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HIS EDITION

PEAK
THE
BUGGING OUT
IS INSECT PROTEIN THE
NEXT BIG TREND?

FOOD PREP
PERFORMANCE Sear tuna like

ISSUE
a top chef
ON COVER:

■ RECOVER FASTER SA-BORN


■ STAY AT YOUR PEAK MARK
■ SQUAT BETTER ROBINSON

5
RESEARCH
The truth about Taurine

ADDICTED TO
EXERCISE? WAYS TO
BOOST
TAKE THE TEST!
YOUR
INCOME
SAVE
0
EARN MORE AS

RI4 5 A PERSONAL
TRAINER

SHOULDER
NT PLEM
ENT SHARPEN UP
SCOU SUP
RS
D UCHE
VO INSIDE

www.fitnesshis.co.za
ISSUE 28 R45.00
MARCH - APRIL 2017
WORKOUT
BACK TO BASICS FOR SERIOUS DELT DEMOLITION
PRINTED IN SOUTH AFRICA
OTHER COUNTRIES R39,47 EXCL TAX
Cover image of Mark Robinson
@TEAM360HEALTH | @healthmanmark
www.team360health.com.au
By Michael Neveux

POWER UP
10 General news
Industry update

22 14 Ask Fitness His Edition


All your health and fitness questions answered

MALE 16 Guy gear


FIXATION Stay up to date with the latest gadgets
Shannon Cornell 22 Male fixation
We chat to the super sexy Shannon Cornell
26 Exercise addiction
When your commitment to exercise becomes bad for your health
30 Psyching out your recovery
How your mind can hamper your ability to recover from training

TRAINING
36 Shoulders & traps
A classic body building combination

68 36 46 Boost the burn


The best forms of exercises to burn the most calories
49 Endurance column
Juggling three disciplines
50 Heads up
Weighing in on the debate about where to look when squatting
52 CrossFit column
Rest: CrossFit’s four-letter word
54 Sustaining peak performance
The importance of rest and recuperation
58 Smith machine training
30 How it can help you achieve your aesthetic goals

SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITION


66 Supplement news
Power your performance
68 Bugging out on protein
Why insects may be the next big thing
72 Nutrition news

74
Eat clean, live healthy
74 The Farmacy
Food – the cornerstone of healthy living THE
78 Taurine on trial FARMACY
The truth about this amino acid
80 Food prep
How to sear tuna perfectly

58
SMITH
MACHING
TRAINING
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

EDITOR’S LETTER

“Next time you’re out In case you


training or working out in
the gym, take a moment to
acknowledge how lucky you
missed it...
are to be able to choose to WHAT READERS HAVE BEEN UP TO ON INSTAGRAM

be active, because there are


so many millions of people
out there who aren’t afforded
the same privilege in life.”
who lack the means to even fuel their basic daily
activities, let alone indulge their desire to run a
marathon or improve their physique. It is a sad
IMAGE BY JETLINE ACTION PHOTO

reality of life, but one that will persist. It’s also


easy to miss this truism amidst the humdrum
of everyday life as we’re often consumed by our
own perceived problems and challenges. So next
time you’re out training or working out in the
gym, take a moment to acknowledge how lucky
you are to choose to be active, because there
are many millions of people out there who aren’t
afforded the same privilege in life.
With this stark realisation still burning in my
EXERCISING mind, when I got home I grabbed some food

IS A PRIVILEGE
from the fridge and took a drive to try and find
him to give him a meal, but sadly I couldn’t.
During one of my runs around my There were, of course, many other less fortunate BUILD A BETTER BODY
neighbourhood during the December holiday human beings along the road to whom I could
give the meal, which I duly did.
WITH THE SMITH MACHINE
period I had an encounter that has forever
changed my perspective, both about life and Following that interaction I’ve been left with
about exercise. an overwhelming feeling of gratitude that I’m
A few kilometres into a route I commonly run, able to chase my ambitions of running faster
I came upon a waste picker who was struggling times at races, however superfluous those
to pull his flatbed trolley, which was laden with ambitions may be in the bigger scheme of life.


empty plastic bottles and other recyclables, It also saddens me to think that there are
up a hill – he literally lacked the energy to pull so many people out there who have the ability,
this relatively light load up a short but steep opportunity and privilege to expend energy
incline. I, on the other hand, was full of energy in any manner they choose, but prefer to
from the many overindulgent festive season remain inactive and simply continue to gorge
meals I had enjoyed with friends and family. themselves with food. But, as you’re reading this
As I passed him, he asked if I wouldn’t mind magazine, I doubt you’re one of them...
helping as he was really struggling (I wish I With that, next time you’re hurting and Get the full workout video
cursing during a run, ride or gym session, doing
had been a better person by offering to help
an activity you chose to engage in voluntarily, I
online at fitnesshis.co.za
before he asked, but unfortunately I lacked such
altruism, ironically during the season of giving). urge you to think back to this letter and consider
I’m pleased to report, though, that I redeemed your circumstances. Realise how lucky you are
to be in that position, because you can be sure
On the cover...
myself somewhat by not hesitating to pitch in
to help push the trolley to the top of the hill. that someone, somewhere at that very moment
Unfortunately I had no money nor food with me in time is also struggling, although he isn’t doing
to offer him at the time. it by choice; he is doing so merely to survive.
Once at the top of the hill, he thanked me for Enjoy issue 28.
THE LINK
my help, wished me a blessed Christmas and BETWEEN
PEDRO VAN GAALEN PSYCHOLOGY
then set off, freewheeling down the other side & RECOVERY
on his trolley. I headed off in a different direction Editor PG54

to conclude my run. As I covered the remaining @PedrovanG @pedrovang


WHEN
kilometres, I had plenty of time to replay the EXERCISE
incident in my mind and I was struck by the (P.S. Please don’t confuse the concepts of BECOMES OVERALL
BAD FOR DEVELOP-
extreme contrast in our situations. I realised that privilege and gratitude with that of being YOUR MENT FOR A
HEALTH
in a country (one could argue world, too) where #blessed. The idea that some higher power PG26
BALANCED
PHYSIQUE
has deemed you worthier than another person,


there is such income disparity and inequality, PG36
the ability to choose to exercise for your health for whatever reason that may be, and that
or to train to achieve a sports-related goal is a opportunities, rewards and success have been
#ONTREND IN
privilege and one that we should never take for bestowed on you, is an utterly repugnant notion
THIS ISSUE:
granted. There are so many people out there in my opinion.) INSECT PROTEIN,
SPORTIFICATION,
& FOOD AS

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @FITNESSHISEDITION OR INSTAGRAM @FITNESSHISEDITION


MEDICINE.

OR FIND UPDATES ON FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/FITNESSHE
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

PUBLISHER
“They say ANDREW CARRUTHERS
andrew@maverickpublishing.co.za
that change is
inevitable, unless EDITOR
PEDRO VAN GAALEN
you’re standing in pedro@maverickpublishing.co.za

front of a vending DEPUTY EDITOR


machine. I couldn’t WERNER BEUKES
agree more.”
CO-PUBLISHER SENIOR DESIGNERS
brands also earns you a label of “unbelievable” Tanja Schmitz Christian Nel,
in the minds of consumers. And once you Teya Esterhuizen
become unbelievable you’re no good to a ADMINISTRATION
Leoni Needham CONTRIBUTORS &
sponsor because consumers merely brush you
ADVISORY
off as a brand hopper who lacks any credibility Gareth Powell,
PHOTOGRAPHERS
when you promote a brand or product. Jason Ellis, Cindy Ellis, Sean Johnson,
If you intend on building a career as a Slade, Hennie Lombard, Julian Reichman-Israelsohn,
reputable, sought-after individual in this Michael Neveux, Steve Attwell
James Patrick,
industry, in the hopes of receiving support
Soulby Jackson TECHNICAL
BE BELIEVABLE! from big brands, then you need to evolve into
an individual who is believable and respected.
Cory Schmitz

They say that change is inevitable, unless If not, you might achieve success as an athlete, ONLINE EDITOR
you’re standing in front of a vending machine. but you’ll never reap the rewards and benefits Gareth Bouwmeester
I couldn’t agree more, but to be honest it’s of being a top brand ambassador, with a
hard to accept change and it isn’t always easy support team behind you that will take you
to adapt to changes that you don’t agree with. ADVERTISING SALES
places you never could have gone on your own. ANDREW CARRUTHERS
Life is constantly evolving, though, and so is The choice, inevitably, lies with you. In my andrew@maverickpublishing.co.za
business. If you’re an athlete, believe it or not, mind it all boils down to one simple goal in life 011 791 3646
you’re a self-sustainable business and brand – be a good person. You can’t buy character,
within yourself and you must adapt or you’ll and becoming a sought-after and influential
simply fade away. PUBLISHED BY THE MAVERICK
individual comes from hours and hours of
PUBLISHING CORPORATION
In this regard, a major point of contention I honing your personal craft and constantly Publishers of Muscle Evolution,
would like to ruminate on a little – something seeking to inspire and give back to those fitness magazine and FATLOSS magazine.
that I feel has no reason to change with the around you. Those who just take and remain www.maverickpublishing.co.za
times or to evolve as much as the sport or self-serving are forever doomed to fail. So give Postnet suite 99, Private Bag X8 North Riding, 2162
supplements or ideals do – is our humility. Head Office: +27 11 791 3646
more, do more and be more!
Fax: 086 660 4761 E-mail: info@fitnesshe.co.za
Social media allows us to promote ourselves Enjoy issue 28 www.fitnesshe.co.za
to potentially millions of people across the Unit 7, Ground Floor, Boskruin View
globe. This basically puts a microphone in ANDREW CARRUTHERS 181 Girdwood road, RandparkRidge, 2169
front of us and allows everyone to be heard, Publisher
good or bad. But social media doesn’t make @_MAV3RIK_ @mav3rik DISTRIBUTION
RNA DISTRIBUTION, Republican News Agency,
you a better person. It merely amplifies your Tel +27 11 473 8700
character traits. We’ve evolved from a humble
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absorbed and entitled one, and it’s not the RAMSAY MEDIA Tel 0860 100 456; Fax 086 670 4101
direction in which we should be moving. International +27 21530 3385; Email: subs@ramsaymedia.co.za

Many athletes now jump from brand to


brand, coach to coach, and clothing sponsor
to clothing sponsor – it’s unacceptable. Those
who own the big brands in this country watch
social media and see this behaviour. Jumping

PAGE
58 No liability is assumed by The Maverick Publishing Corporation, Muscle
Evolution (and M.E’s Fitness) nor any of the authors of the information
provided in this publication. The Maverick Publishing Corporation cannot
be held liable for any advice provided in this publication. The information
published in this magazine should not be considered as medical advice,
please consult a registered doctor. The Maverick Publishing Corporation
shall not be liable for any unsolicited material, nor photographs or
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Corporation reserve the right to reject any advertising without notification,
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and will not publish any editorial material nor advertising that we feel does
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POWER UP

GENERAL NEWS

TRITRAVEL HUB REMOVES


TRAVEL TROUBLES FOR
MULTI-SPORT ATHLETES
TriTravel Hub is a Cape Town-based travel concierge service
focused on supporting athletes with the logistics of travel and
transport for themselves and their equipment to multi-sport events
across South Africa. The TriTravel Hub team aims to take care of
athletes’ logistical needs professionally and personally; from bike
and equipment transport, airport transfers and accommodation, to
post-race hospitality, enabling them to focus 100% on a successful
race. TriTravel Hub offers athletes and their families the
following services:

■ Race entries;
■ Confirmed bookings in hotels, lodges and guest houses
across a variety of price bands;
■ Bike and equipment transport;
■ Special needs boxes for accessories including helmets,

HUW FAIRCLOUGH / SHUTTERSTOCK, INC.


wetsuits, nutrition, tubes, spares and other items to be
transported along with bicycles;
■ Post-race massages;
■ Shuttle services and airport transfers;
■ Post-race hospitality;
■ Restaurant reservations.

Visit tritravel.co.za for packages to help with your


planning for scheduled events.

POWER UP
FACTS, FIGURES, NEWS AND INFO FOR THE FITNESS ENTHUSIAST

TOP READS THIS MONTH


REAL MEAL ON YOUR BIKE THE WEALTHY BODY
REVOLUTION: By Chris and Tim IN BUSINESS: EARN
BANTING 2.0 Whitfield MORE MONEY BY
By Jonno Proudfoot Keen to get out there BEING IN BETTER
Following the success and get fit on your SHAPE (Kindle Edition)
of bestsellers The Real mountain bike, but lack By Tim Bean and Anne Laing
Meal Revolution and the time or motivation? People who are out of shape
Raising Superheroes, Seasoned journalists crumble under the load and
Real Meal Revolution: and MTB riders Chris fade under the pressure of
Banting 2.0 is a holistic and Tim Whitfield will business. This book offers a guide and insights
approach to making help you turn your to the most successful strategies, tips and best
the switch from a high-carb, low-fat diet to one weekend-warrior dreams into reality with tips practices used successfully with the authors’
low in carbs and higher in healthy fats (LCHF). on cool trails, events and advice on everything private clients at the pinnacle of business.
The book covers the evolution of the LCHF from equipment and safety, to MTB lingo and Aimed squarely at high-performing individuals
revolution, offering a streamlined, accessible, fashion. This fun handbook – packed with who want to age better, have more energy,
easy-to-read review of what Banting means maps and tips – is your indispensable guide sleep better, stress less, think smarter, feel
and how to approach LCHF eating in the most to getting you on your bike and out into the healthier, work better, and want to be on top of
effective way possible. fresh air. their game to succeed in business.
R169 www.loot.co.za R199 www.raru.co.za $12.53 www.amazon.com

10 MARCH - APRIL 2017


MATRIX FITNESS SA
LAUNCHES HOME FITNESS RANGE
Matrix Fitness SA recently announced the launch of its new
COURSE DATES home range of cardio fitness equipment. Previously available
JOHANNESBURG only in a gym or club setting, users can now experience the
4 Mar – Group Exercise Instructor dynamic performance and uncompromising design of Matrix
4 Mar – Sports Massage products from the comfort of their own home. Optimised for
4 Mar – Boxing level 2 the home environment, the Matrix home range offers the same
10 Mar – Exercise is Medicine 2 durability, performance and industry-leading technology that
17 Mar – Exercise is Medicine 3 fitness enthusiasts love about Matrix’s club equipment. With
25, 26 Mar - Bootcamp workshop a compact design, the machines fit comfortably in the home
29 Mar – Personal Fitness Trainer workout space, and the styling of the industrial design makes
CAPE TOWN home fitness equipment look attractive. Three different intuitive
4-5 Mar – Exercise and pregnancy consoles give users choices, whether they’re looking for an
11 Mar – Sports Massage advanced experience that includes access to their favourite
apps, social media, premium entertainment, virtual journeys
Visit www.fitpro.co.za for more
info or email fitnesspro@fitpro.co.za and much more, or a simple display with accurate, easy-to-
for bookings. read feedback that tracks heart rate, distance, watts and other
workout metrics. To view the range, visit matrixfitness.co.za

APP OF
THE MONTH

The Robards Method App is a BODY20 ADDS


NEW LOCATIONS
fitness programme designed to
help you build your best body.
With over 125 power, strength
The charge of electro muscle stimulation (EMS) training
and rings workouts, the app
continues, with Body20 EMS Studio leading the way with the
will guide you to your goals,
opening of two new locations. Body20 Southdowns opened in
no matter what your fitness
February, with the launch of Body20 Glenashley in Durban hot on
level. Whether you want to
its heels in March 2017. The company is still offering additional
lose weight, gain strength and
franchise opportunities to health and fitness professionals
definition, or work out like an
and entrepreneurs who are looking to own their own business.
elite athlete, start The Robards
Interested parties can book a seat at the next Body20 franchise
Method at your level with five
presentation by visiting www.body20.co.za/key-activations or
different entry points into
emailing franchise@body20.co.za.
the programme.Available on
the App Store, Free
POUND YOUR BODY
AT VIRGIN ACTIVE
Virgin Active South Africa recently
announced the launch of Pound®,
a new workout concept that takes
drumming to a whole new level. Using
Ripstix®, which are lightly weighted
drumsticks engineered specifically
for exercising, Pound® transforms
drumming into an extremely effective
and unique full-body workout where,
instead of listening to music, you
become the music! Pound® is a
combination of cardio, conditioning,
and strength training with yoga and
Pilates-inspired movements.
Pound® launches in March 2017
and will be available at select
Virgin Active Health Clubs.
Visit www.virginactive.co.za for
more info.
POWER UP

GENERAL NEWS

EVENTS CALENDAR
2017 REEBOK CROSSFIT CELL C AFRICANX
GAMES TRAILRUN
The Open is the first stage of the CrossFit Games South Africa’s premier three-day trail run stage
season and is the largest community event of the race, the Cell C AfricanX Trailrun presented by
year. Workouts are released on Thursdays at 5 Asics will once again take teams of two (male/
p.m. PT, and athletes have four days to complete female/mixed) over breath-taking scenic routes in

PHOTO CREDIT: TOBIAS GINSBERG


the workout for the week and submit their score. the the Overberg region of the Western Cape that
Athletes can complete the workouts at a CrossFit vary in distance from 22km to 34km each day.
affiliate with a judge, or film it from anywhere Date: 17-19 March 2017
in the world and submit a link as proof. At the Venue: Festival Village, Houw Hoek Inn,
end of five weeks, the fittest move on to the next Western Cape
stages of competition: The Regionals and The To enter visit www.stillwatersports.com and stay
Online Qualifier. up to date by following @runtheafricanx on Twitter.
Dates:
17.1: Feb. 23 - 27
17.2: March 2 - 6
17.3: March 9 - 13
CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR Venue: Killarney Golf Club, Johannesburg,
In 2017 the Cape Town Cycle Tour will celebrate Gauteng
17.4: March 16 - 20 Impi Challenge Day Night Series #3
its 40th event, which will see 35,000 cyclists
17.5: March 23 - 27 Date: 7 April 2017
line up in Hertzog Boulevard to tackle the
Visit Games.CrossFit.com to sign up and log your Venue: OCT Rietvlei, Pretoria, Gauteng
spectacular 109-kilometre loop of the Cape’s
score each week. For more info or to enter, visit
peninsula. The Cape Town Cycle Tour is the
fourth and final event in the annual Cape www.impichallenge.co.za
Town Cycle Tour Lifecycle Week – a week-long
celebration of cycling, healthy lifestyles and ASHBURTON
outdoor sporting fun in one of the world’s most INVESTMENTS NATIONAL
scenic destinations. MTB SERIES
Date: Sunday, 12 March 2017 This seven-leg national marathon mountain
Venue: Cape Peninsula biking series is held in six provinces, at venues
For any event queries, visit www. that are unique with breath-taking trails, from the
capetowncycletour.com. Keep up to date with lush forests in Sabie to the spectacular sandstone
developments by liking cycletour on Facebook mountains in Clarens and the picturesque
or by following @CTCycleTour on Twitter and vineyards in Grabouw. The National MTB series
PHOTO CREDIT: WWW.ZOONCRONJE.COM

Instagram. is also a drawcard for established riders who


are looking to tackle the best and most exquisite
IMPI DAY-NIGHT SERIES riding trails throughout the country.
The new Impi Day-Night series is an exciting Event #3
5km obstacle trail run where athletes can Date: 8, 9 April 2017
compete against the leader board for the event Venue: Town Square, Main Street, Clarens,
and ultimate series win. Free State
Impi Challenge Day Night Series #2 Visit advendurance.com/nationalmtbseries
Date: 24 March 2017 for more info to enter.

THE WARRIOR RACE


SERIES THE IMPI CHALLENGE
The Warrior Race is South Africa’s largest The Impi Challenge is an event like no
obstacle course race (OCR) series. It other because it combines trail running,
incorporates trail running with various physical obstacles, mud and fun in an action-
challenges in the form of obstacles. The Toyota packed race that caters for athletes of all
Warrior, powered by Reebok series, offers fitness levels, as well as families and kids,
athletes from different sporting codes the and beginners looking for an unforgettable
opportunity to compete against one another, experience. All events include a best
with eight events held in four provinces, each dressed competition.
consisting of three different race distances. Event #1 Impi CPT
PHOTO CREDIT: WWW.ZOONCRONJE.COM

Toyota Warrior event #2 Date: 8-9 April 2017


Date: 11 March 2017 Venue: Coetzenberg Sports Complex,
Venue: Emerald Resort & Casino, Vanderbijl Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Park, Gauteng Event #2 Impi KZN
Toyota Warrior event #3 Date: 13 May 2017
Date: 22 April 2017 Venue: Virginia Trails, Eston, Kwazulu
Venue: Van Gaalen's Cheese Farm, Natal
Hartebeespoort, North West For more info or to enter, visit
Enter now by visiting www.warrior.co.za www.impichallenge.co.za

12 MARCH - APRIL 2017


POWER UP

READER Q&A

ASK THE
EXPERTS
Q
breakdown and raises insulin
levels to help promote muscle
growth and replenish muscle
glycogen levels.
As such, a number of modern
mass builders contain HMCs,
>> Question was answered by Mario van Biljon and Pedro van Gaalen along with high levels of protein,
often supplying around 500
calories per serving. In addition

TIRED OF THE to a decent serving of protein,


mass builder shakes sometimes

‘ECTO’ LIFE have added fats, too, to pack as


many calories as possible into a
serving. You can further boost the
After reading about the benefits of supplements calorie content of these shakes
in your magazine, I finally got the courage to use by adding healthy and nutritious
protein powders. I was therefore hoping you could calorie-dense foods to your
assist me with additional info that could help me shake. This may include Greek
overcome my ectomorphic issue. What are the best powders, workouts yoghurt, natural peanut butter,
and advice for hard gainers? Jono nuts or bananas.
Consuming a serving or two of

A
The quest to add behind mass building is simple CARB-CENTRIC EATING a quality mass builder in addition
significant muscle mass – consume more quality calories The reason for this is that to your daily meals ensures your
to any frame is one of the than you burn each day – current carbohydrates provide the most body will have all the protein, carbs
hardest tasks facing gym-goers, trends and information around readily available form of energy, and calories needed to fuel muscle
but this can often seem impossible dieting approaches can often known as glycogen, which fills growth. Mass builders are also
for ectomorphs – those commonly complicate the matter. Most your muscle cells and fuels your helpful as eating sufficient calories
referred to as hard-gainers. The recently, the importance and role intense weight training sessions. to fuel muscle gain is not easy to
physique of an ectomorph has of carbohydrates in our diets has The fact is, the mass-building accomplish through a whole-food,
little fat or muscle and they are been brought into question, yet it process requires energy, and a healthful diet alone. Consuming
slim, often underweight, and find remains one of the most important lot of it. Carbs also help the a serving or two of a quality mass
it hard to pick-up and maintain macronutrients in any serious anabolic process. builder, in addition to your daily
weight. And while the science mass-building plan. Ectomorphs also require the meals, ensures your body will have
greatest gains in body mass, all the protein and calories needed
yet they tend to metabolise to pack on the mass.
“ECTOMORPHS carbohydrates faster, which is The most important times of
REQUIRE THE why you will generally find that the day to use these high-carb,
GREATEST GAINS mass-building meal plans and high-protein supplements are
IN BODY MASS, supplements are rich in carbs and around training and first thing
YET THEY TEND protein, with moderate amounts in the morning. The use of pre-
TO METABOLISE of fat. and intra-workout shakes that
CARBOHYDRATES The trick is to choose the right contain good sources of HMCs
FASTER, WHICH types of carbs. Complex and high and amino acids (especially
IS WHY YOU WILL molecular-weight carb (HMC) BCAAs) are best suited around
FIND THAT MASS- sources are the best suited to workouts as they provide highly
BUILDING MEAL deliver the calories and energy bioavailable carb and protein
PLANS AND required to build prodigious sources to fuel your workout, while
SUPPLEMENTS muscle mass. Molecular weight a mass builder after a workout
ARE RICH IN refers to the mass of one replaces lost glycogen stores and
molecule of a substance, which starts the anabolic rebuilding
CARBS AND
means HMCs are essentially process. The early-morning
PROTEIN, WITH
made up of very large, heavy mass builder also kickstarts the
MODERATE molecules. HMCs such as Vitargo anabolic process after the night-
AMOUNTS are typically made from waxy time fast, limiting muscle loss
OF FAT.” maize starch and are rapidly and replenishing energy stores. In
digested and absorbed into the addition, a good night-time casein
blood. This is important after protein, with its slow release of
exercise because consuming amino acids, is another important
carbs at this time blunts element in the nutritional strategy
cortisol levels, prevents muscle of any hard-gainer.

14 MARCH - APRIL 2017


“USE A BLENDED
OR WHEY-BASED
MASS BUILDER
BEFORE AND/OR TRAINING APPROACH
DIRECTLY AFTER In terms of training, the old
thinking was that hard-gainers
TRAINING, AND A had a muscle fibre composition
CASEIN-BASED that predominantly consisted of
PRODUCT BEFORE slow twitch muscle fibres, which
are better suited for endurance.
BED. A BLEND IS As such, high-volume weight
BEST FOR FIRST training was the most common
THING IN THE approach. However, this broad
generalisation does not always
MORNING.” hold true for every ectomorph,
with certain hard-gainers more
likely to respond to much lower
rep ranges – as low as three per
set in some instances – with
much heavier weights. This
type of training focuses on
quality, not quantity, using
the load to drive the desired
MASS BUILDER OVERVIEW anabolic and neuromuscular
With this in mind, look for the following elements when purchasing your next mass builder: responses that elicit the greatest
adaptive response.
■ PROTEIN CONTENT: A single (casein and whey). Skim milk calories per gram. This makes
There is also enough scientific
serving should supply a dose of is a great functional ingredient them the ideal macronutrient
evidence available today to
30-45g of protein. as it serves as a cost-effective to boost the calorie density of
support the idea that people have
source of high-quality protein a product, but they should be
different hormonal responses to
■ MACRONUTRIENT RATIOS: and also helps enhance the derived from healthy sources.
different rep ranges. This means
Look for a product that supplies flavour and solubility of the As such, avoid products that
that the desired response to
around 50% of calories from final product. However, the contain hydrogenated fats.
training can also depend on the
carbs, 30% from protein and no only problem with skim milk
individual, not the rep range.
more than 20% from fat. powder is its lactose content. ■ CARBOHYDRATE SOURCES:
The key then is to try both
Many individuals do not Common mass builders
approaches and see which is best
■ PROTEIN SOURCES: Most produce enough of the lactose- contain maltodextrin (a glucose
suited to your genetic make-up
mass builders are formulated digesting enzyme called polymer), glucose (dextrose),
and hormonal response. One
with a blend of protein lactase to break down all the waxy maize starch and other
thing you can be certain of,
sources. Each protein source lactose in supplements that HMCs, fructose and modified
though, is that the traditional
has inherent strengths and contain skim milk. The result starches. Fructose and
3-4 sets of 8-12 reps is not going
weaknesses and, as such, is that the breakdown and glucose are sugars and should
to be as effective as one of the
blending various protein fermentation of excess lactose only comprise a moderate
other two approaches mentioned.
sources together generally is left to microbes naturally percentage of the total carb
In this regard, you may benefit
results in a more balanced present in the digestive content. The rest should be
from a look back at workouts
and complete amino acid tract. The result is often gas, HMCs. As such, avoid mass
in previous issues, such as our
profile. The final blend bloating, stomach cramps builders with a carb content
power-building feature in the
generally has a higher and diarrhea. If you are that is predominantly made up
previous issue (Jan/Feb 2017). ■
biological value than most lactose intolerant then a of sugars.
individual protein sources as lactose-free formula may be “HIGH-VOLUME
well. Use a blended or whey- the better option. ■ CALORIE CONTENT: As your WEIGHT TRAINING
based mass builder before ultimate goal is boosting your
and/or directly after training, ■ FAT CONTENT: Some mass daily calorie intake, your mass
WAS THE MOST
and a casein-based product builders include a small builder should supply ample
COMMON
before bed. A blend is best for amount of essential fatty acids calories per serving. Most mass APPROACH FOR
first thing in the morning. (often from fish oil or flax seed builders typically offer 400 HARD-GAINERS.
powders) and medium chain calories per serving, with some HOWEVER,
■ LACTOSE CONTENT: Many triglycerides (MCTs) or other offering over 1000. Be sure to THIS BROAD
mass builders on the market plant oils in their formulas to check the label and choose GENERALISATION
bolster the caloric value of the the right one for your needs
make use of skim milk DOES NOT ALWAYS
powder as a source of both product. Fats are extremely based on your ideal daily calorie
carbohydrates and protein calorie-dense, offering nine consumption requirements.
HOLD TRUE FOR
EVERY ECTOMORPH.”

www.fitnesshis.co.za 15
POWER UP

GUY GEAR

ANON
“THE C F SERIES
H ED
LEGRIA ENHANC ITY
C W H AS PA BIL
NO CA
IGHT ND
LOW-L R CLEAR A VIES.”
FO UL MO
A URF
COLO

GUY GEAR
A QUADRONES RANGE
Branded tech and accessories
and headless mode for greater
maneuverability. R2,999
protection, and boasts two internal
credit card slots. The cases also
D CANON LEGRIA
HF SERIES
distributor Gammatek has launched ■ Quadrone Battle Drones – convert into a media stand for Canon’s refreshed Legria HF series
an expanded range of AWW Equipped with interactive Infra watching videos while protecting includes the HF R806 and HF R86
Industries Quadrones in South Red recognition. R2,999 the screen from smudges, quality HD video camera models.
Africa. Quadrones are designed Available at leading outlets across scratches and dirt. Available The updated line retains the
to perform aerial acrobatics, with the country including Incredible through Gammatek in leading retail features of the range’s predecessors
premium models boasting a built-in Connection, iStore and Musica. outlets. and adds more creative control,
camera to deliver colour videos including flexible frame rates for
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16 MARCH - APRIL 2017


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COME TO DIS-CHEM FOR ALL YOUR NUTRITIONAL


NEEDS AND PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
POWER UP

FITNESS TECH

A B

TECH JUNKY C D

TO’S
SUUN GPS
FIRST
TS-
SPOR H
WA C AL
T
PTIC
WITH OT RATE
HEAR EMENT
UR
MEAS MULTI-
FOR ACING
R
SPORTRAINING.
AND T

A GOPRO HERO B TOMTOM SPORTS APP from the Apple Store and Google Play when needed. Available in spring
5 BLACK ACTION The new TomTom Sports app and supports the TomTom wearable 2017 in three colour options,
CAMERA providers users with motivational ranges. For more info go to namely Black, Blue and Sakura.
The GoPro Hero 5 Black Action messages, shares activity trends and tomtom.com/sportsapp.
Camera is the most powerful and comparisons, and tracks performance D K-WAY SWIFT 2L PACK
versatile action camera yet thanks stats, including body composition CSUUNTO SPARTAN The K-Way Swift Hydration Pack is
to its 4K video, voice control, one- and resting heart rate, which can SPORT WRIST HR an efficient, lightweight but durable
button simplicity, touch display and be viewed at a glance or analysed on GPS WATCH pack which accommodates a 2 litre
waterproof design. The stabilised a by-the-second level by advanced The new Spartan Sport Wrist HR is hydration bladder. It is ideal for trail
video, crystal-clear audio and athletes. Track up to 12 different Suunto’s first GPS sportswatch with runners, mountain bikers, hikers
pro-quality photo capture allows activity types on the app, ranging from optical heart rate measurement and day-trippers who want to keep
everyone to take the perfect picture, running, cycling and swimming to for multi-sport racing and training. hydrated on the trails and in the
no matter the conditions. Editing and skiing, trail running and hiking. With Featuring the patented PerformTek mountains. The mesh back ensures
sharing is now easier with the ability smart comparisons, users can also biometric measurement optical HR adequate ventilation, while the
to automatically upload footage to benchmark their latest performance technology by Valencell, the Spartan bungee straps provide easy storage
GoPro Plus Cloud. The Quik and against previous bests. Seamless data Sport Wrist HR offers athletes the and the sternum straps keep the bag
Capture app can also be paired to sharing is also possible with a range same multi-sport features as the from moving and provide a secure fit.
the GoPro via wifi. Available at Cape of third party platforms like Strava, original Suunto Spartan Sport, with Available at Cape Union Mart stores
Union Mart stores and online at Nike+, Endomondo, MapMyFitness, the possibility to still use the watch and online at www.capeunionmart.
www.capeunionmart.co.za. R7,999 Runkeeper. Available for download with a traditional heart rate sensor co.za. R499 (excluding bladder) ■

www.fitnesshis.co.za 19
POWER UP

MALE FIXATION

SHANNON
CORNELL
Shannon What would you say is your
biggest flaw?
Cornell is a I’m always running late.

buzzing socialite What’s the secret to your up-beat


who loves to set personality?
I have the ability to laugh at myself and
the competitive I generally don’t take things too
stage alight seriously. I also constantly push myself
to be a better person.
with her drop-
dead gorgeous Have you always been an
active person?
physique and I was an avid swimmer at school

her sparkling but found my love for the fitness


industry once I had left school and
personality. started working.

She rolls in a What sparked your interest in the


close-knit group competitive fitness industry?
An old friend of mine encouraged me to
of friends where compete, which I did for the first time
she now lives in in 2012.

Durban and she’s What do you do for a living?


fiercely loyal. I currently distribute South Africa’s most
innovative topical fat burning gel called
And she carries Sculpt and the L-Carnitine injectable

that passion and called Carnaject, one of the secrets to


staying in shape all year round.
ferocity into the Shannon’s training split
gym for every MON Quads & glutes

training session. THU Calisthenics


FRI Hamstrings & glutes

“Consistency QUICK FACTS


Nickname: Shanni
SUN Back & shoulders

in training Date of birth: 15 August 1989


How do you structure your training?
I train four times a week using workouts
and knowing Place of birth: Johannesburg
Lives: Durban
that target legs, glutes, back and
shoulders.
how your body Height: 1.56m

responds to Off-season weight: 52kg


Contest weight: 50kg
Only four times a week? How do
you manage that?
nutrition, that Competing since: 2012
Sponsored by:
Well, I don’t train arms or calves at
all – they get worked during my
is my secret Intensemuscle.com, Sculpt Gel, other sessions.

for a great Tight Line Fisheries


Shannon Cornell
What’s with the calisthenics in your
physique. @shan_cornell programme?
It’s a great bodyweight-based way of
A high-protein, >> Photography by
Slade, Pure Studio
exercising which consists of a variety

low-carb diet of movements that increase body


strength, fitness and flexibility.
along with What do you enjoy training
some carb most, then?

cycling works
I love training back because having
a strong back always helps with

best for me.” calisthenics.

What exercises are your favourites?


I love any variation of squats,

22 MARCH - APRIL 2017


CONTEST HISTORY
■ IFBB Novice Show 2012
Beach Bikini 6th
■ IFBB KwaZulu-Natal Show
2014 Beach Bikini 3rd
■ NABBA 2014 Bikini 3rd (In
honour of Chris Scott)
■ IFBB SSN Universe 2015
Fitness Bikini 4th
■ IFBB KwaZulu-Natal Show
2015 Fitness Bikini 1st
■ IFBB South African
Championships 2015 Fitness
Bikini 3rd
■ IFBB KwaZulu-Natal Show
2016 Fitness Bikini 5th
■ IFBB South African
Championships 2016 Fitness
Bikini 3rd

pull-ups and deadlifts because


I believe the basic movements are the
best for becoming fit and fabulous!

What do you find to be the biggest


drag in the gym?
Definitely training abs – I hate that
they only pop out just before a
competition! I generally hit my abs
before or after fasted cardio in the
mornings, particularly in the lead
up to a show and I do a lot of core
work during the off-season, too.

Who looks after your prep


for shows?
Ken Skip Hill from
intensemuscle.com.

What do you like most about the


local fitness industry?
I love building relationships and forming
new bonds with people.

And what’s your biggest gripe?


I don’t like it when athletes use it as
a platform for self-gain without any
consideration for a person’s feelings
or thoughts.

What’s your favourite meal?


Roast chicken and vegetables.

Outside of competing, dieting and


training, what do you absolutely
love doing?
I love baking, reading and spending
quality time with my hubby and our three
beautiful dogs!

What is the sexiest male characteristic,


in your opinion?
“I love the A strong personality sprinkled with
stage because wit and humour.
it gives me the
motivation to Favourite place on earth?
constantly A popular tourist attraction called
The Big Buddha. It’s a large bronze
challenge statue of Buddha Shakyamuni at Lantau
myself to Island in Hong Kong. The place is rich
grow, both in culture, symbolising the harmonious
physically and relationship between man and nature,
mentally.” people and faith. ■

www.fitnesshis.co.za 23
POWER UP

GYM GEAR

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24 MARCH - APRIL 2017


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POWER UP

FEATURE

>> By Pedro van Gaalen

A POPULAR FITNESS
MEME REGULARLY
SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
BY GYM ENTHUSIASTS
AND SERIOUS ATHLETES
PROUDLY STATES:
“Obsessed is a word
the lazy use to describe
the dedicated!”
While exercise is a healthy pursuit and
pushing your physical limits to achieve
new personal bests is an admirable
trait, problems arise when it becomes
something else.

EXERCISE
ADDICTIONWHEN When taken to extremes, and Tension/Trauma Release with an eating disorder and
exercise actually damages Exercise and EMDR practitioner, is often used to control and
YOUR our health, often leading who specialises in dealing with manipulate weight. “People who

COMMITMENT to conditions like anaemia,


arthritis, heart problems,
and counselling addictions, eating
disorders, stress and trauma,
suffer from conditions such as
exercise bulimia or anorexia
TO EXERCISE memory loss, soft tissue diagnosing a condition such as athletica tend to use excessive

BECOMES and bone injuries, and even


infertility. In the worst case
exercise addiction can be tricky
because it is commonly associated
exercise to mask their calorie-
purging behaviour,” explains
BAD FOR scenario, you can even exercise with other psychological Shearing. “However, it is also a

YOUR HEALTH yourself to death.


However, there are many who
disorders.
There are, of course, those
mental obsession, in the same
context as that of an eating
feel a compulsion to exercise often people who chase the endorphin disorder.”
and to extremes and the thought and serotonin and dopamine rush However, exercise addiction,
of taking a day off from training that comes from exercise, similar also known as exercise
tends to result in anxiety or stress. to that of some drug and alcohol dependence, compulsive
In most cases, where the desire to addicts. The release of these exercise, or obligatory exercise,
become fit and healthy becomes neurotransmitters act on isn’t classified as a clinical
an all-consuming obsession, we the nervous system to create condition by the American
can generally start to frame this a sense of pleasure or reward, Psychiatric Association, which
as exercise addiction. which exercise addicts may means that there are no
This psychological state is develop a dependency to. This specific diagnostic criteria
characterised by a compulsive is termed primary exercise to determine this condition
engagement in any form of addiction, as the physical activity outside of its association with
physical exercise, despite any itself is the gratification. an eating disorder.
potential negative consequences. The other, more common form “It is therefore well hidden and
However, according to Renee of exercise addiction, is often can fly under the radar for a long
Shearing, a Cape Town-based classified as a secondary addiction time, but it is hugely prevalent,”
registered Occupational Therapist because it occurs in conjunction states Shearing.

26 MARCH - APRIL 2017


TREADING “PEOPLE MAY
A FINE LINE EXERCISE
One of the major issues faced in EXCESSIVELY
determining if exercise habits BECAUSE IT To better determine
border on the obsessive is the fact OFFERS THEM A if you suffer from
that modern society generally DISTRACTION FROM
praises the level of commitment THEIR PROBLEMS EXERCISE ADDICTION,
to training exhibited in these
AS THEY PROBABLY it’s worth asking yourself
situations.
NEVER DEVELOPED the following questions:
“Exercise is considered to be a
healthy pursuit and is often even OTHER COPING ■ Are your exercise habits
used in the treatment of other MECHANISMS.” causing issues in your
addictions. In fact, most exercise life? Are you losing YES / NO
addicts won’t see anything wrong friends or experiencing
relationship issues?
with their behaviour,” she adds.
However, there is a fine line ■ Are people in your
between intense or competitive life complaining about
YES / NO
training and damaging, compulsive the amount of
exercise behaviour. exercise you do?
The other issue is that the addiction ■ Do you constantly need
may not actually be about exercise to keep increasing the
itself, but rather the relationship or amount of exercise you YES / NO
the dependency that someone has do to keep feeling good
to exercise as a coping or masking about yourself?
mechanism. This is commonly ■ Is exercise making you
referred to as a behavioural sick and weak instead of YES / NO
addiction, on par with gambling, sex common in younger people as they their adult years and will therefore strong and healthy?
or video game addiction. have yet to develop the mechanisms find that it takes longer to overcome
needed to contend with modern any addictive behaviour.” ■ Are you constantly
“People may exercise excessively YES / NO
life’s various stresses. “Older exhausted?
because it offers them a distraction In this way, Shearing explains
from their problems as they people are generally more resilient that addicts are more child-like in ■ Is your productivity
and tend to have the capacity and YES / NO
probably never developed other their ability and approach to dealing declining?
coping mechanisms. In these skills to cope with more, which with issues in life. “They choose
■ Do you look and feel
instances, the addiction is a means they’re less likely to become to rely on coping mechanism that YES / NO
run down?
subconscious avoidance tactic and addicted to exercise.” replace the mental capacity needed
this fact is often quite hidden to the The problem arises when people, to process and deal with these ■ Are you getting
enough sleep?
YES / NO
person engaged in the addictive particularly the young, fail to issues. And the more life throws
behaviour,” elaborates Shearing. develop the innate cognitive ability at them, the more they’ll need the ■ Are you still exercising
That’s because these people often to tolerate discomfort, emotional crutch of the addictive behaviour to despite an injury? YES / NO
aren’t aware what the behaviour pain or emotional turmoil, suggests cope with the stress.”
■ Do you often squeeze in
is masking and it’s the reason why Shearing. “Using avoidance tactics This is different to an addict
extra training sessions YES / NO
they tend to get defensive when such as excessive exercise inhibits who constantly chases the rush whenever you can?
the issue of excessive exercise is the natural development of the of endorphins because they tend
broached with them. neural pathways that develop to build a tolerance to them and ■ Are you unable to
through time as we are exposed therefore need more and more stop training in the
“They’ll tell you that exercise YES / NO
to and learn to cope with stress, face of various other
brings them enjoyment,” continues exercise to achieve the same ‘high’.
responsibilities?
Shearing, “but it’s actually just a which is a common feature among Shearing adds that humans
maladaptive coping mechanism addicts. We need to be exposed have also been socialised out of ■ Are you attaching
– an unconscious avoidance of to something first and learn to the instinctive ways that other your self-worth to
the outcomes of your
YES / NO
whatever is troubling them, be it tolerate it before we can decide mammals deal with stress, which,
how to deal with it or how to act coincidently, is often through exercise or training?
stress, relationship issues, trauma,
or self loathing. However, soon this appropriately. Sometimes this specific forms of physical activity. ■ Do you base decisions
avoidance behaviour becomes a process never happens and we find “However, without this ability we on your ability to
other ways to cope.” exercise, like where you
YES / NO
way of life for them, but it’s nothing become addicted to the behaviour
more than a distraction; a way to Shearing offers the example of that provides this release.” choose to vacation?
not look at and deal with what is someone who started their addictive Regardless of the underlying ■ If you’re training toward
going on in their lives.” behaviour at the age 16. “We tend to mechanism, though, the outcome a specific goal or event,
find that this person will still have YES / NO
Shearing suggests that this of this addiction tends to be the are you able to take a
condition can often be more the coping capacity of a teenager in same. Physical manifestations of break afterwards?

?
exercise addiction include chronic
“THE MOST PREVALENT AGE FOR exhaustion, extreme weight loss, SELF EVALUATE
DEVELOPING EXERCISE ADDICTION IS regular illness due to a suppressed YOUR ANSWERS.
immune system, poor sleep quality,
BETWEEN 18 AND 24, WITH RATES AT ill health, heart arrhythmia and
Still not sure if you’re an addict or
just very commited, then take the
THEIR LOWEST AFTER AGE 45.” overuse injuries. test on page 28.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 27
TAKE
THE
TEST
Another tool that can be used to
determine exercise addiction is
“YOU CAN’T the Exercise Addiction Inventory
KEEP DOING (EAI), developed by psychologist
THINGS THAT Mark Griffiths, PhD. It includes
STOP YOU FROM a six-point questionnaire where
FEELING. AND IF answers are rated according to
EXERCISE IS THE a five-point scale:
CRUTCH YOU USE 1 strongly disagree
TO WITHDRAW 2 disagree
FROM LIFE’S 3 uncertain
DIFFICULTIES, 4 agree
THEN I STRONGLY 5 strongly agree.
URGE YOU TO
SEEK HELP.”
EXERCISE ADDICTION
INVENTORY
RATE YOUR QUESTIONS 1-5:
IS THIS ME?
So how can you determine if in this regard as it helps to identify it helps to return stress levels 1. Exercise is the most important
you’ve crossed over from being trends in thoughts and emotions and hormones back to baseline, thing in my life.
a dedicated gym-goer to a wild- during this time, making it easier but we’ve suppressed this natural 1 2 3 4 5
eyed exercise addict? to determine if exercise is an all- feedback loop due to the chronic
Shearing says the common tell- consuming component in your life. levels of stress in our lives. As 2. Conflicts have arisen between
tale signs associated with exercise Most importantly, though, we work such, we tend to find other ways me and my partner about the
addiction include withdrawal from on finding what a client’s motivation to cope, which can often result in amount of exercise I do.
social and family commitments, the is for exercising.” addictions, of which exercise can 1 2 3 4 5
emergence of relationship issues “It is only when you identify be one.”
due to time away from partners and acknowledge these factors What TRE® does is activates 3. I use exercise as a way of
and family, overwhelming guilt and give yourself time to deal and utilises the body’s natural changing my mood (e.g. to get a
at missing even a single exercise with them that you generally can mechanism to down regulate buzz or to escape).
session, obsessing over workouts start to manage or even stop the stress and release tension, 1 2 3 4 5
or the planning of training addictive behaviour,” continues explains Shearing. “After a TRE®
programmes, downplaying the time Shearing. This process requires session, people tend to feel more 4. Over time I have increased the
you spend exercising and getting brutal honesty, and self-control is grounded, more present and able amount of exercise I do in a day.
defensive when confronted about then required to manage exercise to cope. It is not a cure to addiction,
1 2 3 4 5
it, and poor productivity in other addiction, in conjunction with however it provides the body with a
areas of life such as work and the development of the coping natural coping mechanism to use 5. If I have to miss an exercise
home. Exercise addicts often also mechanisms that were lacking in every week to improve a person’s session I feel moody and
struggle with depression, anxiety the first place. tolerance of stress and emotion. It’s irritable.
and neuroticism. Interestingly, Shearing says basically re-learning our lost ability
1 2 3 4 5
“The first step I take with clients that a specialised form of physical to self-regulate stress, which some
who I suspect may be addicted activity known as Tension/Trauma cultures do naturally, whereas
6. If I cut down the amount of
to exercise is to get them to stop Release Exercise (TRE®) can be Western society now prefers to
exercise I do and then start
training for two weeks. That’s not used to help people cope with use chemicals to achieve a similar
again, I always end up exercising
enough time to lose any significant stress. “We all have an inherent outcome.” This, of course, has
as often as I did before.
strength or fitness, but it will natural mechanism within our its own set of potential problems
tell you a great deal about your bodies that deals with stress, related to addiction. 1 2 3 4 5
relationship with exercise,” she called a tremor mechanism which “Ultimately, you can’t keep
says. “That’s because it’s unlikely works to down-regulate stress. doing things that stop you from HOW DID YOU SCORE?
that an exercise addict could make This happens following exercise, feeling. And if exercise is the crutch ■ A score of 24-30 suggests the
it even five days without going a or when we experience shock – it’s you use to withdraw from life’s highest likelihood of exercise
little stir-crazy.” the body’s way of removing excess difficulties, then I strongly urge you addiction;
Shearing requests that her adrenalin and cortisol, which are to seek help by going to speak to a ■ A score of 13-23 suggests a
clients use this time to examine how the hormones that activate our qualified psychologist for the sake person is at moderate risk;
they feel and think in the absence of flight-or-fight response. When this of both your mental and physical ■ A score of 0-12 means low risk
exercise. “Journalling is a great tool mechanism is functioning properly health,” concludes Shearing. for exercise addiction. ■

28 MARCH - APRIL 2017


POWER UP

HEALTH

I
N THE CONTEXT OF TRYING TO MANAGE
CONDITIONS SUCH AS OVERTRAINING AND
INJURY FROM EXCESSIVE EXERCISE, WE
OFTEN TEND TO DISPROPORTIONATELY
FOCUS ON MANAGING OUR TRAINING
VOLUME AND INTENSITY. SELDOM DO WE
CONSIDER THAT OVERTRAINING CAN JUST
AS EASILY BE EXPLAINED AS A CONDITION
CAUSED BY UNDER-RECOVERY, RATHER THAN
TOO MUCH EXERCISE.
And in addition to the physiological stress of
exercise, we are all exposed to varying types of
lifestyle stressors and degrees of stress, and
the response our bodies have to this multitude
of stressors, be it physical stress from training,
mental stress from work or emotional stress, all
manifest in the same way by affecting the same
bodily systems, particularly our nervous and
hormonal (endocrine) systems.
To be more specific, heavy training, a stressful
job, biomechanical dysfunction from extended
periods of sitting and inactivity, diet-induced stress,
pollution and life stress all interact seamlessly to
create an environment conducive to a breakdown in
various bodily systems.
As far as our bodies are concerned, stress
is stress. Unfortunately many of us fail to
understand this inter-relationship as we tend to
compartmentalise stress into different categories
and fall into the trap of thinking that physical
stress is separate from psychological stress and
one cannot affect the other.

PSYCHING
OUT YOUR
RECOVERY
>> By Pedro van Gaalen

HOW YOUR MIND CAN


HAMPER YOUR ABILITY
TO RECOVER BETWEEN
TRAINING SESSIONS
30 MARCH - APRIL 2017
“MUSCLE IS NOT
BUILT DURING YOUR
TRAINING, BUT RATHER
IT’S ALL IN BETWEEN SESSIONS.”
THE ROLE OF RECOVERY
YOUR HEAD As has often been written These processes work to as glycogen stored within
Well, if recent research in this magazine, gains in repair the structural damage muscle cells.
is to be believed, your fitness, strength and muscle that naturally occurs to The recovery process also
psychological state may very are not made during your muscles and connective tissue aims to return the body to a state
well be limiting your ability training, but rather between during training, and allows the of homoeostasis (balance) in
to recover between sessions, sessions when your body physiological adaptations to terms of hormonal, nervous and
more so than actions aimed rebuilds itself through a exercise to occur. The recovery immune system functioning, and
at improving recovery. This cascade of hormonally- process also replenishes lower the body's temperature
lends credence to the idea that mediated processes. expended energy stores, such back to normal resting levels.
overtraining can be caused
by under-recovery, as
much as it's caused by
excessive training.
ACCUMULATED STRESS
However, when you lurch stress is high. Kolehmainen, who specialises in
However, most of these
from one stressful situation The team of Swedish the study and understanding of
factors affect us between
– a hard training session, for researchers, led by Andreas the interface between exercise
training sessions, during
example – to another – a high- Ivarsson from the Center of or physical activity and mental
our recovery, and not
pressured afternoon in the Research on Welfare, Health stress, investigated the effect
necessarily during the
office or working late into the and Sport at Halmstad University of stress on recovery from
training itself (although,
night on deadline – you heap in Sweden, sought to examine an intense bout of resistance
high stress can certainly
psychological stress onto the the effect of relationships training in college students.
impact on the quality of a
physical stress you've imposed between psychosocial variables The study, which was also
training session). The most
on your body, all at a time and injury rates, and the published in the journal Sports
prominent of these factors
when you should be giving effects of psychological Medicine, in 2014, first assessed
is chronic stress and our
your body every opportunity interventions aimed at reducing the stress levels of participants
emotional state.
to repair itself. or preventing injury. via questionnaires. Students
This is what is commonly The findings of the study were then divided into a low
A 2009 study conducted termed “burning the candle at were published in 2016 and stress or high stress group based
by Samuele Marcora, both ends” as the psychological showed that “stress responses on the results. The two groups
director of research stress of work commitments, and history of stressors had then performed an intense
at the School of Sport or even the emotional stress of the strongest associations with resistance training workout and
and Exercise Sciences strained personal relationships injury rates.” The researchers were monitored up to 96 hours
at England’s University between family or friends, as concluded that the results after the session had ended.
of Kent, titled “Mental another example, are hampering “support the model's suggestion The research team found that
Fatigue Impairs Physical the processes of recovery that psychosocial recovery was
Performance in Humans” and adaptation. variables, as well “ATHLETES delayed by up
and published in the This has been corroborated as psychologically-
ARE MOST LIKELY to several days
Journal of Applied TO SUSTAIN
in a number of studies, with one based PHYSICAL in the high
Physiology, showed
MENTAL FATIGUE CAN
of the more recent, a meta- interventions, can INJURIES DURING stress group.
analysis published in the journal influence injury risk TIMES WHEN They concluded
HAVE NEARLY AS MUCH Sports Medicine, finding that among athletes.” PSYCHOLOGICAL that high levels
IMPACT ON ATHLETIC athletes are most likely to sustain In addition, a STRESS OF WORK of perceived
PERFORMANCE AS physical injuries during times 2013 study led by COMMITMENTS, emotional stress
MUSCLE EXHAUSTION. when psychological and/or social Matthew Stults-
OR EVEN THE undermine
The theory, which EMOTIONAL STRESS
OF STRAINED recuperation of
Marcora calls the physical function
psychobiological model
PERSONAL
RELATIONSHIPS and somatic
of exercise tolerance, BETWEEN FAMILY sensations.
expands on Tim Noakes's OR FRIENDS And the same
central governor theory IS HIGH.” was observed
by combining psychology in a University of Texas study,
with biology and published in Medicine & Science
physiology. in Sports & Exercise, which
put 31 undergraduate students
through a heavy-resistance
exercise protocol. Participants
with higher stress scores took
longer to recover their maximum
strength, even when their fitness,
workload and training experience
Studies show that high levels of perceived
emotional stress undermine recuperation of were controlled for.
physical function and somatic sensations.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 31
PRACTICAL TIPS TO
HELP YOU BALANCE
IMMUNE (DYS)FUNCTION “IF HIGH CHRONIC PHYSIOLOGICAL AND
Adding further support to this and Janice K. Kiecolt-Glasera,
STRESS IMPEDES PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS
theory is the effect that stress titled “The Impact of Psychological
RECOVERY FROM TO MAXIMISE YOUR
has on immune system function. Stress on Wound Healing: Methods
WOUNDS, THEN IT RECOVERY POTENTIAL
Whether it is repairing damage and Mechanisms” showed that
CAN BLUNT YOUR INCLUDE:
from a hard session in the gym, psychological stress can modulate
BODY’S ADAPTIVE
or on the track, or a wound from wound healing processes.
RESPONSE TO THE ■ Use light, easy exercise as
surgery, the immune system is In the paper, the researchers
DAMAGED TISSUE a means to de-stress during
primarily responsible for fulfilling explain that “psychological stress
THAT RESULTS periods of heightened work
this important biological task. leads to the activation of the
FROM INTENSE stress or periods of emotional
Accordingly, if high chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and
OR HIGH-VOLUME stress. Avoid heavy training
stress impedes recovery from the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary
TRAINING.” loads or bouts of intense
wounds, then it stands to reason axes. Enhanced glucocorticoids healing.” Accordingly, they state exercise.
that it can blunt your body’s and catecholamines production that psychological stress can have
adaptive response to the damaged can directly influence several a substantial and clinically relevant ■ Minimise all forms of stress
tissue that results from intense or components of the healing impact on wound repair. after hard sessions or
races for at least 48 hours
high-volume training. process. Substantial evidence This immunosuppression is also
afterwards. Try to avoid highly
To corroborate this stance, a from animal and human studies the reason why athletes tend to
stressed people, situations
study published in Immunology And indicate that physiological stress get sick during periods of heavy
and environments.
Allergy Clinics of North America responses can retard the initial training load and/or highly stressful
in 2011 by Jean-Philippe Gouina inflammatory phase of wound life situations.
■ Be flexible with you
programme and don't chase
targets at all costs. Listen to
MANAGING STRESS your body.
It is therefore highly beneficial which makes it hard to predict or factors that can affect their
to manage psychological stress control. It is therefore often the performance and recovery who ■ Don't push through feelings of
levels during the recovery period, athletes who steadfastly stick to find themselves in an over-trained chronic fatigue and tiredness.
particularly 24-48 hours after a training programme with little (or under-recovered) state or,
intense training sessions or races consideration for the external worse, injured. ■ Find additional ways to
or competitions. deal with life stress by
Conversely, this also means “USE LIGHT, EASY EXERCISE AS A disconnecting. Examples
skipping hard sessions during MEANS TO DE-STRESS DURING PERIODS OF include yoga, reading,
times of high psychological or HEIGHTENED WORK STRESS OR PERIODS socialising with friends
or meditating.
emotional stress, the nature of OF EMOTIONAL STRESS.”
■ Ensure complete rest days
“TRY YOGA TO are free from all forms of
HELP DEAL WITH stress. This may require
LIFE STRESS.” that you take a day off on the
weekend every now and then
to ensure there is no
work stress.

■ Eat a well-balanced diet


composed predominantly of
whole, natural foods. Avoid
added sugar, alcohol, tobacco
and drugs.

■ Get at least eight hours of


sleep a night. Try to get an
extra hour during periods of
peak training volumes or blocks
of high-intensity work, or take
naps when possible.

■ Basically, don't burn the candle


at both ends!

A team of German scientists from the Technical University of Munich who were investigating burn-out
and depression in sport, studied a cross-section of 162 elite and 199 junior athletes. They found that
SPORT-SPECIFIC STRESS COMBINED WITH INSUFFICIENT RECOVERY TIME WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION. Depression was especially associated with a lack of time to
recover from stress, said the researchers, who presented their findings at the British Psychological
Society’s sport and exercise psychology meeting in Cardiff. ■

32 MARCH - APRIL 2017


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S
YMMETRY IS KEY IN
BUILDING A WELL-BALANCED
BODY. AS SUCH, A HOLISTIC
APPROACH TO TRAINING YOUR >> Written by Pedro van Gaalen, Editor
SHOULDERS IS ESSENTIAL TO ROUND >> Performed by Aaron Hoberg
>> Photography by James Patrick
OUT THE LOOK OF YOUR UPPER BODY
AND CREATE MUSCLE BALANCE.
By developing strong, sculpted shoulders
you’ll also appear broader, which in turn
gives the illusion of a smaller waist for
that sought-after V taper. The aim here is
to also build ‘round’ shoulder muscles
that complement the shape of
your upper arms to give you
the ultimate masculine upper
body frame.

WHY TRAPS
& DELTS?
Some lifters may argue that traps are
technically classified as a back muscle
rather than shoulder muscles, and they’re
not wrong. However, the traps primarily
lift and rotate your shoulder blades.
This makes the upper and lower traps
synergistic muscles in almost all of the
exercises you perform in your
shoulder workouts.
Also, by incorporating exercises in your
shoulder workout that target the upper
aspect of this long, diamond-shaped
muscle in your back – mainly shrugs –
you’re able to dedicate more time and
focus to hitting it hard and heavy on
back day with real meat-makers like
deadlifts, pull-ups and rows. You can
be sure that these exercises are best
suited to developing your middle
and lower traps.

SHOULDERS
&A CLASSIC
TRAPS BODY
BUILDING COMBINATION
36 MARCH - APRIL 2017
THE WORKOUT
EXERCISE SETS REPS
Behind-the-head barbell press 4 8 - 10

Dumbbell shrugs 3 10 - 12

Arnie press 4 8 - 10

Dumbbell upright row 3 10 - 12

DELTOID GIANT SET 3 10 per


1 Front raise exercise
2 Lateral raise
3 Rear delt flyes

BEHIND-THE-HEAD
BARBELL PRESS
HOW TO DO IT: Stand up straight holding a barbell with an
overhand grip, with your core engaged and feet positioned
shoulder-width apart. Clean the bar up to your shoulders.
Press the bar up until your arms are almost fully extended.
Lower the bar behind your head before pressing it up for the
required reps.

THIS WORKOUT
TARGETS ALL
THE SHOULDER
MUSCLES –
THE ANTERIOR,
MEDIAL AND
POSTERIOR
DELTOIDS AND
THE HIGHLY
VISIBLE UPPER
TRAPEZIUS
MUSCLES TO
SCULPT A
BALANCED
UPPER BODY.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 37
DUMBBELL
SHRUGS
HOW TO DO IT: Hold dumbbells
in either hand at your sides
in a standing position. Place
your feet slightly wider than
shoulder-width apart. Look
forward and keep your head,
neck and back aligned. Shrug
your shoulders up towards
your ears. Hold for a count at
the top of the movement, then
lower the dumbbells back to
the starting position.

FROM TIP:
Do not roll your
shoulders during
shrugs to target
your upper
traps. Simply
aim to touch
your ears with
your shoulders
while performing
an up-down
movement.

WHY DUMBBELLS ARE BETTER: WHEN PERFORMED


USING DUMBBELLS, THIS EXERCISE OFFERS A WIDER RANGE
OF MOTION THAN THE BARBELL SHRUG, ALLOWING YOU
TO ENGAGE MORE OF THE TRAPEZIUS MUSCLES.

FORM TIP:
It’s important to lead
the rotational movement
with your elbows,
not your forearms, to
emphasise shoulder
abduction.

ARNIE PRESS FORM TIP:


Avoid locking
your elbows out
HOW TO DO IT: Sit on a bench or chair holding dumbbells in either hand. Position the dumbbells in front of your
at the top of
shoulders, with your palms facing your body, and your elbows under your wrists. Rotate your elbows out to your
the movement
sides. As you do so, press the dumbbells overhead until your arms are directly overhead. Lower the dumbbells to keep the
back down to the shoulders, then rotate your elbows inward until the dumbbells are back in front of your focus on your
shoulders. Repeat for the required reps. shoulders.

38 MARCH - APRIL 2017


DUMBBELL
UPRIGHT ROW
HOW TO DO IT: Stand upright holding dumbbells in each hand
with your palms facing toward you. With your feet positioned
shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in the knees, pull the
dumbbells up. Lead with your elbows and keep the dumbbells
close to your torso. Keep your chest high. Lift until the
dumbbells are near chin level. Keep your elbows as high as
possible throughout the entire movement. Slowly return the
dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat for the
required reps.

This exercise
targets the upper
trapezius, medial
and posterior
deltoids. The
secondary muscle
groups incorporated
into this movement
include the anterior
deltoids, biceps and
forearm flexors.

THE SHOULDER
IS THE MOST
COMPLEX JOINT
STRUCTURE IN
THE BODY AS IT
ENABLES THE
MOVEMENT OF
YOUR ARMS
THROUGH
360 DEGREES.
IT IS THE ONLY
JOINT STRUCTURE
IN THE BODY
WHERE THAT’S
POSSIBLE. YOU
THEREFORE NEED
TO WORK YOUR
SHOULDERS FROM
A VARIETY OF
ANGLES.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 39
DELTOID GIANT SET

FORM TIP: Don’t lift


your arms higher than
MOVE 1: FRONT RAISE
parallel to the floor as HOW TO DO IT: Stand upright holding dumbbells in either hand, with your feet
this places strain on the shoulder-width apart and your palms facing your thighs. Lift one arm forward
rotator cuff muscles. and up. Return it to the starting position then repeat with the other arm.
Continue in an alternating fashion.

MOVE 2:
LATERAL RAISE
HOW TO DO IT: Lift your arms out to your sides
until they are parallel to the floor. Reverse the
movement and repeat for 10 reps before moving
to the next exercise.

FORM TIP: Keep your elbows higher


than your wrists to maintain tension on
the targeted part of the shoulder.

40 MARCH - APRIL 2017


STRONG SHOULDERS
MOVE 3: WILL MAKE YOU
REAR DELT STRONGER AT CHEST
FLYES PRESSING EXERCISES
HOW TO DO IT: Hinge at the
TO HELP BUILD THE
hips and lean forward until ULTIMATE CHEST.
your torso is at no more than
90 degrees with the floor. Raise
both arms out to the side until
parallel with the floor. Reverse
the movement and repeat for
10 reps. Once this exercise is
complete, you’ve done one set.
Now do two more.

FORM TIP:
Keep tension on
the rear deltoids
by leading with
your elbows. Keep
your head and
neck in a neutral
position.

WHY DUMBBELLS
ARE BEST FOR
SHOULDER
DEVELOPMENT
■ Dumbbells can be used unilaterally or bilaterally
to better isolate muscle groups or increase
the demands on the stabiliser and accessory
muscles in the exercise.
■ Dumbbells make it impossible for the stronger
side of your body to dominate the movement
which leads to better symmetry.
■ As each dumbbell is moved independently of
the other they promote more balanced muscle
strength and size development. ■

www.fitnesshis.co.za 41
TRAINING

FITNESS NEWS

HIIT
IT HARD
20THE NUMBER OF MINUTES
OF MODERATE EXERCISE

FROM
NEEDED TO HELP
REDUCE INFLAMMATION

THE
IN THE BODY, according
to researchers at the
University of California,

START
San Diego. The study
findings suggest that
“exercise doesn’t have to be
tremendously hard for you
New research from a team of of HIIT workouts versus moderate enjoyment for the HIIT group to see health benefits from
kinesiologists at McMaster continuous training over the increased. Levels for the moderate it,” said study author Suzi
University, the findings of first six weeks of an exercise group remained constant and Hong, an associate professor
which were published in the programme. The researchers lower. According to Jennifer at the university. During the
journal PLOS ONE, shows that found that at the beginning of the Heisz, assistant professor in the study, researchers found a
more intense, short bursts of training, sedentary young adults Department of Kinesiology at 5 percent decline in immune
exercise in the form of high- in the HIIT group reported similar McMaster and lead author of the cells linked to inflammation
intensity interval training levels of enjoyment to those in study, “enjoyment during these first in those who exercised. The
(HIIT) is more enjoyable than the moderate exercise group, weeks of adopting a new exercise study was published online in
moderate exercise. The study but as training progressed and programme may be especially the journal Brain, Behavior,

TRAINING
examined changes in enjoyment the participants grew stronger, important for preventing dropouts.” and Immunity.

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42 MARCH - APRIL 2017


SHUT IT OFF!
Michael Rebold, Ph.D., assistant training. According to Rebold, talking
professor of integrative exercise or texting on a cell phone during
science at Hiram College, in exercise will lower the intensity of
conjunction with researchers a workout and also affects balance
from Bloomsburg University of by reducing postural stability by up
Pennsylvania, recently published to 19 percent. Listening to music HIIT
studies in Computers in Human
Behavior and Performance
on a cell phone, on the other hand,
has no notable impact on postural DIABETES
Enhancement & Health on the stability during exercise, according A new study, the findings
subject of cell phone use during to the researchers. of which were published
in November 2016 in the
journal American Journal
of Physiology: Heart and OUTSIDE-
Circulatory Physiology,
suggests that a single
IN FITNESS
session of interval weight TREND
training can decrease a Outdoor training has been one
person’s risk of type 2 of the most popular health and
diabetes complications, fitness trends for the past few
particularly vascular years and now gyms are taking
damage. The findings advantage. As an example,
show that training with BioFit is a new indoor gym in
weights significantly London that is designed entirely
improves cardiovascular from natural products. All of the
system function, even equipment is made from timber
after one session, which and themed according to outdoor
is further correlated environments like the jungle, with
with a smaller chance of a giant forest wall and vegetation

30,000,000
developing heart disease. hanging from the ceiling. Watch
out for this trend in SA!

30%
THE NUMBER OF HEALTH AND FITNESS SESSIONS BOOKED
SINCE THE LAUNCH OF CLASSPASS IN JUNE 2013.

The decreased risk of dying,


NEWBIE RUNNERS expressed as a percentage, that

EXPERIENCE
weekend warriors and “insufficient
exercisers” experienced over those
BETTER BURN who were inactive, according to
research conducted at Loughborough
A paper published in the Journal of Applied
University in England. Regular
Physiology shows that low-mileage runners
exercisers lowered their risk by 35
expend more energy during training as they
percent. The researchers used info
are less efficient. The research team, which
from surveys by trained interviewers
consisted of Jasper Verheul, Adam C. Clansey
conducted on nearly 64,000 adults
and Mark J. Lake from Liverpool John Moores
in England and Scotland from 1994
University in the United Kingdom, determined
to 2008 to show that even moderate
that runners who consistently logged high
amounts of exercise below the
mileage (27 miles per week) showed more
minimum recommended threshold
neuromuscular changes that improve running
have significantly greater health
efficiency than the low-mileage runners (9 miles
benefits than previously thought.
a week). They also found that high-mileage
runners experienced lower muscle activity,
which increased proportionately with speed, and
that their tendons acted in a spring-like manner
to help propel them forward more efficiently.
MORE THAN MUSCLE NUMEROUS
STUDIES THAT TESTED PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND AFTER
The researchers concluded that “high-mileage PERIODS OF CONSISTENT EXERCISE DEMONSTRATE THAT
training leads to changes in the muscles and AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE IMPROVES MEMORY AND ATTENTION
tendons that likely reduce energy expenditure SPAN, AND LEADS TO HIGHER INFORMATION PROCESSING
during running, and these adaptations are AND COGNITIVE SPEEDS.
enhanced the faster you go.”

www.fitnesshis.co.za 43
ADVERTORIAL

EQUIPMENT

MOVE OVER Workout options are endless, too.

AN ASSAULT

SPINNING,
ON CALORIES!
■ CARDIO CRUISE
Easy pedal, push and pull for a light cardio

THE ASSAULT BIKE IS THE NEW


session to warm up or cool down.

■ RECOVERY PEDAL

CALORIE-CRUSHER ON THE SCENE Real recovery is about more than rest.


If you aren’t mobilising joints and

F
promoting blood flow, you’re doing it
or years spinning was wrong. The Assault Bike is a great way to
considered the queen of get the entire body moving.
“Beware of copies,
cardio for its ability to make sure you
blast calories and get the sweat purchase a genuine ■ TURN IT UP WITH AN ASSAULT TABATA
pumping, but no more. Assault Bike” 20 seconds of all-out effort with
10 seconds of rest, performed 8 times.
The air bike concept, also known as
Rest between each Tabata, repeat for a
a fan bike, has been around for years, total of up to 5 rounds (if you dare!)
but it wasn’t until one company sought
to improve on the original design that ■ HIGH-INTENSITY ASSAULT
air bikes took the reigns as your gym’s The Assault Bike comes into its own during
best calorie-crusher. short-duration, high-intensity intervals.
Try one of the following:
The company in question and
the model everyone is using, from BEGINNER BLAST
CrossFitters to elite athletes, is called Warm-up 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
the Assault Bike. Intervals 15 minutes of 15 seconds
The Assault Bike uses a 27- hard, 45 seconds easy
inch steel fan to create unlimited Cool-down 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
resistance, which is the secret to its
MODERATE MELTDOWN
effectiveness – the harder you work,
Warm-up 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
the greater the resistance.
Intervals 15 minutes of 30 seconds
This happens when the torque hard, 30 seconds easy
generated from the pedals and/or the Cool-down 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
arm levers is transferred to
the fan at the front of the bike. As the ADD 1 CALORIE EMOM
fan blades spin, the air they move Warm-up 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
against provides resistance back to Aim to burn an extra calorie at each
subsequent minute interval, until you
the rider. Hence, the harder you push can no longer achieve your goal.
it, the more resistance you experience. Cool-down 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
WARNING: Start slow and gradually
THIS VERSATILE EXERCISE TOOL ALSO build to sustain a 20-30 workout.
OFFERS A VARIETY OF WORKOUT OPTIONS. PYRAMID INTERVALS
■ Full-body pedal, push and pull workout
Warm-up 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
■ Rest your feet on the oversized foot pegs for an
Interval 1 10 sec sprint, 50 sec rest
all-arm upper-body sessions
Interval 2 20 sec sprint, 40 sec rest
■ Crunch the pedals for a leg cardio-strength
Interval 3 30 sec sprint, 30 sec rest
mash-up
Interval 4 40 sec sprint, 20 sec rest
Interval 5 50 sec sprint, 10 sec rest
KEEP TRACK
Interval 6 40 sec sprint, 20 sec rest
■ The Assault Bike console
Interval 7 30 sec sprint, 30 sec rest
offers a heads-up display via
Interval 8 20 sec sprint, 40 sec rest
LCD technology to deliver
Interval 9 10 sec sprint, 50 sec rest
easy-to-read information.
■ Large buttons and quick keys Cool-down 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
enable faster access to the
POWER EMOM PROGRESSION
on-board programmes, while
the screen is packed full of useful data feedback. Warm-up 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
■ Simultaneously monitor heart rate, speed, Add 10 watts of power to each interval,
every minute on the minute, until you
RPM, time, watts and calories. can no longer sustain your effort.
■ On-board programming allows you to jump into
Cool-down 5 minutes @ 5/10 effort
a workout with minimal fuss, or fully customise
your session on the bike. Choose from high ASSAULT METCON
intensity intervals, or set a target distance or Perform 10 rounds of 40 seconds of
Watt goals. all-out effort on the bike, followed by
40 seconds of a different bodyweight
exercise of your choice for each round.
Want to know more? Visit www.mifitness.co.za or Rest 20 seconds between rounds.
Phone: 011 704 6711 Email: info@mifitness.co.za

44 MARCH - APRIL 2017


TRAINING

FEATURE

THE BEST FORMS


OF EXERCISE TO BURN THE
MOST CALORIES

BOOST
WE ALL WANT THE
MAXIMUM REWARD
FOR OUR EXERCISE
EFFORTS, WHETHER
THAT IS THE MOST
MUSCLE GAINED

THE
OR THE GREATEST
AMOUNT OF WEIGHT
LOST. WHEN IT
COMES TO WEIGHT
LOSS AND FAT LOSS,
THE MAGIC METRIC

BURN
THAT EVERYONE
CHASES IS TOTAL
CALORIES BURNT
PER HOUR.
We do this for a
number of reasons,
the most prominent of
which is an attempt to >> By Pedro van Gaalen, Editor
create a calorie deficit
when we combine THE NUMBERS GAME
exercise and a calorie- In this regard, it’s important track session that lasts an hour not all exercises are created
controlled eating plan. to understand that not all will burn even more than the equal when it comes to blasting
The other main reason exercises are created equal and mountain run. calories. For instance, non-
the total number of calories The key here is intensity – the weight bearing exercises such as
is that most of us are consumed is also related to the longer you can maintain a higher swimming or cycling have a lower
strapped for time and manner in which you perform intensity, the more calories you’ll calorie-per-hour consumption
often can’t exercise the exercise and not just the burn. There are a few other rate than weight bearing
for more than 45 type of exercise you choose. nuances to this equation, though, exercises such as running.
minutes to an hour. Take running as an example. like environmental factors and With that in mind, what should
Running for an hour at a slow the addition of resistance and you focus your efforts on when
We therefore want to pace will burn fewer calories the number of muscle groups trying to get the most benefit from
get the most from our than an hour-long run in the incorporated into specific your exercise? We share our top 5
time in the gym. mountains, while an interval exercises, which means that forms of training in this regard.

46 MARCH - APRIL 2017


RUNNING “RUNNING AT
AN AVERAGE
900
CALO
*
Based on numerous studies, where you started, which would RIES
PACE OF JUST
most experts agree that a require about 500 calories to
UNDER 5MIN/KM
person of average weight meet your energy requirements,
CAN BURN IN
burns about 100 calories per whereas a fast runner could cover
EXCESS OF
mile (1,600m) of running. That in excess of 16km in the same
900 CALORIES
figure can vary slightly if a time, thereby burning up to
IN ONE HOUR,
runner weighs more or is less 1,000 calories.
DEPENDING ON
efficient as both factors will For this reason, it’s a better
YOUR WEIGHT, THE
require more energy to cover idea to perform a session of
TYPE OF ROUTE
the same distance. However, the intervals than a steady-paced
YOU ARE RUNNING
figure tends to remain constant easier run, regardless of
AND OTHER
regardless of speed. your proficiency as a runner.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Yes, running a mile fast or Combining bursts of speed with
FACTORS.”
slow will burn roughly the same shorter active recovery intervals
number of calories, but the longer will ensure even a less-fit runner
you can sustain the more intense covers more ground. Obviously,
effort for, the more calories sustained all-out race efforts will
you’ll burn per unit time. Stated burn the most calories, but this is
differently, jogging for an hour will neither practical nor advisable on
likely get you 8km from a daily or even weekly basis.

KETTLEBELL
TRAINING
The American Council on Exercise
(ACE) conducted a study on the
ability of kettlebell training to
burn calories.
Researchers determined that
participants were burning at least
20.2 calories per minute, which
works out to a staggering 1200
calories per hour of non-stop
exercise. This makes it one of Try these:
the most effective exercises, ■ Cindy WOD:
minute-for-minute when it comes Perform a round
to burning calories. This is due of 5 pull-ups,
to the fact that kettlebell training 10 push-ups and
incorporates multiple muscle 15 squats, in that
groups per exercise. order. Complete as
many rounds as you
can in 20 minutes.
783
CALORIE
*
* ■ Fran WOD:
0 S
120 S Three rounds for
E
ORI time of a couplet of
CAL barbell thrusters

CROSSFIT and pull-ups with a


rep structure of
A similar outcome was seen in a Researchers at the university's 21-15-9 per round.
study conducted by Kennesaw State La Crosse’s exercise physiology
University, which determined that programme monitored 16 healthy ■ Donkey Kong WOD:
a common CrossFit WOD known as and fit volunteers as they performed Three rounds for
Cindy, which uses only bodyweight, the Donkey Kong and Fran CrossFit time of burpees,
can burn 261 calories per session. WODs. The men burned nearly 21 kettlebell swings,
However, this WOD lasts just 20 calories a minute while women burned and box jumps with
minutes, which equates to a calorie just over 12, with participants reaching
*PER HOUR, ON AVERAGE

a rep structure of
consumption rate of 783 per hour. about 80 percent of their VO2max. 21-15-9 per round.
Add some weights and an Olympic Obviously this level of effort is hard Between each
bar and that figure climbs significantly, to sustain for an hour, but if you're round, perform
as witnessed in a study performed capable of doing it you could burn up 30 stair steps.
at the University of Wisconsin. to 1260 calories an hour.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 47
HIWT WORKOUTS
INCORPORATE

650
Another form of training multiple muscle groups into * COMPLEX,
that is similar in nature to one movement – will always R S
IE COMPOUND
CrossFit is high-intensity deliver better calorie-per-hour CALO MOVEMENTS
weight training (HIWT). consumption rates than simple, THAT CAN
These workouts incorporate single joint movements. INCLUDE
complex, compound Research out of Azusa Pacific BARBELL OR
DUMBBELL
movements that can include University demonstrated that a
COMPLEXES,
barbell or dumbbell 6-minute metcon-style workout CIRCUITS OR
complexes, circuits or that involved a 1-minute warm- METCONS
metcons, which are also great up, a 4-minute workout, and a
ways to boost your overall 1-minute cool down burned an
calorie consumption rate and average of 63.2 calories during
assist with weight loss. the workout. Repeat that 10-12
Any exercise performed times (take shorter recovery
against resistance that requires breaks between intervals) for
complex compound movements an hour-long session and you’ll
– those that incorporate burn more than 650 calories.

*
S.W.E.A.T.
10O0RO
CAL
IES
1000
S.W.E.A.T. stands for
Specialised Weight Endurance
Athletic Training, with the
1000 representing the calories
you're able to burn in a
standard one-hour workout.
This is achieved by
integrating the components
of interval training, functional
training, core stability work
and agility training with all-out
sprints or steep incline walking

*PER HOUR, ON AVERAGE


on specialised treadmills. If you
put everything into an hour-
long dynamic, action-packed
class, you'll certainly become a
calorie-incinerating machine.

AFTER-GLOW EFFECT
But the burn doesn’t stop when walked at 70 percent of VO2max, consumption will remain
your session ends. The other the longer it took for their elevated by 15-25 percent for
benefit of higher intensity metabolic rates to return to pre- up to 24 hours.
training is the so-called exercise levels. As such, researchers
‘afterburn effect’, which is the Similarly, in a study published consistently find that more
metabolic process that happens in Medicine & Science in Sports intense exercise leads to a
after a tough session where the & Exercise, triathletes who cycled greater afterburn effect, which
body works to return to a state at 75 percent of their VO2max for means you’re getting more
of homeostasis. 20 minutes burned more calories benefits before and after your
To illustrate this effect, the after their workout than they did training when you choose
participants in the Azusa Pacific after cycling at just 50 percent of the right type of exercise and
University burnt an additional 297 VO2max for 30 or 60 minutes. perform it at the highest
calories after their six-minute In terms of running, one study possible intensity. ■
exercise session. This effect has suggests that if you burn 720
been corroborated in a number calories running at 80 percent RESEARCHERS CONSISTENTLY
of other studies, including one of your VO2max, as opposed to FIND THAT MORE INTENSE
published in Medicine & Science burning 720 calories running EXERCISE LEADS TO A
in Sports & Exercise, which found slower at 60 percent of your GREATER AFTERBURN EFFECT.
that the longer that subjects VO2max, your base rate of calorie

48 MARCH - APRIL 2017


TRAINING

ENDURANCE

in duration and distance, we


begin to add elements of speed
within the sessions. An example
for a long bike ride would be to
ride all the hills hard (Z4) and ride
steady (Z2/Z3) on the downs and
flats. In this phase our long runs
have increased but are still in
Z2/3 zone. Biking volume doubles
and swimming increases by
roughly 33%.
HANS CHRISTIANSSON / SHUTTERSTOCK, INC.

Phase three is about race

ESSENTIAL IMAGE / SHUTTERSTOCK, INC.


preparation and it’s four weeks
(week 13 – 16 of the programme).
The most demanding sessions
are the aerobic capacity (Z4)
sessions as the intensity is high
and duration is somewhat long.

PAINTINGS / SHUTTERSTOCK, INC.


Repetition intervals are from

JUGGLING
2-8 mins in length with the total
volume of any workout no more
than 15-21 minutes at this level.
Our track running sessions,

THREE
speed swimming sessions and
spin classes are examples of
These are pertinent this zone. Athletes will do lots of
questions and getting the this intensity work in this phase

DISCIPLINES
answer wrong can mean to develop their aerobic and
poor performance on anaerobic conditioning.
race day, overtraining or, Although distances are still
worse, injury. increasing in this phase, athletes
At Embark our coaches
start to include ‘brick’ sessions
help many first-timers reach the finish line – for an event like a 70.3
(back-to-back disciplines in
we work to a six-month programme. This is divided into four phases
training). This allows them to
ABOUT THE and each phase has a specific purpose.
AUTHOR: exercise for longer periods of
STeve Attwell, Some of the phases have two training blocks and others only one.
time and at higher intensities
Level 2 A block is usually a four-week cycle, with three weeks of a progressive
Triathlon build, followed by one week of active recovery or taper. Every block in preparation for the race. An
South Africa (TSA) and example of a brick session would
certified Ironman coach, and must include recovery because without this the body can’t adapt and
founder of Embark triathlon keep up with the progression, which ultimately ends in injury. be a 40km ride followed by a 5km
coaching www.embark.co.za
Phase one is the base preparation phase. It lasts eight weeks (two run, and then another 40km ride
blocks) and is the lower intensity base of the progressive program. It’s and 5km run.
ONE OF THE mostly performed in the aerobic conditioning zone (Z2+Z3*). Athletes The final phase before the
COMPLEXITIES OF cannot afford to dismiss this vital training intensity because it provides taper and rest week is the peak
TRAINING FOR A the physiological foundation that enables our bodies to handle the transition phase. This phase
MULTIDISCIPLINARY higher intensities and volumes as the competitive phases approach. pulls everything together. Aerobic
EVENT LIKE AN Basically, the bigger the base, the better you’ll race. capacity is high intensity, short
IRONMAN OR 70.3 Only increase your distance on the run by 10-15% each week duration training, heart rates
RACE IS BALANCING (the swim and bike can be more progressive). After three weeks we may reach 100%! These sprint
THE VOLUME AND ease off and take a recovery week. intervals, when combined with
INTENSITY OF the extensive endurance work,
THREE DIFFERENT *KEY TRAINING ZONES By week nine athletes move
into the base transition phase – are the icing on the cake. These
SPORTS. WHEN ZONE 1 (Z1)
are the speed-work sessions, like
SHOULD YOU DO Warm up and cool down. also an eight-week phase. This
WHAT; HOW MUCH Can talk with ease phase focuses on anaerobic 10x400m after a decent warm up,
OF EACH AND AT ZONE 2 (Z2) conditioning or threshold training. followed by an easy cool down. On
WHAT INTENSITY, Breathing is quicker. Can still talk, We refer to this as tempo or the longer bike sessions athletes
HOW OFTEN AND but are aware of your breathing pacing (Z4). We will be mixing this would ride 10x1min flat out, with
ARE YOUR BLOCKS ZONE 3 (Z3) in with our Z2 and Z3 training, but ample recovery in between. This
OF HIGH-INTENSITY Short sentences possible, but will do a lot more of it once we phase ends with athletes able
TRAINING DONE would rather not talk
have built our base. To increase to do the entire race bike/swim
ACROSS ALL THREE ZONE 4 (Z4) the intensity, we add in track distance in a single session, which
DISCIPLINES AT THE Rapid breathing, can’t talk running, hill training for running gives them both the mental and
SAME TIME? ZONE 5 (Z5) and biking, and more tempo physical confidence to go to the
Max effort. work in the swim. Although the race knowing they’re prepared
Can’t even consider talking sessions are still progressive and ready! ■

www.fitnesshis.co.za 49
TRAINING

FEATURE

DIFFERENT
HEAD
POSITIONS
DURING
THE SQUAT
INCLUDE:
■ UPWARD
Looking at the join
between the facing
wall and ceiling
■ STRAIGHT
AHEAD
Looking at the
reflection of your
eyes in the mirror on
the wall facing you
■ DOWNWARD
Looking at the
>> By Werner Beukes, Deputy Editor intersection between
the floor and the
WEIGHING facing wall

IN ON THE
DEBATE
ABOUT
WHERE TO
LOOK WHEN
SQUATTING

HEADS UP
T
Scientists have
HE SQUAT IS CONSIDERED THE KING OF ALL EXERCISES AND THE GOLDEN estimated that
STANDARD FOR STRENGTH IN THE GYM, AND FOR GOOD REASON. THIS TRIED-AND- over 200 muscles
TESTED COMPOUND MOVEMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE EXERCISES are activated
AROUND, NOT ONLY FOR BUILDING THE BEST BODY BUT ALSO FOR THE VAST during a squat.
MAJORITY OF SPORTS WHERE YOU NEED TO RUN FASTER OR JUMP HIGHER. These include the
quadriceps femoris,
The squat is synonymous objectives for including the topic that has been covered hip extensors, hip
with developing the quads, squat in their programme. extensively on the pages of this adductors, hip
abductors and tricep
hamstrings, glutes and hips While powerlifters aim to lift magazine, but recent research
surae. In addition, the
– all the muscles responsible the most weight, for example, has brought back into focus
squat also requires
for physical prowess and peak bodybuilders are interested in a crucial yet often overlooked
isometric activity
performance in a variety of using the correct technique for component of performing the
from a wide range of
sports, from speed, power and developing larger muscles. perfect squat. supporting muscles
strength, to endurance. The structure of squat There has always been including the erector
However, not everyone should sessions may therefore vary in considerable debate regarding spinae, abdominals,
perform a squat as it requires a terms of reps and sets, but one the correct head position when rhomboids, trapezius
certain level of mobility at the thing that remains constant is squatting. The three options and many others to
hips, the spine and shoulders, the correct form and technique include looking up, gazing keep the trunk
which some people lack. Each required to execute it safely straight ahead or looking down. stable during
athlete may also have differing and effectively. This is a Which, then, is correct? the movement.

50 MARCH - APRIL 2017


UP, STRAIGHT OR DOWN?
For record-holding powerlifter Conditioning Research, 2006) a help maintain balance and to
Chad Wesley Smith, technique downward-looking head position shift your weight onto the heels.
in squatting will differ from produced an 8% greater forward In most cases, this preference
person to person. “Not bend at the hips and a 2% greater is usually a consequence of PRACTICAL &
everybody's technique will
be the same. Individual body
forward flexion of the spine.
The researchers found that this
inadequate hip flexor and/or ankle
mobility, which causes a person
ANATOMICAL
dimensions, leverages, contributed to a greater stress load to lean forward while performing
REASONS
strengths and weaknesses will on the lower back and vertebral the squat. According to Nuckols, most lifters’
dictate what technique is most discs. An upward-looking head When tested, it was found that sticking point is anywhere from
effective for you.” position, on the other hand, led to the head-up position during the one to six inches above parallel
Great technique for Smith a loss of balance. The best head squat extends the thoracic spine when squatting. “The exact joint
starts with a great setup. But position, according to the study, is and compressive forces along angles vary from person to person,
where should you put your head? maintaining a level head position. the entire spine. Lifters should but it occurs almost universally
According to a study involving It was recommended that lifters therefore keep their eyes at a in the middle of the lift. Very few
football players using the front should watch themselves in the fixed point on the horizon and not people get buried in the hole
barbell squat (D.V. Donnelly et al., mirror while performing squats. the ceiling. By doing this a lifter and don’t even start coming up,
"The effect of the direction of gaze Irrespective of what exercise can keep his head in alignment and very few people miss once
on the kinematics of the squat science dictates, some lifters still with his spine for a better they break through the sticking
exercise," Journal of Strength and believe in a head-up position to biomechanical position. point (unless they just lose their
balance). Your goal when you start
driving out of the hole is to put
yourself in a good position when
WHY SQUAT? THE SQUAT IS ONE OF THE you reach your sticking point, and
your goal through the sticking
MOST WIDELY USED RESISTANCE EXERCISES IN THE point is just to grind through as
FIELD OF STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING BECAUSE IT efficiently as possible.”
ACTIVATES THE LARGEST, MOST POWERFUL MUSCLES People squat differently not
IN THE BODY AND IS OFTEN REGARDED AS THE only as a result of practical
reasons, such as training for a
GREATEST TEST OF LOWER-BODY STRENGTH. specific sport but also anatomical
reasons. “There are a multitude
WHAT IF YOUR GAZE IS INCORRECT? of differences in hip anatomy
Trainer and author Greg I’ve looked for this study, and I’ve the wall, or at the juncture of that can make people squat
Nuckols, who has taught asked multiple people who’ve the wall and the ceiling. Focus differently, including different hip
hundreds of lifters from referenced it to send me a copy. intensely on that one point socket depths, different angles of
different experience levels and So far I’ve come up empty, and throughout the lift. This will help inclination of the neck of the femur,
in varying sporting codes about I’m starting to think it simply you keep your balance and avoid different degrees of rotation of the
the biomechanics of the squat, doesn’t exist.” being distracted by what’s going femoral neck about the shaft of the
is philosophical about where to He continues: “After 10 years in on around you.” femur, and different positions for
gaze when you perform a squat. the sport, I’ve literally never seen a If you’ve found a spot to look the hip socket on the pelvis. Throw
According to Nuckols, no one is neck injury from squatting, and I’ve at and the weight shifts forward in different femur lengths, varying
going to point a gun at your head seen many successful squatters and you’re about to lose your degrees of ankle mobility, varying
if your gaze is incorrect. “The best look up, down, or straight ahead.” balance, Nuckols suggests that attachment points for the muscles
position is the one that lets you So, what exactly does Nuckols you drive your traps aggressively around the hip, and different levels
train the hardest and the most suggest? “Here’s the important back into the bar. “When you of strength in the prime movers,
consistently.” part: Find one point to focus on, do that you are simultaneously and you have a lot of factors that
In his popular ‘How to Squat: whether that be 10 feet in front of fighting to extend your hips and can influence how someone will
The Definitive Guide’, Nuckols you on the floor, somewhere on drive the bar back.” squat best,” says Nuckols.
says the following: “People
obsess about head position to
a potentially unhealthy degree. TAKE-AWAY POINTS
They opine that looking up will WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN SQUATTING: THE RIGHT WAY TO SQUAT WOULD BE:
strain your neck or damage your ■ The eyes-to-the-sky position is generally ■ To look straight ahead will ensure you
cervical spine over time, and they regarded as an incorrect head position. When don’t compromise your neck because this
posit that looking down will cause you look up while squatting you compromise position allows for the chest to stay
you to cave forward. I also see the posterior chain muscles that add stability upright and the trapezius muscles to
people talk about a Russian study to the normal structure of the spine. be under the bar.
that supposedly showed that ■ Looking at your toes when squatting can lead ■ Looking ahead is also conducive to
looking up increased activation to bending over because where the eyes and the better neck safety, maximal hip power
of the spinal erectors and hip head go your body will follow. Bending the lower and the spine will maintain its natural
extensors, while looking down back forward can lead to spinal disc injuries. structure. ■
increased activation of the quads.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 51
TRAINING

CROSSFIT
their body the time it needs to repair
itself through adequate rest. They
become consumed and overwhelmed
by the desire to achieve their goals
and fail to focus on the process of
being patient and allowing the body
to adapt over time. It is only when
we give our body the time it needs to
become conditioned from the stress
and loads being imposed on it that we
can adequately progress.
The concepts of rest, recovery and
overtraining all overlap in a small
way. It is when athletes become
consumed by the desire to get better
at everything that overtraining – or,
THINKING INSIDE THE BOX

REST
as some call it, under-recovery –
becomes a real threat. Most training
programmes will factor in some
sort of recovery, be it rest days or
active recovery days. Athletes can
also use extra sleep (in addition to
the minimum required amount),
all the massage varieties, cold
and ice therapy (cryotherapy) and

CROSSFIT’S
However, CrossFit HQ advocates performance nutrition to help the
the use a training schedule that recovery process.
includes three days ‘on’ followed Even when coaches adhere to the
by one day off. This is great CrossFit HQ schedule, or structure

FOUR-LETTER WORD
for the general population as it their own undulating programmes,
ensures that they don’t exercise many athletes don’t take the concept
for too long before taking a rest of recovery seriously enough and
EVER HEARD THE day to recover. However, with the exponential growth of CrossFit choose to engage in other activities
SAYING “LESS IS MORE”? the competitive aspect of the sport has become an integral part to stay active. In doing so they grossly
IT’S NOT VERY COMMON of the CrossFit community. In the past this was dominated by the underestimate the importance of
IN TODAY’S WORLD OF giving their body sufficient time to
CrossFit Games and the Regionals (the qualifiers for the Games),
EXTREMES AND EXCESS, recover. However, this is not unique to
BUT IT’S ACTUALLY ONE but the new competition structure has made these events almost
unreachable for the average CrossFit athlete in South Africa. This CrossFit – it is a cultural phenomenon
OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
CONCEPTS IN FITNESS has spawned a thriving local competitive scene with numerous seen in all sporting codes. Many
AND EXERCISE. IT’S throwdowns and competitions held throughout the year. And as the endurance athletes, for example, also
ALSO ONE OF CROSSFIT’S physical and mental expectations of athletes rise during the Games, get sucked into the world of “more is
METHODOLOGIES – so the local competitions become increasingly more difficult. With better”, until something gives, that is.
REDUCING THE AMOUNT And that something is usually some
OF TIME SPENT IN THE BOX the emergence of so many of these local competitions, many now
make the mistake of confusing CrossFit for exercise – routines that structure in the body – a muscle,
THROUGH A HIGH-INTENSITY
focus on general physical preparedness (GPP) – with competitive tendon or bone. Others experience
EXERCISE ROUTINE THAT
DELIVERS DOUBLE THE CrossFit – the sport of fitness. burnout which can manifest as
RESULTS IN HALF hormonal imbalances or chronic
THE TIME. HOWEVER, Even though these two avenues even chasing the elusive idea of central (CNS) fatigue. In many of
YOU’D BE FORGIVEN FOR are totally separate entities, they one day completing a WOD Rx’d these instances, where athletes are
THINKING THAT THIS IS have a common denominator – – performing all exercises in the working toward a goal, rest becomes
NOT THE CASE GIVEN THE
everyone involved in either avenue WOD using the prescribed weight a mental game because it is often
REPUTATION OF PASSIONATE
CROSSFITTERS AND THEIR of CrossFit wants to improve and reps. Both types of athletes a challenge for the athlete to take
EXTREME DEDICATION AND themselves. There is always some become determined to achieve their time off. If they do, they usually panic
UNRELENTING DESIRE strength, skill, gymnastic work, goals by training harder, longer and feel that they’ll lose their ‘gains’.
TO TRAIN. technique, or accessory work to and more often. This, however, However, contrary to this popular
be done that will help make you a places more stress on the body, belief, there is more value in rest
better athlete, general CrossFitter, joints, muscles and nervous system and recovery than the time spent
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR: Julian weekend warrior, or even just a due to the extra time spent in the within the walls of the gym or out
Reichman- healthier person. This is often box. What often happens is the training. This is because it is during
Israelsohn is the
owner and head
where the problem of overtraining, athlete starts to sacrifice recovery rest that the real benefits of our
trainer at CrossFit or under-recovering creeps into the time to spend more and more exercise routines are realised. As
Platinum mix. The competitive CrossFitter time in training, over and above such, rest should be a top priority, on
is always trying to get bigger, their regular classes. When this par with the intensity and duration of
stronger, faster and more dynamic. happens they open themselves up your WODs. It should therefore have
The general CrossFitter is also to the risk of injury because they’re its place in any well-planned training
trying to better themselves in as constantly breaking the body down programming; one where less is
many ways as possible, maybe through training, but seldom give often more. ■

52 MARCH - APRIL 2017


TRAINING

FEATURE

T
HE BENCHMARK OF IMPROVED
PERFORMANCE IS MOST OFTEN
MEASURED AGAINST YOUR PREVIOUS
BEST – A NEW PB IN A RACE OR A
NEW HEAVIEST BENCH PRESS OR FASTEST WOD.
But what if you prefer to churn out a number of
top performances during the course of a season?
What if your measure of success is the ability
to train or race hard on multiple occasions to
deliver consistent results?
It’s a pertinent question, especially for gym-
goers like body builders or CrossFitters who
often tend to train for prolonged periods of
time at near-peak levels in a effort to become
bigger and stronger. The same could be said of
competitive amateur age-group athletes who
compete in a race series, for example.
>> By Pedro van Gaalen, Editor

SUSTAINING
PEAK
PERFORMANCE
PLAN TO PEAK
Due to the physiological demands the process, planning and ITU triathletes, Diamond League “These recovery periods can often
of staying at near-peak levels training required, Ian Craig, a track athletes or professional be longer than your standard rest
of performance, it is necessary Johannesburg-based exercise cyclists, all follow periodised day or recovery period, especially
to understand the importance physiologist, coach and plans that balance periods at the end of a season ahead of
of programme periodisation, nutritional therapist, suggests of hard work in training and base training, which is when pro
particularly in terms of balancing that we take the lead of those races with periods of rest and athletes can rest for up to four to
rest, training and competition or who have perfected the art of recuperation,” explains Craig. six weeks.”
races. But if you get it right, it is maintaining peak performance
possible to churn out multiple throughout a season, namely “INTERNATIONAL ATHLETES WHO COMPETE
top results or efforts over a professional endurance athletes. IN ANY TYPE OF RACE SERIES THAT REQUIRES
period of a few months, instead “International athletes who PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE EVENTS ALL
of peaking for just one or two compete in any type of race FOLLOW PERIODISED PLANS THAT BALANCE
races or periods in the year. series that requires participation PERIODS OF HARD WORK IN TRAINING AND RACES
To better understand in multiple events, for example WITH PERIODS OF REST AND RECUPERATION.”

54 MARCH - APRIL 2017


MASTER
THE
REVERSE
TAPER:
While there is no one-
size-fits-all approach
as everything depends
on the importance of
the race, the nature
of the event and the
duration. However, this
is a general example
of an ideal structure
for athletes looking to
target an event every
six weeks, according to
exercise physiologist,
Ian Craig:

■ WEEK 1
“THE GENERAL RULE OF If your event is on a
THUMB IS THAT THE LONGER on Saturday, the first
week back needs to be
THE RACE AND THE MORE easy, with light work
INTENSE THE EFFORT, THE and low volume. Use
LONGER THE REST PERIOD WILL this time to flush out

BY MAXISPORT/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
BE THAT AN ATHLETE NEEDS exercise metabolites and
TO FULLY RECOVER.” restore biomechanical
function with stretching,
massage and mobility
A sprint triathlon (750m swim, 40km bike and 10km run) usually
requires around two hours of all-out effort, which means it is work. By the end of that
unlikely that you’ll find athletes competing more than once a month week, an athlete can
as this requires a longer taper and recovery period. start to pick up again.

■ WEEK 2-3
ACTIVE REST PEAKS & TROUGHS Progressively build up,
During this down time, Craig who have to juggle a long If this is your goal, Craig advises with the aim of peaking
says that pro athletes aren’t season of Regionals, the Open that you aim to perform at peak in training load (intensity
completely inactive, but rather competition, the Games, and levels no more than once a or volume) in week 4.
focus on the act of recuperation. then any number of independent month. “Once you hit form early
“This will include various competitions throughout the year. in the season, you then aim ■ WEEK 4
activities, including ‘prehab’, In the context of physique athletes, to hit multiple peaks with an Peak week.
cross training, Pilates, yoga, they may have multiple shows on undulating periodisation model
and/or core work, to name a their calendar, which are usually that includes a good taper before ■ WEEK 5
few. They will also work on spaced out with extended periods target races, events or sessions, Taper down to the next
any weaknesses that may have of time between shows. then a reverse taper coming out of race or event.
presented during the race However, it is impossible to the event as you build back up to
season, but this is normally peak in April and then try to higher training intensities, before By following the correct
determined by their coach.” maintain form until August, as an tapering down again for the next guidelines and listening
He adds that this is also a example. “If you attempt this, it all-out effort.” to your body, Craig
period used to go back and look is highly likely that you’ll become However, there is a caveat suggests that this
at the year, and then plan the year overtrained,” says Craig. “The to this approach in that longer format can be followed
ahead to work around the season. trick is to hit some degree of events or races will necessitate for up to several months.
“If your goal is to perform at peak form early in the season, then longer periods between peak “The important elements
levels multiple times a year, you pull back a bit. After a period of performances. “The general rule of to consider are how close
need to establish these targets – maintenance at near-peak levels, thumb is that the longer the race can one go to events with
events or periods of heightened athletes then ramp up again and the more intense the effort, high-load training, and
work capacity – upfront and then for a good end to the season, the longer the rest period will how soon after can we
build training phases around these especially if they compete in a race be that an athlete needs to fully get back to full training
dates,” suggests Craig. season or competition format that recover,” explains Craig. “In this without overtraining,”
This is relevant to CrossFitters culminates in a final event.” context, middle distance runners, says Craig.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 55
for example, who race for 30
minutes or less, can generally get
away with up to two races a week
in targeted blocks, before pulling
back for a bit of a longer time
period to peak again in a month
or so. Marathoners, on the other
hand, will usually have at least
six to eight months between
target races.”
In contrast, a sprint triathlon
“ATHLETES IN
(750m swim, 40km bike and 10km
THE SOUTHERN
run) usually requires around two
HEMISPHERE HAVE
hours of all-out effort, which
TWO SUMMER SEASONS
means it is unlikely that you'll find
IN A CALENDAR YEAR.
athletes competing more than
THEREFORE PICK ONE
once a month as this requires a
SEASON TO RACE HARD
longer taper and recovery period.
MULTIPLE TIMES A YEAR,
Additional considerations
AND USE THE OTHER
include the type of activity, as
SEASON FOR A SPORT
high-impact sports such as
WHERE TIME IS OF LESS
running or highly intense activities
IMPORTANCE, SUCH
against resistance, executed over
AS MOUNTAIN BIKING
extended periods of time, like a
FOR CYCLISTS OR TRAIL
full-day CrossFit competition, will
RUNNING FOR ROAD
have a much higher physiological
RUNNERS.”
cost. Those who train using single
body-part, split weight training
routines, on the other hand, can REAL WORLD APPLICATION
maintain peak intensities and It can be difficult for amateur a club level or among friends into account,” he says. For
work to failure for a longer period and recreational athletes to and therefore feel they need to example, training and racing
of time before requiring a taper or follow this approach, especially train through a race. “However, in hot and humid conditions
period of reduced training volume with the packed competitive to do the race justice you need has a huge physiological cost.
and intensity. events calendars we have here to taper,” asserts Craig. “If you “For those of us who live in
in sport-mad South Africa. There don’t, you won’t peak. As such, if the Southern Hemisphere, we
is always something going on. you enjoy racing more regularly have two summer seasons
As such, the temptation to go out and competing in whatever in a calendar year and trying
hard or mix it up with the best context, there needs to be a to perform at peak levels
on stage at every opportunity is plan and that plan needs to be across both periods will have
often too great. followed precisely. It’s a fine implications. Europeans, on the
“Unfortunately for these balancing act. If you under do it other hand, tend to only need to
guys, the same principles apply. or over do it, and do this multiple manage a single season and can
In fact, when you consider the times, it will affect you over the therefore invest more effort into
additional stressors that amateur course of the season.” those three to four months. Our
athletes face in their daily lives, Craig also advises recreational challenge is therefore managing
it becomes even harder to find athletes to have an off-season. the heat as an additional
the balance of hard effort and “Even with a properly periodised variable in our planning and
recuperation required to hit your programme that is strictly periodisation. I therefore advise
straps multiple times a year,” adhered to, you can’t race or my clients to pick one season to
continues Craig. compete indefinitely.” race hard multiple times a year,
“These guys need to take the Craig offers one final piece and use the other season to try
combined effect of work, life and of advice for anyone aiming to something different, perhaps
exercise stress into account. This string top performances together a related sport where time is
means you can’t be hectic in all throughout the remainder of of less importance, such as
avenues of life and still compete the year: “You also need to take mountain biking for cyclists or
at peak levels. A healthy dose of the environmental conditions trail running for road runners,”
realism is required to manage in which you train and compete he concludes. ■
expectations and the reality of
your situation.” “YOU ALSO NEED TO TAKE THE
“Athletes using single body-part, In addition, many recreational ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS IN WHICH
split weight training routines
can maintain peak intensities athletes who may be training YOU TRAIN AND COMPETE INTO ACCOUNT.
and work to failure for a longer for one or two big target events TRAINING AND RACING IN HOT AND
period of time before requiring
a taper or period of reduced in the year often still want to HUMID CONDITIONS HAS A HUGE
training volume and intensity.” compete in ‘smaller’ events on PHYSIOLOGICAL COST.”

56 MARCH - APRIL 2017


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SMITH
MACHINE
TRAINING
>> By Pedro van Gaalen, Editor >> Photography by Cindy Ellis >> Performed by Jaco de Bruyn
>> Shot on location at Planet Fitness Platinum Sandton www.planetfitness.co.za

IN OUR ON-GOING QUEST FOR It has, however, received a


ENHANCED AESTHETICS, THE ABILITY bad reputation in the broader
TO TARGET AND ISOLATE SPECIFIC health and fitness industry as A BRIEF
MUSCLES OR GROUPS OF MUSCLES HOLDS it does not promote natural HISTORY
movement, which can lead to The concept for the
GREAT VALUE. TO THIS END, MOST LIFTERS
injury. The truth is, any weighted Smith machine we know
WHO TRAIN IN CONVENTIONAL GYMS OFTEN
exercise not executed correctly and use today was
INCORPORATE MACHINES AND CABLE PULLEY or done for the wrong purpose developed by legendary
SYSTEMS INTO THEIR TRAINING. MANY OF has the potential to injure a lifter. American bodybuilder
THESE TRAINING TOOLS HELP TO ISOLATE As such, if you understand the Jack LaLanne in the
SINGLE-JOINT MUSCLES OR CONTROL Smith machine and use it for 1950s. It was then
MOVEMENT ALONG A PLANE THAT BETTER what it was originally intended, improved on by a man
ISOLATES A TARGETED MUSCLE. you can include this machine in named Rudy Smith, for
There is, however, one belies its simplicity – it is basically your gym routine to achieve your whom the machine is
‘machine’ that is grossly a barbell that is fixed within steel aesthetics-based goals. now named after, and
underutilised, mainly because rails. This means that movement In fact, the deeper your was then put into mass
it is misunderstood. That big rig is limited to the vertical plane understanding of this machine production.
in the corner of your local gym, – only straight up and straight goes, the more you’ll start to The barbell of the Smith
known as the Smith machine, down. The disproportionate size realise how versatile it. Yes, that machine has hooks that
may seem intimidating, but once is needed to stabilise it because means it’s not just for the body can be rotated around to
you get to know it you’ll realise the manner in which it controls builders out there, but with a few secure or ‘unlock’ the bar
that it can benefit your regular and limits movement means tweaks to certain moves, this can from one of the many pegs
gym routine in a number of ways. gym-goers can perform seriously be an effective form of exercise that run up either side of
The size of the Smith machine heavy lifts. to develop explosiveness. the machine. This means
the loaded barbell can be
racked at any point in the
BENEFITS & DISADVANTAGES movement which makes
As the plane of motion is adjustments you can make machine is not an ideal tool it a safer option when
fixed many experts within the exercises more effective at to dedicate your focus to in working with heavier loads.
industry argue that the Smith isolating specific muscle the gym. When used correctly There is also a height-
machine forces your body and groups such as the quads. This and in partnership with a adjustable safety latch
many of its joint structures to happens as the guided motion comprehensive training plan it system on all Smith
move in unnatural ways. of the Smith machine requires can provide additional benefit to machines that will ‘catch’
This is certainly the case for less input from stabiliser a programme aimed at sculpting the bar at a specified
many compound movements muscles. a better body. It can also help to height should the hooks
such as the back squat, but However, in the same vein, add variety to a workout to limit miss the pegs.
with a few variations and this means that the Smith stagnation and boredom.

58 MARCH - APRIL 2017


SMITH MACHINE
GET IT ONLINE

Get the full


workout video
online at
fitnesshis.co.za

www.fitnesshis.co.za 59
LOWER BODY SMITH MACHINE TRAINING
SO, IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO ISOLATE SPECIFIC MUSCLE GROUPS TO SCULPT A BETTER
BODY, THE FOLLOWING SMITH MACHINE EXERCISES ARE EXACTLY WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR...
The nature of the Smith machine’s design, with
its guided vertical movement path, makes it a tool
that will favour quad development over the
hamstrings, especially during squatting and
pressing movements.
This happens as the bar and weight are stablised by
the rails, which decreases hamstring activation
during certain lifts.
It is therefore important to use the machine for its
intended purpose – to better isolate the quads – and
to ensure adequate accessory work is done on the
hamstrings to ensure no imbalances occur.

FRONT SQUAT
Position the bar on the front of your shoulders. Cross your
arms over each other and place your hands on top of the bar.
Place your feet under the bar. Disengage the bar then squat
down until your thighs are just past parallel to the floor.
Extend your knees and hips to return to the starting position.

SMITH SQUAT
Position the bar on the back of your shoulders and grasp it on
either side. Place your feet in front of the bar. Disengage the
bar by rotating it backward. Squat down by bending your knees
while dropping your hips down. Keep your back straight and
your knees pointed in the same direction as your feet. Descend
until your thighs are just past parallel to the floor. Extend your
knees and hips to return to the starting position. B

60 MARCH - APRIL 2017


BULGARIAN SPLIT SQUAT
With the bar on your shoulders place one leg on a bench or the elevated
cross bar in the Smith machine (if it is high enough). Place the foot of your
leading leg slightly in front of the bar. Disengage the bar and drop your
body down by flexing the knee and hip of the leading leg until the knee of
your rear leg almost makes contact with the floor. Extend your hip and
knee to return to the starting position. Repeat for the required reps before
switching legs.

A B
SPLIT SQUAT
Position the bar on the back of your shoulders. Move one foot forward and
place the forefoot of the other leg behind you. Disengage the bar and lower
your body by flexing your knees and hips. Drop down until the knee of the
rear leg is almost in contact with the floor. Extend your hips and knees
to return to the upright position and repeat for the required reps before
A B switching legs.

“DUE TO THE CONTROLLED


VERTICAL GLIDE PATH OF
THE SMITH MACHINE IT IS
ESSENTIAL TO MAINTAIN AN
UPRIGHT TORSO.”

STANDING CALF RAISE


Place a step under the bar. Position the bar on the back of your
shoulders and the balls of your feet on the step with your heels
extending off the side. Disengage the bar then raise your heels up
as high as possible by extending your ankles. Lower your heels back
down until a stretch is felt in the calves.

STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFT
Place a step or bench inside the frame. Stand upright on the
platform, holding the bar with hands placed shoulder-width apart
and your legs positioned hip-width apart. Lower the weight down
by bending over at your waist. Keep your head up, back straight
and knees slightly bent. Lower the bar as low as you can while
maintaining a slight bend in your knees. Contract your glutes
A B
forcefully to return to the starting position and repeat.
VARIATION: Single-leg standing calf raise

www.fitnesshis.co.za 61
UPPER BODY BACK

SWITCH IT UP: This move can also be performed using


a reverse grip to get more bicep involvement and A
target your lats more than your upper and middle back.

HORIZONTAL PULL-UP
(A.K.A. SUPINE ROW)
Position yourself under a fixed Smith machine bar positioned above knee height.
Grasp the bar with a wide overhand grip. Extend your legs and place your heels
on the floor in front of you. Hang under the bar with your back off the ground and
your arms fully extended. Keep your body straight as you pull your chest up to the
bar. Hold for a count and then slowly lower yourself back down.

BENT
A B OVER ROW
Bend over the bar (positioned at knee
RACK CHIN-UPS height) with a slight bend in your
Perform a horizontal pull-up as described but this time position your legs on a knees. Grasp the bar with a wide
bench or the cross beam of the Smith machine, and maintain a V-shape between underhand grip. Disengage the bar
your torso and legs. and pull it up to your upper waist while
keeping your back straight. Extend

CHEST
your arms and shoulders to return to
the starting position.

BENCH
PRESS
Lie on a bench with your chest
under the bar. Hold the bar with
a wide grip. Disengage the bar
and lower the weight to your
chest. Press the bar back up.

ADVANCED MOVE: BUILD


UPPER BODY EXPLOSIVENESS!
As you approach the top of the
press, explode the bar upwards
and let it go. Catch it again
as it drops down. Be sure to
have the safety latches in place
above your chest and neck.
This plyometric-type movement ADVANCED
is great to develop power. A B MOVE:

62 MARCH - APRIL 2017


SHOULDERS
UPRIGHT ROW
Stand behind the bar positioned at mid-thigh level. Hold the bar with a
shoulder-width overhand grip. Disengage the bar, stand up and pull the
bar up to your neck. Lead the movement with your elbows.

CAUTION: Due to the guided movement of the Smith machine, it is


easy to compress or impinge nerves in the shoulder area as it limits
range of motion, which can lead to pain, inflammation and dysfunction.
It is therefore important to only lift the bar using a wider grip than
normal and to not force it up higher than is naturally possible to get
closer to the chin.
A

BEHIND-THE-
BACK SHRUG
Stand facing away from the Smith
bar. Hold the bar with hands
A B B
positioned slightly wider than
shoulder width using an overhand
“LIFT THE BAR USING A WIDER GRIP KNEELING
grip. Disengage the bar and raise THAN NORMAL AND DON’T FORCE IT UP PUSH PRESS
(shrug) your shoulders up as high HIGHER THAN IS NATURALLY POSSIBLE Kneel on the floor with the bar
as possible towards your ears. TO GET CLOSER TO THE CHIN.” at shoulder height. Grasp it with
an overhand grip that is much
wider than shoulder width. Pull
SEATED SHOULDER PRESS your head back slightly as you
Sit on a bench with the bar positioned in front of your shoulders. Grasp the bar with a wide overhand grip. dip down then explosively drive
Disengage the bar and press it overhead until your arms are fully extended. upward to help you push the bar
up overhead.

ADVANCED
MOVE:

ADVANCED MOVE: BUILD


UPPER BODY EXPLOSIVENESS!
As you approach the top of
the press, explode the bar
upwards and let it go. Catch
it again as it drops down. Be
sure to have the safety latches
in place above your head. This
plyometric-type movement is
great to develop power.
A B

www.fitnesshis.co.za 63
UPPER BODY ARMS

A A B

CLOSE GRIP BENCH PRESS


Lie on a bench with the bar above your chest. Hold the bar with a slightly narrower
than shoulder width grip. Disengage the bar and lower it to your chest while
keeping your elbows close to your body.

BICEP
DRAG CURL
Grasp the bar, placed at hip height,
with a shoulder-width underhand
grip. Raise the bar straight up so
that your elbows travel back as you
flex your arms. Raise (drag) the bar
up to your upper abs or lower chest.
Extend your elbows to return to the
TRICEP DIP
Position the bar in line with the cross beam or place a bench parallel to the bar.
starting position.
Place your hands on the bar on either side of your hips with your feet on the cross

ABS
beam or bench. Lower your body by bending your arms until a slight stretch is felt
in your pecs or shoulders.

HANGING
KNEE RAISES
Hold the cross bar on the
outer frame. Hang with your
legs extended below you.
Raise your knees up to your
chest by flexing your hips.
ADVANCED MOVE:
HANGING STRAIGHT
LEG RAISES
Use straight legs to
increase the difficulty of the
move and to engage more
of your core muscles during
this exercise. ■

64 MARCH - APRIL 2017


A B
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Available at Dis-Chem stores.

66 MARCH - APRIL 2017


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POWER UP

MEN’S HEALTH

It is important to
unwind and quiet
the mind, which
can be done with
HEALTH
HACKS
5 who participated in the study
dramatically reduced their risk
of developing type 2 diabetes,
while their triglyceride and ‘bad’
LDL cholesterol levels decreased
(by an average of 33 and 5 points
on average, respectively). Their
diastolic blood pressure also
decreased, which is an indicator
that cardiovascular health,
particularly the elasticity of blood
vessels, improved.
The same effect was witnessed
in adults in a study conducted by
James J. DiNicolantonio, PharmD,
a cardiovascular research scientist
at St. Luke’s Mid-Atlantic Heart
meditation or
Institute in Kansas City, although it
yoga, or some
light exercise,
particularly HOW TO INSTANTLY took a bit longer. After a few weeks,
participants saw a 10% decrease

IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH


cardiovascular in their LDL cholesterol and a 20 to
exercise.
30% decrease in triglyceride levels.
Other short-term benefits
reported by people who quit sugar
MOST ADVICE ABOUT GO COLD TURKEY ON SUGAR include better sleep and more
IMPROVING YOUR Let’s put aside the debate around the purported health benefits of stable energy throughout the day,
HEALTH CENTRES the low-carb, high-fat diet, at least for a moment, and focus instead enhanced cognitive function and a
on the one unequivocal point that anyone who understands health lifting of ‘brain fog’, and better skin
AROUND MAKING and the human body can agree on – the damaging effects of sugar. health. Once the sugar withdrawal
MEANINGFUL AND Added and processed sugar abuse can be reversed and subsides, you should also
SUSTAINABLE has been dubbed the heroin that a significant effect can be experience fewer cravings and will
CHANGES TO YOUR of the food world and for good experienced almost immediately. start to regain a sharpness in your
DAILY HABITS OVER reason. First and foremost, For instance, a study conducted taste buds that an overconsumption
sugar is highly addictive and at the University of Michigan of sugar usually blunts.
THE LONG TERM. When it comes to sugar, not
it also does immense damage found “improvements in
However, there are a to your body, with excessive evening postprandial high even the old mantra of “everything
few hacks you can use sugar intake linked to serious blood glucose, and compensatory in moderation” should be
to improve your health health conditions such as insulin response” (albeit in entertained. There is no doubts
almost immediately, chronic systemic inflammation, post-menopausal women) after that this substance is a silent killer
hormonal imbalances, metabolic just three low-carbohydrate and must be treated with all the
with certain of these contempt that should accompany
syndrome, various cancers, meals over a 24-hour period,
benefits evident within numerous cognitive diseases compared with those who such a distinction. You need to
just 24 hours, while including Alzheimer’s disease, ate the recommended higher- cut added sugar from your diet
others may take a high cholesterol and fatty liver carb meals. immediately. To do so, stop adding
sugar to your meals or during
few weeks to come to disease, and just about every In another study, conducted
other lifestyle-related disease to show the effects that the cooking process, cut out all
fruition. Either way, by sugar-sweetened beverages, and
that plagues man today. cutting sugar from a child’s
following this advice In his new book, The Case diet would have, a team of read food labels to determine how
you can be a healthier Against Sugar, author, science researchers from the University much sugar is in the packaged
version of yourself by journalist and proponent of of California, San Francisco, led and manufactured foods you buy,
then buy options with lower
the time the next issue low-carb eating Gary Taubes by Dr. Robert Lustig, found that
asserts that sugar is toxic to after just 10 days the children sugar contents.
of fitness His Edition
the body, placing the substance
hits the shelves... in the same league as other A study published in the American
>> By Pedro van Gaalen, Editor harmful vices such as cigarettes Journal of Clinical Nutrition found
or alcohol. And it’s worth taking
notice of the growing outcry
that when non-soda-drinkers
against sugar, because it is consumed a 355ml can of a sugar-
not only making you fat and laden soda a day for three weeks,
unhealthy, it is slowly killing you.
Thankfully it seems that
their INFLAMMATION LEVELS
the negative effects of sugar INCREASED BY 87%.

68 MARCH - APRIL 2017


Researchers from the University of Bonn in Germany,
who imaged the hearts of radiologists before and after
a 24-hour shift that included only about three hours
GET A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP of sleep, showed that SEVERE SLEEP DEPRIVATION
Inadequate sleep has been findings of the study, which was RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT HEART STRAIN.
directly linked to host of conducted by SleepScore Labs,
health-related issues, including were released recently at CES Journal of Clinical Endocrinology deprivation. “Our data suggests
weight gain, insulin resistance, 2017 and paints a troubling picture & Metabolism, determined that a a 30-minute nap can reverse the
elevated cortisol levels (which of the state of human health, 30-minute day-time nap was able hormonal impact of a night of poor
breaks down muscle, increases especially among U.S. men as to restore hormonal function and sleep,” commented Faraut. This
fat storage, hardens arteries they averaged just 5 hours and 45 raise levels of proteins involved in was the first study that found that
causing hypertension, accelerates minutes of sleep a night. stress management and immune napping could restore “biomarkers
bone loss and can also cause However, the study also shined system function back to normal of neuroendocrine and immune
depression), a decrease in light on steps that we can take to following two nights of severe sleep health to normal levels,” he added.
leptin levels which stifles get more beneficial shut-eye. For
various metabolic processes and instance, just 30 minutes of exercise
increases food cravings (which correlated with 14 extra minutes
increases total calorie intake), of sleep per night. Increasing your
and blunts our immune response. exposure to sunlight during the day
Despite the multitude of and reducing exposure to blue light
evidence, a growing number of from screens at night also helps
people do not get the minimum people to fall asleep faster, as
amount of sleep a night needed for does reducing your sugar intake
optimal health. In fact, one of the (see point 1).
largest consumer sleep studies Naps are also a beneficial (and
ever conducted, which reviewed immediate) way to help mitigate
data from 1.5 million nights of the effects of cumulative sleep
sleep, showed that 79% of people in debt. A small study led by Brice
the U.S. get less than the minimum Faraut of the Universite Paris
recommendation of seven hours Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cite
of sleep a night. The astonishing in France, and published in the

Just ONE HOUR OF LOST SLEEP can reduce day-time productivity by 25%.

MOVE MORE
In November 2016 the American disease observed in the Hadza
Journal of Human Biology people as they had exceptionally
published the findings of a study low levels of hypertension.
conducted by Daniel Lieberman, There was very little high-
a biological anthropologist intensity activity witnessed by the
at Harvard University, which researchers, but the cumulative
researched the daily activity activity amounted to 14 times as
and exercise habits of the much as the the U.S. Department
Hadza people of Tanzania in of Health and Human Services’s
It can be East Africa, who are one of the guidelines, which recommend
beneficial last remaining hunter-gatherer 150 minutes per week of
to your societies on the planet. moderate-intensity physical
Lieberman and his team found activity (about 30 minutes a day,
health to DO that the Hadza’s subsistence five times a week) or 75 minutes
MORE LESS- lifestyle, which requires that the per week of vigorous-intensity
INTENSE men hunt for fresh meat and that physical activity.
EXERCISE, the women gather plant-based As such, it can be beneficial
food sources, were active for to your health to do more less-
MORE OFTEN an average of 75 minutes per intense exercise, more often. This
such as going day, engaging in what scientists could include going for walks
for walks classify as moderate-to-vigorous during your lunch break, taking
physical activity. This volume the stairs instead of the lift, or
during your and intensity of daily ‘exercise’ parking at the far end of the
lunch break. positively correlated with a parking lot when you go shopping,
reduced risk of cardiovascular as examples.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 69
RATE YOUR TOTAL, CUMULATIVE
STRESS TO DETERMINE WHETHER
OR NOT YOU SHOULD HEAD OUT FOR
A HARD TRAINING SESSION, or if you
need to consider more aggressive ways of
managing skyrocketing stress levels.
training session, or if you need
to consider more aggressive
ways of managing skyrocketing
stress levels.
Ideal ways to manage stress
is to find outlets to process it, as
well as activities that can help your
body manage the impact thereof.
In terms of processing stress,
it is helpful to develop coping
mechanisms to deal with and
manage daily life and work-
related stressors, because these
APPLY TSS TO YOUR LIFE are inevitable.
Our body’s response to stress speaking, will have serious ways to deal with it, in all its It is also important to unwind
is the same, whether it’s work implications, yet this is becoming forms. Many athletes already use and quiet the mind, which can be
stress, emotional stress, physical more prevalent in modern society. the highly effective TrainingPeaks done with meditation or yoga, or
trauma, environmental stress, Leaving your stress unchecked Training Stress Score® (TSS) to some light exercise, particularly
exercise stress or psychological can lead to hypertension, a monitor the cumulative effects cardiovascular exercise. In severe
stress. While some degree of chronically elevated heart rate, of training on the body and to cases it is also helpful to speak to
acute stress is beneficial as irritability, anxiety, depression, help them peak for competitions. a professional who can offer advice
it provides the stimulus for indigestion and heart burn, However, it is worth using this and practical solutions for dealing
adaptation, when we overload our insomnia, erectile dysfunction, a highly effective tool as the basis with your stress. A healthful diet
system with multiple forms of suppressed immune system and for tracking your total stress score devoid of (yes, you guessed it) sugar
stress over prolonged periods of hormonal imbalances, to name (which is also a TSS acronym). and processed foods, adequate
time, something will eventually just a few. This would mean rating your total, sleep, and the limited consumption
give, and that’s normally our To achieve and maintain optimal cumulative stress to determine of stimulants and alcohol are
health. Accordingly, burning the health and wellness we therefore whether or not you should, for also important elements of a TSS
candle at both ends, figuratively need to manage stress and find instance, head out for a hard management plan.

CHANGE YOUR EATING HABITS Intermittent fasting can benefit


your body in the following ways:
Research shows that when IGF-1 levels are reduced experiencing enhanced heart
■ Increases insulin sensitivity
intermittent fasting (IF) it allows your body to burn health and cardio-protective
and mitochondrial energy
helps fight obesity and type body fat at a higher rate and benefits. Studies included in the efficiency: This retards the
2 diabetes, both of which regulates blood sugar to review showed a broad range ageing process and prevents
are risk factors for high normal levels. of therapeutic potential, even the onset of various lifestyle
blood pressure, by positively In addition, a review of IF when total calorie intake per diseases typically associated
impacting on powerful diets by Dr Joseph Mercola day did not change or was only with a loss of insulin sensitivity
hormones such as insulin evaluated the various slightly reduced. and a decline in mitochondrial
and leptin. After a period of approaches to this way energy.
fasting, even as short as eight of eating, particularly the ■ Reduces oxidative stress:
hours, our body becomes advantages and limitations for Fasting decreases the
more sensitive to these its use in fighting obesity accumulation of oxidative free
hormones, offering an and type-2 diabetes. radicals in the cell, thereby
immediate health benefit. The research found Overweight or preventing oxidative damage to
Supporters of IF also propose that overweight or obese individuals with the cellular proteins, lipids and
nucleic acids associated with
that cutting calories can reduce obese individuals type-2 diabetes who ageing and disease.
levels of another powerful with type-2
hormone called insulin-like diabetes who
fasted on consecutive ■ Increases capacity to resist
growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a fasted on or alternate days stress, disease and ageing:
Fasting induces a cellular stress
reduction of which seems to consecutive LOST MORE WEIGHT, response similar to that caused
protect us against cancer,
heart disease and other serious
or alternate
days lost
while also experiencing by exercising, in which cells up-

illnesses by turning on cellular more ENHANCED HEART regulate the expression of genes
that increase the capacity to
repair mechanisms, according weight, HEALTH AND CARDIO- cope with stress and resist
to available research. Also, while also PROTECTIVE BENEFITS. disease and ageing. ■

70 MARCH - APRIL 2017


FUEL UP

NUTRITION NEWS

POWER UP WITH POTATOES


In addition to the glycogen they to balance hydration status and importance of getting more of the
produce, which helps to fuel reduce the risk of cramping. This is natural nutrients found in potatoes
intense exercise, potatoes are also yet another way in which the potato and suggests that athletes consider
rich in the mineral chromium and can benefit athletes, especially potatoes as an essential part of
boast a potassium content higher those who participate in endurance their high-performance diet, rather
than that of bananas. Potassium sports. Registered dietitian Claire than merely another starch that

FUEL UP
is an electrolyte that is important Julsing Strydom affirms the contributes to weight gain.

EAT CLEAN, LIVE HEALTHY

#ONTREND FOODS
The time it takes to
5 MINUTES determine how healthy
your diet is when using
The types of foods that are trending globally and are set to have a big
a urine test developed
impact on 2017 shopping, food prep and healthy eating habits include:
by researchers from
■ INSECT PROTEIN: It’s the new buzzword in sustainable Imperial College London,
eating, plus it packs a surprising amount of protein per Newcastle University and
100g – upwards of 55g! (read more in our insect protein Aberystwyth University.
feature on page 78) The test measures biological markers in urine
created by the breakdown of foods such as red meat,
■ WATERMELON AND CACTUS WATER: Move over
chicken, fish and fruit and vegetables. It also gives an
coconut water (which was never very healthy to begin
indication of how much fat, sugar, fibre and protein a
with), there are a few new superfood drinks in town.
person has eaten.
Watermelon water is packed full of vitamins A, B6 and
C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants and amino acids, while
cactus water is high in fibre and low in calories and can
apparently cure hangovers.
CERTAIN
■ BUCKWHEAT NOODLES: Buckwheat noodles don’t
actually contain wheat, making it another winner in SUGARS
the ‘free-from’ functional food category as it is ideal
for those with IBS and celiac disease. WORSE
■ TIGER NUT FLOUR: This ingredient promises to be a THAN
‘free-from’ category killer as it is a gluten-free, grain-
free flour that is high in fibre and contains calcium, iron, OTHERS
magnesium and potassium. A new study published in the fed group was higher than the
American Journal of Physiology fructose group. In addition, “only
■ COCONUT SUGAR: Coconut sugar is an ideal natural
-- Heart and Circulatory the fructose group exhibited a
alternative to processed sugar. It is packed with vitamins
Physiology, compared the significant increase in final body
and minerals, including iron and zinc.
effects of two types of sugar weight,” wrote the research
■ BLUE CORN: A new study by researchers in Mexico and on metabolic and vascular team. The fructose group
carried out in rats suggests that the natural antioxidants function. The researchers gave also showed more markers
present in blue maize may help protect against metabolic female rats a liquid solution of of vascular disease and liver
syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer, either glucose or fructose in damage than the glucose group.
raising interest in using blue maize as a component of addition to their normal diet The researchers concluded that
functional foods and nutraceuticals. for eight weeks. They found the amount of calories consumed
that both sugar-fed groups due to sugar intake is not the
■ PURPLE IS THE NEW BLACK: Purple kale, purple consumed more calories than only factor involved in long-term
carrots, purple cauliflower, purple broccoli and purple the control group (which only health risks, as the type of sugar
potatoes are all rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin, which received water), but that the total consumed may also play a role in
makes these foods a big hit among health foodies. These calorie intake of the glucose- increasing health risk factors.
ingredients also make dishes look great.

72 MARCH - APRIL 2017


5 REASONS
TO EAT
MORE GARLIC
2017’S TOP
NUTRITION TRENDS
According to a report titled: 10 Key Trends in Food, SHROOMACINO
Nutrition and Health 2017, the key nutrition and food-related Mushroom coffee (yes,
■ PREVENTS trends for the year ahead are: you read that right) is
CANCER: being touted as the next
According to ■ PERSONALISED NUTRITION ■ DIGESTIVE WELLNESS,
superfood drink, at least
the National SERVICES, which include tests where greater focus is placed
according to Four Sigmatic,
Cancer for biomarkers for chronic on foods, cooking practises
a Finnish company that
Institute, inflammation. and supplemental products
produces it. The company
garlic’s ■ SPORTIFICATION, where that improve gut health. This
produces concentrated
protective sports nutrition goes includes the growing ‘free-
extract powders by
effects are mainstream as foods designed from’ trend as consumers look
isolating and spray drying
due to its for elite athletes become to the avoidance of specific
the different key health-
antibacterial properties and ability regular options for the ingredients to ensure they
promoting constituents
to block the formation and activation average individual. feel better.
found in wild-harvested
of cancer-causing substances. mushrooms. They then
infuse products like coffee,
■ BEAT COLDS & FLU: A study
elixirs, blends, and hot
published in the journal Advances In
cocoa mixes with the fungi-
Therapy found a daily garlic intake
based goodness.
can reduce the number of colds by
63%! Plus, the average length of
cold symptoms in the study were
reduced by 70%, from five days to
1.5 days in the garlic supplement
group. Garlic can also get rid of
worms and parasites in the system.

■ LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE:


Garlic’s active compounds can
significantly reduce blood pressure,
comparable to the effects of
prescribed drugs, according to a GO GLUTEN-FREE WITH
study published in the Pakistan
Journal of Pharmaceutical JAGER BREWERY
Sciences.
The free-from diet trend is predicted
■ PREVENTS HEART DISEASE: to remain a key driver of the health
Having garlic daily – either raw or in and functional foods market as more
your food – helps lower cholesterol health-conscious individuals choose
thanks to the effects of allicin, an to limit their intake of ingredients
antioxidant contained in garlic. RESEARCH BY that could potentially impact their
SKIDMORE COLLEGE health and well-being. Unfortunately
■ BOOST BONE HEALTH: Risa EXERCISE SCIENTIST for beer lovers, traditionally brewed
Groux, a holistic nutritionist, beers made using wheat and barley
PAUL ARCIERO HAS
explains that garlic is high in contain high levels of the common
FOUND THAT A
manganese, which contains food allergen gluten, which can
enzymes and antioxidants that
BALANCED, PROTEIN- trigger an autoimmune response
facilitates the formation of bones PACING, LOW-CALORIE in Celiac disease sufferers and
and connective tissues, bone DIET THAT INCLUDES those with dermatitis herpetiformis. gluten-free beers from the Baltic
metabolism and calcium absorption. INTERMITTENT Thankfully, those with a natural States in Europe. Founded in 2015,
FASTING IS ABLE intolerance to gluten, or those who’ve Jager Brewery imports the Volfas
All this garlic may leave your TO ACHIEVES LONG- chosen to alter their diet to exclude Engelman beer range, which includes
breath a little pungent, but this substance now have access to Pilzeno Pilsner and Rinktinis Lager,
TERM WEIGHT LOSS,
fear not! Garlict odour-fighting a growing number of great-tasting and Sprintase Lager. All the beers in
WHILE ALSO HELPING
capsules are now available in gluten-free beers. According to the Jager Brewery range are certified
South Africa. The capsules contain
TO DETOX THE BODY
both European and South African gluten-free as a special type of barley
parsley seed oil, green tea extract, OF PCB’S STORED IN legislation, beer is considered ‘gluten- malt grown in Northern Europe is
chia seed oil and peppermint BODY FAT, IN ADDITION free’ when there is less than 20mg/ used by the breweries to brew the
oil, which all help to combat bad TO ENHANCING kg of gluten in the final product. Jager beer, in a process that leverages
breath. Available at Pick ‘n Pay HEART HEALTH Brewery, a family business operating their long history and experience
Pharmacies nationwide and select AND REDUCING from Frankfort in the Free State, has and rich heritage. To learn more
independent pharmacies. (30 OXIDATIVE STRESS. significantly increased the availability about these gluten-free beers, visit
capsules at RRP R98,95) of these products by importing unique jagerbrewerysa.co.za

www.fitnesshis.co.za 73
FUEL UP

FEATURE

THE
FARMACY
FOOD IS MEDICINE
WHY WHOLE, NATURAL FOOD IS THE
CORNERSTONE OF HEALTHY LIVING
FOOD AS MEDICINE
The concept of food as medicine our overconsumption of overly that plagues so many today, the
>> By Pedro van Gaalen and was originally espoused by processed and refined foods and most notable of which is the rise
Vanessa Ascencao Hippocrates, the father of sugar, which are devoid of nutrients in obesity.
Western medicine, who famously and are full of artificial colourants, Basically, we have shifted away
said: “Leave your drugs in the additives, flavourants, synthetic from the simplicity of nature and
WHEN IT COMES TO OUR
chemist’s pot if you can heal compounds and chemically-altered have completely changed and
HEALTH, WE HAVE TWO
the patient with food” and “Let fats and sweeteners. altered the food we have been
BROAD APPROACHES
medicine be thy food and let food This has led to the high designed to digest, assimilate and
THAT CAN BE USED
be thy medicine.” It was his belief prevalence of nutritional absorb and this is causing us to
TO MAINTAIN IT OR
that eating wholesome food was deficiencies and high rates of become sick. Therefore, perhaps
REGAIN IT, SHOULD
the basis for good health. free radical damage. more than anything else in our
WE FALL ILL. THE
Paradoxically, though, one These foods also have deleterious lives, the foods we regularly eat
PREVAILING TREND –
of the major reasons we get effects on our hormonal system and will determine whether or not we
THE ONE WITHIN WHICH
sick today is also caused by organs, which has given rise to the become ill, or remain healthy into
PHARMACEUTICAL-
our diets. The problem lies in global lifestyle disease pandemic older age.
DRIVEN MODERN
MEDICINE HAS BECOME
ENTRENCHED – IS THAT NOURISHING YOUR BODY
OF CURATIVE MEDICINE. “The cornerstone of preventative However, Jesson, who is a popping up across the country,
The other is preventative medicine is eating a nutrient- health food specialist and sports you should also ask when the food
medicine and, as the dense diet” explains Rachel scientist, adds that even when was picked and how far it had to
popular idiom from Dutch Jesson, co-author of the book you follow a diet composed travel to get there, to determine
Renaissance theologian Wholesome Nutrition For You predominantly of whole, natural if it has retained enough of its
Desiderius Erasmus states, (Struik Lifestyle, 2016). “This foods, modern agricultural and nutritional value.”
prevention is better than is because natural foods, food distribution practices, and In this regard, Jesson suggests
cure. According to this be they vegetables, fruit, compromised soil quality lower the that you use your instinct when
approach, it is our diet that organ meat and dairy, contain nutritional content of food, thereby buying ‘fresh’ food. “The freshest,
should sit at the heart of our beneficial substances such degrading its quality. best quality foods will taste better
quest for optimal health and as phytonutrients, vitamins, “Even much of the organic – it’ll generally taste richer and/or
enhanced resilience against minerals, fatty acids, fibre, farming done today doesn’t offer sweeter.” And that, she says, is the
disease, with exercise antioxidants and more. Your body the same nutritional value it did basis for selecting the best options
alongside to fortify our recognises these substances previously due to the large scale for your plate. “Always aim to eat
efforts, and supplementation and knows how to process and on which it is done,” adds Jesson. the best quality food that you can,
a little further back as assimilate them to nourish the “And when you shop at any one of as often as you can. It won’t always
auxiliary support. body,” she continues. the many organic markets that are be possible, though.”

74 MARCH - APRIL 2017


“ANYTHING THAT
A HOST OF ISSUES
YOU CAN PICK The other important aspects that “This is best achieved by mixing
STRAIGHT FROM Jesson suggests we consider foods to manage the glycaemic
YOUR GARDEN include the critical role that the load (Gl) of the meals you eat.”
AND PUT DIRECTLY food we eat plays in controlling Abnormal hormonal profiles
ONTO YOUR PLATE inflammation levels, balancing brought about by poor diets and
WILL BE THE blood sugar, regulating the ingestion of compounds known
FRESHEST FORM OF cardiovascular health (including to be hormone disruptors, such
FOOD YOU CAN EAT.” blood pressure and cholesterol as pesticides and chemicals like
GET GREEN levels), and the ability of our BPA, contribute to maladies such

THUMBS digestive system to process and


eliminate waste.
as fatigue, depression, low mental
capacity, reproductive problems,
However, she asserts that “For many of us, our bodies hypothyroidism and an array of
there are ways to increase our are in a state of chronic systemic autoimmune diseases. Toxicity is
intake of the nutrients and inflammation due to toxins, stress, also tied to poor digestive health
other beneficial compounds poor diets, and an overly acidic and a decrease in liver function,
that will boost our health, environment caused by alcohol, which reduces the body's ability
adding that people have smoking and an overconsumption to self-regulate its important
become too focused on the of acidic foods,” elaborates Jesson. detoxification processes.
macronutrient ratios of their “We therefore need to eat more The active ingredients found in
diet, which is a common trend foods that combat inflammation the food we eat can also influence
in fad dieting. “Much of the because when gene expression
debate on diets today focuses this delicate
“THE FOOD WE and therefore
on the amount of carbs and balance swings
EAT PLAYS A ROLE contributes to
fats we eat. In all honesty, out of control,
IN CONTROLLING either health
we don’t need too much With the right selection of we experience
INFLAMMATION and longevity or
energetic food in our diet, seeds and a few pre-sprouting numerous
LEVELS, BALANCING to disease and
but we definitely need to techniques, you can have a problems.”
BLOOD SUGAR, premature death
ensure we’re getting the right small- to medium-size organic This is because
REGULATING as genes play a
amount of micronutrients,” garden at home full of things inflammation is
CARDIOVASCULAR role in disease
affirms Jesson. like tomatoes (a fruit), carrots, the root of most
HEALTH (INCLUDING development and
Her first suggestion in this pumpkins, and loads and loads diseases and is a
BLOOD PRESSURE prevention. A
regard is growing veggies at of leafy greens, often within a major contributor
AND CHOLESTEROL nutrient-deficient
home. “Anything that you can few weeks. Fruit trees, on the to the effects
LEVELS)” diet that is
pick straight from your garden other hand, can take years to of ageing. “Inflammation is an laden with toxic chemicals and
and put directly onto your plate grow, germinate and flower. immune response. It is a natural substances (including sugar)
will be the freshest form of food If you don’t have the space process and some degree of it is negatively affects the process of
you can eat. It will also have or know-how to plant your beneficial and necessary, but this gene expression.
the highest nutrient density own garden, Jesson suggests is normally acute and
as there is no time for it that you don’t compromise localised. However,
to degrade.” on the quality of the food you when it becomes
And there is no coincidence buy. “Spend the extra money chronic and systemic it
in the fact that veggies are on food. In the long run you’ll IBS IS A CHRONIC
can affect nearly every DISEASE WHICH
often the easiest and quickest likely save on the amount of tissue, hormone and cell
to grow. “A healthful diet should money you’d spend on medical
CAN BE BROUGHT
in the body. That is when ON BY TOXINS,
consist mainly of vegetables, and doctors bills and chronic we start to experience STRESS, POOR
with smaller amounts of fruit medicine, if you invest now in many health issues, DIETS, AND AN
and protein,” says Jesson. proper nutrition.” including various forms OVERLY ACIDIC
of auto-immune disease, ENVIRONMENT.
cardiovascular disease
and irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS), to name
a few.”
Diabetes and weight
gain are also caused by
poor diets and are tied
to a poor insulin response
and other hormonal changes
“DON’T COMPROMISE ON THE QUALITY that are brought about by an
OF THE FOOD YOU BUY. IN THE LONG RUN overconsumption of sugar and
YOU’LL LIKELY SAVE ON THE AMOUNT OF carbohydrates, particularly
MONEY YOU’D SPEND ON MEDICAL AND processed carbs. “One of the most
DOCTORS BILLS AND CHRONIC MEDICINE, IF important roles of your diet is to
YOU INVEST NOW IN PROPER NUTRITION.’” balance blood sugar,” says Jesson.

www.fitnesshis.co.za 75
INCLUDING
SUPERFOODS
BOOSTS YOUR SUPPLEMENT YOUR EFFORTS
INTAKE OF But why not just take an which is derived from a herb
IMPORTANT off-the-shelf probiotic, native to the Andes Mountains,
NUTRIENTS AND supplement or multivitamin is rich in amino acids,
OTHER BENEFICIAL and mineral complex?
Wouldn’t you be getting
phytonutrients, fatty acids,
vitamins and minerals.
SUBSTANCES. the same benefit? “There As an example, Jesson
which are certainly benefits to explains that she would dose
are said supporting a healthy diet up on a good probiotic – one
to reduce with supplements as most that has a variety of strains
cholesterol people aren’t consuming and a high bacteria count (in
and prevent what they need to, in which excess of 30 billion CFUs per
cardiovascular case they could use a boost. serving) – ahead of say a party
diseases; broccoli However, modern society or an overindulgence as the
sprouts which are full of has become overly reliant on digestive system could use
enzymes and antioxidants; these products and not all some extra support in these
pineapple with its bromelain supplements are beneficial situations. “There are also more
content, an enzyme found in the or effective.” specific clinical approaches
A NATURAL fruit’s stem that aids digestion Jesson’s approach is one to supplement use in the
BOOST and prevents clotting, promotes of food first, with the aid of treatment of various ailments,
Once you have your basic diet nutrient absorption and combats superfoods, supported with which can be determined in
‘cleaned’ up, Jesson suggests that inflammation; chia seeds with their supplements to compensate consultation with a nutritional
you boost your intake of important high fibre and essential fatty acid for any shortfall. “Supplement therapist,” she explains.
nutrients and other beneficial content, which have been shown to use should be strategic rather
substances. “A great way to help regulate blood sugar and aid than a shotgun approach to
ensure it’s delivering benefits, “MODERN
do this is to add in superfoods, in the prevention of cancer; garlic SOCIETY HAS
which pack a concentrated with its antibacterial, antiviral, and I always prefer to use BECOME
dose of various vitamins, anti-parasitic and anti-fungal products that are concentrated OVERLY
extracts of natural foods rather RELIANT
minerals, phytonutrients and/or properties; ginger, which can help ON THESE
antioxidants.” to alleviate indigestion and reduce than synthesized compounds,” PRODUCTS
The reasons for this are inflammation; and turmeric, which she adds. AND NOT
Examples include camu camu ALL SUPPLE-
manifold. First and foremost, contains potent antioxidants and MENTS ARE
it makes up for any nutritional has anti-inflammatory properties. and boabab powders, which BENEFICIAL OR
deficiencies or shortfalls that Furthermore, including more offer high concentrations of EFFECTIVE.”
may be present in your diet, fermented foods in your diet vitamin C that can help boost
and this approach also helps to also helps to prevent illness by immunity, and blue-green algae
support numerous important repopulating the gut and colon with extract in the form spirulina,
bodily functions. “For example, what Jesson calls ‘healthy bugs’. which can help reduce fatigue
anything that requires buffering, “These are good bacteria that are and that lab studies show has
such as managing stress (in all often killed off due to excessive antiviral properties. Dandelion
its forms), detoxing, or various sugar consumption or antibiotic extract is another example
mental processes, all require use. And the gut – specifically as it is rich in vitamins and
micronutrients,” explains Jesson. the microbiome it houses – is the minerals and has antimicrobial
These nutrient-dense foods first line of defense against many properties, while maca powder,
include the likes of açai berries, diseases and infections.”

JESSON SHARES THE FOLLOWING TIPS TO HELP CURE COMMON CONDITIONS:


CURING
ILLNESS DIABETES: Use cinnamon to regulate blood sugar, which helps to improve insulin sensitivity.
However, optimal nutrition is
not only capable of preventing COLDS: Drink a tea made with chopped ginger, fresh lemon, hot water and a dollop
ill health, but can also help in of raw honey (find honey from local sources)
the management, treatment
and even reversal of various COUGHS: Chopped onion, filtered water and honey. Let it stew.
chronic illnesses. Jesson says
she also turns to food first IBS: Add kefir to any smoothie. A home-made chicken soup that is brothy and stocky
when she or someone in her nourishes the gut with the co-factors needed to repair the gut lining.
family gets sick.
“Foods also have powerful DIARRHOEA: Psyllium husk or stewed apple with cinnamon and pectin.
curative properties, with the
ability to help manage acute INDIGESTION: Lemon juice shot, a rocket and parmesan starter, or an apple cider
conditions such as dehydration, vinegar shot before meals to boost stomach acidity.
infections and viruses, as
well as chronic conditions DEHYDRATION: Squeeze a lemon into distilled or reverse osmosis water. Add Himalayan rock
such as diabetes and IBS,” salt to water for an electrolyte solution.
she explains.

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76 MARCH - APRIL 2017
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TODAY &
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GET MORE OF THESE IN YOUR DIET:
Eat whole, natural; simple, raw and minimally processed food
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nutrients and active enzymes.

CHOOSE ORGANIC FOOD to avoid pesticides, herbicides,


genetically modified (GMO) foods, and irradiated food. Fresh,
organically-grown food has a greater nutrient density and
tastes better. Similarly, organic meats and dairy don’t contain
hormones, antibiotics and other growth factors that affect our
own body chemistry.

HYDRATE WITH PURIFIED WATER with added fresh lemon or


FRE
lime and Himalayan rock salt.

EAT A VARIETY AND COLOURFUL SELECTION of some fruit


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CONCLUSION
By simply getting “back to basics” in terms of our diets, Jesson
believes we can prevent many of modern life's most common health
issues. “Just aim to eat a variety of whole, natural foods, and minimise
(or eliminate) your consumption of sugar-laden manufactured
foodstuffs.” It is also worth watching how much you eat. And, of
course, try to get some form of physical activity in each day, even if it is
just a walk.” ■
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FUEL UP

FEATURE Up to
54g of
prote
per 10in
serving0g
!

BUGGING
OUT ON
PROTEIN
Move over whey, there’s (www.exoprotein.com), crickets
a new source of protein are 20 times more resource-efficient
on the market that is than cattle at producing protein.
set to dominate the “Crickets produce 80 times less
functional food and methane than cows, for instance.”
WHY supplement landscape. Offering upward to 54g of protein per 100g
serving, insect protein – yes, you read that right – is a rapidly
In a recent blog post titled “Why
crickets are the future of protein”,
INSECTS growing trend in the health and fitness industry. Tran explained that one pound of
MAY BE THE Entomophagy – the eating of insects – is actually more common crickets requires just under two

NEXT BIG (and not as gross) as many in the developed Western world may
think. In fact, 80% of the world’s population eat bugs.
pounds of feed, compared to 25
pounds of feed needed to produce one
THING IN According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the pound of beef. “That’s twelve times
PROTEIN United Nations, there is a culture of eating insects that pervades
Asia, Africa and Latin America with some two billion people in these
less feed than cattle, four times less
feed than sheep, and half as much
>> By Pedro van Gaalen
countries consuming 1,900 different types of insects as part of their feed as pigs and broiler chickens to
staple diet. And they do so out of choice, not due to a lack of suitable get the same amount of protein.”
protein alternatives. In fact, for many nations insects are a delicacy. And while insects have a protein
content comparable to other animal
ENTOMOPHAGY side-stream food sources – what the protein sources, they are free from
TRENDING FAO describes as manure, pig slurry the antibiotics and hormones used in
and compost. They also require modern farming that raise concerns
Why then should the rest of the less land and water, and produce over their impact on human health.
world not do the same? Well, it far fewer greenhouse gases than Tran adds that an insect's lifecycle
seems many already are. Insect livestock, which means they have a is also much faster. “The average
gastronomy is already a big trend tiny ecological footprint compared to lifespan of a cricket is a mere seven
in Europe and Japan as a new other farmed protein sources. weeks from egg to adult. This allows
generation of chefs are blazing a According to Jess Tran, cricket farmers to yield much larger
trail in fine dining with insects as head of PR and communications batches of insects. It’s also more
the hero ingredient. at insect protein bar and functional ethical to harvest crickets than it is to
So what's driving this trend? It food manufacturer Exo farm livestock.”
seems that edible insects are the
new buzzword in sustainability. “WHILE INSECTS HAVE A PROTEIN CONTENT
Locusts can offer up about 75% This is because insects are an COMPARABLE TO OTHER ANIMAL PROTEIN SOURCES,
protein. In contrast, an identical ecologically-viable food source as THEY ARE FREE FROM THE ANTIBIOTICS AND
serving of chicken will only yield
31 grams and dried beef only
they require less resource-intensive HORMONES USED IN MODERN FARMING THAT RAISE
43 grams of protein. farming and can be farmed using CONCERNS OVER THEIR IMPACT ON HUMAN HEALTH.”

78 MARCH - APRIL 2017


NUTRITION delicacies – there are a growing industry. In addition to Exo, foods, making it a more appetising
POWERHOUSES number of companies that are there are a number of companies proposition for consumers. It is
creating insect snack packs. in Canada and the US that are also extremely versatile, with Exo's
Bugs are also highly nutritious. For example, Entomo Farms packaging insect protein in ways bars available in a range of tasty
Mealworms, for instance, are (entomofarms.com), an Ontario- that make it easy for consumers flavours such as apple cinnamon
packed with fibre, essential fatty based company, sells a range of to add it to their daily diet. and banana bread.
acids and a variety of vitamins cricket and mealworm snacks in To date, insect protein bars have
and minerals, in addition to their their bistro. been the most popular, with Exo “THE PROTEIN IN
rich protein content. In fact, the By all available online accounts, and Salt Lake City-based Chapul CRICKETS HAS ALL
average insect is around half these bug-based meals are manufacturing gluten-free, dairy- NINE ESSENTIAL
protein by dry weight, with some delicious, but you first need to get free and paleo-friendly products. AMINO ACIDS WHICH
insects such as locusts offering up over that 'grossed-out' stage of The major enabler of these ALSO MAKES IT A
about 75% protein. placing insects in your mouth. For insect protein-based functional PERFECT ALTERNATIVE
And crickets are another some, this is a bridge too far, at foods has been cricket and other PROTEIN SOURCE.
veritable superfood, according least for now. insect-based powders, which are
IN ADDITION,
to Tran, with a protein content of made by roasting or otherwise
about 69%. To put that into context, drying the insects (Exo freezes,
THESE CRUNCHY
POWDERS & BARS CRITTERS OFFER
Tran explains that an identical then dehydrates the bugs in a
serving of chicken will only yield However, even the most multi-step process that results in UP A HEALTHY
31 grams and dried beef only 43 squeamish of fitness foodies can a neutral-tasting powder) and then DOSE OF VITAMIN
grams of protein. “The fact that now get their daily dose of insect grinding them up. B12, MORE CALCIUM
the protein in crickets has all nine protein without dry-heaving This is what has changed the THAN MILK AND
essential amino acids also makes thanks to the burgeoning insect game as insects can now be MORE IRON THAN
it a perfect alternative protein functional food and supplement included in bars or used to fortify SPINACH.”
source,” she adds. In addition,
these crunchy critters offer up a
healthy dose of vitamin B12, more
calcium than milk and more iron
than spinach.
(90% lean) (Farmed)
With so many benefits there BEEF SALMON WHOLE EGGS TOFU CRICKETS MEALWORMS
are many people out there who
predict that edible insects are the Protein 22.4g 20.4g 19.2g 24.6g 31g 16.2g
next big thing in nutrition. And that
means big business, with a Global
Market Insights report stating that Fat 11.2g 13.4g 15.2g 12.6g 8.1g 14.8g
the industry will be worth over
$522 million by 2023. Persistence Saturated
Fat 4.4g 3g 4.8g 2.7g 2.6g 4.9g
Market Research has even higher
expectations for the market, Omega-3 0.04g 2.5g 0.1g 0.5g 1.8g 3.3g
estimating that by the end of 2024,
it will account for $722.9 million.
Fiber 0 0 0 2,7g 7.2g 2.5g
INSECT OPTIONS Values per 200-calorie serving. Sources: USDA SR-25 and Nutritional and safety aspects of edible insects, Bridget A. Rumpold and Oliver K. Schutler
Mol. Nutr. Food Res. 2013, 57, 802-823.
As the insect-eating movement
gains momentum around the
world, consumers looking to FUNCTIONAL FOODS
taste test the entomophagy trend
already have a variety of options These companies, and others, are also expanding produces products including cake mix; One Hop
to choose from. their offerings with insect protein-enriched Kitchen that makes two bolognese sauce variants
Fine dining restaurants in condiments, gluten-free cricket pasta, and — one with crickets and the other with mealworms;
the US, Europe and Mexico, for healthier baked goods, to name just a few, all Toronto-based Gryllies sells a pasta sauce made
example, serve up dishes such entering mainstream retail circulation in with crickets; and CrikNutrition, a Winnipeg-based
as sautéed beetle larvae, spicy North America. company, sells a cricket protein powder.
cricket fritters, chapulines (crunchy Chapul, for instance, now manufactures a cricket With such a breadth of offering and diversity
fried crickets), red ant sauces, flour – which has a subtle, nutty flavour – that can in the application of insect-based ingredients,
grasshopper guacamole, cricket be used as a one-to-one substitute for all-purpose it is unlikely that this is just the next in a long
mushroom pate, red palm weevil flour in any recipe. And there are a host of other list of hipster foodie trends. Add to this the
with truffle oil, worms with feta companies pioneering the insect food industry, value proposition of a more sustainable and
cheese and beetroot, and the such as Crowbar Protein with the company's Jungle environmentally-friendly food source and it starts to
Grass-Whopper – a hamburger Bar insect protein bar; C-fu Foods in Toronto that seem like the edible-insect trend certainly has legs.
with grasshoppers and chili sauce. sells textured insect proteins that can replace So don't be surprised to see insects on the menu or
For the less adventurous traditional meat, soy, eggs or dairy when cooking; insect protein bars at your local supplement store in
eaters out there – or those who Portland, Oregon-based Cricket Flours that not-too-distant future. ■
can't afford the price tag of these

www.fitnesshis.co.za 79
FUEL
TRAINING
UP

FOOD
FEATURE
PREP

SEAR TUNA
PERFECTLY
HEALTHY FATS AND PACKED FULL OF PROTEIN...
WHAT MORE COULD A PHYSIQUE-CONSCIOUS MALE
We’
HEA
MASOOKITNHY
C
TER G
L

cook ve told y CLAS


and in our ou wha S
re t
s
ASK FOR IN THE HERO INGREDIENT OF A MEAL? use howed y cipe pag to
feat in o u es
Whether you want to slice it up and toss it in with a salad or use it as the main ingredient ures our kitch what t
. No o
on your dinner plate, fresh line-caught tuna tops the shopping lists of most health- to e
n w en gea
conscious individuals these days. to c lighten y we’re go r
ook ou o ing
Preparation Cooking Serving heal your fav n how
thy m ourit
suggestions eals e
STEP 1: Cut your tuna in STEP 1: Ensure your .
into 2-4cm tuna steaks. griddle pan is searing STEP 1: Leave to rest
STEP 2: Sprinkle your hot before placing your for a few minutes, then
seasoning onto the tuna on it. Press the tuna rub the cooked fillet with
cutting board. Place both down into the griddle. virgin olive oil again.
sides of the tuna on it. STEP 2: Cook on one side STEP 2: Squeeze the
STEP 3: Rub olive oil for 90 seconds. juice of half a lemon over
over both sides of the STEP 3: Lightly rub a the tuna steak.
tuna. bit of olive oil on the STEP 2: Slice and serve
top side before turning. with the remaining
Press the tuna down into juices in the pan
the griddle. as a drizzle.
STEP 4: Cook for another
90 seconds.

TOOLS OF
COOKING GUIDELINES THE TRADE
FOR A 2CM THICK TUNA
STEAK (PER SIDE): ■ A heavy-duty,
thick-base frying
■ 90 seconds per side or griddle pan.
■ Sharp carving knife.
■ Cutting board.
ASONING
IDEAL SE :
N S INCLUDE GLOBAL FILLET KNIFE
OPTIO Pep per,
rock sa lt, (24CM) G-18
Himalayan , Le m on >> R1,799
oriander
All spice, C nn el seeds,
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mon , Fe
zest, Cinna yme, Dill,
Parsley, Th
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Garlic pow
PR E PA RE YOUR
HOW TO G:
SEASO N IN
yo ur pr eferred BEKA - RECTANGULAR
Crush CHARGRILLER (34CM X 20CM)
s in a
ingredient >> R445
pumice. www.takealot.com

80 MARCH - APRIL 2017


OPTIMUM OPTIMUM OPTIMUM
NUTRITION NUTRITION NUTRITION
GOLD STANDARD 100% WHEY GOLD STANDARD 100% WHEY
SUPPLEMENT BRAND BEST OVERALL PROTEIN
OF THE YEAR OF THE YEAR POWDER OF THE YEAR
2015 2015 2015

INTERNATIONALLY VOTED
SUPPLEMENT OF THE YEAR &

BEST OVERALL PROTEIN POWDER OF THE YEAR

11 YEARS IN A ROW

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