Mens Health South Africa – July-August 2026

Summary

UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis tells Men's Health South Africa July-August 2026 (R90) that he is willing to die in the Octagon — "what a sweet death" — in a profile that traces his journey from Hartbeespoort judo to South Africa's first UFC title. The adventure-themed issue also delivers 31 greatest routes to sweat, recover and relax, the MH Food Rules handbook, an investigation into shilajit's dark side and a look at what eating meat means for Gen Z. Du Plessis opens up about losing his title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 and the radical accountability that followed.

The adventure section (p.18) maps epic driving routes and the machines built for them — Land Rover, Toyota and Ford featured in a 20-page travel-and-gear package. The Reading Red-S feature (p.38) follows one writer's discovery of the dangers of underfuelling workouts, a topic rarely covered in men's fitness magazines. The regenerative aesthetics feature (p.48) examines the "wild rise" of treatments claiming to turn back time on ageing skin and joints.

Regular sections include Ed's Letter, Headlines (distilled science news), Supp Check for supplement updates and the Transformation section (p.112). The Build & Burn training plan (p.106) tackles the perennial question of whether readers can add muscle and strip fat simultaneously, with a programme designed around that exact goal.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature
p.68 · The Fighter's Edge — Dricus du Plessis
Kieran Legg profiles the former UFC middleweight champion who lost his title to Khamzat Chimaev by unanimous decision at UFC 319. Du Plessis discusses his coach Morne Visser's use of a taser in training, the "all-in gambler's mentality" required at elite level, and why he cannot afford a split-second of hesitation in the Octagon. The article reveals his origin story: WAKO K-1 world champion at 17, EFC titles, then CIT Performance Institute where Visser initially refused to train an amateur. Apply Du Plessis's rule: when you lose, take radical accountability — no excuses, no finger-pointing — then identify the next 10% of improvement and train only that for one month.

p.18 · Adventure Starts Here
31 epic routes across South Africa designed for sweating, recovering and relaxing, paired with adventure vehicles including Land Rover Defender, Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. Each route includes distance, difficulty rating, recommended vehicle type and a recovery activity — from mountain-bike trails to hot springs and beachside camping.

▸ Health
p.38 · Reading Red-S
A first-person investigation into Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), the condition that occurs when athletes underfuel their training. The writer documents their own calorie deficit, the performance drops that followed and the recovery process of restoring energy balance. Key warning sign: if your libido drops while training volume stays high, you may be underfuelling.

p.48 · Can You Turn Back Time?
The wild rise of regenerative aesthetics — PRP injections, exosome therapies and stem-cell treatments marketed for joint health and skin rejuvenation. The article evaluates the evidence behind each treatment, separating clinic marketing from peer-reviewed outcomes. For joint pain, try conservative loading management and protein optimisation before investing in expensive regenerative procedures.

p.58 · Think Sharper
A guide to brain fog: what causes it, how to distinguish it from normal fatigue and when to see a doctor. Covers sleep optimisation, hydration strategies and the role of omega-3 supplementation at 1-2g daily for cognitive function.

▸ Food
p.76 · A Slice of Life
Dissecting the data on what eating meat means for Gen Z men. The article interviews nutritionists who point out that protein-matched plant-based diets show no difference from omnivorous diets in muscle-building capacity — a finding that contradicts the carnivore-influencer narrative popular on TikTok. If you choose plant-based protein, combine complementary sources such as rice and beans to create a complete amino acid profile.

p.82 · The MH Food Rules
The magazine's manual for navigating the intimidating world of nutrition, distilled into 10 simple rules. Rule 1: prioritise protein at every meal. Rule 2: eat vegetables before carbohydrates. Rule 3: hydrate 500ml with every meal. The rules are designed to be memorised in 2 minutes and applied immediately without tracking apps.

p.96 · On the Rocks
An investigation into shilajit, the Himalayan mineral supplement generating buzz for its claimed anti-ageing and energy-boosting effects. The article dives into supply chain concerns — much of the commercial shilajit is adulterated or synthetic — and the lack of regulated dosing standards. Buy shilajit only from brands that provide third-party heavy-metal testing certificates.

▸ Training
p.106 · Build & Burn
A training programme designed to add muscle and strip body fat simultaneously — the perennial fitness question answered with a structured plan combining strength supersets with metabolic conditioning finishers. Each session opens with a compound lift at 75-85% of 1RM, followed by a superset of accessory work paired with a 60-second cardio burst.

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Editor's Take

The Dricus du Plessis feature is the strongest piece of sports journalism in this issue cycle — Kieran Legg gets access that most MMA media does not, including the taser-training detail and Du Plessis's unfiltered thoughts on death in the Octagon. The Build & Burn training plan is the second-best offering: a genuinely useful answer to the body-recomposition question that most fitness magazines dodge with vague advice. The weakness is the 31 Adventures section, which spans 20 pages dominated by vehicle advertising — Land Rover, Toyota and Ford logos appear repeatedly — and reads more like a branded travel supplement than editorial content. The issue suits MMA fans, adventure travellers and men confused about whether they can gain muscle while losing fat.

Strengths
• Du Plessis profile includes exclusive training details (taser protocol, Visser's coaching methods)
• RED-S investigation covers a topic rarely addressed in men's fitness
• Build & Burn plan gives a specific answer to body-recomposition question

Weaknesses
• 31 Adventures section is 20+ pages of thinly veiled automotive advertising
• Shilajit investigation raises supply concerns but offers no lab-tested brand recommendations

Verdict: Recommended — The Du Plessis profile alone is worth the cover price, though the adventure section padding tests your patience with repeated car ads.