King of Squats Dlamini Nkululeko visits Kenya

Dlamini Nkululeko, popularly known as the King of Squats, is in Kenya ahead of an event dubbed King Fitness Explosion Challenge that will be held at the Waterfront Mall, Karen, on September 21, 2024.

The fitfluencer, who shot to fame in 2023, is well known for his toned thighs and glutes and often takes gym enthusiasts through fitness routines that mostly focus on squats.

In a previous interview, Nkululeko said his initial dream was to be a professional soccer player and was even scouted by some of the leading clubs in his home town.

“My fitness journey started with soccer. I grew up playing soccer at home and my dream was to end up as a professional soccer player.

“I played in the Mayor’s Cup, then got scouted by AmaZulu FC. I was meant to sign with them, but they held off and said they’d get back to me. I carried on with school and told myself if it was meant to be it would come back to me,” he said at the time.

He was later approached by both Amazulu and Jomo Cosmo but signed with the latter. Nkululeko did not get enough opportunities to show his prowess in front of goal and after a stint in Eswatini, he decided to venture into what he loved, fitness.

Nkululeko began training the Swazi king’s son and wife and soon after came the birth of his popular exercise routine, the core train.

“Core train is inspired by an actual train and its movement. A train is made up of a head, a middle, and an end. It is a whole body that cannot function or move without the other parts. This is why the exercises are full-body and performed in a group. We follow each other like Istimela.

“People who do not work out do not realise squats help you get a flat stomach. You get a 45- and a 90-degree squat. A 45-degree squat focuses on your whole body and engages your core, while a 90-degree squat focuses on your thighs. The more you go down the more you engage your stomach and your entire body,” he told the Sowetan Live.

The fitness trainer added that genetics play a huge role in how the body shapes up after working out and embracing that is the first step towards a successful fitness journey.