STRALIA Dedicated

to Dads
LUG HERE

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More Strength Report

A SMARTER
Abs, WAY TO
CHASE
Plz
Right This
THE
PUMP P120
Way… Survival Instinct
P22

WIN AT
LIFE WITH
JONATHAN
LAPAGLIA P16

3 0 PA G E S O F
ER N

OV

UT
DUDE

RIT
IO N AL GO
FOOD

SHANE AND JACKSON WARNE ON FITNESS, FAMILY AND FAME D L

MASTER YOUR...

Mind
Muscles
Mood
IN 18 EASY STEPS
J u e 2 0 20
 CO NTE NTS 0 9/ 21

62
THE WARNE LEGACY

In an MH exclusive,
cricketing icon
Shane Warne
reflects on his
remarkable career,
his passion for
health, fitness and
looking his best, and
perhaps his greatest
achievement: a
loving relationship
with son Jackson.

4 MEN’S HE ALTH
 COVER GUYS:
SHANE WARNE & JACKSON WARNE
PHOTOGRAPHED BY:
JAMES GEER

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

TACT I CS

p16 Survival Instinct

Survivor host Jonathan LaPaglia’s
battle-hardened success strategies.

p37 Nothing Ventured

Why doing sweet FA could help you
bounce back from burnout.

129
Feet Up For Extra Gains
More than just a show-stopper, the
handstand push-up delivers upper
body strength and power. Find out
108
Exercise vs Diet
Are abs made in the kitchen? Can you out-train a
bad diet? Or munch away a foul mood? See how
the science stacks up to determine the most potent
p84 7 Minutes to Stronger
MUS CL E

Microdose body blasts you can do

anywhere to get ripped quick.

p120 Chase The Pump

Combine old school moves with
modern science to stack on size.

how to see the world upside down. weapon in your health and fitness arsenal.
FATHERHOOD

p42 A Tale of Two Kiddos

Your kids are individuals, so nurture
them with nuance and understanding.

p72 Fit Dad Cool Dad

The Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, and
son, Lou Jr, on building strong bonds.

HE ALT H

p11 Whip Up Heart Health

Why a new cold brew coffee could give
your ticker the buzz it needs.

p44 Pro Penis Tips

A urologist’s guide to building and
maintaining a bulletproof package.

94 102
F I TN E S S

p22 Build Ant-Man Abs

Pressure Cooking
When life gets tough your diet is often one of the first
things to suffer. But seeking solace in food can be a
recipe for disaster. These nutrient-rich power meals
will help you build resilience and swallow stress.
Master the dead bug crunch to forge a
core that won’t buckle under pressure.
Jean-Claude Van Damme
The ‘Muscles from Brussels’ has had a hell of a p117 Reece Lightning
career, facing off against all manner of foes, while Wallabies utility Reece Hodge on why
demonstrating an unusual level of self-awareness. pain is often the catalyst for gains.
But his biggest battle has always been with himself.

SEPTEMBER 2021 5
 EDITOR’S LETTER menshealth.com.au Men's Health Australia @MensHealthAU @MensHealthAU

AUSTRALIAN
DAD ISSUE
What makes a modern-day hero? If you’re hooked
on a certain film genre, you might say superhuman
SCOTT HENDERSON
strength, virtuousness and a commitment to defend Editor
and protect the good people of your land. Perhaps even
BEN JHOTY
a gritty origin story. And spandex. Deputy Editor
But what about in the real world? DANIEL WILLIAMS
Like almost every former schoolkid, I remember Associate Editor
being assigned my first major writing task. I was Not all heroes wear capes: JASON LEE
about 10 years old, and it was sometime between MH editor Scott Henderson, aged Creative Director
two, with his dad, Harry.
earning my pen licence and learning the game of CHRISTOPHER RILEY
bullrush. The theme: who is your hero and why? Contributing Editor
My answer back then came as easily as it does now: my dad. The previous NIKOLINA SKORIC
weekend had been spent at the beach, where I found myself caught in a rip that Digital Editor
was dragging me out into the Tasman. With the ocean floor invisible and the JESSICA CAMPBELL
outlook, from my angle, grim, I panicked, causing me to ingest salt water in Digital Content Writer
great gulps. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, I felt an arm wrap around me from HANNAH CHAPMAN
behind, simultaneously hoisting me skyward and pulling me towards the sand. Contributing Designer
My rescuer was none other than my father.
It was an act that now, more than 20 years later, I’m sure he doesn’t even
recall. Such is the way with heroes: what seem to them like simple and instinctive
acts of necessity are, to their recipients, feats of extraordinary courage and
capability. That moment not only provided me with a hero (and a subject for my IAN BROOKS
writing assignment), but also inspired me to become a lifesaver for more than 15 Chief Executive Officer
years at the very beach where I was rescued. And although I’m not yet the hero LLOYD O’HARTE
I see in my father, maybe that spell in the tower provides a poetic setting for my Executive Director
own origin story, should there ever be a clamour for its telling. LEE MCLACHLAN
As I’ve grown, so too has the breadth of Papa Hendo’s influence. As our Creative Services
relationship has evolved from father and son to great mates, he’s been a pillar of JULIE HUGHES
inspiration and font of wisdom when it comes to family, relationships, health, Subscription Manager
finances and sport. In the eyes of all of his kids, he’s our family’s eternal optimist. subscribe@paragonmedia.com.au
He’s also our biggest fan, our champion and, in every sense of the word, our hero. NATALIE WARD
There’s a reason why father figures play such formative roles in our lives and National Brand Manager
become our biggest inspiration. Biological or assigned, they provide a blueprint
RACHEL SULLIVAN
for manhood. Whether we choose to follow that blueprint or try to draw up a new National Partnerships & Integration Manager
one of our own is up to us. Either way, that blueprint is their legacy, a playbook
passed to the next generation of men – for better or worse. JORDAN LOZINA
Partnerships & Integration Manager
Because, heroes or not, fathers are also flawed. They’re human and make
mistakes. Many father-son relationships have complications. In some cases, those CHRIS MATTHEWS
complications provide us with some of our most profound moments of learning Partnerships & Integration Manager
and growth. The role of a father is not fixed. But while it changes according to JULIA PASCALE
circumstances, its importance never dims. Fathers are the great driving force Content Activations Coordinator
behind the next generation. And great power begets great responsibility.
In our inaugural ‘Dedicated to Dads’ issue, we pay tribute to father figures
everywhere, while reflecting on the qualities of fathers passed, including a
recent paternal passing within our own MH family. And as we’ve been reminded DEBI CHIRICHELLA KIM ST. CLAIR BODDEN
during the creation of this issue, you don’t need to have children of your own President, SVP/Editorial
to approach life in a fatherly manner. We implore you to share and impart your Hearst Magazines & Brand Director
hard-won wisdom to a generation beyond your own, with the aim of building a INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS CHLOE O’BRIEN
Australia, China, Germany, Italy, Deputy Brands Director
better future for us all. Pretty darn heroic. Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Poland,
Portugal, Spain, UK, US

PARAGON DCN PTY LTD

Scott Henderson
scott@menshealth.com.au
Men’s Health acknowledges the Cammeraygal people, Traditional Custodians of the
land on which this publication is produced, and pay our respects to their Elders past and
present. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
ABN 73 627 186 350. PO Box 81, St Leonards, NSW 1590
14/174 Willoughby Road, Crows Nest NSW 2062
Ph (02) 9439 1955, paragonmedia.com.au
Published and Distributed by Paragon DCN Pty Ltd by Permission of Hearst Magazines,
Inc., New York, New York, United States of America. Printed and retail distribution by
Ovato Limited. Published 12 times a year. All rights reserved. Title and trademark Men’s
Health © Hearst Magazines International. No part of this publication may be reproduced
without written permission. Men’s Health is a registered trademark and the unauthorised
use of this trademark is strictly prohibited. issn 13293079. © 2021 Paragon DCN.

6 MEN’S HE ALTH
 HUGO BOSS AUSTRALIA PHONE +61 3 9474 6310

BOSS.COM
 ASK MH
THE BIG QUESTION
Cancer rates in men
are rising. What can
I do to stop it all
ending in tears? - RG
The recent rise from one in three people being
diagnosed with cancer to one in two seems
ominous – but the shift has a benign cause.
Doctors are simply eradicating other causes
of premature death. “With fewer polio and
tuberculosis deaths, elderly people are far more
likely to die from cancer – the over-60s account
for more than three-quarters of patients,”
explains Sarah Lewis, an epidemiologist
at the University of Bristol. “Overall survival rates
have actually doubled in the past 40 years.”
But while deaths are in relative remission,
cancer is far from cured. In Australia, 76,000
men are diagnosed each year, with prostate, skin,
bowel and lung cancers (in that order) the most
common. The most terrifying stats show how
many lives could be saved by making simple,
non-invasive lifestyle tweaks.
Take bowel cancer. Eating half an onion per
day could peel away your chances by 79 per
cent. The vegetable has proven
carcinogen-killing properties,
while its high-fibre content
Simple changes to
your lifestyle can
slice away your
odds of cancer.
8 MEN’S HE ALTH
trims the time that harmful chemicals sit in
your gut. Each 10g dose reduces your risk by
a tenth, according to the BMJ.
When it comes to lung cancer, there’s no
clouding the obvious: stubbing out smoking
blows away your risk by four-fifths. Swap
your fag break for a quick stroll and you’ll slash
your odds even further. “Walking and light
exercise boost your immune system, affecting
your insulin sensitivity, antioxidant defences
and hormone levels,” says Lewis. “All are vital
factors in warding off cancer.”
If you top 30 minutes of activity per day, you
could step down your prostate cancer risk
by half, a study in the Cancer Research
Journal reports. Just make sure that the
greengrocer is on your route: a weekly
helping of mushrooms contains enough of
the antioxidants L-ergothioneine and
glutathione to reduce your risk by 17
per cent. Take these simple steps
and save crying for episodes
of This Is Us.
WORDS: THOMAS LING; PHOTOGRAPHY: MAX OPPENHEIM
ANCIENT SOLUTION TO ASK THE GIRLS IN THE OFFICE
A MODERN PROBLEM
Ask the MH girls the questions you can’t ask anyone else. They’re three
Q How am I going to upgrade my digs women who speak their mind, so don’t expect sugar-coated answers
in this crazy property market?
A If thou wilt make a man happy, add
not unto his riches but take away from
I really like this girl at work.
his desires. – Epicurus; b. 341 BC
But is it worth trying to
navigate the minefield of
TEXT A RUNNING COACH an office relationship? – AC
‘I don’t want to overshare, but I’m
chafing post-run. Soothe me, please!’ Lizza: Yes! My parents met
at work, and they’ve been
Friday 5:30pm married for 40-plus years.
Nikolina: I know a few
There’s no chance I can focus on a PB. couples who have met
It’s all pain, no gain! at work. I don’t think it’s
a reason you shouldn’t
I hear you. Take a shower! Keep it lukewarm to get to know someone.
soothe your skin and pat yourself dry – rubbing Maybe not so much in the
will cause more pain. Then stick some Sudocrem
office, though – maybe
on your sore bits.
lunch breaks.
Lizza: It’s easy to see how
The pain is gone! But I NEVER want
colleagues can form an
that again. Any tips?
attraction. You spend so
much time together.
Your running outfit is probably too loose,
Nikolina: Yep. And you’re
causing friction. Try tight and breathable.
in the same field, so you’re
Seamless materials cost more, but are worth it.
more likely to have a similar
outlook and similar interests
More moisturiser, too? compared to a banker and
a social worker.
Body Glide balm is best. Apply it to areas Lizza: And you also get
at risk beforehand and bring it with you in to see them when they’re
case you need a top-up. If your nipples are under stress – you see
still suffering, it’s time to go Kim K … how they deal with that.
You get to see the whole
Post a pic of them online? range of their personality,
so it’s a good gauge of
Tape them up! Kinesiology tape is ideal. whether you’ll be all right
You can also use it on your heel and toes, outside of work.
if they’re rubbing. Stick to cream only for Becky: Exactly. You see
your groin. the highs. You see the
lows. You see each other
in every state. That’s why
friendships, strong
friendships, are formed at
work, because you’re
going through this shared
experience. So, I can
Saturday 12:30pm imagine relationships
Smashed it! New PB! would be the same. But
And no more sore nips. my question for AC is:
does she like you? What’s
happening here? Is it just
you liking her, or is there a
Answers by Matt Buck, connection you’re wary of
Coach of runningadventures.uk
exploring? First know that.
Nikolina: Also, if it kicks
off, do it on the DL. Don’t
make it obvious to your
colleagues because if it
doesn’t work out, it’ll just
be awkward for everyone.
Lizza: And because you
don’t want the extra
pressure of your
colleagues watching your
every move and talking
about you guys.
Nikolina: Because you
share a workplace, you
do want to be reasonably
confident that the
relationship is going to last,
for a while at least.
Becky: Years ago, I actually
went out with a colleague,
and then when we broke up,
I quit the next week. I was
like, “I never want to see
you again”.
Nikolina: What if you
hadn’t quit? What would it
have been like?
Becky: Well, it ended on
bad terms. So, it would have
been uncomfortable for
everyone involved.
Because I was young.
I wouldn’t have been
able to . . .
Nikolina: Get your
work done?
Becky: Just be civil
to him! I mean, every
situation is going to
be different, and I
guess maturity
comes into play.
So, it’s not a case
of never, but take LIZZA
BECKY
it real slow. NIKOL INA
SEPTEMBER 2021 9
 THE 09
21

YOUR MONTHLY DOWNLOAD OF THE LATEST LIFE ENHANCING RESEARCH

WHIP UP NEW Give your genes a

pick-me-up to brew
TRENDS ON TRIAL
Which viral food’s health claims

HEART HEALTH
Bulletproofs and flat whites may no longer be
extra longevity. measure up?
GOOD
hot on Insta, but adopting the latest coffee
craze could give your longevity a buzz

VIRAL FOOD and drink trends usually UBEICECREAM

turn out to be high in flavour and fat The yam that this is made
and low in pretty much everything else. from is high in nutrients like
The cronut and duffin (a doughnut vitamin C, potassium and
heart-healthy antioxidants.
muffin) may do plenty for your
Instagram kudos, but they’ll do BAD
nothing for your health. The iced
dalgona coffee, however, is both an
artfully whipped brew designed to
court double taps and, according
to new research into the benefits
of coffee, a delicious ally in HA BEER
reducing your risk of disease. lth-boo
probiotics used to make
Previous studies have
alcoholic kombucha are
linked coffee with a raft of either killed or removed
health benefits, including before they’re packaged.
sharper memory, improved
liver function and protection
GOOD
against dementia. But, so
far, no one has identified
precisely how those benefits
are conferred. Recently, a
team of Dutch scientists CHOCOLATE
focused their research on It won’t get you high, but
cannabidiol – cannabis plant
epigenetic changes – that is,
extract – has been touted for
environmental influences on its potential to alleviate pain
DNA – to ascertain if coffee and anxiety.
was able to mitigate our risks
WORDS: LOUEE DESSENTJACKSON; PHOTOGRAPHY: @HUMMINGBIRDHIGH

of disease by altering “gene

BAD
expression”. In other words, they
wanted to know if coffee hits the
off switch in genes associated with
certain diseases and disorders. 
Their review of 15 studies concluded
that compounds in coffee do lead to
MEAT-FREE BURGER
While a beef patty has about
beneficial modifications, through a process 4.2g of saturated fat, a
called “DNA methylation”. Specifically, they Beyond burger has 6g and
noticed key epigenetic markers associated with an Impossible burger
contains 8g.
a decreased risk of heart disease, man’s biggest
killer. So, if you want to drink to your long-tern
health, then give this trend the beans.

SEPTEMBER 2021 11
THE FEED 09 2 1
CORE PRINCIPLES
To achieve stability in both your
posture and your mental health, take
charge of your midsection with
Worthington’s foundational moves

B
1/ DEAD BUG
MUSCLE OUT Lie flat on your back with
your arms held above you.

YOUR ANXIETY
Building a strong core will do more
Bring your legs up, so your
knees are bent at 90° (A).
Slowly lower your right arm
and left leg, exhaling,
than earn you abs. Follow our advice keeping your back pushed
and it’ll correct your posture and Want to get your into the ground (B). Switch
bolster your defences against stress head straight? Put sides and repeat.
your back into it.

IF YOU WANT to crush your stress levels and

build a cobblestone core, sit up and take note. A
No, not like that. In fact, that’s part of the
problem, says elite movement coach Luke
Worthington. Adopting “correct posture”
usually means pulling your shoulders back
and pushing your chest out, creating an arch
in your lower back. But this position – in which
2/ SHORT SIDE PLANK B
the ribcage and pelvis are pulled in opposite Lie on your side with your
directions – is bad for both body and mind.  knees bent at 90°. Rise up
“It decreases breathing efficiency, reducing on one elbow (A) and lift
air flow to the bottom part of your lungs, where your hips, supporting your
weight on your elbow and
the majority of blood vessels are situated,” knee. Create a straight line
says Worthington. This doesn’t just reduce between your head, torso,
your training capacity. Extending the spine hips and thighs, when
by arching your lower back also stimulates viewed from above or
in front (B). Hold still.
the sympathetic ganglion, the part of your
neurological system responsible for the “fight
or flight” response. The combination of
restricted breathing and heightened stress
creates a damaging cycle that can result in A
anxiety and fatigue. B
The fix is to shift the focus of your workouts
to your core. Strength at your centre will draw
your ribcage downward, stacking it on top of the
pelvis. Here, with a neutral spine, you’ll be set up
to breathe deeply into the diaphragm, sparing
3/ LEG WHIP
your nerves of everyday stressors and pumping Lie down with your knees
up your workouts, too. And the side benefit of a bent. Lift your hips, then your
six-pack? That’s a welcome bonus. right leg (A). Using your core
WORDS: LOUEE DESSENTJACKSON

and glutes to keep stable,

lower your right leg, stopping
any rotation in your torso (B).
Use the muscles on the inside
of your right thigh to pull the
leg back to the start.

12 MEN’S HE ALTH
THE FEED 09 2 1

GRASP THE NETTLE

Your garden-variety stingers are an unsung superfood
that can spike your weight-loss potential, and they’re
ripe for the picking. Here’s how to handle them with care

THE STINGING NETTLE was the scourge of

everyone’s childhood adventures, but the bad boy
of garden weeds has long been misunderstood. This
nutrient-rich mainstay of the Australian bush has
been linked to reductions in blood pressure and
inflammation, higher testosterone and, in a recent
study, even fat loss. 
Researchers at the University of Maryland found
that mice fed on a high-fat diet for 12 weeks gained less
weight if they consumed nettle extract, too. Nettles
activate a hormone in cells known as FIAF (fasting-
induced adipocyte factor, in case you were wondering),
which not only accelerates the conversion of fats into
energy, but seems to protect your vital organs from

absorbing too many fatty acids. The amount of nettles Weed out
excess weight
you’d need to consume to see these beneficial effects in the kitchen.
equates to around 100g per day in humans – which,
conveniently, is about as much as you’d use in a bowl
of nettle soup. 
To prepare the soup, gather some nettles growing
in a spot away from the road or other polluted areas.
Put on some gloves and a long-sleeved top and collect
400g of the leaves (about as many as you can fit in a
supermarket salad bag). Wash them before adding
them to your soup stock, boiling away the plant’s
stinging hairs. The leaves will wilt just like spinach
WORDS: LOUEE DESSENTJACKSON; PHOTOGRAPHY: ROWAN FEE RAPHY: DAN MATTHEWS

(they taste similar, too). Alternatively, you can put the

plant through a juicer and add an antioxidant-packed
shot to your morning smoothie. Either way, you’ll
move the needle on your weight-loss progress.

SEASON’S
EATINGS
s
p
you harvest new OYSTER MUSHROOMS DAMSONS HAZELNUTS DANDE MUSSELELSS
health benefits Stir-fried caps will Use these in Crush and sprinkle on The Steamed, these
lower cholesterol. jams to aid digestion. ice cream for coffee alternative full give your brain
a hit of protein. of antioxidants. function a boost.

14 MEN’S HE ALTH
LAST MAN STANDING:
LAPAGLIA HAS BEEN THE
STRONG AND SYMPATHETIC
CONSTANT OF A TV PHENOM.

16 MEN’S HE ALT H
 ADVANTAGE
STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME

SURVIVAL INSTINCT
Survivor has often been referred to as the ultimate metaphor
for life, an unfiltered contest of strength and stamina versus
congeniality and cunning. With six seasons at the helm of the
Australian incarnation, JONATHAN LAPAGLIA knows a thing
or two about the strategies and ‘gameplay’ that will set you up
for success, regardless of your habitat
BY SCOT T HENDERSON PHOTOGR APHY BY NIGEL WRIGHT

SEPTEMBER 2021 17
 ONE OF REALITY TV’S most compelling franchises, Survivor
has achieved enduring popularity, no doubt due to the parallels
between island life and, well, reality. It’s a game played out in the
elements, and yet the contestants’ challenges, conversations
and alliances could just as easily occur among colleagues in
a CBD boardroom.
You could argue Survivor’s format trumps even Big Brother’s
as a social experiment – survival, after all, is the most basic human
instinct. But what makes a survivor?
Through an incredible 40 US seasons, the format has seen
contestants divided into teams to battle it out for the title of ‘Sole
Survivor’ in an effort to answer this very question. Often grouped
according to socioeconomic status, age and even, controversially,
by race, the contestants’ trials and tribulations provide an
extraordinary insight into the nature of community, human interaction
and the hardwired drive for supremacy.
The imminent sixth season of the rebooted Australian series
will again adopt a theme, pitting ‘brawn’ against ‘brain’. It’s perhaps
one of the more relatable contests for young Australian men as they
weigh up traditional male stereotypes and fresher, more nuanced
conceptions of masculinity.
Interestingly, returning host Jonathan LaPaglia seems to think
that perhaps neither brains nor brawn alone do a survivor make.
Rather, LaPaglia believes the key to modern-day survival lies in
remaining socially adept.
“You’re trying to navigate your way through this social world,”
18 MEN’S HE ALTH
reflects LaPaglia from the set of the latest season, in the harsh
Queensland outback. “You have to be socially aware and make sure
you don’t tread on people’s toes to work your way up.”
In the Survivor universe, LaPaglia would feature very near the top,
rivalled only by US host Jeff Probst and the exotic locales. Both hosts
command as much admiration as the best players themselves. If a
season of Survivor is indeed life in miniature, then LaPaglia, given his
half-decade at the helm, must have some first-hand knowledge of
the attributes common to winners.
LaPaglia is somewhat the hybrid Survivor contestant: a
former career as an emergency doctor ticks the brains box, while our
photoshoot provides clear evidence of his formidable brawn. Yet as
anyone who has had the good fortune to meet him will attest, it’s the
self-identified ‘social’ game that Lapaglia has truly mastered. His
colleagues continually sing his praises, former contestants gush,
and further removed, fans can’t get enough of him onscreen.
In person, he’s humble, amicable and vulnerable, showing equal
empathy for all contestants on the show. (Conversely, Probst is
notorious for playing favourites.) It’s no surprise LaPaglia has risen to
the top without stepping on any of those toes he’s acutely aware of.
Perhaps Lapaglia has picked up a tip or two on how to play the
game of life from watching contestants battle it out in the elements.
But that seems unlikely, because the guy exudes authenticity: he’s
not a game player, but rather the real deal.
Then again, that’s exactly what a master of the game would have
you believe …

MH Survivor’s a little bit different this
year, back with a Brains vs Brawn theme,
and filming in the outback. How has that
changed the game?
JL The location has had a real impact on
the game, more than I anticipated, actually.
I mean, the conditions are so different from
tropical Fiji. Fiji is hot, but I think it’s a little
more difficult to be surviving here. It’s really
tough out here. It’s harsh. Obviously the
temperature is way hotter here than in Fiji.
It’s a different kind of heat. It’s an intense,
searing heat that just cooks your brain. I
mean, I’m out there for an hour and I’m a
blubbering mess. I can’t even speak after
about an hour in that heat.
That has been particularly difficult for the
contestants. They’re exposed to that 24/7.
And then at night time sometimes, because
it’s desert, it’s the complete opposite. It
becomes freezing cold. So they’re really
dealing with the extremes.
The other thing is there’s not much for
them to forage. There’s no real way for them
to survive off the land. In Fiji, there’d be
coconuts, bananas, papaya. There’s none of
that here. So that’s an issue. In Fiji, fish were
plentiful. Here, not so much. I think they’re
getting some yabbies and stuff like that in
creeks, but it’s been a big difference.
And then, of course, you’ve got the
wildlife. There’s a plethora of deadly snakes
and spiders that could kill you at every turn.
So I think it’s been really tough for the
contestants. Certainly tough for us from a
production point of view, operating under
these conditions. And for that, I think it’s
added a whole new level for the game.
MH With the new concept Brains vs
Brawn, what constitutes ‘brains’?
JL We have some people that
academically are well-accomplished. We
have doctors, we have a researcher, we
SPEND ANY TIME WITH
LAPAGLIA AND IT’S
OBVIOUS: HE HAS
BRAINS AND BRAWN.
have various other academics. But then with
that, we have a politician. It’s not just book
smart. There’s also street-smart people
mixed in with that as well. It’s kind of a
cross-section.
MH And ‘brawn’?
JL It’s the same thing. Some of them
are personal trainers. We have a couple
of bodybuilders. We have a pro surfer.
We have a correctional officer. So it
encompasses not just physical strength,
but also mental strength.
But having said that, like every season,
when we introduce a theme, it’s really just
a jumping-off point to tell a story, to start a
narrative. And the truth is that there’s
crossover even between the tribes. It’s kind
of an artificial separation because there are
people on the Brains who have physical
strength and there are people on the Brawn
who have the brains to navigate the game.
So the truth is you need both of those to
make it in this game. I think that’s what you
really start to see – that both tribes have
elements of the other. In actual fact, that’s
not the complete story, because we’re still
missing one crucial element and that is the
social game. In many ways, I think the social
game is probably the most important part
of Survivor. Even though they’re doing
well, even though they’re really living up
to their namesake in tribes, you really start
to see that social game come out. Because
it has to. You can’t progress in this game
without it.
MH A previous theme was Champions
vs Contenders. When contestants were
put in those boxes and given those
labels, those qualities seem to amplify.
Have you found that happening again
with these tribes?
JL Yeah, look, you’re right, and they run
TACT I C S
with them. But like I said, if you really look
closely, they have both aspects. The
characteristics really cross over between the
two. We’re coming close to the end of the
game and they’re still talking that, “We want
a Brawn to win or we want a Brain to win”.
I think it’s hilarious, because I don’t see the
difference between them anymore.
MH Entering your sixth season as host,
what are the biggest lessons you’ve
learned from watching the game play
out firsthand?
JL I think if you look at Survivor
superficially, it’s all about muscle. But
there’s a lot more to it. It’s a very strategic
game. But what we’ve had more over the six
years is the social game, which is much
more subtle. The premise of the game is
that you need to vote people out, put them
on the jury in such a way that they’ll vote for
you in the end. I think that requires a very
special social touch. So I guess that’s the
biggest lesson for me: that it’s the social game
that’s the most important.
MH It’s clear that your own rig is in
unbelievable shape. How do you typically
train outside of filming?
JL I’ve been training a long time, I guess,
probably since I was like 16. I started when
I was a goalkeeper in soccer and when I got
to the age of 16, I had to move up a division,
and I ended up being smaller than everyone
else. All the guys seemed to be a lot bigger
at the time. So I started training more and it
kind of started from there. I’ve just been
consistent ever since.
I’m kind of old school. It’s alternating
weights one day with running the next. And
a rest day every, like, five or six days. But
that’s it. I’ve tried some yoga when I can get
myself motivated, but otherwise it’s just old
school weights and running.
SEPTEMBER 2021 19
 “I END UP A BASKET
CASE AT THE END OF IT.
THAT’S WHY I GO SEE MUM”

20 MEN’S HE ALTH

MH And how does that change when you’re
on set in the outback?
JL Well, it’s the temperature that makes it
difficult to run and also the schedule is so brutal.
It’s just hard to find the time. But I still try and
squeeze in whatever I can. Where I’m staying,
there’s a small gym with some weights.
MH Is your diet pretty clean, generally, no
matter where you are?
JL Yes. I’m not crazy about my diet. I eat what I
want. I just make sure it’s relatively balanced in
terms of carbohydrates, proteins and fat. I used
to be a doctor, so I have a science background,
so I have a rough idea what the body needs, but
I’m not maniacal about it. I still eat sweets and
stuff like that. I’m not counting calories. I’m not
weighing stuff. I’m not doing any of that stuff. I
guess it’s kind of intuitive, you know?
I really don’t do any special diet or any of
that water loading and loading up with sodium
and then stripping away the water and all that
sort of stuff. That just seems like a lot of hard
work. It’s hard enough training.
This is the first time I’ve had a kitchen in six
seasons of Survivor. I’m actually enjoying that
because I can prepare my own meals.
Normally I have to rely on catering and
stuff like that. It becomes tricky and a bit
unhealthy. So I’m enjoying the fact that I
have my own kitchen.
Australian Survivor: Brains vs Brawn, Sunday-Tuesday at 7:30pm on 10
TACT I C S
ROAD TO RIPPED: WEIGHTS
AND RUNNING ARE HOW
LAPAGLIA STAYS IN SHAPE.
MH Will you return to LA after Survivor?
JL Honestly, I’m going to go back. My mother
lives in Brisbane. I’m going to go visit her for four
or five days. I have a couple of days to do stuff for
the show. Then I’m going to head back to LA,
because it’s where my family is. And honestly, I
think I’m just going to fall over for a month. I’m so
exhausted from the shoot. It’s been real tough for
the contestants. It’s been tough for us, too. So I’m
going to fall over for a couple of months and try
and recover and then go from there.
MH You’re under a lot of pressure – time
pressure and performance pressure. Do you
have any go-to strategies or ways to manage
your mental health?
JL I don’t. I wish I did. I wish I was better with
stuff. I wish I was better at meditating and stuff
like that. But honestly, I know some people,
when I tell them [about the stress I’m under], it’s
like, “Really?”
But I’m working nonstop, from the minute I get
up in the morning to the minute I go to bed at
night. I’m in front of the camera, or if I’m not, I’m
preparing to get in front of the camera and all the
material. I don’t even feel like I have time to take
care of my mental health. It feels like it’s a sprint
– a three-month sprint until the end. Then I end
up being a basket case at the end of it. That’s
why I go and see Mum.
Honestly, I don’t have a lot of time just to
ruminate. It’s just coming at me so fast that
you’ve got to sink or swim. You’ve just got to get
on with it. It’s not until it’s all said and done that it
starts to hit you. Like, “Whoa!” I feel like I’ve been
hit by a Mack truck.
SEPTEMBER 2021 21
 MUS C LE

THE

EXERCISE
YOU’RE NOT
DOING

1
GRO
Lie on the fl
raise your arm
Good for your back and even your legs up
better for your six-pack, the your
yo ur k ne
nees
es tow
owaa
Point your kne
DEAD BUG CRUNCH delivers the ceiling, w
an injury-free burn to your calves paral
ground. Keep y
midsection. Get down to it
2 pointing

ARMS DEAL
RPHOSE YOUR ABS Extend one leg
leg, with your lower
th this thorax-busting back pinned to the floor. Keeping
e dead bug crunch is an both of your arms straight, lower
core exercise that requires them towards the floor over your
oordination and plenty of head. (In a regular dead bug, you’d
ays Chris Jillard, a PT at lower them one at a time.)
Stren
Strength
gth.
a pretty
of your core
strength, th he exercise e is
best used in lower-in inten
tensit
ten
tensit
sityy
workouts,” he adds. “It’ It’s
t’s mostt
effect
eff ective
ive whhen com
complepleted
ted ununder
der
control and d not for speed.”
Focus on o mastering the original
dead bug technique before you
attempt a higher
likewi
likewise se be
h
efore
ef ore ad
number of reps, and
addin
dingg the
the cru
crunch
nch 3
element. “P Practise by doing fewer THE CRUNCH
reps, startin ng off by moving just your Ensuring that your lower
legs, then just your arms – and finally back is still pinned to
try to move your arms and one leg at the floor, bring your
the same time,”ime,” says Jillard. ar ms up
arms up to the
the starting
sta
tart
rtin
ingg
He suggests adding the move to position and crunch up,
your warm-up, to allow you to focus
on the technique while feeling fresh.
bringing your shoulders
towards your hips.
4
“In time, you could insert it in BACK TO THE FLOOR
between exercises,” he says. “It Lower your upper back
would work well in a workout of eight to thhe floor andd return
deadlifts, six dead bug crunches and the extended leg back
a 30-second elbow plank. Rest for 60 to the starting position.
seconds and repeat 2-3 times.” So, That’s one rep. Repeat
slow
slo w itit down
down anandd make
make lilike
ke a bug
bug. usin
us ingg th
thee ot
othe
herr le
legg fo
forr
the next rep.

What You’ll Gain

PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES

CORE ROCKHARD PAINFREE

STRENGTH ABS BACK

22 MEN’S HE ALT H
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URE

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 M I ND

A DISEMBODIED MALE VOICE crackled

over my iPhone speaker as I nervously

CLUBHOUSE HAS awaited my turn to share. “Before we go to

Jason . . . there’s something like 48 people
in this room,” the man said. “I’m just
curious: out of all the people in the
audience, how many of you have not heard

EVERYTHING! of, or have not tried, semen retention?”

The speaker, Solay Rad, didn’t mean
room in a literal sense. The financial
advisor was moderating a conversation
on Clubhouse, the popular voice-only
I joined the buzzy new app hoping to bare my social-media platform you’ve probably
heard about, thanks to high-profile users
soul. Instead, I learned to keep my guard up like Elon Musk, Drake and Oprah. If not,
BY JASON ROGERS ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN OLBRYSH think of the app as a fusion of Reddit, TED
Talks and LinkedIn.

SEPTEMBER 2021 25
 You can navigate through a
feed of live conversations – your
“hallway” and “rooms”, in
Clubhouse-speak – and pop in
and out of the ones that pique
your interest (semen retention,
for one). Whenever they want,
a moderator can move you from
the audience to join the other
speakers “onstage”.
When I started using
Clubhouse at the beginning of
the year, I was excited to see
rooms with names like Men’s
Group and Men’s Mental Health:
Inspiring Stories, where mods
were inviting men to get
vulnerable and share their
feelings – or so it seemed at
first glance.
I was a prime candidate. In
my teens and 20s, a personal
battle with sexual performance
anxiety made it difficult for me
to be emotionally available to
others. Working with a
psychologist helped me
overcome the performance
anxiety, and learning to be open
about uncomfortable feelings
helped me overall. I’ve attended
plenty of men’s discussion
groups, where guys sit in a
circle and talk feelings. Sounds
corny, but they’ve made me feel
less alone, and I hoped these
Clubhouse rooms might mimic
that cathartic experience of
getting stuff off my chest.
Clubhouse’s founders, Paul
Davison and Rohan Seth, seem
to have a similar vision. “The
intonation, inflection and
emotion conveyed through
voice allow you to pick up
on nuance and form uniquely
human connections with
others,” they wrote on the
company blog last July.
(Clubhouse’s press team didn’t
respond to my request to
interview the founders.) I
wanted in. The anxiety and
loneliness brought on by the
pandemic had left me
especially eager to form those
“uniquely human connections”
with like-minded guys.
Which is how I stumbled into
the What Is Semen Retention?
26 MEN’S HE ALTH
“CLUBHOUSE IS SMACK IN THE
MIDDLE OF ITS GOLD-RUSH
PHASE, WITH USERS FLOODING
THE PLATFORM BY THE MILLIONS
AND INFLUENCERS POUNCING ON
THE OPPORTUNITY WITH VARYING
DEGREES OF TACT”
room, a conversation about Facebook Group. “We have
the supposed physical (and a following of men who have
spiritual!) benefits of denying been to our other rooms, and
yourself ejaculation. “We’ll go they get the energy,” he told me
to Jason next,” Rad said. “Jason, after the session. “We might
what’s on your mind? Please call on them first so that it sets
share.” I unmuted and the tone for the type of sharing
explained how I’d tried the and the level of vulnerability
practice during my bedroom that is expected.”
struggles but ultimately Initially, I concluded that my
abandoned it. semen-retention story hadn’t
“Some of us who’ve tried been deep enough. But after
semen retention, we’re like talking more with Rad, I learned
war-level propaganda about it,” that, in addition to running a
Rad answered with an air of wealth-management business,
practiced warmth. “But I do he has a coaching business
want to create balance in this that offers master classes on
room, so really grateful for topics like wealth creation,
Jason being up here.” Was he, sexual mastery and – hold up
though? Unlike some of the – semen retention as part of a
earlier participants, I was swiftly dopamine detox class. He also
removed from the stage. It was teaches “high-conscious sales”,
like the music had started a practice he described as the
playing during my Oscar ability to “sell from a space of
acceptance speech. Had I done connection . . . instead of trying
something wrong? to manipulate and close”.
Rad is the founder of Men’s I wanted to take him at his
Tribe, the semen-retention word when he said he doesn’t
room’s overarching masculinity- use Men’s Tribe to seek out
focused “club” – basically the clients, but I couldn’t ignore a
Clubhouse equivalent of a nagging feeling that it might not
be the case. As to potentially
soliciting clients through
Clubhouse in the future?
“Maybe,” he said. “I guess so.”
I told myself I’d had a
one-off weird experience, and I
kept exploring. In a room called
Truth Tellers, a dozen men
shared their experiences with
impostor syndrome. I spent a
half hour listening to their
pass-the-mic style of
conversation and eventually
shared my own story. The men
onstage toggled their mute
buttons, causing the
microphone icons on their
profile photos to flash – the
Clubhouse version of applause.
Later, a college student came
onstage with a party-hat icon,
meaning he was new to the
platform. He asked how to deal
with impostor syndrome amid
the pressure of the Ivy League.
A handful of men, including me,
offered heartfelt advice. I was
optimistic about the integrity
of the experience.
“I don’t even think about
[making money off

Clubhouse],” Truth Tellers
founder Shawn Nason later told
me. “What I think about is, can
we reach the men we need to
reach? And I believe if we do
that, a monetisation piece
might come out, or it might
not.” A day after our follow-up
conversation, I received an
invite from a Truth Tellers
community moderator to
Nason’s virtual book tour.
I had a similar experience
in the Men’s Mental Health:
Inspiring Stories room. To get
the conversation started, the
leader, Adam Hindley, shared
that he’d struggled with body
dysmorphia. Other men shared
difficult moments: issues with
drinking, thoughts of suicide.
But again, there was a catch:
Hindley and two colleagues run
a physical- and mental-health
performance coaching
business in the UK, where they
charge £747 (more than
$1300) for a six-week program.
Toward the end of the talk,
Hindley offered his number-
one tip to improve mental
health: “Having a coach. Even
the best coaches have
coaches.” It felt like an
over-rehearsed play.
When I later spoke to
Hindley, I shared my concern
that Clubhouse’s “safe spaces”
might actually be “sales
spaces”. He seemed earnest in
his intention to help men “turn
their mess into a positive
message”, but he also admitted
that Clubhouse is, in effect,
“the top of the [sales] funnel.
That’s where the majority of
people come in to find out
about our Facebook Group
and our trainings”.
Mariah Wellman, a Ph.D.
candidate studying social
media and its influencers at the
University of Utah, says the
behaviour I encountered in the
masculinity-themed groups
and elsewhere on Clubhouse
was indeed influencer
marketing. “The old business
model was, ‘I create this thing,
then I go figure out who it’s for,
and I market to them,’ ”
Wellman says. “Now it’s, ‘I am
a human. I’m going to make
human connections to all these
other people, and then
eventually I’m going to make
a product and, because these
people like me as a human,
they’re going to buy it’. ”
After visiting more than
a dozen similar rooms, I
wandered ambivalently into
one called Men’s Group, where
I noticed that the lead
moderator, Kapil Gupta, was a
self-described “Master Coach”
specialising in “transformation”.
Here we go again, I thought,
6 WAYS THE INTERNET
CAN ACTUALLY
HELP YOU BE A
BETTER HUMAN
IF YOU WA N T TO...
C RO W D S OURC E
A DV ICE
G ATHER SOME
C OUR AGE
C A LM THE CH ATT
ER
IN YOUR MIND
OPEN UP A LI TT LE
EXORCISE YOUR
DEMONS
UNLOCK THE
MEA NING OF IT A
LL
bracing myself for discomfort.
Gupta welcomed 10 new
audience members to join him
onstage. “If you haven’t been
part of Men’s Group before, it’s
nothing to be scared of,” he
announced. “It’s quite a
vulnerable but fun experience.”
I listened as he and his
co-moderator laid out the
protocol for the room by
demonstrating how the other
men should share. “There’s a
weird sadness in my system,”
Gupta said as he described
how disconnected he’d felt that
past week. The way he slowly
unspooled his emotions
TRY...
Reddit’s “A m I the
Asshole?” subreddit
Brené Brow n’s TED
Talk “T he Power of
Vulnerability”
The Headspace
meditation app
The ManKind Projec
t’s
Virtual Men’s Group
Talkspace online ther
apy
Cour sera’s free
philosophy cour ses
MI ND
seemed to help other men
do the same.
As Gupta wrapped up the
session, I was shocked to
realise that the discomfort I’d
expected never set in. It had
been the closest thing I’d
experienced to a real-life men’s
group on Clubhouse. Had I
found the pure human
connection I’d been looking for,
or was Gupta just that good a
soft salesman?
The answer turned out to be
both. Gupta told me he avoids
soliciting clients from Men’s
Group, but he doesn’t have
an issue with the practice
overall – only with when it’s
done in an underhanded way.
“People who are tuned in
definitely feel it,” he said. That
had been the key difference
between Gupta’s group and the
rooms I’d visited before: how
the experience felt. Gupta was
raw and honest in a way
I hadn’t encountered on
Clubhouse; he conveyed his
value as a coach simply by
being himself. If that’s great
marketing, more power to him.
The problem is, how many
guys not on a Men’s Health
assignment would persevere
through all the slippery sales
agendas to finally find a safe
space like this? Clubhouse is
smack in the middle of its
gold-rush phase, with users
flooding the platform by the
millions and influencers
pouncing on the opportunity
with varying degrees of tact.
In the end, I might have
found a few “uniquely human
connections” in Clubhouse’s
men’s groups, but the overall
experience left me feeling the
opposite of how I do during IRL
discussions: disheartened
and on edge rather than
energised and free. Men’s
discussion groups only work
when everyone lets down their
walls. It’s hard to do that in the
digital Wild West, where your
senses are on constant high
alert for danger in the form of
an influencer’s stealthy pitch.
SEPTEMBER 2021 27
 THE HEALTH SNOB’S GUIDE TO

FRESH PASTA
The Italian staple might put the fear of
God into the low-carb crew but, with
the right sauce, pasta can be your
optimal fuel for quick-fire gains

B ACK T O B A SIC S
1 Good Italian food is all about keeping things minimal – that’s
why cream in a carbonara is as divisive as pineapple slices
on pizza. To make your own pasta, you need only three simple, healthy
ingredients: finely-milled “00” flour, free-range eggs and high-quality
olive oil. We enlisted Jay Patel, founder of London Italian eatery
Legare (legarelondon.com), to deliver a crash course in K E E P O N R O L L ING
lip-smacking nourishment.
2 Your most important investment when it
comes to high-quality, healthy pasta will
be in the right flour. Italian “00” flour is finer than
A Pappardelle all-purpose varieties, resulting in a silkier, chewier
When you’re working with a mouthful and, crucially, less gluten. Chefs swear
broad, flat sheet of pasta dough by Caputo (basile.com.au).
(see method, right), it makes Pour 200g of 00 flour into a stoneware dough
sense that the easiest pasta dish. Then, in another bowl, whisk 1.5 teaspoons
to make is the broad, flat
of antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil and two
pappardelle. All you need to do is
roll up your pasta sheet and cut it
eggs. Go for eggs with intensely coloured yolks
into 2.5cm-thick strips. – these tend to be higher in omega-3s. Make a
well in the flour, pour in the egg mix, then use a
B Tagliolini fork to combine it all from the inside out. When it’s
This is essentially spaghetti too firm for the fork, mix and knead with your
but easier to make. Most pasta hands for 10-15 minutes (add water if necessary),
machines come with a tagliolini until you have a smooth dough. Wrap in cling wrap
attachment, allowing you to feed
and refrigerate for at least an hour. Cut in half and
your dough through the cutter
for a square-edged alternative
flatten with a rolling pin.
to your standard Bolognese Patel recommends a Marcato Atlas 150
accompaniment. (victoriasbasement.com.au), the gold standard of
pasta machines, to roll this into 2mm-thick sheets
C Tagliatelle and shape according to your preference.
One of the most popular pastas,
tagliatelle was allegedly
invented in the 15th century to
emulate Lucrezia Borgia’s
golden hair. But don’t let that
unappetising image put you off.
To make yours, use the same
method as pappardelle but cut
thinner strips – about 1cm.

D
Orecchiette
To turn your pasta into these
morsels, follow the steps until
you have a smooth dough, then
cut it into chunks. Push these
down using a table knife until the
edges curl over the knife, then
invert from the other side with
your thumb to give them an
ear-like shape.

28 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NU TR I T I ON

3
SH A P E UP
Pasta shapes are best
matched to their
sauces. Thick, meaty
sauces are better when
coating pastas with a
flat surface – such as
pappardelle – while
thinner pastas suit
lighter, oilier sauces.
Here, Patel shares four
pasta recipes to match
the shapes you’ve
learned to make. And
if you want an
authentically Italian A B
taste, don’t forget to salt
the pasta water and – Omega
g Bomb Anchovy y Metabolism-Firing
g
for a deliciously viscous and Garlic Tagliolini Sausage Pappardelle
sauce – keep some Serves two METHOD Serves two METHOD
close by. INGREDIENTS In a large pan, cook the omega-3-rich INGREDIENTS Heat the oil in a pan and fry the
• Tagliolini, 240g anchovy fillets in the olive oil until they • Pappardelle, 240g onions until light brown. Add the
• Anchovy fillets melt. Add the minced garlic and gently • Olive oil, 1tbsp sausages, minced garlic, rosemary,
(preferably Ortiz), 6 cook through, then add the chilli flakes • A yellow onion metabolism-spiking chilli flakes and
PASTA • Olive oil, 2tbsp
• Garlic, 2 cloves
and fry for a minute. In a separate pan, • Italian sausages, 3 bay leaves. When the sausages are

LA VISTA • Chilli flakes, pinch

boil tagliolini in salted water for two
minutes, then add to the anchovy, chilli
• Garlic, a clove
• Rosemary, a sprig
cooked, break up into pea-sized
pieces with a spoon. Add the
Sub in these • Parsley, large handful and garlic mixture. Add a splash of • Chilli flakes, a pinch tomatoes and simmer for half an hour.
alternatives if • Butter, a knob pasta water and the chopped parsley, • Bay leaves, 2 Boil the pasta in salted water for two
you’re on a tossing the pasta to emulsify the • Tomatoes, a tin minutes, then mix with the sauce.
low-carb diet sauce. Add butter and serve. • Butter, a knob Add butter and Parmesan and stir.
• Parmesan, to taste Plate up and top with more Parmesan.

Eggplant
Eggplant has fewer
kilojoules than an
energising bowl of
spaghetti, and
contains vitamin C
and potassium.
WORDS: BOBBY PALMER; PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL HEDGE

Butternut
Squash
This is rich in
vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants –
and is also linked to
several markers of C D
improved digestive
health. Muscle Food Tagliatelle Doctor’s Orders
Alla Carbonara Prosciutto Orecchiette
INGREDIENTS METHOD INGREDIENTS METHOD
Serves two “A proper carbonara has no cream,” Serves two In a large pan over a medium heat, melt the
Seaweed • Tagliatelle, 240g says Patel. Instead, combine the yolks • Orecchiette, 240g butter until frothy, ensuring it doesn’t burn.
Ultra low in kJs, kelp • Egg yolks, 3 and Parmesan in a bowl and set aside. • Butter, a knob Add the prosciutto and cook until crispy.
noodles are a source • Parmesan, 75g, grated Crisp the lardons in a large, dry pan. • Prosciutto di Parma, Add immunity-boosting cherry tomatoes,
• Pancetta, guanciale Add black pepper. Cook the pasta in 75-90g, thinly sliced season, then add rocket and toss so the
of vitamins such as
or thick-cut bacon, salted boiling water for two minutes, and roughly torn heat wilts it. Boil the pasta for two minutes.
B12 and even vitamin
75g-100g, lardons then add to the lardon pan. Remove • Cherry tomatoes, 220g Remove and add to the mix. Toss and serve
K. Serve with oily fish
• Black pepper, lots the lardon pan from the heat and pour • Wild rocket, with a sprinkle of Parmesan. “This is also
for extra omega-3. (we suggest 20 turns a large handful
in the Parmesan/egg mixture, stirring great served as a room-temperature pasta
of the mill) • Parmesan, to taste
to avoid curdling. Add some pasta salad,” says Patel.
water if it’s too thick, then serve.

SEPTEMBER 2021 29
 HE ALTH

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN

S CR E E N BUR N
3
…I DOOMSCROLL? LEARN TO LOG OFF
BEFORE BAD NEWS
OVERWHELMS YOU.
This detrimental effect
is associated with digital media
in particular. According to
research conducted in the early
Knowledge is power, but overloading your brain days of the pandemic, the
consumption of stressful content
with bad news can leave you despairing. Close
online was linked
your tabs, log out of Twitter and build positivity IRL to increased levels of
depression, negative feelings,
anxiety and stress. The same
study found that this wasn’t the
case with newspapers
or, happily, magazines.

1
P LUGGE D IN
1
GOOD BAD
2

“The tendency to endlessly
scroll through bad news story
after bad news story has been
turbocharged over the past 12
months,” warns Tanya Goodin,
an expert in digital detox.
“Doomscrolling” is a habit that
is specific to your smartphone.
Unlike your TV, the hi-tech
device in your pocket is always
there, offering you constant
5
access to a depressing echo
chamber of negativity. It’s like
having the DailyMailOnline
comments section on
an intravenous drip.
T IP T HE S C A L E S
4
“Any form of scrolling that
increases your anxiety is
harmful,” says Goodin. “If you
notice that your mood
3 4 is deteriorating, you need
to log off and do something
completely different.” Easily said,
OFF but don’t we need social media
to stay aware of what’s going on
in the world? “Cutting yourself off
isn’t good for your mental
wellbeing, any more than
over-consuming the news is,”
says Goodin. “The key,
as ever, is balance.”

2
AC CE N T UAT E T HE CL E A N BR E A KS
5
NEGATI V E Remember when the news was
“Your brain has a tendency on TV at 6pm and 10pm, and
to zoom in on the bad that was it? Goodin
stuff,” explains Goodin. recommends that you live by
“The algorithms that control a similar schedule to stay
newsfeeds take this into informed without risking
account and ramp it up.” over-exposure. “Breaks from bad
WORDS: TOM WARD I ILLUSTRATION: PETER GRUNDY

Reading worrying news triggers news are essential,” she says.

your fight-or-flight response. “Train yourself to dip
But your brain also hates to in, simply to update yourself, and
leave things unfinished. So, then log off.” Goodin also
without resolution, you suggests that you seek out and
experience the Zeigarnik effect engage with positive news
– anxiety about incomplete stories to reprogram your
tasks. It’s a perfect storm. personal algorithm. Remember,
it’s not all bad.

30 MEN’S HE ALTH
 “Badminton brought
the skills I had from
tennis and added
tactics, agility and
fast pace”

GRONYA SOMERVILLE
She is one of Australia’s finest in the Olympic sport of
badminton. Reaching the summit has involved seizing an
unlikely opportunity and training diligently to overcome
limitations that might have discouraged a lesser woman
BY DANIEL WILLIAMS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARNAUD DOMANGE

32 MEN’S HE ALTH

BEFORE WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED the
turning point of her young life, Gronya
Somerville had played badminton once or
twice at primary school using volleyball nets.
Then, one day when she was 12, her PE
teacher handed her a flyer inviting girls to
attend a “fitness day” on which they could try
out for the privilege of being put on a path
that might lead to their representing Australia
in badminton at the Olympics.
“So, I went along and did the fitness test
and played the competitive games, and at
the end of the day we had a hit with some
of the national players,” Somerville recalls.
“There was a guy there hitting all these trick
shots, and I fell in love with the sport.”
Fourteen years later, Melbourne’s
Somerville, the daughter of a British mother
and a Chinese father, is preparing for the
Tokyo Games, where she’ll compete in the
women’s and mixed doubles events.
Competition for medals will be fierce in a
sport historically dominated by China and
featuring emerging powerhouses Indonesia,
Japan, South Korea and Denmark. But a
super-fit and determined Somerville – an
eight-time Oceania women’s doubles
champion – is primed, in concert with her
partners, to produce the outstanding
performances of her life.
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GRONYA SOMERVILLE
Men’s Health: So, before you discovered
badminton, you’d played a fair bit of tennis?
PHOTOGRAPHY: INSTAGRAM @GRONYASOMERVILLE
Gronya Somerville: Yep, as well as circus
gymnastics and Little Athletics. Tennis I was
pretty good at, and the coaches wanted me
to take it more seriously, but I just never had
a passion for it. Badminton, though, was like a
perfect crossover: it brought in the skills I had
from tennis and added all the tactics,
decision-making, agility and fast pace that
kept me engaged.
MH Tokyo will be a test of your mental
strength. What are your keys for producing
your best under pressure?
GS My women’s doubles partner [Setyana
Mapasa] and I are still working on that as a
pair. In doubles, there’s that added dynamic
of trying to be on the same page. We’re
working with a sports psychologist, and I
think, with us, it’s getting us to the right level
of arousal, making sure we’re pumped up to
a certain point before we step on court,
because we can be a bit slow starting. If
we’re in a good space as a pair and
communicating well and supporting each
other, usually we can play some of our best
badminton. But once that falls apart, it’s really
hard for us to get it back.
MH People can watch you train at
gronyasomerville.com – and having tuned
in myself, it’s clear you don’t muck around
when it comes to building serious lower-
body power.
GS That’s really been a long journey for
me because when I started out I was very
pigeon-toed – weak glutes, weak quads and
a lot of knee and ankle injuries. For me,
strength training has really changed my
physiology. My feet aren’t as pigeon-toed
and everything is just a lot biomechanically
better. It’s just come from a lot of glute-
strengthening over the years – a lot of crab
walks, as well as squatting with heavy
weights. That said, I’m never trying to make
huge gains in the gym. My sessions are all
about trying to keep me on the court longer
by avoiding injury and building up my body
to take the competitive load.
MH The word is you follow a vegetarian or
vegan diet. What have been the effects on
your performance of going meat-free?
GS That started about five years ago from
having a vegan friend, who was in
Switzerland at the time. I visited her for a
weekend when I was competing in Europe
W O M EN I N SP O RT
SOMERVILLE HAS TASTED
SUCCESS BECAUSE SHE’S
PAID HER DUES IN SWEAT.
and asked her a lot about her diet. Over time,
I’ve adopted it myself more seriously. I’m not
strictly vegan, but I eat predominantly vegan.
Physiologically, I haven’t really noticed any
difference whatsoever. The change didn’t
make me feel any better or any worse. It
didn’t seem to affect me in any way.
MH Why stick with it, then?
GS Because it’s more ethically and
environmentally [sound], and I feel like I
make overall better food choices by keeping
it in mind. A vegie burger rather than a meat
burger . . . the additives within the vegie
burger are healthier. Small things like that.
MH What’s it like being an elite competitor
in a sport that gets so little attention?
GS It’s a little frustrating. We see the kind of
respect and admiration that badminton gets
in Asia especially, and it would be nice for
Australians to experience it the way we do.
It’s just not traditional for kids here to start
playing badminton – which I understand. But
it would be awesome to get more of them
involved and have more people see the game
played at a high level and to appreciate the
speed and athleticism involved.
MH What are the qualities you most value
in a partner? A life partner, that is, not a
doubles partner.
GS I’ve been 10 years in a relationship with
[New Zealand badminton player Maika
Phillips], a lot of that done long-distance
before he moved to Melbourne in 2019. For
me, the main thing is honesty. If you’re not
honest, you can’t build a relationship.
Respect. Loyalty is a huge one. And then I
guess the humour and keeping each other
happy, and just really wanting the best for
each other.
MH Do you have a life philosophy?
GS Fulfill your potential, in whatever that
might be.
SEPTEMBER 2021 33
 MI N D

usic is a proven performance enhancer, but should you cue

u
z or Motörhead? MH
zart H tunes into the latest science to find
d

BEATS CHILL
VS

e A perforr
h
he by A
l
leased. i

FAST FORWARD HIIT PLAY? SLOW IT DOWN

Rapid beats can boost performance by up to ...But medium-tempo tracks can have the
15 per cent, helping you train at a higher same workout-enhancing impact, while even
intensity with lower perceived exertion. slow music is better than none.

Need a lift between warm-up and WOD?
According to Sheffield Hallam University,
music paced between 125-135bpm made
125-135
people feel more driven during rest. BPM
RECOVERY Brunel University found that more sedate
20-30 tunes can help you bounce back quicker. Half
an hour of listening to slow, wordless music
MIN can dial down your cortisol levels.

BEAT MATCH

Techno EDM Drum’n’Bass R&B Reggae Hip Hop

(120-125 bpm) (128 bpm) (174 bpm) (60-80 bpm) (60-90 bpm) (85-115 bpm)

If you find it hard to get started, stick to a
rapid BPM. In one study, almost a third of
people said that beats were a powerful
motivator to get a workout under way.
30%
MIND GAMES Listening to Mozart for 10 minutes can give
10 MIN you a short-term brain boost, improving your
reasoning and spatial awareness. Perfect for
complicated drills.
WORDS: KIERAN ALGER; ILLUSTRATION: SCRATCHINPOST.CO.UK

A Canadian study found that you can GET IN SYNC Soothing music can be used as part of a
enhance your HIIT workouts through the “dissociative strategy”: during exercises such
process of “entrainment”, in which your as long runs, it works to take your mind off
brain syncs your body with fast music. fatigue and discomfort.

THE MH VERDICT: IT’S A DRAW!

Ultimately, it comes down to your training needs. Faster beats are associated with hard work,
while slower tunes aid rest and recovery. But research suggests that nothing is more effective
than music to which you feel an emotional connection – so we’ll leave your playlist up to you.

34 MEN’S HE ALTH
 TACT I C S

The science-backed, therapist-approved case for

doing way less and ending up better than ever
BY PAUL KIX ILLUSTRATION BY THERE IS STUDIO

IT BEGINS AT 4am on a Saturday, a throbbing and
unceasing pain behind my left temple. I try to go back
to sleep but can’t – the second missed clue – and
around 6am I face another day of weekend work.
It’s the autumn of 2020 and I’m at risk of losing my
job at ESPN. Two decades of outworking others – by
writing books and hosting a podcast, among other
pursuits – and of taking pride in friends saying, “How
do you do it all?” has convinced me I must do even
more now. I should find solace in all the skills I’ve
developed to support my wife, Sonya, our three kids
and my mother-in-law, who moved in when she retired.
But I don’t.
By midday, I can’t focus and have to lie down. Soon
I’m hyperventilating as searing pain spreads to my
stomach and then to my fingers and toes, suddenly
inflamed and too sensitive to touch anything. At the ER,
Sonya speaks for me while I undergo a CAT scan that
thankfully rules out a brain aneurysm.
The bad news, the neurologist says, is that he’s
seeing more guys like me, for whom the pandemic
accentuates stress that goes ignored until their anxiety
levels rise so high that they double over.
Seventy-seven percent of us say we’re way more
stressed now, according to a Cleveland Clinic survey.
Fifty-nine percent say COVID isolation has done more
damage to our mental health than the 2008 economic
crisis. Yet 66 percent of us live out the old-line mores of
masculinity and rarely discuss the pain and the impact
the pandemic has had on our mental health.
“And so you end up here,” the neurologist says. His
advice? Don’t come back.
The stress I’m feeling! I decide I have to do
something about it.

SEPTEMBER 2021 37
 LESSON 1
IDE N T IF Y W HE N NO T T O HUS T L E
I have to do nothing. That’s what I settle on with my therapist:
incorporate idleness into my day. “Rest will relax you,” he says. Then a
few weeks later, I get a call from my boss with an executive from HR on
the line and they lay me off. Now the crisis is real. I can feel the anxiety
and fear of looming destitution pushing me towards more crazed
productivity, fuelled by the urge – primal and real – to provide. My
therapist recommends I start with a walk.
It’s not the prescribed nothing — I still scoff at nothing — but the
walk that will separate me from the everything on my laptop. I keep
it short, staying on the shaded street of my quiet suburb, listening to
a biography of Douglas MacArthur because, c’mon, I’m not not going
to be productive. But I do in fact feel calmer yet energised when I
get back, which makes me curious. Can doing nothing be a
productivity hack?
It turns out Thomas Edison and his employees would spend hours
doing nothing but pondering. It led to some of the team’s greatest
insights. Bill Gates has long taken what he calls a think week, during
which he goes alone to a remote area to simply read and think. That
inspired many Microsoft wins. These days, Stefan Sagmeister takes a
whole year off once every seven years. It’s made his New York–based
design firm one of the most sought-after in the world because, as he
says in a TED Talk, each “sabbatical” provides unrivalled insight and
enthusiasm for future projects.
Staying true to form, Sagmeister turned down my request to speak
with him by saying, “During this unusual time, I try to minimise my
scheduled time in front of screens and on the phone”.
I take my cues from these entrepreneurs and literally schedule
idleness using the calendar I’ve crowded with projects. Some days it’s
the half-hour walk my therapist recommends – a pair of Ecco ST.1 Lite
Men’s Sneakers, $149, au.ecco.com – are perfect for this. Other days
it’s a block of daydreaming when I journal about projects I might one
day pursue. Sometimes it’s acting as my nine-year-old twin boys’ PE
coach while they learn remotely. As it does for everyone else, the
downtime produces real results for me. During one daydream session, I
get the idea to start a paid online community to help creative types
learn from one another in ways they can’t from social media.
A small business is born.
38 MEN’S HE ALTH
LESSON 2
T RUS T T HE P OW E R
OF IDL E NE S S
In my emerging downtime, I read books like
Andrew Smart’s Autopilot: The Art and Science
of Doing Nothing, which articulates a theory
for why unplugging is so important. When
regions of the brain “do nothing,” Smart tells
me, they’re actually “organising themselves
for later use.”
This neural recuperation has a name, the
resting-state network (RSN), and also a
function: to foster creativity. That’s according
to the neurologist who laid the groundwork for
the study of the RSN: Dr Marcus Raichle of
Washington University School of Medicine.
Colleagues thought Raichle was crazy in the
early 2000s for hooking people up to MRIs
and observing what happened brainwise
when the subjects did nothing physically.
“They’d just lie there,” Raichle says. But he
found “there is ongoing activity in your brain,
all the time”, which suggests neural rest is
never rest. “Problems are getting solved,” he
says, even without us knowing it.
Whether it’s Isaac Newton under the apple
tree or me on a walk, Raichle argues we are
often at our creative best when we’re most
relaxed. That’s true for me. I’m happier,
thinking more clearly because of my
scheduled downtime. Though I have more
work than ever, I’m less stressed. I realise I’ve
been working the wrong way for 20 years. I
need not wrestle and pin and rule the hours
of each day. I can move with them, enjoy them
for what they are. I find snatches of time for
still more downtime.

“It’s led me to realise that
idleness is not laziness“
LESSON 3
DO L E S S T O F E E L MOR E
At a certain point in early 2021, it feels off to say I’m using rest
as a guide to optimised productivity. I’m beyond life hacks. I’m
developing a worldview now, with idleness — that long-ago-prescribed
nothing — as its core tenet.
As artist and author Jenny Odell says in her recent book, How to Do
Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, “such ‘nothings’ cannot be
tolerated [by modern society] because they cannot be used or
appropriated and provide no deliverables”. Odell connects the
less-is-more ideology to ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus, who
established a garden and a school of thought on the premise that the
good life comes from studying everyday life closely.
One day, I call up Tom Hodgkinson just before he leaves the office
early so that he can properly observe his vibrant city on the bike ride
home to his flat. Hodgkinson runs The Idler, which is a mindset as
much as it is a magazine published in London: his team hosts events
and even a full-blown academy to teach the art of simple pleasures,
what some see as indolence but is in fact heightened intelligence.
“People feel – men feel – that they must act responsibly, meaning that
they have to slave away at the office to provide for their families. But
then they get to be 50 and their wives hate them and their kids are
grown and don’t know them,” Hodgkinson says. “That is irresponsible
to me.”
We talk about the Harvard Grant Study, a longitudinal project that
tracked World War II–era Harvard students from the time they were
sophomores to the day they died. The chief finding, across decades
and strata of careers? Happiness is a by-product of the relationships
you keep, with your friends but even more so with your family.
“Happiness is love. Full stop,” one of the chief researchers on the
Harvard Grant Study wrote.
“Exactly,” Hodgkinson says.
TACT I C S
LESSON 4
N O T HING + N O T HING
= E V E RY T HING
I decide to put down my work to teach my
daughter to roller-skate. I attempt to keep up
with my twins as they play Just Dance 2021 on
the Nintendo Switch. My walks get longer and
I leave my phone behind. I watch the rising
sun limn the tree line. I distinguish birdsong.
Back home, I answer fewer emails and begin
to pray, something I haven’t done since
childhood. It is both an act of faith and a
communion with stillness.
I haven’t had a headache in weeks, but my
hope is that we can all be, as Hodgkinson puts
it, “evolved and superior people”. We still have
time, even as the world reopens, to remember
where that world of busyness will lead us.
“Look where it led you,” Hodgkinson says.
“Exactly,” I say.
It’s led me, ultimately, to realise that
idleness is not laziness. I’m still doing a lot. But
the nothings that I schedule every day edit,
and streamline, all the somethings I pursue.
The nothings focus me not just on my work
but also, as Epicurus would have had it, on the
granular life outside it: the multitone silence of
dawn as I stand in my kitchen in the moment
before I brew coffee; the high-pitched shrieks
of laughter at night when my kids and I play
games together.
Lately, every noon hour, I’ve been walking
the trail that leads to a river that runs behind
my house. One day I meet a photographer
who points to a swan and tells me it is seldom
seen in our part of Connecticut. That’s why
she’s brought her camera: to capture that
which seems prosaic, discardable, nothing,
but to the trained eye is actually beautiful
and even transcendent.
SEPTEMBER 2021 39

THE POWER OF
SMALL TALK
Idle chitchat confers serious health
benefits, and it’s something most of us
have been missing for the past year. Here’s
how the author of a new book, The Power
of Strangers, advises you to rebuild your
social muscles after months of isolation
BY JOE KEOHANE
40 MEN’S HE ALTH
SUPER SMALL TALK: “CAPE
DRYCLEANING COSTS A
BOMB, DOESN’T IT?”
SOURCE: JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR AUGMENTATIVE AND ALTERNATIVE COMMUNICATION
WE SPENT WAAAAY too much time cooped up inside with our
families, with our partners or by ourselves for the past year and
a half. While that meant a total loss of solitude for some of us –
and an abundance of it for others – quarantine also meant the
disappearance of something we didn’t know we needed:
random, chance encounters with other people. And science
has shown that those fleeting conversations with the grocery-
store owner or a friend of a friend are actually really good for you.
For one, such exchanges can improve your mood, says
Juliana Schroeder, a psychologist at the University of California,
Berkeley. In one study, researchers found that individuals who
habitually made small talk felt “a greater sense of belonging”
and less lonely overall. “Talking to people, even those on the
periphery of our social network, exposes us to new information
and broadens our perspective,” says psychologist Gillian
Sandstrom, a coauthor of that study. Social connections can
even help maintain your immune system and increase your
life span.
If pandemic life taught us anything, it’s that people need one
another. So push past those fears, embrace the unknown and
get to know your fellow man again. Here’s your four-step plan.

PRY YOUR EYES AWAY
1 FROM YOUR PHONE
Why it works: Awareness of your
surroundings enhances the opportunity for social
bonding. (Sociologists call this “triangulation”.)
It indicates you’re in a place with other people,
you’re experiencing something together, and
you can talk about it. The topic – the weather,
a street performer – doesn’t really matter as long
as it’s shared. Note: this is nearly impossible to
do if you’re staring at a screen.
How to do it: Comment on how what’s
happening makes you feel. Say you’re in a crowd
that’s watching a mime (random, yes, but follow
along for purposes of illustration). You could say,
“I’ve always been a little afraid of mimes”. The
remark doesn’t demand a response, yet it invites
one, if somebody else feels obliged to weigh in.
33
ACTUALLY LISTEN
2 Why it works: Listening attentively
“is one of the most socially attractive
behaviours you can engage in,” says Harry
Weger, a communications professor at the
University of Central Florida who studies
listening. Research has found that people
consider good listeners to be friendlier as well
as more trustworthy, understanding and socially
appealing. Plus, the behaviour encourages
deeper, continued small talk.
How to do it: When someone says something,
paraphrase it back to them, Weger says. For
instance, if a colleague mentions how he almost
fell into a manhole the other day, respond with
something like, “Wow, if you’d fallen into that
manhole, you could’ve broken your leg!” This
forces you to listen but also shows you’re
listening. And notice that last clause: you’re
keeping up the conversation by adding to the
scenario, kicking the chat back to the speaker.
MI N D
The pe
of adul
that is
as sma
rcentag
t speec
classifi
l l ta l k
h
e
ed
ASK SOMETHING
3 YOU REALLY WANT
TO KNOW
Why it works: You’ll only stay engaged in the
conversation if it’s interesting. Smart questions
prevent small-talk drag. And you can only talk
about the weather for so long . . .
How to do it: Start off questions with what,
where, how or why. They’re unanswerable with a
yes or no – total small-talk killers – and they “give
[people] an opportunity to reveal more about
their own personal feelings,” says Weger. One
example: if you’re talking to a barista, ask, “What
would you order here?” If they respond with,
“Honestly, I’m not a fan of the coffee we serve”,
you’ve opened up a new line of discussion and
found a new reason to visit a better cafe.
MOVE ON TO
4 “BIGGER TALK”
Why it works: People divulge more
when you open up; psychologists call this the
“disclosure-reciprocity effect”. Think of it almost
like raising the stakes in a poker game. The
other player will call your raise . . . or up the ante.
And the deeper your discussion gets, the more
powerful the benefits of the small talk.
How to do it: With honesty. If an acquaintance
asks how work is going, admit, “It’s been really
challenging”. Chances are, they’ll either follow
up with another question or share their own
emotional experience. But you don’t have to
go negative: share your excitement about your
kid’s upcoming cricket season or knock-’em-
dead exam results – or your newfound
appreciation for manhole covers.
SEPTEMBER 2021 41
 FATH E RH OOD
A TALE OF TWO KIDDOS
Children are like snowflakes, each special in their own
innocent way . . . and that eternal truth makes parenting
unexpectedly fun
BY MATT LOGELIN ILLUSTRATION BY LIAM EISENBERG
THERE’S THIS ANNOYING THING pediatricians
do when you try to pin them down on a real
answer to a burning question. You’ll say, “Well,
why does my toddler insist on waking me up
at 5am to poop?” And the doc will shrug their
shoulders in an almost pitiable way and utter,
“Every kid is different”. I used to find this phrase
the parenting equivalent of “It is what it is”, a
sort of nonanswer that seems to imply I was
overreacting and should mellow out.
But then I had two kids.
Maddy, my 13-year-old daughter, is the kind
of kid who loves reading and playing chess and
reading about playing chess. I also have a
two-year-old daughter. Berd is the kind of kid
who loves to tear pages out of books and throw
chess pieces across the room. I doubt that she’ll
42 MEN’S HE ALTH
ever willingly read a book about playing chess.
She may never willingly read any book. These
character traits, it seems, are set at birth.
Maddy was a boring baby. I was told
countless times by countless people that the
universe gave me the kind of baby I needed
most. My wife died of a pulmonary embolism
one day after Madeline was born, and if I was
going to survive my new reality, I was going to
need a boring baby. Boring babies sleep through
the night. Boring babies lie still for nappy
changes. Boring babies give you time to cry in
the shower. Boring babies don’t throw their food
all over the floor while you feed them. Boring
babies actually allow you to feed them. Boring
babies are easy babies who, at least in my n=1
experiment, turn into easygoing children.
“It wasn’t until
Berd came along
that I learned
what a non-boring
baby was“
Maddy travelled with me through India
and Nepal as I wrote a book. She joined me
on countless trips to music stores to pick up
records and pose for photos. She laughed while
I tossed pumpkins off a nearby bridge into the
river below (separate story). Now that she’s older,
I’ve learned that she was just too nice to try to
stop me. 
But here’s the thing: I didn’t know Maddy was
a boring baby and an easy kid. I had no point of
reference. She was the only child I had.
I remarried 10 years after my first wife died,
and not long after, Berd was born. It wasn’t until
she came along that I truly learned what a
non-boring baby was. Berd wasn’t just not
boring; she was wild. I guess I assumed that she
would be of the same disposition as Maddy, and
I was absolutely positive that things would be
easier, especially because I wouldn’t be
parenting alone this time. Heh.
Early on, Berd refused to take a bottle
(rendering me basically useless as a parent).
During nappy changes, she rolled around like an
alligator wrestling its prey. After a particularly long
day with Berd, a babysitter said to me, “She
cannot be tamed”.
And while Maddy is a cautious, thoughtful
teen, Berd is now wilder than ever. She flies
through the tube slide at the park without
hesitation. She jumps off the back side of the
couch with no expectation that anyone will be
there to catch her, even though her cautious
older sister is often there, ready to save her. 
I understand now what those pediatricians
mean. It doesn’t matter if you’re a girl dad or a
boy dad or the dad of a gender-nonspecific kid
– being a dad of any child is never what you
expect even if you already have a child. This is
frustrating only if you choose not to accept it.
And here’s the twist: this actually makes
parenting fun. My third daughter is due to arrive
on October 2. I don’t know what to expect, but I
know for a fact she’s going to be different.
 A DV ERTOR I A L FE ATUR E

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 HE ALTH

A UROLOGIST’S GUIDE TO A

HEALTHY
PENIS
Chances are you’ve been criticised for acting
as if everything is all about your penis. But it
pretty much is: so many of your daily practices
and behaviours, from your workouts to your
sleep, affect this key body part. Here’s what
urologist Dr JAMIN BRAHMBHATT does to
keep his working for him

GE T YOUR
B L O O D F L OW IN G 
CHECK YOUR S T R E A M
Urination is a vital function of “If the vessels
I work out three times a week, either
running or lifting. Exercise helps keep
your penis, and I discovered I had a
kidney stone recently when I saw that in your penis
your blood vessels flexible and
healthy. That’s especially important
in the penis, which has some of the
my urine was red. Other signals your
urine stream gives you: straining,
pushing, dribbling and feeling like you
can’t deliver
smallest vessels in the body. If they
can’t deliver blood, you can’t get an
can’t empty can indicate an infection,
scarring from an STD or prostate
blood, you
erection. And if this is the case, get
your heart checked. Guys who
issues. Get these signals checked out. can’t get an
develop ED – even in their 40s –
have a good chance of seeing other
GI V E T HINGS A R E S T
I try to get enough sleep,
erection“
heart-disease symptoms within the because it allows the body the time it
next two or three years. needs to rebalance. Chronic sleep
loss can cause testosterone to drop,
DON ’T FE A R A which suppresses your desire and
S T R AT EGIC CU T ability to have an erection. Sleep loss
I was circumcised as an adult. is also linked to body fat. Extra fat
Chronic dry skin meant cracking in converts testosterone to estrogen
the foreskin, and it became a problem more quickly, so it’s tougher to maintain
to be hygienic no matter what kinds of healthy T.
creams and lotions I tried. Now I just – As told to Lynya Floyd
wash with water (no harsh soaps), and
I don’t use a moisturiser. Not everyone
needs a circumcision, and not
everyone needs a moisturiser. But
don’t be afraid to take advantage of
them if you think they’ll help you stay
comfortable.

DIS T INGUISH B E T W E E N
FAC T A N D FA N TA S Y
I don’t have a need or desire to watch
LEVI BROWN. PROP STYLING: MIAKO KATOH

porn, but urologists are concerned

about how it can leave many men
thinking their penis size and stamina
are inadequate. Some will then spend
a lot trying to change that. I remind
them that the average erect penis is
five inches and that healthy penises
capable of great sex come in all sizes.

44 MEN’S HE ALTH
 ALERT

N
AUSTRALIA

ASK

GROW,
TRANSFORM
& REINVENT
YOURSELF
with lessons from the
Ask Men’s Health
Podcast
IN THIS BRAND NEW PODCAST, THE MEN’S HEALTH TEAM CHATS TO
INDUSTRY EXPERTS AND EXTRAORDINARY THOUGHT LEADERS ABOUT
THE ISSUES THAT MATTER MOST TO MEN. FROM FITNESS AND NUTRITION
TO MENTAL HEALTH, WE LEAVE NO QUESTION UNANSWERED.

Download Ask MH on your favourite streaming app

or visit menshealth.com.au
 BLACK MIRROR
Eating disorders increasingly affect men, too. As writer WILL COOK
experienced first-hand, once your thoughts around food and exercise
begin to warp, you’re in danger of losing sight of who you are

“DO YOU REALLY need another ice-cream
today?” “Surely you haven’t exercised enough
for a bowl that big?” “Fuck, you’re looking fatter
than yesterday”.
It’s a rite of passage to live in a subpar share
house with frustrating housemates. You know,
the type who leave dishes to pile up or pinch
your last drop of milk. In my case, my flatmate
teased me every time I sat down for dinner,
opened the fridge door or looked at myself in
the mirror. It was cruel and unrelenting. I wish
I could have moved out. The problem was my
tormentor was one I could never escape: myself.  out without expanding my waistline. My
  At 17 I had left my bubble of family support
in Adelaide and moved to the big smoke. I came
to Sydney to embrace a lifestyle I’d fantasised
about during years of devotion to TV soaps.
To start with, my new life was amazing. I
moved into a residential college with almost 200
other young people. My Instagram grid revealed
an aesthetic tease of new friends, late-night
partying and decent uni grades. Family, friends
and employers would marvel at how I could
pack three jobs, never-ending coffee dates,
bender after bender and exercise into each
week. I was committed to doing it all.  For about six months I carried on with a gulp in
But while I focused on everything going on
in my life, my conscious mind began to lose the
ability to distinguish between rational and
irrational thoughts. Hidden beneath the veneer
of my Instagram filter was a desperate pursuit of
perfectionism that slowly, but surely, manifested
as an eating disorder.  Google. Was it anaemia? Diabetes? I was even
RIT UA L OF SE L F A BUSE
At some point, my body and my mind became
separate entities. Although I was physically fit,
I had an intense fear of gaining weight. I spent
hours each day looking at myself in the mirror,
picking and pulling at what I perceived was
a flabby muffin-top.  for 37 per cent of sufferers, according to The
To lose weight, I committed to pounding the
pavement around Sydney’s coastline. I would
walk morning, noon and night. My new regimen
was complemented by what I pretended was an
ethical decision to go vegetarian. Restricting my
diet gave me the excuse I needed to skip more
and more meals.  A-team, set myself up with a new diet, was
My days became endless voids of
disconnected numbness. I would sit in uni
tutorials with my mind caught in a loop of
rumination, sifting through a stocktake of what
I’d eaten that day. Zombie-like, I was incapable BODY IMAGE CAN GET
of feeling anything other than a cruel concoction TWISTED IN THE EYE OF
THE BEHOLDER.
of self-pity and hunger. 
Every time I went to the fridge or tried to
prepare my meals for the week, that voice in my
head would tag along. It would belittle me until I
admitted defeat, conceding that it was easier to
starve my body to appease my mind’s demands.  
In an irony that would have been delicious
if it weren’t so cruel, after wrapping up my
studies, I landed a coveted job as a food writer.
I began secretly purging to ensure I could eat
physical body was losing the battle to twisted
thought processes. 
I have a reputation among friends for being
the life of the party. Yet as my anxiety
heightened, my enthusiasm for socialising was
replaced by a commitment to nullifying my inner
pain with the help of alcohol. I no longer cared
about seeing my friends. Instead, the sound of
a cork popping was a contractual agreement to
commit to blackout-level inebriation. 
S TAGE A N IN T E RV E N T ION
my throat, an empty pit in my stomach and legs
that ached from kilometre upon kilometre
walked. Meanwhile, I kept distracting myself with
a devotion to constant action. 
It was around my 21st birthday when I lost
the ability to sleep. I decided to consult Dr.
willing to admit to being stressed. I booked an
appointment with a real GP. 
With the timebomb entering a critical phase
of its countdown, she told me my heart rate was
almost low enough to have me hospitalised. I
had anorexia. While stereotypes paint men as
eating-disorder anomalies, we actually account
Butterfly Foundation. 
My GP and I devised a mental-health care
plan that would involve seeing a psychologist
along with sessions with a dietitian who
specialised in treating eating disorders. 
Within weeks, I’d assembled the medical
monitoring my exercise and had found a way
to balance it all with work. But I was unwilling
to engage with the cognitive-behavioural
therapy (CBT) the psychologist was

46 MEN’S HE ALTH

“While stereotypes paint men as
eating-disorder anomalies, we
account for 37 per cent of sufferers”
M A N TO M AN
recommending. Instead, I focused on the visible
side of my anorexia and committed myself to
putting on weight. 
Outwardly, I appeared to be getting better,
but six months down the track, things took a
turn. I found myself caught up in a toxic
work-place culture that catapulted my anxiety
to new levels. I slipped back into my old survival
habits. After a week of sleepless nights, I locked
eyes with myself in the bathroom mirror. My
eyelids were droopy, my arms whittled to the
bone, my chest a hollow cavity. My body was
calling for me to stop. 
TACK L E W H AT ’S E AT ING YOU
That day I quit my job. Perfect Will wasn’t
so perfect anymore. For years I’d let the
expectations of others guide me along a
tightrope that demanded perfection in
everything I did: job, study, body, diet. I’d
become bound to a life that wasn’t mine.
I was afraid to break the shackles for fear
of displeasing others. Perfectionism had
become my prison. 
Right before the arrival of a certain virus, I
spent three months travelling. A real eat, pray,
love experience. I actively nourished my body
and restored my weight. It wasn’t easy but with
professional support I did it. 
I gave myself the time to dive into the CBT
strategies my psychologist had been
recommending. I realised that recovery can be a
slower burn than you anticipate. My psychologist
encouraged me to question my intrusive
thoughts and reframe the body comparisons I
was fed by social media’s human-less algorithm.
By reframing how I spoke to myself, I slowly
learnt that I wasn’t that voice in my head.  
My psychologist pointed me towards
mindfulness and yoga as a way to still my
racing mind. Alongside continued sessions
with the psychologist, the mat became my
therapy. For the first time I found myself craving
movement, rather than using it as a tool to
punish my body.  Nearly two years later, I’ve
completed 250 hours of yoga-teacher training. 
My life today is so very far from what I had
envisioned at 17. In fact, it’s a glorious mess.
There are resounding peaks and then there are
what a wise friend calls “splat days”. On those
days where everything seems overwhelming,
I step off the accelerator of life and focus on
doing things that nurture my body and mind. 
At the ripe old age of 23 I’m at a place where
I can comfortably share my story. Better still, I’m
in a constant state of gratitude about my body.
Dealing with the discomfort and dissatisfaction
of distorted body image isn’t an overnight fix. As
I’ve learned, you must surrender to treatment,
abandon the quest for perfection and give
yourself the time and space to heal.
Struggling with an eating disorder?
Contact The Butterfly Foundation:
butterfly.org.au
SEPTEMBER 2021 47
UTILITY PLAYER
Isuzu takes utes to D-MAX with a vehicle
that’s as tech-smart as it is tough
BY JAMES JENNINGS
MUCH HAS BEEN MADE of
Australia’s invention of the ute,
which went on to become a
pick-up truck and take over the
world. The first ute was made by
Ford, after they got a letter from
an unnamed farmer’s wife in
1932 asking for “a vehicle to go
to church in on a Sunday and
which can carry our pigs to
market on Mondays”.
While the tale is possibly
apocryphal, it would perhaps be
the only case, ever, of a random
rural resident inventing a whole
new type of vehicle. Even if it isn’t
true, one thing is: utes have been
largely agricultural ever since.
Championing function over
form – they’re as aerodynamic as
48 MEN’S HE ALT H
Barnaby Joyce – utes spent
decades pointedly ignoring
mod-cons.
Carmakers argued that tradies
didn’t want stuff like aircon or
touchscreens, just hard plastic
interiors. Until, finally, they relented.
And the Toyota HiLux and Ford
Ranger, having shot out of the
blocks, were never to be headed.
Until now. Because if you’re
looking at one of those and not
also considering Isuzu’s D-MAX,
you’re missing a trick.
Even one iteration ago, the
big-selling D-MAX wore its bucolic
lack of sophistication as
shamelessly as Barnaby. But
now, out of left field, the third-
generation model arrives as a
properly tough, stylish,
technologically festooned
contender for Ute of the Year.
It’s still a ute, bouncing about
with typical rear leaf-spring
suspension that tends to shunt
and shuffle a bit over potholes or
speed bumps. Only the short-lived
and ultimately doomed Mercedes-
Benz X-Class has offered multi-link
suspension in a ute and look at
what happened there.
All D-MAXs are diesel – Isuzu
is a diesel specialist; its two-model
range (along with the seven-seat
Isuzu MU-X – basically a D-MAX
with rear seats instead of a
tray) is oil-burning only. But that
specialisation – with one engine
across the range – has produced
unmatched reliability. The D-MAX’s
3.5-tonne tow rating is facilitated
by a 140kW/450Nm engine that
delivers its power via a choice
of six-speed manual or
six-speed automatic gearbox,
and both are good.
It has a nifty dial that allows you
to switch between 2WD and
4WD-high range, on the run, in
under a second.
The main game here, though, is
the interior tech. It doesn’t have full
digital instrumentation – instead,
there’s a little rectangular screen
between the dials – but that screen
is useful, offering helpful
information as straightforward as a
digital speedo and as clever as the
current speed limits for the street

you’re on (it reads the road signs).
The central screen offers
wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity
and is fast, bright and high-res.
The safety systems, however, are
next level.
They include everything from
advanced cruise control to
rear-traffic alert (it tells you if
someone’s approaching from the
side when you’re reversing out of
a driveway), to clever functions
like automatically dipping your
high beams when another car
is coming.
It took a long time for utes to
be granted access to the sort of
tech that other vehicles took for
granted. Now ‘near car level’
functionality is offered almost
M H GA R AGE
UTE BEAUT: NOT ONLY
EASY ON THE EYE, THE
D-MAX IS EQUIPPED TO
GET DOWN AND DIRTY.
across the spectrum. With
HiLux and Ranger ahead of the
sales pack, the D-MAX’s arrival
“Out of left field, the third
at the parents’ table is a refreshing
challenge to the Ford vs Toyota
generation model arrives
status quo.
And its pricing is pretty as a stylish contender for
tempting, too, with the D-Max SX
single-cab 4x2 manual starting at
just $29,990 drive-away. That’s a lot
Ute of the Year”
of ute for the money (although you
can spend right up to $60K on
some variants, if you prefer your
pizzas with the lot).
It might not spend a lot of
weekdays hauling porkers to the
stockyards – or many of its Sundays
in the church carpark. But the
D-MAX definitely brings home
the bacon. Hallelujah to that.
SEPTEMBER 2021 49
 Watching your friends get married is easy. Ensuring you nail the dress code while
not outshining the groom is where things can get a little tricky. With the help of
The Bachelor Australia’s JIMMY NICHOLSON, we showcase what to wear for
different weddings, helping you to stand out for all the right reasons
PHOTOGR
PHOT GR APHY
A Y BY
B LIAM CHA DLER ST YYLING
H NDLE NG BY
B DALE
E Mcc KIE GROO
GROOMING
MING BY KRIS
R T YAN LOW

50 MEN’S HE ALTH
 When the theme gives the freedom
to interpret as you please, keeping
things chic with a suit and turtleneck
is a winning combination, while the
bold colourway ensures you won’t
clash with the groom.

Suit ($1349), by Hugo Boss;

turtleneck ($39.90) by Uniqlo;
bracelet ($229) by Thomas Sabo;
and boots ($595) by RM Williams.

Black tie
Opposite: Jacket ($3100), and
pants ($500), both by Belancē;
shirt ($149), pocket square
($19.95) and cufflinks ($79.95)
all by MJ Bale; bow tie ($149) by
Calibre; shoes ($1295) by
Christian Louboutin; rings
($329) and ($199) both by
Thomas Sabo; bracelets
($8230) and ($7830), by Fred.

SEPTEMBER 2021 51
 Because how often do you get the
chance to rock some suspenders?
Exactly. It’s the simplicity here that
makes the difference, and after several
hours on the dance floor, you’ll be
grateful for the comfy boots.

Shirt ($420) and pants ($480), both by

Ian Nessick; suspenders ($149.99)
by MJ Bale; boots ($595) by RM
Williams; ring ($269), bracelet
($269) and watch ($499), all by
Thomas Sabo.

52 MEN’S HE ALTH
 STY L E

An elegant suit alongside a plain black T

is a pairing that never goes out of style.
Adding some jewellery to the mix allows
you to show some personality while
staying true to the theme.

Suit jacket (POA) and pocket square

($29) both by Farage; T-shirt ($23.95)
by Zara; necklace ($269) by
Dear Letterman.

SEPTEMBER 2021 53
 Hitting the ranch means channeling
your inner cowboy. Boots and
vintage belt are mandatory, as is the
thumb in pocket pose.

Blazer ($449), pants ($139) and

boots ($595), all by RM Williams;
shirt ($159) by Ralph Lauren; belt
($88) by Route 66; ring ($269) by
Thomas Sabo.

54 MEN’S HE ALTH
 STY L E

We hate to break it to you but coastal

weddings are not an excuse to whip
out the shorts and thongs. Instead,
think about a relaxed suit in a soft
colour on top of an open collar shirt.
This way, you’ll stay cool – in more
ways than one.

Jacket ($599), shirt ($169) and

pants ($189), all by Ralph Lauren;
pocket square, ($19.95) by MJ Bale;
sunglasses ($1410) by Fred;
bracelet ($229), watch ($549) and
ring ($269), all by Thomas Sabo.

SEPTEMBER 2021 55
 More Room
To Groom
Lockdown has changed the way we live, grooming habits
included. But as vaccines roll out and we venture back
into the world, many of us are in dire need of a tidy-up.
Fortunately, the latest trends don’t require a 180, just
a few maintenance tricks to hit the sweet spot between
modern marvel and isolated caveman

WHEN WE’RE FINALLY let out of the

house (fully masked, no doubt), there’s
some good news in personal grooming,
fellas: “The shabby-looking iso-beard
is here to stay,” says hair educator and
former men’s hairdresser of the year
Jules Tognini.
New research from grooming brand
Bulldog Skincare reveals many guys
are intending to go rogue when it comes
to hair and grooming, with almost half
(42 per cent) planning to experiment
with a new look before spring hits.
The same research also shone a light
on the motives behind this burgeoning
need to experiment – and no, one
of them is no longer “iso-boredom”.
Driving men to the clippers is the
prospect of:

1. Socialising with friends (55%)

2. Spending time with family (50%)
3. Having more sex (27%)

Tognini, widely known in

his field as The Grooming Guy,
has invariably been on point
with his style predictions,
and if the first half of this
year is anything to go by, his
forecast for spring is likely to
be accurate. Here Tognini
reveals the top trends in
grooming and shaving for
2021, along with expert
tips on how you can best
achieve them at your
home basin. Happy
shearing, lads.

56 MEN’S HE ALTH
 GR O OMIN G

•T•H•E K•I•T•

THE TAMING OF THE

LOCKDOWN BEARD
The iso-beard is here to stay – but
it’s getting a makeover. Fifty-eight
per cent of men say they’re planning
“HERE’S THE GOOD to groom their face more and tidy up
their iso-whiskers. We’re not talking
NEWS: ‘THE SHABBY- designer stubble, though: there’s still
Proraso Beard Oil Wood & Spice
a desire for the untamed look.
LOOKING IS0-BEARD Beard balms and beard oils will
$24.99 (prorasoaustralia.com.au)
Formulated to tame, smooth and protect
keep your facial hair feeling fresh longer beards, this has a scent of cedar
IS HERE TO STAY’” and looking great between trims,
even if they’re months apart.
wood and Eastern spice. Rub through
a damp beard from root to ends for
long-lasting softness.

THE MOUSTACHE IS
HAVING ITS MO-MENT
As an emerging trend, the
moustache is having its next 15
minutes, with one in 10 guys looking
to rock a mo into summer and the
new year. “My one tip here is to
ensure you keep your mo in check
with the right razor,” says Tognini.
“You don’t want to be caught Beard & Blade Moustache Essentials Kit
$54 (beardandblade.com.au)
looking like Yosemite Sam.” Trim, tidy and style your mo with this
collection. Armed with Italian-made scissors,
a UK moustache wax and our very own B2
Folding Comb, you’ll have everything you
need to keep your upper lip looking its best.

PUTTING YOUR BEST

FACE FORWARD
Skincare will be a focus over the
months ahead, with one in five men
planning to reboot their grooming
regime and up their use of cosmetic
products. “Air conditioning can lead
to dry, flakey skin,” advises Tognini. ry Useful Face
“So, as we move into summer and er] $41
the AC switches on, it’s important This multi-tasking moisturiser sinks in fast,
that guys use a daily moisturiser to is deeply hydrating and contains vitamins
and antioxidants to fortify your skin. It was
keep their skin in check.” developed by beauty guru Zoë Foster-Blake
for husband Hamish Blake. No joke.

SEPTEMBER 2021 57
 Time
Why your kids are the ultimate
excuse to buy another watch
TAG Heuer A cer
BY LUKE BENEDICTUS
Professiona
$4350
WEARING A WATCH isn’t just about
functionality. If you want to tell the time,
after all, you can simply glance at your
iPhone. This inconvenient truth doesn’t
make it any easier to justify buying
yourself another watch, particularly
if you have a few already. No, what’s
required here is some mental gymnastics
to seal the deal with yourself and, in all
probability, convince a sceptical partner, Tudor Black Bay
Fifty-Eight 925
too. Essentially, you need to change the
$5880
watch-buying narrative from costly act
of self-indulgence to grand altruistic
gesture. And that’s where your children
come in.
d
Patek Philippe that artfully repositioned Omega
Seamaster Diver
the wristwatch from timekeeping device
300m Black
to precious family heirloom. Patek Black $13,200
continues to release advertisements in
which the same scenario plays out. A
photogenic small child in a tomato
Longines
sauce-free, collared shirt gazes adoringly Heritage
up at his square-jawed father with a watch Classic $3050
strategically positioned somewhere in the
frame. “You never actually own a Patek
Philippe,” reads the tagline. “You merely
look after it for the next generation.”
On one level, of course, this is a Graand Seiko
masterclass in emotional manipulation. SL
It’s an image of domestic bliss on an $
executive salary designed to sell wildly
expensive consumer goods. Yet the idea
of a watch becoming a family totem is also
hard to resist.
Right now, I’m writing this with a
wedding ring on my finger that was
worn by my father. His old watch nestles
in the desk drawer to my right. These

58 MEN’S HE ALTH
 WATCH E S

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watch; you’re completing a selfless act of
fatherhood on behalf of your kids.

SEPTEMBER 2021 59
MH S U BS C RI PTIO N O F FE R

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60 MEN’S HE ALTH
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SEPTEMBER 2021 61
Armed to the Teeth:
Both Warnes draw
confidence from
looking their best.

62 MEN’S HE ALTH
 TACT IC S

THE
WARNE
LEGACY
Fit and firing in his fifties, Shane Warne
is ready to open up about his post-cricket life.
Meanwhile, his son, Jackson, still energised
by his breakout appearance on SAS Australia, is
right beside him, harbouring his own aspirations.
In these exclusive interviews with
Men’s Health, the Warne men reveal their
secrets to staying healthy, productive and bonded
eternally as father and son
BY DA NIEL WILLIA MS PHOTOGR APHY BY JA MES GEER

SEPTEMBER 2021 63
 hen Shane Warne arrives for the
Men’s Health photo shoot, he is polite, amicable
– and businesslike. He wants to know whether
it’s really going to take the time allotted. Which is
quintessential Warne. Getting on with things – no
fiddling about, no wasting energy on the extraneous
– was always his way as the outstanding cricketer of his
time. With Warne, it was, Come on, skip, toss me the ball.
And how about ramping up the aggression? Take wickets. Pursue
victory. And if there’s an opportunity, I’ll gift you some theatre, too.

In his approach to things, little has changed in the 14 years since Men’s Health: Without the driver gotten better with age. I think I
he played his final Test match. Now 51, clear-eyed, strong of body of having to be ready to bowl understand myself so much better.
and stretched thin across a range of interests and pursuits, Warne 25 overs in a day, what’s your My fitness is great. The business
is as purposeful as ever, too engaged with life and fatherhood to approach these days to side of things is going better than
have fallen victim to the kind of existential crises that dispirit keeping fit? it ever has. And my children are
many a former athlete in the eerie quiet of retirement. Shane Warne: Sticking to a happy. So, I’m in a really good
Fourteen years? Really? Fourteen years since he ripped a leg- routine. Through my career, I space. You know, there’s really
break or clicked out a flipper in whites? Those who watched him, fluctuated a little bit with my weight: nothing I’m worried about.
summer after summer, will never forget his mastery. But he’s been it was up, it was down, I was
missing from the crease long enough for there to have emerged a super-fit, then not fit. And a lot of MH In your autobiography,
new generation of cricket fans for whom the name Warne is little that had to do with injuries. Since No Spin, you’re open about the
more than that – a name, a champion of the past, and perhaps an I’ve retired, the health thing is both things you do to look your best.
outspoken, coruscating voice from the commentary box. physical and mental. With the Is that as important to you as it
In bringing Warne the cricketer to life, you start with the physical side of things, for probably ever was, and if people want to
numbers. Between 1992 and 2007, he took 708 Test wickets the last 10 years or so I’ve gotten call that vanity, do you care?
– the second-most by any bowler in history (behind Muttiah into a morning routine, whether SW No, I don’t care. I take pride
Muralitharan) and 145 more than the next most prolific that’s my push-ups, skipping, in my appearance. I always try to
Australian (Glenn McGrath). He claimed five wickets in an boxing, going for a walk or going to dress nicely. Yes, I go to the dentist
innings 37 times and 10 wickets in a match 10 times. He is one the gym and getting on a treadmill. regularly and get my teeth
of only eight players to have accomplished the 300 wickets/3000 I try to do something at least a few whitened. Yes, I didn’t like going
runs double. Toss in another benchmark – 100-plus catches (in times a week. bald. Some people don’t mind it.
the slips, Warne had hands like buckets) and the list shrinks Some people don’t care. Some
to just Warne and Ian Botham. In 2000, the votes of 100 cricket MH And the mental side? people worry about it but don’t do
experts anointed Warne (alongside Bradman, Sobers, Jack Hobbs SW A lot of people underestimate anything about it. I decided to do
and Viv Richards) one of Wisden’s five greatest cricketers of the it. Fitness is about feeling fresh and something about it because I think
20th century. happy. We’re all busy. There’s never it makes you look older. That’s just
Warne likes to point out, jovially, that among that quintet, enough time in the day. But I’m very my opinion. I’m not saying it for
he alone has not been knighted. Maybe that will come, though structured and very disciplined. I’ve everyone. But I couldn’t rock a bald
some of us might prefer it if he remained simply Warnie forever. got a whiteboard and I’ve got head like Bruce Willis. I’ve only
The bowling genius from the outer Melbourne suburb of Upper diaries. Doing things that I enjoy done it once and I didn’t look very
Ferntree Gully retained a priceless everyman quality: he battled helps my mental health, like playing good. I looked like, I don’t know, a
intermittently with his weight, loved a smoke and a drink, swore golf a couple of days a week and tennis ball. My association with
a bit, refused to treat his baggy green like the Shroud of Turin, walking a course for four hours. I’ve Advanced Hair for the last 17 years,
couldn’t abide bootcamps or self-important coaches, spoke his got a lot on my plate in terms of they’ve helped me regrow my own
mind, treated posties and PMs the same . . . and got into hot water business things and being a bit hair. And I take pride in my
now and then. Of the missteps that turned into tabloid, sex- of an entrepreneur, and I think the appearance, whether that be my
scandal fodder, Warne has always said his chief concern was that fitter you are and the happier you clothes, my teeth, my hair. Now,
he had hurt or embarrassed his three children. Those children (to are, the better decisions you make. people can take the mickey out of
his former wife, Simone) are now adults: daughters Brooke and me. They can do whatever they like.
Summer, 24 and 20 respectively, and 22-year-old son Jackson, a MH How did you feel about They can call me vain because it
sensitive, self-contained and likeable young man who has joined turning 50? Was that challenging, doesn’t worry me in the slightest.
his father today to talk about his plans as well as the perks and psychologically? Because in my mind it’s always
challenges of navigating life in the footsteps of a legend. SW Not at all. In a way, I think I’ve been look good, feel good.

64 MEN’S HE ALTH
 TACT IC S

Forward Focused:
Warne is simply
too busy to wallow
in past glories.

SEPTEMBER 2021 65
TACT I C S

More than his wicket

tally, Warne prides
himself on how his
kids have turned out.

66 MEN’S HE ALTH

MH You’ve spoken previously
about how easily your weight
could swing between 80-90
kilograms. Have you settled
on an ideal weight for now?
SW Yeah, I’m just trying to stay in
that 85-90 range. I’m 88 now. I’m
52 this year, so I feel like I’m in
pretty good nick for someone my
age. And the thing is, you can’t get
too lean as you get older. That’s
why everyone thought for a while
there that I’d had stuff done to my
face. They thought I’d done all sorts
of things to my face because I got
too skinny. I went down to 79 kilos,
which was too light, and suddenly I
was drawn. So, it’s about being
healthy and feeling comfortable.
Not everyone should worry about
their weight – they should worry
about feeling good. But, for me,
mate, I look at a cheeseburger and
put on three kilos, whereas I know
other people can have five of them
and nothing happens.
MH What’s your relationship
with food these days? Has it
evolved from one of indifference
– and a limited menu?
SW Oh, look, when I was playing, I
ate so much crap. Because, you
know, you were travelling, you’d
land somewhere at midnight
hungry, and you’d eat. It was hard
and you had to be very strict, and at
certain stages through my career I
didn’t worry about it. I thought,
Look, I’m bowling-fit, I can bowl 40
overs no problem, and if I’ve got a
few extra kilos, I’m okay with that.
But other times I wouldn’t be. I used
to be all or nothing. I’d go from 92
kilos to 79 in six weeks, because I’d
trained my absolute butt off, but
now I’m more consistent. Look, I
don’t like fancy food. I don’t like
sitting in a restaurant for five hours
and sampling 17 different things.
I’m very simple. People sometimes
say it’s fussiness. I’m not fussy
whatsoever. I like steak and chips. I
like chicken and chips or chicken
and salad. I like a bowl of pasta.
Occasionally I might go and have a
chicken fajita or something like that.
And occasionally I’ll have a burger.
And, you know, my food, people like
to take the mickey because it used
to be quite fun. As players, we’d go
to a Japanese restaurant, and I’d try
and get a pizza delivered there. And
I’d eat it out of the box. And that
wasn’t being difficult – I just wanted
a pizza the night before we played.
It’s evolved a little bit. I don’t eat
anywhere near as much junk food
because I know if I do, I’ll be heavy
again. But if I’m quite strict with my
diet and I combine that with my
fitness routine, I’ll be fine. My
size-34 jeans will fit nicely.
MH What do you miss about
being a cricketer?
SW It’s very rare, but occasionally I
miss not having the ball in my hand
when it’s a really tight game or a
wonderful finish to a Test match.
One team’s trying to bowl the other
one out and I might think, Geez, I
wish I had the ball in my hand. I
miss the competitive side of things
because I’m super-competitive. But
it’s just every now and then. What I
do miss is that camaraderie among
the group. I was lucky enough to
play with some wonderful players.
To be the best team in the world
over probably 15 years and beat
every team home and away was
a pretty amazing achievement, so
I think I miss travelling around with
a group of guys who wanted to
achieve something special.
MH What do you miss the least?
SW The time away from my
children. When I played, you didn’t
say, “I’m missing this World Cup” or
“I’m missing this Test match
because of the birth of my child”. It
just wasn’t done. You just played
and if you missed a birth, that’s just
the way it was. And remember
those Ashes tours back then used
to be [four or five] months. You
used to room with a teammate, and
partners weren’t allowed on tour. I
don’t miss all that – being away
from my family for so long – but
that’s what I did: I played cricket for
Australia, and that took me away
“I FEEL LIKE I’M IN PRETTY GOOD
NICK FOR SOMEONE MY AGE”
from home. I missed Jackson’s
birth. I didn’t see him for four
months because we were at the
1999 World Cup. I missed the birth
of my eldest daughter, Brooke,
because I was playing on an Ashes
tour. I went home in between Tests
and saw her for one night, then flew
all the way back to England.
MH Your ability to perform on
the field when there was turmoil
in your private life was
remarkable. How did you do it?
SW Yeah, look, between making
the Victorian state squad aged 18
to finishing up in the Big Bash with
the Melbourne Stars at 43 . . . that
was my life and I lived it in front of
millions of people around the world.
The attention and the judgment
were always there, and, yes, I made
plenty of poor choices along the
journey. But when I reflect on those,
I think there weren’t all that many
compared to all the good things
that I did, whether it be the stuff for
Australia or for charity . . . I’ve raised
millions of dollars for charity. So,
look, there were a few personal
things . . . but you can’t say, “I don’t
want to play today – I’m struggling
a little”. I could always switch on
and off and compartmentalise.
MH If you’d gotten the chance
to be Australia’s Test captain,
what do you think would have
defined your leadership style?
SW I captained enough times [in
Lethally Blond: Warne
rips a leg-break in
an Ashes Test at Old
Trafford in 1997.
other forms of cricket] for people to
see what sort of captain I was. And
it’s nice when they say, “Geez, we
wish you could have captained
Australia [in Tests]”. If you ask
players who played under me, I
think they enjoyed my style, [which
was] aggressive, always trying to
win. I hated a draw. And I’d always
back my players no matter what.
MH Outside of cricket, which
sports people, past or present,
do you most admire?
SW I used to love watching John
McEnroe play. I think Michael
Jordan set the path for every single
athlete, not just in how good he
was but in being a business and a
brand – in his case, before there
was social media. Tiger Woods. I’ve
had dinner with Tiger a few times. I
introduced him to my son when he
was here for the Presidents Cup.
The way he dominated golf for so
long and then to come back to win
[the 2019 US Masters] after all his
injuries showed not just terrific skill
but also mental toughness. So,
Tiger, McEnroe, Michael Jordan –
and Muhammad Ali.
MH What’s keeping you busy?
SW I have a hand in so many
things. My main business interest
would be the SevenZeroEight Gin
Collection. We’ve got a great
product that won the gold medal for
best gin after blind taste-testing at
the 2020 SIP Awards in America. I
SEPTEMBER 2021 67
TACT I C S
“SEE, I THINK SUCCESSFUL
MEANS BEING HAPPY”
hopefully have a CBD oil [medicinal
cannabis] coming out soon,
pending [Therapeutic Goods
Administration] approval. I’ve got
my TV commentary work for Sky
in the UK and Foxtel here, which I
love. I was lucky enough to be with
Channel 9 for 25 years and learn
from Bill and Richie and Tony and
Ian Chappell. I’d like to think that
when people tune into the cricket,
I make it more fun to listen to. I’m
head coach this year of [Lord’s-
based 100-ball cricket franchise]
London Spirit. I’m with News Corp’s
[fantasy sports competition]
SuperCoach BBL, and I’m doing my
Road Trips with Foxtel and
McDonalds that have been
awesome, telling stories, which has
been quite fun in this modern
world. I write some articles for
[US-based website] Sporting News.
I have my own fragrance at Chemist
Warehouse [SW23 by Shane
Warne], which is pretty cool. We
launched it last year and didn’t take
one cent of profit. We donated it all
to My Room Children’s Charity. And
I’ve got my cricket academies
[sportstaracademy.com]. I think the
way coaching is done for young
boys and girls, there’s a gap in the
market. Because we were always
taught defence – get your grip right
and all that. Now it’s all changed. It’s
all about bat speed, reverse sweeps
and how fast you can bowl, so
there’s a new way to coach. And, of
course, I’m father to three children.
That’s my job. The rest is a hobby.
MH You got engaged to Simone
at 23. In hindsight, is that too
young to make a lifelong
commitment to someone? And
what advice would you give to
your children about when to
consider settling down?
SW Yeah, at 23 years of age, you
don’t know yourself. And both of us,
I think, when we look back, think,
Geez, we jumped into it a bit too
68 MEN’S HE ALTH
soon. But the great thing out of that
relationship is that we both have
three beautiful children. So, I would
say to them, “Look, you know when
you know, and there’s nothing
wrong with living with someone for
a while and making sure it’s 100
per cent”.
MH You mentioned a few “poor
choices” along the way. Do you
think they’ve had any lasting
effect on your relationships with
your children?
SW No, luckily, they haven’t. You
know, we talk all the time. The
communication is really important
between my three children and me.
They’ve all got their own lives, and
I’m there. My son lives with me
fulltime, and when I travel, he lives
with his mum. My eldest daughter
[Brooke] has a boyfriend, so she
goes from her mum’s house to her
boyfriend’s house to my house, and
my youngest daughter [Summer]
mixes between her mum and me.
I’ve got a great relationship with all
three, and I’m thankful for that.
MH What’s the likelihood of you
ever marrying again?
SW I don’t know. I’d never say
never about anything, after what
I’ve experienced in my life. If
it happens it happens, but I’m
not looking.
MH Do you think a marriage
needs to have traditional
parameters to work?
SW A relationship between two
people is whatever works for them.
You know, the traditions of husband
and wife, kids, white-picket fence,
husband goes to work, wife stays
at home, they’re gone. I mean, it’s
like T-Rexes: they’re gone. So, for
people to judge anyone’s
relationship is unfair, because if the
two people in that relationship are
happy, it doesn’t matter what
anyone else thinks.
MH In what ways would you say
Jackson is like you?
SW Well, for the past four or five
years he’s lived with me fulltime and
we’ve travelled together. Once he
finished school, he’d come over to
England with me, he caddied for
me in the New Zealand Open,
we’ve made poker trips together,
he’s come to Vegas, we go on road
trips together. We do everything
together. As well as father-son,
we’re like best mates. His interests
and my interests are very similar,
probably because he’s lived with
me for so long and he’s been
around my friends. And he’s a
man’s man: he likes the footy, he
likes sports, he likes the cricket (he
doesn’t like playing it, but he’ll
watch it), he loves his AFL and he
loves his poker. And he’s an
exceptionally good poker player.
I love my poker, too, and,
unfortunately, I have to say he’s
probably a better player than me.
MH Your dad, Keith, was very
strict, right?
SW Both my mum and dad were
extremely strict.
MH Have you kept that going?
SW Yep, the kids say, “Dad, you’re
so strict all the time!” When we
have dinner, it’s phones off. We all
sit there and talk. When they were
growing up, I’d always pick them up
from parties. When I was at home,
I’d walk them to school, make their
lunches, I’d go to their school things
. . . I wish I could have done that
every time. I loved all that stuff. It’s
also important for a parent to let
kids be, to let them find themselves.
You can only protect them for so
long before they have to get out in
the big bad world and make a few
mistakes. That’s all part of growing
up. I mean, if you make only great
decisions and never go through
anything, you won’t appreciate the
good times. The tough times, which
we all go through, make you
stronger. My kids are going to make
some mistakes, but they know I’ll
be here for them every single time.
MH What are your main hopes
for Jackson?
SW For all my kids I want exactly
the same thing: I just want them to
find someone they’re happy with,
and to be happy. I really don’t care
what job they do or if they find
someone they’re happy with on the
couch every night. Because
success . . . it’s different for
everyone. See, I think successful
means being happy. If you can
make a few dollars along the way
and stay in a nicer house if that’s
important to you, great, but
sometimes a tent on the beach
is kind of cool, too. Some people
define success as having a lot of
money or owning a big house. I
don’t do that. I like that. But it
doesn’t define me. Being a good
parent. Raising three beautiful,
well-rounded people that are super-
polite. I feel I’ve had a lot of success
as a father. My son’s a bit more of
an introvert than his sisters. He’s
quieter. Calmer. They’re all very
switched on. They don’t miss a trick.
MH Jackson won over a lot
of viewers on SAS Australia.
SW I was so proud of him when
he did that. Because we sat down
and talked about it before he did it.
He’s found the gym these last five
years and put on a lot of muscle,
and he said he wanted to push
himself. And I said, “Mate, are you
sure you want to put yourself on
national TV for everyone to judge
you?” He said, “I’ll be the youngest
person on the show, but I want to
get out of my comfort zone and
have a crack”. I said, “You’ve got
my blessing, I’m proud of you for
trying and I’ll be there every step
of the way”. I was in England when
he got off the show, and it was
3am when I got this phone call
from him, and he’s crying. His
time was up but he was so
happy with what he’d achieved.
And I just wanted to give him a
hug, but I couldn’t. But it was
nice that he wanted to ring me
as soon as he got out.
“As well as father-son,
we’re like best mates,”
says Shane.

SEPTEMBER 2021 69
TACT I C S

SON OF A GUN
MH What attitude did you take
to his playing sport?
SW Oh, look, obviously part of me
would have loved him to have a
proper crack at it – but I never Being the only son of a sporting great is hard. Or is it?
pushed him in anything. I would
always just stand under a tree and
watch him play footy or lawn bowls
or cricket. Part of me sort of wishes I
had been a bit more, “Right, this is “If you want to say
what you’re doing and you’re going I’m in a shadow,” says
Jackson, “the shadow
to have a proper try at something”.
is really nice.”
Because I think he was an
extremely good AFL footballer.
I’ve always believed that children
should play a lot of sports, because
there’s something about team
sports that helps you enjoy other
people’s success and rounds you
off as a person. But I look at the way
he’s turned out, such a wonderful
young man. And it’s never too late.
I still think he could have a crack
at AFL because he was so good.

MH What misunderstandings do
you think everyday people have
about fame?
SW Well, when I catch up with
Chris Martin, who’s one of my best
friends, we do something really
simple. When I go down to his
place in LA, we go for a walk up the
hill. He’ll go, “Right, my five first”,
and he’ll say the five things that are
on his mind, whether that’s a block
in music writing, whether it’s his
children, whatever. And then on the
way down, I’ll talk about my five
things. And then we sit down and
talk about it all. You talk about
normal things like everyone else
does. The thing is about friendship
– real friends never judge. I don’t
judge my friends and they don’t
judge me. But they know I’m always
there for them, and I know they’re
there for me. And even if you
haven’t spoken for a year, when you
do catch up it’s like you saw them
yesterday. There’s no, “Oh, you
didn’t call”. They’re not friends.

MH We know the type.

SW There’s one last thing I’d like
to say. I’ve never pretended to be
something I’m not. I’ve always been
true to myself.

70 MEN’S HE ALTH
 Men’s Health: You’ve stacked
on some beef?
Jackson Warne: In Year 12, when
I started giving the gym a proper
go, I was around 58 kilos. I’m now
sitting at just under 80. The heaviest
I got was 85, which was before
SAS, but I felt a bit chubby.
MH How did you gain all that
extra bulk?
JW What works for me is eating
as much as possible and training
six days a week. Because I was
really, really skinny when I started.
Now I feel comfortable in my own
skin. Because I know when I was
younger and looking up at people
who were a bit older and bigger
than me, I’d go, “Oh my God, I wish
I could be like that one day”, or, “I
wish I could be as strong as them
or as confident as them”. And now
I sort of am that person. It’s like, I’m
proud of myself for it.
MH Is your training all weights?
JW The only training I did for the
first two or three years was weights.
Hardly any cardio because I quit all
sports when I finished school, just
because there was too much
running, too much soreness and all
these niggles, and I wasn’t the best
for the gym. At the start of this year,
I started doing 10 kilometres on the
bike, three or four times a week, just
so I’m not always bulking and I stay
mobile and healthy.
MH Away from the gym, what
do you most love doing?
JW It used to be – well, it still sort
of is – Lego and hanging out with
my friends. But over the last three
or four months, motorbike riding
has been my new favourite. I got
my license in March, and now I’m
obsessed with it. I love being in the
gym because every time I go in
there, I come out a better version of
myself. With the motorbike, it’s so
free, and you can’t afford to make a
mistake. I like having that 100 per
cent concentration while riding.
INSTAGRAM: @JACKSONWARNE18
MH Have you bought a bike?
JW Yep.
MH What have you got?
JW It’s a Kawasaki Ninja 400.
MH What does your dad think
about your new passion?
JW Well, he actually got a bike as
well, because one day I said, “I’m
going to get my motorbike license”,
and he was like, “Right, okay, book
it for the two of us”. So, we both
went and got it together. And then
about a month later, I was like, “I’m
going to get my bike today”, and he
got one the same day.
MH Are you working now?
JW At the moment, I’m just playing
poker and following the circuits
around Australia. Because at the
moment, poker for me is working and
I’m enjoying it. But I wouldn’t say it’s
my job. It’s more a hobby.
MH Did that come via your dad?
JW I think so. I started playing
when I was maybe nine or 10. And
because Dad and I would always be
going on holidays, in hotel rooms or
on planes we’d always have a deck
of cards. So, long story short, I love
the game. When I was about 15 or
16, I started playing with his friends
and started winning, and they were
all like, “Hang on, you shouldn’t be
winning yet – you’re too young”.
MH Do you have an ambition?
JW Down the track, I want to have
my own gym and be a personal
trainer and have my own podcast.
I want my own place where people
can wake up in the morning, get in
their car and get to my gym, and I’ll
be greeting them at the front door.
Definitely before 30 I want to make
that happen.
MH What made you want to do
SAS Australia?
JW The primary motivation was
that I love using my body, and I love
seeing how far I can push things,
whether it’s getting stronger or
running further or doing anything
physical. So, when this opportunity
came up to do a military-style TV
show, I couldn’t think of a better
opportunity. I thought if I can get
through this course and see how far
I can push my body, I’ll be so much
more confident in my everyday life
and I’ll have such a better
appreciation for everything, and
that’s exactly what happened.
MH Because of who your
dad is, would you say
you’ve had a complicated
relationship with sport?
JW I wouldn’t say
complicated . . . I think
pressure is the right word.
Subconscious pressure.
Growing up, just every time I had
to play cricket, I knew that all
eyeballs would be on me, which is
why I sort of got turned off it straight
away. But in saying that, I wasn’t
actually all that interested in cricket.
I played a few games when I was
14, 15, and in my second or third
game, I actually took a hat-trick
bowling leggies. And Dad was
there watching and he was, “Oh my
God, he’s going to start playing
cricket”, but then I played only two
or three games after that. I played a
lot of sports growing up. But I sort
of found myself when I started
going to the gym.
MH It’s a solitary pursuit, weight
training. Are you happiest in your
own head, in your own world?
JW Yeah, I’m at my happiest
either when I’m in the gym or riding
my motorbike. I’m quite content
being on my own. Obviously, it’s
nice hanging out with friends, but I
don’t need external things to make
me smile or laugh.
MH You’ve said previously that
you’ve felt guilt about not
following your dad into cricket.
Have you shaken that off?
JW I don’t feel it as much
anymore now that I’ve spoken
about it, but definitely a part of me
. . . not regrets, but feels a little bit
guilty that I didn’t give cricket a
serious crack, because I could have
been pretty good but I just wasn’t
passionate about it. And as I’ve
gotten older, no one is angry at
me or sad about me not trying.
I can only do what I’m happy
doing, and playing cricket didn’t
make me happy.
MH What would you say about
your dad as a dad?
JW I never know how to answer
that question because I only see
Dad as Dad. I can’t compare him to
other parents. But growing up, I was
Jackson cops a talking-
to from Ant Middleton
on SAS Australia.
lucky enough to go to a great
school [Brighton Grammar], with
great friends in a great area. I went
on a lot of nice holidays and I’ve got
to meet some pretty cool people.
And I can always remember just
smiling. So, I think he did a great
job. And I’m proud of him.
MH You’ve said before that he’s
not stuck in the past . . .
JW If you walk into our house,
there’s not a room where all his
trophies are or pictures of himself.
He’s focusing on now, on being
present, so what’s on the walls are
paintings, or photos of the family.
It’s not, “Look at this cricket ball or
my baggy green”, because he
knows what he did and we all know
what he did. He doesn’t need
materialistic stuff to make him feel
better. He’s humble.
MH Your dad casts a long
shadow. Have you found a way to
step out from that shadow, or have
you never looked at it that way?
JW I reckon while I was at school,
I sort of looked at it that way. But
you’ll only feel like you’re in a
shadow if you choose to feel like
you’re in a shadow. So, for me, all
I had to do to switch that mindset
was to realise that I didn’t choose
who my dad was, and what he did
was bloody awesome. Not many
people can say that their dad did
that, and it’s awesome when people
come up to me and say, “Your dad
is the reason why I bowl leg spin”,
or, “Your dad makes me smile”. All
these nice things. So, the shadow
. . . if you want to say I’m in a
shadow, the shadow is really nice.
The shadow is quite warm. And you
can have a lot of fun in the shadow.
I’m very happy. I’m okay.
SEPTEMBER 2021 71
An incredible passion
for fitness runs in
the Ferrigno family.

72 MEN’S HE ALTH
 FATHE RH OO D

FIT DAD
COOL DAD
This past year showed us
that health, fitness and
family are as important as
ever. It’s something The
Incredible Hulk, Lou Ferrigno,
and son, Lou Ferrigno Jr, know
better than most
BY LOU SCHULER PHOTOGR APHY BY RYA N YOUNG

SEPTEMBER 2021 73
FATH E R H O O D
OU FERRIGNO, 69, is a two-time Mr.
Universe champion, a trainer and an
actor (he’s the OG Hulk). His son, Lou
Ferrigno Jr, 36, is also a bodybuilder, a
trainer and an actor (he’s in four movies
this year: Dreamcatcher, Final
Frequency, Nightshade and
Blackout). Here they discuss how
they helped each other grow.
ON STARTING TRAINING
Lou Ferrigno: When I was young, I had the
hearing issue and the speech impediment.
My father was abusive, so I was obsessed with
power. I would read the Hulk comic books, the
Superman comics. I fantasised about being
stronger than anybody else. I just loved strength.
Lou Ferrigno Jr.: I saw a guy in a Ren &
Stimpy cartoon who had these big pecs. Girls on
the beach loved the pecs. So when I was 11 or
12, I said, “Dad, I want to work out. I want pecs”.
And who was I to turn to? Lou Ferrigno was my
first training partner. Which is really cool.
LF When you were young, you were kind
of overweight. But I never pushed you to train.
LFJ I wanted to make a change in my life.
I didn’t want to be made fun of anymore.
ON GETTING MADE FUN OF
LFJ One time, when I was about 11, our family
was at the Fashion Café in New York City. My
foot was in a cast [from a PE accident at school],
and I was limping. This table full of teenagers
started laughing. One of them got up and was
limping, making fun of me. So we get to our
table and my sister says, “Dad, these boys were
making fun of Louie!” And he goes [switching to
his father’s voice], “Where are they?” Dad gets
up and he walks over to this table of, like, seven
or eight kids and a father. And he goes, “Which
one of you made fun of my son?” They all freeze.
And he goes, “Don’t you ever make fun of my
son again!”
LF I wasn’t really angry. I just knew I had to say
something. Some of them, I’m pretty sure, peed
in their pants. I’d forget how big I was. I
remember walking around the street, I had to
wear a 4XL T-shirt. People would get out of the
way. It was like Moses coming. When I’d get
upset, people would think I was becoming the
Hulk. But I don’t see myself like that. When
you’re that big, you don’t see yourself being
that big. I see myself as a regular guy.
ON THE WAY THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH
PHYSICAL FITNESS AND PARENTING EVOLVED
LF I wanted to give him my name because I felt
like he was destined for great things. I didn’t
want him to go into bodybuilding, because
bodybuilding is a very difficult sport. I wanted
74 MEN’S HE ALTH
him to have a college education, because he
was very smart.
LFJ There was definitely a time when I was like,
“How am I going to live up to this?” He put this
pressure on me, unjustly, because I didn’t
choose any of this. His and my relationship
wasn’t good. It took some time, and it took
a lot of soul searching, but I came to see
him as a teammate and a coach, rather
than the opposition.
LF My wife is a former psychotherapist. I
decided to go into therapy because I didn’t want
to be like my father. My father never had the
ability to say he was wrong, he was sorry . . . I
didn’t want to be like him with my kids. That’s
why I let my kids speak when they’re angry.
Sometimes I heard things I didn’t want to hear.
But I’d rather have them express.
ON LOU JR BECOMING AN ACTOR
LF Louie can do things I can’t do. He had
a different look. It all started when he saw me
as the Hulk. [Lou Jr was three when his father
filmed The Incredible Hulk Returns.]
LFJ That was one of my earliest memories. I
thought I was just gonna see my dad. I knock on
the motor home and he’s in full makeup. He
looks at me, a giant green monster of a dude,
and I start running down the beach, freaking out.
What I remember next is holding his hand and
walking to set. He said, “Stay here”, and walked
off. I looked down, and I had green paint on my
hand. That’s when it all started to piece together.
LF Then I did a movie called Cage II [in 1994],
and I gave Louie a small walk-on scene. He was
very excited about that.
LFJ That was the moment when I knew I was
going to be an actor the rest of my life. It
happened in a literal instant.
ON COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER
LFJ My dad is just a big guy. Big heart, big
man, big hands, big altogether. I just didn’t
match that. I just didn’t match that size in terms
of bone structure, in terms of strength, in terms
of anything physically. And he would remind me.
He was the Incredible Hulk, the essence of
masculinity dialed up to 11. There were a couple
instances when I thought if I couldn’t have that,
I’d have nothing. But then there came a point
[after college at USC] when I was studying the
craft of acting, digging deep into what building
a character is, that I realised I can do a lot of
different things. So why compare when I just
have to carve my own path?
LF I remember when you dieted really,
really hard.
LFJ That was when I was around 19 and I did
an eight-week shred. The routine was gruelling,
and I was thinking about cheating, and my dad’s
like, “Hey, you can do it. You can get there”. I
remember I was cleaning dishes, right before the
end, and my dad starts poking me. I’m like,
“What?” And he’s like, “Isn’t it amazing how the
body changes?” He’d never been too excited
about what I was doing. But I was peeled; four
per cent body fat. He knocks on my door and he
has a Polaroid camera, and he says, “Can I take
some photos of you?” So I flexed.
LOU JR, ON THE PRESSURE
TO PURSUE PURE STRENGTH
LFJ I did [feel pressure]. But when I started to
plateau, I was training with guys that were my
size that were100, 200 pounds [45-90kg]
heavier than me on the bench. I wasn’t going to
lift that kind of weight. So I came to grips with the
fact that I’m not as strong as my Incredible Hulk
father. I don’t remember one time when he didn’t
outlift me. Arms, he was quadrupling my weight.
Physically, in my life, there was always a higher
power. I had to be humble because my father
was bigger, stronger than anyone else. Nobody
understands the sheer magnitude of his
presence.
LF Louie was never into how much he could
bench. I used to bench 560 [254kg]. He was
always more interested in [being] athletic. You
were faster than me.
ON BOTH BEING FITNESS TRAINERS
LFJ Out of college, I had to support myself
while I worked on my acting. I had a few very,
very wealthy, well-known people. But it’s not all
it’s cracked up to be. Work ethic is built by doing
things. Often a client knows they have to train,
but they’re keeping a bad attitude the whole
time. I’m like, “I’m here to help you. Fitness is for
your health”.
LF Most of my clients listened to me because I
told them, “I don’t want to waste your time. I don’t
want to waste my time”. They were scared of me.
One time I had a guy from the Marine Corps who
said to me, “No matter how hard I train, I never
get tired”. I said, “Really?” I made him do the leg
press to failure. I had him do the leg extension
to failure. And then squat to failure. After two
sets, he went in the backyard and puked.
He came back and said, “Sorry I ever made
that remark”.
LOU, ON NOT PUSHING LOU JR TOO HARD
LF It’s got to come from him. I never wanted to
force training.
LFJ I’m eternally grateful for that, because if
you push your kids too hard, they’ll want to go
the other way. He always let me find it for myself,
and find the questions, and ask them. He was
always a sounding board and a source of great
knowledge for any question I had.
The Ferrignos re-create a
2003 shot from their home
gym (left) almost 18 well-
muscled years later.

“IF YOU PUSH YOUR KIDS TOO HARD,

THEY’LL GO THE OTHER WAY”

SEPTEMBER 2021 75
76 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NUT RI T ION

In
Search of
The
Perfect
Curry
The world’s simmering love affair with curry spans centuries,
yet the subcontinental staple is unjustly associated with
overindulgence. Done well, it can be a fitness dish without
equal, combining life-preserving spices with an array of
vegetables, proteins and healthy carbs. We broke naan with
the experts to learn their secrets. Here’s how to play with fire
– without watching your nutrition goals burn
PHOTOGR APHY BY ROWA N FEE

SEPTEMBER 2021 77
T
HE PERFECT CURRY IS, by definition, an elusive
ideal. It means many things to a great many people.
To those from the Indian subcontinent, whence
the curry purportedly originates, the very word
denotes something quite distinct from the nosh
many hanker after on a Friday night. In the UK,
where chicken tikka masala has become a national dish, or here in
Australia, where butter chicken reigns supreme, a curry is a symbol of
indulgence and intemperance, of late nights and loosened waistbands.
Meanwhile, a moong dahl from the northern-Indian city of Lucknow,
or a vegetable thoran from Kerala on the south-west coast, is a humble
dish associated with sustenance and nourishment. Neither is loaded
with enough chilli heat to anaesthetise a town.
But the search for perfection is not the same as the pursuit of
authenticity. At least, not in Men’s Health’s book. We’re not
interested in purity so much as enjoying the best that all worlds
have to offer. At their most succulent and blessedly moreish,
the beef shin biryani from London’s Michelin-starred
Gymkhana or the Kashmiri Naan at Sydney’s Surjit’s take some
beating in the satisfaction stakes. But, tempered thoughtfully, a
curry brimful of fresh spices, bright vegetables, multiple proteins,
healthful fats and complex carbohydrates can be a veritable
superfood bomb, served conveniently and enticingly in a
sizzling karahi.
This is what we mean by perfection: something that delivers
both on macro- and micronutrients, as well as a sense of cheat-day
gluttony. Which is why we enlisted the help of Karam Sethi, one
of the best curry chef-proprietors around today to do just that.
All you need to work out is whether you want a Jaipur IPA or a
protein lassi to go with it.

01

03

The Real
CurryAtlas
Each region’s approach to curry brings with it
05
different flavours and nutritional benefits. When
02
it comes to the subcontinent, you are where you eat

01/
Delhi
Fittingly for a capital city,
Delhi cuisine is a
mishmash of influences:
meat-heavy Persian
kebabs; stuffed Mughlai
parathas, made from
flatbread, eggs, pickles
and spices; plus,
a burgeoning street-food
scene specialising in
sweet and savoury
chaats. Delhi is also
home to butter chicken,
perhaps the closest
Indian equivalent to the
Brits’ beloved chicken
tikka masala.
Regional Superfood:
Good tandoori chicken
is lean meat, marinated
in low-fat buttermilk and
spices, then cooked over
a fierce, dry heat. There’s
barely a healthier, tastier
way to get your protein.
02/
Goa
Head south-west and
the menu changes with
the landscape. A heavy,
gravy-style dish isn’t
what you want while the
waves are crashing
against the golden
shoreline, which is why
fish and rice are staples.
But Goa is one of the
most diverse Indian
regions, partly as a result
of its time under
Portuguese rule and its
myriad religions. It’s also
home of the original,
vinegary, pork vindaloo.
Regional Superfood:
Tamarind pulp is a very
common souring agent
in Goan cuisine. It also
has excellent antioxidant
and anti-inflammatory
properties, while helping
to control blood sugar.
03/
Kashmir
“Let me take you there,”
sang Robert Plant on the
classic Led Zep track
“Kashmir”, and one can
only assume it was on
account of the lamb
rogan josh dishes from
the region. Meat and
heat are often the order
of the day in northern-
Indian cuisine, but
Kashmir is also
renowned for its dum
aloo – a sweet and spicy
potato curry made with
tomatoes and yoghurt.
Regional Superfood:
Dried Kashmiri chillies
offer mild heat and a
rich, vibrant, red colour
to Indian dishes – as
well as being packed
with vitamin C, iron
and magnesium, aiding
metabolic health.
04/
Kerala
Further down the
coast from Goa,
Kerala is equally
renowned for its
seafood dishes, but
also boasts great
vegetarian ones – the
broad mix owing to the
large percentage of
Christians and Muslims
in the region. Rice is the
common link, along with
the liberal use of chillies,
mustard seeds, curry
leaves and coconut.
Regional Superfood:
Coconut is king in
Kerala – the name
means “Land of
Coconut Trees” – and is
used in everything from
fish curries to dry
vegetable stir-fries. It’s
also high in manganese,
vital for bone health.
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAN MATTHEWS, LOUISA PARRY, STUDIO 33, LUCKY IF SHARP; ILLUSTRATIONS: ANDREA MANZATI AT SYNERGY ART
05/
Telangana
Hyderabad, in the state
of Telangana, is best
known in the 21st
century for its role as a
global tech hub. But for
the purposes of this
article, all you need to
be concerned with is the
Hyderabadi biryani,
04 perhaps the most
delicious rice dish in
India. It might also be
the country’s healthiest.
Regional Superfood:
Indian saffron is
harvested in Kashmir,
but as an essential
ingredient in the
Hyderabadi biryani, it
qualifies here. Expensive
yes, but saffron helps
protect cells from free
radicals and has also
been linked to
antidepressant activity.

78 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NUT RI T ION

04/ New Yo
Coriander Univer rk’s Sy racuse

Spices
sit
t ur mer y found that
Seeds ic h
c o m b a el p s t o
Often paired with related t age-
muscle
cumin, coriander lo s s

of Life
is a common base
for curry powders,
lending an
aromatic flavour,
They’re what gives a curry its addictive while acting as an
flavour, its mouth-watering kick, its emulsifier and
alluring aroma and – let’s not forget – thickener. Full of
its nutritional firepower. Without spice, vitamin C, it has
a curry would simply be a watery stew proven digestive
and antiseptic
properties.

05/
Cinnamon
Bark
01/ Long before the
Cumin Seeds advent of
Bittersweet, cinnamon lattes,
pungent and Indians were using
earthy, cumin is
the spice
a staple of most
to lend a sweet,
masala mixes. And
peppery taste
contrary to curry’s
reputation as a to savoury dishes.
stomach irritant, it It also helps
has been shown to reduce blood sugar
help with bloating and cholesterol
and improve the levels when
symptoms of added to
irritable bowel high-carb meals.
syndrome.

07/
Mustard
02/ Seeds
Ginger The piquant aroma
Is it a herb? and nutty flavour of
Is it a spice? mustard seeds are
The question is released quickly
06/ when fried.
academic, for Turmeric
there’s barely a Moreover, when
03/ One of the key
curry recipe that these cannonballs
Fenugreek spices in Indian
doesn’t begin with encounter heat,
cuisine, turmeric is
frying paste made Often used to they explode with
used for its vibrant
from garlic and deepen tomato nutrients such as
colour and
ginger. Ginger is sauces and stews selenium and
nutritional
almost medicinal, with a slight magnesium, shown
properties. It’s
too, boosting to lower high blood
aniseed taste, antibacterial,
immunity, curbing pressure and
fenugreek pairs anti-inflammatory
inflammation and protect the heart.
well with braised and anti-fungal, as
aiding digestion. well as being a
vegetables such as
okra and spinach. veritable vitamin
It’s also anti- supplement.
carcinogenic.

SEPTEMBER 2021 79
 The
Some Like
Coolest
It Hot
Capsaicin – the compound
Kit
More-advanced
that gives chillies heat Indian cooking
– is burning with health means keeping
benefits. Nutrition things traditional.
consultant Steve Grant Our choice of
has a few hot tips utensils will serve
up extra flavour
at every step
HOW “NUTRITIOUS” you can
consider chillies to be depends
on how much you’re willing
to ingest. A chilli typically
contains vitamin C, plus a
pinch of vitamins A, K and B6.
However, it’s capsaicin that’s
the all-star.
“It has been linked with
pain relief and reduced
inflammation and may help
with rheumatoid arthritis,” says
Grant. “Studies have shown
beneficial effects on high blood
pressure, stroke risk and heart
disease. It might even help with
certain cancers.” In fact, regular
intake of chillies has been
linked to a lower risk of all-cause
mortality, according to research
in the Journal of the American
03
College of Cardiology.
02
As for capsaicin’s
01
metabolism-raising effect?
It’s real, but tends to be
exaggerated: a temporary 8
01/ 02/ 03/
per cent jump in kilojoule burn
BUCK THE MURGH G.O.A.T
is typical. “Perhaps the area TREND MOST
that is of most interest is the Beasts from Small and stocky, FOWL
Many will know
Jamaican curried

the East
impact it may have on appetite with a tendency to Chicken is an goat; perhaps less
through its influence on [the bark, muntjacs are excellent source of so Indian goat curry.
satiety hormone] leptin,” deer with a protein but, all too Correct this. Lean,
says Grant. “It increases the
You can stick with chicken difference. Less often, its breast sustainable and
sensation of fullness. Capsaicin
if you like. There’ll always gamey than roe chunks end up as tasting a little like
has also been linked with
be chicken. But the robust venison but equally dry, tasteless hunks lamb, only milder if

an increase in a bacterium

flavours of a spicy curry lean and rich in in a sauce. Choose using cabrito

that helps to protect the gut

lend themselves well to a flavour, as well as breasts on the bone (animals less than
more adventurous protein higher in iron and to maintain moisture. three months old),
microbiome from the ill effects riboflavin for muscle Or, try thighs, which goat is comparable
of a high-fat diet.” Which isn’t
approach – and adventure
repair, muntjac suits offer succulence and to beef in protein,
quite a call for an extra-hot
spells nutritional benefit
the tandooris and B vitamins for your higher in iron and
vindaloo . . . but it’ll do. biryanis very well. metabolism. lower in cholesterol.

80 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NUT RI T ION

Adding
cu
01/ Crush and Burn to food r r y spices
im
Turn your tempered spices and aromatics blood v proves
f u n c t io essel
into a transformational curry paste. n af ter
one me just
Simply smash well with the pestle. a l, r e
N u t r i t p or t s
io
(Granite Pestle and Mortar, Journa n
$44.95 templeandwebster.com.au) l

02/ Handled Correctly

Essentially a wok but with handles, the karahi is
perfect for the low-to-medium cooking required
for depth of flavour. The handles allow you to
bring it to the table.
(Cast Iron Dish, $89 templeandwebster.com.au)

03/ In a Pinch
A classic spice box will give you easy
countertop access to pinches and
smidges of spices aplenty.
(KitchenCraft 10-piece spice containers,
$36 amazon.com.au)

04/ Temper Expectations

The art of tempering – briefly roasting
in oil to liberate essential oils – is the
shortcut to elevating your Indian dishes.
(Shradha Trading Tadka Pan,
$23 amazon.com.au)

1250
KJ

13g
FAT

2g
SAT FAT

13g
SUGAR

The Perfect
04
05 0.5g
SALT

Gym Br0’s Lassi

04/ 05/
LAMB OF DEEP
WOD FLAVOUR
We Aussies may White fish tends not
think that we have to work too well in
INGREDIENTS
a monopoly on the curries: its flavour is (SERVES 1 BRO)
lamb chop as a key too delicate and its TRADITIONALLY, the lassi is a yoghurt-based drink – • Cashew nuts, 30g
component of our texture too flaky to the original milkshake, if you like. For a muscle-building, • Water, 250ml
meat-and-two-veg stand up to bold • Whey protein
equally cooling alternative, nutritional guru Rob Hobson isolate powder
heritage. But this aromatics and
(@robhobsonnutritionist) has lowered the sugar of the OG (unflavoured),
sweet, fatty cut (best spices. What you 2tbsp
and added protein, while flavouring it all with spices that
eaten off the bone) need is either meaty • Ground turmeric,
is a Punjabi favourite, or oily fish. Halibut
directly benefit your body after exercise. Both turmeric and ½tsp
too. It’s packed with certainly delivers on the healthy fats in the nuts help to quell inflammation in the • Ground cinnamon,
body, while the muscle-relaxing magnesium (40 per cent of ½tsp
creatine, an amino the former, while
• Honey, 2tsp
acid that unlocks also boasting a high your RDI per serving) can aid muscle recovery and growth. • Pinch of salt
muscle energy. omega-3 profile. Place everything in a blender and blitz until smooth. Quaff.

SEPTEMBER 2021 81
The Only 01/
High-Protein
Tempered Raita
INGREDIENTS METHOD

You’ll Ever Need

(SERVES 4)
• Greek yoghurt, 100g
• Salt, to taste
• Coconut oil, 2tbsp
From muscle-building mains to vitamin-packed • Mustard seeds, 1tsp
sides, this curated menu from Karam Sethi is your • Curry leaves, 5g
st • Asafoetida, ½tsp
• Ginger, 1tsp, chopped
• Shallots, 1tbsp,
chopped
Highh flavour,
llow carb
Beat the yoghurt
with a pinch of salt.
Heat the oil and
sizzle the mustard
seeds. Add curry
leaves, asafoetida,
ginger and shallot.
Sauté for 30
n
add on top of the
raita. Stir.
Rich in dair
proteins

A natural
T-level
booster

02/ 3/
Power-Building ean Muscle
Go t K ri Gassi
INGREDIENTS METHOD DIENTS MEET
M E THO
T HOD
(SERVES 4) Leaner than lamb, goat is S 4) Ru
R ub the meat with salt and
• Kid shoulder mince, rich in zinc, which helps to hicken For the ggasssi ppast
asste
ast marinate in the spices. Now,
160g • Chicken (on or off
build testosterone as well as • Tamarind concentrate, for your paste: place the
• Ghee, 15ml 900g 1tsp
• An onion, chopped maintaining immune health. tamarind and dried coconut
• Salt, te • Desiccated coconut,
• A bay leaf Heat the ghee in a pan and • wder, 65g in a blender In a
• Ginger, 10g, chopped add the onions and bay leaf. a pinch • Coconut oil, 1tbsp tea
• Garlic, 3 cloves, Throw in ginger, garlic and • Ginger paste, to taste • Red chillies, 10 dr the remaining spices, one
chopped • Garlic paste, o taste • Black
green chilli, then add the by one. Grind to a paste in
• Green chilli, chopped 1tsp
• Turmeric powder, 1tsp mince, stirring until lightly a blender with half the
• Coriander seed, 1½tsp
• Red chilli powder, 1tsp browned. Add the spices • Cumin seed, 1tsp
coconut milk and the
• Salt, to taste and salt, and cook for five • Fenugreek seed, ½tsp tamarind mix. Fry the garlic
• Tomato, chopped minutes. Stir in the tomato • Coconut milk, 300ml and onion in oil until brown.
• Fresh methi leaves, 50 and reduce the heat to a Add the tomato, chicken
• Garam masala, 1tsp R ice e a And the rest
t er s
• Coriander, 20g, simmer. Add the methi, mix from h benefit • Coconut oil, 2tbsp and spice paste; cover and
m a g ne ig h
s i u m a n er
chopped in the garam masala and • Finely minced garlic, cook until the chicken is
says Fo d i ro 5 cloves
cook for a minute. Add o d a nd n , • Large onion, chopped
almost done. Add the
coriander. Serve with Nu t r i t i remaining coconut milk,
o
S c i e nc n • Tomato, finely
paratha bread. es chopped then simmer for 15 minutes.

82 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NUT RI T ION

Packed with
04/ vital minerals

Coastal Bhindi
INGREDIENTS METHOD
In Search of the
(SERVES 4)
• Coconut oil, 2tbsp
Heat the oil in a pan, then
add the coriander,
Perfect Rice
• Coriander seed, 1tsp
fenugreek, fennel and red by Toby Wiseman
• Fenugreek seed, 1tsp
• Fennel seed, 2tsp chilli. Once they start to Too often, a curry is let
• A dried red chilli crackle, add your green down by soggy white
• A green chilli, chilli and garlic, then stir mush. I benefited from
chopped until the garlic turns
• Garlic, 2 cloves, being given a masterclass
golden. Throw in the okra
chopped in perfect rice 20 years
– a rich source of
• Okra, 250g, cut
bone-strengthening
ago by a little-known
into roundels
• Turmeric powder, 1tsp vitamin K – and cook master chef: Wendy
• Salt, to taste for five minutes. Add Lancaster from
• Coriander, 1tbsp, turmeric and salt, Wimbledon (the mother
chopped of an ex). These are her
and stir until cooked.
• Coconut, 20g, grated
r crets. Keep them
ut.

Strengtheens
your heart
h

ep 1
Wash your basmati rice until
the starch is removed and the
water runs clear. Take a medium
saucepan, tip in the rice, add water
slowly until it’s twice the level
of the rice. You don’t need a lot.

thletic
performancee
05/ enhancer
Bo
No
INGRE METHOD
(SERVE More than just a way to get
• Baby spinach, 200g your greens in, spinach
• Ghee, 4tbsp
contains phytosteroids,
• Cumin seeds, 1tsp
which have been linked to
• Dried red chillies, 2
improved muscle mass and
• Garlic, 2 cloves,
chopped function. In a pan, heat the
• Ginger, 1tsp, chopped
ghee until hot, then add the
• Salt, to taste cumin seeds and red chillies
• Lemon juice,
a squeeze until you can hear them
crackling. Throw in the garlic
and ginger and cook for
a minute. Add the spinach,
salt and lemon juice; the
citrus makes spinach’s iron
easier to absorb. Cover and
cook for five minutes, until
the spinach has wilted.
ep 2
ce on a hobb uncovered
a high heat. Boil until the
water has all but disappeared but
the rice is still moist. Turn the heat
down, cover with a tea towel and
lid and leave for 10 minutes.
06/
Cardio Lover’’s
umin Pilau
INGREDIENTS METHOD
(SERVES 4-6) Wholegrain basmati rice ep 3
• Basmati rice, 250g ontains a useful 3g of fibre th i th h ith
• Ghee, 1tbsp to fluff it up and serve. If it’s still
rving, along with B
• Cumin seeds, 2tsp
d manganese, al dente, add a drop more water
• Bay leaves, 2
gulate from the kettle and replace the lid,
• Green cardamom
pods, 4, crushed blood sugar. Soak it in water but resist the temptation to disrupt
• Black peppercorns, the rice until it is cooked.
and set aside for 30
1tsp minutes. Heat the ghee in
• Cloves, 4
• Cinnamon, 1-2 sticks, a pan and, once hot, add
broken cumin, bay leaf, cardamom,
• An onion, chopped black peppercorns, cloves
• Turmeric powder, and cinnamon, until ep 4
1tbsp they’re crackling. Add the
• Water, 450ml
e’s the best bit: your p
onions and, when brown, ly be lacquered with r
the rice, turmeri and water d if t k ith
Cover and cook for 15 Fill it with cold water and leave for
minutes until all the water a few hours. Drain and your pan
is absorbed. will be completely clean.

SEPTEMBER 2021 83
 STRONGER
MINUTES TO
NO TIME FOR A TRIP TO THE
GYM? NO PROBLEM. EARN
RESULTS WITH THESE FOUR
MICRODOSE BODY BLASTS
YOU CAN DO ANYTIME,
ANYWHERE TO GET FITTER
AND MOVE BETTER IN ONLY
SEVEN MINUTES A DAY
BY DA N GIORDA NO, EBENEZER SAMUEL , JA HKEEN WA SHINGTON AND JES WOODS
PHOTOGR APHY BY JEFF A LLEN
W
HETHER YOU call it the
Quarantine 5 or the COVID 10,
many of us gained a few extra kilos
over the past year as our routines
got turned upside down and stress
levels skyrocketed along with
binge drinking and Netflix marathons. For
whatever reason, it just seemed harder to find
the time or the motivation to exercise. We’re
here to fix that, as long as you can find seven
minutes. That’s all you need to battle (yes,
battle) through a light-speed workout that’ll
supercharge your body more than you think
is possible. No, a seven-minute fitness frenzy
won’t swole you up like Chris Hemsworth,
but it can burn fat and build strength. “Some
movement always beats no movement,” says
fitness writer Ebenezer Samuel, “especially
if you’re pushing your limits.”
So why seven minutes (instead of five
or 10)? The key is intensity, according to
research from the Human Performance
Institute in Orlando. In a study published in
the American College of Sports Medicine’s
Health & Fitness Journal in 2013, scientists
at the institute showed that a seven-minute
workout protocol built around high-intensity
84 MEN’S HE ALTH
circuit training (HICT) can be effective. The
authors of the paper created a workout that
combined total-body aerobic and resistance
training in a fast-moving circuit, and their
busy clients thrived, improving their strength
and endurance while burning fat. And yes,
you could exercise for even less time, because
workouts as short as four minutes can deliver
benefits. But you’d have to train impossibly
hard, at an intensity even greater than 100
per cent of your VO2 max (a measure of your
cardiovascular output). Meanwhile, a seven-
minute session elicits a metabolic response
while letting you go at a more manageable 90
per cent of your VO2 max.
These four workouts remix HICT
BODYWEIGHT
principles with fun moves that help you hit
a host of fitness goals. Two of them will blast
BLASTER
fat and build strength, and one crushes your Rev your heart rate while
cardio fitness. The fourth focuses on recovery building strength and
and relaxing tight muscles. “Motion is lotion,” athleticism with this session
says trainer Dan Giordano, who designed the from JAHKEEN WASHINGTON
recovery session. Every workout keeps you (pictured here), US Men’s
moving for nearly every second of your seven Health’s 2020 Top Trainer win-
minutes. Do any of these once per day, or to ner and the owner of JTW Fit
overclock your fitness, do it twice or even
three times per day.
 F IT NE S S

Shirt and
shorts by
Ten Thousand.

DIRECTIONS: Warm up with a 30-second plank, 10 reverse lunges and 10 jumping jacks. Then set a timer for 7 minutes.
Do 10 rounds (yes, really) of the first 4 exercises below. In the first round, do 10 reps of each movement, then do 9, and so on,
until you’ve done 1 rep of each move in the final round. Have time left? Perform a hollow hold until time is up.
FINISHER
SQUAT HALF BURPEE REVERSE FLY PUSH-UP HOLLOW HOLD
Start standing, feet Start in push-up position. Stand with your torso at Start in push-up position, Lie on your back, arms
shoulder-width apart, Keeping your hands on a 45° angle with the floor, hands slightly wider and legs outstretched,
abs tight. Bend at the the floor, jump your arms hanging naturally. than shoulder width. lower back pressed
knees and hips, lowering feet forward. Remove This is the start. Raise Bend at the elbows and into the floor. Raise your
until your thighs are your hands from the your arms until they shoulders, lowering your shoulder blades and
parallel to the floor. floor. Reverse the moves form a T with your torso chest to within 2cm thighs by 2-3cm. Hold
Stand, squeezing your to return to the start. (pictured). Lower them. of the floor. Press back until time expires.
glutes. That’s 1 rep. That’s 1 rep. That’s 1 rep. up. That’s 1 rep.

Check out more of Washington’s workouts in 20-Minute Metcon at watch.alloutstudio.com/20-minute-metcon.

SEPTEMBER 2021 85
F IT N E SS

SINGLE-DUMBBELL
DESTRUCTION
Grab a dumbbell (or
kettlebell!) and never
put it down in this workout from
EBENEZER SAMUEL
Tank and shorts
DIRECTIONS: Warm up with a 30-second by Rhone;
plank, 10 reverse lunges and 10 jumping sneakers by Nike.
jacks. Then set a timer for 7 minutes. Use
a medium-weight dumbbell or kettlebell.
Do the moves below as a circuit. Do not
rest between sets; battle to keep moving
for the entire 7 minutes. Keep score and
see how many rounds you can complete.

PASS-THROUGH REVERSE LUNGE

Stand holding a weight in your right hand,
core and glutes tight. Step back with
your left leg, then bend at the knees and
hips, lowering until your left knee is 2cm
from the floor and your right knee is at
a 90° angle. Pass the weight under your
right thigh (pictured) to your left hand.
Press through your right heel and stand
up. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep;
do 10.

OFFSET ROMANIAN
DEADLIFT TO ROW
Hold a weight in your right hand at your
hip, core and glutes tight. Keeping your
hips and shoulders square to the front,
push your butt back, lowering your torso
as far as you can without rounding your
back. Pause, then row the weight to your
rib cage. Lower it. Stand and squeeze your
glutes. That’s 1 rep; do 8 per side.

PLANK PULL-THROUGH TO ROW

Get in push-up position, hands directly
below shoulders, core and glutes tight,
feet slightly apart, a weight just outside
your right hand. Keeping your abs tight,
reach across and grab the weight with
your left hand, pulling it beneath your left
shoulder. Row it to your rib cage; hold for
“A 7-MINUTE SESSION ELICITS
1 count, then lower it. Repeat on the other
side. That’s 1 rep; do 10.
A METABOLIC RESPONSE WHLE
SINGLE-ARM PUSH PRESS
Start standing, a weight held in your
LETTING YOU GO AT 90 PER CENT
right hand at your shoulder. Bend your
knees slightly, then explode upward,
straightening your arm and driving the
OF YOUR V02 MAX”
weight overhead as you do so. Lower the
weight to your shoulder. That’s 1 rep; do 10
per side.

86 MEN’S HE ALTH
LIGHT-SPEED
SPRINT
Running coach JES WOODS of the
Brooklyn Track Club pushes you through a
speed session that’ll smoke legs and lungs

DIRECTIONS: Warm up with a 30-second jog, then

jump into the workout. Breathe deeply during the
30-second recovery windows, and go hard when
it’s time to run.

Run at a moderate pace, about

80 per cent of your max effort.

0:00–2:00
Walk or jog to recover.

Run a bit harder than you did

2:00–2:30 at the start. You’re running for
only 90 seconds this time.

Walk or jog to recover.

2:30–4:00
Run hard. You’re running for
only 60 seconds, so go all out.
4:00–4:30
Walk or jog to recover.
Shirt, shorts
4:30–5:30 Here’s your big finish. For 30 and sneakers
seconds, run as fast as you by On.
5:30–6:00 possibly can.

6:00–6:30 7 To Strong Challenge Go to www.mh7tostrongchallenge.com

Walk or jog to recover.
6:30–7:00 Enjoy the sweat. for seven 7-minute workouts featuring our finest trainers!

MAD
MOBILITY
This total-body flow session from trainer
DAN GIORDANO, is pure back, shoulder,
and hip bliss

DIRECTIONS: Work from one move to the next, resting as needed.

Take your time and take a deep breath at each stretch. Do 2 rounds.

SCORPION HIP ADDUCTOR BOW AND SHOULDER

STRETCH ROCK ARROW WINDMILL
Lie on your Sit on your shins, Kneel on your Kneel on your
stomach, arms then shift your right knee, left right knee, left
out to the side. right foot out foot on the floor. foot on the
Lift your right to the right, Place your hands floor. Put your
foot; reach it knee straight. together straight left hand on
over your left Bend at the out in front of the floor. Point
leg, aiming waist and place you. Pull your left your right arm
to touch your your hands on elbow back as far at the ceiling,
foot to the floor the floor. Gently as you can, as if stretching your
(pictured). Hold. rock backward, shooting a bow chest. Return
Tank and Return to the stretching the and arrow. Extend to the start.
shorts by Nike;
start. Repeat on inner thigh of your arm. That’s 1 That’s 1 rep;
sneakers by APL.
the other side. your straight leg. rep; do 8 per side. do 8 per side.

SEPTEMBER 2021 87
 Confidence Trick:
Can tweaking your
face do more than
mask over cracks?

88 MEN’S HE ALTH
 HE ALTH

Just
A Little
Prick
In an uncertain world, a new wave of
non-invasive cosmetic procedures
promises to give white-collar men a
for the boardroom and – perhaps more
importantly – the Zoom call. Don’t
have a face that fits the corporate ideal?
You can fix that for less than the price
of a bespoke suit … But should you?
BY FINL AY RENWICK PHOTOGR APHY BY PE TER CROW THER

SEPTEMBER 2021 89
A single syringe
of dermal filler
at Dr Wassim Taktouk’s clinic
costs between $700 and $1100.
“You might need three or four for
a jawline,” says Taktouk, “so it
can get expensive.”
A general practitioner-turned-
“aesthetic expert”, Taktouk, who
is 43 years old and has clear eyes
and clearer pores, specialises
in non-invasive cosmetic
procedures – injections used to
reshape facial features. He has
a respectable 17,000 Instagram
followers and a month-long
waiting list. Taktouk can change
the way you look, and he can do
it without making an incision,
or requiring you to take even a
single day off work to recuperate.
“Everyone wants a squared-
off chin and sharp jawline,” says
Taktouk during a Zoom call –
that most facially exposing mode
of business communication.
A hit of Botox can be injected
to eradicate “male resting face”
– the crease that forms in
between your eyebrows as the
gravity of middle age exerts its
pull. “Eyes are big for us, too,” he
says. “A small syringe beneath
the socket can make it look like
you’ve just had a really good
night’s sleep.”
Male clients have started to
bring in photographs of celebrity
bone structures. Ryan Reynolds’s
jaw is a popular choice. “As we
age, there is a loss of the so-called
‘superhero’ jawline,” he says.
“I replace the lost volume in this
area, alongside the chin, back
to its former glory.”
Using an artist’s palette
of different syringes, Taktouk
offers the option of a “power
profile”, in which Teoxane
– a thick, hyaluronic acid filler
– is injected through the skin
and onto the bone of the jaw and
chin, altering the shape for up
to two years. A “MoT” top-up
90 MEN’S HE ALTH
can be administered in around
half an hour. Men often visit for
treatment during their lunch
breaks. Recently, the doctor
has noticed a trend: “There are
more and more professional men
calling up”.
The phenomenon of men
turning to cosmetic procedures
is not particularly new. Once
viewed as youth-chasing
and feature-freezing solutions for
the foreheads and lips of image-
conscious women, Botox and
fillers can now be found lodged
beneath the skin of high-flying
male lawyers, financiers
and property developers.
According to the American
Society of Plastic Surgeons, in the
past 20 years, there has been a
99 per cent leap in men receiving
injectables such as anti-wrinkle
formulas, like Botox, and fillers.
A 2019 report published by the
British Association of Aesthetic
Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS)
found that men now want to look
“tweaked” rather than “tucked”.
These “tweaking” procedures,
referred to as “masculinisation
fillers”, are injectables –
synthetic hyaluronic acids that
mimic what our bodies naturally
produce – for the jawline, chin
and neck areas.
What is new is the range and
convenience of the procedures
available and the speed at which
patients recover. Also, crucially,
the rationale. In January last
year, the Washington Post
reported on a boom in cosmetic
procedures for men who work in
Silicon Valley. “Back in the late
1990s and early 2000s, people
didn’t worry too much about how
you looked,” said one 48-year-old
interviewee who was considering
having cosmetic work done. “If
people in the workplace know
you’re older than everyone else,
it can hurt you in terms of what
roles you get.”
A Robb Report article
published last August under
the headline “Why Men are
Turning to Cosmetic Procedures
for a Competitive Edge in the
Boardroom” described “nips,
tucks and injections” as having
become “stealth weapons
to deploy in a Darwinian battle
for corporate survival”. An
interviewee who had recently
undergone a facelift and nose
job explained: “I play in the
hi-tech and start-up world,
where older individuals will be
passed over. I simply aligned my
outer appearance with my inner
perspective”. Now, cosmetic
enhancements aren’t just about
vanity. They’re about success.
THE ZOOM BOOM
If a scriptwriter were to conjure
up a telegenic plastic surgeon for
a new prime-time drama, then
he might look a bit like Dr Patrick
Mallucci. He appears on my
Zoom screen wearing charcoal
scrubs with coiffed, salt-and
pepper-hair and a handsome,
chiselled face set off by a neat
moustache. If he has had any
work done himself, it’s hard
to tell.
A world-renowned surgeon
who once researched “the perfect
breast” in a study compiled from
the opinions of 600 women and
600 men, he is at the forefront of
non-invasive treatment for men.
His “Mallucci Man” concept is a
full wellness/cosmetic package,
ranging in price from $2800 to
$9000, that was created after he
noticed a growing number of men
visiting his clinic.
“There’s no doubt that looks
are as important in the workplace
to men as they are to women,”
says Mallucci. “It’s also true
 HE ALTH

that as men start to mature, the

Facing success:
Men are enhancing subliminal threat from younger
job prospects with a colleagues coming through the
“CEO facelift”.
ranks is a driver for the senior
guys to keep looking good.”
To stave off the threat of
junior insubordination in
the C-suite, a client visiting
Mallucci might opt for a shot of
Juvéderm, a hyaluronic acid-
based filler that targets lines
and wrinkles, restores sunken
cheeks and plumps up the skin.
Or perhaps he’d prefer a hit of
the slow-releasing “booster”
treatment Profhilo, awarded
the prize for “best injectable
product in Europe”. An injectable
moisturiser, it promises to
improve the texture of your
skin for a smoother, younger-
appearing you.
Or, if the problem is a swelling
waistline, then there’s the option
of CoolSculpting, a non-invasive
fat-reduction procedure known
as cryolipolysis. It works by
clamping a roll of fat between
two panels that cools the targeted
area to a freezing temperature;
these cells break down and
gradually leave the body after a
few weeks. It has been performed
more than seven million
times worldwide. “There is no
downtime, no bruising and it
is often a great alternative to
liposuction for those who lead
busy lives, or are unable to make
the gym as regularly as they
would like,” Mallucci says.
Along with highlighting
society’s obsession with baking,
toilet paper and doom, a curious
side effect of the pandemic that
Mallucci has observed is how it
has forced many of us to reckon,
unrelentingly, with the way we
look. Meetings are conducted
COSMETIC TWEAKS: THE FIGURES over video calls in which we
spend the duration peeking at
the little window broadcasting

$1bn 25% 4/10 14%

Annual spend on The increase The proportion of
 

The rise in
our facial flaws, every blemish
and hint of a receding hairline
cosmetic surgery in dermal filler men who report anti-wrinkle visible, while your colleagues’
in Australia injections in feeling unhappy injections in connection drops in and out
- Cosmetic Australia, with their Australia in and a client’s cat climbs onto
Physicians according to the appearance, 2020, according his keyboard. In our harshly lit
College of CPCA. according to a to the CPCA.
Australasia YouGov survey. bedrooms, kitchens and home
offices, insecurities are laid bare.
It’s been such a phenomenon that

SEPTEMBER 2021 91

Imperfect science:
human faces are
unique, so results
can be unpredictable.
“There is an increasing
pressure for men to
BAAPS has given it a name, “the
Zoom Boom”, and assigned a set
of ethical guidelines.
Waves of dissatisfied people
booked appointments to fix
facial quibbles that had become
intolerable during these hours
spent gazing into a computer
screen, self-examining. “People
couldn’t go on holiday; they
couldn’t do much, really,” says
Mallucci. “So, many decided to
spend that money on themselves.
To treat something.”
It’s one thing using cosmetic
enhancement to hang on to the
job you have, but what about
putting yourself in line for a
better one? In a 2008 study titled
“The Face of Success: Inferences
from Chief Executive Officers’
92 MEN’S HE ALTH
look masculine”
Appearance Predict Company
Profits”, professors at Tufts
University in Massachusetts
presented 100 psychology
undergraduates with the head
shots of the CEOs of the 25
highest- and 25 lowest-ranking
companies on the Fortune 500
list, and found a link between
certain facial characteristics
and expectations of leadership
competence (at the time, 49
of those 50 CEOs were men).
Overwhelmingly, the leaders
who scored highest in categories
such as “likeability” were those
who ran the most profitable
companies. If you want to
convince people you’re CEO
material, appearances count.
There are now procedures
marketed directly to those
who want a Fortune 500 face.
At the Center for Advanced
Facial Plastic Surgery in
Beverly Hills, Dr Babak
Azizzadeh has championed
the “CEO facelift”, which
uses endoscopic techniques
– tiny incisions behind the
ears – so it leaves behind no
tell-tale scarring. “When you
think of a chief executive
officer’s responsibilities as
a communicator, decision-maker,
manager and leader, you realise
a CEO can be, quite literally,
the face of a company,” reads
the centre’s website. “Wouldn’t
any potential stakeholder want
that face to be an impeccable
representation of the company?”
Across the country in New
York, Dr Douglas Steinbrech of
Manhattan Plastic Surgery for
Men offers a suite of procedures
he calls “Boardroom
Executive”, encompassing
eyelid and neck lifts, high-
definition liposculpting and
jaw re-contouring. The clinic’s
website lists reasons you might
consider its Boardroom
Executive option, which include:
“You’re at the top of your game
and your body should be, too”;
“Your assistant says you look
tired” and “You deserve it”.
The trend, says Dr Helena
Lewis-Smith, a senior research
fellow at the University of West
England’s Centre for Appearance
Research in Bristol, has reached
worrying heights. “We as a
society teach men that, in order
to be successful, you have to be
attractive,” she says. (It almost
goes without saying that this is
something that women have had
to contend with for years.) “There
is an increasing pressure for men
to look masculine, to develop
certain traits that we know as
indicators of success. Men must
be tall and have hair on their
head. You never see a balding
man on Love Island, do you?
“With something like fillers,
it is now more affordable, and
you can get it done in your lunch
break,” she continues. “There
definitely needs to be stronger
regulation around these non-
invasive procedures.”
COUNSEL OF PERFECTION
For Michael, a thirtysomething
company director, one of the big
sells for getting a nose job (other
than the fact that “from the side,
my nose looked bad, really bad”)
was the speed at which even this
significant surgical procedure
could be done. For $15,000,
Michael bought a new nose
courtesy of surgeon Alex Karidis;
eight days after his surgery
and one day after removing the
bandages, Michael was back at
work. It was a subtle but clear
modification. “I had a board
meeting that day and nobody
knew,” he says. “People I have

worked with for years couldn’t tell
that I’d had surgery, which is how
I wanted it to be. It’s changed me
as a person,” he adds.
There are times when Karidis
feels like a counsellor. “I have
to be a bit of a psychologist,”
he says with a knowing laugh.
There was the architect who
brought in blueprints of what
he felt would be the Platonic
ideal of his nose. “These were
CAD [computer-aided design]
drawings! Elevations and
projections. I thought, ‘God, how
am I going to live up to this guy’s
expectations?’ I was looking
at his nose in really fine detail,
and it’s hard because surgery
isn’t an exact science. There’s
swelling, scar tissue and
movement. You have to make
sure that people understand the
risks. There’s a lot of baggage
and, as a doctor, you have to carry
some of that baggage for people.”
Operating out of a wing of the
private Hospital of St John & St
Elizabeth, Karidis, originally
from Montreal, opened his
practice in 1997 and is now one of
the most highly regarded plastic
surgeons in the world. He has
jet-black hair and a friendly,
transatlantic accent. His surgery
is like a little pocket of Los
Angeles, with walls painted
matte black and decorated
with quotes from Coco Chanel,
Katharine Hepburn and Keats:
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever
. . . ” A very blonde woman teeters
into the surgery, her face hidden
behind a mask and enormous
black sunglasses. She considers
me for a moment before strutting
past a wall emblazoned
with the words: “Karidis:
Enhancing Your Identity”.
“There are many recent
seismic changes in surgery,” says
Karidis. “The techniques have
improved, the speed of recovery,
and as a result people are more
likely to embrace it. If you say you
can go back to work in a couple
of days rather than weeks, it’s
more appealing for a professional
man. Demographic-wise, we see
absolutely all walks of life. It’s
truly been democratised.”
Still, he sounds a cautionary
note. “You have to balance what
can be achieved, as people are
constantly trying to push the
boundaries. You know there
are these biceps implants?
I mean, you can do that, but what
I say to people is, ‘Why don’t
you do it naturally? You’re a fit
individual, you weren’t born with
a congenital issue. Go to the gym!
Why do you want me to do it? Are
you lazy?’ I can do that, but if
you’re too lazy to do curls, I’ll say,
‘Stuff you, mate’.
“Men see the world opening
up and think they can have
and do anything, but there’s a
lot more to it,” Karidis adds.
“There are nuances that you
can never eradicate.”
A NEW, BETTER YOU
On an unremarkable October day,
I walk past Rejuv Lab and London
Aesthetic Medicine. A woman
cooks in a tiny kitchenette visible
from the pavement. There are
thin women in leather trousers,
convertible Porsches and two
men in blue suits and white shirts
loudly discussing a divorce as
they walk briskly past.
Inside number 40, I wait for
Dr Riccardo Frati, specialist
consultant plastic surgeon
at Harley Surgery London.
The reception area is densely
carpeted, with red velvet
chairs, fake flowers and ornate
chandeliers. I could be in a
Geneva hotel, or purgatory, or
a branch of Swiss assisted dying
society Dignitas.
I am shown upstairs to
Frati’s office, which has an
enormous, vaulted ceiling and
more chandeliers; the back wall
is a wide window facing onto
the street below. The doctor
gestures towards two fat leather
armchairs opposite his high,
wooden desk. “Please, sit.”
With 255,000 followers on
Instagram and regular daytime
TV appearances, Frati is both a
celebrity cosmetic surgeon and
an expert in his field. He has
treated Love Island contestants,
actors and oligarchs. One of
his specialities is vibration
y at
a
technique using small incisions
and an ultrasound probe to
eradicate fat, before the muscle
tissue around the abdomen is
expertly sculpted. A six-pack
appears where there wasn’t
one before.
“There has been a lot of
demand for this from male
patients,” says Frati, speaking
with a methodical Italian accent,
each vowel carefully enunciated.
He estimates that one in every
five patients he now sees is a
man. “Everything changed with
Instagram,” he adds, tapping
a Bic ballpoint pen between
words to emphasise his point.
Illuminated by the light from
the window behind his desk, he
appears like a well-nourished
Roman god, albeit with a Rolex
and a blue Ralph Lauren Oxford
shirt, the gatekeeper to one’s
every outwardly facing desire.
“This wasn’t the case 10, 20 years
ago. Now, it’s all about the face
and the body.”
Frati lists the most popular
surgeries: chin implants, eye-bag
reduction, facelifts, fillers like
Profhilo used as part of a cocktail
of non-surgical injections, nose
jobs, hydrofacials and gastric
bands. He predicts a revolution
in the near future, as stem cell
treatments are introduced into
the cosmetic arena, promising a
specialised injection that causes
body cells to repair themselves;
truly, the elixir of youth. “This
will make things dramatically
different,” he says, his eyes
darting around the room. “We are
in the early stages of it, but I am
confident that we will get there.”
Later that day, I am sent a
testimonial by an anonymous
patient who saw Frati this year,
a 32-year-old director who opted
for Vaser liposuction to shift
some stubborn stomach fat. The
director’s wife recommended
Frati to him after she’d
undergone some cosmetic work
herself. “We may even be back for
more!” he says.
I ask the man how it has
impacted his professional and
HE ALTH
HIGH
MAINTENANCE
hetic facial upkeep
ng off in Australia.
ng to a report on
alian Aesthetic
rket by Mordor
“the pressure
n video calls
n has
in demand
dures
ere are
the average costs for
facial
treatments according
to Choice
• Fillers – $600-$800
• Botox – $6500-$12,000.
“The price for a single unit
is about $9–15. To treat the
forehead you’ll need
roughly 10 to 20 units,
costing between $90 and
$300”.
Cosmetic surgery is not
covered by Medicare.
Similarly, procedures
solely to improve physical
appearance may not be
covered by insurance.
personal life. Does he feel like
a better person? “I feel much
more masculine and confident,”
he writes back, “so I would
say . . . yes.”
Sitting in his big chair,
behind his big desk, tapping
his little pen, Frati puts it more
straightforwardly.
“Most people are
professionals, and they
want to look better,” he says.
“Even very successful managers
or lawyers might not have
confidence in their professional
or social lives, so they want
to regain confidence and looks.
People want to look better,
they want to look fresher,
and they want to look younger.
Now, they can.”
SEPTEMBER 2021 93
 Comfort eating needn’t mean self-sabotage if you’re searching for solace in the
right places. Applying nutritional principles to ease anxiety and restore equilibrium,
these hearty dishes will help you eat away stress before it does the same to you
BY SCA RLE T T WRENCH PHOTOGR APHY BY SUN LEE

1/ Duck legs 2/ Haricot beans 3/ Serrano chilli 4/ Wild salmon 5/ Chicken liver 6/ Potatoes 7/ Radicchio
THE INGREDIENTS

Tryptophan, an amino These mild and buttery Chillies are a rich source Col
CCooold-w
d- Organ meats are Your spuds are another This spicy leaf provides
acid that Hobson says beans are a source of vitamin C, says swi
swimm
sw
wiimmi
m nngg
mm an excellent source source of sleep- vitamin C and
“promotes relaxation”, of magnesium, which ayy hel
helpp and
ndd DDH HA faats t, of B vitamins, says supporting magnesium, manganese, which work
is often associated “binds with receptors d-
d- Hobbsonn saays ys “he
“he
“h
hl Anyia. Liver is also high says Anyia. Its together to convert
with turkey – but kJ in the brain to quieten nflflaam
amm
mmati
mmmati
ation
at oon.
nn. to reg
reeg
eguula
ullaattee yo
you
oour in iron, which helps potassium also amino acids into calming
for kJ, wild duck is anxiety”, explains levvels
ellss ooff do
el doppam
paam
amiine
ne
n to combat feelings helps to lower high neurotransmitters,
a superior source. Hobson. and
an
and
nd se s rro
rot
otoniin”n”.
”. of fatigue. blood pressure. says Anyia.

3
6

94 MEN’S HE ALTH
 NUT RI T ION

“RESILIENCE” has become something rather indulge in a little old-school self- Anyia – and partnered them with a team of
of a mantra over the past year. But while care. These plates of feel-good gluttony are leading chefs to curate a menu that’s both
mindfulness and positive thinking have for those days. We recruited two top-level nourishing for the soul and beneficial for
their place, there are days when you would nutritionists – Rob Hobson and Anne your brain’s chemical balance.

8/ Egg yolk 9/ Red wine 10/ Lamb chops 11/ Avocado 12/ Walnuts 13/ Anchovies 14/ Pork sausage
“This tops up your Resveratrol, a “Lamb is a reliable “This fruit is high A top source of omega-3, These oily fish are rich As well as amino acids,
vitamin D, which plays a compound found in source of B vitamins, for in vitamin B6 and which “helps to improve in selenium, low levels pork is a source of
role in mood regulation,” wine, has anti-stress a healthy brain and magnesium, which mood”, says Anyia. of which were linked to thiamin, which converts
Anyia says. Many of us effects, blocking the nervous system,” says plays a key role These also supply depressive symptoms glucose into brain fuel.
fall short of this in expression of an Anyia. A deficiency of in the production manganese, which by a study at New And let’s not forget that
winter and early spring. enzyme related to B12 has been linked of serotonin,” balances your blood Zealand’s University enjoyment counts for a
mood in the brain. to depression. explains Hobson. sugar levels. of Otago. lot, too.

11

13

12

10
8

14

SEPTEMBER 2021 95
 BITE-SIZE TIP
Aim to get 30g of
protein per meal.
“Your body uses amino
acids to build the
neurotransmitters that
help you feel relaxed,”
says Anyia.

1
Lamb THE INGREDIENTS
(SERVES 2)
THE METHOD
Start with the veg prep. Boil the potatoes until tender, then

Rack • NEW POTATOES, 8

• GREEN BEANS, 115G
set them aside. Boil the green beans for five minutes, so they
retain some bite, then plunge them into ice water and set those

Niçoise • FREE RANGE EGGS, 4

When long days are dragging
you down, this warm salad
from Maison François will put
the spring back in your step
– MATTHEW RYLE
Head chef at Maison François
• CHERRY TOMATOES, 50G
• RED ONION, FINELY SLICED
• GARLIC, ½ CLOVE, GRATED
• A RADICCHIO
• EXTRAVIRGIN OLIVE OIL, 100ML
• RED WINE VINEGAR, 3TBSP
• PARSLEY, 2TBSP, CHOPPED
• CHIVES, 2TBSP, SNIPPED
• LAMB RACK, 4 BONES,
FRENCHTRIMMED
• BLACK OLIVES, 20, PITTED
• BASIL LEAVES, 8, TORN
• ANCHOVIES, 6
aside, too. Boil the eggs for six minutes before halving them.
Eggs provide choline, an important micronutrient that is
thought to help regulate mood and memory.
Halve the potatoes, then gently warm in a small dash of oil
along with the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Finish by charring
the radicchio.
To make the dressing, whisk or blend the oil, vinegar
and herbs. Season and grill the lamb on a hot griddle until
it reaches your desired level of doneness. Grass-fed meat is
a better source of omega-3 fats. Plate up the veg with the olives,
basil and anchovies, coating with the dressing. Place the lamb
chops on top – now you can tear into it.

96 MEN’S HE ALTH

2 (SERVES 3)
Tacos
Distract yourself from lunchtime
“doom scrolling” and dedicate your
break to throwing together these
tranquillising tacos from El Pastor
– MARVIN JONES
Executive chef at El Pastor
NUT RI T ION
THE INGREDIENTS THE METHOD
• CHORIZO, 150G
• WAXY POTATOES, 200G
Chorizo might not be an everyday indulgence, but
it has its merits. Two-thirds of its fats are of the unsaturated
variety, and it’s a good source of mood-enhancing selenium,
• CHIPOTLE IN ADOBO, 1TBSP while paprika is an antioxidant. And just as importantly, it’s
• CORN TORTILLAS delicious. Remove the skin, dice, place in a pan and fry, gently
• CORIANDER, FRESH
FOR THE SALSA VERDE
stirring with a spatula so it doesn’t stick. Cook until partially
crisp, then add the potatoes. Continue until both are browned
and crispy. Add the chipotle and season to taste.
• TOMATILLOS, 7, LARGE
Blitz the salsa ingredients until they are semi-smooth;
• CLOVE OF GARLIC
• LIMES, 2, JUICED this should take about 45 seconds. De-seed the chillies if you
• WHITE ONION, ½ don’t want it to be too hot. Add salt to taste afterwards. This
• SERRANO CHILLIES, 510 salsa is rich in vitamin C, which studies show tempers the
body’s response to stress (such as that caused by the comments
section of the last article you read).
Warm the tortillas in a pan, then serve them stuffed with
the choripapa, salsa verde and a sprinkle of chopped coriander.
BITE-SIZE TIP
Paprika’s not the
only spice with
healing powers.
“Turmeric has been
linked to good brain
health and feelings of
calm,” says Hobson.
SEPTEMBER 2021 97
N U TR I TI O N

THE INGREDIENTS THE METHOD

3 (SERVES 4)
• NAVY BEANS, 600G, DRIED
• STREAKY BACON, 150G, SMOKED
Soak the beans overnight in three times their volume of water,
then drain when you’re ready to cook. Cut the bacon into
cubed strips and the sausages into 1cm slices. Tip the beans

Duck • SAUSAGES, 300G

• CELERY STICK, CHOPPED
• ONION, SMALL, CHOPPED
into a large saucepan, add the bacon and cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, then drain.
Peel the garlic cloves but leave them whole. Heat the olive
• CARROT, LARGE, CHOPPED
oil in a casserole dish over a low heat and sweat the celery,
• GARLIC, 6 CLOVES

Cassoulet • BOUQUET GARNI

• SEA SALT, 8 PINCHES
• BLACK PEPPER, 2 PINCHES
Prep this fibre- and
• CLOVE, LIGHTLY CRUSHED
protein-rich stew on a Sunday
• LEMON JUICE, 2TSP
afternoon, courtesy of Maison
• CONFIT DUCK LEGS, 4
François, and take a big bite
• FLATLEAF PARSLEY,
out of Monday morning blues A HANDFUL
onion, carrot and garlic for five minutes. “Onion contains
quercetin, which has been shown to help promote feelings
of calmness,” says Hobson. Add the bouquet garni and cook
slowly for five minutes to get some caramelisation.
Add the sausage, beans and lardons and pour in 1.2L of
water. Bring to the boil, skim off the scum, then add the salt,
pepper, clove and lemon juice. Transfer the casserole to the
oven and cook, uncovered, for two hours, stirring every
hour. The beans should end up soft and the juices should
have thickened.
Remove the cassoulet from the oven. Add the duck legs
and sprinkle over the chopped parsley to serve.

BITE-SIZE TIP
The food you eat is king,
of course, but if you
want a quick boost, try
supplementing with
200mg of L-theanine
– it’s a potent
anti-anxiety aid

98 MEN’S HE ALTH
 BITE-SIZE TIP
As much as 90 per cent
of your serotonin is
made in your gut. So
give it a helping hand:
“Eat fermented foods,
such as miso, tempeh
and kimchi,” says
Hobson.

4
THE IN THE METHOD
(SE Start by slicing the chayote squash. It’s a great source of folate,
• CHAYOTE, 40G, THINLY SLICED another nutrient shown to support good mental health. Whisk
& • OLIVE OIL, 2TBSP
• CIDER VINEGAR, 2TSP
• THAI CHILLI, 20G, FINELY SLICED
together the oil, vinegar and about a quarter of the Thai chilli
with a pinch of salt. Use this to coat the sliced chayote and
leave for 10-15 minutes.
• SALT AND PEPPER, TO TASTE
Dice the avocado into 1cm cubes. Combine in a separate
Ceviche
For a quick pick-me-up,
• AVOCADO, 300G, DICED
• RED ONION, 20G, CHOPPED
• SPRING ONION, 20G
bowl with the onion, corn, coriander and the rest of the chilli.
Season to taste. As well as useful B vitamins, avocado contains
• CHARRED CORN, 40G tyrosine, an amino acid that boosts your levels of the “reward”
stash El Pastor’s mood-
• CORIANDER, 10G neurotransmitter dopamine..
enhancing ceviche in
the fridge, then deploy • LIME, 4 WEDGES To plate up, fan the chayote around a serving dish and
as an instant antidote • TORTILLA CHIPS, TO SERVE pile the avocado mix in the centre of the plate. Finish with
to existential angst a drizzle of the remaining chayote marinade and serve with
the lime wedges and tortilla chips. Buy them or make them
yourself by frying slices of corn tortilla in half a centimetre
of cooking oil.

SEPTEMBER 2021 99
N U TR I TI O N

5 Roast
THE INGREDIENTS
((SERVES 2)
• RED CAPSICUM, 4
THE METHOD
Start with the capsicum. Remove the stalks and seeds and cut
into 2cm-wide slices. Fry the capsicum until it starts to colour
Salmon • GARLIC, 2 CLOVES, PEELED AND
THINLY SLICED LENGTHWAYS
and soften.
Push the capsicum to the side of the pan and add the sliced
& Red • FENNEL SEEDS, A PINCH
• RED WINE, A GLASS garlic and fennel seeds. Fry gently until the garlic has softened
but not coloured. Pour in the wine, stir and cover. While
Capsicum
Red wine with fish is not
• SALMON OR TROUT, 300G
FILLET, SLICED IN HALF
• CRÈME FRAÎCHE, 1TBSP
a bottle a night will have, shall we say, variable effects on
your mental wellbeing, in moderation red wine’s polyphenols
• BASIL, A FEW LEAVES can lower your stress hormones. Cook over a low heat for half
heresy – in fact, with this
recipe from Noble Rot, it can an hour, or until the capsicum softens.
be a potent cocktail for better Meanwhile, season the salmon or trout with salt and fry
mental health in olive oil, skin side down, for a few minutes over a medium
heat. When the skin is golden brown and crisp, flip and cook
– ALEX JACKSON until the fish is a translucent pink in the centre.
Head chef at Noble Rot
Finish the capsicum by stirring in the crème fraîche and
torn basil. Crack over some pepper and serve with the fish.

BITE-SIZE TIP
Something sweet to
finish? “Cocoa is rich in
flavonoids, which
improve blood flow to
the brain – helpful in
stressful situations,”
says Hobson.

100 MEN’S HE ALTH

 BITE-SIZE TIP
Pair carbs with
protein to balance
your energy levels.
According to Anyia,
“Big highs and lows can
contribute to anxiety
and fatigue.”

6
THE INGREDIENTS THE METHOD

Chicken
Livers
on Toast
Weighed down by your worries?
Liver little (ahem) with the
ultimate spirit-lifting comfort
food from Noble Rot
(SERVES 2)
• PORCINI MUSHROOMS, 100G
• CHICKEN LIVERS, 100G,
TRIMMED 
• UNSALTED BUTTER, 2TBSP
• GARLIC, ½ CLOVE
• CHICKEN STOCK, 2TBSP
• BRANDY, A GLUG
• PARSLEY, 1TSP, CHOPPED
• WALNUTS, 4, LIGHTLY CRUSHED
• TOAST, 2 THICK SLICES
Slice the mushrooms into 5mm slices. Season the chicken
livers with salt. Livers and mushrooms are a good source
of iron and B vitamins, both of which will boost your
mental energy.
Get a pan smoking hot and add some olive oil. Sauté the
chicken livers over a high heat until golden brown on the
underside. Turn them over, add a knob of butter and toss in
the mushrooms. Season and fry the ceps until they’re golden
brown and soft. The livers, meanwhile, should be cooked pink.
Reduce the heat and add more butter with the chopped garlic.
Toss everything together, then add the chicken stock with
a glug of brandy – it’ll lift your spirits, though not for strictly
nutritional reasons. Bring to a boil, then simmer until reduced
to a slightly thickened sauce. Add the remaining butter and
shake the pan to add some gloss to the sauce. Throw over the
parsley and walnuts – linked to better brain function – and
serve on hot buttered toast.

SEPTEMBER 2021 101

Jean-Claude
Van Damme at a
private gym in Los
Angeles in May.

102 MEN’S HE ALTH

 TACT IC S

AND I CAME
BACK UP

KIND OF WAY”
Jean-Claude Van Damme,
now 60, has fought every onscreen bad
guy imaginable. But his biggest battle
has always been against himself
BY A LE X PA PPA DEM A S
PHOTOGR APHY BY M AGGIE SH A NNON

SEPTEMBER 2021 103

TACTI C S
T’S JEAN-CLAUDE VAN DAMME
calling. He asks, “How are you?” and
before he can hear an answer, there’s
a commotion on his end – phone-
fumbling sounds; a tiny Chihuahua
freaking out; Van Damme’s wife,
Gladys Portugues, laughing; his own
low chuckle.  the camera – or possibly through it, to God –
“Ah la la,” sighs Van Damme, back on
the line. It sounds like French for What can
you do?   that led him to drugs, about his years of self-
“I’ve got my dog next to me on the table,”
he explains, “and we just got back from the
Caribbean” – again the dog yaps, and Van
Damme says, “Lola, stop it” in a firm, don’t-
test-me tone – “and she is so jealous of my
wife, it’s unbelievable.”
Lately Van Damme and Lola have also
been in France, Belgium, Italy and Monaco.
“So Mademoiselle Lola is now spoiled,
because she’s been going from hotel to hotel.”
He speaks to the dog one more time, his
voice high and sweet – “Right, Lola?”
– and then chuckles, as if delighted to know
there’s a creature in the world that loves him
this much.
Heh heh heh heh. There’s another
explosion of tiny barks. Van Damme laughs.
“Lola. Stop it.” He tries again, more sternly.
“Lola. Stop. Stop. Stop.”  in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind mode,
Van Damme turned 60 last October. In
his time on this planet, he’s been a nobody
from Belgium, a global box-office sensation,
a coke-torqued tabloid train wreck, and a
’90s-kitsch punchline. When he was 38, he
told interviewers sincerely that he believed
he’d be dead of a massive heart attack by
50 – and this was after he kicked the drugs,
recommitting to work and family and fitness
and Gladys, who’d cared for their son and
daughter, Kristopher and Bianca, during
the years Van Damme spent letting his
demons drive.
Van Damme and Gladys got divorced in
1992, as his wild years ramped up, but they
were remarried by the end of the decade,
making Gladys his fifth wife as well as his
third wife. If not for her? “Impossible for me
to talk today,” Van Damme says. Meaning
he wouldn’t be alive. His implosion was
well-documented – gossip columns and
leaked divorce-court depositions painted the
usual picture of an uncontrollable superstar
enslaved by his own appetites. Writer-
director Steven E. de Souza told The Guardian
that Van Damme was “coked out of his mind”
on the set of 1994’s Street Fighter, when he
could be persuaded to show up.
104 MEN’S HE ALTH
He’d cleaned up by 2008, when he starred
in JCVD, playing himself as a faded action-
movie star trapped in a hostage situation at
the post office. The film is a comedy, but in its
most astounding sequence, a crane lifts Van
Damme out of the scene he’s in and into the
rafters of the set, where he speaks directly to
for six tearful, mostly improvised minutes,
in French, about the luxury-hotel loneliness
destruction and addiction and the guilt he
still carries with him. He speaks of his former
self as Van Damme, la Bête – the Beast – and
seems convincingly and maybe irreparably
broken as a person. “I got out of it,” he says at
one point. “But . . . it’s all there. It’s all there.”
Van Damme is an undisputed icon of action
cinema, a living cautionary tale about the
dangers of believing your own hype, and
a symbol of cheeseball ’90s excess. Since
JCVD, he’s continued walking a path of
self-awareness about all of this, winking
knowingly at the more swole-headed aspects
of his cinematic legacy in projects like the
brilliant Amazon Studios meta-comedy series
Jean-Claude Van Johnson – Van Damme
playing an aging action star who’s secretly
a superspy, among other fun-house-
mirror versions of himself – and the 2013
Volvo ad in which he does his trademark split
between two moving semi trucks while Enya
sings “Only Time”.
Perhaps you’ve seen GIFs of Van Damme
dancing in voluminous khakis and a
suspender-strapped tank top in 1989’s
Kickboxer. So has Van Damme, and at
jcvdshop.com you can buy a hoodie or a coffee
mug with a dancing Jean-Claude on it – and
you can also see present-day Van Damme
modelling some of these items, co-signing
our ironic enjoyment.
Maybe you saw him dancing again last
year, mixing up martial arts and early
ballet training and freestyle dad-at-the-rave
moves in EDM duo AaRON’s “Ultrarêve”
video, directed by his daughter. Perhaps his
disarmingly sage and serene social-media
presence has come across your timeline
– inspirational quotes on the importance of
patience, accented with context-appropriate
Bloodsport screenshots.
Maybe you haven’t seen all or any of
the 30-plus feature films and TV-show
appearances he’s made since the year 2000,
but the later part of the career’s going well,
too. Van Damme’s name can still get an action
movie made, so there is always a script with a
title like 6 Bullets or Assassination Games or
The Hard Corps or Replicant that calls for Van
Damme to play a guy named something like
Samson Gaul or Vincent Brazil or Philippe
Sauvage or Edward Garrotte.
These days, it’s easier than ever for aging-
but-still-recognisable action stars to grab top
billing and a quick paycheck in exchange for
a few glorified-cameo minutes of screen time
in movies that can be misleadingly packaged
to fool some sucker looking for a quick hit on a
streaming platform. But Van Damme actually
shows up and stars in his movies, even if he
keeps his stunt doubles slightly busier than
he used to, and he brings to the work a
weathered, actorly gravitas that might
surprise you if you know him only as the
dancing fool from Kickboxer.
That’s how he’s spent the past decade or
so, performing a split bridging viral silliness
and the solemnity of the action hero in winter.
But his new movie – his first project for
Netflix – doesn’t slot comfortably into either
category. It’s called The Last Mercenary. He
plays a former secret agent pulled back into
the game, does the splits and kicks people in
the face, per tradition. But he also struggles
to connect with a long-lost son, nails a few
deadpan moments, and slips on a tux to
pull a heist – and he does it all in French, a
language he grew up speaking but has rarely
acted in. There are a few meta jokes about
Van Damme’s Van Damme-ness, but mostly
it’s JCVD pulling off the kind of warm, goofy
action comedy he’s never had the chance to
try before.
This is a new zone for Van Damme, who
until now has done his best work as an actor in
subdued, haunted-man roles with a narrower
emotional register. “He’s not like that in real
life,” says The Last Mercenary director David
Charhon, a longtime fan who wrote the film
with Van Damme in mind. “He’s sparkling,
luminous, funny. I said, ‘It’s amazing that no
one’s shown him in a movie how he is!’ ”
The Caribbean vacation was his first real time
off in years, Van Damme says.  
“I bought a mini motor yacht,” he says.
“My little Lolita, my dog, and a captain and a
stewardess, and you go from island to island.
You anchor, you swim. Go eat some grilled
fish. Come back at night. There’s no sound. No
paparazzi. No phone, because WiFi is weak.” 

They were out there three months – just
the old man, his Chihuahua and the sea.  “ THAT
“Every day I was having the ocean in front
of me,” Van Damme says. “Which is basically
everything. It’s beautiful, but it’s nothing.
So you see infinity. You have time to see
everything and nothing. And to think about
something else. To think about: what else
should I do in my life to be completed?”
When Van Damme speaks of his own
death, this is how he speaks of it – calmly,
as if it were an item pending on the schedule.
It keeps coming up, though, almost out
of nowhere. At one point, he pauses
midsentence; says, “Don’t worry – it’s not
COVID”; then blows his nose hard, a honk
that echoes through the room. When he
returns to the phone, he’s suddenly talking
about a routine surgical procedure he has
coming up, his anxiety about it. He worries
only about not being here for his family.
“I’ve made some good money. I’ve got some
properties. I want to make sure my children
understand the value of everything. And then
I’ve got no problem to go. I’ve been around the
world so many times.”
He has arrived at this point meditatively.
“Makes me feel good, by the way – they say
most successful men are from 60 to 70,” he
says. “Second position is from 70 to 80” – heh
QUOTE ME:
heh heh – “if I can make it, agewise.”
By “successful”, he means happy. Social
science calls this the U-curve, a reference
to the way happiness tends to dip at midlife
and rebound when approaching retirement
age. What “retirement age” means in a Van
Damme context is subjective. Sly and Arnold
appear poised to work through their 70s, after
all, and so does Jackie Chan. And besides,
Van Damme’s been defying the odds for years.  Beach dancer in 1984’s Breakin’. He carried
In Belgium in the 1980s – when he was a
former Mr Belgium and the holder of a few
karate-tournament titles – he opened a gym,
which he named California Gym, after a
place he’d never been. He ensured its success
by placing “all the beautiful machinery, the
chrome ones, for the ladies, in front of the
window, so people saw all these beautiful
women training”. He made a pile of money,
put it in the bank in his father’s name so he
Van Damme
continues to push
himself physically,
in part to stay
mentally healthy.
TO
TMENT.
E:
AT,
”
couldn’t touch it, and moved to Los Angeles
with only $3000 in his pocket, figuring if
he couldn’t make it with $3000, he wouldn’t
make it with $5000, either. 
In L A, five years passed. Van Damme
learned English, slept in his car, delivered
pizzas, laid carpet, drove a limo and racked
up mostly ignominious screen credits – blink
and you’ll miss him as a unitard-clad Venice
around karate magazines with his picture on
the covers in case he ran into a producer who
could give him a job. Of course, that’s not how
it works, but it ended up working for him. 
The story is that Van Damme saw the
producer Menahem Golan, a cofounder
of Cannon Films, at a restaurant. He
showed how high he could kick by kicking
up and over Golan’s head, and that’s how
Van Damme booked Bloodsport. 
SEPTEMBER 2021 105
TACTI C S
This is more or less true, but it leaves
out the part with Van Damme calling and
calling and hearing nothing back from Golan,
coming close to giving up, and sitting in his
apartment thinking, It’s over; I cannot do
more – which is when his phone rings. He’s
summoned to Golan’s office. Golan says to
his secretary, “Karen, bring me Bloodsport”,
and Van Damme is handed the script that will
change his life, no silver platter necessary.  with Arsenio Hall, who asked him to look into
In the film, based on the too-wild-to-fact-
check recollections of a novelist, martial
artist and self-professed ex–CIA operative
named Frank Dux, Van Damme plays a
soldier who goes AWOL to fight in a secret,
full-contact martial-arts tournament in Hong
Kong. It’s as if the script had been crafted for
the express purpose of creating the need for a
Jean-Claude Van Damme type of actor.
Released in 1988, Bloodsport reportedly
made $50 million on a $2 million budget,
and by the early ’90s, Van Damme was a bona
Van Damme with a karate
magazine from 1991, the
kind he once carried to
help sell his potential.
106 MEN’S HE ALTH
fide movie star – playing twin Van Dammes
in Double Impact, battling Dolph Lundgren
as a zombie-cyborg Vietnam vet in Universal
Soldier. He was a meaner, prettier Arnold
2.0 with a rockin’ mullet, unafraid to bare
his arse onscreen (or brag about his ability
to crush a walnut with his glutes). In 1991,
dressed in Patrick Bateman suspenders like
a cocky junk-bond trader, Van Damme sat
the camera and celebrate his newfound heat
by saying, “Yo, I’m large, baby”. Grinning,
Van Damme turned to the camera and
said something that sounded like “Yo, I’m
enlarged, baby”. After Timecop made more
than $100 million in the mid-’90s, Universal
offered him $12 million for three more films.
Van Damme – now enlarged, yo, at least in
his own mind – asked for $20 million. Since
he had built himself up from nothing, now
you could tell him nothing. So went the next
few years – gluttony, ego, bad choices. A
$10,000-a-week cocaine habit. A tabloid- ugly
divorce from his fourth wife, Darcy LaPier.
Reported DUIs, an attempt at rehab, an
eventual diagnosis of bipolar disorder, of
which much of the foregoing was a symptom.
By not dying in the ’90s, he’s lived to watch
the world become less interesting, a process
that seems to have started for him even before
all human interaction shrank to the size of
a Zoom window. “I’m kind of – how do you
say? – blasé, kind of bored,” Van Damme
says. “Because everything now, it’s on the
screen.” If this is how life’s going to be from
here on out, he’s glad his work allowed him
to hang out in Kazakhstan and Indonesia
before everything changed. But he’s also
hopeful about the future.  “Every two-
thousand-something-five-hundred years, we
are changing constellations,” he says. “In all
the biblical books, the Koran or the Torah or
the Gospel, they have the fish as a symbol.
And now we are entering the constellation
of Aquarius – it’s a totally different cycle of
life, if you understand cosmologies. It’s very
important, this coming couple of years, in
terms of the human cycle.”
Maybe it’s easier to see the cyclical quality
of things when you’ve cratered your career
at least once and have found yourself on the
upswing again, flying private to Paris to make
a movie for Netflix. Call it a comeback if you
like, but the truth is, Van Damme’s already
had a better 21st century than any other
action star of his approximate vintage. 
That includes the nearly $315-million-
grossing Expendables 2, in which he squared
off with Stallone for the first time as arms
dealer Jean Vilain, and Kung Fu Panda 2,
with his voice cameo as a crocodile who fights
a peacock played by Gary Oldman. (Listen
for Van Damme in next year’s Minions: The
Rise of Gru; he’s the voice of Jean-Clawed,
a villain with an enormous crustacean
pincer for a hand.) But it also includes
some smaller, darker films, in which the
cumulative spiritual consequences of a life
nearly squandered seem to be written on Van
Damme’s carved-stone Buster Keaton face. 
The best of these films are the two
deranged quasi-sequels to Universal
Soldier that he made in 2009 and 2012 with
Lundgren and director John Hyams. The
latter, Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning, is
almost certainly the only Van Damme movie
ever compared to the work of Werner Herzog,
David Lynch, David Cronenberg and Gaspar
Noé by The Paris Review.

Van Damme with
his wife, Gladys,
in the early ’90s.
The star
anchoring Street
Fighter in 1994.
“ EVEL,
YOU
THE INSIDE . . . AND THE
In the later Universal Soldier movies,
Lundgren and Van Damme have been
resurrected so many times that they no longer
remember why they’re determined to kill
each other, but they keep trying anyway; a
series that began as a comic-book treatise on
the horrors of war becomes a grim metaphor
for the bloody-knuckled monotony of an
action star’s professional life.  emotional place. I ask what the Van Damme
The Bouncer (2018) isn’t as conceptual –
it’s basically a Taken movie with a touch of
The Wrestler, starring Van Damme as a single
dad mixed up with Eurosleaze counterfeiters.
But it’s also quiet and mournful: Van Damme
moves slower, gets knocked around, seems
to feel every hit. He’s turned into the kind
of actor whose presence can elevate a routine
script, imbuing it with emotional weight.  it’s possible. Quote me: ‘Yes, it’s possible’. I
The way Van Damme sees it, this new
chapter of his acting career began in 2003,
with In Hell, his third and final collaboration
with Hong Kong cinema legend Ringo Lam,
who died in 2018.  the pace where the rhythm of the cycle syncs
“[Lam] said you have to play a guy who
is more honest than you are in real life,”
Van Damme says. “And when he said that, I
understood, click. The way you are sitting.
Legs together. Not like a movie star. Don’t
put your hands around the sofa. Who the
fuck do you think you are? Proper. Back
straight. You have a boss. You’re an
employee. You are receiving a check,
every month.”
It was the first time Van Damme had ever
rooted a performance in his subconscious,
and the experience was a revelation. After
JCVD in 1986’s
No Retreat,
No Surrender.
YOUR BRAIN
that, he says, “I was able to jump from martial
arts to telling the truth, basically – not to act”.
 
That monologue he delivers five years later
in JCVD might be his peak as both an
actor and a truth teller, but it also seems to
come from a dark and perhaps inescapable
of today makes of the Van Damme who
ad-libbed that speech.
“That’s a good question,” he says. He
stops. Gathers thoughts. “I’ve passed that
bump. I went down, and I came back up in a
rearranged kind of way. That beast you saw
did go to the garage” – he makes a vroom-
vroom sound – “for a big adjustment. Yes,
repeat, quote me: ‘It can be achieved’. ”
He’s learned to keep the beast in check.
He’s found healthier ways to get out of his
head. He rides a stationary bike, tries to find
up with his heartbeat.  by Oscar-winning Green Book cowriter Nick
“When you are at that level,” he says,
“you click your brain out of your body, put it
somewhere, in the iCloud, okay? And then
you start to feel the muscle. You start to
breathe, feel the inside. You start to feel the
machina – the machine – and the beating of
your heart.”
He does yoga, too, as he has for 25 years.
“It’s a big cure,” he says. “You can clean lots of
carbon dioxide inside your body by breathing.
And then also go to the gym, train every
day. That’s the best way to feel good. And
EEL
also watch sometimes a good movie, click
out. Because I’m a thinker. So when I do the
bicycle and the yoga and the training and the
gym, I don’t think.”
And there’s the work, which has become
about conserving energy until just the right
moment. “Every time I can sit somewhere,
on the set, not just stay on my feet, I save
everything I can save,” he says. “So what you
have to do is save the car. Don’t drive that car
to the market. Drive another one. Only drive
this one on Sunday.”
He owes it to Gladys to keep kicking. “If
not, I will be rotting at home,” he says. “Not
as a human, but mentally. And my wife will
feel so bad to see me this way. She knows I like
to construct.”
He is aware of the Bloodsport reboot, long
in the works. “If they don’t do it, they are
crazy,” he says. But his interest is elsewhere.
There’s a film he wants to make called
Headlock, which he says will be a martial-
arts epic with whiffs of Rocky. The script is
Vallelonga. Van Damme explains the story
and its visuals in a few impossible-to-follow
sentences – something about the colour red
increasing in intensity, about his character
waking from a coma and a twist involving a
second coma. 
At the end, he says, “I die for love. Oh
my God, what a movie! I know they want to
[remake] Bloodsport, but they’re gonna put –
sorry for the expression – tits and ass and all
that bullshit. It doesn’t belong to me anymore.
I’m 60 –I want to do something beautiful”.
SEPTEMBER 2021 107
 VS

108 MEN’S HE ALT H

 FI T NE SS & N UTR I T IO N

Whatever your ambitions for the rest of the

year, working out and eating well will always
be sound strategies. But which is more
effective? Are abs really made in the kitchen?
And can you out-train a bad diet, or eat away a
bad mood? Our experts weigh up their benefits
in the ultimate health and fitness showdown
WORDS BY SCA RLE T T WRENCH PHOTOGR APHY BY MICH A E L HEDGE

SEPTEMBER 2021 109

F IT NE S S & N UT RI T IO N
The Goal:
1 WEIGHT LOSS
The Science:
Despite what the post-Christmas surge in
gym attendance might suggest, sweating it
out on the treadmill is not the most efficient
way to lose your extra padding. Weight loss
happensn when your body requires more
gy and k
d so is forced to b
n your fat cells for fuel.
“There are countless ‘fat-bur
out there, from keto and paleo to interm
fasting, but all rely on creating a calorie
deficit,” says Kyle Green, a fitness model and
body transformation coach. “Aim for a deficit
of between 250kcal (1050kJ) and 500kcal
(2100kJ) per day and see how your body
responds.” There are two simple ways to work
towards a 1000-kJ deficit: first, consume less
(eat two fewer biscuits); second, move more
(add a 25-minute run). Of those, cutting the
extra snack is generally less of a faff.
An over-reliance on exercise has its
downsides, too. One study conducted by the
Pennington Biomedical Research Center in
Louisiana found that those who trained for
an average of half an hour per day didn’t lose
any more weight than those who averaged 15
minutes – the more committed exercisers
subconsciously “rewarded” themselves for
their hard work by eating more food.
As well as tracking your kilojoule
intake, Green advises boosting your non-
exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).
This covers any movement that isn’t part
69%
of your structured training plan, such as
walking to the shops, cleaning the house, or
running around after the kids and/or dog.
After all, if your YouTube dumbbell workout
leaves you trembling and sofa-bound for the
following 48 hours, its aggregate effects on
your activity levels won’t be positive.
Where exercise does come into its own
is weight maintenance. Research shows that The University of
people who form good fitness habits alongside Lübeck found that
switching up their diets are far more likely men who consumed
to stick to their plans. So, think less about two-thirds of their
burning fat and more about bulking up day’s kilojoules in the
your willpower. morning burned off
more than those who
The Decider: DIET ate a larger dinner
 2 MENTAL WELLBEING The Goal:
T e Sc
Th cie
“We
W do n
bod
boodies
ie
Guy
Guuy C Intelligence in
the F His point is that our
mi
w contribute to poor mental
physiological elements of our
being. The way we use and
maintain our muscles, organs
and digestive systems informs
our emotional state.
In a study at Cardiff University,
scientists asked test subjects to
snack on either crisps and
chocolate or fresh fruit. Within
10 days, members of the junk
food group were exhibiting
greater symptoms of low mood
and anxiety than the fruit eaters.
“High-sugar, high-fat foods can
cause a flash of hormones in the
brain’s pleasure centres, which is
followed by a crash,” says Mark
Perera, a senior GP at Babylon
Health. Perera also points to
common deficiencies that can
health, such as those in vitamins
B12, C, D and omega-3, which
he calls “the engine oil of the
brain”.
Your workouts, meanwhile,
will give you both a short-term
high and a long-term lift. There’s
more at play than just
endorphins, too. “Exercise
triggers the release of numerous
brain-cell mediators, including
serotonin, dopamine and
noradrenaline, which light up the
pleasure and reward centres of
45 X5
the brain,” explains Perera – but
this time minus the comedown. In
a study published in the American
Journal of Psychiatry, those who
trained for just two-and-a-half
hours each week had a 31 per
cent lower risk of depression than
those who didn’t. Exercise has
been shown to be as effective as Those who exercise
medication in reducing symptoms for 45 minutes,
of moderate (though not always
severe) depression.
three to five times
For many struggling per week, enjoy the
with their mental wellbeing, biggest boosts to
getting outside and moving for
half an hour each day will be
mental health
easier than a total dietary
overhaul. So, exercise edges
it here – just.
The Decider: EXERCISE
SEPTEMBER 2021 111
 3
The Goal:
MORE
ENERGY
The Science:
Dragging yourself around the
park before work might be the
last thing you want to do when
you’re feeling drained, but it pays
to resist the snooze button.
Exercise triggers the release of
invigorating neurotransmitters
such as norepinephrine and
dopamine, while also boosting
blood flow to the brain. In one
study, 10 minutes simply walking
up and down stairs proved
a better booster shot than
50mg of caffeine.
Be wary of overdoing it,
though. One major cause of
fatigue is stress, says Wilson
Pinho, a trainer and nutrition
consultant based at E by Equinox
gym. When prolonged, this can
cause a malfunction whereby
your body is constantly pumping
out excess cortisol. “In this state,
upping your exercise will only
make your body more stressed.”
Use a smartwatch to measure
your heart rate, body temperature
and heart-rate variability in the
morning. If your heart rate is
trending up while the other two
metrics are trending down, you
might need to ease
up on your training. In other
words? An active daily routine
is always beneficial, while
a punishing home/gym
workout schedule isn’t.
A targeted diet is a more
112 MEN’S HE ALTH
reliable
energiser. For
optimal mental
and physical
stamina, Pinho
recommends a
macro split of 30 per
cent protein, 30 per
cent fat and 40 per cent
carbs. “Low-carb diets can
cause a drop in energy,” he
cautions. Include high-fibre
foods such as wholegrains,
beans, lentils and potatoes
in every meal to drip-feed your
body energy throughout the
day. As a bonus, they’ll help you
build the hormone serotonin,
23%
for easier sleep.
Next, eliminate vitality-
sapping micronutrient
deficiencies by ensuring that
you’re getting enough
magnesium (wholegrains, leafy
greens), iodine (seafood,
iodised salt), vitamin D (fatty The proportion of
fish, eggs) and B12 (red meat,
shellfish), supplementing
Aussies thought to
wherever you need to. Finally, if have low levels of
you’re also working towards vitamin D. It supports
weight loss, try shrinking your
kilojoule deficit, so you’re eating
muscle growth, fat loss
closer to your maintenance and your cells’
target – because there’s little battery packs
point in acquiring abs and biceps
if you’re too knackered to give
them a showing.
The Decider: DIET

The Goal:
4 LONGEVITY
The Science:
Anti-ageing therapy is big business. Silicon
Valley entrepreneurs, from PayPal co-founder
Peter Thiel to Google’s Sergey Brin and Larry
Page, have invested in research into a cure for
the maladies of old age.
There’s no miracle pill (yet), but tweaking
your lifestyle habits can be transformative.
When we talk about lifespan, what we’re
really talking about is “healthspan”: the
amount of time during which we remain fit,
mobile and illness-free. Research by exercise
physiologist Ulrik Wisløff suggests that a key
predictor of this is your “VO2 max”, a measure
of how adept your body is at using oxygen.
You can improve this by exercising close to
your maximum capacity a couple of times per
week, either with HIIT-style workouts, or by
pushing yourself during a 5K run.
However, Professor Stephen Harridge, an
expert in ageing at King’s College London,
notes that there’s “no evidence that one
FI T NESS & NUT RI TIO N
specific type of exercise will favour increased
“For many older
healthspan”. Cardio is good for your heart,
of course, but he points out that muscle people, strength
wastage is just as detrimental as a loss of
aerobic fitness. “Plus, for many older people,
exercise is
strength exercise is essential so that other essential so that
types of exercise are actually possible.” To hit
both goals, perform fast-paced circuits that
other types
incorporate full-body moves such as deadlifts of exercise
and squats. As we age, we also require more are possible”
protein to stimulate muscle synthesis. Aim
for 30g, three times a day.
Recently, periodic fasting has become an
anti-ageing trend. “There’s evidence that it
improves metabolic health,” says Harridge.
“Our bodies evolved in the context of a more
intermittent feeding pattern.” But for the long
term, Harridge favours a consistent intake
and increased physical activity. That’s fewer
meals skipped and workouts missed.
The Decider: EXERCISE
SEPTEMBER 2021 113
F IT N E SS & N UT RI T ION

6
The Goal:

The Science: leaves something to be desired,

You can’t pack on muscle mass it’s still possible to get bigger,
without any building if not leaner. There’s even a term
blocks, which means you need for this kind of supersizing: “dirty
to be taking in more kilojoules bulking”. What’s not possible is

5
than you’re burning off. The trick to pack on muscle mass with
part is to ensure that those extra a half-baked gym routine.
kilojoules end up stored where Hypertrophy occurs
you want them. “Your body can when a muscle is repeatedly
build up to 0.2kg of muscle per stressed, which means pushing
The
The Go
oal
al:: week,” says Green. “If you’re yourself to your limits until those
putting on weight at a faster rate limits increase. Pinho advises
than that, the chances are aiming to perform 10 or more sets
you’re gaining fat, too.” per muscle group each week. That
His recommendation mirrors doesn’t always mean maxing out:
that for weight loss: between “Research shows that load doesn’t
250kcal
kcal (1050kJ) and 500kcal significantly affect hypertrophy, so
(2100kJ) per day, but this
his time in long as you’re working close to the
surplus. Protein (1.5-2.2g per kilo point of failure,” he says. “Keep
of bodyweight) will help your your rep ranges between eight and
muscles repair and grow. Carbs 12, using weights that are at least
The Science: will fuel your workouts, and 60 per cent of your one-rep max.”
There are 1.2 million Australian adults ts living nutritious fats will maintain Slow and heavy(ish) wins the race.
with conditions related to cardiovascu ular healthy testosterone levels.
disease. The good news is that many of the big But even if your diet The Decider: EXERCISE
risk factors – high blood pressure, ra aised LDL
cholesterol and a waist-to-height rattio above
0.5 – are under your control.
The dietary protocols are fairly
predictable: more fibre-rich whole foods, less
processed meat and refined carbs. Keep in
mind that diets that are high in sugar can
increase the synthesis of LDL cholesterol. Sat
fat’s not a lone gunman.
In terms of exercise, cardio is king. And
by “cardio”, we don’t mean a narrow choice
between running, jogging and plodding:
pacy dumbbell circuits and bodyweight
drills count, too. Try this: pick four simple
moves and perform a 60-second set of
each in turn, working near your max
effort. Rest for three minutes, then
repeat three times for four rounds. In
a study of older adults, those who did
this three days per week had stronger,
springier, more efficient hearts. A one-
two combo keeps things ticking.

The Decider: IT’S A TIE

114 MEN’S HE ALTH

21-36
Men working in this
total rep range can
gain just as much
muscle mass as those
working with
heavier sets

“A bout of moderate-
effort exercise can help
the immune system to
sweep up pathogens”

The Goal:
IMMUNITY
The Science:
Back in 2019, most people’s
concept of “immunity” didn’t
extend far beyond swerving the
biannual office cold. Today, our
impetus to avoid infection is
stronger. Your immune system
can be compromised by a range
of factors, from age and obesity
to smoking. But it can also
be strengthened.
The effect of exercise on
immunity is dependent on
dosage. There’s a theory
that intense training – for
a marathon, say, or CrossFit
– temporarily suppresses the
immune system, leading to an
“open window” of heightened
infection risk in the hours
afterwards. However, recent
research suggests that this only
applies to pro athletes with
six-hours-a-day schedules.
A University of Bath review
published last year concluded
that a bout of moderate-effort
exercise can help the immune
system to sweep up pathogens.
If your training is more
professional, further studies
show that increasing your
intake of carbs and polyphenol-
rich berries and veg can help to
offset any damage. On top of
that, Satya Dandekar, a
professor of microbiology at
UC Davis in California,
7
recommends a Mediterranean
diet rich in healthy fats, such as
those found in oily fish, seeds
and nuts. “The quality of your diet
influences the make-up of the
bacteria in your gut,”
she explains, “and the
gastrointestinal tract is where
you harbour almost 80 per cent
of your immune system.”
Eating a broad range of plant
foods will boost the microbiome
diversity in your gut, while
prebiotic foods promote the
growth of healthy bacteria. You’ll
still need to mask up when you
buy them, though.
The Decider: DIET

SEPTEMBER 2021 115

 MH Essentials
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120 NEW BODY, OLD SCHOOL METHODS 124 BEEF UP TO LOOSEN UP 127 RUN YOUR OWN MIRACLE MILE

R I C H

REECE
LIGHTNING
The Wallabies’ REECE HODGE brings
world-class speed and power to
wherever in the backline his team needs
him. Here’s the background to the
emergence of a rugby weapon
BY DANIEL WILLIAMS
PHOTOGR APHY BY BRE T T HEMMINGS

SEPTEMBER 2021 117

 It’s simple: when
Hodge can’t play, he
makes himself stronger
for when he can.

PAIN AND GAIN

a brace for five weeks. Before long, you’re hearing program. “Most of the
When it finally came off, the inspirational story of private school boys had
he explains, he began one man’s iron journey. been doing weights for a
strengthening the atrophied “I guess mine’s different few years,” recalls Hodge.
One of Australian rugby’s most potent muscles around the joint to the guys who grew up in “I remember when I first
attacking forces tells you how to use before “slowly progressing private schools and started started, I tried to lift the
injury-enforced downtime to reshape your rig to running, kicking, lifting weights from a young same weight on the
change-of-direction stuff age,” says Hodge, alluding bench press that they’d
WHETHER YOU’RE A PRO second Tests of the and, finally, at about the to the traditional been using, and ended
athlete or a weekend Wallabies’ recent home 10-week mark, contact”. preponderance of the up getting stuck under
warrior, few things can feel series against France. A “I wouldn’t say privately educated in the bar.”
more disastrous than injury. knee injury – specifically, an depressing,” he says rugby’s top ranks, as well It was a few years later,
Does that statement need MCL tear he suffered back of the last few months. as to the famously when Hodge was 19, that
explaining? No, we didn’t in April playing for the “Frustrating, yes, in the early well-equipped gymnasiums his relationship with
think so. Sometimes, Melbourne Rebels – means stages. But the attitude I try of the more exclusive weights took a sharp and
though, approached wisely, Hodge missed the first Test to take with any injury is that schools of Sydney and life-changing turn. And yes,
a spell on the sidelines and will sit out the second you focus on the things you Brisbane. For his part, the catalyst was an injury –
can be turned to your one, though he hopes to can control, and that’s the Hodge attended a selective a shocker to an ankle that
advantage. It’s an idea that play the series finale in rehab. I just try and do that public school on Sydney’s put him out of the game for
crystallises when you listen Brisbane. “I’m pretty much to the best of my ability.” It’s northern beaches. a year. He wasn’t a Wallaby
to Reece Hodge, the good to go,” he says. a train of thought that “I was always the tall, at the time, just a promising
hard-running, bazooka- (Update: he played for 78 carries him back in time, to lanky kid,” he says, “and I club player for the Manly
thighed Wallabies utility. minutes of the Wallabies’ his mid-teens when he first didn’t touch a weight until Marlins in the Shute Shield
Men’s Health catches series-clinching win.) started training with I was 16”, which was when and a fulltime uni student.
up with Hodge, 26, on a Though his knee didn’t weights, and then to a later his rugby talent saw him He had a mate, Dave
recent Monday lunchtime require surgery, Hodge period in which he grasped recruited into a national Porecki (now a hooker for
between the first and limped about (and slept) in their transformative power. junior development the NSW Waratahs), who

118 MEN’S HE ALTH


stepped up in Hodge’s hour
of need. Porecki had
suffered a similar ankle
injury a couple of years
earlier and recognised that
Hodge’s best course was
not to mope about at home
but, rather, get under some
mighty loads at the gym.
“Two or three days after
my ankle surgery, Dave was
picking me up from my
house and taking me to the
gym, racking the bench
press and picking up all my
weights,” recalls Hodge, the
gratitude he felt at the time
still evident in his voice.
The gym where this
happened was J-Train
Athletic Performance, a
facility on the northern
beaches opened by
another mate of Hodge’s,
James Brodie, in 2010. A
strength and conditioning
guru, Brodie did far more
than just greet his buddy at
reception. “He devised
programs for me and put a
lot of time into helping me
get stronger and put on
size,” recalls Hodge. “I was
there five or six days a
week, grinding away. I did
compound lifts for strength,
plus time-under-tension
stuff to build size. This is
where James’ expertise
kicked in. He’d spent a lot
of time in the US and his
ideas were cutting-edge.
He knew how to keep the
lifting exciting, which
helped me keep my focus
through the whole year.”
BULKING UP
You ask Hodges whether
he can quantify the gains
he made in this period. He
sure can. His weight went
from 90 kilograms to 97.
He upped his bench from
120kg to 160, his deadlift
from 170 to 250, and his
front squat from 90 to 130.
You suggest to Hodge
that because of these
gains, his relationship with
the iron became something
akin to a love affair. “I
wouldn’t call it a love affair
– I feel they’re strong
words,” says Hodge. “But
like anything in life where
you see your hard work
paying off, it fuels you to
pour even more time and
effort into it.”
The gains weren’t just
numerical. For Hodge, the
point of all this effort was
that his new armour was
translating into improved
on-field performance: more
tackle busts, harder hits in
defence, and that priceless
lift in confidence that
comes from feeling a step
closer to impregnable.
“The stronger you are in
both your legs and upper
body . . . you can relate that
to the ability to break
tackles through your power
and your leg drive,” Hodge
explains. “Likewise, you can
relate your push press and
bench press to being able
to give someone a strong
fend and create more
space for yourself in attack.”
When he returned to
rugby in 2015, Hodge was
built to ask questions of
defenders that they couldn’t
necessarily answer. The
following year, he made
his Super Rugby and Test
debuts, and has now
racked up more than
40 appearances for the
national team.
“I’m a big believer in the
idea that hard work pays off
eventually,” he says. “And I
think if you take shortcuts
in the strength and
conditioning side of things,
it definitely impacts your
rugby. Yeah, I’m a massive
believer in working as hard
as possible in the gym and
squeezing every drop out of
your ability. I was able to
use that period of injury to
shift my focus towards gym
work and making my
strength a point of
//
I’m a believer in
working as hard as
possible in the gym//
difference compared
to other backs running
around. My love for the gym
was born out of that period,
and I still love getting in
there whenever possible
to try to add to my game.”
STAYING STRONG
Hodge says his greatest
fitness challenge these
days, as an established
Super Rugby and Test
player who might lace up
for as many as 30 matches
per season, is to maintain
his size and strength from
February through
November. He reckons
he plays his best footy at
95-96kg and never wants
to drift far from that mark.
The challenges of a long
season – fatigue, injuries,
staleness – can limit your
ability to do as much weight
training as would be
optimal – but Hodge says
that for a lot of players, the
greatest threat to their bulk
occurs in the preseason,
when they’re expected to
run until they drop.
Nutrition plays a crucial
role in this battle, year-
round. “A lot of my food
intake is based around
TIME TO MAKE A POWER PLAY
Hodge is the Wallabies’ go-to goalkicker for long-range shots because he can boot a
Gilbert into the next postcode. Here’s how to build Hodge-like leg strength in the gym
Do 3 sets of each exercise using a weight that is 80-90 per cent of
your 1-rep max. Rep count: only 2-4, and make each one explosive
Back Squat
timing – fuelling for
training and then
refuelling
afterwards,” says
Hodge. With
gruelling sessions
normally slated for
the morning and
early afternoon,
Hodge has found his
best plan is to go big
at breakfast, snack in the
afternoon post-training and
then, at night, plate up a
king’s meal that ticks off all
his macronutrient needs.
“I live by the 80-20 rule,”
he says. “A treat here and
there and a night out
occasionally with mates,
but disciplined most of the
time. Some guys get
caught in the trap of being
overly strict and have
blowouts as a result.”
You finish by asking
Hodge about the Wallabies’
ongoing quest to regain the
Bledisloe Cup, held by New
Zealand since 2003. Given
his belief in the power of
the right weights program
combined with hard graft to
deliver on-field results for
the individual, is it possible
that the Wallabies have
been missing a trick in
Front Squat Hip Thruster
the gym, and that the
route to beating the All
Blacks might involve
making some judicious
tweaks, sooner rather than
later, in that space? Hodge,
not having come down in
the last shower, neatly
sidesteps that query.
“Outside my pay grade,”
he says, before adding the
Wallabies’ S & C staff
comprises top-drawer
operators who “leave no
stone unturned”. Yep, when
it comes to muscle,
Hodge’s only responsibility
is himself. And with the
help of a great attitude
towards enforced layoffs,
he’s meeting that
responsibility like a man
on a mission.
Hodge’s episode of ASICS
Sound Mind Sound Body podcast
is available now on all major
podcasting platforms.
Deadlift
SEPTEMBER 2021 119

THE SMARTER
WAY TO CHASE
ryy cleverr. By
dern mov vements,, our four-
r functionnal muscle and size
fe
THERE’S BEEN A RISING
TIDE in  at
any “authentic” training
regimen should focus
entirely on measurable,
athletic imp d tidess, this one has ebbed.
that pursuing any kind of
w eage er to get their pump on
less noble, or even
narcissistic. Some have
even felt shamed into
avoiding training routines
that they would otherwise
enjoy, fearful of being
labelled an egomaniac for
doing a biceps curl or
k.
At MH h ideals.
proponents of well-
informed strength and
te
what the rise of functional
fitness has done for the
community. But for a while
there, it seemed the
pendulum had swung too
far. As our UK editor in chief
recently put it, “Since when
were we supposed to feel
shame for enjoying the
aesthetic by-products of our
training?” There’s often little
difference between chasing
after performance goals
and pursuing changes in
120 MEN’S HE ALTH
WORKOUT #1
RAISE YOUR POTENTIAL
Build your strength from the ground up with
this lower-body workout, which you’ll
alternate through the week with the
upper-body moves on the following spread.
Work through each movement as quickly as
possible while maintaining perfect form,
performing the prescribed reps in circuit
fashion, for eight rounds. Lower your
weights if you have to.
2A
y fusing
g old-school
1B
the mirror.
m So long as you
are happy,
h is a deadlift PB
more e meaningful than an
extra
a 2cm on your arms?
F
Fortunately, like all
1A
On the shoreline are men
again. Better still, we’re
learnning that being as
jackeed as
Arniee and
moving 2B
like U
Usain
Bolt aren’t
mutu ually
exc
e xclu
lus
usi
u ivee
Withh smart
programming, you
2
can get
g swole and hit
your other goals.
So, rip off your sleeves
and don your shortest
shorts. The following
Goblet Split Squat Goblet Good Morning
WORDS: ANDREW TRACEY; PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES
workouts combine (5 reps per leg) (10 reps)
traditional hypertrophy with A contender for the title of “king of all Now, let’s light up those
modern thinking, for a lifts”, the split stance variation of the hamstrings. Hold a kettlebell to
pump that truly pumps up squat hits your quads like nothing your chest (A). With a slight bend in
else. Place a foot on a box about 60cm the knees, push your hips back and
your mobility, strength and
behind you and hold a kettlebell close lower your chest towards the
physical preparedness. to your chest (A). Keep an upright ground, pinching your shoulder
We are in the age of torso and bend your front knee, blades back and maintaining a
functional bodybuilding lowering your body until your thigh is neutral spine (B). When you feel a
– and, boy, is it a good parallel to the floor (B). Stand up stretch in your hamstrings, pause
explosively, and perform all the reps and return to the start.
time to be alive! on one leg before switching.
 BUILDING BLOCKS

DO YOU
EVEN LIFT?
For reasons unknown, the bench
press has cemented its place as
the ultimate dude lift. With
nothing more than a few
resistance bands, add these three
moves to your arsenal to assist in
the bro-ly grail of a bigger bench

3B 1/ BAND-RESISTED PUSH-UP
5 sets of 15 reps,
90sec rest
3A
Stretch a resistance band across
your upper back and assume
a push-up positio
chest to the grou
before explosive
against the band

4B

2/STRAIGHT-AR
BAND PULL-DOW
4 sets of 10 rep
90sec rest
Loop a band arou
a pull-up bar and
arm-distance aw
4A
Grip the band wit
both hands and p
it down to full str
squeezing your s
blades together.
to the top, repeat

3 4 3/ TRICEPS PULL
4 sets of 25 rep
Box Jump Kettlebell Swing 90sec rest
(15 reps) (20 reps) Loop a band arou
After the slow, controlled tempo Put your all into driving a pull-up bar and
of the first two movements, you’re the kettlebell skyward for holding it with yo
ready to get functional, fast and maximum gains. Holding it palms facing eac
furious. Squat in front of a box (A) between your legs, hinge at your other and your up
and explosively jump on to the top, hips, swinging the weight tight to your body
land with soft feet (B) and stand up backward (A), drive your hips Explosively pull t
to full extension. Take a breath forward, allowing the bell to down and apart,
before stepping back down. swing to shoulder height (B). Let your arms are str
Repeat, alternating your legs the momentum bring it down return under cont
on the step down. between your legs, hinge at the repeat. Feel the burn in
hips, then repeat. your tris? Enjoy it.

SEPTEMBER 2021 121

 WORKOUT #2
UPPER CUT
Combine classic bodybuilding moves with
a rep scheme and rest times designed to
leave every single muscle fibre screaming.
This is an upper-body assault that would
make even Arnie blush. Work through each
movement quickly while maintaining
1B perfect form, performing the
prescribed reps of each exercise
as a circuit. Do 5 brutal
rounds.

3B
1A

2B

2A

3A

1 2
Wide-Grip Pull-up
(5 reps)
Kick off with an old-school staple to
build a barn-door back. Grasp a
pull-up bar with an overhand grip just
over shoulder-width apart. Lift your
feet from the floor, hanging freely with
straight arms (A). Pull yourself up by
flexing at the elbows while pinching
your shoulder blades together. When
your chin passes the bar (B), pause,
then lower to the starting position.
Dumbbell Z-Press
(10 reps)
From the back to the front: next is
a humbling movement that will blow
your shoulders up. Sit flat on the
floor with your legs straight and
open, holding two dumbbells at
your shoulders (A). Drive the
dumbbells upward until your arms
are locked out (B). Lower under
strict control.
3
Standing Dumbbell
Hammer Curl
(15 reps)
Your biceps are up next. Hold two
dumbbells with your arms hanging
freely at your sides (A). With
minimal momentum, curl
both dumbbells upward, until your
thumbs are near your shoulders
(B). Squeeze here for a one count
and lower under control.

122 MEN’S HE ALTH

 MASTERY MATRIX

TRAIN TO YOUR STRENGTH

THE KEY TO THIS WORKOUT IS TO GO AT YOUR OWN PACE  DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.
USE THIS MATRIX TO IDENTIFY YOUR OPTIMAL INTENSITY LEVEL

MONK
ON

Use a band to assist Use a band Add weight using a

4B
1 you up and back to assist you Wide- belt,
down. on the way pull- or by hanging
up only. (as sho a dumbbell
between
your legs.

Perform Dumbbell Z-Press Perform with Sit on a resistance

2 hands-elevated ( ) a controlled tempo, band and wrap
push-ups. four seconds d around both
pause on t dumbbells,
shoulders, t increasing the
explode back difficulty of
each rep.

e your Standing Perform reps Stand on a

3 form 20 h kneeling on resistance band
eps). (as shown) the ground to and wrap around
eliminate any both dumbbells,
4A momentum. increasing the
difficulty of
each rep.

4 Perform close-grip Perform bench Bodyweight dip Add weight using

Bodyweight Dip 4 push-ups. feet (as shown) a belt,
(20 reps) nd o
Finish strong with this bodyweight ch a dumbbell
triceps builder that will also blast
behind you. between
your chest. Grab two parallel bars
your legs.
with your palms facing inward
and your arms straight (A). Slowly
lower until your elbows are at right
angles, ensuring they don’t flare
out (B). Drive yourself back up to
the top and repeat.

SEPTEMBER 2021 123

MUSCLE UP
TO LOOSEN UP!
Foam rolling and stretching only kind of help.
Strength coach and biomechanics specialist
Greg Roskopf has a better plan: target your
muscle imbalances
BY ANDRE W HEFFERNAN
IMAGINE WALKING along
a sheet of ice, struggling to
find your balance. Every
muscle in your body
tightens, bracing for each
unknown, unstable step.
“It’s an actual neurological
response,” says strength
coach and biomechanics
specialist Greg Roskopf.
“When the body senses
instability, it tightens up as
a protective mechanism.”
Understanding this
mechanism and addressing
underlying muscle
weaknesses are key to
soothing your tight, achy
muscles. And this concept
lies at the heart of Roskopf’s
Muscle Activation
Techniques (MAT for short),
a training protocol that
protects your joints, eases
124 MEN’S HE ALTH
muscle pain and forges
strength and stability. MAT
does this by identifying
weak muscles and
activating them with the
isolation movements that
are often shunned by the
functional-fitness world.
In an era when every
gym has 10 foam rollers
and mobility is the
buzzword, MAT is a
throwback, shifting away
from multi-joint movements
to focus on one muscle at
a time. Despite that,
Roskopf’s decades-old
template (yes, it’s been
around that long) has
recently drawn attention.
Peyton Manning has visited
Roskopf’s clinic in Denver.
Over the past three years,
Roskopf has overseen the
training for golfer Bryson
DeChambeau, who has
packed on 18 kilograms
and racked up eight PGA
Tour wins, including two this
year. “MAT doesn’t reinvent
training,” says personal
trainer Dan Giordano, “but
it’s a smart reminder that
we shouldn’t overfocus
on mobility.”
Yes, overfocus. Your
average trainer will tell you
to stretch a tight muscle
or foam-roll the tightness
away. To Roskopf, that
solves nothing. “That’s why
people stretch day after day
after day and they never get
any more flexible,” he says.
“Because they’re still
walking on ice.”
According to Roskopf,
muscle tightness is a
protective mechanism
against instability and a
signal that other, weaker
muscles are causing that
instability. Whether you’re
standing up from a chair,
doing a squat or balancing
on ice, your muscles spend
every moment of every day
making thousands of
microadjustments, tensing
and relaxing in response to
your environment. They’re
also adjusting to one
another. When they’re in
balance, muscles on the
front of your body and
muscles on the back of
your body essentially tug a
joint into ‘neutral’ position.
Your pecs and your lats, for
example, help properly
position your shoulders.
“Think of a tug-of-war with
ten 100-kilogram guys on
either side of the rope,”
says Roskopf. That’s how
muscles are supposed to
work: equal strength on
opposing sides of a joint.
But if your lats weaken
– perhaps because you’re
sitting constantly, perhaps
because you’re not training
them – that would allow
your shoulders to shift
forward, leading to
imbalance. Stretching your
chest wouldn’t solve
weakness in your back,
either, says Roskopf.
Instead, you need to
activate and build strength
in your rhomboid and
trapezius muscles, the
muscles between your
spine and shoulder blades
(see sidebar).

THE PROBLEM
TIGHT HIPS
THE SOLUTION:
Lie on the floor, raise your leg as
shown, and turn your thigh inward as
far as you can. Hold for 6 seconds,
then relax. Repeat 6 times per side.
Roskopf began
exploring this philosophy
when he was training the
Utah Jazz in 1997. He
regularly treated John
Stockton for tight hips,
taking the future Hall of
Famer through a series of
stretches. Stockton always
returned for more work the
next day. “Wherever I saw
limitations in range of
motion,” says Roskopf, “I
saw a muscle weakness.”
So one day, Roskopf
decided to try something
else. He tested Stockton for
ILLUSTRATIONS: BEN MOUNSEYWOOD
muscle weaknesses, asking
him to push his legs in
various directions against
Roskopf’s hand. He
discovered that while
Stockton’s glutes were
strong, his hip rotator
muscles . . . not so much.
Roskopf spent the rest
of the session activating
and strengthening
Stockton’s hip rotator
muscles, and as the season
continued, Stockton
gradually made fewer trips
to the trainer’s room. And
his flexibility improved, even
without Roskopf stretching
him. “When you get the
muscles activated, not only
do they contract to a
greater range of motion, but
then they have strength and
integrity in that great range
of motion,” he says.
It’s a combination that
can help you move better
and feel better, erasing
plenty of little muscle
aches. And it certainly
beats walking on ice.
HIT THE MAT
Foam rolling is an excellent way to promote blood flow
to a muscle, and stretching can help you understand
your muscles’ full range of motion. But neither actually
solves muscle tightness the way MAT can
THE PROBLEM
TIGHT HAMSTRINGS
THE SOLUTION:
Strengthen your hip flexors, pulling your pelvis into neutral position below your
spine, with the hip-flexor squeeze. Lie on your back, legs straight. Actively lift your
left leg until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Hold it high for 6 seconds. Lower.
That’s 1 rep; do 6 on each side.
THE PROBLEM
SORE SHOULDERS
THE SOLUTION:
Strengthen your mid-back muscles with prone scapular squeezes. Lie facedown on a
firm surface, arms at your sides. Raise your arms and shoulders toward the ceiling,
squeezing your shoulder blades together. Hold for 6 seconds. Return to the start.
That’s 1 rep; do 3 sets of 6.
THE PROBLEM
LOWER BACK PAIN
THE SOLUTION:
Build those glutes with prone glute squeezes! Lie facedown on a firm surface and bend
your left knee 90° so your heel points toward the ceiling. Tighten your abs and squeeze
your left glute, lifting your leg off the floor slightly. Hold and squeeze for 6 seconds.
Lower, pause and repeat.
Repeat for 6 reps. Do 2 sets per side.
SEPTEMBER 2021 125
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to run, walk or roll 90kms to support
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 THE MILE IS
THE NEW
MARATHON
Train for this everything-you-got sprint
to get a fitness bump and bragging rights

BY MARISSA STEPHENSON

3
FOR THE PAST FEW years, Ironpeople and
cardiovores have tried to one-up one another KEY WORKOUTS
with epic training efforts, competing on the
TO RUN YOUR
FASTEST MILE
number of miles they run, the number of
Ironmans they do, and the number of ultra-early-
morning sessions they knock out. Yet one of the To incinerate your current mile PB, tackle each of the following
workouts from Mackey every week for eight weeks. Order doesn’t
most effective ways to train – and one of the matter, as long as you’re taking a day in between workouts to give
most beneficial for your physical and mental your body time to soak up your gains and recover
health – has always been among the shortest
and the simplest: mastering the mile.  200-METRE HILL TEMPO
“The mile [1.6km] is an amazing blend of REPEATS ENDURANCE RUN
speed and endurance, and a good indicator of
your overall cardiovascular health,” says Danny
Run up a hill for 60-90 seconds
Mackey, head coach of the Brooks Beasts, an Run 200 metres Rest Walk back down Run 3 miles
elite pro track team. “You can hammer it, and (Repeat 10 times)
(Repeat 8 times)
because it doesn’t take long to recover, you can
run it again soon to see how much you’ve
improved. You can’t say that about a marathon,
Sprints build the muscle This increases your A tempo run pushes you
where most people are just trying to finish.”
strength and power it stamina and prepares you out of your comfort zone
Even better, Mackey says you’ll notice takes to hold speed over psychologically to go all with a pace that feels just
yourself getting faster in three weeks. While the entire mile, and doing out in the home-stretch. a touch faster than you’d
a typical in-shape guy can run a mile in ten them in this repeating “It will be painful in the want to be running, and
format will help you dial in final 400, and this gets you this constant effort builds
minutes, running one in 6:30 – under the 6:47 your form. familiar with that feeling,” your endurance for
average time for a man in the 5th Avenue Mile, Mackey says. race-day glory.
the largest one-mile race in the US — can win Run these repeats at a pace
that’s 2-4 seconds faster than Find a long hill outdoors or set Start at a pace that feels like a
you bragging rights. (The fastest finishing time in your mile pace. However long it a treadmill to an incline. (The six out of 10 in terms of effort
that race last year was 3:52.) Here’s exactly how takes you to run one, rest for hill should be steep enough that and gradually increase to a
to get after it. three times that long before the running up it feels like a nine seven. This should be about 45
next repeat. Important: aim to out of 10 in terms of effort.) seconds to 1 minute slower
run the tenth sprint as fast as than your mile pace and feel
the first. consistently challenging.

SEPTEMBER 2021 127

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 PUT YOUR FEET UP STAND-UP GUYS
Identify these handstand

FOR EXTRA GAINS

faux pas to avoid any
unnecessary tumbles

A staple of both callisthenics and CrossFit,

the ability to get comfortable upside-down
is your entryway to a world of elite-level
gym-free moves. We stack up the right way THE BANANA MAN
to get your hands on the ground Places his hands too far away
from the wall before he kicks
up, leaving his back bending
A BALANCING ACT like bamboo before his feet
hit the wall, potentially
The first few times you try to kick up into a compromising his shoulder
simple handstand hold, it seems daunting. But joints. Usher him closer to the
every journey starts with simple steps. The wall, aiming for a straight line
following techniques and tweaks will have you from the wrists to the ankles.
bounding up those steps on your hands in no time

THE HEAD BANGER

Drops uncontrollably at
terminal velocity from the top
of every rep, directly onto his
head. We shouldn’t have to
explain the danger of this one
… Tell him to slow it down,
grip the floor and keep
tension throughout the rep,
lightly grazing the floor
before pressing back up.

1/ 2/ 3/
CLIMBING TAP INTO CORE UP AND DOWN
THE WALLS STRENGTH (AND UP AGAIN)
Assume a push-up Nailed it? Build your Pile weight plates,
position with the shoulders further: books or anything
soles of your feet kick up into a sturdy around
THE LEGLESS
touching a wall. Lift handstand hold, 15cm high. Place
WONDER
one leg as high as facing away from your hands at either
Kicks up and ignores
possible and press the wall. Spread side and kick up everything from the hips
it firmly onto the your legs to aid into a handstand. down (or up, in this case).
wall while ‘walking’ balance. Lean your Bend at the elbows Handstands may be a
the opposite hand weight on one arm, and slowly lower shoulder burner, but make
backwards. Repeat lifting the other and your head to the no mistake – they’re a
full-body endeavour. Tell
WORDS: ANDREW TRACEY; ILLUSTRATION: HARVEY SYMONS

on the other side, tapping the plates. Pause and

gradually bringing opposite shoulder. press back up him to squeeze his glutes
your hands closer Place that hand explosively. Once and thighs and point his
toes skyward. Poise and
to the wall, until back on the you can do 10 
control ensure stability, and
you have reached ground, shift your reps, lower the stability means more reps.
a full handstand weight across and plates and retest. Shoulder the burden
position. Finish by repeat with the Continue until you of your weight for a
full-body overhaul.
carefully reversing other arm. Aim reach the ground.
the movement for 10-15 reps Who needs a
back downward. per set. barbell, anyway?

SEPTEMBER 2021 129

 I’D JUST PLAYED against West
Coast in Perth for North
Melbourne before we caught
the red-eye home. The team
got back at midnight and we
went out for a couple of beers
– literally two beers – and then
I went home to bed. During the
night, I got up to go to the
toilet. But I must have stood up
too fast, because when I got to
the bathroom I fainted and fell
backwards, hitting my head on
the bathroom sink and
knocking myself out. When I
came around, I went back to
bed and didn’t think anything
more of it.
On Sunday morning, we
had a recovery session at the
beach. But I felt like I was drunk
– it was as if I had a huge
hangover. I could hardly keep
up with the other guys. The
boys were like, “We only had
two beers last night – you can’t
possibly be drunk!” Back home
after the session, I had this
crazy headache and started
vomiting non-stop. The next
day at training I still wasn’t right
– I could hardly open my eyes
and my head was spinning. So
the doctor suggested I go to
hospital. I drove to Epworth
Hospital in Richmond, but I was
so out of it that I literally parked
in the middle of the road and
thought I was in the car park.
Scans revealed that I had
severe bleeding in the brain.
After more tests, this
neurosurgeon said to me, “We
think you’ll make a full recovery,
but we don’t know if you’ll ever
play footy again”. I was
devastated. I was like, Shit! At
23, I might lose everything. It
was really hard, particularly
because I felt like I’d only just
got there. I didn’t get drafted
at 18 like most kids do. I had
to spend two years in the VFL
before getting rookie-listed. I
came in the long way and only
played my first season in 2006,
so this news was demoralising.
But it also made me realise
how deeply I loved footy. I knew
from that moment forward
that if I ever got another
opportunity to play, I’d never
take it for granted and would
give it everything I had.
The next month or so were
terrifying. I had to go and see a
specialist to help me cope with
my compromised motor skills
and memory loss. Being
confronted by my inability to
solve simple equations and
answer basic questions made
me nervous. I just had this
complete mind fog. Slowly,
things began to improve.
Eventually I was allowed to
resume training and, in the
end, got back for the end of
the season.
Do I think that head injury
made me a better player? Well,
my next two years at North
Melbourne were definitely the
most successful I had there.
And that probably stemmed
from that mindset I had after
the injury. At the end of 2009
I went across to Hawthorn,
where we became probably the
most successful team of my
era, playing in four grand finals
and winning in ’13, ’14 and ’15.
After that head injury I just
went full bore and, ultimately,
maybe that was the formula
for me to play my best football.
Because I certainly grew to
another level with my career
at Hawthorn and I was always
known for being the barometer
at training and someone who
could always be depended on
to give 100 per cent. One of
my coaches even said to me,
“Mate, you’re training too hard.
You’re going cut your career
short”. But that was just the
mindset I had. It took that bang
on the brain to really push me
to a whole new level.

DATE:
June 3, 2007, 3:04am
NAME:
JOSH GIBSON
“I KNEW FROM THAT
MOMENT I’D NEVER
PAUL ROVERE / GETTY IMAGES

FEAT:
A potentially career-ending head
injury gives a gifted footballer AGAIN TAKE FOOTY
renewed motivation in his
AFL career
FOR GRANTED”
130 MEN’S HE ALTH