Eyy! What’s crackalackin guys? Masala Maker here with an in person interview with Nat “Nyaaati” Cordoba a cosplayer, videogamer, artist, fellow fur parent and full time badass strength enthusiast. I was with my partner last month for HEXCON, a hobby convention all the way up top in Baguio for boothing our wares and got the chance to meet Nat out of sheer coincidence. She did a presentation on Powerlifting as she took the stage soon after we talked about how we both lift in the same gym chain and talked about doing a possible interview, It took a few weeks but we got to finally sit down and chat at Kinetix Lab UPTC’s Recovery Room with this hardworking up and coming future phenom. Bear with the self indulgent video game talk hyped up by yours truly but without further ado here’s our conversation with Nyaaati.
What about Hexcon? You did a hobby convention in Baguio, a 6 hour ride away. Why’d you choose powerlifting as the presentation on stage?
Nyaati: It’s the one thing I really like talking about, obviously I do cosplay and I draw. For the past two years powerlifting is the only thing I really like doing and learning about especially.
When it comes to reception, I saw people on the floor watching and listening to you talk about SBD.
Nyaati: Surprisingly, I was worried cause a lot of people that like pop culture, video games and anime don’t work out. I was worried they wouldn’t be interested but then a lot of people asked questions and I got messages and comments later on. There was one dude who went up to me and said I didn’t know who you were and I saw you wearing notorious lifts and I knew you were a Powerlifter.
Carlos: Have you ever gotten any cosplayers or weabs into lifting?
Nyaati: Into working out, yes. Into powerlifting one guy in particular a friend from my video game voice casting circle really got into it.
Carlos: How about cosplay? How’d you get started with that.
Nyaati: I was into videogames and animes since I was a kid. In high school i wanted to get into it cause budget at the time and its unlike now that there’s shoppee and easy sources. I started proper cosplaying after college several years ago.
Carlos: How’d you get started with lifting?
Nyaati: I used to be really thin as my natural body type. Might’ve been getting older, work stress and my bad diet. I kinda hated how I looked. I did home workouts during the pandemic and bought adjustable dumbells, someone gave me their old rack, barbell and plates. Originally I was just looking for a nutritionist and then Coach Paulo messaged me. I saw Paulo compete while I was training at Kinetix with body recomposition as the goal. He won second place, I saw Anya Dara. Savi and Marco compete too. I was watching all of them compete while there was a convention at the same time going back and forth between two venues while in cosplay * laughs*
After I saw him compete I messaged him and he talked me into powerlifting and I said yes!
TOP 5 Animes?
Nyaati:
Code Geass
Loveless
Gurren Lagann
Full Metal Alchemist
Top 5 GAMES?
Nyaaati:
Final Fantasy tactics
.hack gu
The World Ends With You
Persona 3
Shin Megami Tensei
Carlos: I don’t even know? The World Ends With You?
Nyaaati: It’s so good. ITS SO GOOD. It started with the 3DS
Carlos: Do you have a 3DS?
Nyaaati: I USED TO HAVE A 3DS.
Carlos: I want one just so I can play the old Fire Emblem Games!
Nyaaati: I prefer SMT over the Persona series.
Carlos: Another one for the last?
Nyaaati: Fire Emblem Awakening I like that one but there’s Bravely Default and Triangle Strategy
Carlos: I have those! But I’m scared of starting it out cause It’s such a damn timesink I might lose my life to it. HAHA
Nyaaati: I’m so close to finishing Bravely Default but I don’t wanna finish it cause I don’t want it to end.
OH my god wait Hotline Miami!
It’s so ultra-violent and hard
When I first played it OMG. So, I downloaded it and friends where watching me stream it. The first stage alone I was so bad at this I don’t play games like this. It took me hours to beat the first stage, I beat it eventually.
Carlos: You’re the real deal OMG. There are a lot of gamer girl archetypes of women stereotypes of gamers, not gatekeepy at all but there are people that just do it as an aesthetic but not really good at gaming.
Nyaaati: I was talking to my friend the other day I was saying I don’t wanna gatekeep at all and she told me “No I’m gonna gatekeep all of them!!!” We both have this thing where we both haven’t played a Zelda game. We have a logic that if you have to play a game you play it from the start of the franchise haha.
I’ve played a lot of Final Fantasy games and I’ve never finished any aside from Crisis Core.
Carlos: People keep talking to me about their FF games and ask me which ones my favourite and I can’t say anything aside from Tactics. I think the job system has revolutionized the genre.
Nyaaati: I finished that game more than 20 times! I keep playing it over and over again in a new game.
Carlos: The only reason I work so hard so that I could eventually settle down and play videogames in my old age. I bought all of the Valkyria Chronicles but I can’t even start on it cause an hour or two is not enough to warm up for JRPGS.
Carlos: Do you stream?
Nyaaati: I used to. I make stream layouts for really close friends, someone commisioned me for a full on stream layout and art for his stuff. It’s fun.
Carlos: How about powerlifting do you have goals to compete in the future?
Nyaaati: Once i hit certain numbers. A lot of my friends keep telling me to but I’m like DO YOU SEE?? Do you seee Saviiii~ If she can do it I can do it too. 100 kg Squat, 60-65 kg bench and a 120 kg deadlift.
Carlos: How about the influencer thing? Do you have any plans for that?
Nyaaati: I like cosplaying but I’d rather use that as a channel to get people into lifting. Not necessarily powerlifting but I always encourage my friends to find an activity they like and stick to it. I’ve tried bouldering, wall climbing I used to swim a lot, hiking, boxing and boxing stuff. So I always encourage people to do that. I don’t necessarily encourage pure bodybuilding. I don’t like how it leads some people, especially women to be too fixated. I also have body goals of course but I like going at it in a healthy steady pace.
My one friend and his girlfriend, they’re trying to diet down at the same time and she got put on 1300 calories, meal plan and she’s not used to it. She was complaining cause she feels hungry blablabla. Then on the weekend she goes ordering out and her suffering is for nothing.
Carlos: Now you’re talking about nutrition, hows your nutritional approach?
Nyaaati: I didn’t know anything about nutrition before then I got into cooking. Oh and another thing, I post recipes on my Facebook and Twitter page. I got into cooking thanks to fitness. When I first started cooking and working out. For a while all i would eat was kimichi cause it was low calorie. After that I got into cooking, I live alone so no one else is gonna eat the food so i started cooking for myself. I started calorie counting, which works for me and it doesnt work for eeeeeveryone.
For most people they get so fixated. Normally you’d get fixated on numbers but I will remind friends not to get too crazy and fixated. I normally eat a lot, my maintenance is around 1400-1500 k cals. Now my nutrition is better. I figured out my macros work. It’s so different with girls? I dont know if its a height thing or body type thing. 1300-1400 for me I can be very okay with it. To sustain that my minimum fat would have to be 50-60 grams a day or else I’d probably feel hungry. Which doesn’t work if you approach it with percentages type breakdowns.
Carlos: Do you believe in balancing lifting, work and hobbies? Is balance possible?
Nyaaati: I have to (* laughs*) I gotta HAHA.
Carlos: What are your tips or what works for you in balancing everything? You have of output.
Nyaaati: I have a full time job, I do freelance illustrations where thankfully my clients are very patient. I have the cosplay content, the cooking content and a monthly photoshoot output and then my cats, working out and then I live alone and rest obviously.
Carlos: HOW?
Nyaaati: I have a schedule and I stick to it. We gotta learn to say no to somethings. I have a friend who asked me to go to a movie on monday which is my rest day so technically I could and I was like noooo I’m too tired.
Carlos: Saying no is such a powerful thing HAHA.
Nyaaati: I still try to fit things when I can but it’s like what I do to compensate when I do say no to friends is more like I’m there for you online if you need someone to talk to and they see how busy I am.
Carlos: How about working with Pao how is working with a coach working for you?
Carlos: I always recommend when people ask me. If you can afford to get a coach, get a coach. Depending on what activity you’re into find someone who’s good at it. Cause so many people they’re like “wHyIS YeR ArCh LiEk ThAtt” “dOeSnT yOuR BaCk HuRT?”
Carlos: Your comment sections are entertaining for me on how wild some men and comments are on it.
Nyaaati: On FB i try not to reply, I’ve learned to like ignore them.
Carlos: I was gonna say, I wanted to interview you but seeing how feisty you are on your comment sections I was like uhmmmm
Nyaaati: *laughs* So many people HAHA Someone told me “I was kinda scared to meet you cause you might try to fight with me if I haven’t done anything” “You’re so chill pala” HAHAHAHA
On Twitter I’m not necessarily nice. People on Twitter know how to take shit. On FB they can’t take what they dish out.
Carlos: Last advice for weabs and fellow women who want to get into lifting
Nyaaati: Just do it! Have fun with it, be safe. Generally don’t overshoot. Don’t go too heavy right away. Get a coach if you can. I guess for women in particular. Don’t mind it when other people try to discredit your lifting. Because it will make you look this way or that or seem a certain way.
Our conversation with Nat “Nyaaati” Cordoba has been a whirlwind journey through the worlds of cosplay, gaming, and strength training. Her passion for these diverse interests is truly inspiring, and her dedication to promoting a healthy and balanced approach to life shines through.
From her starting out as a fan of video games and anime to becoming a powerlifter and cosplayer herself, Nat has shown us that pursuing your passions is a journey worth taking. Her infectious enthusiasm for these passions shines through, and her ability to balance them with her busy life is truly inspiring. Her advice to fellow weabs and women looking to get into lifting is clear: Just do it, have fun, and be safe.
Don’t let anyone undermine your efforts or define who you are. As we bid farewell to this incredible interview, we can’t help but be motivated by Nat’s enthusiasm and zest for life. Whether you’re into cosplay, gaming, or strength training, her story reminds us that with dedication and a balanced approach, you can excel in multiple areas of life.
Thank you, Nyaaati for sharing your story, your passions, and your energy with us. Keep lifting, keep cosplaying, and keep being the phenomenal individual you are. Until next time, this is Masala Maker signing off. Stay strong, stay passionate, and keep chasing your dreams!
