Bodybuilder flexes on and off the stage

Age is but a number, and it is with this attitude Sandile Buthelezi lives his life.
At the age of 48, Sandile has achieved some of his biggest accolades in bodybuilding.
In 2016, he finished in third place at the international competition, the Arnold Classic Africa, which was to date his finest achievement.
His other accolades include the Amateur Olympia Africa competition (third place) and the IFBB [International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness] SA National Championships, in which Sandile was placed first overall and in the Master division (athletes older than 40 years).
His most recent achievement was on October 26, when he placed first in the Master division at the OR Tambo Classic and ended first in the Senior Bodybuilding Heavyweight Over 190cm division, for which he received a cash prize.
Sandile believes in consistency when training and normally prepares 12 weeks ahead of a competition.
His interest in bodybuilding began after suffering an injury on the soccer pitch, which led him to gym training to strengthen his muscles.
Sandile said he ‘got addicted to bodybuilding’ and started with his own training and dietary program.
While he has no formal education as a personal trainer, Sandile has a wealth of knowledge due to his belief in enriching himself through learning and researching the latest tips and techniques.
Sandile has his own gym in his backyard, where he trains over 100 prospective bodybuilders with the slogan ‘shaping the body and mind’.
That slogan is part of his ethos that the mind is just as important to train as the body.
He said experience meant he could assess one’s type of body by only looking at it and then determine a diet and training program for a client.
Sandile added he still competed to encourage and inspire the younger generation, since they ‘tended to be lazy’. He called himself very focused and disciplined and even on the off season, Sandile follows a strict diet and trains everyday.
“Every competition is different and therefore I have a different diet before each. But I also keep on reading and learning about nutrition because as you get older, your body changes and your needs are different than the younger guys,” explained Sandile. If those words were not enough encouragement for the younger generation, Sandile’s appearance in the magazine Muscle Evolution was expected to motivate others to pursue excellence in the sport.
In addition, Sventella Health and Hobby recently approached Sandile with a sponsorship after his 19 years of competition.
He does not plan on retiring from bodybuilding anytime soon either.
“Bodybuilding is my life,” he concluded, and with those words was set to compete again on November 16 in the IFBB XFE Classic in Kempton Park.

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