‘Transformerz’ help people get fit — for free
● Iron Man, Black Panther, Spider-Man and Bumblebee have nothing on Durban’s squad of “superheroes”.
The Zulu Transformerz — three Zululandborn young men with abs of steel — are reshaping the bodies and attitudes of the hefty, the puny and those with poor self-esteem on the beaches, the streets and in the park.
By day Veli Ntshangase and Musa Langa, both 28, work in state hospital theatres, intensive care units and labs as clinical technologists, while Mnqobi Kunene, 27, earns a living selling fruit and vegetables.
At night the trio transform into fitness gurus to put scores of exercise-phobes through their paces with tough callisthenics regimes, pep talks, healthy eating tips and coaching. And they don’t charge a cent.
Their workout spots have no expensive gym machines — just sea sand, tar and grass.
For five days a week the Transformerz conduct their two-hour bootcamp sessions at Bulwer Park, in the suburb of Glenwood.
On the weekends they hit the beach with their trainees — some 30-odd at a time.
After honing, toning and trimming the excess fat from their own bodies, the trio decided to share their training methods.
“Even us, we didn’t look like how we look now. We transformed in about eight months,” said Ntshangase.
Word of their free classes, which they launched in February, soon spread via social media platforms like Instagram, where they’ve shared their successes.
“We are helping people lose weight and tone their bodies, using our simple training methods,” said Langa.
“It’s not just about losing fat. Even if you’re somebody who is skinny and wants to build muscle, our workouts assist with that,” he added.
“We use body-weight training and running to get people in top shape, in addition to encouraging clean eating. Supplements are a no-no, we keep it all natural.
“If people stick to our training plan and eating tips, they are definitely going to see a transformation.”
Software developer Alinde Ngubane is proudly sporting a toned tummy after signing up with the exercise trio in February.
She attends their gruelling sessions six days a week.
Ngubane, 27, exercised at gym every day but was not getting the results she wanted.
“I had a bit of fat around my tummy, despite my workouts.
“My abs were hidden under my belly fat. I desperately wanted someone to give me that extra push.”