Interview with Mirko Buchwald: Vegan Goju-Ryu Karate champ

I became vegan out of respect for animals. I was born into a vegetarian family. My grandfather stopped eating meat following training as a vetinary surgeon, and my mother was therefore raised as a veggie. So, I was raised as a third generation veggie. I have fond memories of helping a neighbor feed local wild foxes near my home. I learnt that people hunted these creatures for fun and was upset by it, so I got involved in direct action against fox hunting. I joined a Hunt Saboteurs group and became active around age 14. Contact with older activists led me to become vegan.

Over 30 years.

The ability to feel compassion for all species, my great health, and the opportunity to travel the world and use my voice to spread the word of how good it is to be a vegan athlete.

It means seeing the world as it really is, through the veil of the carnistic world we live in. It means compassion for all life. It means standing up for something bigger. It means making a choice everyday to not conform to the violent ideology the permeates every aspect of life. It means love.

I do a combination of weight training and cardio, and I practice karate, judo, ju jitsui and kickboxing.

I train 3 times a day, early morning cardio, rest, then weight training followed by an evening martial arts session.

Yes anyone interested can come train directly with me at my martial arts gym Zanshin Martial Arts Center in San Francisco, California, USA. They can also train with me at many international events.

I have never been into playing sports - I just never got into playing with balls. I was very focused on martial arts from an early age. I do enjoy weight training and riding a bicycle on top of martial arts.

The biggest misconception I think is people think it’s hard to be vegan. People think that you have to be really strict and that it’s really difficult to eat. As we all know it’s really not hard at all, is it? I address this by explaining the kind of foods I eat and more specifically all the things that I - or they - could use as vegan substitute foods eg non-dairy milks.

As a vegan athlete, my biggest strength is the knowledge I have inside from a lifetime of healthy eating, which I share with anyone who asks questions about my diet or life style. Also the broken stereotype that I feel I represent.

My biggest challenge is living in a world of speciesm and carnism and the daily challenge of dealing with all that entails.   

Many of my own students have become vegan from training with me and reading my monthly nutritional articles on my student website. Many of my peers - once they get to know me and know that I’m vegan, are interested - especially as I am 6’3 and 240 lbs but I think they are still living inside the “meat matrix” as I like to call it. So they are mostly filled with the same misinformation and propaganda they have grown up with.

My family is nearly all vegan - including my grandparents, mother and siblings. My friends are 50/50 - half enjoy going to vegan restaurants and half don’t care.

I get a combination of the protein question along with “What do you eat?” “How do you keep weight on?” “Isn’t it hard to be vegan?” I answer by explaining what protein is and where it comes from, I list the variety of foods I eat, I explain it’s about quality calories and I explain how easy veganism is once you educate yourself on diet and nutrition.

I am inspired by my love for all Earthlings, anyone on this planet who either simply makes a choice to eat vegan, or by people who feel the need to break open cages and take direct action. I am also personally inspired my many vegan friends. Alex Pacheco specifically of 600milliondogs.org a great man who has done so much for the Animal Rights movement and who is currently working on a pill that will sterilize the current 600 million stray dogs worldwide.

Breakfast - oatmeal with flax and chia seeds, fruit, water and a protein shake

Lunch - large salad, protein shake, fruit or vita mix smoothie

Dinner - large salad or pasta (whole wheat), protein shake, black beans, brown rice

Snacks (healthy & not-so healthy) - protein bars, with the occasional vegan cookie or popcorn.

Protein - on top of getting as much as I can from actual whole foods I make a blend of protein powders with almond milk, hemp, soy, pea, potato and the Plant Fusion brand I like.

Calcium - I get it from a balanced whole food diet mainly dark leafy greens

Iron - I eat kale everyday

Carbohydrates and foods with a low glycemic index. I also like the Vega sports pre and post work drinks.

I take 40 to 50 grams or a protein shake 4-5 times a day. I also use Creatine, B12 under the tongue supplement, a multi vitamin, MSN, Glutamine, ZMA and protein bars.

Gaining muscle - Lift weights  with less repetitions and more weight. Understand which exercises are better to build bulk and which are better for definition. For example, close grip bench press will do more for your triceps that a finishing movement like dumbbell kickbacks. Eat more and supplement your diet with more protein daily equal to your body weight (if you weigh 200lbs then consume 200 grams of protein daily) 4 or 5 shakes a day should do it.

Losing weight - Less calories, cut out the sugars and processed foods, cardio daily. 

Maintaining weight - Once you figure out the right nutritional and exercise balance and reach a weight you’re comfortable with, be consistent with your diet and training.

Improving metabolism - Learn about your active and resting heart rate and your aerobic threshold, make sure your diet is alkaline, read “Thrive” - a great book on vegan fitness.

Toning up - Diet, cut the sugars and fats, do a combination of cardio and strength training and plenty of abs work.

As a vegan, everything we do and say is a reflection of each other. I personally try daily whenever the opportunity arises to engage people to make them think and question why I do and say the things I say. I think that every time someone ask a question or even makes a stupid question it’s an opportunity to give them something to think about. It’s learning how best to respond that takes time, but once you are able to, you may someday help them see through the matrix of carnism and help them see that all species deserve a life just like you and I. 

Feel free to contact me zanshincenter@att.net and I can connect you with someone in your area or if you live in the San Francisco Bay area take a look at my websites www.sfgoju.com and www.sfzanshin.com