Marius Dohne

Professional Bodybuilder, Online Transformation Coach,

Marius Dohne is a retired South African bodybuilder and online transformation specialist. During his prime, Marius was known for his huge and well-rounded physique, as well as his success on bodybuilding stages across the world.

However, in 2016, Marius was diagnosed with stage 5 kidney failure. Although he was able to recover to live a normal life again, Marius no longer competes, but instead, channels his passion for bodybuilding by coaching other aspiring athletes.

This is his story:

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Athlete Statistics

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Accomplishments

Full Contest History

2002

• NABBA Mr. Universe Junior, 2nd

2004

• IFBB British Championships HeavyWeight, 5th
• IFBB Mr. Universe Medium-Tall, 8th

2007

• IFBB World Amateur Championships Super-HeavyWeight, Disqualified
• WPF World-Universe HeavyWeight, 1st / Overall Winner

2008

• NABBA World Championships Tall, 1st

2010

• New York Pro Championships Open, 9th

2011

• Tampa Bay Pro Open, 1st
• IFBB Mr. Olympia 14th

2014

• Europa Show of Champions, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 8th place
• Arnold Classic Brasil, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 6th place
• New York Pro, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 8th place
• Ferrigno Legacy Pro, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 4th place

2015

• Arnold Sports Festival, Men’s Bodybuilding, 5th place
• Arnold Classic Brasil, Men’s Bodybuilding 10th place

2016

•  Arnold Classic South, IFBB Men’s Bodybuilding, 11th place

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Biography

Teen Bodybuilding

Marius Dohne’s love for bodybuilding started when he was a teenager.

By the age of 17, he trained almost every day in the gym and was looking to become a full-time bodybuilder.

This soon became a reality; at the age of 19, Marius won his first show, and by 2002, he competed in world-class shows such as NABBA.

Mr. Olympia Debut

As his bodybuilding career progressed, Marius went on to place high in a number of shows. These included;

• 2007 WPF World-Universe HeavyWeight, 1st / Overall Winner
• 2008 NABBA World Championships Tall, 1st
• 2011 Tampa Bay Pro Open, 1st

But it wasn’t until 2011 when Marius faced his biggest challenge yet – competing on the Mr. Olympia stage. Ultimately, Marius finished in a respectable 14th place at the Olympia.

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Kidney Problems and Retirement

After the 2011 Mr. Olympia, Marius found out he had kidney problems.

He decided not to push his body anymore, at least until he’d solve his kidney problems. As a result, Marius temporarily retired from bodybuilding.

Comeback

By 2014, Marius’ health improved and he decided to make a comeback.

That year, he took part in 4 different shows, placing amongst the top 10 in all of them.

In 2015, he continued in the same fashion by placing 5th at the Arnold Sports Festival and 10th at the Arnold Classic Brazil.

Stage 5 Kidney Failure

Marius’ last bodybuilding contest came in 2016, when he placed 11th at the Arnold Classic South Championships.

Unfortunately, it was during this period that Marius’s kidney health quickly deteriorated.

Marius says, the physical pain his kidneys caused him was the worst he ever had in his life. The doctors later told Marius that the pain was signaling something much worse – stage 5 kidney failure.

“Stage 1, 2, 3, 4… you don’t even know that you’ve got kidney failure. Everything is 100-percent normal. You can do all the stuff that normal people can do. You’re even in better shape than other people. But stage 5, when kidneys fail, everything hits you at once.”

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Marius Dohne Today

For the first couple of months after his diagnosis, Marius suffered from many health problems. He was house-bound and suffered from skin rashes, extreme pain, and inability to sleep.

Over time though, he was able to recover with the assistance of a kidney dialysis machine, which helped clear out toxins out of his body.

Needless to say, Marius can’t compete anymore. But his love for bodybuilding remains.

He now works as an entrepreneur and transformation specialist, and is supported by thousands of fans who follow him on the internet.

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Marius Dohne now.

Training

Marius Dohne has always preferred lifting with a strict form rather than lifting extremely heavy.

During his workouts, he focused on feeling the muscle contraction with every rep, making sure that his movements were slow and controlled.

“I try to have a deep contraction in the movement. For me, it’s not always about weights, it’s more about hitting that muscle right and trying to get about 12 reps.”

Marius Dohne’s Back Training Program

• Barbell Rows, 3 sets of 8-12 reps
• Seated Cable Rows, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Close-Grip Lat Pulldowns, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• Lat Pulldowns, 3 sets of 10-12 reps
• High Pulley Rope Row, 3 sets of 10-12 reps

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Nutrition

High Carb, Moderate Protein

When he was at his peak, Marius ate a high-carb, moderate-fat, and moderate-protein diet.

By ingesting high amounts of carbs, Marius filled his muscles with glycogen. This, in turn, allowed him to keep up with his long and intense workouts several times per week.

“Most people know I prefered to diet with very high carbs. I’ve experimented with the other way around, trying high-fat diets etc. But ultimately what worked for me is very high carbs and moderate protein and moderate fat.”

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Culprits to Marius’ Kidney Problems

In one of his videos, Marius talked openly about what the causes of his kidney failure were. According to him, his doctors said that anabolic steroids weren’t the issue – the main problem was eating high amounts of protein, along with taking high amounts of creatine and anti-inflammatory medicine.

Marius says he’d often take anti-inflammatory pills to reduce muscle soreness after the workout. This, along with taking 20g of creatine a day, and eating a very high protein diet, is what Marius believes led to his kidney damage.

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What we can learn from Marius Dohne

Even though Marius Dohne can’t compete anymore, he uses his extensive knowledge in bodybuilding to help others succeed on the stage.

Marius’ story has taught us one simple but important lesson; while it’s important to be ambitious in chasing your goals, always keep health your number one priority.