Angelique Costa Interview

Angelique Costa, as you will read, started out in Figure. She went to Bikini while trying to build and move back to Figure. After coming close to pro card in 2010, she was not as close in 2011, although I feel she placed much lower in shows than she should have. She is now ready to switch back to Figure in an attempt to achieve her dream of an IFBB Pro card. You cant question Angelique's desire, determination and hard work, and therefor it's hard to doubt she will reach that dream.

Q: Can you talk about how you got started in the gym?
A: I saw a Ms. Fitness America on ESPN in 2000. I thought it was amazing what they did. They were doing their gymnastics and looked amazing. I was going for my Masters and wanted to do something competitive. I was a competitive cheerleader in college and was looking for something I could do once cheerleading was over. It seemed like a logical next step, where I could compete in fitness. I played sports in high school but never carried it on. So I saw it and said it was exactly what I anted to do. I found a trainer in a gym who was a competitive bodybuilder. She took me under her wing and strained me. We were gonna do figure because I didn't have the money or acrobatic skills needed for fitness. I thought the women were phenomenal. I loved their shape, I love muscle on women, and it was beautiful and inspired me so much.

Q: So how did you end up in bikini and not figure?
A: I started in figure. My first show was May 2008 and was in Germany. I did well and took fourth in my first show and second in my second show. I thought I was great for figure and placed accordingly. But when I moved back to the States in 2009 and did my first show, I was seventh place and felt blown away. I was disappointed and thought the size of the women was bigger than me at the time. So the same women who had taken me under her wing said "there is a new division called bikini, there have only been a couple shows. Give that a try till you put on more muscle." So I decided to try bikini. I had no clue what it was about, I just new I had to find a bikini, cause they were off the shelf back then, so I grabbed a $150 bikini and did the Atlantic States a week alter. I won my first show and was so excited cause it was a big show. I figured if I won in this I must have been meant for it. So I continued and was successful till last year and that's why I am changing this year.

Q: So for this year you are switching to figure?
A: Yeah, at my last show at Nationals I showed my coach my back development and suggested we try figure. When I first met her I asked her about it and she said "your personality and musculature are more for bikini". In 2010 my placing was top ten at every National show I did, and last year I did not place there at all. I tried to figure out what it was. Bikini is competitive and those girls bust their butts, but I felt I had reached the point where my body is finally maturing and I see more development in my quads, shoulders and arms. I wanna move forward and not stop training a part cause it gets to big. I wanna grow and be in whichever division my body has progressed to.

Q: A lot of people say after their first show, competing becomes an addiction, was that the case with you?
A: Yes! Well, the first time it was hard because even though I got fourth, it was also last. So I was left out of the night show. I was devastated because I had worked hard and felt I deserved better. I wasn't mad just upset. There were people backstage who saw I was upset and approached me and said "don't get down, you will do great, keep going". That's when I realized that as much as you are alone on stage, its not an individual sport. I got support from people I had never met before. They helped me with diet, understand what to do, where I went wrong. It was my first show and I learned off of youtube videos. For my second show I felt I got it right and was addicted after that.

Q: In 2011 you took second at the New York Metropolitans, in a situation like that are you happy you took second at a pretty big show or do you wonder what you needed to do to take first?
A: That show was interesting. I was one point away from first. So it coulda been a case of someone just not liking my hair or make-up. I was really pleased with how I looked and the caliber of women I was against to place that high. New York shows are a huge turnout and when I saw the scores I knew I was right there and couldn't be disappointed.

Q: After that you did Team Universe and Nationals, and didn't place as well, how disappointed were you?
A: Wow, after the Met, I really focused and trained harder than ever. I was so focused that it was my show, it was finally my year. I looked my best ever. I stuck to my diet, cardio and training and gave it my all. I was really confused, I didn't know what to say. My coach said it was the best I ever looked. I guess it wasn't meant to be. That was the show where my coach had nothing to say, normally she does it I do something wrong. I asked several judges and none got back to me. It was so mysterious that I got no feed back as to what I did wrong. I am always looking for a reason. I always wanna know what I did wrong to get better. I like constructive criticism, you need it in this sport. I am fine with it. This show left me speechless. I was disappointed, but that's the sport. Keep moving on and give your best and your all. You have to come to peace with it, you cant change it, its out of your control.

Q: Now that you are switching to figure, do you know what show you want to do?
A: I have to work it out with my coach. I am in that growth period, you cant tell I am off season, I am close to stage weight, within seven pounds. But I am trying to put on mass. There are parts of me that are ready for figure, but I want to develop more shoulders and quads. I wanna do it right, when I focus on a show, it will be a National level show or at least a large qualifier, so I don't wanna be good, I wanna be great. I wanna show I belong. This will be the first time that I am going to take time to grow and focus on my body without tearing it down after a three month off season. I don't wanna rush into shows and hard diets and double cardio. Its a good time to focus and get developed where I need to. Its a good change of pace for me.

Q: How have you had to adjust your training?
A: I would say I lift heavier now with lower reps. I still have high rep days. My training varies all the time. Its all over the place, which I love. I changed my macros and protein consumption to grow. I am focusing more on being heavy. When I did bikini and did four shows a year it was always cardio making you tired and then super sets after super set, and its fine, but your body keeps breaking down and you don't get the fullness needed for figure. I still have intensity but also am able to have heavier weights with less sets, which I like.

Q: How important is a pro card to you?
A: It is my dream to be an IFBB pro, doesn't matter which division. It is one of my life's goals. Its not the piece of paper, its what it stands for. It stands for doing something to be the best. Its the logical thing, to give it your heart and soul and passion and want to be the best. To be the best you have to do what it takes. In this industry it takes being in front of the right people at the right time with the right body, and have them say she deserves to be a pro. That's it for me. It represents being the pinnacle of your sport, like being a pro baseball player or golfer. Its not just a hobby, its my passion in life to be fit and healthy, but not just fit and healthy to the average person, but to be the best at what you do.

Q: Do you get a lot of unwanted attention at the gym?
A: My gym is interesting. I call it the zoo because there are so many characters. I am there to work. I go in, go to the locker room, put in my headphones and get in the mode. I put my head down and give it my all. I don't even make eye contact cause I am so focused. I have had occasions where someone stops me and says "hey you look great", but I don't carry the conversation long. I am not there to socialize and try and make it a point to put this don't bother me face on. I look angry and aggressive haha. I have one person I talk to, if I talk to everyone I won't get my workout done.

Q: Do you think people still have a misconception that bikini girls don't train hard?
A: Well, I think sometimes a few words can change opinions. At North Americans I heard a couple girls say "I just did a couple workout videos, I didn't even diet", so it depends on what you hear. If someone hears that they think bikini girls don't train hard. I think what happens is, and I read this in the forums, people think bikini girls don't train hard. If you research or talk to a pro, they will tell you they train hard. Some bodybuilders get offended cause they can only do a couple shows a year, because they have to diet down for a long time because they spend a lot of time putting on mass, so I think its a misconception. Everyone trains hard, but they have different methods on how they train. In the Air Force Reserve, I trained hard, and this is the hardest thing I have done. I took tests for Federal Government Agencies, and I have done very well. Everyone spends hours in the gym working on their physique. Yes, some girls maybe they have it without training hard, but I know I have to push myself hard because I am naturally very thin, so I have to work hard and eat right to put on muscle. Maybe some can do it without training, but it doesn't represent National level or pro girls. They are in their twice a day doing cardio and lifting hard. A Bombshell camp is hard. It depends on who you talk to that forms your opinion. Everyone I know trains hard for it.

Q: Anyone you wanna thank or mention?
A: I have a lot of support from Facebook and fans and followers on twitter. My coach Shannon Dey, Team Bombshell, Layne Norton is a huge inspiration. My family and friends, and anyone who has been there for me. The people I met in the Military who supported me. Anyone wherever said a wonderful comment about how I inspired them. That's my real fulfillment. If I can inspire someone it makes me feel I am doing my job on this earth. So when I get a comment like that, I feel grateful. It is hard to find someone who believes in you one hundred percent, anyone who is on a hard journey like competing in fitness knows half the drive comes from who supports you and is there for you. Thanks all the fans and supporters who keep the sport alive and support it. Without you, this means nothing.