January 26, 2025, 3:45 pm | Read time: 6 minutes
I only have one goal in mind at the moment: I, Daniel Schwarzenberger, want to become the German Natural Bodybuilding Champion. But this path is more than just hard work – it’s a journey full of passion, challenges, and tireless motivation to shine on stage. I only have a few weeks left until my big day, which is why my training is now taking on serious proportions.
The countdown is underway – only 14 weeks left until the big day! In the remaining weeks leading up to May, I must continue to sculpt my body through intensive training sessions, unwavering discipline, and a laser-sharp focus. But what exactly does training for a bodybuilding championship entail, and how am I orchestrating my comeback at over 40? These are questions I’m eager to answer.
Overview
14 Weeks: The Countdown Is on
As a Men’s Physique athlete, you are definitely lighter than some of your bodybuilding class Classic Physique colleagues, but that doesn’t mean that training is any easier!
In my case, I’m currently 81 kilograms in body weight, with which I’m approaching the German Championships in May step by step with six training sessions per week, curl by curl. Preparation for the competition is in full swing, the workload is high, and the workouts are intense. At the moment, I’m still in the off-season, with a clear focus on building muscle – basically in “bulking baby mode,” a euphemism for muscle growth, volume, and weight gain.
Above all, I want to make up for the supposed weak points “shoulder volume” and “back width” with my training for the bodybuilding championship.
My Big Muscle Goal: “Hourglass” Body Type
In my class, the “hourglass” body type, also known as the “V-shape,” is particularly popular. It is characterized by a narrow waist in relation to a broad, well-formed upper body. The lower body must be in harmony with the overall picture, but it only plays a secondary role in the assessment.
My current training routine is based on a 4-part split, which allows me to work specifically on the relevant muscle groups.
Each of my training sessions starts with a 20-minute warm-up to ensure that I am both physically well prepared and mentally in the best possible frame of mind for the challenges ahead. This is extremely important. The workout often follows a hectic day at work. Stress hormones can affect our bodies and, therefore, our training. A short – really short – mobility session rounds off my warm-up phase before getting down to business.
This Is How I Train – with Free Weights, Guided Machines, and, at times, Maximal Effort
My training intensity is high, sometimes maxing out at five to twelve repetitions. Depending on the time of day and my form, I do four to five training sets with around three to four exercises per muscle group. After more than 25 years of personal experience with dumbbells and the like, this system has proven to be optimal for me in terms of building up and ensuring that I can push my muscles to exhaustion. A workout lasts between 90 and 105 minutes. Of course, there are always exceptions. I prefer the intuitive training style, which gives me flexibility in my training. I am also convinced that it is the targeted combination of free basic exercises, machine and cable training, that allows me to both increase my strength level and lift weights in a hypertrophic or muscle growth-stimulating way.
And this is what my current training plan looks like:
Day 1: Focus on “Chest”
- Bench press with barbell
- 30-degree incline bench press with dumbbells
- Standing “flying” or flys on the rope or cable pulley
- Close bench press sitting on the machine
- Dips on the machine
Day 2: Focus on Legs Combined with Abs
- Squats on the multi-press
- Leg presses on the machine
- Leg extensions on the machine
- Adductors seated on the machine
- Superset: hanging leg raises on the pull-up bar and standing calf raises
Day 3: Focus on “Shoulder” Combined with “Arms”
- Shoulder presses with dumbbells
- Side raises with dumbbells
- Reverse flys bent forward with dumbbells
- Reverse flys sitting on the machine (with bent elbow)
- Superset: seated bicep curls with dumbbells and overhead tricep presses with dumbbells
Day 4: Focus on the “Back”
- (Romanian) deadlift
- Lying pull-ups with dumbbells
- Rowing bent forward with barbell underhand grip
- Lat pull-ups with a wide grip on the machine
- Standing pull-ups on the rope or cable pulley
My Personal Tip – 5 x 5 Training
This method is the be-all and end-all when it comes to building both strength and muscle. The roots of this system can be found in American football. The focus is on the three essential basic exercises: bench press, deadlift, and squats.
I like to train with this system, in phases, with friends or training partners, as it has a certain competitive character: A kind of test of strength, testing limits, challenging yourself together – all in one.
I am also firmly convinced that training, especially in preparation for the bodybuilding championship, is not just about boring training strictly according to plan, without platitudes and psychologisms, but that the joy of physical activity itself should always resonate. It is about emotional training as a guarantee for continuity, progression, and personal bests. Of course, we are all limited, or do you know anyone who can bench press 1000 kilograms, for example?
There Is No Such Thing as Overtraining, Only Under-Recovery!
I am meticulous in ensuring my body receives regular and, most importantly, adequate rest. By the way – this is a top priority for me until the competition so that I can take small but successful steps toward the big performance. Sufficient sleep, occasional power naps, and optimal hydration are my personal keys to success here.
Yes, it takes discipline, sufficient free time or mega time management, and a certain amount of ambition to be able to muster all the energy needed for the preparation. This is reflected in my entire lifestyle. The thought and excitement of returning to the big stage drive me to excel, even on the most challenging days.
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This Is How It Continues
The three-phase model to success. After the off-season, the second phase is gradually approaching. From the beginning of February, I will slowly switch to shred mode, the start of the on-season, in order to define my muscles in the first step, i.e., to make them more visible. The third and final phase involves fine-tuning, i.e., reducing my body fat percentage as much as possible, ideally to around six to seven percent, with maximum muscle volume, of course. Perfect posing included.
The journey presses on with new challenges on the horizon. I’m thrilled to have you join me on this path, sharing in the thrill of progress and inching closer to our May milestone with every curl. Persist in your training, just as I do, whether or not a bodybuilding championship is your goal – for the finest outcomes emerge over time. Consistency beats frequency!