M.E SPOTLIGHT
By Devlin Brown, Editor
Photography by Soulby Jackson
- www.skjphotography.co.za
KIRSTEN NEL, NAADIYA RAWAT AND
NICOLENE BOOYSEN ARE THREE
NAMES THAT EVERYONE WILL GET TO
KNOW IF THEY DON’T ALREADY. MEET
THESE THREE ATHLETES WHO EMBODY
THE VERY BEST OF THIS SPORT.
88
Muscle Evolution
NAME: Kirsten Jade Nel
CITY: Johannesburg
PROFESSION: Student in my final year of a
BComm in Strategic Management.
TRAINING SINCE: I have been weight training
since 2009
COMPETING SINCE: 2012
HEIGHT: 1.69m
COMPETITION WEIGHT: 61 kgs
OFF-SEASON WEIGHT: 65kgs
COMPETITIVE ACHIEVEMENTS:
• 2012 Miss SA extreme - 4th
• 2013 Nabba Pretoria Classic - 4th
• 2013 Miss SA Xtreme - 3rd
• 2014 Miss SA Xtreme - 1st
• 2014 H&H Classic - 1st
• 2014 Boksburg classic - 1st and
overall bikini winner
Why did you start training?
I have a speech impediment, or stutter,
and growing up and going through the
teenage years, I was teased daily and
sometimes even bullied. I became very
solitary and introverted because of
the disorder and never participated in
team sports or group socials. I wanted
to find a sport or recreation that I could
do on my own. My mom has always
been active and as she is an aerobics
instructor I remember watching her
leaving for gym every day on her
own. I noticed how upbeat she was
on her return and I asked her if I could
start attending her classes. The bug
bit immediately and when I started
seeing results, I was hooked. We then
started weight training together, and I
participate in her strength and cardio
classes too.
What got you on stage the first time,
and what keeps you coming back?
I entered my first show when I was 18
years old. I was very inexperienced but
I loved every minute of being on stage.
I love the challenge of the extreme
training and diet. Pushing my mind and
body to its limit is what I have fallen in
love with.
What is your favourite quote?
“If your dreams don’t scare you, dream
bigger.”
Do you have a training philosophy?
As a rule of thumb I prefer doing heavy
weights and low reps. I hate doing
cardio in its traditional sense so I avoid
the treadmill completely. I participate
in my mom’s step and kick classes to
achieve my cardio requirements.
What is your training split?
• Mon: legs
• Tues: back and biceps
• Wed: chest and triceps
• Thur: shoulders and abs
• Fri: legs
• Sat: cardio with abs
• Sun: I battle to rest and do nothing
so I usually take my dogs for a walk
on Sundays.