■ The reason you can’t seem to get stronger or add more muscle is rarely that you’re not training hard enough. More than likely it’s that your form is breaking down when the weight gets heavy. The solution? Use balls to improve your mobility. We like the specially designed mobility balls from Acumobility (acumobility.com), but lacrosse or tennis balls work, too, to help open up every muscle group. For example, here’s how to use them if your bench press is stuck, according to orthopedic acupuncturist and Acumobility CEO Brad Cox.
How to Do It
1. Place the balls on the floor so they fit on each side of your spine.
2. Grasp a light kettle bell with both hands and lie on your back, resting against the balls so they dig into your back, 8cm below your shoulder blades. Bend your knees 90 degrees. Hold the kettlebell above your chest.
This story is from the Mar-Apr 2023 edition of Men's Fitness South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Mar-Apr 2023 edition of Men's Fitness South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE NEED FOR SPEED
Interview with NASCAR's Parker Retzlaff
Test your T
Low testosterone can be a serious (and seriously annoying) problem. But there is help.
The no-gym beach body
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.
30 ways to get stronger
To celebrate MF's 30th year, we present our 30 top tips for turning yourself into a lean, mean, brawny, beach-ready machine
Extremely loud and incredibly close
As a neighbour, you want to build relationships based on mutual respect - but that's sometimes easier said than done. Here's what to do should drama come knocking.
Win every fight you're in
Defuse the most dreadful situations with tips from these hostage experts
