Innholdsfortegnelse for Mar/Apr 2023 i Men's Health South Africa

Whether you don’t tolerate caffeine well or like to train closer to bedtime, there are supplements out there that don’t mimic the effects of a triple espresso. It’s not vital that you dose up before hitting the weights room—but a few choice ingredients might give your efforts a boost in the long term. Here are our picks: All-Day BCAA R239, rebelstore.co.za This packs 5g of BCAAs for healthy muscle function and repair, plus compounds like L-Leucine which may aid in protein synthesis and muscle recovery. USN BCAA 12:1:1 R309, usn.co.za A similar boost from BCAAs, plus glutamine to bolster your immunity and chromium to help regulate blood-sugar levels. Sir Fruit Spicy Turmeric Shot R204 for 12 shots, sirfruit.com Keeping it natural? Juiced turmeric boosts our nitrate levels, which improves our…

GARETH WAS A PROMISING rugby player who took to the pitch for Valke, a Currie Cup first division side. But when injury struck and cut his career short, the budding sportsman found himself on the sidelines. What followed was a series of “rewards” in the form of calorie-dense cheat snacks: “Pizzas, droewors, chocolates and alcohol,” he says. He also went from daily training sessions to not exercising at all. THE SETBACK Comfort eating became second nature for Gareth, who began structuring his life—including social activities—around the table. He’d meet friends for breakfast at a café, grab takeaways for lunch and then finish up with multiple courses at a dinner spot. This downward slide only steepened when he moved to Europe and the office’s canteen became his new haunt. “I remember…

THERE’S NO DENYING that us South Africans are a unique bunch. Quirky—if you will. We have our idiosyncrasies that make for great fodder come gathering time with beers in hand and braais at full blaze. Another eccentricity? An intrinsic adoration for bakkies. Have you ever met a South African who wasn’t a fan? Steer clear; in the motoring world they’re mostly considered traitors—those who have shed their birth right in favour of hatchbacks or other pretenders. If you’re among them, we’re here to convert you back to the mission: this fleet opens the doors to all-new comfort, top performance and endless terrain to explore. Plus, they’ll put you back on track when it comes to braai-side banter. THE OGS TOYOTA HILUX GR-SPORT The Hilux is only South Africa’s top selling…

CAULIFLOWER Winter At 92% water, this versatile vegetable is low in calories but high in vitamins. A rich source of fibre, it also slows your digestion and helps to promote feelings of fullness. LOBSTER Spring Welcome new research demonstrates that trehalose–a natural sugar found in this luxe crustacean-blocks glucose from entering and harming your liver cells. STRAWBERRIES Summer They boast lots of heart-healthy antioxidants, such as ellagic acid, and flavonoids anthocyanin, catechin, quercetin and kaempferol. Plus, they also help to lower your cholesterol levels.…

HERE IS WHAT I don’t want to see when lying on a table with my pants down: a doctor, wielding sharp instruments, digging around in the numb valley of my groin, looking for something he can’t find. I feel a dull pressure and hear a snip. I peek out beneath my eyelids at the frustrated doc; he exhales, shakes his head. Back into the fray he goes. One week before my 41st birthday, I lay prone under harsh fluorescent lights for an hour and let a young doctor poke into my genitals. He was looking for something he described as “the size of a piece of spaghetti.” Two pieces, actually: one vas deferens—the tube that supplies sperm to the urethra—for the left testicle and another for the right. My vasectomy…

GOOD SHADES probably won’t increase your uphill power output, but being suited up like you’re riding into battle can’t hurt—and these face-hugging Oakley Kato glasses will kick protection up a gear. Worn by Tour de France winner Chris Froome, the high-wrap frame and one-piece lens gives you a wide field of vision that helps you see more road. The nose piece also riffs on drag-reducing time-trial helmet designs. The Kato’s High-Definition Optics tech focuses light on one spot, creating a single image so your brain and eyes don’t have to work so hard. The lenses are coated with a repellent that handles sweat, water and fingerprints, too. Here’s why the Kato puts your regular specs in the shade. i_ 15 years It took years to develop Oakley’s Prizm lens. The Kato’s…

YOUR BAD HABIT MIGHT BE drinking, eating and/or shopping too much, or a tic like mine, or some other urge that doesn’t enhance your life. But the skills I learned can help you accept those impulses and redirect them. “Mindfulness is just like a biceps curl: It takes a lot of repetition to get strong,” says Dr. Marcia Kimeldorf of the Center for Anxiety. Like so. 1 URGE-SURF If you can sense the looming wave of a drink you don’t need or a fight you don’t have to pick, close your eyes, then rock side to side and up and down, from your toes to your heels. 2 FLIP YOUR PALMS Stress often leaves the remnants of hunched backs and clenched fists. Place the backs of your hands on a desk; it’ll…

When people get laser eye surgery to correct their vision, most go with LASIK, since it’s a household name and promises fast recovery. The trouble: dry eyes are significantly more prevalent with LASIK than with other surgeries, and I’ve only seen that increase with more screen time. PRK and ASA (advanced surface ablation) shape the cornea without a cut, resulting in far less damage and dryness. Use these strategies before you sign up for any laser vision-correction surgery. SHOP AROUND The right vision-correction surgery must reflect the patient’s lifestyle. If you have a job where clear vision—especially at night—is important, then the halos, haze and starbursts that can appear after LASIK spell trouble. If you play contact sports—or have a baby—an accidental poke to the eye can dislodge the corneal…

THE CLAIMS Supplement manufacturers advertise that their pumpkin seed oils, extracts and capsules support prostate health, improve heart function and even reverse male-pattern baldness. Incredible, right? WHAT’S ACTUALLY TRUE The prostate stuff. Men who took 360 mg of pumpkin seed oil twice a day had fewer symptoms related to their enlarged prostate, a 2021 study found. The oil didn’t work as well as the drug (tamsulosin) used in the study, but men on the oil did not report side effects. WHAT’S A STRETCH Supplement companies argue that pumpkin seed oil is good for your heart because it’s high in essential fatty acids. Data shows that a diet rich in these fats is beneficial, but hardly any human studies link pumpkin seed oil with a healthier heart. WHAT’S STILL UNCLEAR Yes,…

1 Identify the Warning Signs Are you isolating more? Struggling to stay interested in activities you used to enjoy? Are you trapped in a cycle of rumination or getting irritable with those around you? A proactive approach can help you spot the first signals of an impending problem before it turns into a crisis. 2 Find Coping Mechanisms Keep a running list of healthy coping strategies that can help give you some breathing room. Taken literally, this could mean practising relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or mindfulness exercises. Alternatively, music, making art or playing videogames could provide a distraction and help lower your stress levels. 3 Identify Your Support System Who can you talk to right now? While others might not understand what you’re going through, reaching out can provide comfort—whether that’s…

BEGINNER THE SCREWDRIVER ▶ Hold the top end of the barbell at your chest with an overhand grip. Point your left elbow down toward your left hip; point your right elbow up. Rotate the bell so your right elbow points down and your left points up. As you do this, raise your right heel and drive your right hip toward your elbow. That’s 1 rep. Do 5 per side. Do 3 sets. INTERMEDIATE COILED REVERSE LUNGE ▶ Start in the end position of a screwdriver. Raise your right heel; continue to drive your left hip and left elbow together as you step back with your right leg and lower into a reverse lunge. Stand explosively. Rotate the bell so your left elbow drives toward the ceiling and repeat on the…

The pursuit of happiness has become misguided. In offices, at the gym, you name it; you’ll find guys working with tunnel-visioned focus, betting future joy on achieving big goals. While the hustle is admirable—and necessary—we’re neglecting something important: our mental health. So when someone close to you, that you have known for decades, takes their own life, you feel shellshocked—just as I did when I lost my friend. Amidst the pain, it forced me to refocus. After all, where the mind goes the body follows, and no big promotion or ensemble of bulging muscles can stand in the face of a serious psychological crisis. And, if the research is to be believed, things are only getting worse. Constant struggles are chipping away at our collective resilience. Life is tough and…

Today 10.48am And can I really accelerate my strength gains just by focusing on the muscle I’m working? It’s real. And it’s worth trying, too. Hmmm. Always thought it was bro science. That’s fair. But another name for bro science is lived experience. Lifters are often ahead of the people in white coats when it comes to knowing what works. Take the concept of a “mind-muscle connection”. Arnie’s been on about it for decades—the idea of mentally getting inside the muscle rather than just heaving away. And he did okay. Sure. But it also might have been 100 other things that worked for Arnie, right? No doubt. But US researchers ran a study* with one group focusing on the outcome of a lift and the other on the muscle contraction.…

What is your preferred grill-ready protein to slap on the braai? Choosing to hit the braai over the bench? Turn to page 17 to find out which decadent braai staple can help pork up your power. 21.4% BURGERS 28.6% CHICKEN THIGHS 21.4% RIBS 28.6% PORK CHOPS HOW MUCH SHUTEYE ARE YOU GETTING? 3 - 5 hours: 6.7% 5 - 7 hours: 73.3% 7 - 9 hours: 20% Sometimes, even with the best intentions, those solid seven hours are elusive. Turn to page 61 to see what happens when you’re constantly cutting your snooze time short. DO YOU USE YOUR SMARTWATCH’S DATA TO TRACK YOUR WORKOUTS? Those little digits streamed from your wearables can tell you a lot—but not everything. On page 58, your guide to getting the most out of…

1 COP QUALITY CUTS Thin strips of packaged pork rashers are easily overpowered by the bread and tomato. Seek out sweet, smoky rashers that you can cut into 60mm slices. Many butchers carry the stuff, as does Woolworths; grind on some pepper to make the rashers stand out. 450g will make around 4 sandwiches. 2 SLOW-SIZZLE Panfrying the rashers can make them brittle. Instead, place the slices on a high-rimmed sheet pan and slow-roast them in a 120°C oven for about 2 hours. The pork rasher’s fat will render slowly, resulting in tender, meaty strips that are slightly chewy. Yes, it’s worth it. 3 PREP THE INGREDIENTS You want the pork rashers warm when they hit the sandwich, so organise everything else. Slice 1 large heirloom tomato the same thickness…

01 REBUILD A ROUTINE Not done a spell in the chair since your early twenties? According to our UK mates, about half of adults who visited a NHS dentist in 2018 and 2019 hadn’t popped by in the previous two years. Start by getting back into a routine, says dentist Dr. Michael Apa. Make an appointment every six months or so, brush twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and floss daily. Use: G.U.M Regular SoftPicks (R99, Clicks) 02 PROTECT YOUR GUMS Gingivitis, a common form of gum disease, is caused by plaque build-up and inflames the gums, says dentist Dr. Marc Lowenberg. Don’t just brush the lower part of your teeth—ensure you’re brushing along the gumline, too, where harmful plaque lurks. Use: Oral-B Genius X By Braun (R4 400,…

Financial planning may seem daunting, but any financial plan can actually be broken down into four numbers. The reason most people do not build generational wealth is due to the fact that they fail to plan for the future. wAnd can you blame them? Financial planning can be complex at the best of times. There are many different factors to consider when planning for your financial future such as different investment structures, tax implications, expense patterns, regulations, asset types–to mention but a few. Also, we have access to so much information and navigating the details can be quite overwhelming for most people. However, if one looks through the information overload, you can break down any financial plan into just four numbers (whether you have R100 or R100 million to invest).…

ASICS GEL-NIMBUS 25 With a shift to a purely running-focused stable of footwear, the new GEL-NIMBUS pair can be seen as somewhat of a flagship footfall for ASICS. Leveraging the meaty shock absorption of their trademark GEL tech, these shoes will shield you from impact that might otherwise put a premature end to your laps. We’re big fans of the breathable mesh upper, which provides ventilation without sacrificing on comfort. This is a neutral trainer, so it should work for most types of runners. R3 499, Sportsmans Warehouse PATAGONIA BLACK HOLE DUFFEL Now that travel plans are back on the menu (and not just a sarcastic joke shared over pineapple beers), you need luggage that’s up for the long haul. Aptly named the “Black Hole”, this 55-litre workhorse will make…

7 NUMBER OF MINUTES YOU NEED TO WORK OUT TO SEE BENEFITS WHEN YOU’RE JUST starting to exercise, you don’t need to slog through a long session. Just seven minutes can improve your heart and lung health, insulin function, and muscular strength and endurance. Pick 14 bodyweight exercises, some involving resistance (push-ups, squats, planks), others involving cardio (jumping jacks, step-ups). Do 20 seconds of one, rest for 10 seconds, and move to the next. There’s plenty you can squeeze into just seven minutes; trust us, if you’re just starting off you’ll feel exhausted by the end. Caveat: “A more seasoned trainee will need a higher threshold to see increases in fitness,” says clinical exercise physiologist and certified exercise practitioner Dean Somerset, owner of Somerset Fitness in Edmonton. 1 NUMBER OF DOCTOR’S VISITS…

01-06 Relieve Anxiety 01/Pay Attention Anxiety is about the future (will I hit this deadline?) and the past (did I mess up in that meeting?). To anchor yourself to the present, former monk Jay Shetty, author of Think Like A Monk, recommends that you make a mental note of the following when your mind starts to race: 5 things you can see 4 things you can touch 3 things you can hear 2 things you can smell 1 thing you can taste 02/Astound Yourself Research has found that when you experience something awe-inducing, your own problems often seem less important. These Instagram accounts hit that. ■ @babaktafreshi, a National Geographic photographer who captures all the patterns and drama of the night sky. ■ @markbotha, a South African photographer who turns…

01 WORLD’S GREATEST STRETCH Drop into a lunge, place your left elbow on the ground by your left foot, using your other hand for support. Lift your left arm, reaching up and rotating your torso to the left. Repeat this 5 times before switching sides. 02 SEATED TWIST POSTURE Sit with your legs outstretched. Bend one leg, lifting your foot over the other, planting it next to the opposite knee. Twist your torso away from your bent leg. Drive your elbow into your leg to assist. Hold for 30 secs; switch sides. 03 SCORPION STRETCH Lie face down, arms out to the side. Keep your chest on the ground, bend your left leg and lift it over your right, touching the floor on the opposite side. Pause here. Alternate legs,…

DIRECTIONS: Do this workout 4 or 5 days a week—but not more than 2 days in a row. Go for a 10-minute walk or run on non-workout days. WARMUP WALKING SPIDERMAN LUNGE WITH ROTATION ▶ Start standing, then place your hands on the floor and walk them into push-up position (A). Step your right foot outside your right hand. Reach your right hand toward the ceiling (B). Reverse the movements back to push-up position, then walk your feet toward your hands. Stand up. Repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep; do 5. WORKOUT DIRECTIONS: Do the exercises in order, completing 4 sets of each move. Do each set for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. 1 WALKING PENDULUM LUNGE ▶ Start standing. Step your right leg backward and lower…

THE FORMAT Made famous by early 20th-century Indian wrestlers—such as The Great Gama, who is reputed to have performed 5 000 reps of this squat variation (“baithak”) and 3 000 reps of the push-up (“dand”) every day—these two moves should not be lost to the ages. You’ll perform them in a ladder format. After a thorough warmup (or workout), kick off with 15 squats followed by 15 push-ups. Jump back up and do 14 of each move, then 13, 12, continuing down the ladder to one of each. You’ll do a total of 240 reps, building your chest, shoulders, triceps and quads. START HERE 01 A SQUAT, BUT HARDER ■ Forget the usual squat cues to keep your heels planted: in the Hindu squat, you keep your heels raised. Rise…

WHEN CHRIS BERTISH set “sail” on a 7,500km solo and unsupported paddleboard trip across the Atlantic, he wasn’t fearless. His mind ran with all the possible outcomes, the challenges he might face along the way and those hair-raising scenarios that could dash his ambitions (quite literally) on the rocks. “People see adventurers and think they’re immune to the mental struggles everyone else goes through,” says Bertish. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.” Those mental battles are fierce, and constant—especially when you’re halfway across the Atlantic, the weather turns and you’re taking a physical beating. There are moments of doubt, hopelessness and everything in between. But it’s within tackling those powerful emotions; accepting them and breaking each challenge down into bite-sized chunks that the insurmountable starts to feel not just doable,…

AAPTIV Best for: change of pace Sticking to a workout plan can be tough, especially if it’s repetitive. Aaptiv’s impressive collection of audio classes lets you switch up your exercise regime with countless guided runs, ranging in length and intensity, for both treadmill and outdoor runners. Free 7-day trial then R260 per month, aaptiv.com NIKE RUN CLUB Best for: clearing your head NRC’s “Mindful Running Pack” delivers 15 running meditations led by Headspace co-founder Andy Puddicombe. Each session has a different purpose, from pep talks to pushing you through a motivation drought, and features uplifting coaching to help you get the most out of your run. Free, nike.com/nrc-app WITHU Best for: phone-free training The Apple Watch-compatible fitness app, WithU, means you can leave your phone at home and focus on…

THE LEG-DAY CRUSHER 4 SETS 01 BARBELL DEADLIFT Aim to move a heavy weight. Do 4 to 6 reps per set. 02 WALKING LUNGE Now focus on volume. Do 50 total lunge reps (25 per leg). ARM ANNIHILATION 3 SETS 01 OVERHEAD EXTENSION Move only at the elbow as you pull the cable. Do 15 reps per arm. 02 HAMMER CURL Do 10 reps per arm. Make sure you don’t swing the weights.…

01 ’SHROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT Nearly 70% of the mushrooms we buy in supermarkets are white buttons. But it’s peak fungi foraging season right now, so branch out with the help of chef Morris Wegrodzki, who specialises in making veg the main event. The mushroom’s meaty texture and mineral payload make any variety a star ingredient, whether you’re vegan, veggie or just, er, hungry. Add magic to your meal with Wegrodzki’s top picks. A CREMINI This humble ingredient is your ally in the fight against one of man’s biggest killers: heart disease. Filled with the antioxidant ergothioneine, a serving will help to reduce your risk of cardiovascular problems. B OYSTER A mild-tasting option that boasts more iron than most other varieties, this mushroom will improve blood supply to your muscles to support your gym…

“FITNESS ROUTINE” USUALLY conjures up whatever gets you more endurance or stronger muscles. But devoting a little time to a few routines and developing new habits can also result in a stronger, healthier penis. Think of it as Third Leg Day. Peak-performing junk (penis, balls, prostate and pelvis—the whole enchilada) puts bathroom breaks under your control and houses sperm that are both plentiful and swift. Whether you think your package is working great, struggling, or doing something in between, these tips will help you get your gear in gear. HOW TO OPTIMISE IF YOU ARE: BASICALLY FINE Everything is working okay—you just want to keep it that way. RAISE THE FREQUENCY Men who had sex less than once a week had a higher risk of erectile dysfunction than guys who…

AT SOME POINT AFTER, I dunno, maybe the 12th time that the pandemic did not in fact “end,” my Hot Vax Summer got so compounded by stress—another kid on the way, dad in the hospital, cross-country move—that I felt almost blind. A tic, which began with occasional blinking, had devolved into a full-on facial contortion, all squinting and snorting and—ahem!—a socially awkward clearing of the throat. Strangers asked if I was okay, then shuddered. I wore sunglasses in the shade. The eye doctor deferred to Therapist No. 1, also known as my judgmental analyst and her weekly hour of couch-bound guilt, but rambling about my mother was no cure for a case of the blinks. For a second opinion, I turned to my second mental-health regular—aka Therapist No. 2, aka…

HOURS OF SLEEP This metric affects everything: athletic performance, mood, cognitive ability, energy. Most trackers do a pretty decent job of measuring it. CALORIES BURNED Those counters that purport to measure how much you’ve burned are never accurate, and fixating on them can make you anxious, Stulberg says. DAILY STEPS It shouldn’t be your only activity metric, but unless you’re doing an exercise that won’t register as steps, like swimming or cycling, your step count gives a decent idea of how much you move. PROPRIETARY RECOVERY SCORES Until these secret algorithms are published and validated in scientific literature, you have to take the company’s word for it that they really mean something, Joyner says. Right now they don’t mean much.…

260 Average calories burned in 20-min workout Cindy, in one study, with a HR of 171bpm. 10km/h The speed at which an 80kg man would need to run on a treadmill for 20 mins in order to score the same burn. THE MH VERDICT THE BOX WINS! To borrow a phrase from 2016, “Don’t @ us”. For community spirit, structure and progression, CrossFit out-muscles the majority of commercial gyms. But as long as you’re moving forwards, it doesn’t really matter where you’re working from.…

With many of us holed up in home offices, work-life balance has almost become a non-existent concept. And that’s a problem, because carrying your 9-to-5 stressors into every hour can put you on a crash course towards some serious mental health issues. Thankfully, there are a few ways you can reclaim your afterhours for some much-needed R&R. “Because of the way our minds work, we tend to keep ‘open tabs’ of any and all work and private-related tasks that we might be involved in,” says Mark Baker, an organisational psychologist and the CEO of Mygrow. “These open tabs add to the mental load we are carrying and the sense of [feeling overwhelmed], even if it’s subconscious.” He suggests two robust strategies to help “leave work at work”. Firstly, at the…

01_ Meat-Free Will Equal Flavourful No longer fated to choose between dry bean burgers and strange soy concoctions, vegans will be treated to a veritable charcuterie board of options. Beyond Burgers, for instance, pack intense umami flavour and manage to eerily (but not unsatisfyingly) replicate the texture of biting into the real deal. Plus, they’ll even sizzle just like their bovine equivalents when they hit the pan. They’re just part of a new wave of guilt-free, vegan alternatives cropping up everywhere—your favourite burger joint included—so meat-free will no longer be code for “this’ll do… I guess”. You can grab a pack of Beyond Burger patties at Woolworths for R130. 02_ You’ll Hack Your Stress Levels Meditation apps? Those were just the start… This year, expect to see an influx of new tech…

You’ve used barbells before, but never like this. Alex Kanellis, the founder of the programme Landmine University, wants you to use your barbell as a “landmine,” a unique tool that’s gaining popularity among fitness heads. Kanellis wants you to put one end of your barbell on the floor, preferably in a landmine sleeve (see “Gear Up,” right), and load the other end with weight. Next, grab the loaded end and lift it to your shoulder. Feel all that weight? Now you’re set up to do a host of new and explosive exercises that can build serious muscle and power. The concept isn’t new. For decades, bodybuilders have used landmines to do everything from shoulder presses to rows, because landmines offer unusual resistance: as you lift your end higher, the weight…

Though their functional benefits might not be immediately obvious, a peachy pair of glutes has application in all sorts of areas of life. They are what propel you forwards on every stride of your morning run, and they protect your back when you bend down to lift a heavy object, be it a sandbag, a kettlebell or a wriggling four-year-old. Your rear is also responsible for improving posture and balance by keeping your hips stable. What’s more, too much time sat at our desks can make our glutes “lazy”, meaning they struggle to fire up when required, increasing our risk of injury. The best way to wake them up? This hybrid of the pass-through lunge and Bulgarian split squat, prescribed by US Men’s Health’s fitness director Ebenezer Samuel. “Though your…