f
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TOP OF HIS GAME
balancing
act
meet darko davidov, gymnast and
real-life magic mike. originally
from serbia, the 32-year-old
has achieved the body beautiful
through years of training, first
as a gymnast and athlete, and
now as a male dancer. he shares
his fitness secrets...
text > tim h eap
IM AGES > steeve beckouet
stylin g > fran k strach an
How did you get into fitness?
I’m originally from Belgrade in Serbia, and I come from
a family of professional athletes – my grandfather was
a gymnast and my father was a champion hammer
thrower and then became a conditioning coach for Red
Star Belgrade athletes – so I was essentially destined
to follow along the same line. When I was young, I
practised gymnastics and then, later on, specialised in
javelin and discus. I was being groomed for Red Star
Belgrade in throwing events, hence my upper-body
strength. However, the gymnastics that I had learnt
early on gave me a level of flexibility and agility that
has stayed with me throughout the years. Later on in
life, I started to take on a body-building approach for
aesthetic reasons and to build more muscle mass.
OP P OS I TE > tr ac k pa nt s by A d ida s
thi s pag e > t- s hir t by A d ida s
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How did you become a male dancer?
It stemmed from my sports background, really,
I started to do a lot of dancing because I was always
interested in the dynamic performance of dance,
and I maintained my fitness through that. My fitness
regime became a little one-sided, though. I went
through a phase in my mid-20s of doing a hardcore
body-building style of training, which led to me
becoming injured within a few years. I tore a bicep
during a performance and had to have surgery,
but what that meant was that I took time out and
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reconnected with a lot of my core training, through TRX and
things like handstands. It wasn’t easy, though. I was 16 stone
of pure muscle and my balance was totally out, but that’s how
I started to get back into gymnastics. I started to see it as a
challenge and really enjoyed it. It was important to maintain the
right balance between my aesthetic and weight, and being skilful
and able to perform.
How much of a strain does performing put on your body?
I go to Holland to do tours two or three times a year, and when you
go out there as part of a group, you have to be very fit. You know,
you live in and out of hotels, you go to the gym in the morning, you
rehearse, you’re travelling and then performing, you finish late
at night and then you wake up and repeat that process for two
weeks. It’s very gruelling, and you have to look good and find the
energy to do backflips and all these dynamic moves.
What does your training routine consist of?
Every time I go to the gym I’ll spend 15-20 minutes on the TRX
section, stretching and doing certain core exercises, but mainly
keeping the flexibility in my hips and back. Then I’ll do my weights
for about an hour, four times a week. If I need to slim down for
a project, I’ll do 40 minutes of fast morning cardio before my
breakfast, and then half an hour after my gym session. When
I’m not getting ready for a project, I’ll just cut out the cardio to
concentrate on repairing and growing. During the off-season
I do gymnastics twice a week, normally one open session in a
gymnastics hall and then a private tuition session, as well as
practising by myself.
Do you find it easy to make the time to exercise?
It’s actually really difficult, as it’s such a big part of your life.
Certainly with the gymnastics, if you don’t use it, you kind of lose
it. Certainly in terms of flexibility, although muscle memory helps
you regain these things very quickly. However, it’s a difficult
balance to strike between my muscularity and the gymnastics.
How competitive is it working with a group of other dancers?
We all have our strengths, some of which are more prominent
than others, but in a brotherly way we’re constantly pushing each
other to improve. At the same time, ultimately, we are competing
in a very alpha-male environment, and therefore we do want to
outdo each other as well. It is very competitive, but we each do
individual projects and that keeps us from slipping back.
Do you ever take time off from training?
Of course. I choose a time when I’ve finished any projects and
know I’ve not got any more travelling to do or any more big shows
for a while. Normally, I book a holiday with my family for two
weeks; last year we went to Egypt and I did some scuba diving
and took advantage of the all-you-can-eat buffet! I totally relaxed
and allowed myself to recuperate, and then when I came back I
p ri nte d le gg i ng s by A l e x Mat t s s o n
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TOP OF HIS GAME
just picked up my usual routine. The main thing is to maintain a
routine with a level of flexibility that allows you to enjoy yourself.
How important is food and nutrition?
It’s highly important – I’d say it determines 70 to 80 per cent of
how I look, and the rest is down to training. I find that with work
and travelling a lot, I don’t always get the right amount of time to
recuperate, and I have two kids and a partner, so my strategy has
changed a lot in the last four years. I’ve had to train a lot smarter
and my injuries have made me reconsider what I place emphasis
on now, so I’ve had to adopt a very mature holistic approach to
my body. I’ve finally found a diet that works well for me, and I
don’t have to change it much to get into shape. I keep my dairy to a
minimum and carbs high now. I used to do zero-carb diets ahead
of photoshoots, which would work as a quick fix but weren’t
sustainable and sapped my energy.
Do you avoid alcohol?
If I’m not where I’m supposed to be, then I might choose to avoid it,
but I’m a firm believer in the balance of things and I do like to enjoy
life. When we’re touring abroad, we do tend to drink – it’s not
something that I’m opposed to. I try to keep a healthy perspective
and strike the right balance. I have to be able to look good and still
connect with the audience, so I want to make sure I’m having fun,
and sometimes alcohol can help with that.
I used to do zero-carb diets ahead of photoshoots,
which would work as a quick fix but weren’t
sustainable and sapped my energy
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Are supplements part of your training regime?
Of course, yes. I think people are very well educated nowadays
about supplementation. I use USN’s Pure Protein GF-1, which is a
very good compromise between quality and price. I usually take a
BCAA (branched-chain amino acid) supplement an hour before a
workout and then at night I take some amino acids and then a very
good ZMA (zinc monomethionine aspartate, magnesium aspartate
and vitamin B6). If I’m prepping for something then I’ll use Grenades
to help me through the morning cardio, because it gets a bit difficult
to get up and go on an empty stomach.
What piece of advice would you would give to someone looking to
improve or maintain their fitness?
Once you’ve reached a level of fitness that you’re happy with, try and
get away with as much as possible, diet-wise, while still maintaining
it. That way, when it comes to wanting to get ready for something –
clockw ise from top left > vin tage shor t s fr om
a selection at Rokit, prin ted leggin gs by Alex
M attsson , vest by Bern h ard W illh el m wit h
sh orts by J oh n Sm edley
whether that’s a photo shoot or just a beach holiday – you’ll only need
to tweak what foods you eat slightly in order to see a big difference.
Find a balance where you’re not too strict with yourself, because then
you can make small sacrifices for a short amount of time for maximum
result. It’s about finding a happy medium.
What do you like to listen to when you’re training?
A current song that’s really big for me and that I have a great emotional
response to is Major Lazer’s ‘Lean On’. I also love ‘Watch Out For This’
by Major Lazer with Daddy Yankee, it’s got a very Hispanic vibe. My
absolute favourite is Skrillex’s ‘Breakn’ A Sweat’. That just gets me
going, and I use it in one of my routines.
What do you wear to the gym?
I model for a company called Gym Being, so I wear a lot of their stuff
when I’m training.
And are you a boxers or briefs guy? Or neither?
Definitely boxers. I’m very well-built, I’ve got big legs and a big bum so
briefs don’t look right on me, if I’m honest.
What’s your grooming regime?
I try to keep up a healthy skin routine to avoid any spot breakouts,
especially close to any events. So I moisturise, and use a face mask
– a really good one is from Dr Organic with manuka honey. I find that
it gives my skin an extra oomph.
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