Who is Sadik Hadzovic?
Sadik Hadzovic adored his comic book heroes while growing up in a war-torn nation and aspired to one day develop his own ideal body.
Sadik had successfully won several prestigious contests by the time he was 28 and had cemented his position at the top of the field.
Despite the difficulties Sadik Hadzovic and his family have faced since fleeing their native country as refugees, he has nevertheless managed to astound the world with his incredible body and stellar competitive record.
Here is his account:
“I turned into a beast to escape the suffering of being a man.”
Body Measurements of Sadik Hadzovic
| Full Name: | Sadik Hadzovic |
| HEIGHT: | 5’11” (180cm) |
| WEIGHT: | 185 – 195lbs (83.9 – 88.5kg) |
| NATIONALITY: | Bosnian |
| PROFESSION: | Bodybuilder, Fitness Model |
| ERA: | 2010 |
“My three IFBB Pro League titles and two consecutive Mr. Olympia qualifying appearances are my biggest successes,” the athlete said.”
Accomplishments
- 3rd in the 2011 NPC Eastern USA Championships
- NPC Metropolitan Championships 2012: first place
- NPC Metropolitan Championships 2012: first place
- 2nd Class B in the Men’s Physique Division of the 2012 NPC Junior USA Championships
- NPC Junior National Championships (2012): First Place
- Greater Gulf States Pro in 2012: second place
- IFBB Orange County Muscle Classic 2012: second place
- IFBB Valenti Gold Cup Pro 2012: First Place
- IFBB New York Pro 2013: First
- IFBB Olympia Weekend 2013: Fourth
- Tampa Pro 2014 IFBB PBW – First
- IFBB Olympia Weekend 2014: Second Day
- First Place 2015 IFBB Arnold Sports Festival
- IFBB Olympia weekend 2015: second day
“The body types in comic books and the action toys I used to play with as a kid have always captivated me. I always had a clear vision of my ideal appearance and aspired to look like the action figures, superheroes, and characters from comic books.
Biography
Young Years
Sadik Hadzovic, who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, had a difficult upbringing. As refugees, his family fled to America in search of a better life. Sadik was pushed into uncharted territory.
He was raised in the big apple, New York, with a rigid, no-nonsense approach. Sadik’s parents fostered a strong work ethic in him from an early age because they were both extremely diligent.
His desire to strive and his will to succeed drove him along the fitness path.
Beginning Of A Fitness Journey
Sadik began lifting weights at a young age and used the gym as a release for any frustrations or roadblocks he encountered.
He noticed that after working out, his confidence would increase. But because he was underweight, he believed it was impossible to gain muscle.
Most of his childhood heroes were superheroes, and he had a secret wish to resemble them.
Sadik first expressed dissatisfaction with his appearance in 2002, when he was 15 years old. His frail build and lack of muscle caused him to lose confidence.
He felt sad because of the years he spent reading and attempting to be like his comic book heroes. He was aware that he needed to alter to finally become his superhero.
He intensified his workouts by performing countless pushups and bicep curls. He started slavishly training for a superhero physique.
“I’ve always wanted a lean, superhero-like body, and one day, after gazing in the mirror, I decided that NOW IS THE TIME.”
Early Errors
Sadik persisted in working hard in the gym for several more years, gradually advancing toward his objective. But he became aware that his efforts in the gym weren’t yielding any results.
He took a step back and considered what he was doing incorrectly because he was determined to resemble his heroes.
He discovered that he wasn’t paying attention to his diet because he lacked patience; forcing himself to eat meals with 2,000 calories a day wasn’t working.
If Sadik wanted to build the body of his dreams, he understood he had to become more knowledgeable about nutrition and raise his game.
Development And The First Competition
Sadik Hadzovic started to see some major results after eating more regularly with smaller meals and measuring his macros. He was finally close to achieving his goal.
He kept up his intense training for the next ten years to gain the extra muscle.
After years of arduous work, he achieved a fearsome physique and a love of exercise by the age of 24.
He was pleased with his progress and eager to see where his quest would lead. He decided to pursue a career as a professional bodybuilder.
He shifted his focus from wanting to resemble his favorite comic book characters to aspire to be a professional bodybuilder. He didn’t have to wait long to enter the arena as a contestant.
He competed in his debut event, the NPC Eastern USA Championship, in 2011. Despite not taking first place, he was a good third-place finisher and stood on the podium.
He gained priceless experience and made many new friends who were also athletes. This motivated him to exercise harder so that he might return bigger and stronger than before.
Sadik was more driven than ever to be successful in the field.
Achievement And Pro Card
Sadik was itching for more after experiencing what it was like to compete. He never missed a day in the gym as he continued to work hard to build an impressive body.
After being praised for shaping a muscular body with such a narrow waist, he earned the moniker “The Physique.” He was on his way to establishing a physique worthy of the heyday of bodybuilding.
He competed in the 2012 NPC Metropolitan Championships a year later. After coming in first, he received his first trophy. But he was only beginning.
He participated in three additional shows that year and came away with two more wins. He soon rose to the position of one of the industry’s most promising young stars.
He qualified for the Junior National Championships after finishing second in the Men’s Physique Division of the 2012 NPC Junior USA Championships.
Sadik’s winning streak continued despite facing difficult opposition, including Anton Antipov, who was vying for the gold.
He has been crowned the NPC Junior National Champion for 2012. Sadik realized that he had achieved his objective and turned his long-held ideal into reality this time.
At the age of 25, Sadik achieved his goal of becoming a professional bodybuilder by obtaining his Pro Card.
An IFBB Competitor
Sadik didn’t spend any time entering other contests since he wanted to maintain his winning streak. He intended to extend his success to the professional levels, and he did just that.
In his debut professional contest, the 2012 IFBB Greater Gulf States Pro, he finished in second place. This was a remarkable accomplishment for “The Physique,” who garnered greater notoriety with each competition he joined.
Sadik competed in 8 more competitions between 2012 and 2015 as a result of his dedication to his work ethic solidifying his spot in the bodybuilding and competitive worlds.
He had taken the stage seven more times by the time he was 28 years old.
A win at the 2015 Arnold Sports Festival and a few second-place finishes at the Mr. Olympia competition were among these contests.
The result of a lot of effort and perseverance was this. He had grown up wanting to emulate his heroes, and now he encouraged people to follow their ambitions.
Sadik has developed a reputation for generosity since 2015, sharing his love of exercise and spending any free time to offer guidance to aspiring athletes online.
“I can’t take a day off, and that’s my worst weakness. I’m too devoted to the gym. At the very least 365 days a year, I am in the gym. Even injuries can’t stop me from working out and lifting weights.
Training
Sadik has always engaged in higher rep ranges and heavy weight training. He thinks that his ability to gain muscle while maintaining his slender physique is a result of this type of exercise.
He observed that steady state exercise made him appear flat because he is an ectomorph. Instead, he engages in HIIT cardio training, which consists of 30-minute sessions of 1-minute sprints followed by 1-minute intervals.
Sadik doesn’t take any days off from the gym as other bodybuilders do. He works hard all year long to improve and strives to be the best.
What does off-season mean? I take great satisfaction in maintaining top form all year long. Being a fitness model and men’s physique competitor, I must be prepared and in good form at all times.
Exercise Program:
Monday: Back
- Deadlifts 5×11-13
- Lat Pull Downs 4×11-13
- Bent Over Barbell Rows 4×11-13
- Underhand Pull-Ups 3×11-13
- Seated Cable Rows 4×11-13
- Overhand Pull Ups 1 set to failure
Tuesday: Chest
- Incline Dumbbell Fly’s 4×11-13
- Incline Barbell Bench Press 5×11-13
- Machine Fly’s 4×11-13
- Bench Press 5×11-13
- Cable Fly’s 3×11-13
- Decline Machine Press 4×11-13
- Push Ups 1 set to failure
Wednesday: Cardio
- Interval Sprints (1-minute rest, 1-minute sprint for 5 sets)
Thursday: Legs
- Leg Press 5×11-13
- Leg Extensions 5×11-13
- Lying Leg Curl 5×11-13
- Donkey Calf Raises 6×11-13
- Squats 4×11-13
- Walking Lunges to failure
Friday: Arms
- Seated Preacher Curls 4×11-13
- French Curls (on the decline) 5×11-13
- Standing Hammer Curls 4×11-13
- Tricep Pushdowns 5×11-13
- Heavy Barbell Curl 3×11-13
- Seated Overhead Tricep Extensions 3×11-13
Saturday: Abs
- Cable Crunches 4×11-13
- Arm & Leg Raises With Exercise Ball 4×11-13
- Alternating Leg Ups 4×11-13
- Running Plank 4×11-13
- Torso Twist with Medicine Ball 4×11-13
- Alternating Toe Touches 4×11-13
- Hanging Leg Raises 1 set to failure
Sunday: Shoulders
- Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5×11-13
- Seated Dumbbell Side Raises 5×11-13
- Seated Dumbbell Front Raises 3×11-13
- Barbell Shrugs 4×11-13
- Barbell Standing Military Press 4×11-13
- Standing Dumbbell Arnold Presses 3×11-13
I didn’t begin noticing mass increases until I understood how important eating well and frequently was.
Nutrition
It’s interesting to note that Sadik generally avoids dairy because he adheres to the paleo diet year-round. He consumes between 2,500 to 2,750 calories daily to maintain his physique, with a 2:1 protein to carbohydrate ratio. He maintains his protein and fat intake since he thinks it’s best for his health.
Sadik is less strict with his diet than most bodybuilders and allows himself two cheat meals per week rather than the usual one. Pizza and sushi are two of his favorite dishes to consume.
On the paleo diet, Sadik is only allowed to eat egg whites, bison steaks, tilapia, tuna, salmon, lean turkey breast, almonds, and all kinds of veggies.
Diet Program
- Meal 1: 1/2 lb. of Lean Chicken or Turkey or 8-10 Egg Whites, with 1/2 a cup of Oats
- Meal 2: 1/2 lb. of Red Meat & 1 cup of White Rice
- Meal 3: 1/2 lb. of Fish & a large Potato
- Meal 4: Protein Shake
- Meal 5: 1/2 lb. of Fish, with Asparagus or Broccoli
- Meal 6: 1/2 Lean Protein Chicken or Turkey or 8-10 Egg Whites, with some Egg Yolks or Almonds
Complementary Diet:
- Whey Protein
- Yohimbine
- L-Carnitine
- Glutamine
- Creatine
- Fish Oils
- Multivitamins
My inspiration to work out comes from all the folks I’ve encouraged to do so.
Influences And Idols
Throughout his career, Sadik has been influenced greatly by other players who have encouraged him to strive for the top.
“I am lucky to train in a facility where many of the top bodybuilders work out, and I get a lot of motivation from seeing these athletes work out.”
But he lists Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Austrian Oak, as his biggest inspiration. He inspires him since he popularized bodybuilding.
Sadik also admires Sergio Olivia for achieving one of the finest V-tapers in history and Dorian Yates for his intense workouts.
“My ultimate goal is to assist others in understanding the value of doing exercise and living a healthy lifestyle.”
How Can Sadik Hadzovic Teach Us Something?
We’ve learned from Hadik that it’s not wise to daydream about your goals. He had a boyhood dream of developing a superhero-like body, but it wasn’t until he started working out that his dream started to come true.
If Sadik Hadzovic has taught us anything, it is that perseverance pays off. He works out every day of the year and never quits his intensive training, which is how he maintains the fantastic physique he has now.