Interview with Marco Buhl

All of us, watching videos that motivate us around the web, choose athletes who embody our ideal. Today on the pages of Grip and Bend Italia I will have the pleasure of hosting an athlete who for years has motivated me in each of his videos, embodying my idea of ​​strength, the 360 ​​° one, the experimental one and sometimes extreme. The athlete in question is Marco Buhl, whom we are going to get to know better immediately!

Hi Marco and thanks for your time! Introduce yourself to readers by describing who you are and where you type from:

Hi Giorgio! I was born 1981 in a small town in North Rhine Westfalia in Germany. It’s called Bad Fredeburg. I moved to the Ruhrgebiet to work as an industrial mechanic. Now I live with my wife in Recklinghausen and I’m a driver for a social institution. I’m 188cm tall and my actual weight is about 115kg.

Marco, tell us about your path to strength. What sport did you start from when you were a young age?

I have actually always done a lot of sports. When I was a little kid, we played a lot in the woods. It’s important to be outdoors a lot when you’re young and try out different things. Until the age of 16 I played the following sports in a club: swimming, soccer, tennis, taekwondo. I think at the age of 14 I started with weight training for the first time. But only at home for fun. My father also trained at the gym at that time. So the course was already predetermined. We grew up with He-Man, Stallone and Arnold.

I really admire your videos, where it is evident that you have very strong hands and wrists. But you are also a person who likes to have a strong and healthy body. Before we talk about grip, what do you like to do about your overall body strength today?

I change my workout plans often. But what I always have in there are squats and pull-ups. In the past also deadlifts.

Where did you buy your first grippers and decide you want to certify the coveted CoC # 3?

I bought my first gripper in a normal sports store. It was a blue plastic gripper. I think it was as heavy as a CoC S. I trained with it a few times and then put it away. After a few years I found the gripper and wondered if there were any heavier ones. Google brought me to the site of Hermann Korte. There I learned about the ironmind grippers. So one thing led to another. I learned about Gabriel Sum and the grip strength competitions. I can’t remember exactly, but at some point I ordered an old RT and the 1 Gripper. I think in 2009. In 2010 I went to my first Griffkraft competition on my birthday. From then on it really started. I wanted to do everything that had to do with grip strength. Of course, the 3 Cert came up as well. After a few setbacks, the time had come in 2015.

With the grippers you have done extraordinary tests, such as closing n ° 3 behind the back or closing two with both hands at the same time. What are the trials with grippers that you are very proud of?

Besides my No. 3 and GHP8 Cert, I’m proud of 7 No-Set reps with a No.3. As you know I’m a big Fan of TNS. Because of Gabriel Sum I think. You remember my Video hanging from a Pull-Up Bar closing a 3? Until today I have not managed to repeat the feat. But I am working on it. Another cool Feat was lifting the Inch Dumbbell and closing a 3 at the same time and 20 No-Set reps with a brand new 2.5. During a Grip Competition I did 17s Silverbullet with a number 4.

Beyond the grippers you have full hand strength, lifting the Thomas Inch and bending steel bars. What are the personal records you are most proud of?

10x 100kg with the old Rolling Thunder

1x 150kg Double Overhand Fat Gripz Extreme

Thumbless lift of the Thomas Inch Dumbbell

Bending Colossus

2x 20kg Eleiko Plate Pinch

Lifting my 25kg Gladiator Blob

Are you also passionate about running and arm wrestling, with what results?

Currently I do not run anymore. It was very hard to run 3-4 times a week besides strength training and grip training. It was a nice time and I also participated in competitions. My weight was about 100kg at that time.

10km in Duisburg: 01:01:12

Half Marathon in Dortmund: 02:26:18

25km Forrest Run in Bottrop: 02:49:15

I joined an Armwrestling Club in december 2019. because of covid-19 I cannot remember my last table training. I never had an Armwrestling Match, too. So I cannot say a lot about that. Just trying to get stronger at the armwrestling specific lifts. But there is a Match announced on instagram against Tetzel aka halbgottschmiede on July the 3. So that will be my first match I think.

How do you currently like to organize your workouts? What do you value most?

3 times a week Armwrestling specific training.

3 times a week general strength and bodybuilding training.

2 times a week Grip training

3 times a week core and mobility.

What lifts and exercises do you think have made a difference during the years of training to increase your strength?

I started grip Training with Fat Gripz. I attached them everywhere. Lat Pulldowns, Deadlifts, Pull-Ups, Biceps. I think that gave me a very good grip base. A game changer was plate curls and thumbless lifts. I think a strong wrist is MOST IMPORTANT in grip sport. With a strong wrist you can lift an Inch Dumbbell with small hands.

Volume, frequency and intensity, what do you think are the best choices to create a winning grip workout?

INTENSITY! I know there are people out there who think they can do a few gripper reps in front of TV or in bed. If you really give everything in one Gripper close – your lights go out for a moment. I always did freestyle grip workout. I tried everything from 2 times a day to one time a week. You have to find the right way for YOURSELF. I think this is a good beginner Grip Workout: Gripper, Pinchblock, Rolling Handle. In that order. 2 times a week. 5 sets with 3 reps. If you get stronger, prioritization is the key to success.

Do you have a low percentage of body fat, do you care a lot about your diet? How important do you think it is for Grip Sport?

My body fat is not that low actually 🙂 When I started strength training about 20 years ago, I also focused a lot on nutrition. I think it’s an important part of it. But you shouldn’t overestimate. Many say that nutrition is more important than training. I think it’s 60% training and 40% nutrition. It also depends on what you want. If you want to have big Guns, you have to eat a lot. Otherwise you won’t grow muscles. But you can build strength even if you don’t eat much. Strength and big muscles don’t necessarily have anything to do with each other.

I have been eating vegan for about 5 years. I used to eat a lot of meat and had about 300g of protein a day. Now I have 100g a day and there is no difference. Of course everything is a bit more exhausting at 40 than at 20. I also wouldn’t say that I have eaten or am eating healthy. I have always been a fan of junk food. I eat a lot of chips, chocolate and stuff like that. But I’ve always made sure to eat my standard healthy meals. I eat about 70% healthy, 30% unhealthy

What was the question again? 🙂 I don’t think nutrition plays a big role in grip sports like it does in strongman sports. BUT it is important to eat and drink enough. Gripsport is hard on your Joints, Ligaments and Bones. Also these want to be well supplied with food! If you eat poorly and diet often, injuries are on the way.

What would you like to achieve as results in the years to come?

My focus is now on armwrestling. My goal is good placements in national and international tournaments. When the gyms open again, I might try to bench press 180kg.

I want to be in Top5 of the GM150 Absolute category. Few days ago I talked with a Friend about cleaning the Inch dumbbell. Maybe I go for it one day…

We close with some advice that can help those who read us. Your opinion on what is important in grip training and on what people should absolutely avoid.

Go on Competitions if it’s possible and do official Grip Certs and Grip feats. If you start grip training you should set yourself goals. That is VERY IMPORTANT. If you have no goals, you do grip just 4 fun. That’s ok, too. But if you want to to become a Captain of Crush you should focus on Gripper. You want to lift The Inch Dumbbell? Focus on that! The same with Blobs oder Plate Pinch… Bending goals? That’s another thing. You have to stop gripper, pinching and Thickbar lifting – JUST BEND! There are only a few guys out there who can do everything at the same time.

Watch videos from the good grip guys out there. Tons of really good stuff. Don’t do negatives on Gripper and take your Time with steel bending.

And alwyas remember the following quote of Arnold Schwarzenegger:

You can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pocket.

Thanks for everything Marco and good luck for everything!

Thanks! It was a pleasure to answer your questions.

                                                                                     Giorgio Giannico