The goddess of fitness, the best butt on Russian Instagram, the most spectacular blonde in the fitness business - this is all about Katya Usmanova. She confidently tops any list of Russian fitness girls, and the recent scandal with the hijacked BodyLab school has added more attention to Katya. The author of these lines once saw a beauty in reality, at a musical, and was so blinded that you can’t expect objectivity from the article.
Ekaterina Usmanova was born on October 1, 1988 in the city of Krymsk. Katya claims that she loved sports since childhood, but photographs of young Usmanova do not amaze the imagination. Ekaterina graduated from the Financial University and for some time even, like us mortals, worked as an advertising manager. In 2010, a serious revolution was brewing in Katya’s life. She fell in love and happily married Alexander Usmanov (unfortunately, a divorce later followed).
The love story of Katya and Alexander is very touching. He became her coach, but did not view her as a woman - rather, he perceived her as a child. Then he went into the army, and Katya, while waiting for him, did serious work on herself and changed a lot for the better. Returning to civilian life, Alexander immediately noticed and appreciated this.
And Katya changed her unloved office job to a more interesting path - she became a fitness trainer. The girl became more and more interested in sports, and gradually she began to actively participate in competitions, achieving better and better results.
Katya and Alexander, first husband
Ah, this wedding, wedding, wedding
There was something to be proud of: Katya won fitness competitions in the Rostov region and Krasnodar region, and in 2012 she became the world champion in bench press. On October 13, 2012, in Sevastopol, she took second place at the bodybuilding and bikini championship. The best then was Ekaterina Guseva, a Muscovite.
Disappointing second place
After the competition, Katya underwent plastic surgery for breast augmentation. She took herself even more seriously and immediately after won the Championship of Moscow and the Central Federal District in the “Bikini, fitness model” category. Next - the Russian Open Championship in bodybuilding, body fitness, fitness and bikini and second place in the Fitness Bikini category. By this point, everyone in the industry knew her.
I want to listen to such an athlete! “To achieve ideal shape, you need not only to eat well, but also to exercise every day,” says the champion. If you want to observe the life and activities of an athlete, then look at Ekaterina Usmanova’s Instagram. And here are the famous “before and after” photos that blew up the Internet.
How Katya trains
When working on her figure, Ekaterina is guided by a circuit training program, when exercises are done at a fast pace, one after another, without a break. In this case, you will spend the maximum amount of energy, which means you will quickly lose excess weight. The proposed type of training will ensure rapid fat burning for both beginners and regular regulars of fitness clubs. The program is designed for training in the gym. Here, exercises on the legs and back alternate: while the legs are resting, the back is subjected to stress, and vice versa. Exercises are subject to triple execution, which will deplete glycogen stores and direct the body to consume its own fat. Girls should also eat right: if they work actively during training, and at home they start “eating pizza on both cheeks”, restoring the calories spent, then there will be no effect.
The set of exercises for the fat burning program is as follows:
Toning all muscles and burning fat
1. Upper block row behind the head 2. Leg extension 3. Seated lower pulley row 4. Lunges 5. Dumbbell biceps curl 6. Triceps dumbbell raise 7. Torso raise from a lying position.
A few rules for proper training
In order to get a beautiful figure, daily exercise is necessary. It is important to alternate periods of intense and low stress. To warm up in the gym, start by running on the treadmill: a few minutes of explosive running should be followed by a calm one. And so on for 20 minutes. Due to the change in load, the body experiences an acceleration of metabolism, and as a result, excess weight loss occurs. Ekaterina Usmanova in her training program is guided by the principle of interval training. You should start each workout with a calorie-burning activity, such as jumping rope or running at an alternating pace. Remember, to achieve results you need to exercise every day. Yes, it will be difficult at first. Here you should be patient and adopt Katerina’s willpower to improve your body. For a visual example, see the photo “Ekaterina Usmanova. Before and after".
Pumped up abs from bodybuilding champion Ekaterina Usmanova
To work on your abs, you need to include in your classes: 1. Directly pumping up your abs. To do the exercise correctly, make sure to do it twice: do a small push from the floor and a small lift; similarly, you should lower yourself in 2 steps. In one approach you need to do 30 pumping exercises. 2. Bicycle: place your hands behind your head, and lift your legs at a right angle, bending your knees. Pull your right elbow to the opposite knee, while straightening your right leg. Similarly, carry out movements in the opposite direction. At the end of the rise, lower yourself onto your back. The norm is 2 sets of 20 repetitions. 3. Pumping up the upper and lower abs: take a lying position, place your hands behind your head, and straighten your legs. At one point, you need to raise your body and bend your knees. We carry out 2 approaches of 20 times.
I found a review here about Usmanova’s last saying
With which I totally agree and I was in such shock when I saw 1200 kcal that I was freaking out. From the wrong side of fitness group on VK
Thank you for the news offered, you continue to post them little by little, I will publish them, albeit not immediately directly (so as not to clog up the subscribers’ feed with a bunch of messages at once), but over time, everything interesting on the topic of the group will be published.
About Usmanova. I read what she writes, all the words seem to be known, but they add up to nonsense in a sum that I don’t even know. Well, it’s no secret that many bikini athletes live on rather meager rations (1000-1200 kcal, or even less), I think this is the vast majority. I don’t see anything good here - this is a bad example for ordinary girls who can easily follow such a bad example, but everyone understands that the body will not accept such dietary restrictions very happily.
“I eat in a balanced way” - 1200 kcal for a physically active girl cannot be balanced. The fact that she doesn’t give up carbohydrates is good, but it doesn’t change the fact.
“I don’t eat 6-9 times... I eat 3-4... inhibited metabolism.. boosted metabolism” This is the same thing, Katya, your metabolism cannot be boosted, if you squeeze by 1200, if you squeeze by 2000, that’s a different matter. 6-9 times a day versus 3-4 actually doesn’t do much in terms of metabolism, it’s a myth that ultra-frequent meals promote something. In steroid bodybuilding for a large set, it is simply customary to eat 6000-8000 kcal per day, and there is a crazy amount of protein - about 500g, it is unrealistic to eat relatively healthy food in 3-4 doses, even in 7-8 it can be difficult. 1200 kcal, even for 3-4 doses, you still need to try to stretch it out, for 6-9, obviously, there’s nothing to stretch it out.
“this is just an example of a healthy, balanced diet” and in general I would equate this to a crime. Not a single doctor will say that for a muscular, healthy and physically active woman, 1200 kcal is an example of a healthy, balanced diet.
It would seem easy to think with your head - you don’t need to be a champion for this - that such a “promoted metabolism” is when you consume a lot of energy in general, say 60 kg with a support level of 2300 kcal with a relatively good body quality. I removed 300 - I narrowed it down to the last 2 weeks, the last 2 weeks I stuck to 1800 and low carbs. What do we have? 1200 with the same 60, curtain, applause.
Let me remind you once again for those who work out for themselves and are already in good shape, but want perfect shape - don’t waste yourself on half-starved diets and a lot of cardio. Yes, you will lose weight, but this is temporary, how long can you honestly last in this mode and how long will your body withstand? Well, one more thing, it’s unrealistic to establish a normal training process with good strength and high-intensity (hiit) cardio, when very low calorie intake is not the right energy level, so training will come down to hammering isolation in the gym and monotonous cardio for hours - that’s what you need, Tell? Maybe it’s better to eat more and lift weights normally and run sprints?
“How do you like the latest entry in Usmanova’s group and the very fact that she eats 1200 kcal?”
How to make the same butt
Watching the transformation of fitness model Ekaterina from the before and after photos, you can clearly see how the athlete’s butt has transformed. Immediately before training, you need to warm up your joints by doing 2 sets of 20 squats with your own weight. The activity itself is as follows: 1. For squats, select a barbell. Perform 3-4 sets of 15-16 squats. 2. Incline leg press in the simulator - 3-4 sets of 20 times. 3. Use a Smith machine, doing 15 reps of lunges 3 times. 4. Hyperextension – 3 sets of 20 times. 5. Do lunges with dumbbells while moving - 3x15. 6. Lunges with dumbbells in one place - 3x15
Important to know: Swing your legs as often as possible, fixing your lower back. This is the most effective means for engaging the gluteal muscles.
How to get slender legs
Beautiful shoulders
Some tips from Miss Bikini Moscow Ekaterina Usmanova:
1. Do an exercise for the gluteal muscles every workout. 2. Workouts should be different so that you don't get bored. 3. Eat right and focus on problem areas. 4. Training should be targeted. So, if you are pumping your buttocks, then use only the “fifth point” and not the quadriceps. 6. Develop muscle strength. “If you work on the number of approaches, then this is wrong. You should feel how the muscle works,” says the girl. 7. The most important thing is to simply believe in yourself. By fighting fears and stereotypes, you grow above yourself, bringing your figure to the ideal.
Russian champion in body fitness Ekaterina Usmanova: “You can sculpt any body”
Woman.ru: Even in your old photos you look especially bright. At what point did you discover your champion qualities and start doing fitness?
Ekaterina Usmanova: I am both pleased and strange to hear this - I was an absolutely ordinary, average girl from a small town. I didn’t have any leadership or champion qualities from the beginning; I developed my character myself. I was always full of complexes, I was an ugly duckling at school and boys didn’t like me. I couldn’t find myself for a long time, but everything changed when I became interested in sports...
I didn’t have a fighting character at all, but my path in sports began with martial arts. At the age of 13 I joined the taekwondo section. I was very inspired by my coach, his fortitude, correct life values and sports determination.
Woman.ru: Were you in love with him?
E.U.: Yes, and later he became my husband, but first things first. At first he showed no interest in me as a girl, we were just friends. When he went into the army, I completely immersed myself in sports and began to work, including on my mental qualities. Then the formation of me as a person took place. I always say that a beautiful body is just the tip of the iceberg. As a result, we get a hundred times more. Sport revealed my character, thanks to which I was able to achieve noticeable results. When the coach returned, the changes in me impressed him, and he looked at me with different eyes. Soon we got married.
Woman.ru: How did it happen that you started performing?
E.U. : My husband contributed to this. For success, the main thing is confidence, and it is very important what kind of people surround us. At the stage of personality formation, we perceive ourselves according to the assessments of others. He believed in me, instilled this faith in me and convinced me that I should perform.
Woman.ru: How did you feel? When you first went on stage, were your knees shaking?
E.U.: And not just the knees (laughs, - approx. Woman.ru). I remember how I came out and the hall was silent. I was paralyzed with fear, I couldn’t even smile. I don’t know what would have happened to me if it weren’t for the support of my husband, who shouted something from the audience and encouraged me.
Woman.ru: What was it like for you, as a beginner, to compete with experienced athletes?
E.U.: At that time, it seemed to me that I was in good shape for an ordinary girl, but the scene showed how far I was from competitive standards.
I remember seeing a girl in a pink swimsuit and how I was amazed by her shape. Then there was a feeling that no effort would be spared for this. I approached her in the dressing room and asked her to give me her training recommendations. Looking at me and assessing my physical potential, she said that perhaps in a year something would come of me. And then the really hard training began.
Woman.ru: How did those around you react to your “unfeminine” hobby?
E.U.: Of course, few people in Krymsk understood what I was doing. Many didn't believe in me. Progress was facilitated by my love and desire to be better for a specific person who, fortunately, was able to appreciate it. Plus, I was truly in love with sports and knew that this was what I wanted to do. And if a person knows what he wants, he cannot be stopped.
Woman.ru: Many girls who do not have the task of performing on stage limit themselves to diets and cardio training. In many cases this actually works. How do you feel about giving up strength training?
E.U.: Cardio is necessary as a warm-up, followed by strength training. Its effect never wears off. Why do girls who pay attention to working out their muscles get in shape so quickly after giving birth? Precisely because there is muscle memory and even after a long break it will be much easier for you to get yourself in order, because you already have a “framework”.
The shape you achieve from your cardio can quickly become fat and you'll have to start from scratch. In addition, a person with well-developed muscles, even when simply walking, expends much more energy, and this contributes to the distant future of your body.
Woman.ru: Success in training is impossible without special nutrition. What is your diet?
E.U.: Now, when I am not preparing for competitions, it is much richer: I allow myself the whole range of berries and fruits, I eat foods high in polyunsaturated fats (salmon, salmon, avocado). I believe that you need to eat well and train well. Of course, I don't eat junk food. For me, fast food is the same poison as alcohol and cigarettes.
Previously, it seemed to me that I was prone to being overweight, but now I understand that I am simply inclined to eat delicious food. Unfortunately, as a child I was not instilled with a culture of proper nutrition, and even at that time it did not exist as such. Now, having established the cause-and-effect relationship between the appearance of excess weight and the food consumed, I have no problems eating tasty and not gaining weight.
Woman.ru: Few fitness models can boast as many fans as you have. On stage you are a master of a bright appearance, you charm and captivate with your energy, smile, radiant gaze, although we know at what price a competitive form is given. What is the secret of your confidence and magnetism?
E.U.: I am very self-critical and unsure of myself until I go on stage. And only standing behind the scenes, I tune in and go out to create a holiday for people. Submission depends on self-belief - this is hypnosis. The judges, sitting in the hall, are amazed at the way you carry yourself and think: “What confidence! She probably really is the best here.” The ideal exists in the eyes of a charmed person, and I advise all girls to use this, it works not only on stage!
Woman.ru: But confidence does not arise out of nowhere. By pushing yourself to the limit during the preparation period, are you setting yourself up for victory?
E.U.: Yes, I always visualize my goals. When I train, I already imagine myself as a champion. When it seems that I have no more strength, I imagine myself on stage, and if I run for another ten minutes, and even faster, then I will be a champion. No matter how exhausted I am, I will do it for my goal.
When you overcome your weakness and laziness every day, the confidence appears inside that you can do anything. When I go on stage, I know that I did not only my best, but even more, so I gain confidence, because I know that I deserved this victory.
Woman.ru: And yet, having become a multiple fitness bikini champion, you decided to give up competitive activities. How did this decision come about?
E.U.: For a long time, performing in competitions made me happy, so I don’t feel sorry for all the sacrifices: health, time, money, personal life (my first marriage broke up because of my career) that were made to get these titles.
I got everything I could and wanted out of the fitness bikini. Now I have met my loved one and I want a family and children. I’m not going to give up sports, I’ll be involved in coaching, shoot videos for my channel, but my priorities are completely different.
Woman.ru: Did they change because of love?
E.U.: Yes, by nature I am a couple person, in tandem I can move mountains. The moment came when I realized that all my fans, all these cups do not make me happy. This is very fertile ground for vanity, but this is not where my happiness lies. I understood when a strong man appeared in my life, who inspired me to new achievements, to a different path of development.
During the performance period, I have no energy for anything other than training. To be honest, “drying” is mind-numbing; I only have enough energy to go to the gym. The entire period of preparation you live with one day “X”, and after it - the unknown, and then a new day “X”. I don't want this anymore.
Woman.ru: How did you manage to meet the man of your dreams in this crazy schedule?
E.U.: Oddly enough, in the gym. Having become fascinated by Transurfing, I wrote a list for my ideal man, and fate has already brought him to the right time and place. I’m so happy that I met Dima (Ekaterina’s husband - Woman.ru note) that I’m not afraid to quit sports and do something new.
He is my biggest inspiration and motivation. Now I want to devote more time to my loved one. A woman should nourish and inspire a man, and not work from morning to evening.
Woman.ru: In one of the films of the Quartet And the hero meets his little self and he bursts into tears and says: “I don’t want to be you.” Do you think little Katya Usmanova would be happy to meet her current self?
E.U.: I think she wouldn’t even believe that this could happen to her. When I went to the coast after school to work and sell shells, I couldn’t even dream of what I have now. Therefore, I am happy that I was not born in a golden cradle, otherwise I simply would not have been able to appreciate all this.
Nutrition
A beautiful body is the result not only of hard training, but also of a nutritious, balanced diet. Ekaterina Usmanova does not offer any special programs. She is opposed to diets, which inevitably lead to breakdowns and gaining even more extra pounds. You need to switch to proper nutrition, making it a part of your life.
Key recommendations from the athlete:
- We eat 5-6 times a day in small portions. This will allow you to restore and speed up your metabolism, and also forget what evening gluttons are.
- We consume complex carbohydrates up to 12 hours. Afterwards we reduce their number to a minimum.
- In the afternoon, we lean on protein foods. They help in building a beautiful body.
- You cannot exclude fats from your diet. They must be present. This applies to healthy fats, which are contained in high-quality butter, fish, etc.
- Dishes on the menu should be both healthy and tasty. You should enjoy every meal.
- If there is not enough protein, you can achieve the required amount by additionally consuming protein shakes.
- We observe the drinking regime - the standard intake is 2-2.5 liters.
Version of Anastasia Anisimova and her husband
According to Anastasia Anisimova’s version, initially the idea of creating the “BodyLab Ideal Body Laboratory” project belonged to her. She was going to become a client of a similar organization - “Sect” (our favorite reggae performer Alai Oli (Oli Marquez)), but noticed a number of shortcomings in it. By that time, she was not yet familiar with Ekaterina Usmanova, but she tried to get into her training to get rid of excess weight. And when she realized that Katya was too busy and wasn’t taking on new students, she made an original decision: she sent the fitness star an offer to become the media face of an online project dedicated to strength training.
Usmanova accepted the offer. According to the agreements, her tasks included only coaching and PR. Since the girl had absolutely no experience in running a business, no other functions were assigned to her. While the school was being prepared for opening, Katya and her husband were vacationing in Brazil, without taking any part in it. To accept payments, a legal entity, IP Anisimova, was created, which operated for six months.
The school opened in November. Anastasia Anisimova had connections in show business, since she had previously been the director of Mitya Fomina, and therefore took advantage of her “star” contacts. She asked media personalities to post about the school on their social networks, which they did for free or for gift memberships. After this, the popularity of the online project began to grow, and the name of Katya Usmanova became popular.
The fitness star’s responsibilities included preparing online workouts and designing a nutrition program. Performing these functions, the girl earned 25 million rubles in 9 months - a lot of money even for a famous athlete.
Large fees played a negative role: Ekaterina stopped posting on Instagram about the school and making videos for students, although this was part of her functionality. Usmanova’s reasoning for her reluctance to work was very simple: she did not want to waste the energy she was saving to open her own gym.
Having stopped posting motivational videos on Instagram, Katya turned her page into a set of photographs that showed fans her beautiful life. She added pictures showing exorbitant prices for spa treatments and meals at famous restaurants. Such PR did not fit into the concept of the online school: sometimes, in order to purchase a course of classes, women from the regions have to save for months and deny themselves many things. Usmanova responded to comments regarding the content of social networks with abuse and reproaches. The patience of Anastasia Anisimova and her husband was slowly bursting, and they were seriously thinking about changing their coach.
The agreement was terminated by written notice. The rights to Instagram and the school were given to Anisimova. According to her, the online project can, at its discretion, use already filmed videos with the image of a fitness star. There was an attempt to come to an agreement: Usmanova and her husband were offered to remain on a small percentage, without performing any functions for it. But Katya preferred scandal and publicity: she needs such PR, because she is busy opening her own gym.
