The Master's View from Mount Olympus

Champ Magazine's David B caught up with 4-time world champion and current INBA Masters’ Mr Olympia, Harry Haureliuk on his life, the evolution of bodybuilding and some diet tips.

Harry is an inspiration to us all. At just 160cms / 5’2 and 60 years of age, he has sculpted and maintained a physique that puts many of us to shame. From humble beginnings in a small Austrian town, many parallel’s can be drawn between Harry and the king of modern bodybuilding, Arnold Schwarzenegger. When asked about the obvious parallels, Harry laughs and jests that Danny DeVito stole his gig alongside Arnie in the well-known Hollywood movie Twins.

In November 2007, Harry Haureliuk won the accolade of Mr Olympia in Thesaloniki, Greece, the home of bodybuilding. The International Natural Bodybuilding Association (INBA) hosted the event in the Greek mountains. Harry took first place after a campaign of local and national titles, his potential peaking for the pinnacle event in bodybuilding at the Olympia titles.

This amazing achievement is his fourth time on the podium as the world number one and crowns a career spanning many decades. World Champion - a title that many of us mere mortals just dream of.

His road to success has been one of natural ability and interest from a young age through to commitment, hard training and dieting – some of his world was shared with me in a candid and relaxed interview over a cup of coffee.

Background of the Bodybuilder

Harry came to Australia from Austria when he was 3. From a small town near the iconic and highly cultured Austrian city of Salzburg, he arrived to the wilds of a small fledgling city-capital called Canberra, nestled in the Australian bush..He attended the sporty St Edmund’s College, where he dabbled in sports like Rugby, however his true interest in sport would quickly emerge as bodybuilding.

Before bodybuilding was his focus, I thought it would be interesting to take a look back at Harry’s development history, including his diet. His early diet was based on good food – mum’s home cooking. His mother had lived through the war and the deprivations that this era brought. As such, she had a waste-not-want-not attitude and an appreciation for a good, healthy diet with what your average family could afford. . Harry recalled his dislike for spinach and, in particular, milk, which was a bit of a problem having a father who worked for Canberra Milk. He brought dairy home every day! While he steered away from milk as much as he could, almost grimacing as he told me, he ate what he was given. With both of us having Austrian roots, I smiled knowingly as only a son of an Austrian woman can when it comes to food. He talked fondly of his parents though, memories of a caring mother and his physically inspiring father. Seeing his dad lift pales of milk and work hard on all that he did was his first inspiration for lifting and working to improve strength and physique.

Harry recalls seeing his father train cutting wood and exercise in the form of resistance training with a leather belt. He told me that seeing the strength his father had cultivated and maintained gave him an admiration and inspiration to be a strong, fit man like his dad.

"I remember seeing a Joe Weider Magazine at school. One look and I wanted to be like those guys..."

The second inspiration to interest Harry in bodybuilding came from a Joe Weider Magazine - he recalls seeing the early bodybuilding pioneers like Joe and wanting to be like them. At age 12, there would be one more thing that would drive Harry on - meeting and learning from a real live lifter, bodybuilder and strongman Bob Kirkwood.

Harry met Bob at a local Labour day picnic. Bob took the enthusiastic and keen Harry under his wing and taught him how to lift, how to train and demonstrated the dedication it takes to be a champion. That mentoring would see him take bodybuilding on as his full-time, life-time focus. As you can see from his photos – it has paid off!

DB: For anyone who wants to bodybuild, diet is one of the hardest things - got any tips for us?

HH: Fresh ingredients without any additives is what you want. Additional salt, fillers, fats and sauces are no good for you. There is a lot rubbish in processed food. In the end, though, it all comes down to counting calories.

DB: Supplements are a big industry and you could spend thousands per month if you listen to everything you hear - what's your view?

HH: I personally get good results and use three key supplements - Whey Protein, Glutamine (an amino acid) and Creatine Monohydrate. The whey and aminos help you grow and the Creatine helps with retaining mass and train hard through the dieting. Works for me.

DB: We've established that your training and diet are important to competition - how important is strategy?

HH: Strategy is really important - without a plan and timing the balance between diet and maintaining muscle, I wouldn't have won the titles I have.

DB: We've talked about the fundamentals of training but now I want to talk about the fundamentals of competing - what are they?

HH: Strategy, again, is really important. Keeping you mind focused and positive is also important. One thing that is often overlooked is posing - I have seen some people with superior physiques outclassed by a smooth, professional and

DB: You looked reasonably sharp at the Australians and the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) titles. You didn't win all of the local competitions at state or national level but you won on the world stage - tell us about that.

HH: I use the competitions leading up to the Worlds to refine and improve my physique. Timing is everything and if you peak to early and get to lean too quick, you lose your mass and you aren't competitive for the "main event".

A Champion's Chronology

1960s: In 1964, Harry competes for a place in the Australian Olympic Team. He is beaten on points but breaks the sub-adult (under 18) record for Clean and Jerk in his weight class - 91 KGs lifted overhead by a youth under 60KGs.

1970s: In 1971, Harry competes in a New South Wales bodybuilding competition and places 2nd. Originally, he entered to support a friend, Harry is recognised for his potential and begins his competitive bodybuilding career.

Harry builds friendships with key figures in Australian bodybuilding like Paul Graham which leads to big names in the sport coming to Australia.

In 1974, Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to Australia for a tour and bodybuilding exhibition events. Arnold manages the media cunningly and Harry observes a true strategist and tactician at work. Harry shares a brief conversation and an orange with Arnold before going out on stage.

Harry opens his own gym in Phillip, Canberra, ACT, Australia in 1977. This gym becomes an institution and plays a pivotal role in evolving bodybuilding in the Capital, in-line with the progressive US and international bodybuilding movements.

1980s: Harry continued to run his gym and compete into the 1980s. He reached the pinnacle as Mr Universe Australia in 1982. He is then off to London to compete for the world title of the NABBA Mr Universe. Weighing in at just 65KGs, Harry was sandwiched between the massive British and US champions - he realised that this was the twilight for natural bodybuilding for a time.

After the London competition, Harry went on a tour of France and Belgium to drum up support for natural bodybuilding. He spent time in Paris and met up with Serge Nubret who was in the off-season. Harry noted his massive 1 hour abdominal workouts with Serge!

Support was building for natural bodybuilding and Harry stayed with the NABBA Federation for amateur bodybuilders until strictly natural bodybuilders had a federation of their own.

In a Golden Age of 80s glam, sweat bands and massive body builders; this was a heady time. Harry would see greats like Bill Pearl and Dennis Tinerino visit Canberra and his gym. The sun soon set on this Golden Age - gyms and bodybuilding were becoming increasingly less popular in the late 1980s.

In 1989, Harry closed the doors to his gym and competitive bodybuilding. It seemed there was no room for "the natural guy".

1990s: Harry pursued other business ventures that proved modestly lucrative and enjoyed time with his family and friends. With the pressures of training and dieting gone, the good life was there to be enjoyed.

In 1998, Harry re-opened the door to bodybuilding. On a trip to the beach with his daughter, Harry looked down at his 82KG frame and was not happy with the pale, overweight physique that faced him. He was hungry again to return to his former glory and claim another title.

By now, Natural Bodybuilding was past even its infancy and was a respected, recognised sport with some key federations, including the INBA. Harry joined this federation and has since been a mentor and competitor in natural bodybuilding circles.

2000+: In the noughties, Harry's bodybuilding career has seen him swell his treasure trove of medals and titles. Internationally, Harry has won 4 gold medals, 2 silver, one bronze and placed 6 times on the international circuit since his return. A true champion and master of bodybuilding.

What Next?

Inspirationally, Harry is focused on competing in the next round of competitions, already dieting and training for another INBA event in May. This may see him escalate through from local to international events - we wish you luck Harry!

"I will keep competing as a bodybuilder for as long as possible - I'm not even thinking of retirement."

Harry Haureliuk takes his place upon the podium, sporting his hard-won gold medal as World Champion for 2007 and Number 1 in Natural Masters' Bodybuilding for the fourth time.

At just 160cms tall, Harry outclasses his taller competition with his stature and the physique he has taken decades to sculpt.

"I've never trained hard in cardio. I have always felt diet was more important to losing weight."

At the Australian INBA Titles, Harry took the competition with a ripped, full physique that he had timed with training and diet as part of a well-planned strategy.

Harry shows us how to pose - make it flow from top down and the viewers' left to right in a controlled, even movement. Ed Corney himself would be proud!