PHOTO: Bildbyrån
He is one of Swedish hockey’s great goalie heroes.
But in the middle of the TV program “Biggest Loser”, Pekka Lindmarks received the most unexpected message that changed his entire life.
– It was a shock for both me and my family, Pekka admits in an interview with Expressen.
When you think of Swedish goalkeeper heroes over the years in Tre Kronor, it is Pekka Lindmark a name that quickly comes to mind. He guarded boxes at an elite level for almost 20 years, won both WC gold and SM gold and was named the world’s best goalkeeper twice during his career.
Pekka’s career
At the age of 40, the puck stopper ended his career and already during his career he became nationally known for detesting training. It didn’t get better after his career immediately and that would lead to problems for Lindmark.
– I haven’t worked out, I’ve never liked working out and thought it was enough when I stopped. I have simply been lazy, admits Pekka in an old interview with Expressen.
– I just managed to weigh 0.1 ton. I had mistreated my body for too long. It went too far.
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Lindmark let his body decay and when he got the chance to appear in the TV4 program “Biggest Loser VIP”, he accepted immediately to bring about a much-needed change. The Tre Kronor hero clocked in at 178 centimeters and 99.7 kg.
Lindmark’s shock
Early on in the television program that was broadcast in 2018, the nightmare message came when the hockey profile had to see a doctor to review his state of health. Pekka Lindmark had suffered a silent heart attack and it was a real awakening for him.
– It was a kick for me to be involved. I needed to change my life. And to be told that I had suffered a heart attack without knowing anything was sensitive. It was a shock to both me and my family. I had no idea it was so bad, he says to the evening newspaper.
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It wasn’t just Lindmark who was shocked, but also his old national team colleagues Jonas Bergqvist, Håkan Loob and Anders “The Mask” Carlsson took the news with horror. “What happened to Pekka is a wake-up call for the rest of us not to end up in the same risk zone,” says Carlsson and is supported by Bergqvist, who acted immediately.
– I went straight home and hired a personal trainer who I had for six years. Today I run a program at home that takes 40 minutes. There are 27 exercises. It is a good way to keep the body in shape. I also cycle a lot. The body is my tool and then it’s important not to let go of everything so it goes too far. I weigh two kilos less now than when I was an elite player, but of course I don’t have as much muscle mass on my body, he says in the interview.
Even Loob, who is today a hockey expert on SVT, is trying to keep his body going after his career, which ended back in 1997.
– It is easy to get comfortable after an elite career has ended. I’ve always had a goal to stay in shape and not get too lethargic. I run my own strength program, go spinning and cycle a lot to keep my body in good balance. I am happy to see that Pekka was able to change his life in the program, admits Håkan Loob.
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READ MORE: Pekka Lindmark reveals the truth about the big claim that he hates training – now admits 40 years later
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