Milan Jovanovich interview:
Igor: Please tell us something
about yourself - year, month & date of birth, where were your
born and where have you lived?
Milan: My name is Milan Jovanovich
and I am a graduated electrical engineer (objective: computer technology).
My father, mother and sister were all elite figures in sport, and
now they are all d. sc. and they work within the University of Nish.
I was born in Nish on 5th February 1970 as a medium sized baby (5100 grams),
and I still live there. My major activities now are my son Jovan and wife
Daniela, and the preparation of my master's thesis. I played basketball
real well, and I was statistically the best shooter of the Yugoslavian
league ( published in the sports journal...)
Igor: Please tell us something
about how you got interested in powerlifting, when have you started training
and when did you compete for the first time?
Milan: I started powerlifting
in August 1997. Before that I was visiting gyms often but as a basketball
player, I was adding some musle mass but without any plan or program and
I did 3 exercises only: push-ups, curls & sit-ups. For instance,
I didn't do delts at all! (I didn't even know they could be exercised).
I was attracting attention of the public because of my un-believable jumping
abilities (I could touch the hoop with my forehead!) and becuase of my
urge to always "slam dunk". Probably because of this my legs were always
the topic in gyms. I had the largest and best developed quads. That's just
how they talked me into it to execute my first squat. I started with 80
kg (176 lbs). Easy! Then 100 kg (220 lbs) - same thing! Then 140 kg (308
lbs) with a bit of dis-belief, but still smooth! Then 160 kg (352 lbs.)
and my curiosity ended there. But then my current trainer prof. Voislav
Ilic - Charlie got involved and talked me into trying 185 kg (407
lbs.) Ofcourse nobody really believed I could squat that much, expecially
for the first time (neither did I!). But, somehow with a lean-over and
a bit of a lunge - I managed to straighten up. So they actually persuaded
me into entering a PL contest in Nish, on the month of December.

Igor: What are your best competition
placings up to now, and what are your personal bests, individually, in
the big 3, and what's your best total?
Milan: I have competed in 3 Yugoslav
Championships up to now, and I have placed as 3rd, 2nd & 1st. In the
PL Cup in Nish I took the 1st place twice. That were just about all the
competitions in Yugoslavia from December 1997 till now. My competitions
results are the following: Squat 300 kg (660 lbs.), bench press 180 kg
(396 lbs.) & deadlift 277.5 kg (610.5 lbs). TOTAL: 757.5 kg (1666.5
lbs). My current results are better because I'm still progressing. These
are my current results: Squat 320 kg (704 lbs), bench 200 kg (440 lbs),
deadlift 290 kg (638 lbs.), TOTAL: 810 kg (1782 lbs). Ofcourse, this is
all without the Squat suit, or deadlift suit or bench shirt which I couldn't
obtain.

Igor: What are you currently
engaged in?
Milan: Currnetly I'm taking care
of my 9 month old son, who is already built to become a future powerlifting
champ! Also, I'm preparing my master's thesis in computer technology.
I must admit that I was persuaded to try the shot put. They expect me to
throw the Olimpic standard.
Igor: Do you have a special
diet?
Milan: That's a very painful
question. I'm engaged in two jobs. I work in the computer center of the
region court in Nish, and at night I work as 'security guard' in the largest
night club in Nish. Because of these reasons, my sleeping and eating patterns
aren't well. I try to eat lotsa beaf, fish and drink as much milk
as possible, but that's not actually a special nutrition regime. The grill
from "Leskovac" is my weak point and I have a huge shortcoming: I don't
like eating fruit!
Igor: Who is supervising your
training now?
Milan: At last a question which
I can brag on! My trainer is profesor Voislav Ilic - Charlie. He has finished
tha faculty of phisical culture, and he was a great weight-lifter. He has
spent lots of time in the former USSR with their famous lifters, and nobody
knows the actual reasons why, but he was aquainted to their most hidden
training secrets. His final exame launched great attention among the weight-lifting
circles. He has created a routine for us which is something in between
the traditional Russian and the modern American school, and I really enjoy
it!
We train five times a week, exept
Thursday and Sunday. I bench three times a week and squat twice. I have
started doing deadlifts also (10 days back) which I didn't train previously.
Igor: Yes, I remeber in
one of our previous convresations you've mentioned that you don't train
the deadlift. Why is that?
Milan: In the last 2 years I've
played basketball and trained for powerlifting as well. And I have noticed
that powerlifting has done wonders for my basketball abilities. My jump
remained the same even with the increased body weight, and my shooting
became even more precise. But because of the un-predictable movements
in basketball my back started hurting which was very annoying expecially
when deadlifting. Chosing between basketball and deadlifting, I've chosen
basketball. It sounds incredible but between two competitons I didn't train
the DL at all! I had this fear from injuring myself. Now the fear is gone
'cause I have eliminated the actual cause of injury. On my last (and first)
deadlift season I have pulled 295 kg (649 lbs) which is only 15 kg (33
lbs) below the apsolute record of Yugoslavia and that's a great motivation
for me!

Igor: Since Yugoslavia has unfortunately
been excluded from the major events world-wide due to the circumstances
and repressions of all kinds, in all segments, are there any lifters in
Yugoslavia who have a squat or deadlift suit or bench shirt?
Milan: It may sound like a miracle
but there are a couple of lifters who have a squat suit and a bench shirt.
They have purchased it "God know's how", but I really doubt that this gear
fits just right. My Club comrade who is the Yugoslav champ in the 90 kg
category bought a suit a month ago and it's already too large (it has stretched).
Under these circumstances I'll try to train in his suit and fit my 126
kg (277 lbs) in the suit. I have tried to reach a suit earlier before,
but because of my un-standard dimensions I have failed to do so...
Igor: Why isn't powerlifting more popular
in Yugoslavia?
Milan: With your statement I
will agree only partly. The past few competitons which I have attended
have been visited quite well, above my expectations. Sometimes there were
more visitors than the hall could receive. I think that the public in general
likes "strong men". I like to make a comparision: in soccer every fan thinks
he could have done better than their idol in the same situation, but in
powerlifting competitions you can sense the respect from the public, admiration
and support! The fans always cheer for the competitors and never against
them. I think that it's mainly the meet directors mistake of not advertising
the evnt more through the media, and on the other hand our TV and radio
is rather rigid in changing their usual schemes and to understand the true
potential of this popular sport. As a relation I would like to say that
more people have visited the PL meet in Nish than the hand ball match the
next day...
Igor: Please name the most significant
powerlifters in Yugoslavia...
Milan: Our most popular and oldest
lifter is Skrba Zeljko in the 125+ category (308 lbs) who is a awesome
bench presser! Then my Club friends Cvetanovic in 90 kg (200 lbs.), Jakovljevic
in 110 kg (242 lbs.), then another veteran Djordjevic in 100 kg (220 lbs.).
Then there's Gayta in 75 kg (165 lbs.) who is also worth mentioning, then
Krunic and Nektarijevic who have paused recently, and they say I ain't
bad either! Ha, ha, ha! I'm just kidding on this last one!
Igor: Can you tell us something
about the relationships between the lifters themsleves?
Milan: Great question! They're
excellent! In the competitions we always encourage each other and
we also contact each other privatly as well. There is no envy or
jealousy and everything is focused on acomplishing the best possible
total. For instance, in the Yugoslav Championship that was held in Vranje
'98, my opponent Oliver Nektarijevic and me went out to lunch together,
did warm-ups together, we spotted each other, and encouraged each other.
He took first place and I took second, with a 5 kg difference (2.2 lbs).
Igor: What are your plans and
aspirations concerned with powerlifting in the near future?
Milan: My tariner says I'm a
great capacity and that I have the strongest back in the world! I think
I have a predisposition for this sport. My recent plans are aimed towards
the Yugoslav National Championship in October when I plan to set
new records in the squat and deadlift. In order to do that I need a 325
kg squat (715 lbs) and a 315 kg deadlift (693 lbs), which I almost have.
In the following year I hope to get a squat and deadlift suit, and a bench
press shirt, and with the help of my coach and training reach the elite
class with 340-220-330 kg ( 748-484-726 lbs) and attend the WPA World Powerlifting
Championship in New York and also compete in the Moutaineer Cup who's promoter
is Nick Busik, a Serb in USA, and make him proud of me! And my greatest
aspiration is to have a 400 kg squat (880 lbs.) in about two years...
Igor: If I've left something
out and you would like to comment - now's you're chance! (Just don't say
I'm stupid, ugly, with a funny hair-cut, and that I don't nourish my gold-fish
properly!)
Milan: I'd like to mention
that my sport idols are Michael Jordan and Victor Naleyikin, ofcourse!
Igor: Thank you very much for
the interview! We Serbs should stick together - since nobody else likes
us...The same applies to Gold-fishes too ...

Milan Jovanovich, his wife Daniela, and lil' Jovan
(Just you wait till Jovan grows up! Just you wait and see! )