Shaquille Rashaun O’Neal, better know as Shaq (or Shaq Diesel if you’re a man of culture), is not only one of the best basketball players of all time, but a real Renaissance man.

A real gentle giant known for his great sense of humour and his surprising business acumen, the 49-year-old, 7ft1in NBA legend has done everything from starring in films, video games and even professional wrestling; endorsing brands as diverse as Tonka, Pepsi and Buick; investing in eSports and property development, and has even launched his own big and tall suits line. He’s got a real Midas touch – except when it comes to watches, it seems.

Last year, Shaq launched his own watch line with Invicta, a Swiss watch brand with a somewhat chequered reputation. While Invicta offer some of the most affordable Swiss made watches on the market (although it’s often dubious how Swiss many of their pieces really are), they’re widely criticised by most watch collectors for their cheap-looking aesthetics and build quality.

Sadly, the Invicta SHAQ Collection (all caps so you know it’s serious!) is no exception to this rule. Indeed, it’s perhaps the rule. Encompassing dozens of watches, each with a design more horrific than the last, the Invicta SHAQ collection might just be the most ugly bunch of timepieces on the planet.

Fake jewels, fake gold, cheap-looking finishes… To add insult to injury, many of these watches have four-figure price tags, despite their cheap construction and quartz movements. All feature a case size of 50mm or above, too – Shaq’s a big dude so that makes sense, but 50mm would be astronomically large for the average person. Like Flava Flav clocks for the wrist.

Invicta describe these watches as “imparting a formidable aesthetic” and “distinguished depictions at the height of design and performance… artistry in timekeeping marked by excellence, poise, and power.” We’d call them overpriced and chintzy (although Invicta always has a huge amount of watches on ‘clearance’, so buying one full price is an exceptional folly).

RELATED: The Best Men’s Watch Brands You Can Get For Under $1,000

It’s ironic that Shaq’s co-signed such awful watches when he’s previously penned a far more illustrious collaboration: his very own Audemars Piguet signature model. The Royal Oak Offshore ‘Shaquille O’Neal’ also features a hefty 48mm case size and is hardly an exercise in horological subtlety, but it’s miles better anything Invicta has ever made.

Check out that watch, as well as some of the best watches NBA players have in their myriad collections, below.

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The post Shaquille O’Neal’s Invicta Watch Collection Misses Harder Than His Free Throws appeared first on DMARGE.

Bonobos was born because founders, Andy Dunn & Brian Spaly, couldn’t find men’s pants that fit (they were either too tight or too boxy) and wanted to fix this common problem men face while shopping. They fixed it with their not-so-secret secret: all Bonobos’ pants have a curved waistband that conforms to the natural shape of men’s waists.

While the brand has since expanded into producing most men’s clothing – tees, shirts, shorts, blazers, swimwear, etc. – Bonobos has kept their curved waistband design in all of their bottoms, including their Stretch Washed Chino 2.0, which has just dropped.

These chinos are an upgraded version of Bonobos’ best selling Stretch Washed Chino and are crafted with 4-way stretch cotton and now feature non-iron wrinkle-resistant technology & a secure zip pocket. Available in seven different colours, the Stretch Washed Chino 2.0 is a serious must-have; especially considering they’re only $99!

Why buy the Bonobos Stretch Washed Chino 2.0?

• Wrinkle-resistant fabric = no ironing
  
• 4-way stretch for comfort
  
• Curved waistband for a perfect fit
  
• Great selection of colours available

$99.00 – Buy from Bonobos

The post These $99 Chinos Are A Stylish Must Have appeared first on DMARGE.

Anyone who commits themselves to improving their health by way of fitness will often settle on a chosen discipline, be it running, cycling, weightlifting, CrossFit, and so on. Once we’ve nestled into a routine and start seeing results, (or at least, the results we expect to obtain) from said sport, we can sometimes feel like we can never deviate from that or else any gains we’ve made will suffer. 

One such popular example is strength training vs. cardio training. At their most basic level, strength training is seen as a means to build muscle size and strength, and cardio training is employed to help shed body fat, lose weight and improve aerobic fitness. The common belief is that one cannot work in tandem with the other. But that isn’t necessarily the case. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Henry Matthews (@henrylmatthews)

American fitness influencer and athlete Henry Matthews recently weighed in on this debate, in the hope of debunking the myths. In a recent post on Instagram, Matthews said:

“Most people go through their physical training life thinking that running and big muscles are completely incompatible. The popular images that support this misconception come from media reports that show musclebound bodybuilders only engage in lifting heavy weights and seemingly bone-thin marathon runners doing nothing but run long distances in incredibly fast times.”

He continued: “Science however looks beyond media images and what we know of how the body works argues against both these stereotypes. Bodybuilders are, indeed, heavily muscled and generally avoid running and marathon runners don’t generally go for lifting weights as part of their regular training. The reason for this lies in their specialisation.”

“If we are doing bodybuilding our measure for success lies in size. We really need to build our muscles to the largest possible size to feel we are succeeding in our sport. So, size rather than strength of speed or explosiveness is what we strive for and running is not something that would help us gain that.”

“Similarly, marathon runners are interested in endurance. The measure of success of their chosen sport is long distances run fast. They have zero interest in having large biceps or heavily built pectorals and having massive quads, in this case, is something unnecessary.”

“Contrary to popular belief regular cardio training, whether that is running or cycling can help those who train with weights, experience improved gains in muscle strength and endurance.”

Henry isn’t suggesting that a marathon runner should aim to deadlift over 100kgs, or be able to squat 3 times their bodyweight, because too much muscle will inevitably slow a runner down. But at the same time, having some muscle, or a bit of extra explosive power could help someone run that bit faster. 

Indeed, an April 2021 article on Insider covers this exact topic, with a reader writing in wanting to put on muscle, following “years of doing cardio and HIIT classes.” They’re worried they’ll gain unwanted weight if they cut out cardio altogether to focus on strength training. 

Journalist Rachel Hosie cites celebrity personal trainer Ngo Okafor as saying “cardio doesn’t necessarily hinder muscle growth if you’re training right.”

“They key is not to let the cardio interfere with your resistance workouts. Only you know if running and HIIT, or high-intensity interval training classes leave you too fatigued to lift weights.”

However, as some people may forget, “when it comes to muscle building, the magic actually happens when you’re recovering from your workouts, not in the gym, so you need to make sure your body has enough rest between workouts,” Rosie adds.

“Many strength-training fans do what’s known as ‘active recovery’, which usually means some form of steady-state cardio like a leisurely cycle, a walk, or a gentle jog. This can help the muscles recover by increasing blood flow.”

While this may be true, it’s still important to keep an eye on just how intense your active recovery is. “Sprints or HIIT classes, are likely to add more strain to the muscles, so you need to be mindful of how these exercises make you feel.”

Runtastic echoes this point, “As a rule of thumb, you should never attempt a strength (muscle) building session when your muscles are already fatigued. You will not be able to work out at the necessary intensity to create an effective training stimulus. And, the risk of injury increases when you lift heavy weights with tired muscles because your stabilizing muscles are weakened and your coordination is impaired.”

They add that nutrition becomes all the more important if you’re practicing both strength-training and cardio alongside one another:

“As long as you provide your body with enough high-quality protein, complex carbohydrates and essential fats and give your muscles time to recover, endurance training definitely does not lead to muscle loss.”

In fact, the two really can work in harmony with one another, since performing cardio workouts can allow your “cardiovascular system to work better and more efficiently, including an increase in capillary growth in the muscle, which can improve muscle circulation.”

“Cardio also improves your stamina and speeds up your recovery, meaning you can work out more often and at higher intensities. And of course, cardio can help reduce your body fat percentage,” meaning the muscle you do build from strength training will be far more visible. 

So, with that myth debunked, when and how much of each discipline should you be doing? We’ve previously heard from fitness coach James Kew, who explained when you should perform either, with the answer ultimately being “to prioritise your main goal.”

“If your goal is to improve your cardiovascular endurance, then do cardio first [in your workout program], if your goal is to change your body shape by having more muscle and less fat, then strength training should come first.” After all, we’ve also heard from an expert physician who perfectly explains how building muscle can lead to fat loss, so if you choose to do cardio simply with the goal of losing weight and fat, you may find greater solace in lifting weights. 

It’s particularly important to remember that every body is different, so a strength/cardio split that works for one person, may not be the best course of action for someone else, it’s all about finding the perfect balance. Just let it be known that strength training and cardio aren’t mortal enemies.

Read Next

• Coach’s Cardio ‘WTF Moment’ Proves There’s More To Fitness Than Just Muscles
• Doing Cardio This Way Won’t Diminish Your Gains, Say Researchers 

The post Cardio Training Not Actually A Weightlifter’s Worst Nightmare appeared first on DMARGE.

The following article was produced in partnership with Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Few watchmakers are as storied or prestigious as Jaeger-LeCoultre – “the watchmaker’s watchmaker”. Responsible for hundreds of inventions and patents; over twelve hundred movements and one of the last true manufactures in the industry, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s horological trophy cabinet is, quite simply, stacked.

But there’s no trophy; no invention that they hold more dearly than their most iconic watch ever: the Reverso. First introduced in 1931, the Reverso is an icon of the watch world, its unique rotating case and timeless Art Deco design quite unlike any other watch on the market. 90 years later, it remains one of the best watches one can hope to buy.

It’s not hard to see why either: the Reverso might just be the most versatile watch ever made. Elegant yet robust, sporty yet stylish, filled with heritage yet remarkably modern, the Reverso’s dual nature goes far beyond its trademark rotating case.

Perhaps this is because of its history. What many people don’t know is that the watch owes its genesis to a sporting challenge: to design a model that could withstand the rough-and-tumble polo matches of British Army officers in India. The rotating case was the solution, as it could shield the watch’s glass and dial from the bumps and scrapes of a fierce polo match, and then flip back around when one needed the time.

These days, the Reverso is better known as a dress watch, but wearers still love its rotating case. Not only is it one hell of a party trick, but it’s also a way to hide a secret engraving, or expose a second time-telling face or piece of art. It’s at once both practical and highly creative. Perhaps it’s also thanks to its sporting origins that the Reverso remains one of the most versatile watches on the market, able to be dressed up or down with ease and a smart accessory comfortable in a wide variety of environments.

Indeed, it’s a bit of a chameleon – and we’re not talking about how it can hide its face from view. Throughout its long history, the Reverso has been available in a wide variety of colours, metals, complications and sizes. Its pure, unpretentious yet classy design lends itself perfectly to artistic and personal expression, meaning there’s really a Reverso for everyone out there.

Watchmaking is a sort of practical magic. 2021 marks the 90th anniversary of the Reverso – it’s remarkable to think that this clever watch has remained so relevant, so beloved over all that time, and continues to forge a vibrant horological tradition to this day.

In 2021, the Reverso is not only the canvas upon which Jaeger-LeCoultre crafts some of the watch world’s most impressive and complex watches, but it’s also a classic and accessible piece of Swiss beauty that collectors and casual watch fans enjoy. We think that’s a bit magic, frankly.

Discover more of the Reverso’s remarkable 90-year-long history, as well as the entire Reverso range, at Jaeger-LeCoultre’s online boutique here.

The post Jaeger-LeCoultre Celebrate 90 Years Of An Icon: The Remarkable Reverso appeared first on DMARGE.

Lewis Hamilton has had a busy couple of years. The Formula One GOAT has shown off a war-ready watch, inadvertently exposed Australia’s favourite past time on a t-shirt and succumbed to the internet’s most unfairly maligned ‘sport.’

He’s also done a spot of Formula One racing…

But we’re not here to talk about his second place result at the United States GP. We’re here to talk about one of Hamilton’s hobbies – surfing.

Hamilton has been spotted on various occassions enjoying the sport of kings. He has been invited to surf Kelly Slater’s famous wave pool (where he used Kelly Slater’s ‘Firewire’ brand of surfboards), as well as been photographed honing his skills at various beaches around the world. He has even had a crack at an Australian wave pool (by the looks of it, Urbansurf in Melbourne), riding boards by the Northern Beaches based surfboard shaper Hayden Cox.

It appears Hamilton well and truly has the bug for surfing, with the Formula One driver today being tagged in a Haydenshapes Instagram story, showing off a new surfboard for Hamilton, in their Mona Vale, Sydney, store. Haydenshapes has confirmed to DMARGE it is a custom board made just for Hamilton.

The board is a yellow version of The Holy Grail, one of Haydenshapes’ most iconic boards of recent years (behind the Hypto Krypto). The board, in one of the videos posted by Haydenshapes (watch below), can also be seen next to a mysterious looking red swallow tail (which appears to be one of Haydenshapes’ new Hypto Krypto twins).

Lewis Hamilton’s one of a kind new Australian-made surfboard

The Holy Grail sits a little above Haydenshapes’ best selling classic – the Hypto Krypto – in terms of ability to perform tight critical moves. It’s also: “a board that your average surfer can ride and catch a lot of waves, but experienced surfers can also push this board into some very high performance waves and manoeuvres,” Haydenshapes’ website states.

That in mind, though Hamilton might not reach quite the speeds he is accustomed to on the racetrack on his new steed, who knows what the future holds for his shredding skills. It appears he is progressing as a surfer and we – and premium surfboard makers all around the world, presumably – are all for it.

He just better make sure he doesn’t rock off in the wrong spot, if he’s ever in town, lest he incur the wrath of Sydney’s Swellnet commenters…

Read Next

• Surfer’s Casual Response To Catching Historic Wave May Be The Most Aussie Thing Ever
• The Truth About Why Surfers Try So Hard To Look Cool

The post Lewis Hamilton Scores One Of A Kind, Australian-Made Surfboard appeared first on DMARGE.

Tax havens exist around the world, and are somewhat of a dirty, open secret.

Some are simply normal countries who have extremely low (or even 0%) corporate or personal income tax rates, such as Ireland, Switzerland or The Netherlands. Some are tiny countries or dependencies that virtually only exist because of their generous tax laws, such as the British Virgin Islands or Niue, many of which are oddball little overseas territories of sovereign states. Some of these places have more companies or tax residents listed there than actual people.

But recent Australian Taxation Office data suggests there’s one far-flung colonial outpost that’s really taking the mickey. Bouvet Island, an uninhabited Norwegian territory in Antarctica that’s perhaps best known as the setting for the 2004 sci-fi film Alien vs. Predator, is apparently a little Australian tax haven, with almost $2.5 million in Australian bank accounts belonging to foreign tax residents allegedly from Bouvet Island.

“The ATO data raises serious red flags, such as account holders from an uninhabited island holding millions of dollars in Australia,” the Tax Justice Network Australia spokesperson told ABC News, who has also pointed out that other uninhabited islands such as Heard Island and the McDonald Islands, also boast bank accounts registered to ‘residents’ worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

So what’s the big deal here? Are these actual tax havens, or is this a scam? The ATO offers a more demure explanation for why this might be happening: people or banks literally just fat-fingering tax returns.

“Our compliance activities have confirmed jurisdictions such as Antarctica are sometimes reported by mistake… For example, a customer or frontline employee from a financial institution might select Antarctica instead of Australia from a drop-down box when opening an account,” the tax office relates. So less of a tax haven, and more of a logistical nightmare.

RELATED: Australians With Pandemic Side-Hustles Warned Of Imminent ‘Tax Crackdown’

Bouvet Island does have one as-of-yet untapped resource, however: its completely unused top-level Internet domain, .bv. As the Internet has matured, it’s become common practice for countries to generate serious income lending out their top-level domains for vanity URLs.

“The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu was one of the first countries to recognize the value in its country code (.tv), and opened up its top-level domain for general use in 1998. Today, nearly 10 percent of the Tuvalu government’s revenue comes from the money spent on registering .tv addresses,” IEEE Spectrum relates.

.bv isn’t quite as catchy, mind you… But we’d rather see little Internet quirks than tax evasion.

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The post Uninhabited Antarctic Island An ‘Australian Tax Haven’, Data Suggests appeared first on DMARGE.

Remembering to weigh your luggage before arriving at the airport. Dressing comfortably for a flight. Keeping your passport somewhere it can’t be pickpocketed. Knowing how to extract yourself from a ‘one up’ travel story spin cycle in a hostel. 

There are many things a savvy traveller should know how to do. 

But as technology changes rapidly, even if you thought you were a seasoned professional 10, 5 or even 3 years ago, you could soon find yourself being left behind. Or – if not left behind – travelling inefficiently compared to what’s possible. 

We all want to avoid this, right? Right. Enter: the following travel hack, courtesy of Zachary Abel (@zacharyburrabel), American actor from Make It or Break It, who is also a travel blogger and credit card points hacker. 

Abel recently took to Instagram to share a Google Flights hack that could make your next trip that little bit more spacious. The hack? Making sure you always get the fare which gives you the best legroom possible, when weighing up multiple flights. 

Watch the video below to hear Abel explain how it all works. 

“Here’s a Google Flight hack you may not know about,” Abel began the video. 

“Let’s say you want to go from LA to New York from November the 12th to the 16th. You see JetBlue, United and Delta are all the same price and it’s a really great deal. So what’s the best option? Enter: Leg Rooms for Google Flights.”

Abel then claims if you add this extension to your Chrome, it will make your decision making process a lot simpler.

“Look what it does – same flights – it tells you how much leg room you’re going to have [for each]. And if you want to do it business, it tells you which ones are lie flat and which ones you have to sit upright.”

Instagram user @sweeetanj chimed in at the top of the comments section, writing: “Oh this is DEFINITELY going to be useful.”

Other commenters suggested alternatives like Seatguru. Others chimed in with clapping hands emojis, fire emojis and the word “genius.”

It seems his followers were keen on the advice. 

As for Australians looking to start travelling overseas again (soon!) this Google Flights travel hack could save you a bunch of unneccessary searching and reading. Then all you have to do is read up on the in-air faux pas to avoid and you’re set. 

Read Next

• How To Score A $27,000 First Class Seat For $600, According To A Points Hacker 
• Flight Attendant Reveals Booking Hack To Travel The World For Free

The post ‘Google Flights’ Hack Will Maximise Your Legroom, Every Time You Fly appeared first on DMARGE.

Despite being one of the most successful musicians on the planet – and arguably of all time – Ed Sheeran is a fairly understated sort of bloke.

He’s really only got two vices: tattoos and watches. Thankfully, his taste in the latter is far better than his taste in the former. Have you seen his arms? He looks like a graffitied outhouse… Anyway, we digress. The 30-year-old Englishman has a real taste for haute horlogerie, and has amassed a rather impressive collection of expensive Swiss timepieces over the years.

His latest pickup might just be the most impressive, however – not because it’s the most expensive (although it’s hardly cheap), but because it really demonstrates just how much of a connoisseur he is.

Earlier this week, Sheeran uploaded a bunch of short YouTube videos in order to tease his fourth studio album, = (pronounced ‘equals’). In the snippet for his song First Times (how appropriate), he can be seen embracing his wife, Cherry Seaborn, with an A. Lange & Söhne Zeitwerk perched on his wrist. A real watch nerd’s watch and an exquisite piece of engineering, Sheeran proves he’s a cut above the rest by choosing this bad boy.

In case you’re not familiar with the brand, A. Lange & Söhne is one of the most unique watchmakers on the planet. Founded by Ferdinand Adolph Lange in Glashütte, Germany in 1845, Lange has a long history of producing some of the most refined, complicated and stylish timepieces in horological history. They’re often called ‘the German Patek Philippe‘ – a reflection on how prestigious and exclusive their watches are (and a bit of a subtle middle finger to the Swiss watch industry).

RELATED: Ed Sheeran’s Subtle Patek Philippe Flex Sends Watch Nuts Into A Spin

First introduced in 2009, the Zeitwerk is one of Lange’s most interesting models and a deceptively complex watch. The first mechanical wristwatch to display the time digitally with jumping numerals, the Zeitwerk shocked the watch world when it came out. It requires an enormous amount of energy and precision to move such large numeral dials: the Caliber L043.1 movement that underpins the Zeitwerk is widely considered not only one of the most technologically impressive movements on the planet but also one of the most beautiful.

Sheeran’s model is the original 2009 release and is crafted from white gold. Retailing for AU$117,900, it’s not cheap (no Lange is) – but you don’t buy a Lange to flex on other members of the 1%. No, you buy a Lange because you’re a die-hard watch nut, or you want to impress die-hard watch nuts.

We’re impressed. We can’t imagine any other artist who regularly tops the Billboard 100 rocking a Lange… Sehr gut, Herr Sheeran. Speaking of the charts, his album’s out now. Have a listen using the Spotify player below.

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The post Ed Sheeran Celebrates His New Album With An Impressive German Watch appeared first on DMARGE.

When Salt Bae first burst onto the scene way back in January 2017, it was by way of a video that went viral showing him performing his now-famous salt-sprinkling technique. The video quickly became a meme and cemented his place in the history books.

In the viral video clip, he could be seen wearing his now customary tight white t-shirt and rounded darkened sunglasses. He also appeared to be in incredibly good shape.

Since then, countless videos of the the Turkish butcher – real name Nusret Gökçe – showing him performing various workouts that have caused him to not only become ridiculously ripped, but to confirm his status as an inspirational fitness figure.

RELATED: Salt Bae’s Latest Glute Workout Puts Kim Kardashian To Shame

But he hasn’t always looked like that.

Nusret himself, along with friend Mevlut Gunes, have both recently posted images to their Instagram accounts showing the two of them, along with Ugur Gökce (all butchers) in their early days, before Salt Bae found his now immense fame, confirmed by his nearly 40 million followers on Instagram.

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A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et)

And we can’t believe just how different the man looks, compared to the images we’re now accustomed to, of a man who is perfectly groomed and smokes cigars on his own private yet. Without wanting to sound rude, fame and fortune have done him a solid, going from scrawny youngster to certified beacon of physical perfection.

Oh, and his hair game has also undergone quite the transformation.

Captioning his nostalgic post, Salt Bae says, “Please Say good luck to me for tomorrow’s opening in London.” Clearly a reminder of where he began and how far he’s come – he left school at 11 to work as a butcher’s apprentice to help ease his family’s financial burden.

Naturally, Salt Bae’s Instagram post garnered thousands of comments, many of which were simply wishing him good luck with the opening of his new London restaurant, along with others such as:

“Omg. This photo is everything.”

“You don’t need luck, your motivation/ambition is the best power you can have.”

and, the one we’re all thinking,

“Now you are more pretty.”

We can’t be sure how much he used to charge for meat from his butcher, but we’re pretty sure it would pale in comparison to the exorbitant fees he now demands in his restaurants in some of the most exclusive locations around the world.

Say what you will about his $1,000 steaks – British food critic Jay Rayner has been particularly vocal about his grievance with Salt Bae’s London restaurant prices – there’s no denying Salt Bae has remained committed to the cause and always remained focus on achieving great success – which could also be due to him not wasting time watching movies, and instead focusing on his entrepreneurial endeavours.

Check out how Salt Bae stays so shredded in the video below

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The post Old Salt Bae Photo Leaves The Internet Speechless appeared first on DMARGE.