Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa July - August 2020

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A COMPETITION SHOOTER? Competition shooting is a combination of proficiency tests of accuracy, precision, and speed shooting. A competitor shoots several stages in a match and all stages require the competitor to have a stage plan in which you are given a short amount of time to form and execute. The sport includes use of a pistol, rifle, and shotgun. WHAT DO YOU SHOOT? WE SEE YOU HAVE SEVERAL FIREARMS. I primarily shoot pistol in the single-stack division. Recently I started shooting AK matches in which I shoot Tactical Edge’s Comrade. Shooting the AK has been extremely challenging yet fun for me. YOU HAVE OPTICS ON YOUR AK HOWEVER NOT ON YOUR PISTOL? DO YOU RECOMMEND OPTICS FOR A BEGINNER OR DO YOU NEED…

GEAR FLORAL SPARK TIGHTS A slim-fit flatters while a medley of floral prints creates a stunning feminine look. Featuring quality fabric, lightweight compression and a striking design the Floral Spark 7/8 Tights will take your look and workout to the next level. R500, otgactive.com G E A R VANS VAN GOGH MUSEUM KICKS AND BACKPACK Vans and the Van Gogh Museum proudly partner to present an artfully designed collection utilising Van Gogh masterpieces across iconic Vans Classics. Vans worked closely with the Van Gogh Museum team to select four main bodies of work that speaks to the creative ethos of Vans’ design as well as personal moments from the artist’s familial history. Each model from the Vans x Van Gogh Museum footwear collection is finished with custom footbed art that…

“FUNCTIONAL FITNESS” IS A BUZZWORD thrown around by savvy trainers and experts alike, but the concept is often tossed aside when it comes to fitting it into your workout. After all, it’s tough to make time for exercises that don’t appear to have a physique benefit. “Functional fitness is for all of the movements you do in life, from chasing your kids to hiking a mountain. But often people disregard it because they think they won’t be effective,” notes Liu Gross, athletic director for React Fitness in Chicago, USA. That’s a mistake, because functional fitness not only helps you move more easily and reduce injury risk; it can also sculpt muscles and blast calories. Working with Chicago-based physical therapist David Reavy, Gross has created a functional routine that kicks your…

EVERYONE LOVES a good high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, and exercise variation is key for better muscle development and fat loss. But what exactly do these all-out techniques do for your body? We asked trainer, Socanomics creator, and fitness model Selena Watkins to explain how HIIT can help you get sculpted and lean. The methods: Tabata (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off; four minutes); EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute); and AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible). Watkins says, “These three protocols are so effective because they raise your metabolism while preserving muscle and torching fat.” Plus… You’ll raise your power output. A study from the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research shows that elite female volleyball players had improved agility, sprinting, and burst exercise performance when they incorporated interval…

This popular HIIT style is the ultimate time-crunched workout method in that you can work your entire body, if you want to, in just four-minute increments. It may seem too good to be true, but “the short duration of a Tabata workout increases a person’s willingness to complete it and the possibility to build the habit and do it regularly,” says Watkins. Shorter durations also means less stress on the body. WORKOUT 1 Do each exercise for 4 minutes (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 sets), then move on to next exercise. Kettlebell Swing High Knee Triceps Dip V-up or Jackknife WORKOUT 2 Do each exercise for 4 minutes (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 8 sets), then move on to next exercise. Pushups Squat to Overhead…

The aim of “As Many Rounds As Possible”: Beat the number of rounds in your last session. Self-defined goals like this help build confidence because you set the pace and can watch your numbers improve from one session to the next. “AMRAP is my favourite because it’s so challenging. I also love that you know exactly how many reps you have to do so you don’t have to keep looking at the clock,” says Watkins. Even if you’re working at a slower pace, your body stays under constant stress while switching between exercises, she adds. Workout 1 12 min. AMRAP 10 Burpees 10 Alternating Shoulder Taps into Pushups 20 Jump Squats 10 Side Planks with Hip Dips (right side) 10 Power Jumping Jacks 10 Side Planks with Hip…