Ronny Rockel

Biography

Ronny Rockel was born and raised in Germany. Like many other professional bodybuilders from Europe such as Milos Sarcev and Pavol Jablonicky, Rockel grew up under communist rule. Because of this Rockel was not aware of bodybuilding and other things of the outside world.

This soon changed in 1989 when the Berlin Wall was taken down. At seventeen years of age, 143 pounds decided that he wanted a body like Arnold Schwarzenegger's after seeing the film Conan the Barbarian, but at the time commercial gyms in his hometown of Chemnitz, East Germany, were non existent. Instead of abandoning his interest in bodybuilding, he created his own weight set.

Following the demise of communism, entrepreneurial activities in the East of Germany spawned and with that the first gym opened in Ronny's hometown. He soon joined and began absorbing information about diet and weight training from other members and fitness magazines.

At his first competition, the Hessian Championships, he placed last in his class. But he did not become discouraged, he came back a year later and won the 1995 NABBA German Nationals and placed third at the NABBA Mr. Universe. From then Rockel decided that he had the potential to become a professional bodybuilder.

It was not until 2002 that Ronny Rockel achieved professional status by winning the International German Championships. After this victory he won a contract with a nutritional company and relocated with his girlfriend to Venice, California for some time while competing.

Contest history