LIMITLESS

When pushing yourself is gig, a full-time there isn't an obstacle you can't crush. The proof: this guy right here. Personal trainer Bauke Hanekom shares the secret to unleashing your full potential, one brutal challenge at a time.

- KIERAN LEGG

We live in an era where outlandish transformations have become a cultural touchstone, a focal point for millions of eyes on social media and the rest of the internet. Take for example Christian Bale's rapid weight loss (and gain). After dropping 28kg down to an emaciated 55kg for The Machinist, the actor hit the gym and feasted his way to a shredded 85kg, effectively gaining 30kg in just six months. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jonah Hill and Chris Pratt are just some of the many others that have followed in his footsteps.

But these transformations are unrealistic for the average Joe. With the incentive of a multi-million dollar movie in their sights, and the help of a cohort of personal trainers, chefs and assistants, celebrities have the privilege of turning transformation into a full-time job.

Bauke Hanekom, a USN ambassador, has that same relentless drive and is capable of overhauling his body in narrow windows of time. However, he doesn't have the proverbial carrot-on-the stick of a blockbuster film script dangling in front of him. No, his pursuit to push himself as hard as he can is innate; it's born from a stubborn belief that there are no limits.

"And, more importantly, no fucking excuses," he says. Bauke is a rare breed. The PT believes he was genetically blessed to thrive in the gym, in the pool, on-field, on the track-basically anywhere he can leverage his body to perform feats of strength. Hop onto the internet and you'll find him wolfing down 12 000 calories and then burning it all off the next day. In these videos, he's in pai struggling-but smiling through these challenges.