A bodybuilder, measuring just 3ft 7in tall, has left his glowing career after saying he is unable to afford his gym membership.
Caleb ‘Cobra’ Mutombo, a former disabled bodybuilder, was beating rivals twice his size, claiming several titles for his stunning physique.
Suffering from an undiagnosed condition, he stopped growing at the age of 14 – but that didn’t stop him from dreaming big.
When younger, Caleb used items lying around the house to work out – like books and tables – before eventually hitting the gym.
Unfortunately, however, he is now forced to return to his makeshift weights.
“I chose to become a bodybuilder as I was inspired by other bodybuilders when I was roughly 15-16,” the 20-year-old motivational speaker told http://NeedToKnow.co.uk.
“It was one of the first real opportunities for me as I failed almost every other sport.
“I cannot explain the good feeling after workouts.
“I felt such a great sense of accomplishment in only one hour.
“For three years I pushed my dream, with sheer discipline, when no one believed in me.”
Caleb, who grew up in South Africa, placed third in the 2016 Summer Super Bodies competition and won the 2019 Shameen Classic, training for three hours a day, five days a week.
Weighing just 34kg at the time, he was still able to squat 30kg and lift 10kg.
But Caleb’s bodybuilding journey soon came to an end as sponsorships began to dry up.
He said: “I had sponsorships that eventually expired and none of them were paid sponsorships either.
“I wanted to do more but I didn’t have the money to do so.
“I kept on working out regardless and I ended up cancelling my gym contract as I could not afford it.
“The gym still wants their money to this day.”
Although he still works out at home, Caleb has now ditched his bodybuilding career.
It impacted his mental health but he soon found a new outlet: motivational speaking.
He said: “I hate to admit it even to myself but leaving the sport definitely hurt my ego.
“I lost the courage and belief in myself.
“I did not let that stop me as I still pursued a career in motivational speaking.
“I posted online but my post was not getting far and I started to go down a downward spiral.
“Back then I felt very depressed, like a deep sense of sadness that would just never leave me.”
Unable to afford the gym membership or competition entry fees, Caleb has turned to inspiring, by swapping his weights for words.
He added: “Previously I stopped speaking because I felt unworthy as everyone I knew seemed to be doing better than me.
“Deep down inside I know it’s my calling to inspire others so, I’ve decided to pick myself up again and start speaking about my ups and downs.
“I speak about all things personal development.
“My main focus is just telling my life story as is with the emphasis on owning your failures and rising back up.”
