WOLF SCHMIDTBERG's Journey

Wolf Schmidtberg
Tell us a little bit about yourself :)

After school in the South of Germany I went to the German Army in the Alpes to become an Officer and Platoonleader of an MLRS Rocket Launch Bataillon. In this time I won the German Military Cross Country championship and military had other ideas to push my career...I got a place in the German Military Biathlon team and had a nice welcome by the professional East German Athlets... After 2 years of up and downs (6th place at German Championships) I left the Army and my passion Biathlon and start to study Sports, Rehabilitation and Journalism at the DEUTSCHE SPORTHOCHSCHULE.

My new passion became Fitness - I start as a Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, became a SPINNING Presenter and last but not least a national Trainer for Les Mills Germany and the Mastertrainer Europe for Les Mills RPM. With my background of knowledge in sports and training I was participating to build up LM International in their way to conquer the world. At this time I worked for Gyms, Clubs and chains mostly as a Club Manager or Regional Manager. My biggest Company was 24 Hour Fitness...one of the biggest chains in the US.

With my wife together we developed different tools for Gyms to progress their Group Fitness also their cash flow. Our biggest weapon is the "21 Day Challenge" - a internal and external marketing and trainings tool to change trainings and nutrition habbits for members and friends.

How did you get introduced to Fitness?

Honestly? I was asked by a friend to work at his Gym as a Trainer...at this time I was studying at the Univerity and had a job at a Call Center...this job was great, well paid..and I was able to call some friends for a market research of products connected with sports commercials.

After a while (3 month or so) he asked again and said he is really in trouble and he liked to have me in his team. A rainy evening a entered the Gym - and was surprised about the great athmoshere and also the warm welcome by the team, owner and members.

This became my next family...

When did Fitness get really serious for you?

After my boss told me at his second Gym...on the other side of town..her former manager was running away with the cash desk.. she asked me to become the Gym Manager... I was thrown into cold water from one to another day...no clue to manage a Gym...it was 1992 and the Fit Industry was leaded by family owners...not professional like Fitness First or 24 Hours...

But with the experience and time and more the skills...I became a successfull sales too and the owner of FORUM Fitnessworld (also the owner of Les Mills Germany) hunted me to join his company..as Club Manager and Les Mills National Trainer. So my career changed into a double track...studying plus managing.As I finished my Diploma and my Exam I was able to be focused 100%.

Can you share your biggest challenges? 

My biggest challenge was to train Carl Lewis as a Personal Trainer in 1998 as he was coming to Cologne Germany for an Exebition to launch his sports clothing range. We had a lot of fun and he learned different trainings method like BodyPump...

Also I trained together with Conny Mittermaier in his Box Gym in Stuttgart Germany - Conny is one of the worldwide best Boxing Trainer and he gave me the confidence and I was able to train his world champ Vitali Tajbert to prepare him for his Championship as a Conditioning Trainer.

How do you handle pressure?

My family is my resting place... my wife and my little daughter and also my two older sons helping me to calm down in situations of pressure...with the age of an half century now I should have had enough experience to find the right answer...

Can you share your thoughts on self consciousness?

To be nervous is a sign of professionalism...people are not nervous have maybe no respect for the topic, the people around, for their team, for their family... to be nervous shows a part of respect for every situation we challenge. Of course we grow with our skills and experience...but the stage fright stays :)

What was your most embarrassing moment (in regards to your sport of course ;)

to be honoured after the wedding invitation, which was already done one year ago...les Mills International did this at a Summit for my wife and me... after we got no official feedback by our Agency in Germany...but the Internationals did it...

How did your passion influence your life in other ways?

You are still a role model for healthy lifestyle... so you should be not only looking like one...also your habbits should be following. For me a great athlet is able to do all kind of sports...alone, in a team, at a competition or just for fun. Running, swimming, jumping, cycling, weightlifting, dancing, fighting, Yoga, not only pumping muscles for a narcissistic world picture...

I love the kind of modern training... for example a UFC fighter is doing CrossFit to prepare for a fight... or a Weightlifter is doing Yoga and Stretching to keep his flexiblility.

What does your daily routine look like?

Here in Bali, we weak up early with sunrise...first of all I jump into the pool swimming some laps to be freshed up. A healthy energy breakfast with fruit and vegetables not missing. I am not Vegan but I try to follow up as much I can.

Than my morning shift starts mostly with two classes: HIIT and RPM... 3 times a week... the other days weightlifting is priority with running and swimming... I love to run in the mountains...mostly our fantastic Vulcanos are great Challenges :)... Eating 5 times a day should also be part of a good trainings day!

What about your flexibility training? Where does that fit in?

Training is not only weights or HIIT... training should be holistic: Endurance, Strenght, Flexibility, Balance, Coordination, Agility, Acuracy and ..Speed So a lot I can implement in my classes but try to introduce people to understand for example the necessity of Flexibility... this should f.ex. a separat trainings unit to be focused and not doing Stretching just as a must afer or before training.

My statement is: Keep the muscle tension for a while..so the process in our muscle cells is natural and can adapt to the former workout goals. but then give the muscle routine to keep their Flexibility by focusing on Stretching

What keeps you motivated?

My age :)... and my young boys and my little girl... be a role model for your gym members but also for your loveliest...

I have some great friends like Presenters from LM doing a great job showing some HIIT workout or Yoga poses... but at the end everybody should not learn only by Internet... you need a professsional help to have first of all the right excercise excecution and than we speak about training... I recommend to join only products with a DVD or a workbook on the side... and than take minimum 10 PT sessions to come in the safe and efficient training for great succsess

What are your future plans/goals/dreams?

Our little family already living on an Tropical Island, doing Sports and writing books, teaching people, coching lifestyle, developing trainings systems like EverStrech :)...maybe I love to go Snowboarding and Skiiing with my family soon and already we go to an small Island for vacation to chill out and do only ... pushups :)

Any tips for passionate Fitness Instructors starting out?

To become a coach, a PT or a Group Fitness Instructor you have firstly... LOVE PEOPLE

without this, maybe it is just YOU want to be on stage cause you are selfish and narcisstic...than become a broker ;) For myself I'm happy...the past I cannot change anymore...but the future counts. Be more human and more social... that's what we are - like ants...a big community. Alone we cannot survive. Take care about you, only this way you can be there for others. Take care about enviroment, keep all clean and say...NO PLASTIC

Anything else you'd like to share?

Things you did in your life or you are going to do - all are worth to do.. if it's good or bad, wright or wrong... we just learn our whole life...and grow our skills and experience...that what counts and make us wise...at the end

Anything you’d like to promote?

Welcome to Instagram Wolf.Schmidtberg page and have a visit in Bali :)

Welcome to join our HomeStay and be our guest

 
 Wolf Schmidtberg

My passion is my challenge - sports and family together on an tropical island.

www.wolf.juiceplus.com

Wolf Schmidtberg

Instagram: @wolf290467

National Trainer and International Presenter for Group Fitness (Les Mills)