“The figure is made in the kitchen”: Vice world champion in bodybuilding comes from Lübeck

Arnold Schwarzenegger as an idol

At the age of 14, the Lübeck native came into contact with the topic of fitness through boxing. The enthusiasm for this hobby has lasted for a good 30 years. The City Gym on Fackenburger Allee became a second home for him. His great idol: “Of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger”.

Rohde qualified for the world championship as early as 2018, but was unable to take part due to his job at the time. In December 2020 he tackled the project again together with friend, coach and former vice world champion Martin Koslowski. “First we forged an international battle plan – it paid off,” reports Rohde.

Most important component: the kitchen

As the 45-year-old reveals, the sport itself usually only plays a minor role in preparation. “The figure is made in the kitchen,” he explains. So it is not the training, but the cooking that takes the most time. “In the meantime, I’ve eaten something every 3 to 4 hours,” he says. Life partner Katja Avuncan (44) supported him in his preparation. “As a partner, you should fully support it,” she says.

A life dedicated to sport

According to Avuncan, the last few months before the competition were particularly exhausting. Because in this phase the final sprint diet was on the daily schedule for Axel Rohde. So there was only one rice waffle for him on the joint fast food excursion with his daughter. He also became more and more forgetful. “I then had to tell him things more often,” reports his partner. The dimensions would have been limited. Nevertheless, she thinks: “You are happy that you have this deadline”.

Great success in Spain

A total of 2700 athletes competed against each other in different classes at the World Cup in Spain. For Rohde, who had been on stage six times by then, this was the first international competition. In several rounds, including a self-designed freestyle, he prevailed against twelve of his 13 opponents. “That was an experience that not everyone should have in their life,” he describes the feeling afterwards.

Intensity and determination as the key to success

The man from Lübeck cannot clearly answer what distinguishes his training from that of a “normal” gym-goer. “In principle, I don’t do anything else,” he explains. Ultimately, his approach only differs from other workouts in terms of intensity and determination.

On the other hand, he has a clear opinion on the subject of doping. “In every competitive sport there are people who dope,” he says. On the basis of the doping tests at competitions, however, he suspects that this applies more to bodybuilders who are not on stage. The only difference to other sports is that you can see the changes due to doping in bodybuilding optically, which is why the topic can never be got rid of. But Rohde emphasizes: “These are no miracle cures – without the right accessories, you still won’t become a world champion”.

Steak and fries instead of chicken and rice

The Lübeck resident has no goals for the future. “That was the last time,” he says. After the competition we went on vacation to Egypt. In the meantime, it can also be a steak with french fries instead of chicken and rice in the evening. He now only wants to do the sport as a hobby and for himself. With a clear yardstick: “I have to be able to be seen on the beach”.

From Mathis Glöckner