Innholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2017 i Men's Fitness South Africa

Consistently Changing There is an old saying from Heraclitus that reads “The only thing that is constant is change”, and that rings more true today for me than it ever has. Heading into the holiday season is generally a time for relaxation and spending quality time with family and friends. It’s also a time to reflect on the changes that have happened during 2017. Are you happy with your growth? Are you happy with where you are physically, mentally and spiritually? If you aren’t, then it’s time to force that change and you are the only person that can do that. A lot of us (myself included) claim to live life to the fullest but very few of us actually do consistently. There are days where you’ve slept terribly -…

Walking & running Pressure waves caused by each stride can increase the supply of blood to the brain. Lifting heavy Pumping extra iron can help grow new neurons and synapses, to create more (and better-working!) grey matter. It may also improve long-term memory. Running & lifting The combo can make your brain perform like a younger person’s. 2.8 years How much longer you’ll live if you run at least two hours every week. We’ve got your number 45 What percent your risk of developing cancer will drop by if you cycle to work. 82 Percent of marathoners sustaining a kidney injury after a race, which was resolved within two days. Causes range from dehydration to rise in core body temperature. 10 Minutes of walking up and down stairs can be…

Sculpt the six-pack you’ve always wanted using these core-centric moves from Firdose Khan, head trainer at Nine Innovations athlete training facility in Houston who’s helped whip the US national soccer team and the Argentine rugby squad into shape. OVERHEAD SIDE-TO-SIDE SLAM Lift a non-bouncy medicine ball overhead, pivot to one side, and throw the ball to the floor. Pick the ball up and alternate sides — that’s one rep. Perform for reps. KHAN SAYS: “Keep your chest up as you slam the ball as hard as you can.” OVERHEAD BARBELL SIT-UP Lie face-up on the floor holding a barbell above your chest with a wide, overhand grip and feet spread apart and secure. Do a sit-up and finish with the bar overhead and your torso perpendicular to the floor. KHAN…

Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Skewers SERVES 3 INGREDIENTS 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 red bell pepper Salt and pepper 1 jalapeño pepper 6 slices bacon 6 skewers 2 tbsp mayonnaise 1 tsp honey 1 tsp chipotle sauce DIRECTIONS 1) Preheat a grill to medium high. Cut chicken and bell pepper into 6 slices each. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of bell peppers. 2) Cut jalapeño into 18 slices; put 3 on each chicken piece. Wrap with bacon, tuck ends in, and slide onto skewer. 3) Place skewers on grill, tucked-side down, and cook, turning periodically, until chicken reaches 75°C. 4) Mix mayonnaise, honey, and chipotle; drizzle over skewers. PER SERVING CALORIES 527 PROTEIN 50g CARBS 11g FAT 31g…

IT WASN’T UNTIL he was 25, out of college, and listening to a mate talk about becoming a performer that Ben Robson decided that acting sounded pretty good to him, too. He promptly went home to his parents in Newcastle, in northern England, and told them he was off to acting school. Almost immediately, the tall, handsome Brit landed his first major film role, as Lucien in Dracula: The Dark Prince. From there he sailed onto the History Channel’s gripping drama Vikings, where for two seasons he played the sword-wielding, calculating Kalf, best remembered for stealing an earldom from Lagertha (Kathryn Winnick) while she was out of town. Currently, Robson can be found playing thrill-junkie (and Jesus Christ look-alike) Craig Cody, the middle son of a dysfunctional California crime family…

The Polo Shirt from ZARA Keep it casual and comfortable but still professional enough to jet to a quick early morning meeting, by throwing on an easy to wear polo shirt like this one from Zara Man. You’ll feel dressed enough for a breakfast meeting and relaxed enough for a quick drink with the boys after hours, at your favourite local bar. R269, ZARA The Slim Fit Trouser from Topman Be comfortable in a bar stool or at the boardroom table with a well-fitted pair of trousers that will always keep you looking the part. These beige coloured easy to wear pants from Topman will take you from one social setting to the next. R889, Topshop The Go-to Slip-on from ZARA You’ll still want to turn heads and look ready…

On a hilltop parking lot overlooking downtown Burbank in California, USA, Mark Wahlberg grabs a club from his Wahlburgers-branded golf bag, places a Wahlburgers-branded golf ball on the tee, and squares up, nonchalantly remarking to the real-life entourage of celebrity minders, groomers, and photographers on hand, “We’re gonna do about 210 with a 6-iron”. The fantastically fit 46-year-old proceeds to smash the ball, slicing it over the heads of an unsuspecting foursome of golfers lingering near the seventh hole of a nearby municipal course. The ball rolls to a stop just beyond them, just beyond the green, a glorious 290m drive, according to the readout on his laser sighting scope. This isn’t the first golf Wahlberg’s played today. The Boston-born actor/ producer/sports nutrition entrepreneur/ casual-dining franchise builder rose at 4am —…

Miraculous things happen in space, roughly 350km above the Earth, where the International Space Station (ISS) speeds across the sky at about 8km per second. Here, where the ISS’s constant free fall over the planet’s horizon simulates the conditions of microgravity, you can twirl weightlessly, launch a 230-kilogram object with a small flick of a finger, and fly across the room, arm outstretched, like Superman in full save mode. In fact, visit Mission Control at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, USA, with its theatre-size video screen showing live what’s happening in space, and you’ll sometimes see firsthand an astronaut doing exactly that. But terrible things also happen to your body there — some catastrophic, some even irreversible. Spending just weeks floating out of the reach of gravity is equivalent…

Your mind is more powerful than you think. Yes, this sounds ridiculous, but your T responds to a lot of social and psychological forces — including, amazingly, psyching yourself up. According to Emory University neuroendocrinology researcher and former D-I cross-country runner Kathleen Casto, a sport psychophysiologist, “Your T is constantly ebbing and flowing — it doesn’t stay one way. All kinds of social and psychological forces are at play”. Casto recommends positive self-talk to boost it in the near term. “Tell yourself, ‘I want to be the best’, ‘I’m a winner’. Belief in self and the degree to which you feel you are ‘born for this’ correlates to increased T.” She also suggests “imagining success in a contest against an opponent” — studies show that for some people, anticipating success…

WHAT’S INSIDE THIS MONTH How it works Although only one exercise in this TRX push-pull core circuit directly targets the abs, the other two force your body, including your core, to work harder to remain balanced. The circuit begins with a classic push-pull superset that taxes the chest, back, biceps, and triceps. Core strength and stabilisation are trained with the knee-ins. And a treadmill run — or a stair run, if you loathe the treadmill — ensures that your heart rate will stay elevated. “The workout is simple, but it gets all your muscles activated quickly”, explains routine creator Andy McDermott, a personal trainer in Los Angeles, USA. “The burn sneaks up on you.” Directions Hang a TRX or other suspension trainer from a secure anchor point overhead. Set a…

MOST OF US VIEW beets as a gross and gritty ruby-fleshed veggie that tastes like dirt. But the modest, mostly forgotten beet is definitely one you want on your plate because it’s full of antioxidants, has anti-inflammatory benefits, enhances endurance, lowers high blood pressure, boosts cognition, and, key for building muscles and strong erections, increases blood flow throughout your veins. Beets — and beetroot juice—are an excellent source of folate and manganese, and are a good source of potassium and copper. They also contain more nitrates than any other vegetable. Nitrates are converted to nitric oxide through a series of reactions, which expands blood vessels to accommodate greater blood flow. This increase in blood flow allows more oxygen and nutrients to be delivered around the body. BRAIN BOOST Research published…

EXTRA WEIGHT GAIN Sucralose, a popular artificial sweetener used in soda, was found to promote fat production and inflammation after being consumed for less than two weeks. SMALLER BRAIN VOLUME Diet soda drinkers have a smaller hippocampus — the area in the brain that processes learning and memory — a study on 4000 subjects found. HIGHER RISK OF STROKE AND DEMENTIA The same study also found that people who drank at least one diet soft drink a day had three times the risk of experiencing strokes and dementia. Life in the “fast” lane To fast… Male subjects who worked out on an empty stomach had more energy and burned more fat — each related to a specific gene — than subjects who exercised on a full stomach. ...or not to…

CREATED BY 1930s strongman Ed Zercher, the Zercher squat positions the barbell in the crook of the elbows instead of across the front delts or upper back. Doing so takes pressure off the spine and lower back and recruits the biceps and core as you squat. An unpadded bar can feel like a damn katana sword slicing into your arms, so Zercher squat virgins (unlike this guy!) should pad the bar with a towel until any discomfort fades. Sub in this squat variety for back or front squats, or leg presses. How it’s done Set a bar on a rack that’s level with your lower chest. (For added comfort, wrap a towel or squat pad around the bar.) Hook your arms under the bar so it rests in the bends…

Q Tell us about your journey into fitness and what sparked it? I’ve always been interested in sports; I grew up being an active child, always taking part in athletics, gymnastics, drum majorettes etc. In Matric I had operations in both of my knees, which ended my sporting career for the time being. When I got to university academics became the most important part of my life and I didn’t pay much attention to anything else. Three years later I moved to Durban and met new people who were all training and going to gym on a daily basis, so I started to get back into it again. I started dating Brian, who was very involved in the industry at the time. We went away one weekend to the beach,…

IT’S THE CAR people want that also happens to be safe. Premium desirability wrapped around Volvo’s ethos towards safety. Ever since being acquired by Chinese automaker Geely, the Volvo brand has produced a number of leading SUVs and sedans as masters of their own destiny, left alone to forge models that are refreshingly styled and exquisitely built. The XC60 takes these traits into a segment-size that’s traditionally been one of Volvo’s strongest but now with the advantage of cleaving technology and style from the XC90. Using Volvo’s configurable global platform, the XC60 echoes the commonly-agreed proportions for a family car – roomier than the outgoing XC60 while being nimbler than the XC90. Like all its contemporaries, aside from Discovery Sport, this is a 5-seater SUV that’s road-biased but adapts well…

Making a difficult situation work for you THERE ARE MORE THAN 7000 known spoken languages on earth, and the lamest sentence in all of them is: “If you love something, let it go.” That’s especially true when it comes to reconnecting with a person you love, from whom you feel you’ve grown apart. Decide to just “let it go”, and you can probably kiss that love affair goodbye for good. But put in some due diligence, and you’ve got a shot at not just recementing your bond but also rekindling your love. We asked marriage and family therapist Winifred M. Reilly, author of It Takes One to Tango: How I Rescued My Marriage with (Almost) No Help from My Spouse — and How You Can, Too, to walk us through…

“Middle age”, according to several dictionaries and the American Psychiatric Association, begins at roughly 45 and runs all the way to 65. But for me, it actually came early — at 38. Until then, I’d always been an active guy — not a star athlete, to be sure, but someone who did callisthenics every morning, walked to work, and ran about 16 kilometres a week. I ate a balanced diet and was naturally slim. But then, last year, I inexplicably started gaining weight and feeling exhausted most of the time; mysterious, often-debilitating aches and pains began shooting through my muscles and joints. For much of the past 12 months I couldn’t even walk without the aid of crutches or an orthopedic boot, having developed an excruciating case of tendinitis in…

One glass (250ml) organic skim milk Skim milk contains less estrogen — a testosterone downer — than full fat but still has T-building protein. 2 to 3 cups freshly chopped kale and spinach… Spinach and kale have plenty of magnesium, an essential mineral for maintaining high amounts of T. …tossed with 1 cup cooked butternut squash, chopped (skin removed)… Slow-digesting carbs from starchy plants like squash tamp down blood-sugar levels, keeping T topped off. …topped with 150 to 180 grams steamed oysters, marinated in lemon juice and roasted garlic (2 garlic cloves per 140g) Oysters are packed with zinc, a mineral that increases levels of testosterone and growth factor-1. DRESS ING : Use oyster marinade, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons of walnut oil Nuts, and their oil, have good amounts…

Cutting-edge news from the frontiers of science 1 Number of avocados to eat daily to improve your cholesterol. 500 Varieties of this berry — yes, it’s technically a berry — that are grown worldwide. 0 Amount of cholesterol and sodium in one serving of avocado. 100% How much of an avocado’s peel, flesh, pip, and leaves impart health benefits, according to recent studies. 50% The rise in avocado prices since 2016, due to weather, deforestation, even extortion by drug cartels. 77% How much of an avocado’s calories come from heart-healthy fats.…

BOOKEND FLIGHTS WITH EXERCISE This is especially important when you change time zones, as exercise helps combat jet lag and travel stress and reset hormone imbalances that occur during long flights. Time your preflight workout so it finishes up close to when you plan to leave for the airport. Once you arrive, make working out a priority as soon as you’ve unpacked and settled in. A good sweat session will replenish your energy levels and reset your circadian rhythm. B.Y.O.P. Aeroplane food — if it’s served at all — rarely earns rave reviews, so plan to eat a filling yet nutritious meal before take-off and be sure to pack a shaker cup and protein powder, like Performix’s on-the-go Iridium Native Iso Wheyi+ packets, which you can get in six-count boxes.…

Cheeseburger Salad SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS ½ cup thinly sliced red onion • 350g of 85% lean ground beef • Salt and pepper 2 whole-grain pitas ½ tsp olive oil 2 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tbsp tomato sauce 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce 2 medium tomatoes, sliced into wedges 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese DIRECTIONS 1) Place onion in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 1 hour. This will reduce some of the raw onion’s bite. Drain and set aside. 2) Grease a grill and heat to medium high. Form beef into 2 patties and season with salt and pepper. Grill patties until meat is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. When cool enough to handle, cut burgers into bite-size chunks. 3) Brush pitas…

“Gavin’s key to success was his ability to maintain relationships. His willingness to help others is what set him apart.” - Kyle Viljoen “You loved life and lived yours to the fullest. Even though we lost you, heaven gained a special person. Ride on my friend.” - Dani Israel “I could write a book about what G taught me. He was a friend, mentor and a brother. Gone but never forgotten.” - Keagan Foonk “You were the best friend anyone could ask for and had a passion for life like I’ve never seen before.” - Craig Paterson “The most genuine, humble and beautiful soul that brought light into so many people’s lives.” - Carla King “Gavin’s last words to me on Monday before he passed were ‘We need to live…

Heated plastics Plastics contain a lot of chemicals that work as estrogen mimetics and can be bad for your T, says Brian St. Pierre, CISSN, CSCS, of Precision Nutrition. When heated, plastics can release phthalates and BPA — both bad. Excessive booze “Yes, consistent heavy drinking lowers your T”, says St. Pierre. For the record, it’s the ethanol that hurts, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut it out completely. “Have limits”, says St. Pierre, advising a max of one to two drinks per day. Products labelled “high fragrance” The label “fragrance” means it contains “a phthalate compound”, says St. Pierre. “Your skin is your largest organ, and it absorbs what is put on it.” Look for phthalate-free soaps and deodorant. Painkillers Men who are on chronic-pain meds (especially…

How do I go about building a fire pit on a camping or beach trip? ANDREW G. JOHANNESBURG A “Luckily, it couldn’t be easier”, says Ryan Cunningham of beyond thetent.com. His steps: Pit Perfect 1) Check local laws. Does your city require a permit for a pit, demand that it be 10 metres from structures, or ban pits outright? Find out first to avoid a nasty surprise. 2) Pick the spot. Embers drift, so unless you plan on inviting the fire department, build the pit far from any flammables (gear, trees, dry grass). 3) Mark the circle with rocks or logs, then dig a shallow hole — that’s enough to keep coals centred, control airflow, and minimise smoke. Windy? Dig it a foot or more deep and pile dirt, sand,…

IN THE PUBLIC EYE for more than a quarter century — first as a rapper-turned-underwear model, then as a film actor, and now as a producer/entrepreneur as well — Mark Wahlberg, 46, has always managed to make fitness a priority, even when his travel schedule has kept him constantly on the move. “My philosophy is, it’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get in shape”, he explains. Wahlberg’s trainer, Bryan Nguyen of Brik Fitness, has helped his client maintain a muscular physique by devising quick, compact workouts that can be done just about anywhere — from a hotel room on the road to a trailer on a movie set. That type of training versatility is crucial for the actor, considering the demands some of his past roles…