Interview with Rajko Radovic

Last Man Standing’s Renaissance Man

Introduction by Alan Orr

Rajko was one of the stars from the TV series ‘Last man standing’ which had six athletes from different walks of life come together to competition set around the world with tribes in their traditional forms of combat and rights of tribal passage

Rajko was already well known for his unique fitness concept known as fitness 4x4. Developed by his father Dragan Radovic more than 30years ago, this is the method that allowed Rajko to set two world records in upper-body endurance and pioneer the amazing Hour of Power workout.Since meeting Rajko I have started using this method myself and must say it had an impact on my martial arts training within the first week! I will talk more on that when I review Rajko’s DVD.

But ask Rajko what his real talent is and he will say 'music...songwriting!' Rajko is a creative and spontaneous performer. On his adventures in Last Man Standing Rajko took a guitar to all 12 of the tribes they visited, often teaching a local villager to play, then leaving behind the guitar on his departure.The show became a life-changing journey and which Rajko embraced.

Alan: What did you think you were getting into with the show? What was your goal to start with?

Rajko: All I knew was that it would be an amazing tribal adventure and that we’d probably have to do some very unusual and demanding sports. But in terms of specifics, the BBC deliberately kept us in the dark. I remember being on the aeroplane flying towards the first destination - with 5 other guys I’d only just met, not having a clue where we’d end up and what we’d be doing. It was quite exciting, but I think we were all a little bit anxious to find out – at least to know what we were up against. I think my goal was to test myself and test the merits of my fitness training method. I’d always considered myself an all-rounder in sports and competition, and I felt that my training had given me a fairly universal fitness level…and I was curious to put that to the test. Outside of mainstream sports and martial arts, it’s not often that you get to really challenge yourself and be really competitive – without people thinking you’re a bit nuts. But this was the perfect chance to live my childhood dreams of doing the crazy tribal sports I’d only ever seen on programmes like ‘Transworld Sport’ or read about in books. So I had to go for it

Alan: Once you started did the journey change for you?

Rajko: In all honesty, the journey changed quite quickly from being one of challenge to one of survival. What I mean is that I went into the first location keen to excel myself and be the best I possibly could be. But destiny had something else in store for me, because in location one * I broke two ribs, then in location two I nearly chopped two toes off, and at that point I really wondered if I’d even be able to continue on with the rest of the trip. Had it not been for some amazing good fortune of not having to run in the tribal cricket game (meaning I could still take part and eventually win), I think I would have been very depressed at that point, because I had 6more locations ahead of me and a body that was in no fit shape to continue. But somehow I recovered, and kept plugging away…and I guess it became a test of how far could I push my body and my mind when it wasn’t really working for me. It’s really quite a different challenge to how far you can push yourself when you’re in top form. It’s much more mental, because every step of the way there is a part of you saying ‘it is not clever to keep pushing yourself through injury – you’re going to pay for this!’ But you have to work around it and try to ignore that voice…and listen to the other voice which is telling you ‘you’ll never get this chance again! Get on with it!’

*Location 1 in reality was Mongolia, whereas on the BBC the first location shown was Brazil. They were mostly shown in order except for a couple of exceptions.

Alan: What was it like competing with the other guys?

Rajko: It was very tough competing with the other guys. Brad was incredibly strong and once when I was wrestling him I felt like he was going to break me, but thankfully he did not have much skill in wrestling, so I generally did quite well against him. Jason also was a real tough kid, not unused to getting into scraps and pushing his body hard, and he had a kind of natural strength, which made him a really tough competitor. He had that kind of ‘farmer’ strength; big hands, broad shoulders, tough-as-nails type personality, so I usually looked forward to fighting him the least. But it usually brought out the best in me too. Richard was unexpectedly tough and it was very easy to underestimate him, but I guess coming from a rugby background although he was not that strong, he didn’t mind throwing himself around and he was very quick. Mark was very skilful and also physically strong, but I don’t think he always had that extreme desire to win. Same with Corey – a very very fit athlete who’d climbed mountains and run marathons, but didn’t have that burning desire to win win win. Which I think you need if you’re going to do well in sports that you’ve never played before and challenges that demanded so much from the body.

Alan: Even though you where all competing essentially against each other, but you become more like a team, what was that like?

Rajko: After a while I think we realised that more often than not we were going to be totally out of our depth, and were going to get taught a lesson by the tribesmen! So like many sportsmen, when we had to compete against each other we turned it on, but when we were not in competition we were very supportive of each other and keen to see everyone do their best. I remember before one race they wanted to disqualify Brad and Corey if they would not comply with a ritual that went against their ethics. This would have been good for me if they’d been disqualified, but at the same time it seemed wrong that they would miss out on the opportunity, and I wanted us all to compete. So I tried to talk with the locals and talk with the guys and find a middle ground. For me I wanted to get the most I possibly could out of the adventure, and I guess I wanted the same thing for the other guys too. It’s a good feeling to come through an adventure together – not just on your own.

Alan: What was it life living with different tribes and learning their ways of life?

Rajko: Sometimes it was amazing and sometimes it was horrible! Living with the people and experiencing their hospitality and personality and uniqueness – I’ll never forget that. It was truly amazing. People all over the world are so different in day to day things, but so similar in essence. I really think people are naturally good and loving, and it’s other factors that mess that up. And we experienced a lot of goodness and a lot of kindness and love, everywhere we went.
But if I’m honest, sometimes it was horrible trying to sleep on the floor with cockroaches walking over you, or eating the same food for every meal, or getting as much food in one day as you’d normally eat in a single meal. That stuff was no fun. Neither was the 4th time I got food poisoning – but thankfully you forget those discomforts when you look back on the experience!

Alan: Taking on so many challenges was very physically and mentally demanding, how did you prepare for that?

Rajko: I really feel that my father’s approach to training and the Fitness4x4 method that I teach, prepared me for the physical and mental challenges I would face. Not directly but definitely indirectly. My training sessions are often harder than when I have to perform and I’ve developed a level of physical self-discipline from my father, which definitely helps when the going gets tough. For example, I decided that no matter what my circumstances were in the tribes (or en-route to the tribes) I would always maintain my training regimen, and I would never make excuses, and if it was humanly possible, my goal was to return from the tribes fitter than when I left. I got this attitude from my parents I think – the no-excuses approach. I remember watching my father on many occasions get to the end of a very long a difficult day, not having had time or opportunity to train, and no matter how he felt he would find a little space and do a few hundred squats or lifts, or whatever was available. Same with my mum. And so when I was in the tribe and I hadn’t slept all night, or we’d been travelling for 36hours in an aeroplane, while the other guys were intent on getting straight into bed at the hotel – I would find a quiet corner and do a basic routine. It was probably more of a mental thing than a physical thing, but it’ the approach we teach in our style of training. What do you do when you’re on low-form; when you’re injured or tired or busy or demodulated? Because those are the defining moments – not the times when you feel great and you have all the equipment and all the support and supplements and all the time you need. For us, if we have our own body weight – and ideally two dumbbells – we can be anywhere in the world and in any circumstances and we’ll do the toughest possible workout you could imagine. And I think that’s why my father has never been beaten in his challenge in 8years of open-competition.

Alan: Of course you are well known for you methods of training and your fathers Dragan Challenge. Tell us about that and in what way it helped you.

Probably answered in the question above!

Rajko: What did you gain from the journey, that you would say you didn’t have before?

Rajko: I gained a better sense of what my limitations are, but I also gained a strength of knowing that when the sh** hits the fan, I find a way to stand tall. I didn’t really know if I had that inner strength before I did the show, but now when I’m faced with really tough challenges or I feel like giving up, I can draw on my experiences in the tribes and think to myself ‘you did it then when it was much harder than it is now – so you can do it again!’

I also gained a real appreciation of living in England. Of being able to wake up each morning and decide what you are going to do with your day – what you’re going to do with your life. Although some of these tribes live in beautiful places and have nice simple lives (which are probably a lot less stressful than ours!) I realised that if I’d been born into any one of these tribes I’d had so few options in my life. I’d be stuck with what I was born with – no matter how talented or ambitious I was. How do you get out of Outer-Mongolia if you’re born into a tiny Nomad community in the middle of nowhere? I guess the answer for most people is – you don’t. I remember we met a Mongolian Archer (bow and arrows!) who looked like a movie star and had such a charisma about him – and he could sing with a voice that made you stop in your tracks. And it made me a little sad cos I realised – he will probably never get half the opportunities I get in my life, and he’s probably got more potential than I’ll ever have. But that’s life –and it made m determined to return to England and make the most of every opportunity I was given.

Rajko: What was it you most enjoyed from the show?

Rajko: Little memories and little experiences that were never seen on camera, but will stay with me forever. Coming back in to the Trobriand Island village after I’d injured my toes… The tribes-people thought I’d had to leave the island to be treated for possible infection, and I think they thought they’d never see me again. But I told the doctor to wrap me up as best he could and let me go back into the tribe. At first he refused, but then he let me and said I was taking a serious risk but it was my decision. I remember getting back to the tribe and as the BBC van was pulling in to the village, a few tribal people saw me and started shouting my name with such happiness on their faces it almost made me tearful. They were reacting as if a long-lost son had come home after many years, and it was one of the most touching moments I’ll ever experience. There were many little moments like that and I should probably write them down, but I’ll never forget them.

Alan: It terms of the combat Challenges, what was the one you gained the most from?

Rajko: I think Pincak Silat. It was the 11th location (only shown in the USA on discovery channel) and it was the first time I’d really done a full contact martial art – so I’ll admit I was very anxious and unsure of myself. For some reason I was quite confident at wrestling and even kick-fighting – but this suddenly felt like the real thing. And I wasn’t sure how to approach it. I’ve always been a very non-violent person. I like controlled physical aggression, but I hate violence and the thought of causing someone serious harm – so it was a massive mental and physical challenge to enter a ring and have to fight someone full contact. But I never talk myself out of things and I think I always face my fears – even if it’s reluctantly. Whether that’s performing my own music to a new (and possibly sceptical) crowd, or whether it’s entering a ring to fight a trained Indonesian fighter. I’ll give it a go.

Rajko:What has changed in your life since the show?

Rajko: I guess a few more people know me and I have a few more ‘friends’ on facebookJ And some lovely opportunities to teach, to appear on tv shows, to work with kids and even to be put forward for other interesting TV opportunities. But, really the main thing that has changed is that I have an unbelievable experience of the world and I have things so much more in perspective. What’s important, what’s dangerous and what isn’t, what I want to do with my life. When you’ve done stick fighting with Zulu’s, it’s not so scary to be in a dangerous situation, cos you’ve probably been in worse. I’m not saying I wouldn’t panic if a gang of thugs surrounded me or someone pulled a weapon on me, but in general I feel different. And more than anything, I’ve got some amazing stories to tell my grandchildren.

Rajko: You are also very into your music. What impact did living with different tribes have on you from that point of view?

Rajko: Funnily enough, although I am very disciplined and very motivated in my fitness training, for the past 5years or so, my real commitment has been to music. It’s what really feeds my soul. So before the show and after the show, I was performing and writing and recording –and I’m still doing that now. I guess the tribal music and tribal experience had an impact on my music and I’ve written a number of songs that were either inspired by a place I saw, people I stayed with, or music I heard on my travels. So it broadened my horizons massively, and since most of my songs are just written about different aspects of life – I now have a broader experience of life so I have more to write about and be inspired by.

Rajko: Tell us what are you focused on now?

Rajko: As always I’m focused on two things. To achieve my ambitions as a recording artist, and to help my father take his fitness method to the world. I want to do both those things because I truly believe in both of them with all my heart. My music is the essence of me and my most true self-expression – and I want to be able to share that with people. I’ve made one album and I know I have at least two more within me, ready to be recorded right now – but one thing at a time!
And with fitness, this year my father is 60 and I’m 30, and we’re both approaching our top fitness level…so I think it’s time for Fitness4x4 to reach more people, because I think everyone has something to learn from a man who is still fitter than most men half his age! So I’m working with some supplement companies and health clubs to get Fitness4x4 and the Dragan Challenge around the UK, and I’m keen to see some more people benefit from it – whether they are elite athletes or office workers – cos I know first hand that it works. Oh, and I might just go for a world record in endurance dumbbell lifting this year…why not!?

Rajko: I am sure your success will keep growing. Check out www.rajko.tv

Rajko:: Thanks Alan.

Alan Orr is a disciple of Robert Chu Sifu and the European representative of the Chu Sau Lei Wing Chun system. Teacher of Tui Na Chinese Massage Therapy

He is also the European representative for Guro Mark Wiley in the Filipino martial arts and Sensei Eddy Millis of Shark Tank in NHB/Grappling. MMA Fight Coaching and Management.

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