Men's Health

MY ENO HAMMOCK.I PREFER TO SLEEP IN THERE MORE THAN A TENT MOST OF THE TIME.–CORI RITCHEYPATAGONIA DUFFEL/BACKPACK—KEY FOR CARRYING EVERYTHING WITH EASE AND MUCH-NEEDED WEATHER PROTECTION.–TED STAFFORDSTAINLESS-STEEL MUGS TO DRINK FRESH COFFEE OUT OF IN THE CLEAN MORNING AIR.–JASON SPEAKMANBUG SPRAY, BECAUSE I REFUSE TO DONATE BLOOD UNLESS IT’S FOR A GOOD CAUSE.–SEAN ABRAMSSUNSCREEN! ALWAYS A NECESSITY.–LEANNE MATTERNMY SONOS ROAM SPEAKER. IT SOUNDS GREAT EVERYWHERE AND INSTANTLY SETS THE VIBE.–JAMIE PROKELLMY GERBER MULTI-TOOL IS IN MY PACK AT ALL TIMES. IT’S LIKE PACKING A FIVE-INCH, HALF-POUND TOOLBOX.–CHRIS PEEL…

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE EXPERTS, ADVISORS, AND READERS WHO BRING MEN’S HEALTH TO LIFE. I’ll go with Bo Jackson. He had elite power, speed, and balance. @michael.rogers Steve Weatherford. Dude was a punter, into fitness to an obsessive level. @cbarry23 I thought a lot about Walter Payton and the workouts he put himself through all year long. @chris.bernaky Jim Thorpe–multi sport athlete that excelled in all. @Luis.Rivera Darrell Green. He was among the league’s fastest players in his late 30s and you rarely see anyone athletic enough to play corner at that age. @alek.bee Ed Reed. Looks like he can still play. @marc.lassman…

POWER PLAYERS The 2024-25 NFL season has arrived—and with it a class of athletes who are redefining strength. We’re talking about DK Metcalf, a six-foot-four WR who can hit a top speed of 21.66 mph. Or Christian McCaffrey, a run-catchblock RB triple threat who led the league with 1,459 rushing yards last year. Or QB Joe Burrow, who took the “off” out of “off-season” and added a solid ten pounds while recovering from injury. We couldn’t decide on “the One” to put on our cover this issue. So we picked all three. What now? ELECTION STRESS? Is this an actual thing?—COLIN JACKSON-WHITE IT’S NOT JUST a thing, Colin, at least not in the way that Hyrox is a thing (see page 13) or an Everything Shower is a thing (page 44). Sometimes it’s…

THE THINKING MAN’S TO-READ LIST To help fight the stress of everything, maybe it’s time to pull from our collection of the 14 best books about mental health, according to therapists. If you’re a doomscroller, try: Unwinding Anxiety, by Judson Brewer, M.D., Ph.D. Recommended by MH columnist Kier Gaines: “Dr. Brewer lays out, in great detail, how anxiety affects the brain, and useful tools to cope.” If you’re generally bummed out, try: When Things Fall Apart, by Pema Chödrön Recommended by MH advisor Avi Klein, L.C.S.W.: “This book helped me through a difficult moment in my life by showing me the rich possibilities for growth.” If you’re stuck, try: The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks Recommended by MH advisor Gregory Scott Brown, M.D.: “I recommend this book if you are afraid to take the next move toward…

THE SUN BEATS DOWN, stadium jams from Skrillex and Imagine Dragons blare, and hordes of scantily clad people throng around me—stretching instead of dancing. It’s the first day of June, and I’m at Manhattan’s Pier 76 along with more than 5,300 other competitors for Hyrox, the racing phenomenon and new new thing in fitness. I’m working up a sweat just weaving through the masses to reach the warmup corral inside a giant hangar next to the Hudson River before my 11:30 heat time. We’ve signed up to tackle a series of eight movement stations connected by one-kilometer runs, a competitive mashup of a CrossFit event, a half marathon, and an urban obstacle race. There’s a mixture of cardio work (SkiErgs and rowers), strength challenges (sled pushes and pulls and farmer’s carries),…

SINGLE-LEG STEPUP Hyrox’s 50-meter sled push decimates quads, glutes, and core. Train for it with single-leg stepups: Holding dumbbells at your sides, place your right foot on a bench, step, or chair. Drive into your right foot as you stand tall, then lower with control. Repeat for 8 to 10 reps. Switch legs. Do 2 or 3 sets on each side. ROMANIAN DEADLIFT The 50-meter sled pull that follows isn’t rocket science: You’re pulling something heavy. Deadlifts ready you for those big pulls—and blast your forearms, too. Stand holding heavy dumbbells at your sides. Push your hips back and lower your torso until it’s at a 45 degree angle with the floor. Drive through your hips to stand, squeezing your glutes. Do 2 or 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps. DUMBBELL THRUSTER Prepare yourself…