…taking local bodybuilding scene by storm
Paheja Siririka
Windhoek – The story of Namibia’s fast rising bodybuilding star Panduleni “King P” Nekomba can easily be compared to that of America’s and arguably the world’s greatest bodybuilder of all time Ronnie Coleman.
Just like the legendary Coleman, Nekomba majors in the field of accounting and is a bodybuilding fanatic who is an absolute workhorse that will stop at nothing when he hits the gym lifting weights at the far end of the rack.
Coleman is a retired American legendary bodybuilder, who won the coveted Mr. Olympia title for eight years in a row, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all time.
Alongside his eight Mr. Olympia wins, he held the record for most wins as an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) professional with 26 titles – a record that has since been broken by Dexter Jackson.
But unlike the veteran Coleman, who ditched his college degree in accounting to pursue a career in bodybuilding, the 29-year old Nekomba continues to excel in both worlds and if you don’t find him pushing weights in the gym, you will find him behind his computer balancing sheets, preparing, examining financial records and making sure taxes are paid well in advanced.
In short, Nekomba is a dedicated accountant at the Ministry of Defence and a bodybuilding monarch who is determined to revolutionise the sport of bodybuilding by maintaining the symmetry and composition of the sport’s very best while blowing his competitors away with his incredible physique.
Born in the northern town of Oshakati, Nekomba started his bodybuilding journey in 2017 and it was something he accidently fell in love with. Initially, he was that type of guy who would hit the gym to horn his physique to fit perfectly in a t-shirt and wow striking lasses.
But it was until he met father and son duo of Norman and Romario van Wyk, who saw potential in him and convinced him to take bodybuilding more seriously.
“They saw potential in me while we trained together and got me ready for my first competition in 2017,” he reflects.
In 2017, he entered for the Dome Classic in Swakopmund and Iron House Classic in Windhoek. “My exercise routine is not for the faint-hearted. I train every day, twice a day except on Saturdays. That is where my level of commitment stands,” he says.
In 2018, he travelled to South Africa to test his mettle against the best in the sport at the Gentle Giant Classic held in Boksburg, South Africa. “I was a sponsored athlete at the time by Super Health Centre Africa, who sponsored my supplements from Metabolic Nutrition.”
He came fourth in the Men’s Physique category at the Gentle Giant Classic and two weeks later, he entered the G Classic Bodybuilding Showcase in Windhoek, where he came 1st in the Men’s Physique category and 2nd in the Lightweight Bodybuilding Category.
“In 2018, I was awarded national colours to go represent Namibia in my first competition abroad,” adds Nekomba, saying it was a treasured when he represented his country internationally.
This year will be a busy one for Nekomba as he is currently 10 weeks out from his next competition, which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa. It is the Shameen Classic and it is also a qualifier for the Arnold Classic Africa 2019.
“I am also planning on taking part in two more competitions at the end of this year in South Africa and hopefully in Angola as well.”
To aspiring local bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts, the bulky but yet humble Nekomba had this piece of advice to share: “Put in that work. You cannot substitute hard work with anything. If you want to reach that body goal or that desired physique to “wow” the judges then you have to put in that work. Don’t listen to naysayers and negative comments. People will try to make you give up before you reach your goal. Stay focused, driven and maintain the level of discipline you’ve been having.”
“Constantly motivate yourself and hype yourself when you are in the gym and when you aren’t. You are your biggest fan and your biggest critique. Balance the two. Know when to criticise your lack of performance and know when to praise your efforts when you reach a goal. Most importantly, always remain humble. Help those trying to get to your level, don’t just cast them aside. Others helped you get to where you are now, so why not help others get there too.”
For starters, there is a distinct difference between bodybuilders and powerlifters. In short, bodybuilders train for pure size, whereas powerlifters train for brute strength.
Both bodybuilders and powerlifters go through a “peaking phase”. This peaking phase for a bodybuilder entails that the trainee starts a “bulking” program - where he or she eats well over caloric maintenance levels and lifts with gut wrenching intensity. The main goal here for the bodybuilder is to gain as much muscle as possible.
The peaking phase for a powerlifter entails that the trainee focuses extensively on bringing up the core lifts and conditioning. During this time period, the trainee eats enormous amounts of food and lifts with gut wrenching intensity.
Bodybuilders are more concerned with diet and the appearance of their physique than powerlifters. A powerlifter clearly doesn’t care about appearance, as the main goal in the sport of powerlifting is to move as much weight as possible.