A Yorkton bodybuilder has hit the national stage. Denise Kominetsky competed in Halifax in the figures competition, in doing so she has achieved her main goal of getting on the national stage.
“Since I started doing this in 2011, my goal was to get on the national stage. Last year, I won my Figure Tall category, so that granted me my ticket to nationals. For me, you’re competing with the best in Canada, so it is kind of surreal but kind of amazing to go on that stage. Even just getting on the national stage, I didn’t care if I got dead last... I got to nationals, that was my goal, it was amazing.”
Kominetsky did not get dead last, placing eighth in a crowd of 17. She says for her first national competition, she set a goal of being in the top ten, something she admits was an ambitious goal for a tough crowd of women, so she’s proud to achieve it.
She says that she began bodybuilding for health reasons. Kominetsky has crohns/colitis, and says in 2011 she was at a low point health-wise, but was inspired by people who she knew who were competing, and she was inspired to try it for herself. Her first competition she placed third, and says that hooked her in for good.
“I started from a little skeleton, because I was skin and bones from being sick... It takes a lot of time from start to finish. Some people think you can train for 20 weeks and be nationally ready, and maybe some people can, not me, it took a few years, and I need yet more years to get where I need to be.”
This is a change for Kominetsky, who admits a love of working out was a relatively new development, but something that she has found empowering and rewarding.
“I was never a sporty person in school, I was always the artsy, crafty choir person. I tried sports but the basketball kept getting away from me... But after 2011, I just love the gym. I love coming in and lifting and being able to look at the guy next to me and go ‘I can do that.’”
Kominetsky competes in the Figure category, which is the middle category, between bikini and physique. She says competition day starts early, as they get ready. She says that they’re very lean at that point, and many of them start eating lots of snacks on the day.
“You are eating all this junk food but you’re eating so healthy leading up. But the idea is that your muscle bellies need all that filling up with quick acting stuff.”
Kominetsky trains all year long for the event, with the build up to competition seeing her lift weights five days a week and doing cardio every day. During the off season she tapers off. She says it’s an intense training schedule, she trains all year but it gets more intense when in preparation for a competition, and says that it’s about building to a peak.
“You basically prep for 16 to 20 weeks for one day... Even the professionals who it’s their job will not look like they do on stage all the time. You can’t, you just can’t.”
If people want to start building, Kominetsky says that research is key, both because the training is difficult and intense, and because you need to do it properly in order to get results. She says that it’s more than just coming to the gym, but it’s a commitment that requires a lot of work and sacrifice.
“Your social life is basically non-existent if you’re serious about your prep, because you can’t drink alcohol, and you can’t stay out all night because you need your sleep, and sleep is a big thing. If you don’t get your seven to nine hours a night your body revolts against you.”
Part of the reason she does it is because she can see the results of her hard work, and so can people around her. She has been told she’s an inspiration to others, and says it’s a proud moment to know she’s influencing someone to improve their life.
“To be told you’re an inspiration, that’s more rewarding than getting a first place trophy to be honest with you.”
But while she knows that what she’s doing isn’t for everyone, she says that going to the gym and exercising, or making adjustments in the kitchen to improve your diet is for everyone, and she says if people work out in a way that makes sense for them they’ll improve their lives.
“It’s so beneficial for your mental health, physical health, anything... I encourage everyone just to get more active. You don’t need to be a competitor, that’s from 0-60 if you’ve never done anything, but just get up and move around... Everything in moderation, it’s just about healthy life choices.”
Her next goal is to get an overall figure win for a permanent national bid, and she says that it’s actually rare for someone in the tall category to get an overall figure win. S
he says she doesn’t know exactly why that is, but she wants to win the category and says she’s going to keep going until she gets it.
