Natural Bodybuilding in Slovakia

Several organisations have tried to introduce natural bodybuilding as an Olympic sport and this may be the reason why the principle of non-use of illegal substances set by the International Olympic Board has become an even greater challenge. There are several official athletic organisations worldwide that have their own lists of illegal substances including anabolic steroids, various growth stimulators, narcotic analgesics, diuretics, peptides, glycoprotein hormones, etc. Even though it can be very difficult to determine which substances are truly natural and which should be prohibited, what all natural bodybuilding organisations and athletes themselves have in common is that they share a common athletic philosophy: to participate in sport not for competition but for enjoyment. We can only hope that this might be one of the avenues which will bring back forgotten values to bodybuilding and that the good old Greek myths will come back to life again in our current modern and over technological wor­ld.

Natural bodybuilding finds ever greater support not only among men but also among women. One of the reasons is certainly the fact that many female athletes find the use of supplements that increase their testosterone levels inconvenient and wish to avoid a “masculine body”. Slovakia can also take pride in our bodybuilding celebrities, including the most successful

Peter Winkler
Peter is truly a remarkable athlete among Slovak natural bodybuilders; even though he is in his forties, he is still very active in sport, possesses strong will and continues trying to excel in what he does. He has managed to achieve this goal not only at national competitions but also internationally. Peter became the overall winner of Slovak trophies with international participation in 1998, 2001 (SAKST), 2005, 2006, 2007 and twice in 2008 (SSNKF), he was second at the German Championships in 2005 (GNBF), third at the World Championships in 2006 (UIBBN), second at the World Championships in 2007 (UIBBN) and first at the European Championships in 2008 (UIBBN). Peter has become an example and a role model for many younger athletes but what exactly does such a lifestyle bring? 

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Peter, how long have you been doing natural bodybuilding and what have you gained from this sport, this life philosophy, to date?
„I have been exercising using weights for 22 years and have been participating in the sport competitively since 1992, which is when I stood on a competition stage for the first time. Apart from the joy of exercising, good health and inner serenity the sport has given me many true friends which is especially valuable today.“ 

What other sports, apart from natural bodybuilding, have you pursued?
„Since a very young age, I have always been involved in some type of sport. As a teen I did athletics competitively for 3 years, I did bodybuilding using my own weight and I currently do mountain cycling and cross-country skiing in the winter for recreation.“

Who helps to prepare you for competition?
As I have been doing this sport for quite a long time, I have had enough time for self-study using the various magazines available. I have physically and mentally shaped myself and when I need to consult on anything I turn to people who have longer experience of it than I have. I can appreciate the guidance of real people around me who have achieved something rather than the advice of fictional idols from magazines."

Which of all your victories gave you the greatest satisfaction?
„My first victory in Grand Prix, Martin in 1998. Surprisingly I won my category as well as became the overall winner. Simply, having humble goals I didn’t expect that result then.“

How does the sport affect your everyday life?
„My lifestyle is based mainly on a healthy way of eating and on exercise. Throughout the years that I have been undertaking this sport I have reached a level in my diet that is significantly different from normal people’s eating habits. I train three times a week, always at a specific time, which takes a certain amount of self-discipline. Other activities must always conform to this schedule, which often doesn’t meet with people’s under­standing. Apart from that I never miss a morning warm-up and allow myself exercise outdoors once a week.“ 

Who is involved with natural bodybuilding in Slovakia and what, in your opinion, could still be changed in respect of the support of this sport in Slovakia?
„The Slovak Company for Natural Bodybuilding and Fitness currently residing in Banská Bystrica has done a lot in this sense. The quality of natural bodybuilding has been increased by the introduction of out-of-competition drug testing and thus transferring the idea of “natural” from theory to practice. There has been no support from the state so far. Being granted financial assistance is dependant upon the registration of the national association in a global organisation and upon results achieved at the international level. In spite of the fact that our association has met both these conditions, we haven’t been able to attract any support from state resources. However, I believe that once our society realizes how greatly drug taking affects our athletic youth taking part in sports for recreation our efforts will be appreciated.“

What are the requirements for entering a competition and what categories does one compete in?
„At present, each competitor registered with the SSNKF must undergo year long drug monitoring performed by the Anti-doping Committee of the Slovak Republic. Categories are age based and the weight of competitors is limited and body mass which is calculated based on their height. The weight limits attempt to patrol, in a “crude way“, the natural diversity of competitors.“

In some sports there is a strong rivalry between competitors. Do you feel that this feature is also evident in this – lets say – natural form of sport?
„Since the obligatory registration of competitors was introduced this year I have noticed a significant change for the better in respect of mutual relationships. Since only registered competitors are allowed to compete, it becomes a competition of people who devote themselves to the same idea – the idea of naturalness. That, to a large extent, shows their honesty and consequently favourably affects their mutual relationships.“ 

How do you spend your free time? Do you do any other activities beside sports or would like to do in the future?
„Cleaning and cooking. I mostly spend my free time exercising outdoors and always take my camera along. At home I spend time doing mainly computer related things when editing and working on my photos.“ 

What are your plans for the future that are not related to sport?
„Since age categories of over 40 and over 50 have been introduced, I theoretically have the motivation to keep competing. What motivates me at the moment is that I can still beat much younger rivals in competitions for the overall winner. However, when I feel that I no longer have anything to show to the audience, I will stop competing. But I certainly won’t stop training as this is like a drug to me. I have reached an age when I start to see the motto of the one-time bodybuilding pioneers “Bodybuilding is health, strength and beauty” in the exact same order and adjust my life philosophy accordingly. By doing my favourite activities I try to live so as not to waste a single minute and enjoy each day. As vice-president of SSNKF for Bodybuilding, over time I would like to spread the fundamental idea of natural bodybuilding further among the young.“

More info: www.ssnkf.sk a www.natural-sport.cz

By Beata Pašková
Photo: P. Winkler

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