Record Attempt on AsVIVA Speedbike in Stuttgart

"Iron" Kurt Köhler wants to break the indoor speed record with AsVIVA.

And all for a good cause: it gets underway on 15.10.2017 at the charity event for the association "Helden für Tiere e.V." hosted by TV host Ralf Seeger (seen on VOX's "Harte Hunde") at Hotel Reich in Stuttgart Schorndorf. Kurt Köhler (eisenkurt.eu) has been a major figure in extreme competitive sports for 18 years and has been training his endurance and strength daily for over 40 years. Extreme time trials, boxing records, squats, leg presses – hardly any strength or endurance record seems safe from the athlete, who is now 66 years old. Despite his numerous successes, Köhler is far from tired of chasing records. Now he wants to set a new indoor speed record on a speed bike from AsVIVA: the most kilometers within one hour. Köhler has targeted an average speed of 60 km/h for his exercise bike turbo test. We spoke with the sports veteran in advance about his passion for extreme sports and record attempts.

Interview with Kurt "Eisenkurt" Köhler on the 2017 Speedbike Challenge

When did your fascination with competitive sports begin?

As a 16-year-old, I was the fastest sprinter at school, running 100 meters in 11,6 seconds. Back then, I kept fit by running a lot. When a friend took me to TAEKWONDO when I was 19, I was instantly hooked. Even after 45 years, I still have that passion for martial arts inside me. Over the decades, it served as the foundation for my performance in all the records of the last 18 years.

When and how did you realize that “regular sports” were no longer enough for you?

Starting in 1993, during a squat test in my basement, I noticed that my body possessed a level of fitness I hadn't known before. After 3 months of preparation, I did a test performing squats with a 50 kg barbell. Within 45 minutes, I managed 1200 barbell squats. I wasn't really aware of what that meant at the time. It was only later, through many training sessions, that I felt something had changed, and I was already planning to break records from the age of 50 onwards.

In which sports do you feel most comfortable?

In this order: martial arts, endurance, strength (boxing, kicking, running, cycling/Speedbike, swimming, strength).

What personally appeals to you about setting records?

It's always a sense of achievement when the body reaches new performance dimensions. That has nothing to do with a person's age. I improved my performance values from 1994 from a maximum of 375 watts to easily 1000 watts at 46 rpm in 2014 (at age 63). There were even reserves left during the test.

What important tip would you give to fitness beginners?

The most important tip is to give the body time to develop. So don't train too heavy or too long. Especially during the first 1-2 years after starting to train. A weekly fitness program of 3 x 45 minutes, combining strength and endurance, is already sufficient.

What should you pay special attention to when deciding to start endurance or strength training?

First and foremost is not damaging your joints. I've met a lot of broken athletes, both professional and amateur, who destroyed their body's joints by the age of 25 to 30 or even much earlier.

How do you prepare for your special extreme sports record attempts?

I always set key priorities for the specific record. For example, the ratio is 30% regular program and 70% record-specific training. For instance, I test leg presses over one hour. As soon as I notice that the training no longer strains me, I increase it to 3 hours. After about 4-5 months, there is a test lasting 6-7 hours. During preparation, I continually increase the individual weight.

Are there still boundaries for you that you would like to break?

I still have plans in strength training, endurance (Indoor Cycle), and martial arts (laughs).

What has been your toughest test so far?

In 2006, I performed a leg press record on the incline leg press. I had to move 380 kg 30 times every 30 seconds – for a total of 55 sets. I was even cooled down with a fan next to my head because of the risk of overheating. According to the doctor, there is a danger of a blood vessel bursting in the brain. That level of strain did not occur in any other record attempt, even over many hours.

How much and what do you train daily?

I train 1,5 -3 hours daily, or even longer depending on record plans. For a squat record, for example, I did reps with 100kg almost every day for over a year, always doing 12 repetitions per set in training. The toughness tests then lasted up to 3 hours of doing only squats, for example. In the actual record, it was 1872 squats in 6,5 hours. My training program runs 365 days a year: it's a mix of martial arts, endurance, and strength. Every day is structured differently. When I started training more intensively in 1994, days with 7 hours of skating and 2 hours of martial arts were a normal daily routine. The next day was then structured differently again.

How would you weigh physical versus mental fitness requirements for yourself?

Physical conditioning develops parallel to mental strength over decades through consistent, hard, and regular training without wearing down the body.

Do you have a trick to overcome the often-cited inner weaker self to push through during training?

Just 30 minutes a day with the same program and a 5 % increase per month is enough to keep developing the body.

Is there a difference for you between classic outdoor sports and targeted fitness training on or with fitness equipment?

Every workout, whether indoors or outdoors, provides different stimuli to the body and thus leads to physical progress. Of course, training in nature is nicer in my opinion – depending on the weather, naturally (laughs). That's why I combine outdoor and indoor training.

How important is proper nutrition for you?

Optimal nutrition accounts for 60 -70 % of training success. In competitions, this is often the factor that decides victory.

When did your fascination with competitive sports begin?

My next world record attempt is on 15.10 in Stuttgart Schorndorf at Hotel Reich at the charity gala hosted by Ralf Seeger from Vox for the association Helden für Tiere EV. The most kilometers ridden on a Speedbike in one hour.

Fitness records by Kurt "Eisenkurt" Köhler

• 2015 - World record vertical leg press
• 2014 - World record vertical leg press
• 2013 - 3 consecutive days 8 hours Indoor Cycle
• 2013 - Record 23.150 boxing punches in 1 hour
• 2013 - 1.872 squats with 100 kilograms
• 2012 - 157 kilometer bicycle race in 4 hours and 10 minutes
• 2012 - 100 consecutive hours on the Indoor Cycle
• 2012 - Vertical leg press record
• 2011 - 38-hour time trial
• 2008 - 53,8 kilometers in one hour
• 2005 - Incline leg press world record
• 2003 - 10 sports in 25 hours
• 2001 - Record 16.545 punches in 1 hour