Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER CAPS United centre-back, Frank “Dealer” Nyamukuta, has found new love in fitness training.
The 51-year-old, who made his name with the all-conquering class of 1996 that won the club’s first league title since Independence, is now based in the United Kingdom where he is less involved with football activities these days.
Fitness training has become his new passion and he hopes to influence generations to adopt healthy lifestyles.
“As a former footballer, I have always known the importance of keeping fit. However, I started having a passion in fitness a couple of years ago when I realised that life in the UK needed exactly that.
“There are a lot of physical health problems over here in the UK, some of which are not so common back home in Zimbabwe. Most of these physical health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart diseases, stroke, diabetes and some cancers are associated with poor diet and lifestyle.
“In the UK figures show that about 28% of the adult population is obese and basically I did not want to end up within that category if I could help it.
“Additionally, it is very stressful living so far away from home and over the years that I have lived in the UK, I have come to understand the importance of keeping a healthy mind and keeping fit also became my way of achieving that,” said Nyamukuta.
The former defender has taken the fitness campaign on social media and has plans to open his own fitness centre in the UK, where he is currently based, and at home in Chitungwiza in the future.
“So two years ago, I started working out on my own at home and a few months or so later I started attending a local gym and posting videos on YouTube.
“As my interest grew, I started a Facebook group called “DumbuMustGo” where members post videos of their exercises. The group has about 800 members.
“I later teamed up with other fitness fanatics, Mercy Chamunorwa Guma, Portia HotPosh Masekesa in UK, my former teammate at CAPS United Alois Bunjira and Nash (USA) formed another group called Fitness 2021 (year changes every year started as Fitness 2017) with myself as one of the administrators.
“The group has got more than 2 000 members. My main goal in all of this is to inspire as many people to become fit and long-term, God willing, hope to open my own Fitness Centre.
“I am in the process of enrolling for a fitness qualification with a local College (in UK),” he said.
An injury he suffered 13 years ago has curtailed his activities on the football pitch.
“Football-wise I am no longer actively involved since I injured my left knee in 2007 but I still follow religiously the league back home, the English Premier league and other European leagues.
“Back home I am a staunch CAPS United fan just like I am with Liverpool here in the UK.
“I hope one day I will come back to Zimbabwe and do something fitness-related in Chitungwiza in an attempt to give back something to the community I grew up in.
“After all has been said, my advice to everyone reading is keep fit but most importantly watch what you eat. Statistics show that 80% of our health depends on the food we eat and only 20% on exercising,” he said.
Nyamukuta also paid tribute to former CAPS United chairman Shepherd Bwanya who died in Harare at the weekend after suffering a stroke. Bwanya was buried at Glen Forest yesterday.
“I am saddened to learn about the passing on of my former chairman at CAPS United and boss at Geddes Limited Mr Shepherd Bwanya. This is the man who signed me from Darryn T to CAPS United in 1995. What a humble and great man he was. I dedicate all the 1996 team success to this man,” said Nyamukuta.