She is the brains behind the brawn, the beating heart behind the ‘Hurricane’ fight game, whilst being so much more than that herself and the mastermind of Mar Fit PT.
Mafisia Lanza, originally from Tarsia, in the Calabria region of Southern Italy, where she grew up living on a farm and took in that of amateur dancing, soon found herself in the East Midlands, and that of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border.
A long way from home, Lanza, now seven months or so shy of her thirtieth birthday, has already packed much into her still, youthful years.
Educated at the Ist. Magistrale Lucrezia Della Valle, dancing was, pretty much her life, but, the move to England, brought about changes, several of them and, although she returns home a couple of times a year, Worksop, and Clowne, are where her heart lies, dancing though, is a miss.
“I started dancing when I was like, five years old, back home in Southern Italy,” began Mafisia.
“I did that until I was what, eighteen, and, although it was just amateur dancing, when I moved to England, I was really wanting to do something sportier, whilst also wanting to help people get stronger within themselves.
“Moving here, around a decade ago (2013), the dancing, it wasn’t working for me, so I ended up getting a regular job, but yes, even now, I’d have loved to have carried on dancing, and make a career from it.
“With that though (dancing), my weight was always up and down, because of food, so I wanted the knowledge and to be stronger within myself.
“I’ve actually only been a vegan the past five years, but there’s always a part of me that doesn’t know any different.
“Through research though, I found that I could do better and, in moving here, to Worksop/Nottinghamshire, the options, they’re much better for me – I lived on a farm back home.”
In making a better life for herself, Lanza has not only set up her own, little, Personal Training empire, which continues to flourish, but she has also gained a number of, hard-working, qualifications, along the way.
In setting up Mar Fit PT, pre-pandemic, she has done so alongside earning that of a Level Three Personal Trainer, Level Two Nutrition Coach, and Level Two Vegan Nutrition Coach qualification, whilst also being a PT and Nutrition Coach, at Anytime Fitness, in Worksop.
It was there, at Anytime Fitness, she became close friends with, and a trainer for, Worksop’s female pro boxer, Nicola ‘Hurricane’ Hopewell.
“I find things more open-minded here (England), more opportunities, so I do think I made the best choice,” continued Lanza.
“The Personal Training, I’ve only been doing that around four years.
“Mainly gym-based, but I’m starting to spread my wings more into an online capacity; I’m just constantly challenging, and expressing myself and love being able to reach more people.
“But then, I also love being out there, on the gym floor, with my clients.
“(Working with) Nicola (Hopewell) she joined the gym I work at, and I love boxing as it is (my father boxed) so, we quickly became friends.
“I always wanted to work with athletes so to be able to work with her, its perfect and the fact we’re now really close friends, it makes things a whole lot easier really.”
Earlier this year, and along with everything else in which she does, and there’s a bit, Lanza’s personal growth continues to blossom at the same time.
Blossom so much that, throughout 2022, she has also turned her body, and mind, to the noble art of bodybuilding, a sport focussing on aesthetics which has been in existence since the late, nineteenth century, and was part of the World Games for around three decades (1981 2009).
In late September this year (2022), Lanza took in her first competition, under PCA (Physical Culture Association) auspices; providing a little insight into what that entailed for her, she continued in saying: “From a sporting perspective, it’s easier to help her (Nicola) maintain her prep, discipline and approach.
“That’s maybe because I’m already training and, to be honest, I have been for over two years, as a bodybuilder.
“With that, I was following that lifestyle anyway so I spoke with my now coach (Megan Sylvester-Cielen, IFBB Pro Figure competitor & Online Coach), to see about my doing that, trying it even once, and see what happened, and I loved it; it’s actually the hardest challenge I’ve done.
“It’s more body than mind, and everything goes towards that goal; you have to constantly live the life and there’s a good, 20+ weeks prep for a competition alone with no breaks until after the show.
“It’s a case of wanting to lose the weight/body fat in order to make your body look the best when you get on stage.
“I did think though, after the show, things would get a little easier, but it’s still something of a challenge, and you have to adapt, certain things that you have to do which is actually hard to accept as you’re looking towards the next show.
“It never stops, and you have to be organised, every day really, and the competing, it depends on the federation you’re entering, and qualification for the final itself.
“For me, that first one (September), it was just a test as you need the time to settle yourself in.”
Now the dust has all but settled on 2022, for Lanza, and for Hopewell for that matter, they do tend to go hand-in-hand at times, the PT/Coach/Bodybuilder is planning for the future, well, the next few years at least.
Knowing that, with her being a vegan, then she needs to be in a more surplus state for considerable periods, whilst continue to grow.
“My plans now, for bodybuilding, it will be to compete in 2024 as I need the time to build, to balance the body in a good way,” she explained, “Whilst coaching-wise, I’d love to continue building the brand I have, especially in the online world.”
Keep up-to-date with Mafisia Lanza’s coaching, nutrition, and bodybuilding world, via her socials on Facebook and Twitter also, check out her YouTube channel here.
*Article provided by Peter Mann (Senior Correspondent).
*Main image @newfocusphotography Born in Italy Mafisia Lanza now lives & works in Worksop.
