Shaka Mandisa

Only you can hear that little voice calling you to do what you were born to do. Sometime you have to get out of that comfort zone, that safety net, and give it all you got to your passion, your urge, to be who you want to be. Shaka is the name and he is no way going to sit behind a desk. He was born to be Mr. Incredible. He was born to be a warrior!!!

the interview:

AMM - You wrestled in college but were you always competitive in sports when you were younger?

Shaka - I was always very competitive and love competing. More because I hate losing. I don’t like board games but once I start playing I have to win.

AMM - What kind of training did you go through for wrestling?

Shaka - I did a lot of body weight exercises in wrestling. A lot of pull-ups, push ups and burpees. We also did exercises with other peoples body weight. We would run uphill with people on our backs or squats with the weight of another person.

AMM - When did you switch over to bodybuilding and why?

Shaka - I switched over after college wrestling because I love working out and eating healthy and a guy at the gym suggested it and I thought “why not I only live once.” Plus my grandfather was a bodybuilder and I think it’s so cool when I look at his old pictures with a body full of muscles and a head full of jerry curl.

AMM - You mentioned your name Shaka as an African name, meaning “Warrior”. Do you feel Shaka fits your personality well?

Shaka - I do think I lived up to my name. I love one on one combat sports and very competitive. I also just have the warrior spirit in everything that I do because I want to be the best at everything I pick up.