Gunter Schlierkamp discusses his lower placing in 2006, struggling with his physique, and the decision to retire.
In 2005, Gunter Schlierkamp placed fourth at the Mr. Olympia. This seemed part of a steady rise over the years and an indicator that he could continue to be a threat for the Sandow trophy. Unfortunately, a year later Schlierkamp placed 10th at the Mr. Olympia 2006. Shortly after he retired from competitive bodybuilding. What happened? In our latest GI Exclusive, Gunter Schlierkamp details his final year of bodybuilding and whether or not he retired too soon.
Gunter Schlierkamp is a bodybuilder with an iconic physique despite never being a Mr. Olympia champion. And to many fans who followed his career – he seemed destined to one day earn that champion status. Then suddenly in 2006, his physique took a hit. He looked less on point than the previous year. He ultimately placed 10th at the Olympia and retired.
For fans of the bodybuilder, this seemed like a sudden and screeching halt. Gunter Schlierkamp had a steady rise to a high point of fourth place – only to suddenly slam down to 10th and stop competing all together. What would have happened if he gave it another year? Did he retire too early?
We asked Gunter Schlierkamp these questions directly. Reflecting back – does Schlierkamp regret retiring after his slump year in 2006? Or does he think it was all for the best? Schlierkamp speaks bluntly about the whole situation. For some unexplainable reason, his body was not reacting to his training methods the same way it had been in years prior. He tried changing up his methods but nothing worked. It’s as if his body suddenly started rejecting his training all together.
Gunter Schlierkamp was 36 years old at this time. There have been bodybuilders that compete well into their 40s and even 50s. But perhaps for Schlierkamp, his body was starting to change as he aged. With his body reacting differently to his training, he got off rhythm and lost confidence. Suddenly he was in a spiral that led to a physique he was less proud of than in previous years.
After placing 10th at the Mr. Olympia 2006, Gunter Schlierkamp thought long and hard about what his next move should be. He understood that bodybuilding couldn’t be a lifetime career. He also had other passions in his life that he wanted to pursue such as being a husband and father. Ultimately, Schlierkamp saw this as an early warning sign. A warning that the decades of bodybuilding were starting to take a toll on his body. So he hung up the towel and started focusing on his family.
Of course, Gunter Schlierkamp had plenty of other opportunities due to bodybuilding. He maintained a sponsorship for income and eventually started his own business. This was all thanks to the reputation he gained as a bodybuilder. So does he feel that he retired too early? No, Schlierkamp thinks he made the right choice. Perhaps he could have bounced back after 2006 – but he would have also missed out on other opportunities that he is proud of in his life.
You can watch Gunter Schlierkamp’s full response about his retirement in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!