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In an attempt to part the bald truth of healthy hair from follicle fiction, we’ve investigated the myths surrounding the dreaded male pattern baldness to expose the truth behind the urban legends.

So, is it a case of hair today, gone tomorrow for these 11 hair-loss myths? Let’s find out.

Myth 1 - Smoking stunts your hair growth

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True or False?

True.

There is no question that smoking is bad for you, so it comes as no surprise that smoking does indeed destroy hair follicles, interferes with blood and hormone circulation in the scalp and increases production of hair-shrinking oestrogen. On top of that, smokers are four times more likely to have grey hair than non-smokers.

Myth #2 - Standing on your head makes your hair grow

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True or False?

False.

Alternative health practitioners advised headstands to increase bloodflow and combat baldness back in the 80’s but there is actually no proof whatsoever that a rush of blood to the head will restore your glorious locks. Unless, of course, you’ve dropped your toupee on the floor.

Myth #3 - There is no cure for baldness

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True or False?

False.

“Take lime seeds and black pepper, grind them together into a fine paste and….” The same internet marketing scammers that claim to have the cure for a hangover are touting potions, pills and scalp-weaves to bald men the world over. There is hope, however, as around 80% of men using the new drug finasteride retained more hair than those taking placebos, and two thirds of the men in the trial actually re-grew hair.

Myth #4 - Baldness is a sign of intelligence

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True or False?

True.

Apparently, the higher your levels of brain growth protein, the more susceptible your hair is from removing itself from your head. The research in Berlin is the first evidence that suggests growth factors for the development of brain cells are also important for the growth of hair follicles.

Myth #5 - Pull out a grey hair and two come back

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True or False?

True. Kind of.

Pulling a hair out can rupture the follicle. The replacement hair that grows back takes longer to regenerate, by which time another grey hair is beginning to grow next to it. It’s not the end of the world though, Gandalf. Chicks dig the distinguished gentleman look anyway.

Myth #6 - Cutting makes your hair grow back thicker

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True or False?

False.

All hair above skin level is actually dead and cutting it has absolutely no affect on the volume of regrowth. Pre-pubescent boys have struggled with this concept for years when trying to get a handlebar ‘tache going and, although short bristly hair may create the impression that it grows back thicker, the reality is that there is no more hair growing back than you had in the first place.

Myth #7 - Eating bread crusts puts hairs on your chest

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True or False?

True.

Once again, German scientists (do they have a baldness problem over there?) found that bread crusts have eight times more antioxidants than the rest of the loaf. Research shows that antioxidant intake is crucial to improving scalp circulation and creating melanin - the hormone that makes your hair thicker and richer.

Myth #8 - Baldness comes from your mothers side

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True or False?

False.

That old adage, “If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother” doesn’t ring true in this instance. Genetics do play a major part in male pattern baldness, but the gene can come from either parent. So next time you look at your father and see Britney Spears in bald-breakdown mode, don’t forget to look at your mother; she might be looking like Demi Moore in G:I Jane.

Myth #9 - Baldness is a sign of other health problems

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True or False?

True.

A Harvard study found that men with frontal baldness had a 9% increased risk of heart disease. Worse still, those with a shiny crown had a 36% greater risk compared to men with a full head of hair. Research shows that a build-up of fatty deposits from eating too much fat and salt could be the cause.

Myth #10 - Stress causes dandruff

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True or False?

True.

If your shoulders are starting to look like the Alps, you might be working too hard. The fungus that causes dandruff is present on all scalps but dandruff becomes a problem when your immune system is weakened. Since stress is a key reason for low immune function, it stands to reason that stress is making your head snow.

Myth #11 - Bald men are more virile

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True or False?

False.

We’re not sure where this myth came from (perhaps a bald man made it up) but it just isn’t true. Despite what bald people tell everyone it isn’t because their bodies are spilling over with testosterone! The amount of testosterone has no impact, so next time you see a bald men telling anyone who will listen that he’s ‘too manly for hair‘ you can put him straight on the matter.

If you’ve heard a ridiculously ludicrous hair loss myth, leave it in the comments. Also, if you’ve got any photos of bald people doing the funniest things, drop us a link to them too. Laughter might not make our hair grow back, but at least there is always someone worse off than us!

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Summer is fast approaching us and there is a terrifying possibility looming over you: you might have to take your t-shirt off to reveal a full years worth of paunch to a beach packed with sexy babes and ripped-like-Jesus gym rats. Kids will cry. Women will stare. Men will laugh.

There are, however, a number of extreme (and mostly stupid) fad diets to help you to shift your flab in double quick time. We’ve gone through untested, occasionally illegal and often life-threatening methods for weight loss and we’re presenting six of our favorites.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #1 - The Lemonade Diet

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The recipe

• Lemon juice
• Cayenne pepper
• Maple syrup
• Water

The diet history

The lemonade diet was brought into the mainstream by a certain Miss Beyonce Knowles, who wanted to take some junk out of her trunk before filming the flick Dream Girls. Originally named The Master Cleanser Diet, it was created in 1941 by Stanley Burroughs, a health therapist once charged with second-degree murder after a patient died from one of his treatments. The diet eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body and, because you don’t get a complete source of macro-nutrients, it is actually consider fasting rather than a diet.

Does it work?

Well, Beyonce lost 22lbs in 14 days on the diet and a whole host of celebs and normal everyday folk report good results with the diet. The only downsides are feeling lethargic, depressed, lacking focus, dizziness, nausea and the possibility of death. So, good short term weight loss, but the possibility of death makes this a bit of a risk.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #2 - The Raw Food Diet

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The recipe

• Errr, raw food…

The diet history

The raw food diet has been promoted by new-age hippie types since the early 1900’s. If you have to cook it over 116°F, you can’t eat it. The raw food evangelists claim that the diet predates the discovery of fire, so it’s natural for the human body.

Does it work?

Personal development guru Steve Pavlina conducted a Raw Food Diet Trial throughout January. He lost 8lbs during the month and 1.8% body fat so the diet definitely works. Be prepared for incredibly dry, cracked and itchy skin, odd-colored poop, extreme boredom and any number of the following symptoms; bad breath, chills, headaches, daytime drowsiness, mental fogginess, concentration problems, low libido, and an unstable yo-yoing of your alertness and emotional states. That said, after the initial adaptation phase, Steve indicated that he felt consistently good on this diet and improved his muscular endurance and his mental focus as a result.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #3 - The Backwards Diet

The recipe

• Eat dinner for breakfast
• Regular meal for lunch
• Eat breakfast for dinner

The diet history

Florida porker Tricia Cunningham lost about 170lbs by creating her own ‘reverse’ diet. Like the old adage says, “Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner.”

Does it work?

Well big Tricia went from just under 300lbs to just over 100lbs so it’s fair to say the diet works. Research shows no negative side effects to speak of, but it is definitely one of the hardest diets to stick to due to the complete change of lifestyle and eating habits required to do it. We’re men, and we want a damn steak on the table, cooked rare with some fries, onion rings and maybe a bit of salad to make the whole thing look nice for our dinner. Even though we won’t eat it.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #4 - The Stone Age Diet

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The recipe

• Lean meat
• Fish
• Vegetables
• Nuts

The diet history

The hunter-gather, paleolithic style diet was first popularized in the mid 1970s by a gastroenterologist named Walter L. Voegtlin. Basically, if you can shoot it, catch it or unearth it from a bush, plant or tree, you can eat it. That means bread, wine, beer, milk, grains and beans are out.

Does it work?

Writer Jimmy Lee Shreeve wrote an article for The Independent last year detailing how the paleolithic diet helped him shift his middle-age spread. If you look at the foods you eat on the diet, it’s no surprise. Lean meat, oily fish and a lot of vegetable and fruits. No sugary crap and processed junk to slow you down. In short, it’s a great diet for high priority weight loss but you’ll need a purpose such as getting ready to look good on the beach. Otherwise, the monotony and self-enforced restraint will destroy your soul. And your will to live.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #5 - The Russian Air Force Diet

Image by Heaven’s Gate (John)

The recipe

• No bread
• No pasta
• No rice

The diet history

The Atkins Diet meets Rocky IV with this diet developed in the former Soviet Union to keep soldiers fit during the cold war. There is a huge emphasis on cutting carbs rather than a complete shift in eating habits and lifestyle change.

Does it work?

Like many diets which can be tailored to provide an appropriate number of calories, you will lose weight. Unfortunately, once you finish the diet, you’ll probably pack it all on again because you haven’t changed your habits. The low-carb aspect means you’ll be low on energy and you will be sick to death of mustard (the only condiment you’re allowed) by the end. Also, the excessive use of eggs in the diet means that your farts will inevitably be more deadly than an entire Soviet army.

Extremely Stupid Fad Diet #6 - The Sex Diet

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The recipe

• A lot of sex. 8 time a week, on average.

The diet history

A horny fat chick called Kerry McCloskey lost 23lbs bouncing up and down on her husband eight times a week. Technically, it’s not a diet as there are no set foods to eat. Kerry reckons that the diet encourages better nutrition and, since you burn about 200 calories in a 30-minute sex session, it’s an effective way to shift excess blubber. You can also target problem areas by turning basic exercises into foreplay. Moves like the ‘love squat’, for example.

Does it work?

Kerry got some good results from it, but to be honest, we’re pretty skeptical about this ‘diet’. While 30 minutes of exercise every day will no doubt have health benefits; allowing you to eat junk day and night makes this diet a bit of a failure. Any weight loss you do have can probably be written off to ejaculate.

Have you subjected yourself to a painstaking diet with numerous negative side effects in the pursuit of attaining a male model physique? If so, let us know in the comments.

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You could be the most well-dressed man in the world with an amazing charisma, a magnetic personality and the charm to get any woman or any job you like - but it could all come crashing down like a house of cards if your shoulders look like the Swiss Alps. Grooming is often overlooked and unless you actually want to smell like a sweaty wilderbeast, you should pay at least a little attention to your personal hygiene.

Here’s a quick guide to banishing the likes of body-odors and bad breath. Trust me, you’ll thank us for it later.

Death Breath

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There’s nothing more disgusting than talking to someone in close proximity and witnessing your eyebrows fall from your face due to extreme halitosis. Sometimes bad breath can be a sign of a kidney infection, so if your toxic fumes don’t go away after vigorous tooth brushing and tongue scraping, a trip to the doctor may be in order. Also try to chew sugar-free gum because sugar is known to exaggerate bad breath. Try a bottle of breath freshener instead.

Rash Reactions

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Skin flare-ups can be triggered by any number of things, the most common of which is too much ale and a reaction to shower gels. Unless you want to look like a scabies-infested hobo, you should treat serious skin reactions with an intensive repair lotion. Eucerin’s Redness Relief also uses green pigment to cancel out the redness of your skin and leaves you looking a lot less like you’ve been scrubbing yourself with a wire brush.

Stinky Pits

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While there are a few rare women who revel in the musty smell of a mans arm pits, the vast majority prefer you to not fester in your own juices. If you’re an extreme sweater, you can paralyse the sweat glands with botox. If that’s too metrosexual for you, don’t sweat it (excuse the pun). Stick to wearing natural, loose fitting fabrics and keep the colors dark to avoid the circle of death under your arms. A cold shower after exercising will close the sweat pores and wash off odor-causing bacteria. A hardcore antiperspirant is also essential.

Foot Fumes

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If your feet still stink after you’ve cleaned them, you could be a victim of athlete’s foot. Which is ironic if the only exercise you do is getting the beer from the fridge. It can be easily treated using foot gel to kill the odors instead of just covering them up. You can also whack on some foot spray to really show that bacteria who the man is.

Dandruff Disaster

Image by Simon Pais-Thomas

Looking like a ski slope in the south of France is unbecoming for anyone and people will avoid you like it’s contagious. The cause of dandruff is an imbalance in the scalp’s PH level. Sooth your inflamed noggin by applying a pre-shampoo treatment and then avoid further snowy days by regularly using a dandruff lotion.

Okay fellas, it’s your turn. What’s your worst grooming atrocity? Ear fungus? Lice in your beard? We want to know! Ladies, feel free to chip in and reveal your mans worst habits.

Picture the scenario: It’s cold, wet, windy and your gym membership just expired. You don’t get paid for another fortnight and the thought of doing an hours worth of cardio in sub-zero temperatures is enough to bring you, a grown man, to tears. What if I told you there was a better way? A way to cut your workout down by 66%, but increase your anaerobic capacity by 28% in just six weeks. Try Tabata Intervals.

What are Tabata Intervals?

Most of you will probably be familiar with High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) which is the principle of working out at maximum capacity in repeated short bursts. Think sprinters rather than marathon runners. HIIT will raise your metabolic rate long after the exercise session is completed and you’ll continue to burn fat throughout the day. Studies have shown that this after-effect is far more effective for fat loss than a low intensity, continuous cardio routine such as jogging.

Tabata Intervals originated from a study by Dr Izumi Tabata into the effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.

Enough with the science stuff, how do you perform Tabata Intervals?

Tabata Intervals consist of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This is then repeated 8 times - a total of 4 minutes. This begs the question: How effective can this routine be in just 4 minutes?

The answer is that Tabata Intervals are very effective in fat loss and anaerobic capacity. They also work well for athletes training in mixed martial arts, boxing and sports such as soccer and rugby which have short bursts of maximum exertion. The intervals can be applied to any form of exercise, the most obvious of which is simple and to the point interval sprinting. They also work well as part of a ‘circuit’ of 4 or 5 Tabata Intervals.

Sample Tabata Intervals

Tabata Intervals are brutal and should be performed no more than twice a week, allowing your muscles time to recover.

Routine 1:

• Front Squats
• Rowing Sprints
• Jump Rope
• Burpees

Perform each exercise for a total of 4 minutes using the Tabata protocols. The total workout time for this is just 16 minutes and it can be done indoors (if you haven’t got a rowing machine you can substitute it for any other exercise such as push ups)

For the front squats, you should use a light weight and hold the weight above your chest. You can put the weight back on the rack during your rest periods but be aware of the loading and unloading time so you don’t rest longer than you should. Here’s a video showing how to perform a Tabata front squat:

Routine 2:

• Elliptical Trainer
• Kettlebell Swings
• Heavy Punch Bag Work
• Chinnies

Same thing for this routine, 4 Tabata Interval sets totaling up to 16 minutes of exercise. In case you don’t know what they are, here are videos for the Kettlebell Swings and Chinnies:

Kettlebell Swings

Chinnies

You can perform Tabata Intervals with a whole variety of different exercises to keep your routine fresh and interesting and they will be sure to offer you plenty of intensity to improve your conditioning.

To make sure you follow the times properly, you can use either of these MP3’s on your iPod:

Timer with music - This has already been mixed in with some funky rap music.
Timer with no music - If LL Cool J isn’t your cup of tea you can use this one to mix in your preferred choice of music.

If you’ve tried Tabata Intervals before, leave your comments on what you did, how you felt afterwards and whether they worked for you? If you have never tried them before, give the sample routines a go and drop us some feedback.

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Mainstream sport can be pretty tame. Although there are some big hits in American football, the players have more padding than a teenage girl in a training bra. In Europe, soccer players will collapse to the floor in apparent agony at the slightest hint of physical contact. Here at Just A Guy Thing, we like to see sports that challenge men to push themselves beyond the mental, emotional, and physical boundaries of these rather soft sporting occasions.

With this in mind we have scoured the four corners of the globe to find our favorite manly sports that will literally kick your ass. (Technically, some of these are not actually sports but the headline 5 Manly Physical Activities That Will Seriously Kick Your Ass just doesn’t have the same ring to it.)

#5 Sepik War Canoe Racing in Papua New Guinea

What is it?

Exactly what it says. Competitors have to race 14km upstream while standing in a canoe in the finale to the War Canoe & Kundu Festival. In terms of flow, the Sepik River is one of the largest in the world, just to make it a bit more challenging.

Why is it so manly?

Forget for a second about the crocodiles and other dangerous creatures lurking in the river and focus on the race itself. Have you ever tried standing up in a canoe? It’s not as easy as it looks to keep your balance! Add that to the fact that you’ve then got to row yourself almost 9 miles against a very strong current and you’re looking at a very grueling afternoons work ahead of you. To complete the race you’ll need balance, stamina and the mental strength to continue when you really don’t want to.

#4 Nguni Stick Fighting in South Africa

What is it?

This is a martial art practiced by young men in South Africa. Combatants are armed with two long sticks. One is used for defending blows and the other is used to whack your opponent without mercy until they bleed or give up from the pain.

Why is it so manly?

Didn’t you hear what we just said? You hit your opponent with unrelenting fury until they either bleed in copious amounts or give up due to the extreme pain of being repeatedly battered across the shins with a long stick. The Zulu guys are hardcore. They wear no armor or protective padding. They are also looking to develop this into a recognized martial art with rules and competitions so look out for an Nguni stick fighting school near you soon.

#3 Laamb Wrestling in Senegal

What is it?

It’s a Senegalese martial art that combines orthodox wrestling with bare-knuckle boxing. Traditionally, young men fought to prove their manliness, court the ladies and bring honor to their village. Nowadays, they fight for money.

Why is it so manly?

Well, aside from the funny dancing the competitors perform prior to the fight, it’s a true display of strength and courage. You have to beat your opponent down so that both knees or his back are touching the ground. This is done by punching them constantly with bare-knuckles and then flinging them around like a rag doll in the hands of a devilish 6 year-old girl. Proper macho mano-a-mano alpha male type shenanigans.

#2 Self-Transcendence 3,100 Mile Race in Jamaica

What is it?

Well it’s a 3,100 mile race around a track in Queens, Jamaica of course. What were you expecting from that title?

Why is it so manly?

Strictly speaking, it could be womanly too - seeing as more than one woman has completed the course. Regardless, it’s manly because runners must complete 5,649 laps of a .5488 of a mile course in a mere 51 days. That equates to about 61 miles a day, every day, for almost two months. You’ll need tremendous courage, physical stamina, concentration and the capacity to endure fatigue and boredom. You might also need to rest your feet for a while before going back to your 9-to-5.

#1 The Tough Guy Survival Course in England

What is it?

It’s an endurance race based just 30 minutes from our HQ (that we had never heard of until researching for this article) that involves an eight-mile cross country run before being faced with an obstacle course requiring ‘the athletes‘ to crawl under barbed wire, run over burning bales of hay, swim in underwater tunnels full of icy water and negotiate their way through underground pipes.

Why is it so manly?

You mean besides the regular broken legs and bouts of hypothermia? Well, according to the Tough Guy organizer Billy Wilson, there is no other one day survival course as grueling as his. The closest, he says, is the Navy S.E.A.L’s ‘Grinder’ Assault Course but even that pales in comparison to the Tough Guy circuit. Don’t believe it? Check out the website and decide for yourself.

If you’ve uncovered a sport or physical activity more brutal than these then please let us know in the comments. We enjoy nothing more than seeing grown men beating each other to death or weeping from exhaustion and dehydration. Sadistic, we know.

Image by Abraj

I’m hoping that I’m not the only human being with a seemingly insatiable appetite for self-improvement. For every issue of Maxim sitting on my shelf, I have many more books on how to get rich, talk to women, get fit, lose weight, get ripped six-pack abs, win fights, or learn a new language. I am a self-confessed junkie for personal improvement and growth.

The problem with this pathological obsession for being richer, tougher, smarter, sexier and fitter is that I don’t think any of these self-help books have done me any good. And here’s why. There is no shortcut to success.

The reality is that it will take us our entire lives to become the men we want to be. It’s kind of like Groundhog Day when Bill Murray has to go through despair, compassion, hedonism, love and even death before he can achieve that sense of grace. The writer of the script said he envisioned his character being reborn every day for 10 years. The director thought more. 10,000 years he reckons it took for the character to find contentment.

I’d always felt distinctly average in everything I have done until recently. I’ve found what I consider to be my winning formula to get myself fitter, stronger, and healthier than I have ever been before. In just two short months I’ve lost 20lbs of fat while increasing my muscle mass, bench pressing 180lbs and squatting 270lbs. Now I know these aren’t ground breaking figures, but for me they are. The best thing is that I’m improving every day. It’s not just my fitness that has seen the benefit. I’ve got improved clarity and am able to think more clearly about my goals and how I want to achieve them, and I feel happy all the time. A major improvement on the back end of last year.

So how did I do it? Well, here are the seven habits that I have adopted religiously in my pursuit of physical success.

Habit #7 - Motivation

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For me, the hardest part in my pursuit of fitness was giving myself a reason to go to the gym. I’d quite often find myself making excuses for not going. It got so bad that I actually stopped making excuses and just didn’t go at all. After seeing myself in the mirror one evening after a shower, something inside me clicked and I made the decision there and then that I was going to get my fitness back.

The best way to motivate yourself in order to get out of the kind of slump I was in is to make a goal and focus on it 100%. My first goal was to lose fat, improve my cardiovascular fitness and look good in the mirror. Whenever I think about quitting (which is very rarely) I think back to how I looked in the mirror that evening and it keeps me going. You need to find whatever trigger you need to motivate you. It could be how you look, how someone you admire looks or how your girlfriend feels about your body.

Another great way to keep yourself motivated is setting short term goals. When you achieve them, it feels great and keeps you pushing on to achieve more. It could be that you want to increase your squatting by 20% or something as simple as doing 5×100m sprints on the rowing machines with 100m slow rowing between them in 5 minutes. Create achievable short term goals and make them more difficult each week.

Habit #6 - Desire

Image by Steve Collins

This habit directly relates to your motivation and can be a motivating trigger itself. For me, I used my desire and passion for self-help to continually strive for improvement. Part of being that man we want to be is having the desire to do something out of the ordinary and this craving is what keeps us going.

I like to think that my desire is strongest when I’m in the gym lifting weights. When I’m struggling to finish that 5th rep of 270lbs on the squat rack, there is nothing I want more in the entire world at that very moment than to complete my set. I purposely block out everything in my life for those few moments and focus all of my desire and energy on squeezing out one last rep.

Your desire comes back to what motivates you to workout in the first place. Whether you want to lose weight or build strength, it’s quite simply a case of how badly you want it. I’m quite lucky in that I’m very much an all-or-nothing kind of guy and so I give 110% and never give up until I complete the goals I set myself at the beginning of the workout. You need to man up and be strong. Not just physically, but when your body is tired and you feel like finishing 1 rep shy of the set you need the mental strength to force another one out.

Habit #5 - Reflection

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This is a very powerful habit that is often overlooked and sometimes even laughed at but when used correctly, it can fuel both your desire and your motivation to succeed. It involves reflection throughout the day on the workout you’ve done. If you dominated on the deadlift and set a new record for yourself, you should hold on to that for the rest of the day. How could you improve on it? Was your technique flawless? Not only will it help you to better yourself next time you perform the lift, but thinking about a good working makes you feel great. The endorphins are still flowing and you’re naturally on a high. There’s no bigger incentive to head back to the gym than when it makes you feel good. Arnold Schwarzenegger famously once compared working out to ‘coming’ and let’s face it, if we all felt like that after a workout maybe we’d get a physique like he had!

Another source of reflection is the mirror. The mirror doesn’t lie and is a terrific way of judging your progress. Being able to see a slight hint of six-pack after years of a beer belly can be extremely motivating to force you to burn off that stubborn bit of remaining fat. I like to use the mirror as a way of determining my goals too. Once I’d cut my body fat and could see my abs, I noticed my shoulders were underdeveloped and immediately began to focus on body dips and standing shoulder press exercises. The mirror is a weapon in your arsenal, so use it.

Habit #4 - Resting

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Rest is essential to allow our muscles to repair and grow, and it gives you time to focus on your state of mind too. One of the biggest mistakes I made in earlier years was not giving my muscles time to recover before working out again. The result was that I was unable to lift to the maximum of my ability in the gym because my muscles were still sore and weak. This obviously resulted in a strength plateau which, at the time, I assumed was down to my routine and simply switched the exercises. Needless to say that didn’t work and I have now come to embrace rest as a very valuable part of a successful fitness routine.

Resting doesn’t mean just sitting around doing nothing though. I like to use rest time to challenge my mind through creative writing or memory exercises. In addition to that, I use visualisation to focus on my muscles development. Actually meditating on the muscles and tissues themselves and visualise them healing and growing. It works really well, especially when done during a deep tissue massage. You may need to smooth-talk your girlfriend into that though!

Habit #3 - Eating

Image by CarbonNYC

When I was a teenager, I was extremely active and I could eat whatever I wanted without putting on a single pound. These days, however, it’s a whole different ball game and I do watch what I eat. I’ve never been a big advocate of calorie counting because preparing food is a big enough chore without having to get all mathematically as well! Instead, I try to focus on eating natural, healthy foods such as fish, chicken, eggs, wholemeal bread/rice/pasta. In fact, I’d say that 90% of my meals consist of at least one of those foods.

Now, I’m fairly lucky because I don’t really need much variety in my food to keep me satisfied. I only eat to provide my body with the necessary fuel to repair and build my muscles. This suits me fine because I hate planning ahead anyway. However, if you do need variety then I suggest setting up a weekly meal plan. It’s a bit of a pain to plan out your food consumption in this way but in the long term you’ll benefit exponentially from it.

One thing I always know about with each meal however is the amount of protein I’m consuming. I try to get in about 30-40g per meal x 5-6 meals each day. It’s the only thing I obsess over when preparing food and I can be a bloody nightmare about it! As a general rule of thumb, you should be aiming to consume 1g of protein per lb of body weight. Therefore, if you weigh 200lbs, you would try to get 200g of protein each day. Personally, I try to get it through all natural sources such as egg, chicken, tuna, beef because protein powders cost a fortune when you think how many tins of tuna you could get for the same price (there is approx. 30g of protein per 130g drained tuna).

Habit #2 - Progression

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I got into a nasty habit early in my fitness routines in which I’d bench and squat the exact same amount of weight for weeks and sometimes even months. Initially, my muscles got sore and I had to recover before working out again but over time, my body adapted and the weight just wasn’t challenging my muscles anymore which meant they never got bigger or stronger.

I never made the correlation between the lack of growth and lifting the same weight week-in and week-out. It’s actually blindingly obvious that if you want to get bigger and stronger, your workouts need to progress. This is one of the most useful habits I have ever adopted because my body is now in a constant state of change. I add weight to my workouts session to session and have seen a massive improvement in strength and size as a direct result. It also makes it more difficult for my muscles to plateau because I am constantly stressing them with an increased load.

Just like anything in life, you need to progress to achieve more and this is no exception. If you wanted to earn more money at work, you’d progress to a higher position with more responsibility. If you want to lose weight or build muscle you need to progress to more challenging cardio workouts or heavier weights. If you’re looking to lose fat and build muscle then you need to head on over to Strong Lifts for more information on how strength training can improve your fitness.

Habit #1 - Consistency

Image by todd*

This is the single most important habit of any workout routine and one that many people struggle to form. At this time of year, hundreds of thousands of people have probably quit, or just about to quit, their fitness routine. It starts as a new years resolution but never really becomes a habit, and so they quit.

The best way to remain consistent is to just go to the gym. Don’t waste time thinking about reasons to go or not to go, just go! And when you get there, focus all of your energy on your goals. I am so engrossed in my gym habit now that if I am unable to make it, it consumes me with guilt and stress. Yesterday I lost my gym card to get in and, because I was in the habit of going at 10.30 every day, I became agitated, frustrated and annoyed that I couldn’t go. In the end I went anyway and talked my way in by blaming my girlfriend for losing it! The point is, if you go to the gym (or workout at home) consistently at the same time every day for a long enough period of time it will become a habit. You won’t even need to think about it anymore and that’s the point.

Of course being consistent doesn’t just apply to going to the gym. You need to be consistent with all your other habits if you hope to succeed. For me, being consistent in cutting out junk food, working out at the same time 4-5x per week, progressing my workouts, motivating myself, resting and reflecting has fueled my desire and I could never go back to the sedentary lifestyle.

If you’re serious about getting fit and healthy, losing weight and building muscle then you need to form long-term habits today if you want to be successful.

If you’ve formed any habits not mentioned here, drop us a comment and let us know what it is and how it has improved your fitness routine.

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The Royal Marines are the Royal Navy’s amphibious infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a core component of the UK’s Joint Rapid Reaction Force. In short, they’re badass and the best of the best at what they do.

Much like the U.S Marine Corps, the Royal Marines are a flexible infantry force. To achieve their goals Marines need a very high level of all around fitness, as well as a positive and determined state of mind.

When I think of a Royal Marine, I see a man who approaches the impossible with steely grit and intense inner belief. These attributes are, in my opinion, applicable to anybody looking to better their life. Be it through self-improvement in your job, your physical fitness or your finances and lifestyle.

Whatever your goals, a positive mental attitude will get you a long way to achieving them. In particular, your determination to succeed. Royal Marines have determination in bucketloads. For a Royal Marines Commando, their state of mind is the driving force. It reminds them that the mind powers the muscles and that they are not special because they are Marines. They are special because of what they do and how they do it. As Aristotle said:

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

This is the ethos of the Royal Marines. Their state of mind can be broken down into 4 elements - known as The Commando Spirit.

The Commando Spirit

1. Courage
2. Determination
3. Unselfishness
4. Cheerfulness in the face of adversity

On paper, these attributes seem simple and anybody looking to put together a quick list of ways to improve themselves could recite them. However in practice, it is much more difficult to apply this Commando Spirit to your everyday life. Many people simply don’t have the determination to achieve their goals. I’ve been as guilty as anyone for merely coasting along and doing the minimum amount of effort to get by. But for a Royal Marine, these are drilled into their minds so deeply that it’s no longer a conscious decision. It is part of who they are and I can only imagine the level of clarity and focus that having these attributes drilled into your subconscious will bring.

So how do we achieve this Marine-like mental focus to improve ourselves?

It’s actually quite simple. You need to know what you want. It can be difficult to figure this out - but once you know what you want, the only thing left to do is focus yourself absolutely and completely to achieving it. Force out all the negative thoughts. The last thing you should be thinking is “I can’t do this!”. Of course you can. If you focused all of your mental efforts on how you’re going to achieve your goals rather than worrying that you can’t achieve them, you’ll have a lot more success. Other attributes for you to focus on include:

• Unity - Whether it’s uniting you mind, body and soul or something less cliché like unity with your work colleagues
• Adaptability - You need to be able to adapt through new workouts or new life approaches based on what has worked and hasn’t worked for you in the past
• Humility - You can’t push yourself forward with a pat on the back. When you succeed, be humble and focus on further improvement. Don’t gloat!
• Fortitude - You need the physical and mental strength to endure adversity with courage

If you’re still unsure of how to achieve the focused, Royal Marine state-of-mind, here is a list of tips to improve your clarity and give you the steely determination you need to succeed:

1. From the moment you wake up each day, focus on what you want to achieve and get motivated to succeed.
2. Cut out (or at least down on) bad habits such as smoking, drinking and eating bad foods. Nothing ruins clarity like impurities in your body.
3. Focus on your short term goals. Your long term goals will materialise as an effect of the short term goals.
4. Be as self sufficient and reliant as possible. There won’t always be people around to push you so you’ll need to learn to push yourself further.
5. Never be satisfied. Always strive to achieve more.
6. Don’t focus on limitations. Focus instead on what you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to get there.
7. Believe in yourself. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.
8. If you struggle or falter, ask for help or advice. I’m happy to help out wherever I can.

The mental stamina of a Royal Marine, coupled with a high level of physical fitness, is what separates them from the mere mortals. They are both core components to the puzzle. Without fitness, all the mental stamina in the world won’t help if every muscle in your body is fully exhausted. Without mental stamina, all the fitness in the world won’t be enough when everything in your being is telling you to stop. Things like gun fire, bombs, endless walking across the Falkland Islands, the altitude of Afghanistan or the blistering heat of Iraq.

So, besides mental strength, what physical attributes do the Royal Marines have - and how did they get them?

The Royal Marines Training Schedule

Royal Marines are typically more lean that U.S. Marines. Regular cardio exercise and interval/fartlek training are a staple in the training arsenal.

Marines often workout twice a day. In the morning this will usually be 30-45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise such as swimming, running or biking. In the afternoon that’s when the fun begins.

Royal Marines Circuit Training

For a Royal Marine, there is a high focus on muscular endurance. They need to be able to give a high level of exertion for prolonged periods of time. The best way to achieve this is through circuit training. As you’d expect, the majority of exercises a Royal Marine performs are based on bodyweight. This allows them to workout wherever they are in the world and can give a fantastic workout in a short amount of time. Here is an example of a Royal Marine workout:

1st SET | 2nd SET | 3rd SET

15 Press-ups | 20 Press-ups | 15 Press-ups
20 Vertical Jumps | 25 Vertical Jumps | 20 Vertical Jumps
20 Squats | 30 Squats | 20 Squats
4 Pull-ups | 6 Pull-ups | 4 Pull-ups
10 Hanging Leg Raises | 15 Hanging Leg Raises | 10 Hanging Leg Raises
15 Box Jumps | 20 Box Jumps | 15 Box Jumps
4 Dips | 6 Dips | 4 Dips
20 Sit-ups | 30 Sit-ups | 20 Sit-ups
10 Lunges | 20 Lunges | 10 Lunges

This circuit should be completed as quickly as possible with no rest in between exercises or sets. You can rest only as long as it takes to get your breathe back to continue.

When performing this routine, Royal Marines ensure that their posture and form is perfect on each exercise. They don’t rush to get through them by arching their backs on press-ups or swinging their legs to complete a pull-up.

In addition to circuit training, Royal Marines also perform regular progressive shuttleruns - also known as The Bleep Test.

The Bleep Test

The objective of the bleep test is to run for as long as possible between two points which are placed 20 metres apart; keeping to the speed indicated by the bleeps on the bleep test.

The test is maximal and progressive. It starts out slowly and the speed increases each minute. A single bleep indicates the end of a shuttle run, which means you should be at the 20 metre line when you hear it. As the test continues, the amount of time between beeps shortens. This means that you need to increase your speed to reach the end of each shuttle in time. When you hear three beeps, this indicates the end of a minute, at which point the speed will increase.

Make sure that you start each shuttle with at least one foot behind the 20 metre line and ensure you turn properly by pushing away with one foot or the other to avoid injury.

Here’s the link to download the audio file for the bleep test

It’s in .wav format so you may need to convert it for use on your iPod or MP3 player.

Ready to become a Royal Marines Commando?

Once you feel like you’ve achieved a good level of physical fitness and your mental strength and clarity is steely, gritty, determined etc and so on, you can - if you’d like to - apply to join the Royal Marines. For many people, performing the exercises and gaining the mental strength of a Royal Marine is enough. But if you’re one of the select few that strive to achieve more than this, then you’re exactly what they’re looking for!

If you’re a Royal Marine, or training to become a Royal Marine, drop us a comment and let us know how the training is going and any tips and advice to become better men.