Francois Van Coke – Songwriter, Lead Vocalist and Founding Member of Sa Punk Rock Bands Van Coke Kartel and Fokofpolisiekar – Has Lived His Life Fast, Loud, and Mostly on the Road; Which Left Him Out of Shape and Unhealthy. Here’s How He Turned His Life Around, and Went From Fat to Fit.
Francois van Coke is playing to the crowd. There’s no guitar, microphone or amp, just a loaded barbell – and a few people listening to his gravelly, award-winning baritone. But then the mood changes. The people disperse, and it’s just Van Coke and the barbell, his easy-going smile replaced by a focused glare. He grips the bar and 3, 2, 1, lifts with the same confidence and concentration he shows each time he picks up his guitar. He’s here to sweat, not sing; but this is his stage, and he’s here to perform.
As a child, Van Coke was very active; he played rugby, reaching his peak in Standard 5 when he played Craven Week. He continued to play through high school, and even after school, in club rugby. But eventually, his rugby – and with it, his exercise routine – was benched.
It’s a tale as old as time: a man either doesn’t have time, or loses interest – or has two passions, pitted against each other. For Van Coke, it was the latter; and there was simply no competition.
“I think the passion for music took over when I was about 16. I really fell in love with grunge music when Nirvana and Pearl Jam and those bands came out. It made me want to pick up a guitar, and I think that kind of killed my passion for sport a little bit.”
Van Coke started touring when he was 23. On the road with his best mates, it was one continuous party; he was drinking a lot, and eating whatever he could get his hands on. He was young and enjoying a lifestyle he had only dreamed about while strumming away as a 16-year-old. But it was also the early years, and the band didn’t make a lot of money; which meant Van Coke followed the “whatever I could find” diet.
Esta historia es de la edición May 2018 de Men's Health South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2018 de Men's Health South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
The Last 7 Recipe You'll Ever Need
FADS COME AND GO. BUT GOOD EATING AND PROPER NUTRITION CHANGES VERY LITTLE. SO WE COMBED THROUGH ALL THE RECIPES IN MEN'S HEALTH'S 36-YEAR HISTORY TO FIND THE ONES THAT TRULY DELIVER ON BOTH FLAVOUR AND FUNCTION.
The Changing Face Of Cancer
While cancer rates are falling in older adults, they're increasing among younger age groups. It's a trend exposing holes in both diagnosis and care. It's also raised a new question for experts: how do you get vital and potentially life-saving information to people unaware they need it?
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 ADVENTURES
YOUR TIME OFF IS VALUABLE. TO BOOK YET ANOTHER FLY 'N' FLOP IS TO DO YOURSELF A DISSERVICE. THIS YEAR, BREAK FREE FROM THE POOLSIDE BAR AND GET YOUR KICKS IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. FROM EXPEDITIONS IN FAR-FLUNG PLACES TO HIGH-OCTANE WEEKENDS CLOSER TO HOME, CONSIDER THESE YOUR FIRST STEPS OFF THE BEATEN TRACK.
4 WAYS TO REBOOT YOUR MINDSET
STRESSED ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD AND/OR YOUR SANITY? WE'VE GOT FOUR SIMPLE BUT ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO HELP YOU ADAPT AND OVERCOME, THIS YEAR AND BEYOND.
TRAIN TO YOUR MAX
Cardiorespiratory fitness is one of the most important health markers when it comes to your overall wellbeing. Here's how Discovery Vitality Fitness gives you more ways than ever to fire up your engine.
SLUSH FUN
FROZEN DAIQUIRIS ARE REFRESHI AND ALSO SICKENINGLY SWEET. TRY A FROZEN PIMM'S CUP, WHICH HAS ALL THE FLAVOURS WITH WAY LESS SUGAR.
THE HEALTH SNOB'S GUIDE TO COLD-BREW COFFEE
BOTTLED COFFEE MIGHT BE ABUNDANT, BUT CAFFEINE AFICIONADOS MAKE THEIR OWN. FOLLOW THESE TIPS TO PREP A HEALTHY BREW FOR A REFRESHING PERK-ME-UP.
SUPP CHECK RECOVERY PACKAGE
COLLAGEN IS TOUTED AS THE GO-TO SUPP FOR BONE, SKIN AND JOINT HEALTH, PLUS FAST INJURY REPAIR. BUT DOES IT DELIVER? TIME TO GEN UP.
THE SEMI-COMPLETE USER'S GUIDE TO...THE SINUSES
FOR AS LONG AS sinuses have been around, aka forever, there has been a ton that scientists haven't figured out about them.
BULLISH
The Blue Bulls scrumhalf Embrose Papier is striving for greatness. Here's how he's putting in the right reps to make sure mind and muscle are firing in unison.