Interview With IFBB Pro Leigh Brandt

Cover model, personal trainer, fitness celebrity, sponsored athlete, part owner of a successful training company (which she owns with her husband, National level physique competitor Dean Brandt)—oh, and only Canada’s first IFBB bikini pro. Yes, Leigh Brandt is one busy lady. Leigh has been around in the fitness industry for a few years; she was always involved with sports and became more interested in gym life and training as she worked in an office. As Leigh became more involved and passionate with the healthy lifestyle, she decided to go into competitions. Before the introduction of the bikini class, she competed in figure, but she easily made the transition as her physique was made for this class. It wasn’t until 2009 when she became the first Canadian to win the title of IFBB bikini pro that her life changed, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. Leigh is a superwoman who manages to somehow do it all and make it look easy in the process.

I had the pleasure of seeing Leigh compete at the 2011 Toronto Pro SuperShow and meeting Leigh back in January 2012, and she’s a great role model and face for the industry, proving that hard work, focus, determination, and staying true to yourself are all worth it in the end. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Leigh about her life after winning IFBB pro status, training, her year off from competition, and what’s in store for her in 2013.

Q. In 2009, you won the coveted IFBB pro card status. What has that meant to you, and what has changed for you within the industry since then?

A. When I won, I really didn’t know what “pro status” was. I just knew I’d come first and was on cloud nine. The next day I had a list of things I had to do as becoming a pro was more than I expected it was. I created a fan page on Facebook, created a Twitter account, started posting on forums and creating blogs, and had a website made. Winning my pro card opened so many doors for me that I don’t believe I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for gracing the pro stages!

Q. With all the recent “retirement” announcements—Diana Dahlgren, for example—what are your thoughts on this?

A. Good for them! It’s not easy to publicly announce your health struggles like Diana has or Shelsea Montes. Both these ladies have gone out with a bang. They are huge fitness icons and did well in their four years on the pro stage.

Q. Do you feel that competing in bikini can cause or be a contributing factor to metabolic damage?

A. Metabolic damage seems to be all I’ve heard about lately. It’s a hot topic and can happen to anyone. Yes, competing can be a huge factor for people who yo-yo with their diets and training or compete in numerous shows in a year.

Q. You’ve been competing for the last four years. How long do you plan to compete?

A. Great question. I still have some goals I want to achieve, and I always said when it starts to feel like a job or I don’t enjoy it anymore, then I will stop, but I haven’t got to this point yet. I have my eyes on the Olympia stage.

Q. In 2012, which was your off-season, you signed with PharmaFreak. How is life on this new sponsorship team? Were these the only supplements that you took last year for your off-season and pre-contest?

A. Yes. I’ve used their products for a long time now, on and off the stage. I probably shouldn’t be saying this as I only signed with them last year, but their products work and have been a huge part of my prep the past few years. I love my PharmaFreak team!

Q. How do you find time for all your own training? You seem extremely busy these days with your online program and B3 Body by Brandt company.

A. Oh jeez, it’s tough! I do it when I can. This is probably my biggest struggle. I have a hard time saying “no” to people, and I hate to turn someone away who is looking to better themselves. I love helping people to reach their goals; it’s the most rewarding feeling. So I really find it hard fitting everyone in, and then I tend to leave myself for last.

Q. I understand that you have a new suit sponsor. What is the name of the company?

A. Yes! Ingrid Romero makes my suits—IR Couture. I’ll be rocking her suits at my next two shows, the New York Pro and Toronto Pro SuperShow.

Q. It seems that having Dean be your guinea pig in the kitchen has paid off. I understand that you have a new cookbook coming out. Tell us more about it.

A. Like you asked above, how do I fit everything in? This one has been sitting on the back burner. I keep trying to get it out, and I keep adding to it, but I just haven’t had the time to finish it. Some things just have to wait, and this is one of them. Hopefully this year!

Q. In your opinion, do you feel that bikini is finally getting the respect it deserves within the industry?

A. That depends who you ask. Within the industry, I think we have come a long way. For example, Shannon Dey put on a show last weekend—Battle on the Beach—that was just for bikini athletes. This just goes to show how popular bikini has become to have a whole show designated just for bikini. Outside the industry, it’s still a misconception when people ask what I’m training for.

Q. What are some of the stereotypes of bikini competitors when people ask you what you do?

A. I always say I compete in fitness competitions. I never say “bikini” because people always ask, “What is that? What do you do exactly?” And what do you say? It is what it is: I walk onstage in bikini and high heels and showcase my hard work. But when you say “fitness competition,” it’s like they understand right away and don’t ask any questions. The other thing is, people always assume that we look stage-ready year-round. Everyone is different, but if we gain 10 pounds, we are fat, out of shape, and “rebounded.” But let’s be realistic: There’s being healthy and there is being stage-ready, and you can’t be stage-ready year-round.

Q. Can you give us an example of your weekly training?

A. I do cardio six or seven days a week for 30 to 45 minutes. I do weights five or six days a week, focusing a lot on my glutes and upper body.

Q. What is your exact program right now for legs?

A. I do legs about two or three times a week. One routine might look like this:
Warm-up: 50 air squats and 30 power jacks × 2 sets
Plie Smith machine squats × 12–15 reps superset with box jumps × 20 (4 sets)
Reverse hack squats × 12–15 reps superset with jump lunges × 20 (4 sets)
Leg press × 12–15 reps superset with walking double lunges × 20 (4 sets)
Single-leg hamstring curls × 12 reps superset with skaters × 40 (4 sets)
Finish with 30 minutes on the stepmill, adding in kickback intervals every 2 minutes for 1 minute.

Q. Since you’ve made the decision to do several shows in 2013, what body part(s) are you looking to bring up this year, and what did you do differently with your training to do this?

A. After my last show, I was told I’d made great improvements, but with the current top girls all having full booties, this is what I’m currently working on: heavy weights, 3 sets of 10—nothing fancy, ass to grass. I still do all the plyo and HIIT but got to add in a day of old-school training.

Q. Since you made the change from figure to bikini, how does the training (weights, cardio etc.) differ for women looking to compete in figure versus bikini versus fitness, bodybuilding, or physique?

A. I’m a bikini girl—that’s just how I’m built—so I didn’t need to change much after my switch as I didn’t have a choice when I started for what category I could do. I just did what was available for me. Now, I focus most my workouts around my glutes—got to have a great butt for bikini!

Q. Do you feel that it’s just a different rep scheme or body fat percentage onstage, or are there more differences in how they should train?

A. This depends on the person. Everyone is built differently. Rep scheme and training type depends on the person, and yes, it varies depending on what you are trying to achieve. Generally, body fat percentage will be lower in the other categories than the bikini girls.

Q. On average, how many hours of training do you spend each week on making yourself contest ready?

A. Each week differs. I start my prep with about an hour to an hour and a half a day, and then by the last few weeks, I’m in the gym for two hours. Always six days a week, sometimes seven.

Q. HIIT training or steady-state cardio—which one or both, pre-contest?

A. Both. It depends where my body is at, but I usually end up doing one cardio session of intervals/HIIT and the other steady state.

Q. Do you avoid starchy carbs at night during dieting?

A. Yeah, I do. I usually train earlier in the day, and I have my carb meals around my training schedule.

Q. Is it common practice for you or other bikini pros to keep a training/diet journal, or is it just something that the magazines and/or books push but few actually do in the real world?

A. I’m not sure what other pros do, but I would think that many do in fact keep a journal; I do for the most part. My diet is on my kitchen cupboard, so I don’t keep a journal for that. I just prep my meals each night and off I go. But I will track my training. I do the majority of my workouts as I go, so I like to track what I’ve done from workout to workout. Having a journal keeps you accountable and on track! I do recommend them!

Q. Do you practice posing in your off-season? If so, how much time do you put aside for it?

A. No, I don’t. Honestly, this is one of my weaknesses, so you’d think I would practice more, but it’s just finding the time to do it. I practise on season, mostly just at home or I meet with a friend once or twice a week.

Q. Okay, so there are always stories about “extreme” fans and/or followers. What is the craziest obsessed fan story?

A. Oh my god. I’m scared to say. What if he reads this?! Okay, it’s really funny, so I have to share it. I had a guy e-mail me saying he wanted to tie my feet down to this harness thing, separating each toe (he even sent me a picture of a girl with her toes tied up), and then he wanted to tickle my feet until I started laughing, but if I could hold it in and not laugh, then he would give me money. I obviously didn’t reply, and he kept contacting me and increasing the amount he would pay me.

Q. For anybody thinking of competing in bikini or working their way up the competition ladder, do you have any words of advice, suggestions, or tips to share?

A. Of course! First, get a trainer—someone who is familiar with the industry and is a contest prep coach. Your coach will be able to determine how much time you will need for prep, and together you can decide on a show to do. Competing is hard work and takes a lot of dedication and commitment. Be prepared and stay focused. Bring your best, and go in to the show with no regrets, knowing you gave it your all, didn’t cheat on your diet, got in every work out, and that you feel great and look great. This will make you a winner! The trophy is just a bonus.

Being an IFBB bikini pro takes a lot of hard work, commitment, and focus. IFBB pro Leigh Brandt may make it look easy, but she is a true example of what it means to be a pro in this industry. She not only followed her dream but also lives the lifestyle daily and gives back to those who want to reach their fitness goals as well. Having the support of family and being able to share this all with her husband, Leigh is able to keep reaching new heights and successes—2013 is going to be her year.