Fitness
Fitness Training
How Luka Đukić transformed his training: 5 lessons for better fitness
After a disappointing season, Luka Đukić rebuilt his training from the ground up. Months later, he was battling the world’s best for a podium – these are the changes that made the difference.
Serbian athlete Luka Đukić has spent years travelling the world and testing himself against the elite of competitive fitness. From Belgrade to Miami Beach and Copenhagen, his experience is vast and his list of achievements impressive.
However, after winning the Dubai Fitness Championship at the end of 2024, the subsequent season left him feeling unsatisfied. His intention with each competition was to compete against the best in his sport, and to podium, but his goals weren’t matching his reality. It wasn’t enough to just show up and participate.
Holding a coveted Pro Card for the World Fitness Project, Đukić’s 2025 season ended at the World Fitness Project Finals in Copenhagen, Denmark. Out of 29 competitors, he finished 24th. While that secured him another Pro Card for the following season, Đukić was far from satisfied.
Luka Đukić finished in 24th place at the World Fitness Project Finals 2025
© Esben Zøllner Olesen/Red Bull Content Pool
So, in early 2026, he left his previous training camp and coach and initiated a reset.
“I took a few months off, where I kind of programmed myself, for two or three months. But I knew that I wanted to start working with Coach Fraser (McKenzie). I knew that if I was ever to look for a coach again, I'd reach out to him,” Đukić says.
01
Finding the right coach and training environment
If the name Coach Fraser McKenzie sounds familiar, it should. His growing roster of elite athletes, all part of the Brute training camp, has come to include high profile names like Aimee Cringle, Aniol Ekai, and Jack Farlow – all World Fitness Project 2026 Pro Card holders.
We had a meeting the day after the event – it all began right away
Đukić contacted McKenzie in early 2026 and the two set about a timeline.
“We began working together immediately after London Pro. We had a meeting the day after the event – it all began right away. And we set up the plan straight there,” Đukić explains.
With Đukić living in Serbia and McKenzie based in the UK, the two would be working remotely. But as part of the Brute training camp, Đukić now had regular contact not only with his coach, but with his fellow Brute athletes.
He was now part of an elite crew, virtually training alongside the best of the best – able to compare scores, share feedback, learn and grow.
02
Training less, but with more purpose
In a very short amount of time, Đukić began making major strides in his fitness heading into Tour Stop 2, Grand Park Pro.
“I think the biggest change in general, over 4 months, is that I dropped a lot of weight, but my strength stayed the same. I lost almost 5 kilos from Tour Stop 1 to Tour Stop 2,” Đukić says.
Đukić is feeling the benefits of his new training regime
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
Another game-changer was the introduction of an entirely new training system. Đukić was spending less time in the gym, but training harder and with much more purpose.
He began a Conjugate Method strength cycle and introduced more accessory work.
“This was my first time doing a Conjugate cycle, my first time doing some of the movements, like banded back squats, Romanian deadlifts, pin presses and things like that. My body responded great,” he says.
03
Finding new ways to attack his weaknesses
The new approach wasn't simply about working harder. Đukić and McKenzie began finding different ways to address weaknesses that had previously held him back.
“Before, for handstand push-ups, I just trained handstand push-ups. But Fraser and I found other things that my body responded to. I started doing accessories, holding positions, and dedicated strength work for some of these movements,” Đukić says.
Đukić wants to be known as one of the top runners around
© Esben Zøllner Olesen/Red Bull Content Pool
I want people to be like, 'Okay, Luka is one of the best runners in the field'
Rather than repeatedly practising a movement he struggled with, Đukić was strengthening the individual components needed to perform it. The change didn't just improve his physical game. It changed his mindset, too.
“I used to be scared of movements showing up, but I’ve started looking forward to them and it’s created a big shift in terms of how I attack those workouts.”
At the same time, Đukić and McKenzie weren't prepared to sacrifice his biggest weapons while addressing his weaknesses.
“But also we want to make sure that the strengths get even better. So now when running is showing up, I want people to be like, ‘Okay, Luka is one of the best runners in the field,’” he explains.
04
Turning weaknesses into competitive weapons
At Grand Park Pro, Đukić finally had the opportunity to put his new approach to the test.
That day one was a big validation for me… now out of 50 athletes, I was 20th
On the first day, he faced two workouts featuring explosive tests such as a 40-yard sprint and high-level skills including parallette handstand push-ups – all tests that would typically knock him to the bottom of the leaderboard.
“Our goal coming in was to be in the mid-pack after day one – usually at this point, I would be probably close to the bottom of the field. I'm not really explosive as an athlete, and then we have this big volume on the push-up workout, which is my huge weakness. After those two workouts on day one, I was in 20th, and I'm like, ‘Okay, we're in a great position now,’” Đukić reflects.
What might have looked like a worrying start to his fans felt very different to Đukić. He knew he was exactly where he needed to be.
“That day one was a big validation for me just because compared to Finals in Copenhagen last year – we had parallette handstand push-ups over there too. And out of 30 athletes, I was 29th,” Đukić says. “And now out of 50 athletes, I was 20th.”
It was tangible proof that the work was paying off.
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05
Building the all-round fitness to challenge the best
Đukić is pushing hard for the podium in 2026
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
With the next day, came the ultimate challenge – conflicting tests of a 10-kilometre run and a one-rep max bench press. No athlete was expected to thrive at both. Only one did.
Đukić finished third in the 10K in 38m 59s, before setting a personal best of 156kg (345lb) on the bench press to finish fifth.
“I was the only athlete in the field that placed in the top five in both the 10K run and the lift,” Đukić proudly points out – this being a true showcase of the well-rounded athlete that he had become in such a short amount of time.
By the end of the competition, Đukić was third overall, just nine points off second place, having recorded four top-10 finishes. It was a significant step forward – and the start of something even bigger.
Just weeks later, he won Wodcelona in Barcelona, Spain, securing his first competition victory alongside his new coach.
Relaxed and looking forward to Copenhagen in December
© Predrag Vuckovic/Red Bull Content Pool
Currently sitting in 11th place on the World Fitness Project 2026 leaderboard, his sights are set on the World Fitness Project Finals in December, and more specifically, the podium.
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