1.
Yoana Thanks for taking the time from your busy schedule
to do this. Can you tell us a little about your background and influences that led
you to where you are today?
I remember when I was 7 years old I knew that I wanted to become a Physical Therapist,
so at the age of 22 my dream became a reality. I was fortunate enough to open and
own my own physical therapy clinic for two years. After that I opened up two corporate
fitness Centers within two of Venezuela’s (the Country where I was born) largest
private companies. In 2000 I married my current husband, sold my businesses and
moved to San Diego.
I am the youngest of 7 (6 girls and 1 boy), so I am the baby of the family. I
grew up in a totally fitness oriented environment. All my siblings were and are
amazing athletes. We were always competing against each other to see who could bring
the most trophies home. Since the age of 5 years old, my parents gave me the opportunity
to take karate, swimming, and gymnastic lessons. They never pushed me to do anything
but they gave me the chance to decide what activities I wanted to do.
So definitely my parents, my sisters, brothers and my husband have influenced me
tremendously to be where I am now.
2. I have visited Revolution Fitness before and it is an amazing place. Could you
give us a brief overview of the philosophy of Revolution Fitness in La Jolla?
Revolution Fitness is another dream that came true! It is a place where people
come to train seriously and learn about nutrition and lifestyle. In others words,
it is a place where people come to be taught on how to reach their specific fitness
needs and goals. Our PURPOSE is to enhance the total well being of each person and
to assist them in living a higher quality of life!
3. You won the women’s division of the TSC* (Sept. 2005 & Jan. 2006) twice in
a row. It really is a testimony to your competitive nature. Could you tell us a
bit about your training leading up to this?
To be honest with you, I am really lucky to have one of the best strength coaches
by my side, my husband Franz Snideman . He was who pushed me to participate on
the TSC. His support, help and PATIENCE were amazing. He designed every phase of
the programs. Before starting each new phase, I liked to share the program with
Steve Cotter, Senior RKC, who always gave me the best tips.... really the "best”
tips and Franz’s twin brother, Keats Snideman who took care of all the details to
make the program perfect for my needs at that time.
I never missed any of my workouts, even if I didn’t want to do it. I always listened
to my body, so if I needed to modify that day I did, but I would still train. I
remember we went to spend 2005 Christmas time with my family in Hawaii. I was training
for January 2006 TSC and I didn’t want any thing to interfere with my competition
yet I wanted to go to meet my family too. Are there Kettlebells in Hawaii? How about
my Snatch training? Those were my questions, so of course I decided to sacrifice
clothes and all those crazy things girls pack in the suitcases because the most
important thing was to have enough space to carry my 16kg Kettlebell.
*The Tactical Strength Challenge (TSC) is a strength competition consisting of three
events:
1. A three-attempt powerlifting deadlift
2. Pullups for max reps
3. Kettlebell snatches for max reps in a 5 minute time period
4.
Any tips for women looking to compete in the TSC?
I would tell women to set their goals high and take a chance at doing something
totally out of their element. Lifting heavy weights has been looked down upon by
women for so many years largely due to lack of good coaching and mere ignorance.
For those women out there interested in competing I would do what I did.
You must:
Find a Good Coach
Design a Good Program
Be Disciplined
There really is nothing more than that. Set the goal, and enjoy the process. Going
though the training is tough but will teach you a lot about yourself.
5.
I’ve seen you flipping tires, lifting sandbags, pistols, etc. Yoana What would
a typical week of regular training consist of?
I vary my training programs according to my goals. If I plan to compete in
the TSC I will follow 100% the program specifically for the competition. My training
program therefore would focus on doing Deadlifts, Pull Ups and Snatches. I would
concentrate 4 days per week on the three events. Perhaps I would even take classes
at Revolution a couple days a week for variety and I would have 1 day off.
When I’m not competing I love to play with different toys: Sand Bags, Kettlebells,
Tires, Kegs, Ropes, Medicine Balls, etc. I make a full body conditioning program
combined with some tempo running at the track or some jogging close to the beach.
6.
I know you just released The Revolution Kettlebell Fat Loss Program Book and
DVDs with your husband, Franz. Do you have any quick eating tips for those trying
to watch what they eat?
Writing down what you eat in food diary would be a great tip to give to those
that want to watch what they eat. This way it is easy to have objective evidence
on what works or does not work for each person. Skip this part and you will not
have a clue why, what or how food works for each individual. From here it will be
easier to monitor the progress and make changes if it is necessary.
Some other advice I would give people is to stick to real, whole foods. Nothing
processed or fabricated, only wholesome real food from nature. Eat real meats, fruits,
vegetables, oils and grains. A diet based on whole foods is naturally a lower calorie
diet. The reason that is so is because fruits and vegetables have lots of fiber
and are low in calories. It’s hard to gain weight eating vegetables and salads.
7.
Any great circuits or favorite complexes you could share with us?
The truth is that there are so many circuits and methods that I love. I will
give you one of my favorites, but by no means is this an exhaustive list of effective
workouts. For a combination of strength and endurance I like to use the following
circuit. It is the perfect workout for overall fitness:
8.
Where do you see the future of the fitness industry heading?
I think we have seen a return of older classical methods of training come back
into the industry. Old strongman exercises, sandbag training, lifting and throwing
stones, and kettlebell lifting are by no means “new” methods of training. The fact
is that the old stuff is now “new.” Of course with any new information that comes
into the industry there will be people who scoff at it and do not understand it.
Than as more people accept the methodology, we will see more and more people jump
on the bandwagon as it gains mass popularity. I personally am excited at this return
to the grass roots of training. Ultimately the best methods of yesterday will unite
with the newer methods to create a powerful synergy.
9.
Anything else you would care to share? Upcoming products?
I would like to tell people out there that may be discouraged right now with
their current state of physical health that they can achieve the body of their dreams
by following intelligent and effective principles. Whatever your goal may be, don’t
be afraid to set your goals high. Set the goals, make the program, and apply it.
Regarding upcoming products there are more on the horizon but for now I must keep
them a secret.
10.
What is the best way for people to contact you?
The best ways are through the Revolution forum at www.revolutionlajolla.com
or directly at
Yoana@RevolutionLaJolla.com
Thanks for your time Yoana. I look forward to seeing and training with you and Franz
again soon. If you are lucky enough to live in the La Jolla area drop by Revolution
Fitness in La Jolla, California. It is a spectacular place to get a good sweat up.
Thank YOU!
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