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Men's Health UK
Head Strong: Ray Winstone
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Welcome to 'Head Strong'
Hosted by John ‘Fenners’ Fendley, each episode explores a spectrum of emotions and experiences, including grief, depression, anger, imposter syndrome, fatherhood and the grave issue of suicide.
In our first episode, we’re talking to Hollywood actor and star of Guy Ritchie’s new series The Gentlemen, Ray Winstone.
The East Londoner, who also appears in fantasy film Damsel alongside Mille Bobby Brown, opens up about the impact losing his mother to cancer had on him, inverted snobbery and how he’s never truly felt accepted in the arts.
Fenners, who’s been very open about his own mental health, shares his stories on depression, the taboo topic of antidepressants and how he still feels, at 54, like a boy when surrounded by large groups of men.
The two also touch on snooker balls in socks, imposter syndrome and why Winstone once head butted a director on set...
‘We’re all built on things that have happened in our lives, depressions and the moments that are hard to live with,’ says Winstone. ‘The loss of someone – everyone who is telling the truth will know something about what we’re talking about now.’
Our mission is to help people who find it challenging to speak about their struggles, encouraging them to join the conversation and recognise they are not alone. If you like this episode, let us know in the comments and if you want to listen only, you can catch 'Head Strong' on all major podcast platforms.
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Jason Fox: Former Special Forces Operator and Adventurer Wants You To Embrace The Chaos
01:01:11Special forces veteran, adventurer and television star Jason Fox is back in the studio with Men's Health to discuss the revolutionary new framework for personal development that he lays out in his latest book 'Embrace The Chaos'. We cover how the book came to be, the four categories or 'suits' that Foxy believes you can divide periods of your life into, the 52 tactics you need for tackling these periods head on, and how Foxy's time in the special forces served to inform these tactics.
Thom Evans: Cover Model Shape For 12 Years?
34:14On this Men’s Health Squad conversation we are joined by former Scottish international rugby player and multiple Men’s Health cover model Thom Evans.We sat down with Thom immediately after his most recent shoot and discussed, amongst other things, the fact that his innings as a cover model has spanned the decades, with Thom reflecting on how his training has changed over the years, and what keeps him consistent with his health and fitness to this day. We spoke about the rugby injury that left him millimetres away from paralysis or even death, and how that has impacted his training over the last ten years. Thom spoke candidly about how he now actively seeks out physical endeavours that give him that sense of community and camaraderie that he found in rugby, believing that shared emotions in these endeavours is one of the core elements of making fitness an unshakable part of your life. Wherever you’re at in your fitness journey, there are some inspiring takeaways from a man who’s found ways to make fitness a cornerstone of his identity for the long haul. Enjoy.
Sam Thompson: Training for Health and Confidence, ADHD, and the Importance of Male Friendships
32:59Welcome to this Men’s Health conversation with television personality, radio presenter and 2023 'I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here' winner- Sam Thompson. We sat down with Sam directly after recording his Men's Health ‘How I Build My Body’ video, live at Farm Fitness, Essex. We discussed Sam’s training journey, how he’s shifted his focus from simply training for looks, to training to be healthy and physically capable for the rest of his life; how his ADHD diagnosis impacted his relationships, and how he subsequently uses the gym to help himself find calm and focus; and why Sam believes that cultivating male friendships is an incredibly important aspect of turning the tide against declining male mental health, with Sa stressing that making time to spend with your guy friends, be it in the gym, getting outdoors or just for a Nandos should be embraced.
George Heaton: The Fashion House Co-Founder Who's Making Fitness His Mission
30:49Co-founder of international fashion brand Represent, and April cover model, George Heaton talks to Men's Health about his mission to share his passion for fitness, and he means business.Heaton shares how his love for fitness began, how training and movement help him to unleash his creativity, and how he endeavours to ensure that everyone involved in his brand has the opportunity and support to find their full potential, through fitness.
Jake Dearden: Hyrox Master Trainer Shares How You Can Run Your Faster Race Ever
34:50Jake is a Hyrox master trainer and world record holder, so you won’t be surprised to learn that the central theme of our chat today was… Hyrox. We covered absolutely everything Hyrox related: from what Hyrox is, why it’s become so hugely popular, how you can optimise your training for Hyrox, what to do (and what not to do on race day), how to hydrate and fuel your body for training and racing, and what supplements Jake believes can benefit Hyrox athletes. Jake also talks us through the weekend he tackled 11 Hyrox events, back to back, sometimes with less than 20 minutes between races. Lots of actionable tips here from a master trainer and incredible athlete, whether you’re looking to tackle your first race, or feel as though you want to start eeking out those marginal performance gains. Enjoy!
Dr. Judson Brewer: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry (And How To Stop)
50:09Dr. Jud is a neuroscientist, psychiatrist, researcher and author, as well as an internationally known expert in the field of addiction. He joined us to talk about the topics of his new book The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop. We covered a huge amount of ground here, all circling the theme of why dieting can feel so hard, why willpower alone isn’t enough, if it does us any good at all. As well as how we can begin to rewire our brains to mend our relationship with food, fix the habits that aren’t serving us, and actually get back to enjoying the foods we eat, whilst eating in ways that are aligned with the lives we want to live. I’m already looking forward to having Jud back on to drill a little deeper into the illusion of willpower, so consider a very informative and actionable part one, that might just change the way you eat, forever.
Jason Fox: Former Special Forces Operator, Author, Presenter and Adventurer
32:13Adventurer, former UK Special Forces soldier, and star of the TV show “SAS: Who Dares Wins” Jason Fox. We sat down with Foxy freshly off the back of his Men’s Health cover shoot to talk about his training history, what he learned from his time in the special forces, his thoughts on the idea of cultivating a ‘military mindset’, and his struggles with poor mental health and the subsequent lessons he tries to implement in his daily life. This was genuinely one of the most interesting, insightful and enjoyable conversations I’ve had, with Jason dishing up plenty of actionable takeaways, and lots to think about, all from a man who really has walked through the fire in his lifetime.
Simon Mundie: Finding Success Without Losing Yourself
01:00:57In this conversation we're joined by presenter, author and sports reporter for BBC Radio for the best part of a decade, Simon Mundie. Simon came on to talk the themes of his new book ‘Champion Thinking- How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself’, Drawing on interviews and anecdotes from sporting legends such as Jonny Wilkinson and Roger Federer, along with psychologists, philosophers and world-renowned thinkers, Simon shares some of the tools, techniques and mindset shifts that these sportspeople have embraced to grow and evolve. We discussed the downsides of having a ‘win at all costs’ mindset and how this can result in feelings of emptiness and even mental health issues, even if you do win. How achieving flow states in sport can teach us about the sense of peace that lies beneath our identity. And how embracing the moment is the key to not only performing our best, but actually enjoying the work we put in ahead of the performance.