Anna Virmajoki
Fitness Model, IFBB Bikini Professional
From a high school cheerleader, to the 2012 World Bikini Champion and the first ever bikini Pro competitor from Finland. Anna Virmajoki has set high standards for competitors around the world, and has inspired numerous fans with her dedication to fitness.
Anna first became interested in weightlifting during her teenage years, when she saw magazines with impressive figures and wanted to look like one of the cover models. From then on, she fell in love with the sport and eventually started competing.
Ever since then, she’s become a fitness icon in her homeland, but also a motivation for people around the world.
Athlete Statistics
| Weight | 125 - 135lbs (56.7 - 61.2kg) |
| Height | 5'8" (172.5cm) |
| Nationality | Finnish |
| Profession | Fitness Model, IFBB Bikini Professional |
| Era | 2010 |
Accomplishments
Competitions
- 2011 Finnish Bikini Champion
- 2012 Arnold Amateur 3rd place
- 2012 European Bikini Champion
- 2012 Finnish Bikini Champion
- 2012 World Bikini Champion
- 2012 Earned the IFBB Pro card
- 2012 Prague Pro, 2nd Place
- Got an invite to compete at the 2013 Bikini International in Arnold Classic
“I like setting goals. Having a goal motivates me to work out harder and I always follow my workout and nutrition plans 100%.”
Biography
Early Years
Born in 1989, in Finland, Anna Virmajoki was always an active child. Growing up, she would often run, and play hockey with friends. Her passion for sports was obvious early on in Anna’s life.
As she got older, Anna became more interested in other activities such as cheer leading and fitness. At first, she was a cheerleader for a high school team where she stood out with her high level performances.
Later on, Anna became interested in further developing her figure, so she started looking into various fitness magazines. Anna said she was amazed by the physiques she saw on the front covers, and she knew that one day, she’d like to look the same.
All the cover models immediately sparked interest in Anna, and she started researching more about fitness. It was difficult for her at first, because there weren’t many informative fitness magazines in Finland at the time, so she had to buy ones that were written in English, which she didn’t completely understand.
Aerobic Classes and Fitness
By the time she was in her senior year in high school, Ana started going to aerobic classes, thinking it would make her look like one of the cover models from the magazines she read.
However, Anna later realized that the best way to develop a great looking figure was by going to the gym to lift weights. At first, she was uncertain and afraid that she would become “bulky”, but eventually got enough confidence to step into the weight room and started exercising properly.
Anna’s new style of training quickly paid off, as she soon started noticing improvements in her body tone and shape, which got her motivated to become even more disciplined with diet and training.
First Competitions
It wasn’t long before Anna’s physique started to look impressive, and eventually, she was approached by one of the trainers in her local gym who noticed the hard work and effort she was putting in, along with her strong, and awesome looking physique. It was at this point the gym trainer told Anna she should compete in a bikini show.
Anna started looking into the topic of competing, and after several months of research, the aspiring model decided she would step on the stage. During her preparations, she moved to Canada and was searching for local shows.
Her first competition came in 2008, after one year of rigorous training and strict dieting. The hard work paid off, as she took home 1st place in her first show.
After winning the competition, Anna continued with preparations for other shows and over the course of next 3 years, she participated in many local, and regional competitions, winning several titles.
Finnish Bikini Champion
By the time she was 22, Anna already had a lot of experience in weightlifting and competing, and was ready to take on bigger challenges.
In 2011, she moved from Canada and started preparing for the upcoming competition in her homeland. When Anna stepped on the stage after returning home from Canada, she won the trophy, and became the Finnish Bikini Champion.
Success in the Industry
Anna took one whole year off the stage to recover both mentally and physically, and came back in 2012, participating at the Arnold Amateur where she placed 3rd, before defending the title of Finnish Bikini Champion that same year.
Confident in her abilities, Anna continued training hard for several months, before participating at the 2012 World Bikini Championships. To her own surprise, Anna won the show, and said; “Winning this title must have been the highlight of my amateur career.”
By winning the World Bikini Championships, she also earned her pro card that same year. Furthermore, Anna became the first ever bikini Pro from Finland, making her dream of becoming a successful icon in the industry come true.
Anna continued to pile up impressive results in many different shows, establishing herself as a legend in her homeland, but also a recognized fitness icon around the globe.
“I bust mine so I can kick yours.”
Training
Favorite Exercises
When asked about her top 3 exercises, Anna mentioned squats, box jumps, and military shoulder press as her favorites.
Squats are by far her favorite exercise, she credits most of her lower body muscle mass and shape to this exercise. She said there is no other exercise that can match squats when it comes to glute and legs development.
Anna likes doing box jumps because it provides her with both strength training and cardio all-in-one. She believes that box jumps tighten her glutes and legs, while also making the heart work, which is an ideal combination for overall fitness.
Lastly, she loves the military shoulder press because of the pump she gets, but also because she believes that this specific exercise is unmatched when it comes to overall shoulder development.
Cardio
When it comes to cardio, Anna doesn’t like doing it in a traditional sense, but rather does short, intense sessions. For Anna, this means High Intensity Interval Training, which consists mostly of sprinting or cycling.
However, Anna does perform some sort of cardio from time to time, especially if she is preparing for a competition and needs to lose extra body fat in a short amount of time.
Workout Split
- Monday: Legs
- 5 x 15 leg extensions (Superset 1)
- 5 x 20 shoulder width leg press (Superset 1)
- 5 x 15 switch (jump) lunges
- 4 x 15 narrow stance squats (Superset 2)
- 4 x 10 each leg walking lunges (Superset 2)
- Tuesday: Shoulders/Triceps
- 4 x 10 shoulder press (Superset 1)
- 4 x 10 wg barbell raise over your head (Superset 1)
- 4 x 10 rear lateral raise
- 3 x 8 arnold press (Superset 2)
- 3 x 8 each arm lateral raise (Superset 2)
- 3 x 15 rope pushdowns (Superset 3)
- 3 x 10 db nose crushers (Superset 3)
- 3 x 15 db kick backs
- Wednesday: Back/Biceps
- 6 x 8 wg pull downs (Superset 1)
- 6 x 8 cg seated cable row (Superset 1)
- 4 x 12 rg barbell row (Superset 2)
- 4 x 12 one arm pull down (Superset 2)
- 5 x 15 hyperextensions (Superset 3)
- 5 x 15 supermans (Superset 3)
- 4 x 8 preacher curls (Superset 4)
- 4 x 12 seated db curl (Superset 4)
- 4 x 15 incline db curls (Superset 4)
- Thursday: Legs
- 5 x 15 leg curls (Superset 1)
- 5 x 12 weighted step up on bench (Superset 1)
- 5 x 12 seated leg curls (Superset 2)
- 5 x 12 stiff legs (Superset 2)
- Friday: Chest/Shoulder/Butt
- 5 x 12 pullovers (Superset 1)
- 5 x 12 incline cheer press (Superset 1)
- 8 x 8 side lateral raise
- 5 x 15 one leg leg press (Superset 2)
- 5 x 12 each leg walking pump lunges (Superset 2)
- 5 x 15 cable squats
- 4 x 20 hyperextensions (Superset 3)
- 4 x 15 butt machine (Superset 3)
Nutrition
Dieting
Eating enough calories to get her body toned and muscular is something Anna does on a regular basis. She believes in enjoying the food and never starving herself while dieting. Anna’s advice for everyone who wants to get in shape is to eat quality food and get enough calories and nutrients that body requires, especially after heavy training sessions.
She also said that her macros consist of 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fat, and her daily calorie intake varies between 1400-2200 kcal per day, depending if she is preparing for a show.
When asked what food can be found in her fridge, Anna responded; “Spinach, dark green salads, sweet potato, egg whites, carrots, apples, pineapple, grapefruit,fresh berries, chicken, lean beef, turkey, protein pancakes, salmon, different fishes, fresh veggies.”
Meal Plan
- Meal 1: 4 Egg Whites, 1 cup of Spinach Leaves, 1/2 cup of Oatmeal
- Meal 2: 3 oz. Tilapia, 2 oz. Cottage Cheese & 1 Rice Cake
- Meal 3: Whey Protein, 2 cups of Spinach Leaves with 1 tsp. of Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar & 1/4 cup of chopped Broccoli.
- Meal 4: 3 oz. Chicken Breast, 1 slice Ezekiel Bread
- 1/3 slice Cucumber & 2 thin slices of Tomato soaked in Balsamic Vinegar
- Meal 5: 3 oz. Chicken & ¼ Grapefruit, 1/3 cup of Peas, 3 oz. Sweet Potato
- Meal 6: 3 oz. Turkey Breast, 1/4 cup of Green Beans & 3 oz. Squash
Anna’s Supplements
- Glutamine
- Whey Protein
- BCAA
- Multivitamins
- Omega 3
- Probiotics
- MSM Powder for the joints
- CLA and Fat Burners
Idols and Influences
Anna attributes a lot of the success to her team that helped her win many prestigious titles, and says how they are the ones who pushed her through difficult times and gave her the inspiration to continue.
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