We’re going to break it to you lightly. Taking down an opponent in the MMA ring takes more than just a fast mouth and a fancy PR team.

Dedication to the sport in its most physical form comes first, before the hundred million dollar paychecks, before the flashy yachts and way before you even step foot into your first bout. But you already knew that.

What you might not have known is how a modern-day MMA fighter needs to train in order to be at peak competition level whilst achieving the perfect UFC physique. We’re talking about the specific fitness routines, the type of diet required, the frequency of the training and the all-important recovery process which is more adaptive than you think.

Helping us out on this crash course in MMA training is Robert Whittaker, the Australian who is a true fighter in every sense and currently competes in the middleweight division of the UFC where he holds the title as the interim Middleweight Champion.

Today we’re finding out directly from the man himself what his training program looks like along with any tips for those thinking of stepping into the unknown of this wildly popular sport.

Strap up, bad boy.

UFC Fighter Diet

The building blocks of attaining UFC levels of fitness and physique come from dieting. According to Whittaker who admits he’s a big foodie, it’s not super strict but it is strict within reason.

As such, those looking to take the sport seriously need to avoid:

• Processed foods
• Deep fried foods
• Red meats that aren’t prepared in a controlled kitchen
• Snacking throughout the day (fruits and vegetables are fine)

When it comes to Whittaker’s training there are also a few eating rules you should abide by. One of those is a general dedication to the dieting program and the other is avoiding supplements altogether. Whittaker says he may take a protein shake every now and then but generally avoids everything else.

But what about the all-important cheat day? Given that you’ve been dieting well, a cheat meal is fine, according to Whittaker.

“As long as I hit my sessions and training whilst eating 90% clean, a piece of cake here or there won’t kill you.”

RELATED: Paddy Pimblett Reveals The Hardest Part Of Being A UFC Fighter

Alternating Fitness Drills

Now for the bad news. To attain the flexibility and strength of a UFC fighter, there can be no days off. Whittaker trains seven days a week in which there are 22 sessions.

The hours can vary to as high as five or six hours or be as low as one, depending on the training intensity. Whittaker’s high-performance coach tells us that the alternating drill is what keeps Whittaker in fighting form which balances technique, fitness, endurance and strategy.

Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays:

• Boxing x 1 hour
• Stretching 1 hour
• Teaching a Jiu Jitsu class to help mentally visualise techniques
• Finish with freestyle wrestling

Tuesday and Thursday:

• Jiu Jitsu session
• Grappling session
• A session at Live Athletic for physiology and strength conditioning
• Finish the evening with a kickboxing session

Sunday:

• Endurance training, which includes hitting the sand dunes for sprints.

The definition of Whittaker’s recovery session varies but generally, it comes in the form of a stretching program, spa time and pool time. Whittaker puts a strong emphasis on his stretching pre-hab and rehab program.

How To Avoid Injuries In MMA

If you ever do make it into a bout, odds are you’re going to take a few hits. That’s something you can’t control but what you can is the injuries inflicted during training.

Whittaker says that pre-hab and strength and conditioning play a huge part of avoiding injuries during MMA training. It’s all about making sure the little muscles are connected well and strong enough to take on the training.

Most importantly though, “you can’t just go jumping into the training that I do; you need to build into it gradually,” says Whittaker.

“Hit them consistently and make sure you’re limber where they need to be.”

“I have a written program from my high-performance coach and he makes sure my sessions meet my loads. Looking at the spreadsheets he can see that I’m not training too hard, I’m getting enough rest, recovery and hitting skill gaps.”

How To Stay Motivated To Train

There’s no doubt that building a winning UFC body takes teamwork and Whittaker has one of the most talented in the country behind him. On days where you might lack motivation or energy, Whittaker says that training in the gym with mates and ticking boxes is a good way to stay motivated.

On a more intrinsic level, you also need to look at what foods or nutrients you’ve been ingesting in the first place which has put you in this state. Keep a record of that and you’ll pinpoint the source of the restlessness.

What’s Stopping People From Training

Impatience, essentially. Attaining a body fit for fighting in a sport like UFC takes time, dedication and a very specific program.

This means there’s no easy way to quick results, according to Whittaker.

“People want the secret formula and the quick route. That doesn’t exist. It’s all about one step after another every day until you look back and you’ve walked a mile.”

Where To Build Your UFC Body

Based in Sydney? Check out the five best UFC gyms that will unleash your inner MMA fighter. Alternatively, if you’re after a different physique, check out how to build the ultimate special forces body.

• Who Is Conor McGregor? The Devil From Dublin
• Who Is Paddy Pimblett? The Next Conor McGregor?

The post How To Build The Ultimate UFC Body According To Robert Whittaker appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Now here’s something you don’t see everyday…or do you? Arguably the world’s rarest and most valuable whisky is trading hands for a second time in just one year – and it’s not the same bottle.

The prized liquid in question is a 92-year-old expression of The Macallan Valerio Adami which will go under the hammer at Bonhams in Edinburgh on October 3. It’s important to take note that the last example of this bottle sold for a record-breaking AU$1,471,147 in Hong Kong back in May. That was enough to see it become the highest price ever paid for a bottle of Scotch whisky at a public auction.

In the upcoming auction in Edinburgh, experts are expecting The Macallan Valerio Adami to sell in the region of AU$1,300,000 to AU$1,600,000. Still game? You better crack open that piggy bank and sign up as an organ donor.

RELATED: The Difference Between Cheap & Expensive Whisky, Explained By An Expert

Whilst the label itself indicates a 60-year-old expression, the whisky was actually created in 1926 and bottled in 1986. That’s 92-years all up.

Martin Green who is Bonhams’ in-house whisky specialist explained that The Macallan 1926 60-year-old is widely perceived as the Holy Grail of whisky.

“Its exceptional rarity and quality puts it in a league of its own, and the world’s most serious whisky collectors will wait patiently for many years for a bottle to come on to the market. It is a great honour to be offering this amazingly rare whisky at our Edinburgh sale.”

What makes this bottle of The Macallan special (besides its taste) is a label penned by the famous pop artist it’s named after, Valerio Adami. Only 12 bottles of this expression exist in the world and it comes with a meticulously presented cabinet which acts as a brass glass safe.

You can register your interest over at Bonhams now.

The post The Macallan Valerio Adami Whisky Will Go On Sale For Over $1,000,000 appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

You’re walking down the street in Stan Smiths, shrunken jeans and an oversized tee that was cool five years ago. Then: it happens. A gift from the Gucci gods strolls out of the train station. You’re not one to ‘steal’ looks but you know inspiration when you see it. You make a mental note of this guy/girl’s outfit, determined to add it to your internet shopping list. However when you search for it the next day you can’t find it.

Luckily, there’s now a way to avoid this. Your bank account may not thank you—and you might look a liiiitle bit creepy—but Snapchat has the solution to your fashion woes. In a rare partnership with Amazon, Snapchat plans to challenge Instagram and Pinterest’s e-commerce platforms, officially announcing (yesterday) the roll out of a new “visual product search feature,” called Visual Search.

This means you can use Snapchat’s camera to subtly scan your fashionable mate’s shoes (or if you’re at the shops, the barcode of an item you want to buy cheaper online), which brings up a card showing that item and similar ones along with their title, price, thumbnail image, average review score and Amazon Prime availability. When you tap on one, you’ll be sent to Amazon to buy it. Unfortunately for us Aussies: it’s rolling out in the USA first, but if it succeeds we could be seeing it here soon.

Snapchat have not disclosed whether they are earning a referral fee. However a Snap spokesperson told TechCrunch the motivation is more to do with the added utility this feature lends the app, “As Snapchat wants its camera to become the new cursor—your point of interface between the real and digital worlds.”

Business indicators suggest this is a smart move for the photo sharing app. Snapchat’s younger user base is more likely to buy online than any other demographic, and—more importantly—this partnership will enable it to outsource technology building to compensate for its recent financial losses (Snapchat spent $353 million last quarter, and lost 3 million daily active users).

RELATED: Warning: Your Snapchats Can Now Last Forever 

The post Snapchat Just Made It Easier To Steal Someone's Look appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The road to scoring your ultimate body can be cruel at times. You’ve been sticking to a strict diet all year, regularly hitting the weights, staying active and keeping that body in peak condition for its summer debut.And then, tragedy. You do an ACL, tear a muscle, sprain your wrist or catch a virus that confines you to bed for weeks or evens months.Upon your return to the fitness game you notice that you’re weaker in every sense. The strength seems to be there but you’re slower and your stamina has taken a big hit. It feels like you’re starting from the square one all over.The question is: Why? And more importantly how do you get it back to its peak condition as quickly as possible.

Why Your Fitness Drops So Quickly

In the past, scientists have confirmed that this deconditioning effect can occur in every type of exercise practitioner.In an ABC report Sports scientist Tony Boutagy explained that, “You’re only as good as your last training session”.“In other words, you only get health benefits from a session for up to about 48 hours afterwards.”That’s not exactly a lot of time to recover from something serious, but Shaun Button who is a recovery expert and retired personal trainer says that it can also come down to your own routine.“Your body’s so used to doing the same thing everyday,” explained the founder of KOA Recovery.“The routine of gym, eating well. As soon as you stop that, that’s when things start to go backwards.”This routine dependency falls in line with past research which has found that long term exercisers with a high fitness level tend to retain their peak fitness longer than those who have just started exercising.

Time It Takes For Your Fitness To Go Backwards

Before we jump into the statistics, it’s important to understand the different forms of fitness that your body can lose.

• Aerobic power or cardiovascular fitness (i.e. cardio fitness – endurance)
• Muscular strength or musculoskeletal fitness (i.e. muscle fitness – strength)
• Flexibility and balance (i.e. range of motion, co-ordination, reflexes)

The statistics from Verywellfit stipulates that:

• Aerobic power or cardio fitness can decline about 5-10 percent in three weeks
• It takes about 2 months of inactivity to completely lose the gains you’ve made
• Extremely fit exercisers will experience a rapid drop in fitness during the first three weeks of inactivity before it tapers off
• Muscular strength and endurance last longer than aerobic fitness. Muscles retain a memory of exercises for weeks or even months

Although you won’t need the stats to confirm this news. You’ll notice it for yourself, according to Button.“In fact, you’ll usually notice it after a week of not doing anything at all.”

Dieting Can Help Speed Up Your Recovery Time

Button who works with bodybuilders on a daily basis says that a healthy diet can help accelerate your recovery time – there is however no silver bullet to getting you back into peak form.Button recommends:

• Staying away from processed foods and sugars
• Trying intermittent fasting where you fast for 16 hours and eat clean for 8 hours
• Don’t be afraid of carbs in the right portions and good fats like avocados
• Following these diet tips should see a massive change in physical performance

“Good nutrition is definitely key along with sleep, and then there’s extra stuff like cryotherapy and flotation which can shave recovery time by 50 percent.”

Don’t Skip Stretching

This aspect should be self explanatory. As you push your body back into the fold after a break, the odds are that you could do some real damage in pursuit of “lost time”.“Stretching helps you prevent injuries. Small range of motion will occur after time off from training and this is where you can get hurt.”

Protein, Supplements & Drugs

Button says that protein is something you’ll want to get as much as possible of during your return to former glory. A simple protein shake after a workout should suffice, but he does discourage the use of drugs.“Drugs is up to the individual…but if you’re doing all the right things in recovery, you shouldn’t really need it anyway.”“You can get good supplements too, but just talk to a professional who knows what they’re on about. There’s stuff out there that has a lot of junk in it.”

Active Recovery Is A Must

Active recovery is a form of easing your body back into the usual workout program.“It’s doing a little less than what you would, but doing something,” says Button.This can include:

• Jogging, swimming or cycling to improve cardiovascular fitness
• Using lighter weights and lighter intensity to improver strength and musculoskeletal fitness

The benefits of active recovery is that you’re pushing your body in the right direction without pushing it to breaking point.

Rest Is A Must

The body needs to rest and recover in order to perform. For this reason people like Button who used to go all out until he sustained a serious back injury advocates taking a few days off here and there.“I don’t believe in no days off. I find that the body benefits from recovery and relaxation. Grinding it out and doing the work is fine, but your body does need to recover.”These planned rest days will ensure your body can heal and grow stronger when you’re sore.

Rest Vs Active Recovery

Given that both rest and active recovery are imperative post-break, the obvious question is: When do you rest and when do you do active recovery?“Give the body time and listen to it. And have your routine set out as normal,” says Button.“If you’re feeling sorer and know you’re not going to make it to the gym, then rest – but make sure it’s not an excuse.”“Don’t talk yourself out of going but listen to your body. Generally if you’re really sore and know you can’t put the effort in today, then do your recovery session.”Australian models the Stenmark Twins were born with abs. In an interview with us they revealed that on their exhausted days, they’d get dressed and go to the gym regardless.The sight of others exercising would motivate them to do the same even if it was just a short and light stint. If they couldn’t muster the energy, they’d call it and go home.

How Hard You Should Push Yourself

Whilst your body will eventually get back to its peak form if you ease into it rather than signing up to the cross fit finals, there are some final pointers.

• The body may take up to three weeks to reach its former fitness levels depending on how fit you were before and the length of your break
• Gradually increasing your workout load each week is a good rate of progression

Button adds that you want to be training at 75-80 percent otherwise you’ll burnout. Working out at this capacity will also allow you to put in multiple sessions a day as opposed to the guy going hard for one session every two days.Less soreness means more effective training hours and bigger gains in the long run.

The post Your Fitness Gains Disappear After A Break, But There's Ways To Get It Back appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Many men go through their lives settling for ‘OK’. Their mundane and stable job pays the bills, their knowledge of health doesn’t extend beyond spotting a ‘sugar-free’ tag and a few irregular trips to the gym.And their ability to meet and date women? Well, let’s say it’s just ‘enough’ to land one in the end. All is good in the hood, right? Wrong.

Your Underlying Problem

When you’re just OK at something, you tend to stay OK at it for the rest of your life. You have enough to get by, so why rise to more?Just as most millionaires and billionaires rose from being nillionaires, most of the men that you may consider naturals with women were not born that way.They were created, and they very often rose from being abysmal with women. Most took the path of betterment because they were essentially forced to.If you’ve seen the movie Hitch, you will remember Will Smith’s character reflecting back to a time in his life before he was the savant matchmaker, where he was the walked-all-over nerd, heartbroken by his girlfriend’s inevitable betrayal.There comes a time in many fortunate men’s lives where they reach a point. It’s a point where they break through their glass ceiling of social and dating ability. The same ceiling that they’ve frustratingly bounced their head on countless times in the past, they finally shatter through to new heights.

Accept That You Suck At Dating

Becoming consciously aware that you suck is where the magic begins.Something may happen; it could be as apparent as a breakup, or as menial as another lonely night in. Either way it is enough for the, until that point, elusive obvious to finally really dawn upon you:You’re a weak man when it comes to dating. You have a scarcity mindset which makes you put potential lovers on a pedestal. You get butt-hurt when they break up with you. You’re desperate to try to get back together. You’re lonely AF.And now it’s time to reinvent yourself. Suddenly the pain of change pales in comparison to the pain of staying the same.You’re tired of not having what you really want. You’re tired of being tired, worried, intimidated. You’re forced to change, forced to grow, and you decide in that moment to do whatever it takes to become more. And thus the journey of the next natural begins.

Natural Evolution Will Do The Rest

You buy a book, you Google search, you visit forums or spend hours listening to dating coaches on YouTube.You trawl anything and everything you can find to give you insight into these elusive secrets that others have called confidence and success.You go out, you try to meet masters, you test things for yourself and tweak as you go. You start seeing the opportunities that were there for you all along, but which you previously had just not seen.You start doing things that you never thought were possible, at least not for you. Your confidence grows, you start meeting and dating women, your whole outlook on life begins to change. Suddenly others are asking you for advice. You start to feel something you’ve not ever felt – freedom. Your future looks bright.And all this came about because you once sucked with women.

The Type Of Man You’ll Become

Jim Collins once said that good is the enemy of great. If that is true, then abysmal is the ally of awesome.The reason that the stories of the penniless man becoming the CEO and the shy guy becoming the ladies man are clichés is because they’re largely true. If you’re in the position of sucking with women, all it takes is a shift in attitude to make you realise that you are in fact in an amazing place, at the start of an amazing path.And it all starts with one choice. Do you want to be just ‘OK’ for the rest of your life?RELATED: Six Reasons Why Making The First Move Is A Great IdeaChris Manak is a dating coach and founder of Manic Workshops, a program designed to help men build confidence and meet potential lovers in any scenario 

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Our planet is filled with jaw-dropping sights and incredible creatures, but human intervention threatens to wipe out some of its most magnificent natural wonders.

Whether it’s rising sea levels, deforestation, pollution, hunting, drilling, or overpopulation, Earth’s landscape is changing dramatically. You could be amongst the last generations to see some of its most magical destinations.

Some are set to fade away within a century; others could vanish in only 15 years. Mark your calendar, pack your bags, and see these awe-inspiring places to visit before they disappear forever. Their days are numbered.

Glacier National Park | Montana, USA

Montana’s Glacier National Park is home to pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, spectacular lakes, and hundreds of miles of trails, but the highlight is in the name: the glaciers. Unfortunately, of the estimated 150 glaciers that existed in the park in the mid-19th century, only 25 remain today. Scientists estimate they could all be gone by 2030 if climate change continues at its current rate.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

Venice | Italy

‘The Floating City’ may not be floating forever. Venice has been sinking on its wooden foundations for centuries and shows no signs of stopping. Exacerbating the steady descent are rising sea levels and flooding, which threaten to hasten the demise of the iconic canals. Initiatives to keep Venice afloat are underway, but climatologists dispute whether these measures will be enough to save the city.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

The Dead Sea | Israel, Jordan, Palestine

Visitors have sojourned to The Dead Sea for thousands of years, drawn in by its history and reported healing powers. What the sea can’t seem to heal is itself. A blend of human interference and geological factors are causing water levels to fall rapidly. The sea has already shrunk by a third and sunk 80 feet (25 metres), much of which occurred in the last 40 years. If no changes are made, the Dead Sea could vanish in another half-century.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

The Great Barrier Reef | Australia

The world’s largest coral reef system, and the only living organism that can be seen from outer space, is under serious threat of extinction. A much-buzzed-about report from March 2016 stated that the reef is experiencing widespread coral bleaching as a result of warming ocean temperatures. Pollution, illegal fishing, and a variety of other factors have also led experts to predict that the reef could face irreversible damage by 2030.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

The Door To Hell | Derweze, Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan’s colourfully-monikered ‘Door To Hell’ is the result of science gone wrong. In 1971, a team of Soviet scientists set up a drilling platform looking for natural gas reserves. The rig collapsed into a wide crater and disappeared, and fearing the spread of poisonous methane gas, the researchers set the crater on fire. They hoped it would burn out in a few hours. More than forty years later, the blaze is still going. But for how long? There’s no telling when the inferno will naturally extinguish.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

Rainforest | Madagascar

Over 90% of Madagascar’s wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth, but the island’s diverse ecosystems are seriously endangered by human activity. More than 90% of its original forest has been destroyed since the arrival of humans around 2,350 years ago. Rampant deforestation, slash-and-burn agriculture, and excessive hunting mean many of Madagascar’s extraordinary species will be wiped out – some before they’re even discovered.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

The Maldives

Pictures of the Maldives reveal a striking island paradise.The turquoise waters, white sand beaches, and luxury resorts are the stuff travel dreams are made of. But the future doesn’t look so dreamy for the world’s lowest lying country, which could become the first nation to be swallowed by rising sea levels. Within 100 years the Maldives could become uninhabitable, forcing hundreds of thousands of citizens to evacuate.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

Salar de Uyuni | Bolivia

Bolivia’s salt flats are blissful, beautiful in an otherworldly way, and a favourite destination for Instagrammers. The awe-inspiring spectacle sits on nearly half the world’s lithium reserves, and therein lies the problem. As a vital component of many batteries, lithium is in high demand. The untouched salt flats could soon be the stuff of legend as lithium extraction becomes an increasingly real possibility.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

Galapágos Islands | Ecuador

The Galápagos Islands are famously one of the most unspoilt environments on the planet, but that could soon change for the once-secluded archipelago. A swelling population and reckless tourism are expediting the inevitable human wear-and-tear of the islands, which were integral to the inception of Darwin’s theory of evolution. Conservation programs and travel restrictions are in place to limit impact on the area, and if you choose to visit, be sure to book with an eco-conscious company that prioritises preservation of the remarkable habitat.

VIEW OR BOOK FLIGHTS

RELATED: Most Deadly & Dangerous Places In The World To Swim

The post Mind-Blowing Destinations To Visit Before They Disappear Forever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Suit up, lads. That’s this week’s theme for the best dressed celebrity men who all turned up in their finest rendition of the staple menswear.

First up, Donald Glover was at it again with a cool sweater pairing at the Vanity Fair Emmy celebrations.

Joining the rapper and actor was Justin Timberlake who rocked his signature Tom Ford tuxedo.

Ryan Reynolds was also out and about in his eggplant suit whilst Jeff Goldblum was being the best version of himself alongside his wife.

The best dressed men were rounded out by Ryan Gosling at his film launch for First Man and Tom Hiddleston at New York Fashion Week.

Hit the gallery to get your fix.

The post Donald Glover, Justin Timberlake & Tom Hiddleston Are This Week's Best Dressed Men appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There have been many upheavals since the industrial revolution: the invention of the car, nuclear proliferation, the dot com bubble, social media monoliths. Nutella. However, the true renaissance began this week, as Apple updated its iphone measuring app, with wide ranging consequences for the world of dic pics.

The new feature, which debuted with iOS 12 on Monday, allows you to measure items on your phone (or ipad) screen in real time. This means that proud penis owners everywhere can now include an exact measurement when sexting. As this comes in the form of a ruler superimposed onto the image, it’s the latest and greatest way to convey size without using other items for scale.

The new IPhone IOS Measure app can accurately measure anything in a picture.

This is bad guys pic.twitter.com/yWsn7SUhcq

— Brad J. (@My_InsideVoice) September 17, 2018

The iPhone update’s Measure app begins the Renaissance era of dick pics #iOS12 pic.twitter.com/u4BmvZhGh6

— Bob Clarke (@bobwclarke) September 17, 2018

The problem is, women are now demanding a higher standard of nude, so those of us used to talking up our “king pythons” now must admit to having “microscopic caveworms.”

Him: I’m 8 inches
Me: ok show me through the measure app

— Venice Bitch (@BussyPhillipps) September 17, 2018

ladies from now on we asking for dick pics taken with the measure app

— (@stexph) 19 September 2018

Beware all men. I have the measure app and I’m not afraid to use it.

— Kelsie (@KelsieKitten) September 18, 2018

Understandably, some guys now reckon the technological revolution has gone too far.

warning do not use iOS 12’s new measure app to measure your dick!! The app is wrong by like 4 inches!!!

— kendrick lobstar (@KLobstar) September 18, 2018

Wow the new measure app on #iOS12 is so inaccurate. It keeps telling me that something that is clearly 7 inches is really only 3.5 inches

— Michael (@mikedepetris) 17 September 2018

Others are more positive, and see the new update as a challenge that could bring us all together. Like the Arab Spring. Or something.

IDEA: the Measure app included in iOS 12 should detect when it is measuring a dong and upload the dong length to a worldwide leaderboard

— Adam Robertson (@coolnormalguy) September 17, 2018

Further fears were brought up by tech gurus over at Mashable, who said, “Additionally, the Measure app will probably make dick pics — most of which are already ugly — even uglier.”

“The genre is not exactly famous for its devotion to aesthetics, and it’s likely that senders will interpret the Measure app as an excuse to ignore lighting and composition even more than they already do. After all, who cares about what it looks like as long as it’s longer than average? (The answer: most people.)”

“Perhaps the best course of action,” they conclude, “Is to think of the Measure app as a resource for your sexts, not a whole new frontier.” We don’t know exactly what that means but we know this: the dic pic revolution is here. There will be winners and losers. So snap wisely.

RELATED: The Most Narcissistic Orgasm Of Your Life Is Now Available, But There’s A Catch 

The post Women Are Demanding Higher Quality Nudes & It's Apple's Fault appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

You know the announcements: “Passengers travelling on Jetstar flight JQ21 to Melbourne: this is your final boarding call. We repeat, last call for Jetstar JQ21 to Melbourne. Can all remaining passengers report to gate 53 A, thank you.” Or the dreaded, “Please do not leave any baggage unattended. If you see an unattended item please report it to security immediately,” serenely repeated until it drives you insane.

The announcements go on and on—their satanic loop intent on ruining your pre flight nap. Suffice to say: airports can be noisy, stressful places. So maybe getting rid of announcements is a good thing. On the other hand, some people argue that inflexible check in staff, overzealous security, jetlag migraines and Toblerone-induced blood-sugar crashes all make travelling hard enough without having to remember when your flight takes off—announcements actually make a trip less stressful.

Well, for better or worse, Sydney airport have decided to introduce a “quiet terminal” for a more “relaxing” experience.

As reported by Lonely Plant, “Sydney Airport has significantly reduced the number of announcements at its T1 international terminal, as part of a new ‘quiet terminal’ initiative aimed at improving the experience of its passengers. The airport wants to create a more relaxing environment by ensuring there are minimal disruptions from announcements.”

“The announcements will now be confined to gate areas at the terminal, with only critical ones being broadcast beyond these areas.”

“Passengers will now be able to relax without being interrupted by constant announcements,” said Sydney Airport CEO, Geoff Culbert, in a statement, “We’re always looking at how we can make the airport experience even more enjoyable for our passengers. This initiative leapt out as one that would make an immediate and material difference and would align us with the practices of the best airports globally.”

This initiative means Sydney is now up with Changi Airport in Singapore, Dubai, Hong Kong and Helsinki (which also have “quiet terminals”) as one of the most forward-thinking airports in the world. According to Lonely Planet it has also, “Worked with its airline partners to ensure it has struck the right balance between providing a relaxing and stress-free environment and arming passengers with the information they need in terms of signage and updated flight information to assist them to get to their gate in a timely manner.”

Passengers are now advised of their gate and boarding time at the check in desk (and on their boarding passes), and up-to-date flight information is provided via large display screens and multilingual e-directories placed throughout the terminal. Whether this will result in an influx of missed flights remains to be seen, but the results from airports who have previously embraced this change suggest that this may well be the case.

This is not a problem though. It’s a fair trade off: your sanity in exchange for the passengers that need to be spoon-fed missing their flight (at least that’s what we say until it happens to us).

One real problem remains though: we at D’Marge believe Sydney airport have not gone far enough. We reckon if you’re going to get rid of anything—get rid of in-flight announcements. Think about it: when you’re settled down to watch your movie (and crack into that second half of the Toblerone) you really don’t need to be interrupted every 2 minutes with the pilot’s commentary on the weather and time to destination. If you want this information you can easily seek it out: just have it on a screen somewhere.

RELATED: The Most Insanely Luxurious Ways To Fly To Europe From Australia 

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