Innholdsfortegnelse for Jan/Feb 2022 i Men's Health South Africa

WE’VE BEEN OFF THE SHELVES FOR A WHILE—that’s no secret. But we haven’t been sitting idle. Far from it. Instead, we’ve been in the lab, honing our skills and finetuning our approach to bring you the best version of this mag yet. At our core, our DNA remains unchanged. We will still continue to focus on fitness, health, nutrition and style, giving you the tools you need to become a better man. But the world has changed and we’ve evolved with it. Here’s how: • We are now bi-monthly, giving us more time to make sure each page is carefully curated, deeply researched and will, without a doubt, provide practical advice you can take into your everyday life. • We’re printing twice as many magazines as before, so we’ll be…

ARCHER Straighten one arm away from your torso and let the other handle the load. “More total bodyweight is loaded onto the chest and triceps, so it’s a great progression when standard push-ups become too easy,” says Hanrahan. DIAMOND Place your hands together, positioning your fore fingers and thumb to form a diamond shape. Not only does this variation smoke your triceps, says Hanrahan, but it’s a great accessory exercise to strengthen your bench press. PIKE This strength-building version of the downward dog will blow up your shoulders. “Think of it as a bodyweight shoulder push,” says Hanrahan. It’s potent enough to replace your overhead press if you’re training without equipment.…

FORZA HORIZON 5 The latest entry in the Forza Horizon series jets off to Mexico, serving up a giant open world with miles of glorious, HD tarmac to tear through in a stable of officially licensed cars. Get behind the wheel of a Ferrari F40 or test the aerial abilities of a VW Beetle (surprisingly aerodynamic with the right-sized hill), Horizon 5 is a must-own title for any motorhead. Available on Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One and PC. UA FORCE 2 MIRROR SUNGLASSES When it comes to finding a sport-ready pair of glasses, you need hardworking sunnies that do more than just block out the rays. Not only do these put an iron curtain between you and the dreaded UV, but the TR90 frames feature an auto-lock…

INDIAN GINSENG The science: Those who took this plant (also known as ashwagandha) daily alongside counselling felt a 57% drop in anxiety, while counselling-only subjects felt just a 31% dip*. Verdict: The stats suggest a benefit, but the study was small. PANAX GINSENG The science: A study at Northumbria University found that this ancient Korean plant could improve your daily mood and help you to chill out after a stressful day. Verdict: Promising, but the study was on just 30 people. LIQUORICE ROOT The science: Research** suggests that liquorice can increase cortisol at higher doses, with little in.luence in low amounts, while any benefit seems to be a placebo effect. Verdict: Raised cortisol could do more harm than good. REISHI MUSHROOM The science: The Journal of Medicinal Food reports that…

Your inbox doesn’t care that it’s midsummer. So, if it’s creaking under the weight of unread emails, maybe it’s time to make a swift getaway. But to do what? Power down completely and you risk returning to your desk unfulfilled. Chasing adventure might reinvigorate you, but there’s no guarantee of much-needed rest. Gratifyingly, the trending wellness retreat Soul & Surf*, which recently dropped anchor on Portugal’s south coast, promises you a healthy dose of both. #Balance, indeed. A 15-minute drive from bustling Lagos and under an hour from Faro Airport, the Soul & Surf farmhouse is surrounded by rolling hills and orange groves. It’s also just a short drive from the dramatic Atlantic waves that the western Algarve is well known for. So far, so idyllic. Run as a retreat…

Your fitness goals are nobody’s business but your own, and chasing a six-pack is as legitimate an aim as any. Yet if it only takes a T-shirt to hide any visible evidence of your hard work, perhaps a smarter approach to training is necessary. After all, as we have addressed in these pages before, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to wear your gym-based accomplishments in public. You’ve earned them, right? A divide in the fitness industry has created the illusion that a sleeve-stretching set of.arms are only to be found in the realm of bodybuilding. There’s an assumption that if your goal is to stay strong and fit all year round by prioritising functional fitness, the only thing you should strive to show for your efforts are Strava screenshots, or…

THE FORMAT In this unholy trinity, your mission is to accrue as many rounds as possible of the three pump-inducing movements in 15 minutes. Warm up, start a countdown timer, then get to work, hammering your way through round after round, resting only as necessary to catch your breath. WHAT YOU’LL GAIN… START HERE 01 HANDS OFF Commence with five hand-release push-ups. Drop into a plank and slowly lower your chest to the floor, lifting your hands from the ground as you reach the bottom, before explosively pushing back up. “By stopping at the bottom of your push-up, you’ve lost all momentum and inertia,” says the Lean Machines’ John Chapman. “This means you have to create all of the force to push up without any help from stretched muscles.” 02…

WHAT’S YOUR SUMMER DRINK OF CHOICE? Turn to page 36 to find out how gin will raise the bar on your seasonal mixers. 44% WATER 9% COCKTAILS 11% WINE 36% BEER 2022 WILL SEE AT LEAST THREE NEW MARVEL MOVIES INCLUDING THOR, DOCTOR STRANGE AND BLACK PANTHER. WHICH AVENGER BEST REPRESENTS YOU IN THE GYM? If you could only use one piece of gym equipment for the rest of your life, what would it be? Dumbbell 43% Barbell 27% Kettlebell 24% Sandbag 6% Each month we’ll show you how to get a killer workout using just one piece of equipment. We think the sandbag is underappreciated, turn to page 94 for a fine-grain approach. BURNOUT IS REAL. AND FEELING PESSIMISTIC IS ALL TOO COMMON. ON PAGE 59, EXPERTS REVEAL HOW…

LIFESUM Free with inapp purchases lifesum.com Best for: a lifestyle overhaul Delivers a weekly “life score” based on your water intake, exercise levels and fruit and veg consumption. Choose from hundreds of recipes or follow a custom plan. CARB MANAGER Free with inapp purchases carbmanager.com Best for: counting carbs If you’re trying to lose weight, carbs are often the enemy. With just a tap, this app can help you filter out carb-heavy foods and identify ingredients and meals that match your macro goals. LOSE IT! Free with inapp purchases loseit.com Best for: hitting your weekly goals With a complete database of foods, this app makes it easy to keep track of what you’re putting in your body, and provides daily hints on what to stop scoffing. CARB CYCLING Free with…

THE TOM COLLINS The story goes that this drink came from the great Tom Collins hoax of 1874, in which a group of friends in New York City would tell people that a man named Tom Collins was spreading salacious rumours about them at another bar. Enraged, people would move from pub to drinking hole to taproom searching for this imaginary agitator. 45ML MONKEY 47 SCHWARZWALD DRY GIN20ML LEMON JUICE20ML SIMPLE SYRUP SODA WATER1 LEMON WHEEL1 ORANGE WHEEL • Build with ice into a glass.• Stir well and top with soda water.• Garnish with an orange and lemon wheel. GINIS TO COCKTAILS what Durban in December is to every person in Gauteng; a refreshing escape from the summer heat. But it’s not just that it tastes good when you’re chilling…

And always (always) crop out your face before sharing any nudes. For security’s sake.…

SIX YEARS AGO, TAG Heuer disrupted the market with a piece of wearable tech dressed in classic watchmaker’s clothing, causing the more traditional-minded Swiss horologists to cry into their muesli. The original Connected certainly made waves, but its success was qualified: was it supposed to be a watch-lover’s smartwatch, or a fitness guy’s dress watch? The new Connected 45mm is another matter. It has the weight and heft, not to mention the quality of finish and materials, that you would expect from a luxury timepiece. Paired with a suit, it looks convincing in a way that no other tracking device does (despite what denizens of Silicon Valley will tell you). And the Connected will help you keep up the pace, too. The product of a close, creative collaboration with Google,…

OPTIMISM IS A performance-enhancing drug: Olympians know this. In fact, when researchers interviewed former Olympians, they discovered one of the traits that separated those who exceeded expectations from those who fell short: a high level of optimism. “Optimists tend to take a posture of confidence and persistence, while pessimists are doubtful and hesitant,” says that study’s coauthor Dr. Kristen Die? enbach, director of the Centre for Applied Coaching and Sport Science at West Virginia University. “Optimists are able to succeed because they look for opportunities, not problems. And even when they see problems, they’re able to identify solutions.” But this superpower extends beyond the world of sports. Optimism—“the fundamental belief that things are going to work out even when they’re not going according to plan,” as performance psychologist Dr. Michael…

GOODMIND FUNCTIONAL MUSHROOM CAPSULES R375 Combining three different types of adaptogenic mushrooms, including the aforementioned Reishi, GOODMIND claims these mushroom capsules can help reduce fatigue, clear brain fog, and nix stress. Our Deputy Editor Kieran Legg swapped his morning java for two capsules a day to put these claims to the test. “Maybe it was a placebo effect, or I was dodging that mid-afternoon caffeine crash, but after a week, these daily doses gave me a noticeable energy boost,” he says. (goodleaf.co.za)…

YOUR BODY IS colonised by nearly 40 trillion bacteria—that’s almost a quarter of a kilogram’s worth—and researchers have started to uncover all the roles they play in how you feel. These microbes—collectively known as your microbiome—are linked to many facets of being healthy. While scientists like me don’t know exactly which strains help you with what, we know that having as many kinds as possible is linked to better health, including improved mood, fitness performance and recovery, and heart health, as well as a better immune system and improved cancer-treatment outcomes. Here’s how I manage mine: 1. EAT 20 DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLANTS PER WEEK Every week, I eat foods from at least 20 different plants. It sounds like a lot, but I’m able to pack a bunch of items…

IT DOESN’T GET MORE BRUTAL than strongman training. There are no fancy tricks or equipment; it’s ruthlessly efficient; you’ve just got to do the honest hard work to see the results. There’s no coasting on cardio machines or cheating on technique to save your strength or get your breath back. Here, you need to lift heavy and with the correct technique, one tough rep at a time, and that’s where the muscle magic happens. By combining the challenges of shifting weight, instability, and the tricky handling requirements of dealing with an odd-shaped object (especially without handles), you’re building core, grip and total-body strength that’s both practical and versatile. The tougher it is to hold and move, the more your body and core need to stabilise, and the more fitness benefits…

ONCE UPON A TIME, it was almost universally accepted that the lower the number on the bathroom scale, the better shape you were in. But according to the flawed logic of the body mass index (BMI), bodybuilders are “overweight”. And the Rock? “Clinically obese”. Now that we know better, the BMI’s days are numbered, and body fat percentage has stepped up to the plate to tip the scales in your favour. Tracking your fat-to-muscle ratio can do more than melt away the male muffin top: it’s a reliable marker of health. It doesn’t matter what the scales say—the more body fat you have, the greater your risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and death from all causes. If more than a quarter of your bodyweight is fat, you’re…

01 CHOP IT LIKE IT’S HOT “The hallmark flavours of West African cuisine are re, umami and heat,” explains Aji Akokomi, founder of the restaurant Akoko. From Senegal’s warming, rich yassa to Nigeria’s vibrant, peppery ata dindin, root veggies and leafy greens are mainstays and tomatoes, peppers and onions form the basis of most sauces and stews. Get acquainted with these West African staples—and don’t hold the hot sauce. BLACK EYED PEAS As well as fibre and protein, these under-used legumes are packed with polyphenols, which prevent cell damage, protect against disease and extend your life expectancy. Boom boom pow. FONIO For granular gains, look to Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal. It contains an impressive amount of the amino acid methionine, which plays a role in the growth and repair of…

1 GO TOP SHELF You want a bright, crisp tequila blanco that’s 100 percent agave – not cut with corn syrup or sugar. Try Avion Silver, which has herbal notes, or Olmeca Altos, which is a little more fruity but combos well with lime juice. And for your triple sec, opt for Cointreau, which hits all the right orange notes. 2 SALT THE GLASS Salt intensifies the flavours of the other ingredients. Plus, it’s delicious in and of itself. Take a margarita glass, run a lime wedge around the rim, then dip the rim into a plate with about 2 tablespoons of flakey kosher salt and spread the salt evenly. Coconut, hibiscus, and lavender salts all work wonders. 3 DITCH THE PITCHER Batch-made margaritas sit out and gradually lose their…

DRY FIT TRIBAL PRINTS HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE “NOW” THAN, WELL, NOW. NOT REALLY YOUR PATTERN? SOLIDS WILL STILL SEE YOU THROUGH SUMMER. SLIDE INTO SUMMER Don’t flip flop on your footwear. Choose one of these: MASTERS OF METAL Minimalist, flattering and easy to wear, throw shade with steel frames.…

TOP NOTES Top notes set the stage. Your first impression is largely based on the top notes. They tend to evaporate quickly and lead into the heavier middle notes. Common top notes: bergamot and lemon MIDDLE NOTES They are sometimes called the heart notes because they are the foundation of the scent and more complex. Middle notes make up the majority of the aroma once the top notes evaporate. Common middle notes: lavender and black pepper BASE NOTES Think of this as your lasting impression. Base notes are in direct contrast to top notes; where top notes are vibrant and energising, base notes are calming. They also create depth. Common base notes: sandalwood and patchouli…

TOP RATED The addition of a heart-rate sensor to the case back means you can accurately track the calories you’ve burned. EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE A built-in GPS, accelerometer and gyroscope ensure the reliability of your performance metrics. GAME ON It’s useful for more than just Parkruns. TAG’s in-house Golf app now also comes with its Sports app. LINKED IN The TAG app isn’t a walled garden. All workout data can be linked with Apple Health and Strava.…

TO FEEL YOUNGER: DROP AND DO 40 A STUDY OF more than 1,100 fire fighters found that those who could crank out more than 40 push-ups had a lower risk of a cardiovascular event, like a heart attack or stroke, over the next decade compared with guys who could do fewer than ten. The ability to hammer out those reps is a sign of total-body muscular strength, which is associated with good blood pressure and metabolic health. Can’t do 40 in a row? Do as many as you can in a row, then rest 10 seconds; repeat this until you’ve done 40 total reps. Do this three times weekly; you’ll build the strength to do 40 straight. PRO TIP “I start most days with 150 pushups,” says Dr. John P.…

27% More than a quarter of people identify as “definite morning types”. 9% Surprisingly, there are far fewer confirmed evening people. THE MH VERDICT ▶ AM WINS! Boasting an optimal fat-burning and cognitive profile, early risers can call time on the debate. Lifting sessions are welcome afternoon delights, but they’re too little, too late – especially when science says that, even with lie-ins, night owls have worse sleep. Heed the rooster’s call.…

01 You’ll bring awareness to your breath A rampant respiratory disease and mandatory mask-wearing will do that, true. But so will bookshop shelves and Takealot order-pickers wheezing under the expanding volume of pulmonology-heavy publications: The Wim Hof Method by the Iceman himself, Exhale by Richie “the Breath Guy” Bostock and Breath by journalist James Nestor. Controlled breathing techniques can confer “a number of positive health and performance benefits, from reducing anxiety to delaying fatigue”, says Equinox’s Matt Delaney. Even slight adjustments can be “transformative”, agrees the Global Wellness Institute’s Beth McGroarty. Promising science is adding weight to.many of the claims—but some may yet prove to be hot air. 02 Hybrid models willbethe driving force Back in 2019, MH published a feature titled “The Gym in 2029”, which predicted greater synergy…

01 / OVER SHOULDER 5 SETS OF 3 REPS PER SIDE Grab the sandbag (A). Stand and hold it in front of your quads. Now, explosively drive through your hips and throw the bag over your shoulder (B). This hip drive will benefit all of your big lifts. 02 / OFFSET SQUAT 5 SETS OF 3 PER SIDE Lift the bag up to your quads. Using the drive from your hips, raise it to your shoulder (A). Push your hips back and sink into a squat (B), activating your core. Hold steady, then push up to the top. 03 / SANDBAG CARRY 3 SETS OF 10 PER CARRY Pick up the bag and hug it close. Stand tall with a braced core and a neutral spine (A). Avoid leaning back…

STRICTLY BUSINESS Whether you’re looking to build a back like a barn door, unlock gymnastic prowess or simply level-up your bodyweight training, Zack George’s tips will have you defying gravity like a pro in next to no time. 01 GET A GRIP Begin the exercise by jumping up and grabbing the bar with an overhand grip. Position your hands a little bit wider than shoulder-width apart, extend your arms fully and keep your feet together at all times throughout the movement. STRONG TO THE CORE Brace your core and tense your abs to assist with stability and prevent your body from swinging too much. The main aim is to develop strength here, so it’s important that you try to avoid creating any momentum by kicking your legs around. HIT THE…

Visit farmhouse-fitness.com for more info. THE DETAILS: Situated in Gordon’s Bay, Farmhouse Fitness is a relaxing retreat, fitness destination and kitted-out gym packed into one scenic spot. Book a getaway, and staff will handle the logistics while you concentrate on getting fit (and having a good time) for the duration of your stay. Or, clock in at Farmhouse Fitness’ open gym to rack up reps while sucking in fresh air. THE VIBE: A barn-like facility houses everything you need to get fighting fit—including the occasional canine visitor to pet between sets. The gym’s bootcamp classes will run you through varying high intensity interval training-based sessions, with a healthy mix up of moves every day. Done? Step outside and soak up the scenery. HOW MUCH? From R600 per month you’ll have…

ANSWER Oranges THE GOLDEN-AGE MOVIE star WC Fields used to fantasise about watering the orange trees in his garden with gin. “Then,” he said, “all I’d have to do is squeeze the juice into a glass.” The Citrus sinensis, or the humble orange, is so closely linked to everyday health and wellbeing—think of all those vitamin tablets given its   avour—that it’d take the kind of sabotage Fields dreamed up to ever give it a bad name. Somehow, though, we take it for granted. From maca root to rambutan, we all too easily assume that the more exotic a food is, the more potent its health benefits will be. But don’t dismiss the ubiquitous sweet orange as a mere vitamin-C fix, or a retro midmatch refreshment: scientists have discovered that…