Celebrity Archives - Men's Health Magazine Australia https://menshealth.com.au/category/life/celebrity/ Fitness, Health, Weight Loss, Nutrition, Sex & Style Tue, 13 Aug 2024 23:19:16 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://menshealth.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-Mens-Health-32x32.jpeg Celebrity Archives - Men's Health Magazine Australia https://menshealth.com.au/category/life/celebrity/ 32 32 Kit Harington is shirtless, ripped and scheming in ‘Industry’ https://menshealth.com.au/kit-harington-ripped-in-industry/ Tue, 13 Aug 2024 23:19:16 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=62466 The man formerly known as Jon Snow is using his physique and charm to craft a very interesting new character

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AS FAR AS stars go, Kit Harington is in pretty rarified air. In many ways, Game of Thrones was one of the last pieces of monoculture; the HBO fantasy smash was one of the final shows that it felt like truly everyone watched, and he played one of the most important characters in its entire run. Despite most people not knowing his work before hand, and only working on a handful of things after, the run as Jon Snow really bought Harington a very special bit of real estate – and now, as he stars in the third season of HBO’s Industry, he’s cashing it in.

In the years since playing Jon Snow, Harington has stayed relatively quiet. His post-Westeros work has been limited to smaller profile films and a small role in Eternals (which promised an MCU future that has yet to be realised). But with Industry, he’s stepping up front and centre, taking his place once again as the key game-shaker in a piece of HBO’s crown jewel programming.

Harington plays Sir Henry Muck in Industry, the founder and CEO of Lumi, a green energy company getting ready to launch its first IPO (Initial Public Offering). Henry is manager by Robert (Harry Lawtey), but given how massive a moment this is for Pierpoint and Co., the London-based investment bank that the show revolves around, almost everyone at the firm is getting involved, from the top-level executives to newly-hired graduates. The business is revolving around Henry and Lumi, because it seems like the money coming in could be absolutely massive.

When a property like that is set up, you need a strong character to lead it – and Industry proved it’s game to do just that. Just in the first episode alone, Muck is shown to be exactly the kind of character that the show proved to be so good at building with Jay Duplass’s Jesse Bloom in season 2; someone charming enough so audiences understand why people are drawn to them, but cunning and eccentric enough to know that we’re going to be on a roller coaster ride for as long as we’re watching.

As Henry is preparing for Lumi’s IPO, typical problems – we’re watching a show, after all – begin to arise; investors back out, prices shift, the works. But Harington’s performance does something unique in that he doesn’t really explode (he keeps most of that for behind his eyes): he keeps a level head, smiles, and nods. As Henry, Harington gets to use all the charm that had to be taken off the table when playing the stoic Jon Snow.

But like so many others in Industry, he also likes to play head gamesAfter a phone call that Yasmin (Marisa Abela) was on ended disastrously, Henry somehow got her personal phone number and gave her a call later. Now, this should be a bit inappropriate and strange (why is he calling her?), but Yasmin is having such a tough time – she’s being harassed by the paparazzi and tabloid media after her father, a famous rich guy who has recently been exposed as a sex pest, went into hiding – that anyone who’s nice to her feels like kind of a change of pace.

And when it’s someone who’s Yasmin’s type (rich, handsome), we can predict sparks may start to fly. He invites her to come see him for a conversation later that night, and while she expresses some annoyance – complaining to Robert (Harry Lawtey) about giving away her number, which Henry says is how he got it, despite Rob’s later denial – she nonetheless attends, and we instantly see what’s happening.

Yasmin arrives where Henry sends her, and finds not people having drinks, or dinner, or any kind of business meeting, but rather a bunch of men playing handball; Henry is shirtless and wearing athletic shorts. Harington clearly has worked hard for his physique, and based on the way he’s shot, we be certain that his impressive results are a secret to exactly no one in that room.

We don’t know the angle yet, but clearly he’s set Yasmin up to be in this situation; and after he introduces her and the other men with him (who are also big business players, and who know Yasmin’s disgraced father) scoff a bit, he offers some sympathy. “I know what it’s like having a family member ruin your life, so I know what you’re going through,” he tells her. “The kids are always collateral.”

Again, telling her this with his shirt off. He’s appealing to her on an emotional level, but it’s hard to ignore the attractive, charming, and (seemingly) kind man right in front of her.

Kit Harington in Industry

Nick Strasburg / HBO

It’s not hard to figure out why Harington has laid low since Thrones; he made his name as a noble hero, fighting White Walkers and attempting to preserve the good of the realm in a fantasy epic (and, outside of work, he’s also expressed issues with the mental health anguishes that come along with the industry and roles like the one he played in Thrones). That can be awesome, but it doesn’t give an actor a full chance to show the range of who they can be, and what they can do.

In the tremendously funny 2015 HBO film 7 Days in Hell, Harington gets to show off his comedy chops as a tennis star who rarely has a single thought in his head. Even his role in Eternals put him in different shoes; rather than be the hero who comes in to save the day, he’s just a professor and a guy (though, eventually, his character will have to deal with some troubling family history on his way to becoming an anti-hero).

Industry, in the early goings, is giving him the opportunity to prove all of this. Can he be a realistic figure in an intense, hyper-active world? Sure seems like it. Can he use put both his charm and physical prowess on display in service of his character? Yeah, we’re going to give him that one too.

We don’t know where Henry’s role – and Harington’s performance – will go from here, but any questions as to how he’s going to fit into this new world, and what he stands to provide, have been completely answered. And we’re thrilled to keep watching.

This article appeared in Men’s Health US.

Related:

Kit Harington Opens Up About Protecting His Mental Health

Hugh Jackman got jacked again for Deadpool & Wolverine with this gym gear

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Why Dwayne Johnson is the ultimate girl-dad https://menshealth.com.au/why-dwayne-johnson-is-the-ultimate-girl-dad/ Thu, 08 Aug 2024 22:30:46 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=62237 The Rock spills on fatherhood, fitness and Teremana Tequila, his all-conquering alcohol brand and its unique connection to his daughters

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DWAYNE JOHNSON IS sitting in his trailer on the set of The Smashing Machine, his upcoming wrestling biopic, when Men’s Health catches up with him. After our interview, he and the crew will jump on a plane where there’ll be a bottle of his alcohol brand, Teremana Tequila, waiting for him.

Launched in March 2020 in the US and hitting Australian shores last month, Teremana Tequila became the fastest premium spirit to sell one million nine-litre cases within a 12-month period in US history.

Teremana Tequila for margueritas

Image I Teremana Tequila

Finishing the day with a nip of the agave spirit is probably forgivable when you own your own distillery, though it contributes only modestly to Johnson’s gargantuan but dull, 5,000-calorie daily intake.

“My diet is pretty boring,” says Johnson. “Chicken, fish, steak, complex carbohydrates, some greens in there, protein shake. Boring. Disciplined, but boring.”

Similarly boring, but undeniably necessary, says Johnson, was the workout he did this morning. “I did chest and cardio,” he says. “Nice and boring.”

Having got the dull stuff out of the way then, it seems pertinent to ask Johnson about something closer to his heart, his family, specifically his daughters. Johnson’s got three, Tiana, 5, Jasmine, 8, and Simone, 22, a trio whose first two initials – TI, JA, SI – spell the word TIJASI, embossed on the bottom of every bottle of Teremana Tequila.

So, what has a man who epitomises an outsized, overtly rugged sense of masculinity, learned from raising daughters?

“I’ve learned to be less selfish,” says Johnson, 52. “I’ve learned to be less judgmental and I have learned the powerful fact that when you’re a father to girls and you’re their daddy, every man that they meet, [for] the rest of their life, will be measured against you and how you treat them. So, what an awesome, incredible responsibility for us as men to remember that.”

He’s right, it’s a responsibility that’s implicit, if largely unspoken, in being a girl-dad. Johnson won’t let himself forget it.

“That’s a conceit that I really protect,” he adds. “I’m a proud girl-dad, and I’ve made mistakes along the way. I’ve tried my best to learn from those mistakes and try to be the best dad that I can, while always remembering that my role as their father, is yes, to discipline them, to love them, to protect them, but also just to remember that every man they meet, they’ll be measured by how I treat them.”

That’s a hell of a standard, I’m sure you’ll agree. You can only pity the poor, unfortunate partners of TIJASI.

Find out more about Teremana Tequila here.

Dwayne Johnson holding a bottle of Teremana

Image I Teremana Tequila

 

Related: 

School Of Rock: Life Lessons From Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s Complete Workout Routine and Diet Plan

 

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Andy Allen is still shooting for the stars https://menshealth.com.au/andy-allen-is-still-shooting-for-the-stars/ Wed, 03 Jul 2024 07:13:40 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60987 How the MasterChef Australia judge and former sparky took a chance that changed his life

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AS WE WIND up Andy Allen’s episode of The Turning Point podcast, I remark on the amount of basketball we’ve talked about over the last half hour or so.

“I could talk about it all day,” says Allen, who’s rugged up in a hoodie, as he chats to Men’s Health from his home in Melbourne’s Carlton. Allen’s love of hoops has remained a constant since his childhood in Maitland in country NSW, where he was a feisty point guard on local rep teams. It was the lessons he learned there on the court about teamwork, camaraderie, discipline and sacrifice that have informed the sparky-turned-chef’s philosophy in the kitchen and in business ever since.

“It was such a part of my childhood and adolescence,” says the 36-year-old. “I was at the stadium three, four nights a week. For me, the two things that I’ve probably taken the most out of my childhood were family and sport. When people have asked me the question, ‘What tools did you have at the age of 23 to be good at MasterChef?’ It wasn’t cooking. I wasn’t a great cook, but it was the things that I learned in my childhood and my adolescence that revolved around sport that I took away and that’s probably why I was successful.”

Indeed, you could call Allen’s decision back in 2012 to try out for MasterChef Australia a long shot – I suggest it was a deep ‘Curry Country’ three-pointer. Allen disagrees, describing the unlikeliness of his move from a guy who was fixing wires under houses to one who was knocking up dishes for a national audience, as more of a half-court heave.

“Mate, it was more than a deep three, it was a three-quarter shot, like off balance. It was an absolute Hail Mary.”

Of course, the shot went in. Allen ended up winning the cooking competition before going on to join the Three Blue Ducks restaurant group, eventually becoming a co-owner. He then returned to MasterChef as a judge in 2020.

Here, Allen recalls his unlikely path to stardom, reveals how hoops has informed his journey from the kitchen to the boardroom and reflects on the death of colleague and friend Jock Zonfrillo.

Channel 10

Men’s Health: You grew up in Maitland, right? What kind of kid were you?

Andy Allen: I was a pretty restless kid growing up, I’m not going to lie. Basically, I played as much sport as I possibly could to get out of the classroom. It really did build my childhood, and reflecting back, kind of formed the person that I am. It was cricket in the summertime and then basketball in the wintertime and everything in between. It’s weird how much playing sport has kind of shaped me as a person.

MH: In what ways do you think it shaped you?

 AA: I was always good at basketball in juniors and then that led to playing senior basketball at quite a young age and captaining the men’s side from the age of about 18, 19 years old. I was a fiery little point guard. I’m now still 5’10.5″, so I really did have to find other ways to be, I suppose, dynamic on the court, and that was through leadership and through hard work. I think from a young age, being around grown men and leading a team of grown men, you just had to A, grow up really quick, and B, had to find a way to get them to accept me as their leader. What could I do to make sure that they trusted me to lead them?

MH: After school, you became a sparky. What was that like? And was that something that at the time you thought you were going to do for the foreseeable future?

AA: Yeah, look, I enjoyed being a sparky. Every day is different. You’re always using your brain, you’ve always got to work out a problem, and I really loved that aspect of it. But also, working with my cousin, it was a two-man team and we had such a great relationship. I was 23 when I got the call to go on MasterChef. First of all, I thought I was going to be back in the trenches the next week pulling cables. But when I started to progress and realised that I probably wasn’t going to go back to twisting wires, I think, for me, I knew I was going to miss the relationship I had with my cousin. And he’s still there doing his thing today and absolutely crushing it.

 MH: So, during your sparky days, were you cooking as a hobby or was it something you knew that you were quite good at? How would you rate your home cooking in those days?

 AA: No, I was pretty shit, mate. I think for me, what kept me cooking was I kind of cracked the code. When you’re in your 20s and your mates are all finding different things to do, whether it’s work or social life, everyone starts to drift apart. I realised around the age of 20 that if I shot off a text and said that I was going to put on a barbie and have some beers, everyone would be there. And that really never happened in any other scenario. That was the first time that I realised that food is a connector.

MH: Let’s go back a little bit further to the application process. Did you see it on TV, or you’d seen the previous seasons and just thought you’d throw in an application? What happened?

AA: Mate, I got dared by one of my mates. I’m going to come clean. There’s no kind of beautiful story about this. Being a struggling fourth-year apprentice electrician that loved a challenge, my mate was like, “I’ll put 500 bucks on the table”, and I was like, “I’ll take your 500 bucks”. So that was the catalyst, which is quite a unique and funny story, but that was the catalyst of me filling out the application. And mate, this application was a nightmare.

 MH: Rigorous, yeah?

 AA: Like 30 pages. It went through a lot of detail but somehow the guys saw something in me. They saw that I could deal with pressure. And for me, that was the reason why I think I was so successful on the show. It wasn’t because I was the best cook, it was because I was able to learn and I could deal with pressure. I think even being a judge these days, very rarely does the best cook win MasterChef, it’s the person who can deal with pressure. They’ve got to be able to cook but also be able to learn under every circumstance.

 MH: Absolutely. Well, obviously you dealt with it very well if you went on to win the show. How much did your life change after that?

 AA: Immediately. The first eight months was a whirlwind. You kind of get thrust out into the big bright lights of winning a reality TV show and everything that comes with that. And for me, that first eight months, I didn’t find out what I wanted to do. I probably found out a lot of the things that I didn’t really want to do because there are so many opportunities that come your way. And then, I remember, I’d moved to Sydney at the time, and I was sitting in my bedroom in Coogee and another MasterChef season had rolled on, so there was a new winner, and the NBA finals were on. And I’d watched five games of the NBA finals in a row, back-to-back each day. And I kind was like, What are you are you doing? This is madness. You’re sitting in your small little apartment and you haven’t done any work for the last five days. And I had this real conversation with myself, like, Is it time to go back to Newcastle and just restart the old life, go back and be a sparky? Because you can’t just sit here and watch the NBA finals for the rest of your life.

And I had that deep conversation with myself, I was like, Nah, you’ve come this far, you’ve moved to Sydney, let’s give it a crack. What are the two things that you really enjoy doing? And I love to teach. You do a lot of cooking demos and things like that coming out of MasterChef. Looking back, it’s kind of the coaching aspect of playing sport. I love that. And so, I was like, If you’re going to go and do that, maybe start a YouTube channel or something. You need to learn how to cook, because I was pretty real with myself. As much as I’d gone on a reality TV show and won the thing, there was so much more that I wanted to learn.

And so, that’s when I knocked on the door of Three Blue Ducks. I’d met the guys on the show. They had the one cafe in Bronte. And I just knocked on the door and said, “Hey, what have you got? Can I come in and get behind the stoves?” And I was really lucky at the time, they were shooting their first cookbook. And so, they had a bit of space in there and I did two weeks work experience and I loved it, and they loved having me in the kitchen. For me it was like being part of a team again. And it was like you have game day nearly every day. You have your prep time, which is your training. And then, you have service time, which is your game. And you’ve really got to be in sync. I was like, This is where I belong. And I worked my arse off and we opened one restaurant together in Rosebery and then the boys said, “Do you want to come into the whole group?” We’ve gone from a little 25-seater cafe in Bronte to having six venues.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Andy Allen (@andyallencooks)

MH: Now, obviously, from there, you went on to become a judge on MasterChef, where you worked alongside Jock Zonfrillo. Can you just tell us a little bit about that relationship and how difficult it was when he passed?

AA: Yeah, I miss him every day. And I suppose shows how special that relationship was. It was more than just being in the MasterChef kitchen with Jock and I. We’d never met until we were both announced as judges on the panel. It was so fast tracked because we were around each other so often. I think what people don’t realise with the season of MasterChef, it’s filmed over six months, four to five days a week. They’re long hours. And we just clicked, not just in the kitchen, but our families clicked, both our wives became really good friends, we’ve got great relationships with Jock’s kids. It was a really fast-tracked relationship.

Jock was like a mentor for me. And it was the toughest thing that I’ve ever been through when he passed away. It’s still really raw and it’s only a little over a year since he passed, but you kind of reflect on that and you learn so much about yourself in that period. It was an intense, it still is intense, but for the first three weeks, we could hardly go out of our apartment because there were paps sitting out the front waiting for photos. It all played out in the public eye and it was just a really, really difficult situation to navigate with no playbook.

MH: It would be incredibly tough. For you personally, obviously, you’ve got a lot on your plate and you’ve had to deal with Jock’s passing. What are your tools to stay on top of your own mental health and keep yourself looking forward and being positive?

AA: Balance is a huge one. When you’re shooting, it’s tough. It consumes you because it is such a commitment. Plus, I still have restaurants and other businesses. Exercise has been a huge part. I feel better about my exercise regime that I ever have. I’m running a lot. I’m going to the gym a couple to three times a week. And that really has helped my mental health. And I’ve noticed it more than ever. And diet as well. I try to eat as healthy as I can, when I can. And I think I’ve just noticed, this year especially, my mind and my body being the best they could possibly be. And I just don’t think it’s any coincidence that I’ve kind of got those three chess pieces somewhat in place.

MH: You mentioned running and obviously you were training for your first marathon on the Gold Coast, which was meant to be in the coming weeks. So, what happened there?

AA: Mate, it sounds like a book, but it all started about three or four months ago when a bunch of my mates were like, “Hey, why don’t we do the Gold Coast marathon?” There was one of my mates who’d done a fair few, travelled around the world, he loves it. And he was like, “Why don’t we all get together and do a marathon?” And I reluctantly said yes.

And I wasn’t running really at all at that point. I might go for a 4-5km jog, but that was about it. And then, it probably took me about a month to really go, This thing’s coming around. If you’re going to do it, let’s do it. So, I started with a running program and got into it through that. And I was going okay, I was up over 20km on some runs, which was good. And then, all of a sudden, I went for a run and I just felt my hammy, it didn’t go, but it just got tight. And I was like, Okay, something’s wrong there.

So, I went and got a massage. She was like, “Yeah, go for another run. See how you go”. I was going to go do 10k. I only got through two and it started to do the same thing. So, I went to the physio and I was like, “Man, I’ve got this tight hammy, it hasn’t snapped or anything, it hasn’t pulled, it just gets tight the longer I run”. And he started feeling around my lower back on my left-hand side and my glute. And I was in excruciating pain, I was squealing. It was a bit shameful. And the more he pushed on it, the more I was like, “Man, you’ve got to stop that”.

And he was like, “Mate, you have some of the worst scar tissue in your back and your glute, that I think I’ve ever seen”. He’s like, “Do you know where it came from?” And the only thing I can think of is playing basketball for so many years, taking charges, being small, diving on the ball.

So, he’s put me on the sidelines for eight to 12 weeks and I’ve got some pretty excruciating physio sessions to go. I will do a marathon one day, it just might not be the GC.

MH: Now, I’ve got to ask you, as a chef and someone who works in the industry, what do you think of The Bear, if you’ve seen it?

AA: I think they do a pretty good job of getting most things right. But, like, some of the intensity of how he speaks to staff and all that kind of stuff, his staff and friends and family, we’ve kind of built a restaurant group that prides itself on that not happening. No pans are getting thrown, all that kind of stuff. That was in the old days. I can understand why they’ve done that because it is interesting to people who are watching it. But they do a pretty good job of what goes into creating a new restaurant and the hardships that go along with that. And in terms of being a dramatised version of that, I do still watch it and I do still love it.

MH: Yeah, nice. Alright, what do you think your next turning point might be?

AA: Oh mate, that’s such a good one. I don’t know. I never expected any of the turning points that have come my way. I’ve been extremely lucky to have great opportunities and I suppose, right now, I’m just really comfortable with what I’ve got. I’m also really aware that taking on more and more things could lead to those things not being as successful as they could be. So having Three Blue Ducks, being a judge on MasterChef, I’ve also got a new beer brand out called Traveller, and everything else that comes with being in the entertainment industry as a chef. There’s a lot going on. And I suppose that I just don’t want to sacrifice anything that I’ve got by taking on anything more.

 MasterChef Australia is on Channel 10.

Related:

Brent Draper On Stepping Away From MasterChef and Putting His Mental Health First

MasterChef’s Brendan Pang On Coming Out, and Why it’s Time To Stand Up Against Discrimination

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Paul Mescal debuts ripped physique for ‘Gladiator II’ https://menshealth.com.au/paul-mescal-debuts-ripped-physique-for-gladiator-ii/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 23:30:09 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60889 The Irish superstar says he trained for brutal hardcore action scenes, not to "look like an underwear model"

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PAUL MESCAL HAS totally transformed his body for the upcoming Gladiator IIVanity Fair published a behind-the-scenes look at the sequel to Ridley Scott’s beloved Roman combat movie, and everything looks up to par with the Best Picture-winning original.

Mescal will portray Lucius, the son of Connie Nielsen’s Lucilla. The story unfolds decades after the first film, which starred Russell Crowe, now following Lucius as a young adult living in the northern African region of Numidia. Sent to Numidia by his mother as a child, Lucius returns to Rome as a gladiator, navigating conflict and reuniting with Lucilla.

To prepare for the role, the actor knew he had to bulk up from the lankier stature seen in his breakthrough role in the limited series Normal People. Mescal meticulously planned his workouts to ensure his transformation wouldn’t just make him a Hollywood hunk.

“His training focused on fight choreography rather than sculpting him into a sex symbol,” VF reported.

“I just wanted to be big and strong and look like somebody who can cause a bit of damage when shit hits the fan,” the actor added.

Mescal’s co-stars witnessed his newfound strength firsthand, including Pedro Pascal, who plays Marcus Acacius. Pascal, who faces off against Mescal in the film, revealed that filming their fight scenes was challenging.

“I call him Brick Wall Paul. He got so strong,” Pascal said. “I would rather be thrown from a building than have to fight him again.”

During his fitness journey for the role of a Roman warrior, Mescal was mindful of his end result. “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.

t’s no wonder that the intense body training for the role also unintentionally added to his sex appeal. “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 a different feeling,” Mescal said. “You carry yourself differently. It has an impact on you psychologically in a way that is useful for the film.”

The Vanity Fair piece isn’t the only place where Mescal’s transformed physique was mentioned – in a recent Men’s Health interview, his costar Joseph Quinn called him “a unit,” adding that he “definitely committed a lot to the physicality of his character.”

Mescal and Pascal will face off in Gladiator II, hitting theaters on November 22, 2022. The film will later be available to stream on Paramount+.

via menshealth.com

Related:

Watch This Trainer Try a Workout Inspired by Ancient Gladiators

The Gruelling 3-Times-A-Day Workout That Saw Channing Tatum Get Ripped For Magic Mike

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The diet and training that could help Robert Whittaker get back to the top https://menshealth.com.au/the-diet-and-training-resurrecting-bobby-knuckles-back-to-the-top/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 06:58:49 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60539 Robert Whittaker's epic comeback continues this weekend. Here's the training and diet that have helped resurrect The Reaper's career

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IT TAKES A RARE warrior to tumble from their perch at the top, doubts swirling around their killer instinct, only to defy expectations and resurrect their career. Enter Robert ‘Bobby Knuckles’ Whittaker, poised once more to make a run at the middleweight crown.

Whittaker’s career was a speeding train headed for the status of legend, before being abruptly derailed by a couple of setbacks against champions like Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis. Yet as whispers grew louder among pundits that Whittaker’s career might be reaching an end, Australia’s UFC ‘O.G’ did what he’s always done – silenced the nay-sayers with a powerful return to form. 

Comebacks in the UFC are a daunting task fraught with challenges. Beyond the physical demands of elite-level competition, fighters must navigate a landscape of evolving contenders and strategic adaptations. While Whittaker didn’t necessarily step away from the fight game, he’s had to make some serious readjustments after losing the middleweight crown. 

Who is Whittaker fighting at UFC Fight Night?

This weekend, Whittakers takes on a fresh new face. The UFC’s inaugural event in Saudi Arabia was originally set to be headlined by Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev, however, last week UFC CEO Dana White announced that Chimaev was out. Enter unranked middleweight Ikram Aliskerov, who bravely stepped up on just a week’s notice to replace him. 

Instagram | @ikram_aliskerov

Whittaker, coming off a dominant unanimous decision victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in February, is looking to extend his winning streak against the up-and-coming Aliskerov. Despite only two UFC appearances since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, Aliskerov has already made a mark with impressive knockout victories over Phil Hawes and Warlley Alves. As both fighters prepare to clash in the Octagon, anticipation mounts for a showdown that promises to be nothing short of electrifying.

What is Robert Whittaker’s pre-fight?

Ask any fighter how much they weigh outside of fight camp and chances are they’re at-least another 10 to 15 kilos heavier. They can afford to consume those extra calories, often building muscle, or in the process of recovering from a bout. Whittaker has previously commented on his ‘walking weight’, which sits around the 97 to 99 kilo mark. However, come weigh-in days, that comfy mass needs to be stripped back to a lean 83 kilos, at most. 

Whittaker’s diet is always going to be clean. A devout fan of food, who loves his Japanese and Italian, pre-fight Whittaker takes on a more hardcore approach, following the ‘everything in moderation’ rule. At the same time, he doubles down on a large portion of greens every day and avoids sugar and fast foods. When he needs to strip the weight back, Whittaker cleans up his diet and begins to cut out foods like bread, focusing on healthier carbs like potatoes and rice. The protein department also gets a brief overhaul, with Whittaker shifting to white meat and fish and increasing his grain intake. 

How does Robert Whittaker train before a fight

Men’s Health spoke with Whittaker and his team in 2021 and got the gym workout rundown the ‘Reaper’ follows, a program drawn up by exercise physiologist Justin Lang at Live Athletic in Sydney. According to Lang, the progressive program combines flexibility, gymnastics and barbell strength training, and aims to build unrestricted movement while inoculating his charge against injury. 

1/ Squat

In a squat rack, place a barbell across your traps. Push your hips back and lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. Pause, then push back up. Whittaker will typically do 5 “build-up” sets before completing 3 “work” sets of 5 reps.

2/ Pistol squat

Balance on your right foot, your left leg extended in front of you. Drop into a deep squat, then drive back up to a standing position. Whittaker will typically do 4 sets of 3-5 reps on each leg.

3/ Nordic hamstring curl

Kneel on the floor and anchor your feet under a loaded barbell or have a partner pin your feet to the floor. Keeping your torso straight, slowly lower your body as close to the ground as possible. Whittaker will do 4 sets of 5 reps.

4/ Weighted dips

Grab a pair of parallel dip bars, elbows slightly bent. Keeping your head up, lower until your upper arms are at least parallel to the ground. Pause, then drive back up. Whittaker will typically do 4 sets of 5 reps with 30kg strapped to his weight belt.

5/ Back extensions

Place your legs on a bench or box and anchor your feet. Lower your upper body as far as you can then raise your torso until your body is straight. Pause, then slowly lower. Whittaker will do 4 sets of 10 reps holding a 20kg plate to his chest.

6/ Hollow rocks

Lie face-up on the floor, your arms extended above your head. Engage your core and raise your arms and legs so your body describes a bow shape. Keeping your core switched on, rock back and forth. Whittaker will do 4 sets of one-minute rocks

How Whittaker wins against Ikram Aliskerov

Even though it might not be the blockbuster all-out war we were promised if Whittaker had faced off with Khamzat Chimaev, one of the most frightening fighters in the sport may we might add, Aliskerov still poses a formidable challenge for the Aussie. Like many Russian UFC fighters, Aliskerov is relentless. 

Instagram | @robwhittakermma

Whittaker though, practically invented that style of fighting. He’s tenacious in his approach. Expect Whittaker to keep the fight entirely on his terms with strong striking and building constant KO pressure on a fighter who has never faced an opponent of this calibre. If Whittaker is any chance to push for the belt one last time, he can’t afford any hiccups this weekend.

Where to watch UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs Aliskerov?

Catch Whittakers fight bright and early on ESPN, Sunday, 23rd June, with the main card beginning at 5:00 am.

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Jessie T. Usher snacks on these to keep his speed up on ‘The Boys’ https://menshealth.com.au/jessie-t-usher-meals-diet-eat-like/ Fri, 21 Jun 2024 05:37:31 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60435 To match A-Train’s lightning speed, 'The Boys' star Jessie T. Usher's secret weapon is a strong meal routine

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THE BOYS STAR Jessie T. Usher spoke to MH to give us a behind-the-scenes look at his diet while filming the hit satirical superheroes vs. vigilantes show. In our latest episode of Men’s Health US’s “Eat Like,” Usher, who plays the speedy A-Train, took us to his kitchen, where he broke down his diet and some of the guidelines he follows when filming.

“I don’t count macros – I’ve never been that into it,” he says. “Even when I did have a nutritionist and physical trainer, the only thing I counted was how many grams of protein I was taking in, because that was the most important thing at the time.”

His typical day starts with protein-rich eggs and herbs for breakfast, followed by a visit to his favourite Mediterranean fast chain, Cava, for a balanced lunch. His dinners lean toward heavier fare, often featuring multiple servings of fish or a mix of chicken thighs and breasts.

Usher’s key to staying on track during filming? Meal prepping. However, the 32-year-old still leaves himself room to indulge while playing the show’s version of The Flash. When it comes to snacking, Usher really lets himself eat whatever.

“In terms of snacks, here’s where the balance part comes back in; my snacks are usually unhealthy,” he says. “I’m just saying. I do Funyuns, Nutter Butters, whatever…”

He’s also got a pretty good idea on the kind of cheat meal A-Train would partake in.

“It would definitely be different from mine: A-Train has a much higher caloric intake… maybe an entire birthday cake,” he says. “I don’t even know what he could possibly eat to put those kinds of calories in.”

Regarding his lifestyle of food, Usher’s most important message is, “just to have a balance and have a conscious of what you put into your body…” Nevertheless, his last bit of advice is, “don’t forget to get some Funyuns and some chips and stuff from time to time though,” he says.

You can check out Usher’s full “Eat Like” video above and learn even more about The Boys’ speedster’s meal routine.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health US.

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Luke Newton’s unique prep for steamy ‘Bridgerton’ scenes https://menshealth.com.au/luke-newtons-unique-prep-for-steamy-bridgerton-scenes/ Thu, 13 Jun 2024 01:03:34 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60295 Rumour has it, that you can thank former Superman character and all-round fitness icon Henry Cavill, for the surprising tip.

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DEAREST GENTLE READERS, Season 3 of Bridgerton is back, and bringing just as much steaminess, drama, and romance as seasons prior. In Season 3, viewers follow the budding romance of Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). MH got the opportunity to sit down with actor Luke Newton, who spilled the beans on everything he eats to remain “sturdy.”

Newton said that before taking on the lead role in the Netflix hit’s third go-around, he was commonly seen walking around the set with a “plate full of everything.” He continued, noting some of his favourite snacks: “Like, if there were biscuits, I would just have a plate full of biscuits, or cakes, or scones, or whatever.”

It was not until he got the phone call that he would be the lead for Season 3 that he decided it was time for a change.

“Going into Season 3, I wanted to change my lifestyle slightly, become healthier, and just ready to go into this season and feel like I have my energy levels high,” Newton said. “So, first of all, it was about that. And then I got the first script. The first line I saw Benedict says is ‘under what foreign Sun did you apparently get so sturdy?’ So, I was like, ‘Right, okay, he’s transformed slightly. So, I’m really going to dive into this.’ From there, I kind of relished the challenge and enjoyed that whole process…”

Newton turned to meal prep companies that offered a variety of fun and healthy dishes that were high in protein, and low in carbs.

When asked about a typical day of eating on set, Newton told us he would start off the morning with a banana protein shake, then he would intermittently fast until lunch, when he would have his meal kit and sometimes indulge in a sweet treat like a “crumble or cinnamon social,” especially after filming an intimate scene as a reward.

When asked how he preps himself for an intimate scene, Newton shared that he was given advice that supposedly came from a certain former Superman actor.

“I was told to have a glass of wine the night before an intimacy scene, because it can really shred you,” he said. “Rumour has it came from Henry Cavill. I have the idea that if it did, I didn’t actually get to try that I felt like I wasn’t drinking whilst I was shooting.”

Via Men’s Health US


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Alan Ritchson shows off his pump before filming ‘Reacher’ https://menshealth.com.au/alan-ritchson-shows-off-his-pump-before-filming-reacher/ Sun, 09 Jun 2024 23:00:16 +0000 https://menshealth.com.au/?p=60155 Alan Ritchson shows off the pre-naked scene workout routine he uses to stay jacked for his most intimate shoots

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GOT A NUDE SCENE COMING UP? Alan Ritchson does. The actor shared a look at how he’s preparing in the gym to go in the buff for the upcoming season 3 of Reacher.

Ritchson has undergone a strict regimen for his role in the Amazon Prime show Reacher. Ritchson shared some of these tips with MH when we visited him at home, from consuming up to 4,000 calories a day to his home workouts consisting of his beloved incline bench. The actor often showcases how he maintains “that beach body,” for his role on his social channels, giving his fans a behind the scenes look at how he attained his buff build and how he maintains it. In this short one minute clip, Ritchson demos the routine he took on just before he had to shoot a particularly steamy scene as Jack Reacher.

“I was squeezing this in before work,” Ritchson wrote in text overlaid on the footage. “Clothes had to come off so I wanted to hit the whole body.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Alan Ritchson (@alanritchson)

Ritchson’s latest workout consists first of spending 16 minutes hiking up the stair machine, hitting a new PR. He then heads over to the cable machine machine and does four rounds of 25 reps of the cable fly. Without stopping, he pounds out four sets of 25 reps on of shoulder presses where he “threw in some Arnolds” into the mix. After that, he flipped the script to train his back muscles with another four sets of 25 reps of cable rows. At this point he shared with his followers “I’m pretty gassed at this point.” Ritchson ends his workout by shifting to lower body work, grinding through four round of 25 reps of leg presses and calf raises.

“Ran out of time for more (thank God),” he wrote after finishing the circuit.

No wonder Ritchson’s character Jack Reacher is ripped. According to his captions, this was all before a full day of filming. But the most important news for Reacher fans: There’s likely going to be a very naked, very jacked Jack Reacher hitting your TV screens in the near future.


This story originally appeared on Men’s Health U.S.

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