Rock-solid abs: three sets—that's all it takes to craft an incredible six-pack with IFBB pro Ronny Rockel's crunch-time workout

IF COMFORT IS WHAT MAKES US LAZY, Ronny "The Rock" Rockel should never fall victim to the siren song of complacency. Like some of the other more consistent athletes in bodybuilding, such as Milos Sarcev and Pavol Jablonicky, Ronny grew up under communist rule. Shielded from the outside world by the Iron Curtain, Ronny didn't even know what bodybuilding was until the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, at which time he saw Arnold Schwarzenegger's first true blockbuster, Conan the Barbarian, seven years after its American premiere.

Ronny was 17 years old and dumbstruck by the sight of Arnold as Conan, still in shape from his 1980 Mr. Olympia win. The 143-pound youngster instantly knew he wanted a body like Arnold's, but in those days there were no commercial gyms in Chemnitz, an East German town of 250,000 near the Czech border. Actually, there were no gyms at all. No dumbbells or barbells, no weights--nothing! But it takes determination to become a champion, and Ronny had plenty of it. Instead of abandoning his bodybuilding dream, he went to a junkyard, got himself some industrial cogwheels and iron bars and somehow tinkered them into a weight set.

Never mind that he didn't know a single bodybuilding exercise and had never read a bodybuilding magazine or book. He just lifted the barbells any way he could think of. Full of enthusiasm, he started lifting on a daily basis, sometimes as many as 3-4 hours a day, believing in the old adage that more is better.

The following year, the demise of communism spawned entrepreneurial activities in the East, and the first gym opened in Ronny's hometown. Of course, he became one of its first members. He soon started absorbing knowledge about nutrition and training from other gym members and bodybuilding magazines.

Ronny showed talent for his chosen sport early on, but if you think he was born with an aptitude for quick muscle gains, you'd be mistaken. "I worked my way up slowly and continuously, gaining 4 or 5 pounds and adding half an inch or so to my upper arms every year," he explains in a calm manner that exemplifies his approach to bodybuilding and life in general--one step at a time.

BODYBUILDING 101

Ronny was in no hurry to compete. As a young man, he followed a typical German career pattern and learned a trade. Ronny became a tiler, a craft that requires a steady hand and a good sense of aesthetics and symmetry, no doubt useful traits for a bodybuilder as well.

His first experience with competitive bodybuilding, in 1994, was a big disappointment and a valuable lesson at the same time. He entered the Hessian Championships, a state-level show, and placed dead last in his class. But Ronny turned his frustration into motivation and trained with a vengeance, determined to join the ranks of winners the following year. When he returned to the stage one year later, he was ready for combat. He won the NABBA German Nationals and placed third in the NABBA Mr. Universe, the one that Arnold won as a 19-year-old. "That's when I knew that I had what it takes to become a professional bodybuilder," recalls Ronny.

But his first foray into professional bodybuilding was still seven years away. Ronny's tiling job took him all over Germany and required him to work long hours. Finding time to train became a challenge, and hardcore workouts were limited to the weekends when he was off. He still managed to compete successfully in several NABBA shows, but it wasn't until 2002 that he joined the ranks of IFBB professionals. That year he stormed through several regional- and national-level IFBB amateur contests, culminating in his win at the International German Championships, which earned him his pro card.

In 2003, the newcomer from Germany was off to an impressive start in the pro ranks. He placed sixth behind Troy Alves at the Maximus Grand Prix in Rome and nabbed fourth at the Hungarian Grand Prix three months later, besting veteran IFBB pro Milos Sarcev with a more youthful package.

So far, however, a Mr. Olympia berth has been elusive. But Ronny knows it's only a matter of time until he stands on the most prestigious body building stage in the world. He now has his sights set on the 2004 Dutch Grand Prix on Nov. 6, just one week after the Olympia Weekend in Las Vegas. "I want to go all the way," says Ronny. "I'm now 32 and in great health. I turned pro only two years ago, and I'm going to be competing for many years. My plan is to compete until I'm 40. Until then, I can achieve a lot."

LIVING LIKE A PRO

In 2002, just when he was about to receive his pro card, the owner of a supplement company approached Ronny and offered him an endorsement contract. This was a big break for Ronny, who was then able to quit his physically demanding job and focus on bodybuilding full-time. The new lifestyle also made it possible for him to devote more energy to helping his mother, who suffers from diabetes.

And Ronny gets other help as well: His girlfriend Sabine is a big fan and often lets her own career take a backseat while she supports him. Recently, for example, she declined a promotion that would have required her to relocate. Instead, they have plans to take an extended trip to the mecca of bodybuilding: Venice, California.