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."