"Be a better you". - Siya M

On image: Siya Mayinje.

Siya M Fitness studio is an easy to access and highly recommended gym facility situated in Motherwell Port Elizabeth. The facility is owned by Siyabulela Mayinje, a Port Elizabeth born fitness trainer who is passionate about fitness and healthy lifestyle. Amongst his other qualifications and academics record Siya M is a qualified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor with years’ worth of experience in what he does daily. We engaged with him regarding his fitness business and it’s impact in his community.

Please share when did you commence with Siya M and what inspired you to go for it? “Fitness has been a great deal and part of my life since childhood, I come from an immensely active family of boxers, athletes, and sports players in various sporting codes. At almost 40 I can safely say I have lived my life as an active person. While keeping myself fit and a member at one of the world’s biggest fitness centres I always had people asking me to train them or being overly active at the classes I attended being invited by a friend, this then grew to me having an excessive amount of people asking me to train them. A bug bit me at some point and I ended up falling in love with Aerobics. I started hosting events at the Motherwell Sports Centre where a great demand started rising and we expanded to the Peace Park due to needing a bigger venue. To cut a long story short in Nov 2020 after I was fired by my employer I opened Siya M Fitness Studio, a high-quality gym offering a variety of fitness activities”.

Challenges thus far, in running your business? "My biggest challenge is funding. Siya M Fitness does not only run a business as a gym but teaches and grooms youth under the age of 18 in Aerobics Step, Hilo, Dance and Box Fit where they compete with national teams. The traveling, catering, accommodation, apparel, and overall costs depend on me which I pay for out of my own pocket, and it is costly. But because they motivate, encourage, and support me I must keep doing this for them. If I need to run my pockets dry in the hopes of alleviating crime, harmful behaviour, misconduct, and poverty in underprivileged communities, starting with mine, then so be it". I found it very mundane and a daunting task giving people a lift to a gym in Newton Park coming from Motherwell everyday just for me to instruct them for one hour and drive back again. Thus, taking my life’s investments and opening my own facility. This is a passion for me, I move through challenging times with a constant reminder that one person’s life is transformed and changed for the better, someone is motivated and inspired to do better and be a better version of themselves simply because I took the initiative to bring change".

What are you trying to achieve by Siya M and why? “It does not make any sense to have to travel kilometres every day and spend money on top quality facilities while not enjoying the benefits of their services and simply not using your time effectively as you have no motivation to drive yourself towards your goals. My mandate is simple, help people live a healthier and active lifestyle by bringing masses together, create employment opportunities for youth, be a positive influence to the youth seeking development, guidance and mentorship in combating poverty and crime in our communities. Townships deserve quality services and businesses which cater to their needs without the added cost of travel and I intended to bring that change, that is my Why”.

Lastly, how has your gym facilities been received thus far and what is motivating you to keep pushing Siya M? “The positive reception from our members has been overwhelming and heart-warming. I think what is even great is having the people I started this journey and them being the ones who pushed me to open my own gym be the ones who stay loyal to the movement and help me expand as I have by mere word of mouth. The movement has grown to a national scale with emails and inboxes from people asking us to bring the facility to them namely being Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. The beautiful part about it though are the relationships we establish when we compete with other teams in the national competitions and the exposure we have gotten through traveling and the passion our teens put in what they do. The loyalty from the members, everyday growth and the teens keep me motivated and inspire me to push through all my challenges”.

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