Chikondi Mseka, IFBB Pro

WPM's Competitor of the Month - June 2011





Interviewed by: Mike Hall
Nominated by: Peter Gordon


Chikondi Mseka just competed at the NPC Jr. USA championships in Charleston, South Carolina on May 21, and won the overall figure title and her IFBB pro card!

Winning her pro card is a dream come true, not only for her as a competitor, but for her trainer, Peter. “This was our most difficult prep yet because my body kept us guessing on several occasions. It was also tricky because this competition marked the introduction of the Women’s Physique division. Women’s Physique requires much more muscle and definition than figure, so the onus was on figure competitors and their trainers to come up with the right level of soft definition. On the morning of the competition, Peter was sure we had come up with the right formula, and I guess he was right”, stated Chikondi.

So, with that being said, let me introduce to you the NEW IFBB PRO, Chikondi Mseka!

"...I also learned that it was a privilege to be healthy enough to train extremely hard and an honor to stand on stage beside other equally dedicated individuals. From that moment on, I have treated every competition prep like it was my first one."

WP: Congratulations! I know you must be beaming with excitement! What has been your stepping stone to get where you are today?

Thank you! Yes, I am! To be honest, I just love to train and see my body evolve. In this sense, competing is a natural evolution on my fitness journey.

WP: What has competitions taught you thus far?

I learned a valuable lesson about a year ago. I had just finished a competition which did not go well. I realized that since I had experienced a significant amount of success early in my competition career, I had taken a lot of things for granted, so I was not as rigorous during my competition prep process as before. Upon further reflection, I was determined to approach contest prep differently. I realized that it was an honor and a privilege to compete. Moreover, it was a privilege to be able to afford gym memberships (I have two), healthy food, supplements, competition registration fees, etc. I also learned that it was a privilege to be healthy enough to train extremely hard and an honor to stand on stage beside other equally dedicated individuals. From that moment on, I have treated every competition prep like it was my first one. I approach each one with laser-like focus, but remember that nothing is guaranteed.

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

The hardest thing for me to overcome at first was doing so much cardio! Before I started competing, I was convinced that I just did not sweat, and I managed to stay in shape by doing cardio occasionally. But, when I started training with Peter, he vowed to prove me wrong. He put me on the step mill and ramped up the speed. It was torture! I was not used to doing this on a regular basis, let alone every day. I have, however, grown to love the step mill though. It helps keep everything tight.

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

I think the hardest thing was the length of time that I had to diet. In the past, I dieted for 3-4 weeks at a time, to fit into a dress or just keep my weight in check. But for my first competition, I dieted for 10 weeks. I thought I would lose my mind; especially because of the impact that my diet was having on my social life. I used to be the “happy hour queen”, but of course, all of that has to stop when you are dieting for a show. Also, I think some of my friends mistook my absence from the social scene as a sign of distancing from them. I think they understand now.

WP: How has your training changed over the years?

My training has definitely become more structured out of necessity. Before I began competing, I started my workouts with intense cardio sessions like a spin class or 30 to 45 minutes on the elliptical, and then I moved on to weight training routines for my entire upper body or entire lower body. This routine worked well, but it did not allow me to target and develop specific muscle groups. For instance, I used to run the 400 meter race on my high school track team, so my legs have always been pretty strong, but I think training my whole leg at the same time prevented me from developing a then problem area like my hamstrings. Moreover, as you probably already know, doing cardio before weight training depletes glycogen - the body’s main source of energy for muscle contraction - which makes weight training geared toward muscle development less effective.

Since preparing for a figure competition requires building a solid muscular structure, I now train like a body builder, focusing on classic body building techniques to develop certain muscle groups. Body parts, like my quads, really want to grow, so Peter has to restrict the use of heavy weights to areas like my shoulders, back, glutes, and hamstrings to avoid throwing my physique off balance.

WP: Are you doing any modeling?

I am putting together my comp card as we speak because I really want to break into fitness modeling. I have had two really great photo shoots. Also, a talent/modeling agency in Washington, DC agreed to include me on their roster. I am really looking forward to more opportunities to shoot because I am praying for big things to happen on this front this year.

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

So far, I have worked with two awesome photographers: Panos Trivoulides and Isaac Oboka. I look forward to working with them again, but I would also love to work with the Open Aperture Media Group (OAMG). I am really impressed with how they capture bodybuilders’ physiques on camera. I would really like to work with Harold Tyson of Tyson Arts, too.

WP: What supplements do you currently take?

I take Nectar Protein Powder, Branch Chain Amino Acids, L-Glutamine, Alpha Lipoic Acid, CLA Extreme from Now Foods, Prenatal Vitamins, Milk Thistle, and Udos 3-6-9 Omega oil.

WP: What other sports or activities do you enjoy?

My favorite activities are traveling, shopping, and reading. I also love to practice speaking French, which I learned in high school and have managed to maintain through various classes and tutors over the years.

WP: Tell me about your family.

My mother hails from West Africa (half Nigerian and half Sierra Leonean), my father is from Malawi in southern Africa, and I am the eldest of two daughters. My sister, Dayo, and I are three years apart. I was born in Ohio, and my family moved to the Washington, DC area when I was in kindergarten. All of us still call the DC area home, which is great.

In 2006, I married my best friend, Peter Gordon, who is now an ACE certified trainer. Peter began to train me a couple of years after we got married. I feel really fortunate that he shares my passion for competing and fitness in general.

WP: What are your pet peeves?

I really cannot stand it when people go out of their way to be insincere. Life is too short to waste precious time and energy on making friends you do not really care about or promises you do not intend to keep.

WP: Any shout outs?

Of course, I would like to thank my husband, fearless trainer, nutritionist, and posing coach, Peter. He has believed in my potential as a competitor since I started, and for that I will be forever grateful. He is also a phenomenal trainer who is constantly researching training techniques, supplements, and overall wellness programs and knows how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of practically any physique. I have never met anyone with such a wealth of knowledge on competition prep, especially when it comes to the figure division. I cannot wait for the fitness world to really take notice of his talents.

I would also like to thank friends who have offered unwavering support since I embarked on my competition journey. I have to start with Michael Massiah, a fellow bodybuilder who refused to rest until I agreed to do my first show. In spring 2008, he printed out a list of local shows, brought it to the gym, and said “pick one, please.” I did, and I have not looked back since. Next up is Nyla Lyons, the best training partner ever. This woman trains with the intensity of a bodybuilder, but has no intention of doing a show. Her companionship and dedication got me through my first rigorous competition prep.

IFBB Pro and NPC Maryland Chairman, Rich Siegelman, and NPC Maryland Co-Chairman Scott Engle have offered a wealth of support since I met them in early 2010. Rich in particular gave me some great pointers on diet and posing that helped to elevate my game. I would also like to thank Angelica Huesca, a model and actress based in Washington, DC who has given me invaluable, detailed advice on how to break into fitness modeling. From the moment we met, she insisted I had potential, and I hope to make her proud this year.

I would be remiss not to thank members of the judging panels for my first two NPC-sponsored competitions in 2009: the Gold’s Classic in North Carolina and the Lenda Murray Bodybuilding, Figure and Bikini competitions. All of these judges were adamant that I compete at the national level, and their feedback gave me the extra push I needed to jump on to the national stage. Thank you a million times over.

Lastly, I have to thank friends and fellow body builders that comprised my crew from the former Gold’s Gym in Waldorf, Maryland, especially Sherwin Pagtakhan, who is about to make major waves on the competition stage this year.

WP: I know this question is what everyone is waiting on. We saved it for last. Please give us an example of your workout.

Well, Peter always likes to say competitions are won from the rear, so glutes and hamstrings are extremely important areas to focus on. So, we have a day dedicated to those two areas. Here is an example:

4 sets glute kickbacks using the pronated leg curl (it provides a great contraction for the glutes)

3 sets weighted sumo squats

4 sets single leg standing curls

4 sets pronated leg curls

3 sets seated leg curls

3 sets stiff leg deadlifts

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

For breakfast, I love Irish Steel Cut oatmeal with berries and egg whites. I occasionally have bison, but most of my lean proteins are comprised of salmon, cod, lean ground turkey, and chicken breast. For my carbs, I stick to brown rice, quinoa, or sweet potato--my personal favorite.

WP: It has been a REAL pleasure interviewing you! I wish you all the best of luck in the Pro circuit and we will be keeping an eye on you!

Thanks so much for this opportunity.