Berberović: Those who should reward top athletes, do not

Belmir Berberović, a gold medal winner at last year's European Championship in Barcelona in bodybuilding and fitness, reveals to the BiH news agency Patria (NAP) how he started with this specific sports discipline. Although he has been in sports for more than 20 years, after an eight-year absence, he started training exclusively on cardio equipment in 2008.

- Only in 2010 did I start with active strength training, purely recreationally, up to three times a week with quality cardio training which was a priority due to participation in half-marathon competitions. On the other hand, the coaching couple Mirsad and Sanela Terzo are solely responsible for participation in bodybuilding competitions and engaging in this discipline. The first competition was at the national championship in Cazin in 2012, and I competed in the athletic fitness category – says Berberović.

However, winning the European Championship in Barcelona has a special significance for Belmir, especially since he was the only participant from BiH.

- I received several recognitions for the achieved result from the Bodybuilding Federation of BiH, the Olympic Committee of BiH, and the Sports Federation of BiH. Of course, I would be a little happier if those who are supposed to reward top results felt the same way, but unfortunately, it is not quite like that – says Berberović for NAP.

During last year, he won awards at competitions in BiH, Slovenia, and Bulgaria in the athletic fitness, physique, pull-up, and parallel bars categories.

- The athletic fitness category, in which I compete, is very specific. In addition to competitors having to dominate an athletic appearance and athletically defined muscle groups, they also need to be strong and enduring. Besides posing on stage, competitors are obliged to perform strength exercises, maximum repetitions on the pull-up and parallel bars, and endurance exercises, 1000 meters on a rowing ergometer – emphasizes Berberović.

In any case, according to Belmir, both categories are an integral part of European and world championships, the World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation IFBB.

Belmir has full support from his family, coaches, and surroundings, and all comments are positive. He says that he has achieved great success in this sport in a relatively short time, which has also been recognized by the media, unlike when he was involved in other sports.

- I have been practicing taekwondo for over 20 years. I hold the rank of black belt 4th Dan and serve as the general secretary and coach in the most successful taekwondo club in the country, the Novi Grad Sarajevo club. In addition to my taekwondo experience, I also hold a black belt 3rd Dan in hapkido, I regularly engage in running and participate in half-marathon and marathon competitions. During the earlier period, I competed in athletics in the pole vault discipline, and actively participated in shooting and mountaineering competitions – says this versatile athlete.

Nevertheless, for any athlete, nutrition plays a significant role. This is also the case for Belmir.

- Nutrition mainly consists of a higher intake of carbohydrates and proteins, which amounts to approximately 2500 thousand kcal surplus daily according to the developed plan and program. Training consists of five days a week, mostly exercises for one muscle group per day, with sets of up to 12 repetitions maximum, again in accordance with the plan and program created by my coach Mirsad Terzo. During preparation for competition, losing excess weight, nutrition is based on carbohydrate rotation and constant protein intake – says Berberović.