While exercising regimes like HIIT, classic strength training and yoga always end up on the list of most popular fitness trends basically every year, some people have grown tired of them.
Luckily, there are literally hundreds – if not thousands – different activities that can help you stay in shape. So, let’s look at some of the more interesting ways from around the world… Five Interesting Ways Men Stay Fit 1.Brazil: Capoeira Let’s start things off with a traditional, Brazilian martial art for that combines the elements of dance, acrobatics and self-defense – Capoeira. Although it was initially developed by slaves, who used Capoeira to mask the fact they were practicing fighting moves, the modern version puts a bigger emphasis on your acrobatic skills than your striking power. There’s actually a ton of Capoeira schools worldwide, and if you want to get started, you can simply visit Capoeira blogs and find a local class. In most cases, the beginner course lasts for eight weeks and don’t just teach you the moves. These classes also include learning about different musical instruments, singing in Portuguese and learning various customs. 2.New Zealand: No-contact Boxing. New Zealand is a pretty physically active country – especially when you compare it to the United States. In fact, according to the Ministry of Health, more than half of adults in New Zealand are physically active for more than 30 minutes per day. In addition to popular workouts like crossfit, boutique boxing studios have started popping up all over the country. No-contact boxing is exactly what it sounds like – it’s standard boxing, but instead of punching it out with another person, you just train with punching bags or someone holding a pad. Although we think of boxing as targeting just the arms, this workout regime will actually give you a full-body workout. The core particularly gets hit every time. 3.France: ParkourIn the last couple of years, parkour has spread all across the globe; however, France still remains its heartland. The training discipline was initially conceived as an evolution of military obstacle courses by a group simply known as “The Yamasaki.” The goal of parkour is rather simple: a person just needs to propel themselves forward in an urban environment using basics techniques like climbing, jumping and pulling to navigate through obstacles. Well, it’s easier said than done. Parkour will increase both your upper and lower body strength, not to mention it will do wonders for your bravery. 4.United Kingdom: Unicycling Admittedly, the unicycle is not the most perfect form of transportation out there. However, it’s perfect if you’re looking to get some more exercise. As you’d assume, riding a unicycle is much harder than riding your plain-old mountain bike. It requires more balance and you have pedal constantly in order to keep moving. And just like their more-common counterpart, unicycles come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. You have the regular ones, mountain unicycles and freestyle models. There’s even the “extreme wheel” that comes without a seat. Even though learning how to ride one will take some practice, it’s a great cardio workout that will strengthen your muscles as well. 5.Japan: Tabata Tabata was created over 40 years ago by a Japanese doctor Izumi Tabata. He has conducted a study, determining the efficiency of this type of training. He compared two groups of people – one group performed one hour of continuous moderate exercise, while the other performed four minutes of high-intensity exercises: 20 seconds of all-out effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Results indicated that four-minute intervals improve both anaerobic and aerobic fitness levels. Although the workout crossed over to the West, it’s still immensely popular in Japan. While four minutes of exercise don’t seem like much, trust us – it’s not easy. People over there don’t exercise without a trusty timer and the best compression clothing in Japan. The timer will help you with the intervals, because you won’t be able to estimate when 20 seconds have passed when your brain is fuzzy and compression gear will prevent any cramps. Final Thoughts In the past, if you wanted to stay in shape, you had to choose one of three things: going outside, hitting the gym or staying at home to workout with your little dumbbells and home equipment. But today, thanks to the Internet, you can learn any number of different exercise methods. All you need to do is choose the right one and start working out.
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Just because you’ve turned 50 doesn’t mean you’re ready to give up on life and stop enjoying it to the fullest, does it? The fact is that more and more people in this age continues to stay physically active and doesn’t suddenly adopt a new lifestyle simply because the society tells them they aren’t young anymore. If you too want to stay active, here are a few ways to work out like a pro in your 50s.
Pay Attention to Technique Staying safe and uninjured is essential for everyone who’s trying to become more physically active, and that’s especially true for those over 50. Our bodies weaken with age, so we’re more prone to injuries and require more time to heal. That’s why you need to take care of your muscle health, but also pay more attention to proper technique. When you’re in the gym, do everything slowly and patiently, and be sure to consult a personal trainer, at least in the beginning. Find Appropriate Exercises The biggest problem people in their 50s experience is trying to stay as active as they were ten years ago – you need to face the fact that you’re older and have to find more age-appropriate activities. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, doing yoga and other activities that you haven’t done before. You can still build your muscles this way, but only with a proper training plan. Get some Help Joining a gym can be a stressful experience, particularly for a 50-year-old, and you might not always know what to do. That’s why you should ask a personal coach for some help, but also investigate gym accessories that could make your job much easier. Lots of people love using supportive gym wrist straps, for example, because they not only help you hold your weights and bars more firmly, but also make you feel safer. Start Eating Differently Stuffing yourself with junk food and soda drinks was quite all right when you were twenty, but not anymore, and you must adopt a new eating regime. Improving your diet is easier than most people think, and all you need to do is reduce the size of your meals and focus on eating lots of proteins, carbs, fruits and vegetables. This diet will help you work out better in your 50s and make a major difference in your shape, accentuating the effects of your workouts. Rely on a Friend Exercising with a friend is one of the best ideas out there and it can help you reach better results regardless of your age. Your sparring partner will motivate you, push your harder, make you explore your boundaries, help you feel safer, provide a positive reinforcement, elevate your competitive spirit and, in the end, turn your workouts into something fun, exciting and enjoyable. Get Better-Looking Regular workouts and a vigorous diet will make you feel much better, but also improve your image and posture – your body will look several years younger in a matter of months! Unfortunately, you can’t turn back the time and be forty again, but you can slow down the aging process and reverse some of its effects. In the end, just because you’ve aged doesn’t mean you can’t get better-looking – on the contrary, this is quite possible for most men, as long as they have a sustainable plan. Great looks and shape aren’t reserved for young people only and getting into certain age doesn’t mean you should stop working out. There are lots of age-appropriate exercises and activities you could get into, so find the ones that make you the happiest and enjoy them as often as you can. Ok so it’s about time you changed your eating habits and improved your diet. If you want to know how to get it done in the best possible way, just make sure to stay with us and keep on reading. Here are five things you should do to make it happen!
Avoid processed foods Processed foods are your worst enemies, so be sure to stay away from them as much as you can. In fact, be sure that you make some health resolutions you’ll actually take into consideration, because you mustn’t compromise your health at any cost. You should know that processed foods are rich in artificially added sugars and other chemicals potentially harmful for your body, so be sure to completely avoid them. For example, foods from McDonald’s is typically loaded with food dyes, genetically engineered corn, and artificial sweeteners, alongside with other ingredients with can threaten human health. The best idea is to learn to cook and prepare yourself some healthy, nutrient-rich meals that won’t take a toll on your body and overall well-being. Eat five or six meals per day If you want your body to burn fat efficiently, you should definitely eat five to six meals per day instead of two or three. A healthy meal or snack every three hours will stabilise your blood sugar levels, and therefore keep your sugar cravings at bay, which will prevent you from reaching for bad foods when you start feeling hungry. Besides that, a regular vitamins and minerals intake will improve your overall health, helping your body to maintain energy when you work out. Power every meal with protein In case you were wondering, protein has the power to boost your metabolic rate to the max, so be sure that your meals are rich in it. Some foods that burst with protein are egg whites, beef, chicken, turkey, and cottage cheese, so incorporate them into your diet and you’ll see an instant improvement. Apart from that, protein is responsible for building muscle – the more muscle you have, the more efficiently your body will burn fat, so that’s another reason for powering your meals with even more protein every single day. Don’t skip the carbs either Even though carbs are said to be bad for your waistline, the truth is that you need them so that your body stays balanced. However, you should pay attention not to get stuck in a rut, which means that you should take care of your health on a daily basis and introduce a variety of carbs – even some simple sugars. Foods like pasta, potatoes, green vegetables, and brown rice are foods you should eat since they contain healthy carbohydrates. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should eat candy bars or similar snacks, since your body will store excess calories as fat. Fuel your brainpower with healthy foods Similarly to your muscles, your brain also needs ‘fuel’ to keep it working properly. Your mind is in constant need of certain nutrients that can improve its functions, and some of the foods which fuel your brainpower are walnuts, almonds, wild salmon, olive and coconut oil, eggs, blueberries, avocados, and many other. For example, blueberries and other kinds of berries in general are rich in antioxidants that reduce inflammation and therefore protect brain cells. On the other hand, wild salmon is an extremely delicious fish which is a natural source of omega-3 oil and DHA, which maintains brain cell health and stimulates their growth. Coconut oil will enhance your brain’s ability to use energy, while reducing the production of damaging free radicals at the same time, whereas olive oil is rich in polyphenols – powerful brain-protecting antioxidants. As you can see, there are many ways to improve your diet and your health at the same time, so be sure to bear them in mind and follow our guidelines. Once you do that, your health will be improved without any doubt! Fighting stress could be the hardest thing a modern man is facing at the moment, but it seems that, no matter how hard you try, you can never completely minimize it. Focusing on yourself, trying to forget about your environment, finding new hobbies and being open to new relationships all seem like fine and effective ideas, yet nobody guarantees some of these will work for you as well. That’s why you need to reevaluate your life, identify the things that cause you stress and eliminate them from your immediate surroundings. Only then will you be able to relax and truly become stress-free. Here are five tips to follow on that path.
Forget about aging By definition, a stressed-out man is a man with a million things on his mind, but don’t forget that some of these issues don’t necessarily have to occupy you on a daily basis. Getting older, for instance, is a process you can’t stop or reverse – unless you’re a superhero! – and there’s basically no reason to get stressed about it. What you can, however, do is figure out what might be endangering your body in the years to come and address most common health issues. You need to look after your heart, lungs, liver and other organs if you want to avoid potential problems that might cause even more stress. Learn how to breathe properly This isn’t something a lot of people take seriously because it sounds too obvious for them to even think about it, yet focusing on this problem can bring amazing results in just a couple of days. While we all can breathe good enough to stay alive, can you do so in a way to help yourself relax? Breathing exercises can do wonders for your stress and if you develop a proper method of breathing slowly and patiently, you’ll start feeling better in no time. These exercises can relax your body and your mind, take away all your tension, allow you to focus on yourself and help you stay calm in the future as well. Leave your work behind Preventing your problem instead of having to cure it is probably an even better idea and something you need to explore as soon as possible. And the easiest way to do so is by forgetting about the difficulties in your office the moment you step out of it – just leave it all behind and try not to think about it. Keep in mind that work-induced stress will not only make you nervous, aggravated and even depressed, but it can also lead to other serious problems and ultimately result in suicide, as a recent study concludes. Being focused on your work and determined to do your best is great, but learn when to stop and try to lower the pressure before it’s too late. Indulge yourself Dedicating time to yourself might be the best idea out there, and it’s certainly one of the cheapest ones as well! Just ignore everyone and everything around you for a couple of hours, turn off your phone, TV and laptop, and focus on yourself. Another idea to consider are weekly massages that can relax your body and your mind at the same time – this is something that will definitely make you feel better instantly, especially if it’s done at your own home. That’s the reason why more and more Australian men begin looking for a quality and relaxing home massage in Melbourne the minute they feel stressed out and use this method to prevent further problems. Take care of your health Eating properly, drinking enough water, working out, not smoking, avoiding alcohol and banishing fast food from our life isn’t just a way to lose some weight and get a better body, but also to reduce your level of stress. Taking care of your health every single day is a task everyone should take quite seriously, and you too need to address all aspects of your physical and mental health – from taking care of your skin and teeth to eating only healthy food and getting more sleep. Other ideas Some of the other ways to reduce your level of stress include practicing yoga, meditating, starting hypnotherapy, establishing and following a certain daily routine and taking a break from time to time. Being creative, inspired and effective at work day after day is sometimes almost impossible. Waking up early, commuting to your office and being friendly with your coworkers, clients and customers can take a toll on your mood and it’s no wonder so many people are grumpy when at work. The way you feel determines your performance, so in order to become more successful at the workplace, work on yourself first. Here are a few ideas that can help you boost your effectiveness.
Plan Ahead This may seem like the simplest idea in the world, which is why a number of people ignore it, but it’s actually surprisingly effective. Planning ahead and giving yourself specific tasks to fulfill on a specific day will make you more organized, productive and satisfied, especially when working from home. Of course, you don’t have to put everything on paper weeks in advance, but doing it the previous day is quite enough. This way, you’ll know what you need to do the very moment you enter your office and have your entire day already planned out. And once this system starts bringing results, you’ll notice how it positively affects your self-esteem and boost your willingness to perform better day after day. Don’t Multitask Even though some people are able to juggle several responsibilities at the same time, you might not be one of them. Yes, multitasking saves a considerable amount of time, but is it worth it? Will you be able to focus on each one of your errands individually or will you ignore some of them? It all comes down to the question whether you’re a quality- or quantity-oriented person. If you’re interested in achieving results, don’t shift your attention from one thing to another, but focus on the job you’re doing at the moment. Moreover, multitasking isn’t good for your mental health either, especially if you’re biting off more than you can chew. You’ll get stressed and face more and more pressure, and that’s just going to ruin your mental and physical health in the long run – and you’ll still achieve nothing! Therefore, you need to take care of your health and simply opt for monotasking if you want to become more effective. Get Some Help Whenever you feel under pressure at work, ask yourself one simple question – how do your colleagues deal with it? No matter what other people think, asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness and by doing so, you’ll only show that you care about your performance and results. That’s why you should talk to your supervisors, coworkers and superiors and try to apply their wisdom to solve your problem with effectiveness at work. Another great idea is soliciting help from medicine – reaching out to pills that might help you become more inspired and achieve more work in less time is something lots of people do nowadays. Unless you want to feel mentally exhausted and physically drained night after night, consider taking a reliable smart pill every once in a while. It will boost your cognitive abilities, improve your focus, relax you and help you work harder than before. Adopt a Healthier Lifestyle This is another way to become more productive at the office, but also introduce a positive change into your life. Many hard-working individuals don’t have enough time to prepare healthy meals and base their diet on nutritive ingredients, which is why they eat just whatever they can. However, these choices are rarely healthy and usually full of sugar and other things that make you unfocused and unproductive. So, instead of eating unhealthy foods and gorging on soda drinks, start planning your meals ahead and figure out a way to eat healthy. Furthermore, try to sleep longer and join the gym as soon as possible, because these are just some of the most popular health resolutions that not only make you healthier, leaner and more attractive, but also boost your productivity and give you more energy. Other ideas If none of these ideas seem to work, you can always try some of the other ways to stay productive when working – turn off your notifications for a while, start meditating, use a checklist and learn how to accept mistakes you make. Peter Minkoff-Blogger Even the best of husbands make mistakes, that’s a given. You can never be inside another person’s head and know exactly what they’re thinking or wishing – you’re not psychic. Sometimes, even after decades of marriage you’re bound to do something wrong, but the key to being the best husband you can possibly be lies in constant learning, and that’s why we’re here today – to provide your with fairly simple and effective ways that will make your spouse thing: “What did I do to deserve you?”
The Little Big Things This might be stating the obvious, but there are more guys out there than you might think who are guilty of the following crimes. First of all, remember important dates; birthdays, anniversaries, even the day you first met, if that’s what your spouse remembers and wants celebrated. Don’t let milestones slip your mind and don’t be lazy when it commemorating these moments. Know what your partner’s favourite flowers are, what she would like to do on that day, and do it, even if you don’t think it’s that big a deal. It is for her, and it won’t hurt you to put a reminder in your calendar if it will make her happy. Beyond that, there is research to confirm that one of the secrets to a happy and lasting marriage is celebrating moments like these, at least according to The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work, by Dr. John Gottman. Don’t Mansplain Things Mansplaining is one of the worst things you can do, in a relationship and in a marriage. What you have to realize is that your wife is smart and she knows stuff about stuff, so never assume you automatically know better and are therefore there to ‘enlighten’ her. Never be condescending and patronize her. Don’t worry, admitting you’re wrong or even keeping things to yourself when you’re certain you’re right doesn’t take away from your masculinity, but it does make you a better husband. It makes you the kind of husband who treats his wife as the equal she is, and that’s what being a real man is all about; respect, listening and valuing your spouse’s opinions. Oh yeah, and equality. Don’t let go It’s no secret that marriages fail, although statistics for Australia and New Zealand alone are actually quite encouraging as they state that the divorce rate has been on a steady decline. However, if the road in your marriage gets rocky and you hit a major bump in the road, don’t just call it quits. Fight for your love, and if you can’t manage to work it out on your own, turning to an unbiased third party, such as face-to-face counselling services is one of the best things you can do. Sometimes you need that fresh perspective that comes from a trained professional who doesn’t take sides when you aren’t able to see clearly through the fog. Don’t let yourself go While there is a very common misconception that as a man, you get better looking as you get older, it’s not always true. It is however quite important for a marriage, no matter how superficial it may seem. When you stop exercising and give in to junk food it doesn’t only send a message that you’ve stopped caring about your looks, it sends the message that you don’t care if your spouse is attracted to you. Yes, after a while passion fades, but it shouldn’t. You should always be crazy about each other and desire one another. So, in order to prevent the spark from fading out of your lives, make the effort to stay sexy and healthy for your loved one. Do it for yourself as well; keeping yourself fit can do wonders at eliminating self-esteem and body image issues and doubts. Compromise! If your wife hates the fact that you leave your shirts all around the apartment, on every surface that may seem convenient for dumping clothes on – nip that behaviour in the bud. We don’t live in the 1950s anymore, so don’t expect your wife to go around and constantly pick up after you. If she gives you a simple task, like taking out the trash or replacing the light bulbs, just do it, no postponing. It’s a five-minute errand that won’t cost you anything but will bring a humongous amount of satisfaction to your wife. She will feel heard and she will feel like she’s not holding down the fort that is your home all by herself. Peter Minkoff-Blog Working too hard, feeling down and constantly being under stress can take a toll on you mentally and physically, as well as your health and masculinity. However, just because you’re not as active as you once were doesn’t mean you aren’t a real man any more – it simply means you have to work on your self-esteem and elevate your level of masculinity. Luckily, this is quite easy in this day and age and there are tons of ideas that can help, so here’s how to boost your masculinity in five easy steps.
Look leaner The first rule of feeling great is looking great and vice versa. You may be satisfied with your body even if you’re a bit overweight, but looking your best means striving towards achieving your maximum potential. Since the connection between self-esteem and body image is quite strong and undoubtedly obvious, looking your best might be the perfect way to boost your masculinity. This is just one of many benefits that come after a successful weight-loss process, so it’s something you definitely need to do. Nevertheless, this process is neither easy nor fast, so be patient, persistent and, above all, ready to invest all you have. Look younger Many men, especially upon reaching their 40s and 50s, have a problem with the way they look, but instead of focusing on their receding hairline, grey beard and saggy body, they shift their attention to the wrinkles that appear on their face. Being a natural result of getting older, wrinkles are something nobody can avoid, yet they’re the reason why many men can’t sleep at night. Again, modern medicine offers a solution and you can always decide to give wrinkle treatment a shot, but only with a trustworthy professional. Keep in mind that Botox is just one of many different cosmetic surgery treatments that can solve all your problems, improve your confidence and boost your self-esteem and masculinity. Look hairier Speaking of receding hairlines, this is something that has been giving men a headache since the beginning of time. Losing your hair is often connected to the level of testosterone, but a receding hairline often has nothing to do with the lack or abundance of this hormone in your body. It has a lot to do with genetics, your diet and your lifestyle, but instead of lamenting over the curly hairdo you used to have back in the day, you should explore a new hairstyle that work well with less hair. Moreover, look into a reliable hair growth program and solve your problems for good since more hair will boost your self-esteem, so you’ll feel much better and give off a more positive vibe. Look smoother Even if you have no problem with a receding hairline and wrinkles, chances are you suffer from small imperfections that don’t seem like a lot, but can still ruin your day, lower your self-esteem and make you question your masculinity. These imperfections are often found in the face and neck area, and it’s all about the sagginess that comes with age and those boring lines around your mouth. This is the reason why more and more men are interested in a simple yet highly effective thread lift that quickly, painlessly and non-invasively raises their necks, cheeks and brows. This procedure minimizes the effects of aging and can do wonders for your looks, literally in a matter of minutes. Look sexier No matter how old you are, there’s nothing worse for a man than having problems in the bed. Not being able to satisfy your partner and do your best will make your self-esteem plummet and ruin all your hard work. That’s why you must address your potential sexual problems as soon as you notice them as ignoring these issues might be the worst thing you could do. Namely, some of these problems can sometimes lead to more serious issues and really damage your health, so be sure to check them out and treat them as soon as possible. Other ideas Some of the other ways to boost your masculinity include taking up a masculine hobby, flirting and going out more often, joining the gym and spending more time with your male friends. Getting older is never easy, but the sooner you accept it, the better. Even though birthdays
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Peter MinkoffPeter is a men's grooming and health writer at The Beard Mag & High Style Life magazines, living between UK and Australia. Beside writing he worked as a grooming consultant for many fashion events around UK & Australia too! Follow Peter on Twitter for more men’s grooming tips. Archives
April 2023
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