Training with Ms Cha
Charity Thubuka breaks the gender barriers in the fitness field
In a landscape, where it is very common to see a male Fitness Instructor, Charity Thubuka comes and changes this picture 360 degrees. She is indeed a breath of fresh air. Thubuka or Ms Cha when she is adorning her Fitness Instructor cap, has this energy that leaves one wondering where she drinks it from. Short as she is, she easily packs up everything that anyone can look for in a Fitness Instructor. Ms Cha was not always this energetic and fit.
That level of fitness, and energy was recently displayed at the just ended Avani Fit lifestyle event.
Those who were not familiar with her style of training were left open mouthed, or battling to catch their breath. She is more into functional training, and her sessions like the one that was taking place at the Avani Gaborone Resort and Casino literally work on each and every body muscle. She does not play this one. And for those who are still new to training or are amateurs, they might be tempted to throw in the towel minutes into the training. But the fact that while it’s all business, she also tries to make her session as fun as possible. The repetitive movements do wonders to those who are interested in whipping their bodies into shape.
The Fitness Instructor is with Fitness Games and is currently based at Virgin Active. She recently shared that she wants people to test their muscle endurance through a functional training session. And test the muscles, she will do just that. Her sessions are just perfect for weight and fat loss. Her sessions cater for both beginners and those who are on the advanced side. At the end of the day, she wants to get the heart pumping.
Her journey in the world of fitness dates back to her University of Botswana days, where she studied for a Bachelor of Education in Home Economics. Sometimes in 2007/ 08, she was not happy with how she looked. In fact, she admits that she was obese.
Adding to that was the fact that her heart was not in the best of conditions. It was then that she decided to do something about her weight. Aerobics appealed to her, but the hectic school schedule and bad eating habits meant that she was not keeping up with her training. In 2011, she started to take her fitness journey to a whole new level. Her heart also improved. And she loved the transformation. “I was very happy with what I saw,” she explains.
Something that has always intrigued those she comes across is why she did not pursue Physical Education at UB, but she says that there is a reason for that.
Today, she combines her two loves, fitness training and teaching; she is a teacher at Marang JSS. As the years progressed, and she evolved in her new world, she was elated to see how she could easily do the same things that her male counterparts could do. Adding that she does bootcamps, functional training and anything else that they can do.
She also explains that she finds time for her own training, as it is crucial for one to exercise self- care.
“So, many of us lead a sedentary lifestyle. You go to the office, and sit at your desk for the whole day, and also have unhealthy eating habits,” she says adding that she wants to change that lifestyle for many people. She also wants to target women, as she wants to boost their self- confidence, and transform their lives for the better. “These are the people who really need our assistance,” she says.
Over the past couple of months, she says that she and her peers in the world of fitness have seen the
benefits of leading an active lifestyle. Covid- 19, she says does not hit one as hard if they have been active. “We get testimonies from elderly clients who exercise and go to the gym, and they tell us that the virus did not hit them that hard,” she says.
She also calls on people to try and be active. They do not have to go to the gym, she says. They can instead play with their children, walk outside or run. She is currently working on attaining her Personal training qualification.