Mens Health South Africa – September-October 2025
Summary
Men's Health South Africa's September-October 2025 Strength Issue (R90) puts the eight Cover Guy finalists on the cover alongside shark-attack survivor Caleb Swanepoel, who lost his right leg to a great white in 2015 and now represents South Africa in elite adaptive sports. The issue investigates whether creatine can improve cognitive health, whether your coffee habit is damaging your health and what the "gym bro" science movement gets right and wrong. Swanepoel's story of relearning to walk and returning to surfing and deep-sea diving anchors the issue's no-quit theme.
The 114-page issue profiles eight Cover Guy finalists photographed by Garreth Barclay (p.18), who has shot 150-plus Men's Health covers globally. The creatine conundrum (p.76) examines emerging research on the supplement's cognitive benefits beyond muscle performance, while the Land Rover Defender Octa test (p.34) takes the off-road vehicle through its paces. The MH Trainer section (p.99-114) covers concurrent training science, the 8×8 method and a 4-D arm workout with all-new moves.
Regular segments include Ed's Letter, News You Can Use (science journal digests), The Big Question, Polling and Unfiltered. The issue also profiles actor Xolani Khowa from the historical drama Shaka iLembe, discussing the physical preparation required for shirtless period-drama roles and the pressure to maintain a silver-screen physique.
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Content Guide
▸ Cover Feature
p.18 · Real Guys, Real Results — Cover Guy Finalists
Eight finalists selected from a nationwide search, sponsored by Trojan fitness equipment, share their hard-earned lessons on strength, resilience and becoming better men. Photographer Garreth Barclay captures each finalist in settings that reflect their training environments. The winner receives a Trojan fitness bundle, a Huawei Watch Fit 4 and a R15,000 cash investment kickstart from Tigris Wealth, plus a one-year brand ambassadorship with Ted Lapidus fragrances. Enter next year's search early: start documenting your transformation journey with monthly progress photos and a training log.
p.24 · The Hunger Game — Caleb Swanepoel
The 2025 Cover Guy winner survived a great white shark attack in 2015 that cost him his right leg below the knee. The article traces his recovery from the choppy-seas attack through relearning to walk, returning to surfing and deep-sea diving, and now representing South Africa in elite adaptive competitions. Swanepoel's mindset: "no-quit, all-grit," a philosophy he applies to every training session and competition-entry form.
▸ Health
p.52 · Hot Topic — Caffeine Addiction
A deep dive into whether your coffee habit is harming your health. The article reviews the latest research on caffeine's effects on sleep quality, anxiety levels and adrenal function, distinguishing between moderate consumption (1-3 cups daily, generally safe) and dependence (4+ cups with withdrawal symptoms). Test your caffeine dependency: skip your morning coffee for three consecutive days and track headache severity, sleep quality and afternoon energy crashes.
p.76 · Creatine Conundrum
Can the supplement improve cognitive health? Men's Health investigates emerging research suggesting creatine monohydrate may support brain function during ageing, particularly in vegetarians whose baseline creatine levels are lower. The cognitive benefits appear at 5g daily, the same dose recommended for muscle performance, making it a no-cost experiment for existing users. Add 5g creatine monohydrate to your daily routine for eight weeks and track one cognitive metric — such as reaction time or verbal recall — alongside your gym numbers.
▸ Fitness Science
p.70 · New Horizons — The Truth About Bro Science
An even-handed look at what the "gym bro" science movement gets right and wrong. Personal trainer Kate Neudecker explains that incremental progressive overload — adding weight steadily over weeks — is the boring-but-proven method that actually works, while "shocking the muscle" with random programme changes every week is counterproductive. Commit to any training programme for at least three weeks before making major adjustments to properly assess its effectiveness.
▸ Training
p.99-114 · MH Trainer
The training section opens with muscle myth debunking (you can build muscle in any rep range from 5 to 30 if taken to near-failure), then moves into the 8×8 method popularised by Vince Gironda — 8 sets of 8 reps with minimal rest using 2-3 exercises per body part. The 4-D arm workout closes the section with new moves designed to blast biceps and triceps from multiple angles. Use the 8×8 method for one exercise per body part for four weeks as a plateau-busting block.
▸ Lifestyle
p.34 · Test Conditions — Land Rover Defender Octa
Men's Health takes the Land Rover Defender Octa off-road, testing its off-road capability, on-road comfort and the practical considerations of owning a vehicle in this price bracket. The Defender Octa is assessed on approach angles, wading depth and cargo practicality.
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Editor's Take
The Caleb Swanepoel feature is this issue's standout — a genuine survival story that earns its "living fearlessly" cover line through specific, harrowing detail rather than inspirational cliche. The eight Cover Guy finalists' section is inclusive without feeling like a corporate diversity box-ticking exercise, helped by Barclay's photography and the real-world training backgrounds of the subjects. The weakness is the Land Rover Defender Octa test, which occupies 4 pages that could have gone to more substantive fitness content — it is a straight automotive review in a magazine whose readers buy it for training advice. This issue best suits men interested in the supplement science debates (creatine, caffeine) and those considering entering next year's Cover Guy search.
Strengths
• Caleb Swanepoel survival story avoids inspiration cliche with specific training details
• Creatine-cognition feature addresses a genuinely open scientific question
• Eight Cover Guy profiles represent genuine diversity of body types and backgrounds
Weaknesses
• Land Rover Defender test reads as paid automotive content
• Caffeine addiction article draws no firm conclusion on safe intake thresholds
Verdict: Recommended — Strongest for the Swanepoel profile and the supplement science features, though the Defender test wastes 4 pages of editorial real estate.
