If you’re serious about the time you spend in the gym – whether you’re pounding the treadmill or picking weights up off the floor – a battered old pair of trainers aren’t going to do you any favours. For dynamic, high-intensity movements, you need a pair of the best gym shoes that are lightweight and responsive and can handle quick changes of direction.

Get kitted out for the gym with the best shorts for men

By contrast, heavy lifting – particularly squats and deadlifts – calls for a robust, flat-bottomed shoe that grips to the ground and allows you to drive through your heels.

To help you make the best decision for your workout needs, we’ve pulled together the following buyer’s guide, featuring the very best gym shoes for 2023.

The difference between gym shoes and running shoes

If your main goal at the gym is to pound the treadmill before maybe spending some time on the exercise mats, a classic running shoe will do the job. However, if your workouts extend beyond treadmill running, you’ll want to get more specific.

There are a few key differences between a gym shoe and a running shoe. Think about the type of action that a running shoe is made for: it supports forward-going, heel-to-toe movements, rather than lateral movement or upward propulsion. A higher heel-toe drop provides a running shoe with extra cushioning and shock absorption, protecting the runner’s joints and ligaments from injury.

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Heel cushioning is particularly important, as is the use of lightweight mesh materials – a running shoe need to be light and breathable for those long, sweaty runs.

A gym shoe, however, is made with multidirectional and lateral movement in mind. Generally, it’ll have a lower heel-toe drop and a smaller cushion, which gives athletes a better range of motion. Typically, a wider toe box also helps to support quick directional changes.

Now that you’re clear on the main boxes that need ticking, here’s our pick of the best gym shoes for 2023. 

Put your foot to the floor with the best lifting shoes

BEST GYM SHOES 2023

(Keep scrolling for full reviews)

The best gym shoes for treadmill running

• New Balance Fresh Foam 1080 v12 ($159.99 / £160 / newbalance.com)
• Asics Gel-Kayano 29 ($160 / £175 / asics.com)

The best gym shoes for HIIT workouts

• Under Armour Tribase Reign 4 Pro ($120 / £130 / underarmour.com)
• Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III ($160 / £130 / vivobarefoot.com)

Best gym shoes for cross-training

• Reebok Nano X2 ($135 / £100 / reebok.com)
• Puma Fast-R NITRO ELITE Fireglow (£220 / puma.com – not available in the US)

The best gym shoes for heavy lifting

• Nike Metcon 8 ($130 / £124.95 / nike.com)
• Vivobarefoot Primus Lite Knit ($179.55 / £140 / vivobarefoot.com)
• Reebok Legacy Lifter II ($200 / £150 / reebok.com)

Pick up the pace with the best running shorts

BEST GYM SHOES FOR TREADMILL RUNNING

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12

BUY IT NOW:

$159.99 / £160 / newbalance.com

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Material: Hypoknit upper / Fresh Foam X midsole / blown rubber outsole | Weight: 292g | Width: Narrow / standard / wide / extra wide | Colours: Grey / orange / black / navy / blue | Sizes: 6½ to 14½

The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12 is described as the best running shoe in its range, and it strikes the ideal balance between cushioning, stability and flexibility.

It’s an attractive trainer that comes in five colors and four width options, and features a deep foam midsole, which provides a huge amount of support. Plus, the 1080 v12 also has an engineered ‘Hypoknit’ upper, which gives plenty of breathability and stretch, while keeping the shoe’s weight below 300g.

Lastly, in terms of fit, this shoe is nice and snug. It hugs your foot well and also offers plenty of cushioning and support for a smooth, stable run.

Read our full New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12 review

Asics Gel-Kayano 29

BUY IT NOW:

$160 / £175 / asics.com

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: Stretch knit upper / FF BLAST PLUS midsole / AHARPLUS outsole | Weight: 299g | Colours: 10 colour schemes | Sizes: 5 to 15

The Asics Gel-Kayano 29 is a sturdy, highly supportive shoe. There’s plenty of impressive sounding tech – such as FF BLAST PLUS cushioning, LITETRUSS midsole stabilisation and AHARPLUS heel plugs – which combine to help you feel stable throughout lateral and forward motion.

That foamy midsole also offers impressive shock absorption to help you deal with impact when running on treadmills, which can often feel hard and unforgiving underfoot. Plus, there’s a cushioned tongue and thick padding around the ankle, while the sock liner also helps make for a comfy fit.

Plus, at least 50% of the shoe’s main stretch-knit uppers are made out of recycled materials to reduce carbon emissions and waste. 

Read our full Asics Gel-Kayano 29 review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR HIIT WORKOUTS

Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro

BUY IT NOW:

$120 / £130 / underarmour.com

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: Mesh upper / Micro G foam midsole / UA TriBase outsole | Weight: 298g | Colours: Black / lime | Sizes: 6 to 14

The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro is a solid, versatile trainer, offering stability during various cardio and weight exercises.

The Reign 4 Pro has a durable base, a sock-like wrap-around upper and a thick, blocky midsole that provides plenty of support. It’s also a highly breathable shoe, too, with a layered mesh material that stops your feet from getting too sweaty during intense workouts.

The Reign 4 Pro is designed to maximise ground contact while promoting natural motion, and this shoe gives you a good blend of stability and movement. 

Lastly, a strong rubber build under the toe box provides a solid base and powerful floor grip, making it well suited to weight lifting and mixed workouts. If you’re incorporating heavier weights alongside your aerobic work, this might just be the ideal gym shoe for you.

Read our full Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro review

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III 

BUY IT NOW:

$160 / £130 / vivobarefoot.com

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: Water-repellent mesh upper made from recycled PET bottles / 4mm active outsole | Weight: 207g | Colours: Obsidian / deep sea blue / molten lava / bright white / harbour grey | Sizes: 6 to 14

The Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III is a minimalistic ‘barefoot’ style of gym shoe, designed to make you agile and light on your feet – as if you’re wearing no footwear at all.

With a plimsoll-like feel, it’s incredibly lightweight and highly flexible, with zero drop and a wide toe box.

These trainers give you the freedom to move around with speed and intensity. There’s also a surprising amount of support, though, too. If you’re incorporating weights into your workout, this shoe provide more than enough stability and ground feel to power through your heels.

Read our full Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR CROSS-TRAINING

Reebok Nano X2

BUY IT NOW:

$135 / £100 / reebok.com

Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Material: Flexweave knit upper / Floatride Energy Foam midsole / ROPEPRO+ rubber outsole | Weight: 306g | Colours: Six colour schemes | Sizes: 4 to 13

The Reebok Nano X2 is a superb all-around gym shoe, and arguably the most versatile trainer on this list. Firstly, it features excellent lateral support, plus good grip and traction from the shoe’s rubber outsole.

The Nano X2 can handle multiple movements, as well as the strain put on it by heavy lifting, making it perfect for cross-training. Its heel also has a good spring to it. Plus, its breathable upper material keeps your feet from becoming too hot and stuffy.

If you’re looking for a quality all-rounder that can handle the variety of exercises included in a multi-format routine, you can’t go wrong with the Reebok Nano X2. And with six attractive colour schemes, it also holds its own away from the gym as well.

Read our full Reebok Nano X2 review

Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow

BUY IT NOW:

£220 / puma.com (not available in the US)

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5
Performance: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: mono-mesh upper / NITRO Elite foam midsole / PUMAGRIP-LT rubber outsole | Weight: 180g | Colours: Sun stream / sunset glow | Sizes: 8-12

The Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow is a springy, super-light running shoe. That lively feeling makes it a solid choice for a variety of fast-paced movements – not just treadmill work, but any number of aerobic pursuits.

There’s also serious cushioning underfoot, too, and this shoe definitely feels durable. However, the upper, made of super-lightweight mono mesh, could feel too thin for some. This is definitely not the choice for power lifters.

However, if you’re after something that genuinely puts a spring in your step, the NITRO Elite Fireglow offers exactly that. Puma will even chuck in a free pair of Fast-R performance running socks.

Read our full Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow review

Under Armour SlipSpeed

BUY IT NOW:

$150 / £135 / underarmour.com

Fit: 3/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: UA Flow cushioning / breathable mesh uppers / Iso-Chill padded interior | Weight: 306g | Colours: Black / White / Red / Yellow | Sizes: 6-12

The Under Armour SlipSpeed is an innovative gym shoe that switches effortlessly from beast mode to recovery mode just with a flick of its ‘crushable’ heel. In training mode it’s a capable all-rounder, handling treadmill runs, aerobic sessions and even strength training.

It may not excel at any of these, but its Flow foam is durable and grippy, reinforced mesh uppers are breathable and the Iso-Chill interior enhances comfort. Pop the heel down and – hey presto – you have a Croc-like slip-on for post-workout lounging.

Read our full Under Armour SlipSpeed review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR HEAVY LIFTING

Nike Metcon 8

BUY IT NOW:

$130 / £124.95 / nike.com

Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: mesh upper with synthetic overlays / Nike React Foam midsole / rubber outsole | Weight: 352g | Colours: six colour schemes | Sizes: 5½ to 15

The Nike Metcon 8 provides plenty of stability and support during heavy lifting. But, it is versatile enough to allow you to perform a more mixed set of exercises.

Its wide, thick heel provides a strong base for deadlifts and squats, giving the shoe a solid feel with plenty of protection.

The foam midsole also gives you a cushioned, springy base and the shoe’s rubber tread provides ample grip. Plus, the uppers are fairly light, creating a good balance between sturdiness, flexibility and relatively light weight.

Read our full Nike Metcon 8 review

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite Knit

BUY IT NOW:

$179.55 / £140, vivobarefoot.com

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Materials: Recycled polyester upper / plastic-free laces | Weight: 263g | Colours: 5 available | Sizes: 6.5-14.5 (US) / 6-14 (UK)

Vivobarefoot does things a little differently when it comes to gym and running shoes, creating feet-shaped shoes, not shoe-shaped ones. It’s Primus range features wide toe boxes, ultra-thin soles and flexible uppers, and the Primus Lite Knit employs these to good effect as a lifting shoe.

Weighing half as most of its rivals, it still provides a strong and stable base from which to push through. Those flexible uppers allow better ankle mobility than most built-up training shoes too. Just be prepared for a bedding-in period if you’ve not worn Vivobarefoot shoes before.

Read our full Vivobarefoot Primus Lite Knit review

Reebok Legacy Lifter II

BUY IT NOW:

$200 / £150 / reebok.com

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 3/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: Textile upper / TPU heel clip / rubber outsole | Weight: 575g | Colours: White and black / white and red / grey and blue / black and grey / navy and red | Sizes: 5½ to 13

This is an out and out lifter, pure and simple, it offers excellent stability and a locked-in feel to keep you gripped to the ground at all times.

That said, the thick, heavy feel of the shoe means it’s not the most comfortable when you’re walking between workout stations (though that’s not an uncommon sacrifice made with specialist weight-lifting trainers). And the bulkiness of the Reebok Legacy Lifter II might not be to everyone’s tastes; they’re just too heavy for a more generalised workout.

However, if you’re gearing up for a day of heavy lifting, you’ll do well to find a better option than this shoe.

Read our full Reebok Legacy Lifter II review

Words: Fred Garratt-Stanley

The post These Are The Best Gym Shoes For 2023 appeared first on MensFitness.

Unless you want to risk discomfort or injury, you can’t really carry out prone stretching exercises or more dynamic plyometric exercises on a hard gym or home floor.

Create your own fitness studio with the best home gym equipment

The best way to perfect your pilates or hammer out your HIIT sessions in comfort and safety is with an exercise mat. Despite their relative simplicity, though, not all mats are made equal. They vary in dimensions, cushioning and thickness, material, grip, weight and portability, so it’s important to find one that suits your needs. 

What to look for in the best exercise mats

Grip

A good grip between your hands, feet or other contact points and the mat surface is key to performing exercises with confidence, and therefore with proper form. The last thing you need when stretching out your hip flexors is a knee or groin strain caused by slipping off the mat. Look for options with a non-slip or textured surface that let you plant your limbs with confidence.

Stability

Stability is another important factor to consider, as a mat that moves beneath you is as likely to annoy, distract or even injure you as one with little grip on the top layer. Heavier rubber or cork mats tend to lie flat more easily without curling at the corners like lighter foam ones, for example. Look out for mats that tend to bunch up in the middle, too – you want to avoid trip hazards mid-burpee if possible.

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Comfort

There’s usually a tradeoff between comfort and portability, as thicker, heavier mats are harder to roll up and carry. But don’t ignore the comfort factor, particularly if you plan to work out on hard surfaces. There should be enough cushioning to do crunches without crippling your spine, but not too much that you lose your balance holding one-legged yoga poses. The average mat tends to be about 4-8mm thick, though there are some exceptions here. 

Durability

How long your exercise mat lasts will depend greatly on the material it’s made from and its thickness. Rubber mats, or those made from other natural fibres such as jute, will most likely last longer than foam ones. You’ll be more likely to take a lighter foam mat out to evening classes too, which will add to its wear and tear. Durability is worth bearing in mind especially if you plan to wear shoes on it, or to use weights or medicine balls.

Portability

Another thing to consider is portability. The mats in this list range from 500g to well over 3kg so some are easier to lug around than others. Not all mats come with straps or a carry handle either (though sometimes a bag or strap is an optional extra). It depends what’s important to you – if you want to do regular classes after work, you’ll want a smaller, lighter and probably less durable mat than one set up permanently in your home gym.

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These are the best exercise mats

(Keep reading for our full reviews…)

1. Best for value: Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat (£19.99 / not available in the US)
2. Best for taller users: The Lululemon (Big) Mat ($124 / £108)
3. Best for grip: Myprotein Yoga Recovery Mat ($38 / £29)
4. Best for design options: Kimjaly Yoga Mat ($49.99 / £44.99)
5. Best for longevity: Gymshark Studio Mat ($68 / £50)

BEST VALUE EXERCISE MAT 

Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat

BUY IT NOW: 

£19.99, fitness-superstore.co.uk (not available in the US)

Grip: 4/5
Comfort: 5/5
Portability: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5 

Materials: Nitrile butadiene rubber | Dimensions: 71.7 x 24in (182 x 61cm) | Features: 10mm cushion / carry strap | Colour: Black

The Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat is the cheapest mat on test but you wouldn’t know it. Its generous 10mm-thick nitrile butadiene rubber construction has a luxurious, comfortable and foam-like feel. 

Its non-slip textured surface gives plenty of grip, and that 10mm cushion feels plush under foot and will absorb impacts from more dynamic workouts. It has a carry strap and is double-sided too, making it even more versatile.

Overall, the Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat holds its own in the company of exercise mats over five times its price.

Read our full Body Power Never Quit Fitness Mat review

BEST MAT FOR TALLER USERS

The Lululemon (Big) Mat  

BUY IT NOW: 

$124 / £108, lululemon.co.uk 

Grip: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Portability: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5 

Materials: FSC-certified natural rubber | Dimensions: 83.9 x 27.9in (213 x 71cm) | Features: Reversible / antimicrobial additive | Colour: Six multi-coloured designs

The Lululemon (Big) Mat may seem pricey but its FSC-certified rubber construction has such a quality, long-lasting feel that it could easily be your mat for life. Its top layer absorbs moisture and an antimicrobial layer keeps mould, mildew and bad smells at bay.

It’s worth noting that this is substantially bigger than any other mat on test, around 10cm wider and a whopping 30cm longer than regular mats. It’s reversible too, so you can swap between smooth and grippy surfaces depending on your workout. The Lululemon is available in six eye-catching marble designs, too.  

Read our full The Lululemon (Big) Mat review

BEST EXERCISE MAT FOR GRIP

Myprotein Yoga Recovery Mat  

BUY IT NOW: 

$38 / £29, myprotein.com 

Grip: 4.5/5
Comfort: 3.5/5
Portability: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5 

Materials: High-density foam | Dimensions: 72 x 24in (183 x 61cm) | Features: 6mm cushion / textured surface / strap included | Colour: Blue / Grey

The Myprotein Yoga Recovery Mat is a lightweight, inexpensive mat that’s an ideal option for stashing in your gym bag. It comes with a strap and rolls up nice and compact, despite having a soft and spongy high-density 6mm foam cushion.

It’s just the right thickness to provide a strong, stable base for your feet, despite its soft and cushioned feel. Wavy grooves provide plenty of grip, and although this is one of the cheaper options it stands up to plenty of wear and tear for a foam mat.

Read our full Myprotein Yoga Recovery Mat review

BEST FOR DESIGN OPTIONS

Kimjaly Yoga Mat 

BUY IT NOW: 

$49.99 / £44.99, decathlon.com 

Grip: 3.5/5
Comfort: 4/5
Portability: 5/5
OVERALL: 4/5 

Materials: Foamed natural rubber / polyurethane | Dimensions: 72.8 x 25.6in (185 x 65cm) | Features: Available in 3mm, 4mm, 5mm and 8mm thickness / alignment lines | Colours: Various

The Kimjaly mat is available in a wide array of versions (Light, Comfort, Grip+, XL), all with different thicknesses ranging from 3mm to 8mm. The 5mm Grip+ version feels soft and well-cushioned and provides a plush platform to protect spines from hard floors without compromising on grip.

The smooth elastomer top layer wicks away moisture, so your hands and feet lock firmly in place while on the mat. At 820g it’s lightweight and compact when rolled up. There’s a carry strap, too, making this suitable for taking to the office for after-work gym sessions.

Read our full Kimjaly Yoga Mat review

MOST DURABLE EXERCISE MAT

Gymshark Studio Mat

BUY IT NOW: 

$68 / £50, gymshark.com  

Grip: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Portability: 3/5
OVERALL: 4/5 

Materials: 100% natural rubber | Dimensions: 70.8 x 25.9in (180 x 66cm) | Features: Full-length screen-printed logo / strap and band bought separately | Colour: Black / Brown / Hibiscus Pink

The Gymshark Studio Mat is a quality piece of kit, made from 100% natural rubber to feel soft underfoot with a reassuringly grippy surface. It’s hefty too, so it won’t budge on the floor, though that also makes transporting it a bit of an effort.

There are three colour options, each with the striking Gymshark logo emblazoned across the front, and if you do want to take it out and about, there’s an optional strap and band, which you can also use for banded exercises. Overall, a robust exercise mat that should last you for years.

Read our full Gymshark Studio Mat review

The post Best Exercise Mats appeared first on MensFitness.

Electrolyte drinks help replenish the naturally occurring salts and minerals that help balance our bodies’ fluids. These get depleted through exercise, most notably through sweating. The best electrolyte drinks may also often contain carbohydrates and other nutrients to help you stay hydrated and to improve recovery.

What are electrolyte drinks? Here’s all you need to know

But not all electrolyte drinks are created equal. It pays to consider the amount of the electrolytes potassium, chloride and particularly sodium in each drink, which help with preventing cramping, aiding muscle contraction and supporting hydration respectively.

If you’re not a heavy sweater, or need to reduce your intake of sodium for health reasons, you might want an electrolyte drink with lower sodium levels (say, less than 250mg per serving).

Nutritionist Rob Hobson has testes eight of the best electrolyte drinks to help you find one to support your hydration and recovery needs. He tests them for taste, solubility and effectiveness in terms of their hydration and nutritional benefits.

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These are the best electrolyte drinks

(Keep scrolling for full reviews…)

1. SIS Go Hydro (£8 per tube or £60 for 8 tubes  – not available in the US)
2. High 5 Zero (£7.99 per tube or £62.99 for 8 tubes – not available in the US)
3. Hux Hydration Tablets (£21 for 3 tubes – not available in the US)
4. Nuun Hydration Sport ($7.49 per tube or $59.92 for 8 tubes / £26 for 4 tubes or £49 for 8 tubes)
5. Gu Hydration Tablets ($30 for 4 tubes / £6.99 for 1 tube or £52.95 for 8 tubes)
6. MyEndurance Hydr8 (£4.99 per tube or £24.99 for 8 tubes – not available in the US)
7. Ultima Replenisher Electrolyte Powder ($44.99 for 11.4oz / £69.99 for 288g)
8. Powerbar 5 Electrolytes (£4.50 per tube or £39.99 for 12 tubes – not available in the US)

For a portable protein fix get the best protein bars

SIS Go Hydro

BUY IT NOW:

£8 per tube (20 tablets) or £60 for 8 tubes, scienceinsport.com (not available in the US)

Taste: 5/5
Solubility: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 500ml water | Sodium per serving: 870mg | Price per serving: 40p | Flavours: 13 flavours available

Science In Sport is a brand driven by scientific data, so it knows a thing or two about optimal hydration. Its Go Hydro range has the highest sodium content per serving of any electrolyte drink on test and it’s also one of the most reasonably priced.

Read our full SIS Go Hydro review

High 5 Zero

BUY IT NOW:

£7.99 per tube (20 tablets) or £62.99 for 8 tubes, highfive.co.uk (not available in the US)

Taste: 4.5/5
Solubility: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 750ml water | Sodium per serving: 250mg | Price per serving: 40p | Flavours: 9 flavours available

Another trusted player in the sports nutrition market, High 5 is the go-to brand for many endurance runners. It’s a good choice if you’re training for extended periods as one tablet is enough for a 750ml water bottle. They may be free or sugar, but these tabs are full of flavour.

Read our full High 5 Zero review

Hux Hydration Tablets

BUY IT NOW:

£21 for 3 tubes (20 tablets per tube), huxhealth.com (not available in the US)

Taste: 5/5
Solubility: 4.5/5
Effectiveness: 4/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Serving size: 2 tablets in 200ml water | Sodium per serving: 116mg | Price per serving: 70p | Flavours: Lemon and Elderflower / Ginger and Lemongrass / Watermelon

Hux tablets are a good low-sodium option and are more suited to general hydration and wellness than intense workout sessions. They have a good mix of electrolytes as well as a pleasantly sweet and tangy flavour.

Read our full Hux Hydration Tablets review

Nuun Hydration Sport

BUY IT NOW:

$7.49 per tube (10 tablets per tube) or $59.92 for 8 tubes, nuunlife.com / £26 for 4 tubes or £49 for 8 tubes, everyhealth.com

Taste: 4/5
Solubility: 5/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 475ml water | Sodium per serving: 300mg | Price per serving: 65p | Flavour: 13 flavours available (4 caffeinated)

With a good range of flavours, and available with or without caffeine, these mini tubes from Nuun are ideal for hydrating on the go. They have the most natural ingredients list of any product on test, including natural sweeteners and colouring.

Read our full Nuun Hydration Sport review

GU Hydration Tablets

BUY IT NOW:

$30 for 4 tubes (12 tablets each), guenergy.com / £6.99 for 1 tube or £52.95 for 8 tubes, gu.germany.de

Taste: 4.5/5
Solubility: 5/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 750ml water | Sodium per serving: 320mg | Price per serving: 55p | Flavours: Lemon and Lime / Three Berries / Orange / Strawberry Lemonade

Ideal for larger bottles and longer sessions, GU tablets will see you through intense or prolonged training. There’s a good amount of electrolytes in the mix, especially sodium, and flavours are particularly punchy.

Read our full GU Hydration Tablets review

MyEndurance Hydr8

BUY IT NOW:

£4.99 per tube (20 tablets) or £24.99 for 8 tubes / amazon.co.uk (not available in the US)

Taste: 4/5
Mixability: 4/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 400ml water | Sodium per serving: 345mg | Price per serving: 25p | Flavour: Orange

Hydr8 tablets are packed with vitamins and minerals with good sodium levels to suit endurance athletes. They’re fortified with B vitamins too and work out to be the cheapest electrolyte drink per serving on test.

Read our full MyEndurance Hydr8 review

Ultima Replenisher electrolyte powder

BUY IT NOW:

$44.99 for 11.4oz (90 servings), ultimareplenisher.com / £69.99 for 288g (90 servings), amazon.co.uk

Taste: 3.5/5
Solubility: 5/5
Effectiveness: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 450ml water | Sodium per serving: 55mg | Price per serving: 77p | Flavours: 9 flavours available

In powder rather than tablet form, this vitamin C-rich drink is ideal for everyday hydration and wellness. There’s a good mix of electrolytes and a range of nine moreish flavours to choose from.

Read our full Ultima Replenisher review

Powerbar 5 Electrolytes

BUY IT NOW:

£4.50 per tube (10 tablets) or £39.99 for 12 tubes / powerbar.eu (not available in the US)

Taste: 3.5/5
Solubility: 4.5/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Serving size: 1 tablet in 250ml water | Sodium per serving: 250mg | Price per serving: 33p | Flavours: Raspberry and Pomegranate / Lemon Tonic / Blackcurrant / Pink grapefruit / Mango and Passionfruit

Powerbar’s hydration tabs have an intense yet refreshing flavour and a caffeine kick for a pre-workout pick-me-up. They’re sugar-free, too, and come in tiny tubes that are perfect for hydrating on the go.

Read our full Powerbar 5 Electrolytes review

Rob Hobson is a registered nutritionist (AFN) and sports nutritionist (SENr). He works with private clients including those looking to improve their health and body shape, and athletes looking to improve their performance. He also works with wellness brands helping with product development, insight and marketing.

The post Best Electrolyte Drinks appeared first on MensFitness.

At its core, building a muscle’s strength requires you to put it under some sort of load. The simplest way to do that can be done with bodyweight workouts – hence the popularity of Pilates. However, if you’ve reached a strength ceiling or you’re looking to increase the intensity of your workouts, you need to add some resistance into the mix. Popular means of doing so are with either resistance bands or weights (both free weights and machines). But what are the pros and cons of each? And is one better than the other?

Check out the TRX Bandit Resistance Band Kit

BUY IT NOW:

$49.95 / £69.95 / amazon.co.uk

Resistance bands vs weights: what muscles are targeted?

An easy way to differentiate between the two is what they target when used. Weights tend to focus on the big muscle groups. On the other hand, resistance bands are able to direct tension to smaller, supporting muscles. These are often overlooked or missed during heavier lifts or dumbbell movements.

“For me, free weights are king – and that’s what you’ve always got in gyms,” says Darren Bruce, PT at Third Space. “But there are so many different things you can do with resistance bands.”

Discover the best dumbbell exercises for every body part

Benefits of resistance bands

Bruce believes that the biggest benefit of resistance bands is the fact that you can use them in multiple planes. “With a dumbbell or a barbell, you’re pretty much linear – straight up or straight down, out in front or pulled back. Whereas if I need to move, for instance, diagonally at 45 degrees, with a resistance band leashed onto a pole, you can move very dynamically with it at an angle.”

Their adaptability allows you to work every body part. In turn, this helps to build the strength of stabilising muscles, minimising muscle imbalances and the risk of injury that they can cause.

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He adds that resistance bands with lighter tension are great for stretching, mobility work and rehabilitation (“a dumbbell is not going to work for all those things”). Equally, their relatively low cost and small footprint can make them great investments for those who want to start working out but might not have the confidence to join a gym.

“If you want to work out at home and you don’t have the money for the cost for dumbbells,” adds Bruce, “then I would say that bands are an extremely effective tool to use.”

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He says that those at the start of their fitness journeys probably have the most to gain from using resistance bands. “If you’re not an experienced lifter, then even a light band is going to have a lot of effects for you”. But that doesn’t mean that they don’t have their uses for avid gym-goers.

“I may use power bands when it comes to helping my clients do pull-ups,” says Bruce. “You can suspend it from the top, put it under their knees and that can provide some assistance.”

Benefits of weights

There are occasions when free weights are better to use than a resistance band – particularly when lifting heavy. Free weights use gravity to create resistance. However, that means there are easier and harder sections of each lift. For instance, with dumbbells, at the very top of the lift is when it’s at its lightest. Resistance bands provide a constant level of tension throughout.

“The really thick resistance bands are brutal to move – to keep the control is actually quite difficult,” says Bruce. “If you’re a slightly experienced lifter, you’ll probably need to [decrease the resistance] slightly. This means you’re going to need to do a lot more volume [than when using free weights].”

Ultimately, the best approach is to use a combination of free weights and resistance bands. While the former is perceived to be the stereotypical way to build muscle and strength, the latter is a vital tool that can improve overall stability, reduce injuries and make you a well-rounded athlete.

The post Resistance Bands vs Weights appeared first on MensFitness.

High-intensity interval training offers a highly effective (and highly sweaty) fast track to lose belly fat. Read on for everything you need to know about building fat-loss workouts. Then follow our detailed step-by-step fat loss plan that will transform your body in six weeks.

Get kitted out for this workout plan with our pick of the best dumbbell sets

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High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, has become popular in recent years, Unlike some fitness fads – there’s a lot of evidence to support its effectiveness as a training system. One of the benefits that you don’t need a degree in exercise science to understand is that HIIT workouts tend to be short. Most of the sessions we’ve included below come in at around 20 minutes.

For most people, a short HIIT workout is more attractive than spending an hour in the gym or pounding the pavements endlessly. In fact, in a 2014 study researchers found that when they asked subjects to list their barriers to exercise, “lack of time” was the most common response. Similarly, if motivation is a problem, HIIT could be the answer. The intense, dynamic and challenging nature of the workouts mean that they are always engaging – you’ll get tired, for sure, but you won’t be bored. 

Benefits of HIIT for a fat loss plan

Some solid scientific data backs up the idea of using HIIT for a fat loss plan. One study, published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, compared conventional gym training with HIIT training and found that “HIIT resulted in significantly greater reduction in both abdominal girth and visceral adiposity compared with conventional training”. The same study also found that HIIT had a positive impact on total body fat, hand grip strength, sprint endurance, jumping ability and flexibility. 

There are other benefits you get from doing a HIIT workout that involves resistance training as opposed to just cardiovascular activity, such as running or cycling. Pure cardio activity is useful, but it shouldn’t be the only kind of training you do. Lifting weights will improve your strength and your body composition (improving your ratio of muscle to body fat). Do that and you’ll usher in a host of other health benefits, such as increased life expectancy and reduced risk of heart disease. 

Of course, just as one type of training won’t give you everything you’re looking for. HIIT shouldn’t be used in isolation for a fat loss plan. However, combine it with other forms of training, including some longer, steadier sessions that build your aerobic base, and you’ll begin to make some significant changes to your body in a relatively short space of time.

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How to burn body fat

A fat loss plan might start in the kitchen, but it accelerates in the gym. By working at high intensity and building some muscle, you’ll torch fat as well as ramping up your metabolism, making the fat burning process faster and easier. The following six-week fat loss plan gives you workouts to follow but with the advice below, you’ll be able to create your own sessions, too. That means you can continue to make progress or adjust your training according to your needs.

Discover the best meal delivery services

If I do a fat loss workout plan, can I eat what I want?

No. Sorry! Training might give you a bit of leeway with an otherwise-strict diet, but even a savage hour in the gym is easily undone with a whipped-cream mochaccino. Stay on top of what you eat, although you shouldn’t beat yourself up over the occasional slip-up. 

Check out our Nutrition Archive for high-protein recipes, reviews of the latest nutrition products, cooking tips and more

How often can I do a fat loss workout?

If you’re going to do high-intensity sessions, three or four times a week is a sensible upper limit – you’d be better off spending any extra time on muscle-building moves, or even just shopping for food and cooking. Want more work? Go for a nice long walk: it’ll burn calories without over-stressing your system.

Discover the best bodyweight exercises

Do I need to do any other type of training?

If you’re doing strength movements as part of your fat loss, you’re probably fine. Strength will alleviate your risk of age-related disease, and a bit of muscle will mean you look better once you’ve stripped away the fat.

How long do fat loss workouts need to be?

Here’s the good news: fat-loss workouts are some of the shortest you can do while still making great progress. Even 15 minutes is enough – do a quick warm-up, then hit a training interval (eg 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest) for ten minutes, and you’re done.

How this fat loss plan works

How much of a difference it is possible to make to how you look and feel in six weeks? The good news: you can make a big change. The less good, more realistic news is that you can only make that change if you follow an effective plan and work hard. We’ve done the first bit for you, but the second element is entirely dependent on your commitment. So before you start your six-week fat-loss transformation, remind yourself why you’re doing this.

A compelling ‘why’ will improve your mindset and make sure you know how to start this particular fitness journey and stick with it. You also need to make sure you eat well in conjunction with the workout plan if you want to get the most impressive results possible – plenty of protein, such as lean meat, eggs, pulses and tofu.

Try this 15-minute workout to burn fat, fast

How does the plan work? 

It’s simple: you complete four circuit workouts a week for six weeks. Each circuit is a whole-body workout and you do the same circuits each week, but change the rep and rest variables to make them progressively harder. The only kit you need to complete the workouts is a set of dumbbells, so you can do it either in the gym or at home. It’s advisable to take rest days between workout days – but, unlike heavy weights workouts, they’re not so taxing that it’s essential.

Why does this fat loss plan work?

There are several key reasons why the plan works. Each circuit is a whole-body workout, so every major muscle group in your body is challenged. This will help you to develop more muscle mass and, because muscle is active tissue, it will also have a positive impact on the calories you burn at rest. The workouts also get your heart rate high, so you’ll burn a lot of calories both during and after your session. The plan also gets progressively harder so your gains won’t plateau. 

What if I’m a beginner?

This is a beginner-friendly plan, because you don’t need lots of fancy kit and all the exercises involved are achievable if you’re in good health. The weight you select is up to you, so if you’re a beginner, start light and gradually increase the load. You should aim to reach failure – the point at which you can’t continue with good form – at the end of each circuit. If you’re failing before then, reduce the weight. If you’re struggling, you can do some moves, such as squats, without weights. 

What do I do after six weeks?

The first thing you should do is give yourself a big pat on your, by now, lean and muscular back. Completing any training plan takes a considerable amount of work and dedication, so focus first on getting to the end of the programme. Once you’ve done that, you can decide on what would be your best next move. Your main options: doing it over again but this time with a heavier weight; deciding on a muscle-building plan; or taking on an entirely new fitness challenge, to mix things up.

The 6-week fat loss plan

Fat loss plan: WEEK 1

Circuit 1

We could have been nice and eased you in gently for this fat loss plan – but, instead, we’ve chucked you in at the deep end.

This circuit starts with the squats – the classic lower-body move – followed by the overhead press and then the renegade row, which is one of the most challenging and effective exercises in this plan. The important thing to remember, however, is that it’s the quality of your reps that count, so take your time and stick to the form guides.

The fourth exercise is where we see the tempo increase. The swing is an explosive move, so speed and intensity are important to get the most out of this pulse-raising exercise. The two arms exercises at the end of the circuit are less demanding on your heart and lungs, but ensure that you get a full-body workout. 

1. Dumbbell squat

The dumbbell version of this classic legs move will also develop your grip, because you have to hold the dumbbells securely for the duration of the set. Keeping your shoulders back throughout the set will recruit your back muscles, too.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Bend your knees to squat down until your thighs are at least parallel to the ground, then press down through your heels to return to the start.

2. Dumbbell overhead press

Your aim here should be to go as heavy as possible, because the rep count is comparatively low. As well as developing shoulder strength and size, this move also works your core because you have to stabilise your torso.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with palms facing forwards.
• Press the weights directly overhead, so your arms are straight, then return slowly to the start.

3. Press-up renegade row   

This is one of the more demanding exercises in this fat loss plan, so you do it while you’re fresh. You work your chest muscles during the press-up and your back muscles during the row, giving you a lot of bang for your muscle-building buck.

• Start in a press-up position, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Perform a press-up then, keeping your core braced, row your right hand up, leading with your elbow.
• Lower it back to the floor. Alternate sides with each rep. 

For more dumbbell moves, check out our guide to the best dumbbell exercises for every body part

4. Dumbbell swing   

This should be done as an explosive, high-energy exercise. Doing so will help you to develop a powerful hip drive (the key to this move) and also get your heart rate soaring towards the end of the circuit for a greater fat burn.

• Stand holding a dumbbell between your legs.
• Bend forwards, hingeing at the hips, to send the dumbbell between your legs, then push your hips forwards to straighten up and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height. 

5. Dumbbell hammer curl   

The hammer-grip version of the classic curl provides a real challenge to your biceps muscles, ensuring that you stimulate as many muscle fibres as possible so they repair themselves and grow.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing each other.
• Keeping your elbows tight to your sides, curl the weights up to shoulder height.
• Slowly lower the weights to the start.

6. Dumbbell triceps extension   

This is one of the few moves that effectively isolates the triceps muscles, giving you balanced gains in your upper arms after the previous exercise and more all-over muscle mass to help you burn fat.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in both hands behind your head with your elbows pointing up.
• Straighten your arms to lift the weights, then lower them to return to the start.

Circuit 2

Recover properly between these circuits with this guide to muscle recovery

The main aim of the second workout in this fat loss plan, just as it was in circuit 1, is to give you a whole-body workout that also gets your pulse racing.

The lunge is an excellent lower-body exercise that tests both balance and coordination. The three following exercises focus on different muscle groups within the upper body. The penultimate move is the dumbbell swing, which makes a reappearance because it is so useful for taxing your cardiovascular system, while also developing your posterior chain (the muscles that run along the back of your body).

By the end of the swings, your heart rate will be near its maximum, hence the strategic inclusion of the plank at the end – a core-builder that gradually brings your heart rate down before the rest period between circuits.

1. Dumbbell lunge   

Working one leg at a time will mean that you get balanced muscle development. This exercise is also a test of grip strength as well as balance, because you hold on to the weights for the entire set.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Take a step forwards until both knees are at 90°.
• Push back off your front foot to return to the start.
• Repeat, leading with your other leg.
• Alternate sides.

2. Dumbbell upright row   

This move will help to add muscle size to your traps (the muscles at the top of your back), while also giving your shoulders width, which will complement your newly lean waist to show off a coveted V-shaped torso.

• Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Raise the weights to your shoulders, leading with your elbows.
• Slowly lower the weights back to the start position. 

3. Dumbbell floor press   

Lying on the floor puts you in a stable position, so you can attempt to go quite heavy with this move. The range of motion is shorter than a bench press, so focus on contracting the target chest muscles. A great addition to any fat loss plan.

• Lie flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand above your chest with straight arms.
• Lower the weights towards your chest, then press them back up powerfully to return to the start position.

4. Dumbbell bent-over row   

Using dumbbells for this back move will ensure that you get equal muscle development on both sides and gives you a big range of motion, so you can concentrate on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the move.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Bend forwards – hingeing at the hips, not the waist – then row the weights up to your sides, leading with your elbows.
• Lower back to the start.

5. Dumbbell swing  

This should be done as an explosive, high-energy exercise. That will help you to develop a powerful hip drive (the key to this move) and also get your heart rate soaring towards the end of the circuit, for a greater fat burn.

• Stand holding a dumbbell between your legs.
• Bend forwards, hingeing at the hips, to send the dumbbell between your legs, then push your hips forwards to straighten up and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height. 

6. Plank   

Your chest and back muscles will now be fatigued, so this final move is a chance to work on your abdominals and your core stability. As well as helping your abs look good, it will give you a solid base to perform the moves in this plan.

• Make sure your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Your elbows should be directly below your shoulders and your weight should be distributed evenly across your feet and forearms.
• Hold the position.

Circuit 3

By now you should be familiar with the whole-body nature of the workouts in this fat loss plan.

The third circuit follows the same general system as the first two, starting with a lower-body exercise and continuing with three upper-body moves that each target a different muscle group. We’re sticking with the dumbbell swing because it is so effective.

It’s a misconception that you need to make every exercise of every session different. Sometimes it makes sense to get good at a move, so you can really attack it and enjoy the benefits, rather than doing it tentatively with poor movement patterns. The circuit finishes with a move that works your obliques (side abs).

1. Dumbbell goblet squat

The goblet squat is a simple and safe variation that reduces the risk of injury and is ideal for beginners. Because the weight is in front of you, it encourages your torso to remain upright to counterbalance the weight.

• Stand tall, with your feet shoulder-width apart and your toes turned out in a ten-to-two position.
• Hold a dumbbell in both hands by your chest and lower into a squat, then push back up to the start position. 

2. Dumbbell lateral raise   

If done correctly, this is a highly effective way of adding size and width to your shoulders – putting you on the fast track to a great-looking upper body. Make sure you follow the form guide closely to maximise the benefit.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Raise the weights out to the sides, leading with your elbows, until they reach shoulder height.
• Lower them slowly to return to the start.

3. Press-up   

Press-ups are a classic chest builder, but doing them with a relatively fast tempo makes them more of a cardiovascular challenge, pushing your heart rate up while keeping muscle fatigue to a minimum – this means they are a great choice for any fat loss plan.

• Start in the press-up position with your hands directly underneath your shoulders, your core and glutes braced, and your feet together.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ground, then press back up powerfully to return to the start.

4. Dumbbell one-arm row   

Doing this single-arm version of the row allows you to completely concentrate on a small and specific target body part, which will help you to fatigue the muscle and ensure balanced development.

• Place one hand on your knee and hold a dumbbell in the other hand, letting it hang straight down.
• Row the weight up to your side, leading with your elbow and squeezing your biceps and upper back muscles at the top. 

5. Dumbbell swing   

This should be done as an explosive, high-energy exercise. That will help you to develop a powerful hip drive (the key to this move) and also get your heart rate soaring towards the end of the circuit for a greater fat burn.

• Stand holding a dumbbell between your legs.
• Bend forwards, hingeing at the hips, to send the dumbbell between your legs, then push your hips forwards to straighten up and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height. 

6. Dumbbell side bend   

Make sure that you perform this move while holding one dumbbell, rather than two. If you do it while holding two, one dumbbell counterbalances the other and reduces the workload.

• Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in one hand.
• Lower the dumbbell to one side, using your side abs to control the movement, then return to the start.
• Complete all your reps on that side, then switch arms. 

Circuit 4

The final circuit of the week involves some twists on familiar moves.

The reverse lunge presents a bigger test to your balance and coordination than the conventional version of the exercise, while also tending to shift the emphasis to your glutes. The diamond press-up is a tough variation of the press-up that places the demand onto your triceps rather than your chest. The reverse-grip bent-over row gives your biceps more of a workout than when you do the move with your palms facing down.

By now, you should be a swing star, able to race through the reps of your fifth move – the dumbbell swing – before finishing with a static hold that will challenge your entire abs and core.

1. Dumbbell reverse lunge   

The reverse version of the lunge puts more emphasis on your glute muscles and also makes the exercise harder, giving you a bigger balance and coordination challenge than the standard move.

• Stand tall, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Take a big step backwards and bend your knees until they are both bent at 90°.
• Push back up to the start and repeat the move on the other side.
• Alternate sides.

2. Dumbbell halo   

This dynamic abs and shoulders move gives you a multi-faceted challenge. You need to work hard to stabilise the dumbbell, which tests your abs because you have to control the acceleration and deceleration of the weight.

• Hold a dumbbell in both hands, then powerfully move it up, across your body, around the back of your head and down across your body.
• Repeat the move going in the opposite direction.
• Alternate sides. 

3. Diamond press-up   

The hand position in this press-up progression moves the main challenge away from your chest and towards your triceps. It’s one of the more difficult moves in our fat loss plan, but don’t compromise on range of motion in an attempt to complete the reps.

• Start in a press-up position, but with your thumbs and forefingers together to form a diamond shape.
• Lower your chest to the floor, keeping your elbows close to your sides, then press back up. 

4. Dumbbell reverse-grip bent-over row   

Switching to a reverse grip provides a challenge to your biceps as you draw the weights in to your sides. This is useful because that muscle group isn’t targeted elsewhere in the workout.

• Stand tall with your chest up and your core braced, holding dumbbells with palms facing forwards.
• Bend forwards from your hips, then row the weights up to your sides, leading with your elbows.
• Lower the weights to the start.

5. Dumbbell swing   

This should be done as an explosive, high-energy exercise. That will help you to develop a powerful hip drive (the key to this move) and also get your heart rate soaring towards the end of the circuit for a greater fat burn.

• Stand holding a dumbbell between your legs.
• Bend forwards, hingeing at the hips, to send the dumbbell between your legs, then push your hips forwards to straighten up and swing the dumbbell up to shoulder height.

6. Side plank   

This is another way to work the muscles – specifically the core, abs and lower back, but also the glutes – statically. Doing the side plank also tests your balance because it is a difficult position to hold.

• Position yourself on your side, supported on your elbow, then raise your hips and keep your body in a straight line from head to heels for the time indicated.
• Switch to the other side and repeat.

Train in the right trainers with our pick of the best gym shoes

After completing week 1 of the fat loss plan, follow the structure of weeks 2-6 below:

Finished this 6-week fat loss plan and need more inspiration? Scroll through our workouts archive for sessions to suit every goal.

The post 6-Week Fat Loss Plan appeared first on MensFitness.

Powerbar 5 Electrolytes

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£4.50 per tube (10 tablets) or £39.99 for 12 tubes / powerbar.eu (not available in the US)

Pros:

• Handy sized packs
• Good range of electrolytes

Cons:

• Needs 3 tablets to fill a 750ml water bottle
• Taste may be too sweet and intense for some

Taste: 3.5/5
Solubility: 4.5/5
Effectiveness: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Better known for its energy bars, Powerbar also produces a range of electrolyte tablets. These 5 Electrolytes contain the body’s essential electrolytes to support fluid balance and hydration. The important electrolyte is sodium, and with 250mg in every serving there’s enough here to keep you hydration and to ward off hyponatraemia during prolonged exercise. Powerbar recommends using one tablet with 250ml water per serving.

Powerbar 5 Electrolytes benefits

These electrolyte tablets are suitable for all sports, including endurance events. To fill a large water bottle (750ml), you’d need to add three tablets which will set the sodium content relatively high. So this may not be the best option for anyone who needs to watch their sodium intake for health reasons.

These are the best supplements for muscle growth

The tablets are sugar-free and sweetened with sucralose. The pink grapefruit we tested is refreshing, but also a little sweet and a bit too intense, which may not suit everyone. The tablets do dissolve quickly, though, with no need for shaking.

For a portable protein fix get the best protein bars

All flavours of 5 Electrolytes contain 75mg of caffeine, around the same amount as a regular cup of coffee. This may suit some people who like to use caffeine before and during training or competition to aid performance, but it’s not ideal for evening sessions.

Improve your digestive health with the best fibre supplements

With only ten tabs in each tube they’re easily pocketable. At 33p per serving they do seem like good value but if you need to fill larger bottles with the recommended dosage it can start to get pricey. There are five flavours to choose from – raspberry and pomegranate, lemon tonic, blackcurrant, pink grapefruit, and mango and passionfruit.

The post MF Tests: Powerbar 5 Electrolytes appeared first on MensFitness.

Grab your dumbbells and get ready to target your back with these recommended exercises from The Movement Blueprint founder Harvey Lawton.

“The best dumbbell back exercises for you will be very individual,” says Lawton. “That’s because certain movements and exercises will suit one person far better than another due to their biomechanics and other structural presentations.

“But in general the best dumbbell moves for a stronger back are those that recruit the full back and kinetic chain into the movement – think larger, compound movements that rely on strength, stability and mobility at various joints and muscles. These include the hinge pattern, anteriorly (front) loaded movements e.g a Zercher or goblet, drags and carries. Additionally, movements that effectively isolate muscle groups within the back – such as the lats or rear delts – can be hit hard with the single-arm row. Subtle positional changes to the row will also help bias different muscles in the back too.

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“Training with dumbbells or free weights provides higher levels of learning for the body, with greater integration of the body’s stabilising systems. On the flip side, machine-based exercises also provide high levels of external stability allowing for higher levels of output from the joints or muscles. On a machine less energy is spent trying to stabilise or react to different forces or stimuli. A big athletic back relies on both fields of play – not just one. My advice is therefore to implement a variety of movements that both integrate and isolate, and watch the muscle pack on!”

What are the best dumbbell exercises for back workouts?

The best dumbbell exercises for a stronger back are those that recruit the full back and kinetic chain into the movement – think larger, compound movements that rely on strength, stability and mobility at various joints and muscles. Here are 13 of the most effective:

• Dumbbell bent-over row
• Dumbbell reverse-grip bent-over row
• Single-arm dumbbell row
• Single-arm dumbbell gorilla row 
• Single-arm supported dumbbell row
• Dumbbell reverse flye 
• Dumbbell renegade row 
• Dumbbell deadlift
• Dumbbell pullover 
• Dumbbell shrug
• Dumbbell swing
• Single-arm dumbbell clean
• Dumbbell snatch 

Keep reading for full instructions on how to perform the best dumbbell exercises for back workouts…

Related content:

1. Best full-body dumbbell workout to try at home
2. Best resistance band exercises for men
3. Try this dumbbell-only leg workout

Dumbbell bent-over row

The dumbbell bent-over row is one of the best dumbbell exercises for targeting your entire back, while also working your core, biceps and shoulders.

How to do the dumbbell bent-over row:

• Using dumbbells involves the same target muscles as the barbell variety, while preventing the stronger side of your body doing more than its share of the work.
• Start with your core braced, your back straight and your shoulder blades retracted.
• Then, bend your knees slightly and lean forwards from the hips.
• Let the weights hang at knee level.
• Pull the dumbbells up to your lower sternum, retracting your shoulder blades to allow the weights to come up to your hips, then lower slowly to the start.

Dumbbell reverse-grip bent-over row

This variation puts extra emphasis on your biceps, making it ideal for adding some extra arm size while you work your back.

How to do the dumbbell reverse-grip bent-over row:

• Stand with your core braced, your back straight and your shoulder blades retracted, holding a set of dumbbells with your palms facing away from you, then bend your knees slightly and lean forwards from the hips.
• Now, pull the dumbbells up to just below chest level.
• Pause, then lower under control. 

Single-arm dumbbell row

The single-arm dumbbell row allows you to go heavy while working both sides of your back and each arm individually for big muscle benefits – one of the best dumbbell back exercises. 

How to do the single-arm dumbbell row:

• First, place your right knee and right hand flat on a bench (or support your right arm on your right knee, leg slightly bent), with your left leg slightly bent and pushed out behind you
• Hold a dumbbell in your left hand with your arm hanging straight down.
• With a natural arch in your back and core braced, lift the weight towards your hip, leading with the elbow.
• Pause at the top before returning to the start. 
• Then, repeat on the other side.

Single-arm dumbbell gorilla row 

This exercise builds strength through the middle and upper back, lats and shoulders while enhancing scapular mobility, plus thoracic and abdominal stability. As well as working your upper back, lower back and biceps, this variation also works your oblique or waist muscles.

How to do the single-arm dumbbell gorilla row:

• Place your dumbbell on the floor, standing just behind it and to one side
• Next, bend your knees slightly, hinge forward from your hips, and reach down and grasp the dumbbell.
• Brace your core and make sure your lower back is slightly arched and not rounded.
• Then, row the weight up and back toward your hip. Lead with your elbow and keep your wrist straight. Make sure your hips and shoulders remain level and do not twist.
• Lower the weight back to the floor and repeat.
• On completing your set, repeat on the other side.

Single-arm supported dumbbell row

One of the best dumbbell back exercises, this isolation move works one side of your body at a time, allowing you to shift more weight as you focus on one arm. Do it with strict form to build muscle, or up the weight and ‘cheat’ the move for high reps to build a grip of steel.

How to do the single-arm supported dumbbell row:

• Set up with one knee resting on a bench and the other foot on the floor, leaning forwards slightly and holding a dumbbell in one hand.
• Row the dumbbell up – focusing on pulling it to your hip, not your side.
• Feel the squeeze, then lower with control.

Dumbbell reverse flye 

Keeping a slight bend in your elbows as you raise your arms to the sides also works your shoulders as well as upper back and core.

How to do the dumbbell reverse flye:

• Holding a pair of dumbbells, and with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend forward at your hips until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor. 
• Let the dumbbells hang straight down from your shoulders, your palms facing each other, with your arms slightly bent.
• Then, keeping your back flat and your torso still, raise your arms straight out to your sides until they’re in line with your body. Don’t change the bend in your elbows. 
• Pause, then slowly return to the starting position.

Dumbbell renegade row 

Renegade rows are full-body exercises that activate core muscles such as the obliques, back muscles like the rhomboids, and arm muscles including the triceps. With proper form, renegade rows are one of the best dumbbell back exercises for developing upper body strength while also improving balance and stabilisation.

How to do the dumbbell renegade row:

• Start in a press-up position with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand.
• Brace your core to keep your hips static and do a single-arm row, drawing the weight towards your armpit.
• Alternate sides with each rep.

Dumbbell deadlift

Dumbbell deadlifts primarily work the glutes and the lower back. They also activate the quads, hamstrings, adductors, trapezius and forearm flexors.

How to do the dumbbell deadlift:

• Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
• Inhale and lightly brace your core.
• Lower the dumbbells close to the floor, by leaning forward and bending your knees.
• Then, reverse the movement, and return to a standing position. Exhale on the way up.

Dumbbell pullover 

One of the best dumbbell back exercises, the dumbbell pullover fully engages your lats from start to finish. As a bonus, your core will also have to work hard to keep your torso stable.

How to do the dumbbell pullover:

• First, place a dumbbell upright on one end of a bench.
• Position your upper back side on to the bench.
• Plant your feet and raise your backside up.
• Now, grab the dumbbell with both hands and press it over your head.
• As you look up to the ceiling, slowly lower the weight behind your head, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
• When you feel a nice big stretch, reverse the movement, then repeat.

Dumbbell shrug

Build big, strong traps with the dumbbell shrug – the limited range of motion means you can lift heavy as long as you keep to strict form.

How to do the dumbbell shrug:

• You can do barbell shrugs, but using dumbbells allows you to keep your hands by your sides for increased comfort, while also working each side of your upper back individually.
• To start, hold heavy dumbbells by your sides.
• Keeping your core braced, chest up and a natural arch in your back, shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, keeping your arms straight.
• Hold at the top briefly then lower the weights back to the start position.

Dumbbell swing

Swings work your entire posterior chain (the muscles down the back of your body), building strength while also torching through calories, making them one of the best dumbbell back exercises.

How to do the dumbbell swing:

• Stand tall with a pair of dumbbells in your hands.
• Next, hinge from the hips and let the dumbbells fall between your legs – keeping your eyes on the weights at all times.
• Now ‘snap’ your hips to explosively drive the dumbbells up to around chest height, before repeating the movement.

Single-arm dumbbell clean

The single-arm dumbbell clean is a full-body movement that builds power and coordination, as well as the stabilising strength of your lower back.

How to do the single-arm dumbbell clean:

• Begin holding a dumbbell in one hand.
• Then, lower it the floor with a slight bend in your legs.
• Now press your heels into the floor and extend through your legs to stand.
• As you do so, pull your upper body under the dumbbell and bring your elbow forward.
• You should finish in a quarter squat with the dumbbell on your shoulder, before standing tall.
• Reverse and repeat.

Dumbbell snatch 

One of the most explosive dumbbell back exercises, the dumbbell snatch works every muscle in your body for the best results. Plus, it’s also more beginner-friendly than the barbell version. 

How to do the dumbbell snatch:

• First, begin holding a dumbbell in one hand.
• Then, lower it the floor with a slight bend in your legs.
• Next, drive your heels into the floor and explosively stand.
• As you do so, pull your upper body under the dumbbell, but unlike the clean this time you’re going to allow the weight to continue its upwards momentum all the way overhead.
• (You need your legs and hips to be doing the work, not your arm.)
• As the dumbbell passes head height, drop under it and ‘catch’ it with a locked arm as you drop into a quarter squat.
• Stand, compose yourself and repeat.

The post Best Dumbbell Exercises For Back Workouts appeared first on MensFitness.

A pair of the best adjustable dumbbells can help you in more ways than one. If you’re looking to set up a small gym at home, you’ll need a selection of dumbbells that cover a useful range and enable you to do a large number of exercises.

Looking for fixed dumbbells? Check out our roundup of the best dumbbell sets for home workouts

However, trying to cover this range with individual weights will not only take up a significant amount of floorspace, but it’ll burn a hole in your wallet too.

So investing in a set of adjustable dumbbells makes a lot of sense if you want a relatively inexpensive set-up. The initial outlay may seem expensive, but as long as you choose the right set, it should cover all your lifting needs.

For comprehensive strength sessions check out this full-body dumbbell workout

To help you make the best decision, we’ve pulled together the following buyer’s guide, featuring the very best adjustable dumbbells for 2023.

Adjustable dumbbells vs fixed dumbbells

Once you’ve chosen your adjustable dumbbells, just select your weight and you’re good to go. To begin with, you can use them as you would a standard set of dumbbells. But by using their entire range you can quickly tap into a wealth of exercises in one workout.

Learn more about the differences between adjustable dumbbells and fixed dumbbells

It goes without saying that adjustable dumbbells offer more flexibility and versatility than their fixed-weight counterparts. There are various types of adjustable dumbbells available, including the classic plate dumbbells that use a removable collar to add and take off weights.

These can be time consuming to adjust, though, which can interrupt your workout. So we’ve concentrated on the best proper adjustable dumbbells – ones that allow you to change weights on the fly.

New to adjustable dumbbells? Check out our guide on how to use them

This lets you get on with the serious business of nailing your reps and getting the right amount of rest between sets and exercises. It also allows you to decrease or increase the resistance in manageable increments to finesse your workout.

What makes a good adjustable dumbbell?

Before choosing adjustable dumbbells, consider the kind of exercises you intend to use them for. Are you going for heavy-weight strength gains, or looking to get leaner with some high-rep conditioning?

If you’re just starting out, you’ll probably be tempted to go lighter. Bear in mind that you will get stronger and be able to lift heavier weights as you progress, though. So before long a maximum weight of 20kg, say, may not be enough to continue seeing improvements.

Put your new kit to the test with the best dumbbell exercises for every body part

Look for adjustable dumbbells with a simple, intuitive selection mechanism, and a wide weight range to give room for progression. Ideally you want a large number of adjustments between the highest and lowest weights, giving you a wide range of options and smaller jumps between weights.

Handle design plays a big part in comfort so look for adjustable dumbbells with wide handles with soft, knurled or patterned grips. The dumbbell’s footprint is worth considering if storage is an issue, and waist-level stands can make changing weights more comfortable too.

When it’s leg day try this dumbbell-only leg workout

BEST ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELLS 2023

(Keep scrolling for full reviews…)

1. Nuobell 2kg – 32kg ($745 / £699 / fitness-superstore.co.uk)
2. Primal Strength Personal Series 34kg (£75 each / musclesquad.com / not available in the US)
3. Bowflex SelectTech 552i Dumbbells (£399 / fitness-superstore.co.uk / international shipping available)
4. MuscleSquad 5kg – 32.5kg (£275 each / amazon.co.uk / not available in the US)
5. JaxJox 22.6kg DumbbellConnect ($499 / £390 / jaxjox.co.uk)
6. BodyMax V2.0 25kg Selectabell 15-in-1 Single Dumbbell (£199 each / powerhouse-fitness.co.uk / not available in the US)

BEST ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELL SET:

Nuobell 2-32kg

BUY IT NOW:

$745 / £699 / fitness-superstore.co.uk

Grip: 4.5/5
Weight range: 5/5
Ease of adjustment: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Weight range: 2kg – 32kg | Increments: 16 | Dimensions: 485 x 185 x 180mm

Simply the best adjustable dumbbell system we had the pleasure of testing.

A seamless twist of the handles allow you to cycle between the different weights in an instant, and there’s no rattling around of weight plates when you’re lifting. The handles have a decent amount of grip (though if there’s one small gripe it’s that it could be slightly better during high-intensity exercises).

All in all, this is a stylish and elegant set of weights that manages to marry good looks with chart-topping practicality.

Read our full Nuobell 2-32kg review

Primal Strength Personal Series 34kg

BUY IT NOW:

£499 / primalstrength.com (not available in the US)

Grip: 4.5/5
Weight range: 5/5
Ease of adjustment: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Weight range: 5kg – 34kg | Increments: 21 | Dimensions: 542 x 216 x 183mm

You get what you pay for with these Primal Strength 34kg adjustable dumbbells – they’re a high-quality, versatile investment for any home gym user.

Over nearly a 30kg range, you get a whopping 21 different weights to work with. That should satisfy even the most experienced weight trainer.

They’re longer than most adjustable dumbbells, but the slider selection system is a breeze to use and the handles stay comfortable throughout long workouts.

Read our full Primal Strength Personal Series 34kg review

Also check out the Primal Strength Personal Series 25kg With Stand

BUY IT NOW:

£449 / primalstrength.com (not available in the US)

Bowflex SelectTech 552i Dumbbells

BUY IT NOW:

£399 / fitness-superstore.co.uk (international shipping available)

Grip: 5/5
Weight range: 3.5
Ease of adjustment: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Weight range: 2kg – 24kg | Increments: 15 | Dimensions: 40 x 20 x 23cm | Warranty: 2 years

Bowflex’s rubber and steel grip is well designed for more explosive exercises and fast-paced HIIT-style workouts.

You can move from 2kg up to 24kg with the simple twist of a dial, and there’s a tray to store the weights and drop them back when you need to add or lose some plates.

Bowflex also offers on-demand strength classes via its JRNY app, so you can put the dumbbells to work with prescribed exercises.

MuscleSquad 5kg – 32.5kg

BUY IT NOW:

£275 each / amazon.co.uk (not available in the US)

Grip: 4.5/5
Weight range: 5/5
Ease of adjustment: 4/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Weight range: 5kg – 32.5kg | Increments: 12 | Dimensions: 420 x 210 x 200mm | Warranty: 1 year

With 12 adjustment settings over a 27.5kg range, this MuscleSquad adjustable dumbbell set gives you plenty of options to fine-tune your workouts.

Like its smaller sibling, you simply place the dumbbell on the included dock, turn the dial to your desired weight and start lifting.

Its handle is soft and textured for a comfortable grip and the gripping mechanism works smoothly and securely, too. If you can see past the price, these dumbbells can offer you a one-stop shop for all your strength-training needs.

Read our full MuscleSquad 5kg – 32.5kg review

Also check out the MuscleSquad 2.5kg – 12.5kg Adjustable Dumbbell

BUY IT NOW:

£75 each / musclesquad.com (not available in the US)

Read our full MuscleSquad 2.5kg – 12.5kg review

JaxJox 22.6kg DumbbellConnect

BUY IT NOW:

$499 / £390 / jaxjox.co.uk

Grip: 4/5
Weight range: 4.5/5
Ease of adjustment: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Weight range: 3.6kg – 22.6kg | Increments: 8 | Dimensions: 495 x 191 x 178mm | Warranty: 1 year | Features: JaxJox app, free 30-day trial subscription, fast-charging USB-C connector

With a digital docking station and performance tracking app, these JaxJox adjustable dumbbells are an impressive piece of kit.

They use a USB-powered digital dock for weight selection and a companion app to suggest exercises and track progress. Just sync the app for real-time data such as reps, weight, sets, time, average power and total volume.

They do the basics well, too – including a robust design, comfortable grooved handles and secure locking plates.

Just remember to charge via USB, or you won’t be able to change weights.

Read our full JaxJox 22.6kg DumbbellConnect review

BodyMax V2.0 25kg Selectabell 15-in-1

BUY IT NOW:

£199 each / powerhouse-fitness.co.uk (not available in the US)

Grip: 4/5
Weight range: 4/5
Ease of adjustment: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Weight range: 4.5kg – 25kg | Increments: 15 | Warranty: 2 years

This BodyMax 25kg adjustable dumbbell has one of the slickest designs on the market and is simple to get to grips with.

Its selector pin is one of the simplest weight selection systems we’ve used, and the plates are sturdy and don’t rattle around.

Its knurled grip isn’t as comfortable as some we’ve tested, but the weight markers on the base and its compatibility with the Selectabell Stand V2.0 make weight changing simple and intuitive.

Read our full BodyMax V2.0 25kg Selectabell 15-in-1 review

Also check out the BodyMax 36kg Selectabell 18-in-1

BUY IT NOW:

£269 each / powerhouse-fitness.co.uk (not available in the US)

The post Best Adjustable Dumbbells appeared first on MensFitness.

If you could only own one item of fitness kit for the rest of your life, you’d do well to pick the humble dumbbell. Even the heaviest are small enough to fit in the corner of a room, and you can perform virtually every strength training exercise – and just about every workout protocol – with a dumbbell set.

Test out your new kit with the best dumbbell exercises for every body part 

A dumbbell set can elevate the calorie burn of high-intensity workouts, and help you develop the functional strength and power required for numerous sports.

However, while the dumbbell set is one of the best and easiest bits of home gym kit to snap up, they weren’t all created equal. Generally speaking, for most people’s home workout needs, a rubber-coated ‘fixed dumbbell’ set is going to be the best bet: these tend to be the most durable and forgiving to fragile floors.

More on that here: Adjustable dumbbells or fixed dumbbells

That said, beginners might favour the plate-loaded ‘spinlock’ variety, which tend to be lighter in weight but adjustable – with additional weight plates tending to sit in the 1.25kg-5kg range.

As with any exercise equipment, the options are endless and choosing the right type for you can be bewildering. Which is why we’ve pulled this list together: to help you find the best dumbbell set for your home workout needs.

Discover the best adjustable dumbbells

Best Dumbbell Set For Home Workouts

1. Jordan Fitness Premium Urethane Dumbbells ($52-$1,553 / £42-£1,260)
2. Eleiko Vulcano Dumbbell ($35-$470 / £28-£379 each)
3. Blk Box Rubber Hex Dumbbells ($13-$162 / £12-£154 each)
4. Corength Hex Dumbbell (£11.99-£79.99 each – not available in the US)
5. Mirafit Rubber Dumbbell Set (£34.95-£199.95 – not available in the US)
6. DKN Rubber Hex Dumbbells (£22.99-£239.99 – not available in the US)

Keep reading for our full reviews of the best dumbbell sets for home workouts in 2023…

RELATED CONTENT:

1. Home dumbbell HIIT workout for a full-body fat burn
2. Best dumbbell exercises and workouts for every body part
3. Best full-body dumbbell workout to try at home

Jordan Fitness Premium Urethane Dumbbells

BUY IT NOW:

$52-$1,553 / £42-£1,260 / jordanfitness.com

Pros:

• Excellent weight range
• Floor-friendly design

Cons:

• Expensive

Grip: 5/5
Durability: 4.5/5
Weight range: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Another option that will reduce the risk of scuffs and damage to your floor, these durable urethane dumbbells can be picked up in pairs all the way up to a monstrous 75kg (if you have £1,260 to spare), or sets ranging from 2.5kg-25kg to 65kg-75kg.

There’s also steel underneath that urethane, which has been heat treated with a handle that offers plenty of metal to grab onto. These are going to appeal to experienced gym-goers who want to lift big, but there’s also a good range of weight options for less seasoned lifters.

Eleiko Vulcano Dumbbell

BUY IT NOW:

$35-$470 / £28-£379 each / eleiko.com

Pros:

• High-grade appearance
• Floor-friendly design

Cons:

• Expensive for a set
  

Grip: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight range: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Eleiko’s Vulcano dumbbell sets don’t come cheap, especially as they’re sold individually. You do get what you pay for though: a well-constructed dumbbell that will work for whatever workout you throw at it.

The dumbbells feature chrome steel handles that are sloped and knurled to make sure you can get a good grip even with sweaty hands, while handle length and diameter are accommodating for both smaller and bigger gripping styles.

The ends are coated in protective polyurethane, which softens the sound if you accidentally drop the dumbbells onto the floor. That makes them better suited to home workouts, particularly if you’ve got hard floors and are worried about potential scuffing. Plus, it’s a nice bonus that the polyurethane outer shouldn’t give off any bad smells when sweat comes into play.

From curls to squats to bent-over rows, you have something well equipped to cover the key dumbbell exercise bases, and with weight options ranging from 1kg to 40kg, you have the scope to go light or lift heavy.

It’s going to be pricey to assemble a dumbbell set, but if you just need a single or pair for home use, Eleiko’s Vulcano stands out for all the right reasons.

Need some workout inspiration? Try this dumbbell-only leg workout

Blk Box Rubber Hex Dumbbells

BUY IT NOW:

$13-$162 / £12-£154 each / blkboxfitness.com

Pros:

• Huge weight range
• Sturdy hex design
• High-quality build

Cons: 

• Sold individually
• Pairs of heavier weights can be expensive

Grip: 4.5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight range: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

These heavy-duty fixed hex dumbbells go all the way up to 60kg, making them strong options for anyone that wants serious weight to hand. The cast iron frame is covered in rubber to protect floors, and there’s chrome-plated knurled handles to get a good hold of.

That hex-style design means they’re not going to roll around and make them well suited for press-up style exercises. Plus, the lighter weights won’t break the bank, although the dumbbells are sold individually, so a pair of the heavier options is going to set you pack several hundred pounds (£300 for two 60kg weights). However, compared to other options in this list that is surprisingly good value.

Corength Hex Dumbbell

BUY IT NOW:

£11.99-£79.99 each / decathlon.co.uk (not currently available in the US)

Pros:

• Affordable
• Stable design perfect for floor exercises

Cons:

• Relatively light weight range

Grip: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight range: 4/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Ideal if you hate the idea of dumbbells rolling around your floor, this fixed dumbbell from Decathlon wraps its iron frame up in rubber for a more stable design compared to round plates. It works well for dedicated weight training and functional workouts.

There’s a good-sized metal, knurled handle to wrap your hands around, although weight options range from 2.5kg-22.5kg, so it definitely sits at the lighter end of the weight spectrum. The hex plate design makes Decathlon’s range ideal for floor-based dumbbell exercises like renegade rows and dumbbell press-ups, because the flat sides of the weights will stay put as you work away.

The all-black design gives it an attractive, low-key look, they feel built to last and you’re safe in the knowledge that when you put them down and away after a session, they’re still going to be there when you need to go again.

Mirafit Rubber Dumbbell Set

BUY IT NOW:

£34.95-£199.95 / mirafit.co.uk (not currently available in the US)

Pros:

• Good grip
• Sturdy design

Cons:

• Expensive for heavier weights
• Weight range could be better

Grip: 5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight range: 4/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

These come in pairs, with the heaviest weighing in at 35kg per dumbbell. The rubber coating on the weights mean they’re kinder to hard floors and the knurled steel handle offers a strong and durable place to grip.

You can also pick them up in sets if you want a greater variety of weights (a set of 5kg-30kg at 2.5kg increments will set you back a cool £999.95) and Mirafit even makes racks for your dumbbell set, to give you that proper gym feel at home.

DKN Rubber Hex Dumbbells

BUY IT NOW:

£22.99-£239.99 / amazon.co.uk (not currently available in the US)

Pros:

• Stable design
• Look good

Cons:

• Limited weight range

Grip: 4.5/5
Durability: 5/5
Weight range: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5

DKN’s hex dumbbell sets come in pairs up to 30kg per dumbbell. That hex design means they’ll stay put in-between sets and there’s solid steel handles with a knurled pattern to provide a reliable grip even when you start to sweat.

Plus, that rubber coating ensures a good amount of durability, too, and won’t do damage to your floor should accidentally drop them.

See more content related to dumbbells

The post Best Dumbbell Sets For Home Workouts appeared first on MensFitness.

You’re likely reading this article on how to lose belly fat for one of two reasons. Either you’ve tried to burn belly fat in the past but ultimately not made the desired changes to your body shape, or you want to make your first attempt at changing your body for the better and strip away fat, fast, to sculpt a leaner and more defined physique.

First, though, a disclaimer: there are no exercises that are best for losing belly fat. To lose belly fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, and the quickest way to achieve that is to take a look at what you’re eating and learn how to track calories.

‘There are no exercises that are best for losing belly fat. To lose belly fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, and the quickest way to achieve that is to take a look at what you’re eating.’

Burning fat effectively isn’t easy – if it was, everyone would be walking around with washboard abs. And while this article will help you leant how to lose belly fat, it should be noted that there is no way to aim fat loss at just one area of the body (what’s known as ‘spot reduction’). Instead, overall fat loss is the name of the game: achieve that, and your stomach will follow suit.

Learn the difference between weight loss vs fat loss

But once you know the best ways to eat and train – as well as how to sleep better, stress less and enjoy life more – you will start shedding your unwanted fat faster than you ever thought possible. 

Types of belly fat

Within the human body, fat tissue exists in a range of varieties, including white, brown, beige and pink. According to Harvard Health, body fat can also be divided into subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous fat is the layer you can feel when you pinch your skin. It’s also the most abundant type of fat in the body and, while it may wobble about a bit, it is generally considered to be harmless, unless you carry a very high amount. In fact, it plays an important role in cushioning your joints and bones.

In contrast, visceral fat – which sits deep in the abdominal cavity and surrounds our digestive organs and heart – may be largely undetectable from the outside, but it has been linked to a range of diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers. If that wasn’t enough, it also releases a range of inflammatory substances which can promote insulin resistance. Due to its tendency to reside in the abdomen, excess visceral fat is often seen as the main culprit of belly fat.

Are all fats bad?

While carrying excessive fat can certainly be harmful for your health, it’s important to note that certain fats play essential roles in the functioning of the human body, including the regulation of hormones, controlling the body temperature and aiding the absorption of vitamins and minerals.

Key factors for fat-loss success

Of course, the usual mantra of eat right, move more and subsequently end up in a calorie deficit (the key driver for fat loss) is the number-one solution when you want to learn how to lose belly fat, but there are ways of reaching that point in an accelerated timeframe.

Key fat-loss factors – think good sleep patterns, elevated daily movement habits and more varied training stimuli – are easily neglected.

But experts in strength, conditioning and nutrition know that taking a broader approach can speed up your fat-loss in the weeks ahead. It can also create a more sustainable, long-term fat-burning solution.

Read on, put our advice into action, and you’ll be amazed at how quickly you look, feel and perform better than ever.

Need workout inspiration? Our 6-week fat loss plan will get you in serious shape for summer 

How to lose belly fat (and overall body fat):

1. Build more muscle to lose body fat

When you’re looking to shift fat, it’s tempting to tip the cardio-strength scales in favour of the former. But that would be a big mistake.

“It might sound counterintuitive to someone looking to decrease body fat, but increasing muscle mass is the best solution,” says fat-loss expert Matt Jones, a performance coach for human performance experts P3RFORM.

“For every 0.5kg of muscle gained, you will burn 6-10 extra calories. So if you gain 4.5kg of muscle mass alone, that can equate to burning around an extra 100 calories per day. This is without even taking into consideration the additional calories burned from the lifting exercises themselves.”

Lifting weights will also help to keep you looking toned and strong when you start cutting down on the calories.

“Strength training in itself helps to preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit,” adds Jones, “as long as adequate protein is also being consumed.”

Try this 30-minute fat loss workout

2. Use HIIT to burn fat

“High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is all the rage. While it can be useful if you are short on time, interval training in its less intense form can be useful for fat-loss, too,” insists Jones.

“The primary difference between HIIT and interval training is the recovery periods. HIIT has shorter recovery periods to keep the intensity high, while interval training is performed with longer recoveries.”

That means you can train more consistently: interval training will place less stress on your body than HIIT to keep you coming back more often. It also empowers you to combine interval training with your favourite cardio. This is as opposed to joining dedicated HIIT classes.

“That’s especially helpful for individuals who want to change up how they do their favourite running, cycling or rowing sessions,” says Jones.

So try restructuring your cardio sessions into fat-burning interval workouts.

“Break the session up into smaller chunks of very high-intensity activity, and very low-intensity activity which you will use for recovery between the harder efforts,” says Jones.

“For a running workout, this could be 6 sets of 30-secong efforts at a fast speed, and two minutes of easy recovery jogging or walking in-between. For a rowing workout, that may be rowing 200m as fast as possible, then doing 800m at an easy pace for recovery, repeated 3-5 times.”

3. Increase your NEAT 

When it comes to learning how to lose belly fat, your fat-burning training regime is important, but so are your daily movement habits.

“NEAT – non-exercise activity thermogenesis – means the calories burned outside of exercise, eating, and sleeping,” explains Jones.

“It includes all your movements, however big or small, throughout the day. From climbing the stairs, to standing at your desk – even fidgeting.

“Fat loss is not just about how many calories you burn in a day, but how many you burn over an extended period. So, NEAT plays a huge factor in assisting you to lose fat.”

Try to picture your whole day as an opportunity for movement and activity, not just the windows when you can fit in an organised exercise session.

Learn how to improve your NEAT

4. Improve sleep quality to enhance your physique

Lying in bed might not sound like the best way to burn fat, but a healthy amount of sleep is vital for your fat-burning ambitions.

“When we don’t have enough sleep we all know that just about everything in our lives suffers, from our concentration to our mood,” explains Jones. If you’re tired, you will make poor food choices and find it harder to train.

“Sleep deprivation is also linked to an increase in a hormone called ghrelin. This increases hunger levels in the body.

“A two-week study found that during a period of calorie restriction one group that slept normal hours (8.5 hours per night) experienced 55% of their reduction in body weight specifically as fat loss. This was compared to another group with restricted sleep (5.5 hours per night) and experienced only 25% of their reduction as fat loss.

“That suggests sleep loss increases the loss of muscle mass during dieting. So, use your phone or wearable device to track your current sleep patterns and try to improve the quality and volume of your sleep.”

Check out these strategies for better sleep

5. Vary your exercise to lose belly fat

To achieve your fat-loss goals you need a healthy combination of organised routines and fresh challenges.

“Losing body fat is about consistency across a period of months. This entails both consistency of managing your nutrition, and consistency of regular exercise,” concludes Jones.

“But one area where people often fail is when they get into a routine and then get bored with their programme. It is better to get some important variety into your training.”

If you want to learn how to lose belly fat, a wider variety of stimuli will boost your motivation and challenge your body in new ways. It will also enhance your longer-term weight-control strategy.

“For weight training, that could simply be switching in some different exercises that work the same muscle groups. Or, you could change how many sets and reps you perform. For cardio exercise, it could be changing up your modality from running to cycling or swimming.”

Learn how to make cardio more fun

6. Ensure you’re in a moderate calorie deficit

It’s not new, or particularly fun, but the simple fact is that if you want to reduce your body fat you need to ensure you’re in a calorie deficit. Put simply, that means you burn more calories than you consume. However, there are some smart ways to achieve it.  

Arj Thiruchelvam is a UK Athletics coach. He says that calorie consumption should be viewed from a wider lens than daily targets. “The process of fat loss doesn’t follow a day-to-day nature,” he says, “but instead works on higher and lower calorie days. This allows you to maximise moments of less hunger, the desire to eat more and socialise, while concurrently allowing you to achieve your body composition goals.”  

Learn how to track calories with MyFitnessPal

7. Slow down when you’re eating

As well as what you eat, focus on how you’re eating it. “When you eat too quickly, you don’t notice how full you are and your receptors can’t keep up,” says integrative health coach and nutritionist Arina Kuzmina. “Try slowing down, take a break from running around for ten minutes, sit down and actually enjoy your well-deserved meal.” That also means eating away from the TV, emails or social media.  

Here are some more ways to eat better

8. Lift smarter to lose belly fat

Instead of focusing on isolation exercises – for example, cable work, crunches and biceps curls – make heavy compound lifts the basis of your strength training. Squats, deadlifts, pull-ups – all these lifts recruit more than one joint and muscle group at a time. “When these functional exercises are performed correctly with challenging loads,” says personal trainer Sana Shirvani, “you will burn more calories, as you’re performing a larger volume of work in the same amount of time.” 

Discover the best deadlift variations

9. Fill up on protein

Protein is the most filling macronutrient and could stop you reaching for junk food that will only add to your belly fat.  

“Protein encourages the body to tap into your fat stores, rather than muscle tissue,” says Nick Mitchell, CEO and founder of Ultimate Performance. “When you’re in a calorie deficit, your body will start to convert those fat stores to give you energy. But, particularly if body composition is your goal, then a combination of high-protein foods and resistance training will signal the body to tap into your fat stores, rather than your muscles.”  

Get your fill of lean proteins, such as chicken, fish, tofu and legumes. Mitchell recommends anywhere between 2.2g to 2.8g of protein per kilogram of lean body mass. However, estimating the magic protein requirement for you will be very subjective. 

Fuel yourself with the best healthy protein powders

We should all drink more water throughout the day, not just during exercise | Shutterstock

10. Drink more water

Water plays a vital role in processing calories, whereas mild dehydration can slow your metabolism. In one study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, adults who drank eight or more glasses of water a day burned more calories than those who drank four. To stay hydrated, drink a glass of water before every meal. Also snack on melons and citrus fruits, which naturally contain lots of water. 

In a 2015 UK study, those who drank 500ml of tap water half an hour before each meal lost 1.3kg more over a 12-week period than the control group, who didn’t drink the water before eating. The authors commented that those trying to learn how to lose belly fat, or body fat in general, could try drinking a pint of water before every meal, three times a day. 

RELATED: Five Of The Best Healthy Soft Drinks

11. Try intermittent fasting for fat loss

Some people swear by intermittent fasting; others think it’s a load of nonsense. As with every major health debate, the answer lies somewhere in between, and is highly subjective. It’s important to note that fasting is mainly another means of getting into that state of calorie deficit (if you’re not eating for half the day, chances are you’re not going to be overconsuming calories). Although Dr Michael Mosley, creator of The Fast 800 diet, sees other advantages:

“Short-term fasting can lead to several changes in the body that make it easier to burn belly fat,” he says. “This includes reduced insulin, increased growth hormone and a small boost in metabolism. According to a 2014 review, intermittent fasting can cause weight loss of 3-8% over three to 24 weeks. 

“Time-restricted eating is very straightforward. Simply ensure that for at least 12 hours within each 24-hour period, you do not consume any calories. Some people prefer to shorten their eating window further, to ten or even just eight hours, although recent research shows that a 12-hour period away from food is enough time to give your body significant benefits.” 

Check out our beginners guide to intermittent fasting

12. Manage your stress levels

There’s research to suggest that high levels of stress and a lack of sleep can increase inflammation in your body, which in turn can lead to increased fat storage around the stomach area. If you want to learn how to lose belly fat, start by prioritizing relaxation. Of course, finding ways to reduce stress is often easier said than done, but yoga, meditation or even regular fresh-air walks are some tried-and-tested methods. 

Interested in trying yoga? Here’s our beginner’s guide to yoga for men

13. Eat alone to tune into your body

Research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found people eat up to 44% more food when eating with others. It noted one cause is that we still lean towards ‘social facilitation’, an ancestral mechanism that ensured equitable food distribution. Eating alone also allows you to savour your food, and listen to your body when it tells you it’s getting full.

Try the best supplements to build lean muscle

14. Accept that six-pack abs take sacrifice

If you’re hoping to not only lose belly fat, but carve out a serious six-pack, Ultimate Performance’s Mitchell says you need to learn how to deal with tiredness, fatigue, hunger and cravings to get to the place you want to be:

“This is usually the stumbling block, and why so many never really turn their vague abs outline into a solid six-pack. People may reach 11-12% body fat, but be unable to withstand the social sacrifice and internal symptoms to push further.”

Here’s our guide on how to get six-pack abs

15. Understand your emotions to lose belly fat

Aside from hunger, often there are other factors that cause us to dip our mitts into the cookie jar.

“One of the main reasons for eating more is emotion,” says Kuzmina. “We try to fix a broken heart with chocolate, overcome sadness with pasta, deal with disappointment or frustration with ice cream, or compensate for a lack of direction with biscuits.” 

Or you may simply be tired and bored. Kuzmina says it’s important to find the root cause and deal with that, instead of automatically reaching for the comfort of food. Before every snack, ask yourself a couple of simple questions: ‘Why am I eating? Am I physically hungry?’ “The key to losing weight,” Kuzmina concludes, “is not only figuring out what you are eating, but what is eating you.” 

Try these apps to improve your physical and mental wellbeing

16. Switch off from your screens

The greater the time spent on screens, the greater the chance of weight gain. That’s according to research from the World Cancer Research Fund International, and is largely because the majority of our time on screens is spent sitting down.

“Being inactive can also actually trigger your appetite at the worst time: when you’re burning the least amount of calories,” says Dr Deborah Lee, of Dr Fox Online Pharmacy. 

RELATED: The Best Workouts For People Who Sit Down All Day

17. Pick the right coloured plate

Bright colours stimulate your appetite, so Dr Lee recommends eating from dark plates. “Darker colours suppress appetite,” she says, “because portion sizes appear bigger against darker backgrounds.” 

Check out these quick & healthy recipes

Burpees are a brutal but effective fat-burning tool | Shutterstock

18. Do more burpees

It’s true that nutrition holds the key to burning body fat, but you can improve your chances by doing the right type of exercise, too. The burpee is an undeniably brutal bodyweight movement. But Reiss Mogilner, trainer with global functional fitness community F45 Training, says it’s an invaluable fat-burning tool. “This move majorly works your core, as well as your shoulders, chest, lats, triceps and quads,” he says. “It gets your heart rate going and your blood pumping, and acts as the perfect warm-up or finisher exercise.” 

TRY THIS: 

• Set your stopwatch. 
• In the first minute, do 1 full burpee (chest to the floor), then rest for the remainder of the minute. Easy!  
• Do 2 burpees in the second. See where this is going? 
• That’s right: 3 in the third.  
• Keep aligning the number of burpees with the number of minutes, and resting for the remainder of each minute.  
• Simply stop when you can’t complete the set number of burpees within the minute. 
• If you can make it to 20, consider yourself a certified burpee machine.

RELATED: Pros And Cons Of High Intensity Impact Training

19. Avoid binge drinking to lose belly fat

You’ll be pleased to know that we aren’t here to warn you off alcohol altogether. Although beer bellies are real things, if you can’t imagine dinner without a glass of pinot, then you’re in luck. How about drinking more regularly, but less intensely? A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that those who drank infrequently but heavily had more abdominal fat than those who consumed the same amount but drank regularly.

Discover the best low-calorie beers

20. Focus on fibre

Studies have found that eating more soluble fibre – whole grains, fruits and vegetables – can help you lose belly fat and stop it from creeping back on. A study in the journal Obesity found that a tiny 10g increase in soluble fibre was linked to a 3.7% lower chance of gaining tummy weight. Just one cup of oats contains 8g of the good stuff, while a banana contains around 3g. 

Learn more about the health benefits of fibre

21. Sort your gut health out

A happier gut is a leaner gut. And what makes a happy gut? Variety. Previous research discovered how those with a more varied gut microbiome (the bacteria that live in our intestines) had a lower risk of belly fat. Plus, 2022 research conducted by the University of California found that eating too much food, too often, resulted in poorer microbial and metabolic health, potentially proving that a three-meal-a-day eating style is ideal. 

Discover more ways to improve your gut microbiome

22. Balance blood sugar

Avoid the rollercoaster of cravings throughout the day by getting your meals in check. “Keep your blood sugar balanced by eating sufficient good-quality protein, unprocessed whole foods rich in vegetables, and some fruits – eat a rainbow every day,” says nutritional therapist Fleur Borrelli. 

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23. Snack smarter to lose belly fat

Studies have found that grazing throughout the day can significantly increase daily caloric intake. This is because many of us graze on high-fat and high-sugar foods. These can subsequently lead to excess fat sitting in your belly. If you find yourself grazing, set a timer on your phone to signal your next eating ‘point’. Borrelli recommends having two to three protein- and fibre-rich meals per day, with at least a five-hour fast between meals, to avoid snacking. 

Try these healthy snacks to keep your nutrition on track

24. Eat more black garlic

Black garlic has been proven to help reduce visceral fat: the dangerous fat that sits internally around organs. Essentially, black garlic is aged, ordinary white garlic, but it packs in twice the antioxidants of the white variety.

Research has also found that black garlic could regulate blood sugar (to stop the snacking) and protect your brain health. Pick up black garlic in major supermarkets and independent stores. 

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