Innholdsfortegnelse for March - April 2022 i Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa

Such an honour to have you on Muscle & Fitness Hers, everyone has a special story about how they got involved in health and fitness. Could you tell us a little bit about your journey to where you are today? I’ve been into sports and workouts since I was a little girl. I used to be into obstacle racing when I was younger. Even when I don’t do anything professionally, I try at least to do cardio training. I simply cannot imagine my life without sport, I think it helps me stay more disciplined. Now I’m also into martial arts such as hand-to-hand fighting or jiujitsu. Life is all about movement and the more I work out, the happier I feel. In my opinion, even if you don't do any…

Even the best-conditioned athletes can struggle in the pool because of poor technique. Follow a few of these form fixes to develop a smoother stroke and be more efficient in the water. Breathe right. Breathing evenly not only keeps you calm and relaxed, it also changes the position of your diaphragm, so you stay tight through the core and can move more efficiently. Don’t hold your breath: Exhale while your head is still underwater, so when you turn to inhale, you can draw in more air. Practice by breathing out air bubbles underwater. Complete your stroke. In freestyle, fully extend your arm in front of you, then pivot hips slightly down on the side that’s reaching forward; pivot the opposite hip as you switch positions on the next stroke. “Think…

At some point in the past few workouts, you’ve probably done a pushup, and there’s a good chance you’ve done it wrong. “People often do pushups incorrectly. They’ll place their hands in the wrong position, let the midsection sag, or flare the elbows out,” says Julia Ladewski, C.S.C.S., a strength and conditioning coach based in Highland, IN. “These mistakes don’t allow the right muscles to be targeted.” That’s no reason to give up on this most classic of training moves. “Pushups are a true measure of relative strength—plus there are so many variations, and they can be done anywhere,” Ladewski says. Here, she breaks down the perfect pushup.…

MASON JAR COBB SALAD SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS Cooking spray 4 slices lean turkey bacon 1 avocado, cut into cubes Juice of ½ lemon ½ cup light blue cheese dressing 1 cup halved grape tomatoes 1 cup sliced cucumber 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed 4 large hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped DIRECTIONS 1. Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add turkey bacon and cook 3 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Let cool, then crumble bacon. 2. Toss avocado cubes with lemon juice. 3. Prepare 4 mason jars: Add 2 tbsp blue cheese dressing to the bottom of each jar. Then layer in ¼ cup tomatoes, ¼ cup cucumber, ½ cup lettuce, ¼ of…

EVERY SHOT you down is about 100 calories, so the last thing you should do is add sugar to your drink. Good thing, then, that many top mixologists have begun swapping lazy syrups and sugar-laden mixers for more healthy, natural ingredients. To help you elevate your own cocktail repertoire, we recruited Carlos Rios, brand ambassador for Stoli vodka. Pick up some pitchers on your way home—you’re gonna need them. CALORIES IN LIQUOR = OUNCES X PROOF X 0.8 BUY A FLAVORED VODKA—OR INFUSE YOUR OWN A good flavored vodka—think wasabi, ginger, or grapefruit—really takes the guesswork out of making a drink, says Rios. “Just add soda and a garnish.” You can also infuse your own. Just get some fresh herbs, fruit, or vegetables, prep them (clean, peel, cut into large…

SURE, YOU CAN EAT CLEAN at your average backyard barbecue if you stick to bunless burgers and wilted side salads. But that’s not a lot of fun. Enter these high-protein, low-carb, Paleo-inspired grilling recipes featuring worldly flavors and unique combinations that allow you to stick to your eating plan without sacrificing taste or nutrition. “To me, grilling is an experience more than simply a cooking method. It’s an event that engages all of our senses,” says James Phelan, chef and owner of J. William Culinary and co-author of Paleo Grilling: A Modern Caveman’s Guide to Cooking With Fire. “Plus, the heat brings out a complexity of flavors, whether it’s meat, poultry, seafood, or vegetables.” Pair this fare with our favorite low-calorie cocktails (see page 26) for a summer night everyone…

Hometown: Lakeland, FL HOW SHE DOES IT: “I’ve always trained hard on my abs, but lately I’ve focused a lot more on my glutes, trying to get them tighter and more toned. When I’m training for a competition, I’m doing something every single day to stay in the flow.” FAVORITE MOVES: Kickbacks, hip thrusts, frog hops. OUT OF THE GYM: “I love to get up and play tennis with my daughter, who is playing in USTA tournaments. It’s really fun, and you can burn a ton of calories.” DIET PHILOSOPHY: “Nothing processed—no dairy, lots of vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.” CLEAN-FOOD FAVES: Roasted brussels sprouts, roasted cauliflower, or sweet potatoes with some grilled chicken. CHEAT TREAT: “I love a good, juicy burger.” RECOVERY: “Getting a massage once a week…

GETTING TO A CERTAIN HEALTH GOAL —whether you want to lose weight, get stronger, or just have your body operate better—requires more than just a gym plan and some suggested foods to eat. You need to thoroughly understand everything that goes into your body—and it should all start with the most elemental aspect of every food: the calorie. You need to know what exactly calories are, how many are in your food, and how you can manipulate them to your own exercise ends in order to really build a better body. With this in mind, we’ve put together a guide to fully understand and ultimately burn the calorie. What is a Calorie? Simply put, a calorie is a unit of food energy, a way to understand how much energy the…

1 YOU SET UP WRONG The bench should be set below your shoulder blades when sitting. And ensure that your feet are far enough away from you so that your shins are perpendicular to the floor at the top or you won’t get a contraction in your hamstrings. 2 YOU STRAIN YOUR NECK When performing the move, your head should be in line with the rest of your body. If your hips lower but your shoulders and head stay on the bench, you’re straining your neck and also putting your spine up in a compromising position. 3 YOU DON’T PUSH THROUGH YOUR HEELS Driving through your toes, not your heels, can lead to knee pain and back arching. The fix is simple: Be aware of how you’re lifting the weight…

To do this workout, you should be able to swim at least 100 yards (four laps in a 25-yard pool) without stopping. If not, work up to 100 yards and go from there. WARMUP: SWIM 200 YARDS (8 LAPS*), TAKING BREAKS AS NEEDED. 4 X 50 KICK: REST 20 TO 30 SECONDS BETWEEN INTERVALS. 4 X 50 PULL (USE PULL BUOY): REST 20 TO 30 SECONDS BETWEEN INTERVALS. 10 X 100 SWIM: REST 30 SECONDS BETWEEN INTERVALS. (OR DO 20 X 50S, RESTING 15 SECONDS BETWEEN INTERVALS.) COOLDOWN: SWIM 200 YARDS (8 LAPS*) AT AN EASY, RELAXED PACE. *BASED ON A 25-YARD POOL.…

1. Get the right hand position. Lie facedown on floor, hands in line with the center of your chest and just wider than shoulder width, fingers forward and gripping the ground. “Keeping your fingers in line with your chest is key,” Ladewski says. “It’s the biggest mistake most people make.” 2. Keep your hips up. Push up off the floor until your hips are in line with the rest of your body, with your back straight (not sagging); squeeze your glutes. 3. Angle the arms. As you lower toward the floor, bring your elbows back 45 degrees from your torso. “Your lower arm should remain perpendicular to the floor,” Ladewski says. As you push up, keep your core tight, squeeze your glutes, and don’t allow your midsection to sag. 4.…

1. CALF STRETCH Stand facing a wall with feet staggered, front foot about 12 to 24 inches away from the wall. Leaning forward, rest both hands on the wall, keeping your back heel, hip, and head in a straight line. Pressing your back heel onto the floor, push gently into the wall, feeling the stretch along your calf. Hold 90 seconds; switch sides. 2. TOES STRETCH (NOT SHOWN) Sit with your ankle crossed over the opposite knee. Use your hands to gently spread your toes apart, bringing the toes away from one another. Hold for up to 1 minute; switch sides. 3. TOP STRETCH Stand barefoot with feet hip-distance apart. Reach right leg behind you, tucking the toes of that foot under. The farther back you…

THERE’S NO shortage of newfangled burritos, from Soyrizo-stuffed breakfast versions to the sushi-style sort, but we’re still partial to the traditional meat, cheese, and bean variety. The problem? A single burrito can top 1,000 calories and is often loaded with sodium and saturated fat. The solution? Make some swaps to create a healthier version that won’t have you longing for a post-meal nap. TORTILLA Those 10- or 12-inch flour behemoths can clock in at 300 calories, according to Amy Goodson, R.D., a specialist in sports dietetics. Opt for five-inch corn tortillas, which are less caloric and higher in fiber. “Those smaller corn tortillas have 50 calories each. So you could have three of them and still total only half the calories of a single huge flour one.” MEAT Red meat…

Who doesn’t want to get more for less? That’s the beauty of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), a proven training method that’s become a workout staple for fitness enthusiasts everywhere. Most HIIT workouts are a combination of short, all-out bursts of intensity followed by some much-needed catch-your-breath recovery periods. “A HIIT workout is typically done with interval bursts at 90% to 95% of max heart rate for no more than 60 seconds,” says Michele Olson, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at Auburn University-Montgomery. The payoff: “You’ll get about the same fitness benefits in 10 minutes as you would jogging for a half-hour.” One reason HIIT workouts are so popular is their surefire success. And a slimmer physique isn’t your only reward. Multiple studies show significant training benefits that range from improving aerobic…

Such an honor to have you on Muscle & Fitness Hers, everyone has their own special story about how they got involved in health and fitness. Could you tell us a little bit about your journey to where you are today? Thank you! I am so excited and honored to have the chance to share my story! I was active as a child, but I gradually let that slide as a teenager into my university days, and by the time I entered my academic career 6 years after finishing high school, I had gained a lot of weight. 40 plus pounds actually. I love dancing and performing so I tried a bunch of styles before entering pole sports and I love the sport so much that I really wanted to…

1. Place hands about shoulder-width apart on the bar, palms facing body. Using a stepping stool or box can help you get into the right position. Step off the box or stool with control (don’t allow your body to swing) and hang fully down. Brace your glutes and the front of your core to help prevent overextension of the lower back. 2. Pull your elbows toward your hips, keeping a neutral spine throughout the entire movement. Keep your chin tucked throughout the vertical pulling motion. 3. Lower yourself with control until just before locking out elbows in starting position.…

1 What we love most about the Sporti Borderline silicone swim cap (besides the fun graphic design) is its gentle-on-the-hair material that’s easy to pull on and off without tearing your locks.($7; swimoutlet.com) 2 The new Kaiman Lady EXO goggles from Aqua Sphere are engineered to banish raccoon eyes. Soft but flexible gaskets keep water out without sucking your face in, plus the patented curved lens offers a 180-degree field of vision, so you can clearly see everything in front of you. ($22; aquasphereswim.com) 3 Get more out of your kick with the Nemesis Fins from Speedo. Inspired by the shape of humpback whales, they help elevate your hips and feet so you stay streamlined, with scalloped outer edges that help you push through the water more efficiently.($40; speedousa.com)…

TRICEPS PUSHUP (CLOSE GRIP) Lie facedown on floor with hands narrower than shoulders. Lower chest toward floor, pointing elbows straight back, keeping them close to sides. Press back up to start and repeat. ROLLING PUSHUP Begin in basic pushup position, hands on floor in line with chest. Lower chest to floor; when torso is parallel to floor, lower your forearms and roll your body back. Then roll forward and push back up to the full pushup position. DIVE-BOMBER PUSHUP Begin in an “A-frame,” shoulders over hands and legs extended behind you, hips lifted. Drop head and chest to floor, bringing elbows straight back and keeping hips high. Then scoop chest up and forward; squeeze triceps at the top. Return to start, lifting hips.…

Jessica Eye “DURING FIGHT WEEK I SAW MYSELF IN THE MIRROR, AND I WAS LIKE, ‘WHO IS THIS GIRL?’” UFC FEMALE FLYWEIGHT FIGHTER A string of losses nearly cost Jessica Eye her spot in the UFC, until a change in weight class and mindset revitalized her career and turned her into a force. LOSING THREE fights in a row is the unofficial Mendoza Line of the UFC. Only a few special fighters have been allowed to stay with the organization after four consecutive losses, so when UFC president Dana White called Jessica Eye the Monday after her fourth loss back in 2016, she expected the worst. “I was like, ‘You guys are going to cut me, aren’t you?’ He said, ‘No, but I want you to take some time off…

START THINKING ABOUT YOUR ABS diet and workout plan right now and you’ll be ready with a sexy six-pack before summer’s out. Eight weeks is all it takes. Sound too good to be true? We promise: You’ve got this. Celebrity trainer and two-time Golden Gloves–winning boxer Ngo Okafor has a core-carving game plan that will incinerate abdominal fat. He credits four main secrets to helping his clients etch a flat stomach out of a winter muffin top. No. 1: Train abdominals three days per week, giving them a full HIIT workout, not just two exercises at the end. No. 2: Add cardio between the abdominal moves to keep your heart rate up—as a boxer, he knows cardio is king as a functional element of endurance. No. 3: Make sure to…