Interview With Marie SilmäriName: Marie Silmäri
From: Lovissa, Finland
Age: 43
Weight (Off Season/Diet): 59kg / 52kg
Height: 161cm
What’s your home gym? ICCL – The Cave
At what age did you start bodybuilding and what was your motivation at that time? I'd always been active in sports, having been involved in Karate for 3 years and before that in ballet for 7 year. I also played football and track and field. I originally started working out to improve my karate, but also to add muscle weight to join the police force. I initially approached two powerlfiters who I think didn't take me too seriously and decided to test me, so they were telling me to lift crazy weights, thinking I'd give up. To their shock not only didn't I give up but my body responded so well they both said “Why don't you compete”....and along the way the police idea got dropped....lol
What mistakes did you make as an amateur? (Laughing) What mistakes DIDN'T I make!!! I guess I made the mistakes everyone makes from overtraining and working out every day. Taking crazy amounts of calories in the form of weight gainers, trying every routine going, even trying Arnolds routines. Just the mad stuff everyone tries when they don't know any better.
What do you think about whilst training? That's an easy one. I try to take time prior to the workout to mentally focus on what the goals of it are to be. SO when I'm IN the the training zone I'm totally focussed on the muscle and the goal of the workout and what I'm trying to achieve, to the point where I'm focussing on each rep, one at a time.....in the manner that you have to WIN and beat every rep. I'm never thinking about what I have to do still in the workout, I’m focussed on the moment.
What music do you listen to while working out? Generally it's Hard Rock and some Heavy Metal, but when it's pre contest I always, with virtually a a religious habit I pick an ACDC album and that's my music through the pre contest prep and training.
How do you plan your diet and training in daily life? Well, as I'm in heavily in the middle of a strong comeback 5 international contests in 2 months, my daily diet is my offseason. Since during the offseason it's the time to build the foundation of the physique I'm putting onstage my diet and training has to be as structured as pre contest. Every calorie is counted and measured in terms of carbs, proteins and fats, so I'll know what and where to cut come the contest. In regards training I'm looking at the flaws in my physique and where I need to build or refine, so the training has to be goal oriented too.
What does your training routine look like? Basically I call it a Dorian Yates, Heavy Duty style with a twist, I've trained with Dorian a few times, I'm intently focussed on the “feel” of the muscle, trying to isolate and work it through it's range of motion. When I've hit the target and got to failure that's it. No extra backup sets. as insurance. And I believe in free weights wherever possible
What does your daily diet consist of? It's the basics. Lots of chicken, rice pasta and vegetables, oh and oatmeal in the morning. I stay away from anything refined as much as possible. I do have rahka, sometimes called quark, that's a great protein addition. What's really important is I time my intake of food. I always eat within 5 minutes of the the scheduled time, no matter where I am, shopping or driving or whatever. I'll pull over and grab my food
and eat it.
What are you most proud of? Of course my two daughters, that goes without question. But if you're asking in terms of the sport, well I've been competing since 1998 and I feel, looking back in each decade I've improved and brought something new. I feel that my ability to adapt and constantly improve and be innovative and humble in my approach and to facet in new concepts to my training where they'll help me improve and not be dogmatic and rigid in my approach.
Do you stay ripped all year long or do you bulk from time to time? No of course not. However I don't bulk I try to lean gain on the off season, which means I proportionally increase the amounts of proteins and carbs to get the improvements I need for the next round of competition.
What supplements do you use? None, it's a matter of cost and the money goes to good quality food. I'd love to use some of the really great supplements out there, so if any good supplement company would like to offer sponsorship, I'm in the market!!
What part of your body do you like the most? My eyes!!! Lol.....Ok I guess you mean bodyparts, in which case I have to say that it'd be none of them as I really try to focus on the entire physique as a whole and the picture it presents. If anything I focus more on the weaker parts to make my personal aesthetic complete.
Do you have any idols? If so, who? Oh yeah!!! ARNOLD!!!! Always been always will. I always admired his drive, dedication and willpower and the way he worked and built everything himself and made so much more out of himself than just a bodybuilder, defying the odds and proving the critics wrong. In terms of category Monica Brant from the very beginning, partially because her structure is similar to mine and the style and form was close enough to something I could reach. I've met her and I found that our personalities meshed and our sense of humour clicked.
What advice would you give your younger self, when it just started training, now? Learn, be open, listen to your body, be humble enough to keep taking on wisdom. Don't assume that more is better, read and have patience. Don't get too satisfied and never, ever think you know it all, because that's when you stop improving.
I'd just like, if it's ok to give a shout out firstly to my husband and two daughters and family, who mean more to me than everything in the world and put up with me when I'm growling on diet, my friends , they know who they are, who give me support, to my gym ICCL and to my clothing sponsor War Hammer Gym and Fight Gear.
