Interview on nutrition with world champion of IFBB - Tomas Smrek

At the end of 2019, our particularly good customer and even better friend Tomáš Smrek became the world champion in the IFBB association, specifically in the Games Classic Bodybuilding category. This category is known mainly due to strict doping controls, which none of the applicants for the medal can avoid!

It's great to know that you can become a world champion in bodybuilding without the support of banned substances. That’s why we couldn’t deny to make an interview with him, because he is the one who holds in his hand a torch of hope and motivation for all natural exercisers!

Note: See also our joint training with Tomáš Smrek!

Tomáš, is known for his precise strength training and especially for his perfect supplement preparation for training. Can you tell us what your normal PREworkout looks like?

I don't know if I'm that well known :) but it's true that I pay a lot of attention to supplements related to training. As long as I work out, I'm looking for the perfect pre-workout supplement. I have tried many of them without studying their composition and active ingredients. But with new and "brutal" boosts coming, I wanted to know what to choose and how they truly work.

I am currently using a pre-workout supplement from NaMaximum - NitroCell. It contains active substances such as citrulline, arginine, beta alanine, creatine, betaine, caffein and also a dose of electrolytes - sodium, potassium, magnesium - all in a functional amount. It also maintains mental focus thanks to L-theanine a L-tyrosine. 

I add 2-3 g citrulline, 2-3 g electrolytes and another 2-3 g of creatine to it.

I could simply add another scoop of NitroCell, but this way I would also add another 60 mg of caffeine and synephrine, which are stimulants and, in addition to energizing you, they contract the blood vessels, making it harder for blood to flow into a trained muscle, thus its pumping is much harder.

Stimulants, on the other hand, are good if you exercise for maximum strength results. If your goal is to increase strength, caffeine, synephrine and stimulants in general are OK.

My goal is maximum muscle gain, so I try to limit stimulants only to the amount that stimulates me to work out, but it does not have a negative effect on the flow of blood and nutrients to the muscle.

In our joint workout video, you also indicated your training supplement. Will you also explain to our readers how you proceed with supplementation and macronutrients after successfully finished training?

Since I supplement carbohydrates, electrolytes and amino acids in the "intra" drink during training, I do not use the after-training "shake". I let my stomach and overall body calm down and process the tension to which I exposed it during training.

After training, which can sometimes be more than an hour, I put together a training meal of 100 g rice porridge, smaller banana and protein powder.
 

I mainly want to include carbohydrates and proteins in this meal - I try to avoid fat so that I do not burden my digestion. Thus, after-training meal has 100-120 g of carbohydrates, 20-30 g of protein.

Then this is a solid structure of using nutritional supplements in the period around training!

What dietary supplements do you use besides the supplements you use to prepare for training? 

The complete basis of athlete's supplementation should be vitamins and minerals, at least from my point of view. I supplement B vitamins (B complex) involved in energy conversion, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system (after heavy training it is weakened), vitamins D3+K2 supporting the proper function of the liver and regeneration of the nervous system, sodium, potassium, magnesium, Omega3 fatty acids to support proper cholesterol levels.

Furthermore, I supplement adaptogens that help my regeneration - AntiCatabolic Guard from NaMaximum.sk is a great complex in my opinion and I cannot imagine anything better :) It contains substances such as Cordyceps, HMB, Ashwaganda and Sylibum marianum, which strengthen muscle regeneration, liver and reduce levels catabolic stress hormone cortisol.

Sometimes I also go for GABA, if I feel that I can't manage to completely regenerate difficult trainings.

How do you keep your testosterone high without doping?

Testosterone levels are very volatile, as it is a hormone that is secreted by pulsed secretions. I try to increase it with Tribulus and combination of ZMB6 - zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6, which also helps regeneration.

But with testosterone, you can't forget that it's made from cholesterol. Of fats of animal origin. That's why whole eggs have a stable place in my diet.

How many macronutrients and in what proportion do you receive them in your volume preparation?

I must admit that I do not deal with the exact calorie intake in volume preparation. I don't mind gaining extra fat. I feel better that way, especially mentally. I only make sure to take at least 200 g of protein a day. I catch up with the rest of my energy with fats and carbohydrates, which climb over 150 g of fat and 600 g of carbohydrates a day.

What protein sources do you prefer? Do you include protein powders in your intake (200 g)?

I most often use poultry and beef as protein sources. I don't despise pork either, but I eat it rather occasionally. Personally, I don't like fish very much, even though they are a great source of protein and they are my first choice in the diet. For example, Alaska cod and salmon. Furthermore, they are dairy products such as curd, cottage cheese, skyr, mozzarella, but also common hard cheese or mouldy cheeses.

I also sporadically add legumes to my diet as a source of protein and fibre. Beans in tomato or chili sauce are my favourites.

I also include protein powders in my total income, but as I said, protein powders are a diversification for me rather than an integral part of my diet.

Concluding question - what is your favourite food in volume preparation, when you do not strictly control calories? :)

I don't have a favourite food. I like to go for a good beef steak but also for pizza. But there is something I will not deny after any competitive diet ... namely cod in mayonnaise and fresh white croissants :)

I never eat it during the year, but after a diet it's something amazingly satisfying for me: D

Tomáš's competitive successes 

2012- Junior World Vice Champion in Men's Fitness

2016 - 2nd place Slovak Championship, classic bodybuilding up to 175 cm

2017 - Tatra Cup - 2nd place classic bodybuilding up to 180 cm

2018 Tatra Cup - 1st place, classic bodybuilding up to 175 cm

2018 Dynamic Cup - 2nd place, classic bodybuilding up to 180 cm

2019 Tatra Cup - 1st place, classic bodybuilding up to 180 cm

2019 Dynamic Cup - 1st place, Classic Physique up to 180 cm

2017 and 2018 - Vice World Champion Games Classic Bodybuilding

2019 - MASTER OF THE WORLD Games Classic bodybuilding