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August /September 2020 Features
36 Finding the silver lining behind the clouds
Read how Marco Laterza celebrates his late mother with his 20th magazine cover and daily grind BY JASON ELLIS
46 Ice Picks The freezer can be the healthiest place to go for fruits and veggies. BY M AT T H E W K A D E Y
52 30 Ways to Get Lean To kick-start the season, we’ve compiled a list of the best tips to help you shred fat. BY MF EDITORS
ON THE COVER
MARCO LATERZA PHOTOGRAPH BY
JASON ELLIS
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MEN’S FITNESS
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12 Go ballsto-the-wall to build strength and power.
Clock wise from top lef t: Brian Klutch; James Michelfelder; Sam Kaplan
46 Use your freezer to make the freshest meals.
Breakthroughs 08 Top News
85 Gauge your growth
Why you should hang out — and hang up — at the gym, give your body more sleep, and cut down on calories.
Columns 32 Learn It This (workout) bud’s for you.
34 Turn It How to be a better dad.
On Top 12 Training Medicine balls are in, gym myths are out.
15 Nutrition Unmeltable cheese and power zukes.
17 Drinks 1998 called, and it wants its Cosmos back.
26 Weight Loss The latest smart scales, ranked.
30 Cheat Sheet How to salvage your relationship, plus the latest sex files.
The Body Book 97 The BetterBody Blueprint Muscle up with intraset rest periods.
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’
Advisory Board
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
SOMETIMES, EVEN WE NEED ADVICE. HERE’S WHO WE ASK.
STRENGTH TRAINING
“THE SECRET OF
CJ Murphy, M.F.S. Owner, Total Performance Sports, Everett, MA Jim Smith, C.P.P.S. Owner, Diesel Strength & Conditioning
GETTING AHEAD
Zach Even-Esh Owner, Underground Strength Gym, Edison, NJ WEIGHT LOSS
Bob Harper Fitness expert; trainer, NBC’s The Biggest Loser
IS GETTING
Chris Powell, C.S.C.S. Trainer; author; transformation specialist, ABC’s Extreme Weight Loss Frank G. Bottone Jr., Ph.D., R.D. Author, The Diet Denominator: Fill Your Tank for Less
STARTED.”
Roy Cohen Career counselor; author, The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide; careercoachny.com Chris Bart, Ph.D. Business consultant; author, A Tale of Two Employees
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Men’s Fitness South Africa is published by DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd in South Africa for South Africa. Material in this publication, including text and images, is protected by copyright. It may not be copied, reproduced, republished, posted, broadcast, or transmitted in any way without written consent of DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd. The views and opinions expressed in Men’s Fitness South Africa by the contributors may not represent the views of the publishers. DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd as well as its employees accept no responsibility for any loss that may be suffered by any person who relies totally or partially upon any information, description, or pictures contained herein. DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd is not liable for any mistake, misprint, or typographic errors. All prices shown are in ZAR. Any submissions to Men’s Fitness South Africa become the property of DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd. © 2017 American Media, Inc. The name “Men’s Fitness” and the Men’s Fitness logo are registered trademarks of American Media, Inc., and used under license by DHS Media Group (Pty) Ltd. All rights reserved. The United States edition of Men’s Fitness is published monthly by American Media Inc.
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MEN’S FITNESS
Martin E. Ford, Ph.D. Professor of education, George Mason University
Candice Kumai Author, Clean Green Drinks, candicekumai.com
R E L AT I O N S H I P S
Devin Alexander Celebrity chef; host, PBS’s America’s Chefs on Tour; New York Times best-selling author SPORTS PERFORMANCE
Tammy Nelson, Ph.D. Certified sex therapist, New Haven, CT Michael Aaron, Ph.D. Certified sex therapist and couples counselor, drmichaelaaronnyc.com
Jason Ferruggia, Fitness expert; owner, jasonferruggia.com Dan Trink, C.S.C.S. Owner, Trink Fitness Moushumi Ghose, M.F.T. Licensed psychotherapist and sex therapist, New York City W I L D E R N E S S S U RV I VA L
Jon Hinds Owner, Monkey Bar Gym, Madison, WI Kevin Lilly Former D1 football player; trainer of actors and athletes
Thomas Coyne, E.M.T. President, Survival Training School of California, Tehachapi, CA M A L E H E A LT H
D E R M AT O LO GY
FOR MORE INFORMATION PHONE: +27 10 006-0051 MAIL: PO Box 71450, Bryanston, Johannesburg, South Africa, 2021 ADDRESS: First Floor Block 6 Fourways Office Park, Cnr Roos Street & Fourways Boulevard, 2191 EMAIL: info@dhsmedia.co.za WEB: www.mensfitness.co.za FACEBOOK: facebook.com/MensFitness South Africa TWITTER: @mensfitness_sa INSTAGRAM: mensfitnessmagazine
M O T I VAT I O N
Danny Boome Celebrity chef, currently on Good Food America for Veria Living
FINANCE
– MARK TWAIN
ADVERTISING SALES dirk@dhsmedia.co.za
FOOD
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ENDURANCE
Pete Jacobs 2012 Ironman world champion, Sydney, Australia
Steven Lamm, M.D., Director, Men’s Health Center, New York University Medical Center FAS H I O N
SPORTS NUTRITION
Shelby Starnes IFBB bodybuilder; owner, shelbystarnes.com
Tina West, M.D. Boardcertified dermatologist; founder of the West Institute, westskinlaser.com
Nate Miyaki, C.S.S.N. Author, The Samurai Diet; owner natemiyaki.com
Annet King, Director of global education, the International Dermal Institute and Dermalogica
NUTRITION
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Angela Lemond, R.D.N. Owner, Lemond Nutrition; spokesperson, American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Jay Dicharry, M.P.T., C.S.C.S. Director of biomechanics, Rebound Physical Therapy
Elizabeth M. Ward, M.S., R.D.N. Award-winning writer, nutrition consultant, spokesperson
Jorge Valls Men’s fashion director, Nordstrom Michael Gordon Store director, Tourneau TimeMachine, NYC GROOMING
Anthony Sosnick Founder, Anthony grooming brand Israel Leon Master barber, The Art of Shaving, NYC P SYC H I AT RY
Michael A. Grandner, Ph.D., Instructor, Penn Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology
“ALWAYS LOOK FOR AN INSTRUCTOR WHO NOT ONLY ENGAGES YOU PHYSICALLY, BUT CAPTIVATES YOU. TRY TO LOSE YOURSELF .” JESSICA KING Peloton Instructor, New York City
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At time of publication
Cutting-edge news from the frontiers of science
J o r g B a d u r a / Tr u n k A r c h i v e
Breakthroughs
8
Membership has its privileges MEN’S FITNESS
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On the fence about joining a gym or going it alone? Sign on the dotted line. In a new study from Iowa State University, USA, 75% of subjects who were gym members met the US guidelines for physical activity (at least 75 minutes of vigorous or 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week) compared with just 18% of non-members. Gym rats also had lower odds of being obese, a smaller waist (about 5cm less for men), a lower resting heart rate, and better heart health. — A D A M B I B L E
Nutrition
Breakthroughs Deprive yourself and you could live longer — and hate every minute of it.
Hunger for life Can cutting calories really extend your life? Yes, say a bunch of very old, very hangry monkeys. For years, scientists at the American University of Wisconsin-Madison and the National Institute on Aging ran duelling calorie-deprivation tests on primates, which live to an average age of 25, to see if less food equals longer life. They agreed that cutting calories by 30% improved the monkeys’ health (by cutting cancer and heart-disease risk), but on living longer, they didn’t see eye to eye. But not long ago, they came to their senses, pooled their data, and finally announced this: Yes, eating less upped the monkeys’ lifespan about 15%, but only if: 1) their calories were restricted starting at an older age (post-teens was best), and 2) they ate whole, non-processed foods. But what constitutes “less food” for primates like us? Calorierestriction cheerleaders advise cutting food intake by about 20%; any more, and — unless malnutrition is your goal — you’ll want to discuss with your doc first.
OF COURSE, IF YOU DON’T WANT TO LIVE LONGER, HERE’S HOW TO DO IT you could end up dropping like one. (Cell Reports)
CHEAT WITH LARD Going crazy with high-fat meals can harm your liver and even set it up for higher risk of future fatty liver disease. (Heinrich Heine University Diabetes Center) BAIL ON BREAKFAST People who regularly eat a morning meal are less likely to end up with heart disease. The estimated 20–30% who skip breakfast are also more likely to suffer from obesity and diabetes. (American Heart Association)
S u p e r s t o c k /A l a m y
BURY YOUR FACE IN FAST FOOD (PACKAGING) Around 30% of fast-food wrappers, boxes, etc contain potentially cancer-causing fluorinated chemicals that have been shown to migrate into food and then into our bodies. So, basically, they’re just as bad as the junk that comes in them. (Environmental Science & Technology Letters) CHASE SUGAR HIGHS When flies eat a diet of about 40% sugar for three weeks, they die 7% sooner than those that eat a healthy diet with only 5% sugar. OK, you’re not a fly, but eat too much sugar and
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Health
Breakthroughs
Think you’re getting sick? Soon you may be able to ask your fitness tracker.
(
3
things to watch this month 1. YOUR HAIRLINE (if you want an early cancer warning): Dramatic hair loss at an early age can be a sign of prostate cancer. A study of more than 400 men found that those who scored high on a “hair-loss scale” were up to four times more likely to have a malignant tumour when they came in for a prostate biopsy. (U. of Toronto)
On the right track Wearables are packed with tons of sensors that can track everything from skin temp and blood oxygen to steps taken and sleep quality. But what if they could actually tell us when we’re getting sick? Well, apparently they can — or, at least, soon will. For a year, American scientists from Stanford University followed 43 subjects strapped with as many as eight tracking devices each and gathered more than 250 000 measurements — even radiation exposure. They made some amazing finds, like what causes jet lag (falling blood-oxygen levels in flight) and how to detect inflammation and the risk of type-2 diabetes. They even diagnosed a case of Lyme disease before it became full-blown. Can tracking the common cold be far behind?
Gym Equipment Is Filthy, Wipe It Down buggier than a toilet seat — and more than 70% of those bugs were potentially dangerous to humans. Luckily, most gyms have handsanitiser dispensers — but not all. So keep some alcohol-free sanitiser (it won’t evaporate and dry
out your skin) in your gym bag. Dettol’s easy-touse hand sanitiser is a good choice: The rinse free, nonsticky formula makes it a great hygiene solution for on-thego protection. Kill the bugs, then go kill your workout.
(if you’re feeling famished): Alcohol tricks your brain into thinking you’re starving. Researchers monitored the brain activity of drunk mice (some rodents have all the luck) and found that the hooch excited neurons called AGRP, which sound off when your body goes into starvation, leading the mice to gorge. (U. College London)
3. WHAT YOU FEED YOUR GUT (if you want to protect your ticker): Patients admitted to the hospital with chest pains and high TMAO — a molecule made by gut bacteria — are much more likely to die, have a stroke or heart attack, or need bypass surgery within six months. Pound down those preand probiotics! (European Heart Journal)
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Andrew Cutraro
Billions of gym-loving germs agree: Dettol is a real killer.
RESEARCH SHOWS that the levels of bacteria on most gym equipment could put a gas station bathroom to shame. One recent study found treadmills to be 74 times filthier than a water fountain, and free weights 362 times
2. YOUR BOOZE
Life
Breakthroughs
Sweet nothings get you something To stay close with your significant other, share upbeat, positive stories or encouragements about the day’s events at bedtime, not carping, criticisms, or complaints. • A study at Oregon’s Gonzaga University, USA, on post-9/11 military couples’ emotional lives found that bed talk about both big and small positive moments caused the couples to feel closer to and more supported by their partners; negative conversation had the opposite effect. • When you share happy info and your partner is happy for you (and vice versa), it benefits both of you, says study author Sarah Arpin. • In short, save your downer news for daylight hours; and be sure to throw an “Attaboy!” her way when she reveals something even remotely cool that happened. MAKE SMARTER DECISIONS
of Cambridge)
HAVE HOTTER SEX
GUARD YOUR FACEBOOK
Once you learn a new skill, hammer it into your skull by reviewing it over and over, even if it feels like overkill — that will reinforce it for the long term. But don’t try to learn another new skill without at least a few hours’ break, or you’ll end up sucking at both.
It’s not finding your “soul mate” that will score you great sex in a relationship, it’s effort. In fact, people who believe there’s a “right person” out there for them aren’t nearly as satisfied with their sex life with a partner as those who believe it’s hard work that does the trick.
There’s a 24% chance someone close to you is hacking your FB page — or soon will, says a survey of 1308 users in which 1 in 5 copped to snooping. The reasons vary: GFs do recon, friends prank, and family are just plain nosy. So sign out — and keep an eye on Gram. (Uni-
(Brown University)
(University of Toronto)
versity of British Columbia)
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F r o m t o p : C h r i s C r a y m e r / Tr u n k A r c h i v e ; C h r i s t o p h e r G r i f f i t h
Get better at everything
Listen to your “gut”: A study on very successful high-risk financial traders found they were so attuned to their bodies, they could guess their own heart rate and pick up anxiety signs, like racing heart and breathlessness, with amazing accuracy. (University
MASTER A NEW SKILL
MEN’S FITNESS
11
ON TOP
Everything you need to make life work for you
Hot slam! Both a full-body blitz and a steam-venting adrenaline rush, a med ball workout is a smashing way to muscle up BY NICK TUMMINELLO PHOTOGRAPHS BY JAMES MICHELFELDER
S t y l i n g b y M i n d y S a a d / C e l e s t i n e A g e n c y ; G r o o m i n g b y M a r i S h t e n /A B T P. c o m
12
When’s the last time you got to name a 40kg kettlebell after your boss and hurl it into a concrete wall? Or crash a 20kg plate into the ground chanting, “Cut me off? I’ll cut you off!” Then you can see the beauty of a med ball workout. Even the ancient Greeks knew the benefits of banging around a weighted leather training ball — not just for safely working virtually every muscle in the body and building power but also for the sheer joy of getting out occasional anger or frustration at the gym without worrying about decapitating any shirtless meatheads taking selfies. MEN’S FITNESS
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How It Works Guys often forget to include a power component in their training programs. Power, for those who flunked physics, is the ability to express force over time — or, for our purposes, the ability to complete a weighted movement rapidly (and, occasionally, angrily). That’s where medicine ball training comes in. Tossing a med ball in different directions trains your body to generate power without applying the brakes. You don’t have to slow down at the end of the range of motion like you do when using weights — you can just let the ball fly. On top of that, it’s easy to learn and helps improve explosiveness immediately. The result: a body that performs and a lean sixpack inside of a month. Also, research from Evolution and Human Behavior found that throwing a med ball engages the cerebellum and posterior parietal cortex of the brain — meaning, it can improve your attention span and ability to concentrate. Plus, what other resistance workout lets you beat the living shit out of something without hurting yourself (or anyone else)?
DIRECTIONS Have on hand two medicine balls of different weights and bounces (see specifics, right). Do the workout once a week, on a separate day, to supplement your regular weight training. Rest two to three minutes between sets.
For Exercises 1 to 3, use a ball that weighs 15 to 25 pounds and doesn’t bounce. Perform these moves outside if possible, so you have room.
1 SQUAT PUSH THROW Sets: 5–6 Reps: 3–5
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ball at chest level, with your elbows underneath it. Squat as low as you can while keeping your back flat. Explode upward, throwing the ball as high as you can. Allow the ball to hit the floor, pick it up, and reset.
2 REVERSE SCOOP THROW
Sets: 5–6 Reps: 3–5
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and hold the ball at arm’s length in front of you. Bend your hips back and lower your torso toward the floor while keeping your lower back in its natural arch. Explosively extend your hips and throw the ball overhead and behind you. Walk to the ball and begin the next rep.
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PIVOT ON YOUR BACK HEEL AS YOU THROW, AND MAKE YOUR SHOULDERS AND HIPS MOVE AT THE SAME RATE.
For Exercises 4 and 5, use a rubber medicine ball that weighs 3 to 6 kilograms and has some bounce to it.
4 LUNGE AND OVERHEAD THROW Sets: 5–6 Reps: 4–6 (each side)
Hold the ball overhead and lean backward until you feel a stretch in your abs. Step forward and throw the ball at a wall. Make sure you’re back far enough that the ball can bounce before you catch it.
5 3 SIDE SCOOP THROW Sets: 3–4 Reps: 3–5 (each side)
Stand with legs staggered and your left foot forward. Bend your hips and knees slightly and hold the ball at arm’s length. Twist your torso to the left, shifting your weight to your left foot, then throw the ball across your body to the right as if you were throwing something heavy into the back of a truck.
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ROTARY THROW
Sets: 4–5 Reps: 4–6 (each side)
Face the wall with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the ball at arm’s length and twist to the right. Explosively throw the ball at a wall and catch it after it bounces off the floor once.
On Top Nutrition
B E A S TA L K E R
A stalk of asparagus is loaded with vitamins A, C, E, K, B6, plus iron, copper, and calcium. It also contains asparagusic acid, which gives your urine that, er, sexy skunklike odor.
AH, PUCK IT
To keep your burgers from becoming hockey pucks, push a dimple in the middle before cooking. For optimal juiciness, cook to medium-rare (55°C on a thermometer).
SHROOMING
Portobello mushrooms are an excellent source of riboflavin (energy), selenium (cancer prevention), copper (iron production), and potassium (lowers blood pressure).
A burger well done By Carlo Filippone
SERVES 4
Salt and pepper
BURGER INGREDIENTS
VEGGIE SIDE
•
600g lean ground beef
1
tsp chopped onion
1
tsp chopped red bell pepper
1
tsp chopped green bell pepper
½ tsp chopped parsley Juice of ½ lemon
6
asparagus stalks
2
portobello mushrooms
1
yellow squash, sliced
¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper INSTRUCTIONS
1) Prepare half of a
charcoal grill for direct high heat or turn on one side of a gas grill to high. 2) Mix all burger ingredients in a bowl, then wet your hands with cold water and shape meat mix ture into 4 patties. 3) For the vegetables, place all ingredients in a bowl
and mix well. 4) When grill is ready, brush grate with oil and place burgers on the grill over direct heat, cooking for 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare. 5) Remove vegetables from marinade and place on the grill to the side of the burgers. Brush vegetables with marinade
as they cook. 6) Remove when tender and slightly charred all over and serve with burgers. PER SERVING
427 calories, 28g fat, 5g carbs, 39g protein
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Food and prop st yling by Susan O t taviano
Get your grill on and power up on a classic protein
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On Top Nutrition HIGH TIMES
Hailing from the Greek island of Cyprus, halloumi’s high melting point prevents it from melting on a grill — the outside gets crisp while the interior turns velvety.
Grilled cheesy Loaded with protein while being difficult to melt, halloumi is a unique cheese for both the salad bowl and grill By Matthew Kadey Halloumi salad SERVES 2
TOP IT OFF
Halloumi delivers six grams of protein per 30 gram serving, which makes it a solid (and tasty) choice for boosting protein content in salads and even pizza.
INGREDIENTS
1
(220g) package halloumi cheese
1
peach, halved, pit removed
1
red bell pepper, quartered
4
cups salad greens
1
cup canned lentils
1/ 3
cup chopped basil
2
tbsp chopped walnuts
1
tbsp capers, drained
1
tbsp olive oil
1
tbsp fresh lemon juice
1
tsp honey
1
garlic clove, minced
¼ tsp black pepper INSTRUCTIONS
1) Bring a charcoal grill or a gas grill to medium-high heat. 2) Upend halloumi onto one of its long sides, and slice lengthwise into 2 big slabs. Cut each slab along its width so you have 4 square pieces of cheese. Brush both sides with oil and peach and pepper pieces with oil.
GRILL MASTER
Although known to be a tough melt, halloumi takes only about 45 seconds before it begins to soften on the grill.
3) Place cheese, peaches, and pepper on a greased grill grate. Cook until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes per side.
PER SERVING
702 calories, 37g protein, 48g carbs, 41g fat
BRIAN KLUTCH 16
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Food and prop st yling by Susan O t taviano
4) Spread greens, lentils, basil, walnuts, and capers on plates. Slice peaches and bell pepper, and place on each salad along with halloumi. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, and pepper. Drizzle over each salad.
On Top Drinks ASK THE MIXOLOGIST BEVERAGE DIRECTOR AT GATHER RESTAURANT IN CALIFORNIA, USA DANIEL SHEEL
Now trending
Thirsty? We’ve got your next round covered. By Brian Good he 60s ushered in the era of Tiki drinks like the mai tai. In the late 90s, Sex and the City had all the girls you dated ordering Cosmos. Last year, the Manhattan re-emerged on every trendy restaurant’s cocktail menu. We asked some of our favourite bartenders to weigh in on the next big drinks you’ll soon be sipping in your favourite watering hole (or whipping up at home).
T
I had a bunch of parties over the festive season — now I’m stuck with a ton of half-empty liquor bottles. How long does booze last?
#CLASSICSRETURN
RUM & VERMOUTH
TOM B. CAPE TOWN
Most people say liquor doesn’t have a shelf life, but that’s not totally true. Yes — many typical spirits are shelf stable until the end of time. So that dusty bottle of scotch you break out only for the holidays will be fine until your son is of age. Just make sure the seal is sound. I like to swap out original corks for artificial corks so less evaporates over time. However, spirits that have a lower alcohol by volume (ABV) can’t just sit out on a shelf — they need to be refrigerated. For anything less than 25% ABV — vermouth, sake, and some liqueurs and cordials — you’ve got to keep it cool after opening. If you’re in doubt, check the label — ABV can vary by drink and by brand. Once in the fridge, these drinks keep for up to six months. Also, always check the flavour of liquor you’ve had for a while. Once exposed to oxygen, the taste will gradually change — sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but it’ll never be the same as when first opened.
“For the home bartender, rum is where it’s at this year”, says Natasha Torres, bar manager at Lantern’s Keep in New York City. “It comes from so many different countries and can be made with so many different types of sugar, and each gives it a unique flavour profile. Some you just want to sip like a fine whiskey.” “Vermouth is another classic spirit making a big comeback”, says Jacques Bezuidenhout, co-owner of the Wildhawk bar in San Francisco, USA. “There are dozens of variations of dry and sweet vermouth that will pair perfectly with your favourite gin or vodka, and most people never think to try them.”
BAR BASICS
Prepare the perfect cocktail
The key to a great drink is all in the preparation
OWN THE TREND
The best bottles
Pick up a bottle of Mount Gay XO Cask Strength Rum (R740, Makro). Made by the world’s oldest rum company (in operation since 1703), it blends 8 and 15-year-old aged rums, creating rich oak, ripe banana, and toasted almond flavours. For a vermouth with an equally storied history, grab a bottle of Drapo’s Blanco, Rosso, or Dry Vermouth. Produced in Turin, Italy (the birthplace of vermouth), Drapo is the gold-standard of these fortified wines. # M Y FAV E N E W B O O Z E
CHAREAU, AROMATIQUE & ANCHO REYES VERDE Dozens of new liquors are introduced every
year. Only a few really break out to the big time. A couple notables to check this month: “I really love this new spirit called Chareau”, says Zak Klapperich of Embers Ski Lodge in Nashville, USA. “I can’t stop using it. It has an all-natural aloe flavour and can turn any simple tequila or gin drink into something amazing.” Another bottle to look for is a spicepacked liquor called Aromatique. Originally produced to help with digestion back in 19thcentury Germany, the spirit combines sweet and bitter spices in a
Swap that classic negroni with this spicy mezcal and poblano variation.
different from the smoky heat of traditional Ancho Reyes”, says Scott Baird, co-founder of Trick Dog in San Francisco, USA. “It works really well in mixed drinks but is also delicious chilled.” OWN THE TREND
secret ratio that hasn’t changed significantly in almost 200 years. Finally, check out Ancho Reyes Verde, a green chilli liqueur crafted from poblano peppers. “It has a sweet, herb-like flavour that’s very
If the cocktail you’re making contains citrus, fruit juice, or dairy, it should always be made in a shaker. Pour the ingredients over as much ice as you can pack in the cup and shake until the outside of the shaker becomes frosty. Then strain and serve. For all other cocktails, the ideal prep is stirring, not shaking. You want minimal dilution of spirits! But don’t just dunk a spoon in the glass and swirl it around. Stir rapidly and silently, keeping the ice from jumping around and adding air to your drink. Use a long-handled bar spoon and move it quickly around the glass exterior, hugging the outside edges. The motion should come from your fingers and wrist, not your forearm. Most bartenders rack up at least 30 rotations using a chilled spoon before serving any drink.
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Master these three easy classic drinks Try Chareau in a super easy martini: 2 parts vodka to 1 part of the aloe liqueur, over ice with a lemon twist. Swap Aromatique for vodka in a Moscow Mule: Just mix 120ml ginger beer with 45ml spirit, plus a squeeze of lime. Or try Ancho Reyes Verde in a smoky negroni (above): Stir together 45ml each of mezcal and vermouth with 30ml Campari and 15ml Ancho Reyes. Serve on ice with a twist of orange.
MEN’S FITNESS
17
Game Changers
Mix it up
The ideal punch ratio: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak
Knockout punch There’s no more ideal drink for starting off summer By Brian Good Photograph by Jarren Vink
Now’s your chance to make your own seriously tasty punch. We’re not talking about simply spiking a bowl of juice, or fermenting random fruit in old ice cream containers for weeks in an attempt to make your own homemade cider. The traditional punch bowl has had a recent surge in popularity, this classic concoction — considered by many to be the world’s first cocktail — really is the perfect party drink.
Drink st yling by Ali Nardi
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Pick your sweetener. The easiest options for punches are diluted agave nectar or a quick simple syrup that you can either buy or make yourself. Or, go old-school and make something called ‘oleo saccharum’ — the original sweetener used in most Prohibition-era punches. To prepare it, use a vegetable peeler to strip the peel off some citrus fruit. Coat the chunks of peel with a tablespoon or two of sugar (white for vodka or gin punches; brown for rum or whisky drinks) and let the mixture sit for a couple of hours so the sugar can absorb flavour from the peel. To use the mixture, just add water as needed to dilute the sugar/peel to a thin syrup, strain out the peel, and pour the liquid into the punch.
STEP 3:
TRY THIS…
Blood Orange Thai Chilli Punch 1
750 ml bottle silver tequila
1
375 ml bottle orange liqueur
2 cups blood orange juice (Can’t find it? Use OJ and pomegranate juice instead.) ½ cup lime juice 1
cup sparkling water
1/ 3
cup Thai chilli simple syrup
2 oranges, washed and thinly sliced 1
lime, washed and thinly sliced
•
Ice (to serve)
•
Smoked sea salt (optional for glass rim)
TO MAKE:
1) Add tequila, orange liqueur, blood orange juice, lime juice, sparkling water, Thai chilli simple syrup, and orange and lime slices to a punch bowl and stir until mixed well. Serve punch in a glass filled with ice. Optionally, rim glass with smoked sea salt and garnish with a slice of orange or lime. 2) For the simple syrup: Combine equal parts water and agave nectar in a small saucepan and stir to dissolve. Add three Thai chillies, quartered, and bring to a simmer for 5-10 minutes. Let cool before using in cocktail.
First, get a bowl
“Every culture has its own take on punch, but the message is always the same: Bonding over a cup together”, says Mariena Mercer, Chef Mixologist at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, USA. “I love it at parties because it enables me to step away from the bar and mingle with my guests. I’ve ended many a party feeling like I just pulled a shift. I much prefer having a couple of punch bowls and enjoying the party alongside friends and family.”
Next, create your own custom punch
The word punch has nothing to do with the drink’s kick. The term actually comes from the Sanskrit word for five — the number of ingredients a traditional punch includes (alcohol, sugar, lemon, water, and spices). Although it’s hard to go wrong with a basic ratio of 1:1 or 1:2 alcohol to mixer, most experts agree on a slightly elevated formula: one of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak. “For example, mixing together one part lime juice, two parts sweetener, three parts rum, and four parts water”, says Mercer. STEP 1:
Decide on your booze. Vodka
is most versatile, says Derrick Turner, Head Bartender at Harding’s NYC, USA. “Whatever ingredients you pair with it come through very strong.” Gin and rum pack some flavour but are still easy to work with. “Tequila requires a bit of finesse, and if you use whisky or bourbon, just aim to complement the flavour — you can’t change it or cover it up”, he says. STEP 2:
Select a sour. Your mixer options
are endless: Vodka and gin work best with fruit juices, according to Mercer. “With whiskies, I favour autumnal flavours like apple, cinnamon, and ginger”, she says. Rum is ideal with sweeter citrus juices like pineapple and sweetened grapefruit. “Bourbon goes nicely with orange or lemon but fights with lime, and tequila is happiest with grapefruit and lime”, says Anjoleena Griffin-Holst, Beverage Director for South Carolina’s Table 301 restaurant group in the USA.
STEP 4:
Finish it up. For the four parts
punch dilutor, you can use water or something a bit more flavourful like green or black tea, flavoured water, sparkling water, white wine, champagne, or even soda. Combine all your ingredients together. Add an optional handful of fresh fruit, cucumber slices, or diced hot peppers or herbs, and then top your punch off with a bit of spice — a few dashes of bitters are ideal. Finally, serve it up cool and classy
If you don’t have a punch bowl, Mercer recommends checking out your local thrift store or an antique shop for a retro option that will cost practically nothing. Or, pick a vessel that’s uniquely you. Anything that can hold liquid will work: A metal bucket, flower pots, a fish bowl, stock pots, cookie jars… even a hollowed out watermelon or pumpkin, suggests Griffin-Holst. Then add some ice — you want the biggest cube possible, so it melts slowly. Last, and most important: Make more punch than you think you’ll need. “Treat it like firewood”, says Turner. “When you think you have enough, double it!”
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On Top Nutrition
Zuke ’em!
BETTER THAN BREAD
Zucchini is a supremely versatile veggie and one of the best sources of the powerful antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.
Eggs, sausage, and shrimp team up to turn this low-carb Paleo dish into a 52-gram protein powerhouse By Nick Massie
Shrimp and Sausage–stuffed Zucchini SERVES 3
PRIME PROTEIN
INGREDIENTS
3
zucchinis
1
egg
•
340g sausage
•
340g shrimp, roughly chopped
Shrimp has 19 grams of protein in a 90g serving, making these delicious sea critters excellent muscle builders.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil DIRECTIONS
1) Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds to form a boat. Transfer the zucchini boats to a foil-lined sheet, then season with kosher salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roast in a preheated 180°C oven for 10 minutes. 2) Meanwhile, combine one egg, sausage, and shrimp. Remove the roasted boats and stuff with the sausageshrimp mixture. Return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the stuffing reaches an internal temperature of 70°C. Top with salsa and fresh cilantro. PER SERVING
Calories 598, Protein 52g, Carbs 8g, Fat 39g
Even though sausage is high in fat, it’s also satiating and boosts this recipe’s protein content.
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Food st yling by Susan O t taviano
SAUSAG E PART Y
On Top Training
What’s the deal with that colourful tape I see runners and CrossFitters wearing on their legs, arms, knees, and elbows? Does it really do something or is it a stupid fad? LEN S. JOHANNESBURG
It’s Kinesio tape! And if you’re nursing an injury but continuing to train, it could be your new best friend for support.Kinesio tape, or elastic therapeutic tape, is designed to boost the body’s natural healing process while supporting and stabilising muscles and joints without restricting movement — almost like compression shorts and shirts, or even sleeves. It also alleviates pain, manipulates soft tissue to prolong the benefits of manual therapy, and facilitates lymphatic drainage by pulling on the skin (the tape stretches around 14%), which basically lifts it a microscopic amount. Best of all, it’s easy to apply and comes in nearly every colour. You can get very specific with the placement of it as well as how tightly you apply it. Check out kttape.com for instructions. .
Everyone keeps talking about how important foam rolling is. What’s so great about it?
Spor tpoint/Getty Images
HOWARD D. CAPE TOWN
Rolling around on the floor with foam tubes is a terrific pre-workout protocol. Foam rolling helps mobilise your fascia, the connective tissue surrounding your muscles. If you use a foam roller regularly, you’ll have greater range of motion and less pain during your training; you’ll also be less likely to get injured. Add 5 to 10 minutes of foam rolling after your warm-up but before your workout, and you should see results almost -immediately.
I just got back into lifting weights, and now my left elbow is killing me... I can barely lift a frying pan. What gives? M I K E F. J O H A N N E S B U R G
Why are you lifting frying pans? Get to the free weight section, man! But seriously, pain is a sign you may have injured yourself — or are about to — so listen to it. It could be a tendon strain, tendinitis (usually from overuse), even a fracture or dislocation (though, unless there was Ambien in your preworkout shake, you’d probably remember those). My bet is you strained your tendons by going too gung-ho. I applaud the gusto, but in the future, if you feel pain, take a
Ask the trainer
Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson reveals how to exorcise common aches and injuries and explains why everyone’s wearing tape
break — don’t work through it! But to get some relief now, a few ideas: In the spirit of your newfound fitness zeal, you could work around the pain; so, since it’s your elbow that’s bothering you, focus on lower-body moves. You could also take a couple of days off and, when the pain subsides, slowly get back to upper-body moves, but doing them at a slower tempo. If that doesn’t work, have a physical therapist or masseuse do some soft tissue work. That often does the trick by boosting blood flow to the tendon. If you’re still in pain after that, make an appointment with a doctor.
My knees hurt when I’m doing heavy squats — is that inevitable, or am I doing something wrong? RON S. DURBAN
GUNNAR PETERSON IS A BEVERLY HILLS–BASED PERSONAL TRAINER WHO WORKS WITH PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND CELEBRITIES.
Is knee pain inevitable? Not if you’re using proper form. But that pain could also be a sign of patellofemoral pain syndrome — or a misaligned kneecap — which isn’t good. These tips should help: First, be sure you’re wearing shoes with the right support — please, no squatting in squishy running shoes! Wear flatfooted shoes made for lifting, or even a pair of Chuck Taylors. Next, don’t let your heels come off the ground when you squat — that can push the knees too far forward and cause strain. Flat-
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soled shoes will help you sit back on your heels. Box squats can also help you master proper form. Squat in front of a box about 40cm high, or high enough that your thighs are below parallel when your butt hits the box. Set your feet wider than your hips, and angle your toes out 15 to 30 degrees. Finally, build up stability in your knees and ankles by doing moves that strengthen them from different angles under different loads, like walking lunges and prowler pushes. But till the pain goes away, try an anti-inflammatory like aspirin, and ice the knees nightly for 20 to 30 minutes.
MEN’S FITNESS
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3 Year Warranty
Urban Metropolitan Chrono
Wenger South Africa
@wengersouthafrica
www.luxco.co.za/wengerwatches | Stockist enquiries: (011) 448 2210 22
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On Top Training
Strong like bull (rider) IT TAKES MORE THAN A FANCY HAT TO DOMINATE THE RODEO LIKE A PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDER BY JIM SCHMALTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDGAR ARTIGA
Down a sixer, put on a dusty cowboy hat, and climb onto a pissed-off bucking bull. You’d be surprised to know how many simpletons believe that’s all it takes to become a bull rider. “It’s a misconception that our sport is just a bunch of crazy beer swillers who roll up to the arena and strap themselves to a bull”, says Sean Gleason, Chief Executive Officer of Professional Bull Riders (PBR). “There is more athleticism required in an eightsecond bull ride than in most other sports. The bull moves so fast and riders need to counteract those moves while holding on to a rope with one hand.” To last a full eight seconds — how long a rider must last on a bull to be scored — the rider must adhere to a workout regimen that builds full-body strength, muscle endurance, and agility. One routine that would adequately prep a wannabe rider — or work for a guy who simply wants to gain strength — would be structured similarly to the workout provided by our cover star, 14-year PBR pro Guilherme Marchi (right).
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•
•
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On Top Training
Bull fit FOLLOW THIS ROUTINE AND BE PREPARED TO HANDLE ANYTHING LIFE THROWS YOUR WAY, INCLUDING A RAGING ONE-TON BULL HOW IT WORKS
Whether you’re looking to score big in the PBR or dominate a mechanical bull, training-wise, your best bet is to place more emphasis on exercise variety and volume than hypertrophybased bodybuilding-style training routines, advises nine-time bullriding champ Ty“IMurray. see guys in the gym doing curls for the girls, and that’s not going to help you in this sport. It’s important not to bulk up and shorten your muscles”, he says. As you bull through Marchi’s sample totalbody routine, employ strict form during each repetition, but limit rest periods between sets and exercises to boost cardiovascular and muscle endurance.
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PUSH-UP STABILITY HOLD Holding the bottom portion of a push-up builds core strength, which helps riders learn to stay “tied in” to the bull and better handle erratic zigs when the body would normally zag. If stability holds are too difficult, sub in push-ups.
TIRE FLIP Squat down and slip your hands (palms up) under the tire. Raise the tire about 45 degrees and then quickly switch to an overhand grip. Drive through your heels and press your shoulders forward as you push the tire over. Approach the tire and repeat. Marchi uses these as a metabolic finisher.
A tight core, strong legs, a vicelike grip, and balls of brass— all things required to last just one second on a bucking bull.
THE “STRONG LIKE BULL (RIDER)” WORKOUT WARM-UP*
RUSSIAN TWIST Sit on the floor and lean back so you are balancing on your glutes. Hold a medicine ball with both hands and begin to rotate side to side. Drive your elbows back as far as you can with each rotation to maximise core engagement.
SWISS BALL BALANCE JUMP
EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Agility Ladder (Two in Forward) **.....2 ........... 2 Agility Ladder (One in Forward) *** ....2 ........... 2 Med Ball Wall Toss .....3 ..........10 Med Ball Side Throw ..3 ..........10 Swiss Ball Balance Jump ****.......2 ... Failure Med Ball Slam ............3 ..........10 Dumbbell Shrug ........2 ..........10 Kettlebell Swing .........3 ..........15 Russian Twist ............2 .........15 Push-up Stability Hold .............2 .. 30 sec. Tire Flip .....................2 .. 20 yds. *Ten metres, six reps each, or 30 seconds. **Using an agility ladder, place both feet (one at a time) into each space. ***Place one foot into each space. ****Reduce injury risk by replacing with box jumps or Bosu ball squats.
G r o o m i n g b y Va l i s s a Yo e
Save this move for Marchi and other PBR pros — the risk of injury is high but offers bull riders practice countering and balancing on an unstable surface. A safer alternative: 10 to 12 reps of box jumps or Bosu ball squats.
Knee Hug Shin Tap Quad Stretch Reverse Lunge (hands overhead) Spiderman Lunge Leg Raise Inchworm
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25
On Top Weight loss
Step right up Which new, high-tech smart scale should you buy? We tested the top four brands for two weeks to find out. by Michael Frank
our mom’s antiquated springloaded home scale isn’t the most accurate or best way to measure progress. If you like the way your body looks, but the scale flashes a higher number than expected, it can seriously mess with your head. That said, mining the trove of meaningful data provided by high-tech smart scales — body mass index (BMI), bone mass, body fat, etc — is worth its weight in muscle. • A smart scale also sends a harmless electric current through fat, muscle, bone, and water to measure your body’s percentages of each. • Let’s now weigh our smart-scale options.
Y
1) Fitbit Aria R1 989, takealot.com MEASURES: BMI, weight
and lean mass, and bodyfat percentage over time PERFECT FOR: Fitbit
users SELLING POINTS:
Supports up to 160kgs. DRAWBACKS: Works
only with the Fitbit app, stats aren’t in depth
The scale works seamlessly with Fitbit’s app and trackers to set goals and use Calorie Coaching to achieve them. You can see your stats and progress like lean body mass vs fat on the Fitbit dashboard.
3) QardioBase R2 249, fruugo.za MEASURES: BMI, water
and bone mass, muscle, body-fat percentage PERFECT FOR: Weighers who need reminders SELLING POINTS: Alarm; “Smart Feedback” mode DRAWBACKS:
BMI accuracy
Enable the “Smart Feedback” mode and set your weight target and QardioBase will display a smiley face indicating you’re progressing toward your weight loss and strength goals, in other words, you’ve been crushing leg day.
2) Wahoo Balance R2 530, wantitall.co.za MEASURES: BMI, weight,
weight trend PERFECT FOR: Appleusing bargain hunters SELLING POINTS: Lets you set weight targets DRAWBACKS: Doesn’t use
electrical impedance to dive deeper into metrics
A no-frills Bluetooth scale that’s fairly accurate and built so any newbie could set it up. But while its compatibility with third-party apps is a plus, it lacks the granular fat and muscle data that provide deeper analytics.
Old-school weigh-ins
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4) Garmin Index Smart Scale R 2 089, takealot.com MEASURES: BMI,
full-body composition PERFECT FOR:
Garmin devotees SELLING POINTS:
Can track the stats of up to 16 people DRAWBACKS: Doesn’t play well with third-party apps like Google Fit
Garmin smartwatches and scales collect data separately, but all of this info is available to view on your Garmin Connect mobile app or Garmin Connect desktop account.
If all you want to know is your precise weight, nothing beats the accuracy of a doctor’s scale. Invented in 1917 by “the best scale man in the US”, Mathias C Weber, the Health-O-Meter or balance-beam scale, is tall and stately with that shaky bottom plate and little slider on a beam. It compares the masses of two objects (one being your body) on opposite sides of a beam; as the beam pivots on a fulcrum, a counterweight slides until the beam stops moving, and you have your weight. It’s also low maintenance: Place it on a flat surface (use a level), keep it away from drafts (which can affect the beam), and zero-out the counterweight (turn the little “balance-ball screw” knob on the side).
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On Top Nutrition A recent study found that men who ingested coffee were able to squat more.
Chew the caff The latest mid-workout pick-me-up offers more than minty refreshment By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie
Justine Steele
Caffeine, the most widely used “drug” in the world, has been shown in study after study to help athletes run faster, lift more, bike harder, and jump higher. But gone are the days of waiting in line for a barista to shout your name for you to retrieve a latte to get your caffeine fix.
In recent years, caffeine has been popping up in all kinds of sports fuels, from gels to chews. And the latest delivery method promises an even faster jolt: chewing gum. Run Gum (12 pack, R294, luckyvitamin.com), created by two-time Olympian Nick Symmonds,
contains 50mg of caffeine per piece, along with taurine (an amino acid found in meat and fish that supports brain development) and B vitamins. That gives a two-piece serving about as much caffeine as a standard cup of joe. Simply Gum which is a great vegan option. It’s
organic and made with 100% natural coffee (R212, ubuy. za.com). Why gum? “It [absorbs] faster than coffee or gels”, says Asker Jeukendrup, PhD, a Professor of Exercise Metabolism at Loughborough University in the UK and a leading researcher on caffeine and exercise performance. The caffeine is absorbed quickly into the bloodstream through the lining of your cheeks. Plus, absorption through the skin
has the potential to increase its bioavailability, giving you more vigour from fewer milligrams. Also, chewing any kind of gum has been shown to increase alertness, lower stress, and improve performance. So far, the data looks promising. One recent study from New Zealand found that caffeinated gum gave cyclists a stronger final push, increasing their power output during the final 10km of a 30km workout by nearly 4%.
Still, there’s more research to be done to figure out the ideal timing and dosage. A previous study, in which athletes popped a piece five minutes before performing intervals, saw a 6% performance improvement, while the New Zealand study found that it took about 20 minutes for caffeine to kick in. Though the caffeine will stimulate, research suggests a tolerance to caffeine can occur in as few as four days if taken daily.
To find your ideal kick, Jeukendrup recommends starting with lower doses and experimenting. “Caffeine works with as little as 3 milligrams per kilogram”, he says. But a stick of gum may not work for everyone. The New Zealand researchers noted that while caffeinated gum did improve cycling performance, only 13 subjects experienced the boost. Meanwhile, five had a negative reaction and were non-responsive. Researchers suggest the variability may be caused by differences in how people metabolise caffeine — akin to how one person can cap off dinner with a cappuccino and sleep like a baby, while another gets the jitters.
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On Top Weight loss
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Superfoods offer countless health benefits — but if you don’t go easy on portions, you’ll pack on the kilograms by Adam Bible & Tiffany Gagnon
ice going: You’ve sworn off processed and fast foods and are now a card-carrying member of the superfood fan club, stocking up on enough health-boosting, illness-thwarting edibles to make a nutritionist weep sugar-free tears of joy. But even super healthy foods can have less-than-super downsides. We’re talking calories: Shovel quinoa down your craw or stuff your cheeks with walnuts and it’s your ass that’ll pay the price. So go the “ration-al” route instead by sticking to these guidelines.
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Quinoa CALORIES:
222 per cup
CALORIES:
SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
6 per gram
½ cup
SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
Unlike true grains, quinoa has more antioxidants, more protein (including all nine essential amino acids), fewer carbs, and sufficient levels of heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. But here’s the rub: Quinoa is also higher in calories than pasta or rice, so it can be easy to overindulge. Try mixing in plenty of antioxidant-rich vegetables, like kale and cauliflower, to maximise the portion size but minimise the calories.
Bean-Based Pasta CALORIES:
200 per ¾ cup SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
¾ cup
Opposite page and this page: Get t y
Dark Chocolate
Pastas made with bean, lentil, or pea flour are glutenfree, and have more fibre and protein than regular, grain-based pasta. They’re also rich in nutrients like folate and thiamine — both essential for revving the metabolism and turning food into energy. Just be sure your pasta’s 100% grainfree, not the same old flour noodles gussied up with just a smidgen of bean — those alternatives are usually higher in calories, fat, and sodium.
30-60 grams Lower in sugar than milk chocolate (or almost any other candy), dark chocolate — with at least 70% cacao — is full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory flavonoids. Still, even the darkest chocolate isn’t calorie-free, so have a couple of squares, then wrap that bad boy up.
been found to help lower risk of heart disease and high cholesterol. It’s also full of antioxidants called polyphenols, which battle cell-damaging free radicals and help tamp down inflammation. One downside: Like all oils, olive is basically just fat, making it super high in calories. So have a light hand when you pour.
Coconut Oil CALORIES:
120 per tablespoon
Walnuts
SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
CALORIES:
1–2 tablespoons
7 per gram SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
1 handful (14 halves) Eating walnuts is such a good way to get omega-3 fatty acids — which promote heart health and maybe even weight loss — they’re a fave of the American Heart Association. Being 15% protein and 65% fat, however, they also pack beaucoup calories, so proceed with caution. A handful seems to be the sweet spot. That amount, according to recent research, may help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.
With its mediumchain triglycerides, coconut oil provides energy and may promote fat loss. It also seems to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, even though its main fatty acid is saturated — usually a bad thing (we’re looking at you, red meat). Whether coconut oil is the nutritional saviour it’s been painted as is still TBD — but compared with fats like butter or lard, it absolutely delivers. So enjoy it — just don’t swill it.
Dried Fruit CALORIES:
4 per gram
Olive Oil
30-60 grams
CALORIES:
Dried fruit packs more antioxidants than fresh, plus tons of nutrients (vitamin E, potassium, magnesium). But the dehydra-
SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
1–2 tablespoons This oil, a monounsaturated fat — the good kind — has
Nut Butters CALORIES:
SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
120 per tablespoon
tion process also crams all the fruits’ sugar into little diet-killing calorie bombs; so mix them into salads or trail mix, but resist the urge to eat them straight from the bag.
90 per tablespoon SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
2 tablespoons The good news: Nut butters are versatile and full of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and plant-based protein. The not-quite-asgood news: Just two
tablespoons will run you about 200 calories — and, who ever stops at two tablespoons? To keep temptation at bay, buy your favourite nut butter in servingsize cups or squeeze packets, not barrel-size jars — though if the barrel look is what you’re going for, it’s not a bad idea.
Avocado CALORIES:
300 per 1 whole SUGGESTED DAILY LIMIT:
½ avocado Eating half an avocado at lunch can keep you
STICK TO HALF AN AVOCADO, OR GETTING INTO YOUR WRANGLERS COULD TURN INTO A WRESTLING MATCH. feeling full for hours afterward, a study in Nutrition Journal found, which — on top of lowering heart disease risk and improving cholesterol levels — is one more reason to pick this fruit. Don’t overdo it, though. Think of the avocado as the “fat” cat of superfoods — each has 29 grams! Sure, it’s healthy monounsaturated fat, but too much could still split the seams of your jeans.
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29
On Top Women
Cheat sheet If you got down with someone else but still want to salvage your relationship, the path to redemption can be rocky but rewarding By Brittany Smith hether you had a one-night stand, a long-term affair, or an online fling, if you want to rescue your relationship, expect the road to redemption to be the emotional equivalent of Frodo’s trek to Mordor. But you can win back her trust if you have patience, the balls to admit you sinned, and these expert tips from Simon Marcel Badinter, host of relationships talk show The Rendezvous with Simon and Kim on iHeart Radio.
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1. Own up to it (without rubbing her nose in it) “Tell your girlfriend the truth. Be 100% honest, but never give intimate, visual details, even if she asks”, says Badinter. What she’s imagining is bad enough; giving her the complete play-by-play can be poisonous. Just answer on a need-to-know basis: how many times it happened, if she knows the person you cheated with (if so, you could be SOL, but still, tell her the truth), and if you have feelings for that person. Yes, she’s going to go stark raving mad. Let her cry, scream, rant; brace yourself — you deserve it.
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3. Prove you’re willing to change You need to show changed behaviour and be fully transparent in everything, says Badinter. For starters, break all contact with the person you cheated with. Delete her number and remove her from your social
“TELL YOUR GIRLFRIEND THE TRUTH. BE 100% HONEST, BUT NEVER GIVE INTIMATE, VISUAL DETAILS, EVEN IF SHE ASKS.”
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media while your partner watches. Women are intuitive, Badinter says — if you can regain her trust, you have a chance. 4. Figure out why you cheated While she’s deciding if you’re worthy of a second chance, search inside to find out why you cheated in the first place. Is it something you’ve done before? Are you afraid of commitment? Insecure? Having a tough time in some other facet of life? If it wasn’t just a one-off, and you self-
destruct every solid relationship you’re in, try seeing a couples counsellor (either solo or with her, if she’ll go) to explore the problem. “Once you know why you did it, you can make sure not to repeat the same mistake”, Badinter explains. 5. Accept that she may never take you back Not even heavy-duty grovelling will erase the crappy thing you did — that much is a given. So understand that it’s very possible she’ll choose to walk
away. She may not be capable of forgiving you — ever. 6. If she does take you back, make the relationship stronger “Don’t focus on your guilt; focus on showing her love”, says Badinter. Play guilty and you’ll probably get her anger, not her pity: “There’s a difference between wanting to be with her because you love her and because you’re filled with guilt”, and she’ll know the difference. And remember: If you screw up again, you’re on your own.
Tr u n k A r c h i v e
2. Apologise the right way Do this in person, in her space (apartment, home, etc), never by phone, e-mail, or text, or you can add “asshole” to your list of character traits right after “cheater”. When apologising, don’t quote song lyrics, movie lines, or advice from your buddies. In your own
honest way, describe the magnitude of the regret you feel for hurting her. “If you still love her and are really sorry, she’ll see your apology is sincere”, Badinter says. Also: When apologising or explaining why you cheated, don’t point any fingers. Blaming your indiscretions on something that was missing in the relationship is a cop-out: You need to solve relationship problems, not use them to justify sneaking off with someone else. Finally, if she needs time to think things through alone, get out. Don’t text, call, or show up at her door until she tells you it’s OK. Respect her needs — for a change.
Our experts answer your most intimate questions — no holds barred
I like having sex with the lights on so I can see her body. She says that’s not romantic. What should I do? JACK N. JOHANNESBURG
You like doing it with the lights on because you like to watch; she wants the lights off because she feels insecure and knows you’re watching. The solution? Candlelight sets a romantic tone and is very flattering. She’ll look and feel beautiful and will know you put thought into setting the mood. Light as many candles as
you want, the more the better. You’ll see more of her, and she’ll feel more into you. Or toss a light scarf over the lamp next to the bed. Just be careful not to fall asleep — both could be fire hazards! DR NELSON
It’s pretty common for women in our society to be a little self-conscious, but take it from me — big,
bright, garish ceiling lights that make her feel like she’s at the office just really aren’t sexy. Try leaving the lights on but dimming them. (If you don’t have a dimmer, you’ll need to buy one.) You can also try some attractive, strategically placed lamps with soft, lower-watt light bulbs. Christmas lights are nice, too. You’ll still be able to see her body, but she’ll feel sexier with soft lighting that will accentuate her features. MOUSHUMI GHOSE
You seem to be a typical guy who enjoys the visual, but darkness may help her focus more on sensations. Ask her what she means by “not romantic.” What’s she missing with the lights on? Find middle ground. DR AARON
It sounds like you just need to be more compelling in persuading her to have sex with the lights on, really hammer into her how sexy she looks when you can see her whole body. If that doesn’t work,
THE PANEL
PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX THERAPIST TAMMY NELSON, PHD PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX THERAPIST MOUSHUMI GHOSE PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX COUNSELLOR MICHAEL AARON, PHD WRITER/COMIC JENA FRIEDMAN
you could scare her into it. Maybe tell her about how one time you had sex without the lights on and something terrible happened, like a dog got involved, or someone got strangled by the bed sheets. You can be really creative with this one. And if that doesn’t work, do something sketchy when the lights are off, like “accidentally” put your butt in her face. That might inspire her to light a damn candle. JENA FRIEDMAN
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Learn It!
Tips and tactics for living smarter
This page and opposite: iStockphoto
This bud’s for you
C
If finding a reliable workout buddy were as easy as finding a reliable drinking buddy we’d all be ripped By Jeff Wilser
Confession: I once used a dating site to find tennis partners. I trolled OkCupid and searched for profiles that included the words tennis or Federer or Djokovic, and then I messaged women to see if they wanted to play. They didn’t. Apparently “Hi, I’m not really looking to date, but I’d love to improve my backhand”, is not the way to anyone’s heart. • Evidently science has proven my desperation to find a partner as multiple studies have shown the benefits of one: Having someone to exercise with makes you more likely to hit the gym more frequently and accomplish your goals; you’ll push yourself harder than if going solo; and it improves mood. • Having a workout buddy can also boost your performance. One study of the Oxford University Boat Club rowing crew showed that the group who rowed in unison released more endorphins and rowed harder and faster compared with rowers practising alone. And the extra influx of endorphins into their brains resulted in a higher pain threshold, allowing them to row longer and hurt less. • So if you’re in the market for someone to pound the pavement or bang the plates with — or lob tennis balls back and forth to — here are a few tips on how to go about it.
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How to assess a workout buddy Find these five qualities, and someone’s lesser faults — like a proclivity for telling dad jokes — won’t seem like such deal breakers. 1) ACCOUNTABILITY No more
snoozing when someone’s relying on you, otherwise guilt kicks in. Roll out of bed and take care of business. 2) AVAILABILITY Same gym, same hours, same geographic location. Long-distance workout buddies work about as well as long-distance relationships. 3) POSITIVITY The words emotional support might sound like something from an old Oprah, but one study from Aberdeen, Scotland found that “emotional social support” from a workout partner increased workout frequency. 4) A (SLIGHTLY) HIGHER SKILL LEVEL
Ideally, your partner is just a bit better than you are at the activity, but not so much that there’s a glaring discrepancy. A study from Kansas State University, USA, found that the “optimal exercise partner is 40% better than the other, motivating the less-skilled partner to exercise for a longer period of time and at an increased rate”. 5) PLATONIC ONLY Rule of thumb: You should not want to have sex with your workout buddy.
How to keep a workout buddy Nothing’s more annoying than being all revved up to slam some plates, then be kept waiting for a buddy who moseys in like he’s on Caribbean time, yaks while you’re trying to concentrate, or just doesn’t show up at all. 1) ALWAYS SHOW UP ON TIME
Accountability is the fuel that keeps your workouts going. 2) SKIP EXCESS CHIT-CHAT A little idle talk is fine in between sets, but you don’t want to be “that guy” rambling on and on and on while your partner is doing squats. 3) DITTO, MID-SESSION SELFIES Post glamour shots on your own time. 4) AGREE ON STRATEGY You need to have compatible routines. If one of you is waiting three minutes between sets and the other 30 seconds, then it just won’t last. 5) USE PEP TALKS SPARINGLY You can’t turn every set into the climax of a Rocky movie. I once had a training partner shout, “Come on! Come on! You’ve got this!” at the top of his lungs on every set, even a routine set of dumbbell curls. Pep talks are like salt: A little bit adds spice, too much ruins the meal.
Where to find a training partner THERE ARE MORE WAYS than ever before to find a training partner. Of course, you can ask at your own gym. The people who run the desk may know of someone who’s looking to pair up, or might be open to it; they may also have a bulletin board you could post a notice on, or a Facebook page where you could post a request. But, thankfully, there are some higher-tech ways to do your scouting, and none of them involve Craigslist. (I gave Craigslist a shot, but the search for “activity partners” and “running” served up the results “longest-running poker game” and “how to tango your way out of depression”. Maybe next week.) Here are three training-matchup sites I tried, and what I learned.
BVDDY BVDDY.COM
Free; slick interface; addictive.
PROS:
Didn’t score as many matches as I had hoped; still don’t know how to pronounce “Bvddy”.
CONS:
MY EXPERIENCE:
This is considered the “Tinder for athletes”, but it felt weird swiping left or right to meet other dudes. In my sporty-pictured profile, I wrote, “Mainly looking for tennis partners, but I’m down for whatever”, then realised it might sound like I’m, well,
down for whatever. (I quickly edited.) When I landed on someone, it was awkward to message him, but I finally matched with a person who looked promising. I asked, “Hey, Shawn! Up for a run?” A few minutes later… “Hey, I’m in! When do you usually go?”
MEETUP MEETUP.COM
Free; it’s nearly a lock that your city will have a group for whatever floats your boat, including boat floating.
PROS:
Not as flashy as the newer apps.
CONS:
their 20s and 30s smacked balls into the net, missed their serves, and accidentally whacked balls over the chain-linked fence — perfect, just my speed. Instantly, I had new tennis buddies — mission accomplished.
MY EXPERIENCE:
Many ways to find a tennis buddy: beginners tennis mixers on Sunday afternoon. Intermediate tennis mixers on Friday nights. Social tennis. Competitive tennis. Kids’ tennis. Senior tennis. I attended a “tennis social” where a dozen people in
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Turn It!
Making a difficult situation work for you
T h i s p a g e : G a l l e r y S t o c k ; O p p o s i t e p a g e : G r e g Va u g h a n / T h e l i c e n s i n g p r o j e c t . c o m
Child, please Parenting is one of life’s biggest challenges. Rather than make it harder on yourself by yelling at your “problem child”, work on creating a relationship and understanding what’s causing the behaviour. By Thom Gardner
W
Who would have thought that the greatest piece of parenting advice would come from the neverrespected Rodney Dangerfield: “The best thing about kids… is making them.” I may not remember when I made mine, but since he was born, fatherhood has been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced — but one that brings me joy. • When my son was born, his cries were like gale-force winds tearing through our apartment, his squirms like a baby octopus trying to slip out of a straightjacket — damn you, burritostyle swaddle! And because human beings are born with a hierarchy of attachment, his mother was No. 1 and I was a distant No. 2, cleaning up his number two• There were plenty of times I paced the floor holding my infant son, wondering if something was wrong with him, resorting to tactics that worked for my wife but somehow failed me. I went so far as to record her voice singing his favourite lullaby: Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”. • My feelings of ineptitude gave way to despair, then anger. But knowing when to fold ’em isn’t an option for a dad. Instead, I had to double-down and rethink my role as a nurturer and open up to emotional vulnerability and discomfort — his and mine.
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Understand the struggle Between the ages of 18 months and 3 years old, toddlers are like mini MMA fighters. They hit, kick, and push their way through situations that obstruct their needs and wants. Instead of meeting this seemingly aggressive but absolutely normal behaviour with forced apologies, empty threats, or, worse, physical punishment, try to grasp the emotional needs that are driving this behaviour and you’ll create positive conditions that will help your child thrive at every age and stage. This can be tough because, according to Child Psychologist Laura Markham, PhD, author of Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids and founder of the lifesaving website Aha! Parenting, dads tend to shut down their emotions. “They’re often scared by feelings because they don’t know if they can calm them.” Her mission: coaching fathers to tolerate these feelings. “You say to your child, ‘You wish Mom were here? I miss her, too. But I’m here. I’m your dad. I’m going to care for you because that’s what daddies do. Cry as much as you want; show me how upset you are. I’ve got this. I’ve got you. You’re OK’.” And in situations where your toddler grabs, pushes, or doesn’t use words, it’s important to understand “that young children have limitations in self-regulation and in reasoning”, Markham says. If you, as a father-nurturer, meet your kid’s needs with empathy and understand the developmental stages he or she will go through from the get-go, you’ll be impacting this father–child relationship for a lifetime.
Be the hero, not the villain Understanding a child’s limitations doesn’t give that child a free pass to behave in ways that can hurt another child, but it does give us insight into how to coach kids through social challenges and set limits that foster greater co-operation in the long run. Taking on the role of an authoritarian and enforcer rather than our child’s champion erodes that relationship. Ultimately, Markham points out, “you are your child’s protector, and your child doesn’t deserve to be shamed”. This includes actions like punishing a child on the playground (for example, the poor use of time-outs) for the sake of satisfying other parents’ expectations. “It’s often hard to get a strong-willed child into a time-out without a power struggle. The cost to your relationship
Understanding your child’s development will foster building a lifetime bond of his feeling comfortable coming to you for advice and help.
is so huge. That’s when you find kids acting out over and over again.” We’ve all heard the term “acting out” — when repressed emotions bust through and manifest in undesirable behaviour. But here’s the kicker: Kids stop acting out only if their underlying feelings are validated. During a time-out, Markham says, a child isn’t befriending those feelings and learning to manage them. Instead, she suggests, engaging your son or daughter in physical play before heading off to the playground to release tension through laughter, which increases endorphins
Rules of the Playground
that trigger positive feelings in the body. The kind of rough-and-tumble play that dads typically engage in has longterm benefits. In his comprehensive report, Fathering and Mothering with Boys and Girls — the Example of Fathers’ Physical Play, researcher Richard Fletcher states physical play lets boys “manage aggressive impulses”, as opposed to “being punished for transgressions” because “the father provides safety for his son to explore his physical power”. This benefits girls too, as physical play helps them become more active and can influence their self-image.
The power of nurturing Use Markham’s three-step process to set limits when a child is having a difficult time keeping it together — not just during play time, but anytime. > Acknowledge the child’s POV “You really wanted that shovel back, that’s your shovel and so you hit that boy to tell him so.” See it from their point of view and you’ll connect with them, which is what gives you influence. > Set limits “Hitting hurts. We cannot hit. If you hit, we have to leave the park.” Then follow through, reiterating that it’s your job to keep not just your child but also the other children safe.
> Explain a better alternative Supply your child with appropriate words to use, like ”Move, please”, or “Don’t take my shovel”, or “Give me back my shovel”.
My son’s now a whip-smart 5-year-old who loves Star Wars, leaping from the highest point of the playground and building with Legos. Sure, he looks to me for wrestling and roughhousing, but I know that the foundation of our relationship rests on his confidence that he can come to me for comfort. Interestingly, this also impacts my relationship with my wife. “A protector isn’t just fierce, he’s also nurturing”, says Markham. “When a woman sees that in a man, that’s who she wants to father her children. Every woman who watches a man nurturing a child says, ‘Oh, that’s a man I want to be with’.” Conceiving my son was probably fun, but it’s the countless memories I’ve made with him, by forging a relationship since birth, that I cherish the most. AU G US T/ SEP T EMBER 2 0 2 0
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O C M A R
a z r e t a L
G N I N I L E R V L I S E H T G D S N U O L C F I N D I E H T D N B E H I
Every single step has paved the way to where he is now – an elite personal trainer and motivational coach to a select clientele. Photographs by
Jason Ellis
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Born in Switzerland, Marco Laterza has enjoyed an eclectic yet highly successful fitness career. Every single step has paved the way to where he is now – an elite personal trainer and motivational coach to a select clientele. Most of all, Marco has just made the switch to live online coaching during the coronavirus pandemic. Not only this but when faced with the death of his mother from a long-term illness in March just as the virus pandemic sent the world spiralling into lockdown, Marco was undeterred. In fact, he says he owes his drive and determination to his mother who always believed in him and encouraged him to push himself further to be the best he could be. For all these reasons, Marco dedicates this, his 20th cover, to his mother.
Throughout his life, Marco’s mother was wonderful in supporting and motivating him and has dedicated his 20th cover to her.
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“While working fulltime at a bank, I spent all my free time and resources on undertaking the best training and securing qualifications as a fitness coach and nutritionist.”
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MARCO, COULD YOU TELL US WHY THIS 20TH find peace with everything I’d recently been through. COVER IS A SPECIAL AND YET EMOTIONAL MOMENT FOR YOU?
Yes, it’s a special moment, but also a very poignant occasion. I’m delighted at landing my 20th cover, but this has come at a very challenging time. In the last few months, I’ve faced the personal crisis of a close family bereavement, as well as business challenges due to the Coronavirus. We all know that the virus has turned everyone’s lives upside down in the last few months. But my life recently has been particularly difficult. The early part of this year led up to my mother passing away from cancer in March. I was very emotionally connected to my mother. Throughout my life, she was wonderful in supporting and motivating me to embark on my current journey as an elite personal trainer and fitness model. I owe my drive and determination to my mother’s undying encouragement. My life success has always been inspired by her. My mother would have been 72 this year and she was an incredible person. Therefore, I’m dedicating this 20th cover to her, the person she was and everything she stood for in my life.
WINDING BACK THE CLOCK, COULD YOU TELL US HOW YOU GOT INTO THE FITNESS INDUSTRY?
Starting out as a competitive medal-winning gymnast from a young age, I overcame the adversity of injury and later went into weight training and bodybuilding. As I matured, I chose the banking sector as my professional career and enjoyed a successful period there. However, my true passion was always with fitness. While working full-time at a bank, I spent all my free time and resources on undertaking the best training and securing qualifications as a fitness coach and nutritionist. Ultimately, my mother supported me in leaving the banking industry to pursue my dream as a cover model and elite personal trainer. In fact, I’m the first Swiss national to be featured on a fitness magazine cover and now I’ve been featured on 20. People see me as an innovator and role model in the fitness world. I’ve also steadily built my reputation as a successful coach. I’m now known as one of the best in Switzerland and my latest online coaching venture has been heralded as pioneering.
However, I wasn’t able to do this due to lockdown. So, I used this time to initiate a complete reorganisation of my business. Although I’d been planning this reorganisation for about a year, self-isolation was an opportunity to drive it forward. I also worked hard to turn the negative energy of suffering a bereavement into a positive force, drawing on the inspiration my mother had always given me to shake things up. Of course, I knew there was some risk-taking involved, but all the risks have paid off really well. You can see my new business for yourself by visiting virtuallyfit. tv. My online home features live 1:1 coaching in my bespoke 360-degree HD studio environment. My clients benefit from this unique platform to achieve their health and fitness goals with my expert support.
TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW VIRTUALLYFIT.TV WORKS?
Firstly, this is a totally innovative platform and unique to me and my brand. I’m the first personal trainer in Switzerland to make the full online transition. Already, I’m enjoying considerable success and believe my new business model is very sustainable. Using a 360-degree camera set-up, my clients experience coaching as if they were actually with me in our own private gym space. One of the particular features of virtuallyfit.tv is that I have around 800 training videos loaded onto the backend of the platform. These professional training videos show individual exercises being performed. In many cases, these use particular equipment. This means that during a 1:1 live coaching session, I can show clients how to use any equipment even if I don’t have this particular machine or training aid in my own gym. Each training video comes from the professional sports world and has been produced using the latest technology. The benefit is you can play the footage in slow motion, draw lines on the video or stop and pause the action to show important angles, corrections and ways to optimise the efficiency of exercises. Therefore, the client gets the best advice and support, perfecting their technique and minimising the risks of injury.
IS THIS AS EFFECTIVE AS COACHING SOMEONE IN PERSON?
TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOU AND YOUR BUSIIt’s truly a professional way of coaching and NESS GOT THROUGH LOCKDOWN AND BEREAVE- enhances 1:1 personal training. In fact, in many MENT? ways, this model is superior to coaching someone
Basically, I was devastated at the death of my mother. Losing someone you love to cancer is incredibly hard and painful to watch. Just a week after my mother’s funeral, lockdown was enforced in many countries across the world. Personally, I felt I needed a break after my loss. I wanted to take time out to
in person as it provides video analysis that you don’t necessarily have when training someone in a public gym, for example. Virtuallyfit.tv means I can coach international clients. In fact, someone could be anywhere in the world with just an internet connection to my live fitness studio. I’ve been able to coach
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clients worldwide who’ve been in full lockdown who couldn’t even leave their homes. Yet, they’ve been able to achieve their goals, not letting themselves go during these hard times. My clients especially love and value the interaction with me as I can support and motivate them while we all stay safe from the coronavirus. This is how I’ve kept going and stayed strong through adversity during the last few months.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER BENEFITS FROM VIRTUALLYFIT.TV?
Absolutely. When choosing my live HD online training, you’re training in a clean environment without any of the health risks that can be present in many public gyms. The coronavirus has highlighted these health risks in public places. When people are in close proximity, it’s relatively easy to pass on virulent viruses. We now know how deadly the coronavirus can be and people’s perceptions are really starting to change about the best ways to stay fit and healthy. We now know that public gyms aren’t the healthiest of places. People are getting hot and sweaty without social distancing, sharing gym equipment, breathing hard and also possibly training when they aren’t 100% fit and well. In such cases, someone could easily pass on a virus or bacterial infection to others sharing this training space. However, my virtual training solution wipes out all these risks in one fell swoop as you’re protected in your own clean environment while still benefitting from my elite personal training using the best live 360-degree HD technology.
CAN
YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT HOW YOUR NEW VIRTUAL TRAINING WORKS FOR CLIENTS?
You don’t need to invest in lots of equipment for the type of training I offer. I can show people how to achieve their goals simply using their own body weight. My level of skill and experience is key to showing people the right ways to train and achieve body transformations. I show my clients how to stabilise individual muscles and muscle groups, working these hard for the best results. For example, a push-up or squat can be very intense when performed the right way. It’s all about the muscle/mind connection and variations that boost the intensity of each and every single bodyweight exercise. If you activate the muscles in the right way and combine it with
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intense variations, this is more efficient than using heavy weights like dumbbells. People often train in ways that don’t necessarily work just the primary muscles but involve the joints and tendons too, stressing these and not necessarily deriving the maximum benefit. The idea that you need gym equipment to get into shape is overrated. Going back to our roots, people didn’t use gyms but trained using their own body weight. Right now, the trend in the latest training methods is to head back to our roots and use simple training concepts.
IS
THERE STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CLIENTS TO TRAIN WITH YOU IN PERSON?
Yes, I also used lockdown to finalise setting up my own private gym. This is an exclusive private fitness suite where people can come and train with me 1:1 in person if they want to. When clients attend my gym, they receive a totally exclusive service, which includes my branded towel, water and a post-workout shake. I provide a bespoke service from start to finish. My private gym is yet another example of how opportunities can arise from every crisis. You can really shake up your mindset. My aim as a motivator is to wake people up and open their eyes to new opportunities. People need to be innovative and take risks and I can support them in their fitness journey. Even when facing tragedy, I’ve been able to find incredible positivity and help people by giving them new energy and vitality. My private gym is a super-clean, exclusive environment for my private clients. Although here in Switzerland, public gyms are open and people can go and train there, my gym environment is much safer as it offers 1:1 exclusive surroundings where you aren’t training with other people around and exposing yourself to the inherent health risks.
WHERE ARE YOU HEADING WITH YOUR PERSONAL COACHING BUSINESS MODEL?
I’m aiming for a mix of real-time and virtual clients, but currently a lot of people want to train remotely. For my online live 360-degree HD coaching, pricing starts from 600 euros per month. This includes live coaching for 60 minutes, a training plan, training videos and a zoom check-in every week. During this appointment, we carry out shape checking, taking measurements of the chest, hip, waist, right and left upper thighs and arms, as well as measure body fat percentage if the client has
“Going back to our roots, people didn’t use gyms but trained using their own body weight.”
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“We can find the silver lining behind the clouds and get real results.”
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body fat scales, for example. Ultimately, my clients are fully accountable. This is a standout feature of the program as I can hold people accountable in between our sessions and check-ins help motivate them too. This fee is for the beginner package. Clients can go from there and progress to more sessions. I don’t offer any mass training programs. My coaching is fully tailored to meet the needs of individuals. When someone signs up with me, they’re training with one of the best coaches they can get. As a successful gymnast with years of experience and a host of qualifications, not to mention living the personal fitness journey myself, I’m in the ideal position to help people achieve their goals and maintain these.
COULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR TARGET CLIENT GROUP?
My clients are mostly based in Switzerland but I also have clients from the United States. I work with a variety of people of different ages and from different professional backgrounds. However, my particular specialism is with clients in their 50s and 60s or even older. It’s easier to get someone in their 20s, 30s and 40s into shape but it takes far more expertise as people get older. My target group is particularly managers and entrepreneurs. These people are high-level, busy individuals, looking for the best results in the most time-efficient manner. So, you really need to know what to do to get them into shape. I’m the very coach to do this. My online training through virtuallyfit. tv is targeted yet very convenient and helps my clients to secure fast, effective results. They get a good return on their investment in the minimum amoun of time. So, my main message to anyone out there who’s interested in starting their personal fitness journey is that you can definitely get into shape and achieve body transformation with the right support. My coaching, expertise and motivation represents a lifeline in times of hardship and crisis. Together, we can turn things around and do this. We can find the silver lining behind the clouds and get real results.
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Ice picks Many frozen foods don’t deserve the cold shoulder they get — in fact, for some fruits and veggies, the freezer can be the best place to chill out By
Matthew Kadey, RD
Photographs by
People frequently dismiss the idea of frozen foods being better for you than fresh food. The boxes and bags of nutritional landmines found in the freezer aisle — goopy Hot Pockets, freezer-burned fish fingers and pizza buried under a tsunami of sodium — can easily blow up your diet. But it’s not all doom and gloom for frozen fare. Fresh produce that’s picked up and trucked or flown around the country loses nutrition and antioxidants; freezing it slows the breakdown and helps maintain freshness. In fact, multiple studies have found frozen foods to be just as good and usually better for you than fresh: Previously, UK researchers found that about
Brian Klutch two-thirds of the frozen fruits and veggies they tested had more vitamin C and antioxidants (like polyphenols, lutein, beta-carotene, and anthocyanin) than refrigerated produce. Another study out of the University of Georgia, USA, compared fresh and frozen strawberries, blueberries, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, spinach, and green peas from six grocery stores. Initial tests found both varieties had similar nutrition levels. The food was then stored — fresh in the fridge, frozen in the freezer (duh) — and tested again five days later. The fresh lost vitamins, mostly A and C, and folate. So don’t be a fresh-food-only snob. Jump into the deep freeze with these healthy recipes.
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Pork with cherry sauce
Look for bags of frozen fruits and vegetables where you can feel the individual contents. A bag that feels like a block of ice has been thawed and refrozen, which degrades flavour and nutrients.
SERVES 2
Frozen fruits like antioxidant-packed cherries can add a sweet kick to muscle-friendly animal protein. Even cooler: They’re already pitted for you. INGREDIENTS
1
large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4
tsp canola oil Salt and pepper
•
120g pork tenderloin
2
garlic cloves, minced
2
tsp minced fresh ginger
2
cups frozen cherries
3
tsp balsamic vinegar
2
tsp fresh thyme
2
tsp orange zest
¼ tsp chilli powder ¼ tsp cinnamon DIRECTIONS
1) Preheat oven to 200°C. In a bowl, toss onions with 2 tsp oil and a couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Pile the onions onto the center of a baking pan. Season pork with salt
and pepper and place on the bed of onions. Roast 30 minutes, or until pork reaches an internal temperature of 60°C. Let pork rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. 2) Heat 2 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add cherries, 1 tsp vinegar, thyme, orange zest, chilli powder, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer until cherries begin to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in remaining vinegar. 3) Place onions on plates and top with pork slices and cherry sauce. PER SERVING
368 calories, 38g protein, 25g carbs, 13g fat
Salmon curry SERVES 4
Bags of frozen peas are a stealthy way to infuse your diet with plant protein and fat-torching fiber. And cup for cup, frozen prechopped spinach is actually more concentrated in a range of must-have nutrients like folate, vitamin K, and calcium than its fresh counterpart. Both are an effortless addition to this protein-packed curry in a hurry. Serve over brown rice. INGREDIENTS
1
tbsp canola oil
1
yellow onion, chopped
Food and prop st yling by Susan O t taviano
½ tsp salt 2
garlic cloves, finely chopped
1
tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1
tbsp red curry paste
1
(410g) can diced tomatoes
¾ cup canned coconut milk ½ box (about 140g) frozen chopped spinach 1 •
skinless salmon fillets, cut into 5cm pieces Juice of ½ lime DIRECTIONS
1) Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt; cook until soft and darkened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger; heat for 1 minute. Stir in curry paste; heat for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk; bring to a simmer and heat for 5 minutes.
Blueberry cheesecake muffins SERVES 4
2) Stir in spinach and peas and return to simmer. Lower heat to mediumlow, nestle in salmon, and coat salmon in the sauce. Cover pan and heat for 5 minutes, or until salmon is cooked through. Squeeze in lime juice.
Who says you can’t have dessert for break-fast? These stacks deliver a winning combo of quality carbs, mass-making protein, and good-for-you fats. Research shows the payload of antioxidants in blueberries can help mitigate the muscle damage associ-ated with intense work-outs. And levels of vitamin C can actually be higher in frozen blueberries compared with fresh.
PER SERVING
INGREDIENTS
544 calories, 39g protein, 18g carbs, 36g fat
2
cups frozen blueberries
2
tsp grated lemon zest
cup frozen peas
1
tsp ground cinnamon
700g centre-cut
½ tsp ginger powder
•
Salt
2
tsp cornstarch
2
cups light ricotta cheese
2
tbsp pure maple syrup
2
tsp vanilla extract
8
tbsp almond butter
4
whole-grain English muffins, toasted
DIRECTIONS
1) Place blueberries, ¼ cup water, lemon zest, cinnamon, ginger powder, and a pinch of salt in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally,
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for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, stir cornstarch into 2 tbsp water until dissolved; stir into blueberry mixture and heat for 1 minute, or until sauce is thickened. 2) In a bowl, stir together ricotta, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. 3) To serve, spread 1 tbsp almond butter on each English muffin half. Top muffins with a dollop of ricotta mixture and blueberry sauce. PER SERVING
542 calories, 30g protein, 54g carbs, 25g fat
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Edamame chicken wraps SERVES 4
Don’t overlook frozen edamame — it’s packed with plant protein, fibre, and a range of essential vitamins and minerals. Boiled and seasoned with salt, edamame is a stellar snack option. Or use it to make this superfood sandwich spread that will leave mayo green with envy. INGREDIENTS
2
cups frozen shelled edamame
1
ripe avocado
½ cup coriander 1
1
small canned chipotle chilli pepper in adobo sauce garlic clove, minced Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp cumin powder
chicken 2
carrots, sliced into matchsticks
2
jarred roasted red peppers, sliced
DIRECTIONS
1) Prepare edamame according to package directions. Drain and combine in a bowl with avocado, coriander, chilli pepper, garlic, lemon juice, cumin powder, and salt until slightly chunky. If needed, add a bit of water to help with mixing. 2) Spread mixture on wraps and top with chicken, carrots, and roasted red peppers. Roll tightly and slice in half.
½ tsp salt 4
large whole-grain wraps
2
cups sliced cooked
PER SERVING
509 calories, 39g protein, 44g carbs, 19g fat
Corn, cauliflower, and crab soup SERVES 4
The dynamic duo of crab and Greek yoghurt boosts protein content, while corn provides niacin, which generates the energy you need to crush it in the gym. Look for tubs of fresh crab meat in the seafood section of supermarkets. INGREDIENTS
3
cups frozen corn kernels
1
tbsp canola oil
1
yellow onion, chopped
½ tsp salt 2
garlic cloves, minced
1
tsp cumin powder
½ tsp chilli powder
Regarding chilli, soups, and stews that are going to cook for a while — or blended smoothies — don’t bother defrosting the frozen veggie or fruit.
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2
cups vegetable broth
3
cups frozen cauliflower florets
1
cup plain Greek yoghurt Juice of ½ lemon
4
tbsp prepared pesto
•
340g fresh lump crabmeat
DIRECTIONS
1) Thaw 1 cup corn kernels; set aside. 2) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and salt; heat for 5 minutes, or until onion is soft and darkened. Add garlic, cumin, and chilli powder; heat for 30 seconds. Add broth, 2 cups corn, and cauliflower. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. 3) Place soup in a blender with yoghurt and lemon juice; blend until smooth. 4) Divide soup among 4 bowls and top each with 1 tbsp pesto, ¼ cup thawed corn, and 90g crab. PER SERVING
343 calories, 28g protein, 28g carbs, 15g fat
Avocado isn’t the newest food out there, but this superfood has so many benefits to it in terms of vitamins and minerals and fibre and protein.
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get lean ways to
If you have yet to shed the comfy layer of adipose you acquired over the past few months, relax: There’s still plenty of time to do it — and to add some muscle while you’re at it. We’ve compiled 30 of our most effective get-lean tips to kick-start your beach-body plan. And though a concerted program of both diet and exercise is most effective for shedding fat, we’re not going to weigh you down with specific dietto-exercise ratios. Just keep in mind that losing weight should be part of a holistic strategy that leaves you stronger, fitter, and healthier overall. Now, get ready to rule.
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30 ways to get lean
Ever see a fat mermaid? Swimming is a dynamite fatzapping workout.
Go heavy on squats. The more muscles you can recruit with proper form, the stronger you’ll get and the more fat you’ll burn.
2
Train with a stronger pal. His ass-kicking will work you harder and get you stronger.
3
Go on the prowl. Combining cardio and weights — like
4
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O p e n i n g s p r e a d : G r e g L o t u s / Tr u n k A r c h i v e ; T h i s p a g e : O f f s e t ; O p p o s i t e p a g e : Tr a v i s R a t h b o n e / Tr u n k A r c h i v e
1
Do your best Michael Phelps imitation. Don’t just splash around, swim. It’s low impact and can burn 900-plus calories an hour.
pushing a prowler, jumping rope, or doing circuits — burns max fat. Run ten 100m sprints. You’ll burn up to 500 calories and sleep like a rock at night.
5
Eat off a blue plate. Seeing food on a blue dish — as opposed to red or yellow — reduces appetite, studies show.
6
Buy nuts (peanuts, pistachios) unshelled. You’ll eat half as many if you have to shell them yourself.
7
Chew mint (or sugarfree mint gum) after meals. The flavour tells your brain it’s time to stop eating.
8
Do power yoga. It can burn 344 calories per hour.
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Train fasted once a week. Skipping a preworkout meal — aka intermittent fasting — works to keep adrenaline high and blood sugar low.
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“Drown” your appetite. Dehydration can make your body think it’s hungry, so drink 400ml of water per day.
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Start skimming! Ditching cream and sugar for skim milk and no sugar
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can save you 105 calories a cup. Drink two cups a day, and that’s 76 650 calories a year. Use only ellipticals with handles. You’ll recruit muscles in your arms and burn almost double the calories overall.
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Get egg on your face. Among people who skip breakfast, 30% are more likely to be obese, says the American Heart Association.
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30 ways to get lean
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Berries’ fibre and flavour can turn a smoothie into a hungerkilling weapon.
Shop till it drops. Your weight, that is: New gear can inspire you to lift harder, get leaner, and recover faster. Try these:
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NIKE METCON DSX FLYKNIT Ditch the running shoes when lifting — you’ll work heavier and safer wearing sneakers with a flat sole, supportive heel, and airy, superlight upper. R2 399, NIKE.COM
CROSSROPE BOLT With its aluminium handles, ball bearings, and two weighted ropes, this jump rope can’t be beat for burning calories or flying through doubleunders. R1 360, IMPORTITALL.CO.ZA
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Use panko to crush that crust. Use Panko flakes soak up less oil than breadcrumbs, so they’re perfect for coating
17
Then learn the (c)leanest menu words—and use them religiously. Grilled, baked, lightly sautéed, primavera, marinara, roasted,
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“Garçon, a doggie bag, please!” Ask the waiter to serve you half your entrée and pack half to go.
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proteins like pork chops and chicken.
and — the Messiah of Menu-dom — steamed.
Try the “burns twice” diet. Hot spices rev up your metabolism and help you eat more slowly.
Learn the dirtiest menu words. Alfredo, butter,
Booze smart. Order cocktails
Scare the shit out of your muscles. Aww, they’re too timid to work out with unfamiliar gear
breaded, battered, crispy, fritters, golden, refried, loaded, pan-fried, covered, and — the all-time filthiest ever. Avoid them all!
with soda water and fresh lime juice instead of sweetened mixers, which can add 150 calories to your glass.
like SandBells or truck tires? Make them do it anyway — the change-up will help your body recruit more muscle fibres.
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Treadmill line? We don’t need no stinking treadmill line. Do box jumps or burpees while you wait.
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Honour thy fava. All beans, really: They’re protein and fibre-packed and can melt fat.
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This page: Sam Kaplan; Opposite page; Stocksy
MOJI CURVE PRO This freezable, portable massager has four stainless steel balls for a 360-degree massage that helps break up gnarly muscle knots for improved mobility. R600, GOMOJI.COM
Berry the past. The resveratrol in strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries can help you drop kilos by turning flabby white fat into calorie-torching beige fat, reports Washington State University, USA .
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Iron things out with her. Training with your sig-o can boost the odds you’ll stick to a workout by as much as 34%.
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Choose the right supps. Supplementing wisely can help you fight cravings, shed water weight, and have more energy to train.
Give yourself
half a break. Cut rests in half. You’ll send your muscles and cardiovascular system into overdrive, and burn more fat.
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Think of each
meal as a jealous lover. Don’t let anything distract you from your food. Doing something else — watching Netflix, working,
Be a HIIT man. Turn your body into a fat-burning furnace by alternating sprints with jogs.
watching Netflix
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while working — during a meal can cause you to eat 50% more, says the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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John Cena: WWE’S
RENAISSANCE MAN After a few high-profile movie cameos, TV-hosting gigs, and a starring role in Amazon Studios’ forthcoming war thriller The Wall, WWE Superstar John Cena has become WWE’s (and now Hollywood’s) most reliable, versatile, and bankable performer since Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. BY M&F EDITORS PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL
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He
taunts opponents with his signature catchphrase, “You can’t see me”, the truth about John Cena is that you can catch a glimpse of the WWE Superstar just about anywhere these days. Cena has been a staple on WWE Network and one of its main attractions for the past 15 years — and for good reason. With his quick wit, golden tongue on the mic, and jaw-dropping displays of strength — hoisting a 205-kilogram man onto his back and slamming him into the mat is just another day at the office — Cena has morphed into a living legend in the ring as well as the guy fans love — and love to hate. At 40, Cena has expressed no signs of hanging up his boots and jorts. He has, however, been showcasing his talents outside the WWE. Last year he hosted the ESPYs, Saturday Night Live, and the Fox competition series American Grit, which has been given the green light for another season. These projects were built upon memorable cameos in the 2015 comedies Trainwreck, starring Amy Schumer, and Sisters, with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. And you’ll see even more of Cena on the silver screen, as he’s about to board the publicity train to promote The Wall, a psychological thriller from Amazon Studios in which he plays a US soldier caught in a stand-off with a sniper in Iraq (release date to be determined). Men’s Fitness caught up with Cena while he hit the weights in his hometown of Tampa, Florida, USA, to talk training, hydration, and snipers.
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MEN’S FITNESS: Before becoming a WWE Superstar you worked at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California, USA. What did you do? JOHN CENA: Everything. I was wellknown for being the guy getting folks water, pre-workout drinks, supplements, and Gold’s Gym shirts. I was kind of the mayor of Gold’s Gym. Gold’s Venice was like a Grand Central Station for bodybuilding at the time. Then Gold’s went public and the business model changed, and so did the dynamic of Gold’s Venice. It’s still a really unique place to go, and every time we’re in the area, I always stroll back in there. MEN’S FITNESS: You were a competitive bodybuilder back then. Did you ever want to make that a career? CENA: It’s just like playing American football and knowing you’ll never join the NFL. Being a 1.83m natural bodybuilder at a competition weight of 99 kilograms, I knew that I wasn’t going to be a professional bodybuilder. It was just something to keep me in shape. I’ve always really needed a purpose to stay in shape, whether it was playing football or trying to work towards a competition, then, WWE came along. MEN’S FITNESS: You’ve been the “Face That Runs the Place” at WWE for 15 years. Is there any Superstar you’ve never had the chance to work with that you wish you had or could? CENA: Past Superstar — Andre ‘The Giant’, because Andre was the benchmark for so long. Not only in the ring but also backstage. There’s something about earning the respect of your peers that I think is just an intrinsic, valuable thing for me in this industry. If I’m on the callout list, I’ll call out ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. Every time he shows up I try to say, “Hey, man, I know you got one more left”. MEN’S FITNESS: Who is the future face of WWE? CENA: That is a good and interesting question. I believe the industry has changed (again). I saw it change in the early 90s when WWE switched to the Attitude Era. I saw it change in the early 2000s when WWE switched to the Ruthless Aggression Era. I can see it
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changing again now. I think you’ll see the brand shift from a one-person thing to a bunch of people, especially because we have so many brands now, with 205 Live, NXT, and SmackDown. MEN’S FITNESS: Will this new shift be what WWE fans are looking for? Cena: You’ll never be able to give them one individual who they like, because quite frankly, once someone gets notoriety, that demographic doesn’t like it. Anyone who tries to become popular will not be popular. It’s a weird contradiction of sorts because the audience won’t allow it. MEN’S FITNESS: How has your training changed in the last decade? CENA: In 2004, my training was more focused on aesthetics. I was younger and bulletproof. I could just go to the gym and work out really intense and repeat and repeat and repeat. I didn’t have to care about precautions, pre-workout, postworkout mobility, or recovery. I could eat anything I wanted too — it was damn near 15 years ago, man! That’s a long time ago. Nowadays, it takes longer to get me going. I started switching to more sports performance and strength-related stuff in 2006. It’s much more focused on strength and performance rather than aesthetics. MEN’S FITNESS: Are there exercises you’ve done away with because they either don’t provide enough benefits or aren’t
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worth the injury risk? CENA: I guess all isolation movements, like biceps curls, and all the small muscle groups that people really like to focus on — except for purposes of physical therapy. I work on mass-movement concepts now. MEN’S FITNESS: Tapout has embraced the transition of athletic wear from training in whatever isn’t dirty to training in more comfortable, stylish workout gear. When did you notice the change? CENA: When I was in my infancy in training I always was notorious for doing a lot of lower-body work. I used to be really picky about the shorts and the warm-up pants that I would wear because they had to fit and allow me to move through my full range of motion. Manufacturers didn’t really hook onto that. It was so difficult to find workout apparel that was functional but also made me feel good about putting it on, until just recently. That’s weird to say about clothes, but I feel the same when I put on a suit. There’s nothing worse than spending a day in an ill-fitting suit, and there’s nothing worse than trying to work out in clothes that don’t perform well. So I’m really fortunate to align with Tapout — a company that actually makes stuff that fits and performs well. MEN’S FITNESS: Between promoting WWE, Tapout, and The Wall, how do you keep your diet and goals on track?
Cena: I invest in myself. The busier you get, the more you have to do that. There are a lot of folks out there who fancy themselves budding entrepreneurs. Just remember, there are only 24 hours in a day, and those hours get used up fast. You have to invest in your product, and if you are a brand who is a human being, you have to invest in yourself. MEN’S FITNESS: The Wall looks to be a departure from your previous action-heavy starring roles in The Marine (2006), 12 Rounds (2009), and The Reunion (2012). What are the major differences? CENA: The other stuff is effects-based action — guy loses girl, guy chases girl, stuff blows up. That’s easy. The Wall really goes into the mind of a sniper. There’s not a lot of action — it’s two guys, in a movie for 90 minutes, and you’re on the edge of your seat the whole time. It’s a really intrinsic thriller of the psychology and counter-psychology of sniping. You sit and you watch, and you wait. The psychological component of being a sniper is about which targets to hit, the order of operations, and the psychology between the sniper and his father. I read the script in 15 minutes, and I don’t blast-read anything. I said, “If there’s any way that I can be a part of this, please let me know”. The guys at Amazon Studios were really happy to have me on board. I’m so glad.
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MEN’S FITNESS: Any specific diet advice you can offer? CENA: Don’t make bad choices. We all know what is good and what is bad. Make sure to drink enough water and that’s absolutely it. Period. I don’t care what diet you’re on, whether it’s ketosis or you’re trying to do a split-carb protein whatever. Just make good choices, and drink enough water. MEN’S FITNESS: What was it like working with director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson? CENA: Doug Liman is a very talented director but certainly demands the most out of his employees. I love that, because my boss, Vince McMahon, is the same way. It was a pleasure to work with Aaron Taylor-Johnson too. He is a star; He made me better and it was a really cool thing to do.
OLDER, WISER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER John Cena used to train like a bodybuilder but now works out like an athlete — relying on compound exercises and strategically choosing set-and-rep schemes that ensure progression while reducing injury risk. See the differences in Cena’s workouts below:
CENA’S OLD-SCHOOL CHEST ROUTINE EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Incline Machine Press
5
20
Incline Barbell Press
5
20
Machine Flye
3
15
Cable Flye
3
15
Bench Press
3
10
CENA’S UPDATED UPPER-BODY ROUTINE EXERCISE
SETS
REPS
Bench Press
3
5
Incline DB 1¼ Press*
3
6
Lying DB Triceps Extension
3
8
Single-arm DB Row
4
5
Machine Row
3
8
Barbell Shrug
4
6, 6, 5, 5
Landmine Twist
2
10
*Lower the weight to upper chest. Push up one-quarter of the way. Lower back down to chest. Push up to full extension. That’s one rep. 64
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The 7-meal Imagine prepping just one healthy, tasty, muscle-building protein like chicken, pork, or beef, then turning that into seven days’ worth of meals that take almost BY A D A M B I B L E AND N I N A C O M B S no planning, very few PHOTOGR APHS BY T R AV I S R AT H B O N E ingredients, and — except for the first day — no more than 15 minutes to make. Impossible? Not when you use these simple suggestions we’ve put together with the help of American Chef, Author, and TV personality James Briscione, Director of Culinary Development at the famed Institute of Culinary Education in NY, USA - and the firstever two-time champion of the Food Network show Chopped. For more recipes, you can visit us online at mensfitness.co.za. But really, you can pretty much just wing it using these basic directions. Dig in!
It’s simple, speedy, and supersmart: Cook up just one big, juicy protein for the week, and enjoy nutritious, delicious, non-boring dinners in less than 15 minutes a night.
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miracle!
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7 quick ways to eat...
ROAST CHICKEN!
With its incredibly high protein-to-fat ratio, chicken is the preferred protein for muscle building and a lean physique.
Sunday
Tuesday
1) Roast two juicy Whole Chickens
3) Stir it into a Robust Stew
To have enough chicken for the week, roast two birds at once. Slather both with olive oil and salt/pepper; stuff one with halved lemons and the other with fresh thyme and a head of garlic cut in half. Roast at 190° till the thighs register 75° (50–60 minutes). Serve 1 breast with rice/quinoa and fresh spinach sautéed with garlic/onion.
Sounds crazy, but using All Gold tomato juice* as a stew/ soup base is fast and incredibly tasty. Boil small potatoes in a large pot; drain half the water. Add tomato juice, chicken stock, chopped celery, a bag each of frozen peas, corn, and green beans, and half a can of chickpeas. Sauté chopped meat from drumsticks and wings with garlic/onion, and add to pot; simmer 10 minutes. Feel free to spice it up with cumin, coriander, chilli powder, and/ or sriracha. Top with sour cream or grated cheddar.
S M A R T M O V E : Buy loads of spinach, make extra rice, and chop tons of garlic/ onion to use all week.
Monday 2) Toss it into a Veggie-Rice Bowl
Pasta-mazing: Throw greensv— kale, broccoli rabe, spinach — in for a tasty, healthy snap.
SMART MOVE:
Thursday
Mix it with Pasta, Cheese & Greens
*Secret ingredient!
It doesn’t get much easier than this. Make linguine or another pasta; drain all but a cup of the water from the pot when it’s done, add chunks from one chicken breast, olive oil, lemon juice, ricotta (it has the most whey protein of all cheeses), Parmesan, and fresh spinach. Heat for about 2 minutes.
Don’t skimp on celery — it adds major flavour (especially the leafy tops, if you can find them).
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4) Whip up some Glazed Thighs
T-fal Ingenio Rapid Food Chopper R370, ubuy.za.com R AV E R E V I E W
ONE MORE “ CHOPPED” CHAMPION!
SMART MOVE:
Super short on time? Buy some lowsodium teriyaki sauce and thin it with rice vinegar. AU G US T/ SEP T EMBER 2 0 2 0
We got this free at an office giveaway and figured it was just some useless gadget — but damn, were we wrong. Put in chunks of veggies, pull the string five or six times to rotate the centre blades, and the food’s chopped in literally (not figuratively, literally ) five seconds. Plus, it’s super easy to clean. In fact, it’s so fast and fun to use, the food stylist at the photo shoot wanted to take it home with her!
Freeze extra pesto in an ice cube tray, store the cubes in a freezer bag, and use them as you need them. Saturday 7) Finish it off in a Zesty Chowder
In a pot, mix a bag of frozen corn, rosemary, chopped garlic and onion, diced red pepper and green onion, salt/pepper, and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup till some (not all) is smooth and thick; stir in ¼ cup of yoghurt. Chop 2 chicken thighs and heat in a pan with olive oil, garlic, and chilli powder. Add that to the soup and top with sour cream or yoghurt. Choose red peppers over green — they have twice as much vitamin C as green. SMART MOVE:
F o o d s t y l i n g b y C h r i s L a n i e r /A p o s t r o p h e ; P r o p s t y l i n g b y S h a r o n R y a n / Halley Resources; Chopper: Jarren Vink
Make the world’s easiest vinaigrette: Olive oil, balsamic or red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and a little honey, shaken then stored in the fridge in a smoothie shaker! SMART MOVE:
Make a big batch of salad with spinach, onions, and mushrooms and use it all week to add to pasta, sauté for scrambled eggs, etc. To keep it fresh, layer paper towels over it, close it, and set it upside down in the fridge. Replace towels every two days.
SMART MOVE:
Wednesday
Warm 2 thighs in a non-stick pan with garlic/onion (or scallion). Add low-sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ground ginger, and a pinch of sugar. While it cooks (about 10 minutes), steam leftover rice in a pot, then add fresh broccoli to steam as well.
6) Stack it on an Italian-Style Sub
Toss a sliced chicken breast with sliced peppers and onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dried basil or oregano, and salt/ pepper. Brown a split roll (like ciabatta) under the broiler, then layer on the chicken mix, tomato, and mozzarella; rebroil till the cheese melts (3–4 minutes). Top with basil leaves or pesto sauce (we like Buitoni, from the grocery’s cold case).
SMART MOVE:
In a bowl, mix fresh spinach, chopped garlic/onion, warm brown rice — it’s superfilling and has a great nutty flavour — and a breast’s worth of chunked chicken (steam them in a pot, or nuke the rice and sauté the chicken in a non-stick pan with 1 tsp olive oil). Toss in your choice of walnuts/almonds, tomato, canned beans, or dried cranberries. Top with vinaigrette.
Friday
BEST IF EATEN BY... The US FDA advises keeping cooked meats in the fridge for just 3–4 days, but we consider that very conservative — we’ve kept them for 7–9 days with no problems. (And leaving it on the bone keeps it freshest the longest.) But if you’re squeamish, freeze half after cooking, then thaw midweek.
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7 quick ways to eat...
HERBED PORK!
Don’t be afraid of nutritious pork. Go with the lean whole loin, but don’t overcook it — less fat means it can dry out quickly. Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
1) Cook up a big Pork Roast
2) Pack it into Cheesy Quesadillas
3) Add it to a Hearty Bean Stew
Rub the loin with a mix of garlic, rosemary, thyme, and sage or black pepper; set in a potjie with apple and red onion wedges. Roast till internal temp is 65° (about 45 minutes); the centre will be pink, and the pork juicy and flavourful. Serve with sautéed asparagus and quinoa.
Marinate red onions and All Gold diced tomatoes with some chillies for 5 minutes. Add sautéed mushrooms, chopped zucchini, and/or canned beans. Heat 2 tortillas or wraps in a non-stick pan; fill ½ of each with shredded cheese, pork slices, onion mix, then more cheese. Fold over; when cheese starts to melt, flip to brown the other side.
Sauté chopped onions, garlic, and ginger in a stew pot; add a can of black beans, ½ cup of beef broth, a bag of frozen stir-fry veggies, cumin, and chopped red pepper, and sauté for 10 minutes. Throw in some chopped pork (and pineapple chunks canned in juice, if you feel the urge) and enjoy.
SMART MOVE:
Buy enough asparagus for a few meals. To keep it fresh, stand it in a glass with 5 centimetres of water; cover loosely and fridge it.
*Secret ingredient! SMART MOVE:
All Gold diced tomatoes are a good cooking staple to spice up dishes fast.
Wednesday 4) Pile it high in a BBQ Sandwich
From the Chef
JAMES BRISCIONE,
ICE’s Director of Culinary Development and co-author of Cognitive Cooking with Chef Watson, a collaboration between ICE and the IBM supercomputer.
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Keep packs of frozen stir-fry veggies on hand to add vitamins, minerals, and fibre to meals quickly. They’re flash-frozen when picked, so they keep their nutrients. cabbage and carrots with chopped green onions (tip: Cut them with kitchen scissors and you won’t need a cutting board), cider vinegar, olive oil, chilli sauce, and celery salt. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes. SMART MOVE:
Go for sprouted breads. They have no refined flour and are high in protein, low in carbs, and full of vitamins and minerals.
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R AV E R E V I E W
One Very Hooked-up Meat Thermometer iDevices iGrill 2 R1 480, ubuy.za.com
For cooking food that’s not underdone (hello, trichinosis!) or overdone (yum, sawdust!), no other thermometer can compete with the iGrill 2. Because it pairs with a smartphone app via Bluetooth, it alerts you at the exact moment food reaches the proper internal temperature. Adios, constant oven checks!
Thermometer: Jarren VInk
“ Great meals are all about prep. Start with a solid plan and you’ll see how simple good food can be.”
Thin some storebought low-sugar BBQ sauce with a little apple cider vinegar. Add some rough-chopped pork and let it marinate for about 5 minutes. Toast a sprouted bun (or broil it till it’s browned); nuke the pork mixture for 30 seconds, then layer it on the bun with vinegar-based (nonmayo) coleslaw and dill pickle slices. For a quick slaw, just mix shredded
SMART MOVE:
Thursday
Skewer it for Tangy Kebabs Marinate chunks of pork, scallion, and asparagus with olive oil, orange juice, soy sauce, salt/pepper, and a little brown sugar for 5 minutes. Thread pieces onto skewers with fresh nectarine chunks (they’re so sweet, so take advantage!) and grill or broil about 10 centimetres from the flame till you see grill marks. Brush with more marinade and serve over your favourite grain. SMART MOVE:
PIG-OUT: PORK IS RICH IN VITAMIN B6 AND IRON.
Soak wooden or bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes before grilling so they don’t burn.
Friday
Saturday
6) Stuff it in a Giant Sweet Potato
7) Make a quick Pork & Veggie Sauté
Poke one or two sweet potatoes with a fork several times, and nuke them uncovered on a plate for 5 minutes each side. Mix some finely chopped pork with a can of chillies, and microwave for 2 minutes. Split open each potato, spoon in the pork mixture, and stir it up with the potato. Top with sour cream and chilli sauce.
Sauté red and green peppers and onions in coconut oil till they’re tender. Stir in pork slices, chopped garlic, cumin powder, lime juice, cilantro, and enough water to create a sauce; simmer till it thickens. Serve over brown rice (a 10-minute boilin-the-bag works nicely) and garnish with Italian parsley.
SMART MOVE:
Don’t like microwaved spuds? Drive a long aluminium or stainless (not galvanised!) steel nail in a potato’s end, wrap it in foil, and bake at 180° till it’s “squeezable” (about 35 min). The nail cuts baking time down.
Get on the stick. Nectarines add a sweet, surprising flavour to kebabs.
SMART MOVE:
To peel garlic easily, smash the whole head with your hand (or a kitchen rock — aka a big, fist-size rock you find somewhere and keep in the kitchen) to separate the cloves. Toss them into a jar, close it, and shake like hell — the peels will be gone in seconds.
Top-speed sauté. Finish off the week with a spicy porkand-veg combo.
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7 quick ways to eat...
LEAN BEEF!
Loaded with protein, lean beef is perfect for maintaining muscle mass Sunday
Monday
1) Cook up a nice, big Rump Roast
2) Add it to a Veg & Grain Bowl
(PIC, OPP OSITE PAG E )
In a bowl, mix a can of chickpeas, chopped cucumbers and green onions, grape tomatoes, lemon juice, and instant couscous. Cube some beef, steam (our choice) or nuke it for 30 seconds, and add it to the bowl. Top with store-bought or homemade Greek tzatziki, a tangy, garlicky white sauce.
Season a 2.5-kilogram rump roast with salt/pepper, then sear in a potjie on the coals. Add beef broth and roast at 170° till the internal temp is 70° (about 40 minutes). Simmer the roast juice in a pan with some soy sauce till it thickens. Serve roast with sauce, steamed broccoli, and brown rice or quinoa.
Bowl winner. Tzatziki sauce gives this fast beef bowl a real kick.
SMART MOVE:
Make your own easy tzatziki: Add grated cucumber, garlic, and dill to a cup of Greek yoghurt. Made right (i.e, with lots of garlic), it’s very potent — don’t eat it on a date night!
SMART MOVE:
To save time, buy fresh broccoli florets (the freshest broccoli is purplish, with no brown spots) not a whole head. They’re a bit pricier, but — no chopping.
Tuesday
Shred it into time-saving Spicy Tacos Just slice a section of beef (or shred it with two forks) and mix it with chipotle salsa and lime juice. Microwave for 30 seconds, then spoon onto warm corn or flour tortillas or wrap. Top with chopped red onions and tomatoes, a few slices of avocado, and fresh cilantro. To check an avocado’s ripeness, pull the stem out — If it comes away easily and is green underneath, it’s ready to eat. If it’s brown, it’s seen better days.
SMART MOVE:
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Tex-Mex in secs. Beef, salsa, onion, and tomato tortillas. ¡Rico y rapido!
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Saturday
Load it into a Delectable Salad
Beef up your dinner menu. Turn a lean rump roast into seven fast, easy meals.
Beef and salad make a great combo when Asian flavours are added. Combine soy sauce, a little sugar, some lime juice, grapeseed oil, chopped jalapeño, minced ginger, garlic, and a dash of fish sauce*. Cut thin slices of beef, add it to the sauce, and mix it with a salad of mixed greens, grape tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber. Top with fresh cilantro and chopped peanuts, almonds, or walnuts. *Secret ingredient!
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
4) Pack it into a Decadent Sandwich
5) Concoct a Savoury Stew
6) Create a Fiery Burrito Bowl
Sauté sliced mushrooms, onions, peppers, and a little bit of garlic in a saucepan. Thin-slice some beef, sprinkle with salt/pepper, and add to the pan with a splash of beef broth or water; heat through. Brown a sprouted bun under the broiler, spoon the mixture inside, and top with provolone or mozzarella; broil again till cheese melts.
Sauté chopped garlic/onions in a saucepan, then add a can of chickpeas, grape tomatoes, chicken stock, lemon juice, and pinches of pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, cayenne, and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes; add chunks of chopped beef and fresh parsley leaves.
Sauté some onions and peppers in olive oil. Douse slices of beef in the chilli sauce of your choice and add it to a pan; heat for about 2 minutes. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add chopped or grape tomatoes, canned black beans, canned or frozen corn, chopped lettuce, nuked leftover rice, and a squirt of lime juice.
Learn to flavour with fish sauce — a favourite of many top chefs, who use it to give everything from hamburgers to marinades to roasted veggies a savoury umami flavour. This pungent sauce, made from the juice of salted/fermented fish, is powerful stuff, so use it sparingly till you know your comfort level.
SMART MOVE:
Chopper: Jarren Vink
SMART MOVE:
Slice mushrooms in an egg slicer! Just lay the cleaned ’shrooms (cut big ones in half first) in the slicer, turn it over above a bowl, and press — out shoot neat slices.
SMART MOVE:
To make your own quick broth, buy a jar of Better Than Bouillon (importitall.co.za). When added to water, this concentrated paste makes a savoury stock that beats canned stocks or cubes any day.
R AV E R E V I E W
This Garlic Chopper Is On a Roll Chef’n GarlicZoom XL Garlic Chopper
If you’ve done much cooking, you know that trying to chop or mince garlic cloves is one of the most frustrating and fiddly of all kitchen tasks — until the GarlicZoom came along, that is. Just place some peeled garlic) inside the chopper, roll it on the counter, and voilà: Instant cut garlic but no sticky, smelly hands!
SMART MOVE:
When slicing beef, make sure to cut it against the grain — meaning, bisect the long lines of the muscle fibres with the knife. This makes cuts like rump/chuck more tender.
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Wise up
Send your questions to ask@mensfitness.co.za
Ask Men’s Fitness I keep hearing that prawns are dirty or that fishing for it hurts the environment… so, should I stop eating it entirely?
F o o d s t y l i n g b y R a c h e l S t i c k l e y/ B e r n s t e i n & A n d r i u l l i
TIM B, CAPE TOWN
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“Absolutely not! Shrimp is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids”, says Kristy Del Coro, a Senior Culinary Nutritionist for American food watchdog group SPE Certified. But not all shrimp is created equal, she adds, so you need to buy wisely. Some facts: There are two types of shrimp: farmed and wild-caught. Farmed is raised mainly in Asia — often in filthy waters — so it can be full of germs and parasites (Consumer Reports recently found harmful bacteria, like E.coli, in 60% of raw imported farmed shrimp) and/or antibiotics, disinfectants, and pesticides. Wild-caught shrimp isn’t farmed in floating faeces! Or given antibiotics/pesticides, but nets can damage sea floors and catch other species, like sea turtles.
How to Buy Shrimp
Know where your prawns come from or you could end up with some pretty trampy scampi.
MEN’S FITNESS
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Fresh seafood must be labelled farmed or wild-caught. Opt for wild-caught, preferably from regions where the fisheries are the best regulated.
Ask Men’s Fitness
I’ve just lost 7 kilograms by eating well and working out. Now a family gathering is coming up. Is watermelon a good substitute for all the fatty crap that’ll be there? I’ve read it’s high on the GI Index. A L L E N F, W I L D C O A S T
Good gourd! Watermelon is low-cal and helps in recovery despite its high GI number.
What are some great bar tricks I can do to impress a girl — or maybe make a bet on and win a free drink? R A J M , D U R B A N
We like the way you think. Try these clever ruses from bar-trick expert Matt Kubinski. Just watch who you pick for a mark: Cute girl? Sure. Cute girl with bar-bouncer boyfriend? Maybe not. (Answers on page 127.)
organic juice company in NY USA, “watermelon is loaded with electrolytes, lycopene, and L-citrulline, which fights muscle soreness, so it’s a killer option for recovery”. And GI-wise? “It does rank near donuts on the Glycaemic Index (a measure of how fast food raises blood glucose)”, Schultzsays. “But it’s about 92% water, so the glycaemic ‘load’ is less than a carrot’s. So for most people, its benefits far outweigh anydownsides.”
I hate my narrow
a week. Also, no matter which variation you do, fully activate the medial delts by turning your thumbs down at the top of the move, as if you’re pouring a jug of milk. Shoot for three to five sets of 10 to 20 reps, “and don’t be afraid to add in the odd dropset”. Big shoulders won’t happen overnight, Samuels cautions, “but it’s worth the effort because adding even a little shoulder width — which might take a few months — can completely change your physique and give you that elusive V-taper”. Bonus tip: Do lots of pull-ups and pulldowns, too: “Bigger lats can make the shoulders ‘pop’.”
shoulders. Can I build them up with exercise? SEAN H, CAPE TOWN
1) Bet that the mark can’t connect all these dots with four straight lines — without lifting up the pen or going through a dot more than once. K U B I N S K I : “Not exactly a jeansdropper, but better than the old “How do you keep an idiot entertained? Answer on other side. Barf.”
2)
Set an empty beer bottle upside down on top top of a tenner (or a buffalo — why not bet big?) and challenge the mark to get the note out from under it without handling the bottle or knocking it over. K U B I N S K I : “If you end up in jail, good luck explaining it to the judge.”
FOR MORE BET-WINNERS, GO TO MENSFITNESS.CO.ZA
3)
Put three full shot glasses in front of your mark and three full drafts of beer in front of you. Bet you can drink all yours before the other person drinks his or hers. Only rule: You can’t touch each other’s glasses. K U B I N S K I : “It’s harder than it sounds. Practise your chug!”
Put a weight on your shoulders. Lateral-raise variations are the best exercises for building wide delts.
“In all honesty, shoulder muscles aren’t the fastest to grow”, says powerlifting coach Mike Samuels (healthy livingheavylifting .com), “but there’s certainly something you can do about it”. First: Don’t put all your focus on overhead presses! “While they’re great”, he says, “they’re not the best way to build awesome shoulders”. His secret to wide delts: Lateral-raise variations, using a dumbbell, kettlebell weight plate, or cable, at least twice
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MEN’S FITNESS
C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p : D i m i t r i o s S t e f a n i d i s / G e t t y ; J a m e s M i c h e l f e l d e r ; L- D o p a
Watermelon, at just 46 calories per cup, isn’t just way better for you than “fatty crap”, as you so aptly put it. It can also help with all that exercise you’ve been doing. (Nice work, by the way!) First, the basics: “Watermelon is rich in vitamins C and A, potassium, and magnesium”, says Nutrition Stripped founder McKel Hill, MS, RD. “And, as a simple sugar — a cup has 8g — it provides quick energy.” Also, says Sagan Schultz, CEO of the WellWell
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Ask Men’s Fitness
I’d like to buy my girlfriend some sexy underwear for bed (what she wears now is anything but). Is that a good idea? SCOTT R, CAPE TOWN
In my experience, 75% of men buy lingerie for their partners, and 75% of that lingerie ends up at the bottom of a drawer. So instead, go shopping together. Splurge on pieces you both like, and make her feel sexy and appreciated. If you play your cards right, she’ll be so excited from shopping you’ll get your own private lingerie show.
I
DR KERNER
The Sex Files Our experts answer your most intimate questions — no holds barred In movies, I’m always seeing guys lifting a girl up and having sex against a wall. I’ve tried it, but it doesn’t really work — is there some trick I don’t know about? TERRY L, JOHANNESBURG
Jens Stoltze/thelicensingproject.com
Nope, there’s no trick to it, except being superstrong. Standingup sex has lots of in-the-moment passion, but without a counter or some type of support, it’s not a position you’ll probably be able to hold for very long. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it, though — it’s a great starting position. But you’ll want to move around, to the kitchen or the
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MOUSHUMI:
bedroom, after a few minutes. J E N A : There are a few factors here you need to consider: 1) It’s Hollywood, so everything is an illusion. 2) There’s probably a chair somewhere you don’t see, or a green screen, or maybe a sad PA forced to kneel down while two body doubles bone atop him. 3) Unlike the actresses you see onscreen, most real women don’t weigh just 40 kilograms, and therefore are a little harder to lift. That being said, if you really want to do this, why don’t you try to find some way to build muscle mass that doesn’t involve steroids, like
lifting weights or doing push-ups? (I can’t imagine where you’d find information on that...) Find a gym partner or hire a personal trainer to help — though that could get tricky if you’re not into threesomes. Here’s another option: Date someone lighter. I know that sounds terrible, because it is. It’s actually the meanest thing I’ve ever written, and they’re probably going to edit it out. But whatever you decide to do to have elevated sex against a wall or anywhere else, promise me that you’ll stop taking your sex cues from movies.
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T H I S M O N T H ’ S PA N E L:
If sexy lingerie’s not in her repertoire now, chances are she’ll wear it only on “special occasions” at most. If you’d like to change that (and your arousal is important), gently say, “Can I tell you something that really turns me on? Sexy lingerie. Could
How often can a guy masturbate and still be considered WRITER/STAND-UP COMIC JENA FRIEDMAN PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX COUNSELLOR MICHAEL AARON, PHD PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX THERAPIST MOUSHUMI GHOSE, MFT PSYCHOTHERAPIST/ SEX COUNSELLOR IAN KERNER, PHD
“normal”? ADAM B, JOHANNESBURG
D R K E R N E R : There’s no such thing as normal when it comes to masturbation. Rather, to know what’s right for you, focus on whether you’re doing it to enjoy your sexuality and let off some steam, or using it as a coping mechanism because there’s a libido gap in your relationship, or you’re anxious, bored, or depressed. Are you bruising or chafing your penis? If you feel your mas-
I buy you some?” Otherwise, don’t be surprised if it stays in the bag forever. MOUSHUMI
Part of me wants to say, “Just go for it”. Then again, buying her a “sexy” gift can be a minefield since, with our more sophisticated brains, we tend to read into things. What if you get the wrong size? Or she thinks you don’t find her lady parts sexy and want to cover them up with a lacy veil? Or some skank tried it on, so your gf gets an STD, thinks you’re cheating, and kills you in the night? So much to consider! So, if she wears lingerie, go ahead. If not, get her something less loaded, like a La Senza gift card. Then see what happens! J E N A
turbation is out of control, it probably is. If not, don’t sweat it. D R A A R O N : Despite what “sex addiction” therapists (a diagnosis rejected from the last US DSM 5 psychiatric manual, btw) may say, there’s no right or wrong amount of masturbation. Some people have a high sex drive, some low. What it really comes down to is: How do you feel about how much you masturbate? Is it negatively impacting your life? I’d explore that instead of panicking about using up all the tissues.
YOUR BET TER-BODY BLUEPRINT Edi te d by M ic h a el S imo ne
Clusters let you work harder by giving your body brief respites of recovery time.
Shortcut to strength YOUR 30-DAY, MUSCLE-JOLTING, NO-BURNOUT BODY PLAN BY MICHAEL SIMONE // PROGRAM BY TIM McCOMSEY // PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL
HOW IT WORKS
Popularised in the 1970s by US weightlifting coach Carl Miller, clusters — also known as interset rest periods — break sets of strenuous, strength-spiking lifts into shorter, more manageable bouts. For example, instead of doing five sets of five reps using your five-rep max, you’d split the workout into four “clusters” of two reps, with brief rests in between. Ultimately, you’ll
do more work, but it’ll seem easier because your body will have time to “catch its breath” between clusters. If you’ve spent time trying to pack on muscle but are looking to swap for something that’ll help you burn fat before it’s time to strut shirtless on the sand, consider working clusters into your routine for three to four weeks. DIRECTIONS
For cluster sets, stick to a five-rep max. For regular sets, use weight that causes you to fail one to two reps shy of the designated number.
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Body Book Muscle up
1
Exercise 1B: TRX Row Pull. The lower you set the handles, the harder the move will be.
D AY 1
60 min
CLUSTER SETS FOR A SUPERSTRONG BACK 1A) TRX W PULL
1B) TRX ROW PULL
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 0 sec
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Lengthen the straps and hold the handles. Lean back with arms extended so that your body is supported by the trainer and only your feet are on the floor. Brace your core and hold your body in a straight line. With palms facing your feet, row your body up.
M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 2
2) WEIGHTED PULL-UP
3) BARBELL ROW
Sets: 5 (4 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 10 sec between clusters Rep Max: 5
Attach a weighted belt to your waist and hold a dumbbell between your feet, or — if you can’t complete your reps with weight — use your body weight alone. Hang from a pullup bar with hands just outside shoulder width. Pull yourself up until your chin is over the bar.
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Sets: 5 (6 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 15 sec between clusters Rep Max: 3–5
Grasp the bar overhand at shoulder width and let it hang in front of your thighs. Bend at the hips and lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor. Bend your knees a bit to take tension off your hamstrings. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the bar to your belly.
2
Grooming by Karen Pang
Set up the suspension trainer so that the handles are at about waist height. Using an overhand grip, beginning with the arms at a 90-degree angle to the body, pull the handles up toward the shoulders while moving the arms into a W shape, then slowly return to the start position.
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec
M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 1
1
Exercise 5: Dumbbell Incline Bench Row. Each week, rotate between a 30- and 45-degree incline.
4) UNDERHAND CABLE PULL-DOWN Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45 sec
At a cable station, grasp the bar at shoulder width with palms facing you. Pull the bar to your upper chest.
5) DUMBBELL INCLINE BENCH ROW Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 45 sec
Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and draw your shoulder blades back as you row the weights to your sides.
If you have trouble getting through these routines, eliminate one set per exercise.
6) SEATED CABLE ROW Sets: 3 Reps: 12 Rest: 30 sec
Attach a lat pulldown bar to the pulley of a seated row station. Sit on the bench or floor with your feet against the foot plate and knees slightly bent. Keeping your lower back flat, bend forward at the hips to grasp the bar and row it to your sternum, squeezing your shoulder blades together in the end position. Extend your arms and feel the stretch in your back before beginning the next rep.
7A) TRX PIKE Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 0 sec
Adjust the TRX straps so your body is in a straight line when your feet are in the loops. Assume a plank position. Bend your hips and raise them high, legs straight. Return to a plank position.
7B) REVERSE CURLUP Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 45 sec
Lie face-up with palms and feet flat on the floor. Lift your hips up and drive your feet toward the ceiling. Pause, then slowly return to start.
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Body Book Muscle up M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 2
D AY 2
3) BARBELL INCLINE CHEST PRESS
60 min
CLUSTER SETS FOR A SUPERSTRONG CHEST 1A) TRX PUSH-UP Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 0 sec
Get into push-up position with your feet in the TRX cradles and lower your body until your chest is an inch above the floor. Return to the start position, keeping your abs braced and your body in a straight line.
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45 sec
With hands at shoulderwidth apart and your body braced, lower yourself until your chest is an inch above the floor, then explode up.
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec
M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 1
2) BARBELL FLAT CHEST PRESS
Lie back on a flat bench with a kettlebell in each hand. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and spread your arms wide, lowering the weights until they’re even with your chest. Flex your pecs and lift the weights back to the start position.
6) CABLE CHEST PRESS Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 45 sec
Attach single-grip handles to the top pulleys of two facing cable stations. Stagger your feet for balance and press the handles from shoulder level.
Exercise 5: Flat Kettlebell Flye. If this variation proves too difficult, switch to dumbbells. 2
7A) TRX OBLIQUE SWING
Grasp the bar just outside shoulder width and slightly arch your back. Pull the bar out of the rack and lower it to your chest, tucking your elbows about 45 degrees to your sides. When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard into the floor and press the bar back up.
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 0 sec
From the push-up position with your feet locked in the handles, tuck your knees up and to the side; return and repeat on the other side.
7B) BICYCLE Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 45 sec
Exercise 7B: Bicycle. Take it easy on your spine— don’t pull your head and neck forward.
MEN’S FITNESS
Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 45 sec
1
Sets: 5 (4 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 10 sec between clusters Rep Max: 5
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Set an adjustable bench to a 30- to 45-degree angle. Grasp the bar just outside shoulder width, arch your back, and pull it off the rack. Lower the bar to the upper part of your chest and then drive your feet into the floor as you press it back up.
4) PUSH-UP
1B) TRX FLYE Lengthen the straps to a point at which you would to do push-ups. Grasp the handles and get into push-up position, with hands under your shoulders. Your body should be straight and your core braced. Bring your arms out to your sides as if you were giving someone a bear hug. Lower your body until you feel a stretch in your chest and then bring your arms together again.
Sets: 5 (6 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 15 sec between clusters Rep Max: 3-5
5) FLAT KETTLEBELL FLYE
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From the floor, pedal slowly. Alternate between pulling your left and right knee to your opposite elbow.
D AY 3
4) BARBELL SUMO SQUAT
60 min
Sets: 4 Reps: 5-8 Rest: 60 sec
CLUSTER SETS FOR SUPERSTRONG LEGS
Set up in a squat rack or cage. Grasp the bar as far apart as is comfortable and step under it. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and nudge the bar out of the rack. Stand with feet outside shoulder width and turn your toes out 45 degrees. As you squat down, push your knees out and then drive your heels into the floor as you come up.
1A) TRX SQUAT Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 0 sec
Grasp the handles of a suspension trainer at chest level. Lower your hips down and back. Drive through your heels as you extend your hips and stand upright. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
1
Exercise 1B: TRX Hamstring Roll In. Do not push off with your palms.
1B) TRX HAMSTRING ROLL IN Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec
Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45 sec
Hold a dumbbell in one hand and stand on the opposite leg. Bend your hips back and lower your torso until you feel your lower back is about to lose its arch. Squeeze your glutes and extend your hips to come up.
Lengthen both handles to about or just below knee height. Lie on your back and place each heel of your feet in the foot cradles with legs straight. Bridge your hips up so your body forms a straight line, then bend your knees, curling your heels toward your butt. The closer you place your hands to your sides, the more support you’ll get.
6) BARBELL BRIDGE Sets: 3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45 sec
2
M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 1
M O D I F I E D C LU S T E R S E T 2
2) BARBELL FRONT SQUAT
3) BARBELL ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
Sets: 5 (4 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 10 sec between clusters Rep Max: 5
Exercise 3: Barbell Romanian Deadlift. Find barbells uncomfortable? Use a hex bar or kettlebells.
5) SINGLE-LEG ROMANIAN DEADLIFT
Grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip and your elbows parallel to the floor. Take the bar out of the rack and let it rest on your fingertips. Step back and set your feet at shoulder width with toes turned out slightly. Squat as low as you can without losing the arch in your lower back. Drive your heels into the floor and return to the top.
Sets: 5 (6 clusters of 2 reps) Rest: 2 min between sets; 15 sec between clusters Rep Max: 3-5
Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip and stand with feet hip width. Bend your hips back as far as you can. Allow your knees to bend as needed while you lower the bar along your shins until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Keep your lower back arched throughout.
Lie on your back on the floor with legs extended. Roll the bar up your thighs until it sits on your lap. (You may want to place a towel on your hips for comfort.) Brace your abs and drive your heels into the floor to extend your hips, raising them until they’re in line with your torso. Use the same weight as you did for the sumo squat. Simply slide your body under the bar after you’ve rested and begin the glute bridges.
7) SUPERMAN Sets: 3 Reps: 10 Rest: 30 sec
Lie flat on your stomach with arms extended in front of you. Slowly lift your legs and arms up in the air as high as possible, then return.
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Gauge your growth
Do you need a GH boost? Find out by taking this simple quiz. BY STEVE DOWNS
ands up if any of the following describes how you feel or look lately: Your energy and vitality have been drooping; you’ve seen an unexplained increase in body fat (“What’s that inner tube doing under my shirt?”); you’ve lost muscle mass and/ or strength; you have less endurance than usual; the best way to describe your libido would be “nap time at a nursing home”. If you raised your hand at least twice, you may have a deficiency in human growth hormone. Nicknamed the “wonder hormone”, human growth hormone — also called GH or HGH — is a peptide hormone that’s produced in the pituitary gland at the base of the brain and plays a crucial role in everything from body height, brain function, and skin health to bone density, fat loss, and muscle growth. Unfortunately, GH production peaks shortly after puberty, then goes on a steady — and, sometimes, rapid — downhill slide from there. Are you being shorted (so to speak) in the GH department? Let’s find out.
H
HGH: WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? As its name implies, GH is responsible for cell growth and regeneration. It’s crucial for building muscle mass and bone density, but it also plays a major role in keeping all human tissue healthy, including that of the brain and other vital organs. It can even boost your sex drive. When secreted, GH stays active in the bloodstream for mere minutes — just long enough for the liver to convert it into growth factors, the most crucial of which is insulin-like growth factor-1, or IGF-1. The main driver of tissue growth, IGF-1 synthesises
amino acids and metabolises fat and protein, which build muscle and burn fat. In short, if you’re not hacking it performance-wise, GH could be the culprit.
GET AN HGH HEADS UP Clinical tests are needed to confirm a GH deficiency, but our short quiz (right) can give you an idea of your levels right now. If you find they’re low, there are various lines of attack you can take: For one, work on improving your sleep quality — it’s then that your body secretes the highest amount of growth hormone. After that comes exercise. A review
Nutritional intervention can naturally promote higher GH, research has shown.
of studies published in the journal Sports Medicine found that HIIT and resistance training stimulate GH production.
GIVE YOURSELF A KICK IN THE ABS Whether you’re hoping HGH will help you muscle up, slim down, sleep sounder, or get it on better, an efficient way to raise GH levels is with a supplement like Growth Factor-9. Made by Novex Biotech, Growth Factor-9 is the only growth-hormone supplement clinically tested to increase serum GH up to 682% in two hours. This complex GH antecedent contains a patented ratio of growthhormone-stimulating ingredients extensively vetted by researchers at a top US university. What’s more, it’s backed by four clinical trials and 13 US patents. What makes it so effective? A highly specialised ratio of critical GH-building ingredients. See, the only way to directly add more GH to our body is by injection, which costs thousands of rands. It’s often abused in this way by athletes trying to gain an edge or celebrities trying to
stave off the horrors of ageing. But you can naturally up your GH by supplementing with certain precursors that stimulate secretion of the hormone — they include amino acids like glutamine, lysine, and ornithine. But the timing of taking these aminos, along with the amounts, is crucial and hard to follow faithfully. Growth Factor-9, however, eliminates all the guesswork. Packed with a proprietary combo with potent precursors, the formulation is easy to use and effective. Take Growth -Factor-9 before bed on an empty stomach. Combined with- regular workouts, it can help turn your body into a GH-making machine. You may just find yourself looking and feeling younger, stronger, and more energised.
HiGH or low? Our HG quiz. To find out if your HGH levels are on the upor downswing, answer the questions below and score your answers from 1 (lowest, or “never”) to 5 (highest, or “absolutely”): 1) Do you get eight hours of sleep? 2) Do you sleep deeply (as evidenced by dreaming)? 3) Rate your energy. Do you feel dynamic? 4) Rate your midsection — how happy are you with it? 5) Rate how easily you produce visible muscle mass. 6) Rate your strength levels from six months ago and one year ago (two separate ratings). Do you feel strong? 7) Rate your endurance in the gym six months ago and one year ago (again, two ratings). How durable are you? 8) Rate your sex drive. You should have 10 answers total. Add up the score, then read the analysis below: 40-50: GH levels are adequate, but supplementation could step up your performance. 30-39: Your GH needs a definite boost. 20-29: You have a marked deficiency.
Growth Factor-9 is available at your local vitamin shop or GNC, or buy online at growthfactor9.com.
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Below 20: You have serious work to do!
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Body Book Fit MFer
The doctor is in Jason George may play a doctor on TV, but off-screen the former track star stays in peak physical condition through a steady mix of running, boxing — and the use of a crossbow? By Chris Lee Photographs by Benjo Arwas
Jason George’s daily hour-long workout incorporates cardio, push-ups, and bingeing on TV.
Jason George is on the treadmill in the fitness room of his LA home, a space with a 79-inch TV, a sofa, and exercise equipment, including an elliptical, the aforementioned treadmill, and a much-used Weider Crossbow. The sevenseason Grey’s Anatomy star is running at a brisk pace but not struggling to remain conversational as he describes his training preferences.
“When I run the streets, it’s always headphones in my ears, going hard, but when I’m in here, I binge-watch TV or movies”, says George. “It’s amazing how long you can stay active when you’re watching Captain America kicking the crap out of somebody.” Throughout his 20-year career, the Emmynominated actor has always been comfortable with his body. George, now 46, even appeared “buck naked” in front of 200 people in a stage production during grad school at Temple University in Pennsylvania USA, beat out thousands in a nationwide casting search to portray a lifeguard on the daytime soap opera Sunset Beach, in 1997, and, until recently, pulled double duty as the requisite
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“hot guy” on ABC’s Mistresses and as Dr Ben Warren in Grey’s Anatomy. “A part of my job is the physicality”, he says, “but that’s not the point. Fitness helps me think better, feel better, and move better”. The 1.8m, 90kg star exercises at least an hour daily: cardio-based muscle building augmented by weekly boxing sessions and trail running in Hollywood’s Runyon Canyon Park to strengthen his stabiliser muscles. “I’ll pop 10 or 12 kilometres on the elliptical”, he says. “After every few kilometres I’ll jump off and bust [out] two minutes of ab wheel [rollouts] and a pushup-plank combo: I’ll go down and hold a plank, pull the leg all the way up to the side, come down, and do it the other
way. You have to just mix it up.” Growing up in a military family in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA, George practised mixed martial arts. While at Temple University he branched out into yoga, tai chi, bioenergetics, and even dance. The result? A realisation that gym training and acting work synergistically — especially when it comes to portraying a doctor. “It’s not like the average lawyer or doctor is a physical Adonis”, he says. “But it is amazing how many intelligent, obsessed people are driven in their physical regimen as well.” Diet-wise, the actor adheres to Oscar Wilde’s famous edict: “Everything in moderation, including moderation.” “I’m a black man
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from the South. I like my food!” George says. “I’m a chicken and fish guy, but I throw a burger in once, maybe twice a week. I don’t do carbonated drinks unless there’s rum in them. And
I tend to keep carbs out of my diet as much as possible.” And if a hectic schedule impedes his training, he’ll improvise. “They’ve got golf carts that take people back and
forth between their trailers and the set”, says George. “I’ll race the cart. It probably has a max speed of 50km/h. But I was the captain of my high school track team — I’ll get there first!”
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Body Book Train harder
Built to perform In fitness and in life, these Performix athletes embody self-motivation and determination By Shawn Donnelly
cursory glance at the photos of Jay Maryniak, Mike Vazquez, Scott Mathison, and Andy Speer demonstrate something obvious — all four guys possess the selfmotivation to train hard and live fit. Yet what the photos don’t tell us is that, beyond outward appearances, the backgrounds of these men differ vastly: One is a capable breakdancer; another has overcome substance abuse. There’s an aspiring actor, and one of the most in-demand personal trainers in New York City, USA. • So it’s fitting that the quartet found themselves aligned on Team Performix (performixdriven.com). • First recognised as an innovative supp company that created Terra Intelligent Dosing technology — which ensures that athletes receive consistent supplementation throughout the day and never experience an energy crash — the Performix brand has expanded its reach by finding driven athletes with unique perspectives and personalities.
A
JAY MARYNIAK Instagram: @jtm_fit Jay Maryniak adopted bad habits early — particularly getting intoxicated as an adolescent. “I got into drinking and drugs when I was 11 or 12”, he admits. The downward spiral continued. “By age 20, I was in a bad place, and I’d almost lost hope.” A rehab stint helped turn things around: He got into shape and has remained sober for the past 11 years. But sobriety wasn’t his only challenge. After winning a CrossFit contest four years ago, Maryniak inexplicably fell ill and lost 7 kilograms. A trip to the emergency room revealed why: He had type-1 diabetes. Untreated, the condition — in which the pancreas produces little to no
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insulin — can cause high blood-sugar levels and damage the kidneys, nerves, and heart. “My life changed”, says the personal trainer from Bedford, New York, USA. “I check my blood sugar 8 to 12 times a day and give myself insulin with a pump. At first, I thought it was a curse, but it’s become a blessing. Receiving messages from parents explaining how I’ve inspired their children — it’s a beautiful thing.” GO-TO MOVE
DB Renegade Row In a push-up position with your feet wide and a dumbbell in each hand, brace your core and row with the left arm. Return to start, and then row with the right arm.
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ANDY SPEER Instagram: @andyspeer Andy Speer worked at a pet store during his high school years. “I was into snakes and lizards”, he explains. Speer has come a long way since his reptile-wrangling days. A former pole vaulter at the University of Miami in the US, he’s become one of the most popular and respected personal trainers in New York City. The secret to Speer’s success, he says, is that he connects with his body and makes adjustments when necessary. “I stretch and perform mobility drills regularly — rolling my shoulders and ankles, stretching my calves, and standing on my toes. If the little muscles don’t work, the big ones won’t, either”, he says. Another tip: Build fitness in your daily
SCOTT MATHISON Instagram: @scott_mathison_ A few years ago, Scott Mathison moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. It was a huge life change — and, after he discovered the outdoor fitness park near the Santa Monica Pier, it also became a huge change for his fitness regimen. “I had just learned how to do muscle-ups and expected to wow people with what I could do”, Mathison recalls. But he was the one who was wowed by
the level of talent on display. “Guys were doing flips and 360s. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I suck!’ But it inspired me to learn one new move at a time, and I got hooked.” Now it’s Mathison’s array of acrobatic and aerial tricks that draws the crowds in Santa Monica. But there’s still work to do, he insists. “I want to be able to walk into any fitness location — a regular gym, a CrossFit box, a parkour studio — and be
good”, he says. “I want to be the most wellbalanced athlete I can be.” GO-TO MOVE
Archer Pull-up Using a wide overhand grip, pull your body up so your upper chest is in line with the bar. Bring your body to your right hand as you extend your left arm straight out to the side. Repeat on the left side, extending your right arm, then return to the start position.
“Fitness is a lifestyle”, Speer says. “It’s about consistency over years.”
routine. “Fitness is a lifestyle”, Speer says. “It’s about consistency over years.” It’s also about avoiding complacency. “Along with doing the physical activities you enjoy, consider doing the things you may not love but know are good for you”, he advises. “The more you do those activities, the easier they’ll get.” GO-TO MOVE
Man Maker Get into a push-up position with a dumbbell in each hand. Do a push-up, row with one arm, then do another push-up, and do a row with the other arm. Hop to the standing position; finish with a hang squat clean to overhead press. Do not jump at the top. That’s one rep.
MIKE VAZQUEZ Instagram: @michaelcvazquez From top lef t: Patrick Sheridan; Bodybuilding.com
Mike Vazquez got serious about fitness seven years ago on the day his son was born. “I was always an athletic guy, but I’d let myself go”, says Vazquez. “I wasn’t working out. I was eating whatever I wanted. Life was getting worse, and I wanted to fix it. Above all, I wanted to be a cool father. I decided
to clean up my life and commit to fitness.” Vazquez began going to gyms and recording himself performing breakdancing moves and elaborate pushups. Although he got kicked out of a few gyms along the way, some of those YouTube videos went viral and helped him build a sizable social
media following. “This was several years ago”, he says. “At the time, nobody was doing anything like that. It was the right time, right place.” Vazquez now has over 740k Instagram followers. You could say he’s turned into one cool dad.
Shoulder Tap Get into a push-up position with your legs spread wide for support. Brace your core and reach your right hand up to your left shoulder and tap it briefly. Repeat on the other side. Try to do 50 of them at a time.
GO-TO MOVE
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Body Book Torch fat
THE
40-20 CHALLENGE TURN YOUR METABOLISM ON FULL BLAST BY ALTERNATING 40-SECOND AND 20-REP SETS
BY MIKE SIMONE // WORKOUT BY WYATT KRUEGER // PHOTOGRAPHS BY PER BERNAL
ure, the hour or so we spend in the gym should be spent concentrating on getting strong. But who doesn’t occasionally waste a few reps — or entire workouts — fretting over a work e-mail that didn’t get sent, a bill that didn’t get paid, a right swipe that somehow went left… until finally you realise that the only thing you put 100% effort into was filling up your water bottle? Well, get ready: This routine is about to change all that.
S
HOW IT WORKS
Structured with both time and repetition components, this routine will force 100% effort from your body and mind at all times. The first exercise has a time limit: You can’t stop until time is up. That’s followed
by a move with a rep goal. Don’t even think about going on to the next move till you’ve hit your number. Then it’s back to a timed move — you get the idea. This methodical back-and-forth switch will keep your head in the game and your metabolism revved up. DIRECTIONS
Do five rounds, with three minutes’ rest in between.
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Body Book Torch fat 1) MOUNTAIN CLIMBER Reps: 40 sec Rest: 0
With your hands and arms planted in the push-up position, drive one knee up to your chest and then quickly drive it back. Simultaneously drive the opposing knee up as the other returns. Repeat the process as quickly as possible.
2) ALTERNATING DUMBBELL CURL Reps: 20 Rest: 0
Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand. Without letting your upper arms drift forward, curl one of the weights while rotating your wrists outward so that your palms face you in the top position. Pause, then lower your arm to the start position.
Exercise 1: Mountain Climber. If this hurts your wrists, do it while gripping dumbbells to ease the pain.
3) SQUAT THRUST
Exercise 2: Alternating Dumbbell Curl. For a change of pace, switch to hammer curls.
Reps: 40 sec Rest: 0
Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and arms hanging at your sides. Bend down and place your hands on the ground before hopping your legs back into pushup position. Quickly spring your legs forward to the bottom of a squat and jump back to the starting position.
4) DUMBBELL FLOOR PRESS
1
Reps: 20 Rest: 0
2
Exercise 4: DB Floor Press. Pause for a beat at the bottom before pressing the weight back up.
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Grooming by Karen Pang
Lie on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand. Your palms should face each other and your triceps should rest on the floor. Explosively press the dumbbells up over your chest and squeeze hard at the top. Lower them until your triceps touch the floor.
5) REVERSE LUNGE
6) SHOULDER PRESS
Reps: 40 sec Rest: 0
Reps: 20 Rest: 0
Stand with your feet hip width, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Step backward with one leg and lower your body until your rear knee nearly touches the floor behind you. Drive back to the start position.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level with palms pronated. Brace your abs and press the dumbbells overhead.
1 1
2
Exercise 6: Shoulder Press. On the descent, do not allow your elbows to drop below your armpits.
7) FLUTTER KICK Reps: 40 sec Rest: 0
Lie on your back with legs straight and extend your arms by your sides. Lift your heels about 15 centimetres and rapidly kick your feet up and down in a quick, scissorlike motion.
8) BENTOVER DUMBBELL ROW Reps: 20 Rest: 0
Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bend your hips back until your torso is parallel to the floor. Draw your shoulder blades back and row the weights to your side.
2
Exercise 8: Bentover Dumbbell Row. To change it up, perform alternating rows.
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Body Book Be inspired
Finding the drive When Sean Mahoney found himself with a wife, a new job — and almost 45 extra kilograms, he said bye-bye to fries and hello to healthy eating.
WEIGHT LOSS:
42kg
By Cassie Shortsleeve
n 2005, University of Arizona student Sean Mahoney clocked in at about 77 kilograms. “I was in peak condition”, he says. But post-graduation, real life — marriage, a new job — hit hard. “The work was stressful, so I fought that with food”, he says. Paid company lunches didn’t help, either. He even slacked off at home: “Instead of cooking healthy, my wife and I ordered out because it was easy.” Four years out of school, Mahoney had gained almost 45 kilograms. “I remember looking at the scale and thinking, ‘How did I do this to myself?’” It was time to get to work.
BEFORE:
I
Realising you’d gained so much weight must’ve been a rude awakening. It was — that, and going to buy new pants and seeing the waist size above 42. What’s the first step you took to fix that? I joined a gym, one I actually wanted to go to. Seeing that money go out of my account each month, I’d tell myself, “Man, I’d better go!” Was it tough to get back into it? Exercise had become non-existent in my life. Except for some softball once or twice a week, I hadn’t worked out since 2005. So, yes, I had to start out slow. What were your workouts like? I’d walk on the treadmill, then to challenge myself more I added bodyresistance workouts using the TRX and kettlebells. What was the most trying part? The cardio. Unless
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120kg SEAN MAHONEY 34
Age: Height:
1.8m
Starting Weight:
120kg
Current Weight:
78kg
Total Kilos Lost:
42kg
Starting Body Fat:
48%
Current Body Fat:
16%
It’s your turn
Do you deserve to be a Men’s Fitness Success Story? If so, send before and after photos and your name, e-mail, and telephone number to us at:
I’m playing basketball or football, it’s not something I really enjoy. Do you work with a trainer? Every two or three months I get a training session to learn a new routine, then I use that to create my own workouts. How did you change your diet? I stopped using my FryDaddy to make wings and fries. And I cut out diet soda — aspartame really slows weight loss — and foods with highfructose corn syrup. I also started grocery shopping and cooking. Plus, I began hardcore calorie counting; that made a huge difference. I had to figure out how to spend the calories on foods that’d keep me full and fuel me with energy like good proteins and fats. Any cheat days? On weekends we go out and have a beer or two, and I don’t worry. We split a burger or pizza,
successstories@ mens fitness.co.za
but it’s quantity controlled. Any newfound favoUrite foods? Grass-fed bison. I substitute it for beef. You can’t tell the difference, but it has fewer calories, lots of protein, fats that are better for your heart, and vitamin B12 and iron. It makes you feel like you’re not on a restricted diet, which is why I love it. How has your life changed since you started on this journey? I don’t go out to lunch or out after work — I go to the gym. But it’s worth it, because on the weekends I feel free. What’s been the best part of all of this?
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My wife and I were cleaning out a closet and found my Little League T-shirt. I put it on, and it fit!