Helmut Strebl, an Austrian bodybuilder and model born on November 6, 1968, has become a renowned figure in the fitness world. He is admired for his incredibly shredded physique, which showcases exceptionally low body fat levels alongside a significant amount of muscle mass. Strebl's dedication to fitness has made him a motivational speaker and a celebrated model and competitor for over two decades. His journey from a skinny, bullied kid to a fitness icon is an inspiring story of transformation through dedication and discipline.
From Skinny Kid to Fitness Icon: The Genesis of Helmut Strebl
Growing up, Helmut Strebl was a skinny kid who was easy prey for bullies at school. At 12 years old, Strebl started lifting weights to help improve his self-defense. But as he got stronger, he wanted to get on par with his muscular school friend. Helmut Strebl enjoyed lifting weights from the very beginning. Strebl did not have proper dumbbells until he joined a local gym at the age of 16. “For I feel that to develop in the sport takes big dreams and a mindset for realizing them. On being asked what motivates him, Helmut Strebl says, “What truly motivates me is my mission to serve as a graphic example of achieving ideals-ultimate fitness dreams and more.
Helmut Strebl wasn’t always the epitome of strength and fitness. As a young boy, he was skinny and weak, and his slight frame often made him the target of bullying. Determined to protect himself and prove his worth, he turned to weightlifting - a decision that would transform his life.
In his preteens, Helmut Strebl was a target for bullies at his school and often got picked on. So, he started lifting weights for his protection. Before Strebl joined a gym, he enjoyed lifting weights. He had 5 kg improvised dumbbells from detergent bottles filled with water, which he used regularly to build muscle and strength.
At 12 years old, I was a skinny weakling and an easy prey for bullies as I stood out in absolute contrast to a schoolmate who was a muscle machine. At first, I got into lifting weights only to protect myself. But soon, I was also determined to put myself on a physical par with this schoolmate, my odd twin. Here was wishful thinking. From it, there came my dream of becoming a fitness model. I liked weightlifting from the start. My first pair of weights was five kilos a piece. This was two bottles of washing detergent, filled with water though. I did not have proper dumbbells until a few years later. I was 16 years old when I joined my local gym. For I feel that to develop in the sport takes big dreams and a mind set for realizing them. What truly motivates me is my mission to serve as a graphic example of achieving ideals-ultimate fitness dreams and more.
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Helmut Strebl's Accomplishments and Philosophy
Strebl believes his passion for achieving the best body and challenging mental condition has always been his secret to training and competing. He’s famous for his well-defined and shredded physique, with one of the lowest body fat percentages possible. Helmut Strebl is a world-champion bodybuilder and fitness model. Although he hasn’t competed on the Olympia stage, he has an impressive resume, having won competitions like Mr. Fitness in 1998, Mr. Austria in 1996, and European Natural Bodybuilding Champion in 2011. Helmut Strebl isn’t just about showcasing his incredible physique; he’s also taken time to develop his fitness career.
Helmut Strebl's Workout Regimen
Helmut Strebl usually does supersets and likes to train his muscles to failure. He utilizes his rest time between sets to practice breathing exercises. The intensity of Strebl’s workouts and the weights he uses depend on his instincts during the workout. At the same time, Helmut likes to plan his workouts in a calendar notebook. Helmut Strebl follows a set of rules to keep him in peak conditioning throughout the year. Strebl advocates taking your time and listening to your body during training.
Helmut Strebl’s workouts often involve supersets where he trains to failure. He takes deep breaths about five times between sets before moving to the next exercise. He also listens to his body and uses many mind-muscle connections, which have proven effective for muscle growth.
My routine is far from being over-programmed. I usually do supersets, and less often mammoth sets, working them to failure. I punctuate a series of reps with ‘resting’ by breathing in and out about five times. Intensity and following my instincts are to the point here. I have a calendar notebook.
As for Helmut’s gym sessions, what weight he uses and the intensity all comes from his instincts. He always advocates taking your time and listening to your body, and always performing the exercise correctly. Helmet pays very close attention to everything he does, including his nutrition and training approach. He lives by a certain set of rules when it comes to exercising.
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The Cornerstone: Strebl's Dietary Approach
For Helmut Strebl, Diet is where the magic happens. Unlike his workouts, he follows a strict diet and likes to plan it in advance. Strebl eats between five to seven meals every day. He eats lean protein in every meal. When it comes to his carbs, Helmut goes heavy on sweet potatoes and brown rice during the off-season. To achieve a 4% body fat level, Helmut decreases his carb intake and slightly bumps up his fat consumption. He also cycles carbs for about a month before any show. Each of his carb cycles lasts four days. On the fourth day, he escalates his carb intake to 300-400 grams. “For I feel that to develop in the sport takes big dreams and a mindset for realizing them. Sustaining a 4% body fat level is no joke.
Helmut Strebl eats between five and seven meals daily. His meals contain a high proportion of lean protein, and he usually cuts carbs in the evenings. Helmut Strebl decreases his carb intake and slightly increases his fat consumption when cutting down for a competition. He also does carb cycling for about four weeks to an event where each cycle lasts four days. He consumes 150-200 grams of carbs in six meals for the first three days.
I eat between five and seven meals a day. I have lean protein in every meal: Egg Whites, Turkey, Chicken, Beef, White Fish. For my carbs, I go heavy in season on the Sweet Potatoes and Brown Rice. This means decreasing my carb intake and slightly increasing my fat consumption. I also do carb cycling for about a month prior to the event. Each of my cycles lasts four days. On the fourth day, I just escalate, to between 300-400 grams.
To reach his incredible low bodyfat percentages that Helmut well is known for, he will decrease his carb intake and slightly increasing his fat. He will also do carb cycling for a month before the event. His carb cycling will generally last for four days.
A Closer Look at Strebl's Meal Choices
For breakfast, Strebl tends to eat 4 ounces of chicken breast ,5 large egg whites, 1 whole egg, and 3 bagels, amounting to 1,242 calories. This is followed by a meal replacement shake made with 2 scoops of protein and 3 bananas (515 calories). When it comes to the third meal, Soueid finds himself in more familiar bro territory: lean ground turkey and rice (525 calories). The fourth and fifth meals follow an identical pattern; a cup of basmati rice with a 6-ounce serving of either turkey, chicken, or fish. Less than an hour later, it's time for meal number 6: 10 large egg whites and 4 slices of toast, coming in at 452 calories. That brings Soueid's total calorie intake for the day to a surprising 3,783 calories, comprising 411 grams of carbs, 99 grams of fat, and 306 grams of protein.
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Will Tennyson's Experience Following Strebl's Diet
YouTuber Will Tennyson has taken on the fitness routines of some of the world's fittest people, from a grueling qualifier at the CrossFit Open to a high altitude training session to a day in the life of Ironman triathlete Nick Bare. For his latest challenge, Tennyson spends the day following the training schedule and diet plan of the "most shredded man on Earth," Helmut Strebl, who is known for maintaining 4 percent body fat all year round."This guy eats five to seven meals a day, and you're going to be surprised by how much food and especially how much carbs this is," he says at the start of the day, preparing a breakfast of six egg whites and one whole egg, three bagels, and an entire chicken. "I was pretty shocked to see three bagels," says Tennyson. "Just looking at the dude, I'm feeling slightly gluten intolerant."This is followed by a meal replacement shake made with 50 grams of protein and 80 grams of carbs. This is another choice that surprises Will. "When you are so lean, you feel hungry literally all the time, you feel like crap," he says. "There is no way I could drink this and feel satisfied."The pre-workout meal is a bro staple, turkey and rice, which Tennyson sees as the epitomy of "food for fuel, not fun." Once sufficiently fueled up, he hits the gym and tries Strebl's high-volume back, shoulders, calves and abs workout, which consists of the following:wide grip lat pulldownsclose grip chinupsdumbbell rowsseated dumbbell military pressseated dumbbell side raisesstanding upright rowsseated calf raisesstanding calf raisesseated machine crunchesleg raises"I'm literally doing half the weight of what I typically do," says Tennyson. "[Strebl] isn't really worried about the weight, it's all about the form and the contraction and really slowing it down to really build up that muscle… The fact that he can train at a high level while that lean is pretty insane."The fourth meal of the day is raw tuna and rice, meal number five is chicken shawarma and rice with hot sauce, while the sixth and final meal is even more egg whites with four slices of toast. "He probably needs carbs to get him through his nightmares," says Tennyson. "While it's really cool that this guy is this lean, it doesn't mean it's healthy," he concludes. "I'm not taking away from what he's doing, it's incredible, but don't make that your standard, just try to be healthy… Feel good, perform well in the gym, and just be happy."
Aseel Soueid's Diet Challenge
Fitness model and YouTuber Aseel Soueid has tried all kinds of extreme diets on his channel before, eating like The Batman star Robert Pattinson, heavyweight boxer Deontay Wilder, pro wrestler Roman Reigns, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson himself. In his most recent challenge, most likely inspired by a recent video from bodybuilder Will Tennyson, Soueid tries the diet of physique competitor Helmut Strebl, who, with just 3 percent body fat (and an ultimate goal of 2 percent), is ostensibly the leanest man in the world.
For breakfast, Strebl tends to eat 4 ounces of chicken breast ,5 large egg whites, 1 whole egg, and 3 bagels, amounting to 1,242 calories. This is followed by a meal replacement shake made with 2 scoops of protein and 3 bananas (515 calories). "How in the world the most shredded man drinks his calories like this, especially 80 grams worth of carbs, I have no idea," says Soueid. "Don't ever drink your calories if you are dieting or trying to get shredded or lose body fat. It is the quickest way to never feel full."
When it comes to the third meal, Soueid finds himself in more familiar bro territory: lean ground turkey and rice (525 calories). "This tastes ten times more depressing when you're outside of a gym," he says. "I thought it was bad at home, but damn."
The fourth and fifth meals follow an identical pattern; a cup of basmati rice with a 6-ounce serving of either turkey, chicken, or fish. Less than an hour later, it's time for meal number 6: 10 large egg whites and 4 slices of toast, coming in at 452 calories. That brings Soueid's total calorie intake for the day to a surprising 3,783 calories, comprising 411 grams of carbs, 99 grams of fat, and 306 grams of protein.
"Despite this guy being 6'3 and 215 pounds, I cannot believe he can eat this much food and eat these kinds of foods and stay at 3 percent body fat year-round, it is absolutely mind-blowing," says Soueid. He does admit, however: "Bagels, bananas and basmati rice definitely make for an amazing pump."
Maintaining a 4% Body Fat Level: A Testament to Dedication
Sustaining a 4% body fat level is no joke. Overall, Helmut Strebl is someone that really shows off what hard work and dedication can get you in terms of fitness. Every bodybuilder aspires to sculpt the perfect muscular physique with minimal body fat, and Helmut Strebl is a prime example of that ideal.