Roman Fritz just turned 22 years old and he's won every single bodybuilding competition he's ever 
entered! His lines are incredible and he has gained close to 30 pounds of lean mass in the last 12 months. Really!?!?! After a long delay, and many missed opportunities of trying to reach him, I finally managed to catch up with this German phenomenon and what followed is this very candid interview...
RX: When's your birthday?
Roman: April 13,1988
RX: Where do you live?
Roman: Munich, Germany
RX: What is your bodyweight?
Roman: Currently about 250lbs
RX: How tall are you?
Roman: 5-foot 9-inches
RX: How long have you been working out?
Roman: Started working out about 6 years ago (age 15) with a bodyweight of an extremely skinny 121lbs (same height). For the first 6 months I only trainied my upper body. I did the same routine every workout, about six days a week. Of course, I didnt know anything about nutrition. The only meal I had every day was breakfast, which consisted of a couple bowls of cereals. Still I managed to gain about 10kg (22lbs.) during that time
After six months I realized that there must be something that I did not know... I spoke to my cousin, who used to be a trainer at a local gym and he showed me how to eat, train and use the right supplements. I also started working my legs. Within 9 weeks I gained another 22lbs!
RX: When did you do your first bodybuilding contest?
Roman: I did my first show after about 2.5 years of training. Just turned 18 years old. It was a state-level show, the bavarian championships 2006, and I competed in the Junior heavyweights at 208lbs
RX: How did you place?
Roman: I won the overall. After that, I won every contest I did:
2008 Bavarian Championships: junior heavyweight 1st and overall
2008 German nationals: junior heavyweight 1st and overall
2009 Bavarian Campionships/ Team Universe: junior heavyweight 1st and overall
2009 IFBB World Junior`s Championships: heavyweight 1st and overall
RX: What inspired you to start bodybuilding?
Roman: I was sick of being so skinny that everybody would ask me if I had some kind of disease. My mother even dragged me to a number of different doctors, including a psychologist, to see if there was something wrong with me. I also liked the thought of being a freak. When I was a kid I used to play with those He-Man action figures which were all packed with huge and totally freaky looking muscle. Big shoulders, big arms, tiny waist, huge legs... That`s what I had in mind for my own physique. I have kept some of those figures until today.
RX: What is your ultimate goal in bodybuilding?
Roman: I wanna be the best of the best; Mr. Olympia
RX: Who is your role model in bodybuilding? Why? Have you ever met this person?
Roman: My cousin gave me a vhs tape that he thought that I would like. It was The Blonde Myth with Lee Priest. I watched it so many times that I knew the whole tape by heart. Lee seemed to be exactly what I wanted to look like, plus he was such a cool guy who showed no star attitude at all. I sent him an e-mail with a number of questions about diet and training, and he even answered all of them. I have never met him, but I hope I will one day, since I still have to thank him for all the great inspiration he provided.
There are numerous other guys that have inspired me, for example Art Atwood, Markus Rühl, Branch Warren..., but Lee was the first one.
RX: Do you work with a trainer currently? Do you have someone else design your diet?
Roman: I used to do everything by myself. When I started dieting for my first show I hooked up with guy at my gym. He had already won the German National super-heavyweight and overall title and I was happy that he agreed to help me. He prepared me for my first to shows but never really seemed to be into it. Many times when I would need his help or had a question he simply did not care to call me back or anything. So basically I had still done everything myself. In 2008, when I finally graduated from school, I wanted to get back on stage again. He insisted on working with me again and promised to take better care. It turned out to be even worse than in `06, so 3 weeks out from the Bavarian´s `08 I was alone again. I started to lose my head and totally overdieted. I stepped on stage at 183lbs (24lbs lighter than in 2006) and almost collapsed backstage. Somehow I still managed to take the overall...
Bernhard Schuber, who is probably the most respected coach in Germany, saw me at that show and we started talking. He took me under his wing for the following two weeks leading up to the German Nationals and I religiously followed everything he told me. I came in about 10lbs heavier and even harder and won the Germans without any problems. I've been working with Bernhard ever since. He also prepared me for the World Championships.
RX: Who is your "extra set of eyes" when you're prepping for a show? (the person who lets you know if you're on track, getting too lean, look full, helps with your tan, etc.)
Roman: It might sound funny, but my mum is the one who does all that. In the beginning she hated bodybuilding. But since it is starting to pay off, she has become my biggest fan and greatest support. She even traveled to Poland with me to see me compete at the Worlds.
We share a big house together. She lives in the ground level and I live in the upper level. Over time she has really developed an eye for bodybuilding. She will tell me when I´m getting too fat, stringy and so on. She even watches pro-contests on the internet and many times we start arguing about who should place where and why. She doesn´t know but she has really become an expert. ;)
RX: Tell us about your off season diet:
Roman: I eat every 2 hours. No matter what happens!
Every meal consits of 80-100 grams of carbs and 50-60 grams protein. I don´t add any fats, only eat what´s already in the food.
I don´t eat any chicken or fish during the off season, period! The only protein I have is steak, and eggwhites.
I also get up at night to have a meal. That`s the only time where I leave 4 hours between to feedings (I sleep about 8 hours)
RX: How many weeks out do you start dieting for a show?
Roman: Depending on how I look, maybe 15-16 weeks out. I'd rather diet a little longer and be ready by the time the contest takes place, than have to make up at the end, because I did not start early enough...
RX: What is your off season training routine like? (how many days per week? Heavy weights? Reps? Exercises?)
Roman: I work out twice a day. Rest days are taken as needed, maybe once a month. I switch up between heavy and light weights, so my rep range might fluctuate between 1 and 30reps. I also like doing a lot of sets. At least 20 per bodypart.
Day1
1st Workout: Quads
2nd Workout: Hams, Calves
Day2
1st Back, Abs
2nd Arms, Forearms
Day3
1st Chest, Calves
2nd Shoulders, Traps, Abs
RX: When prepping for a show, do you change your training routine? How?
Roman: I don´t change anything. I think that the way I put the muscle on is also the best way to sustain it.
RX: What is your cardio routine like? (In season and off season)
Roman: In the past I used to do a lot of cardio, even in the offseason. I did at least 30 minutes every day, come hell or high water. Ever since the Worlds, I realized that my metabolism was too fast to keep doing that. In order to put on the much needed size for the men`s open class, I had to cut my cardio to a minimum. That means I´m barely doing 1 hour a week at the moment. My bodyfat is still low, and it's finally a lot easier to gain size.
Once it´s time to lose bodyfat, I start doing cardio twice a day for at least 45 minutes from day one. I read an article by Dorian Yates, in which he explains that he would do it exactly that way, rather than gradually increasing the amount of cardio, like all the other guys would do it. That made sense to me so I tried it - and it worked.
RX: You are a very good looking guy with a phenomenal physique. Are you single and available?
Roman: First of all, thanks for the compliment.
I don´t have a girlfriend at the moment. I get to know some girls here or there, but every time after a while the same conflict occurs; She starts complaining about me eating all the time, training too much, and not spending enough time with her. So it´s always the same question: "Either me, or your stupid training?!" Guess what my answer is... (haha)
RX: Are you currently in school? What studies?
Roman: I´m studying health-care-managment in Munich. So far it´s going pretty well. The first semester has just ended, and Im happy about having passed all the tests.
RX: Are you planning on competing in 2010? What show(s)? Any in the U.S?
Roman: 2010 will be my first year of competing in the men´s category. I´m planning on doing the Bavarian and German Championships in November. I´ll have to be a super-heavyweight, so right now I´m really focusing on putting as much quality muscle on as possible.
In the future I´d love to compete in the Arnold Amateur show, and eventually win my pro card. But this year I´ll stay in Germany. One step at a time...
RX: Since you have been a fairly successful bodybuilder at such an early age, where do you see yourself in 10 years? 20 years?
Roman: In ten years, I want to be a pro. Eat, sleep and train and getting paid for it. That´s my ultimate dream. To secure financial backup, I can see myself as a gym owner or running some other type of bodybuilding related business.
RX: Do you work? What do you do?
Roman: On the weekends I bounce in some clubs in the Munich area. I hate it, but I need the extra money.
RX: What do your family and friends think about your bodybuilding?
Roman: Like I said, my mum is my biggest support and fan. Because she's the only family I have, there is not a lot to answer on that question.
I used to have a lot more so-called friends, but once I started getting serious about bodybuilding, most of them disappeared for whatever reason. The only friends I have left are maybe two or three, who are into bodybuilding themselves. So they support me, whenever they can.
RX: It takes a lot of self discipline to become a successful bodybuilder. To what in your life can you attribute your discipline? Is it just your personality or have you learned it from someone or somewhere?
Roman: I don´t know where I got that from. I definitly wasn´t taught to have discipline. I just started to live the bodybuilding lifestyle, and the pleasing results just made me work even harder. Maybe I´m a masochist ;)
RX: You are a sponsored athlete? Tell us about how you became sponsored.
Roman: After winning the Junior Germans in `08, I started to bug every company in Germany about a sponsor deal. I received a number of different offers, and just took the one with the biggest company, which also provided the best endorsement deal. So, since February of `09, I´ve been sponsored by All Stars - Effective Sports Nutrition, and I have to say that I´m very proud and honored to work with them.
RX: You recently traveled to Italy for a guest posing. Have you done much guest posing?
Roman: Yes! That trip was really great. Thanks to Jimmy Pedemonte of IFBB Italy for being a great host.
I´ve done a number of guestposing already. Twice at the German Championships (´08, ´09) and eight times at last year´s FIBO. This year I´ll be there again and I´m really looking forward to it. The FIBO is the biggest bodybuilding and fitness related Expo in the whole world and definitly worth a trip.
RX: Are you finding that people recognize you when you are out and about?
Roman: Thank God, it´s not that bad. Sometimes here or there people in the street come up to me and ask for a picture, autograph, or something like that. That always feels strange to me. Who am I to be asked for an autograph?!
RX: Are European people more open minded than the general population in America when it comes to a muscular physique? Or do you fall under "freak" status in Germany, too?
Roman: I always thought that there would be a lot more open minded people in the States than over here in Europe. I can see by your question that this is not the case. Bodybuilding in Germany has a very bad rap and frequently gets slaughtered in the media. I think you know what I´m talking about...
It´s always funny to see a small, obese, sweaty smelling guy stopping in front of you, as you pass by and shaking his head, as if you were the one who´s disgusting to look at. I think we as bodybuilders all share the 
same problem.
RX: I heard that you put on lot of lean mass over the past 12-18 months? How much muscle would you say you put on and how?
Roman: At the Worlds I competed at around 225. One year earlier when I won the Nationals I weighed in at 193. So I gained around 30 pounds over a period of twelve months.
I wish I could tell you the secret of how I did it, but honestly there is no such thing. Train, eat, sleep and grow. That´s all I have to say.
RX: Do you have any other hobbies? What?
Roman: No. I get up, train, visit the university, train again, go home, do some homework and sleep. Except for eating there´s nothing much that I do on the side.
RX: Do you have a favorite cheat food? How often do you cheat?
Roman: I don´t like to cheat. My diet is super strict all year around. During last year's off season I only had ONE cheat meal: a pizza. Everything else, over that 12 month period, was weighed and exactly like the plan told me to eat.
