Video Interview with Cover Model and IFBB Figure Pro: Pia Marlen Johnsen

1. Please introduce yourself? What makes you special? Who is Pia Marlen Johnsen?

Well, just being the only Figure Pro from Norway makes me one of a kind :)
A hard question to answer…but I think I`m just a fun & outgoing, polite & humble, ambitious & hardworking, friendly & a little bit impulsive and crazy gal` from Norway. I think just being from Scandinavia makes me a little different from the American pro`s. Because the differences between the two continents are so big.

2) Please tell us a bit about your family, friends and surroundings? How different is it from living in the United States?

Living in Norway is much different from living in the united states. We have a very different government and social structure. It is very safe and good to live in Norway. We`ve got free medical care, education (we get paid to go to school) etc etc….                   The climate is also very different. We got all the 4 seasons, and it`s much cooler in Norway. In the summer we got sun 24 hours, and it`s dark almost 24 hours in the winter, and freeeeeziiing cold! I think the mentality is a bit different as well. Hard to explain.. but Americans are a little more outgoing and friendly towards strangers and people they don`t know. It`s easier to get in contact with people from us, than Norwegians. But we are much more liberal in Norway. Like the Janet Jackson nipple-thing ?? We really don`t understand what the fuzz was all about…..!?? :)
I live with my fiancee Edmund Johansen in north of Norway right now. But we are moving to California at the end of this summer. I`m looking forward to that, and think it will be a great experience. My little sister just gave birth to a little baby boy; my first nephew and that was a big moment in my life becoming an aunt. She`s together with Edmund's childhood friend, and he`s also a Bodybuilder. 3 fitness and bodybuilders in the same family is not bad !! :) ha ha..

2. How did you start competing in figure in Norway?

I had been working out with weights in almost 7 years when I started working out at Kaliber Gym (www.kalibergym.no) instead of my old gym. There were many good competitors there, and the owner, Gunnar Jacobsen is a coach for many of Norway's best athletes in BB and fitness. They saw my potential and helped me get started and prepare for my first show. 3 months after I joined the Gym I got 2nd in one of Norway's biggest competitions !! After that show I KNEW that this was for me ! I had found “my” sport ! My goal was to become the best in norway, and become a pro. I said that right after my first contest, and everybody just shook their head. But I`m a stubborn and determined little ….girl.. So I worked my butt off and won everything there is in figure in Scandinavia, and did very well internationally. I got my pro card after 1 ½ year and 17 competitions… It was also at my very first show in april 2003 I met my fiancee and trainer Edmund Johansen. We trained at the same gym, and competed in the same show :)

4. What is your personal policy (not what the judges want) about conditioning and muscularity when coming into a show? Soft or hard?

My personal opinion is that I like a harder and a little bit more muscular look than the judges prefer. In Europe the girls have this look, so I was a bit surprised when I entered my first pro show. Because I hadn`t expected that the pros would be softer then the amateurs in Europe. This is a sport all about training, dieting and showing off your physique, so I think that it should be more about being lean and symmetrical but still feminine.

5. What is your idea of what judges want in a Figure competitor? Do you think judges are clear enough with competitors about how they want you on stage?

This was my third show as a pro, but I was really not sure of what the judges wanted. It seems like it is variations from show to show almost. While in some shows they want the girls to be pretty lean, but in others they place those down. That makes it very difficult to prepare. I think the most important thing to do when preparing for a show, is going for the look I feel most comfortable with myself. But it seems like all the judges want round and full muscles, lean but not hard and to muscular, with good symmetry and feminine lines. That`s my impression.

6) For the next shows what do you think you need to work on physique-wise/conditioning-wise? If anything!

For my next show I will carb up a lot more then I`m used to, to get that roundness and fullness in the muscles they want to see. The look will be smoother than I`m used to, but I`ve got to try it, to see if it works for me. I`m also working on getting more thickness and depth in my muscles.

7) What is your typical training routine in the gym (per day, include sets and reps!) How much cardio do you do before a show?

I`m training a 5 split which I think is working really well for me. How much cardio I do depends on how lean I wanna get. I tend to get in shape very easily. For example for this show, I didn`t do cardio at all, and dieted for only 7 weeks. Including cheat days(/weekends….) all the way… *LOL* I`ve got a really big sweet tooth, and love ice cream toooo MUCH ! That`s my favourite food in the whole wide world. I don`t think there are any limits for how much ice cream I can eat!
I didn`t do as much training as I usually do for this show either. I only trained my thighs, glutes, abs and triceps. In periods I have to hold back on my training, because in the same way I easily get in shape, I also build muscle mass easily. The judges told me last year that I was too lean and too muscular, so I tried to achieve a little bit smaller and softer look this time.

But this is how I usually train:

Monday: Back:

Chin ups 4 x 10-15 (warm-up)
Pull down rear: 3 x 8
Pull down Front, wide grip: 3 x 8
(Close grip V-bar pull down : 3 x 8 sometimes)
Seated Rows: 3 x 8
Barbell Rows: 3 x 8
One Arm Dumbbell rows or Long bar rows: 3 x 8
+ ABS

Tuesday:  Legs

Ass-to-the-grass (really deep)  Squats : 5-6 x 8-12
Leg-Press: 4-5 x 8-15
Leg Extensions: 4 x 8-10
Bodyweight Thigh Biceps Curl: 4 x as many as I can do
Thigh Biceps curl in machine: 3 x 8-10
Lunges in smith machine: 3-4 x 8-10
+ ABS

Wednesday: Chest

Bench press: 5-6 x 8
Inclined Bench press: 3 x 8
Pec dec: 3-4 x  8
Flat dumbbell press: 3 x 8
+ABS

Thursday: Arms

Triceps:

Triceps Press Down: 4 x 8-10
Triceps press down with rope: 3 x 8
French press (triceps curl to forehead) 4 x 8
Dips: 3 x as many I can do
One arm Dumbbell triceps curl: 3 x 8

Biceps:

Standing biceps curl: 3-4 x 8
Seated dumbbell curl 3 x 8
Standing one-arm curl on low pulley: 3 x 8
+ABS

Friday: Shoulder & calves:

Shoulders:

Barbell press behind the neck: 4 x 8
Seated palms-out dumbbell press 4 x 8
Deltoid raise (flies) 3-5 x 8
Reverse Pec dec: 4 x 8
Lying rear deltoid raise 4 x 8

Calves:

Toe raises: 4-5 x as many I can do
Donkey raise
+ABS

Saturday:

Eat & Sleep :)

Sunday:

Eat & Sleep :)

CARDIO:

If I`m doing cardio, I always do it first thing in the morning, before breakfast. I walk outside in as fast tempo as I can without running or jogging. HPM: 135-147 (heart rate)
I walk for about 90-120 minutes. I just CAN`T do cardio machines ! After 7 minutes I`m almost bored to death and just want to get off. So walking outdoors is definitely the best for me. I leave my cell phone and money at home, bringing just my ipod. Then I just have to walk the whole round to get home again. But I enjoy doing my cardio outdoors. It`s a great way to start the day with fresh air, and it`s a good way for me to clear my thoughts and reflect over the day.

8) What is your pre-contest diet? (per day, 1 week before the show)

It`s pretty boring, that`s fore sure ! Usually I zero the carbs at Monday, eating only proteins and fat every 2 hour. I eat mostly codfish or chicken breast filet. For fats I take fish oil and Udo`s Choice. I don`t really weigh my food, or count calories either. I eat “by the feeling”. It`s like I can feel how much and how often I need to eat. It`s just the last week I eat so often, otherwise I eat every third hour I think. And I guess about 30-35 grams of protein in each meal. Earlier I have been eating very little carbs, but now I`m going higher on the carbs to get that fuller look.

9) How do you go about dropping your water before the day of the show? Please be specific.

This time I didn`t drop the water at all. I cut the sodium at Thursday afternoon, and was drinking large amounts of water the whole week. I stopped drinking at Friday night, but sipped a little all trough the contest day. Since I didn`t carb up very much, it worked out just fine.
Earlier I used to cut the sodium at Wednesday, and the water at Thursday at 12:00, and didn`t drink a drop before after the show. I got very dry, but TOO drained. It was off course not a healthy look, so I think dropping the water not so much makes me look better. If you are really lean, you don`t have to cut the water as much as when you are soft, to look good….

10) What motivates you to train/diet and compete? Are there any competitors you look up to?

Well the contests motivate me a lot ! I love to compete, and I`m a very competitive person. Always striving to be the best I can be. The contests are for me a way to measure all the work you`ve been putting down in the gym. You get to show it off and compete against others with the same passion for training and nutrition.
Setting goals for my self also motivates me, I`m very goal oriented and without high goals to reach for I would get nowhere. My goal right now is to perfect my physique and qualify for Olympia and Arnold Classic. I really, really want to get on that stage !
It motivates me to have the chance to travel around, getting to know new people and places in the fit-biz. It motivates me to help and inspire others in their training. I think it`s important to try to be a good role model for others. Actually I am working on a charity project for Unicef right now. We`re giving out a fitness calendar where all the money goes to help children via Unicef. So please support our case by buying the calendar when it comes out in the end of the year!
My family, friends and fiancee which supports me, believes in me and are my biggest fans also motivates me.
My fiancee is my very best friend in the world, my coach, my trainer, dietician and travel-companion. I could never do this without him ! He`s a fitness competitor as well, and the Norwegian overall champion. He is an athlete I very much look up to. Monica Brant as well. She is such a beautiful lady, and such an icon who has really had success.

11) Please tell us an interesting experience you had at a show recently, be it a fun thing or something rather not so fun?

A really wonderful experience was getting 4th in the world championships as a newcomer. That was a day I never will forget. It was the first time I ever competed in the worlds, and the judges had never seen me before (it`s normal to compete in the worlds year after year before getting good placings) and I got to the top 5.
Also winning the nationals was a big moment for me. I had won every contest that year and the nationals was the last competition for the season, and it was a great finale to win even there.

12) What is your personal opinion about the figure, fitness, bodybuilding industry we are in? Anything you would like to see changed?  

I would like to see a more fair judging of course. I don`t think it always is the best who wins. I think judging should be regardless nationality, sponsorships and politics. I wish it could be more money to earn for the women as well. We work really hard, and it should pay off. It`s difficult to manage all the costs by competing if you never can get any money out of it. It should be money prices for all the top 5. And more money than it is now for the top 3.
I also think it`s too bad that the sport gets so little covering in media such as tv, radio, newspapers and magazines.

13) From the shows you have competed so far during your career which one was the best (or most fun) for you and why?

I have to say Cal Pro this year. Even tough I didn`t get the placing I hoped for. Nothing but the placing went wrong… Ha,ha.. I was in great shape, had great suits, my friends were with me cheering and I felt GREAT! I had the confidence and strength I lacked last year. It is so much fun when everything feels right, and you can really be glowing ! If I had placed top 5 this would have been the perfect show.
The worlds was also a big experience.

14) Did you make any changes to your contest prep for this show?

Water intake, carbing up, etc...
Well, as I mentioned earlier I did less cardio and training. I also didn`t cut the water this time as I `ve used to. The carbing was the same, which is not much. I was a little afraid of getting too smooth since I had such high intake of water. But for my next show in New York I`m gonna try something different with the water and carbs. I want to get that dry but full look. My trainer Edmund Johansen have it all set up for me. Luckily for me, so I just have to concentrate on doing my job in the gym :)

15) What is your opinion about the 20% rule the IFBB issued to some female athletes? Why do you think they did it? Do you think competitors will follow it? Or it will get lost around somewhere? In European countries they really like the quality muscle and like competitors to be lean.

It is true that it`s different in Europe. Even the amateurs are more lean and muscular than the pros. I think the IFBB gave the restriction because some athletes went a little bit too far. Of course IFBB must obtain the appeal of the sport, I can understand their thinking. Figure and fitness is supposed to be all about femininity even tough the girls shall be lean and muscular. I think that the 20% rule wasn`t meant for everyone. Just the girls that had gotten too muscular to fit in the categories of fitness and figure. By making such a rule those athletes got a warning. But it`s confusing when the athletes think it is for everybody. Why the female BB`s also got that rule is a little bit hard to understand, since BB is about hardness and muscles. Guess they want even the female BB`s to keep a more feminine look and appeal…?
If the competitors will follow it ? Hard to say… But it seems like the athletes are a bit smaller and softer this year. But for how long…? I think it will bounce back and forth. After a while the girls will probably slowly get leaner again, just to be told they have to go for the softer look.. Hard to know for sure. We just have to wait and see I guess :)

16)Tell us how can a European competitor get her pro card? What are the different steps that she has to take in order to achieve pro status?

To apply for a pro card the competitor must win the Nationals in addition to place top 5 in the European Championships, and top 5 in the World championships. After that you can apply for a pro card, and the national federation will consider if they think your`e eligible for a pro card. So it`s not easy becoming a pro in Europe…

17) Please tell us about how you were raised and did you have any interesting experiences while growing up?

I was raised in Trondheim which is Norway's 3rd biggest city and in the middle of Norway. I was living with both of my parents and two little sisters which now is aged 17 & 23. I was really shy as a kid, and a little genius at school. I learnt to read and write at the age of 4. And by the age of 5 I could do mathematics as dividing, multiplying, abstraction & subtraction. Tried to learn the other kids, but they just wanted to play, and was not much interested in my “wisdom” ha,ha… :)

18) Do you have an athletic background? Gymnastics, soccer, volleyball or what?

I`ve been into sports almost all my life. Started dancing at 4, and since then I`ve always been active.. Ballet, soccer, handball, horseback riding, swimming, kick boxing, karate, aerobics, spinning, skiing….. Etc I have always loved sports. I don`t think I can live without it !!

19) What is a typical day in the life of Pia Marlen Johnsen? From waking up to until going to bed?

While I`m on a diet it looks much like this… I got to stick with my daily routines to get everything done since I got a challenging job AND the fitness lifestyle. Not always easy, but I wouldn`t have it any other way. I love my fitness !
In the future I hope to work less, and focus more on my Pro career.

04:45 Waking up, going out for my cardio if I have to. Otherwise I sleep until 06:15
07:00 1st meal. Getting ready for work
08:00 Work starts at Telrad.
10:00 2nd meal
13:00 3rd meal
16:00 4th meal
16:30 Finished from work, heading for the gym..
17:00 Working out in the gym
18:00 5th meal: protein shake, going home….
19:00 6th meal, Doing housework, relaxing, working with my website, spending time with friends and my love :)
22:00 7th meal,  Preparing all the food for the next day.
23:00 ZZZZzzzzZZZzz

20) What is your current occupation? Please tell us more about it, what do specifically do in your job?

I work in a firm called Telrad, and I`m the only girl there. We deliver electronics and do service for big ships in the oil industry. We also sell and do reparations on computers, cell phones and sell communication technology. I love working there, but sometimes it`s hard to combine with traveling, dieting and training. I`m also a personal trainer, but haven`t had time to take any clients lately. My job pays a lot better than working as a PT here in Norway right now. When we are moving to California later this year I will probably get back to work as a PT there.

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