Photography by Dave Laus

Flipping Good Friends

Who’d have though that two young gymnasts would one day represent Canada on the largest stages in the world of professional bodybuilding and fitness? Since childhood, Fiona Harris and Mindi O’Brien have trained with one another at the same gymnastics club. After years of competitive gymnastics, O’Brien introduced Harris to the competitive fitness industry. They continued to train together, growing into strong competitive women, who each climbed the Ontario Physique Association ranks to attain IBBF Pro status.

Fiona Harris has been a competitive athlete nearly all her life. When she retired from gymnastics, Harris found herself lifting weights to maintain strength and overall conditioning, with one exception: she missed the competitive outlet. After working out for nearly ten years, purely for the love of fitness, Harris’ competitive nature took over. She put her skills and efforts to the test on the Ontario Physique Association stage in 2010 and earned first place; her inner fire was lit. Harris’ successful ascent up the ladder through the ranks of the OPA, alongside her training partner and coach, Mindi O’Brien, has helped her achieve an IFBB professional cardand credible standing among the best fitness professionals in the world.

After gymnastics, fitness stands apart from any other sport she’s competed in: “I train and compete purely for the love of the sport,”says Harris, “but it requires 100 percent commitment and dedication both inside and outside of the gym.”

The nutrition and rigorous physical factors play a vital role in Harris’ success and continue to challenge her mentally and physically. She consistently pushes herself beyond her limits and admits that, although her training and nutrition demand a lot of sacrifice, “The final results on stage make it all worthwhile.”Harris is passionate about helping others achieve their fitness goals, too. For her, it’s equally as rewarding to see her clients lose weight, get in shape, and even step on the stage for the first time.

Since earning her Pro Card in 2012, Harris has competed in sixteen IFBB Pro shows, four Fitness Olympias, and four Arnold Classics, on different continents around the world. She recently defended her own title for the second time at the IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro this past July, qualifying her for her fourth consecutive Fitness Olympia, where she placed 7^th.Harris is overjoyed at competing at the Olympia, calling it “the pinnacle of our sport.”Fiona also proudly represents Pro Tan Competition and AquaHydrate. Harris continues to train with Hany “The Pro Creator” Rambod and Renzo Coste, her routine and choreography coach.

Ten-time Olympia competitor Mindi O’Brien stumbled into the competitive fitness scene – literally.According to her parents, O’Brien was on the clumsy side as a little girl, so she was encouraged to take gymnastics to develop her motor skills and coordination. Nobody expected her to be a national-level gymnast for fifteen years. After leaving the gymnastics scene and giving birth to her son, O’Brien started competing in fitness.Thanks to gymnastics, O’Brien had always lifted weights and lived a disciplined lifestyle. “When I first learned about fitness competitions,” she said, “I knew it was the next step for me, especially with my gymnastics background,” not to mention “my discipline and desire to compete.” At the time, O’Brien was 18 years old and just wanted to be a positive role model for her son. She has competed in nearly 100 contests since her first, in 1996.Since then, she has made phenomenal strides, including a recent win at the 2015 IFBB Wings of Strength Tampa Pro Physique Show, which qualified her for her tenth Olympia.She then placed 6^th overall in the 2015 Olympia women’s physique division.

O’Brien is motivated and inspired by goal setting – no matter the size. She believes wholeheartedly that “it is the primary mechanism for building motivation and commitment to personal excellence.” After every competitive show, O’Brien goes back to the drawing board. “I assess all of my photos and analyze my physique.” This helps her to create a starting point for action, a purpose for her efforts, and a way to effectively direct her energy.

Using her off-season training to make the necessary improvements, O’Brien doesn’t sway too far from her contest weight; this allows her to “prepare for a contest much quicker and more efficiently.” She’s constantly setting new goals and believes that “athletes are always looking for ways to motivate themselves, meet new challenges, rise above adversity, and overcome setbacks.”

Both Harris and O’Brien have sponsorships with nutrition companies and are thrilled about what they’ve accomplished thus far. Harris is thankful for her sponsorship with Evogen Nutrition, whose supplements she uses exclusively to bring the best physique and performance she can to the stage.O’Brien is sponsored by Revolution Nutrition and Sassy & Fit Boutique, two companies she feels blessed to have supporting her.O’Brien’s plans for future competitions include applying to compete at the 2016 Arnold Classic, in addition to a handful of other shows for 2016. With the 2016 IFBB Pro stage contest fast approaching, Harris is aiming to be more dynamic and to further refine her physique. “It’s great to see how far we’ve come. We will both continue to proudly represent Canada and guide new athletes who share our passion for fitness and competition in this sport,” says Harris.