About my brother

Today subject will stray a little off the topic of bodybuilding. As some of my readers know, our beloved mother passed away right after christmas and things have never been the same ever since. My younger brother Jan is currently in the final stages to obtain his masters in sports at the University of Freiburg. So despite all this emotional turmoil, he managed to hand in his thesis and prepare for orals.
So whenever I don't feel like eating chicken and getting up at 530 am to train I remember my brother and think to myself: What's my excuse?
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Is it all worth it?

The New York winter can be quite hard on the psyche. It isn't so much the cold as it is the length and darkness. Getting out of bed at 6 am when its pitch black and going to lift with several layers of clothing isn't a lot of fun. Also, it is easier to gravitate toward " comfort foods" than a bodybuilding menu. After all, there aren't many  opportunities to show off your physique right now, so why bother? Is it really worth all the sacrifices?

In short: yes! Every meal, every rep sets me apart from those who cant do it. It makes me feel good about myself and life as such. Bodybuilding  is more than a sport , it is therapy, almost a religion. So keep on training and eating right! Besides, you wont be in shape for a July 4th bash when you start training on Memorial Day.

Strange exercises, are they the secret?

Another gym phenomenon that everyone at least witnesses once is some member, often being assisted by a trainer, is performing a bizarre and often dangerous looking exercise. Most likely, that poor creature is being misled in his or her belief that new is always better and this particular form of movement is a breakthrough. Well, not quite so. Bodybuilding hasn't really changed since 1950 , the basics still work . However, in our fast-paced world, new sales gimmicks need to be invented every month to fill magazines , websites etc. Don't get fooled by the hype, as Arnold Schwarzenegger said:" Consistency, not novelty is the key to success".

Stick to squats,they worked well for my legs.

" Das interessiert mich wirklich nicht" or I really don't care

This fabulous quote from a german soccer star was brought to my attention by one of my friends during a recent training session. The more I thought about it, the more it became clear that this is a great way to lead a bodybuilding existence.
Does that mean we should all become social retards? Not at all, but let's face it : bodybuilding requires a lifestyle that is somewhat uncommon and requires certain sacrifices(Why can't you eat like other people? Why won't you have a drink?). Truth to be told " normal" in our society very often equals unhealthy and it is sometimes necessary to take a stand. So in that sense, the next time someone asks you " Why are you so obsessed with working out? Why can't you be like a normal person?" just politely smile and think to yourself " Das interessiert mich wirklich nicht".

A new year.....

So 2008 is upon us, the gym is full of newbies and the news-years-resolution crowd is occupying the flat bench for 4 straight hours. One has to wonder, what is it all about? Are we as bodybuilders engulfed in a self-possessing act of vanity? Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas, as the bible puts it.
And yet, it is not an all meaningless physique cult. First of all, a bit of vanity can be healthy for the individual and the environment. Secondly, not only bodybuilders are vain, why else would John Edwards be getting 400$ haircuts?
But most importantly, bodybuilding is not just lifting weights and eating chicken with rice. It is also about interacting with people you have nothing in common with but the the love of the iron. Training is a great way to bridge social and cultural gaps, since it is the common denominator. You be surprised by the friendships you might build.
So keep training hard and save those newbies from doing 20 sets of curls and no squats!

Holidays and Bodybuilding

Now with the holiday season in full swing, it is very easy to get sidetracked in terms of training and proper nutrition. So the question arises: who can one enjoy the holidays and still keep a healthy physique?
First, proper planning will help. Schedule your workouts, if you are pressed for time you can cut the number of workouts and focus more on basic exercises
Plan your cheat days as well. Those could be the office Christmas party, Christmas day, Thanksgiving Day, New Year's. Reserve the cheating to those days and try to eat clean the remaining time so the holidays don't become 6 cheat weeks. On cheat days try to get a workout in or at least a walk ( nothing strenuous ). This will help burn some of the carbohydrates that might be still lingering around and keep your metabolism humming.
happy holidays!

Bodybuilding should not control one's life

Hey, how's everybody? I am in Germany again, spending time with my family. Today I had planned a heavy chest workout from 12-1pm since my gym closes at 2pm ( I live in a small town after all). around 1130 one of best friends called, He was coming over since he had to leave around 2pm. Needless to say, I did cancel my workout and used our "home gym " attached. As you can see in the picture, it is not quite fully equipped. So one has to make do with whats there, higher reps, harder squeezes etc.

In general, I had rather done a push-up sit up workout as opposed to not meet my friend.

Bodybuilding enhances our lifes, it increases the quality of it; it should not dictate our existence.

Until next time: Keep on pumping!

Post-competition reflections

With tthe last week really being a whirlwind, I did not have the time to post. When you are preparing for a bodybuilding show, everything seems to move at warp speed. and it takes several days for all the impressions to fully settle in.

Looking back, I am happy with the package that I brought on-stage, I feel I did nail my conditioning and did the best I could. The thrill of being on stage and perform a posing routine in front of a large audience is something that has to be experienced and cannot be described.

I will take a long off-season now, trying to improve the weak areas of my body , mainly arms and shoulders without giving up on symmetry and balance.

The days after a show are very anti-climactic, things almost seem dull and boring. However, meals have to be cooked, trainings to be planned since bodybuilding is not something that can be done 12 weeks out of the year. This brings me to my next point: the off-season. It occurs that the common misconception about the off-season or bulking season is that it is a free for all; eat whatever you want as long as you get bigger.

This couldn't be farther from the truth. In order to keep fat gain to a minimum, one should eat primarily clean foods and try not to overeat within a single meal.

Once or twice a week, a dessert or pasta can be eaten but all in moderation. After all, bodybuilding is a life style, not a fad!

Train hard!

The yak-comments from a golden age bodybuilder in California

Subject: The yak







I gave yac the link to your blogspot as I was proud of you, and here are his comments below....





" I went thru Maik's site and he looks terrific.



He really has super abs and calves. the calves are extremely tough for a person who is tall like he is to develop and they are great.



Also his muscularity is awesome. You can tell him I said so! "

Two friends prepare for a future in sports commentary . . . (Hey ESPN, r u listening??)