THE SCENIC ROUTE

CHRISTIAAN BESTER DIDN'T JUST FORGE THIS PHYSIQUE BETWEEN FOUR WALLS. THE BEST GAINS? WELL, THOSE ARE FOUND IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS. TAP INTO HIS MINDSET TO BUILD THE BODY YOU WANT FOR THIS SEASON (AND THE NEXT).

AGE: 32 | WEIGHT: 92KG | HEIGHT: 182CM

AS PROPERTY development manager, Christiaan Bester spends metres into covetable abodes. He knows that transforming an empty space into something worthy of taking up space requires vision and microscopic attention to detail. In work and life-the 32-year-old has found his own kind of synthesis, leveraging that developer's mindset to squeeze the most out of empty plots and his powerful physique.

The secret: keeping fastidious records of his exercises and measuring progress (constantly).

"I find that doing these two things prevents complacency from creeping in," he says.

And he's anything but complacent. Bester wakes up at 5am without fail, sneaking in breakfast before slamming out a session at the gym. By 8am, he's at work, and close of business always means logging a recovery walk on Sea Point's promenade. This commitment to scheduling might seem overly regimented, but research has shown that those who stick to rock-solid routines tend to be happier than those freestyling their way through life. You'll benefit even more if your sleep schedule is set in stone, too.