Bethany Cisternino has one of the top physiques in the Pro Fitness ranks and as her routines continue to improve so do her placings. She’s coming off a runner-up finish at the Ft. Lauderdale Cup at the end of 2012 and has positioned herself as a leading lady heading into the 2013 Fitness International. She joins us on her Hardbody Road to the Arnold and shares what a “typical day” is like. As you can see her day is anything but “typical” to most but she gets it done!
Bethany Cisternino – 2013 Fitness International Contender
Balancing Act
Hello Hardbodies! Happy New Year!
I can’t believe it is a short 7 weeks until I step on stage at the 25th Anniversary of the Arnold Classic! This will be my fourth appearance and it is still a huge honor and blessing to represent IFBB Pro Fitness. I remember competing in my first Fitness International feeling so lost and overwhelmed. It was so nerve racking to be up against the best and being judged by the best. To top it off (no pun intended) I had a costume malfunction and didn’t get to finish my routine! Needless to say I have improved in my performance at the Arnold and I have learned to focus that nervous energy into a fierce focus that has helped me in the gym and on the stage!
In 2012 I competed in five shows! I ended my season placing 6th at the Olympia and 2nd at the Fort Lauderdale Cup in October. In fitness the two-piece round counts for 1/3 and the routine round counts for 2/3 of the total score. My goal in the two-piece round this year is maintaining a fuller look and keeping the same conditioning I have in the past. Therefore, after my last competition I took a 6 week hiatus from the gym to let my mind and muscles recover. My goal in the routine round is to bring a faster more explosive routine that the audience can get into. Sometimes the audience is so quiet during our routines; I hope I have picked a theme and songs the crowd will like!
Every year my biggest challenge is finding time to fit in all my training without becoming mean, short-tempered, emotional, and overly tired (I’m sure the list could go on). The Arnold is always the first week of March, which means I am teaching and full into coaching indoor track. Time is precious so I stick the same routine every day.
A typical Weekday (7 weeks out)
6:15am – alarm
7:00am – walk my dog Roxy
7:10am – leave for work
7:35am – school starts (I teach high school Biology, Anatomy, and Biomedical Science)
9:00am – meal 1
1:00pm – meal 2
3:00pm – track practice begins
5:15pm – home / meal 3
6:15pm – train and 55 min cardio
8:30pm – meal 4
9-11:30 – shower, lesson plans, grading, emails, tweet, instagram, laundry, prep meals, etc
11:30 – meal 5
12:00 – bed
Repeat
Each week I look forward to sharing with you news about my training, my diet, and how I am achieving my goals for this year. Stay tuned for my experiences with massage therapy and ART as I incorporate those into my training!
Follow Bethany on twitter at @BFitness80. Check out her competition photos on Bodybuilding.com. For more information on the Arnold Sports Festival visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com and use #ASF2013 in all your tweets.
