As promise, that's the interview I had with her yesterday. Enjoy!
Q: So Sylvie thank you so much for your kindness and welcome on Saradas pages! Could you tell us a little about yourself and your life?
A: I’m happy to be here and I say hello to all female strength fans! I was born in Menton, a little city on the sea in Cote d’Azur in southern France, near Italian border, December 1952. I married an italian man and moved to Rome and then Torino, city in northwestern italy, where I had two daughters and three nephews. I’m widow from 2009 so I came back to menton where I live now with my new partner.
Q: How about your profession?
A: I was a nice girl so at first I worked as a fashion model for some years back in the late ‘70. Then I worked as a bank advisor for local tourism bureau and then as Italian and French teacher in France and Italy public schools. Now I’m retired but I teach Italian and self defense for free to old people in Third Age University.
Q: What kind of activities/sports did you do before you started lifting weights?
A: Very few until 2003. Some swimming cause I’m very close to the sea and some Softball as a girl. In 2003 I was bag-snatched while I was coming back at home and risked my own safety. I was deeply shocked, so I decided to learn some kind of martial art for my self-defense. I practiced for almost 10 years and now I’m black belt in Brazilian Jiujitsu; also practiced in Savate from 2007.
Q: How and when did you get involved into lifting weights?
A: I began weight training two days a week in summer 2008 to strengthen my locks and grappling abilities. Slightly I deeply fell in love with lifting, feeling myself stronger physically and mentally, helping me to better tolerate a middle-aged woman problems like menopause or osteoporosis and loving that mighty sensation to be able to lift hundreds of pounds at my age. My main goal then and now is to improve my strength the most I can, but I have to admit I’m keeping an eye also on the way my muscles look outside, since I noticed how my body transforms as long as I keep lifting.
Q: What are your next goals about lifting?
A: I would like to compete into national powerlifting contests next year. I will have an audit with GPC France next month to see how to sign up into 60-64 master category for 2014. I’m also screening international powerlifting organizations to see for further contests. I began a new type of training based not only on developing raw power but also specific powerlifting techniques. I hope being ready for next August.
Q: We all wish you a full success. Did you ever tought about a more specific bb training and entering some fbb master contest?
A: Yes, I do. I’m in contact with some bodybuilders, males and females, in the gym where I usually train; many of them said me I have to try that way with a body like mine, but sincerely I’m now focused on improving strength, and I see how much dedication a bodybuilder have to display on every single aspect of his/her life before walking on stage. Right now I’ve not a big interest in such kind of way but I admit sometimes I wonder how I should be as a competitive fbb, so I cannot exclude I will begin that some day.
Q: You’re a fine and very elegant lady. How does people react when they see your muscles bulge outside clothes?
A: That was the fear I had when I began to see transformations on my body. You have to consider I grew up with the myth of thinness into my mind and into a fashion environment where muscles on ladies were and are absolutely not allowed. I remember in the first ’80s, when the first competitive fbb appeared, my model colleagues referring to them as “butch” and “masculines” and so on. And now that type of bodies now will be enlisted into bikini or figure. Seeing myself now and remembering that period makes me laugh, I confess. So I was a bit concerned about my new look and people’s reactions and I tought about leave the sport when I saw my muscles bulge. Then, I saw myself in the mirror and I found myself good. So I said, hey, maybe they prefer a flaccid 70 kilograms old woman made of fat….I prefer a tough 70 kilos old woman made of muscles…..so I went on. Then I found out almost all people agree with my choice and both male and female admires my built body. My closest female friends hate me cause I eat three times more than them and I’m extremely toned. The only bad thing is that during this years I had to switch all my upper body wear like jackets, shirts, blazers and dresses from M to XL/XXL .
Q: Could you describe us a typical day of yours?:
A: Of Course. My partner and I usually get up between 6.30 and 7.00 am. He goes outside at 7.30 and I did an half hour of cardio, running outside or doing cyclette if it’s bad weather. Then Shower and breakfast. Around 9 am I go out for assignements and then back home for houseworks. Then lunch at home or outside with friends. in the afternoon, from 2-3 pm to 5 I usually am at Third Age University, keeping or following some lessons. Otherwise, I dedicate to my hobbies. From 5 to 7 pm gym training and then home for dinner. Then I have plenty of quality time with my partner going cinema, theatre, events or simply go outside or doing a peaceful evening at home. Then pre-sleep meal and going bed around 1.00 am.
Q: How often do you train a week? And how?
A: I train in gym 4-5 five days a week, from Monday to Friday, alternating strength days with technical focused days and specific work to strengthen joints and tendons (such as knees, wrists, and so on). Saturday and Sunday out. I use a cycle type of training. For strength/mass I did only multiarticular exercises splitting them usually in a “pulling” day with deadlifts, rowing and curls and a “pushing” day with squats, bench and presses. I use isolation exercises and machines only for specific works for joints and tendons.
Q: If you don’t mind, could you give us some body and lift stats?
A: Sure. My height is 160 cm and I weigh 72 kilos. Biceps 38 cm, quads 56, calves 40. I benched for 1 rep max 85 kilos, Squatted 110 kilos and deadlifted 100 kg.
Q: What’s your best bodypart in your opinion?
A: Oh, that’s quite easy. Definitely my arms.
Q: What are your favorite / least favorite exercises?
A: I love benching, squatting and training arms. I really like to hit them with heavy series cause they respond better to very high impacts. My least favorite is deadlift cause I always fear hurting my back. I’m definitely stronger in my upper body so I have to struggle hard to make my legs strength and mass grow.
Q: What about your diet and integrations?
A: It depends on periods. I usually have a high protein diet made of 5-6 meals a day, made of fish, chicken, turkey, eggs white, light cheese. For carbs I eat potatoes, vegetables (a bunch of broccoli), some fruits and whole whey bread. Olive oil and dried fruit for fats. I eat between 3000-3500 calories a day during heavy training periods.
As integrators, I use some BCAA after mass/strenght workouts along with isolated whey protein shake and glucosium after all workouts. I do creatine cycles during the peaks of heavy training.
Q: What about your hobbies?
A: We travel a lot and like spending time with friends, going to the movies, taking advantage of the cultural offers our town has with its great theaters. I also love reading books, going to cinema, tail and hand-knitting. I love to furnish and and decorate houses and I’m doing a course about that right now.
Q: If you don’t mind, for you have no fb or twit*** profiles, could you leave here a mail address to any fan who wants to congratulate? Thanks for your kind answers and your time Sylvie. We all wish to you all the success in your goals for the sport and life. Keep rockin’!!
A: Do I have fans? (She laughs) I’m honored. Sure, you could write to madamepuissance@gmail.com . Thanks to you and all saradas users! Keep up the good work!!
PS: please take note Sylvie does not do Wrestling or sessions of any kind. Thanks