Miraculous things happen in space, roughly 350km above the Earth, where the International Space Station (ISS) speeds across the sky at about 8km per second.
Here, where the ISS's constant free fall over the planet's horizon simulates the conditions of microgravity, you can twirl weightlessly, launch a 230-kilogram object with a small flick of a finger, and fly across the room, arm outstretched, like Superman in full save mode. In fact, visit Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA, with its theatre-size video screen showing live what's happening in space, and you'll sometimes see firsthand an astronaut doing exactly that.
But terrible things also happen to your body there some catastrophic, some even irreversible. Spending just weeks floating out of the reach of gravity is equivalent to being in a lengthy hospital bed rest: Your blood volume drops, which means the heart has less blood to pump and begins to atrophy. With that goes your stamina (from VO2 loss), your aerobic and anaerobic fitness, and your strength. Some of the bodily fluids in your lower extremities shift to your head, swelling your face and causing bruising headaches. One of those liquids, spinal fluid, flattens the back of your eyeballs and inflames your optic nerve, which may cause blurry vision and could even cause far-sightedness, new research shows - in fact, almost two-thirds of astronauts who've spent months at the ISS have reported problems with their eyes. You also run a heightened risk of kidney stones.
Bu hikaye Men's Fitness South Africa dergisinin May - June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Men's Fitness South Africa dergisinin May - June 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
THE NEED FOR SPEED
Interview with NASCAR's Parker Retzlaff
Test your T
Low testosterone can be a serious (and seriously annoying) problem. But there is help.
The no-gym beach body
Take a vacation from the weights and sculpt your best beach body ever using only your body weight
The 6 Greatest Outdoor Workouts, Period
After a dark and cold winter, the fluorescent-lit gym starts to feel as drab and stuffy as a fluorescent-lit cubicle, and the old routines of arm day and leg day and ab day just aren't cutting it. Ditch the racks and benches and venture outdoors into the sunshine. Your bleary eyes will find life's better with the wind in your hair, the sun on your back, and the world zipping past. We've ranked the top outdoor sports mountain biking, trail running, open-water swimming, obstacle course racing, road cycling, and rock climbing - based on exercise efficacy, calories burned, cost of gear, availability, and risk factor to see which one offers the most burn for your buck. So, go ahead and take your fitness to the next level while communing with nature. The outdoors awaits. Go work it.
ARCHER TELLS YOU...How To Be a Real man
STERLING ARCHER is the world's greatest secret agent as well as a devastatingly handsome jet-setter, model-banger, and daydrinking enthusiast. And now I'm a noir detective living in the 1940s. Sorry, are you confused because I switched to first person? Well, get over it, because I'm about to give you some invaluable life advice on how to get through this decade- or any decade, for that matter - like a true gentleman.
Broiling Point
The broiler is an under-appreciated workhorse that can quickly and easily bump up the flavour of your favourite dishes
Johnny Jimenez FROM FITNESS MODEL TO BUSINESS MOGUL
Johnny Jimenez (aka JohnnySwole) is not your ordinary fitness model. He has taken his passion for fitness and turned it into a lucrative empire. With a blend of dedication, entrepreneurship, and a keen sense of opportunity, Johnny has established himself as a prominent figure in the fitness industry.
30 ways to get stronger
To celebrate MF's 30th year, we present our 30 top tips for turning yourself into a lean, mean, brawny, beach-ready machine
Extremely loud and incredibly close
As a neighbour, you want to build relationships based on mutual respect - but that's sometimes easier said than done. Here's what to do should drama come knocking.
Win every fight you're in
Defuse the most dreadful situations with tips from these hostage experts