Ultimate health and fitness guide for men

Feel fitter, look better and boost your sporting performance with some star treatment tips on how to get into great shape.

If you're worried about getting back into shape or simply in need of some new advice when it comes to dropping flab or defining your abs, then take a few free tips from the trainers and sports men who would normally charge for such insight.

Grasp new technology, says Dan Roberts, certified strength and conditioning specialist and personal trainer to the stars.

"I'm using my iPad and iPhone a lot with clients these days and apps have become an essential part of my own personal training routine," says Roberts, who recommends guys upload the apps like Up from Jawbone.

"It's an app and wristband combination that measures the calorific burn of activities.

"Look out for Run Keeper too. I use this every day. It's the easiest and best app for seeing how far you've run. It uses GPS technology to track your run and it's synced to a runkeeper.com website that keeps all your running records and stats," adds Roberts.

Set your goals
"Ask yourself why you're doing this," advises Professor Greg Whyte, exercise scientist and trainer for Eddie Izzard, David Walliams and John Bishop for sportrelief.com events.

"Give yourself a tactile target — to be fit enough to run a half marathon by the end of next month or losing a set amount of pounds by a set date," says Whyte. "Success is not a chance event — you need to plan how to get into shape and the first step is defining what that ideal shape looks like."

In your rush to get into shape you risk 'overtraining', which in turn can lead to injuries and a major set-back in your progress. "Know the difference between fatigued and over-training, which in simple terms is about recovery," says Whyte. "If you're still feeling muscle aches after a two-day lay-off then you've overdone it."

Early runs can work for weight loss too. "Do your morning cardio when you rise," says Ricky Stevenson, a representative 1500m runner. "Exercising on an empty stomach helps to burn more fat."

It'll mean making sure you prepare your kit the night before to make that transition from pillow to pounding the streets easier but if you're looking for the simplest, least expensive way to get back in shape then hit the road.

"Try a bit of mountain biking to mix things up too," adds triathlete Jonathan Brownlee. "A challenging, different routine like this will also train your upper body muscles as well as your legs."

And when it comes to working on those leg muscles, Brownlee says it's crucial to avoid the big weights. "Focus instead on activating muscles like your glutes by doing lots of reps."

Be patient
If you're coming back to training after a lay-off or injury, then patience is a virtue. "Don't rush back into full training," says Stevenson. "Gradually build back into your usual regime to prevent breaking down again and if you're working out at the gym then find a specific set of strength and conditioning exercises for any damaged muscles/tendons in order to stop these injuries reoccurring."

When it comes to great abs, you're going to have to watch your fuelling levels. "To work out how many calories to eat to drop fat and reveal your abs, add a zero to your current bodyweight in pounds," suggestions Christian Finn, personal trainer and exercise specialist. "For example, if you currently weigh 200 pounds, eat 2,000 calories per day."

"Lift weights two to three days each week," says Finn. "Base your routine on squats, dead lifts, rows, chin-ups (or pull-downs) and presses using heavy(ish) weights and low (five-to-eight) repetitions.

"To train your abs, pick two to three exercises and do two-to-three sets per exercise — 10-15 repetitions per set (using extra resistance where necessary to make the load challenging) and take 45-60 seconds of rest between sets."

Combine the advice of these guys on how they get into great shape and use it as a springboard to getting fitter, faster for the new season.