INTERVIEW WITH AKOS SZARKA FROM HUNGARY

ATHLETE INFORMATION:
Full Name: Ákos Szarka
Age: 24
Country: Hungary

SOCIAL INFORMATION:
Facebook (fan page or profile): https://www.facebook.com/szarka.akos.workout
Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/akosszarka

EXTRA INFORMATION:
Time doing street workout: 10 years
Important events (ex.: local or international championships):
Hungarian Street Workout World Championship Qalification 2013
Street Workout World Championship 2013 Riga, Latvia
Street Workout Championship Slovakia 2013
Street Workout World Cup Superfinal 2013 Moscow

How did you get involved in the street workout world?
At that time there was not youtube, the first impressions were not really street workout videos, joe eigo, dominic lacasse, b-boy junior showed me the way.

Why did you choose to practice street workout?
The moves that i saw first, Joe Eigo’s extremely high acrobat moves, dominic lacasse’s perfect human flag, and b-boy junior’s planche push ups on his fingertips, these all seemed so unrealistic, that i wanted to reach them all.
When I was 14 I wanted to start practicing gymnastics, but every gym club told me that I am too old for that, so i couldn’t be a gymnast, and this thing makes me often sad, but street workout gave me kind of a „second chance”, a new, and freer world.

How is street workout reflected in your life?
Many people recognize me, but its only one example of the many experience.

What are your short term, mid term and long term goals with street workout?
I have just started to teach people, to training them, if it will be a successful project maybe then i will open an own place to train, teach and to improve street workout. but of course it’s a financial question, unfortunately.

How many times do you workout during the week?
3-4 times a week, each training takes 3-4 hours.

Do you have any specific workout plan or you just improvise and do your thing?
Both, sometimes i follow training programs written by myself, but often happens that i want to try new things, which means i have to do new kind of preparation.

Which would be the most complex move you achieved (tell us about the process it took you, to achieve it)?
The hardest move for me i achieved was the straight arm press to maltese from the lying position on the ground. But it’s not clear at all; i have to improve it a lot.

Which would be the best experience you had doing street workout?
It happened after the street workout superfinal 2013, we were having dinner when an iconic guy of street workout, Anton Abasov joined us at the table and told me that he really appreciates my level of workout, and he watched my videos as a big-big motivation. Another icon Ruslan Minachov also joined us and he asked me about how I improved my victorian on bars (not perfect form). So it was touching to realize that I am a followed guy by those ones who i also follow on the internet.

What inspire or motivate you to keep on doing street workout?
It gives the rhythm of my life J really. And of course, those moments when i reach a new move.

Which would be the worst experience you had doing street workout?
The injuries, mainly my right shoulder are a permanent problem for six years. This is my biggest challenge: to find out which physiotherapy or what will help me. (I’ve been to doctor and many people…)
Another common pain which often forces me to stop the training or change the training program, or to treat it is the periostitis in my forearms. It’s because my muscles are very stiff.

What do you expect from the street workout community in the next couple of years?
Team competition, national meetings.

Can you give an advise for all the people that would like to start doing street workout?
To reach a move is a moment, but to prepare for that can be years.

Share some words to inspire the community:
My impression is that the community has to find out an event, a word that brings the icons together BUT it should not be competition. the atmosphere is very different. So, when a national competition is organized that takes normally 4-5 days (the city introduced, and other great tourist programs) the competition should be done on the first day, not on the third or fourth because many guys feel anxious and worried about the competition. If the competition is done as soon as possible, the competitors will be relieved, and friendlier to each other.
The other thing is, when you organize a 4-5 days long competition, you should focus more on „training together” programs.