PAULA RANTA
PAULA RANTA | IFBB Pro Women's Physique Age: 26 • Earned IFBB Pro Card at age 21 • Olympia Qualified: 2022, 2025, 2026 Career Statistics • 34+ IFBB Pro Shows • 15 IFBB Pro Podiums • 4 IFBB Pro Wins Career Highlights Figure • 2022 European Pro Championships – 1st Place • 2022 Olympia – Qualified Women's Physique • 2025 Chicago Pro – 1st Place • 2025 Olympia – 9th Place • 2026 New York Pro – 1st Place • 2026 Pittsburgh Pro – 1st Place
10 Days Until the Chicago Pro – How Am I Feeling?
# Ten Days to Go: Paula Ranta Prepares to Defend Her Chicago Pro Title There are now only ten days left until the Chicago Pro, and I’m feeling really good. Of course, as the competition gets closer, there’s a little nervousness, but it’s the kind of excitement that comes with moments like these. More than anything, I’m looking forward to putting the finishing touches on my contest condition. The work has been done, and soon I’ll have the opportunity to step on stage and show everything we’ve worked so hard to achieve. I can honestly say we’ve managed to strip away those last remaining bits of body fat that were still there in Pittsburgh. Right now, my conditioning is exactly where we wanted it to be—extremely lean, dry and ready. ### Ville's Thoughts "As a coach, my role becomes extremely intensive at this stage. I'm monitoring Paula's condition, recovery and overall well-being practically around the clock. Right now, I can honestly say I'm extremely happy with the progress we've made since New York and Pittsburgh. Those last remaining traces of body fat around her lower back, lower lats and upper glutes are essentially gone. Her waist has become even tighter, and we've refined her posing even further. The overall package looks exactly the way we wanted it to." Overall, I feel fantastic. I'm still eating around 3,400 calories a day, so my energy levels remain high. My routine currently consists of two 60-minute cardio sessions alongside two weight-training sessions every day, meaning my overall energy expenditure is still incredibly high. One thing we've refused to compromise on throughout this prep is training intensity. My working weights have stayed consistent from the very beginning, which tells us we've managed this preparation intelligently. When the overall plan is right, you're able to keep training hard right until the end. ### Ville's Thoughts "One thing I'm particularly pleased with is that, as usual, we've actually been able to increase Paula's calories as the competition approaches. That tells us the preparation has progressed exactly as planned. When energy availability stays high, training quality stays high as well. We've never had to sacrifice intensity at any point during this prep." Before stepping on stage, I'll have one final massage. I never schedule one immediately before competing, so this one will be nine days out. The goal isn't deep tissue work—it's simply to loosen the body, relax the muscles and keep everything moving well. It's also been wonderful being here in Chicago with my husband and coach, Ville. We have complete trust in our plan, and that's something I never take for granted. ### Ville's Thoughts "Paula is an ideal athlete to coach. Not because she always agrees with everything, but because she's incredibly consistent. Every meal, every cardio session and every workout is completed exactly as planned. She also has the kind of stubbornness every elite athlete should have. She's never afraid to tell me exactly how she's feeling, and over time we've found a balance where her instincts and my coaching complement each other perfectly. That's one of our greatest strengths." "There's one more thing I'd like to say because it means a great deal to me as a coach. I'm incredibly grateful for the trust Paula has placed in me throughout this journey. She's trusted my vision and my expertise completely, even when we've made significant changes to her preparation. Last off-season, we made a very deliberate decision to prioritise developing Paula's back because we knew it was one of the areas with the greatest potential for improvement. I had a very clear vision of where I wanted to take it. But until that work actually appears on stage, it's still only a plan. That's when an athlete's trust becomes everything. Paula committed to the process every single day, even when the end result wasn't yet visible. Today, we can clearly see what long-term consistency, intelligent programming and complete trust can achieve. As a coach, that's been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey. Even so, we never believe the work is finished. That mindset is what allows us to improve from one competition to the next." The goal for Chicago is crystal clear. We're not aiming for anything less than victory. After Chicago, the plan is to head to the Texas Pro, but right now all of our attention is on one competition. We've always believed in taking one show at a time and giving our full focus to the moment we're in. I won this competition last year. This year, I'm returning to defend that title with exactly the same mindset—we're not giving up an inch. ### Ville's Thoughts "One thing that's always been important to us is analysing every competition thoroughly. After every show, we review everything in detail. Even after a victory, we're already looking at how we can improve the next package. We've made a few small adjustments heading into Chicago that we believe will elevate Paula's overall presentation even further. Competing is one of the greatest learning opportunities, and that's exactly why we've continued improving from one competition to the next." One thing I've learned over the years is that, at this stage of prep, you can no longer judge your own physique objectively. In many ways, I've become blind to how I actually look. As athletes, we're always chasing more. Leaner. Sharper. Better. No matter how good the condition is, it rarely feels good enough. That's why having Ville by my side is so important. Of course, the questions still creep into my mind. Am I lean enough? Am I good enough? Should I be doing more? Those thoughts are simply part of bodybuilding, and they appear before every competition. The difference is that I don't have to carry them on my own. I can tell Ville exactly how I'm feeling, and he sees the situation objectively. He's honest with me about where we are, and that honesty gives me tremendous confidence throughout the entire process. ### Ville's Thoughts "This is completely normal. Almost every elite athlete starts doubting themselves as competition day approaches. Paula regularly asks me whether everything is really okay. My job is to remain objective when the athlete no longer can. I can honestly say I'm one hundred percent confident in what we've built. The work has been done, her condition is exactly where it should be, and now our job is simply to make the right decisions each day leading into the competition." Looking back, I genuinely believe that if I'd had to carry those thoughts alone, this preparation would've been much harder. That's why I want to say something to anyone preparing for a competition. Don't be afraid to talk about how you're feeling. Don't bottle everything up. When your mind becomes overloaded with stress, your body eventually feels it too—and that's the last thing you need during prep. Right now, though, everything feels good. I'm happy. I trust the work we've done. And I can't wait to step back onto the Chicago Pro stage. ### Ville's Final Thoughts "We love being here in Chicago. Over the years, this city has become a familiar place filled with great friends and wonderful memories. Last year's victory will always be special, but it gives us no advantage this year. Every competition starts from zero. Every victory has to be earned again. We'll step onto that stage with humility, but with complete confidence in the work we've done."
From an Unknown Athlete to the Olympia Stage
If someone had told me at the beginning of 2024 that just a few years later I would be preparing for the Women’s Physique Olympia as the Pittsburgh Pro and New York Pro champion, very few people could have predicted the journey that would lead me here. The year 2024 was a year of major change. I made the bold decision to move from the Figure division to Women’s Physique. In many ways, the decision felt natural. The high heels were left behind, and in their place came posing that I have always enjoyed far more. Still, it was a complete leap into the unknown. Nobody knew what the future would hold—not the fans, not the competitors, and not even me. Although many people have only become familiar with me in recent years, the journey to this point has been a long one. I earned my IFBB Pro card at the age of 21, and now at 26 years old, I have already competed in 34 IFBB Pro League contests. These years have included countless successes, disappointments, lessons, growth as an athlete, and above all, growth as a person. Every competition has left its mark and taken me one step closer to becoming the athlete and individual I am today. At the same time, early in 2024, Ville and I crossed paths. Since then, we have been building this journey together, day by day. Ville serves as my coach, but in reality, our roles extend far beyond that. We live, breathe, and build this project together virtually around the clock. Every decision, success, setback, and step of progress is shared and analyzed together. Alongside competitive bodybuilding, we also run a coaching business through which we coach both competitive athletes and people pursuing lifestyle transformations from all around the world. Our days are filled with coaching clients, building our own development, creating content, and continuously learning. While the competition stage is what people see, the majority of the work happens far away from the spotlight. My first Women’s Physique competition was the 2024 Empro Pro, where I placed second. It was an excellent start to a new career path and a strong indication that we were moving in the right direction. At the same time, it was obvious that there was still a tremendous amount of work to be done. More muscle was needed, my posing was still in its learning phase, and the entire division was still a new world to me. But even then, something important clicked into place. We knew there was far more potential than what the scorecards were showing. Throughout the following contests, progress continued steadily, but the true breakthrough never fully materialized. I competed ten times, yet the feeling was often the same. The conditioning was good, but never quite what we knew it could be at its very best. Something always seemed to be missing. After the 2025 Shreveport Pro, it was time to make a difficult decision. Following that contest, we decided that from that point forward we would take complete control of every aspect of the process ourselves. This was not about blame or criticism of the past. We had shared many valuable experiences and competitions together, but in sport there are moments when you must be willing to make a change if you truly believe you are capable of achieving more. It was not an easy decision. For many athletes, the hardest part is not the training or the diet—it is making decisions when emotions are involved. In this situation, I had to put aside my naturally sensitive way of thinking and view everything purely through the eyes of an athlete. If your goal is to reach the very top of the world, sometimes you have to make decisions that feel uncomfortable. Looking back, that decision changed everything. Since Shreveport, every competition except the Olympia has ended with a podium finish. Eventually came victories at both the Pittsburgh Pro and the New York Pro—shows that every professional athlete dreams of winning. There was no single magic trick behind the success. The biggest change was simply that every aspect of the process became exceptionally consistent. The off-season and contest prep now look almost identical. Training, nutrition, recovery, daily structure, and routines remain the same throughout the year. The only significant difference is the amount of carbohydrates. The training structure is simple but demanding. We train three consecutive days with both morning and evening sessions, followed by one rest day. Then the cycle starts again. Cardio is performed every morning and every evening. Nutrition is built around the same fundamentals both during the off-season and during contest preparation. This lifestyle requires an extraordinary level of commitment. It is not always easy, nor should it be. But it is precisely that consistency that has made continuous progress possible. At the same time, it is important to understand that building something like this is never the accomplishment of one person alone. While the athlete stands alone on stage, there are always people behind the scenes whose impact is immeasurable. Reaching this level requires the right people around you—people who understand the sacrifices required and are willing to support them day after day. Support is not just about encouragement during the good times. It means understanding when the days become long, when schedules revolve entirely around competition, and when life demands constant discipline. It means having someone who understands why you do what you do, even when it is not the easiest or most comfortable path. In our case, that support has been completely mutual. We have built this journey together, supported each other through both victories and challenges, and shared the same vision of what we want to achieve. Without trust, understanding, and mutual commitment, we would not be where we are today. Now it is June 2026. Victories at the Pittsburgh Pro and New York Pro are behind us, and next on the schedule are the Chicago Pro and Texas Pro before the ultimate goal of the season—the Olympia. Chicago holds special significance for us because it is the contest I won in 2025. After that, we will travel to Texas for approximately a month to train at our friend’s gym before heading to Las Vegas to finalize preparations for the Olympia. Many people have asked why I continue competing after those victories instead of focusing exclusively on the Olympia. The answer is simple. Because I love this. The energy is there. The motivation is there. My health is good. And my passion for the sport is greater than ever. Many people said after Pittsburgh and New York that it was time to slow down and focus solely on Olympia preparation. But that does not feel right to me. When I feel good, continue progressing, remain healthy, and genuinely enjoy the process, I also want to compete. For me, competing is not just about placings and trophies. It is also a way to bring visibility to the sport. Social media, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, competitions, events, and now this blog are all part of the same mission. I want to show people what happens behind the scenes in this sport and share both the successes and challenges as honestly as possible. I am writing this blog because I want to document this journey authentically. Social media often shows only competition days, placings, and victories, but behind those moments are thousands of hours of work, uncertainty, learning, setbacks, and small victories that nobody else sees. Through this blog, I also want to bring you closer to who I am as a person—not just the competitor seen on stage or in contest photos, but the human being behind it all. Behind every athlete is a person with their own thoughts, emotions, insecurities, successes, and dreams. Social media often shows only a small fraction of the full picture, and it can never fully capture the reality of living this lifestyle day after day. Through this blog, I want to share the more personal side of this journey as well. The things that may never be visible on stage, in photos, or in videos, but that ultimately matter the most. This blog was created for the same reason as everything else we do: A pure love for the sport. And if, along the way, we can inspire even one person to pursue their own dreams a little more courageously, then we have accomplished our mission.
