulses. Granted, the only 100% bombproof method would be collecting saliva and blood samples to chart your stress hormones. Even so, wearables do a really good job. For one week, I wore a Spire monitor ($150, spire.io), which tracks respiratory rhythms. Here are three things I learned. 1) Stress Monitors Are Really Great at Measuring Calm Spire parses moods into four categories—calm, tense, activity, and focus—and knows how long you’re in each realm. It’s most valuable teaching you what makes you calm. I discovered that my longest stressfree “calm” periods occurred when I cooked for my family or read to my 5-year-old son before bedtime. I plan to do more of both. 2) Booze Agitates (But…

Monitoring my stress monitor

Score at the store

with the 50 best packaged foods you can buy You know the basics of buying meat, dairy, and pro duce—“lean,” “fresh,” and “colorful” are pretty much the words to live by. But which frozen pizza should you get? What kind of cracker isn’t awful for you? And why are there so many damn boxes of cereal—and are any of them really nutritious? ¶ Yes, it’s when you step away from the good stuff and start looking at anything processed that buying healthy becomes the biggest challenge. But fear not. Men’s Fitness is here to help. Relying on extensive taste tests, expert picks, and a final review with some of the country’s most trusted nutritional advisers, we’ve put together a list of 50 fantastic guy foods you can throw in your…

Score at the store

THE GAMER’S NEW EDGE

The man known to legions of adoring fans as “Flamesword” rises at around 8 a.m. from his “prized possession,” a Tempur-Pedic mattress with built-in massage, and heads downstairs several hours before his five roommates, who maintain the schedule of vampires, would even dream of getting out of bed. Wearing shorts, moccasin-style slippers, and a royal blue T-shirt, Flamesword—real name Mike Chaves—steps around the jugs of spring water in the front hall, avoids the thicket of electrical cords snaking off the dining room table, and takes care not to overturn any of the teetering stacks of Red Bull cases scattered about the four-bedroom colonial in a generic swath of exurbia hacked from the flat woods west of Chicago. There’s no noise, save the soft hum of the idling computers that sit unattended on…

THE GAMER’S NEW EDGE

The OpTic-Fast Flamesword Workout

DIRECTIONS: Perform each movement for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Beginners can repeat the moves for four minutes, but with experience, you can progress to eight minutes (40 seconds on and 20 seconds off), or 12 minutes (60 seconds on, 30 seconds off). This approach is similar to Tabata training, a popular interval scheme for conditioning and fat loss. Begin with a warmup. “I do the entire routine slowly for the first two minutes to warm up my body,” Chaves says, “and then I jump into it.” So begin with a walkthrough to get your body used to the motions and get the blood flowing. When you’re ready, start the clock, and go fast. 1. Superman Lie facedown on the floor; extend your arms and legs. Brace your…

The OpTic-Fast Flamesword Workout

Ask Men’s Fitness

SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK@MENSFITNESS.COM I’m thinking of getting into longboarding—it seems a little less intense than skateboarding but still a cool way to get around. What should I look for in a good longboard? CHRISL. , NEW HAVEN, CT ”You’re going to want something you’re comfortable standing on,” says Rob Reinoso, Team Manager at Longboard Loft in New York City. “If you have size-12 feet, you don’t want to grab a smaller board. It’s going to feel awkward.” ¶ But more important than anything, perhaps, are the wheels you put on your board. “For wheels, I recommend anywhere from a 78a to an 82a,” says Reinoso, referring to the numbers that denote a wheel’s hardness—the higher the number, the harder the wheel. “If you’re on rough pavement, 78a or 82a will…

Ask Men’s Fitness

SHORTY THE BARBER

IT’S HARD TO BEAT A BASEBALL CAP FOR A SUMMER BBQ—BUT THE BRIM COULD BE A DEAL BREAKER. “I’m going to a barbecue, and it’s a real laid-back poolside thing. I want to wear a hat. What’s more in style these days— curved brim or flat?” GARY C., RENO, NV Frankly, dude, asking a barber about what hat to wear is sort of like asking a podiatrist about a rash on your face. But as it turns out, I am the right guy to ask—I love a good hat, and I think I can help you out here. If it’s a chill sesh with the guys, then I don’t see a problem with a baseball cap; and these days, flat-brimmed caps are definitely in. If you have a smaller head, though, and the flat…

SHORTY THE BARBER

A CAB, AS OUR SEXPERT PUTS IT, IS A GOOD PLACE FOR FOREPLAY BUT NOTHING MORE INTENSE. Sometimes my girlfriend seems to want what you’d call “passionate lovemaking,” and the next day she wants something more akin to “fucking.” Why? TYLER G., CHARLESTON, SC Thanks for putting it so bluntly. When you’re having sex with the same person over and over and over again, you still want to feel like you’re getting the full spectrum of sexual experiences. You know the Usher song lyrics, “Lady in the street but a freak in the bed?” Well, your girlfriend wants the same thing—just all in the bed. The safety that comes from a good relationship often allows people to open up sexually in ways they might not with a more casual partner. It could be…

NOW SERVING FRESH MUSCLES

You can look like a man and still eat like one, too. That is, you can build the barrel chest and washboard abs you want and still live like a regular guy who gets to indulge now and again without feeling guilty about it. (And,yes, that includes cracking open a six-pack without losing the one on the front of your stomach.) ¶ As a matter of fact, this month’s recipes on page 130 center on beer and all the ways it can be used to make delicious meals that won’t endanger your abs. Meanwhile, we’ll show you how to break your records for best lifts in four weeks with our strength program on page 122, and how to get ripped up for the beach with a fat-loss routine unlike any…

NOW SERVING FRESH MUSCLES

Practice makes muscle

Strength isn’t a goal as much as it is a habit. Practice it regularly and it will come naturally. For the next four weeks, forget about all the fancy newfangled exercises you learned from YouTube and rededicate yourself to the basics—you’ll need only a handful of lifts to change your body and set big personal records. By this time next month you’ll be putting up huge numbers in the gym and seeing new muscle in the mirror as a result. HOW IT WORKS To build total-body brute strength, you need to squat, bench, and deadlift. These lifts let you load the most weight and activate the most muscle. The only drawback is that they’re hard on the body. To get good at them, you have to do them a lot. But…

Practice makes muscle

Your favorite beverage is good for a lot more than quenching your thirst on a summer day and giving you the confidence to approach beautiful women. In fact, it’s perhaps the most underrated cooking ingredient in your kitchen. Beer can replace some or all of the liquid—water, stock, or wine—in practically any recipe, adding its own unique flavor without adding many calories and boosting your antioxidant intake. So while you’re drinking suds anyway, save some for the recipes that follow, all of which have significant health benefits and will change your opinion of beer as a mere empty-calorie indulgence food. Truth be told, you can have your drink and eat it, too. Don’t bother with light beers. Their flavor doesn’t hold up to cooking. Pork Salad with Mustard-Beer Dressing MAKES : 4 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS FOR…

SUMMER SIX-PACK PROGRAM

When you’re talking about cars or job applicants, efficiency is a good thing. When you’re talking about working out so you can see your abs, it’s a bad one. The problem is, the more efficient your body becomes performing any exercise, the fewer calories it burns doing it. ¶ So with this program, our goal is to make your body more inefficient (like a trip to the DMV, only a lot more fun) so that it burns more calories and stimulates muscle. While it’s not the most “efficient” training, it is the fastest route to abs. Go figure. HOW IT WORKS The best way to throw the body off and fight efficiency is to keep changing up your workouts to prevent adaptation. You’ll need to train three days a week for…

SUMMER SIX-PACK PROGRAM

How to tell if you’re stressed (without a newfangled monitor)…

Do a body check Got cold or sweaty palms, tense or twitching muscles, diarrhea, nausea, or dizziness? Is your heart pounding? Are you breathing rapidly? Clenching your jaw? The body releases adrenaline and cortisol when stressed, raising heart rate and BP—so any physical symptom can be a sign. Do a head check Suddenly unable to concentrate? Dwelling on negative thoughts or nagging worries? Irritable, or freaking out over small mistakes? Beating yourself up, or feeling overwhelmed? Anxious for a cigarette or a drink? Yup, that’s probably stress. ...and what to do if you are Take physical action Anything that relaxes you quickly is probably a stress beater. So take a few deep breaths—better yet, do a breathing exercise (see mensfitness.com /breathe to learn how); listen to a guided mindfulness exercise (no eye-rolling—it really…

Pre-determined outcome

With the hassles of everyday life, the obstacles to getting enough quality sleep, and the difficulties of trying to eat healthily all the time, everyone’s tired these days—a reality that’s made pre-workout powders the fastest growing category of sports supplements. But, with each product promising to provide the energy boost you need via a slightly different mechanism, how do you identify the one that will make you feel the way you want and do exactly what you need? We’ve researched the best options, so match your particular needs with the categories at right. And never settle for a lackluster workout again. IF YOU WANT: Potency TRY: PRIME from Novex Biotech. Most pre-workout supps advise starting with a small serving, then “assessing tolerance,” but PRIME packs its punch in a single scoop. (Think…

Pre-determined outcome

Outrun the Grim Reaper PAGE 16: Adidas Tiro 15 Training pants, S30160, $45; Energy Boost ESM sneakers, $160, adidas.com; Casio G-Shock Analog-Digital Bluetooth Silver-Tone Resin Strap watch, GBA400-8B, $200, macys.com. Travis Van Winkle PAGE 62: Todd Snyder Tech-Wool Zip jacket, $1,295, by request, toddsnyder.com; Houndstooth Dress pants, $395, toddsnyder.com. Bring the Heat PAGE 83: Alternative Perfect Cap Sleeve Organic Pima top, $48, alternativeapparel.com; AG The Bonnie denim shorts, $168, agjeans.com; Carerra sunglasses, $129, available at Solstice Sunglasses stores. PAGE 87: Bobbi Brown The Jackson/S style sunglasses, $165, available at Solstice Sunglasses stores; Seilenna The Esther Collection Evelien top, $140, seilenna.com. The Gamer’s New Edge PAGES 108, 111: Save Khaki United polo, $80, savekhaki.com; A.P.C. Petit New Standard pants, $250, apc.fr/usa; Wings + Horns Leather Hi-top sneakers, $420, wingsandhorns.com; also available from Apartment Number 9, 1804 N. Damen Ave.,…

Fact: Much of what your wife says would make an excellent country-song title. August 28 / 11:23 a.m. “The Hotel Bed Was Really Nice, Even With You In It” August 28 / 11:23 a.m. Came up with a name for my fantasy football team: WHY ARE YOU SPENDING YOUR MONEY ON WHETHER DEMARCO MURRAY GAINS 7 YARDS ON THIS PLAY? August 26 / 9:08 p.m. Power Rankings, Float(s): 5) In an ocean 4) In a parade 3) Through the lane 2) In a lazy river 1) Root beer August 24 / 5:02 p.m. Accordion Pushup Challenge (30 seconds rest in between): 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10. August 22 / 12:00 p.m. @UsainBolt blows out his birthday candles by running around the cake. August 21 / 6:27 p.m. Hiking truths: You can never take too much water, bug spray, Band-Aids, or…

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