Name: Robert Smith
Age: 36
Height: 1.72 m
Current weight: 92 kg
Current city: Cape Town, South Africa
Occupation: Director

How and when did you get started in training and fitness?

I started in fitness in 2014. I had previously been quite over weight and after dropping 20 kgs I was looking for something to keep me motivated and push me to achieve more. I watched my first fitness show in 2013 and decided to give competing a try.

What made you decide to compete? And how was the prep for your first competition?

Watching a friend prep for a show was my deciding factor. I watched him prep and was amazed at the discipline and mental focus that this sport required. I was up for this challenge.

My first prep was terrible! LOL. I did not know what to expect and even with guidance from a coach I was questioning everything, I was tired and moody. The last 3-4 weeks were the worst.

All I did was moan about how terrible prep was and that I would never do this again. I even remember telling myself whilst I was back stage that this was the one and only show I would do.

Needless to say, I still got on stage and as soon as I got off stage I asked when the next show was.

Do you ever lack motivation on some days? How do you deal with this?

YES. I am human, life is not easy. Being self-employed, running a business all day and training twice a day is tough. Thankfully I am a very self-motivated and driven individual. I love setting short, medium and long term goals for every aspect of my life.

Who has been your biggest influence/support in your life and how did they affect you?

I have been fortunate that I have had an amazing amount of support from all my friends, family and staff. Their support during my preps have been a driving factor for me to push harder.

I never like to let anyone down, especially not those closest to me.

Have you had many setbacks at all? How did you deal with them if you did?

Fortunately, I haven’t had any set backs in my fitness career. I however have experienced other set backs in life that have indirectly affected my motivation to train.

This is when I get back to basics and focus on just getting my ass to gym rather then focusing on what an amazing workout I am going to have. After all any workout is better than no workout.

What are your future plans? 

I plan to compete at WBFF Worlds. It has always been a dream of mine to stand against the best of the best on the world stage. Career wise I plan to slowly grow my business and create a positive happy work environment for my staff to enjoy.

Tell us a bit about your journey of competing up to your Wbff show and winning your pro card and status:

I did my first WBFF show in 2015, it was a massive eye opener. The level of athletes was unrivaled to any other show I have competed in. I did this show with no expectations of winning but rather to gauge where I am as an athlete.

After placing top 10 I was now even more determined to come back the following year and achieve my pro status. 2016 rolled on and it was time to jump on stage again. I trained harder and was more disciplined with my food. I jumped on stage thinking I had a real chance.

It was one of the toughest line ups I have ever faced with 40 muscle model athletes competing for their pro status. I placed 4th and unfortunately missed the pro card by 1 place as they award 1st, 2nd and 3rd with pro status. I was shattered with disappointment but I got over it and was already thinking about my next show and what I would change to come back better.

After a short break WBFF had their next show in 2018. My prep started in January. If i thought I trained hard for previous shows this was next level. I pushed past my point of comfort and my diet was 100% according to my plan.

This time I would leave no stone unturned. My game plan was to be show ready a few weeks out. Slow and steady wins the race they say. The rest as they say is history and I am now proud to be apart of the WBFF Pro family.

What process do you follow when its time to start getting ready for a competition/photoshoot or to just lean down? 

My training doesn’t change dramatically from when competing to off season. I always change my training program to keep things interesting or to focus on what I believe to be weak areas. My diet is pretty constant also. I still eat a mixture of protein, carbs and fats but will restrict my junk food intake when competing to 1 cheat meal per weak. During the weak I will stick to my meal plan 100%.

Take us through an average day of yours: 

• I wake up at 05:00, press snooze twice and roll out of bed at 05:20.
• Get up, make a cup of black coffee and get ready for morning cardio at 06:00.
• Generally, do between 40-60 minutes fasted cardio. I shower at the gym and get to work by 08:00.
• The chaos starts and the hustle never stops but I still get all my meals in during the day.
• Work generally finishes for me at about 4 pm after which I eat my preworkout meal and get ready for gym again.
• This session is where I have my therapy session and take out all my frustrations on the weights. Once done there I head home to unpack bags, have dinner, prep for the next day, shower and get back in bed to repeat the process again.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet: 

No philosophy needed, just keep it simple and balance is key.

An average days food is as follows:

• Meal 1:
  • 10 egg whites
  • 1 whole egg
• Meal 2:
  • 200g tuna
  • Greens
  • 50g basmati rice
• Meal 3:
  • 200g chicken
  • 200g baby potato
• Meal 4:
  • 200g chicken
  • Salad
• Meal 5 (preworkout)
  • 50g cream of rice
  • 20g almond butter
  • 40g Gaspari Precision proteinMeal 6:
  • 200g Lean steak
  • 50g basmati rice
  • Greens

Do you use many supplements? What are the essentials in your opinion?

I am sponsored by Gaspari and therefore use all their supplements.

Essentials for me:

• Gaspari Precision Protein
• Gaspari SuperPump
• Gaspari Glycofuse
• Gaspari AminoLast
• Gaspari Anavite (Multivitamin)

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training schedule, how many times a week do you workout for and how long are your training sessions?

Generally speaking I train 3 days on and 1 day off. My sessions are planned and therefore with the right intensity (and the gym not being crazy busy) I can complete my workout in 60-90 minutes depending on the body parts being trained.

What are some of the mistakes you see guys making when trying to get pick up size?

I have made this mistake myself but over eating because you are “bulking” is a common mistake. Gradually increase your calorie intake in small increments is what I find works best in order to not put on unnecessary fat and retain water.

What are your top tips for getting shredded?

Its simple maths, burn more calories than what you consume. Still get your balance of proteins, carbs and fats. Listen to your coach!

What are your three favourite exercises and why?

1. Cable fly’s at different angles

• I can hit all areas of the chest and I get a pretty good pump.

2. Leg press

• My legs are one of my strongest muscles so I can really stack on the weight here.

3. Seated single arm lateral raises

• Enjoy the concentration and control I get from being seated.

What are some of your Chest exercises and chest training tips?

• Chest press machine
• Incline dumbbell bench press
• Hex press
• Dumbbell fly’s
• Cable cross overs
• Floor dumbbell press

Make that mind to muscle connection. Focus on squeezing your chest at the peak of its contraction. You will know and feel when it’s working.

Don’t rush the movement. Be deliberate and controlled.

Do you include much cardio into your training routines?

Yes, currently doing 40-60 minutes fasted cardio 5-6 times per week.

What is the most common question you get asked? 

• What supplements can they take to lose weight?

My response:

What is your diet like and how many calories a day are you eating? There are no shortcuts to losing weight and although supplements assist you with your nutrition requirements they do not replace food and a controlled meal plan.

Favorite Influential bodybuilders:

• Jaco de Bryun
• AJ Ellison
• Arnold Vosloo
• Neil Curry
• Wayne Coetzee

Favorite Quote:

It’s an oldie but a goodie:

“Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.”

Favourite female fitness icons:

• Laura Daniels
• Lauren Simpson
• Rachel Dillon

Best piece of advice you ever received?

Be patient and follow the process. During this process we get impatient and expect results daily. Rome was not built in a day and you won’t achieve results in a day but you will make daily progress and achieve your results over time.

What advice would you give to someone unsure where to start in the gym and maybe a little intimidated by the gym and the people?

Get a personal trainer for a session to two, just to allow you to become familiar with the equipment and how to use it.

Once you find your way around your confidence with grow and you will be just fine.

Where can people get hold of you?

• Facebook: Robert Smith Wbff Pro
• Instagram: Robsmith_wbffpro

Photography Credits:

• Sean Levitt

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Name: Irina Nesterova
Age: 32
Height: 1,68 m
Weight: 57 Kg
Current city: Centurion, South Africa
Occupation: Personal Trainer, Fitness Model

What made you get started with training and living a more healthy lifestyle?

I was always conscious about my health and nutrition. I did yoga, dancing and swimming in the past but only started going to the gym when I temporarily moved to Brazil in 2013. We had a gym in our building with some basic equipment.

In the beginning I was mostly doing cardio and using the machines and later on started doing some exercises with free weights. From then on my passion for exercise grew over the years.

What made you change careers to personal training? What was that experience like and what advice would you give to someone thinking of doing that but who may be afraid of making such a big change?

After working as a public relations manager in Moscow for seven years, I started doing a personal training course after-hours. I did the course mostly for myself and had no plans to change careers. Only when I moved to London, I started working in fitness. I couldn’t really work in corporate anymore due to my lack of English.

Even though it was hard at times, I had my goals and was motivated to finally do what I love. No matter how scary change is, you have to realize that in the end, change is the only constant.

Who has been your biggest influence and support in your life and how did they affect you?

Since a young age I had to look after myself and unfortunately never had a lot of support. This has at least taught me how to be independent.

Have you had any significant setbacks? How did you deal with them and overcome them?

Regarding my fitness life, no I never had any significant setbacks except for losing motivation sometimes.

When I feel demotivated I take a few steps back and some time off to reset my thoughts. I also spend more time with my family and try to stay away from social media.

In my personal life, yes, there was a lot. I went through a very difficult divorce, after being in an abusive relationship, and I became a single parent without any support.

In all my difficult situations I just kept on going forward one step at a time. I also remind myself that one day everything will be in the past, and whatever doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger.

Tell us a bit about life growing up and when did you come to South Africa?

I grew up in a small town in Russia, I finished school when I was 16 and moved to Moscow where I studied and graduated from the Moscow University of Art in Economics and Management. Art was my first love and my dream back then was to one day become an actress.

While in University I had to start work part-time to support myself, and worked as a PR assistant for an agency that specialized in art projects. I continued to work for them for 7 years, and a few other PR agencies, before I moved to Brazil, then to the UK and eventually to SA in 2016.

What are your future plans?

Owning a (weight lifting) fitness studio for women and to be in a position where I can inspire others. Maybe to take part in a few more WBFF competitions overseas.

I’m also very keen to try boxing or maybe some martial arts.

Take us through an average day of yours: 

• Each morning I get up at 4:30 am, drink my pre-workout, glutamine, creatine and eat 2 egg whites before going to the gym for an hour.
• After my gym session I have oats with whey, peanut butter and banana for breakfast.
• I work as a personal trainer in my local area and when I’m not busy with clients, I work on my social media posts, eat lunch or read new articles about training.
• I’m also currently busy with a life coaching course. If I don’t have clients in the evening I might go for a run.
• After making dinner and helping my daughter with her homework I might relax in front of Netflix.
• Once per week I also go to a rehabilitation center to give a free training session for a group of girls there.

Tell us a bit about your prep for the wbff and what does it mean to now be a wbffpro for you?

Physically I trained every day, or sometimes twice per day where I did an extra cardio session.

During the weeks I was very strict with keeping to my diet, all macros and calories were calculated and my meal plans stuck onto my fridge. I luckily already know my body, after all my preps, and know how it will react to certain types of food.

I started to seriously practise my posing and visualise my performance on the stage about two weeks before the competition. I try to focus only on myself as much as possible. Keep on reminding myself that it is 100% about my own body’s improvements and what I am able to achieve with my physique.

It is very intimidating when you arrive at a competition venue, because everyone looks great. What helps me is to not compare myself with the other athletes.

Analyzing the other girls can drive you crazy.

As for being a WBFF pro now, I’m very honoured to be part of the federation.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet: 

I believe in a balanced diet and to not cut out any of the nutrition groups from your meal plan. I’m very strict during the week and measure all my meals according to my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) and on weekends I’m more relaxed.

My meal plan is very simple and rather boring. I eat oats, brown rice and sweet potatoes as carbs sources. Eggs, chicken, fish and sometimes red meat as protein. Peanut butter and avocado as fat. I like cheese, rice cakes,protein bars, nuts and apples for snacks.

If I go out I will order fillet, a burger or a nice big chicken salad for lunch or dinner and an eggs Benedict or omelette for breakfast.

What are your top Nutrition tips for staying healthy and gaining muscle?

• Eat food that contains good sources of protein, fat and carbs. All three are important for general health and for your body to function properly.
• I am not a fan of short term diets, detoxes or crazy low carb diets. All carbs are not equal and I believe it’s important to get in enough good carbs to prevent cravings for bad carbs.
• You have to make your meal plan as comfortable as possible and adjust it accordingly to your lifestyle so that you can maintain it in the long term.
• You must listen to your body and don’t cut out all food types that you love. It can lead to eating disorders.
• As for muscle hypertrophy, you will not gain muscle mass on a caloric deficit. To develop muscle tissue you have to consume more calories than you what you use (the right calories) while you train heavy.

Do you count your calories? Do you think it is necessary?

I count my calories, but only because I’m competing.

The only other time I feel that it might be helpful is in the beginning of your fitness journey.

After a while you will get used to the portion sizes of your meals and understand how your body reacts to certain portion sizes and you can stop counting.

There’s a conception that leading a ‘fit and healthy and lean’ life has to be so strict and boring in terms of diet and training. Do you think people this is true to achieve it?

No, it’s all about moderation. I believe that you can include your favourite foods in your meal plans and still be lean and fit. Just make sure you don’t live on only fast food or only chocolates

Balance your meal plan but don’t cut your treats out completely.

Have you seen any common mistakes that ladies may make when trying to lose fat?

Doing too much steady-state cardio and scared of lifting weights. Also setting unrealistic goals and expecting to see results too quick.

You need to check whether the goals that you set are realistic and if possible in your set time frame. Start with small achievable goals and then move them up gradually.

What process do you follow when it’s time to start getting ready for a competition/photoshoot?

I try to stay in shape all year round, but start to monitor what I eat more seriously about 8 weeks before a show or photo shoot. I still follow more or less the same meal plan, but decrease my carbs a bit and increase my protein intake.

Instead of only doing weight training, I will also start do more high-intensity interval training (HITT).

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training/training schedule and on average how long do you workout for?

I believe in intensity and mind muscle connection and not in how long you spend time in the gym. You can exercise for 20 minutes and be exhausted and you can also spend three hours in the gym and get bored before you even get tired.

I spend about an hour in the gym.

What are a few of your weight training tips for the ladies? And tips for the ladies venturing into the gym for the first time?

Focus on compound exercises instead of isolation exercises to develop muscle mass and strength. The shoulder press, bench press, squat, deadlift and bent-over row are examples of compound exercises that require several muscle groups to work in coordination.

These exercises should form the foundation of your training plan.

What are your essentials that are always in your gym bag?

Hairbrush, dry shampoo, anti-perspirant, body and hand cream and wipes to take off your make up. If you don’t want to be in the gym totally make-up free, CC Cream gives you coverage and a nice glow without feeling thick and heavy and clogging your pores.

Do you advise using supplements, and do you use any yourself?

It is much more convenient and easier to adjust your meal plan or get up early morning if you use supplements. I use products from USN.

• Before my early morning workouts I take Pure Glutamine to assist with protein synthesis & Creatine HCL with either B4 Bomb 2 pre-workout or Amino Ener-G to increase my stamina and endurance.
• During my workouts I drink Super ratio BCAA 12:1:1, which is great to maintain lean muscle mass and help to recover faster. After my morning training, I mix a scoop of chocolate USN BlueLab Whey into my breakfast oats.
• While preparing for competitions I also use L-Carnicut to assist with the conversion of fat into energy.

Do you have any fit fashion tips for the ladies or any specific gym fashion trends that you love?

I will always choose comfort above fashion.

I like soft, stretchy and not too thick fabrics for gym clothes that will be comfortable while exercising and not disturb me from my exercise. Luckily these days there is no shortage of beautiful gym clothes. My favourite gym clothing brand is gym shark.

And for the guys?

I personally don’t like it when guys wear tights. But it is just my conservative nature :p

I don’t really pay too much attention to the brands that guys wear in the gym. Most important for me is that their clothes should at least be clean, neat and fit their body types.

What are your 3 favourite exercises? 

• For legs: Bulgarian Squats and deadlifts are great compound exercises targeting quads, hamstrings and glutes. They also engage your core and upper body.
• For shoulders: Arnold Press is a great compound exercise targeting all three heads of your deltoids.
• For back: Pull ups are a convenient exercise that you can do almost anywhere. It is a great compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups in your upper body, your lats, biceps, trapezius, posterior deltoids and teres major.

Which body part is your favourite to train and what are some of your tips and favourite exercises to training it?

My favourite body part to train is back. Divide your back training into two types of movements: chinning and pull-downs for width, and rows for thickness.

With the former, use different variations like underhand-grip chins and pull-ups while combining with drop sets and pyramids. Also work your lats from multiple angles to achieve better overall development.

Do you do a lot of cardio with your training?

I used to love running and jogging, but do it a lot less since I started competing. I’ve noticed that I burn muscle too quickly with steady-state cardio.

Now I prefer to to do a high intensity interval training. It is a great way to get in a quick workout and it’s also one of the more effective ways to burn fat. An interval can last between 10 to 30 seconds, and the entire session about 20 minutes. My personal favourite is sprints.

When I do HITT or sprints, I do it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (fasted) before I start my weight training.

Favorite male Fitness models:

Ryan Terry and Jeff Cavaliere (not a model or bodybuilder, but a fitness guru).

Favorite female fitness icon(s):

Someone who comes to mind that I’ve been following for a long time and respect is Bella Falconi. She is the first fitness personality that I started to follow and I’ve always liked her approach to life.

Favorite Quote:

“Our ideas about how everything should be, prevents us from enjoying how everything is.”

What is the most common question you get asked? 

Most people here ask me where I’m from.

• I don’t answer them immediately, and usually ask them to guess first. They always get it wrong.

Where can people get hold of you? 

• Instagram: irina_nesta
• Facebook: irna.nesterova
• Email: training[at]irina.fit

Photography Credits:

• Marcdschofield 
• Alex Pedan
• Soulby Jackson

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THE WEEKEND IS HERE IN AUS ?? make it count, and remember never take life too seriously ? straight from my snap ?bodiesbyrachel

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Name: Matthew Larkins
Age: 25
Height: 1,84 m
Current weight: 87 kgs
Current city: Johannesburg, South Africa
Occupation: Attorney

Tell us a bit about growing up and what you had to go through with your open heart surgery?

I was very active growing up and participated in every single sport at school. I started wrestling at the age of 5 years, and was fortunate enough to be SA champion for 5 years and provincial champion for 13 years.

When I was 14 years old I became tired whilst practicing and my parents took me to a specialist where I was diagnosed with a leaking Aorta valve.

After my operation I still managed to play 1st team cricket for my high school and also during my studies at UJ.

Does it still affect you now, physically or mentally?

I am very strong minded and have a positive outlook on life. However, my condition restricts me with any contact sport’s, so I have to take good care of my health being on Wafarin. I have to have regular blood counts and physical examinations by my Cardiologist.

How did you get started in bodybuilding and fitness?

I was fortunate to meet George Herwill, a well known body builder and personal trainer at one of his bodybuilding competitions. I was very impressed by what can be achieved to ones body and asked if he will train me.

Tell us a bit about the prep for your first show compared to your prep for WBFF where you turned pro?

Every single prep has got its own challenges and to be honest I prep the same for every show I do so with the guidance of George Herwill.

How important is the mental aspect of this sport? How do you keep a positive motivated mindset and attitude through setbacks?

Very important. Your mental state plays a big role in this sport.

A positive outlook is very important especially during prep times. Your mind must be set on the outcome and the results of your hard work. If you are mentally strong and you are disciplined you will come out on top every time.

What are your future plans?

I am aiming to step onto the WBFF stage this year. I am also planning to pursue my career as an Attorney.

What are your top nutrition tips to a guy trying to gain mass and muscle but who just doesn’t seem to be winning?

I stick to my eating habits throughout the year and I do not believe in bulking. Commitment with your diet plays a major role in your overall look.

What process do you follow when its time to start getting ready for a competition?

My prep starts the first week of January every year and then its back to 100% clean eating. I prep the whole year and take off November and December, and my training stays the same except I refrain from leg exercises 3 weeks prior to a competition.

Take us through an average day of yours:

• I wake up at 5 am everyday to be ready for my daily training at gym at 05:15.
• I train intensely for an hour. I never train more than one muscle group a day.
• At 7 am I have breakfast consisting of egg whites and oats.
• I prepare my meals on a daily basis in order to have it ready and on hand during my working day.
• My days are different everyday. Being an Attorney it cannot be planned because of the nature of the job.
• My girlfriend, Jessica and I also have a busy social life but I try to keep a good sleeping routine.
• I am also involved in events and that takes up a lot of my time.

Do you usually eat just before bed? If so what sort of foods do you eat and would recommend?

My last meal of the day is normally around 9 pm. That meal consists of 10 egg whites.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training schedule?

I work out every day including weekends. My training sessions are normally one hour per day. I also do one hour of cardio per day.

How does your training differ from off season to pre comp, if it does?

Stays the same. More intense pre-comp.

What are your 3 best go to quad/overall leg exercises?

1. Leg extensions
2. Leg press
3. Lunges

Which are your favourite hamstring/glute exercises that provide the best pump?

1. Squats
2. Hamstring curls
3. One leg leg press

How often do you train your legs and do you do them alone or split them up with other muscles?

Twice a week and never split them with any other muscle group.

What are the few things that you focus on when training legs? 

Tempo, techniques and posture.

What are some mistakes you see guys making when preparing for a competition and trying to lean down?

Not eating timeously and fall into temptation by eating wrong.

What are your three favourite exercises and why?

Chest, arms and legs. All about the pump!

What is the most common question you get asked?

What my gym and eating program is.

Favorite Influential bodybuilders:

• Jaco du Bruyn.
• Ryan Terry.

Favorite Quote:

“Behind every scar is an untold story.”

Favourite female fitness icons:

• Lauren Simpson.
• Rachel Dillon.

Best piece of advice you ever received?

Never skip Monday’s.

Who has been your biggest influence/support in your life and how did they affect you?

My parents have always supported me. George Herwill was my inspiration.

What competitions have you competed in and your placings?

2014

• Pretoria Classic | 2nd 
• Body Beautiful 2014 | 1st in Both categories and Overall
• WFF Universe in France | 4th 

2015

• Pretoria Classic | 1st

2016

• Rossi Grand Prix | 1st
• WBFF 2016 Pro Card Awarded

Where can people get hold of you? 

• Facebook: Matthew Larkins
• Instagram: Matthewlarkins_wbffpro
• Email: Matthewlarkins7[at]gmail.com

Related Images:

The post One On One With WBFF Pro, Matthew Larkins appeared first on FitNish.com.

Chest:

What are your 3 staple chest exercises?

1. Incline bench
2. Alternating incline dumbbell press
3. Incline flies

Do you have any unconventional chest exercises that you like?

Maybe alternating dumbbell press, I don’t see that often.

What are your top tips when training your Chest?

Do incline bench!

In your opinion, which is the most common chest exercise that people do incorrectly? And how can they fix it?

Bench press: Pause an inch above your chest and hold for a second or two then press up.

What does a typical Chest workout look like for you?

• Incline bench 3 x 12 reps
• Incline dumbbell 3 x 10 reps
• Cable flies 3 x 12 reps
• Hammer machine press 3 x 8 reps
• Incline chest 7 x 8 reps

Abs:

How often do you train your abs?

Once every two weeks or so.

What are some of your favourite ab exercises?

Hanging leg raises and windmill swings.

What are some mistakes people make when training abs that you know of?

• Doing lots of reps with light weight.
• To get bulging abs they must be done heavy.

What does a typical ab workout look like for you?

• Hanging leg raises 4 x 15 reps
• Weighted hanging leg raises 8 x 8 reps
• Cable crunch with rope 4 X 10 reps

Related Images:

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Quick stats

Name: Jesse Pretorius
Age: 20
Height: 1.80 m
Competition weight: 84 kgs
Current weight: 100 kgs
Current city: Johannesburg, South Africa
Occupation: Student

How did you get started so young?

I played school cricket, rugby and did athletics. I trained to get an edge over my competition and I then saw a massive change in my body and wanted to further this progress.

What do you love about it and how do you stay motivated?

I think about how far I’ve come in the 6 years I’ve been training, and how much further I can progress if I continue to show the same fortitude I have in previous years.

I love seeing results and every sacrifice amalgamate into results.

How long was it from when you started training in the gym to competing in your first show? And what made you enter?

I started training when I was 13 years old but not seriously. The following year after seeing results of gyming 3 times a week, I decided to put my head down and train 6 times a week.

My first show was when I was 18 and this was in my final year of school. So roughly 5 years of training. I entered the Nabba Provincials after watching Wbff 12 weeks prior. This motivated me so I decided to give it a try.

What was it like becoming a WBFF Pro and one of the youngest?

It was an out of body experience, and such an amazing event. It hadn’t sunk in until I went to gym the following day and people started asking me if I was Jesse. I wasn’t used to this and was slightly uncomfortable… still am I guess.

Being younger than the rest doesn’t feel much different as I feel anything can be achieved with a killer mindset.

What are your future plans?

I am currently prepping for Wbff Worlds in August. This will be held in Toronto, Canada. I am currently studying at the University of Pretoria and I have no clue what career path I want to go into as of yet.

When is your next competition and how is the preparation coming?

As stated above, the Prep is going extremely well, currently just finished my bulk and I am starting my cut.

What are your top nutrition tips to gain muscle?

Eat more food!!

What process do you follow when its time to start getting ready for a competition?

• I carb cycle. This helps me stay anabolic while burning fat.
• I implement a higher intensity training program.
• I train fasted in the morning and then train again in the evening with my pre and post workout meals.
• My carbs are also focused around my evening workouts.

Take us through an average day of yours:

• Wake up: Train fasted.
• During the day go to class.
• Evening: Workout again then prep meals for following day.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet:

• Focus on Pre-workout nutrition.
• Don’t miss out on life, eat out and enjoy your life just be smart about it.

What do you normally eat before and after training?

1. 45 min-1 hour Pre workout: I have 12 egg whites and 50g oats.
2. Intra workout: Evox cre-8 mass reload.
3. Post workout: 12 egg whites and 160g cooked white rice.

What are the toughest challenges that you experience while prepping for a show?

Going to all you can eat sushi and watching your friends eat while you eat egg whites. Other than that I enjoy prep too much to see negatives.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your training schedule:

If you can move after the workout you most certainly never trained hard enough.

Do you include much cardio in your training?

20 minutes a day max, during prep. On the bulk I don’t touch cardio.

What are your three favourite exercises and why?

1. Squat

Burns most calories and feels great!

2. Shoulder press

Just feels great.

3. Leg extentions

Love seeing my quads work lol.

What tips and advice would you give for developing an overall symmetrical physique?

Don’t neglect any muscle group. Train your weaknesses every 72 hours.

What is the most common question you get asked?

How can I get abs?

• My answer: Diet bro

Favorite Influential bodybuilders:

Dexter Jackson and Steeve Cooke.

Favorite Quote:

“This isn’t a mud hole son, this is an operating table and Im the surgeon.” ~ Batman

Favourite female fitness icons:

Nikki Blackletter.

Best piece of advice you ever received?

Bro-science is a lie!

What are some things you see guys/girls doing wrong in the gym that you would like to see less of?

• Not going past 90 degrees when you squat.
• People with a high fat percentage only doing abs and sit ups etc.

What competitions have you competed in and your placings?

2014

• Nabba Provincials | Fitness model | 1st
• Nabba Nationals | Fitness model | 1st

2015

• Rossi Classic | 6th
• Wbff SA | 1st and Pro card

Where can people get hold of you?

• Instagram: jesse.pretorius
• Facebook: jessepretoriuswbffpro

Related Images:

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• Photography credit: Pieter Hendrik Smal

For the official pictures, future show information and results be sure to follow the WBFF South Africa Page.

TRANSFORMATION DIVISION

• #601 Morne van Zyl (WINNER)
• #600 Simone Fourie
• #602 JT Claassen
• #603 Kiran Singh

 

A photo posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀?Jenadine Havenga (@misspta09) on Jun 12, 2016 at 2:18am PDT

FEMALE COMMERCIAL MODEL DIVISION

1. #625 Bianca Bezuidenhout (Qualified to represent SA at WBFF Worlds)
2. #624 Logan Coleman (Qualified to represent SA at WBFF Worlds)
3. #622 Claudia Pardal (Qualified to represent SA at WBFF Worlds)
4. #628 Nelisa Zungu
5. #629 Thato Seopa
6. #626 Bianca Olivier
7. #627 Nicole Ann Halvey
8. #621 Chantel van der Westhuizen

 

A photo posted by Bianca van Rensburg (@missqueenbi_wbffpro) on Jun 12, 2016 at 3:03am PDT

DIVA BIKINI MODEL 35+

1. #303 Hillary de Beer
2. #300 Natalie Maratos
3. #307 Natalie Hamilton
4. #309 Delene dos Santos
5. #308 Tanja Lategan
6. #306 Sonia Matos
7. #305 Talitha van Biljon

DIVA BIKINI MODEL – SHORT

1. #326 Claudia Jovanovski PRO status awarded
2. #329 Alrieta de Wet PRO status awarded
3. #330 Gitte Kietzmann
4. #320 Stacey Shutte
5. #336 Hillary de Beer
6. #324 Johandri Claassen
7. #321 Carmen Klindt
8. #331 Simone Cardoso
9. #332 Louise du Preez
10. #325 Christina Pappas

 

A photo posted by @titan_labs on Jun 12, 2016 at 10:04pm PDT

DIVA BIKINI MODEL – TALL

1. #365 Angelique Roux
2. #389 Jessica Lovett
3. #383 Mikaela de Vaal
4. #386 Thato Seopa
5. #367 Dani Waterston
6. #371 Logan Coleman
7. #374 Natalie Hamilton
8. #376 Nelisa Zungu
9. #384 Simphiwe Mathebula
10. #378 Bianca Olivier

MALE FITNESS MODEL

1. #240 Castro José PRO status awarded
2. #229 Matthew Larkins PRO status awarded
3. #218 Fred Kruger
4. #226 Wesley Robertson
5. #231 Rudolph Mokoena
6. #200 David Watkeys
7. #243 João Luz
8. #242 Osama Khedr
9. #222 JT Faber
10. #215 Reece da Silva

DIVA FITNESS MODEL 35+

1. #511 Chantel van der Westhuizen PRO status awarded
2. #515 Sheetal Kotak
3. #509 Sumara du Preez
4. #508 Chantal van Loggenberg
5. #517 Tanja Lategan
6. #510 Sonia Matos
7. #518 Mirie Linton
8. #514 Delene dos Santos
9. #512 Noemi Van De Dronker Derbynew
10. #513 Anuska Steenkamp

DIVA FITNESS MODEL – SHORT

1. #523 Johandri Claassen PRO status awarded
2. #525 Sarah Lotter
3. #520 Elso Viljoen
4. #528 Louise du Preez
5. #522 Chantal van Loggenberg
6. #530 Sheetal Kotak
7. #531 Alrieta de Wet
8. #529 Veronique Mitchell
9. #526 Tarri Gavson
10. #527 Phumzile Khumalo

DIVA FITNESS MODEL – TALL

1. #560 Annelize Döhne PRO status awarded
2. #567 Chantel van der Westhuizen
3. #564 Bianca van Rensburg
4. #563 Sumara du Preez
5. #562 Ciemone vd Venter
6. #565 Sonia Matos
7. #566 Irina Lukina
8. #568 Noemi Van De Dronker Derbynew

MALE MUSCLE MODEL

1. #419 Ashraf Fatouh PRO status awarded
2. #430 Hany Saeed PRO status awarded
3. #420 Brendon Theron PRO status awarded
4. #418 Robert Smith
5. #401 Francois Beya
6. #431 Rudolph Mokoena
7. #429 Daniel Coomer
8. #427 Deon Tolken
9. #404 Jonty van der Merwe
10. #408 Daniel Gibhard

DIVA FIGURE MODEL

1. #108 Bianca van Rensburg PRO status awarded
2. #104 Chantal van Loggenberg PRO status awarded
3. #103 Tarryn Zelow
4. #101 Leonie van Jaarsveld
5. #105 Sumara du Preez
6. #102 Samantha Hanna

 

A photo posted by Tarryn Zelow (@tarrynzelow_wbff_figure) on Jun 12, 2016 at 10:36pm PDT

Related Images:

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WBFF Pro, Cristina Silva’s Full interview

What are some of your favourite shoulder exercises?

Wow, all of them! But my preferred one is the Arnold shoulder press.

Do you work your shoulders on their own or group them with other body parts?

I normally have a day for shoulder training only, but it depends on my goal at that point of my training.

During off season, I work them out alone. During competition prep, I mix them with another muscle group.

What are your top 3 tips when training your shoulders?

• Think about the contraction of the muscle.
• Don’t do it fast.
• Control the movement to do it on full range and breath!

What are some common mistakes girls make when training their shoulders that you are aware of?

I think one of the most common mistakes is not training them enough because they are worried to grow and stop looking feminine.

On the gym floor, I’m really trying to tell them that working shoulders is just as important as any other body part.

What does a typical Shoulder workout look like for you?

A typical shoulder workout for me is trying to cover all the muscles on the shoulder:

• Posterior
• Anterior
• Lateral

I usually do:

• Front raises,
• Shoulder press,
• Lateral raises,
• Up right rows and a few other exercises.

The repetitions, sets and tempo depends of my goal at that point, get leaner or build up the muscle.

WBFF Pro, Cristina Silva’s Full interview

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Quick Stats

Name: Cristina Silva
Age: 29
Height: 1,64 m (5’5”)
Competition Weight: 50 kg
Current weight: 56 kg
Current city: London, England
Occupation: Personal trainer

Have you always lived a fit lifestyle? How did you get started?

I lived in Mexico for 21 years before coming to Europe. I  was very active and I actually starting going to the gym and training hard at 15 because my gym trainer believed I could do great in this industry.

He wasn’t wrong! (laugh) I was mostly training because I liked it and enjoyed it after school!

I then moved to France and carried on training myself. It’s only when I arrived in London that I put 100% focus on the gym and became a certified personal trainer.

What do you love about it?

I just love it to be honest. The dynamism, the motivation, the lifestyle are much more closer to my way of thinking.

It’s all about your mind, your body and challenging yourself. It teaches me a lot on a daily basis and it’s not an exact science. Your learn from it, and I teach as well. What else? (laugh)

What made you want to move to the UK from mexico?

I was travelling and lived in Paris for 1 year and then moved to London in January 2012. After a weekend I spent here in November 2011, I fell in Love with this city, with the architecture and the fitness values driven by the people.

I can remember that after the second day I said I wanted to live here! It was an awesome feeling!

How does the Uk compare to Mexico? Do you go back often?

These countries are really different and almost not comparable. I love Mexico and I try to go as often as I can. My family is still there, on the pacific coast and I see them at least once a year. It’s really beautiful for holidays and time off. London is the big city, very dynamic, and this is where I belong.

What made you want to enter your first competition? Was it as tougher than you expected?

This was quite an easy decision!! I’m a personal trainer and my passion is fitness. I have always been very competitive with what I was doing and I really wanted to challenge myself.

I decided to enter a fitness competition and it was very natural. I knew I wanted to compete with the WBFF by Paul Dillett (World beauty fashion Fitness).

Do you ever have an off day at the gym or one where you don’t feel motivated? How do you deal with that?

In this industry, motivation and focus are keys to be at your best and achieve great results.

During competition preparation, I have only one objective and it’s to be at the best of my form and win the competition. I do everything I need to do and if this means no day off, well I will train hard every day.

Yes, I had few low days during my second competition where after a few reps I couldn’t do anything because it was hard mentally and physically. But the next day, I reminded myself what I was doing it for.

During off-season, it’s a little bit different. I keep training myself and follow a specific workout according to my future objectives.

What are your future plans?

I already started my preparation for next year, the WBFF worlds competition happening in Toronto, Canada in August 24 to 27. The competition is going to be very high level as it’s the 10th anniversary of the Worlds, Paul Dillett and Alison Dillett are planing an unbelievable event! So that will be the next Big Thing!!

Only 1 objective: keep my bikini world title in 2016.

Take us through an average day of yours:

• I usually wake up at 5:30 in the morning…. or should I say, my little dog wakes me up at this time!
• Then I have my breakfast then get ready for work. I always do my food prep during the weekend so I’m always ready to go!
• I live 10 minutes away from my gym, so it’s quite easy for me. I put my skates on and I am there really quickly!
• I’m usually alternating training clients and I try to have regular meals maybe between 2.5 and 3 hours
• Later during the day, I do my training.
• I go back home in the evening and play with my dog, and watch TV.

Have you had any major obstacles that you had to deal with in your life and how did you overcome them?

Yes I did, like every person I have problems. I believe there is nothing in this world that doesn’t happen for a reason, everything in my life makes me the strong woman I am right now. I am stronger than ever now.

We just need to learn that from every fall we encounter, we just need to stand up and keep going.

Give us a brief description of your philosophy on your diet:

Everybody is starting a diet only for a predetermined period. I believe that there are no diets, it’s just habits, a way  of life. A healthy lifestyle shouldn’t have an end to it and should be permanent to be healthy and have all nutrients that your body needs to nourish it, without excess.

Do you weigh all your food and track the numbers when it comes to calories of everything you eat?

Yes I have to weight all my food! I got used to it now. Everything I eat is weighed previously.

Nathan Harewood from team Domin8 is my coach for the whole year and he looks after my diet. It’s good to have a target on a daily basis, that’s how you know you are successful! My supplements from USN are also a big part of my diet to maximise my macro levels and get the best out of them.

Do you think it is necessary?

I believe it is necessary. They are daily goals inside the weekly goal, and inside the monthly goal inside the ultimate goal.

Consistency is key and this is where you will see the evolution of your body. Flexible dieting and food cheating has never been successful for me.

What are your top beginners eating tips when starting out and wanting to lose fat?

What I found to really work was to avoid any alcohol, processed foods and sugars.

This would probably be the first step for everybody. Eat as clean as possible and choose your food wisely from natural sources with high quality of proteins, carbs and fats.

What does a typical training week look like for you? How do you structure your training programme?

I started my off season transformation few weeks ago. I’m currently training 5 times a week and I split my workouts into specific muscle groups, weight training and total body workouts. All of this is topped off with a Cardio session.

Do you do much cardio with your training? What forms do you enjoy if you do cardio?

I do cardio, yes. The quantity of cardio depends really on my goal at that point of my training.

During competition preparation, it’s a bit more different that when Im trying to build muscle. I do more cardio during preparation time than when Im growing.

As cardio exercises, I enjoy power walks, rowing, step climbing. It’s good to have variety.

What are your favourite exercises and why?

Definitely lower body exercises!!

I love squats because it makes me feel strong. I also enjoy doing a different variety of leg exercises, like step ups or lunges. The feeling after working out is unreal!

What advice and exercise tips would you give the ladies to developing such defined and fit abs?

The best tip I can give is to be consistent. Healthy diet and training hard is the key. Consider your abs as a complete muscle like your triceps, chest, or shoulders.

Which 3 training myths do you think most females fall prey to?

One of the biggest myths is:

Weight training makes girls big; and that’s totally not true.

Also that they need to do lots of cardio to be skinny and to lose weight they need to live on salads.

Favorite Quote:

What motivates me during my prep times is: “What doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t change you.”

What’s the most common question you get asked?

I’m regularly getting the question of my height but most of the time it’s about my weight on my instagram.

I believe everybody wants to compare themselves to give them a starting point but it’s not about the weight. It’s about how you look. Every person has a different metabolism. Every person is different.

What is some of the things you see people do in the gym which irritates you at times?

Trust me, I have seen few things at my gym being a personal trainer!! (laugh) I’m always trying to help people to have the perfect technique.

If somebody is at the gym, it comes from good intentions and I encourage them and try to guide them to have the perfect movement at least.

What irritates me the most is when I offer to help and people are really not interested. I had the case on a squat rack a few times when somebody was close to breaking his lower back with really heavy weight. He unfortunately didn’t want to listen to anything.

What competitions have you entered?

2015

• WBFF FITNESS AMATEUR LONDON | 3rd
• WBFF BIKINI AMATEUR LONDON | 1st
• WBFF BIKINI PRO WORLD LAS VEGAS | 1st

Where can people get in touch with you?

• Instagram: Cristinasilva_wbffpro
• Facebook: cristina silva wbff pro
• Website: cristinasilva.co.uk

Photography Credits:

• SNH Photo
• Toby Harrison
• Cassius Frankson Photography

Related Images:

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