INTERVIEW WITH SMITH MANGENA FROM SOUTH AFRICA
ATHLETE INFORMATION:
Full Name: Smith Mangena
Age: 38
Country: South Africa
SOCIAL INFORMATION:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1038587600
Twitter: MangenaSmith
Instagram: smithmangena
EXTRA INFORMATION:
Time doing street workout: 3 years
Important events:
Winner Most Pull-Ups Strongman Competition Dischem/USN, Pretoria, South Africa
Street Workout World Championship 2013 Riga, Latvia
Team: Gravity Core
Team website or fan page: (www.gravitycore.co.za)
Instagram: Teamgravitycore
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gravity-Core-G-Core/258477500855107?fref=ts
QUESTIONS:
How did you get involved in the street workout world?
I needed something new and fresh, so I joined Nkululeko and Sizwe my team mates to start a team called Gravity Core and trained on Kettle-bells using our own body weight. At the time we knew nothing about street workout, until someone at gym showed us a video of HFK we got hooked and searched for more and found a video by the Bartendaz sub0 got us crazy in love. I knew then there is no turning back, the more I searched on YouTube the more I saw amazing things and have discovered that it is bigger than I thought.
Why did you choose to practice street workout?
I started doing street workout fully because it is a natural form of training and it gave me amazing strength. I discovered the fountain of youth so to speak hahaha!
How is street workout reflected in your life?
Our sport. Our life style. Street Workout is beyond sport it is a breath of fresh air. It goes beyond individuals and focus on uplifting communities and brings about societal change. That makes me a better person and challenges me to play a role in bringing about this change in the lives of others.
What are your short term, mid term and long term goals with street workout?
Short term: To host a successful world-cup in South Africa
Mid-Term/Long Term: To establish meaningful relationships with other African countries to grow the sport in all parts of Africa.
How many times do you workout during the week?
Generally 5 times a week for 3-4 hours
Do you have any specific workout plan or you just improvise and do your thing?
My training revolves around what I want to achieve at a specific time. I train differently for different activities e.g. competition, endurance and strength or for performance etc. It is variable.
Which would be the most complex move you achieved (tell us about the process it took you, to achieve it)?
The first move I learned was the hardest for me (front lever) precisely because it was my first extraordinary move. If I didn’t get it right maybe I wouldn’t have continued with street workout. I kept on trying so I guess persistence paid off.
Which would be the best experience you had doing street workout?
Travelling and meeting new people all-over the world, being with my team mates travelling around promoting the sport doing shows.
Doing Charity work and community building.
What inspire or motivate you to keep on doing street workout?
Street workout is about improving oneself and the others. That’s my inspiration.
Which would be the worst experience you had doing street workout?
I am hoping that I shall not experience such a moment.
What do you expect from the street workout community in the next couple of years?
That it will grow to become a torch of an unwavering human spirit which seeks to unite than divide and to appreciate our diversity as people and therefore breed excellence.
Can you give an advice for all the people that would like to start doing street workout?
If you would like to do this, your body will thank you and your mind will expand. The community is ready and willing to receive you.
Share some words to inspire the community:
It is the nature of the scorpion to sting and it is the nature of a snake to bite, what is your nature?