Chasing That SIX -PACK !
An exhausted Tiger finishes his Day 100 walk , carrying all the weight he had lost so far .
Tiger has been putting in t hard work on the road and the gym for over 200 days .
On 22 February 2024 , a young man from Stellenbosch in the Western Cape , Tyron ‘ Tiger ’ Kretzmann , began a journey that has transformed his life in many , many unexpected ways ... and inspired hundreds of thousands along the way ! – BY KIM STEPHENS
When Tiger Kretzmann ( 24 ) posted a video on Instagram , stating that it was Day 1 of “ doing this every day until I have a six-pack ,” he took his shirt off and showed the world that he had a long journey ahead , but he promised to hit the gym and walk 1 inch for every follower that he had , every day . At the time , he had 1100 followers , but within 17 days , he had over 4000 followers . By day 48 of Tiger ’ s accountability training , he had 190,000 followers , and today he has half a million !
Tiger has captured the hearts of thousands of people around the world . His daily post has become a highly anticipated moment of positivity , and inspiration , and his quirky humour and delightfully engaging personality give him the edge over many other health ‘ influencers .’ He isn ’ t selling any quick fixes , nor is he demonstrating extremes when it comes to weight-loss and gaining muscle tone . He is greeted by friends and supporters as he walks the streets , paths and hiking trails of Stellenbosch , and he acknowledges them all . Tiger is the real deal , in every possible way . And everyone wants him to succeed .
When asked about the occasional negative comment on his feed , Tiger shares a strategy that many high-profile individuals could learn from . “ I pin them – the hate comments . I pin them , and then the hate is turned around by hundreds of replies . I read them all , every comment on my feed . There are people out there who know more than I do , and I share their input , too . But for those who leave hate comments , well , I believe it comes down to the Johari Window framework .”
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
Tiger describes himself as a child who always challenged what he observed . “ You ’ re wearing black shoes . Why are you wearing black shoes ? I didn ’ t mean to be disrespectful , I wanted to understand … Why ? I challenged everything , all the rules . I was the guy selling gum behind the classroom door because we were told not to do that . And I know that I challenged my parents throughout my teen years . But that is who I am . I want to understand , I want to know why .”
After four years of studies at Stellenbosch University , Tiger started a maths tutoring service , specifically for Matric students . “ The tutoring , and what I am doing now , are similar . It is about looking at the answer , and then figuring out the formula . The formula is never random . You can ’ t look at the answer to know that . You must understand the formula , step by step . Now I ’ m figuring out , step by step , where this formula will lead me . I ’ m figuring out what comes next , without looking at the answer .”
Growing up , Tiger never once looked in the mirror and saw the healthiest possible version of himself . At 22 , just two years ago , he weighed 60kg more than he does now . And although he has framed the journey as one that will bring him a six-pack , it was really about keeping up . About becoming the version of himself that could say yes to more , and keep up with others . And when asked what he would say to his 15-year-old self , if he had the opportunity to talk to him , Tiger ’ s response is emphatic , “ Nothing . I would say nothing to him . I want him to experience it all . The tough times , the challenges … everything . So that he can get to this point where I am now .”
TIGER ’ S PROGRAMME
Tiger entertains his followers as he engages with multiple forms of movement : Weights , running , walking , boxing , padel , and even yoga . However , his basic principal remains the same : One inch walked for every follower , followed by strength training in the gym – unless he is feeling a little under the weather , in which case he will hook a friend in to playing a game of table tennis . ( Ed ’ s note : 190,000 inches equates to 4826m , while
The Johari Window provides a structured framework to facilitate a more profound understanding of oneself , and how others perceive one . Much like a window , it offers four distinct panes , each representing a unique facet of human interaction : Open , blind , hidden and unknown . Applying wisdom way beyond his years , Tiger uses this structure to evaluate his own perceptions of self , and those that choose to interact with him . “ People who share hate like that , just don ’ t know . They aren ’ t aware . 500,000 inches is equal to 12.7km .)
22 And Biogen they 21k don Powered ’ t know me by .” Momentum Multiply | 12 January 2025
This young man certainly has the mental metal to become an endurance athlete , and a half Ironman is on his to-do list , but he doesn ’ t want to be boxed in by any specific goal yet . “ When I set my mind to something , it becomes absolute . I love cooking , and have cooked for my family since I was very young . I took two years to perfect baking a loaf of bread . So , I don ’ t want this journey to become limited in any way . I want to become good at a lot of things , and then start setting specific goals … other than that six-pack ! For example , I tried boxing the other day . If I had tried that in February , I would probably have lost a knee !”
On a related note , as Tiger ’ s culinary prowess evolves to include recipes that fuel health and muscle-gain , he hopes to start a new cooking channel soon , which will hopefully include his bread recipe !
MOTIVATED TO INSPIRE
Initially , Tiger began sharing his journey for accountability . He describes the first few weeks of rapid growth in followers as an outcome that initially frightened him . Would he keep up with the promised daily distance ? Would he be able to withstand the pressure to show results ? But once the followers began to interact with him , he realised the purpose of what he is doing .
“ I don ’ t want to go to extremes . If other people do , that is fine , but not everyone wants to do that . People want an example of consistency , that they can relate to . The platform is now
Tiger has already lost 60kg since starting his challenge .