Christin-Amani Kiivikas: the road to the stage

Christin-Amani Kiivikas started training at the gym at a very young age and spoke openly about what drew her to bikini fitness. Here is her story from that time: her age, training, nutrition, goals and the people who influenced her.

Christin-Amani Kiivikas and her first steps in the gym

Age: 14 years old
Height: 167 cm
Body weight: 55 kg

It all began with a simple moment at home. Christin-Amani Kiivikas started going to the gym in 2015. At Christmas, she sat on her father Ott Kiivikas’s lap and told him plainly that she wanted to take up bikini fitness.

That ambition did not come out of nowhere. She had watched competitions since she was little and knew how much work went into getting stage-ready. The idea of a beautiful, well-trained physique appealed to her. The simple truth is that when you have seen the sport up close, stepping on stage no longer feels like a distant dream.

She also had a strong sporting background. She had been involved in sport from a very young age, attending training sessions while still in kindergarten. After that came two years of rhythmic gymnastics, nearly three years of dance and 4 years of athletics. Her last sport before the gym was fencing. By that point, she had been going to the gym for over half a year.

Why does Christin-Amani Kiivikas train?

Her motivation was clear: an athletic physique. The figure required for bikini fitness was exactly the kind she liked. This was more than a wish to “get in better shape”; it gave her a specific goal to work towards every week.

Her first goal was to get into shape and feel happy with her physique. She wanted to train properly and build more muscle mass. Her bigger ambition was to step on stage in 2018. Further down the line, she had set her sights on a pro card.

One good workout is not enough to achieve a goal like that. You need a routine. You need to make it a habit. And, frankly, you need patience too, because your body does not change on command.

Workouts, training plan and favorite exercises

She went to the gym five times a week. Alongside her strength training, she always warmed up with 10-15 minutes of running or incline walking on a treadmill. Usually, she also did cardio after her workout twice a week. This was mostly running, her favorite form of cardio.

At the time, her training plan alternated between two cycles and used a four-way split. One week, she lifted weights and set personal records. The next week, she did supersets with lighter weights, resting for 10 seconds between sets.

Training split

• Back + hamstrings
• Shoulders + chest + abs
• Quadriceps + abs
• Arms

She most enjoyed training her lower body and shoulders. As her lower body was stronger, the classic barbell squat was among her favorite exercises. For shoulders, she particularly liked barbell front raises.

Christin-Amani Kiivikas and nutrition

Her diet was simple and structured around the school day. In the morning, she ate one serving of quark at home with a little honey. Once she got to school, she had porridge. At lunchtime, she ate the school lunch.

Before training, she usually chose Valio protein quark cream and some fruit. After training, she ate an egg dish or cottage cheese with extras. So what stands out? Nothing complicated. Just everyday foods that supported her training and fitted into the school day.

Choosing a favorite food was difficult for her, as she described herself as someone who would eat pretty much anything. One firm favorite was sushi. Her everyday favorites included wholegrain pasta with chicken or cottage cheese with various extras.

Role models, hobbies and advice

Her biggest role model was, of course, her father, Ott Kiivikas. Among bikini fitness competitors, she admired Karina Polovnikova and Finland’s Ilona Siekkinen. She had other favorites too, naturally, but those were the names that came to mind first.

She did not name a specific hobby. She enjoyed spending time with friends and family. That matters for a young athlete: training takes a lot of energy, but life cannot revolve entirely around training plans and weights.

Three tips for getting into better shape

• Be consistent and believe in yourself.
• Work hard towards your goals.
• Review your diet.

You can keep up with Amani on her Instagram.

FAQ

When did Christin-Amani Kiivikas start going to the gym?

She started going to the gym in 2015, when she told her father at Christmas that she wanted to take up bikini fitness.

What was her first major goal?

Her first goal was to get into shape and feel happy with her physique. Her bigger ambition was to step on stage in 2018.

What kind of training did she enjoy most?

She enjoyed training her lower body and shoulders. Her favorite exercises included the classic barbell squat and barbell front raises.

Author: Peep Reinart

Come and train! ArtGym