Meet Kyle…
BODYTEC Century City studio owner, Kyle Botha, on how EMS training has upped his baseball game
Baseball may not be big in South Africa, but Kyle Botha has been batting away at the fast-paced sport for twenty-four years. “We moved to Cape Town from Johannesburg and my parents thought it would be a good way for me to make friends,” recalls Kyle. “There is no better feeling than squaring up a baseball and hearing the crack of the bat as it makes contact with the ball. It is also one of the most difficult things to do in any sport, hit a round ball with a round bat and hit it square.”
Kyle’s position is “catcher” – a physically and mentally challenging position in the team. “I love every aspect of catching. I get to call the game, determine what pitch to throw when and I get to throw out would-be base stealers. I am often battered and bruised by the end of the game, but it’s all worth it, especially if the team wins. It gives me a rush to know that my position is one of the most important on the field. The game cannot function without us catchers.”
Kyle is interested in all aspects of fitness, which led him to working as a trainer at BODYTEC. “After a couple of years the opportunity to become a studio owner presented itself and I took it with both hands. I saw the potential to better myself and to grow in the industry that I love,” recalls Kyle.
Kyle says EMS training helps him to balance work with strength and conditioning, while still allowing him the time to perfect his game. “I try to add a lot of my baseball-specific work to my BODYTEC workouts. BODYTEC is only 20 minutes once a week and I am able to do a lot of strength work in such a short space of time. It has really jumped me up a notch when it comes to the explosiveness needed in baseball,” says Kyle.
And his game is on top form. Despite picking up a hip flexor injury, Kyle and his team recently participated in the world baseball qualifiers in Sydney. His team beat New Zealand and then had to face the tournament favourites, Australia. “It was back and forth during the championship game and battling through injury I managed to perform at a high level. Our team was bringing it – the big plays, the pitching and the hitting kept us in the battle. I was able to put my team ahead later in the game with a go-ahead three-run home run over the left-field fence. The crowd went deadly quiet as I cleared the bases. Australia was the favourite –how could they be losing to a team a good 15 places behind them in the world rankings? It was a tough pill to swallow as the home team battled back and ended up winning the tournament,” recalls Kyle.
“BODYTEC has helped me tremendously. The body strength program made me a very well rounded athlete. I am strong, I am explosive and BODYTEC has definitely helped me with a lot of the muscle imbalances I used to have! I love how regardless of the exercise I choose to do, the rest of my body is also being stimulated and getting stronger. What is even more impressive is how easily BODYTEC strength training has translated into my baseball. I love it.”
Kyle is the studio owner of BODYTEC Century City
To book a trial session email centurycity@bodytec.co.za
