This young man from Bokmakierie says he wants to show the youth that anyone can be an “Alpha male” if your head’s in the right place.
Daiyaan Ford, 22, chose fitness to escape the gangs and drugs in the area he grew up in and says he fought to become one of the top names in fitness in the Western Cape.
Currently a personal fitness trainer at Zone Fitness, Daiyaan made his name in the fitness scene by winning bodybuilding competitions at both provincial and national level in 2015 and never looked back.
He comes from a humble home and was raised with whatever resources his family could spare.
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“It was a tough life. I went to school at Spes Bona High and worked as hard as I could. The elements around my friends and me were real,” he says.
“The drugs and the flashy life which was offered by the gangs was a big thing in our area, but I also saw my friends become slaves to drugs.
“I watched them die in shootings. I fought to stay out of it and managed to complete my matric year, without becoming a statistic.”
He then became involved in bodybuilding, after landing a job at a local gym as a cleaner.
ASPIRE: Daiyaan with ex-Mr SA David Isaacs
He could eventually join the gym and started working on his body, soon taking part in competitions by the Western Province Natural Bodybuilding.
“I made provincial [level] and got an opportunity to participate nationally, too. I later got a bursary to study for a diploma in personal training from Trifocus Fitness Academy and started teaching classes as well as doing fitness videos,” he says.
“It has been such a journey. I made a choice that I will never wear a hand-me-down again and I will change the world. I am doing that every day now, by helping people reach their health potential.
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“I have classes at the gym every day and love helping people become a healthier version of themselves.
“It was not easy. But I am an Alpha male, I lead from the front.”
If you want to get into shape, catch Daiyaan on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram and make contact.