The time when it was fashionable to have an anorexic body is passing. The new millennium has brought us a healthy lifestyle, which is unthinkable without physical activity and proper nutrition. Sports girls are today's ideal. Almost everyone dreams of having elastic buttocks, a flat stomach with cubes and beautiful arms. That is why in 2010, a nomination called “fitness bikini” was created at bodybuilding competitions. The girls presented in this category are both feminine and pumped up. How realistic is it to be one of them?
What is the difference between a fitness bikini
I would like to immediately dispel the myth that it is unattractive for a girl to have developed muscles. Yes, of course, there is female bodybuilding, where women are not much like gentle women.
But a fitness bikini is a completely different story, because in this case:
- the natural proportions of the female body are preserved;
- a beautiful muscle relief is drawn without the effect of “pumping”;
- the buttocks acquire a beautiful roundness without signs of cellulite;
- the waist becomes thin, without a drop of excess fat;
- the skin is elastic and smooth.
Almost every girl, even those far from ideal parameters, can achieve success and become a sports model. This is proven by the examples of famous fitness bikinists, for example, Katya Usmanova or Maria Dokuchaeva. In the photo before the start of their sports career, these are the most ordinary girls with nondescript figures. However, to achieve this result you will have to work very hard and deny yourself your favorite food.
This sport does not call for the use of special chemical additives to increase muscle mass. And by nature, a woman simply physically cannot build up muscles like a man’s. The testosterone hormone responsible for this is 10 times less in women. Fitness bikini models are sexy, graceful and athletic.
Personal experience: how to become an international fitness model
We asked Andrey himself about how exactly he managed to become a star in the world of fitness photography.
Andrey, tell us how your journey began? How did you become part of the world of celebrity, star parties and show business?
Of course, all this did not happen “at one fine moment.” It was quite a long journey. And he was not even chosen by me in full, but rather by my inner, intuitive navigator. I never had a clear, ironclad plan or an exact strategy for moving towards a goal, but I always trusted my intuition. Looking back now, I understand that I made many of my decisions, which later became fateful for me, literally in a matter of seconds. So, for example, I moved from Nizhny Novgorod to Moscow. It was a very funny story, but it turned out to be the very start.
Tell me more.
The fact is that from the age of 14 I worked in a Nizhny Novgorod nightclub. At first I was an assistant manager, then a manager, soon became an assistant art director, and then an art director - in general, I had a standard career ladder behind me, which I enthusiastically overcame and was about to go for a promotion when Andrey arrived in our city Malakhov. He had to present his next project to the people of Nizhny Novgorod and asked our club to make a presentation for this. I must say, I tried very hard to make the presentation successful and to make Andrey feel comfortable and pleasant in our city. He really really liked everything: the reception, the organization, and my ability to cope with unforeseen situations on the site. At the end of the evening, he casually uttered the phrase that there are not as many professionals like me, even in Moscow, as we would like. He said that if I decided to move to the capital, he would help me with job recommendations. Of course, he hardly expected me to call the very next evening. And I called and said: “Andrey, hello! I moved to Moscow. Can you help me with my work?” (Laughs.)
Did you help?
Yes. The very next day we met for lunch and Andrei admitted that he was impressed by my speed of decision-making. (Laughs.) Now I think that my action then played into my hands. In my former profession, the ability to quickly navigate and seize an opportunity is one of the most important skills. Although, probably, this is important in any profession... In the end, Andrei helped me get a job as an administrator on television. It was difficult and not the most rewarding work. I earned 12,000 rubles a month, I had a huge number of tasks. At the same time, all these tasks were new and interesting, I understood that thanks to them I was developing, moving forward, becoming more and more professional every day. By the way, learning and “building muscles” while working is one of the most important principles for me even now.
What difficulties did you encounter in the first weeks of your life in Moscow?
These are not just difficulties. I would say those were really difficult moments. There were times when I just wanted to give up everything and return home to Nizhny Novgorod. I clearly remember how one evening I almost started packing my suitcases. It seemed to me that everything around me had collapsed, I couldn’t cope, this city was not for me. It was difficult for me then to see the situation from the outside and understand that I had simply driven myself into wild fatigue. Fortunately, my mother called me at that very moment, and we talked on the phone for several hours in a row. I told her how much time I spend at work, how often I don't get enough sleep in order to do more than is expected of me. He talked about financial difficulties. Even renting that small apartment on the outskirts of the city in which I then lived was almost unaffordable for me. Mom listened to me calmly and uttered a phrase that I have since considered my life motto. She said: “Andrey! Temporary difficulties pass, but we remain.” At that moment, these words sounded so precise and so clear that by the end of our conversation I decided to take a day off, get a good night’s sleep and think about my life in Moscow again.
And did it really work?
When I allowed myself to rest, my body seemed to shut down and go into recovery mode - I just ate and slept, woke up, drank a glass of water and went back to sleep - it turns out I was simply tired and physically exhausted. I made the decision to never again neglect my sleep or chase results at the expense of my own health. Today, no matter what global projects I am involved in, no matter how serious my workload, sleep and food are something that I do not sacrifice under any circumstances. I know for sure that my productivity, my well-being and my success directly depend on how resourceful I am. To live and work at full capacity, batteries need recharging! (Laughs.) I returned to work two days later. By that time, I already had so much strength and energy that I literally conquered the entire film crew. My attention was enough for all the current tasks, and for encouraging my colleagues, and for supporting the artists who were tired from the day of filming. It was then that I was offered a job in another, new project, thanks to which I was finally able not to think, or rather, not to worry about tomorrow. I remember that from my first salary I was able to pay for that same apartment on the outskirts three months in advance. Then it was a real victory for me. Then came work in the production center of Max Fadeev, and as an administrator for the singer Lolita, and as an assistant to the stylist Sergei Zverev, and even was the director of the annual award in the field of literature and art “Triumph”.
What was the turning point?
There was a lot of work. I remember that time with gratitude. My environment was formed, among other things, at concert venues. I met and became friends with many artists thanks to my work.
How did sport appear in your life? After all, it’s one thing to be a manager and producer for other people, and quite another thing to take care of yourself and your body around the clock. At what point did this transition happen?
In fact, I have always been involved in sports! From the age of 6 to 14 I was swimming, then I became interested in water polo, and later I began to be attracted to various martial arts. One way or another, all my adult life I have been training somewhere. Another thing is that bodybuilding appeared in my everyday life much later... There were several reasons. More precisely, two! The first, and probably the most important thing, is that I always wanted to have a beautiful and healthy body. And the second, much more banal: when I first saw myself naked in a photograph, I realized exactly how I wanted to see my body in the very near future. Since then, I began to train intensively in the gym, make acquaintances among professional bodybuilders, read specialized textbooks, and attend various seminars and conferences. In general, this is the case when the goal turned out to be more important and brighter than any others! I just couldn’t help but throw myself into it and trust my own desire.
You said the impulse was the nude photo. What kind of shoot was this and why did you do it?
This photo was taken for the charity project “Protect What You Care,” dedicated to the fight against cervical cancer in women. As part of this project, many celebrities appeared naked in front of the camera. This project was photographed by the famous photographer Vladimir Shirokov, and I organized and coordinated all internal processes. Both women and men took part in the action. I also found myself in the frame then. Then all these photographs became prints on T-shirts, and the proceeds from their sales went to charity. The project was really good! In general, I believe that charity is a very important part of the life of each of us. You can help in different ways: someone brought a grandmother across the road, someone bought a T-shirt with a print, someone went to a shelter as a volunteer. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to organize such a large-scale and useful event. But the photo from this project encouraged me to start taking care of my body much more seriously than before. (Laughs.)
Photo from the project “Protect what is dear to you”
Tell us how your schedule and rhythm of life changed when you decided to work out your body professionally?
First of all, of course, the diet has changed dramatically. In general, I have a sweet tooth. All my friends and subscribers know about this. I, holding a piece of cake in my hands, have become the subject of funny memes more than once. I still sometimes allow myself to eat a triple portion of dessert at a restaurant. But this happens extremely rarely. Basically, my diet is now calculated down to the smallest detail - calories, proteins, carbohydrates, exact meal times - all this is prescribed together with my personal trainer many weeks in advance. And it does. Strictly. Without discipline there is no way in my work today. Then, of course, training. I spend from three to five hours a day on sports. An hour and a half - running; power load - about two hours; twice a week - hiking. I also regularly swim, ride a bike, and go to group classes. Sport for me is like work for everyone else. This is not discussed, it is simply a mandatory program. When you have, as they say, “skated” the compulsory one, you can move on to the free one: evening dances, meetings with friends and various other entertainments. (Laughs.)
Fine. You have created your ideal body - athletic, beautiful, tanned. What's next? How did you manage to attract the attention of famous fitness photographers? How did your hobby turn from an ordinary hobby into a profession and a means of earning money?
To be honest, when I first started working on my body, I had no idea that the profession of a fitness model existed. I thought that male models were these thin, tall young men dressed in ready-to-wear and advertising clothing stores. But the more I interacted with athletes, the more often I went to professional tournaments, the more my idea of modeling changed. There is such a sports category in bodybuilding called mens physicist. It's not about exaggerated forms. It is also called beach bodybuilding. The guys performing in this category opened my eyes to the existence of this type of modeling activity. I was hooked as soon as I found out about it and set myself some goals. At first, I wrote to some photographers myself, sent them my photos and offered myself as a model. Most of them didn’t even answer me back then, but interesting creative projects happened to some of them. Creative means non-commercial - no one pays anyone anything, but the photographs can then be used by both the photographer and the model herself. Thus, I formed a small semi-professional portfolio, which I began to send to various sports agencies. I can’t say that this gave me any great results, but the amount of effort invested was still worth it in the end. One day I was offered to take part in a creative shoot in America. There was no fee for the work, but the agency was ready to pay for my tickets and accommodation. Of course, I agreed without hesitation. This was the beginning of my career growth in the profession. In Los Angeles, they noticed me and invited me to two more shoots, with a fee and a contract. And then - word of mouth, acquaintances, various new invitations, then filming began in other countries, agents appeared, and so on. By the way, after some time, many Russian photographers, to whom I had previously written letters and who did not answer me, began to invite me to shoot. And for a decent remuneration for Russia. This is a non-linear route. But I think I'm still just at the beginning of my journey. I have a lot of plans and projects.
Will you share?
First, let them be implemented, and then we will definitely talk about them! (Smiles.) I don’t want to anticipate events. But I will say that I am working very hard now to ensure that all my plans come true.
What advice would you give to our readers who, like you, would like to succeed in the field of fitness modeling, but do not know where to start?
Trust yourself, don’t be afraid and take action! The main thing is action! It is also important to always be prepared for a successful turn of fate and not miss your chance.
Where to begin
If you came to the gym from scratch, then the best decision would be to turn to the services of a personal trainer. It is he who will tell you what a specific person needs to do to achieve a specific result. But for this, the coach himself must meet certain criteria:
- have achievements in the field of bodybuilding;
- have an ideal figure that motivates you to succeed;
- have extensive experience in similar work and the necessary certificates.
Even if you are not new to the gym, the effectiveness of training with a trainer will be higher than on your own. Sometimes you just need a person who will squeeze out all the juices and stand above your soul until your last strength.
Actually, training is only part of the job. Professional training services include:
- drawing up a complete training program taking into account health characteristics;
- recommendations for creating a nutrition plan;
- psychological attitude to win, all kinds of support;
- monitoring the correct execution of exercises.
Creating a portfolio
Today the phrase “I want to become a model” (men may be as interested in this question as girls) sounds quite often. And if you are interested in how to get into this industry, then first you should take care of creating a high-quality portfolio.
All photographs submitted must show your physique from all angles. It is better if the pictures are taken in different lighting. And, of course, it’s good if you manage to arrange a photo session with a professional photographer. In the future, you can supplement your portfolio, but it is the first photographs that will play a decisive role in the development of your career.
What is special about fitness bikini training?
When contacting a professional trainer, an individual training plan will be drawn up, which can then be adjusted taking into account the results obtained. To become a sports model, you must adhere to certain principles when organizing your activities:
- strength training is carried out with medium weights but a high number of repetitions;
- you need to combine strength training with aerobic exercise (to burn subcutaneous fat);
- circuit training and supersets are ideal for fitness bikinis;
- Each workout should end with intense cardio for 15-20 minutes.
How to eat to get the perfect body
The diet for fitness bikinists is aimed at reducing the percentage of subcutaneous fat (up to 8-10%) and increasing muscle mass. The diet is structured as follows:
- frequent split meals (6-7 times a day with an interval of 2 hours);
- protein/fat/carbohydrate content approximately 100/30/300 g/day;
- complete exclusion of alcohol;
- compliance with the drinking regime (up to 3 liters of water per day);
- exclusion of “gastronomic garbage” (chips, soda, candy bars, etc.).
