February 10, 2017, Berlin – the grand opening of the MTM Personal Training Studio on Franklinstrasse. After many years of planning, long months of preparation and organization, Max Barde, Tom Sperling and Malte Primus are fulfilling their dream of owning their own gym. I'm at the opening myself - one of almost 250 guests who were all looking forward to the opening and plundered the delicious, healthy buffet. The training concept is well thought out, the training options are optimally selected and we are very proud to have you as a partner for Supz Nutrition
Johanna: When did you get the idea that you definitely wanted to do this as a career - so when did you realize that you would love to have your own studio?
Max: The first thoughts that I could somehow do something with sports came to me when I was 14/15. When I was young, my father always influenced me with sports, and by the time I graduated from sports school it was clear that things would go in that direction. Then I actually did an internship in a wellness hotel and had closer contact with trainers who trained on site. I think that was the final step until my decision was finally made. I think I was 18 then.
I started studying sport shortly after Malte and at the beginning of our studies we both decided relatively quickly that we wanted to open our own personal training studio together. At that time, personal training was just starting and was really hyped - then the idea came straight away. That was when I was 18 or 19.
Johanna: Cool! So you've known each other since the first day of your studies?
Max: No, much longer. (laughs) Since the 5th or 6th grade.
Johanna: Malte, was it the same for you?
Malte: Things weren't much different for me. I always did a lot of sports throughout school and also chose to focus on sports in high school. Then I moved to Berlin to start my studies. I also started working at FitnessFirst on the same day. Tom was kind enough to take me on as an intern. (laughs and looks at Tom, who is standing in the kitchen and listening to us)
Tom: I just immediately saw his potential and hired him. (laughs)
Malte: I did an internship there for three months and was then employed for a year on a €450 basis. After that, I started my own business as a personal trainer.
Johanna: You train almost every day and are here in the gym all day long until late in the evening. How do you manage to switch off in the evening, pay attention to yourself and find peace?
Max: That's a good question. At the moment it's probably actually the case that this is being neglected a bit - the studio and the company are still relatively young. We've only been open for three months and the workload is still very high, but this is slowly settling. Accordingly, the days are long at the moment and a few other things are neglected. Nevertheless, when I go out here in the evening, I don't have the next to-do's in my head the whole time. I still think about one or two things, but always in a positive way and never in a stressful way.
I have a little book that I always write things down in. Every evening and every morning. I may also write something in there that absolutely needs to be done now and is on my mind at the moment. But that actually doesn't happen that often.
As soon as I leave the studio, I only think about it in positive terms and don't think about what I have to do the next day. I don't feel like it stresses me out in any way.
Johanna: And how do you find peace, i.e. what allows you to fall asleep relaxed?
Max: Supz magnesium (laughs). I think that you can adjust perfectly to your rhythm physically and biologically and then you're just tired. Things like “what could?, what would have?, what would be” don’t have that much space. If your physique is tired, then that's just how it is. Of course, we do a lot in this area, especially with bioaesthetics. We make sure that we are perfectly positioned and that we have a perfect biorhythm that allows us to fall asleep at night and wake up early in the morning. Precisely because we have so much fun and the gym is the absolute dream of both of us, which we have now fulfilled, there is actually no reason to be sleepless in the evening.
Malte: Even when we go out to eat together after work, we more or less only talk about the gym or other projects. But that's what we care about and that's why it's not stressful for us. The personal and the business are so close together that I don't need to be away from them. Luckily, our hobby and job have become one.
Johanna: I think this is the optimal prerequisite for being fully productive and doing things with a lot of ease. When you live your dream, you can really give it your all. It's really nice to hear that (also thanks to us) you have such a great biorhythm that allows you to function optimally and then fall asleep in peace in the evening without praying mantras (laughs).
Max: Yes, guaranteed. The only little ritual I have is really my little book in which I write down what was good that day. I'll write down three things that were very good that day - that I liked and were positive. In the morning I write down three things that I am grateful for. And one more thing that I plan to do as the day begins.
Johanna: Malte, do you have a morning routine?
Malte: Yes. Get up, take a cold shower - ice cold for 60 seconds - a spoonful of Amino Supreme with glutamine and lime juice. Then make breakfast.
Johanna: What is your favorite breakfast at the moment?
Malte: I prefer something from fish to meat, preferably with some avocado and a few blueberries as a snack, for example.
Johanna: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Malte: Probably still in Berlin, hopefully with family. In addition to the gym, I would like to start a few other exciting projects.
Max: I see myself half in Berlin and the other half in another region of the world, so I basically have a double residence. Otherwise, I agree with Malte so far. Maybe I would also like to do some additional speaking work. This also allows me to focus a little more on the travel component. Yes, otherwise I still see us in the healthcare industry and here in our studio, but perhaps also in others.
Malte: Yes, exactly, maybe not here anymore, but in another location.
Johanna: The headquarters, so to speak, is in Berlin - according to your philosophy and with your concept.
Max: Exactly, that would be possible!
Johanna: What is your “One thing for optimal performance”, so what is the one thing that allows you to function optimally?
Max: Emotional health. When you feel emotionally comfortable, you have optimal performance.
Malte: Yes, I can only emphasize that. And nutrition of course.
Max: When you're feeling bad, you just don't feel like doing anything. When you are sad or in a bad mood, for whatever reason, you cannot function optimally.
Johanna: True. And the emotional stress then has a huge impact on your biorhythm. You no longer feel as well what is good for you or you feel restless in the evenings and can't get to sleep. In the end, you are not very productive and not strong in training...
Max: That's exactly how it is.
Johanna: How high do you expect of yourself every day?
Max: Yes, your own standards are very, very high. Now not only related to the training, but also to the topic of always wanting to get better. There are quite a few trainers, health advisors, nutritionists, etc. and we would like to play a role somewhere and at a very high level. That's why we want to improve every day. That's what drives us.
Johanna: Malte, how is it for you? When and how are you satisfied?
Malte: When I see progress somewhere. On myself, on customers, in the business, on projects – something should always be a little bit ahead.
Johanna: Do you have a favorite book?
Malte: Currently it’s actually “Shoe Dog” by Philip Night.
Max: My favorite book is “Total Recall,” the biography of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Thanks guys for your time and the great answers. I am impressed by your motivation to move a little further every day and by your commitment to driving forward all your projects successfully and with a lot of heart. Keep it up, you're well on your way to optimal performance!