Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2017 i Men's Health South Africa

Why do burpees suck so much? CAMERON, CAPE TOWN The move (a push-up, squat and jump drill combo named for its inventor, Royal H. Burpee) works your whole body. And it tricks you into killing yourself. That intense, total-body challenge sends your heart rate into the stratosphere and crushes your spirit. “The biggest issue with burpees is that most people can’t pull of the individual components with good technique,” says Douglas Kechijian, of Resilient Performance Therapy in New York. Work on perfecting your form in the elements that make up the burpee (like squats and push-ups) and build your endurance on the stationary bike or interval training. HEALTH Sometimes I’m so bloated I feel like I’ll pop – even after I didn’t eat that much. What’s going on? RUSSEL, DURBAN…

If you’re not pounding iron, your sex life could be suffering. New research from the University of British Columbia has found that the time you spend in the squat rack translates into immediate bedroom gains. The reason:interval weight training improves blood vessel function more than interval cardio. Swap out the dreadmill for deadlifts once in a while and you’ll be rewarded with a stronger heart, a longer life and yes, better erections. Just watch your form: she’s not going to be impressed if you’re flopping around like a fish. COMMIT TO WEIGHT LOSS You’ve heard hyper-inflated stats that sessions in the sack burn more calories than a 40-minute morning run. The reality: men only crackle through around 418kJ during sex, and women even less. While a one-night stand won’t help…

ENOCH MSELENI This tough-as-nails soldier in the Protection Branch of the SA National Defence Force knows what it takes to forge heroic mind and muscle. Atten-shun! How do I get army fit – without, well, actually joining the army? Keep it simple, soldier. The SANDF specialises in resistance training, with a strong focus on powering up your core – because that’s where all your real strength comes from. Never underestimate simple core exercises. Running, swimming, all kinds of plank variations. Then, take those gains to the next level by incorporating bodyweight and weight training to supercharge your speed and strength. I can never stick to a weekly workout routine. How can I make every day a little more regimented? When I joined the Navy back in 2009, the first thing…

KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY’S INSIGHT “What sold me on his horror movie Get Out was that he took the character who’s usually discarded in movies [the black male] and made him the focus. Jordan has an amazing way of looking at things from a different perspective. He turns a genre on its head by changing one trope. His brilliance is in finding the different and the simple.” ACT 1: BE ORIGINAL “I’m a huge horror film fan, but I felt there was a missing piece,” Peele says. “I wanted to examine race through the filter of the genre.” His new film Get Out is the story of an interracial couple (she’s white, he’s not) and a home of brain-washed slaves. Never heard a story like that, have you? Neither had the studio…

I WOBBLED IN FRONT OF THE BAR FOR A FEW PRECARIOUS seconds. The dizzy intoxication was familiar, but the bar was different. There were no craft beers here, nor precious drops of whiskey. Just a length of immoveable steel and a sober man learning a stone cold lesson in humility. UP UNTIL THE FIRST TIME I STEPPED INTO The Compound, I had spent a lifetime skirting sheepishly past the iron elements of my local gym. Those dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells were just alarm bells associated with intimidating exercises that sounded more likely to kill me than make me stronger. Deadlifts? Skull crushers? Forget it, I’ll be over here in my safe space with a sangria. But curiosity got the best of me. You know the kind that pushes people to…

SOLAL 5-HT1 ™ WITH DELTA-KNX™ IS PROVEN TO HELP. • Serotonin booster • Mood enhancer 3A,4D • Reduce anxiety3 A,4F • Sleep promotion4I • Non-addictive • Safe and natural alternative1F Watching sports or an action movie or chilling with friends … You know that feeling? That serene feeling that life is good – well, that’s all because of serotonin, the “feel good” hormone. By simply introducing more healthy experiences into your daily life – like exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep and getting outdoors – you can naturally increase your serotonin levels, and boost your happiness, productivity and peace of mind. GETTING YOUR MOOD INTO GREAT SHAPE As little as 15 minutes of exercise each day can help boost production of many of your body’s important “mood” hormones, including serotonin.…

Bobby Strom (@bobbystrom) CLIENT: RYAN REYNOLDS Having spent almost half a century getting actors prepped for the camera, Strom has kept pace with the evolving look of Hollywood muscle. MANTRA: “No simple carbs, no dairy, no sugar.” Patrick Murphy @murphyfitness CLIENT: ZAC EFRON The LA-based personal trainer has 15 years’ experience in training Hollywood stars; Murphy’s law gets the job done. MANTRA: “Avoid plateaus with supersets and body splits.” Michael Knight @mknightaos CLIENT: CHRIS HEMSWORTH Head honcho in the game, and renowned for his kettlebell workouts – he’s the director of Michigan-based personal trainers, Art of Strength. MANTRA: “Eat yourself bigger – eat yourself smaller.” Darrell Foster @darrellfoster CLIENT: MILES TELLER He packed meaty flesh onto Will Smith for I Am Legend and whipped Teller into phenomenal condition for boxing…

HERE’S WHAT MOST GUYS BUY AT THE SHOPS: beef, chicken, sugary desserts and alcohol. Really: the research firm Hartman Group studied this recently. Those categories are also among the top sources of calories in the average man’s diet. Beef and chicken are fine, but you know the effects of excess alcohol and sweets. Carry extra fat and you could end up in the office of a nutri tionist or cardiologist. Why not short-circuit the process and eat the way the experts do? We checked in with six top names in health to find out what foods they always eat and why they eat them. This go-to shopping list will keep all your systems running at optimum efficiency. David Katz, founding director, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Centre Stephen Kopecky, cardiologist and professor…

She calls me “babe” and invites me over for movie night, just the two of us. But then she says she doesn’t like me “that way.” What does that mean? TOM, EAST LONDON It means you’re being used – to stroke her ego. Sounds to me like you’ve been putting up with this arrangement hoping for more, and she’s just into having a guy around who will dote on her. So she gives you just enough encouragement to stick around. (That’s what’s behind the pet name, by the way.) Trust me on this: If a woman is truly interested, “movie night” is never really movie night. In other words, if it hasn’t happened by now, it’s not happening. So give it up. You’ll be far better off spending your Friday…

DIRECTIONS Add this tough warm-up to your normal routine, but start slowly and build your way up – this is an intense workout on its own, and you need to build up your conditioning and perfect your technique. You can also make this a standalone workout by doing three rounds. 1 Hurdle Jumps Keeping your feet close together, use a hurdle (or step) and do a double-leg jump from side to side. Mix it up with single-leg jumps or, when you really want to push it, start from a squatting position on each side. Repeat: 5 sets of 20 jumps. 2 Ball Slams Start in a squatting position, holding a medicine ball. As you rise, lift the ball until your arms are fully extended above your head and then slam…

THE MEN IN MY FAMILY HAVE A HISTORY OF ACTING ON IMPULSE. MY FATHER ONCE GOT DRUNK ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY, PAINTED HIS HORSE GREEN AND RODE BAREBACK INTO A BAR WITH A WOMAN WHO WASN’T MY MOTHER. HIS BOOZE-FUELLED BENT FOR B.S. AND MAYHEM CAME FROM MY GRANDFATHER, WHO I’M TOLD WAS THE MOST CHARMING SOD, LIAR AND CHEAT ANYONE EVER MET. LIKE MY DARK FEATURES AND LONG NOSE, MY PENCHANT FOR RECKLESSNESS AND REVELRY IS PROBABLY GENETIC. AND I WAS STARTING TO RIDE THAT SAME HORSE. BUT AFTER A “DUDE, WHERE’S MY CAR?” SCENE TWO YEARS AGO, I SWORE OFF MY FAMILY’S FAVOURITE FORM OF FOAMY ESCAPISM AND WENT SEARCHING FOR HIGHER RELIEF. THEN THE NEXT QUESTION: HOW COULD I REALLY CHANGE? COULD I GIVE UP THE HARMFUL…

7 WORDS THAT FIXED EVERYTHING When conventional medicine failed him, cancer survivor and former broadcast journalist Brad Willis started meditating. The an intrepid foreign corresponden broke his back while on holiday, endured a failed surgery that ended his career and then received a diagnosis of stage IV throat cancer. “At first I relied on Western medicine,” he says, “painkillers, muscle relaxers, [and] antidepressants, which when added to the alcohol I was drinking only deepened my despair. But it wasn’t until I discovered yoga that my healing began.” Willis admits that he still sometimes gets agitated as a result of old patterns and living in a fast-paced, overstimulated world. “But that’s when meditation and the silent repetition of positive thoughts is a godsend,” he says. “It’s very powerful just to sit…

Double- Breasted Suit The DB, as it’s called, quietly retreated in the early 21st century, after appearing in one too many mafiosa perp walks. But it never fully disappeared. Now it has re-emerged as a go-to style staple for well-dressed men. Chief among the updates: a shorter jacket and slimmer cut that shows off your body. Wear yours with a white shirt, a knit tie and lace-ups, or with a turtle or crewneck knit and loafers. But don’t get carried away with patterns; a solid or a subtle glen check or stripe still works best. The DB suit can be worn as separates (the blazer with dark jeans, or the trousers with a shirt and tie combo). Add a cardigan for some sophistication. Flannel Jacket The actor Gregory Peck immortalised…

CLASSIC COOL The worn-in look will turn jeans and a T-shirt into a rugged, off-duty look. VINTAGE LACE-UPS Heritage-style Beckman boots are tough enough for mining, logging and farming. MILITARY STYLE Wear these with slim-fit cargo pants or distressed jeans for a subtle style risk. SLEEK SLIP-ON We like them with slim-fit jeans and a leather jacket. SMART EFFECT Stay dry without the bulkiness of a thicker boot. ANKLE BOOT Get vintage with a 100% cotton canvas upper and burnished outsole. WORKER BOOT Keep your chinos-and-button-down combo casual with dual tones. RUGGED FEEL The outsole is durable enough for day trips and all-weekend festivals, too.…

Those philanthropists who spend their downtime volunteering aren’t just beneficial to society. According to research presented by the Corporation for National Community Service, there is a “strong relationship between volunteering and health”. Think: lower rates of depression, greater functional ability and lower mortality rates later on in life. Plus, those rewards are magnified the older you get. Contact your local animal shelter, help out at a soup kitchen or get hold of a community of tree planters, like the good guys at greenpop.co.za. Not only will you feel like a hero – you’ll be living like one too.…

NAME: NICHOLAS CARACANDAS LOCATION: CAPE TOWN OCCUPATION: PERSONAL TRAINER Running Jacket R749 H&M T-Shirt R249 Totalsports Heatgear Tights R999 Under Armour at Totalsports Ignite 3 Evoknits R2 499 Puma H&M 021 826 7300 TOTALSPORTS 0860 576 576 PUMA 011 497 6944 LOCATION CITY BOWL FITNESS THE CHALLENGE Take Nicholas’s workout-gear game from gym newbie to seasoned, stylish pro. STYLE TRAPS A/ A BASIC COLOUR WAY IS THE SAFEST AND CLEANEST BET B/ SHORTS SHOULD FIT ABOVE THE KNEE – ANYTHING LONGER WILL MAKE YOU LOOK SHORTER C/ YOU NEED ERGONOMIC FABRICS, MOISTURE-WICKING AND BREATHABLE THAT OLD CUT-OFF POLYESTER T-shirt might be comfortable, but it’s turning your gym gear into a peepshow. Luckily, we know a thing or two about dressing to impress at the gym (and for your body shape).…

1 Will Powers 65, Photographer THE MISSION Weight control and exercise HIS SECRET Good old-fashioned stick-to-itiveness. THE KEY “You can’t change if it’s for someone else; you must do it for yourself.” 2 Will Power 35, Racer THE MISSION Win the Indianapolis 500 HIS SECRET Mini-goals. “If you overstep your goal you can crash,” says Power. “Set a goal and get the most out of yourself on that day, on that lap, on that corner – and you will.” 3 Will Powers 30, Senior Marketing Manager THE MISSION Cook more often; brew his own beer HIS SECRET Share your goal with people so they hold you accountable. If you tell your friend that you’re brewing beer, they’re going to follow up with you.…

1. CHICKPEAS 19g protein, 6g fat, 61g carbs, 1 520kJ (per 100g) These beans are cheap and plentiful, but you won’t be snacking on them raw. Toss a can into your curry or blend up a simple hummus recipe: one can chickpeas, 60ml tahini, 30ml lemon juice, tsp. of minced garlic, 2 tbsp. olive oil, tsp. ground cumin and a pinch of salt. While you won’t be raking in the same protein as a lean chicken breast, the abundance of fibre and cancer-fighting compounds definitely makes up for it. 2. LENTILS 9g protein, 0.4g fat, 20g carbs, 485kJ (per 100g, boiled) You’ll look at this and sigh and say: “Lentils? Nature’s cardboard? No thanks.” Sure, this pulse has the potential to bore your tastebuds, but if cooked right you’re in…

“You think you’re fit when you play rugby – then you sign up for a triathlon and realise how far you can push yourself.” FOR QUALIFIED actuary Tobie van Heerden, staying fit helps tie together different parts of his life – and keeps him sane at the same time. Between his busy family life and an extremely demanding work schedule – he is the head of Middle East and South East Asia in the Asia Pacific Client Group at Investec Asset Management, and spends more than half of the year on the road – Tobie says he often feels as if he has a split personality. “I’m either in the air, in Singapore, the Middle East or London. The rest of the time, I’m at home in Stellenbosch.” Despite his…

SEAN MORAN AGE/HEIGHT 38/1.88m LOCATION Cape Town WEIGHT BEFORE 101kg AFTER 91kg TIME TO GOAL 6 months SEAN MORAN DEALS IN make-believe every day as part of his job as a construction manager in the film industry, but it was reality that forced him to re-evaluate his health and his addictions. With 20 years’ experience in set building, Moran was needed to work long, demanding days, from 7am to 7pm, six days a week. While Moran was active and considered himself reasonably fit, it wasn’t his hectic schedule, unhealthy diet or lack of planned exercise that was the main cause for concern. “In June last year, I realised that my drinking habits were destructive, taking away any possibilities for building a balanced life with my family,” says Moran. “At 38…

Cutting calories is just one part of the weight-loss equation. For results that last, you’ll need to change your eating and the way you think about food. For help, we sought out the brains at Precision Nutrition – Brian St. Pierre, director of per formance nutrition, and coach Ryan Andrews. Use their guidelines to gradually transform your meals and painlessly peel off the kilos. The Perfect Plate 1 2 palm-size portions of protein (eggs, chicken, beef, fish, pork): it keeps you satiated and builds and preserves muscle. Plus, your body burns more calories as it digests, netting a bigger post-meal burn. 2 1 to 2 handfuls of carbs (fruit, oats, wild rice, quinoa, sweet potatoes, beans): fibre-rich carbohydrates – such as whole grains and legumes – fill you up, fuel…

For men with chronic headaches, the journey to diagnosis can be circuitous: four out of five migraine sufferers are misdiagnosed with sinusitis, research shows. For people with agonising cluster headaches, a correct diagnosis usually takes three years. That’s partially because many headaches activate your cranial-autonomic pathway, triggering a runny nose and watery eyes. With these symptoms, you may understandably see an ear, nose, and throat doctor instead of a headache specialist, says Peter Goadsby, a headache neurologist at King’s College London. You can help your doctor (and yourself) by keeping a headache diary. Write down everything, “and don’t just get trapped by the most obvious symptoms,” Dr Goadsby says. Note whether the pain is one-sided and whether you feel queasy or sensitive to light, sounds, and scents. – JULIE STEWART…

Call it the Art of Bruising or the Hurt Business – boxing and mixed martial arts are known for chewing up and spitting out contenders. You need an indomitable fighting spirit to go the distance but in the ring, it’s technique, skill and discipline that matter just as much – not just to win the match, but to keep you from getting clocked or concussed on the path to glory. And that’s where the truly elite fighters come into their own: they’re athletes first and fighting machines second. They train six days a week and rest for one, even when they’re not working towards a specific fight. Every action, every routine is a choice – designed to condition, build fitness, develop stamina, strengthen the mind and to groove the movement…

1 JACKET Lightweight and weatherproof, the Capestorm Valdivian will keep you dry (and most importantly warm) when the swell gets swole. R1 000, Sportsmans Warehouse 2 SUNNIES Keep the glare out of your eyes and your boat on course with a pair of sunglasses that will stay glued to your face in the roughest conditions. Plus, the vented lenses on Ocean Eyewear’s UV400s will stop the lenses from fogging up. R480, takealot.com 3 SHOES Waterlogged kicks? Not a good look. The Columbia Drainmaker IIs are equipped with two drainage ports that will keep your feet dry, while the omni-grip traction will prevent you from becoming shark fodder. R1 140, zando.co.za…

IT CAN SEAR STEAK TO JUICY PERFECTION, suck the stink out of a man cave and keep spanners rust-free. (Just toss a briquette into your toolbox). So why are guys putting charcoal on their faces? You might be surprised to know that its purifying powers can also keep your skin, hair and teeth clean and healthy. Charcoal’s porous structure naturally draws out oil, dirt and stains while attracting water to hydrate your hide, says dermatologist Marianna Blyumin-Karasik. Here are our picks of charcoal activated products for any grooming issue. 1 / Dirt Build-Up Carbon molecules in activated charcoal are like dirt magnets, says dermatologist Dendy Engelman. When pore pollutants come into contact with carbon, they stick together, then wash away as you rinse. NIVEA MEN ACTIVE CLEAN SHOWER GEL 500ML…

STEP 1 / Open with Origin Forget weather talk and avoid “I’ve heard so much about you!” (Awkward.) Ask about their background: “So, where are you from?” It’s safe but opens options for deeper conversation. “People either have a lot of pride for their home town or horror stories about how they couldn’t wait to get away,” says Union. STEP 2 / Go Highbrow Try: “Who are your favourite authors?” Even if they’re all about James Patterson and you’re more James Joyce, you’ll give them a chance to talk about what they like to do instead of what they do for a living. This is also a good look for you on a date: “You’re really saying, ‘I think you’re smart. I think you’re well read. I value your brain.’”…

ARON ANDERSON The first person in a wheelchair to reach the South Pole also raised over R7-million for cancer research. THOMAS MAKHUBELE Quit his job to open a learning centre to help impoverished kids. Who needs a cape when you’ve got a calculator? KHULULEKANI NYOBOLE This former gangster started his own company, Nurturer, producing environmentally friendly cleaning products. PIETER DU PREEZ The first quadriplegic to complete Ironman raised funds towards research to treat spinal cord injuries.…

WE ALL WANT FIVE-STAR SIX-PACKS WITH with blockbuster biceps, and no-one seems to do it better, quicker or as emphatically as those guys on the big screen. But what does it take to tune your body into high- definition? Men’s Health teamed up with the pros in the know to silence the rumours and unveil the true methods to building Hollywood muscle. Your audition starts here. Backstage Sure, when you picture the set of November’s Justice League you may not imagine Ben Affleck in a fight with Tupperware containers of meat and veg; yet this is the reality. Personal chefs are commonly used to ensure Hollywood actors keep on top of their diets between films, but when it’s all action go and shooting begins, the emphasis on diet hits a…

1 / Hinge As you draw your hips back, the muscles and tendons around your hamstrings and glutes activate and stretch. This creates what scientists call passive elastic tension, the same energy stored in a stretched rubber band. Really feel the stretch to load up power. 2 / Explode Snapping your hips forward draws on that tension and frees up energy, setting off a chain reaction that extends your hips. As you near the end of the extension, make sure you thrust fully forward. Doing that locks out your hips and makes your glutes fire even harder.…

RULE 1 / He was all action and no talk. “Sean had a real no-BS approach to his workouts,” explains coach Neil Zietsman. “Initially all he said was ‘I want to do some training.’ True to his word, he arrived at the gym two days later, put his head down and worked really hard without complaining. There really is no substitute for hard work, and his results – both mental and physical – show that.” RULE 2 / He changed his lifestyle. “Sean didn’t only start training to improve his health – he also made big, permanent changes in his everyday life to improve his health. He stopped drinking alcohol, started a cardio programme and changed the food he was eating. He ended his bad habits and started new, healthier…

DIRECTIONS Mix these moves into your everyday routine. Do each set for 30 seconds, with 30 seconds of recovery in between each set. Once you’re warm, get your wraps on and spend some time working the bag, or doing pad work with a coach. 1 Forward Lunges From a natural standing position (feet hip-width apart), step forward with one leg into a low lunge, with both knees at nearly 90-degrees. Keeping your spine straight, step back and alternate legs. Time: 30 seconds. 2 Squats Widen your stance and keep your feet parallel. Concentrate on tensing your core as you go down into a squat – as low as you can go without bending forward or losing core tension. Repeat. Time: 30 seconds. 3 Side Lunges Start upright in a neutral…

Calm Spend a week to three weeks perfecting a stress-busting technique (think of it as “strain training”) or use its “Emergency Calm” to decompress while waiting for the traffic to decongest. Headspace for Sport Programmes such as “training,” “competition,” “motivation,” and “focus” last 10 to 20 minutes. If your mind tends to get in the way of peak performance, this app may be just the thing. Buddhify This app offers specific meditations for dealing with stressful situations, including travel hell and lying in bed in the middle of the night while thinking about everything you have to do. Take a Break! It supplies quick relaxation breaks you can use at work. For example, stare at a virtual horizon and select a seven- to 13-minute guided meditation set to relaxing sounds…

Demarte Pena AGE 27 JOB MMA fighter; EFC champ and number-one pro bantamweight in SA HIS STYLE A combination of traditional tailoring with a casual edge is Demarte “The Wolf” Pena’s signature. “I like to keep my look formal – but with an edge. When I go to events, I make sure to stand out and look sharper than my opponents. I get most of my suits tailored to fit me like a glove. Then I have the option to mix things up.” INSPIRATION “I’m inspired by many looks, but the right fit is most important to me. Once you get the fit right, you will look good in most colours or patterns. I like to keep my style clean, but rough around the edges. It’s important to be able…

Leather Jacket PUNKS, COPS, GREASERS AND MILITARY pilots don’t typically agree on much – except that there’s nothing cooler than a handcrafted, perfectly fitting leather jacket. Besides lending you instant attitude, a leather jacket goes with your whole wardrobe; you can even wear it to the office with a shirt and tie, or on date night with a V-neck. AVIATOR LEATHER JACKET All eyes are on the shear-ling-lined collar, which creates a soft, luxe contrast to the rugged leather. CLASSIC LEATHER JACKET A grey hoodie is a great go-to layer for colder months. BIKER LEATHER JACKET Dress up your look with a printed shirt underneath. Wingtips THESE ORNATE SHOES DERIVE THEIR name from the W-shaped perforations, which resemble a bird taking flight. Less dressy than plain oxfords, these bridge the…