Kert Kaljula: the story of a men’s physique competitor
Kert Kaljula came to the world of beach fitness from the wrestling mat — and won two golds at their very first Estonian Championships. This is the story in their own words: how they got into the sport, what they eat, how they train and what keeps their motivation up during a diet.
From the wrestling mat to the beach fitness stage
Kert got to know sport at just six years old, when they joined the Viljandi Tulevik wrestling club. They wrestled for fourteen years in a row. The results speak for themselves: thirteen Estonian championship gold medals across different age categories, plus Baltic and Russian championship titles and a host of international wins.
The turning point came in February 2015, when Kert started working at Robocop. Colleagues Eleri Õisma and Peep Reinart noticed that Kert’s physique suited the men’s physique, or beach fitness, category. Kert didn’t jump at the first suggestion to compete at the Estonian Cup — the preparation time seemed too short. But they did go to watch. Seeing the stage from the audience gave such a push that Kert wrote to coaches straight after the competition, and the Estonian Championships became a firm goal.
The result was impressive. The 2015 Estonian Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships brought home four first places: beach fitness juniors +175 cm, beach fitness men -178 cm, overall winner in both categories, plus the title of best newcomer. From there, the road led to the World Fitness Championship.
Training and daily routine
Kert does five workouts a week, six in the competition period. The plan is split across four days: back and traps, chest with biceps and abs, legs and calves with abs, shoulders and triceps. The rep count per exercise stays in the range of 8–12, with 3–6 sets.
A typical day starts at eight in the morning. Breakfast, work, a bag packed with food for the whole day and training gear. In the evening it’s off to the Sparta gym, where the session takes an hour and a half to two hours. Home, dinner, bed. On a free day the workout happens earlier, so there’s time to prepare the next few days’ meals — and time for yourself and your loved ones.
Nutrition and supplements in beach fitness
Kert eats five meals a day. Calories and macro split follow coach Peep Reinart’s handbook — Kert doesn’t improvise. During the diet phase, a day looks roughly like this: eggs in the morning, quark with berries as a snack, chicken and vegetables for lunch, a protein shake before and after training, and buckwheat or rice with chicken in the evening.
When it comes to sweets, Kert says they don’t deny themselves — now and then they allow themselves something they like. But discipline is stronger than cravings, because the wish to build their shape outweighs a bite of something sweet.
As for supplements, Kert mentions creatine in the morning and before training, whey protein before and after training, BCAA during training, alpha-lipoic acid alongside meals, and in the evening fish oil, a magnesium-zinc-B6 complex, taurine and a multivitamin. Each has its role: creatine for endurance across sets, BCAA for recovery already during training, alpha-lipoic acid for balancing blood sugar and moving amino acids into the muscle cell, and the evening capsules to support sleep and regeneration. Find them HERE
What Kert recommends to beginners in beach fitness
Kert’s advice is simple: consistency. Don’t give up if the first weeks don’t go as planned or if the picture in the mirror doesn’t yet match your expectations. “Very few people have gotten far in life with little effort,” Kert says.
Sport doesn’t stop in their free time — football in an amateur league, running in the woods, swimming, cycling, and on the ski trail in winter. Lately Kert has taken a liking to cooking. Kert is also a big film fan — sometimes up to six times a month at the cinema. Travelling and discovering new places round out the picture.
Kert says they find energy and motivation from within. When you do something with passion and dedication, positivity comes naturally — and there’s enough of it to go around. Loved ones play a big part, supporting Kert at every step. Their motto is a line that speaks to athletes beyond the stage as well: life is like mountain climbing, but the view from the top is beautiful.
FAQ
What’s the difference between beach fitness and bodybuilding?
Beach fitness, or men’s physique, judges an athletic, proportionate physique without the extreme muscle mass of bodybuilding. Competitors perform in board shorts, and the emphasis is on a V-shaped torso and overall aesthetics, not maximum size.
How many times a week should you train for beach fitness?
Going by Kert’s example, five times a week is enough in the off-season, rising to six in the competition period. A beginner needs three to four workouts a week to start seeing visible progress.
Can you allow yourself sweets during the diet phase?
In the off-season, yes, in moderation — total calories and macros just have to add up by the end of the day. In the last weeks of the diet phase before stepping on stage, the plan leaves no free slots.
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