Travel diary: Rimini fitness festival 2005
This travel diary begins on Monday 30.05., when I left Ukraine for Italy. The plan was simple: rest, rebuild my strength for a new preparation cycle and slow down for a while, because three major competitions lay ahead that year: the European Championships, the World Championships and the World Games on 14–17 July in Germany.
My destination was Rimini and its annual fitness festival, with 10 days of training, beach weather, people and everything that gets an athlete and coach excited. This was more than a holiday. It was also a work trip, with meetings and a healthy dose of inspiration.
Why write this travel diary?
This was my second time at the festival in Rimini. I already knew the city and the surrounding area, having worked there years earlier. That made arriving feel pleasantly like coming home. There was no need to find my bearings at every street corner or wonder where to go next.
Our group was quite large this time. I was the only man; the rest were our well-known and much-loved aerobics instructors from Tartu and Tallinn. There were 15 of us altogether. Honestly, they were a great bunch: energetic, curious and ready to make the most of every day.
The festival was so wide-ranging that it felt like a little fitness world of its own. There were different styles of aerobics, new gym equipment, sports gear, relaxation treatments and much more. In other words, everything that helps you stay healthy, move better and look good.
Travel diary: our daily routine and the festival
Our daily routine was simple and worked well. Breakfast, then the beach, as we were lucky enough to have beautiful beach weather every day. After that came lunch, followed by the festival in the late afternoon. The rhythm suited us well: we could relax during the day and focus on work, looking around and meetings in the evening.
The previous year, we had found a gym equipment manufacturer to partner with at the festival. This time I arrived with a more specific task: to sign a cooperation agreement and visit the factory. That gave the trip a clear purpose. It was a concrete step forward, beyond simply looking around.
This year’s program had more for gym enthusiasts than in previous years. The focus had previously been more on aerobics fans, but now gym-goers and bodybuilding enthusiasts also had plenty to see, hear and learn.
Professional bodybuilders from the USA had been invited, led by Dennis James. Richard Jones was also there, along with Roland Kickinger, who plays the lead in the Arnold Schwartzennegger biopic “The Arnold Run”. Among the women attending was Timea Majorova, who had competed at the Fitness Olympia.
They led demonstration workouts on different days, discussing training for different muscle groups, general training and how the pros build their physiques. Anyone who wanted to could also have a photo taken with the stars. I took the opportunity myself, as encounters like these do not happen every day.
What should you look out for at a fitness festival?
At a festival like this, it is easy to get excited about everything at once. New equipment, stages, competitions, athletes, music and crowds make you feel as though something important is happening everywhere. In practice, it pays to keep a clear head and look for what is truly useful for your own work or training.
I paid particular attention to gym equipment and the practical side of training. Which machines feel comfortable to use? What seems durable? How do the athletes move, warm up and explain exercises? These little details often tell you more than a big advertising poster.
Meanwhile, bodybuilding and fitness competitions were taking place on the main stage. On the final day, the competitions culminated in the Miss Bikini contest. Representing Estonia was 2004 Aerobics Queen Elis Naumanis, who had only heard about the contest a couple of days beforehand. One of the organizers spotted her at the festival, caught her by the sleeve and invited her onto the stage.
Elis did not even get a chance to rehearse on stage before the contest, as the others had done. She really was diving into unknown waters. The entire contest was held in Italian, including the interview round, which Elis got through without speaking perfect Italian.
Here is one practical tip for anyone who loves traveling: in Italy, do not assume that everyone speaks English. Italians primarily speak Italian. If you want to communicate with the locals, learn the basic words from a dictionary or carry a dictionary with you. It makes life much easier.
To everyone’s surprise, the result was excellent. Elis won the contest and was crowned “Miss Bikini 2005”. The win also came with a cash prize of 700 euros. We held a small reception at the hotel with champagne to give the victory the celebration it deserved.
The travel diary ends with thoughts of heading home
The week flew by in a dreamlike blur of fun and activity. At some point, we simply had to accept that it was time to go home. Interestingly, it started raining on the very day we left. It was the perfect sign that our holiday and the festival had ended at just the right time.
The trip left me with a good feeling. There had been time to rest, see new things, take care of business, meet athletes and cheer on Estonian success. I want to thank the fantastic group of women I spent the week with. I hope we all meet in the same place again next year.
End of the series.
FAQ
Is the Rimini fitness festival only for competitors?
No. There is also plenty to see for coaches, recreational exercisers, gym equipment enthusiasts and anyone interested in being active and staying in shape.
What should you take away from a festival like this?
Ideas, contacts and practical observations are all worth bringing home. The most valuable thing is not always a new machine or a big name, but something you can put to use straight away in your own training or work.
Do language skills matter in Italy?
Yes. If you do not speak Italian, even a few basic words and a dictionary will help. They make communicating with the locals much easier.
Author: Ott Kiivikas
Come and train! ArtGym
