Irena Andersen, one of the most successful female bodybuilders in the IFBB, is also a dedicated trainer who continues to inspire with her impressive strength and discipline. In a recent Instagram video, Andersen talked about her upcoming competition, giving her followers a glimpse into her preparation. Wearing a black tank top, she tagged her training company, Wings Of Strength, in the post, showcasing her commitment to the bodybuilding community. Andersen has been consistently training since she was 15 years old, and she attributes much of her success to muscle memory and hard work. Beyond the gym, Andersen is passionate about advocating for female bodybuilders and enjoys the companionship of her dogs, which she often features on Instagram. From lifting weights to walking regularly, Andersen embraces a well-rounded fitness routine. Here's a deeper dive into the habits that keep her at the top of her game in bodybuilding and life.
1. She’s Consistent
Andersen makes sure to work out on a consistent basis. She talked about this in an interview on Wings Of Strength’s website. “I first started working out in a gym when I was 15 years old. I benefit from both muscle memory and muscle maturity. I’ve been training consistently for so long my body considers this degree of development to be ‘normal.’”
2. She Wants To Bring Attention To Female Bodybuilders
In her Wings Of Strength interview, Andersen talked about wanting to bring attention to the great female bodybuilders out there. “Even though I am in my fifties, I don’t feel I am slowing down. I am looking forward to the Rising Phoenix and the Ms. Olympia. And I am very happy with the reception Too Big For The World has received. Bodybuilding for women is truly ‘Something New Under The Sun’ and I look forward to more people coming to understand and appreciate what female bodybuilders have accomplished.”
3. She Plays With Her Dogs
Andersen has dogs, whom she prominently features on Instagram. She shared this video on her page of herself playing with one of them. According to Harvard Health, having a dog has a lot of benefits. “A growing body of solid research shows that owning a dog can: provide companionship, help you be more active, make kids calmer, more secure, and more responsible, improve the lives of older individuals, help you be calmer, more mindful, and more present in your life, make you more social and less isolated, ease stress.”
4. She Uses Weights
Being a bodybuilder, Andersen naturally likes to work out with weights. She shared this video on Instagram of herself using a dumbbell. ACE Fitness states that using weights has a lot of health benefits. “Lifting heavy weights increases production of the hormone IGF-1. This hormone is related to the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is a neurotransmitter responsible for stimulating the growth of new neural pathways in the brain along with enhancing communication between existing pathways. In short, lifting heavy could make you smarter by enhancing cognitive function.”
5. She Walks
In this Instagram video, Andersen is seen walking. Harvard Health reports that walking has a lot of benefits. “Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight. Among the study participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half.”
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