Interview with Vladimir Holota, IFBB Men's World Champion in bodybuilding up to 100kg
Author: In the next interview we interviewed Slovak professional bodybuilder Vladimir Holota, who managed to become this year's IFBB Men's World Championships in bodybuilding up to 100kg and the overall winner! And today we're going to delve into his life to take a closer look at Vladimir's life and also get to know his brutal training. Sit back and enjoy the interview.
Hi Vladimir, you managed to win gold at the IFBB Men's World Championships in bodybuilding up to 100kg this year and you became the overall winner. With what ambitions did you go to the competitions expecting this success?
The ambitions were clear. To make progress and also to try to defend the world champion title from 2019, but in a heavier weight category. I think I managed to achieve that and winning the absolutist was something I never dreamed of again.
You also won gold from the IFBB Men's World Championships (up to 95kg) in 2019, how were these two competitions different from each other and which one was harder for you?
As for the level of competitors in the men's bodybuilding category, I would say the level was similar. Anyway, this year's preparation was more mentally demanding for me, as I think I was expected to do a good result and I also expected it from myself.
Now let's introduce you a little more to our readers, so they know better who they are dealing with. When did you start practicing?
I started exercising regularly in 2010, as a 19 year old, of course without any competitive ambitions back then. I just wanted to do something and this has always been close to my heart, plus I was quite skinny, I started at about 70kg so this was the perfect way to change that.
Do you remember your first race? What led you to racing?
The first competition was in 2012, so after about 2 years of active training. It was the Slovak junior championship and I finished second. I was directed to compete by the owner of the gym where I was training and he saw potential in me.
If you met your younger self, what advice would you give him? What mistakes did you make as a novice racer?
Not copying the training and eating plans of professional bodybuilders, listening to your body and paying more attention to recovery, because sometimes less is more.
What type of training do you do? And does your training change during the season (training)
Lately (about 1 year) I've taken a liking to split push, pull, legs training. I would characterize my training as low volume, high intensity work. I perform mostly 1 to 2 work sets using various intensification techniques where I try to absolutely fail. I usually train 4 to 5 times a week.
How does your diet vary throughout the season?
The composition of the diet is identical throughout the year, so to speak. The difference is of course in the quantity, which depends on what stage of preparation I am in.
| Example menu for one day | |||||
| 1. meal | 2nd meal (before training) | 3rd meal (after training) | 4th meal | 5th meal | 6th meal |
100g oatmash 100g fruit 3 whole eggs 2pcs toast | 100g Rice mash 60g isolate | 100g cyclic dextrin | 100g rice 200g beef tenderloin | 100g rice 200g salmon | |
What do you do in your personal life? And how do you manage to combine your work with your preparation?
Last years I worked as a personal trainer during the day and as a sbskar in a casino at night. Nowadays, I only work as a personal trainer. So balancing work and competition preparation has not always been easy for me, but I have always found a way to balance it. At the moment, however, the conditions are the most suitable for now.
Do you train alone or do you prefer sparring?
I do most of my training alone, so I don't have a permanent sparring partner, but of course once in a while I like to train with someone.
How do you perceive Czech and Slovak bodybuilding? Where do you think there are better competitors and overall level of this sport?
Whether in your country or in our country there are a lot of quality competitors. Anyway, as far as professionals are concerned, you have a much bigger base.
Do you have plans for the 2022 season? Where will you aim your preparation?
The plan for 2022 is clear. I would like to make progress again, gain new muscle mass, improve my weaknesses and compete in the fall at the earliest, but I don't have anything concrete planned yet. There are several possibilities.
Okay, thank you very much for the interview, have a nice day and good luck!
Vladimir Holota's training program
| Split |
| PUSH 1 |
| PULL 1 |
| Free |
| LEGS 1 |
| Free |
| PUSH 2 |
| PULL 2 |
| Free |
| LEGS 2 |
| Free |
| Background |
| PUSH 1 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Push-ups on incline bench with HR or MP (45st.) | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Dual benchpress Pure Kraft | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Shoulder presses Hammer strenght | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Benchpress to close with HR or multipress | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Peck deck | 2 | 15-20 |
| Pecking with JC | 2 | 15-20 |
| French pressure | 2 | 10-12 |
| Triceps rope push down | 1 | 15-20 (3x to failure with 15 sec stops) |
| 1 abdominal exercise | 4 | 15 |
| PUSH 2 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Incline bench press with JC (30 st) | 2 | 5-9 / 10- 12 |
| Isolateral Benchpress (Hammer strenght) | 2 | 5-9 / 10- 12 |
| Peck deck | 2 | 5-9 / 10- 12 |
| Shoulder presses with HR or multipress | 2 | 5-9 / 10- 12 |
| One-arm arm raises with JC | 2 | 10 (same weight for both sets) |
| Pull-ups on pulleys | 2 | 15-20 |
| Barbell push-ups (triceps) | 2 | 6-9 / 10-12 |
| Triceps push down Ez | 2 | 10-12 |
| Triceps push down with one hand | 2 | 15-20 (3x to failure with 15 sec stops) |
| 1 abdominal exercise | 4 | 15 |
| PULL 1 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Pulling the pulley with a neutral grip | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Lunges with chest support (45 deg.) | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Pull-ups on Hammerstenght machine | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 (internal neutral grip) |
| Rowing lunges | 1 | 10 (3x to failure with 15 sec stops) |
| Pulley pull with overhand pull | 1 | 10 (2x drop set 20%) |
| Pegging on peck deck | 3 | 15-20 (same weight) |
| Bicep lift single arm ( scott bench) | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Biceps lift with jc | 3 | 8-12 (last set 2x drop set) |
| Standing lunges | 3 | 8-10 |
| PULL 2 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Lunge pull-ups on machine | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Rowing underhand | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Hammerstrenght machine pull-ups | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 (upper grip) |
| Rowing with V extension | 1 | 10 (2x drop set) |
| Pullover | 2 | 10-12 |
| Patching with JC | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Facepull | 1 | 15,8,5 (2x rest pause 15 sec) |
| Hammer lifts | 1 | 6-9 / 10-12 |
| 1 | 10-12 | |
| Biceps stroke with ez on pulley | 2 | 8-12 (last series 2x drop set 20%) |
| Sit-ups | 6 | 4 (cluster set , 10 sec break) |
| LEGS 1 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Stumbling in the lunge | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Pre-digging | 4 | 15-20 |
| Hackendreps | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Legpress 1 foot | 2 | 8-10 |
| Pre-kicking | 1 | 8-10 (3x drop set) |
| Legpress | 2 | 15-20 (last set of drop set up to 50 reps) |
| Standing stumbling | 2 | 10-12 |
| Reproduction | 2 | 15-20 |
| 1 | 15-8-5 (rest pause 15 sec) | |
| Sit-ups | 3 | 10-12 |
| LEGS 2 | ||
| Exercise | Series | Repetition |
| Superset front kick + stumble | 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 12 (2 sec contraction) | |
| Squats wide | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Legpress wide | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 |
| Hackendreps wide | 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 (feet placed in front of the platform) |
| Reproduction | 2 | 15-20 |
| Burying at the elbow | 1 | 12-6-3 (rest pause 15 sec) |
| 2 | 5-9 / 10-12 | |
| Stumbling with JC | 2 | 15-20 |
| Exits | 2 | 15-20 |
| Pull-ups on legpresse | 3 | 15 |
Source: Youtube, Instagram
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