In this episode, Celeste speaks with Maia Gordon, an IFBB Bikini Pro who qualified for the Olympia at her pro debut at the first ever Ben Weider Natural Show and had originally gotten into the sport of bodybuilding as a way to challenge herself.   Celeste and Maia first talk about the art and importance of posing and how Maia studied routines of the athletes she had looked up to before even stepping on stage for the first time. Maia also shares the approach she takes as a posing coach and how she sets herself apart from others.   Celeste and Maia discuss the strategies that Maia has taken, both in prep and her improvement season, that helped her to achieve a winning physique. Maia talks about the changes she’s made to her training based off the judges feedback to bring her best physique to the Olympia stage as well as the adjustments in her methods of training as the Coronavirus outbreak temporarily forced her into at-home workouts.   Maia shares her strategies and plans she has for competing leading up to the Olympia despite the uncertainty surrounding the postponement of shows due to the pandemic. Celeste and Maia talk about Maia’s favorite exercises for hamstrings, glutes, and shoulders, and from there dive into the topic of mindset and mental work and Celeste shares valuable insights on how this work is not only helpful for competing but in any goal one sets for themselves in life.   Maia shares with us how she got into bodybuilding and how learning to “trust the process” was something she had to learn to understand through experience and wasn’t something she believed right off the bat.   Celeste asks Maia about the Ben Weider Natural and Maia gives us details on how a natural show is run and how they go about drug testing the athletes. Celeste concludes the episode by asking Maia her advice for both novice competitors and girls on their journey to getting their pro card. Connect with Maia:  https://www.instagram.com/maiagordon_ifbbpro/ Connect with Celeste: https://www.instagram.com/celestial_fit/ www.celestial.fit   TIME STAMPS [1:32] Celeste asks Maia about her pre-stage ritual.   [4:30] Maia discusses her realization of the importance of posing while studying different competitors routines on stage.   [8:46] Celeste asks Maia about the approach she takes with her clients when it comes to posing, what she prioritizes with her clients.   [13:00] Celeste asks Maia about what things she did that she thinks helped her bring that winning physique, in off season and in prep.   [15:41] Maia talks about her mental growth and how that has attributed to her success.   [19:06] Maia talks about how she’s using her feedback from the judges and what she’s doing to prepare for the 2020 Olympia.   [21:00] Celeste and Maia discuss how her prep training and strategy have changed & been affected by the Coronavirus lockdowns and gym closures.   [22:42] Celeste asks Maia about her mindset aspect of her prep with the lockdown adjustments and uncertainty of show dates as the Olympia approaches.   [24:40] Celeste asks Maia if her prep strategy or approach will change given the adaptations she’s made because of the lockdown.   [25:50] Maia tells us her favorite exercise for glutes, hamstrings and shoulders.   [28:20] Celeste asks Maia about the personal development and mindset tools she’s been focusing on to help her step into this current version of herself.   [33:00] Celeste highlights and shares valuable insight on the importance and efficacy of the power of mindset work, how we can manifest beliefs into behaviors which will honor our goals.   [35:41] Maia dives into what inspired her to get into bodybuilding and how her journey started.   [40:10] While discussing her beginnings in bodybuilding, Maia explains how she came to understand the meaning behind “trusting the process.”   [46:23] Celeste asks Maia to share details about the Ben Weider competition being that it is a natural show.   [53:50] Celeste asks Maia for her advice for newbie competitors and girls on their road to pro