Personal trainer Singwa ‘Hercules’ Silinga shares how he prepares individual plans for his clients.
What services do you offer?
We offer personal training in private and at the gym, corporate group exercise training, pupil and pensioner group exercise fitness, and ‘Hercules Bootcamp’ training sessions. We also offer aerobic classes which include boxing, step, HIIT, body strength and conditioning, hi-lo, abs, and body toning. We also do fun runs, weekend camps and hikes, team building, sports-specific training, gestational training for new moms, and self-defense mixed martial arts training.
When did your business start?
I started in 2013 in my backyard in Beacon Bay with about 20 people, most of whom I didn’t even know.
How did the idea come about?
The idea came about after a group of friends suggested I start training them when they noticed how nice and round, we had become after all the braais we were having. I didn’t take the idea seriously at first, but they kept checking to see how far I was with the idea. I quickly went into panic mode and immediately started working on getting equipment, training, and eating plans together and finding a space to train in. This was supposed to be just for friends, but I ended up getting calls from total strangers who wanted to join and pay money.
What type of training do you help your clients with?
We do several properly aligned training programs for each client’s envisioned goals.
We understand that fitness is not a one-size-fits-all kind of program. Some hate running, some hate weights, and some are not so coordinated with using music in class, but we manage to find a balance.
What experience or qualification does one need to do what you do?
You need to know the anatomy, the mind, and the biomechanics of human movement and have an overall understanding of people.
How many people do you work with?
I have three trainers on my team. Our biggest and main business partners are the Royal Buffalo Private Specialist Hospital, Eastern Cape Gambling Board, and Vodacom.
What satisfaction do you get out of doing the work that you do?
Changing the lives of many different people. It’s like witnessing your child’s first footsteps, buying your first car, graduating, or witnessing your best friend’s wedding. It is indescribable.
What is the most important thing when one begins a fitness journey?
It is important to know why you started and not to give up. Strive for progress, not perfection. We will have our good days and bad days, but discipline is the key to success.
Who is your target market?
Anyone who breathes oxygen and has a beating heart.
What goals are you working towards?
It is time for me to stop renting and own my health club, as well as the land that it is built on. The long-term goal is to have a worldwide Hercules Bootcamp franchise.
What advice do you have for anyone starting their own business?
Being self-employed is not child’s play, you must be seriously disciplined and have a serious work ethic to open up your own business. Read and stay informed in the business environment that you’re already in, and get to know the market well in all seasons of business. Save enough for your working capital and when you start, looking back is not an option. Having a good support system helps when things don’t go according to plan.
Where can our readers find you? (contact details/social media).
Facebook: Hercules Bootcamp SA
Instagram: hercules_bootcamp_sa
WhatsApp: 081-485-8515
Email: singwa@herculesbootcamp.co.za.
We operate from Cambridge Sports Club in Cambridge East London, Mondays to Thursdays.
