Ryall Vasani was born and raised in Canada but now calls Barbados home. She’s working on a new fitness routine for her first trip to the Arnold. Ryall shares how she went from placing last to becoming a top contender in every show she enters. Find out more about hardbody fitness pro, Ryall Vasani.

 

 

Ryall Vasani – 2013 Fitness International Contender

Hi Hardbody! It’s Ryall Vasani here bringing you my news as I prep for my first-ever Arnold Classic.

A Little Bit about Me:
I was born and raised in Alberta, Canada but now, this transplanted Canadian girl, call the sandy beaches of Barbados home. In 2007, I competed in my first fitness competition (I was living in Bermuda at the time working as a Dental Hygienist) and won both the Bermuda National Championships and the Central America and Caribbean Championships to qualify for my pro status that same year. And so the dream began!

Reflecting on my 2011 Season:
I had just come off my most exciting season to date. I took 10 months off after 2010 to rest and put on some muscle. My season started in Sept 2011 and I competed in five competitions between that time and December. My results were greater than I had ever imagined…I had finally found the right team of coaches and found my own balance with training to make a difference in where I had been placing in previous years. The highlight was indeed finishing 7th at the 2012 Olympia. It was magic. It was my first competition that I truly soaked up every moment (I am typically a bundle of nerves!) and enjoyed the actual experience of performing. My last competition in Miami ended on a high note with a win in the physique round and an overall 3rd place finish.

My 2011 season was the first season I realized that I’m not just competing to win, I’m competing because it’s a huge part of the person that I’ve become. The other realization I had last season was how powerful our minds are in helping us to achieve our goals. This was the first year I believed, in my mind, that I could be a champion. Having faith in myself, working harder than I’ve ever worked before and keeping a positive attitude every day (not just at competitions) were key factors for me being the best ‘me’ ever. Win, lose or draw – I showed up with a positive attitude and brought my best. You can’t quit if you lose (I placed last in a competition in 2010) – you’ve got to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and set a plan for the next event.

My Prep for the 2013 Arnold:
I am beyond excited, honored and so thankful to be competing in the 25th Anniversary Arnold Classic. My preparation is in full swing as I’ve just returned from a productive weekend training session in Miami with my choreographer Renzo. I’m working very hard on a shiny, new routine with improved skills and a lot of energy. I also spent a week in November in Spokane, WA training hand balancing with Steve Atlas. This year I’ve restructured my training to include more skill, endurance and routine work, as this was my weaker area last year. I want people to remember my routines, to see how much fun I’m having up there and for my performance to leave them smiling and saying WOW!

As for my physique, my coach Tad Inoue has my body on track and I’m feeling really well at this time (on days when I get enough sleep!). I was delighted to receive some positive feedback about my physique last season, so now I’m working on fine tuning some areas and bringing an improved package to the stage. This is a really nice change from always needing more muscle and spending 5 days/week on heavy lifting sessions!

My greatest challenge right now is trying to balance my nutrition and fitness consulting business with a full time competition schedule. Some days I feel like a hamster on a wheel and it’s all I can do to hold on. I really love my clients and my work as helping others achieve success has been the greatest part of my success. I never want to give this up, so I’ve had to slow down a bit – I’m not really Wonder Woman! I’m learning what I can handle as I go. I’m also realizing that the illusive word ‘balance’ is very difficult to achieve in this sport. I know my challenges are small compared to many and I keep this in mind every day when I wake up. Attitude is everything!

With less than 5 weeks to go until the big show I couldn’t be more excited. I love to compete and I love pushing myself to be the best I can be every day. I am living my dream. For me I’ve already won!

Thank you so much for reading and for all of your support.

With love AND lunges,
Ryall

Check out Ryall’s website and give her facebook page a “like”. You can see 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.

Photo courtesy of Ryall Vasani.