For Tanzeel Asif Butt, the journey didn’t begin with a dream of trophies or titles. It began in high school, with nothing more than a simple passion — the gym. While others trained with goals of careers or fame, Tanzeel walked into his first gym with no grand ambitions. “I just wanted to lift,” he says. “Pehalwaani is in my blood. That was motivation enough.”
It wasn’t long before others started noticing. Friends, trainers, even strangers — they all said the same thing: “You’ve got the physique. Why aren’t you competing?” Encouraged by the praise, Tanzeel took the stage. And that’s when his professional journey truly began, in year 2019.
With relentless dedication and the help of Allah, his victories came one after another — from local titles in Lahore, to provincial glory in Punjab, and finally, national recognition as he stood atop the podium at the All-Pakistan Bodybuilding Championship, gold medal in hand.
But behind the medals lies a grind most people never see.
“Fitness relaxes your mind, no doubt,” Tanzeel shares. “But professional bodybuilding is different — it demands discipline, especially when it comes to nutrition.” Unlike most athletes who can rely on restaurants or takeout, Tanzeel had to rely on home-cooked meals. “Five to six meals a day, made exactly to my bodybuilding requirements. Not traditional Pakistani food. It was hard on the family too. They were frustrated at times.”
There were moments of weakness — dreams haunted by pizzas, cravings that tested his willpower — but the gym remained non-negotiable. “Even if I go off-track with diet sometimes, I never skip gym. No matter the hardship, gym is part of who I am.”
He laughs when talking about new gym-goers. “They start on Monday and disappear by Tuesday. Or they train for two months and expect six-pack abs. My first advice? Keep showing up. In the first few months, your body doesn’t even change — your routine does. Results come with time, not shortcuts.”
Today, Tanzeel has stepped away from competing. His final contest — the IFBB — earned him gold, and even brought international offers, including sponsorship to compete in the U.S., which he turned down. “I’ve achieved what I set out to do. Now my mission is different.”
That mission is coaching — not for money, but for meaning. “We have enough businesses to live comfortably. Guiding people in fitness is just something that makes me happy. Not everyone listens, but the ones who do, see the results. That’s fulfilling enough for me.”
While he only trains a limited number of students, Tanzeel is open to mentoring serious athletes. “If someone wants to compete, I’ll take that as a personal mission. The next generation of bodybuilders needs real support.”
And to his fans, he leaves one final message: “Stay tuned. I’m bringing my YouTube channel back — more guidance, more content, more connection. InshaAllah, it’ll help even more people take control of their fitness journeys.”