Janar Rückenberg: An Estonian bodybuilder’s story

Janar Rückenberg is an Estonian bodybuilder from Rakvere whose answers reveal an honest, fairly outspoken approach to training. This article brings together his profile, thoughts on training, favorites and the background to his 2005 season in an accessible read.

Janar Rückenberg and his background

His full name is Janar Rückenberg. On the Amazon.ee portal, for instance, he went by the nickname Oskar. He was born on 11 November 1979 in Rakvere and, at the time of the interview, lived in Rakke, a small settlement in Lääne-Viru County.

He represented the University of Tartu Sports Club, but at the time was training in the local school’s small gym. That says a lot. Hard work doesn’t always start in an impressive gym. Sometimes it starts somewhere with a barbell, weights and enough determination.

He was living with his partner, and they had a 2-year-old son. Janar was 186 – 187 cm tall. His competition weight at the 2005 Estonian Cup was 82.5 kg, while his highest off-season weight was 102 kg. His measurements were substantial too: biceps 45 – 48 cm, chest 125 – 130 cm, waist 87 – 88 cm when bulking and 80 cm when dieting, thighs 72 – 74 cm and calves 46 – 47 cm.

Among his competitive achievements, he listed the 2005 Bodyfitness Cup title and 5th place overall in fitness in 2005. As for the rest, he simply said it wasn’t worth mentioning. His contact email was janar.ryckenberg@mail.ee, and he had no website.

What Janar Rückenberg learned from bodybuilding

Janar was quite down-to-earth when talking about himself. His job? In his own words: you don’t want to know, :)), I sell petrol, I’m a petrol station attendant! His hobbies were bodybuilding, music, and reading and translating articles about bodybuilding.

His greatest fears were perhaps death, a terminal illness, injuries and being left disabled. He named honesty, willpower and an inability to hold a grudge for long as his greatest virtues. He saw his tendency to go to extremes as a flaw. In his own words, there was no such thing as any in-between stuff.

The person he admired most was his mother. She had given him a great deal of support and help, shaping him into the person he was at the time. His greatest achievement outside bodybuilding was graduating from the University of Tartu. He was pretty pleased about that.

He valued directness, a willingness to help and the ability to resist temptation in other people. Hypocrisy, dishonesty and two-faced behavior bothered him most. The simple truth is that these answers sound like they come from someone who doesn’t want to say the right things just to make himself look better.

Bodybuilding, money and motivation

Janar’s bodybuilding role models were Arnold Schwarzenegger, Marek Kalmus and Ronnie Coleman. His greatest disappointment with the sport, however, was money. He said outright that without the funds, you cannot pursue the sport, even with the best possible genetics and training conditions.

That sentiment is still familiar in Estonian bodybuilding. The sport demands time, food, recovery, equipment and contest preparation. Meanwhile, you still have to get on with everyday life. For Janar, the paradox was that someone with the potential, perseverance and desire could be held back simply by a lack of financial resources.

Asked how much bodybuilding affected his personal life, he said it had been having quite an impact lately, particularly after the spring 2005 season. He was already making a conscious effort to arrange his life around his training, including his jobs and other day-to-day commitments, so that his training wouldn’t suffer.

If he could change anything, it would be the judging system. Janar felt it should be more objective and should somehow take the men’s height into account. Learning motivated him: bodybuilding literature, biographies, other people’s experiences and training videos. And, of course, his own good competition results gave him the strength to keep going.

Janar Rückenberg on training and goals

On the subject of success, Janar said there was no single answer. For him, money, good genetics and a strong willingness to work hard were important. His personal bests were squat: 190 kg; bench press: 175 kg; deadlift: 225 kg.

He considered his chest the strongest part of his physique. His legs were his weakest point: in his words, they just refused to grow. Many people who train will recognize that answer. Every athlete has an area that develops more quickly and another that requires more patience.

His bodybuilding ambitions were big. Naturally, he wanted to make it internationally, beyond Estonia. At the same time, he would be happy to feature in Estonia’s overall competition standings for the next twenty or so years and to see his name in a future book on bodybuilding.

Why bodybuilding in particular? For Janar, the key word was individualism. Team sports didn’t suit him. In bodybuilding, success depended largely on him, and he could quietly get on with things on his own. P.S. He thought strength and big muscles should appeal to every normal man.

Favorites and people he admired

His list of favorites was colorful. He liked all the seasons, provided they were as they should be. His newspaper of choice was Postimees. Asked about car brands, he said he liked off-road vehicles. For films, he singled out Schwarzenegger’s work, including Terminator II and Predator I, but added that there were plenty of good films.

For drinks, he named kvass, Coke, coffee and sometimes plain water. His best time of day was late afternoon, perhaps around 17.00 – 18.00, when he felt his capacity for work and motivation were at their highest. His musical tastes included hip-hop and R&B, but sometimes heavier stuff too: Rammstein, Metallica, Korn, Hatebreed and the like.

His favorite days of the week were Thursday and Friday. His favorite actors were Denzel Washington, Samuel Jackson and Tom Hanks. He preferred tracksuits and felt pretty comfortable in his workout clothes at the gym:)! His TV show of choice was Seitsmesed uudised.

His favorite meal was very specific: potatoes, boiled first and then fried, with grilled chicken. Ketchup and mayonnaise for flavor, with beetroot salad dressed with vinegar on the side. For dessert, he liked kissel made with dried apricots/peaches, and quark. The magazines he singled out were Flex and Muscle&Fitness—good, but packed with ads!

Among Estonian male athletes, Marek Kalmus was someone he certainly admired. Internationally, he singled out American sprinters for their individuality and strong personalities. He spoke candidly about Marek Kalmus: it was a shame that someone who had put in so much work and come so far received zero support or attention. Janar also said that Marek had helped him a great deal and was undoubtedly a major role model.

He had had less contact with Ott Kiivikas. He did not know Ott particularly well personally, but his impression was of someone friendly and helpful. He was pleased to see how far Ott had come.

FAQ

What were Janar Rückenberg’s best lifts?

His personal records were squat: 190 kg; bench press: 175 kg; deadlift: 225 kg. These numbers show that he had serious strength to go with his stage physique.

Which club did Janar Rückenberg represent?

He represented the University of Tartu Sports Club and was training in the small gym at a local school at the time. This background grounds the interview in the everyday realities of training in Estonia.

What was his wish for readers?

He wished men who took their training seriously the strength and determination to keep going. His point was simple: if your spirit and motivation fade, everything is lost.

Author: joker

Source: WHO – physical activity.

Come and train! ArtGym