October 23, 2024, 11:50 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Formerly a professional bodybuilder, Rebecca Barthel now passes on her knowledge as a personal trainer and studio owner. But what does she actually focus on in her exercise sessions? She revealed this to FITBOOK fitness editor Janine Riedle in an interview.
Rebecca Barthel has been working as a personal trainer for more than 25 years. Formerly particularly interested in gymnastics and handball, she developed a great passion for weight training – which is now an integral part of her life. Not only because she is a personal trainer and coach at Aldi Sports but also because she is still actively involved in weight training herself. Rebecca Barthel explained to FITBOOK exactly what her training looks like.
“I focus on strength endurance training”
FITBOOK: What does your training look like now that you’ve decided to take a different path outside of the bodybuilding world?
Rebecca Barthel: “Strength training is generally healthy as long as it is done in moderation. Today, I no longer train to an extreme. Instead, I focus on strength endurance because I’m still very attached to the sport. This means that I do a lot of repetitions, between 15 and 25, and combine this with endurance training such as running or HIIT workouts. So I have everything covered so that I am generally fit and do something for my fat-burning and cardiovascular health.
Every now and then, I go to the gym and do classic exercises such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, and rowing. This is important in order to always cover the large muscle groups with my training. If I want to add a bit more excitement, I do a HIIT workout, where I enjoy training with weights, particularly dumbbells, which are my favorite equipment. I also like to combine this with running. If I’m not traveling a lot, I manage to train three to eight times a week. Sometimes, my training also results from my work as a trainer, e.g., at congresses or for online fitness videos. I still love moving weights, but no longer with the aim of achieving as much as possible, but to stay fit and healthy.”
Rebecca Barthel would rather do without this workout
Is there anything in training that you don’t enjoy?
“Difficult, but yes, probably swimming because I have a big problem with the cold. I love water, but I only go into the water when it’s really warm enough. And although I have the image that I have to be fit in everything, I have to openly admit: swimming doesn’t suit me. If I swim 100 meters, I’m completely exhausted. I don’t really enjoy it because it’s very strenuous for me. Sure, running is also exhausting, but I enjoy it because I just switch my head off.”
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“The idea of competition always drives me”
So, running and strength training are your favorite sports?
“Yes, definitely. I really like running, which also comes from handball, because you move quickly and nimbly. Running is easy, you don’t need a lot of equipment, and you can switch your head off. It’s also exciting when you go to boutique studios, for example, where lots of people are training on their treadmills at the same time. It gives me that competitive feeling again because I like to measure myself against others. Just running through the forest would be too boring for me. The idea of competition always drives me on. I also love skiing, but unfortunately, it’s not a year-round sport.”