(WP): Let’s begin with you telling our viewers a little about yourself.

(AA): My name is Arina Manta. I am originally born in Romania (Transylvania, the country of Dracula) and for the past 16 years, I reside in Sydney, Australia. I started my sporting career at the tender age of three where being born in a Communist country we were selected by the Government at a very young age to become the future of Romania (in athletic field). We were selected for different sports by our genetics (also they were looking at our parents genetics as well, my father at the time was a Pro Soccer Player and my mom was an ex gymnast), and also we were chosen by the bone structure. Only few kids were selected and I was lucky enough to be one of them. I was selected for gymnastics and springboard diving.

Until the age of 6, I was trained for both sports, until I won my first spring board diving competition and I was selected to represent Romania at the age of 7 at the European Championships in Germany. At the age of 12, I was rewarded with my spring board diving Pro-Card and that made me the youngest Pro-Athlete ever in Romania and one of the most talented young athlete of that time. With hard training, my discipline and strong will to be the best I stayed at the top for 10 years consecutively, until I had an accident and had two operations to my knee.

Not long after that I retired, knowing that I could not be 100% able to train to be the best. I retired as a Champion, believing that was a good way to retire. I stared my tertiary education studying Sport Science at University, where I aspire to become a diver coach. Despite coming for a lovely and well-educated family, the restrictive and draconian practice of Communism would soon make me take the decision to leave everything behind me and move overseas to make it better for myself and to be offered better lifestyle and more freedom. Moving to Australia and having a heart of a competitor and always training for all different reasons. A few years later, I started to enter few competitions as a Bikini/Sport model.

Having a good athletic background, few years later, I entered my first fitness competition and since then, I never looked back. Couple of years later, I became Miss Fitness Australia (State title), where I competed for few years and represented Australia at the World Championships. Then I moved to figure; where in my first competition, I won the short Figure and the overall, becoming Miss Figure Overall Australasia (State title). Again, I represented Australia in the World Championships. Then few months later, I was rewarded with my Pro-Card. Becoming Professional for the second time in my life at a different sport, I was very pleased with my achievements. In the mean time, I was also became the Trainer of Champions (Master Trainer Coach), Supplement Consultant for ASN (Australian Sports Nutrition), an Elite Fitness Model, a Choreographer and a Make-up artist.

(WP): What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?

(AA): My stepping stone was my strong mind, my discipline, my ambition, my love for training and my passion for health and beauty.

(WP): What has it been like to maintain your physique? Have you done anything different lately?

(AA): Maintaining my physique was not that hard for me, maybe just because I like being healthy and the reward is having a great physique at the same time and feeling FANTASTIC. I always change my nutrition and training plan. I like to experience, especially with nutrition, different types of food and see how my body reacts to it. With my training, I always like to challenge my body to the max.

(WP): Are you planning to compete again in the future?

Arina Manta2(AA): Yes, I do plan to compete in the future, but when? I will decide soon which competition I will be entering.

(WP): Tell me about your family. In addition, are you married, single, or dating?

(AA): In my years, I have been dating and have been in few relationships, but always it was something missing. Now, for the past few months, I am in a relationship with an amazing man. Robert Bell. I finally found my other half, Mr. Right, which understands my way of living. He is my best friend, lover and biggest supporter. Robert, being himself an athlete at a very young age, (a Semi Pro footballer) and being a very successful entrepreneur in US, he does understand so well the way of living of being discipline, have ambitions, have a strong mind and not being afraid of taking risks to climb to the top.

In life, without the support of our partners, it is hard to achieve our own dreams. Myself, I like to dream big and I am never afraid to make those dreams a reality. Now with my partner’s support, I know that nothing will stop me to climb to the very top.

(WP): Sounds like you have found the right man for you. What a blessing! What has figure competitions taught you thus far?

(AA): Figure taught me to keep striving for perfection, to stay focused and keep being discipline.

(WP): What was the hardest thing for you to overcome when you first started?

(AA): When I started my competitions as a Fitness/Figure competitor, the hardest thing for me to overcome was the extra smile I had to do on stage while posing (The 5 compulsory poses which is required in Australia ) on 6 inch heels and hold the pose at the same time, but the more I was practicing and I was competing, the easiest became.

(WP): What was the hardest thing you had to deal with when it came to your diet?

(AA): The hardest thing was the amount of portions I had to eat. Even though I was eating every 2 to 3 hour, after eating my meal to stand, up from the table, and still wanting to eat a bit more.

(WP): What are the key factors that dictate the way you train today?

(AA): The key factors that dictate the way I train today are my passion for training, my thoughts of how I will feel after the training and for the rest of the day, the steps which will take me closer to my goals with my physique, and the benefits for my health.

(WP): How has your training changed over the years?

(AA): Honestly, it did not changed that much. Maybe I just dropped a bit of the super heavy weights to lighter weights and including higher repetitions for maintaining more my physique than building up more. How everyone knows that now with the new criteria in Figure, we are penalized for having to much muscles or being to ripped; which happened in my situation few times in the competitions.

(WP): What titles/accomplishments have you thus far? Tell me about them.

(AA): – Professional Spring board diver for Romania, ranked number 1 for 10 years consecutive.

-Miss Fitness Victoria (Australia).

-Miss Fitness NSW (Australia).

-Miss Fitness Australia.

-Miss Short Figure Australasia.

-Miss Figure Overall Australasia

-World Championships Finalist (Spain).

-IFBB Pro-Figure

(WP): Where do you see your career and life in 10 years from now?

(AA): In 10 years, I can still see myself being extremely fit, still will be part and to contribute with my knowledge into the industry helping others, being the guru of healthy lifestyle and stay looking good, having a book out, couple of more DVD’s, my own gym wear (Fit Dolls, by Arina Manta; which is my business name, as well) and few other things which I am working at and would like to keep them for myself for now.

(WP): Are you doing any modeling? If so, please tell me about it.

(AA): Yes, I am doing modeling. I started to do some modeling in my youngest years while I was a spring board diver. I was mostly doing modeling for sport outfits and brands. That was something I did really enjoy and wanted to continue if opportunity crosses my path. When I came to Australia, I started to model for gym wear brands, swim suits, make up, street wear, sport magazines etc.

After becoming a Pro-Figure and started to compete in the US, I started to be approached by the top fitness photographers in the world to shoot for then and also by fitness magazines and other magazines, brands etc.

(WP): Can you tell me any photographers you’ve worked with, or someone you’d like to work with?

Arina Manta3(AA): Here are few of the photographers I worked with: the most I worked with is the legendary, Bill Dobbins, which is the most amazing photographer I have ever worked with. Also, I worked with Jerry Frederick, John David Stutz, Michael Eckstut, Gary Phillips, Greg Whrite, Mike Yurkovic, George Legeros, Carlos Lopez, Dan Ray, Rob Czempinski, and many more.

(WP): What supplements do you currently take?

(AA): I take WPI (Evolve), Glutamine (Evolve), BCAA, L-Arginine, complete range of vitamins and minerals, Fish oil, and Primrose oil.

(WP): What are your pet peeves?

(AA): My pet peeves are: dishonesty and fake people, superficiality, and back stabbers. Also, when I compete, is the competition color.

(WP): What do you consider to be important in life? Why?

(AA): What I consider to be important in life is to be positive, to be happy, and to be respectful toward others, to be honest and help others in need. I believe that these qualities are important for a person to have, because they will help them to improve their quality of life.

(WP): How have you changed over the past few years when it comes to thinking, actions, and life in general?

(AA): Through the years my way of thinking, actions and life in general changed into a more positive, relaxing, balanced and realistic way, making me a better person. I do believe it is because of all my experiences in life.

(WP): What are your stats such as height, weight, biceps, and waist?

(AA): My stats are: Height: 5′4″, weight: 55-56 kg. during my off season; 51 kg. during my on season: biceps flexed: 12 inches ( 31 cm ) and my waist: 23.5 inches (60 cm).

(WP): Give me an example of your workout.

(AA): Biceps workout and abs:

Dumbbell bicep curl: 3 x 15

Dumbbell hammer curl: 3 x 15

Dumbbell preacher curl: 3 x 15

Cable double biceps curl: 3 x 15

Cable concentration curl: 3 x 12

ABS:

Decline bench crunches: 4 x 25

Rope crunches: 3 x 20 Leg raises: 4 x 15

40 to 50 minutes cardio, plus stretches.

(WP): Give me an example of your diet. What do you normally eat each day?

Meal 1: Oats, WPI, fruit

Meal 2: tuna, brown rice, green veggies

Meal 3: chicken breast, sweet potato, green veggies

Meal 4: egg white (plus 1 yolk), big green salad

Meal 5: Chicken breast or kangaroo meat, green veggies

Meal 6: Whey protein

Proteins shake also after training.

(WP): Could you tell me about your future projects?

(AA): At this stage, I would like to continue to be successful with everything I do.

(WP): Is there anything I have forgotten to mention that you would like to bring to light?

(AA): Yes. I would really appreciate if I can be able, thorough this interview, to say a big thank you to my amazing sponsor, ASN Australian Sports Nutrition who help me and supports me for the past year to fulfill my dream into the fitness Industry and my competitions.

(WP): It has been a pleasure interviewing you! I wish you all the best of luck!

It was also my pleasure to be interviewed by World Physique. Thank you very kindly.

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