Indrek Talving: bodybuilding and willpower
Indrek Talving was a name to watch on Estonia’s youth bodybuilding stage in 2003. This article reworks an old questionnaire into a more readable format for today, while preserving his direct voice, his numbers and a little humor.
Why Indrek Talving matters to fitness.ee readers
Full name: Indrek Talving. Nickname: Inc. Date of birth: 30.12.1982. Place of birth: Tartu, though, as he puts it, he was whisked off to Põlva straight away. At the time, he was shuttling between Pärnu and Tallinn.
This is no dry athlete questionnaire. It captures a young bodybuilder’s world as it sounded around 2004: training, school, work, gentle self-deprecation and the sense that progress comes slowly, but it comes. That is what makes the profile interesting. Bodybuilding is about more than stage condition. It takes discipline, patience and sometimes even foolish persistence.
Indrek was studying computer science at Tallinn University of Technology and working as a gym instructor at Audentes. He trained at Audentes in Tallinn, at Mai-Sport in Pärnu or at home. He described his relationship status simply: in a happy, steady relationship.
He was 178 cm tall. His competition weight in 2003 was about 70 kg, and his off-season weight was 82 kg. He listed his measurements as biceps 43, thigh 63cm. His competition results included winning the junior division at the 2003 Estonian Cup and the 21-and-under title at the 2003 Estonian Championships. And, as he added himself, a few other bits and pieces here and there.
Indrek Talving and bodybuilding
Indrek’s introduction to bodybuilding was very simple: some old, rusty dumbbells he found in his father’s garage. He swung them around in strange ways and discovered that he could do more every day. A simple truth: when your body responds, you want to keep going.
His goal in bodybuilding was to progress as far as possible. Why bodybuilding? His answer had a childlike honesty: because it’s cool, obviously. He decided he would get big and strong. At that point, as he put it, he was halfway there.
His role models were everyone who could step onstage in great shape and pose with a smile. It is a good observation. Muscle alone is not enough onstage. You need conditioning, composure, the ability to present yourself and the capacity to smile through the effort. In his eyes, all those people were seriously impressive.
His biggest disappointment in bodybuilding? Honestly, that the process was “Sooooo slow”. Still, that made the end result all the more rewarding. His main sources of motivation were feeling fantastic and having a routine that brought structure to everything else he did. The most important thing, without which he felt there was no point hoping for success, was willpower.
What Indrek Talving said about himself
His hobbies were bodybuilding, swimming, reading and chess. Biggest fear: missing out on something exciting. Greatest virtue: persistence. Biggest flaw: persisting with foolish things, too. That last line says a lot about a person. Persistence helps you progress in training, but that same strength can sometimes become stubbornness.
He admired willpower in others. What he disliked most was unwarranted arrogance and complacency. The person he admired most was Schwarzu, specifically for his versatility. His greatest achievement outside bodybuilding was some twenty certificates in ballroom dancing and athletics.
He was not particularly interested in chasing personal strength records. He had never had a reason to test them. Several years earlier, he had bench-pressed 130. One other “record” he mentioned was drinking 4 l of water in one go. He did not feel good afterward. He considered his arms his strongest body part and his back his weakest.
Favorites, opinions and a message for readers
Indrek’s favorites were refreshingly everyday. Newspaper: Postimees. Car brand: he liked Audi. Drink: cold sparkling water. Time of day: 16:11. Day of the week: Friday. Actor: Jim Carrey. Filler word: like. Clothing: pants and a shirt, because that’s what you wear, right?
When it came to music, anything but jazz would do. TV show: Ärapanija was good. Food: pizza and other junk food, though a tenderloin steak probably beat everything else. As for magazines, he was waiting for the next issue of “Lemmik”. Athlete: Andrus Veerpalu. On his favorite season, he said it all depended on who you enjoyed it with.
The original also included a joke about a taxi driver, a woman and 40 rabbits. Its point was simple: sometimes a situation is nothing like your first startled reaction suggests. That kind of dry humor fitted the tone of the whole profile.
Asked about Marek Kalmus, Indrek said he unfortunately did not know him. He thought Ott Kiivikas was a great communicator and an athlete with high goals. His message to readers: there is not the slightest evidence to support the claim that life is serious. So go ahead and laugh!
FAQ
Who is Indrek Talving?
Indrek Talving is an Estonian bodybuilder who won the junior division at the 2003 Estonian Cup and the 21-and-under title at the 2003 Estonian Championships.
What was his main strength in bodybuilding?
He considered his arms his strongest body part. But he placed even greater importance on willpower, saying there was no point hoping for success in bodybuilding without it.
Why did he start bodybuilding?
It started with some old, rusty dumbbells he found in his father’s garage. He noticed his strength increasing day by day and decided to get big and strong.
Author: joker
Source: WHO – physical activity.
Come and train! ArtGym
