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6 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2017

CONTENTS

>> On the cover AJ Ellison AJEllison3 ajellison

>> Image by Arsenik Studios

POWER UP

12 General news

Industry update

15 Ask Fitness His Edition

All your health and fitness questions answered

19 Gym gear

Xmas gift guide special – go ahead, spoil yourself

23 Grooming

Get your grooming game on point this summer

24 Guy gear

The latest gear, fashion and accessories to complement your fitness lifestyle

32 CNS recovery

Is this the missing link in your ability to make gains?

34 Body quirks during exercise

Strange things your body does and how to take immediate steps to fix them

66 Supplement news

Power your performance

67 Protein power up!

Protein-packed chocolate cake

68 Functional protein-fortified foods

The rise of highly bioavailable protein-enriched products

70 Nutrition news

Eat clean, live healthy

78 Show coverage

All the latest action from the competitive physique stage

SUPPLEMENTS & NUTRITION

TRAINING

48 Fitness news

The latest news, stats and info

52 Form first

Challenge yourself with the overhead kettlebell squat

53 CrossFit column

The importance of strength symmetry

54 De-training

What happens when you stop exercising?

56 Beach-worthy abs

Your roadmap to a chiselled midsection

62 Crank up your cardio

Transform your body into a fat-incinerating furnace

26 MALE FIXATIONMonique Lopes

74 COMPENSATION HUNGERThe struggle is real

38 HOLIDAY BODYWEIGHT BLASTMaintain your gains, anywhere and any time

28 COVER PROFILEThree time WBFF World Champion AJ Ellison

EDITOR’S LETTER

GOT GRIT?The dictionary definition of grit (n) is - ‘courage and resolve; strength of character.’ I don’t think that definition does this powerful personality trait justice, though.

In my line of work I get to meet and speak to many outstanding people who have achieved many amazing feats, whether it be reaching the pinnacle of their sport, or achieving their physical or physique oriented goals.

Over the years these interactions have helped to distill the character traits and attitudes shared by these successful people, and the overriding attribute shared by them all is best described as ‘grit’. This type of grit is more than just courage and resolve. It runs much deeper. It’s what drives them to succeed in the face of adversity. It shapes their perceptions of challenges, and reframes their vocabulary, their thinking and their daily actions around how they tackle the task at hand.

It’s a subject that holds intense interest for me, particularly from a sporting perspective. For example, the performance of two athletes of similar genetic and physical ability often comes down to their ‘grit’ – how they doggedly chase after their goals, making sure they complete every training session, giving it 100% each time. And if they miss their target, it’s how they pick themselves back up and get straight back onto the path towards their next attempt.

In my quest to deepen my understanding of the psychology behind grit, given recent personal failures and my burning desire to perform to my full potential, I came across the work of an amazing human being.

Angela Duckworth is an academic,

behavioural psychologist, a MacArthur ‘Genius’ fellow, the founder and CEO of the Character Lab, and author of the New York Times bestseller, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. She studies grit and self-control, which her website explains are “two attributes that are distinct from IQ and yet powerfully predict success.”

In the context of behaviour, Duckworth defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.” Based on her studies, Duckworth has identified that individuals who exhibit high levels of grit are able to maintain their determination and motivation over long periods, despite experiences with failure and adversity.

However, in spite of her extensive research into the subject, Duckworth says that the essence of grit remains elusive. What she has unearthed are a number of other traits and tools that we can apply to our own lives, to up our ‘Grit score’. This will harden our mettle and our resolve in achieving what we want most in life. It’s a compelling book that will make for highly beneficial holiday reading. I highly recommend that anyone who is serious about achieving their goals in 2018 read the book.

In closing out what has been one of the most challenging yet still immensely rewarding years of my life, and in preparation for 2018, I can think of nothing more apt than sharing Duckworth’s insightful take on grit: “Grit isn’t talent. Grit isn’t luck. Grit isn’t how intensely, for the moment, you want something. Instead, grit is about having ... an”ultimate concern” - a goal you care about so much that it organises and gives meaning to almost everything you do. And grit is holding steadfast to that goal. Even when you fall down. Even when you screw up. Even when progress toward that goal is halting or slow. Talent and luck matter to success. But talent and luck are no guarantee of grit. And in the very long run, I think grit may matter as least as much, if not more.”

Here’s to an all-round ‘grittier’ 2018!

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8 NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2017

HOW COMPEN-

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A TOTAL AB WORKOUT FOR THE ULTIMATE BEACH-READY

MIDSECTION PG 56

ON THE COVER...

PEDRO VAN GAALENEditor

@PedrovanG @pedrovang

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