It’s perfectly normal for your motivation to ebb and flow. That’s not even considering how difficult it can be to stay on top of your fitness routine in the fast-paced world we live in today, with work, social, and personal responsibilities. There will be days when the energy left in your tank for gym sessions isn’t quite enough, after everything else in your already busy schedule.

We’ve all been there. There are some days that you’re so stoked to go to the gym you end up spending hours there. Other days, it feels like there is not even your best gym buddy or the perfect workout playlist that could prompt your brain to lug your lethargic body up and off the couch. Occasionally, this tiredness is a sign that you need to accept defeat and take a rest day. It might mean you’re struggling with something deeper. Or, it may just be plain old-fashioned apathy.

Exercise is a scientifically-proven mood booster, though. Small bouts of exercise have been shown to significantly increase dopamine levels. Dopamine is part of our bodies reward system, and is known as a feel good” hormone because it elicits feelings of pleasure.

The times you’re feeling low just may be the days you need to hit the gym the most. That’s why it’s important to keep some motivation-enhancing trick up your sleeves for those moments where you’re really just not feeling it. If the go-to caffeine and hype music just aren’t doing it for you, maybe some words of wisdom from the greats will.

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion.”

“There is no magic pill”

– Arnold Schwarzenegger, seven-time Mr. Olympia

“I have nothing in common with lazy people who blame others for their lack of success. Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses.”

Kobe Bryant, 5-time NBA Championship winner

“In training, you listen to your body. In competition, you tell your body to shut up.”

– Rich Froning Jr., 4-time CrossFit Games champion

“You shall gain, but you shall pay with sweat, blood, and vomit.”

– Pavel Tsatsouline, chairman of StrongFirst and father of the modern kettlebell movement

“There’s no secret formula. I lift heavy, work hard, and aim to be the best.”

– Ronnie Coleman, eight-time Mr. Olympia

“If something stands between you and your success, move it. Never be denied.”

– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, actor and pro wrestler

“If you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.”

– Thomas Jefferson

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

– Jim Ryun, Olympic silver medalist and politician

“A champion is someone who gets up when they can’t.”

– Jack Dempsey, American boxer and heavyweight champion

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”

– Fred DeVito, CoreBarreFit co-founder

“Keep working even when no one is watching.”

– Alex Morgan, football player and World Cup winner

“There comes a certain point in life when you have to stop blaming other people for how you feel or the misfortunes in your life. You can’t go through life obsessing about what might have been.”

– Hugh Jackman, actor and member of the 1000-pound lift club

“Success is usually the culmination of controlling failure.”

– Sylvester Stallone, actor

“Don’t be afraid of failure. This is the way to succeed.”

– LeBron James, four-time NBA Championship winner

“I will sacrifice whatever is necessary to be the best.”

– J.J. Watt, retired football legend

“Most people give up right before the big break comes — don’t let that person be you.”

– Michael Boyle, performance coach to the 2013 World Series Championship Red Sox and owner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning

“I feel an endless need to learn, to improve, to evolve — not only to please the coach and the fans — but also to feel satisfied with myself.”

– Cristiano Ronaldo, football legend

“You’re going to have to let it hurt. Let it suck. The harder you work, the better you will look. Your appearance isn’t parallel to how heavy you lift, it’s parallel to how hard you work.”

– Joe Manganiello, actor and one of the 100 Fittest Men of All Time

“You have to push past your perceived limits, push past that point you thought was as far as you can go.”

– Drew Brees, retired NFL legend and 2010 Super Bowl MVP

“If you ain’t pissed off for greatness, that just means you’re okay with being mediocre.”

– Ray Lewis, two-time Super Bowl Champion and NFL Hall of Famer

“You dream. You plan. You reach. There will be obstacles. There will be doubters. There will be mistakes. But with hard work, with belief, with confidence and trust in yourself and those around you, there are no limits.”

– Michael Phelps, swimmer and 18-time Olympic gold medalist

“When you have a clear vision of your goal, it’s easier to take the first step toward it.”

– L.L. Cool J., rapper and actor

“We run for the people who think they cant.”

– Dick Hoyt, retired Lt. Colonel from the Air National Guard who pushed his quadriplegic son Rick through over 1,000 marathons, triathlons, and Ironman races.

“I was never a natural athlete, but I paid my dues in sweat and concentration, and took the time necessary to learn karate and became a world champion.”

– Chuck Norris, martial artist and actor

“Your health account, your bank account, they’re the same thing. The more you put in, the more you can take out. Exercise is king and nutrition is queen. Together you have a kingdom.”

– Jack LaLanne, bodybuilder known as the “Godfather of Fitness”

“To keep winning, I have to keep improving.”

– Craig Alexander, Ironman World Champion

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.”

– Michael Jordan, 6-time NBA Championship winner

“I know that if I set my mind to something, even if people are saying I can’t do it, I will achieve it.”

– David Beckham, retired football legend

“We must appreciate and never underestimate our own inner power.”

– Noah Galloway, former Army Ranger and 2014 Ultimate Men’s Health Guy

“I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.”

Muhammad Ali, boxing legend and civil rights icon

“If you take time to realize what your dream is and what you really want in life – no matter what it is, whether it’s sports or in other fields – you have to realize that there is always work to do, and you want to be the hardest working person in whatever you do, and you put yourself in a position to be successful. And you have to have a passion about what you do.”

Stephen Curry, 4-time NBA Championship winner

“You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take.”

Wayne Gretzky, 4-time Stanley Cup winner

“Enduring means accepting. Accepting things as they are and not as you would wish them to be, and then looking ahead, not behind.”

Rafael Nadal, tennis legend

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”

Babe Ruth, Hall of Fame MLB player

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

Related: 

Kevin Hart’s Trainer Shares The Motivation Advice He Gives His Top Celebrity Clients

Why Fear Of Death Is The Ultimate Fitness Motivation

The post 35 fitness quotes to push you through your toughest workouts appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Of course, there will also be plenty more to watch on your chosen streaming platform in December. On Netflix, the most streamed show of all time (Squid Game) is getting a second season. Over on Binge, a beloved Paul Kelly song is being adapted for the screen. Then on Apple TV+ we’ll get a new-age rom com about the media circus that was the space race.

As usual, choosing what to spend your precious time watching is the hardest part. The big hitters like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime are so packed with must-watch films and shows that it can be difficult to discern what’s worth your time and what’s best left on the backburner – especially when you’re prone to indecision and are paying for the luxury of choice with subscriptions to multiple platforms.

Not to worry, though, Men’s Health has you covered. To help you avoid being paralysed with indecision during a dreaded doomscroll, we’ve rounded up all the very best films and shows coming to streaming platforms in December 2024.

What’s new on Netflix Australia, December 2024

December Netflix Highlight – Squid Game, season 2

The most watched Netflix original of all time is returning for a second season that is set to drop on Boxing Day. Squid Game season two will see Lee Jung-jae reprise his role as Gi-Hun. After winning the life or death game in season one, Gi-Hun is returning for another round. What happened to the millions he won in the first season remains unclear, but we’re sure he has a good reason for once again staking his life against the game show.

Also on Netflix in December is new thriller series Black Doves, which has already been renewed for a second season before the first has even premiered. It stars Keira Knightley as a spy forced into hiding after her secret lover is killed. Another spy/assassin who just so happens to be an old flame (played by the voice of Paddington bear, Ben Whishaw) is sent to protect her.

What new series are coming to December in November 2024?

December 1

• Paper Dolls

December 4

• Tomorrow and I
• The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On, season 3

December 5

• Black Doves

December 6

• Echoes of the Past

December 10

• Rugged Rugby: Conquer or Die
• Polo 

December 11

• One Hundred Years of Solitude, part 1
• Queer Eye, season 9

December 12

• La Palma
• No Good Deed

December 13

• 1992

December 17

• Aaron Rodgers: Enigma

December 18

• The Manny, season 2

December 19

• Virgin River, season 6

December 26

• Squid Game, season 2

December 28

• Maestro in Blue, season 3

What new movies are coming to Netflix Australia in December 2024

December 1

• Sleeping Dogs

December 4

• The Children’s Train
• The Only Girl in the Orchestra
• Churchill at War

December 6

• Mary
• Camp Crasher
• Biggest Heist Ever

December 7

• Birdeater

December 8

• Spy

December 11

• The Kings of Tupelo: A Southern Crime Saga
• Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World

December 12

• Dune: Part Two

December 13

• Carry-On
• Disaster Holiday

December 18

• Julia’s Stepping Stones

December 20

• Ferry 2
• The Six Triple Eight
• Umjolo: Day Ones
• UniverXO Dabiz

December 22

• Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

December 23

• The Mountain Between Us

December 26

• Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

December 31

• Avicii – My Last Show
• Avicii – I’m Tim

What’s new on Disney+ Australia, December 2024

December Disney+ Highlight – Skeleton Crew

The next entry in the Star Wars universe, Skeleton Crew, will arrive on Disney+ in December. You can expect a family friendly story from the new series, which is set around the time of The Mandalorian. It follows four kids who get lost in space and must find their way back to their home planet. Along the way they’ll encounter strange places, strange aliens, and Jude Law, who plays a character who says he’s a Jedi, although we’re not convinced. Skeleton Crew has been described as Goonies meets Stranger Things in space, and that sounds like a worthwhile watch to us.

What new series are coming to Disney+ in December 2024?

December 3

• Skeleton Crew

December 4

• Los Montaner, season 2
• Light Shop
• Mickey and Minnie’s Christmas Carols

December 11

• Vow of Silence: The Assassination of Annie Mae
• Dream Productions

December 13

• Invisible

December 17

• The Simpsons: O C’mon All Ye Faithful

December 20

• Ilana Glazer: Human Magic

December 22

• What If…?, season 3

What new movies are coming to Disney+ in December 2024?

December 3

• Jung Kook: I Am Still

December 10

• Sugarcane

December 13

• Elton John: Never Too Late

December 17

• Blink

December 27

• John Williams in Tokyo

What’s new on Stan, December 2024

December Stan Highlight – Earth Abides

Based on George R. Stewart’s bestselling sci-fi novel of the same name, Earth Abides stars Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, The Hunger Games) as one of humanity’s last holdouts in a post-apocalyptic world. In this dystopian setting, the world is in ruins due to a plague that spread across the globe and wiped out most of the human race. With civilisation almost completely broken down, the final survivors struggle against their inevitable decline into extinction.

What new series are coming to Stan in December 2024?

December 1

• Hey Duggee season 4 part 2
• The Octonauts and the Great Christmas Rescue

December 2

• Earth Abides

December 4

• CMA Country Christmas 2024

December 5

• Hitler: A Life in Pictures

December 11

• Born To Spy

December 19

• Significant Others

December 22

• The Reserve

December 23

• Barons

December 26

• Bump, season 5

What new movies are coming to Stan in December 2024?

December 1

• My Best Friend’s Wedding
• The Legend Of The Christmas Witch 2: Origins

December 2

• When Mum is Away…with the Family
• Click

December 3

• Gang Related
• The Great Silence

December 4

• A Kid Like Jake

December 6

• Mr. Deeds
• The Drover’s Wife

December 7

• Ben Hur
• Escape Room
• Burning

December 8

• Shadows of the Web
• Lantana
• Agent Cody Banks
• Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination London

December 9

• Who You Think I Am

December 10

• Mandy

December 12

• Death Wish

December 13

• The Craft
• The Innocence

December 14

• Shazam: Fury Of The Gods
• Thomas And Friends: Tale Of The Brave
• Creed
• Creed II
• Creed III
• Rocky
• Rocky II
• Rocky III
• Rocky IV
• Rocky V
• Rocky Balboa

December 15

• Man On Wire
• A Tale Of Love and Desire

December 16

• Original Sin

December 17

• A Fistful Of Dollars
• For A Few Dollars More
• The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

December 18

• Evil Dead Rise
• Rosalie Blum

December 19

• Donnie Darko
• An Unexpected Love

December 20

• Legally Blonde
• Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde

December 21

• Interstellar

December 22

• My Little Pony: The Movie
• Uptown Girls

December 23

• Next Goal Wins
• 70 Big Ones

December 24

• The Vow
• Petra

December 25

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
• The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies
• Lassie Come Home

December 28

• 300
• Thomas And Friends: The Great Discovery

December 29

• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
• Aurora

What’s new on Amazon Prime Video Australia, December 2024

December Amazon Prime Video Highlight – Longlegs

Amazon Prime is going all in on the Christmas spirit this December, with big hitters like Love Actually, How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Christmas in the Spotlight all coming to the platform. Love Actually and The Grinch are the classic choices, but if you’re after something fresh, Christmas in the Spotlight could be the move. The film revolves around a pop star falling in love with an American football player. What an inconceivable plotline! Or at least it would be inconceivable if it wasn’t a complete rip-off of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship. It’s sure to be some overtly cheesy fun.

Make sure to add Longlegs to your watchlist too. It’s one of the most critically acclaimed horror movies of the year and centres on an FBI investigation into a series of murders where fathers are killing their entire families,` seemingly without any motive. The presence of a mysterious figure known only as ‘Longlegs’ at each of the murders leads the chief investigator (who has her own connection to Longlegs) to suspect an occult factor.

What new series are coming to Amazon Prime in December?

December 6

• The Sticky

December 10

• Secret Level

December 13

• Bandish Bandits, season 2

What new movies are coming to Amazon Prime in December?

December 1

• Love Actually
• Dr Seuss’ The Grinch

December 3

• Absolution
• Jack in Time For Christmas

December 4

• Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas

December 5

• La Virgen Roja

December 10

• Longlegs

December 13

• Kanguva

December 14

• Christmas in the Spotlight

December 17

• Chaos Walking
• Chiefsaholic: A Wolf in Chiefs Clothing

December 27

• Culpa Tuya
• Singham Again

December 28

• The Garfield Movie

What’s new on Binge, December 2024

December Binge Highlight – How to Make Gravy

Big news for Binge, the platform has delivered its first ever original film – and it’s all based on Paul Kelly’s iconic song ‘How to Make Gravy’. The film will follow the same narrative of the song, focusing on a prisoner who writes a letter to his brother lamenting the fact that he won’t be home for Christmas this year and won’t be able to make gravy for the Christmas roast. A mostly Australian lineup brings the song to the screen, including Daniel Henshall, Brenton Thwaites, Kate Mulvany and Hugo Weaving. Sounds like the ideal Christmas movie to us.

What new series are coming to Binge in December 2024?

December 1

• The IT Crowd, season 4

December 2

• Belly Of The Beast, Bigger And Bloodier
• Ruthless: Monopoly’s Secret History
• Libertad
• Ben

December 3

• The Great British Bake Off, season 15

December 4

• Expert Witness, season 2

December 5

• Creature Commandos

December 6

• Southern Charm, season 10
• Jamie’s One Pan Christmas Special

December 10

• Don’t Hate Your House With The Property Brothers

December 11

• Call Me Ted

December 12

• I Kissed A Girl

December 19

• Laid

December 20

• Jamie’s Christmas Shortcuts

December 27

• Sister Wives, season 12

What new series are coming to Binge in December 2024?

December 1

• How to Make Gravy

December 3

• Escape Room
• Georgia Rule
• Punisher: War Zone
• Something New
• Here And Now

December 12

• Dune: Part Two
• Passengers

December 15

• Ezra

December 20

• Sweet Dreams

December 26

• Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire

December 27

• Reunion

December 28

• The Garfield Movie

December 31

• Rocketman
• A Series Of Unfortunate Events
• Bad News Bears
• She’s Having A Baby

What’s new on Apple TV+, December 2024

December Apple TV+ Highlight – Fly Me to the Moon

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me to the Moon is a romantic-comedy set against the backdrop of the Apollo 11 moon landing. While it may blur the line between fact and fiction, the film is based on the real battle to improve the public’s perception of the first moon mission at a time when Americans were hesitant to support funding due to social unrest and the Vietnam War. Eventually, they were won over by some effective marketing organised by NASA journalist-turned-public relations pro Julian Scheer, who coordinated news coverage of Apollo 11 and serves as the inspiration for the Johansson’s character Kelly Jones. Tatum on the other hand plays the launch’s director, who is weary of the operation turning into a media circus but can’t help but be attracted to this marketing genius.

December 6

• Fly Me to the Moon

December 13

• Wonder Pets: In the City
• Eva the Owlet (‘Eva’s Moon Wish’)

December 18

• The Secret Lives of Animals

I’m short on time, what should I watch in December to keep up with the zeitgeist?

We get it. Time is thin and the streaming commitments are coming thick and fast. To ensure you’re keeping up with what everyone’s talking about, this is our list of recommended must-watch films and series.

• How to Make Gravy, Binge, December 1st
• Earth Abides, Stan, December 2nd
• Skeleton Crew, Disney+, December 3rd
• Black Doves, Netflix, December 5th
• Fly Me to the Moon, Apple TV+, December 6th
• Longlegs, Amazon Prime, December 10th
• Christmas in the Spotlight, Amazon Prime, December 14th
• Squid Game season 2, Netflix, December 26th

Related:

How ‘Rebel Ridge’ star Aaron Pierre trained for his action-packed role

Osher Günsberg on how to redirect distracting sexual energy

The post What to stream in December: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and more appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Early in the movie, he is given some of the greatest wisdom a young man could hope to hear: “Don’t let the little head do the thinking for the big head”. I wasn’t even a teenager when I caught this film on TV late one night, and despite my best attempts to absorb this valuable guidance, it vanished the moment they cut to a scene with exotic dancers on the hoods of the cars as a sales promotion.

I know I’m not alone in having sexual thoughts or sexual urges crowd out what I was actually trying to do with my day. I wasted a lot of time and energy following similar thoughts and urges to fruition. When I did so by myself, the only person losing out was me. As an adult in a long-term relationship there’s really nothing like fulfilling those urges with someone who I really care about, and who cares a lot about me.

As a single man, however, I sometimes found myself following those urges into situations where there was a lot less care from both people, and the length of those relationships was significantly shorter.

At first, I believed I was assuming my final form, that of a goddamn sexual tyrannosaurus. But it wasn’t long before the wisdom of which head was doing the thinking started to make sense.

It started while trying to solve the equation as to why I felt so hurt when a woman didn’t text me back after asking her on a third date. I discovered that it was because my big head had negotiated the initial situation. If I found myself in crisis management fielding a stream of upset texts from a woman who had different ideas to me about the status of our relationship, that was usually because the little head had been project lead on that scenario.

Things carried on like this until a good friend of mine sat me down and gave me a stern talking to regarding what kind of calamity I was getting myself into by having such an unsustainable sexual energy policy.

He wasn’t only warning me of the kind of personal trouble I was inviting, but also of the spiritual trouble I was so obviously trapped in: constantly searching for something that was missing within me and expecting to find what I needed in another, not knowing that I could keep looking until the end of my days and never find it. That’s not to mention that I just wasn’t getting anything done.

At one point I would be walking back to my home in Bondi with my groceries, and I’d pass a beautiful woman in her togs on her way to the beach. Of course, I didn’t say or do anything, but if the feeling in my body from witnessing her stunning, undulating womanhood walk past me lingered like the coconut-scented air that wafted in her wake, the moment I was inside my apartment and the tofu was in the fridge, I’d lose a whole afternoon manually working that feeling out of my body on my own.

It took a while before I finally accepted that my mate was right, and when a ‘big head’ relationship showed up it was clear that I needed to find a way to stop the ‘little head’ from deciding how things would go this time. So, I got to work learning how to redirect those feelings to places that were far healthier and more productive.

By learning to see such moments as a gift given to us by these women and knowing that the energy released from that moment can be used to our benefit in ways far more constructive than mere pleasure, we are instantly freed from our choices being derailed by our more basic instincts.

There’s a physical side to this as well, a technique I learned that is not unlike breathing through a stretch to find more flexibility. Being present to that explosive rush in your body, then taking a few deep belly breaths, it’s possible to move that powerful ball of energy out of your hips and up into your heart. When I moved that energy there, the sky looked a little bluer, things sounded a little crisper, even food tasted more sumptuous.

When we’re teenagers, it’s almost impossible to harness that sexual energy. Learning how to harness it is an important part of growing into a man. Just as we learn how to control our physical power, so we don’t accidentally hurt someone, or learn how to handle surges in emotion or desire, part of being a man is knowing when and how to use the power we all have in ways that provide for or protect the people around us if needed.

If we keep losing energy to anger or desire, we won’t have anything left when it comes to achieving our goals or helping those we care about.

Little boys get ‘stiffies’ on the beach when a pretty lady walks by and unleashes a cascading hormonal response within them that they can barely control. Men, gratefully and respectfully take that very same energy as a free power-up, using that beautiful boost to help them be a better partner, a better provider and a better friend.

When I first started working in the reality TV dating space, I was a single man. Journalists at the time would ask me to my face if as a single man I was a ‘cat in the henhouse’, sometimes even on live television. While I was disappointed that’s the first place they went, completely ignoring not only the professionalism I’m proud of but also the agency of every woman involved, I understand why they did it.

Because as men (and only men asked me this question) they had probably never considered that you could choose what to do with the sexual urges that can sometimes come over you (sorry). For a long time, I was the same, and I’m grateful I get to live now as a different man.

Like anything new we learn, at first, it’s deliberate but soon enough it’s automatic.

Now, any such thoughts immediately repurpose themselves to thoughts about me and my wife, which is a delightful bonus that can sometimes bring a cheeky smile because I’m now thinking about what might happen when I get home, were it not for the 5-year- old kicking-machine sleeping between us.

Learning how to redirect this energy can allow us to reap the benefits of what it means to wholly and completely commit to a loving relationship, even to be more productive at work, be a better father, even to be more helpful to others, because that’s what can happen when we’re using our big brain to do the thinking.

Related: 

Osher Günsberg on the male rite of passage we don’t talk about

Osher Günsberg on saunas and the power of self-talk

The post Osher Günsberg on how to redirect distracting sexual energy appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

With the prospect of facing a much younger opponent looming and both his pride and reputation at stake, Tyson has been back in the gym, working with that same trademark resolve that propelled him to such heights. He recently shared a glimpse into his current training schedule with Jimmy Kimmel. “I’m training extremely hard,” he said. “I start at 11 in the morning, do an hour of cardio, then take a bath, wake up at 1, go to the gym, train eight rounds, boxing. Hit the bag. Then I train with my strength and conditioning coach, and then I work again. It’s just an all-day process.”

As gruelling as that regimen may seem, it doesn’t hold a candle to the routine Tyson used earlier in his career. It would be unfair to expect Tyson to maintain this lifestyle into his late fifties, but knowing his renowned work ethic, we wouldn’t be surprised if he is still working at a similar output. See the training routine and diet plan that helped Mike Tyson become a world beater below.

INSTAGRAM | @miketyson

Mike Tyson’s training routine and diet plan

Tyson’s original training protocol was designed by his famed trainer, Cus D’Amato, who passed away not long after Tyson started rising through the ranks on the pro circuit. Even after his trainer’s death, Tyson continued to give credence to his methods by prioritising healthy wholefoods and focusing on cardio, ring work and calisthenics rather than free weights and machines.

This is the daily routine Tyson followed throughout his professional boxing career. Fair warning, it’s not for the faint of heart, with a 4am start and 16 hours of nearly continuous workouts.

4am: Wake up, stretch, 10 interval sprints and 10 box jumps

4:30am: 5km run, followed by a 1.5km walk

5:30am: Shower and back to sleep

10am: Wake up again and have a breakfast of oatmeal and milk

12pm: Ring work, typically 10 rounds of sparring

2pm: Lunch, fruit juice with either chicken and rice or steak and pasta

3pm: Second training block. More ring work for 1 hour, plus 1 hour on the exercise bike

5pm: Calisthenics. 2000 squats, 2500 sit ups, 500-800 dips, 500 push ups, 500 shrugs with 30kg barbell, 10 minutes of neck strength work

7pm: Dinner, chicken and rice or steak and pasta with orange juice

8:30pm: 30-45 minutes on the exercise bike

9:30pm: Time for bed

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mike Tyson (@miketyson)

Is Mike Tyson still vegan?

While Mike Tyson incorporated chicken and steak into his diet during his boxing career, he famously became a vegan following his retirement because he felt like his previous diet wasn’t giving him the physical results he wanted. Since switching to veganism, Tyson has said that his plant-based diet allowed him to lower his blood pressure, ease his arthritis and lose weight.

More recently though, Tyson has given up on his full-vegan diet in favour of occasional meat – which may be necessary if he wants to consume enough protein to take on Jake Paul, whose own protein intake has been going viral. Speaking on Newsmax’s ‘The Record with Greta Van Susteren’, Tyson explained that he has started eating meat again, but only on days where he’s training. When he goes through an extended period where he doesn’t train, he doesn’t eat meat.

What time is the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight in Australia?

The first fight on the card for Tyson vs Paul begins at 12pm, November 16th, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT). But that doesn’t mean Tyson and Paul will actually fight at that time. There are six other fights on the card before the two main draws, meaning their bout will likely take place closer to 3pm.

The fight will be streamed live on Netflix and will not be pay-per-view. Anyone with a Netflix subscription can tune in.

INSTAGRAM | @miketyson

Related:

Mike Tyson on the benefits of meditation: “I pretty much die when I’m meditating” 

Here’s why Mike Tyson packs such a mean punch, according to an Olympic boxer

The post How Mike Tyson trained and ate to become a world champion appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

The post How John Krasinski transformed his body and built a six pack appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Now that we’ve seen Mescal in action in Gladiator II trailers – and soon in theatres when the film releases on November 14th – we can safely say that those fears have been extinguished. Mescal has toned up while gaining a heap of muscle. His co-star Pedro Pascal has even taken to calling him “Brick Wall Paul”. So, how did he do it? And more importantly, how can we do the same?

So far Mescal has been tight lipped about the specifics of his training regime, as well as the diet and workouts he used in the lead-up to Gladiator II. However, dribs and drabs of information have emerged from a range of interviews and social media posts where Mescal has offered a glimpse into his routine. With the help of Men’s Health fitness expert Khan Porter, we were able to make an educated guess at the kind of work Mescal has been putting in and piece together a workout.

Gladiator II

How did Paul Mescal train for Gladiator 2?

Heading into Gladiator II, Mescal knew that he’d need to beef up. “I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan,” he previously told Vanity Fair. But therein lied a problem. “I think also, sometimes, one could, in striving for that perfect look, end up looking more like an underwear model than a warrior,” he said.

Another issue for Mescal was the fact that the realistic, true to history physique he wanted was at odds with what we expect from modern movie stars. “This ideal image that has been informed by superhero films – that was something I was keen to avoid,” he said, “Because superheroes don’t exist, but gladiators did. We don’t really know what they looked like, but they were prime athletes raised in stables, and they trained every day.”

To achieve a gladiatorial rig, Mescal came close to adopting their lifestyle by training for 45 minutes, six days per week and generally “Lifting heavy things for a long time and eating lots of chicken.”

As far as we know, fight choreography was a big part of Mescal’s regime. A featurette on the training involved on set shows the extensive work the actor put into preparing for fight scenes. This, MH fitness expert Khan Porter says, would have helped him boost his cardiovascular health while also packing on some muscle. “That fight training replicates really high intensity interval training and will tone you up and build some lean mass,” he says.

But with all that on set cardio, Mescal had to make sacrifices in his regular exercise routine. He recently revealed to Entertainment Tonight that he was forced to give up running to avoid shedding too many calories. “That doesn’t surprise me at all,” says Porter. “The number one thing you need to be doing if you want to build muscle is making sure you’re in a calorie surplus. You can’t build muscle without eating more calories than you’re burning.”

Specifics on Mescal’s workouts are few and far between, with the exception of a lone video that circulated on TikTok last year that showed the actor doing a set of dumbbell shoulder raises. Given the nature of the internet, we shouldn’t be surprised that the thirst trap went viral, but Porter, for one, isn’t impressed. “I don’t know, man. I don’t like that particular movement,” he says. “He’s got his shoulders internally rotated. They’re quite impinged. I would suggest going for a compound movement, something like a shoulder, chest or even bench press, which is going to target a hell of a lot more muscles and avoid the risk of injury.”

@stellarmagazine #paulmescal has been busy training for his role in the new #gladiator film 💪🏼 We’re so excited for this! #fyp #normalpeople ♬ original sound – STELLAR

Beyond the physical improvements, Mescal was also interested in the mental benefit offered by a stronger appearance. “Muscles start to grow, and that can be deemed aesthetic in certain capacities, but there is something about feeling strong in your body that elicits just a different feeling,” he said, “You carry yourself differently… it has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film.”

Paul Mescal’s Gladiator 2 workout

To build an athletic physique worthy of the gladiatorial arena, Porter recommends a legendary workout from a strength training pioneer. “One of my favourite training protocols for building mass and strength comes from the late, great Charles Poliquin,” he says. “It’s called the 6-12-25 workout. It’s a giant set of six reps of a heavy compound movement, then 12 reps of a moderate isolation movement, then 25 of a lighter bodyweight movement. This is going to help you by building mass and muscular endurance.”

Progressive overload is crucial, in this and any workout, according to Porter. “Progressive overload is one of the most overlooked and simplest training principles there is. Without it, our bodies don’t adapt to our training stimulus,” he says. “If you’re wanting to put on lean muscle but you’re not progressively overloading the weights that you lift, increasing your training time or volume, you won’t be moving in the right direction.”

Porter suspects that Mescal used a protocol like the 6-12-25 with progressive overload to tone up for Gladiator II, and if you’re looking to try it for yourself, have a go at the workout below. And for further immersion, do this workout six days per week for 45 minutes, to mimic the way Mescal trained.

Lower body

3-4 sets of:

Back squats x 6

10 seconds rest

Romanian deadlifts x 12

10 seconds rest

Body weight squats x 25 or jumping lunges x 25

Upper body

3-4 sets of:

Bench press x 6

10 seconds rest

Pull-ups x 12

10 seconds rest

Reverse flys with light weights x 25

Related:

Paul Mescal debuts ripped physique for Gladiator II

What to stream in November 2024: Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime and more

The post How to train like Paul Mescal did for ‘Gladiator 2’ appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Van Der Beek did not reveal how long he has known of his diagnosis, or its severity, but he did make an effort to subdue any fears over his health. “There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good,” he said.

Now 47, Van Der Beek rose to prominence in the late ’90s for his role as the eponymous Dawson Leary in Dawson’s Creek. Since then, he’s kept busy with a number of roles in film and television. Most recently, he appeared in an episode of Walker and is set to feature in Sidelined: The QB and Me later this year.

Van Der Beek in Dawson’s Creek

Van Der Beek’s cancer is not uncommon. In fact, colorectal cancer is Australia’s fourth most common type of cancer, according Cancer Australia. It’s worthwhile being vigilant because if detected early it can be cured. In case you’re in need of a refresher, here’s everything you need to know about colorectal cancer.

What is colorectal cancer?

Commonly known in Australia as bowel cancer, colorectal cancer is a malignant growth of cancerous cells that starts in the inner lining of either the large intestine (colon) or rectum. Colorectal cancer begins in the innermost layer of the colon or rectum and over time it can spread outwardly to other layers. It can ultimately result in death if left untreated.

How common is colorectal cancer?

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common types of cancers. According to Cancer Australia, it is the fourth most common type of cancer in Australia, behind only prostate, breast and skin cancer. It is worth noting that colorectal cancer is 21% more common in men and that the mortality rate among men is also 40% higher.

Can colorectal cancer be treated?

Colorectal cancer can be treated but the nature of the treatment varies based on the stage of the cancer. Surgery to remove the cancerous growth is the most common form of treatment, but chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy are also commonly used.

In cases where surgery is used as treatment, around half of patients will be cured. Even in these cases, recurrence is common, so it’s necessary to continue monitoring symptoms.

In Australia, the five-year relative survival rate for colorectal cancer was 71% between 2015 and 2019.

How can you avoid colorectal cancer?

Like with most cancers, there are a number of risk factors that could put you at higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. For one, the risk increases with age, as most patients develop the cancer after 50 years of age. A number of genetic factors can also contribute to heightened risk, but there are certain lifestyle factors that can be more easily adapted to reduce your risk. Maintaining a healthy diet, staying physically active, avoiding tobacco and limiting alcohol will all minimise your chances of developing colorectal cancer.

Common symptoms of colorectal cancer include diarrhoea, constipation, abdominal pain, blood in excrement, fatigue and unexplained weight loss. However, many people will not experience any symptoms during the early stages of the cancer. Considering that the chances of survival decrease as the stages progress, detecting the cancer early through regular screenings is crucial.

Cancer rates are rising in the under-50s. Can the trend be reversed?

7 ways to detect colon cancer and which one’s best for you

The post James Van Der Beek reveals colorectal cancer diagnosis appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

With every new Apple release, the first question on everyone’s lips is ‘how is this any better than the previous generation of the model?’ Admittedly, there is quite a significant difference between the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max that I’ve been testing over the last few weeks, so perhaps the changes are more pronounced in my case. But there’s plenty of new features that even a person that upgrades their iPhone on a yearly basis will notice.

Of course, this is only the start. Just this week, Apple Intelligence – Apple’s own artificial intelligence software – became available, and while I was already impressed with the range beforehand, the upgrades are staggering. These are my honest thoughts on the next generation of Apple tech.

Display

For starters, the display of the 16 Pro has been expanded to – fittingly – 16 centimetres. This is despite the fact that the phone itself is no bigger than the 15 Pro. It achieves this increased display size through improved mechanical architecture and thinner borders, and the result begs the question of whether the iPhone will ever reach a peak, or if Apple will simply continue to find new ways to improve it. We’d bank on the latter.

The 16 Pro Max adopts the same design philosophy, except it’s even bigger at 17.5 centimetres. Both models have titanium frames that are stronger and lighter than ever, along with ceramic shield glass that Apple claims is twice as tough as traditional smartphone glass. All of this helps showcase the most immersive screens on any iPhone to date. The Super Retina XDR display supports ProMotion technology, bringing a seamless visual experience with always-on capabilities – and yes, that mean the screen never actually turns off, it just dims when you’re not using it.

Battery

The battery life of the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max is another standout. Jumping from a rapidly aging iPhone 8 to the 16’s long-lasting performance almost felt like whiplash, with the ability to outlast more than an entire day’s use on a full charge – some reports put the battery life at an astounding 18 hours, compared to 14 hours for the 15 Pro.

According to Apple, the 16 Pro and Pro Max have the longest battery lives of any iPhone, and I was the beneficiary of this advancement on more than one occasion. One day I simply left my charger at work. Rather than panic or borrow someone else’s charger, I figured the situation could be a testing opportunity. With my phone on just over 50% charge at 6pm, I spent the evening and following morning proceeding as usual: browsing social media, making a few calls and streaming some shows. The next day I returned to work and the comfort of my charger, and the 16 Pro had only dropped to 30% charge by 9am. Impressive.

Camera, Siri and processor

As for the camera, the iPhone 16 Pro lineup’s new 48MP Fusion camera and 5x telephoto lens work wonders for both amateur and seasoned photographers. Featuring a faster quad-pixel sensor, the 16 Pro is capable of capturing video in 4K at 120 fps with Dolby Vision support, a first not only for iPhones, but for all smartphones.

Siri has also levelled up, with better language understanding and a new on-screen interface. The voice assistant is now capable of handling in-app requests across different apps, with context retention and improved flexibility, which make it easier than ever to get Siri’s help.

Apple’s A18 Pro chip, built on 3-nanometer technology, is the heart of the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max. Its upgraded 6-core GPU, with hardware-accelerated ray tracing, brings console-level visuals to mobile gaming and other apps. Gaming enthusiasts will especially appreciate Game Mode, which smooths out frame rates and reduces latency for AirPods and controllers, perfect for immersive, high-intensity gameplay.

Apple Intelligence

Now we arrive at the highlight. Central to the new iPhone 16 Pro models is Apple Intelligence, a suite of generative AI tools designed to simplify and enhance everyday tasks. Powered by the A18 Pro chip’s neural engine, Apple Intelligence uses both on-device processing and private Cloud information to deliver faster contextual assistance without compromising user privacy.

In practice, this means the iPhone can understand, summarise and help manage notifications, emails and other communications based on context. In-app, AI-powered writing tools can also help users write emails, check grammar and even summarise content in a desired tone, like friendly or professional. Apple Intelligence’s integration with the iPhone’s camera lets users access information instantly by simply holding the camera over objects. For instance, snapping a photo of a flyer enables you to add the event to your calendar. Lastly, if you’ve ever spent an unreasonable amount of time searching for a specific photo in your camera roll, the solution has arrived. Now you can simply describe the photo you’re looking for, like ‘me at the gym in a red shirt’, and Apple Intelligence will find it. The emphasis here is on practical uses, rather than needless features.

The verdict

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max redefine what smartphones can do, pushing boundaries in design, performance and user experience. With a stunning camera system, sophisticated AI capabilities and professional-grade performance in a sleek yet durable frame, these models represent the pinnacle of Apple’s engineering prowess. It goes without saying that it’s worthwhile upgrading from the iPhone 8, if there is anyone else that still has one, but the 16 Pro and Pro Max far surpass even the more recent models. This is the biggest leap the iPhone has taken in years.

Related:

Tried & tested: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Flip phones are back – and this time they aren’t going anywhere

The post The next generation of Apple technology, reviewed appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.