Manuel Ruep

Born in 1972 in Langenhagen near Hannover, Manuel grew up on the move — his father's career as a military officer took the family across Germany, giving him an early appreciation for adaptability and new perspectives.

At 17, he spent a year in Australia, immersing himself in the Aussie lifestyle, sharpening his English, and discovering a sports culture built for true fanatics — an experience that left a lasting mark. After graduating in Germany, he headed to China for a year to study Chinese and train in martial arts, adding yet another dimension to his international outlook.

Back in Germany, Manuel served in the Bundeswehr as part of an AIRBORNE unit before pursuing his academic path at Heidelberg University, where he earned a Master of Arts in Sports Science with a minor in Philosophy.

His professional career began in Switzerland, where he worked as a Strength & Conditioning Coach for national elite athletes across a wide range of sports. In 2007, he returned to Germany to continue his S&C work while also taking on a consulting role in national doping prevention.

In 2010, Manuel founded SMARTSPORTS — his own company dedicated to high-performance coaching, health optimization, and athlete development. Based in Bad Schönborn, he has since worked with national and international champions in soccer, basketball, field hockey, golf, badminton, and beyond.

Today, Manuel operates as a Performance Coach with a holistic approach built around four pillars: Vitality, Precision, Mastery, and Power — spanning elite sport training, health and nutrition, and sustainable performance development. He is also a certified KAATSU Instructor and runs the Heilpraktiker Academy, an online learning platform helping aspiring practitioners prepare for their certification exams.

With over two decades of experience at the intersection of sports science, coaching, and health, Manuel continues to push boundaries — for his athletes and for himself.