With all the buzz surrounding Orlando City’s two Designated Player signings this week, you’d be forgiven for looking past the hard work being done at the Orlando Health Training Ground at Osceola Heritage Park.
But this is perhaps the most important time of the year for a soccer team. The Lions, returning from their offseason holidays, are two weeks into a six-week boot camp readying them for the steady grind of a Major League Soccer season. We spoke to Orlando City Strength and Conditioning Coach Fabian Bazan to get the inside scoop on how he prepares the Lions for the marathon to come.
The first step, says Bazan, starts right at the end of the previous season, when the players head home for the winter armed with individualized fitness plans. Rather than keep them in peak shape, these plans are designed to actually ramp down the players’ bodies from the harsh environment of the season, allowing them to recover and prepare to build back up for the following campaign.
Upon arrival at training camp, Bazan puts the players through 7-10 sessions of assimilation back into the daily routine of professional soccer. This is especially important for new players, who need to adjust to Orlando City’s methodology and fitness techniques. Bazan says he focuses a lot on building up lower body strength during this period, with an emphasis on the quads and hamstrings, muscles which need reinforcement to prevent injury.
After these initial sessions, it’s time to start building towards game fitness. Bazan runs a series of stress tests on the players, including the infamous “beep test,” a non-stop back and forth sprint between two sets of cones designed to test the players’ maximal oxygen consumption. That was the focus of this past week, with the beep test taking place during Friday morning’s session.
The next couple weeks are built around increasing the players’ fitness loads, with the sessions gradually becoming longer and more intense. Bazan says that while this phase is physically strenuous on the veterans, it is actually most difficult for younger players, especially those from the academy who are not used to working at this level. The Lions’ first preseason games will occur during this period, with Orlando set to open up their scrimmage slate against Minnesota United on Thursday evening.
Finally, the players are ready to begin regular-season training in the build-up to the opener. Intrasquad scrimmages and other soccer exercises are common, not just to get the players ready for games, but to give the coaching staff a chance to evaluate their progress ahead of the season’s first match.
Orlando City is set to open its season against CF Montréal at Exploria Stadium on Sunday, February 27 at 1 p.m. By that time, you can be sure that Bazan will have the Lions ready to go.
#kettlbell has accumulated north of three million posts on Instagram. Your favorite fitspo is probably (most definitely) swinging and hoisting kettlebells overhead, and you’ve been officially convinced to swing and hoist kettlebells. If that sounds like you, you probably have run into an annoying and unexpected problem: Your grip sucks.
Kettlebells aren’t the easiest tool to grab, and the ballistic nature of many kettlebell movements makes them even harder to hang onto. What’s more, your ability to grip, and grip tightly, actually facilitatestronger and more powerful lifts. And it all starts with your muscle fascia.
The Importance of Grip
The fascial lines of the body are many and varied. This article isn’t intended to be a primer on fascia but on better understanding it to enhance our training. The arm lines are particularly relevant to our grip needs. There are four of these lines, and all play some part in grip and its effect on supercharging our performance.
This experiment uses the principles of irradiation of muscle tension to demonstrate just how vital grip is:
Let your arms hang loosely by your side and notice where there is tension. Now make a fist. Notice it’s not just the muscles of the hand that are tight. The tension travels up your forearms.
Now grip even harder. Notice the abdominals engage. Observe how the tension is now not just in your shoulders but also the muscles within your shoulders. How you grip grip has the potential to activate every muscle in your body.
Let’s try our experiment again, this time to demonstrate the importance of the arm lines:
Grip as hard as you can, but focus on squeezing the thumb and index finger the hardest. You should feel the pec and delt engage forcefully.
Now focus on gripping hardest with the little and ring fingers. This time you should feel the muscles in the back — the lats, rhomboids, and rotator cuff muscles — engage.
Applying this knowledge to exercise is common sense, yet few people do it. The conclusion to make from these tests is that if the body is ready for pushing (via the pecs and delts being engaged), your grip needs to have the index finger involved. The opposite applies to pulling motions, where we want to make sure that the pinky and ring finger are in direct contact with the bar or bell.
Hand Position for Smarter Grip
The most common hand position when using kettlebells is a grip that slides the wrist into the corner of the bell where the handle and body of the bell meet. This allows the handle of the bell to run diagonally across the hand and minimizes discomfort on the back of the wrist.
Then, most folks will close their index finger and thumb around the handle. You may mistakenly believe this grip is acceptable. It’s not acceptable. This grip will actually decrease performance while increasing injury risk.
MDV Edwards/Shutterstock
Here’s why: During pressing, you need to address not only shoulder flexion but also shoulder stability. If the pinky doesn’t grip the bell, the rotator cuff won’t be fully engaged. And when it comes to swinging or pressing a heavy object overhead, you definitely want all the musculature of your shoulder to be engaged.
A better way to grip a kettlebell for pressing (or get-ups or snatching) is with the handle of the bell going directly across the hand, in line with the calluses. This grip allows both for use of the prime movers and for optimal function of the stabilizers.
Stronger Grip for Better Movement
If we extrapolate this for other kettlebell exercises, such as squats or swings, we can see these fascial lines connect the fingers to the muscles around the shoulder and also become muscles of the trunk on both sides. The front and back functional lines create two large Xs, one on the front of the body and one on the back.
The correct use of grip will switch on our postural control muscles and enhance all of our bigger lifts. For kettlebell squats, the flat grip is once again the better option (as opposed to the diagonal grip), since it activates the most support muscle.
Once you’re used to gripping this way, you’ll find your performance improves while your injury risk decreases. Changing your hand placement will perhaps make a difference in how much load you can move, but that shouldn’t be a concern unless you’re a powerlifter. Focus on how well your body can move and function as a unit.
The All-Aussie Open doubles final has been likened to cricket’s nostalgic Australia v Australia A. But who is Australia and who is Australia A?
Nick Kyrgios is in line for his biggest-ever Australian Open payday – topping his entire 2021 earnings – in a men’s doubles final that has attracted interest like none before it.
Kyrgios played precious few tournaments in 2021, entering the Australian Open on the back of a five-match losing streak, and finished the year with a 7-8 singles record – with $430,102 finding its way into his bank account.
While that’s nothing to sniff at, he’s set to blow that out of the water in one special fortnight with his best mate.
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Should they keep the party going with victory over fellow Australians Max Purcell and Matt Ebden on Saturday, they’ll split the $675,000 in prizemoney – giving each player $337,500.
Throw in the $154,000 Kyrgios earned for his first-round win over Liam Broady, and he will bank a healthy $491,500 for two weeks’ work at Melbourne Park – more than the $340,000 he earned for reaching the 2015 Australian Open quarter-finals.
None of this is likely to be important to Kyrgios, who prioritises entertainment over winning – but not to the extent that he’ll make a fool of himself.
“I think I played pretty good tennis in the past. I’ve beaten pretty much every player that’s picked up a racquet,” Kyrgios said.
“I’ve obviously had to play a certain level of tennis. It’s not like I’m going out there putting on a clown suit and creating a circus.
“I have also played, won titles, won big titles, I have played the traditional way.”
As for who deserves favouritism, it’s a prickly question for both camps.
The unseeded pairing of Ebden and Purcell bristled at questions likening this final to the Australia v Australia A cricket matches in the 1990s – where the star-studded world-beaters were pitched against a side of young guns, but one that was still considered the second-tier team.
“Who is Australia and who is Australia A? Because we’re the underdogs,” said Purcell.
Ebden stepped in to ramp up even more pressure on their high-profile opponents – who don’t have the doubles rankings to show for their heavy-metal performances this week.
“They have higher singles rankings right now. We have higher doubles rankings. They had big crowd support. We did also yesterday,” Ebden said.
“The pressure is on them for sure. They’ve had pressure on them their whole lives.”
AUGUSTA — Delays caused Anthony Oglesby to postpone the ribbon-cutting for his new Augusta business Thursday, in just another in a sequence of postponements the New Hampshire-based entrepreneur has faced.
The biggest delay, bar none, has been the COVID-19 pandemic that has hobbled all kinds of businesses with closures and gathering restrictions, but few more so than gyms and fitness centers.
While many people have turned to in-home options or replaced gym time with outdoor pursuits, Oglesby is betting big on the return to gyms. He is just days away from opening All Out Fitness at the Turnpike Mall with state-of-the-art weight strength and cardio equipment. It will be his second All Out Fitness location after the first that has opened just north of Concord, New Hampshire. A third is now under development in Connecticut.
Meanwhile, by the end of March, Planet Fitness is expected to open up a new, larger facility at 152 Western Ave. at the Capitol Shopping Center, that will more than double the space available and be able to offer the full slate of services, including hydromassage and tanning, that the current space cannot accommodate.
“In the Augusta market and for the people who live there, we just needed to be bigger,” said Mike Cleary, managing partner for Granite Coast properties, owner of five Planet Fitness franchises in Maine.
While the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, people across the United States have been returning to gyms and fitness centers in numbers close to pre-pandemic levels. Placer.ai, a company that tracks and provides analysis of foot traffic, reports that while gym visits declined in the fall as they tend to do in ordinary times, visits over the summer had nearly made up for pandemic losses.
PITFALLS ALONG THE WAY
When Cleary’s company acquired the existing Planet Fitness on Civic Center Drive in 2012, it has already been in operation for about six years. Even before the pandemic struck, he had been looking for a larger space because there was no space to expand where he was.
He was looking for a high-visibility space on a well traveled road with good parking. While a number of spaces were available, some were in older buildings and needed more work. Eventually, he found what he needed at 152 Western Ave. in the Capitol Shopping Center plaza, which is also home to Shaw’s Supermarket.
Among the work being done to the 23,000-square-foot space is removing the second floor in the space to open up the building, replacing the HVAC system and work on the building’s façade.
A large two-story open area is under construction Thursday for a new Planet Fitness location in the Capitol Shopping Center plaza, which is also home to Shaw’s supermarket, in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
“A lot of people are looking for a little more room, a little more air theses days, so we’re really happy about this location,” he said.
The leased was signed last summer and demolition started in September. Cleary said he anticipates the new facility will be open in the second half of March.
At the start of the pandemic, he said, customers were initially cautious. But with the advent of vaccines, customers have said they want to return to the gym and to their usual exercise routines.
The exterior view of construction underway for a new Planet Fitness location in the Capitol Shopping Center plaza, which is also home to Shaw’s supermarket, in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
“The CDC reports that even one workout can reduce a person’s risk of depression and anxiety while improving sleep,” he said. “People have become so much more conscious of the benefits of exercise.”
Cleary said the focus has been on larger spaces. He moved his Westbrook facility to a larger space in South Portland in November 2020, about eight months into the pandemic.
Oglesby’s challenges have been larger than just the pandemic, which slowed the process of renovating three commercial spaces in the Turnpike Mall on Western Avenue, just west of Interstate 95, into a single 17,000-square-foot space.
Co-owner and founder Anthony Oglesby shows an aromatherapy pod during a tour Thursday of the new All Out Fitness location under construction at the Turnpike Mall in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
In June 2021, Oglesby was in a car crash on Interstate 93 near Meredith and he is still recovering.
Oglesby, who graduated from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire, got his start at Planet Fitness and later started TapouT Fitness, which he started to franchise. After selling off half of the brand, he took some time off with his family.
Eventually, he started a small club under the name All Out Fitness, and he started to pay attention to what people wanted.
“I thought of the camaraderie aspect of the gym, that’s what brings people together,” he said.
Co-owner and founder Anthony Oglesby, left, and co-owner and general contractor Jeff Blizzard stand Thursday in their new All Out Fitness location under construction at the Turnpike Mall in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
He plans to foster that camaraderie with a host of offerings in addition to the usual weight training and cardio equipment with aromatherapy pods, tanning, haircuts and manicures.
CENTRAL MAINE MARKET
Oglesby was drawn to Augusta because it shares a number of attributes with Concord, New Hampshire’s state capital. And just like growth drove investment in that community, he sees a similar trend developing in central Maine.
“Everything has a cycle, and Augusta is on an upward trend,” he said. “I want to be known for helping to grow and bring in a top-notch, high-end facility at an affordable rate. There’s going to be a huge influx in Augusta come the next 10 to 15 years.”
Maine is home to 11 Planet Fitness facilities, including five owned by Cleary’s company. In addition to Augusta, his company operates Portland, South Portland, Falmouth and Rockland locations.
“We’re really excited because we wanted to invest in the Augusta market for some time,” he said. “We wanted to bring the full Planet Fitness model to the market and we wanted to see if we would relocate or renovate the existing place.”
The exterior view of the new All Out Fitness location under construction at the Turnpike Mall in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
Keith Luke, deputy director of development services for the city of Augusta, said it is good to see the investments being made by these companies at both of these locations.
The shopping plazas, along Augusta’s main commercial strip, are among those that have had high-profile vacancies as large national retailers have reduced their footprints by closing some stores or have shuttered entirely.
“It’s certainly been challenging from our standpoint to work around those vacancies,” Luke said. “These will be relatively high-traffic enterprises that I hope will breathe some new air into those retail complexes.”
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Sitting in one of three large jacuzzis on the elegantly designed rooftop terrace of Hotel Galería Plaza San Jerónimo, nursing a craft cocktail while the sun sets over the southern flank of Mexico City, it’s easy to feel like one of the country’s famous futbolistas. In fact, there’s a good chance those fit fellas sitting in the next jacuzzi over are professional soccer players. The hotel’s unique location places it near the three biggest stadiums in Mexico City, making it a favorite home base for visiting soccer teams and their traveling fans.
Galería Plaza San Jerónimo is located in the Jardines del Pedregal neighborhood, where many upscale residents call home. It offers travelers a calm respite from Mexico City’s bustling center, as it’s nestled beneath the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains.
The modern-looking glass and steel exterior of Hotel Galería Plaza San Jerónimo offers a pleasant, albeit a bit corporate, combination of stylish common areas and spectacular views. The numerous green spaces throughout the property make the hotel a popular local destination, hosting weddings on the weekends and business events during the weekdays.
Courtesy Image
Three different restaurants inside the hotel and 24-hour room service make up for a general lack of nearby restaurants or the easy walkability found in other sections of Mexico City. All the in-hotel restaurants serve a typical mix of Mexican and international dishes, with plenty of variety and ingredients sourced from the hotel’s in-house gardens.
The large, well-lit rooms are outfitted in a minimalist style and equipped with modern technology throughout (think flat screens, Bluetooth speakers, and sleek furniture). The bright accent walls contrast well with the light wood finishing and floors. There’s also a full-service business center and nicely equipped gym and yoga space available for hotel guests.
Courtesy Image
While distinctly suburban in feel, the San Jerónimo neighborhood is centered around a centuries-old Franciscan Chapel and its cemetery of the same name, surrounded by meandering wooded paths and richly decorated tombs. There’s also a popular ice rink directly across from the hotel called La Pista, which hosts a variety of skating activities and events, including some rowdy amateur hockey tournaments.
The popular Cuernavaca bike trail runs through the area before heading into the Sierra Madre foothills and the rooftop lap pool all offer outlets to get outside, active, and occupied. This is a great stay if you find yourself in Mexico City for business or pleasure—especially if you’re a footie fan.
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That moment sufficiently summed up the entire trip. A lot went wrong: flat tires, reroutes, and a number of close calls—all of which we laughed off. There’s a calmness in knowing that your crew has your back. There’s a lightness in realizing that the worst moments always pass. There’s a freedom in learning that most problems don’t have a single right answer. Thick mud, deep sand, lightning storms, food poisoning, and bike trouble are all solvable problems, provided your group sticks together.
Andy Cochrane
Lesson #2: Plan Ahead, but Save Some Room for Creativity
Let’s go back to the beginning and how we got into this mess. Two weeks earlier, we’d touched down in Arusha, Tanzania, clean cut and naively optimistic for the journey ahead. The four of us, close friends and frequent adventure partners, had spent the last half year planning this moto trip across Africa. That may sound like a lot of time, but for something of this magnitude, it turns out it really isn’t.
We divvied up the to-do list, researching routes, collecting the right gear, building out a spare parts list and repair kit, figuring out visas and vaccinations, and petitioning bosses for PTO. We moved fast, putting together a month-long, self-supported motorcycle ride across the southern half of Africa, but in all honesty, we didn’t know what to expect.
We had the gear, riding experience, and GPX routes on our nav, but that’s just table stakes. There wasn’t a playbook for what we were about to get into—nor did we want one. We didn’t fly across the world to follow someone else’s path, repeat their experiences, and post the same photos to the ‘gram. We wanted to do it our way, get lost a few times, and figure it out as we went.
This article was published in partnership with Blu Atlas
You’d think that settling on the right shampoo would be an easy process, but with your unique hair needs and the overwhelming number of shampoos for men out there, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best shampoos for men, so you can carry on through the year with your best hair yet.
What Are the Different Types of Hair?
Finding the right shampoo begins with understanding your hair type and its needs. Here are the four different types of hair you may have:
Coily (Most Black hair is coily, and is characterized by tight curls and coarse strands that condense when wet. This is the most fragile type of hair and therefore requires targeted care.)
Curly (Curly hair means having well-formed curls and thick strands that frizz easily. This type of hair can be hard to control, as it’s easy to damage and gets out of control quickly.)
Wavy (Your hair is wavy if it has a bit more texture than straight hair but isn’t set into curls. This type of hair can get both oily and frizzy quickly.)
Straight (If you have straight hair, it probably lays flat no matter what you do. Straight hair may be thick or fine and typically stands up to environmental pressures better than the other types of hair do.)
What Kind of Shampoo Do You Need For Your Hair Type?
Now that you’ve identified which type of hair you have, it’s time to start looking for the right shampoo to keep it healthy and looking its best. Keep these things in mind as you shop for a shampoo based on your hair type:
Shampoo for Coily Hair
With coily hair, your main concerns will be moisture, damage, and frizz control. In order to keep your hair in check, look for shampoos that contain natural oils or butters, which will hydrate each follicle while also building up a protective layer. Shampoos that are advertised as strengthening are also a good bet for coily hair.
Stay away from silicones, which can do some serious damage to your strands. You’ll also want to avoid mineral oils, which coat the hair and prevent moisture from getting in.
Shampoo for Curly Hair
Thanks to its shape, curly hair dries out faster than straight hair, so seeking out shampoos with moisturizing power is a good idea. Stylists recommend staying away from sulfate or silicone ridden products, which can do more harm than good to your fragile strands. Products that contain natural oils and hydrating ingredients will also help tamp down frizz.
Shampoo for Wavy Hair
Since wavy hair gets the best and worst of both straight and curly types, you’ll want to find a balanced product that hydrates without leaving behind excess oil. Look for moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin or coconut oil for the best effect.
Shampoo for Straight Hair
Straight hair is the most prone to greasiness and can also look limp. Hit it with natural proteins for fullness, vitamins for hair health, and oil-busting ingredients such as tea tree for the best results.
Ingredients to Look For in Men’s Shampoo
It’s always a good idea to scan that label before you invest in a shampoo, and while you do so you should keep an eye out for these ingredients:
Glycerin. (Glycerin is a superhero when it comes to moisturizing ingredients, as it attracts hydration into your skin and follicles and helps lock it in so you don’t lose moisture throughout the day. In shampoos, glycerin also helps strengthen strands to prevent breakage.)
Natural Oils. (Oils such as avocado, jojoba, argan, and coconut deliver on all fronts. They give nutrients to your hair that help it grow thick and healthy while also providing moisture to the strands and scalp.)
Shea Butter. (Shea butter is another powerful moisturizing ingredient that is especially important for textured hair. This ingredient will combat frizz and boost shine while also using its anti-inflammatory properties to soothe the scalp.)
Aloe Vera. (Aloe works to strengthen and repair your hair so you can avoid breakage. It also soothes your scalp and fends off inflammation which will, in turn, lead to healthier looking hair. Its moisturizing capabilities are just an added bonus!)
Sulfate-Free Surfactants. (Surfactants act as cleansing agents to get rid of dirt and buildup and leave your scalp and hair clean and ready to absorb nutrients and moisture. Instead of sulfate, look for naturally derived surfactants that have the same effect without any of the downsides.)
Blu AtlasBlu Atlas
Not only is this fan-favorite shampoo suitable for all hair types, but it also packs a lot of natural nutrition into an affordable formula. What’s not to love? Men with all hair types will benefit from this product’s strengthening properties and its ingredients that tackle oil buildup while simultaneously hydrating strands.
Jojoba protein and aloe vera are the winning ingredients here. Each soothes and conditions hair, allowing it to become healthier and fuller than ever before. All of Blu Atlas’ straightforward products are all-natural, made without harmful chemicals and with a subtle, refreshing scent, and this best shampoo for men is no exception!
Best For: All hair types and men who prefer natural products.
This innovative formula from Olaplex uses new technology to restore damaged hair to its previous strength and luster. It does this by tackling the millions of disulfide bonds within your hair that are responsible for strength and structure. Just be aware that it may take weeks of use before you start noticing the effects of this shampoo, so have patience.
Get a salon-quality treatment for an at-home price with this formula. If you color your hair (your secret is safe with us), you’ll be especially grateful for this product’s powerful nourishing capabilities that can reverse any damage you’ve done to your hair.
Paul Mitchell is one of the biggest names in hair, and this shampoo is the brand’s best seller. That’s because of its formula which combines natural powerhouses like tea tree and peppermint oil to create that unmistakable tingling sensation that comes with a good deep clean.
This product cleanses your scalp, removing any buildup of oil or pollutants, and leaving your hair clean and healthy. Ginger helps get the circulation in your scalp to get rid of dandruff and stimulate hair growth, aloe conditions, and rosemary leaf extract strengthens your hair. Treat yourself to the Paul Mitchell tea tree experience!
Get this all-natural shampoo that uses plant-based, vegan ingredients to deliver serious moisture to your hair and boost softness and shine. Soothing aloe vera and invigorating lemongrass tackle your hair issues at the root in order to promote strong, healthy, and revitalized hair. Plus, it comes in sustainable plant-based packaging, a win-win for eco-conscious men who want healthy hair!
Popular demand for this natural wonder means that you’ll need to find it before it’s gone, and maybe invest in a few bottles while you’re at it. Use this fresh-smelling shampoo first thing in the morning as an instant pick-me-up and notice how your hair feels fuller and healthier over time.
Every Man Jack is an up-and-coming brand for men’s grooming products that has a loyal following thanks to its natural formulas that go easy on the wallet. Like this 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner packed with natural ingredients like tea tree oil, coconut-derived surfactants, and glycerin and shea butter. This blend of plant-based additives works to clean deeply then hydrate and soften.
If you’ve noticed that your hair seems to be thinning out a bit, you’ll notice how this formula helps your head of hair feel thicker after a few washes. Plus, the fact that it’s a 2-in-1 means that you don’t need to shell out for both shampoo and conditioner. Guys who like to keep their grooming routine simple will make this product their go-to!
Best For: Thinning, normal, straight or wavy hair.
This is one of the best shampoos for men this year because it is one of the best shampoos for all men. Whether you’re looking to get rid of those dandruff flakes, tame your curls, or stave off the greasy look, this shampoo from Brickell will work wonders. Rest assured knowing this product is sulfate-free and made from natural ingredients!
Tea tree and peppermint oils clean deep and give you that refreshing tingle, while vitamin E delivers important nutrients to your scalp that help stimulate hair growth and stop dandruff in its tracks. Other natural ingredients, like lavender, aloe, jojoba, and amino acids, take care of moisturization and promote that shiny, healthy look you’re going for. Then, natural proteins help to thicken and strengthen for a fuller head of hair.
While most thickening shampoos use proteins or panthenol to boost hair strands for a fuller appearance, this product works in even more innovative ways. In order to maintain thickness over time, Hims thickening shampoo actually blocks DHT in your hair. DHT is the sex hormone in men that comes from testosterone and can actually contribute to hair loss.
Saw Palmetto is the natural ingredient behind this magical process, and ensures you’ll come away with not only thicker hair, but fuller hair as well. Men love how it makes their hair look and its subtle, pleasant smell.
Here we have another all-natural best shampoo for men. An essential oil blend that includes jojoba, peach, avocado, argan, and almond works together to nourish hair while getting rid of frizz, thickening, conditioning, and boosting volume. Even with all those oils and all that hydrating power, this shampoo works great for men with oily hair, too.
Men with all hair types will benefit from this formula, which is made up of high-quality natural ingredients that moisturize and repair. The scent isn’t bad, either–a warming blend of vanilla and honey that lingers throughout the day. You can’t go wrong with this simple yet effective shampoo!
Best For: Men with all hair types, dry or damaged hair.
This shampoo from Briogeo is a godsend for men with wavy to curly hair. That’s because it packs some serious hydrating power to nourish your strands while keeping them calm and frizz-free. You won’t find any sulfate in this formula, meaning you can trust it to take care of your hair without stripping your strands or skin of the natural oils they need.
Amino acids stimulate hair growth, shea butter and avocado oil hydrate, and then tomato fruit ferment allows hair to dry evenly. It’s safe, gentle, effective, and even comes with free samples so you can see what other Briogeo products might work for you.
Bevel has created this product with men (specifically, men with textured hair) in mind. That means you won’t find any sulfates and silicones in here, just natural ingredients that help encourage your hair to be on its best behavior without any harmful additives.
Shea butter, coconut oil, and glycerin will keep those coils or curls under control while delivering a powerful dose of nutrients that make you feel confident in embracing your natural hair texture.
Another product that turns to tea tree oil to help men tackle greasy, dry, or thinning hair as well as dandruff and itchy scalps. Tea tree oil works wonders on all types of hair thanks to its anti-fungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory properties that tackle just about any hair concerns you may have.
This is great for thinning hair because it tackles bacteria in the follicles that are preventing growth and gets rid of any buildup that may be stunting your strands from reaching their full potential. Peppermint oil contributes to that invigorating clean and refreshing smell, wheat amino acids stimulate growth, while glycerin moisturizes and seals in all the hydration your hair will need.
This product has made our list thanks to its incredible smell that men rave about. Lose yourself in a world of Italian bergamot, apples, cassis, greens, cedar, white amber, and musk–a blend so sophisticated and expertly created that you’ll feel as if you’d doused your hair in your favorite cologne.
Men claim that, aside from the smell, the best part of this shampoo is its rich lather and thickening effect. Watermelon, lychee, and edelweiss fend off damage from oxidative stress while preventing environmental harm, vegetable humectants promote shine without residue, ginger root extract softens, and vegetable protein strengthens and protects. The ultimate treat for both you and your hair!
Resentful of the fact that you need to line the shelves in your bathroom and shower with different products for different parts of your body? Cut down on the number of products you use with this 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, and body wash from American Crew.
Sage leaf extract helps encourage the growth of new hair follicles while citric acid cleanses your scalp and hops flower extract fights inflammation to keep your hair and skin healthy. You’ll get a good cleanse out of this product, along with some serious moisturizing properties that are beneficial both for your hair and skin. Plus, it comes with its own masculine fragrance that helps control odor throughout the day.
Best For: Men who want a quick grooming routine, dull hair.
Hey, scented shampoos may not be your thing, and that’s cool. You can still take great care of your hair with a fragrance-free option like this shampoo from Seen. The brand’s dermatologist-developed shampoo (which also happens to be vegan and non-comedogenic) is safe to use both on your hair and skin.
Hemisqualane is a natural ingredient that comes from sugar and provides color protection, frizz control, and smoothing properties. All this without clogging pores! Then bisabolol pumps up the volume while protecting both skin and hair. The same powerful effects as artificial blends without any of the consequences. Plus, no animal testing.
From cult-favorite Jack Black comes this volumizing shampoo made with natural ingredients. Men love Jack Black products because they’re straightforward, natural, and do their jobs. The job for this shampoo is thickening, which it tackles with a bunch of powerful plant-derived ingredients. The price may be higher than your average drugstore generic shampoo, but that’s because it uses quality ingredients that really work.
Tea tree gets rid of buildup while soothing the scalp, creatine strengthens, wheat protein adds volume, white lupine protein nourishes, nettle leaf soothes, sunflower seed oil hydrates, and basil brings antioxidants to each follicle. All of these ingredients come together to give you a fuller head of hair than you’ve had in years. And all that without parabens, alcohol, or sulfates. Plus, men with sensitive skin won’t have any issues with this dermatologist-tested shampoo that’s made in the USA.
Alright, we had to include this classic in our list. You’ve probably seen this product, if not at the store than in commercials, and chances are you’ve used it at some point in your life. This classic clean from Head and Shoulders is the top dandruff shampoo in the business, that hydrates and protects hair while eradicating dandruff and getting rid of any itchiness.
Pyrithione Zinc is the main active ingredient in this formula that is recognized for its power against dandruff, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, and a bunch of other skin irritation conditions. It also has antibacterial properties to keep your scalp healthy. If your hair gets dry and dull easily, this shampoo will get it on the right track immediately, locking in moisture for smooth, healthy hair.
In addition to all that, this shampoo smells great and is pretty cheap. So what are you waiting for?
Here comes a product that includes all the ingredients your curly hair is craving! Shea butter and mafura oil specially target Black hair for a gentle clean that keeps your curls shiny, healthy, and frizz-free. Other natural ingredients, such as rosemary leaf oil, algae extract, and soybean oil deliver important nutrients while working alongside shea butter to condition, brighten, and soften.
Shea Moisture’s products are known for being of the highest quality, meaning you can count on this brand to bring you only the best. You’ll find no parabens, sulfates, or mineral oil in here! Just natural goodness that men love.
Keep your morning routine simple with this 2-in-1 cleanser that works to clean and condition your hair. The ingredient list is straightforward as could be, with powerhouses like coconut surfactants for cleansing, argan oil for nutrients and hydration, menthol for an invigorating clean, and citric acid to keep your skin’s pH in check.
Method Men vows to create products for men without any fuss. They smell great (this citrus one is the ideal way to start your day), come at an affordable cost, and take care of your hair without any harmful chemicals.
Another 3-in-1 for the win! This product from 18.21 looks good enough to go on the top shelf at a bar, and smells like masculine shampoo, conditioner, and body wash of your dreams. Along with the addicting smell of sweet tobacco comes some serious hydrating power that your hair and body will thank you for.
Macadamia glycerides bring antioxidant power to your hair while helping it become soft and healthy, jojoba esters nourish and hydrate, and quinoa boosts hair growth while repairing split ends. You’ll want to lather this all over your hair, beard, and body and take in your new favorite scent. The scent which will stick around all day long!
This shampoo, which contains malt to nourish and condition hair, may look like a bottle of beer but is actually best kept in the shower, not the fridge. Redken’s lightweight formula is great for fine, fragile, and damaged hair, using natural ingredients to hydrate and boost shine.
Glycerin helps seal in moisture to calm down those curls and reduce the appearance of dry or frizzy strands. Proteins thicken and citric acid acts as a natural conditioner so you can step out of the shower with soft, smooth hair that is good to go all day. The best part about this shampoo? You only need a little bit of it to get the full cleaning and hydrating effect, so one bottle will last you a while.
Most barbers would tell men that washing their hair with shampoo every 2-3 days is sufficient in order to avoid stripping the hair of essential natural oils. Men with long hair may want to go for every other day but still try to stay under four times a week.
Is it Okay to Use a Combined Shampoo and Conditioner?
As exciting as it is to be able to skip a step in the shower, experts say that using 2-in-1 products may not give you the same result as using separate shampoos and conditioners. This is because each serves a different purpose. Shampoo typically cleanses the hair so it’s ready to receive the moisture that conditioner provides. Using them at the same time may not allow for the moisture to fully penetrate.
Can You Use Body Wash as Shampoo?
The number one reason not to use body washes as shampoos is that they are formulated to have different pHs. pH is the balance of acid and alkaline in your skin and hair and it is important to maintain the correct pH for optimal health. Plus, since body washes often have stronger cleansing power that is meant for the skin, using it on hair may strip your strands of necessary oils and leave your hair lackluster and dry.
Is There a Difference Between Men’s and Women’s Shampoo?
Some shampoos may be unisex and work great on both men’s and women’s hair. Since there is no difference in the actual follicles between the sexes, you can probably get away with using a women’s or unisex product with no issues.
Many women’s shampoos are simply formulated for longer hair and include fragrances that women love, while men’s shampoos focus on cleansing and are often not scented heavily. Some products are formulated specifically for men, and take the specific hormones of men and their thicker skin into account when putting together their shampoo.
Ready to treat your hair to the shampoo experience it deserves? Pick out a product from this list and take the next step towards your best head of hair yet!
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Steve Smith won’t be playing in tonight’s Big Bash final, but that hasn’t stopped him taking the mickey out of a frustrating situation.
Welcome to news.com.au’s coverage of tonight’s Big Bash final between the Perth Scorchers and the Sydney Sixers.
The Scorchers have been the team to beat throughout the tournament and the Sixers have been the next best, as the perennial powerhouses square off in a BBL final for the fifth time.
Watch every KFC BBL Finals game Live & On-Demand on Kayo or catch up for FREE with minis on Kayo Freebies. Join Kayo Now >
Both teams are aiming to win their fourth BBL title, with the Sixers going for an unprecedented three-peat.
Sixers to bowl first
The Sixers have won the toss and have elected to bowl first.
The roof at Marvel Stadium will be closed for the game due to heavy rain lashing Melbourne.
Captain Moses Henriques and Steve O’Keefe will both play tonight, despite the duo nursing calf injuries.
The men in magenta are also without star opener and wicketkeeper Josh Philippe who has Covid-19, while brothers Jack and Mickey Edwards will also miss out as their Covid isolation period finishes at midnight tonight.
Jordan Silk is also out with a hamstring injury, while Daniel Hughes faces a late fitness test on his ankle.
Smith had a laugh about the frustrating situation on social media ahead of the final, wishing the Sixers good luck alongside an image of “Italian import Stefano making his debut”, complete with a large moustache and glasses over his face.
The replacement pool of players includes batters Nick Bertus, Jake Carder, Lachlan Hearne, Sam Whiteman and Paddy Rowe, along with bowlers Iain Carlisle and Nick Winter.
Wicketkeeper Jay Lenton, who filled in for Philippe in the Challenger, will keep his place behind the stumps.
For the Scorchers, Mitch Marsh will play after he suffered a hamstring injury while batting last weekend.
The final will get underway at 7.40pm (AEST). You can watch it on Kayo.
A quick flashback to 2020 when the COVID-19 lockdowns were in full force globally. Gyms were shut down, home fitness trainers were locked indoors, and people sat around all day – eating, working sometimes, sleeping, and flopping out of shape.
Fitness apps were the heroes in digital form.
A 46% increase in downloads was recorded globally as everyone got serious about staying in shape. And who says we should stop now that the world’s opening back up? Alongside your gym-visiting efforts, a fitness app can nicely bring your body, health, and nutrition goals together, all from the comfort of your everyday devices.
2022 is almost upon us, and below is a list of the top five apps you should totally check out to make fitness a fun priority.
To get ripped abs and stay green – The Sculpted Vegan
Who said a vegan diet makes it impossible to get shredded?
Photo credit: Kim Constable, with permission
The Sculpted Vegan is the world’s first pro-vegan fitness app, created by retired professional Irish bodybuilder and business coach, Kim Constable. In collaboration with some of the top vegan diet coaches around the world, TSV was created to redefine and streamline the vegan fitness journey. It offers a comprehensive catalog of expert-instructed home and gym workout videos, well-curated meal plans, recipes, motivational and instructional audio guides, and 24/7 support from expert-trained coaches around the globe. You can also log your workout efforts, track your meals, store your progress photos in a private encrypted space, and track every changing metric in your body such as water consumption and heart rate.
The Sculpted Vegan offers a 7-day free trial period and you can sign up for $29.99 monthly and $149 yearly. This app is also wonderful for non-vegans and you can identify with several in-app communities to thrive in communal progress!
Workout Trainer by Skimble is a fitness app that curates your workout journey with personalized exercises and workout plans for the home and gym. You fill a questionnaire while setting up and gain instant access to thousands of videos, audios, and guides created by expert trainers. Users can also hire personal trainers for exclusive live sessions from the app. This app offers a similar growth experience as can be enjoyed in the gym – getting help to work your way up from fearful beginner to absolute ripper.
A paid pro version offers over 100 exclusive programs spanning multiple weeks, exclusive forums, advanced heart rate analysis, and freebies from the company. Subscription costs $6.99/month or $59.99/year.
Sweat is a subscriber-only female fitness app that offers some really challenging and invigorating workouts for your routine. The app has options for beginners as well, but if you need that energy-packed motivation to firm up and get ripped, Sweat’s got you covered.
Sweat is popular for its top selection of fitness trainers offering expert help with weight loss, bodybuilding, meal plans, strength training, yoga, and goal setting. It also has one of the largest communities of female workout enthusiasts for communal growth.
Sweat’s membership costs $19.99 monthly (with a free trial) and $119.99 yearly.
Yogis on all levels can rely on the Daily Yoga app for super-helpful instructions on hundreds of yoga, meditation, and Pilates techniques. It offers tons of classes curated by some of the most skilled yoga teachers in the world. Whether you’re a beginner struggling with the mountain pose or an advanced yogi aiming for the forearm stand, Daily Yoga has got you covered with all the video, photo, and written content to get started.
This app allows you to create your own private yoga plans and track personal data across all your devices. Daily Yoga is free but it offers “silver” and “gold” membership plans ranging from $12.99-$49.99 monthly and $39.99-$69.99 yearly.
This awesome app was created for total newbies to the running game and it offers a 9-week program for strength building and weight loss. Users engage in three running sessions each week as the app maps out routes and tells you when to run, walk, jog, or catch a breath. You get to choose one of four special instructors, starting easy and working your way up to a final race.
Couch to 5K was created by the UK’s NHS in collaboration with BBC and is totally free of charge.
Taking dailyvitaminD and fish oil supplements may help protect older adults from developing autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, thyroid diseases and polymyalgia rheumatica, an inflammatory disease that causes muscle pain and stiffness in the shoulders and hips, a new study found.
People age 50 and older taking 2,000 IU (International Units) of vitamin D3 for over five years had a 22 per cent lower relative rate of confirmed autoimmune diagnoses, said study author Dr. Karen Costenbader, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in the division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity and the director of the lupus program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
That dosage is two to three times the recommended daily dose ofvitaminD for adults, which is 600 IU for people up to 69 years old and 800 IU for those age 70 and up, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Continuous consumption of Vitamin D significantly rose the prevention rate of auto-immune diseases. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Once people had been takingvitaminD for at least two years, the prevention rate from autoimmune disorders rose to 39 per cent, according to the study, published Wednesday in the journal BMJ.
The study also found a possible link between taking 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) and a reduction in autoimmune disorders, but the association was not statistically significant until possible cases of autoimmune disease — not just confirmed cases — were factored into the analysis.
However, the study did find that taking both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements, versus the placebo alone, decreased autoimmune disease by about 30 per cent.
Vitamin D toxicity
People should not just run out and start popping vitamin D pills to boost their chances of avoiding autoimmune disease, Costenbader warned, as there are significant consequences to taking too much of the supplement.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, which the body can easily eliminate, vitamin D is stored in the fat cells of the body and can build up to toxic levels, leading to bone pain and kidney damage.
Because the body makes vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunshine, and milk and other foods like cereals are often fortified with vitamin D, many experts say healthy, younger people are not likely to require vitamin D supplements, especially in amounts over the recommended level of 600 IU/day.
Consult your doctor before consuming vitamin D regularly. (Getty)
Levels do drop in older age, but “I would say everybody should talk to their doctor first before taking 2000 international units of vitamin D on top of whatever else you’re taking,” Costenbader said. “And there are certain health problems such as kidney stones and hyperparathyroidism (a rise in calcium levels), where you really shouldn’t be taking extra vitamin D.”
Costenbader’s study analysed 25,871 men and women age 50 and older who were participating in VITAL, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled research study designed to see whether taking daily dietary supplements of vitamin D3 (2000 IU) or omega-3 fatty acids (1,000 mg of Omacor fish oil) would reduce the risk for developing cancer, heart disease and stroke in people with no prior history of these illnesses.
That trial showed no benefits from the extra supplementation in preventing either cardiovascular disease or cancer.
Because prior research has shown both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids derived from seafood can have a positive effect on inflammation and immunity in autoimmune disorders, Costenbader decided to use the same trial to investigate whether the supplements might prevent such diseases.
Elder people are at more risk of developing auto-immune diseases. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Autoimmune disease occurs when the body’s natural defense system suddenly sees normal cells as invaders and begins destroying those cells by mistake. In rheumatoid arthritis, for example, the immune system attacks the lining of joints, creating inflammation, swelling and pain. With psoriasis, overactive T-cells — which are among the body’s best defenders — cause inflammation that creates raised, scaly patches on the skin.
In Type 1 diabetes, the body’s defenders destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. There’s even some evidence to show that inflammation throughout the body might be part of the progression of Type 2 diabetes.
Autoimmune disorders can develop at any stage of life but do appear more among older adults, particularly women, Costenbader said.
To date, no large randomised clinical trials (considered the gold standard of research) had investigated whether fish oil and vitamin D could actually prevent the development of autoimmune diseases.
“This is the first direct evidence in older adults that taking vitamin D or omega-3 fatty acids — or a combination — for five years reduces autoimmune disease incidence, with more pronounced effect after two years of supplementation,” Costenbader said.
At five years into the research, the study could not tease apart which of the 80 or more autoimmune diseases might benefit most from vitamin D and fish oil supplements, Costenbader said, but research is continuing. The study is now in its seventh year, she said, and more data should be released in the future.
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