Innholdsfortegnelse for November - December 2019 i Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa

NEW CHAPTERS… I’m sure we’re all ready to see the backside of all the political adverts that have been clogging up the airwaves and street poles over the past couple of weeks. As much as we may not be looking forward to the queues at the voting stations I can’t help but reflect on what an election represents, the possibility of something new. There is a certain feeling of excitement about the uncertainty of something new, the unknown, the journey you’re about to embark upon, be it a new relationship, that job you’ve always wanted, maybe it’s a new form of working out that you haven’t done before, but there are new opportunities and chances to write more chapters in our own autobiographies whenever we look for them. It’s also…

WHAT’S THE KEY TO GETTING A CURVED, firm, and totally tight backside? A full-scale attack on the muscles. “Your glutes respond best when they are targeted from different angles and movement patterns,” says Hers technical adviser Gino Caccavale. This multiangled approach goes far beyond traditional squats to target your abductors (outer hips) as well as your glutes, so you’re lifting and toning all the lower posterior muscles for a rounded, more symmetrical look. IFBB bikini pro Ana Delia De Iturrondo shows us how she helps keep her enviable lower half in top shape! WIDE UP AND BACK BOUNDING WORKS: GLUTES, THIGHS; BUILDS EXPLOSIVE STRENGTH › Stand in an open area, feet hip-distance apart. Squat down, bringing fists in front of chin and keeping weight over heels. › Explosively make two…

The glute-hamstring tie-in is an area that should not be overlooked. “This is actually one of the most important joinings in your body because most posture problems begin here”, explains IFBB figure pro and trainer Gennifer Strobo. “Strong glutes help support the lower back. If the glutes are weak, other muscles in the area will take over. When they get overworked, they can cause pain in the lower spine and even the knees. The glutes and hamstrings also need to be strong to stabilise the hips, which, when unstable, will make you more prone to shin splints, sprains, and knee pain.”…

In 2015, you lost 50 pounds while touring. What prompted that lifestyle change? I’m 31 years old. I’ve been touring since the age of 15, and it causes so much wear and tear on your body. Around age 28, I made a switch because I realized my body wasn’t recovering the way that it had. If you don’t take care of your body, your body will break down fast. I also think a big part of the weight loss was coming off alcohol. What was the first step you took to living a healthier life on the road? I switched my going out to the bar after the show to getting up early for the gym. Getting healthy meal delivery was also a huge catalyst. I’ve been eating Trifecta foods…

When and how did your passion for health and fitness start. My passion for fitness started in my late teens. The gym I joined ended up being the one that trained the Canadian Women’s Olympic powerlifters. I loved how muscular their legs were. I got hooked and started working my legs hard. My love for fitness got even stronger after I became a mom of two. I wanted to get back into shape so I joined a local gym that was full of female fitness competitors. That was exciting and the energy was contagious. I did my first fitness competition after my second son turned one as a goal. It got me in amazing shape. I couldn’t believe how I transformed, I loved it and have not looked back. As…

NUXE SUN SPF30 FOR FACE & BODY This sun lotion with Sun and Water Flowers offers protection from the appearance of visible signs of skin ageing and promotes a sublime tan. Its fluid texture is easy to apply. It protects and moisturises; the skin appears supple and radiant. An incredible fragrance with notes of Sweet Orange, Tiare Flowers and Vanilla. Water-resistant. Photostable. Alcohol-free, non-comedogenic. Paraben-free. R440.00, Available at select Woolworths, Truworths & Edgars stores SKNLOGIC PROTECT SPF30 SKNprotect is a sun protection cream that offers provides a certified high broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection and anti-ageing benefits. Raspberry extracts aids in healing after sunburn and reduces scar formation. SKNprotect is a non-whitening formula and is suitable for all skin types. Does not contain Octyl Methoxycinnamate. R171.00, sknlogic.com THERAVINE SUN DEFENCE SPF30 A…

Kentucky born and raised Rebekah Logan lives a full life. Fitness is not just something that she partakes in part-time but she lives the fitness lifestyle to the fullest. We get some great insight from Rebekah on how to maintain a healthy and balanced life. HI REBEKAH, IT’S GREAT TO FEATURE YOU IN OUR SUMMER ISSUE OF HERS. PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF? I was born and raised in Kentucky, USA and I'm living the life of commercial sales. I'm the owner of a fun-filled and super energetic Australian Shepherd and I'm blessed with a wonderful family and a great group of friends. WHEN AND HOW DID YOUR FITNESS JOURNEY START? I started my fitness journey roughly in January of 2017. I was turning 30 that summer and…

AVOIDING DEAD BUTT SYNDROME This preventable condition results when your glute muscles don’t function properly together. HERE’S HOW IT WORKS If you experience severe hip pain during and after running, or tend to shift the majority of your weight to one hip, you may suffer from gluteus medius tendinosis, aka “dead butt syndrome”. Your three gluteal muscles are all attached to the pelvis. If the larger gluteus maximus becomes weak, the smaller gluteus medius muscle takes on a workload it can’t handle, causing inflammation, damage, and pain. HOW DO YOU FIX IT? Left untreated, your knees, Achilles tendons, calves, and feet may be affected as they try to compensate for the pain and inflammation, so see a sports therapist for treatment. The syndrome can be reversed by consistently exercising the…

AS AN AVID gymnast, boxer, weightlifter, and CrossFitter, I’m accustomed to the occasional ache or minor injury. But after years of overuse, I found the nagging pain in my shoulder muscles was getting to be a daily hassle. Endless prehab and rehab resistance and dumbbell drills targeting my rotator cuff muscles and labrum (the soft fibrous tissue that surrounds the shoulder socket, helping stabilise the joint) did little to no good. Then I discovered hanging. Hanging from a bar - also known as brachiating - is a common practice among gymnasts; more recently, functional fitness enthusiasts say it’s something we should all be doing a lot more of. “By design, the shoulder is the most mobile joint in the entire body”, explains Johnny Cooke, an exercise physiologist and co-owner of…

HERS IS KICKING IT BACK WITH AUSTRALIA'S GOLDEN GIRL, COURTNEY BARBER. Beauty queen, fitness competitor, television personality and entrepreneur, Courtney never stops. She gives our HERS readers some insight and great advice on how to stay on top of your game, in all aspects of your life. From the outback of Australia to the bright lights of Los Angeles - you certainly have an interesting story. Could you tell our readers a little bit about yourself? I grew up in rural Queensland, Australia, in a small country town. This is and will always be my "home" and my parents still live there on the family farm. I really enjoy going home and recharging my batteries away from the city life of LA, seeing my family and even going back to…

It’s a pretty common scenario: You, on the couch, clutching a pillow, cursing your cramps. In fact, dysmenorrhea (the scientific term for pain associated with menstruation) affects about half of all women who get their period for at least one or two days each month. But discomfort doesn’t have to be a regular occurrence. Follow these strategies to keep you feeling strong and healthy all month long. 1 GET AHEAD “Most period cramps are caused by an overproduction or oversensitivity to the hormone prostaglandin", explains Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics, gynaecology, and reproductive sciences at Yale School of Medicine in the US. “Prostaglandins help the uterine muscles contract, but they can also cause other muscles like those in the gut to contract, causing pain as well…

If you're someone that wants a quick, no-nonsense make-up regime, then the 2019 summer trend is especially for you. International fashion designers like Stella McCartney, Michael Kors and Giorgio Armani’s vibe for the 2019 summer focuses on clean, glowing skin with a delicate application of tinted moisturisers with just one feature that is strikingly accentuated. Like a bold cat eye (and not just in the usual black, eyeliners can be colourful and fun) or bold lips with a bitten, messy look with shades from pastel pink to a vivacious red. Even mascara has taken a backseat and eyebrows are more natural but perfectly groomed with just a touch of eyebrow powder and brushed upwards. Bronzer is also back with a bang! Who does not want to have a healthy, sun-kissed…

Try these: Box jumps from a seated position on a Bosu ball. This advanced variation increases the range of motion required and removes the countermovement benefits you get from a standing box jump. It also helps improve joint mobility and creates higher levels of glute involvement. You can’t jump very high from this seated position, so lower the box accordingly, but it’s a great way to build explosive strength and fire up the glutes. You can also do box jumps with a weight vest.…

It doesn’t take a lot of skill to hang, but here’s how to do it safely: 1 Grasp a bar or sturdy tree branch with palms forward, as if you were going to perform a pull-up. 2 Start with a partial hang: With your feet on the floor or a bench, allow your body to hang down from the bar with shoulders completely relaxed. If your grip gets tired, come off the bar and repeat. Hang for about two minutes, working up to five. 3 Move into a full hang: Hang from the bar with your feet off the floor. Keep your body as still as possible and your shoulders completely relaxed. Work up to five minutes in the full hang. 4 Progress to a two-armed swing: Once you ace…

Mint Cucumber Citrus Water Cucumbers are not only incredibly refreshing, they are also packed with antioxidants and antiinflammatories. “I love to snack on the fruit after it’s been sitting in the water — it gets really plump and delicious!” says Lakatos. INGREDIENTS ¼ cucumber, thinly sliced ¼ lemon, sliced 1 lime, quartered ¼ cup mint * 250ml DIRECTIONS 1. Place cucumber, lemon, lime, and mint into a glass and add water. 2. Allow ingredients to sit for 15 to 30 minutes before drinking. (The longer they sit, the more intense the flavour.) PER SERVING (INCLUDING CUCUMBER) Calories: 11, Fat: 0g, Carbs: 3g, Fibre: 0.4g, Protein: 0.5g Pineapple Lemon Ginger Water Pineapple gives sweetness while adding only 13 calories and providing the digestion-improving enzyme bromelain, along with vitamin C. Lemon boosts…

Cat/Cow WHY IT HELPS Relieves lower back pain HOW TO Begin on all fours, back flat and abs engaged. Inhale; on the exhale, round spine toward ceiling, dropping head toward floor (“cat”). Inhale, arching your back and lifting head and tailbone (“cow”). Continue moving from cat to cow for 10 to 12 smooth breaths. Pigeon WHY IT HELPS Opens hips HOW TO Begin in downward dog, hands and feet on floor, hips lifted. Place right knee under right shoulder, keeping shin as parallel as possible to front of mat. Place palms or forearms on floor, feeling the stretch along right hip. Stay four to six breaths; switch legs. Extended Child’s Pose WHY IT HELPS Stretches lower back HOW TO Kneel on floor with toes and knees together. Lower arms toward…

So, let’s start at the beginning, your GYM BAG. Look for a gym bag that has convenient compartments and is suitable for dry and wet storage. One of our favourite gym bags is the Nike Radiate which sports a separate shoe compartment that is ventilated and durable. The ventilated zip pocket in the front can store your wet and dry essentials and the coated bottom panel will help to keep your gear dry. The main compartments open wide for easy access and there is also an internal pocket that will protect your valuables. R750, nike.com A GYM TOWEL is a no brainer. HERS loves the Microfibre Gym Towel from Bobums. It’s very compact, lightweight and features zip storage for the things you just have to have with you when you're…