IFBB Pro Fiona Harris - Plans for 2014

Fiona Harris – What’s my plan for 2014???

My 2013 IFBB competitive season was certainly one to remember! I competed at the Olympia, the Arnolds on three different continents, and a host of competitions across the US and Canada. I was extremely proud of all my accomplishments for the year to be sure. But as quickly as my season ended, a plan needed to be put in place for the year to come.

It’s been two and a half years since I earned my IFBB pro card at the 2012 IFBB World qualifier, and in that time I’ve been competing nonstop without any kind of break. I know that I was very fortunate to have had my pro career start out the way it did, and I’ve had the fantastic opportunity to compete in some truly prestigious shows that you simply can’t turn down an invitation to. The trade-off, though, was that there was little time for rebuilding my body and further developing my fitness skills in between competitions. So, after some lengthy discussions with my coaches, we decided a brief off-season was in order for me. I honestly hated doing it, and I fought and struggled with the decision, but realistically if I’m going to make the improvements in my physique and with my routine and skills that we would like to see, this was pretty much a necessary step. It was a tough go for a while, but I’m finally at peace with the decision to take some time off.

Now, this brings me to some exciting news! My training and nutrition regimen over the past two months has been completely fresh and new. I have a new coach in my corner as I was fortunate enough to have one of the top coaches in the business, Hany Rambod, agree to help me develop my physique further. Hany put a plan in place to try and improve upon some of my weaknesses and continue to develop my strengths. So far, the adjustments in my training and nutrition have been a welcomed change and just what this girl needed. I’m feeling reinvigorated, and words can’t express just how much I’m learning. At the same time, I’m continuing to work with Renzo Coste, a world champion in sports aerobics and one of the top fitness routine choreographers in the business. He’s been working with me to further develop my routine for the upcoming season and hopefully continue producing a routine that the judges will love.

Of course, finally taking an off-season meant missing out on the opportunity to compete at the upcoming Fitness International in February. It was with a heavy heart that I let the Arnold Sports Festival know that I wouldn’t be submitting my application this year. Honestly, this was one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make in my pro career thus far. It’s so hard to miss out on the Arnolds as I‘ve had the privilege of competing there for the past two years in a row—both as an amateur and a pro—but I know this break is only going to provide me with the time I need to bring the best package that I can to the stage when I return later in the 2014 season. Hopefully, I will be lucky enough to be selected to appear at one of the other Arnold events this year when I’m back in action. Fingers crossed!

Now, everyone is always asking me when and where my next competition is going to be, and I have to tell you all that I don’t have any concrete plans in place in terms of when I’m making my return to the stage in 2014. Of course, I would love to be able to represent Canada at the end of May at the Toronto Pro SuperShow. It’s the only Canadian IFBB-sanctioned pro show of the year, and as a Canadian athlete, it is always an honour and a pleasure to be able to compete at home in front of all of the amazing Canadian fans who love and support us! For now, though, I’m continuing to train and work as hard as I possibly can towards my goals. Just know that the passion and competitive fire is burning inside me more than ever and that I can’t wait to see you all again!

Check out my website, www.fionaharrisfitness.com, to continue to follow my competitive journey and learn more about me as an athlete.

You can also find me on Twitter @fionaharrisfit and Facebook at Fiona Harris IFBB Pro.