LOHANI NOOR (ROCHI) -
Facts Name: Lohani Noor (Rochi)
Occupation: Lecturer
Location: Manchester
Weight: 66.5kg
Height: 5'2"
Sport: Physique Category International Federation of Bodybuilders
Achievements & About
Gosh I have so much to be proud of and so many opportunities to be grateful for. I started competing very young and was fortunate enough to win every show I ever entered except the Jan Tana. I won the North East, South East, British Light Weight, British Middle Weight, British Heavy Weight and Overall. I won the San Francisco Bodybuilding Championships and the California State Power Lifting Championships.
Aside from my competitive achievements I have also accomplished a degree of success in both vocational and academic knowledge. I’m a qualified plumber and Building Services Engineer, having managed a partnership as well as working on the tools for several years. I’m also a fully qualified lecturer in plumbing and construction. My role at the college of FE where I work sees me also as the lead 14-16 chid protection officer, a member of the safe guarding team and I sit on the board of governors. Academically I am in the final year of a Masters in Urban Education and have completed three years of a MSC in Transactional Analysis. For me life is full of interesting things to see, do and be.
Q+A
How did you first become interested in your sport?
I started training at a very young age. In fact I remember being about 9 years old and being really fascinated by the human body, by the way the muscles tied together creating peaks and troughs. By the way bodies make unique yet familiar shapes. My two elder brothers brought home dumbbell’s and a bull worker. I remember doing bicep curls and shoulder presses and really working my pecs with that bullworker. The really funny thing is I was a little asian girl in full traditional dress and didn’t even wear western clothes until I was 16. But even back then I guess it was in my blood. There is a way we all individually feel our bodies should be, for me that feeling was always strong and muscular. And I have to be clear here, this feeling had and has nothing to do with my gender, there is no confusion. Strong athletic women are not a new conception. When I finally made it to a bodybuilding Gym I was 19. A fitness instructor took me round the gym and demonstrated a squat. Then was gobsmacked that I managed a plate aside on my first ever attempt. I had no idea why he was impressed at the time. However realising I was strong just fuelled my fire and within 6 months I had won my first ever competition.
Which legend would you say has inspired you the most?
When I first started training I met an awesome woman who at the time had decided she wasn’t going to compete anymore. She was about my height and had the most amazing physique. One day I saw her doing chins, I was so amazed and I so wanted to be like her. That woman was Androulla Blanchette who went on to win Ms Olympia, she is a legend.
How would you describe your typical training programme?
Intense! I train heavy hard and fast. I quite like a bit of banter but don’t try telling me about your kids or your day at work because I wont stay still long enough to listen and my brain isn’t going to process much more than 1,2,3,4….. move that f**** weight. I like the pain of training, I like to go to that gritty place, in the moment, where nothing else exists. It makes me feel so alive.
What is your greatest achievement in your career thus far?
Re-gaining my pro card ………. The best is yet to come.
What advice would you give to young athletes and those looking to improve in their sports and training?
Don’t ever loose focus of your goal, there is no off season every minute of every day brings you a step closer to your goal. You have stop dreaming about it and become it, make it real in your thoughts and actions, make it ‘present’ and it will become present.
