Indholdsfortegnelse for May/Jun 2024 i Men's Health South Africa

Inside every issue of Men’s Health there is a massive TRAINER section, packed with all the expert training advice and workouts you need to sculpt the body you’ve wanted. By subscribing to the digital format you’ll have your workouts with you no matter when or where you train. Missed a programme? Simply download a back issue. Plus when you subscribe you score R30 off the cover price. Subscribe today for R40 per issue or R240 a year. Find the latest issue at magzter.com or scan in the QR code…

THE BIG QUESTION WHY CAN’T I STOP ARGUING WITH STRANGERS ON THE INTERNET? ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS about the internet is that it offers a window into the world views of others. And one of the downsides? That you’re not going to like all of them. It’s natural to want your voice heard. “Social identity is a human need, and it’s largely defined by our membership of groups,” says Donald Masi, a consultant psychiatrist at Priory Hospital, Roehampton. Whether that’s a fandom or a political tribe, dialogue and debate help us affirm our group status. But when stand-offs in the comments section and hour-long X beefs become a regular part of your day, you’re right to ask… why? According to Masi, anger is often underpinned by anxiety. Other peoples’ ideologies…

FITNESS COACH LUCKY FADZI has a reputation for tackling extreme trials of fitness. So, when his form began to slip after launching his new business, he engineered his body reboot the only way he knew how: laying down the gauntlet. At the time, his fitness was still at an admirable level—after all, he’d built up a strong foundation in the years prior with a zealous dedication to gym sessions. “But because of my busy lifestyle and uncertainty of my schedule, I just couldn’t hit my goal of going to the gym at least five to six times a week,” he admits. The solution? “I decided to take more drastic measures to hold myself accountable,” adds Fadzi. And, thus, the 100-day challenge was born. THE MUSCLE “They say you can’t keep…

SOUTH AFRICAN SUMMERS can be brutal, especially in the most humid parts of the country. But working up a sweat isn’t just reserved for the warmer months. Surprise heat waves can strike even in the dead of winter, with some coastal regions defying forecasts by crawling into the mid-20s while the rest of the country is hovering around freezing. Whatever the season, be wary because heat can be deadly. And it’s men who are most at risk—estimates suggest that more than two-thirds of heatstroke deaths are guys, partly because we’re typically larger and are affected more by heat. The good news is that our bodies are already equipped with a sophisticated, super-efficient means of adapting to higher temps—sweating—and knowing how it works will help keep you cool. We’re naturally pretty…

01 CRANK UP THE HEAT True, you could buy a bucket of your local chicken spot’s finest. But for something easier on your arteries—plus 34g of protein per four-wing serving—try baking them yourself. Registered dietician Matthew Kadey’s recipes are guaranteed crowd-pleasers. Heat your oven to 220°C and set wire racks inside two rimmed baking trays. High heat and good airflow will translate to crispier chicken. 02 PREP THE BIRD Pat 1.5kg of chicken wings dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, toss the wings with 1 tbsp vegetable oil, ½ tbsp salt and ½ tsp freshly ground pepper. Place the wings in a single layer on the prepared racks. Bake until cooked through, about 35 mins, flipping once. 03 SAUCE IT UP While the wings bake, whisk the sauce ingredients in…

There is no perfect running shoe. When it comes to finding the right pair for you, many factors come into play: your unique biomechanics, your weight, the surface(s) you run on, the shape of your feet and your preferred “feel”. That means no one shoe will suit every runner. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that there’s a certain way that shoe testers express themselves when filing their feedback. Often, they don’t talk about the things the shoe does, but instead focus on the things it doesn’t do. As in: it doesn’t pinch, it doesn’t feel heavy, it doesn’t make their feet sweat—and so on. For many runners, the aim is simply to find shoes that stay out of their way. Our testing squad trialled the best new…

THE NUMBERS How do your metrics stack up against the average man in his twenties? BMI 25.7 RESTING HEART RATE 62BPM DAILY STEPS 9 903 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES 60 HOURS OF SLEEP 6HR 35MIN What You Can (And Can’t) Get Away With You’re not invulnerable. But during this decade, you may be more resilient than you think Routinely Drinking To Oblivion Your brain isn’t fully developed until your mid-to late twenties, so the potential for harm is significant, says neurologist Frances Jensen. As vast numbers of connections form between your neurons, habits form easily, and drinking to excess can affect your memory and attention. You might cheat the hangovers, but you can’t cheat time. A Chronic Weed Habit CBD oil may be everywhere, but don’t mistake that for a green…

THE NUMBERS How do you stack up against the average man in his fifties? BMI 28.1 RESTING HEART RATE 64BPM DAILY STEPS 9 993 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES 65 HOURS OF SLEEP 6HR 20MIN Future-Proof Your Face Smart grooming will overcome the ravages of Father Time. Your skin can grow “dry and dull”, because it loses hydration and takes longer to purge dead cells, but using exfoliators will help. Try Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel: “Hydroxy acid dissolves connections between your skin cells, so they can be shed more easily.” THE NUTRIENT YOU NEED NOW POTASSIUM “Your risk of hypertension [high blood pressure] increases every year,” says Roussell. But cutting back on snack bars isn’t the only way to offset your risk. “Potassium balances the sodium…

START HERE 01 ONE AND DONE ■ Hit the deck and assume a strong plank position with hands stacked beneath your shoulders. Lower your chest to the ground before driving back up explosively. Next, jump to your feet, place them shoulder-width apart and drop down into a deep squat. Stand back up with intent and get ready to ball. 02 ROLL UP, ROLL UP ■ With a push-up and squat in the bag, stand over your ball, squat and roll it from side to side, working your hands underneath. Drive through your feet to deadlift the ball before dropping it into your lap and squatting down. From here, wrap your arms around it and stand, using your momentum to roll it up and over your shoulder. Repeat, keeping an eye on the…

01 CRUSH FOOD CRAVINGS Easter travelled to Bolivia to meet the Tsimané, a group of hunter gatherers who eat the same nutrient-dense food every day. They grow and hunt their own food and eat plates loaded with corn or rice, plus fish or meat and veg. Fill up like them. 02 REIMAGINE YOUR MOTIVATION Be vigilant about self-conscious emotions that can depend on other people’s feelings. There are two kinds of pride: authentic (what you feel when you do good things) and hubristic (when you falsely advertise yourself). Emphasise authentic pride. 03 END THE DEATH-SCROLLING Resist your craving for certainty. The unpredictable rewards of information we read online don’t always improve our lives or lead to understanding and often stress us out. Instead, exercise your drive to explore—break new ground…

BRANDY PUNCH This spicy, citrusy, bubbly, just-sweet-enough cocktail was co-created by Brett Adams of Multnomah Whiskey Library. HOW TO MAKE IT In a punch bowl, muddle the peels of a lemon and half an orange with 4 tbsp sugar, then let rest for an hour. Add 60ml lemon juice and 30ml orange juice, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then stir in 240ml cognac, 90ml Dom Bénédictine and 1 tsp Angostura bitters. Just before serving, top with one 750ml bottle of sparkling wine, add a few large ice cubes and garnish with frozen raspberries and orange wheels if you want, but definitely some freshly grated nutmeg. Serves 8 to 10 LIGHTEN UP Take things down a notch by swapping in alcohol free sparkling wine or even club soda. THE COGNAC CLIMB You…

FOR SOME MEN, IGNORANCE IS BLISS. Others, however, find strength in numbers, whether those are run splits or sleep stats. If you’re someone who’s spurred on by hard data, a good fitness watch can make it simpler to set goals and track your progress. Beyond routine mileage tracking, the latest models do a whole lot more, from monitoring blood oxygen levels to building bespoke training sessions and prescribing recovery time. Some smartwatches can even detect if you’ve had a fall or car crash and will notify emergency services. Although contrasting price points and features mean there are options for everyone, the choice can be confounding. With that in mind, our MH Lab experts put a broad range of watches through rigorous testing, both on the roads and in the gym,…

TIMING KEY GAME PLAN Sprint 10m. Walk back to the start. Repeat as many times as possible for 10 mins. Add 5m each week, working up to 100. Do this twice a week. GAME PLAN Sprint for 100m, then jog very slowly for 50m. Repeat this 7 times. Rest 6 mins. (Yes, really.) Repeat the sequence. Do this twice a week. GAME PLAN Sprint 20m, rest 30 secs. Do this twice a week. Repeat 10 times in weeks 1, 4 and 7; 15 in weeks 2, 5 and 8; and 20 times in weeks 3, 6 and 9.…

THE NUMBERS How do your metrics stack up against the average man in his thirties? BMI 27 RESTING HEART RATE 63BPM DAILY STEPS 10 006 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES 60 HOURS OF SLEEP 6HR 26MIN FINANCIALLY FIT AT 30 You’re on your way (hopefully) to paying off those loans and (maybe) buying property and having kids. Invest wisely and you won’t feel the hit quite so hard, says financial journalist Whateley. SAVE FOR A DEPOSIT If you want to escape tenant life and become a homeowner, put your savings in a high-interest savings or notice deposit account to ensure your hard-earned Randelas retain their worth, recommends Old Mutual. Keep in mind that you’ll get a much better mortgage rate with a 10% deposit than a 5% one. It’s worth rustling up…

01 Creatine Monohydrate Probably the second most prolific supplement in the fitness world, not to mention one of the cheapest. “This substance found in meat and fish has stood the test of time as a muscle-building elixir,” says Andrew Tracey, a personal trainer, strength coach and nutritionist. Despite supp companies’ attempts to market “new” creatine products, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel here; 5g daily of widely available creatine monohydrate is just as effective as pricier offerings. 02 Phosphatidylserine Often spotted on the ingredients list of “brain health” pills, “this fatty substance protects the nerve cells in your brain,” says Dr. Claudia Gravaghi, a nutritionist and pharmacist. Taken as a nutritional supp, she says, “it might promote cognitive function and memory, especially as you age”. More research is needed, but so…

Getting older can feel like a steady decline. A quick look at the metrics will show that each new decade heralds a slew of potential health issues, turning those once celebratory birthdays into a harsh reality check. However, your fate isn’t set in stone. Sure, “Father Time” will lay out a gauntlet of new challenges every few years, but acing the fundamentals of health, fitness and grooming can help you flip the script on your waning prognosis. After all, ageing isn’t all doom and gloom. Mounting evidence suggests that not only can each new year bring higher levels of happiness, but you’ll also become wiser (confirmed by extensive research) and enjoy better sex. Ramping up your efforts in the gym seems like a small price to pay for these time-forged…

Do you use antiageing grooming products? ALL THE TIME 36% WHEN I NOTICE THE WRINKLES 11% KEEN TO TRY 29% AU NATURAL 24% PSA: the answer to ageing backward isn’t at the bottom of your expensive moisturiser, it’s on page 63. WHAT TYPE OF RUNNING SHOES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW? RACING RUNS 35% TRAIL RUNS 10% CHILLED RUNS 20% CARDIO? NOPE. 35% Whether you’re chasing PBs or dragging your feet, our running special (p.51) won’t leave you in the dust. ARE YOU TAKING SUPPLEMENTS? EVERY DAY 41% JUST A FEW 24% DON’T TOUCH ‘EM 35% Pills, powders, tablets, tinctures—there’s no shortage of performance-enhancing supps. On page 78 we sort the good from the bad and the downright dodgy. PREFER TRAINING WITH A PT OR HITTING UP A CLASS AT YOUR LOCAL GYM? PT 7% CLASS…

FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE, the actor has embraced bodyweight training, piling up reps of pushups, pull-ups and dips nearly every single day. But when he was cast as Jack Reacher, he had to change his approach. “It was the first time I was told, ‘You have to add weight; you have to change your body,’ ” says Ritchson. He had a robust home gym built and wound up gaining 13kg for the role. And he relied on these four exercises to pack on all that muscle. SPLIT-STANCE CABLE ROW Stand facing a dual-cable machine, holding both handles with your arms parallel to the floor. Step your right leg back and lower into a reverse lunge, right knee just off the floor. This is the start. Pull your elbows behind…

You communicate with people throughout the day—basically, if you’re human—then you, like me, sometimes find yourself “following up”, “circling back” and generally coming to terms with being ignored, especially considering all the other instances in your life in which you might go unheard. (No response to a “let’s catch up” DM to an old friend; crickets when you ask your landlord to renew your lease; no answer from the doctor’s office, even three days later; hello, barista?) At a certain point, feeling invisible can begin to take a toll on your mental health. In fact, Kipling D. Williams, professor of psychological sciences at Purdue University, found that being ignored literally hurts—it triggers the same part of the brain that registers physical pain. Technically, you’re experiencing ostracism. You may think of…

DAILY TRAINER adidas Supernova Rise | R2 999 | Weight: 277g With their new re-engineered super foam, Dreamstrike+, these trainers deliver maximum comfort on every stride. A series of denser foam Support Rods will give you buttery smooth transitions and the sort of stability and support you need to glide through your daily laps. A Comfort Heel Fit combines cushy foam and soft textiles for a more secure fit that feels like your shoe is giving your heel a heartfelt hug. 5K adidas ADIZERO SL |R2 299 | Weight: 243g Hand-picking the best elements from their record-breaking Adizero franchise, adidas has created trainers that’ll give you the pace to chase new PBs. The secret? Their advanced LIGHTSTRIKE EVA midsole which provide the resilience (and lift-off) to focus on your next…

I. BURNT DETROIT TANK TOP Good for more than just showing off your guns, this tank is lightweight and breathable. R499, burnt.co.za II. ADIDAS Y-3 ENGINEERED TIGHTS These wick moisture and are ultra-breathable to help you stay cool (and dry) at high speeds. R2 799, adidas.co.za III. SALOMON SENSE PRO RACE SOCKS Ventilated and almost weightless with bonus arch support—these will put a spring in your step. R149, salomonsports.co.za…

THE NUMBERS How do your metrics stack up against the average man in his forties? BMI 27.8 RESTING HEART RATE 64BPM DAILY STEPS 10 026 DAILY ACTIVE MINUTES 61 HOURS OF SLEEP 6HR 20MIN FINANCIALLY FIT AT 40 Sure, it’s all about the children and your wider responsibilities. But being on the money in your forties means looking after number one, so you can look after everyone else, says Whateley. FIX YOUR PENSION Ideally you should have started saving into a pension in your twenties, but now is the time to make it a priority. If you want the lifestyle you have today in retirement, your pension pot needs to be twice your annual income in your forties, rising to seven times by 68, according to investment company Fidelity. One…

TRAINING DAY The Nano X4 training shoes are a one-pair-fits-all fitness solution. Sporting enhanced stability and support, you’ll glide from lifts to laps to box jumps and back again with ease. Floatride Energy Foam in the midsole will keep you cushioned and their new midfoot ventilation will feel like a breath of fresh air on every rep. SWISS-ENGINEERING Spun from a technical mix of recycled fabrics, this hoodie’s sustainability is only outmatched by its high-performance creds. A quick-gliding front zip lets you adapt to changing temps, and a set of elbow darts will ensure this outer layer keeps its shape during workouts and cool-downs. TRACK STAR On (and off) the tarmac, this action-ready top will keep you comfortable all day long. Its seamless design minimises chafing while the ultra-soft knit…