UKBFF Athlete of the Week - Liz Richardson

Name: Elizabeth Richardson
Height: 169 cm
Contest weight: 58kg
Best contest result: 2016 British champion in masters bikini fitness and 1st place at Prague EVLS Showdown
Ambition: To win a pro show
Sponsor: Bikinis by Freydis
Coach: Daniela Beckova

When and why did you get into weight training?

Liz Richardson winning the 2016 British Masters Bikini Fitness title. PHOTO: Christopher Bailey.

I started weight training properly about four years ago. I was in awe of some of the girls' physiques in a magazine.

How did this develop into competing?
It was a goal to achieve the look I started training for but once I stepped on stage I was hooked.

What do you enjoy most about being on stage?
It took me a fair few competitions to actually start enjoying it. I was quite nervous and still do get a little nervous, but now I enjoy the fact that being on stage has given me so much more confidence to show off my hard work to the judges the best I can.

What's your split?
At the moment it’s:
Day 1 Legs
Day 2 Back, shoulders, triceps
Day 3 Rest
Day 4 Legs
Day 5 Full body Circuit
Day 6 Rest
Day 7 Repeat day 1

Training partner – good or bad?
I prefer to train alone but there are advantages to having a partner.

How many exercises, sets and reps do you do?
It varies from month to month but, for example, at the moment on one of my leg days I do three-to-six sets of five exercises, going up to 25 reps.

Best exercise for glutes
Glute bridges/hip thrusts.

Favourite form of cardio
Walking incline treadmill.

Most effective way to diet
During my last contest prep, carb cycling worked really well for me. I switched between low and medium carb days to get a calorie deficit.

Advice to newcomers
Be consistent with your training and diet. Building the physique you want doesn’t happen overnight. It’s takes time – try and enjoy the experience.