Today we will be meeting an athlete by the name of Alessandra Pinheiro, she is 44 born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She's been training for a whopping 30 years ever since she was 14 years old! In her competition track record she has been the very first champion in the history of the Wellness category, 7x consecutive Wellness Champion, 2x State Body Fitness, 2x Brazilian Body Fitness, 2x Arnold Classic Figure USA, 2x IFBB Pro Karina Classic Champion. All of this makes her a very accomplished athlete in the bodybuilding world and on top of this she has a very long history of being an athlete in other fields so we decided to have a conversation with Alessandra so she could tell us more about herself in her own words.
Give us a small intro about yourself.
I am from Rio, born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I am a professional athlete, graduated in Physical Education, Registered with the Dance Council of RJ (Rio de Janeiro), Seminarian, Motivational speaker, posing and presentation workshop for female athletes, coach, personal trainer, work with on-line consulting and mentoring. At the age of 5, I was already doing ballet and I followed in several other modalities in my teens, like tap dancing, jazz, contemporary dance, flamenco, street dance, hip hop and stiletto. At the age of 14 I was already doing local gymnastics power and at the age of 16 I entered a weight training gym and never left. That was when the dream of becoming a professional bodybuilder athlete and competing representing my parents internationally was born. In 2005 I made my debut in the sport and became the first champion in the Wellness category, in the same year that the category was created here in RJ. I am passionate about the beach and I can consider it my third home (because the gym would be the second, certainly, RSS). I love cinema, theater and books dealing with the mind, mental work, psychology focused on behavior and power of the mind, neuro-linguistic programming, power of positive thinking, mindset ... (and of course, the scientific literature and literacies in my areas of performance - training and nutrition). I love a good caviar of Japanese food and speaking of food...I have not consumed any type of sugar for more than 15 years, nor fried food. I don't smoke (I never have smoked in the first place) and I don't drink (not even socially). I am 100% adapted to a healthy lifestyle. I enjoy songs like Lounge, Deep house.
What first got you into the gym initially? Did a friend introduce you into it, maybe a family member? What influenced you to first set foot in a gym?
I have always been passionate about sports and physical activities and I have always practiced many besides dance like volleyball, handball, roller skating. Out of my own free will and because I was already enchanted by the fitness universe, I started training in my teens. At 14 I started doing local gymnastics and at 16 I was already at a gym training with weights.
What was your initial motivation when you began training and going to the gym?
My initial motivation and I can say that it remains the same until today is to be passionate about what I do. Taking care of myself physically and mentally. Always trying to maintain this healthy lifestyle, regardless of competing or not because I always did and do for myself, for my good and my health. I always loved to push and train with heavy loads. For me, training does not mean just going to a gym and following a training sheet. For me, training means a perfect connection in mind and muscle!
What is your favorite thing about the gym? Perhaps a specific goal with strength or health goals, etc?
At the gym I like to train everything. I think that, as a professional athlete, my goal will always be to seek my best performance in each training session and thus evolve physically. But I am adept at strength training! I always liked doing weight training because with each new series, each exercise I found myself being challenged to overcome my physical and mental limits. However, my biggest goal will always be the search for health and quality of life.
For someone who is considering going to the gym for the first time ever, what are 3 tips you would give them that you would have liked to have known yourself when you first began?
Always be guided by a professional in the field. Dedicate yourself body and soul to each workout. Don't worry about wanting to be better than anyone, except yourself.
What are some long term & short term goals you have for your current training and bodybuilding?
As I am moving from category (from Figure Pro to Wellness Pro), my training goals now are to gain volume and density in the lower limbs, increasing and improving the shape of the quadriceps and buttocks to meet the standard criteria of the wellness category. Parallel to this, reduce the volume of upper limbs a little and to improve the shape of the waist so that it is thinner, thus making the physique line even more feminine, smooth, symmetrical and harmonic.
What are some other hobbies or interests that are important for you besides training and bodybuilding? Any musical instrument interests? etc.
I love taking dance classes, going to the beach and watching a good movie.
How does KN Nutrition empower you?
For me, KN Nutrition came at a very special moment in my life and in my professional and athletic career. It added incredibly with all the other support in this moment of category transition, as well as almost completing my second graduation in Nutrition that directly impacts this lifestyle that I bring with me about TRAINING AND ALWAYS FOOD FOR THE HEALTH and quality of life. When talking about training, eating, health and quality of life, this whole context is also aligned with nutritional supplementation with quality. And KN's products corroborate my statement because when it comes to quality, KN is a great example! I am very grateful that they believed and trusted my potential. Thank you so much for this opportunity!! I know we're going to do a great job together.
What does training mean to you?
Training for me means much more than going to a gym and just complying with a training sheet. The gym for me would be a temple where there is a perfect connection between body and mind! Where there is a relentless desire to seek the best performance, the best performance and the best result and physical and neural response in each training, each series, each repetition. Training means being challenged to overcome myself and exceed limits, making me stronger every day, not only physically, but mentally too, because we know that the body only goes where the mind reaches.
What is the KN Nutrition product line or specific product that benefits you the most and you think provides a big help for other possible athletes?
I have used the entire KN NUTRITION product line and have noticed great results in the purpose of each one. The products that are not lacking in my routine are - whey, creatine, beta alanine, arginine, melatonin, 5HTP, (or REM), glutamine, Kryptonite. However, as a professional athlete, the demands that my body demands are huge, so I also benefit from other products like AminoFem, Vitamin C, Vitamin D and EPH25.
