Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa February 2025

• PERFORM THIS workout before your next feast to help mitigate the calorie-palooza and redirect those macronutrients to your muscles rather than your fat stores. First, you'll do three compound moves. (Start light and increase weight each set.) Then you'll do an intense five-minute cardio session to raise your metabolic rate for the next few hours. Then feast away. BURN IT OFF THE CHEAT MEAL WORKOUT GOT 10 MINUTES? That's all the time you need to help ward off disaster before you eat your cheat.…

• IF THERE'S ONE THING Derek Hansen knows, it's how to help athletes oppose gravity. No, he's not showing them how to float in midair. But for three decades the top sprint coach has been helping elite competitors in the NFL, NBA, and NCAA oppose the natural force—all in the name of getting faster. “Gravity pulls us to the ground, so my job is to [teach you how to] oppose it in the best way possible by limiting friction,” he says. Hansen likens it to an inflated ball, full of air and able to fly and bounce farther, while a deflated ball won't move nearly as efficiently. “[When sprinting], you need to put a lot of force into the ground, but also be elastic and bouncy to get back off…

• PERSONAL TRAINING is a huge business, and it's only getting bigger. In 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated that there were 300,000 “fitness trainers and instructors” and that the field was expected to grow by 10% between 2016 and 2026. Not to mention that Instagram and YouTube have given way to a slew of influencers, many of whom sell programs to their millions of loyal followers. With so many options, it can be tough to know who is worth your hard-earned cheddar. So to help you find the ideal muscle guru, we've consulted a pair of experienced personal trainers, grilled them on what makes a good trainer (and a good client, more on that at right), and then came up with this five-point checklist. You're welcome. TRAINER TELLS…

• YOU'RE FAMILIAR with the standard cardio players—the treadmill (both motorized and nonmotorized); the spin, recumbent, and Airdyne bikes; and the StairMaster—but we'd like to introduce you to a lesser-known member of the roster: the SkiErg. Released by Concept2 (the same company that invented the popular Concept2 Rower, or Erg) in 2009, the SkiErg emulates the double-pole technique used by Nordic skiers. The user stands in front of the towerlike machine and grabs a handle in each hand. Then she uses her full body to pull the “poles” down before butterflying her arms back up to smoothly transition into another rep. The result is an upper-body-heavy cardio sesh that's easy on the joints and, according to Equinox trainer Dan Daly, C.S.C.S., promotes postural health. “The SkiErg can encourage tall long…

• AFTER COMPETING in the 2018 Olympia during a rookie season highlighted by runner-up finishes in both the Toronto and New York Pros, Darah Diaz failed to qualify for the 2019 Olympia. Diaz, 24, however, is now keeping her list of 2020 events close to the vest, as she is already preparing for a rebound season. “Not announcing the shows now puts less pressure on myself, men tally and physically,” she says. The 2017 NPC Universe winner does share her hardcore hamstring routine that she hopes will help her return to the O stage. “I used to work quads and hamstrings together, but I couldn't get as good of a pump,” Diaz says. “Once I split them, I saw the best results in my legs.” LYING HAMSTRING CURL 4 sets…

• BREANA WIGLEY leads a double life. When she's not putting her business management degree to work for a multinational bank, the 25-year-old is training hard and hitting the contest circuit, steadily rising up the ranks of the IFBB Professional League bikini division. “I don't talk about it much at work, because I don't want my managers Googling me and finding my glute shots,” she says. Balancing it all isn't easy, Wigley admits, but her lifelong habits have led the way. “I developed structure and discipline as a kid growing up in Memphis, because I had to make sure I would organize my day to be able to do everything I wanted,” she recalls. In college, Wigley employed her discipline and work ethic to get stronger. “I thought, ‘Hey, I…