You are an amateur soccer player and that means discipline, frustration tolerance, suffering and ankle-high dirt water.
Jan Mathis from TSV Meckenbeuren is also a soccer player through and through. In the Bodensee district league, he fights week after week for more than just three points. And he has a soccer resume that unites many players: He gives everything for his club, sometimes too much. In a preparation game, his knee went on strike — diagnosed torn cruciate ligament. But he fought his way back, first trained with the comeback programs and then with the game changer. Now he is in the shape of his life and is playing for the first time in his career in his dream position in central midfield.
Here is his story.
Jan, what role does soccer play in your life?
It's a very big role. I've been playing soccer since I was four years old. Back then, I was taken to his Bambini group via a friend in kindergarten whose father was a soccer coach. I was on fire for soccer from day one. I didn't want to miss any more training and when it happened, I was really sad.
How do you live out this passion today? What does soccer give you?
There has never actually been a football-free period in my life. The only time I was prevented from doing so was during my injury. I simply enjoy this sport so much. And that joy is always at the center. And at my home club, TSV Meckenbeuren, I simply have the perfect environment. I am very honest and played in higher class with other teams for a while as a youngster as well. In the end, I've always stayed loyal to my club because I feel incredibly comfortable there.
B42 has accompanied you on part of this journey. Can you still tell me where the first point of contact was?
I first read about Soccer-Fit-You on social media in 2018. It was about preventing cruciate ligament ruptures and knee injuries. I didn't take it seriously and was convinced that it wouldn't happen to me anyway.
After the injury was before the comeback program. That's how Jan Mathis' went Road-to-recovery:
Until it hits you yourself?
Yes, I tore my cruciate ligament during a preparation game a week before the start of the season. That was a brutal shock back then. For me, there was only ever soccer, four to five times a week. All of a sudden, that was no longer possible. And then I came into contact with B42 again and came across the rehab guide.
What was your motivation for using the rehab guide?
Back then, the health insurance had paid me for 30 minutes of treatment with a physiotherapist. But it felt like nothing had happened for months; I felt bad. At some point I was at a point where my physio wanted to get me back on track. But I was skeptical and got a second opinion from a knee specialist. He clearly advised me against it and at the same time taught me that I could get fit again faster and more sustainably with the B42 exercises. From then on, I worked out with the app every day.
Did you have a specific goal in mind?
Yes, our local derby against VFL Brochenzell, which was supposed to take place ten months after the operation.
What were your experiences with the B42 soccer app?
Absolutely positive. I was able to put more and more strain on my knee, was also able to do endurance runs at some point and had the feeling that the work was paying off. When I went back to the physiotherapist in Munich three months later, he was impressed by the progress. And he also gave me the green light for the derby.
So you were fit again but then started to continue training with B42 to get in even better shape? Can you tell us about your experiences here?
There were two points: On the one hand, I always had questions for my colleagues from B42, who always answered me in the shortest possible time on Instagram or Facebook, which I found very good. It also showed me that the team does it with passion and that everyone knows what they're talking about.
And the second point?
I just wanted to do more. I had played one more game in the end of the season and it was summer break. I wanted to use the time and fully attack to start the new season in top shape.
Your conclusion?
In fact, I was in the shape of my life afterwards, as the app promises. I came back stronger after a 10-month injury period and played 26 games between August and the corona break, almost all over 90 minutes. Before that, I heard again and again that you would never be as strong as before after such an injury. My teammates would also confirm that I've never been so fit. I also never had any muscular problems again.
ERREICHE DEIN VOLLES POTENZIAL AUF DEM PLATZ! Mit der B42 App für Fußballer*innen.
12 weeks of hard and intensive work. This is how Jan Mathis sees todays off:
How exactly did you train?
Very variable at first. I have repeatedly completed individual weekly programs or selected the exercises myself according to the form of the day. When I was tired from team training, I was more likely to mobility exercises done, more demanding workouts on other days. And later, of course, the game changer came, where I focused primarily on muscle building.
We often get feedback that the game changer is effective, but it's also incredibly exhausting. What motivated you personally to complete the program for 12 weeks?
After my injury break, I basically wanted to be fitter than anyone else and was prepared to do more to achieve it. And in soccer terms, he had one big goal: to play in the center. But I was denied this for many years because I was physically too weak. The Game Changer has changed that. I've gained a lot of muscle mass. The downside was that I didn't eat well. Unfortunately, I didn't just gain muscle.
But also in fat?
Exactly, I wanted to be more athletic and defined, so I changed my diet later. I have myself in Nutrition guide in the B42 app Read about the topic and calculate my calorie requirement. I then used another app to track my diet accordingly.
What does that mean in kilograms?
I started with 83 kilos in January and had 75 kilos in May — without losing any noticeable muscle mass.
You can see that. Do you have a personal tip on how to be so disciplined for so long? We know the traps: Pizza, ice cream, sweets, alcohol are lurking everywhere. Are you immune to that?
No, I feel the same way. When I'm at the Italian restaurant, I don't order salad (laughs). So I've tried to find a middle ground. My motto: The whole week counts. I had a significant calorie deficit during the week and followed a very disciplined diet: low carbohydrates, lots of protein and, as a result, a significant calorie deficit. In return, I can treat myself to a pizza or doner kebab on the weekend without a guilty conscience. As a result, I have developed a lifestyle that I can maintain in the long term and that is really good for me.
Finally, a question that is not directly related to training. B42 is consciously committed to greater respect and fair cooperation — against racism, homophobia and other forms of inhuman behavior. Does that matter to you?
Yes, absolutely. Of course, I became aware of B42 primarily because I wanted to improve my sporting skills. But I find the personal interaction with the B42 team and the values that are lived by them great and I can absolutely support them.
Thank you for the interview, Jan!
Start your fitness journey with B42 now!
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