Tell us about your journey into fitness and what sparked it?
I've always been interested in sports; I grew up being an active child, always taking part in athletics, gymnastics, drum majorettes etc. In Matric I had operations in both of my knees, which ended my sporting career for the time being. When I got to university academics became the most important part of my life and I didn't pay much attention to anything else. Three years later I moved to Durban and met new people who were all training and going to gym on a daily basis, so I started to get back into it again. I started dating Brian, who was very involved in the industry at the time. We went away one weekend to the beach, and I remember that I had felt so incredibly uncomfortable in my own skin. I had asked him to introduce me to a coach, and I got started with a diet and a training program a week later.
At what point in your fitness journey did you realise you would like to take it a step further and begin competing?
I eventually started losing weight and gaining self-confidence. My coach and Brian had both convinced me to take part in my first show, and since then I've been hooked. I actually started doing very well and I just continued to train and diet until I ended up at the top.
What are the three biggest challenges you've faced during competition prep?
Denne historien er fra May - June 2023-utgaven av Men's Fitness South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra May - June 2023-utgaven av Men's Fitness South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE NEED FOR SPEED
Interview with NASCAR's Parker Retzlaff
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Low testosterone can be a serious (and seriously annoying) problem. But there is help.
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Take a vacation from the weights and sculpt your best beach body ever using only your body weight
The 6 Greatest Outdoor Workouts, Period
After a dark and cold winter, the fluorescent-lit gym starts to feel as drab and stuffy as a fluorescent-lit cubicle, and the old routines of arm day and leg day and ab day just aren't cutting it. Ditch the racks and benches and venture outdoors into the sunshine. Your bleary eyes will find life's better with the wind in your hair, the sun on your back, and the world zipping past. We've ranked the top outdoor sports mountain biking, trail running, open-water swimming, obstacle course racing, road cycling, and rock climbing - based on exercise efficacy, calories burned, cost of gear, availability, and risk factor to see which one offers the most burn for your buck. So, go ahead and take your fitness to the next level while communing with nature. The outdoors awaits. Go work it.
ARCHER TELLS YOU...How To Be a Real man
STERLING ARCHER is the world's greatest secret agent as well as a devastatingly handsome jet-setter, model-banger, and daydrinking enthusiast. And now I'm a noir detective living in the 1940s. Sorry, are you confused because I switched to first person? Well, get over it, because I'm about to give you some invaluable life advice on how to get through this decade- or any decade, for that matter - like a true gentleman.
Broiling Point
The broiler is an under-appreciated workhorse that can quickly and easily bump up the flavour of your favourite dishes
Johnny Jimenez FROM FITNESS MODEL TO BUSINESS MOGUL
Johnny Jimenez (aka JohnnySwole) is not your ordinary fitness model. He has taken his passion for fitness and turned it into a lucrative empire. With a blend of dedication, entrepreneurship, and a keen sense of opportunity, Johnny has established himself as a prominent figure in the fitness industry.
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To celebrate MF's 30th year, we present our 30 top tips for turning yourself into a lean, mean, brawny, beach-ready machine
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