Nkululeko Dlamini, affectionately known as Nyawolomshini, has gained fame in South Africa as an aerobics instructor with enviable glutes. However, what many people don’t know is that he is a qualified schoolteacher with a degree in Education from the University of Free State.

“Teaching is in my blood,” he says.

Teaching runs in Nkululeko’s family, with his mother and sister also being educators. Despite his qualifications, his journey into fitness instruction was driven by his passion rather than a struggle to find a teaching job.

After completing his degree, Nkululeko pursued his love for soccer and joined Jomo Cosmos in Johannesburg. However, he became frustrated with the back-and-forth nature of playing for teams in South Africa and Swaziland. He realized his true calling was to coach and improve the fitness of soccer players, addressing areas such as quad and calf training that he felt were lacking.

 

 

 

“I am from Ladysmith and after I graduated, I told my mom that I had a passion for soccer, and I wanted to try it out professionally and she agreed.

“I then left KZN for Joburg to go play for Jomo Cosmos.”I was doing great there, and I got tired of the back and forth. Also, my other issue was that I was doing great and scoring goals but no-one really saw what I was doing because there isn’t much media information leaving Swaziland.”

He then returned to South Africa.

In the absence of a team to train, Nkululeko decided to focus on the general public. He began teaching fitness classes, emphasizing proper technique to protect participants’ knees and backs. His signature move, the squat, plays a significant role in developing his renowned glutes. While he doesn’t keep count of the number of squats he does each day, he dedicates one hour of exercise, five days a week.