Kayla Itsines brings her $400m fitness success story to Joburg in a bootcamp

Joburg gets fit with Fitness entrepreneur Kayla Itsines. Australian fitness entrepreneur Kayla Itsines brought thousands of women together in Johannesburg for an energising fitness experience that celebrated strength, community and female empowerment. The internationally recognised trainer headlined the Motherkind PowerHER Fit Fest, supported by Investec, delivering one of the biggest fitness bootcamps of its kind in South Africa. At her intimate meet-and-greet at the Mall of Africa, she sat down with The Citizen to chat about fitness, life and what she’s bringing to South Africa. Fitness entrepreneur Kayla Itsines. Picture: Supplied For the extremely humble Itsines, the visit was a long time coming. She revealed that South African women had been inviting her to the country for more than a decade, making the opportunity particularly special. “I’ve been asked to come here from the South African community for over 10 years. One of our biggest communities is here, and they’re so loyal,” she said. Making money from fitness Best known as the co-founder of the hugely successful Sweat fitness app, Itsines has turned a passion for helping women exercise into a global business reportedly valued at around $400 million. What began with personal training sessions in her parents’ backyard in Adelaide, Australia, has grown into an international fitness empire reaching millions of women. Her journey was not necessarily the career her traditional Greek family had imagined for her. Initially interested in sports coaching, Itsines enrolled at university to study teaching, following in her parents’ footsteps, while completing a personal training course on the side. She eventually started a women-only training centre while studying, quickly building a loyal following. “I literally went from my house, training women in my parents’ backyard, to making more money than both my parents combined,” she recalled. The turning point was seeing the impact exercise had on women’s lives. “Every single time they succeeded, I felt like I won. Every transformation and every story motivated me,” she said. Picture: Supplied However, building a business in a traditionally male-dominated fitness industry came with challenges. She recalled walking into gyms where male clients and professionals would sometimes approach the men behind her rather than acknowledge her expertise. Talking about tough female issues Today, she believes women are changing the conversation around fitness, body confidence and health. She also highlighted the importance of women speaking openly about issues such as menopause and ADHD, challenging the stigma that often leaves women feeling isolated. At the Johannesburg bootcamp that took place on Saturday, the focus was on making effective exercise accessible, regardless of fitness level or access to equipment. Picture: Supplied The 30- to 40-minute full-body workout included warm-ups, arm exercises, abdominal work, and full-body circuits, using body weight rather than equipment. Trainers were also available to demonstrate modifications for participants who needed them. Ladies participated and cheered, while the camaraderie and support could be felt in the air. Itsines chatted to the attendees throughout, making everyone feel comfortable and even making a joke about the popular South African phrase “shame”. Picture: Supplied Itsines believes an effective workout does not have to mean spending hours in the gym. “I want to teach women what the intensity of a workout should be. A 30-minute workout can be very, very effective,” she explained. The bootcamp moves over to Cape Town this week, with Rachel Kolisi as a speaker.