March 16, 2026, 9:33 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Without question, Kontra K is one of the most athletic and fittest rappers in Germany. The Berlin native is not only bursting with strength in his lyrics, but also regularly in the gym. Together with former martial artist Stephan Pütz, he recently gave an insight into his daily training routine.
When Kontra K (whose real name is Maximilian Tibor Albert Diehn) is not busy with his music, the 37-year-old spends a lot of time training. His main focus is on building muscle and boxing— you won’t find any excess fat on his well-trained body. The musician recently found a kindred spirit in Stephan Pütz, who made it to the MMA light heavyweight division and even became champion there, ending his career in May 2024. The duo has now spent a day training together in Berlin, which can be seen in a YouTube video. Let’s dive into what a typical day at the gym looks like for Kontra K.
Overview
An “Ice-Cold” Start to the Day
Before Kontra K and Stephan Pütz started the day in the gym, they went ice swimming early in the morning (the alarm clock rang shortly after half past seven)! Diving into the icy cold water is healthy for the body and mind and promotes blood circulation. What’s more, ice bathing is also the perfect pick-me-up.
And which lake could be better suited for this than Berlin’s Wannsee under the rising morning sun? The two of them submerged almost their entire bodies in the three to four degree water for a few minutes, with just their heads above the surface. “It was good, you have to know your limits,” said the rap star afterwards.
How to Effectively Train Your Triceps with the JM Press
David Corenswet’s Training for Superman Shoulders and Chest
Mix of Weight Training and Boxing
After the ice bath and a few coffees and training boosters, the frozen duo headed to the gym. There, they quickly warmed up, shaking off the chill of the ice bath. A tough workout awaited them, which consisted of a total of five sessions.
These included exercises for the chest, triceps, and shoulders. The session concluded with a stint in the boxing ring, where Kontra K and his guest loosened up with some light sparring.
This Is What a Gym Day at Kontra K Looks Like
1st Bench Press Challenge
First, Kontra K and Stephan Pütz pushed themselves to peak performance on the bench press machine. Both chose a comfortable weight; the rapper started with 70 kilograms. Both then alternated in the following repetition rhythm: 1,1,2,1,2,3,1,2,3,4… and so on. Important: elbows as tight as possible, speed, and explosiveness! If you can no longer manage the weight, simply go down a little. And the higher and further you get, the longer you can take a break.
Pushing to the limit is a fundamental aspect of Kontra K’s training philosophy! The rapper and Pütz really struggled towards the end, reaching their goal after 20 consecutive repetitions. After an intense session, both athletes took a moment to catch their breath, having completed over 200 repetitions on the bench press.
Another option for this form, which Kontra K integrates into his training from time to time for variation, is to train with just the bar. In other words, without additional weight. And whoever achieves the highest number in 20 minutes wins. Kontra K, who apparently competes more frequently against training opponents, has sometimes ended up with 1180 repetitions. His secret: he divides the sets into 25 repetitions.
2nd Tricep Press
After the first really crisp unit, the next exercise follows. Ten sets of tricep presses on the cable pulley with a short bar, ten repetitions each, with the option of changing the weight.
Grip the short bar with an overhand grip and then pull both forearms down, keeping your upper arms next to your body. In the end position, your arms are almost straight again. Now take a breath and return to the starting position by bending your upper arms upwards again. It is particularly important to move almost only the forearms.
3. Circuit Training With Shoulder Girdle (Shoulder and Grip Circuit)
The focus should now be on the shoulder girdle. Kontra K’s trainer explains in advance. “We work for 30 seconds, 45 seconds rest. Three rounds in total.”
First, he asks for half a minute of standing dumbbell curls, alternating between both arms, as quickly as possible. Once that’s done, the next exercise follows. For this one, grab both dumbbells in the overhand grip and pull them explosively and simultaneously with both arms up to the chest and back.
4. Grip Strength
The following exercises also improve your grip strength. Kontra K and Stephan Pütz grab a flat weight plate at the top and quickly catch it in free fall from the side in the middle with both hands. Now you drop it again, switch to the top on the fly, grab it again, and the exercise starts again smoothly.
A kettlebell is also used. Both hold it in front of their chest with their arms at a 90-degree angle. Now the kettlebell is swung from side to side in a flowing, fast, and explosive movement; the upper body remains upright, and the wrists are turned in.
Last but not least, there are three wrist rollers. The two of them grab a bar to which a resistance band is attached and use it to rotate a weight plate completely upwards. The wrists are rotated in opposite directions, similar to a motorcycle grip.
5. Sparring in the Boxing Ring
The training day ends with a few practice fights in the boxing ring. The goal of sparring is to refine and implement specific techniques. Heavy hits or even a knockout blow are not intended. “We enjoyed a few nice, relaxed rounds, without too much huffing and puffing,” Kontra K reflects at the end. “And in a relaxed sparring session, you don’t get punished so hard and you dare to try something new,” says the rapper.
The German original of this article was published in March 2025.