Most people know bodybuilding thanks to Arnold Schwarzenegger. But what does the competition look like from the point of view of a Slovak professional?
His appearance resembles the gangster Arthur Shelby from Peaky Blinders, but instead of weapons, he usually holds dumbbells in his hands. The young 27-year-old bodybuilder Leo Levický, after his success at Joe Weider’s Olympia Amateur in Romania, became one of the professional bodybuilders, and he would like to represent Slovakia in the USA next.
In the interview, he told us about his journey to a professional card and behind the scenes of the competition. What does he say about steroid use, why is it difficult to make friends in competitive bodybuilding and what are the limits he would never cross in order to win?
Also read an interview with Rado Pagáč, who founded his own fitness center in California, or an article about the life of Juraj Višný, the first Czechoslovak champion in bodybuilding. Content focused on bodybuilding is created with the support of Refresher+ club members.
PRO CARD winner Leo Levický – 1st place Classic Physique up to 178 cm, 2nd place overall. Source: Archive – Leo Levický
First, I have to ask you about your mustache, which caught my attention as a fan of Peaky Blinders. Were you inspired by Arthur Shelby or is it a coincidence?
It’s not a coincidence. (laughter) I’m also a big fan of Peaky Blinders. Already during last year’s season, several people were referring to my resemblance to Arthur Shelby, but then I had it shorter, the mustache was not so twisted. But then I started to think more about it and let them grow. I’m glad you noticed the Arthur Shelby resemblance and the Peaky Blinders reference because most people associate my look with CBum (Canadian bodybuilder Chris Bumstead – note red.), with which it has nothing to do.
Do you see the similarity there? Source: BBC
At the end of August, at Joe Weider’s Olympia Amateur in Romania, he took 2nd place in the absolute ranking of Classic Physique and was the first in his height category, for which he received a professional card. What does this win mean to you?
Fulfillment of a dream. (laughter) Since I was little, I dreamed of being a professional athlete, which came true in August. At the same time, it is a great honor and privilege for me to belong to the top in this sport, and it also meant for me a form of confirmation that I am doing what I do well and that I am on the right path.
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Bodybuilding is currently divided into four types of competition categories. Classic Physique, Men’s Physique, 212 and Open Division. Can you explain to the readers what is special about the Classic Physique category in which you compete?
If I were to generalize, Classic Physique is most similar to what we saw during the golden era of bodybuilding in the 1970s. Competition swimsuits are black, they all have to be the same, and the posing is different, which is more like the era with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Furthermore, unlike Men’s Physique, Classic Physique has a weight limit that we must not exceed. Men’s Physique were once the so-called “beach boys”, but by not having limits, they became really huge. The differences between the categories are therefore decreasing every year.
Where are your limits in terms of categories and muscle volume?
How to take it. In professional sports, everything is always moving, because people always want to see something bigger, something superhuman. For example, in pro Classic Physique I will now have a limit of 96 kilograms, which puts me almost in the 212 category (212 pounds is converted to 96 kilograms – editor’s note). Even now, it usually happens to guys that if they don’t manage to reach the weight limit for the competition, they compete in 212.
So you’ll see where you can get in terms of volume, and then you’ll adapt to the situation.
Yes, that way. Currently, however, my goal is to reach the limit of the weight category in Classic Physique, so the 96 kilograms. I really enjoy Classic Physique, especially with specific posing. A lot of guys find posing a problem, but for me it’s what I enjoy the most.
When did you start competing?
I have been involved in football since my early childhood, and initially I continued it at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Bratislava. I also played in Inter Bratislava for one season. I started working out in addition to football when I was 15 years old. I always told myself that if I didn’t play football, I would like to do bodybuilding. Then came minor injuries, like a sprained ankle. That’s when I found out that I’m even happy when I don’t have to go to soccer practice and can go to the gym.
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I understood that it was probably not right, so I decided to end my football career. I gradually began to devote myself to training people, and at the end of 2017 I was already thinking about competing. At the beginning of 2018, I won one casting, after which an unnamed brand in the field of nutritional supplements offered me a year’s cooperation – that’s when I started competing.
Dynamic cup Dolný Kubín – 1st place men’s classic bodybuilding. (2018) Source: Archive – Leo Levický
Sponsorship is definitely useful for competition, as the preparation must also be demanding from a financial point of view. Can you tell us how much you spend per month on quality food and nutritional supplements?
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How much money does bodybuilder Leo Levický spend on food and supplements? Why is it difficult to find friends among bodybuilding competitors? What does he say about the use of doping in professional sports? competition experience.
2023-09-23 02:01:11
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