Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2020 i Men's Health South Africa

Increased cardiovascular function, faster fat oxidisation and maintained muscle mass – all realised by spending less time in the gym. It’s no wonder high-intensity interval training (HIIT) continues to make an impact, topping the American College of Sports Medicine’s 2018 survey of worldwide fitness trends. Squeezing all the exercise you need into your lunch break is an appetising prospect. But, truth be told, HIIT is a terrible tool for fat loss – all exercise is, really. Burning a marginally increased amount of fat is redundant if you’ve not also created a calorie deficit – most effectively achieved by making good nutritional choices – in order to lose more than you consume. HIIT’s dominance is more to do with the power of marketing and people’s desire for a minimal-effort magic pill.…

Run With Your Arms “I focus on developing muscle in my arms and shoulders because that’s what I use to drive and create moving force. If my arms can move efficiently, my legs will follow.” – Akani Simbine, Olympic Sprinter Know Your Pain “There’s definitely ‘good’ and ‘bad’ pain. Good pain can be when you push hard in a training session or a race and basically you are just pushing your revs into the red. “I think it’s good for recreational athletes to push through the pain barrier once a week, but only for a short period of time – an hour or so. Just so that they become familiar with good pain and if they do start to feel bad pain, they’re able to tell the difference.” – Ryan…

01/ GET JUMPING Fascial tissue stores more kinetic energy than any other type. Plyometric training increases its density, giving you extra oomph. Your move: perform five-minute agility ladder drills three times a week, or three sets of 20 jump squats. 02/ FIX BACK PAIN Where your middle and lower spine meet is a hot spot for race-ending pain. If you have a desk job, tightness around your psoas can be the cause. Your move: releasing the psoas isn’t easy. Try the pigeon pose and foam-roll your hamstrings twice a week. 03/ SAVE YOUR SOLE Plantar fasciitis – heel pain due to strained fascia in your sole –commonly occurs among runners, often after exercising with a tight calf. Your move: roll your feet on a cricket ball for a minute per…

Q1\ To cut calories effortlessly from your next meal, simply change the ______ of your plate. B Pick a plate with a colour that contrasts with your meal. It aids mindful eating, cutting 150kcal of your intake. But pile your carbonara into a white bowl, and the reduced visual perception can trigger overeating*. Q2\ Which of these weights-room habits is scientifically proven to supercharge your strength? C While A is inevitable and B will exasperate your fellow gym-goers, mouthing off will help you beat the shit out of your old PB. University of Keele scientists swear by it: men who were vocal during bike and hand-grip tests saw a 4.6% boost in power and an 8.2% increase in strength. Q3\ Adding what to your water will shave minutes off your…

TERENCE BURGER AGE: 45 LOCATION: Polokwane OCCUPATION: Claims Assessor WEIGHT BEFORE: 96kg WEIGHT AFTER: 75kg TIME TO GOAL: 4 Months Once an avid runner, Terence was injured and couldn’t hit the tar for eight months. When he recovered, he pushed himself to train harder (and better). That’s how he discovered Speed Shred, and shed 21kg of flab in just 16 weeks. 1 THE PROBLEM “After turning 40, I gained a lot of weight. Usually, I’d shed the extra weight training for the Comrades Marathon. But after hitting the big four-oh I noticed that I wasn’t losing the kilos as quickly as before. Nobody else seemed to notice my weight gain, but I was getting heavier at that starting line every year – and I felt it when I ran.”…

A city’s acronym may only seem important to people who spend their time in and out of airports, but for rapper YoungstaCPT, the three-letter abbreviation for Cape Town does more than just show where he’s from – it tells the world who he is. Humble Beginnings Born Riyadh Roberts and raised by a single mom, the 28-year-old from Wynberg in Cape Town’s southern suburbs is a household name around the Mother City. Now he’s making waves across the country after the release of his long-awaited debut album, 3T – which appropriately stands for “Things Take Time”. The body of work that he’d been compiling since 2015 proved to be worth the wait – Youngsta scooped Album Of The Year at the 2019 SA Hip Hop Awards (SAHHA), putting himself, and…

THERE’S A CLEAR path to making a killing in the manconomy: write some blog posts, film a TED Talk, land a book deal and then charge companies and universities to hear your spiel. We went undercover to find out how much it takes to bring the following man-speakers to an auditorium near you. FOR R54K YOU GET. . . TIM MOUSSEAU Pitch: “Mousseau uses his passion and vulnerability to guide conversations that will leave students inspired to combat sexual violence, redefine masculinity and provoke change.” FOR R54K–R62K YOU GET. . . JEFF PERERA Pitch: “Drawing from over ten years of advocacy, Jeff’s presentations inspire accessible and transformative conversations about what positive and mindful manhood can look like, embracing our full potential and how to ‘be the lesson in…

Winter is on the horizon. If you want to realise your ambition of uncovering your abs before you reach the departures lounge in spring or summer, you need to double your efforts in the kitchen in colder months. Or, better still, halve them – by getting somebody else to do the hard work for you. Granted, meal delivery services are pricier than battling the Sunday queues in Woolworths, but they bring healthy food straight to your door in the form of simple recipe boxes or zero-effort packaged meals. Some are designed for holistic health, with a focus on organic or purely vegan ingredients, while others target people who are training hard. But all of them will help you to look and feel better in a matter of weeks, which is…

DID YOU KNOW you can masturbate your way to better stamina? Light a few candles, grab some tissues and try the “start and stop” and “squeeze” techniques – also known as “edging.” The idea is to stimulate yourself until the “point of inevitability of ejaculation but not cross that threshold,” says Dr. Larry Lipshultz, a urology professor at Baylor College of Medicine. When you feel like you’re about to blow, either stop masturbating (the “start and stop” technique) or squeeze the head of your penis until you can safely stroke again without climaxing (the “squeeze” technique). Eventually, you’ll learn to recognise what it feels like to be right on the edge of an orgasm, and to control exactly when you let yourself go. Training yourself to delay an orgasm takes…

PEPE MARAIS Founder of Joe Public United “As a leader in challenging situations when emotions flare, I can either choose to respond appropriately or react with emotion. The other day, someone took my homemade salad dressing from the office fridge. It’s a small thing, but it’s an act that went against my belief that we should stay true to our values and committed to a greater purpose. I reacted rather than responded. I wrote an email I’m not proud of which made its way to the social space. Not great for my brand (or the company’s). Keeping my purpose in mind has been instrumental in dealing with anger in difficult situations.” LUTHANDO ‘SHORTY’ BIKO Former EFC Bantamweight Champ, Multiple-Time Judo SA Champ, Commonwealth Judo Champ “When I tell people I…

YOUR STARTER PANCAKE FREE-RANGE EGGS, 2, WHISKED A RIPE BANANA, MASHED WHEY POWDER, 2 SCOOPS 22g Carbs | 38g Protein | 12g Fat Why it works: “Endurance athletes often overlook protein, focusing on carbs,” says Moran. But protein is crucial for tendons and ligaments, as well as haemoglobin (oxygen transporters) and mitochondria (muscles’ energy source). Tailor your toppings to stack up the benefits, whether fuelling a regular jog or the big race. FOR… EASY-EFFORT TRAINING LOW-FAT GREEK YOGHURT, 100ML ALMOND BUTTER, ½TBSP FRESH BERRIES, HANDFUL 37g Carbs | 53g Protein | 21g Fat Why it works: A breezy 10K planned? “It’s common for elite endurance athletes to split up their carb intake to match the demands of their training,” says Moran. Topping your pancakes with yoghurt, nut butter and berries…

IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY CONCENTRATE ON A PODCAST Training Zone: ENDURANCE Heart Rate: 60-70% Best for: Recovery We mean genuinely following the intricacies of your favourite true crime series without realising you’ve zoned out and skipping back 20 minutes. Slow runs, easy Wattbike rides or even a long-ish DOMSbusting walk, really. IF YOU CAN JUST ABOUT TALK TO SIRI/ALEXA Training Zone: STAMINA Heart Rate: 80-90% Best for: Lactate threshold “Hey Siri, play next track!” should be what you can manage. Think rest periods during easier intervals, or steady, up-tempo rows. This is lactate threshold stuff, which will help you sit comfortably at 50-80% of your max. IF YOU CAN’T MENTALLY RECITE POSITIVITY MANTRAS Training Zone: SPEED Heart Rate: 90-100% Best for: Peak performance Close to, or up to, your max…

THERE IS SOMETHING a little sad about a 40-year-old man spending the better part of a summer trying to figure out if he has any friends. Fine: it’s a lot sad, but a few months ago, after my social-media feeds started filling up with posts on a crisis in men’s friendship – men have no friends; men are dying of loneliness; we can’t even do friendship right! – I looked in the mirror and asked some hard questions. Do I have any real friends? Would I be happier with more friends? And wait – is this really what I look like now?So I did what any rational person would do. I interviewed 12 sociologists, psychiatrists, linguists and anthropologists about what it actually means to have and be a friend today.…

How did you two meet? SAM: We met at Second City Detroit. Tim was my level-A teacher. I was 18. TIM: Yeah, yeah. I was 21. It was the very first class I ever taught, I think. Our mutual friend was like, “My friend Sam’s gonna be in your class.” How did you become friends? SAM: We would go to a bar; there’s a bar right next to Second City Detroit. TIM: The Town Pump. SAM: Right down the way. And Tim and our friend Bret would sneak me into the Town Pump. Not like it was super hard to do. TIM: It was not, yeah. I had been going there for a long time. SAM: Just make your voice a little deeper. “Yessir.” In the Town Pump, early on,…

This is for you. You, with real-life commitments – a job, a social life, a family, and probably zero time to really be reading this (did you feed the dog?). Like you, Sally O’Neill – aka @thefitfoodieblog on Instagram – is juggling a million things. Businesses, a degree, her mental health, working out, travelling. But there’s a key to eating healthily without spending hours in the kitchen and wasting your money ordering UberEats and it can be found in Sally’s cookbook The Fit Foodie Meal Prep Plan. Sally’s method is simple: Step 1, prep your protein; Step 2, batch and stash; Step 3, put it together. The following six recipes require just over an hour of hands-on prep time and you can combine them – with the addition of a…

Pea & Almond Pesto 1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas + 1 cup almonds + 2 garlic cloves + ½ bunch fresh mint, leaves picked + 1 bunch fresh basil, leaves picked + 125ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil + salt & pepper to taste The Simple One 260g (1 cup) plain yoghurt + 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard + 2 teaspoons sriracha The Green One 4 tablespoons lime juice + 4 tablespoons tahini + 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons mustard + 1 bunch fresh coriander, leaves picked + 1 teaspoon ground ginger + 1 teaspoon ground coriander + 1 tablespoon honey or 10 drops liquid stevia + salt and pepper…

Deadlifting forklifts, carrying cars and flipping tyres the size of picnic benches are traditionally feats reserved for TV leviathans, accessible to you only from the comfort of your couch. However, approached in the right way, strongman training is easier to get to grips with than you might imagine. “I remember growing up watching The World’s Strongest Man and marvelling at the obscure and outrageously heavy objects being thrown around,” says coach Tom Kemp. “There was a feeling that strongman training was only for guys built like tanks. But, as a farmer, lifting heavy things off the ground, carrying awkward objects by your side and pushing heavy weights are part and parcel of everyday life.” Nearly all strongman movements are infinitely scalable and can bring the sense of accomplishment you simply…

In the interests of balance, offset each pull day with a day focusing on pushing. Where a more traditional gym approach might favour the bench press, for strongmen, the overhead press reigns supreme. Get ready to build some size able boulders where your shouldersused to be–and to craft yourself into a bigger,stronger,more completeathlete. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS FUNCTIONAL T-SHIRT PUMP SUPERSET 01\ BARBELLPUSHPRESS 5X3-5REPS Stand tall, holding a barbell across the top of your chest, with your hands underneath the bar. Brace your core and bend at the knees slightly (A). Push back up to standing, driving the bar off your chest and fully locking out your arms overhead (B). Rest for two minutes between each set. 02a\ CLOSE-GRIPDUMBBELL BENCHPRESS 4X8REPS Lie flat on a bench, gripping a heavy dumbbell in each…

Unfortunately, not every weights room has an Atlas stone lying around, but the D-ball is one bit of gear commonly found in commercial gyms that allows you to explore “odd object training”. For each exercise, push for as many reps as you can in one minute. Perform the entire circuit five times for a strength-building, lung-searing protocol that takes less than 40 minutes. Grip it and rip it. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS INSTANT, ALL-DAY ENERGY CIRCUIT 01a\ D-BALL OVER BAR MAX REPS IN 60SEC  Keep your back straight as you bend down to grip the D-ball in both hands. Lift it to your chest and rest it on your thighs (A). Now, stand up explosively and push the ball over a bar, set above chest height (B). Duck underneath and repeat on…

GRIP IT TO RIP IT If you can’t get a hold on something heavy, you’re never going to lift it. Designed to make the most awkward objects a little more compliant, this natural pine resin turns your slippery mitts into iron grips. Now, all you’ve got to do is stand up again. Atlas Tacky Grade 1 (Light Blend) R462 cerberus-strength.com or 082 448 3574 ALL ABOUT THE GRAINS Easily stored, durable, and infinitely adaptable, sandbags let you go heavy at a fraction of the cost of dumbbells and plates. You’ll need a few bags of builder’s sand, but it’s a worthwhile investment in your strength (without testing your overdraft). Strongman Sandbags – R425 to R625. 35kg, 45kg, 70kg and 90kg sizes.rebelstore.co.za BELT UP Any serious strength aficionado knows the benefits…

Probably the most accessible weapon in the strongman’s arsenal, the sandbag may also be the most versatile (see page 20). Using the heaviest bag you can lift, you’re going to be moving an awkward object, as fast as possible, under fatigue. This workout involves working every minute on the minute and resting for the remainder. But you’ll add a rep to the first two exercises, followed by an extra carry, every minute, until you can no longer complete the reps in 60 seconds. It’ll be worth the pain. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS ZERO FEAR OF MOVING HOUSE TRI-SET 01a\ SANDBAG TO SHOULDER 1 REP (ADD A REP EACH MINUTE UNTIL FAILURE)  Hinge down to grip the bag with a straight back (A). Hug the bag to your chest and rest it on…

THE FORMAT Over seven minutes, work up to the heaviest weight you can manage with good form for one rep, then rest for two minutes and strip the bar to 75% of your max. At the nine-minute mark, perform as many reps as you can in60 seconds. Repeat the protocol for the second exercise. And your final move? Pick yourself off the floor… 01/ GET IT UP Start light and focus on perfecting your form for a ground-to-overhead lift. Grab a barbell and pull it up to your hips, then onto your chest, before driving the bar overhead. Work up to your heavy rep, then rest for two minutes and set the weight to 75% of your biggest lift. Now, go for it. Perform as many reps as possible…

Most of my adult life I’ve had a fairly standard fitness routine; traditional gym 3 to 5 times a week, the occasional 5km run and something interesting over the weekend to break up my routine, like climbing a mountain. But four years ago, thanks to the MH staff challenge, I joined a HIIT gym. It was mostly a bunch of ex-Paarl boys led by an energetic instructor, throwing around tires while doing way too many squats. But it worked because training with like-minded people equals motivation and encouragement. You push each other. You support each other. You become friends. That, my friend, is one level of friendship. Turn to page 94 to find the true meaning of friendship, plus advice on how to deepen that bond. For me, friendship and…

MEET DR. MARK OPPERMAN In 2014, Opperman started a dedicated “T Clinic” focusing on the effects of low testosterone on the body and mind. Through his practice, he’s helped men both locally and internationally tap into the benefits of balancing their testosterone levels. Are testosterone supplements you can order online safe? One of my patients, 34, presented with symptoms of low libido, decreased erectile function, fatigue and low energy levels, mood swings and a decreased sense of general well-being. He had been taking an over-the-counter testosterone booster for three months with no change in his symptoms. His serum or blood testosterone levels were high-normal. On closer inspection none of his other biochemical parameters were affected and in that lies the answer! The product he was taking was mimicking testosterone in…

THE EXPERT Name: Andrew Tracey Expertise: Fitness guru Tracey knows building speed is about more than just the kilometres you rack up on the road. Follow him: @theandrew. tracey STARTING BLOCKS Running may feel like one of those endeavours that doesn’t require much instruction. After all, you just… run, right? But to go fast, you need a strong base. Before you lace up, these movements will toughen up your core and prime your posture. Consider these your go-faster stripes. Earn them. 01 FACE PULL 3 SETS OF 20 REPS, 60SEC REST A strong upper back keeps you upright, increasing your speed and reducing your risk of injury lower down. Grip a pulley or band at chest height (A). Pull towards your face, separating your hands while pinching your shoulder blades…

0-5 TRY-HARD All work and no play makes fat loss a chore. So, stop trying so hard: the University of Tasmania found adopting a relaxed diet at the weekends provides the psychological refresher you need to stick to a strict plan in the week. Who’s up for dessert? 6-11 WELL FITTED If you don’t intend to ease up in the gym, at least ensure your routine is multifunctional. Add extra plates to your barbell and you’ll lift your mental wellbeing, according to Sports Medicine, and enjoy the aesthetic gains that hogging the bench affords. 12+ SPEED DEMON You’ve got fitness hacked. So here’s a bonus tip: researchers found that 30 minutes of intense interval training a day (park sprints on the way home from work, say) are enough…

Weight loss starts in the kitchen. “The eating plan is so simple to follow, and it just never felt as if I was on a diet.” Be prepared to put in the work. “I absolutely loved the exercise plans. They were the most challenging exercises I had done in years and the combination of exercises really tested me.” You need to want it. “You first need to make a commitment to change and believe in your strategy before you’ll be motivated to push yourself towards that next goal.” When the going gets tough, hang in there. “We’re just human. Some days you’ll feel that you can conquer the world and some days it’ll feel like the world will conquer you. Stick with it, the end will be worth it.” Cut…

THERE ARE A LOT OF commercials and celebrities and “celebrities” and books and hashtags and approximately 73 podcasts and at least one campaign telling us how to be great fathers, husbands, friends and colleagues. Their business is the betterment of men. They’re selling wokeness and intentionality, self-awareness and feminism. And we seem to be buying it. We must be. An entire economy has sprung up to serve and exploit the desire of men to be better people: better dads and brothers and spouses and coworkers. This is, on some basic level, a welcome thing. This magazine has been in the business of betterment for years. But we now have a lot of company. We’re not exactly sure when things reached the point where we started looking more critically at the…

Podcasts have fast become the go-to destination for big ideas and (seriously) long discussions about masculinity. We listened to hours of conversations, arguments, and pontifications to find the most valuable episodes. Armchair Expert (hosted by Dax Shepard) Episode 30: David Harbour Harbour and Shepard discuss their respective battles with alcoholism, the importance of medication and the links between our “gifts and our illnesses.” (The Rob McElhenney episode is a must-listen, too.) Paternal (hosted by Nick Firchau) Episode 11: A Hunt for Meaning with Outdoor Guru Jason Hairston Outdoorsman, college football star, and CEO Hairston killed himself only weeks after this episode was taped. In it he discusses his parents’ divorce and his father’s quiet and tough love. The Dad Edge Podcast (hosted by Larry Hagner) Episode 12: Traits of…

IN 2005, A FRIEND introduced me to Uncrate.com and changed the way I shopped for clothes, which was rarely and resentfully. Uncrate wasn’t an online store but a “buyer’s guide for men” that paired luggage with pants and bourbon with shirts. Since Uncrate’s launch, other male-centric online buyers’ guides have emerged. Now there’s Manready Mercantile, Gallantry, End., and Mr. Porter – but none have quite commandeered the market in style and substance like Huckberry, which two buddies, Richard Greiner and Andy Forch, started in 2010. Huckberry takes the Uncrate approach and tricks it out with experiential elements, like ski packages and hotel stays. It does in-depth reporting on boutique brands. “Starting out, we were a style company, but we were also in the business of inspiration,” says Forch. Greiner and…

MONEY MUSCLE According to a Welltok survey, 96% of consumers would change their health habits if they were rewarded. Your move: find a programme that will drag you to the gym. Try Momentum Multiply which will let you earn up to R3 000 per month, four free GP visits per year and expand your coverage if you’re active. Completing tasks such as racking up 10 000 steps or burning 300 calories in a single sweat session will bag you points that can boost your health score and access new rewards. Visit multiply.co.za to find out more. GOOD VIBES According to a 2016 Cone Communications study, 76% of millennials were more motivated to work for a company that was socially or environmentally responsible, while 88% said their job is more fulfilling…

“I did very little exercise before my sixties, when, inspired by my daughter’s running, I took up marathon training. At 64, I set myself the challenge of completing 26 marathons, in alphabetical order, in 26 different countries. The first, in Athens, took me four hours and 49 minutes. My PB is now three hours and 51 minutes, and I’ve progressed to ultramarathons. I’ve even got my eye on a 100-miler. Keith Simpson is a retired physics teacher and ultrarunner “I built up distances slowly. My original motivation was to lose a few kilos, but running soon became a hobby. I run three or four times a week, at least 15km per run, nearly all on trails. I am fitter now than I’ve ever been, and I can eat more because…

When I was training, type 2 diabetes was only seen in late middle age,” says Jane Armitage, a professor of epidemiology at Oxford University. “You saw it in 60-year-olds, and you saw it, rarely, in 40-year-olds. Now, I see it in teenagers.” Back in 80s, just 108 million people were known to have the disease. Today, it is estimated to affect about 463 million, making it one of the world's biggest killers. Here, in South Africa, roughly 6% of the population suffer from the condition, and it's estimated that nearly 80% of all diabetes-related deaths are among people younger than age 60. “In middle age, one in 10 people have it, but by the time you’re 70, it’s one in five” By damaging blood vessels, diabetes has the potential to…

THE TRADITION STARTED, Matthew recalls, not long after he left his college friends behind to attend law school. Once a week, the friends started meeting up virtually, first through co-op titles like Resident Evil 5 and then, as their displaced group swelled, rounds of Dungeons & Dragons. Brian, 53, shares a similar story: after graduation, he and his friends kept in touch by playing Halo 2, meeting weekly for nearly a decade and a half. Although one friend has more or less fallen off, Brian and his buddy Greg still keep the standing invite, using voice chat to fill each other in on major life events, all while protecting humankind from annihilation. Online gaming also gave Lucas, 27, the pretext he needed to reach out to guys he’d once spent…

Send messages in full sentences. Not. Word. By. Word. Your friends love you, but they don’t want to drown in your message notifications. Finish typing everything on your mind before you hit send. Acknowledge everyone’s contributions. Ignoring your friends is rude IRL, and it’s also rude in the thread. Throw Kevin an LOL for his cat video before steering the conversation in a new direction. (And don’t just click the “HAHA” reaction button – it’s lazy.) Keep it tight. There is a sweet spot for how many friends you should add to the thread. With fewer than four members, conversation might stall. With more than ten, your phone could be blowing up all day. Don’t screenshot. The group chat should be a safe place whenever you need to get vulnerable…

Winter is on its way – and the cold season is the perfect time to rethink your wardrobe. VJ Tshego Koke and digital maverick Gemaen Taylor are known for showing up in style whatever the occasion, so we tapped their sartorial senses to bring you the looks you need to master as temps drop. From your 9-to-5 grind to R&R in the great outdoors, these style tips will add a sharp, classic feel to every outfit. 01 Switch Things Up Here’s a more relaxed and modern way of dressing up that suits every guy. It’s so simple to get right if you follow a few basic principles: invest in a capsule wardrobe of casual and formal pieces that can be mixed and matched. To take your casual game to a…

“Pushing, pulling and carrying are all hard-wired into everyone’s DNA” The clue is in the name: to get ahead in strongman, putting more plates on the bar is a priority. The big basics in this phase will build solid foundations on which you can release your inner Mountain. The squats, deadlifts and presses will deliver accelerating strength gains, and each session is chased with a fat-burning finisher. Repeat these on a weekly rotation, following the “progressive gaining” guidelines, until you’re ready to move on…

There’s an old saying in training circles: “You can’t shoot a cannon out of a canoe.” Admittedly, our expertise in nautical warfare is limited, but we do know a thing or two about going to war on weights. It is a fact universally acknowledged that all the pressing power in the world won’t help you without astrongandstable lower body to carry you. So, prepare yourself: legs day cometh. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS SUNDAY LEAGUE STRIKE POWER SUPERSET 01\ BARBELL BACK SQUAT 5 X 3-5 REPS Stand tall holding a barbell across the back of your shoulders (A). With an upright torso and straight back, squat until the crease of your hips sinks below your knee (B). Pause, then stand back up explosively. Rest for two to three minutes between each set. 02\…

Stronger with your dominant arm? Training one side at a time corrects muscle imbalances. “Unilateral training” ensures one side isn’t doing all the work, and you’ll also feel the benefits in your core as your abs struggle to keep you stable. For the first two exercises, start with 10 reps on each arm and work your way down to one rep each, with two lengths of carries each time you finish your deadlifts. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS CRUSHING HANDSHAKE GRIP TRI-SET 01a\ BARBELL JAVELIN PRESS 10-1 REPS  Rest a light barbell on your shoulder, tightly gripping the centre (A). Bend at the knees and explode up, driving the bar off your shoulder and pressing overhead to full lockout (B). Perform the prescribed reps, switch sides and repeat before grabbing a slightly heavier…

STEP 1 \ Find a space where your mould can stay untouched for three days. Clean and apply silicone to the inside. Mix your concrete according to the packet – a drier mix will make a heavier stone. STEP 2\ Pour in the concrete, mixing with a wooden dowel as you go to ensure no air pockets form. Once full, leave for a minute, mix again, tap the sides of the mould, and top up if the level drops. STEP 3\ Wait at least 72 hours, then gently remove the top mould. Roll the stone out of the bottom mould, check for cracks and touch up with concrete where necessary. Sand down. Lift.…

Danielle Weakley Editorial Director Robert Cilliers Editor & Creative Director WANITA NICOL Deputy Editor AZEEZ JACOBS Fashion & Grooming Editor NADIM NYKER Digital Editor MARK ARENDSE Art Director MEGAN FLEMMIT Multimedia Journalist KELLEIGH KOREVAAR Features Writer KIERAN LEGG Contributing Editor KIRSTEN CURTIS Contributing Digital Editor THAAQIB DANIELS Content Producer NADIA EKSTEEN Fashion Assistant Shared services: Kerry Nash (Production Manager) James Garaghty (In-House Photographer) Amina Essop (Office Administrator) CEO MEDIA24 Ishmet Davidson CEO PRINT MEDIA Rika Swart GENERAL MANAGER, LIFESTYLE Minette Ferreira CMO MEDIA24 LIFESTYLE Nerisa Coetzee CFO, LIFESTYLE Jameelah Conway FINANCIAL MANAGER Melanie Leeman MEDIA24 LIVE HEAD OF SPONSORSHIPS Nikki Ruttimann 011 713 9147 (nikkir@media24.com) COMMERCIAL HEAD OF EVENTS: Francois Malan 021 406 2376 (francois.malan@media24.com) MARKETING MANAGER Andile Nkosi 021 406 2257 (andile.nkosi@media24.com) COMMERCIAL TEAM COMMERCIAL MANAGING EDITOR Gerda Engelbrecht…

1. MINIMISE STRESS A diet of whole foods, regular exercise, good sleep, and even laugher can help reduce stress and improve T levels. 2. TAKE VITAMIN D Research has shown that vitamin D has various health benefits, says Opperman, and may also be a natural testosterone booster. 3. HAVE SEX A healthy sex life can play an important role in regulating your sex hormone and testosterone levels. 4. DON’T DRINK (TOO MUCH) Excessive alcohol or drug use can decrease T levels, says Opperman. 5. GO HEAVY Exercise is one of the most effective ways to prevent many lifestyle-related diseases. It has also been shown to, at least temporarily, boost your testosterone.…

01. THE HIGHLIGHTS The brain’s endocannabinoid system helps regulate and control memory, emotions, pain, sensitivity and appetite. When we experience certain sensations – anxiety, pain, stress, you name it – your body releases a flood of neurotransmitters (including cannabinoids) that attach to receptors in the brain. THC, the psycho-active component of marijuana, mimics their activity and can scramble these signals, boosting certain responses and tinkering with others. The result: heightened awareness of certain senses, increased sensitivity to shifts in temperature, feelings of relaxation (or anxiety), and the ravenous drive to eat absolutely everything in sight. 02. SNACK ATTACK Just a few minutes after that first puff, the week-old pizza abandoned in your fridge starts to look (and smell) like a Michelin star meal. But why does weed have…

SQUAT AND REACH 4 sets of 30sec, 30sec rest This four-move protocol doesn’t just stretch but activates crucial muscle groups. Sit in a low squat, then put your right hand down and lift your left hand overhead, stretching your lats. Hold for two breaths. Switch arms. WORLD’S GREATEST STRETCH 4 sets of 15sec each side, no rest Step your left foot back, sink into a deep lunge and place your hands on the floor on the inside of your right leg. Twist and reach overhead with your right arm, rotating further against the tension of the stretch. Hold for 15 seconds, then switch sides. LATERAL LUNGE 3 sets of 10 reps each side, 30sec rest Keeping your torso upright with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, take a long step…

THE FORMAT Switch between exercises, performing each for a minute. Aim for “tactical maximum effort”: go all out while still finishing the full workout. Do 100 reps of the thrusters and 1.5km of sprints in total. If you complete an exercise early, rest for the remaining time. It’s a race against the clock. 01 RUNNING START Before you start the timer, jump on the treadmill and get it up to speed, finding a pace that’s fast but possible to hold for a minute. This way, you won’t waste time starting up the treadmill every minute. Start the clock, push hard for a minute, then jump off. 02 THE LOW DOWN Grab a pair of dumbbells with a combined weight of approximately half your bodyweight. Standing tall with your…

GET WOKE! Matt McGorry Actor who’s been both praised and excoriated for speaking out on male feminism Rich Froning CrossFitter, Bible verse dropper Charlamagne tha God Author of Shook One: Anxiety Playing Tricks on Me, crusader for mental health in the black community GET HEALTHY! Terry Crews Actor, author, new-masculinity speaker David Goggins Ultramarathoner and former soldier who has a “cure for laziness” Ezra Miller Has made a brand of his gender-fluid style GET INTENTIONAL! Colin Stokes Actor, marketer, and graphic designer who’s done three TED Talks about the influence of movies on young boys Justin Baldoni Actor, creator of the online talk sho Man Enough Tony Porter Author of Breaking Out of the Man Box, CEO of the education initiative A Call to Men GET...COOL? Jordan Peterson “Performance” speaker…

01 LOCK, STOCK AND BARREL Unlike popular craft gins that are infused with rosemary, peppercorns, and plants that wouldn’t look out of place in your grandmother’s home, darker spirits usually make use of very few ingredients. That makes the wood they’re aged in all the more important as it adds distinct flavour notes. Learn from this neck of the woods. AMERICAN WHITE OAK This wood is seasoned for nine months outdoors before the barrels are fired for 40 seconds to open the staves’ pores and caramalise the natural wood sugars. This gives Maker’s Mark the vanilla notes it’s known for. AMERICAN OAK Scotch whiskey is typically matured in old bourbon barrels (like the Maker’s Mark bourbon below). As a result, Auchentoshan American Oak takes on the sweet aromas of…

A FEW YEARS AGO, using the mercurial powers of mom logic, my mother sent me the 27-page psychological workup that my then-divorcing parents had ordered for eight-year-old me. This was in 1989, the era of New Kids on the Block and, apparently, heartbreak. On page 22, the therapist, after noting that I was a “very sensitive youngster” but one prone to rage, surmises that “while the anger might be the primary affective emotion, it’s a blanket for the pain.” Why my mom sent this I don’t know, but the faded, typewritten pages arrived at a moment in my life when my anger blazed like a Cape Town fire, destructive and zero percent contained. They arrived shortly before I moved out of the home I shared with my then wife and…

You’ve got OCD, panic disorder, or a specific phobia. There’s no research yet, though, showing that these short, intense treatments work for generalized anxiety disorder. You’re motivated to face your anxiety. This approach works by incrementally increasing exposure to what you fear most, so you have to be committed to experiencing the thing that really freaks you out. “You’ve got to be all in,” says Abramowitz. “Otherwise you’re going to spend a lot of time making yourself miserable, and in the long run it’s not going to help you.” You’re not psychotic and you’re able to steer clear of booze and drugs. This type of therapy is difficult and can bring up a lot of bad memories, says Rothbaum. “We want to make sure patients feel safe when they’re doing…

HIIT noun High-intensity interval training. Short bursts of hard effort with recovery periods. LISS noun Low-intensity steady state. Longer-duration cardio at a steady, consistent effort. THE LONG-RUNNER Yes, he wants to shift a bit of weight, but this man is well aware of the march of Father Time and wants exercise to increase his lifespan as well as decrease his BMI. The Method LISS The Final Kicker A study by Brigham Young University found steady-state running for 30 minutes per day could be the most effective exercise to beat the Reaper. On average, runners live nine years longer if they lace up before work. THE JUST-IN-TIMER The clock is ticking before he leaves for his annual fortnight on the beach, but chaos at work is sabotaging his body goals. He…

01 Pain Killer At 6cm in diameter, this spiky massage ball is the perfect tool for an on-the-go deep tissue massage. It’s small enough to pop into your desk drawer or carry in your bag. Use it to ease back pain, improve circulation, stimulate muscles and ease tension. Just apply the ball in a circular motion for a firm massage. OTG Spiky Massage Ball, R50, sportsmanswarehouse.co.za 02 Light Touch This glow-in-the-dark paint can be applied to your face and body, ensuring you stay visible to drivers. Although targeted at festival goers, this paint comes in handy regardless of when you train. The paint comes in six vibrant colours, glows in the dark and is UV reactive so you’ll shine during the day, too. Glow in the Dark Face and Body…

Do: Lift heavy Running isn’t the quickest route to health. Mayo Clinic found weight training and improved strength can reduce your risk of type 2 by 33%. Don’t: Binge on protein You may think lean meat is an ally, but all excess calories raise your risk. Research suggests a plant-based diet cuts your risk by 23%. Do: Eat in the morning Routine is key. A Harvard study found people who ate breakfast every day were half as likely to get diabetes as those who skipped it. Don’t: Fear cheese A 2018 study analysis in Plos One found those with the highest dairy intakes had a 30% lower diabetes risk than those who avoided it. Do: Prioritise sleep An animal study in Japan showed just one…

A 2018 study in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that people became “good/best” friends after 200 hours of interaction. “There are ways to help new friendships along,” says Dr. Geoffrey Greif, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. “There are also red flags to look for. Your gut will tell you a lot.” HOURS 1–2 THE HANDSHAKE No matter where you meet, there’s ample room for the initial good-to-meet-you small talk. The next level will happen or it won’t, so don’t sweat it too much, says Greif. HOURS 3–10 THE CONNECTION “This stage will establish a lot: What kind of work does this guy do, do we talk the same language, do we like golf versus chess versus hitting the gym?” Greif says.…

WHEN I GOT SOBER in 2017, my new AA sponsor, a tall, goofy painter named Kip, invited me to a men’s stag meeting in the basement of a church in downtown Los Angeles. I arrived early, shook some hands, and sat nervously in the circle of folding chairs. Soon the room was filled: 25, maybe 30 men of all ages. The space boomed with their laughter. There were hairy, macho men sitting with thin, tattooed hipsters, and suited business types grabbing coffee and cookies for old men with walkers. There was even a priest who sat in the corner. Everyone called him Father. It took me about five minutes to realise how scared I was of all of them. Each man in the circle had a few minutes to tell…

1 ZUCCHINI FRITTERS 4 PORTIONS | HANDS-ON PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES “This is a clever a way to get everyone to eat more veggies. It’s a super-versatile recipe, too: serve these as a side dish or stack them high for a filling weekend breakfast.” 2 ZUCCHINI (BABY MARROWS), GRATED OR SPIRALISED 2 LARGE EGGS, LIGHTLY BEATEN 40G (1/3 CUP) COCONUT FLOUR 2 SPRING ONIONS (SCALLIONS), SLICED ¼ CUP CHOPPED FRESH HERBS ½ TEASPOON SEA SALT ¼ TEASPOON FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER 2 TABLESPOONS COCONUT OIL, FOR FRYING 1. Put the zucchini in a bowl with the eggs, coconut flour, spring onion, herbs, salt and pepper. Mix well until combined. If the mixture is too wet to shape, add a little more flour. If the mixture is too dry, add a…

We might not have access to the same quality tailoring as the average man in Milan, but we do have Roberto De Rosa, an Italian style fundi who knows how to blend contemporary colours, prints and textures with timeless silhouettes and details made for winter. The Right Size “With autumn weather being so unpredictable, the main thing I look for in staples is versatility, and a good coat ticks all the boxes,” says Roberto. “Coats can be light enough to pair with a simple Tee when it’s milder and a polo neck for a more structured and stylish look. A sleek, minimalist design provides endless outfit opportunities.” Tone It Down Tonal dressing means wearing different shades of one primary colour. It’s a simple way of avoid the pitfalls of mismatched…

Elevating what’s in your toiletry bag has the potential to make you look and feel like a new man on the road; a man who cares about what goes into his routine, no matter where he is. To get you started, we’ve chosen some of the best grooming and hygiene products for your kit. Each merges form and function for a travel experience that won’t leave your looks on layover. Bright Smile This toothbrush’s tapered bristles are proven to remove up to 50% more plaque from between teeth than manual versions – and reaches deeper below the gum line. Sunstar GUM ActiVital Sonic Toothbrush R259 dischem.co.za Close Shave Makes maximum contact over contours and gets virtually every hair. Plus, one refill snags you a month of shaves. Gillette Fusion Proglide…

Kick off with the “King of the Lifts”, a mass-building opening salvo that will simultaneously work nearly every muscle group. This pull-centric day is the first of three sessions, which you’ll switch between on a weekly rotation. Use it as an introduction to our strongman workout formula of a big compound lift, a powerful “assistance” superset and a spiced-up strongman finisher. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS BULLETPROOF LOWER BACK SUPERSET 01\ BARBELL DEADLIFT 5 X 3-5 REPS With your feet at shoulder width and your shins touching the bar, reach down and grasp it with an overhand grip (A). Brace your core and stand tall (B), bringing your hips to the bar hard at the top. Rest for two to three minutes between sets to ensure that you’re fresh for each round. 02a\…

Unstable and awkward to handle, sandbags offer strength benefits you just don’t get with dumbbells. Lift your familiar moves to all-new heights by giving these 10 exercises the full strongman treatment. 01\ FLOOR PRESS 4 X 8 REPS Lie on the floor with a sandbag on your chest and grip it as hard as you can (A). Press the bag away from your body until your arms are fully extended (B). Reverse under control and repeat. A wider grip works your chest; a closer grip targets your triceps. 02\ BEAR HUG SQUAT 4 X 8 REPS With the bag standing up on the floor, squat and wrap your arms around it. Hug it as tightly as possible before standing up (A). Squat down until the crease of your hip passes…

There’s nothing more functional than carrying heavy stuff. Loaded walks are a cornerstone of pro strongman training, but anyone can reap the benefits. This medley of movements will test your ability to keep moving under a load, right until the buzzer sounds. Perform each exercise back to back for 20 minutes, resting only if you have to. Keep a count of your sets: it’s what you’ll need to beat next time. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS CARRY 10 SHOPPING BAGS FROM THE CAR TRI-SET 01a\ BARBELL OVERHEAD CARRY 2 X 20M LENGTHS  Press a heavy barbell overhead, then pause to stabilise the bar (A). Pushing upwards through your palms, march for 20m (B), before turning around and returning to the start. As soon as you’re done, drop the bar to the ground and…

Perform the first two exercises of our log-lifting trio following a rep scheme of 15, then 10, then five, moving straight into a diaphragm-crushing carry after every round of presses. Do each exercise three times without rest: that’s one round. Then, take three minutes’ rest, then do it twice more. That’s 90 cleans and 90 presses, and nine carries, just in case you thought this was going to be easy. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS WEAR A LUMBERJACK SHIRT WITH PRIDE CIRCUIT 01a\ LOG CLEAN 3 X 15-10-5 REPS With your feet under the log, grip the handles with a straight back (A). Think of your favourite motivational meme, then explode up, rolling the log to your chest (B). Pause at the top for a breath. On the last rep, stop at the…

An age-old test of fortitude, farmer’s handles will test you from the soles of your feet to the exhausted fibres of your shoulders. Graduating from dumbbells to specially designed grips will allow you to go heavier than ever. You’ll be working in a ladder format, descending from five reps to one in the deadlift, with a long, heavy walk between each round. Then you’ll round off each set by holding until you drop. There are three sets. Get ready for the hardest walk of your life. REAL-LIFE BENEFITS MENTAL GRIT AND DETERMINATION SUPERSET 01a\ FARMER’S HANDLE DEADLIFT 5-1 LADDER X 3 (45 reps total)  Standing between the handles, squat down to grip the bars with a flat back (A). Keeping your core tight, focus on pushing the floor away to…