The best men’s walking boots for every type of hiking adventure, tested

Whether you’re heading to the hills on a multi-day trek or need waterproof shoes for countryside walks, these are the best boots for the job – tried and tested by our writer

Fake fitness influencers: the secrets and lies behind the world’s most envied physiques

The Liver King’s raw-meat-to-ripped-abs regime has been exposed – but thousands of other influencers claim their bulging muscles are just the result of hard, honest graft. Should we believe them?

Want to swim but find it too much of a hassle? Me too – but here’s how I cracked it

What is the equivalent of a Couch to 5k or parkrun for swimmers? Do I need loads of expensive gear? And should I join a club? Here’s how I learned to love the pool

The one change that worked: I could never get fit – until I tried a 40-second plank every day

All my attempts at exercise had ended in failure, so I decided to lower the bar. Five years of planking later and I’m a stronger and healthier person – sorry ‘athlete’

The experts: neurologists on 17 simple ways to look after your brain

Sleep well, swap butter for olive oil, learn a musical instrument – or embrace some other ‘magnificent obsession’. Here is what doctors do themselves to delay the onset of cognitive decline

The new rules of gym etiquette: don’t film yourself, never mansplain – and keep your top on

Top personal trainers offer their tips on avoiding fitness faux pas, so you don’t have to sweat the small stuff

The best running shoes for men and women to take you from trail to road to marathon, tried and tested by runners

Whether you’re a beginner runner, a 5k faithful or a track star, our expert-picked running trainers, from Adidas and Asics to Hoka, will help you beat your PBs

‘One father threatened to stab the referee’: why does kids’ football bring out the worst in parents?

When they’re not shouting at their own children, many of Britain’s soccer dads like nothing more than swearing at the officials, or even trading blows on the touchline. Isn’t this supposed to be fun?

Treadmills are out, barbells are in: why gym-goers are abandoning cardio for weight training

Is loads of muscle all you need for a long and healthy life? You’d think so, given the way everyone’s fighting over the squat racks

11 things you should know about using the gym, from ‘Is everyone watching me?’ to ‘How do I use a squat rack?’

More and more of us are spending time among the barbells and the treadmills – and feeling more and more confused. Here’s some advice from an expert

Walking the Pennine Way put everything into perspective for me, including my right to be here

Inspired by the Manchester Ramblers, who campaigned on exclusion and the countryside, I’m also taking a stand

Good news at last: just a little exercise can reduce the risk of dementia

A recent study shows the benefit of being a middle-aged ‘weekend warrior’ who only exercises once or twice a week, writes Prof Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh

‘Cities trigger our imagination’: why a walk in town can be just as good for you as a stroll in the countryside

Wandering among historic buildings, cemeteries and winding back streets can lift your spirits as effectively as communing with nature, according to author Annabel Streets. Let’s put that to the test …

The one change that worked: I loathed all forms of exercise – until I moved to a big city and walked miles

I’d tried running, pilates, swimming and barre, and hated the lot. Then I moved to London and, having no money, I had to start walking to places. Shockingly, I enjoyed it

New mums are being ‘strongly encouraged’ to take regular exercise and get more sleep. Hahahaha

New guidelines are well intentioned, but as parents of babies know, finding time to look after yourself is impossible, says Guardian columnist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett