Q+a

Men's Fitness, April, 2005

Q: You guys are always good for a new way to do curls. What's this month's tip?

CHANGE YOUR GRIP

Instead of grasping your dumbbells in the middle of the bar, slide your palm over to where the thumb-side of your hand rests against the inside of the plate [see inset]. Your biceps not only flex the elbow but also rotate your forearm outward, which is called supination. "The grip change increases the load on the biceps in supinafion, which increases muscle-fiber recruitment" says Bill Hartman, P.T., C.S.C.S., a strength coach in Indianapolis. Start the movement with your palms facing out [1] and curl the dumbbells as high as possible while keeping your upper arms stationary [2]. The result: a more effective biceps curl. (You'll notice the difference after just one rep.)

Q: I hate vegetables, but I know they're good for me. If I had to limit myself to just one, what should it be?

BROCCOLI

The green stuff's your best bet, according to American Dietetic Association spokesperson David Grotto, R.D. This nutritional heavyweight packs quite the punch within its low-calorie florets: phytochemicals, vitamin C, and other nutrients. "Broccoli has been shown to fight cancer and heart disease and enhance immune function" says Grotto.

To meet the daily requirement, you need to scarf down six cups of raw broccoli a day (three if they're cooked, since broccoli loses water and takes up less room after being steamed or boiled).

If that much broccoli still sounds about as appetizing as an anchovy sandwich, Grotto suggests sneaking the broccoli into other foods, like on top of pizza, in soups or casseroles, with eggs, or as part of a salad. Averse to anything green touching your lips? Stock up on V-8 juice or add dehydrated vegetable powder to soup or the water you cook your pasta in.

Q: How often should I replace my sneakers?

THREE TIMES A YEAR

If you're still sporting Air Jordans from when MJ wore a Bulls jersey the first time around, get to a sneaker store, stat! Otherwise, do some sole searching every four months, says Jane Andersen, D.P.M., spokesperson for the American Podiatric Medical Association. That's roughly every 300 to 500 miles for you runners.

Weightlifters: Since miles aren't an issue, evaluate the firmness of the heel counter--the rigid piece surrounding the outside of the heel--every few months. Also, the large part of the sole (nearest the ball of the foot) should flex but not bend in half or twist from side to side.

"Don't wait for the outer soles to wear out" cautions Andersen. "These are the last parts of the shoe to go." And if you wait too long, you may raise your risk for tendonitis or stress fractures.