Mr. Fiebig, a picture of the French President boxing is currently generating popularity, but also malice online. There is already talk of “Emmanuel Schwarzenegger,” and a major German daily newspaper calls him “Rocky Macron.” The president’s biceps are the main subject of discussion. What do you notice when you look at the photo? The President’s look and facial expressions show that he has entered areas that are painful and challenging during training. As an athlete, I know these moments all too well; they are also called “dark places”. For many, sport in general and the conscious testing of limits provide a balance to stress and challenges – and he will undoubtedly experience both as a politician.
From an athlete’s perspective: What do you personally think of the portrayal? I think the performance is great, I see a person who is trying to achieve a better self and greater well-being through sport. This is not only desirable for politicians, but would certainly be good for all of us.
Is boxing a good sport to balance your everyday life and job? Absolutely. I boxed myself, you need a lot of focus. My coach always said, “If you don’t breathe, you defeat yourself.” By that he meant that I had to pay attention to my breathing, stay with myself and have myself under control – otherwise I would have just lost in the ring. It is very likely that Macron will not just box.
Moritz Fiebig, 29, is a CrossFit athlete and holds the title of “Fittest Man in Germany”. He runs the “Sankt Pauli Athletik” studio in Hamburg.
How do you determine this? His form, especially his biceps, which are obviously being trained. The good man probably also does pulling exercises – for example pull-ups or rowing movements. This is also very useful as a complement to boxing, because swinging fists usually takes place at the front: the front shoulder is trained, as are the pectoralis and chest muscles, although the muscles of the back and the back shoulder are less stressed. This is where the pulling exercises come into play. In any case, they make a lot of sense for anyone who spends a lot of time at a desk or in the car, which Macron undoubtedly does too. They help to prevent the classic “desk figure”, i.e. a slightly rounded back.
Brigitte Macron recently explained that her husband trains twice a week. Do you think that’s realistic? It may well be that what Brigitte Macron says is true, but then he will certainly also train and not just practice something. Training is about providing an appropriate stimulus to fatigue the muscles and thus stimulate muscle growth. It may be enough to train twice a week, depending on your fitness level. For example, it would make sense to do half an hour of boxing followed by muscle building training. For healthy everyday athletes, as a trainer I like to recommend basic exercises such as squats, lunges, deadlifts and shoulder presses, including with weights, and pulling exercises.
What could the right diet for such a training look like? In order not to build up unnecessary fat deposits – especially if you sit a lot in everyday life – I would recommend a moderate carbohydrate consumption. After meals containing carbohydrates, the body releases insulin, which inhibits fat loss. Directly after training, carbohydrates can help stimulate muscle building, a process that is also influenced by insulin. Otherwise, in everyday life, make sure you get enough protein and don’t be afraid of fat. The French President will certainly also be well advised on nutritional issues.
