Byekwaso opens up about his life and bodybuilding

Ivan Byekwaso the five-time Mr. Kampala and Mr. Uganda has taken his exploits to the world stage and recently won the Mr. Universe crown to add to his rich collection of accolades, Michael Nsubuga had a chat with him.

Who is Ivan Byekwaso?

As we speak I'm the current Mr. Universe (natural body building). I was born in Jinja 32 years ago to the late William Byekwaso (died in 2005 at the age of 97) and Florence Nabukalu.

My Dad was a driver of the late president Idi Amin. I'm a simple man who has been involved in sports. I played football from P.5 at Kangulumira Primary School, Jinja SS until I finished my O' level at Equatorial College, Namuwongo. I participated in the national post primary championships and played for clubs like Kakira under coach Timothy Ayiekho and Fred Lumu (goalkeepers coach); I was a goalkeeper and also played for Iganga, Naguru Avis, Kisugu United and I ended my football career with Kabalagala Rangers against Police in a semi-final Kankungulu cup match at Nakivubo in 2005 which we lost 2-1.

Where it all began

I then started work in Indian summer restaurant as a chef. The manager of the restaurant liked my work and later paid my tuition at Sekasi Institute of Catering. I acquired a certificate and later got a job with Amber Hotel in Kampala; still in 2005, before a friend of mine took me to the gym to start training, I got a job at Al's bar but I had also worked as a lifter at Sabrina's Pub in 2004 and played football for them in the Calsberg Corporate League.

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Primary health care state minister, James Kakooza (right) presents a portrait of Arnold Schwarzenegger to Byekwaso after he won the Bob Classic Championship in 2009. Left Is Robert Ssebugwawo who organised the competition

Al's bar was a big outlet for big wigs and tourists in town that's where I first met the likes of Riyaz Kurji, Sudhir and many more. My first time on stage was in 2006 at Kati Kati where I won the Mr. Uganda Juniors category and got a medal and a trophy. This excited me and I took the prizes to my boss at Al's bar, but he said I needed to add on my stature. So a friend of his-Jason Brown (worked with Tullow Oil) promised to bring me supplements from South Africa. So in two weeks he brought the first batch of supplements which he delivered after every two weeks. Later I met another white guy at Rock Gardens and then later at a gym in Kasanga who taught me how to pose and also took me through some training. He admired my body and we became friends but I was to learn later that my friend didn't have a home because he had just flown in to meet his girlfriend, who he found had eloped with a black guy, so he had no permanent place of abode so I went with him at home and introduced him to my mum in Bukasa.

We slept with him in a single room for over a month and it took him some time to adapt to the surroundings. For example he found bathing using a basin very strange because he was used to showers but he slowly adapted to the conditions.

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L-R Isaac Mubikirwa, Ivan Byekwaso (Middle) and Sam Kalema (Light weight) pose with the trophies they won at the Mr. Kericho body building championship in December 3 2013.

Later he got money from the US and he rented a house in Kansanga where I went and we lived together. His name was Koby Gates (I learnt that he later died). He showed me bodybuilding magazines and later the secret behind bodybuilding.

He asked me whether I wanted to become a champion, when I answered in the affirmative, he wrote 3 lines on a piece of paper which he asked to read and later throw away after memorizing them. That is the secret which has helped me to win and he told me not to give those tips out until I get tired of winning. He also advised me on having the right friends instead of many useless ones.

In 2006 I finished third in the Mr. Uganda champions and that's when many people saw my potential and encouraged me on.

Since 2008 until now I have kept on winning because of the secrets given to me by Koby Gates.

Competition weight/category?

 In local and regional competitions I compete in the Middle Weight (75-80kgs) but since I started competing in INBBA competitions I compete in the short men (175cm) category.

Are you a family man?

 I don't have a wife but I have two children. I don't advise active sportsmen to be married because there is a way regular sex weakens you because you have to maintain fitness and stamina in order to achieve in sports. Sex is good but you don't have to do it regularly because whenever you release (sperms) you lose fitness.

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Minister of Education and Sports, Jessica Alupo (L) shares a light moment with Ivan Byekwaso and NCS officials after handing Byekwaso the national flag ahead of his trip for the Natural Olympia International Multi Sports & expo 2014 in San Diego

Tell us about your family

 I'm the second in a family of 8 (4 sisters and 4 brothers) from my mum. But in total we were about 16 because my dad had other women.

Are there any other body builders in your family?

There is only one; Simon Mbaziira Byekwaso who is still in the gym and will soon show up on stage.

What inspired you to start Bodybuilding and when?

A friend of mine Martin (now a bouncer at Angenoir) encouraged me to start training after I had been employed at Al's bar, and when I went to Nakivubo gym a one Salongo Ssali admired my legs and said if I could work on my upper body I could become Mr. Uganda. So they trained me and I hit the stage in 2005.

Before where you involved in any other sport?

 I was a footballer for over ten years.

Apart from BB, What else do you do?

 I'm a fitness instructor and I also supply food supplements to different sportsmen (footballers, rugby players etc).

How often do you train?

I train once a day but towards competition I can train up to two times because my mind by then is focused on the championship, so by 6.00am I'm in the gym and return in the afternoon, before I go to rest.

What is your best pose?

It depends, because whenever you train, the body changes so it varies depending on the competition I'm going to. Locally my best pose has been the Most Muscular pose but as I train to develop other body parts you might find sometimes it is the back or any other part. Hands on hips most muscular was my favourite at the Mr. Universe because it is the one that let me down last time so I worked hard on it and when it was called, I beat everyone and the fans were calling my competition number.

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Do you have a coach?

When I was starting out Salongo Ssali was my coach at Nakivubo gym but since I competed in the Natural Olympia, Gasper Lorenzo has been giving tips which sometimes I thought were weird but I followed them to the later and now I'm a champion. For example he told me not to eat any fruits and some local foods and I thought he was crazy. So I was eating only chicken, fish, beef and greens; no salt no cooking oil.

So did it work out?

 When I started that diet, I lost a lot of weight but he told me that the body would come back, so he reminded me that he trains only champions and since I wasn't paying him, I take his advice or leave it. But since I took his advice I have not regretted and he has told me that if I go to the US and train with him for six months no one will ever beat me again.

Who is your role model?

Van Damme, Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger inspired me to start bodybuilding and I was always working to have a body like theirs.

 When I watched Schwarzenegger's Commando movie I said I must achieve that body. And I could end up in Hollywood; Jackson Pemba has made contact with some of the movie directors there.

What does it take to have a body like yours?

 Dedication. If you heart is into something just persist and it will come to pass. I have sometime gone hungry but I stuck in there and I have been committed to my God who has also helped me. I have had challenges from even my fellow body builders but I stuck in there.

Who has been your biggest influence on your career?

My God and secondly it has to be UBBFA; if the association wasn't there no one would have known me. Then there are sponsors like President Museveni, ETM Church, Pemba Sports Africa, Buziga Country Resort who have ensured I compete internationally so I respect all of them.

How does it feel being a world champ?

 Other people see it as a big achievement but for me I don't feel like that because I was expecting it and this is just the beginning because I'm ready to achieve even more if I can get all the support of all Ugandans. But all in all I also feel very happy.

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Ivan Byekwaso's fans sing and shout praises for their man at Entebbe Airport before he left for the US to compete in the INBA Natural Universe Bodybuilding championship on August 31 2015

How did you win, how many competitors were there?

We were 46 competitors, so we went for prejudging and they picked the best 10. I went on to win my category (short men class-175cm) and then qualified to the final with 7 other category winners who I also beat in the final.

Any other tricks you employed?

Wherever I compete I first ensure I win over the audience because with the audience on your side the judges will keenly look at you. But even the competitors were actually commending me before we even went on stage.

Didn't you get frightened with the number of competitors?

There were challenges; for example I landed in the US alone but teams like Australia came in with 200 people, UK had 20, Germany 10, Spain, Greece etc all had more competitors but I remained firm because most of them were new to the competition save for a few who I had competed with last year.

How did you feel when you were announced winner?

So many things ran in my mind. I remembered the times I went without food, the number of times my kids were sent away from school because of lack of fees, rent issues, so I found myself shedding tears as the national anthem was played. People were happy for me but they did know about the challenges I went through to get there.
 
Can we say this is your biggest win?

 Automatically this the biggest win in my career. Bringing this title to Africa is no mean achievement. And if natural bodybuilding competition was to be introduced in the Olympics now Uganda would not go through the qualifiers because the title is here.

After the win didn't you get potential suitors there?

Many people wanted me stay in the US but I told them if they had any support they wanted to give me they should send it to me in Uganda and Africa where I'm currently committed and have a family. Then they said the family can join me later but I told them my kids are still young and they would be missing parental love since they did not grow up with their mum.

What are people saying about your victory?

Everyone here is wondering how I managed to make it. Some are asking which witch doctor I went to but I tell them my biggest witch is My God who doesn't let his people down. There is even a verse in the bible (Mathew 6:26) that strengthen my resolve.

Did the medals and honour come with any monetary rewards?

Natural bodybuilding has no monetary rewards.

After winning this what is next for you are you going to be regular competitor in America?

Next is the bodybuilding World Cup and then Mr. Olympia all these are in San Diego on November 7 and 12-15 and I wish I can get all the necessary support from all Ugandans for these championships.

 And Uganda has a big chance of hosting the World Cup if I win these two competitions.

Where do you see yourself say in the next 5 years?

I may still be competing but one of my biggest dreams is to have a fitness academy that will promote upcoming youth and everyone else's fitness needs, just like the Golden gym in the US which has branches in every state. It will be a one stop center for all even the old of 60-70 years.

People say bodybuilders eat a lot what is your take on that?

Bodybuilding is all about good feeding, serious training and having enough rest. Any good body builder has to eat every two hours; that is why you see me with this six-pack (has a special food carrier that he moves with).

How much do you eat when not competing and towards competition?

 When you are not about to compete you can eat anything that crosses your path because that is the time when you have to put on weight and size. You have to eat a lot of fats which later will be turned into muscle.

When there is competition depending on how your body responds you can even start dieting 6 months before. Like before Mr. Universe I was only taking fish, chicken and vegetables 3 months to the event.

How do you adjust to food out there after leaving Uganda?

I place special orders even on the flight before flying and when out there I also order according to my needs but it is expensive.

Last year USPA didn't honour you because of inactivity by UABBF how did you feel?

 I felt very bad, that is why I didn't even come to the awards gala. They did not value the individual, who struggles to train, look for food, sponsorship and were not considerate of the individual who carries the Ugandan flag, goes out and excels internationally. They should respected me because we have seen even teams that are still struggling to qualify but sometime they are honoured. Anyway it is maybe typical of our society who sometime just wait to laugh at you when you go out and don't achieve.

Your thoughts about the competition in Uganda, do you think there is potential who can win at the world stage?

We have so many. We only need support so that we can show our potential.

What are they supposed to do to be like you?

They should train a lot, now that we have marketed the sport we shall in future get more sponsors; sponsors wants to associate with winners so the idea is to work hard.

Have you had any low moments in the sport?

I almost quit in 2013, I had no permanent job, yet I had to fend for myself and my family but when I went to church, Brother Ronnie advised me to hang and he encouraged me, telling me my calling was in bodybuilding and I'm happy I took his advice.