Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2016 i Men's Health South Africa

Vibration Platform MAYBE NO The Claim Doing moves like biceps curls and push-ups on this pulsing machine can help improve your speed and strength. The Reality Standing on one of these vibrating contraptions will feel like trying to exercise during a mini-earthquake: the base oscillates, forcing your body to work harder to maintain balance, explains conditioning coach David Jack. “The platform’s power may seem subtle at first, but it moves at 20 to 50 oscillations per second, so your muscles are firing at a much faster rate,” he says. The Benefits In a Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research study, people who stood on a platform vibrating at 50 hertz performed 22% more reps of an upper-body exercise – and completed those reps at a faster rate – than people…

1/ A Freeze Alert Sounds in Your Mouth As you wolf down rocky road, the frozen goodness cools your pie-à-la-mode-hole. This temperature drop stimulates your trigeminal nerve, which runs throughout the roof of your mouth and helps regulate the amount of blood flowing through your brain. 2/ Your Brain Gets Confused Your trigeminal nerve sends a “Dilate!” command to your anterior cerebral artery. This results in a warm rush of blood to your frontal lobe, your brain’s decision-making HQ. Your brain perceives this as a signal that it’s being threatened with frost damage. 3/ Pleasure Gives Way to Pressure About 20% more blood is pumping through your anterior artery to your frontal lobe. The sudden surge causes surrounding tissue to swell, which squishes brain cells against the inside of your…

Bodybuilders are notorious for using extreme methods to get ripped. However, emerging research shows that not all traditional bodybuilding principles hold up to scientific scrutiny. “The average guy who just wants to get bigger and more defined doesn’t have to be so meticulous,” says Dr Brad Schoenfeld, an exercise scientist at Lehman College in new York. So ditch your old bro-wisdom for these cutting-edge strength principles. 1/2 MAX WEEKLY WEIGHT LOSS (IN KILOS) THAT PROMOTES FAT LOSS AND ENSURES MUSCLE RETENTION Source: Journal of the International Society of Sports Science OLD SCHOOL The muscle-growth zone is 8 to 12 reps. Hitting each body part hard once a week yields best results. Every set should be performed to failure. Doing cardio on an empty stomach burns more fat. To get ripped,…

A little fire in your belly is good for you: according to researchers in China, eating spicy foods may help you live longer. People who reported eating hot stuff three or more days a week were 14% less likely to die in the next seven years, the study found. The possible reason: capsaicin, the key source of the peppers’ heat, may help regulate cardiovascular function and metabolism, protecting against heart disease and diabetes. Burn After Reading Turn up the heat and help your health by dousing your dinner with this capsaicin-packed hot sauce from chef and restaurant owner Troy Guard. Serve on tacos, scrambled eggs or chilli con carne COLLECT THESE 2 CUPS WATER + 1 CUP WHITE VINEGAR + 10 JALAPEÑOS, DICED + 1 PEELED GARLIC CLOVE + ½…

1 / Blend It with Grapefruit Margaritas are fantastic, but in Mexico the paloma, a tequila-based cocktail with grapefuit juice, reigns supreme. Go with a reposado tequila (a tequila that’s been aged in oak barrels for longer than two months, but less than a year, and is a lot smoother) then follow the recipe on this page, courtesy of Angela Weickl from El Burro in Cape Town. 2 / Drink It with Sushi Instead of sake or white wine, opt for blanco (white, unaged) tequila, served neat. “It pairs beautifully with oily fish like tuna and salmon,” says Ken Arnone, a certified master chef and the owner of KA-CMC, a culinary consulting company in New York. 3 / Make a Boozy Syrup Mix 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup triple sec…

1/ Cardio Won’t Rob You of Your Gains If you want to be fit, you need to do cardio. But if your feelings about machines are colder than John Connor’s, get your heart rate up with skipping, rowing, mountain climbers or shuttle runs. 2/ Wear Deodorant Go ahead and skip the pre-workout hair ritual, but consider a quick spritz your debt to society. 3/ Learn to Touch Your Yoes Flexibility is a hallmark of fitness and stretching helps your muscles grow. Yep, it’s time you tried yoga, bro. 4/ Take a Break from the Heavy Metal You’re so single-minded about hitting that weight rack, it’s like you were programmed by Mugatu. But training functionally, in multiple planes – hinging, twisting, turning left – makes you stronger and helps prevent injury.…

STOP SAYING... 1/ “I’ll revert back to you...” Say what you mean: are you landing a skateboard trick or just planning to respond? 2/ “There aren’t enough boots on the ground...” Wait, you’re not taking on ISIS, are you? 3/ “Let’s wrap our heads around this one.” 4/ “Think outside the box.” 5/ “Let’s touch base...” Doesn’t HR have a policy against this kind of thing? Leave those bases alone. Stop Stalling Every time you procrastinate or postpone something, you’re unconsciously breaking down your own self-confidence. You’re saying, I can’t do this right now, and soon that becomes, I can’t do this at all. As the deadlines catch up with you, this will lead to you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. If you want to take control of your life, tackle…

I fooled around with a colleague, and I’m worried my wife will find out. Should I fess up, or keep quiet? Walk into your colleague’s office. Shut the door. Tell her it was a mistake – and say it like you mean it. It can’t happen again. Now try to get a read on her: does she agree? Has she blabbed? Will she? If she regrets it too, then you can shake on a vow of silence. But if she’s casual about it or seems to think it’s the start of an affair, then you’re in a pickle, my friend. I’d come clean with the wife. You have better odds of dodging divorce if she hears it from you than if she gets the news from someone else. While my…

1/ Take baby steps Running up and down steep hills takes practice. Take little steps on the way up, but try to keep your rhythm bouncy and loose. Don’t be afraid to walk if it’s too steep; even the top runners walk. 2/ Play fast and loose Keep your upper body relaxed, especially on the way down. The footing will be uneven and falls are par for the course, but if you’re tense you’re more likely to hurt yourself if and when you do trip over. 3/ Know your enemy Prepare by acclimatising; slowly if it’s high altitude. Walk the course before you run it – knowing the route will boost your time, and save your life if the weather turns. 4/ Don’t rush it If you fancy trying for…

To watch Tim Robards go to work on a chin-up bar is a truly astonishing spectacle. All his slick TV appearances aren’t a patch on the performance he’s putting on this afternoon. Strict-form muscle-ups, spinning clap chin-ups, reverse-grip front levers – all are being snapped out with apparent ease by an imposing physical specimen who stands 185 centimetres tall and weighs 88 kilograms. There are other moves, too – moves so complex I can’t even conceive of a name for them. So impressive is the display that a busload of Chinese tourists who’ve arrived at this public park to take pictures of the Sydney skyline, turn their backs on the sparkling view and snap photos of Robards instead. What we’re watching is the apogee of The Robards Method, a training…

AFTER A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP, THERE IS A GRIEVING PROCESS TO GO THROUGH... BUT ONCE THAT’S PASSED, DATE FOR FUN, NOT FOR THE ONE Q1 I spent a night with someone else during “a break”. Now we’re back together. Should I tell her? It really depends on the rules that you agreed for your time apart. Unless it was explicitly stated that any sexual encounters wouldn’t be held against each other at a later date, I would advise that you’re better off keeping quiet. Bear in mind that some actions (like a throwaway one-nighter) can cause a disproportionate amount of distress. AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE... If you’ve slept with someone in your social circle (more common than you’d think). If you don’t trust those in the know to stay schtum,…

Softer Pillows Whatever you two are doing in bed, good down pillows with a high (500-plus) fill power and fresh pillow case will make her head happier than those polyester lumps. Thicker Towels Don’t let her sashay to the shower wrapped in a Stormers logo. Invest in some plush, highly absorbent towels made of Turkish or Egyptian cotton. Good Shampoo Stock the shower with something a step up from your basic 2-in-1. In general, anything from John Frieda will make her glad she got naked. Skin Lotion Look for options like Kiehl’s that has a neutral or slightly herbal base and shows her you take care of yourself. Offer to help with application.…

THE BIGGEST DANGER TO YOUR HEALTH COULD BE YOUR BEST MATE. It sounds like a tabloid headline, but there’s plenty of science behind it. The most important example: the landmark research provided by the Framingham Heart Study, which followed 12 067 subjects over 32 years. The results were astonishing, showing that a person’s chances of becoming obese increased by 57% if a close friend became obese – and they could be next door or in another province, location didn’t matter. Gender played a vital role too: if those friends were the same sex, the obesity risk jumped to 71%. This friend influence was stronger than the role of your spouse and family, but it was also significant: among married couples, the spouse was 37% more likely to become obese if…

Black Rice It has more protein than brown rice and higher levels of antioxidants, fibre and vitamin E than even blueberries. Virgin Coconut Oil It delivers powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which may be beneficial for heart health. Sweet Potato High levels of vitamin C boost collagen production, essential for muscle growth and recovery after tough workouts. Chilli Peppers Capsaicin, which gives chiles their heat, has anti-inflammatory properties and can rev your fat-burning metabolism.…

WHEN MY PHONE BUZZED AT THE STROKE OF 5PM, I KNEW the time for intervention had come: “If you leave work now, we can do the mountain walk with the hound...” My wife was reminding me to stick to my promise of keeping things “balanced”. I was still at my desk, catching up from the day and compiling my to-do list for the week and could have worked on till 7pm. In summer, it’s just too easy to stay at the office till dark and then take your laptop home anyway. Hands up if that sounds kind of familiar? I’m not sure if my boss is reading this, but that’s no way to live. There are times to graft and put in the hours, but you shouldn’t need a reminder…

A stroke could change your life (or end it) in an instant. But the damage that leads to a brain attack is often years in the making. That’s why David Liebeskind, a professor of neurology at UCLA, uses MRIs and CT scans to detect narrowed arteries and other early warning signs. Even dental X-rays, which show arteries to the brain, can hold clues. “Imaging shows changes over time,” he says. His prescription? Ask your dentist and doctor for copies of every imaging study you’ve ever had and stash them on a HIPAA-compliant site, like MyVault. Thatway, your doc can compare your past results to now. 1 Make Joe Your Bodyguard “The antioxidants found in coffee have multiple health benefits, and research suggests that drinking three to four cups a day…

Exercise your right to a restful night. Different workouts affect your sleep patterns and quality differently, say researchers at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. They found that aerobic workouts earlier in the day may help you nod off faster, while weight training later in the day may help you stay asleep. Can’t swing that timing? No worries: any physical activity will improve shuteye quality. “Exercise boosts your immune system and can clear the stress hormones from your body,” says study author Dr Scott Collier.…

No loafing in the weightloss battle! According to a Spanish study review, white bread can give you a gut even if you eat a sensible Mediterranean diet. White-bread eaters added 1.3cm more to their waist, and nearly a kilogram more bodyweight, than people who ate little or no white bread, the review concluded. Both groups’ diets included plenty of olive oil, beans, produce and fish. Still crave your daily bread? Go wholegrain: it had no effect on weight gain. That’s because the added fibre gives your slice a better glycemic index, explains study author Professor Lluís Serra Majem. Heavy Traffic Ahead Ditch the drive: in a UK study, folks who started walking, biking or taking public transportation to work lowered their BMI and lost up to 7kg in two years.…

LED LENSER K1 TORCH We might be load-shedding free but in case you fall victim to a power cut, this tiny torch will help your find your way. At just 44mm, it’s also a keyring. R85 Cape Union Mart ZIPPO BRASS LIGHTER This isn’t your average lighter – it’s a conversation starter, thanks to its golden brass case. It’ll earn you compliments (or envy) as you spark the fire at a braai or campsite or wave your hands in the air during a concert. R496 zippo.co.za BURGUNDY COLLECTIVE CARD HOLDER This slim leather accessory has slots for four cards and also a main compartment for your stack of Randelas. It won’t bulge in your pockets and the brown leather ages gracefully with use. R350 burgundy-collective.com burgundy-collective.com WOODEN POCKET COMB Don’t get…

1/ Phoning It In Fixating on your phone is a top turnoff for 75% of women, according to the dating site’s annual survey. “She feels like she’s not interesting enough to hold your attention,” says Kristen Mark, director of the Sexual Health Promotion Lab at the University of Kentucky. Simple fix: use airplane mode, Mark suggests. 2/ Yaw Werds Nearly nine out of 10 women are judgmental about how you speak. Your polish is a glimpse into her future kids. “A well-bred man is likely to have well-bred children,” says Jay Heinrichs, a rhetorician and the author of Thank You for Arguing. “This isn’t just about impressing a date; it’s natural selection.” Use proper English; you don’t want her to, uh, misunderestimate your excellent background, Heinrichs says. 3/ Spinelessness Fully…

USE EDITING APPS Don’t be afraid to tweak your pictures and bring out the best in them. Use apps like VSCO and Snapseed for their professional-looking filters. You can also fine-tune your images – straighten them, brighten them, crop and more. Just don’t edit too much or they’ll look fake and over-processed. HASHTAG THE RIGHT WAY Use relevant hashtags so that people with similar interests who search for them will find your profile. If they’re in the main caption, it’ll look crowded, so put them in the first comment. I save my sets of hashtags in my Notes app so I can copy and paste them in quickly. CHOOSE A STYLE Develop a niche and stick to it. Whether your forte is sneakers, architecture, food, fitness, outfit grids, animals or…

YOU JUST SMACKED YOUR THUMB WITH A HAMMER THE FIX Raise the tenderised meat above your heart and squeeze the tip gently for up to 5 minutes. The elevation and pressure will discourage bloodflow to the area, reducing swelling, bruising and pain. Ice it if you can. YOU NEED RELIEF IN THE BACKCOUNTRY THE FIX Find a secluded area at least 60 m from a water source. Use a sharp rock or stick to dig an 20cm-deep hole. Now drop your drawers and assume a low surfer’s squat, butt below your knees, your arms extended for balance. Clean up with broadleaf greenery. Now buckle up and bury everything. YOU HAVE TO JUMP FROM A SECOND-STORY WINDOW THE FIX Hang from the ledge so you’re closer to the ground. Look for…

1/ Kettlebell Squat 3 SETS OF 20 REPS, 60SEC REST, DAILY With your feet flat on the ground and your back as upright as possible, squat (A). Come up slowly (B), arms out, and repeat. Holding a kettlebell in front of you makes your core work that bit harder, so you can maintain good running form all the way to the finish line. 2/ Spider-Man Crawl 3 SETS OF 60SEC ON, 30SEC OFF, DAILY Staying low to the ground and keeping your back straight, extend your left hand while simultaneously bringing your right knee to right elbow (A). Switch sides and repeat (B), moving around the floor at a decent pace. Your Spidey sense won’t tingle; your abs will. 3/ Kenyan Hill 3 SETS OF 10MIN ON, 2MIN OFF, WEEKLY…

DIRECTIONS Do each of the workouts below once a week for a month. Perform the exercises as a circuit, moving from one to the next without rest. Once you complete all the moves, rest 2 minutes. That’s 1 circuit. Do 3. Begin and end every workout with 10 minutes of foam-rolling. WORKOUTS A MONDAY Turkish GetupKettlebell SwingDecline Sit-UpSkippingFarmer’s Walk B Kettlebell SwingOffset SuitcaseDeadliftDecline Sit-UpShoulder PressSkipping C FRIDAY Pull-UpPike Push-UpDecline Sit-UpWalking LungeWall Toss Turkish Getup Lie with your left leg bent, right arm out to your side, and a kettlebell in your left hand above your chest. Roll onto your right forearm. Straighten your right arm, raise your hips, and thread your right leg behind your left so you’re half kneeling. Stand up; reverse the move. Switch sides and repeat. Do…

1. Editor’s Choice NEW BALANCE 1500 V2 WEIGHT: 215G Offers a light, responsive ride combined with the support of a dual-density midsole and a plastic bridge under the arch. This is the overall favourite shoe among 18 Runner’s World gear editors from all around the world. Price TBA sportsmanswarehouse.co.za 3. Best Update BROOKES GLYCERIN 13 WEIGHT: 312G With no loss in cushioning, Brooks deepened the grooves in the midsole, significantly improving the flexibility – it tied for the easiest to bend in the guide – and created a shoe that coddles while delivering high performance. R2 399 thesweatshop.co.za 2. Best Debut NIKE AIR ZOOM ODYSSEY WEIGHT: 306G A premium feel shoe with plenty of stability and comfort but it doesn’t feel heavy or clunky. The clever mesh also provides plenty…

“WE’RE ALONE WITH MILA, WHO SLIPS HER HANDS UNDER HIS JEANS AND KISSES MY NECK” WHEN I TOLD MY BOY- friend I wanted to go to a strip club with him, he did a double take. It wasn’t like me, true. But I had a couple of ulterior motives. First, I hoped to bring back the old sex-crazed lunatic in him. Second, I wanted to test my ability to handle jealousy. Where better to deal with both than at an upmarket strip club? Its couples package would be an experiment that could either blow up the lab or spark a whole new line of research. But Mark was a bit worried. “I don’t want you to get drunk and launch into this long talk about whether I like a stripper,”…

DOUBLE TROUBLE Cheat day just got a little bit more virtuous, with our remodelled king of the McDonald’s menu YOU WILL NEED FOR THE BURGER 200G HIGH-QUALITY GROUNDLEAN BEEF (ROUGHLY 5% FAT)½ SPANISH ONION, CHOPPEDONION POWDER1 BRIOCHE HAMBURGER BUN4 SLICES DILL PICKLE2 SLICES CHEDDAR CHEESE1TBSP KETCHUP½TSP MUSTARD FOR THE SHAKE 2 CUPS VANILLA ICE CREAM1¼ CUPS SEMI-SKIMMED MILK2TBSP COCOA POWDER1TBSP MALT DRINK (HORLICKS)PINCH SEA SALTDARK CHOCOLATE, FOR GRATING It was always going to begin here. The Golden Arches represent the graveyard of many a well-intentioned night out, where weakened men see their training goals fade into blissful greasy oblivion. And while the Big Mac may be McDonald’s totemic offering, it’s the Double Cheeseburger that most often snares gluttonous men with its 25.9g of fat and 1 919 glutinous kilojoules. On…

Take a Break for Private Browsing A group of guys took a verbal maths test in front of researchers at Carnegie Mellon after looking at pictures of either partially nude couples gettin’ it on or boring, clothed couples. Those in the (lucky) softcore group gave 50% more correct answers and had a lower cortisol response. Keep Reading This Magazine Good news: you’re becoming healthier right now! “When you’re absorbed in reading a book or a magazine, that can lead to lower blood pressure,” explains Matthew Zawadzki, a professor of health psychology at UC Merced. “That and exercise are probably two of the strongest things you can do to de-stress.”…

1/ With family meals, serve up in the kitchen. It may sound a little obvious, but making it harder to reach for seconds can make a huge kilojoule difference. A Cornell University study found that men who set serving bowls on a side counter consumed up to 35% less than those who put the food on the table, within easy reach. 2/ Start with a salad. The healthiest items should be served first. In a study from the University of Leeds, England, dieters who began a meal with a green salad consumed about 20% fewer kilojoules than those who began with garlic bread. 3/ Don’t visit anyone else’s plate. Hands off, buddy, you’ve got plenty already. 4/ Mealtime shouldn’t be in front of TV. This goes for both with your…

FIND SOMETHING YOU CAN SQUEEZE In a Japanese study, people who were instructed to hug an 80-cm, human-shaped “pillow phone” during a conversation felt less stressed than those talking on normal cellphones. Unless you happen to own a hug phone, we recommend you hug your dog, a laundry bag or Larry in accounts payable. He’s so soft! FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP Earning the big-boss chair isn’t easy, but once you have it, you might chill out a bit: the more control you have, the less cortisol (a stress hormone) courses through your veins, Harvard researchers found. People in leadership jobs also experience less anxiety... and in most cases, way more swagger.…

7 AM Rise and Relax Wake up 10 to 15 minutes early and start with a deep-breathing exercise while sitting on your bed. A peaceful morning will follow you into the day. 7:45 AM Eat Your 21 Grams . . . of protein. People who ate that much maintained lower heart rates during the work that followed, a British Journal of Nutrition study found. 10:30 AM Peace Out Productivity is best with 60- to 90-minute bouts of hard work. Then take a 15-minute meditation break to maintain your cool and improve cognitive function. 12:30 PM Pop a Pill A daily multivitamin can help ease feelings of stress, anxiety and depression by as much as 26%. Take it with lunch and you’ll absorb more nutrients. 2:55 PM Walk with Colleagues This…

BUSINESS CASUAL DATE 12-9-2-13-X Gentleman’s Cardigan A cardigan can be the most versatile jersey in your wardrobe: wear it with a shirt, tie and chinos at the office or with a T-shirt and dark jeans afterhours. 4-14-2 Basic Sweatshirt The sweatshirt is a style classic. Use it to add a modern twist to your work and weekend wear. This is a wardrobe basic that gets even better with wear. Go for a lightweight cotton version so you can wear it all-year-round, either on its own or under some layers. 1-7-X Navy Suit More than just another investment, this is one of the most iconic things a man can own. This year, go for a slimmer silhoutte and lightweight fabric, and break up the suit by wearing the jacket with chinos…

I’m constantly tired, whether I’ve had four hours of sleep or nine.What’s wrong with me? MIKE, RANDBURG When you’re between the sheets, it’s all about quality, not quantity. Grabbing eight hours is irrelevant if your sleep more closely resembles a screaming baby than a log. Issues such as sleep apnoea can cause fitful slumber, but even sound sleepers can wake up feeling groggy if their timing is out.When your alarm clock rips you out of a deep phase you can wake up “sleep drunk” – a state of confusion akin to necking a few too many, according to Stanford University. Thankfully, you can download the SleepCycle app on your smartphone which analyses shut-eye and wakes you up in your lightest phase. Payoff? No pillow talk. Are standing desks really worth…

Shift Your Lift Demand more from your deadlifts by using a staggered stance for half your sets. By putting one leg behind you, you’ll be able to work your front leg and hip harder without sacrificing too much stability. This also helps you strengthen any imbalances between sides. BJ Gaddour, CEO of StreamFIT.com; author of Your Body Is Your Barbell (Rodale, 2014); creator, Men’s Health DeltaFIT Speed Shred Watch Your Tongue When you finish brushing your teeth, stick out your tongue and look in the mirror. Changes in its color and texture can presage a variety of problems. An unusually glossy surface, for instance, could signal an iron or vitamin B12 deficiency. Bring any concerns to your dentist. Dr Mark S. Wolff, professor and chair, department of cariology and comprehensive…

Order appetisers; skip the entrée. Women may be more responsive to romance when they’re slightly full, according to research from Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania. Scans of women’s brains showed that the regions associated with motivation, reward and romance responded more to intimacy cues after the women drank a 2 000-kilojoule shake than when they were hungry. “Feeling stuffed doesn’t make people feel sexy,” says study author Dr Alice Ely. “This state of being sated without physical discomfort may be a sweet spot.” So take her out for tapas; then head to your place and skip right to dessert. WEIRD SCIENCE THAT WORKS The Finding In a Turkish study, romps in the sack relieved stones in the ureter (kidney-to-bladder tube) in 84% of men. (Meds worked for 48%.)…

Don’t be among the quick and the dead. Having a fast resting heart rate may raise your risk of diabetes, research in the International Journal of Epidemiology suggests. People who clocked in at 88 beats per minute had a 73% higher diabetes risk than those with slower tickers. A speedier resting heart rate signals increased sympathetic nervous system activity, which can mess with insulin regulation. Other studies show that eight weeks of high-intensity interval training can lower a high resting heart rate by 13%. 45 PERCENTAGE OF MEN WHO (INCORRECTLY) BELIEVE THEY CAN TRAIN THEMSELVES TO NEED LESS SLEEP Source: The Better Sleep Council Career Killers Work stress can leave you disgruntled and deceased, a UK study found. Don’t die at your desk: see a doc for advice on reducing…

Road Trip Heading off at dawn? You need something to sing along to. Don’t be scared to break out those cheesy 80s hits – everyone still knows the words to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing”. House Party You’ve got your fave EDM bangers, but it’s important to read the room, says Black Coffee. Find out what music your guests are into and strike a balance between their tastes and your own. Cardio Elite long-distance runners manage to hit around 180 strides per minute – that’s 90 per leg. The Run Tempo app (iOS, Android) will help you create a playlist to suit your bpm goals. Bedroom A study commissioned by Spotify found that a background tune is 40% more likely to turn on your partner than touching. Be subtle – think…

Another manly pocket essential is a quality fountain pen. Hilary Adams, a professional calligrapher and owner of her own company Signature Ink in Cape Town, tells you what to look for when buying your next one Your Grip How you hold a pen depends on the size of your fingers and hands. A slim, narrow pen probably isn’t ideal if you have big hands. Choose a pen that’s suited for your hand size and doesn’t need a tight grip – a relaxed grip ensures a flowing handwriting style and the ability to write for long periods without getting tired. The Nib The most common is the round-tipped nib and its size determines how readable your writing becomes. A fine nib offers more detail while a broad nib shows little to…

ACTOR: MATT DAMON, THE MARTIAN As a stranded astronaut, Damon gets a chance to actually... well, act. ACTRESS: EMILY BLUNT, SICARIO Emily Blunt shines as an FBI agent trying to bring down a Mexican drug cartel. PICTURE: SPOTLIGHT This story of the Boston journalists who uncovered abuse by Catholic priests is a roller-coaster. DIRECTOR: CARY FUKUNAGA The guy behind True Detective keeps up the good work with Beasts of No Nation.…

Tired of looking like a deer caught in headlights when someone takes a picture for Instagram? Here’s how to look your best when you’re snapped 1/ Hair Your go-to product should offer flexible hold so you can quickly tame hat hair. Mitch Clean Cut Styling Cream fits the bill. 2/ Skin To avoid photo glare, turn to a product like Vaseline MenFace Oil Control facewash; it removes excess oil so your skin won’t look so shiny. 3/ Beard A length of about 2.5cm gives you the most camera-friendly edge, according to Bruce Dean, a professional groomer in New York. 4/ Clothes Darker hues are typically flattering in photos. And whatever your build, wear clothes that fit well to look more put together. 5/ Stance A three-quarter angle slims you, says…

1/ Lion’s Head The perfect starting point for the F.K.T. rookie, this is a relatively short but steep route, and is the venue of the massively popular LionHeart race (redbulllionheart.com). 2/ Rhino, the Peak For more experienced, fitter racers, this mountain in the beautiful Maloti-Drakensberg range rises to 3 015m. rhinothepeak.co.za rhinothepeak.co.za 3/ Platteklip George, Table Mountain Also for beginners, this short, steep route that starts near the lower cableway station, and consists of a 2.1km long run, 760m climb 800 double steps. Looking for a challenge? The K-Way Platteklip Charity Challenge tests how many times you can run up the route (taking the cable car back down to the start) in a13-hour period. The record: 12, by AJ Calitz, 2013. charitychallenge.co.za charity-challenge.co.za…

AGE 32 LOCATION Llandudno, Cape Town OCCUPATION Managing Director HEIGHT 1.79m (5’11) WEIGHT BEFORE/AFTER 101g /80kg TIME TO GOAL 2 years The Gain / I wasn’t a skinny kid. I left school weighing roughly 85kg, fairly fit and slightly overweight. Through my twenties I gradually gained more flab, occasionally losing a few kilos, but they inevitably returned – and with interest. Refined carbs and sugar were the big culprits. The Change / In September 2013, just prior to turning 30, I stepped on the scale. It read 101kg – I got the fright of my life. It was then that I knew change was needed else my thirties were going to be a write off. I set myself a short-term goal: by the time I turned 30 in December, I…

“Uncle Jerry had lots of good ideas. In the short period that I’d been alive he had at different times owned a bottle store, a fleet of taxis and a Mozambican squid boat” UNCLE JERRY WAS A PIRATE. HE WASN’T REALLY A PIRATE, BUT HE looked liked one. His thin moustache was pointed at the ends and his dark hair was slicked back and he had a twinkle in his eye and a gap between his front teeth so that when he smiled at you – my mom always said – you couldn’t stay angry at him. Why would anyone be angry with him in the first place? He was thrilling. When he walked through the door the lights came on and the volume of life was goosed a little…

My girlfriend posts racy selfies on Instagram. I don’t like to share her. My problem? SFISO A change in behaviour or a suspicion that she’s posting to impress someone else merits a conversation, but if this habit predates your relationship then there’s not much you can say. You signed up for it. I’m sure you’re also aware that social media’s filtered, edited narcissism has little to do with real life – the one you are a part of. If you’re still uncomfortable sitting back and letting the virtual world like your girl, then tell her you feel protective or neglected when she’s always online, and suggest some healthy, offline alone time. Still a little #jelly? It might be a dealbreaker. What’s the smoothest way to approach a woman at the…

1/ What It Is When you eat meat, your liver and kidneys take some of the meat’s amino acids and make creatine. Your bloodstream then shuttles the creatine to your muscles, which convert it into creatine phosphate, a potent form of cellular energy, says dietitian Kate Patton. Creatine supplements are often creatine monohydrate, which your body also converts into creatine phosphate. 2/ Why You Need It The creatine phosphate in your muscles generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP): your fuel for explosive exercise. But you deplete your stores after just 10 seconds of sprinting or weightlifting, says Eric Rawson, an exercise scientist at Bloomsburg University. So more stored creatine phosphate means more power for growth-stoking reps. 3/ How to Consume It If you do explosive exercise, take in 15 to 20 grams…

1/ Heart Geometry Quiz Diamonds trump heart disease. Bend each index finger in the form of an upside-down J; then press the nails together, viewing where they meet from the side. See a tiny diamond-shaped gap? If not, you may have “clubbing,” a thickening of the fingertips possibly due to low blood O2. This could signal heart disease or even lung trouble, says cardiology expert Dr Prediman Krishan Shah. CHANGE YOUR GRADE Have your heart and lungs checked to make sure they’re not in immediate peril. All clear? Try high-intensity interval training. You’ll improve your VO2 max, which is the best way to get more oxygen-rich blood pumping through your arteries. In a Japanese study, men who did 13 minutes of HIIT five days a week for eight weeks improved…

1/ Use a smaller plate or container. In research shown in Appetite, when you eat out of a larger container, you’re likely to consume more, even if the actual amount of food is the same in both containers. It can be a difference of up to 129%. 2/ Eat alone whenever you can. When you make a plan to have lunch with a few other staff members, you can end up consuming up to 44% more food on average than when you eat alone. If you’re responsible, and have brought your own healthy portioned meal, that’s fine, but if you’re buying food or selecting from a staff canteen, it’s not going to end well. Research published in the journal Nutrition found that eating a meal with one other person was…

DRAGON PUNCH TARGETS SHOULDERS + CORE BENEFITS HAND SPEED + CARDIO Grab a pair of light dumbbells and assume a fighter’s stance. Alternate left and right forward punches for 30 seconds. Repeat with shoulder presses and hook punches. Rest 1 minute. That’s 1 round; do 3. SPRAWL BURPEE TARGETS LATS + QUADS BENEFITS STRENGTH + EXPLOSIVENESS + MOBILITY From a standing position, push your hips back, squat, and put your hands on the floor. Kick your legs into a push-up position and drive your hips down. Return to a squat and jump up. Do 3 sets of 15 reps. HINDU PUSH-UP AND ROLLING PLANK COMPLEX TARGETS CHEST + CORE + HIPS + SHOULDERS BENEFITS UPPER-BODY STRENGTH + HIP MOBILITY + TOTAL-BODY STABILITY From a push-up position, raise your hips to…

We would lie in silence. She’d stare into my eyes, forehead crinkled, the way someone stares at a painting they’re trying to understand. I’d brace myself for the question: “What are you thinking?” In the beginning, she asked it sweetly. Then pleadingly. Then with annoyance. And then not at all, because she’d dumped me – and I was devastated. I blew it and all I needed to do was answer one simple, damn question. I was a funny, social guy but also a private guy. In my twisted logic, I figured the more people knew about how I felt, the less I’d feel in control. But now I was hurting and had let nobody in. For the first time, I felt the need to open up. I started safe. I…

KNIT YOUR OWN WINTER SCARF British researchers who surveyed 3 514 knitters (who knew there were so many?) found that stress levels fall as knitting-session frequency rises. Prefer jigsaw puzzles? That’ll work too: in a UC Merced study, people reported a third less stress while engaging in leisure activities of any sort. EAT A PAPAYA AND RED-PEPPER SALAD In a study from Germany, people who consumed high doses of vitamin C were more adept at handling the stress of maths problems and public speaking. A cup of mashed papaya has 140mg of vitamin C, or about double that of an orange. And red peppers, at 190mg per cup (chopped), are a C powerhouse.…

WATCH AN AMY SCHUMER CLIP Stress has no sense of humour. After viewing 20 minutes of comedy, participants in a Loma Linda University study had significantly decreased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that can hinder focus. Just shut your door before you start cackling in the office. Some of us are trying to work here. THINK WHILE YOU WASH In a study on mindfulness at Florida State, people who washed dishes while thinking about the smell of the soap, the temperature of the water and the texture of the bubbles felt less stress than they had beforehand. Those who focused on just getting the dishes clean didn’t see this benefit.…

1/ Extinguish Razor Burn Shaving leaves your face more vulnerable to irritation, so solve the problem by finishing off with some aftershave. This gel has a watery texture and absorbs easily, giving you a feeling of freshness and comfort. Slap it on to soothe razor burn – plus, it smells just like the EDT. Bleu De Chanel Hydrating Aftershave Gel 90ml R750 Edgars 2/ Say Hello to Scrubbing This powerful scrub, with a high concentration of anti-bacterial salicylic acid, has around 2 000 exfoliating beads that cleanse deeply and washes away oil, dirt and dead cells to unclog pores and keep blackheads from popping up again. L’Oréal Men Expert Pure Power Scrub 150ml R90 Clicks 3/ Sort Out Stray Hairs If you’ve got a unibrow or hair peeking out of…

42 Percentage of men who consider themselves lucky 80 Percentage who say luck is largely self-made R2000 Total amount of cash the average guy reckons he’s found in his lifetime 1 IN 20 Proportion of guys who’ve tried to swipe some luck by fishing coins out of a fountain Word shrinks use for a fear of those freaky Fridays: PARASKEVIDEKATRIAPHOBIA 1 IN 20 Proportion of men who refuse to fly on Friday the 13th BRADPITT The man guys contend is the luckiest self-made devil of them all 44 Percentage of men who say Lady Luck has bestowed good parking karma on them 32 Percentage who consider finding money on the ground proof of their good fortune 3 IN 20 Proportion of guys who went to a psychic and say the…