This time on Global Profile, we meet a young Cuban athlete that has already made a tremendous impact in the bodybuilding scene in the Nordic countries. He has only begun his journey in bodybuilding and is now set to make it as an IFBB Pro one day.
Rising Muscle welcomes NORDIC PROFILE: NIRO DE LA RUA
Country: Cuba but currently living in Norway.
Age: 25
Height: 173 cm 56. ft
Occupation: Naprapath
Weight on: weighed in at 87kg / 215 lbs in last competition off / currently at 108 kg / 230 lbs.
Contest background:
1st place Luciapokalen 2010, BB -70kg junior
3rd place BMR GP 2013, BB -90kg
2nd place Oslo GP 2013, BB -90kg
1st place Norway Open 2014, BB -90kg + Overall
11th place Arnold Classic Madrid 2014, BB -85kg
2nd place Swedish Nationals 2014, BB -90kg
RM: Niro, would you like to tell us how you got involved in the sport of bodybuilding?
ND: Growing up in a communist Cuba in the early 90’s, my uncle owned one of the few “illegal” gyms with decent equipment in the city of Havana and ran it back then as a small business. Just off the record, all the equipment was homebuilt! Looking back now it seems like a miracle nobody got seriously injured or killed. Anyway, there was always a big crowd of bodybuilders at the gym, a comradery you couldn’t find anywhere else. Since I could stand, my uncle brought me along almost every day and I grew up in that environment. I don’t remember the first time I walked into the gym, I was simply too young. It has just been a second home for as long as I can remember. I feel very comfortable inside a gym with loud music playing and iron plates clanging & banging.
I had always longed for competing and looking like Flex Magazine and Muscular Development pros. But living in a small village in the south of Sweden was never the right springboard which could enable me to take the final crucial step. I just kept on training and never really gave the matter much attention until I met my good friend and ultimate inspiration Joakim Hetland. We met at the Scandinavian College of Naprapathic Manual Medicine in Stockholm where we both studied and just then did I g
RM: Being born and raised in Cuba, what made you decide to move all the way up to Norway?
ND: My mother worked as translator for a paper company in Cuba. She was assigned to work with a Swedish consultant that came to Cuba to assist the Cubans in marketing and manufacturing paper.
Long story short: They fell in love, got married, the Cubans never learned anything, the company went broke, the Swedish company terminated its collaborations with Cuba. My mother followed Hans-Olof back to Sweden in -97. I came to Sweden in February 99 – the coldest and darkest month of the year. I lived there until January 2014 when it was time to move over to Norway – practically the same country! to start up my coaching and naprapathy business together with Joakim.
RM: What is your next goal in your career of bodybuilding and how far do you want to go?
ND: Right now I’ve just finished the fall 2014 season. I didn’t reach my goal of winning the Swedish Nationals and further compete in the Nordic Championships. Despite a second place I must admit that I was very pleased with the image I managed to show on the stage this year. Therefore the present goal is getting back to work, improving my physique and minimizing my weaknesses. I have a definite picture in mind of what I want to present next time I step on stage. It’s just a matter of hard work over time and let’s see when I get there. I’m not in a rush. Quality takes time to build.
My ambitions within the sport are to become as good enough as to being able to represent Sweden – or Norway? – internationally. Becoming a good amateur bodybuilder; a worthy ambassador of my sport as well as evolving my physique to what I believe is my full potential is my goal. As Kai Greene once said “In the mind of every artist there is a masterpiece”. I don’t have any vague ideas or ambitions of becoming an IFBB professional or similar. If I, by some small miracle, manage to WIN a pro-card, I’ll accept it gladly and put it to good use. But I don’t strive for being handed one.
Another dream is helping the sports industry to develop and grow here in the Scandinavian countries. Besides being good ambassadors, I believe that the only way we’ll reach a higher acceptance level and acknowledgment as athletes is by educating the public about our sport. For the average Joe it’s very difficult to grasp what we as competitors need to do to achieve that ultimate look you see at a competition stage. The public just sees the athletes in very small posing suits, all soaked in a fake tan and flexing their muscles. Therefore we are labeled as an egocentric or narcissist sport. But that’s not even one quarter of what our sport is all about. The passion, the drive, the sacrifice and hard work, that’s what needs to be highlighted. We athletes work as hard, if not harder than any football or ice-hockey player and therefore we should at least receive the same amount of respect.
RM: How would you describe your training style?
ND: It all depends in what phase of training I’m at. I have power phases, strength phases, volume phases and so on. High intensity and giving all is a must, though. There is no substitute for hard work.
RM: What kind of interests do you have besides weight training?
ND: Food, movies, date nights with my girlfriend and if I can spare some time I really enjoy spending some hours with my PlayStation. But unfortunately, I rarely have the time for that anymore.
RM: If you were put on a deserted Island and you had to pick two IFBB Pro bodybuilders to live along with you – maybe the rest of your life – which ones would it be and why?
ND: I would go with Dennis James because he seems like a cool and funny person. He could keep the spirit positive and the laughs on a high note. Secondly, Dorian Yates could come along as well. Dorian seems like a very smart and educated gentleman. I think we could have some good conversations about bodybuilding and life in general. I believe we have a similar point of view in a couple of topics regarding our sport.
RM: What does bodybuilding mean to you?
ND: For me it represents living a dedicated lifestyle devoted at mastering your craft: The craft of creating and shaping your physique according to an ideal picture of how you strive to look like. Bodybuilding is a 24 hour sport; you need to be consistent with your diet and training day in and out, every day, even during off-seasons. Of course, I do enjoy life more during my off-season compared with my dieting period. But still, you need to prep your food and bring it along every day. Stay on track with your training. Do your cardio. Take care of your body and ensure avoiding injuries. It’s only by being dedicated to this craft and aspiring daily to be a small percentage better than what you were yesterday that you reach your full potential. Only you are responsible for your success or your failure, there’s no one else to point a finger at.
RM: In the finals is there anyone you
I would like to give a big shutout to my sponsor Gymgrossisten. I’m very fortunate and grateful that they approached me and offered me a sponsorship deal so early on in my career – I’ve been working with them for a year now. Their trust in my ability both as an athlete and in my profession as a naprapath and diet coach means a lot to me. Hopefully we will continue our cooperation for many more years to come.
Big thanks to my best friend and business partner Joakim Hetland for being a pair of extra eyes during the final crucial stages of my diet; for pushing me through bad ass workouts when I was totally depleted and for always believing in me.
Another great guy I need to mention is Richard Andreasson from Stenungssund, Sweden. Thank you for all the effort, work and time you’ve put into me and my competitions during this summer/autumn. I also want to mention and extend my gratitude to Andre Thesen and the rest of the crew at City Gym 24/7 Sandnes. Thank you for taking me in as one of you, making me feel at home and all the support through this long competition season.
My girlfriend Josefin needs a lot of credit for sticking with me through this long and taxing road. Every 
And of course you can never leave out Mom. Love you mom, and thanks for… well, EVERYTHING!
Last but not least, thank you Anders and Rising Muscle for the opportunity of having me on your site.
Niro, thank you for making this interview with us, we really appreciate this. From our perspective, being passionate about the sport of bodybuilding, we see a very bright future ahead of you if you continue your quest through hard work and dedication. We are looking forward to follow your career and we wish you all the best.
To contact Niro:
[email protected]
http://instagram.com/dela_rua
facebook.com/niro.delarua
www.citynaprapati.com
Photo credits: first picture: muscle.se last one: Jon Klasbu.
