–I read on your homepage that you were very successful in powerlifting. Would you describe yourself more as a power lifter or more as a bodybuilder?
Lisa Aukland: Basically I gave up real powerlifting. I don't compete anymore either. I still incorporate these movements into my workouts (bench press, deadlift, and squat), but I'm not doing the maximum weight for single or supersets. I now consider myself a bodybuilder, but I owe my basic development to powerlifting.

—What is your training like? More like bodybuilding or more powerlifting?
Lisa Aukland: My training is aimed at getting an aesthetic and balanced physique, not like the powerlifting before. I train to shape my body, no longer so that I can lift the heaviest weights.

—What was your best performance in powerlifting?
Lisa Aukland: In a competition I pressed about 137 kg on the bench, in the deadlift 205 kg and in the squat 200 kg. I would have done better in the studio.

—Please describe your training.
Lisa Aukland: I train five days a week and every day I train a different part of the body.
I start with the legs on Monday, the shoulders on Tuesday, the back on Thursday, the chest on Friday and the arms on Saturday and Sunday. I train as hard as I can for six to 20 reps, depending on the exercise.
I do more reps for the legs and fewer reps for the important back exercises. I do cardiovascular exercises twice a day (90 minutes in total) during competitions.
Between competitions, I do 30-40 minutes of cardio a day.
I vary my training with the stepper (Stair Master), the treadmill and the cross trainer.
I also use my bike now and then, but rarely.

–What part of your body do you like to exercise the most?
Lisa Aukland: I love to train my legs.

— Please give us some exercises for this.
Lisa Aukland: To warm up, I do lunges or hamstrings and leg extensions. I do four repetitions for most of the exercises.
I do one or more strength exercises then move on to the toning and hamstring exercises. As I do more strength exercises, I do squats for 10-20 repetitions, frontal squats for 10-20 repetitions, and 45 ° leg presses for 15-20 repetitions. I vary my leg position with these “wide”, “close” and “normal” settings. I do 2-3 defining exercises of: weight lunges, short weight lunges (I love them), hamstrings and leg extensions with light weights and lots of reps. I keep changing the composition. I never do the same exercise twice in a day. For the hamstrings, I usually do deadlifts with legs outstretched (with both legs or with one leg), hamstrings with weights, sitting and lying down.

—What is it that fascinates you about bodybuilding?
Lisa Aukland: I love the challenge of getting in shape. I am fascinated by the changes that arise during the process. It is a huge bonus that other people recognize your hard work.

— What would you change in women bodybuilding?
Lisa Aukland: I have a long wish list, but to start with: the judging cycle would have to evolve so that the same judges don't always judge the same woman on a show (smaller shows are not the problem); we need more women's judgment for women bodybuilding; more women in leadership roles in the organization; reasonable prize money for the professional shows. Furthermore, I would like to see professional women bodybuilders on the same stage as professional men in bodybuilding and not with this fitness and figure demarcation.

— What would you recommend to women who are just starting out with bodybuilding?
Lisa Aukland: I would say she should pay close attention to the diet, read everything you can get your hands on about it and train seriously and with great intensity. For those who want to do it competitively: Hire a professional bodybuilder who has been there and participated.

— What are your plans for 2007?
Lisa Aukland: First, I'd like to defend my title on the Atlantic City Pro Show in September. And after that I would be qualified for the Ms. Olympia 2007. And there I would compete 2 weeks later.

Ambitious goals but good luck to you.

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