Age no barrier as Lewis prepares for pro tour
Upon deciding to recommence training last December under her new coach and mentor Daniel Tramontana, Lewis is thankful for being able to keep her women's over-40 category pro card.
After four years away from the sport, Jewish Melburnian Martine Lewis is making an inspirational natural bodybuilding comeback, preparing for her first professional overseas competition later this year, by which time she will be 50.
“It took me a while to get my head back into the game, because of the lockdown periods, and just because life got really busy as a mum, a PE teacher, and a personal trainer,” Lewis said.
“But then I thought, I’ve got to start training and competing again, and doing things that feed my soul, and fill my cup.
“What a fantastic time, turning 50, to show people – especially other women – that it doesn’t really matter what age you are.
“Your body, and the way you train, may be changing, but age is just a number, and is no reason to not give it a go.”
Lewis last competed in the spring of 2019, as a women’s masters amateur in major Australasian Natural Bodybuilding and Ms Fitness Australia tournaments, winning several titles to earn a 12 month Pro Status card.
Upon deciding to recommence training last December under her new coach and mentor Daniel Tramontana, Lewis is thankful for being able to keep her women’s over-40 category pro card.
That has enabled her to enter 2023 pro tournaments including Ms Fitness Australia in October in the Gold Coast, and the Fitness America Weekend in Hollywood in November, which will be her international debut.
The former sprinter for Maccabi began competing in natural bodybuilding nine years ago, and enjoys training now as much as ever, but just in a different way.
“It’s the beginning of a new fitness journey for me, as I’m taking a more holistic approach, using tools and techniques I’d learned when Melbourne was in lockdown, like meditation, breath work, journalling, and tapping,” Lewis said.
“My new coach worked out what percentage of body mass and muscle I needed to gain, and recommended taking a slow and steady approach, starting just before Chanukah with implementing meal planning and food prep.
“We’ve now increased the intensity of my weights training, and re-introduced some cardio.
“Approaching 50, my training feels a little bit harder on my body, but that’s just how it is.
“My kids are inspired by my progress, and just having a coach and mentor like Daniel has been so important, to stay accountable.”
The other focus of her training is on posing.
“Each federation has their own competition judges, posing techniques they prefer, and also what not to do,” she said.
“Having not competed for four years, I felt like I was starting from scratch in a way, but my coach says once I’m on stage again, I’ll be fine.
“I’m only months away from two big pro events, so it’s almost like my brain has switched, and I’ve got that really motivated and determined feeling back.
“I’m so looking forward to the new experience of competing on the international stage, and the fun of being around natural bodybuilding athletes from all over the world.”
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