Hello dear Bodybuilding-Fans,

yes you have read right: It goes on – but not on active contest stage. You have probably already noticed how it went for me on this years Mr.Olympia. I, of course, am deeply dissapointed and have no idea why I was placed this bad.

I also admit that this wasn´t my best shape. But at least a placing Top-15 is something I would consider appropiate. But I do not want to keep on complaining but rather come to the “core” of my announcement: As of now on I will retire from active bodybuilding. I made this decision already after the Arnold-Classic, so the bad placing at the Mr.Olympia-contest has nothing to do with this decision as it enforces me in my thoughts.

I certainly also want to give an open and honest explanation as I do not want it to look like an offended act of defiance. No, it is a well-considered decision.

You all know me as a hard-working pro-athlete, who always gives more than 100% when working out. This was the only way of keeping myself at the sports top of the world over the past ten years. Only by pushing the heaviest training-sessions I was able to gain all the muscle-mass as well as the volume, for which I won fans and bodybuilding-friends from all-over the world. I did never regret this, I always had fun and due to this I have a lot of gratitude for my fans.

This absolute will of giving always everything and of always training at the limit became my fate about two years ago (or longer *?!). I suffered a fissure of the right pectoral muscle which unfortunately cannot be repaired by surgery.

*Until today I have no clue when this happened as it is no “classic” fissure taking place completely free from pain and wounds. It never was obvious, especially during off-season and with pumped-up muscles. So I was even more curious when I noticed it during pre-contest-diet. If you take a look at the pictures of the past two years you can see the lingering process as the fissure got larger and larger.

Nevertheless, I kept on training as I´m not one of those just giving up and due to the fact that there wasn´t any necessary change conderning my chest-training as it was still powerful, intense and free from pain. That´s how I had a great year of 2006, which I´m very proud of afterwards, as I was able to be one of the top-guys up on pro-stage, despite this handicap.

But the judges punished me for this flaw at the Arnold Classics for the first time as the gave me an unusually bad placing (I have to admit though, I wasn´t in my best shape as well). So after this contest my decision was certain that the Mr.Olympia´07 would be my last contest.

But as I didn´t want to retire with the bad placing of the Arnold Classic, I invested all my power in preparing for the Mr.Olympia-contest. However, my chest pulled itself away more and more and noticeably lost on volume. As I´ve never really had a “placing-present” given to me by American judges, but rather had to fight hard for each of my placings and even more often had to accept those way below my actual performance, I was sure that the flaw of my chest would become my fate.

And this is how it happened that I was placed outside the Top-15 for the first time ever at this year´s Mr.Olympia. Of course, emotionally this is a very painful experience for me, as in my opinion a placing this bad was not justified at all.

But not concerning my chest-handicap, I consider the present development of pro-bodybuilding as another reason to retire from active competition: On contest-stage, the preference seems to shift increasingly from musclemass to “muscle-conditioning”, to be more “cut-up”.

When I started as pro, I was told at the young age of 25 that my contest weight of 118kg at 177cm would still be too light in order to compete seriously with the other Greats of the sport. Fortunately, increasing my mass by another 15kg came up as one of my talents over the years. This made me not just one of the most massive bodybuilders of all times, but also gave me my reputation as well as the favour and loyalty of my fans.

Meanwhile, most of the pro-line-ups (as well as the one at this year´s Mr.Olympia), for the main part, consist of lighter athletes where the muscle-conditioning is more prefered rather than musclemass. Bodybuilding always meant to me power, mass, enormous proportions, which are way ahead of the amateur´s achievements and dimensions. Now, with these elements not seeming to be preferred on pro-stage anymore, those contest appear to me more like “dehydrating-contest” rather than classic bodybuilding.

This is a field I cannot make use of as well as I do not want to make use of , regardless of my chest-handicap.

The era of the massive athletes seems to come to an end. With the concurrent resignation of Ronnie Coleman (and myself), Jay Cutler seems to be the only athlete left in the “125kg and up”- category. Bodybuilding finally seems to face the changes that have been announced for quite some time.

I´m in the pro-business since 1997, competing in far more than 30 pro-contests. I was qualified nine times in a row for the Mr.Olympia-contest, won two pro-contests and finished four times runner-up. But what makes me the proudest is that I could win my fan´s hearts and receptions. That´s why I wish to thank all of my fans who walked along with me for all these years and who always backed me up. Even when a contest didn´t end for me successfully, my fans and friends always supported me with their encouraging words.

For this I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Even though I might not be an active contest-athlete aymore, I will NOT say my goodbyes to bodybuilding. I will keep on being there for the sport as well as being present and I will continue being your “massmonster”.

In the future I will have even more time and opportunities to approach you, my fans and friends, and to answer as well as to comment your emails, questions and suggestions. Therefore I will reactivate my “questions and answers”-category on my website, which I have reprehensively neglected. This is how I would like to be there for you with my knowledge and suggestions. And I´m definitely looking forward to meet up with you at contests, fairs and other occasions. You know, I´m always there for a joke ;).

Thank you lots for these wonderful years*

Yours, Markus.

(*I won´t get lost for you.)

	Virtual comparison: Is it really fair that there is a 15-placings difference?

As far as this years Olympia as well as my placing are concerned I do not want to got into too much detail considering the announcement I made above.

But I seriously ask myself if, with my shape, I really should have been placed outside the Top-15.

In the following, I definitely do not want to criticize Jay Cutler who,in my eyes, is a fantastic athlete as well as a great representative for the sport of bodybuilding.

But is it really fair that there is a 15-placings difference between the virtual comparisons shown aside?

Some fans already told me that I still got the potential of winning contests. It may be that I´m still able to place myself Top-3 at some Grand-Prix-contest, as it happened a week beforehand the Olympia at the Pro-Grand-Prix at Santa Susanna where I finished runner-up, with 132kg being as heavy as never before on contest-stage.

But it is not my claim to qualify myself for the Mr.Olympia-contest on any Grand-Prix, if I cannot get a top-placing due to a chest-injury. I was always on top, but when I realize that this won´t be the case from now on, then I think it is the best time to retire from active contest.

I came in 2nd place at this years Pro Grand Prix at Santa Susanna, the same as last year. A cold gave me the problem that I kept more water to my body than I had actually planned. Despite this, on stage I was as massive as I had in mind. Even more massive than a week later at the Mr.Olympia contest.

The victory at Santa Susanna once more went to Paco Bautista. Ronny Rockel achieved 3rd place with his great shape. Those complaining about my “shape” better should keep their opinion about Paco all to themselves. Paco´s not the inventor of symmetry. But on this day he definitely was the most cut-up athlete on stage, which was considered well by the judges. No matter if symmetrical or not – Paco brought a great package of musclemass and thightness on stage. But if the victory again was justified despite of his weakness concerning symmetry, this is something everybody has to judge for him- or herself.

There´s one more thing I´d like to mention: Paco is a great guy,who I like a lot. Even if we don´t speak the same language, we notice quickly that both of us just love and appreciate the freakish and massive appearances on stage. So Paco is one of the most sympathetic athletes that I love to meet up with in the pro-business – except on the Spanish stage of Santa Susanna, of course ;)!

By the way, Armin Scholz also took part in the contest.

Paco Bautista, Markus Rühl, Ronny Rockel

Dear bodybuilding friends,

first of all I like to apologize, that I did not have more time to update my website earlier and more often.

The last months were pretty stressful and I did really not find enough time for it.

My recent contest preparation works well and you will see me next at the Santa Susanna Pro Grand Prix an September 23th 2007.

I am already qualified for the Olympia, but I want to compete on this contest, because it is a great chance to warm up for the Olympia season.

But now a theme, I am very sorry about:

Many people are asking me, when the English version of my DVD will be released.

I am very sorry and want to apologize, that we are still not finish with the translation.

There were many people who aked me, why we use so much time for a good translation as long as most of the fans are interesting to see pure training scenes.

I like you all to know, that the "Big and Loving it"-DVD is completely different and shows much more than just training scenes. You will see me as close as never before: All the different circumstances in my life - the fun, the problems, a humorous and a sad Markus. Tons of bonus material and so on.

We have put so much heart and soul into it, that not only me but also the production company want the English version to become perfect.

So it happend, that we miscalculated the release date. We will do our best, that the DVD will be released before the Olympia within the next few weeks.

So I have another big request to all my fans:

Please do not blame the great bodybuilding stores for the delay of the DVD. Many of them were asked, why they still are not able to ship the DVD.

The answer is: Because we are still not finish with it.

So I want to beg you to be a little more patient for just a few weeks. You will not be disappointed. I promise. The DVD will be completely different to everything else. You will love it!

So please do not blame those great stores like Wayne Gallasch's GMV bodybuilding store (Australia and worldwide), the Weider Mail Order (complete Europe) or the FlexFlix and Mesomorphosis stores for the delay (because they had already published our miscalculated release date).

These are great and reliable business partners, who will supply the worldwide market as soon as the production company will have finished the DVD within the next weeks.

So please do not blame them for the delay!

If you want to be informed about this theme, the release date and everything else about me, please join our newsletter.

Kind regards

your Markus

I was informed at the Muscular Development forum about all my cover shots.

A user has put them on the board and asked my, what my favourite picture was.

I definately like the second picture (biceps curls) the most. Damn, even my triceps look huge on this picture. ;-)

But the most fun I had with Branch Warren after the Arnolds 2007 during the photo shooting in L.A.

Branch is a very humorous and friendly person. I like this guy!

Dear bodybuilding friends,

yesterday 'I arrived in Columbus Ohio. For the very first time I used my new notebook for something sensible and wrote this update during my business trip.

My flight was very stressful as usual. Sitting more than half a day in a plane is not very funny. I was very glad, when I arrived at the end.

Today I did a workout at the World Gym. I still feel pretty big, even at the end of my carbing-down-season.

Tomorrow I will start carbing up. I am really looking forward to the carbohydrates. ;-)

I hardly can see or smell chicken breast anymore.

Cross your fingers for me on Saturday when I compete at the Arnold Classics.

Kind regards

Markus

PS: New pictures in the gallery!

Dear bodybuilding friends,

I wish you all a Happy New Year.

I am sorry for these delayed wishes, but I have been very busy during the last weeks.

Short review about last year:

No injuries, I was able to increase my shape after my bad placing in 2005. So my 2006-comeback succeeded.

Furthermore I got my Olympia qualification for 2007, when I placed third behind Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman at the Pro Grand Prix in Graz, Austria.

Finally I must admit, that I was not really happy about the 8th place at the 2006' Olympia, because many people told me, I should have placed much better.

Nevertheless not only my fans but also Steve Blechman was pleased to see me in good shape again, so he gave me a contract for the Muscular Development magazine.

The new magazine cover with Dennis Wolf and me (shot by Per Bernal) looks really great. 

Futhermore you can visit the board of the MD-website to ask me questions.

You can find a copy of all my answers in my column Questions & Answers.

What else happened in December 2006?

I had a very nice seminar and guest appearance at a jail in Germany. I have never been in a jail before. I was surprised how friendly everyone was to me and my wife. Pictures are in the gallery.

What was the main point again? Yes! Happy New Year, my friends!

Everyone who likes to see how I partied and who my company was, please watch the following video clips.

New Years Eve Videoclip Download:

wmv (Windows Media, 480x360, 16 MB)

Quicktime (H.264, AAC, 640x480, 34 MB)

Link to YouTube-Website:

YouTube-Website (Flash-Stream)

In the end I guess it is time to disclose a secret.

Please do not email me or ask me questions about it. Better join the newsletter an get always the latest news about it! ;-)

Kind regards

your Markus