Muscle Evolution met up with Classic Bodybuilding competitor JOE MANJOO, who was recently awarded his IFBB Professional League Pro Card. We wanted to find out what it feels like to join a select group of elite South African bodybuilders, which includes legends like Gary Strydom, Marius Dohne, Andrew Hudson, Hennie Kotze, Cobus van der Merwe and Earl Abrahams, who attained Pro status following the inception of the IFBB Pro League in 1965.
Joe, when did you receive your Pro Card?
I was awarded Pro status a week or so after the Olympia this year. My Overall victory at the Arnold Classic Africa qualified me to earn it. I just had to email the official results to the Pro League. They don’t require an application, they have an “if you win, you’re in” policy.
What is your opinion on the recent split between IFBB International and the IFBB Professional League which has disrupted the status quo in the world of bodybuilding?
If the ripple effect is that the sport grows and benefits and athletes get more opportunities, it is all good.
If an athlete holds a Pro Card from the newly established IFBB Elite Pro League, he or she won't be able to compete against the IFBB Pro athletes on the Mr. Olympia stage. What's your understanding of this scenario?
That is correct. The Elite League is a new and totally separate entity from the IFBB Pro League. They will be holding their own Pro shows around the world. The IFBB Pro League, to which I now belong, is part of the existing Pro circuit and the Olympia.
Tell us about your upbringing.
I grew up in a little town called Estcourt in the KZN Midlands. We were forced to move to Durban when I was 13 as my dad was terminally ill and needed access to medical care. Just a few months later he sadly passed away and my mom was left with the difficult task of raising two young boys as a single parent. At school I played soccer for the first team and for a few years after that I played club football as well. My brother Imraan and I would walk through town after school to train in the then Health and Racquet Gym. We were the only two kids in the weights area for years. He is also a bodybuilding champion and has won every contest he has entered so far.
When did you start training seriously?
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Esta historia es de la edición November - December 2017 de Muscle Evolution.
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In The Aftermath
THE NEW STATE OF BODYBUILDING FOLLOWING THE IFBB SPLIT
Rise Of A Champ
ALBERT LE ROUX TRAINED BALLS-TO THE-WALL TO MAKE AN IMPACT AT THIS YEAR’S IFBB SA CHAMPIONSHIPS.
No Ordinary Joe
Muscle Evolution met up with Classic Bodybuilding competitor JOE MANJOO, who was recently awarded his IFBB Professional League Pro Card. We wanted to find out what it feels like to join a select group of elite South African bodybuilders, which includes legends like Gary Strydom, Marius Dohne, Andrew Hudson, Hennie Kotze, Cobus van der Merwe and Earl Abrahams, who attained Pro status following the inception of the IFBB Pro League in 1965.
Louise Du Preez
ON THE BUCKET LIST OF OUR ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS-LOOKING MUSCLE EVOLUTION BABE, LOUISE DU PREEZ IS TRAVELLING THE WORLD, GETTING HER PRO CARD AND APPEARING ON THE COVER OF A MAGAZINE. IN ALL FAIRNESS, WE CAN SEE THIS SEXY 26-YEAR-OLD BIKINI COMPETITOR FROM TZANEEN ACHIEVING ALL THAT, AND MORE!
The Power Of Gut Microbes
THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF ORGANISMS RESIDING WITHIN YOUR BODY. Trillions of invisible creatures, known as microbes, cover your insides and outsides. They are not only in your intestines, but also in your mouth, nose and ears. They are, in fact, all over – on every inch of your skin.
Jessica Lovett
Packing a 1-2 combo of strength and beauty
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Everywhere he goes KZN-based JABULANI BUTHELEZI draws monikers like ‘The Rock’ and ‘Grootman’ from fans who admire his enthusiasm for bodybuilding. Jabulani’s late venture into the sport first started off as a hobby before it evolved into a full-blown passion. Now the 53-year-old is living proof that it is never too late to pursue your dreams.
Moving Weight Vs Working Muscle
There Are Two Ways to Lift. Moving the Most Amount of Weight From Point a to Point B or to Feel the Muscles Working to Achieve a Certain Look.
King Kreusch Rules!
King Kreusch Rules!
The William Bonac Story
Muscle Evolution caught up with William “The Conqueror” Bonac, IFBB Pro, Mr. Olympia competitor, Y3T-follower and Team USN athlete, to find out about his views on bodybuilding and how to overcome setbacks and adversity in life.
