Innholdsfortegnelse for July 2025 i Muscle & Fitness Hers South Africa

“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…

It is so good to have you join the Muscle and Fitness family. Can you please tell us a bit about yourself? My name is Kristin Maruska. I was born and raised in New Mexico, with roots that are Spanish, Danish, and Hungarian. I’m a Speech-Language Pathologist by profession, but I also wear many other hats: I’m a group fitness instructor, bikini fitness competitor, personal trainer, and bikini posing coach. For over 20 years, I’ve had the privilege of teaching group fitness classes ranging from Body Pump and Zumba to HIIT and Step Aerobics. While I’ve worked as a personal trainer, my current passion lies in coaching competitors on their stage presence and posing; helping them radiate confidence and grace. Sports have always been a huge part of my life;…

Everything in springtime changes. Even our food choices and what we crave more of. More light, fresh salads filled with fresh herbs and citrus fruits. Everything is just a little brighter and crispier. In this spring issue we look at what gives our food that beautiful, vibrant colour and the health benefits of adding colour to your diet. We’ve also got some delicious, fresh recipes to brighten your soul and keep you motivated you to find a new and fresh approach to your healthy living lifestyle.…

• CIGARETTES ARE AN OBVIOUS risk factor for lung cancer—but starches and sugars may also play a surprising role. New research published in the journal Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention found that frequently consuming high-glycemic-index foods (think white breads, bagels, and starchy snacks like pretzels) was independently associated with an increased risk of developing lung cancer, even among nonsmokers. “Among the ‘never smokers’ in our study, those who had diets with the highest glycemic index (GI) had a more than twofold increased lung-cancer risk than those whose diet had the lowest glycemic index,” says study author Xifeng Wu, M.D., Ph.D., professor of epidemiology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Diets with a high GI ranking can create higher levels of glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and other metabolic…

• SKIN DAMAGE FROM sun exposure is a serious health concern. During the summer, that risk rises dramatically with the number of hours spent outdoors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined over the past three decades. So it’s no surprise that protecting your largest organ is seen as critical self-care. “The minute you step outside, you increase your risk of skin damage from the sun,” says Julia T. Hunter, M.D., founder of Wholistic Dermatology, in Beverly Hills, USA. “You need a nontoxic yet potent, science-based, daily skin health and environmental shield for protection to help restore, renew, and protect your skin.” Hunter recommends applying broad spectrum SPF 30 sun protection (with zinc oxide) 30 minutes before…

MAVALA BLUSH COLLECTION The collection consists of six gorgeous shades of pink, just in time for spring 2018. These launch in Dis-Chem stores this October. The Mini Colours, with the small golden cap bottle, relies on a simple yet great idea. Nail polish, regardless of the quality, tends to dry out sooner or later, especially when the bottle is frequently opened. The Mavala Mini Colours have been designed to minimise solvent evaporation and avoid this inconvenience. Because of its small size, you can use the whole bottle with no waste. Another important advantage of its small size is that it is handy to keep with you and its affordable cost allows you to buy 2, 3 or even more colours at the same time. A wide range of different shades…

• 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…

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, a strength and conditioning coach. “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,” says Ladewski. Here, she breaks down the perfect pushup. START HERE 1. Get the right hand position. › Lie facedown on floor, hands in line with the centre of your chest and just wider than shoulder…

Spring is the best time to stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables, when markets are brimming with vivid produce in its prime. There is a bounty of taste and in-season foods to nourish your body with important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fibre, plus powerful phytonutrients that protect your body and brain. The more varied the colours on your plate, the better. These recipes highlight the flavours of the season in easy, clean cuisine you’ll love. KEY NUTRIENTS: Anthocyanins from cherries protect the heart and brain by lowering blood pressure and battling inflammation in blood vessels. They also reduce pain from muscle inflammation post-workout. PREP NOTE: Fresh dark sweet cherries are most delicious, and least expensive. Store them in the refrigerator Ik until ready to eat. SERVES: 1 Sweet…

• EVER HEARD the saying, “If you’re not sweating, you’re not working hard enough”? This expression may be true—because if you’re constantly toweling off between sets you’re likely #crushingit. But sweaty, funky clothes may mean you’re wearing the wrong fabrics, too. There are a dizzying number of materials to choose from and more activewear brands than we can fit in our closet. So how do you decide when to look past the perfect poppy pattern on those leggings and buy clothes based on performance? Here’s how to flex in fabrics you won’t have to hang out to dry—permanently. POLYESTER PERFORMANCE The power of polyester in athletic wear is clear. Since it’s more affordable for manufacturers than other performance fabrics such as bamboo or wool, polyester is ubiquitous. The durable, wrinkle-resistant,…

• CAN’T GET TO THE GYM but need to get some cardio in? Chances are you already have a great option right in your house—or a nearby park or track. “Stair climbing is one of the most effective ways to work your lower body while building cardiovascular endurance and burning fat,” notes Ariane Hundt, founder of Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp in New York, USA. Regular stair workouts will boost VO2 max (the amount of oxygen your body uses during exercise) and increase your metabolism for up to 36 hours after you’re done, she adds. Hundt put together a 20-minute workout that burns more than 200 calories while targeting all your major muscles—especially the legs and glutes. To do it, find a staircase with at least three flights, or about 50…

• BREAK OUT OF THE usual humdrum routine and power up your results with this intense workout that puts you squarely into beast mode. And there’s no better athlete to take you through it than the Legit Boss herself, WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, who routinely shows her dazzling displays of strength and athleticism in the ring. “Top athletes like Sasha need workouts that challenge them in new ways, but the rest of us can also benefit from moves that take us out of our comfort zone,” says Hers technical adviser Gino Caccavale, who put together this workout. This creative, killer sequence of high-intensity moves will get your muscles pumping and your heart rate soaring, leaving you feeling totally dominant for the rest of your day. PERFORM THIS “PULL, PUSH, LUNGE”…

● WHAT DOES IT TAKE to train like a top mixed martial arts athlete? For UFC fighter Paige VanZant, a regular daily session with Team Alpha Male cohorts at her gym in Sacramento, CA, lasts at least two hours. Each workout is a mix of dynamic warmups, plyometrics, several rounds of shadowboxing and kickboxing, and technique work, strength moves, and stretching. “We change things up a lot, but there’s always a challenge,” says UFC fighter and Team Alpha Male coach Urijah Faber. We asked VanZant to share her favorite drills and fighting moves that keep her in top shape. Incorporate elements of them into your existing program, or do the full UFC-inspired routine to help you gain stamina, speed, power, and conditioning in one total-body workout you’ll love. WARMUP JUMP…

Desire Doesn’t Die, It Just Naps There’s a moment that creeps into every long-term relationship—the subtle shift from passion to pattern. Sex, once spontaneous and electric, becomes predictable. The wild excitement of tearing each other’s clothes off fades into routine. You’re still in love, maybe even more deeply than ever, but the fire under the sheets? It’s flickering. And here’s the truth: this is completely normal. Modern psychology tells us that the chemicals responsible for lust—dopamine, testosterone, phenylethylamine—surge during the early days of a relationship, but gradually taper off. That doesn’t mean you’ve lost the spark—it just means it’s time to rekindle it. And if you’re reading this, you’ve already made the first move: wanting to change. This isn’t a list of recycled “try roleplay” suggestions or tips ripped from…

In an era of viral flexing, rented Lambos, and TikTok finance gurus yelling about hustle culture from a Bali resort, a quieter revolution is taking place—one that isn’t trending but is most definitely thriving. It’s not flashy. It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t need to. It’s called quiet wealth, and it’s bringing “cash is king” back into fashion for men who’d rather build real empires than chase digital illusions. Gone are the days when the loudest guy in the room was assumed to be the wealthiest. In fact, more often than not, the guy flexing the hardest is mortgaging his future for likes and illusions. The real winners today are the ones making stoic moves, playing the long game, and stacking quietly while everyone else is performing. From crypto collapse caution…