Heat Healer interview with champion Australian boxer Nicila Costello

Heat Healer interview with champion Australian boxer Nicila Costello (@nicila_)

Nicila Costello is a professional boxer who recently won the Australian Women’s Super Flyweight Title, taking down her opponent by knockout just 43 seconds into the first round. Here Nicila chats to Heat Healer about everything from how boxing builds mental and physical resilience, to tried and tested techniques for reaching her optimum fighting weight, without sacrificing performance.

Congratulations on your recent (and very decisive) win!! When did you decide to get into boxing? Thanks so much! I’m absolutely stoked with the win. I actually didn’t start boxing until my late 20s. I’d always been in fitness and different sports, but I was looking for a new challenge. I went in for my first session with my coach Todd, and I knew right away that this was what I was meant to be doing - and we’ve never looked back. Boxing is, hands down, one of the most grueling sports, both physically and mentally. But that’s also what makes it so rewarding. It builds an incredible level of mental and physical resilience. I’ve grown so much through this sport, and I truly believe that challenging ourselves is one of the greatest gifts we have. That’s why I love boxing, why I’m still here, and why I’m determined to go all the way. 

For people who may not know about the kind of preparation required for a title fight, can you explain why weight is so important? Weight is everything in boxing because it defines which class you compete in. For a title fight, it’s non-negotiable - you miss your target weight, and you’re out of the title shot, not to mention the financial hit. It might seem crazy to people (why not just fight at your natural weight?) but cutting weight can give you a serious edge. If done right, you can come into the ring bigger and stronger. Of course, on the flip side, a bad weight cut can wreck your performance, so it’s a delicate balance.

What else is important for you when preparing for a fight? The biggest consideration for me is being able to manage stress and juggle everything else in my life without burning out. I work full-time, my partner works full-time, and we have a toddler with no family nearby to step in if we’re in a bind (which every parent knows is often!) So when you’ve got big titles on the line, it’s a juggle to keep training, recovery, and prep on point without everything else falling apart. I think we’re pretty good at this balance, but it’s definitely taken time to master. Especially recovery - both physical and mental. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of sacrificing my recovery, and it always catches up with me in the end. 

You can train as hard as you want, or want it more than anything, but if you’re not recovering, you can’t reap the rewards. When it comes down to what’s important, boxing is my passion, and I’m determined to be the best in the world (and I believe I will be). But at the end of the day, it’s not my entire identity. I’m also a partner, a mother, and a business owner, and I want to excel in all of those roles - not just in the ring. So for me it’s important to balance the physical, mental, and emotional side of each of those to get the greatest outcome of all.  

In the lead up to this fight, how did you use Heat Healer’s activated lymphatic onesie? I was lucky to get the new  activated lymphatic onesie  exactly a week before the weigh-in, which aligned perfectly with the start of my weight cut. I used it at night, wearing it to bed and sleeping in it, which meant I was in it for about seven to eight hours each day. I figured that getting a good chunk of time in the suit would be the best approach, and honestly - it was the easiest weight cut I’ve ever had. For context, I would normally drop five to six kilos during a fight week. This time though, I dropped 5.5 kilos in just five days, and was able to avoid many of the weight cut tactics that I normally do, that can end up impacting my performance. Previously I would be scrambling every second of weigh-in day doing intense sweat sessions which can leave you unable to recover and refuel properly before the fight. But because I dropped water weight so much easier with the lymphatic onesie, I cruised into weigh-in day already on weight. It was a game changer! Although I didn’t get a chance to do it during this camp, I will definitely wear it in future when training as well (though I am known for never wearing tights, so this will probably confuse people!) 

For someone who hasn't tried it, can you describe how it feels to wear the onesie? Honestly, when you’re wearing the onesie, it’s not something you really notice—it just kind of molds to your body like compression wear. It’s comfortable enough that you forget you’ve got it on. The only time I noticed was when I put it on earlier in the night rather than just before bed - and that’s only because I’m not used to getting in and out of a onesie to go to the bathroom!

Can you give us a snapshot of what your pre-fight training routine might look like? In the final week before a fight, there’s a shift in focus. We taper training - keeping the intensity high but cutting back the duration of each session. The focus in fight week turns to making weight, and recovering so you can come into the fight feeling your best, which is a delicate balance. To tip this balance in my favor, along with the lymphatic onesie, I also used the  Heat Healer Body Belt and their  Infrared Sauna Blanket. Both of these are constants in my training anyway, especially the Body Belt, because it’s so easy to incorporate into my day. Because of my hectic schedule (work/raising a toddler/training!) I’ve found the belt a lifesaver as it’s something I’m able to just pop on when I go to bed or while I’m getting admin done. I was also lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the brand new  Heat Healer Infrared Sauna Suit...but (you probably don’t want to hear this) I didn't actually exercise in it - because it is so damn nice and I didn’t want it to get it dirty! Instead I wore it everyday outside of training, which not only helped make me look cool AF but also provided passive benefits: it kept my core temperature up, which helps with fluid retention and weight cut during the final week.

How do you like to relax and recover after a fight? I wish I had a more exciting story, but come Monday my alarm went off at 4am and I was back at work. I do have a few post-fight traditions, though. The first thing I always do after a fight is grab a cheeseburger and chips from McDonald’s; it’s not because I miss this type of food when in training, it’s more of a nostalgia thing, and now it’s a firm tradition. Another guaranteed post-fight ritual is that I won’t sleep. With the caffeine I take before the fight and the adrenaline afterward, I’m usually buzzing all night, so I spend that time re-watching the fight over and over again, which I actually really enjoy. The following week, I go out for a nice meal with Carol and Banksii. When I’m in training, we don’t usually go out for dinner, so it’s a chance to enjoy some good food and just chill out.

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not in training? I've picked up so many opportunities by being ready when others weren’t, so we make sure we’re always in a position to jump at these. I love fitness and training, so even if I wasn’t boxing, I’d be training anyway! When I’m not in camp though, it’s nice to have a bit more freedom with my training and have fun with it. 

Finally, what would you be doing if you weren’t a professional fighter? I don’t know, but I imagine it would be something just as unique!

Thank you for your time Nicila. Be sure to check out @nicila_ on instagram for contagious energy, inspiration and some good laughs along the way.