Sylvia Takada

SYLVIA’S BIO

Full time working mom of two and part-time realtor with the Dave Elfassy Team. Recent CanfitPro personal trainer and healthy weight loss coach certified and now a Provincial Ontario Physique Association bikini qualifier. Looking to grow in the fitness industry and help motivate anyone looking to lead a healthier lifestyle for both adults and kids.

1. When did your athletic career begin?
   I started to take my training seriously when my kids were old enough to go to school freeing up more time for myself. It was intimidating to walk into the gym not knowing what I was doing so I started off by attending boot-camp classes once a week to familiarize myself with basic movements and increase my cardio endurance. Eventually I built up enough endurance to take two classes a week and felt confident enough to take my training on to the gym floor. As I got stronger and more comfortable working with weights and the machines I kept challenging myself by setting goals like being able to do a pull up or perform compound movements with perfect form. My latest goal was stepping on stage and competing for the Ontario Physique Association. Having a solid support system was essential in making all this happen.
2. What adversity have you had to overcome as athlete?
   What any working mom would face and that is the adversity of time. The time to get in a proper training session and to meal prep for the week. All of a sudden every minute counts because there is travel time to the gym and back and how to be prepared to alternate or variate an exercise because someone is using the equipment without wasting too much time. I find that routine and being prepared to sacrifice some down time to make up for lost sessions when life happens helps make sure my time is being used as efficiently as possible.
3. How has working out impacted your life?Training has allowed me to feel overall stronger and healthier and has given me the discipline to be consistent because at the end of the day I do feel better knowing I trained and ate clean and set that example for my kids. It has awakened a passion in me to try and grow and learn more about different tools I can work with so that working out is never boring or routine.
4. How often do you train and for how long?
   I train 6 days a week and sometimes twice a day as I will use my work lunch session to polish my kettlebell technique or do some stretches. I also run boot-camp classes for my coworkers twice a week and will do the Thursday ab workout along with them.
5. What is your number #1 fitness tip?I would definitely stress the importance of stretching before and after a workout. Due to time restrictions I would always bypass a proper warmup to jump straight into training and that has only caused me to pull muscles and slower recovery time.

Lorne’s Take – One look at Sylvia and you can tell she is an elite level athlete.   But what is equally impressive is that she has been able to achieve this level of excellence as a full-time working Mom.  I really like like Sylvia’s point on the importance of stretching and a proper warm-up an often overlooked component that can throw a major wrench into an after 45 athletes quest to build a better and more functional body.