Top Five Female Muscle Community Sites (Just My Opinion)

Issac Hinds wrote an awesome post on his blog Hardbody News (http://www.hardbody.com/news) about why competitor need to use YouTube as a promoting tool for themselves. I encourage you all to read this in your spare time (http://www.hardbody.com/news/2008/11/19/hardbody-marketing-getting-noticed-on-youtube)

I took his advice and made a quick YouTube video highlighting the top five community sites that I personally think are the ones that each female competitor needs to check out at some point in time. I also plugged in my sites as well.

Over the course of the weekend, there have been (as of this posting) over 900 views. Personally, I consider that an accomplishment.

Celebrity Muscle-Trish Stratus

Here's the latest feature to the blog, Celebrity Muscle. I will discuss the celebrites and sports figures that aren't afraid to go that extra length to put on a little muscle on their frame.

My first Celebrity Muscle feature is of former wrestling personality Trish Stratus.



Before she became a seven-time WWE Women’s Champion and arguably on of the biggest entertainers in WWE history, she was a top international fitness model. Her main objective in life was to be a doctor. And she was on her way of becoming one, but fate put that to a screeching halt. She would not graduate with a doctorate degree at York University in Toronto. She instead worked at a gym and was approached to being a fitness model. About six months later, she transformed her body, and the female muscle world took notice. Musclemag gave her the big break as a top fitness model. She went on to becoming one of Musclemag’s most popular fitness models ever. Then a company called World Wrestling Entertainment (known at the time as World Wrestling Federation), came a-calling after Trish appeared on a wrestling-related show in Canada and was offered a job. In March of 2000, the wrestling world would get to know what many in the fitness industry knew all along…Trish was someone who was destined to be a star.

Her WWE career has become stuff of legend. From her debut on March 2000 to her storybook ending in 2006 in her hometown of Toronto, Trish provided “Stratusfaction” and gave fans a woman everyone could root for (when she was a face) and everyone could hate (when she was a heel). To date, there is no other woman in mainstream pro wrestling that can capture the attention of both male and female fans male like Trish.

Ever since retiring from the ring, she has hosted a comedy reality show in Canada, participated in a celebrity cop reality show, is hosting her own travel show in Canada (could air in the US soon), and runs a yoga studio in…guess where?! Spain! Just kidding…It’s Canada. J Needless to say, she has kept herself busy and healthy. And like ever former wrestler, she has teased a return to the lands of the WWE, which many fans (including yours truly) would welcome back with open arms and a standing ovation.

You can check out all things Trish at the following websites:

http://www.trishstratus.com/
http://www.stratusphereyoga.com/
http://www.stratus-faction.com/
http://www.myspace.com/trishstratus
http://fans.wwe.com/trishstratus

Also check out my Trish Stratus fansite:

http://trishstratusfacts.wetpaint.com/ (I'll go into more detail on this in a future post)




(All photos belong to original owner(s) )

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone out there today! Although this is something we should do everyday, take today to sit back and reflect. Be thankful for everything you have in your life (good and bad). Be thankful for family, friends, health, job, money, whatever makes you...you. Most importantly, thank God for He brought you life. He made it all possible. He is the reason. Put God first in your life, and keep Him there, and you will prosper in His glory.

Ladies...the Arnolds is fast approaching, so you competitors are limited to one half-serving of dressing and maybe one slice of pumpkin pie. HAHA! Just messing with ya out there.

Anyways, have a safe, blessed, and happy Thanksgiving holiday!!!

2008 FitGems of the Year

Well...it's about that time of the year for those "of the year" awards that go out in everything. I've decided to do something similar to that by making cool certicificates and sending them out through email. All this is is a token of appreciation on their part. A little goes a long way in this world. For each category.

Here are the categories:

• Pros of the Year
• Amateurs of the Year
• Site of the Year
• Community Board of the Year
• Breakout Pros of the Year
• Breakout Amateurs of the Year
• Rookies of the Year
• Fitness Show of the Year (Arnold and Olympia doesn't count)
• Figure Show of the Year (Arnold and Olympia doesn't count)
• Women’s Bodybuilding Show of the Year (Arnold and Olympia doesn't count)

Site of the Year, Fitness Show of the Year, Figure Show of the Year, and Women's Bodybuilding Show of the Year will have one winner (except in the case of a tie). If there happen to be any ties, they will NOT be broken.That means that there will be multiple certificates sent for that particular category. For the other categories, there will be three winners, one representing each division (women's bodybuilding, fitness, and figure).

You can place your nominations here on the blog, or shoot me an email at fitgems@yahoo.com. Place FitGems of the Year 2008 in the Subject line of your email. I will take nominations until December 14. I'll post the winners the following Sunday (December 21).

To every competitor, promoter, supporter, photographer, fan, and everyone that is involved in the female muscle industry in some shape of form, thank you all for a great 2008. To all the competitors competing at the NPC Nationals this weekend, good luck to you all.

A big shout-out goes to everyone that has given the FitGems Nation a chance. I hope this can continute to expand in 2009 and beyond!

Sharing a TenSpot with...Beni Lopez

If there was one word that could describe Beni Lopez perfectly, the word would be...Benilicious (Hey Webster...add Benilicious to your dictionary, please?!). Beni is part of the next breed of top female bodybuilders and is one of the top crossover athletes in the IFBB today. For a whild, she competed as a figure competitor, and in 2007, the same year she competed as a figure competitor, she crossed over to women's bodybuilding, and went on to become a pro immediately. She's a HUGE favorite on Siouxcountry and Feminine Bodybuilding under lil' mama. Now she's in the off-season preparing to take the 2009 season by storm. Yes, this lil' mama has got BIG plans for her future as a pro bodybuilder.


(photo credit: Bodybuilding.com)


FitGems: State your name and profession (fitness/figure/female bodybuilding/other).
Beni Lopez: Benincia B. Lopez, IFBB Pro Bodybuilder

FitGems:How many years have you competed?
Beni: on and off a Little over 10 years

FitGems: What are/were your best lifts in the gym (that you are most proud of)?
Beni: so far to date leg press 770 lbs. 3s 10reps. not including 3 to 4 warm up sets, and shoulder press up to 70 lbs. DB's 4 sets 8,8,6,6

So far?!?! Man, you are becoming one lil' powerhouse, Beni! KEEP IT UP!!! :)

FitGems: You made the change from figure to bodybuilding, and so far it has paid off. What do you miss from competing in figure, if anything at all?
Beni: I would have to say the Heels....It made me feel so tall and majestic with the added height and all the bling...bling

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about your profession?
Beni: If anything equal prize money as our male counterparts as well as having Female Bodybuilders on more print magazines

FitGems: Although it isn’t much, do you like the positive mainstream exposure of female muscle so far?
Beni: Well C-Ray, you're right on the little mainstream exposure part...but as far as it being positive... NO....I say no because this past year it's been about physical beauty not about the overall packaging a ATHLETE brings to the stage...and this past year all I saw in print was Iris Kyle in Feb 08 issue and Britt Miller cant remember the issue besides that we have had the Muscle diva section on MD that's it as far as FBB is concerned would I like more EXPOSURE ...HECK YES, more like what they did for Iris kyle that type of layout where they show her back workout and talked about her training , let's be real we all would.... we work and train just as hard as the males and more so because we have to contend with still looking feminine and beautiful and what I would like the public to know is we are all BEAUTIFUL no matter what size,age and if were pretty enough to be put on print come on there is plenty room for us out there and I thank people like you and Sioux and Steve Wennerstrom for giving us that opportunity.

Thank YOU Beni (and all the female bodybuilders out there) for dedicating your lives for a sport as women's bodybuilding.


FitGems: Who do you look up to the most for your inspiration?
Beni: As far as FBB's I would have to say they all inspire me...to me they all have a uniqueness about them and I adore them all but as far as one INDIVIDUAL THAT WOULD BE MY HUSBAND OF 26 YEARS... I adore that man because he has a good heart and great character besides he has put up with my wackiness for this long. Believe it or not this Lil mama is a handful. (lol)

26 YEARS?!?! God has obviously blessed you, Beni!

FitGems: ]I know you want to be known as the first Beni Lopez, but when people look at you, which famous celebrity or fellow competitor do they compare you to?
Beni: Ok don't laugh but it's Shannon Doherty... yes the 901210 gal...okay you can laugh now

ohh..kay?!?!

FitGems: If there was any celebrity that would be a perfect fit in a fitness/figure/female bodybuilding competition, if giving time to be able to condition themselves?
Beni: That would be Jennifer Gardner Affleck...what a stellar body perfect for figure

FitGems: What are your future plans in the female muscle industry?
Beni: My plan is to one day be the first lightweight to go to the Ms. Olympia and Ms. Internationals by lightweight I mean the smallest in height and weight but oh so tight(lol) I might not place well but it would be a great honor to be up there with the best athletes and to show the new girls and current athletes coming in that its OK to crossover to fbb and that you don't have to be massive to get up in the ranks as long as you do your homework and come in the best you...you can bring to the stage. Just one last statement I would like to add and that is to all the lovely female athletes you are all beautiful and encouraging to me and to never forget you are all champions for stepping out of the box and being different than what the norm wants us to be and I applaud each and everyone of you ladies. Now go take on the day and have a Most Benilicious day.

Thank you so much for the Benilicions interview, champ. To everyone reading this, watch out for Lil Mama in 2009! She's in it to win it, baby!!!

MAJOR CHANGE TO FITGEMS NATION COMMUNITY SITE!!!

I thought about this over and over, and well...I've come to the conclusion that with how I wanted to do the site, I'd thought Wetpaint kinda limited my vision of the site in a way. I've went with Ning instead because they seemed to have a creative output that better match my vision of what I wanted the community site to be.

Jeff Olive is the administrator there (there might be a couple of more very soon) and has done wonders for the site so far, and I know he will help me make the site something everyone can be proud of. If you know Jeff Olive, I'd would suggest you click here and take a look at his site and join it.

THE WETPAINT SITE WILL BE TERMINATED VERY SOON...THIS SITE IS THE ONLY COMMUNITY SITE FOR FITGEMS: http://fitgems.ning.com. As soon as everything is transfered from the old site to the new site, this site (http://fitgemssite.wetpaint.com) will be no more. Just thought I'd give you the heads up. Thanks!

EDIT: I changed a few words on the introductory post here because after reading over it, it came out unprofessional toward my decision to move the FitGems Nation Community Site. The site is still moving, but I could have put it in better words than what I did earlier. And for that, I'm sorry.

If you haven't done so already...

GET YOUR ASS OUT OF THAT CHAIR OF YOURS AND VOTE ALREADY!!!

I don't give a damn if it's Obama/Biden. I don't give a damn if it's McCain/Palim. I really, really don't care who you vote for. Just get to voting, if you've not done so. There are only hours left before the polls go SHUT, and then it's too late.

Our forefathers gave their lives for us to have this opportunity to choose our leaders. Let's make them proud and let our voices be heard.

I'm C-Ray, founder of the FitGems Nation, and I approve this message.

The FitGems Nation Community Board...OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

It's was bound to come sooner than later, and I decided to make it sooner. As of now, I have a community board that goes along with this blog (which is my main numero uno) and social network site. It's not as fancy as others out there, but I don't care about that. As long as it serves its purpose (which is to be a positive place for competitors, fans, supporters, and everyone that is a part of the female muscle industry), and everyone's happy, then I'm happy.

Here's the link to the site:
http://fitgemsnation.proboards.com/

I hope you all out there will give the board a chance. That's all I'm asking for; a chance. If you don't have that, you have nothing.

Also I'd like to thank those who voted on last month's poll about how you felt about this year's Olympia, based on a scale from one to ten. According to the poll, and 17% of you ranked it awful, while 46% of you thought the show was awesome. 3% chose rank 2, 7% chose rank 5, 10% chose rank 6, 7% chose rank 7, 3% chose rank 8, and 3% chose rank 9. No one chose rank 3 or 4.

This month's question is Which current and/or former WWE Diva would make great IFBB competitors?

Once again, thank you all for the support!