Mike Sommerfeld, known as "Mike the Badass", was born in Heidelberg in 1993 and is currently considered one of the best German bodybuilding athletes. He competes in the Classic Physique category and secured second place at the 2024 Mr. Olympia - directly behind Chris Bumstead and ahead of Urs Kalecinski.
Mike's entry into strength training
Mike Sommerfeld began strength training at an early age, influenced by his father Uwe Sommerfeld, who himself was active in the IFBB as a young athlete.
During his career he worked with several top coaches, including Dennis James and Patrick Tour, benefiting from expert bodybuilding coaching and following a structured program bodybuilding regime. In 2018 he secured his pro card at the "Royal London Pro" with coach Patrick.
From 212 Bodybuilder to Classic Physique Icon
Sommerfeld made his professional debut in 2019 at the “Romania Pro” – not in the Classic Physique, but in the 212 category. There he only finished 13th, which prompted him to switch to the Classic Physique.
Just one week later, he competed in his new category and immediately achieved second place – beaten by David Hoffmann, who had participated in the Mr. Olympia several times.
This placement strengthened his decision: the Classic Physique was his class.
In 2021, he won the “Xtreme Bodybuilding & Fitness Pro” show in Tijuana, where he defeated Urs Kalecinski and qualified for the Mr. Olympia for the first time.
After always being in the top 10 at the Mr. Olympia from 2021 to 2023, he achieved a sensation in 2024 by narrowly missing out on winning the Mr. Olympia. His consistent performance is a testament to his unwavering commitment to a disciplined program bodybuilding regimen.
Living in Dubai and health challenges
Mike Sommerfeld now lives in Dubai, where he focuses on competitions and competition preparation. In 2023 he married his wife Shani Sommerfeld, who accompanies him to events and supports him in all areas.
Sommerfeld suffers from the disease “Porphyria variegata”, a liver defect that cannot be cured. Nevertheless, he proves time and again that discipline and passion make everything possible in strength training.
Sponsors, Social Media and Influence in the Fitness World
Mike Sommerfeld is sponsored by PEAK (@peakperformance) and Vanquish Fitness. He shares his fitness and bodybuilding experience with over 500,000 followers on social media.
His influence inspires countless aspiring athletes to follow a dedicated bodybuilder fitness plan and adopt a disciplined program bodybuilding approach in their training. Like Urs Kalecinski and Ramon Dino, he is one of the top favorites for this year's Mr. Olympia in Classic Physique.
