Maria Mikola - Canadian Bodybuilding Champion
Some Info about MARIA:
Where and when were you born?
I was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on January 15th.
What is your profession?
I am a personal fitness trainer and I also work at a health food store.
Were you involved in sports or fitness prior to bodybuilding and how did you get started with weight training?
In public school I participated in cross-country, gymnastics and track & field. In high school I focused on gymnastics and did 1 year of cheerleading. In my senior year a knee injury prevented me from reaching my goal as a national level gymnast. I began weight training for rehabilitation to my knee. In college I took up trampoline. After college I got into windsurfing. It was a great past time! In the winter months I had no activity in my life and wanted to maintain my strength and physique so I took up weight training again and stayed with it.
Was it a goal for you to compete in bodybuilding competitions right from the beginning or was it something that grew in your mind as time went on and you saw the progress in your body?
No, the sport found me. I was offered a position at a gymnastics club in Michigan, USA, so I moved there, found a gym and continued with my weight lifting. I still had the physique of a little more muscular gymnast. The owner of the gym talked me into a bodybuilding competition. I had never seen a show and here I was competing in one. I knew nothing about the sport other then looking in the fitness magazines and seeing fit bodies in there. If there was fitness in the competition I would have possibly liked to have tried that first, but I stuck with bodybuilding. I still think about doing fitness sometimes even just to try it once.
Can you give me your competition history?
2009 IFBB Juniors/Masters World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 16th in Masters
2009 IFBB Women’s World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 11th in Lightweight
2009 IFBB North Americans
Placing: 11th in Masters Lightweight, 4th in Middleweight
2009 CBBF Canadian Bodybuilding Championships (Level 4)
Placing: 3rd in Masters, 1st in Middleweight
Best Poser Award
2009 CBBF Canadian National Physique Championships (Level 4) (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Masters, 1st Lightweight, 1st Overall
Best Poser Award
(qualified for IFBB World Championships)
2008 WNBF Pro World Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 4th Heavyweight
2007 IFBB Women’s World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 14th Heavyweight
2007 OPA Ontario Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (Level 3)
Placing: 2nd Masters, 3rd Heavyweight
(re-qualified for CBBF Canadian Championships)
2007 CBBF National World Qualifier (Level 4) (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Heavyweight, 2nd Masters
(qualified for IFBB World Championships)
2007 INBF Northern States Super Natural Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships (drug tested) Canadian & American Pro Qualifier for WNBF
Placing: 1st Masters, 1st Heavyweight, 1st Overall
1st in Bench Press Contest (65 lbs for 62 reps)
**Earned WNBF Pro Card**
2007 WNSO Ian Walling Fame Centrals (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Overall in Pro Division
2006 IDFA Canadian Classic II (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Open, 1st Overall
Best Poser Award
**Earned IDFA Pro Card**
2006 NGA Olympus Pro/Am (drug tested)
Placing: 7th Pro Division
2006 WNSO FAME Centrals (Pro Qualifier)(drug tested)
Placing: 1st Heavyweight, 1st Overall
**Earned WNSO Pro Card**
2006 NGA Can/Am
Placing: 1st Open, 1st Overall
Best Poser Award
**Earned NGA Pro Card**
2005 NGA Canadian Classic Natural Championships (Pro Qualifier)(drug tested)
Placing: 2nd Heavyweight
2005 NFSO Canadian International Natural Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Open Division
1st Overall Most Symmetrical Award
2005 NFSO Canadian Natural National Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Open Division
1st Overall Most Symmetrical Award
2005 NFSO South Western Natural Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Open Division
2003 IFBB Women’s World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 9th Middleweight
(top placing North American in bodybuilding)
2003 CBBF National World Qualifier (Level 4) (drug tested)
Placing: 2nd Masters, 3rd Heavyweight
Best Poser Award
2002 CBBF Canadian Bodybuilding Championships (Level 4)
Placing: 5th Middleweight
2002 OPA Natural Ontario Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (National Qualifier)(drug tested)
Placing: 1st Heavyweight, 1st Overall (qualified for World Qualifier)
2001 OPA Ontario Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (Level 3)
Placing: 2nd Middleweight (qualified for Level 4)
2001 OPA South-Central Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (Level 2)
Placing: 1st Middleweight, 1st Overall (qualified for Level 3)
2001 OPA Festival City Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (Level 1)
Placing: 1st Open Division, 1st Overall (qualified for Level 2)
Best Poser Award
1999 NPC Michigan Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships (National Qualifier)
Placing: 3rd Middleweight
1998 NPC Western Michigan Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Middleweight, 1st Overall
Best Poser Award
1998 NPC Key to the Sea Bodybuilding Championships
Placing: 2nd Middleweight
1998 NANBF Northern Classic Physique Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Short, 1st Overall
Most Muscular Award & Most Symmetrical Award
1998 NPC Grand Rapids Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Middleweight, 1st Overall
1998 Mr./Ms. Natural Classic Drug Free Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 1st Short, 1st Overall
Best Poser Award & Most Muscular Award
1997 NPC Western Michigan Bodybuilding Championships (drug tested)
Placing: 3rd Heavyweight
Which contest has been your biggest success; which has had the most meaning to you?
My most successful competition was the 2009 CBBF Canadian Natural Physique Championships where I won the masters and lightweight classes, best poser award and the overall title. I’d have to say that was my best conditioning to date! I also won the middleweight class and best poser award at the 2009 CBBF Canadian Bodybuilding Championships! I have always wanted to win a national title
My most meaningful competition was making Team Canada to the IFBB World Championships in 2003. Since then, I have been to the IFBB Women’s Worlds 3 times now and the IFBB Masters Worlds for the first time! It’s just amazing to be there!
Please tell me something about your training routine (ie: how many days per week / training split /cardio, etc.)
When getting ready for competition I train 5 to 6 days a week and in off season that is cut back to 4 or 5 days. My lifting doesn’t change much because I have found what works best for me. I lift as heavy as I can handle most of the time but listen to my body when it needs a break.
In my off-season I keep cardio in as much as I can. In the nice weather I take my dog out for a run for some cardio. When I prepare for competition I increase my cardio to 2 sessions a day.
What is your favorite exercise in the gym and which one you don’t like so much?
I was taught how to power lift so my favourite exercise is the bench press. There are no exercises I do not enjoy.
Which body part is your best in your opinion?
Rather then picking one body part, I’d have to say I like being dieted down and defined. Many people have told me that I have excellent symmetry.
If you don’t mind would you give me some stats (best lifts and some body measurements)?
I don’t measure my body often because I go by how I look in the mirror not by size and symmetry.
Some of my best lifts in the past are as follows:
Bench Press 235lbs max
Deadlifts 315lbs max
Squats 295lbs for 5 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 65-70lbs for reps
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press 80-90lbs for reps
Incline Bench Dumbbell Press 70-75lbs for reps
Decline Bench Press 225lbs for reps
Decline Dumbbell Press 70-75lbs for reps
Military Press 155lbs for reps
I don’t always do these exercises and weights but these are some of my best lifts that I have worked up to before changing my program to something else. My reps are anywhere from 6 to 12 and sometimes even lower when I go to failure.
What do you enjoy about training for competition....what do you enjoy about the 'off season'?
I like the end result and always trying to improve on it with every competition I do. In the off-season I am able to cut back on the cardio and relax my diet more so it isn’t as strict.
Please describe a typical day in the life of Maria Mikola.
My schedule changes all the time based on when my clients book with me. I usually book in my training with my training partner either in the afternoon or evening depending on his schedule. I will book in my clients around my training, usually in the morning, in the afternoons and early evenings. Sometimes when I get very busy with training clients, I do what I can to fit everything in, which means not getting to bed until late or missing something on my very long “to do” list.
Please tell me about what you do when you don’t work out ( hobbies, what do you do to relax?, etc.)
For me to relax I actually go for a tan. This is where I can take a quick cat-nap to regenerate myself. I sometimes watch a bit of TV when I am doing my cardio. On my day off I will sleep in and then later spend some time with my mom. I also like to spend time with my dog and go for walks.
What do you enjoy most about the bodybuilding/fitness lifestyle?
I enjoy the opportunity to be able to do a little bit of traveling and see different cultures and meet like-minded individuals.
Tell me something interesting about yourself, something people may be surprised to hear.
Not a lot of people know but I have an identical twin sister.
What are your competition goals or personal future goals?
My goal for 2009 was to compete in every national and international show I could. I met that goal this past year! My new competition goals for the future are to improve on my conditioning with every show I do! As for my personal future goals, the sky’s the limit!
I would like to give special thanks to Preferred Nutrition and The Water Bug Health Food Store for their sponsorship and support and to my training partner and Sharky’s Athletic Club!
