This past week, Jack and Ann Titone launched the Fit Bod Radio show as the newest radio show for top female physique site Siouxcountry. The well-renowned trainer and IFBB Figure competitor have been supporters of the site for seemingly forever, and now they are doing their part in helping it expand by providing the site with its first-ever LIVE broadcast!
The first guest on this historic show were Kayde Puckett, Nicole Duncan, Camala Rodriguez and Erin Riley. Yes, for the debut show, four top IFBB Fitness Pros were a part of this show. Very good stuff! A lot was talked about, including fitness incentives, food porn, and something about Kayde I've never knew about. I highly recommend that you find some time to listen to this inaugural show.If you haven't heard it yet, or want to here it again, go to this link:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/the-fit-bod-radio-show/2010/12/29/the-fit-bod-radio-show
Their next show will take place next Thursday (January 6, 2011) at 7PM Central Time, with Trainer Erik Ledin, Jason Adams & IFBB Bikini Pro Christy Meritt as the show's guests!
As each show ends, I'll make a blog post the next day so you can all check them out for yourselves, for those that can't listen to the live broadcasts. And on the day of broadcasting, I'll post the information on the FitGems fan page where you can listen to them LIVE.
Congrats to Jack and Ann on this latest accomplishment!! :)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
FitGems to Interview Jenny Worth in 2011!!!
FitGems Nation is honored to announce that in January 2011, we will be conducting an interview with one of the biggest fitness legends of all time, 2001 Fitness International Champion and top Fitness Olympia finalist Jenny Worth!!!
This has been in the making for months via Facebook. It was going to be a cool email interview like I've done with all my interview thus far (except for Diana Stanback), but things took an interesting turn. Jenny decided that she would like to do it via audio. So I have the honor and privilege to interview this amazing legend. But I don't want this to be just any interview; I want it to be special, which is why I want YOU, the FitGems Nation, to be part of this special event.
In addition to the questions I've already made for Jenny, I will select five questions from all of you out there. How you do submit your questions? Simple...leave your question(s) below as a comment or email them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net (Please put Jenny Worth Interview in the subject line).There's no limit to how many questions you can submit, but keep in mine that I'm only going to choose FIVE, and please...no pointless questions, please. We're all adults here. BTW, you have until January 8th. I will choose the best questions and send them to Jenny on the 9th.
For those that have followed and supported FitGems since 2008, I can honestly say that this is arguably the biggest things that has ever happened for the site, to interview one of the true queens of not only fitness, but of this entire industry as well. To say that FitGems is looking forward to interviewing Jenny would be an understatement. Looking forward to seeing all your questions for Jenny!!! :)
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| Jenny from 2001 Fitness Olympia Photo credit: Jenny's Facebook |
This has been in the making for months via Facebook. It was going to be a cool email interview like I've done with all my interview thus far (except for Diana Stanback), but things took an interesting turn. Jenny decided that she would like to do it via audio. So I have the honor and privilege to interview this amazing legend. But I don't want this to be just any interview; I want it to be special, which is why I want YOU, the FitGems Nation, to be part of this special event.
In addition to the questions I've already made for Jenny, I will select five questions from all of you out there. How you do submit your questions? Simple...leave your question(s) below as a comment or email them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net (Please put Jenny Worth Interview in the subject line).There's no limit to how many questions you can submit, but keep in mine that I'm only going to choose FIVE, and please...no pointless questions, please. We're all adults here. BTW, you have until January 8th. I will choose the best questions and send them to Jenny on the 9th.
For those that have followed and supported FitGems since 2008, I can honestly say that this is arguably the biggest things that has ever happened for the site, to interview one of the true queens of not only fitness, but of this entire industry as well. To say that FitGems is looking forward to interviewing Jenny would be an understatement. Looking forward to seeing all your questions for Jenny!!! :)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Sharing a TenSpot with...Raechelle Chase
FitGems had the opportunity recently to interview IFBB Figure Pro Raechelle Chase. Raechelle, who is from New Zealand, had a pretty good 2010, and could have just as much success (if not more so) in 2011. She is the first competitor who came to US for an interview, and for that, we at FitGems are eternally grateful to her. Expect big things from her in 2011.
FitGems Nation: First off, thank you for taking this time to do this interview with FitGems, Raechelle!
Raechelle Chase: You are so welcome!
FitGems: May you first start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Raechelle: My back ground is in modelling, I did my first fashion show when I was just 5yrs old but these days I prefer the challenge that comes with being in shape for Fitness Modelling jobs. I’m a Mother to 3 young children, Dior-Rose 3 yrs. Carlos 5yrs and Annaliese 11 yrs. I am the deputy editor for The NZ Fitness magazine, an International Fitness Model and TV presenter for Fitness equipment in both NZ and Australia for TV various shows. I’m sponsored by Lonsdale Clothing and Body Ripped Sports Nutrition in Australia. I trained in Early Childhood Teaching, Computer technology & Personal Trainer, all professions which I decided not to pursue. I also worked in event Management for a few years organizing fashion shows and corporate functions. Although I started training when I was 16 years old (I worked part time in the gym) I started training seriously in 2002 However, it wasn’t until I competed in 2007 as a Novice that I won my class, Best posing routine & Overall Figure Champion and finally I knew that the fitness industry was where I wanted to be. After spending my entire life wondering what the heck I was going to do with my life, I finally knew!! That was a great moment.
FitGems: When got you involved to competing in physique competitions?
Raechelle: I needed a reason to get into shape, I’m not someone who does things by halves so naturally the next step was to pick a competition and compete!
FitGems: What is your strategy when you train? Is it mostly weight-training, mostly cardio, a balanced mixture of the two, or something else?
Racehelle: I prefer to train one body part per workout, that way I feel like I can give that muscle group 100% and not have to hold back because I know I still have other areas to train. I also get bored if I plan to train more than one muscle group which then leads to loss of motivation and focus and training becomes a chore. Training one body part means I’m in and out of the gym in 45 minutes and I’m highly motivated to get the job done!
FitGems: As you can tell, the differences in American figure competitors and international competitors is..well…a bit different. What look do you prefer, the American look for figure or the international look for figure?
Raechelle: After competing in Pro Figure competitions in the States I don’t really see how the American figure competitor look is any different to an International look even though this is a common way of thinking for many people. Everyone has their own individual look and I don’t think the county they are from represents this. I do think being an International figure competitor makes it harder to be noticed when competing in the States but not due to a lack of quality in our physiques.
FitGems: What are your personal thoughts on the pending new women’s physique division, and do you think we could see you in it in the near future?
Raechelle: I think it’s brilliant and a great way to bridge the gap that we have between figure & women’s bodybuilding. I’m not sure that you will see me in this class though, I think my look is better suited to the current figure category.
FitGems: Do you see many international stars give women’s physique a try? The NPC will launch it next year, and the IFBB will launch it in 2012.
Raechelle: I hope so, I think this division will be a great one to watch!
FitGems: In addition to competing, you have a family back home. How hard is it to raise a family and compete?
Raechelle: It’s not always easy. In fact it’s never easy lol, I constantly feel like I’m trying to fit in what I need here and there. Young children are so demanding of your attention and they can’t understand why you would need to do anything for yourself because they of course they are the single most important person in the world lol.
Don’t get me wrong I love that children are just so oblivious to anything else going on around them. That’s what makes them so innocent. But it does make it challenging, it’s a juggling act that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t.
I love my family and I love training and competing. It’s all about finding that balance to fit all in without feeling like one is taking over the other.
Most importantly, as for all goals in life. If the desire is strong enough you can make anything work!
FitGems: Which competitor do you admire most?
Raechelle: I loved the looked Gina Allotti bought to the stage in 2009 I thought she had great balance and her conditioning was right on form. I aim to bring the same conditioning to my competitions.
FitGems: What advice would you give to any female that would want to be in the female physique world?
Raechelle: If you choose to compete, do so with all the motivation and dedication you can pull, because it’s not an easy road. But when you get to the stage and look back you will see that it was worth it, even if you only do it once, it will be worth the effort.
FitGems: Last, but not least, what are your future plans for the rest your IFBB career?
Raechelle: I will keep competing until it’s not fun anymore, I’m always up for new challenges and jumping into new and exciting opportunities, so we will just see what comes my way and where it leads. I’m keen to get into more Television type roles. I do some presenting jobs already in NZ and Australia and have Done for a few years. I would like to work more in this field now that the children are a bit older.
FitGems: Once again, thank you so much for doing this!
Racehelle: Your welcome, I love your site and honoured to have been interviewed.
For more on Raechelle, you can visit her website at www.raechellechase.com, where she also regularly write a blog on the site. If you're on Facebook, "like" Raechelle at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raechelle-Chase-IFBB-Figure-Professional/299006786205, and for those on Twitter, follow her at http://twitter.com/RaechelleChase.
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| Raechelle @ 2010 Ft. Lauderdale Cup Photo Credit: Raechelle Chase |
FitGems Nation: First off, thank you for taking this time to do this interview with FitGems, Raechelle!
Raechelle Chase: You are so welcome!
FitGems: May you first start off by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Raechelle: My back ground is in modelling, I did my first fashion show when I was just 5yrs old but these days I prefer the challenge that comes with being in shape for Fitness Modelling jobs. I’m a Mother to 3 young children, Dior-Rose 3 yrs. Carlos 5yrs and Annaliese 11 yrs. I am the deputy editor for The NZ Fitness magazine, an International Fitness Model and TV presenter for Fitness equipment in both NZ and Australia for TV various shows. I’m sponsored by Lonsdale Clothing and Body Ripped Sports Nutrition in Australia. I trained in Early Childhood Teaching, Computer technology & Personal Trainer, all professions which I decided not to pursue. I also worked in event Management for a few years organizing fashion shows and corporate functions. Although I started training when I was 16 years old (I worked part time in the gym) I started training seriously in 2002 However, it wasn’t until I competed in 2007 as a Novice that I won my class, Best posing routine & Overall Figure Champion and finally I knew that the fitness industry was where I wanted to be. After spending my entire life wondering what the heck I was going to do with my life, I finally knew!! That was a great moment.
FitGems: When got you involved to competing in physique competitions?
Raechelle: I needed a reason to get into shape, I’m not someone who does things by halves so naturally the next step was to pick a competition and compete!
FitGems: What is your strategy when you train? Is it mostly weight-training, mostly cardio, a balanced mixture of the two, or something else?
Racehelle: I prefer to train one body part per workout, that way I feel like I can give that muscle group 100% and not have to hold back because I know I still have other areas to train. I also get bored if I plan to train more than one muscle group which then leads to loss of motivation and focus and training becomes a chore. Training one body part means I’m in and out of the gym in 45 minutes and I’m highly motivated to get the job done!
FitGems: As you can tell, the differences in American figure competitors and international competitors is..well…a bit different. What look do you prefer, the American look for figure or the international look for figure?
Raechelle: After competing in Pro Figure competitions in the States I don’t really see how the American figure competitor look is any different to an International look even though this is a common way of thinking for many people. Everyone has their own individual look and I don’t think the county they are from represents this. I do think being an International figure competitor makes it harder to be noticed when competing in the States but not due to a lack of quality in our physiques.
FitGems: What are your personal thoughts on the pending new women’s physique division, and do you think we could see you in it in the near future?
Raechelle: I think it’s brilliant and a great way to bridge the gap that we have between figure & women’s bodybuilding. I’m not sure that you will see me in this class though, I think my look is better suited to the current figure category.
FitGems: Do you see many international stars give women’s physique a try? The NPC will launch it next year, and the IFBB will launch it in 2012.
Raechelle: I hope so, I think this division will be a great one to watch!
FitGems: In addition to competing, you have a family back home. How hard is it to raise a family and compete?
Raechelle: It’s not always easy. In fact it’s never easy lol, I constantly feel like I’m trying to fit in what I need here and there. Young children are so demanding of your attention and they can’t understand why you would need to do anything for yourself because they of course they are the single most important person in the world lol.
Don’t get me wrong I love that children are just so oblivious to anything else going on around them. That’s what makes them so innocent. But it does make it challenging, it’s a juggling act that sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t.
I love my family and I love training and competing. It’s all about finding that balance to fit all in without feeling like one is taking over the other.
Most importantly, as for all goals in life. If the desire is strong enough you can make anything work!
FitGems: Which competitor do you admire most?
Raechelle: I loved the looked Gina Allotti bought to the stage in 2009 I thought she had great balance and her conditioning was right on form. I aim to bring the same conditioning to my competitions.
FitGems: What advice would you give to any female that would want to be in the female physique world?
Raechelle: If you choose to compete, do so with all the motivation and dedication you can pull, because it’s not an easy road. But when you get to the stage and look back you will see that it was worth it, even if you only do it once, it will be worth the effort.
FitGems: Last, but not least, what are your future plans for the rest your IFBB career?
Raechelle: I will keep competing until it’s not fun anymore, I’m always up for new challenges and jumping into new and exciting opportunities, so we will just see what comes my way and where it leads. I’m keen to get into more Television type roles. I do some presenting jobs already in NZ and Australia and have Done for a few years. I would like to work more in this field now that the children are a bit older.
FitGems: Once again, thank you so much for doing this!
Racehelle: Your welcome, I love your site and honoured to have been interviewed.
For more on Raechelle, you can visit her website at www.raechellechase.com, where she also regularly write a blog on the site. If you're on Facebook, "like" Raechelle at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Raechelle-Chase-IFBB-Figure-Professional/299006786205, and for those on Twitter, follow her at http://twitter.com/RaechelleChase.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
2nd Annual FitGems Awards Ballot (Vote for your favorites)
Thank you once again for your nominations for the FitGems Awards! I announced a few of the nominees via Twitter, but due to some unknowing events beyond my control, I had to cut it short. Here are the COMPLETE list of nominees for this year's FitGems Awards.
COMPETITOR CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Iris Kyle
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
Zoa Linsey
Brigita Brezovac
Tina Chandler
Cathy LeFrancois
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Krissy Chin
Alicia Harris
Erin Stern
Nicole Wilkins-Lee
Heather Mae French
Ava Cowan
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Kayde Puckett
Adela Garcia
Tanji Johnson
Trish Warren
Camela Rodriquez
Tina Durkin
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Vanessa Prebyl
Amanda Latona
Sonia Gonzales
Nathalia Melo
Nicole Nagrani
Jessica Putnam
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Margaret Negrete
Helen Lindsay
Natalie Ariel
Claire O’Connell
Olivia Perry
Emanuela Silvagni
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Gemma Santos
Kisha Wilson
Amy DeGiovine
Kimberly Morgan
Jordan Meyer
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Lena Mislin
Viko Newman
Meredith Miller
Lisha Dean
Paula Williams-Gulman
Meredith Miller
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Venus Ramos
Sherrie Carnicle
Ali Dies
Jennifer Rankin
Rebecca Staggs
Jessica True
International Female Bodybuilder of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia (Venezuela)
Zoa Linsey (Canada)
Brigita Brezovac (Slovenia)
Skadi Frei-Seifert (Germany)
Dayana Cadeau (Canada)
Myriam Bustamante (Mexico)
International Fitness Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Minna Pajulahti (Finland)
Myriam Capes (Canada)
Kizzy Vaines (England)
Regaine Da Silva (Germany)
Oksana Grishina (Russia)
Allison Ethier (Canada)
International Figure Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Rose-Marie Romero (Australia)
Patricia Mello (Brazil)
Larissa Reis (Brazil)
Natalie Waples (Canada)
Raechelle Chase (New Zealand)
Juliana Malacarne (Brazil)
International Bikini Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Justine Munro (Canada)
Natalie Mur (France)
Leigh Brandt (Canada)
Nathalia Melo (Brazil)
Dina Al-Sabah (Kuwait)
Olah Noemi (Hungrary)
Breakout Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Zoa Linsey
Brigita Brezovac
Alina Popa
Tina Chandler
Cathy LeFrancois
Nicole Ball
Breakout Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Teresa Anthony
Candice Keene
Ava Cowan
Courtney West
Meriza DeGuzman
Sabrina Taylor
Breakout Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Trish Warren
Tina Durkin
Myriam Capes
Bethany Wagner
Kizzy Vaines
Camale Rodriguez
Breakout Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Jessica Putnam
Vanessa Prebyl
Sherlyn Roy
Nicole Guerrero
Natalie Pennington
Nicole Nagarni
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Natalie Ariel
Claire O’Connell
Amy Sibcy
Aleesha Young
Olivia Terry
Melody Spetko
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Gemma Santos
Kalani Barber
Amy Jo Palmquest
Amy DeGiovine
Maria Maroni
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Lisha Dean
Viko Newman
Lisa Mislin
Paula Williams-Gulman
Michelle Green
Shelly Howard
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Rebecca Staggs
Shawn Rene Zimmerman
Sherrie Carnicle
Venus Ramos
Diana Graham
Shawn Hektor
Competitor Who You Would Love to See Return To the Stage in 2011
Jenny Lynn
Mary Elizabeth Lado
Christine Pomponio-Pate
Lenda Murray
Susie Curry
Mah Ann Mendoza
Fitness Entrepreneur of the Year (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Jennifer Nicole Lee
Jillian Michaels
Jamie Eason
Laura Mak
Jaquelyn Kay
Timea Majorova
Moment of the Year (when certain people win a competition, return to the stage, retire, etc. This is for any federation and can be about any of the divisions)
Mia Finnegan returns to competition for the first time in over a decade
Monica Brant joins the WBFF after being in the IFBB for 15 years
Adela Garcia becomes the first-ever 5X Fitness Olympia Champion
Nicole Wilkins-Lee wins the Figure International title, making her the 2nd woman in history to win the Figure Olympia AND Figure International title back-to-back.
Sonia Gonzales becomes the first-ever Ms. Bikini Olympia
Betty Parsio announces her retirement from competition
Ones to Watch in 2011
(Vote for the one you think people need to watch out for in 2011. The top 3 in each category will be recognized).
Pro Female Bodybuilders
Shelia Bleck
Zoa Linsey
Monique Hayes
Alina Popa
Elena Shportun
Amber DeFrancesco
Pro Figure Competitors
Mandy Henderson
Monica Escalante
Candice Keene
Ava Cowan
Courtney West
Alicia Harris
Pro Fitness Competitors
Myriam Capes
Stacy Wright
Minna Pajulahti
Nicole Duncan
Venus Nguyen
Michelle Craven
Pro Bikini Competitors
Jessica Putnam
Vanessa Prebyl
Kat Holmes
Kristal Martin
Shelsea Montes
Khanh Nguyen
Pro Women's Physique Competitors ((NOTE: These are names of those who you FEEL can do well in women’s physique, plus there’s no guarantee that a pro women’s physique show will take place in 2011)
Sabrina Taylor-Gibson
Lori Steele
Diana Stanback
Tiffany Procopio
Juliana Malacarne
Meriza DeGuzman
Amateur Female Bodybuilders
Margaret Negrete
Dana Richards
Alyssa Stroud
Kim Ferrell
Natalie Ariel
Amanda Folstad-Ptak
Amateur Figure Competitors
Jackie Haas
Wendy Fortino
Tiffany Moody
Gemma Santos
Kisha Wilson
Heather Grace
Amateur Fitness Competitors
Viko Newman
Lisha Dean
Lisa Mislin
Paula Williams-Gulman
Michelle Green
Jennifer Bishop
Amateur Bikini Competitors
Sherrie Carnicle
Shawn Rene Zimmerman
Rebecca Staggs
Jennifer Rankin
Crystal Mathews
Kendra Warren
Amateur Women's Physique Competitors (NOTE: These are names of those who you FEEL can do well in NPC women’s physique or they have mentioned that they will be competing in the new division next year)
Tracy Bodner
Melissa Dettwiller
Tracey MacDonald
Kimberly Morgan
Vanessa Price
Mary Simmons
Fitness Entrepreneur (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Ava Cowan
Jennifer Nicole Lee
Brittany Beede
Jillian Michaels
Jamie Eason
Jennifer Widerstrom
MISC. Categories
NPC Show of the Year
North Americans
Nationals
Emerald Cup
Jr. Nationals
Jr. USAs
Southern States
IFBB Show of the Year
Olympia
Arnold
Ft. Lauderdale Show
Europa Super Show
Phoenix Pro
Tampa Pro
Female Physique Site of the Year (non-competitor) (NOTE: FitGems is NOT eligible due the fact that FitGems is running the contest)
Siouxcountry (http://www.siouxcountry.com)
RxGirl (http://www.rxmuscle.com/rxgirl.html)
Hardbody News (http://www.hardbody.com/news)
BodySport(http://www.bodysport.com)
Promoting Real Women (http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com)
Unreal Muscle (http://www.unrealmuscle.com/forum)
Female Competitor Blog of the Year
Stacy Wright (http://stacywrightfitness.blogspot.com/)
Rebecca Staggs (http://rebeccastaggs.blogspot.com/)
Tracey MacDonald (http://traceyfitnesslife.blogspot.com/)
Jada Kelly (http://www.jadakellyfit.com/)
Lishia Dean (http://lishiadean.blogspot.com/)
Esther Alexander (http://estheralexander.blogspot.com/)
Photographer of the Year
GeneX
Chris Zimmerman
Isaac Hinds
Terry Goodlad
Dan Ray
MaryAnn Glascock
Blogger of the Year
Anthony Roberts
Jason Adams
Isaac Hinds
Rebecca Staggs
Stacy Wright
Jorge Román González Ávila
Industry Blog of the Year (by a fan, industry member, company, etc.)
Promoting Real Women (http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com)
Iron Bizz (http://ironbizz.wordpress.com)
Hardbody News (http://www.hardbody.com/news)
Area Orion (http://areaorion.blogspot.com)
Kriv Studio Blog (http://krivstudiosblog.wordpress.com/)
Female Muscle Universe (http://femalemuscleuniverse.blogspot.com/)
Female Physique Paysite of the Year
HDPhysiques (http://www.hdphysiques.com)
HerBiceps (http://www.herbiceps.com)
Femflex (http://www.femflex.com)
Kriv Studios (http://www.krivsstudio.com/)
Awefilms (http://www.awefilms.com)
Muscle Angels (http://www.muscleangels.com)
Male Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc.)
Jason Adams
Jason Lannigan
Dave Palumbo
Carl Burkins
F.A. Harper
Isaac Hinds
Female Competitor Site of the Year
Sherrie Carnicle (http://www.sherriecarnicle.com)
Marina Lopez (http://www.marinalopez.com)
Mandy Henderson (http://www.mandyhenderson.com)
Stacy Wright (http://www.stacywright.net/aboutme.htm)
Nicole Wilkins-Lee (http://www.nicolewilkins.com/)
Tiffany Ryan (http://www.tiffanyryan.net)
Supplement Company of the Year
Gaspari Nutriton
MAN Sports
Optimum Nutrition
BSN
Custom Muscle/ NutritionMarket.com
Emerald Express
Now that you know the nominees...here's how you vote for them:
1. Email your votes at admin@fitgemsnation.net (Put 2010 FitGems Awards in the subject line) YOU CAN VOTE ONCE PER DAY PER EMAIL. SO IF YOU WANT TO VOTE MORE THAN ONCE, I'D SUGGEST YOU GET MULTIPLE EMAILS. Just saying...
2. If you have Twitter, you can Twit your votes to http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation and use the hashtag #2010FitGemsAwards. Remember, if you do this, state the category as well as your choice for that particular category. YOU CAN DO THIS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN...JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GO TO TWITTER JAIL. LOL.
3. If you're a member of the FitGems Nation main site (http://www.fitgemsnation.net/), MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/fitgemsnation), or Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33407438502) , you can send me a private message (PM) with your nominations. ONE PER DAY, THOUGH
4. And...of course, you can leave a comment below with your votes. ONE COMMENT PER DAY
Do you have to vote for ALL the categories?! NO, however...It would be nice if you could, though.To everyone that is nominated, you earned these nominations. So go out there and get people to vote as much as they can. You have until the end of the year to vote. All voting stops when the ball drops in New York (which means Midnight/11 Central) The winners will be announced in Mid-January via a FitChat Awards Ceremony. More details will be announced in the weeks to come.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
COMPETITOR CATEGORIES
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Iris Kyle
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia
Zoa Linsey
Brigita Brezovac
Tina Chandler
Cathy LeFrancois
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Krissy Chin
Alicia Harris
Erin Stern
Nicole Wilkins-Lee
Heather Mae French
Ava Cowan
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Kayde Puckett
Adela Garcia
Tanji Johnson
Trish Warren
Camela Rodriquez
Tina Durkin
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Vanessa Prebyl
Amanda Latona
Sonia Gonzales
Nathalia Melo
Nicole Nagrani
Jessica Putnam
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Margaret Negrete
Helen Lindsay
Natalie Ariel
Claire O’Connell
Olivia Perry
Emanuela Silvagni
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Gemma Santos
Kisha Wilson
Amy DeGiovine
Kimberly Morgan
Jordan Meyer
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Lena Mislin
Viko Newman
Meredith Miller
Lisha Dean
Paula Williams-Gulman
Meredith Miller
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Venus Ramos
Sherrie Carnicle
Ali Dies
Jennifer Rankin
Rebecca Staggs
Jessica True
International Female Bodybuilder of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia (Venezuela)
Zoa Linsey (Canada)
Brigita Brezovac (Slovenia)
Skadi Frei-Seifert (Germany)
Dayana Cadeau (Canada)
Myriam Bustamante (Mexico)
International Fitness Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Minna Pajulahti (Finland)
Myriam Capes (Canada)
Kizzy Vaines (England)
Regaine Da Silva (Germany)
Oksana Grishina (Russia)
Allison Ethier (Canada)
International Figure Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Rose-Marie Romero (Australia)
Patricia Mello (Brazil)
Larissa Reis (Brazil)
Natalie Waples (Canada)
Raechelle Chase (New Zealand)
Juliana Malacarne (Brazil)
International Bikini Competitor of the Year (Pro or Amateur)
Justine Munro (Canada)
Natalie Mur (France)
Leigh Brandt (Canada)
Nathalia Melo (Brazil)
Dina Al-Sabah (Kuwait)
Olah Noemi (Hungrary)
Breakout Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Zoa Linsey
Brigita Brezovac
Alina Popa
Tina Chandler
Cathy LeFrancois
Nicole Ball
Breakout Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Teresa Anthony
Candice Keene
Ava Cowan
Courtney West
Meriza DeGuzman
Sabrina Taylor
Breakout Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Trish Warren
Tina Durkin
Myriam Capes
Bethany Wagner
Kizzy Vaines
Camale Rodriguez
Breakout Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Jessica Putnam
Vanessa Prebyl
Sherlyn Roy
Nicole Guerrero
Natalie Pennington
Nicole Nagarni
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Natalie Ariel
Claire O’Connell
Amy Sibcy
Aleesha Young
Olivia Terry
Melody Spetko
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Wendy Fortino
Gemma Santos
Kalani Barber
Amy Jo Palmquest
Amy DeGiovine
Maria Maroni
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Lisha Dean
Viko Newman
Lisa Mislin
Paula Williams-Gulman
Michelle Green
Shelly Howard
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Rebecca Staggs
Shawn Rene Zimmerman
Sherrie Carnicle
Venus Ramos
Diana Graham
Shawn Hektor
Competitor Who You Would Love to See Return To the Stage in 2011
Jenny Lynn
Mary Elizabeth Lado
Christine Pomponio-Pate
Lenda Murray
Susie Curry
Mah Ann Mendoza
Fitness Entrepreneur of the Year (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Jennifer Nicole Lee
Jillian Michaels
Jamie Eason
Laura Mak
Jaquelyn Kay
Timea Majorova
Moment of the Year (when certain people win a competition, return to the stage, retire, etc. This is for any federation and can be about any of the divisions)
Mia Finnegan returns to competition for the first time in over a decade
Monica Brant joins the WBFF after being in the IFBB for 15 years
Adela Garcia becomes the first-ever 5X Fitness Olympia Champion
Nicole Wilkins-Lee wins the Figure International title, making her the 2nd woman in history to win the Figure Olympia AND Figure International title back-to-back.
Sonia Gonzales becomes the first-ever Ms. Bikini Olympia
Betty Parsio announces her retirement from competition
Ones to Watch in 2011
(Vote for the one you think people need to watch out for in 2011. The top 3 in each category will be recognized).
Pro Female Bodybuilders
Shelia Bleck
Zoa Linsey
Monique Hayes
Alina Popa
Elena Shportun
Amber DeFrancesco
Pro Figure Competitors
Mandy Henderson
Monica Escalante
Candice Keene
Ava Cowan
Courtney West
Alicia Harris
Pro Fitness Competitors
Myriam Capes
Stacy Wright
Minna Pajulahti
Nicole Duncan
Venus Nguyen
Michelle Craven
Pro Bikini Competitors
Jessica Putnam
Vanessa Prebyl
Kat Holmes
Kristal Martin
Shelsea Montes
Khanh Nguyen
Pro Women's Physique Competitors ((NOTE: These are names of those who you FEEL can do well in women’s physique, plus there’s no guarantee that a pro women’s physique show will take place in 2011)
Sabrina Taylor-Gibson
Lori Steele
Diana Stanback
Tiffany Procopio
Juliana Malacarne
Meriza DeGuzman
Amateur Female Bodybuilders
Margaret Negrete
Dana Richards
Alyssa Stroud
Kim Ferrell
Natalie Ariel
Amanda Folstad-Ptak
Amateur Figure Competitors
Jackie Haas
Wendy Fortino
Tiffany Moody
Gemma Santos
Kisha Wilson
Heather Grace
Amateur Fitness Competitors
Viko Newman
Lisha Dean
Lisa Mislin
Paula Williams-Gulman
Michelle Green
Jennifer Bishop
Amateur Bikini Competitors
Sherrie Carnicle
Shawn Rene Zimmerman
Rebecca Staggs
Jennifer Rankin
Crystal Mathews
Kendra Warren
Amateur Women's Physique Competitors (NOTE: These are names of those who you FEEL can do well in NPC women’s physique or they have mentioned that they will be competing in the new division next year)
Tracy Bodner
Melissa Dettwiller
Tracey MacDonald
Kimberly Morgan
Vanessa Price
Mary Simmons
Fitness Entrepreneur (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Ava Cowan
Jennifer Nicole Lee
Brittany Beede
Jillian Michaels
Jamie Eason
Jennifer Widerstrom
MISC. Categories
NPC Show of the Year
North Americans
Nationals
Emerald Cup
Jr. Nationals
Jr. USAs
Southern States
IFBB Show of the Year
Olympia
Arnold
Ft. Lauderdale Show
Europa Super Show
Phoenix Pro
Tampa Pro
Female Physique Site of the Year (non-competitor) (NOTE: FitGems is NOT eligible due the fact that FitGems is running the contest)
Siouxcountry (http://www.siouxcountry.com)
RxGirl (http://www.rxmuscle.com/rxgirl.html)
Hardbody News (http://www.hardbody.com/news)
BodySport(http://www.bodysport.com)
Promoting Real Women (http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com)
Unreal Muscle (http://www.unrealmuscle.com/forum)
Female Competitor Blog of the Year
Stacy Wright (http://stacywrightfitness.blogspot.com/)
Rebecca Staggs (http://rebeccastaggs.blogspot.com/)
Tracey MacDonald (http://traceyfitnesslife.blogspot.com/)
Jada Kelly (http://www.jadakellyfit.com/)
Lishia Dean (http://lishiadean.blogspot.com/)
Esther Alexander (http://estheralexander.blogspot.com/)
Photographer of the Year
GeneX
Chris Zimmerman
Isaac Hinds
Terry Goodlad
Dan Ray
MaryAnn Glascock
Blogger of the Year
Anthony Roberts
Jason Adams
Isaac Hinds
Rebecca Staggs
Stacy Wright
Jorge Román González Ávila
Industry Blog of the Year (by a fan, industry member, company, etc.)
Promoting Real Women (http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com)
Iron Bizz (http://ironbizz.wordpress.com)
Hardbody News (http://www.hardbody.com/news)
Area Orion (http://areaorion.blogspot.com)
Kriv Studio Blog (http://krivstudiosblog.wordpress.com/)
Female Muscle Universe (http://femalemuscleuniverse.blogspot.com/)
Female Physique Paysite of the Year
HDPhysiques (http://www.hdphysiques.com)
HerBiceps (http://www.herbiceps.com)
Femflex (http://www.femflex.com)
Kriv Studios (http://www.krivsstudio.com/)
Awefilms (http://www.awefilms.com)
Muscle Angels (http://www.muscleangels.com)
Male Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc.)
Jason Adams
Jason Lannigan
Dave Palumbo
Carl Burkins
F.A. Harper
Isaac Hinds
Female Competitor Site of the Year
Sherrie Carnicle (http://www.sherriecarnicle.com)
Marina Lopez (http://www.marinalopez.com)
Mandy Henderson (http://www.mandyhenderson.com)
Stacy Wright (http://www.stacywright.net/aboutme.htm)
Nicole Wilkins-Lee (http://www.nicolewilkins.com/)
Tiffany Ryan (http://www.tiffanyryan.net)
Supplement Company of the Year
Gaspari Nutriton
MAN Sports
Optimum Nutrition
BSN
Custom Muscle/ NutritionMarket.com
Emerald Express
Now that you know the nominees...here's how you vote for them:
1. Email your votes at admin@fitgemsnation.net (Put 2010 FitGems Awards in the subject line) YOU CAN VOTE ONCE PER DAY PER EMAIL. SO IF YOU WANT TO VOTE MORE THAN ONCE, I'D SUGGEST YOU GET MULTIPLE EMAILS. Just saying...
2. If you have Twitter, you can Twit your votes to http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation and use the hashtag #2010FitGemsAwards. Remember, if you do this, state the category as well as your choice for that particular category. YOU CAN DO THIS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN...JUST MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GO TO TWITTER JAIL. LOL.
3. If you're a member of the FitGems Nation main site (http://www.fitgemsnation.net/), MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/fitgemsnation), or Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=33407438502) , you can send me a private message (PM) with your nominations. ONE PER DAY, THOUGH
4. And...of course, you can leave a comment below with your votes. ONE COMMENT PER DAY
Do you have to vote for ALL the categories?! NO, however...It would be nice if you could, though.To everyone that is nominated, you earned these nominations. So go out there and get people to vote as much as they can. You have until the end of the year to vote. All voting stops when the ball drops in New York (which means Midnight/11 Central) The winners will be announced in Mid-January via a FitChat Awards Ceremony. More details will be announced in the weeks to come.
GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Official NPC Rules and Regulations for Women's Physique
As you all know, there's been major talk about the new women's physique division. Today, the NPC has finally released the official details regarding the new division.
WOMENS PHYSIQUE
DEFINITION:
WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE DIVISION (HERIN REFERRED TO AS “WP”) HAS BEEN CREATED TO GIVE A PLATFORM FOR WOMEN WHO ENJOY WEIGHT TRAINING, COMPETING, CONTEST PREPERATION. COMPETITORS SHOULD DISPLAY A TONED, ATHLETIC PHYSIQUE SHOWCASING FEMININITY, MUSCLE TONE, BEAUTY/FLOW OF PHYSIQUE.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
WP WILL BE JUDGED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
* SYMMETRY, SHAPE, PROPORTION, MUSCLE TONE, POISE AND BEAUTY FLOW
*PHYSIQUE ASSESSMENT AND COMPARISON WILL TAKE PLACE DURING PREJUDGING
PHYSIQUE SHOULD DISPLAY ALL OF THE ABOVE CRITERIA WITHOUT COMPROMISING FEMININITY, BEAUTY/FLOW OF PHYSIQUE, ETC.
THE FOLLOWING ARE EXAMPLES OF COMMON TERMS USED IN THE BODYBUILDING INDUSTRY. THESE WORDS CAN BE HELPFUL TO ASSESS WHAT SHOULD NOT BE DESCRIPTIVE TO THE PHYSIQUES BEING JUDGED IN WP:
EX.) RIPPED, SHREDDED, PEELED, STRIATED, DRY, DICED, HARD, VASCULAR, GRAINY, MASSIVE, THICK, DENSE, ETC.
WHILE ALL TYPES OF PHYSIQUES WILL BE CONSIDERED WHEN IT COMES TO HEIGHT, WEIGHT, STRUCTURE, ETC. EXCESSIVE MUSCULARITY SHOULD BE SCORED DOWN ACCORDINGLY.
WP SHOULD BE JUDGED AS A STANDARD BETWEEN WOMEN’S FIGURE AND WOMENS BODYBUILDING.
JUDGING FORMAT:
PREJUDGING
INDIVIDUAL ONE MINUTE ROUTINE WITH 10 SECOND WARNING
QUARTER TURNS
MANDATORY POSING COMPARISONS/ CALLOUTS
FINALS
INDIVIDUAL POSING ROUTINE
AWARDS
Who qualifies for IFBB Professional League status – at Junior USA and Junior Nationals the top two (2) qualify for IFBB Professional League status, at all other National events including Team Universe, USA, IFBB North American and Nationals, the top three (3) will qualify for IFBB Professional League status. The NPC wants to set the standard for 2011 at the Junior Events and therefore only qualifying the top two (2).
RULES
*SUITS WORN BY WP COMPETITORS FOR PREJUDGING MUST BE A TWO PIECE. SUITS DO NOT HAVE TO BE SOLID IN COLOR. THE BOTTOM OF THE SUIT MUST BE V-SHAPED. NO THONGS ARE PERMITTED. COMPETITORS CAN COMPETE IN AN OFF THE RACK SUIT. ALL SUITS MUST BE IN GOOD TASTE.
*MANDATOTY POSES WILL BE PERFORMED WITH OPEN HAND STYLE AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING POSES:
FRONT DOUBLE BICEPS/OPEN HANDS (NO FLAT FOOTED FULL FRONT POSE – SOME SORT OF FRONT TWISTING POSE)
BACK DOUBLE BICEPS/OPEN HANDS
SIDE TRICEP WITH LEG EXTENDED
SIDE CHEST WITH ARMS EXTENDED
FRONT AB/THIGH
BACK DOUBLE BICEPS/OPEN HANDS
SIDE TRICEP WITH LEG EXTENDED
SIDE CHEST WITH ARMS EXTENDED
FRONT AB/THIGH
*FINALS ROUTINE WILL BE MAXIMUM 90 SECONDS IN LENGTH, PERFORMED TO MUSIC OF ATHLETES CHOICE ADHERING TO RULES SET FORTH BY THE NPC.
MUSIC CONTAINING PROFANITY OR EXPLICIT LANGUAGE SHOULD NOT BE USED AND MAY RESULT IN ROUTINE BEING CUT SHORT.
*NO PROPS WILL BE USED.
*NO HEELS MAY BE WORN AT ANY TIME DURING THE COMPETITON/JUDGING OF WP.
This sounds like WP will be somewhat how the NABBA is being judged. I gave bikini a chance, and for the most part, it hasn't disappointed me. Yeah, I've not agree with ALL of the decisions and judging, but hey, it's a subjective sport. You can't avoid it. I see that like every other division, this will take some time to get used to. We will see how this goes in 2011, and will also see if and when (it's only a matter of time) the IFBB will add women's physique to the line-up.
We obviously don't know who the "standard" will be until a show actually happens, but now knowing what the rules and regulations are, who do you think will be a great fit for this new division? All I know is, the 2011 competition season could very well be the most interesting season to date. We're in for a ride, folks, so buckle up!! :)
I'll go into more thought on the new division on a later post.
Friday, November 5, 2010
WBFF Heading to USA in 2011
As first reported on BodySport.com, the WBFF (World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation) is going to have a few shows in the United States in 2011. This is a big step for the ever-growing federation, which has seen top fitness icon Monica Brant join the WBFF back in the summer and reaching new popularity over the last four year. WBFF will be entering year 5 next year, and things are looking to be bigger then ever for them.
Many people have wanted to be part of this for a while now, but with most of the shows being in Canada, for the most part, it was impossible. Now with this expansion, expect the WBFF to continue to reach greater heights yet maintain their trademark production and treatment of athletes that they are best known for.
Here's the dates for the shows next year:
April 16 - Connecticut
May 21 - Kansas City
June 25 - Rhode Island
For more on why WBFF CEO Paul Dillett decided to make this change and could more come from this expansion, click here, and for more on the WBFF go to http://www.wbffshows.com.
Many people have wanted to be part of this for a while now, but with most of the shows being in Canada, for the most part, it was impossible. Now with this expansion, expect the WBFF to continue to reach greater heights yet maintain their trademark production and treatment of athletes that they are best known for.
Here's the dates for the shows next year:
April 16 - Connecticut
May 21 - Kansas City
June 25 - Rhode Island
For more on why WBFF CEO Paul Dillett decided to make this change and could more come from this expansion, click here, and for more on the WBFF go to http://www.wbffshows.com.
Monday, November 1, 2010
2011 Bodybuilding.com BodySpace Spokesmodel Search Voting Has Begun!
The 2011 Bodybuilding.com BodySpace Spokesmodel Search is on, and there are a LOT of women in this contest. Here's just a few of the names on here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2011-bodyspace-spokesmodel-search-voting.htm Click on the Women tab and click on the lady you want to get your vote for. Oh, you can also click on the Men tab and vote for your favorite guy as well. LOL.
Good luck to everyone!!
- Erin Stern (2010 Figure Olympia champion and a 2010 BodySpace Spokemodel Finalist)
- Felicia Romero (Top IFBB Figure Competitor)
- Brittany Beede (Formerly Jamie Keyes of WWE)
- Mandy Henderson (New IFBB Figure Pro)
- Shelsea Montes (First-ever crowned IFBB Bikini Pro)
- Laura Bailey (Top NPC Figure competitor)
- Nicole Nagrari (Top IFBB Bikini Pro)
- Laticia Jackson (Top IFBB Fitness Pro)
- Missy Coles (Top IFBB Bikini Pro)
- AND THIS ISN'T EVEN HALF THE LIST!! NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2011-bodyspace-spokesmodel-search-voting.htm Click on the Women tab and click on the lady you want to get your vote for. Oh, you can also click on the Men tab and vote for your favorite guy as well. LOL.
Good luck to everyone!!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Courtney Wins Houston Pro; Keeps to Her Word of Donating Money to Breast Cancer Research
This weekend, Courtney West made her pro debut at the Houston Pro, and I mentioned earlier that should she placed in the top three in her debut, she would donate her entire winnings to breast cancer research. She ended up winning the Houston Pro Figure contest, qualified for next year's Figure Olympia, and kept her word by donating her winnings this weekend toward the fight against breast cancer. A very memorable way to kick off a pro career, as well as giving back to those that need it the most. We at FitGems Nation send out our deepest and most sincere gratitude to Courtney for this awesome show of class. If more people were more like Courtney, this world would be a much better place.
If you want to follow Courtney, join her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/ifbbprocwest.
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| Photo credit: RxMuscle |
If you want to follow Courtney, join her Facebook fan page at http://www.facebook.com/ifbbprocwest.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
2nd Annual FitGems Awards...Time to Nominate Your Favorites! (DEADLINE EXTENDED)
It's that time again, for the 2nd Annual FitGems Awards. Last years was a great success, so we're going it again this year with a few new categories and a few minor changes to last year. Below are the categories for this year.
Nominate up to FIVE people for the following categories, with the top 6 nominations being on the ballot:
NPC Show of the Year
IFBB Show of the Year
Female Physique Site of the Year (non-competitor) (NOTE: FitGems is NOT eligible due the fact that FitGems is running the contest)
Female Competitor Blog of the Year
Photographer of the Year
Blogger of the Year
Industry Blog of the Year (by a fan, industry member, company, etc.)
Female Physique Paysite of the Year
Male Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc.)
Female Competitor Site of the Year
Supplement Company of the Year
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
International Female Bodybuilder of the Year
International Fitness Competitor of the Year
International Figure Competitor of the Year
International Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Competitor Who You Would Love to See Return To the Stage in 2011
Fitness Entrepreneur of the Year (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Moment of the Year (when certain people win a competition, return to the stage, retire, etc. This is for any federation and can be about any of the divisions)
Ones to Watch in 2011 (nominate up to two people for each category with the top 5 nominations to be placed on the ballot)
Pro Female Bodybuilders
Pro Figure Competitors
Pro Fitness Competitors
Pro Bikini Competitors
Pro Women's Physique Competitors (should this happen in 2011)
Amateur Female Bodybuilders
Amateur Figure Competitors
Amateur Fitness Competitors
Amateur Bikini Competitors
Amateur Women's Physique Competitors
Fitness Entrepreneur (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
You can send me the nominations through Twitter (http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation), email (admin@fitgemsnation.net), or leaving a comment on this post. I'll also take your nominations through private messages (PMs) through the following message boards:
Siouxcountry (under cray17)
RxMuscle (under FitGems)
FTVideo (under cray2005)
Unreal Muscle (under FitGems)
Muscular Development (under cray17)
You can nominate between now andNovember 19th November 27th (DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED) On November 19th 29th at Noon Central Time, the nominees will be announced via a FitGems Award Nominations Live FitChat. More details on the exact time as we get closer to the date. After that, voting will begin that same day and will last through all of December, with the winners announced mid-January. Exact date has yet to be determined.
Good luck to everyone! :)
Nominate up to FIVE people for the following categories, with the top 6 nominations being on the ballot:
NPC Show of the Year
IFBB Show of the Year
Female Physique Site of the Year (non-competitor) (NOTE: FitGems is NOT eligible due the fact that FitGems is running the contest)
Female Competitor Blog of the Year
Photographer of the Year
Blogger of the Year
Industry Blog of the Year (by a fan, industry member, company, etc.)
Female Physique Paysite of the Year
Male Supporter of the Year (through shows, message boards, donations to competitors, etc.)
Female Competitor Site of the Year
Supplement Company of the Year
Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
International Female Bodybuilder of the Year
International Fitness Competitor of the Year
International Figure Competitor of the Year
International Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Pro Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Pro Bikini Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Female Bodybuilder of the Year
Breakout Amateur Figure Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Fitness Competitor of the Year
Breakout Amateur Bikini Competitor of the Year
Competitor Who You Would Love to See Return To the Stage in 2011
Fitness Entrepreneur of the Year (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
Moment of the Year (when certain people win a competition, return to the stage, retire, etc. This is for any federation and can be about any of the divisions)
Ones to Watch in 2011 (nominate up to two people for each category with the top 5 nominations to be placed on the ballot)
Pro Female Bodybuilders
Pro Figure Competitors
Pro Fitness Competitors
Pro Bikini Competitors
Pro Women's Physique Competitors (should this happen in 2011)
Amateur Female Bodybuilders
Amateur Figure Competitors
Amateur Fitness Competitors
Amateur Bikini Competitors
Amateur Women's Physique Competitors
Fitness Entrepreneur (Model/Trainer/Spokesperson)
You can send me the nominations through Twitter (http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation), email (admin@fitgemsnation.net), or leaving a comment on this post. I'll also take your nominations through private messages (PMs) through the following message boards:
Siouxcountry (under cray17)
RxMuscle (under FitGems)
FTVideo (under cray2005)
Unreal Muscle (under FitGems)
Muscular Development (under cray17)
You can nominate between now and
Good luck to everyone! :)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
ATTENTION ALL IFBB FEMALE PROS!
IFBB Pro Tammy Patnode has been asked if any existing pros would be interested in a 2011 pro show for the upcoming women's physique division. Who is eligible? IFBB Pros of Women's Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure. If you're a figure or fitness competitor who's been marked down in the past due to being too muscular, or if you're a female bodybuilder who has been deemed far too small, this is definitely for you. If you're interested, leave a comment below, or email me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and will forward all your messages to Tammy.
You have a voice in what happens with this division. Please take advantage of this!!!
You have a voice in what happens with this division. Please take advantage of this!!!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Brittany Beede: Fitness's Next Breakout Diva
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| Fitness industry...meet Brittany Beede! Photo credit: WWE.com |
Fresh off her WWE venture, she's hopping right into the fitness world full-steam with a campaign unlike anything I've seen from one individual. She's launched a Youtube channel, a Google profile page, and an official Facebook fan page, not to mentioning changing her Twitter name to better suit her current and future fans, and that's just within a mere few hours! Imagine how things are going to be for here when everything starts to take off! THIS is what is going to set her apart from many in the fitness industry. She's aiming to become someone in the industry, not just a name or a face in the crowd. It's pretty clear she doesn't need the WWE to succeed (Trust me, they need her a hell of a lot more than she needs them), but I wouldn't rule out a possible return somewhere down the line. But for now, look for Brittany to make an huge and lasting impact on the fitness industry. There's a possible chance that you might see her at the 2011 Arnold "hint..hint". Just like when FitGems Nation supported Brittany during her days as a WWE Diva, we will continue to support Brittany during her journey to becoming fitness's next breakout diva. Good luck, Brittany!! :)
Here are the links to follow Brittany on her quest to becoming the next fitness icon:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BrittanyBeede
Official Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Brittany-Beede-Jamie-Keyes-WWE/151485664892299
Google profile page: http://www.google.com/profiles/britter1231
Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/britter1231
And of course, her fansite that was created prior to becoming a star in WWE: http://www.jamiekeyes.com
EDIT: For all fans of Brittany, I've created a fan page called the Brittany Brigade, to help keep up with all things Brittany, from the beginning of her career until now. You can join it by clicking here.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Courtney West's Heart of Gold
I read a Tweet from IFBB Figure Pro Courtney West (who turned pro at the NPC USAs by winning her class and the overall title) that definitely made my day, and shows that the world is not a cruel place. Courtney will be making her debut at the Houston Pro Figure in less then two weeks, and she stated in her Twitter account that should she place in the top three, her entire prize money will go to cancer research. Not part of it, not half of it...ALL OF HER WINNINGS. To me, that shows the true character of a competitor, not to mention the true character of a human being period.
Best of luck to you, Courtney at the Houston Pro, and we just want to let you know you have the heart and soul of a champion.
Best of luck to you, Courtney at the Houston Pro, and we just want to let you know you have the heart and soul of a champion.
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| Courtney West to make her pro debut at the Houston Pro Photo Credit: Muscular Development |
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Tracey MacDonald's Got a New Blog!
One of FitGems's proud supporters, and all-around awesome lady, Tracey MacDonald has just started a new blog. She's a favorite to follow on Twitter (http://twitter.com/fit2atworld), so now she has a place where she can speak her peace, regarding fitness, her recipies, life in general, and more...now in more than 140 words. :)
Please check out her blog at http://traceyfitnesslife.blogspot.com/.
Please check out her blog at http://traceyfitnesslife.blogspot.com/.
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| Tracey has a new blog! Visit it often! :) |
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Jason Adams Industry Blog
I have written about Zoa Linsey already. Well I have decided to do it again. It is my blog and I can do what I want LOL.
As everyone surely knows Zoa just competed at the Ms. Olympia. Many may know of her injury. Zoa had a herniated disk. She could not even pump up beforehand and was in pain. Yet she still went out there with a smile on her face and looked incredible.
Afterwards Zoa said she hoped she didn't let anyone down. Zoa, are you crazy? Let anyone down? NEVER. In fact I expect I speak for everyone when I say how proud we are of you. You were on the biggest stage in the sport, and you BELONGED there, and you will be back there. Will you win? Well I do not have my crystal ball handy. But does it matter? When you went into the gym the first time, did you say " I am going to be Ms. Olympia"? Somehow I doubt it. You started training because you enjoyed it. Something tells me you still enjoy it. And that is what it should be about. You wanted to be fit and healthy I imagine. Well you achieved that, so you already achieved what you set out to achieve, and everything from here on in is icing on the cake. No one can ever be disappointed with what you do competing wise from here on out.
There are a lot of amazing people in the industry, and some..... well not so nice people. I have heard so many people say so many things, but no one ever says anything bad about Zoa. Zoa makes you proud to be a part of the sport. Zoa is a role model, not just for a person who wants to train and/or compete, but just because of the person she is. I know from experience with the encouragement she has given me. Zoa is proof that a muscular woman is a beautiful woman, Zoa is proof of what hard work can produce, Zoa is proof that good things happen to good people. Let's be honest, we can look at Zoa, and you are blind to not think she is a beautiful woman. But that is not why I am a Zoa Linsey fan. Eventually if you get to know her, that beauty becomes the last thing on your mind. Because you are too busy respecting her for the bodybuilder she is and even more importantly for the woman she is.
Before the Olympia, everyone asked who I picked to win. I said Zoa. And I wasn't wrong. Zoa did win. Zoa won because she got on stage when most wouldn't have been able to. Zoa won because she was on stage with the Elite, making her one of the elite. Zoa won because she is Zoa Linsey. You don't need to be on stage with a check or a trophy to be a winner. A trophy doesn't make you great, you make you great, and Zoa you made yourself great, and so many people are so proud of you.
Zoa thank you for being a role model and an inspiration to me and so many other men and women.
As everyone surely knows Zoa just competed at the Ms. Olympia. Many may know of her injury. Zoa had a herniated disk. She could not even pump up beforehand and was in pain. Yet she still went out there with a smile on her face and looked incredible.
Afterwards Zoa said she hoped she didn't let anyone down. Zoa, are you crazy? Let anyone down? NEVER. In fact I expect I speak for everyone when I say how proud we are of you. You were on the biggest stage in the sport, and you BELONGED there, and you will be back there. Will you win? Well I do not have my crystal ball handy. But does it matter? When you went into the gym the first time, did you say " I am going to be Ms. Olympia"? Somehow I doubt it. You started training because you enjoyed it. Something tells me you still enjoy it. And that is what it should be about. You wanted to be fit and healthy I imagine. Well you achieved that, so you already achieved what you set out to achieve, and everything from here on in is icing on the cake. No one can ever be disappointed with what you do competing wise from here on out.
There are a lot of amazing people in the industry, and some..... well not so nice people. I have heard so many people say so many things, but no one ever says anything bad about Zoa. Zoa makes you proud to be a part of the sport. Zoa is a role model, not just for a person who wants to train and/or compete, but just because of the person she is. I know from experience with the encouragement she has given me. Zoa is proof that a muscular woman is a beautiful woman, Zoa is proof of what hard work can produce, Zoa is proof that good things happen to good people. Let's be honest, we can look at Zoa, and you are blind to not think she is a beautiful woman. But that is not why I am a Zoa Linsey fan. Eventually if you get to know her, that beauty becomes the last thing on your mind. Because you are too busy respecting her for the bodybuilder she is and even more importantly for the woman she is.
Before the Olympia, everyone asked who I picked to win. I said Zoa. And I wasn't wrong. Zoa did win. Zoa won because she got on stage when most wouldn't have been able to. Zoa won because she was on stage with the Elite, making her one of the elite. Zoa won because she is Zoa Linsey. You don't need to be on stage with a check or a trophy to be a winner. A trophy doesn't make you great, you make you great, and Zoa you made yourself great, and so many people are so proud of you.
Zoa thank you for being a role model and an inspiration to me and so many other men and women.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sharing a TenSpot with...Monica Escalante (Olympia Edition)
As you all know, the Olympia is this weekend! The best in men's bodybuilding, women's bodybuilding, fitness, figure, and bikini will step on stage to decide who is truly the best of the best. One of those ladies will be Monica Escalante. Making her Figure Olympia debut, she's had quite a ride in the IFBB this year, debuting at the Phoenix Pro, competing in her first Figure International and sharing the stage with her idol Monica Brant in what was probably her last IFBB competition (Brant is now a WBFF Pro, for those that don't know) and placed in the top six at the Europa Show of Champions and Europa Super Show (the show that got her to the Olympia). Monica was very gracious enough to take some time mere days from the Olympia to do this interview with us.
FitGems Nation: Thank you very much for taking this time out of your Olympia prep to do this interview! Monica Mark-Escalante: You are welcome.
FitGems Nation: In a few days, you will be competing in your very first Olympia ! How does it feel to step on the stage that many competitors strive to be a part of, but only a few get that opportunity to do so?
Monica: It feels incredible. I only dreamed of one day stepping on the Olympia stage a little less than 10 years ago, and now my dream has become a reality. I feel privileged and honored to compete at the Olympia alongside the best women in the world.
FitGems Nation: This year was your first year to compete as a pro. What competition was your favorite to compete in this year (not including the upcoming Olympia )?
Monica: I would have to say the Arnold . The show was an amazing experience. Truly, however, all of the shows have been a great experience because of the camaraderie amongst the pros.
FitGems Nation: When you found out that you were heading to the Olympia , if you can recall, what was the first thing that popped into your head?
Monica:I truly don’t remember…that’s how shocked I was.
FitGems Nation: You are one of the most muscular figure competitors, but regardless of muscle, it seems to flow well with you. How do you maintain your muscularity yet keep it to IFBB standards?
Monica: Over the last year, I have actually been working to lose a little bit of muscle. I have adapted my training so as not to add (or even keep) all of my muscle.
FitGems Nation:I think many people loved your look at both Europas you competed in (Battle of Champions in Hartford and Super Show in Dallas ). Which look do you plan to bring to your first-ever Olympia ?
Monica: My goal is to bring in a slightly less muscular package than I had at those 2 shows. I hope to bring in similar conditioning as I had in both shows, but a little less muscle mass.
FitGems Nation: Has anything changed in prep between your last competition and the O?
Monica:Not really. Since the Europa in Connecticut , my goal has been to become a little less muscular and maintain conditioning.
FitGems Nation: Where would you love to place in your first Olympia , and what would you be content with?
Monica:Well of course my goal is to one day win, but I would be content with a top 6 finish my first time out. I know it’s difficult because the women at this level are all amazing.
FitGems Nation: If you could have the Olympia anywhere else BESIDES Las Vegas , where would it be at?
Monica:I grew up in San Diego and my family all lives there, so that would be ideal. But who can go wrong with Vegas? Vegas is great.
FitGems Nation: Any final words for your fans and supporters out there before the Olympia?
Monica: Much thanks for your support. I have been working hard to finish up my website, which should be up and running in the next few weeks. The cover page is up, but more is coming soon. My website is www.monfit.com.
Once again, Monica, thank you for taking the time out of your Olympia prep to do this interview with us! We at FitGems Nation wish you the best of luck this weekend at the Olympia!! :)
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| Monica qualified for the Olympia at the 2010 Europa Super Show in Dallas Photo credit: Muscular Development |
FitGems Nation: Thank you very much for taking this time out of your Olympia prep to do this interview! Monica Mark-Escalante: You are welcome.
FitGems Nation: In a few days, you will be competing in your very first Olympia ! How does it feel to step on the stage that many competitors strive to be a part of, but only a few get that opportunity to do so?
Monica: It feels incredible. I only dreamed of one day stepping on the Olympia stage a little less than 10 years ago, and now my dream has become a reality. I feel privileged and honored to compete at the Olympia alongside the best women in the world.
FitGems Nation: This year was your first year to compete as a pro. What competition was your favorite to compete in this year (not including the upcoming Olympia )?
Monica: I would have to say the Arnold . The show was an amazing experience. Truly, however, all of the shows have been a great experience because of the camaraderie amongst the pros.
FitGems Nation: When you found out that you were heading to the Olympia , if you can recall, what was the first thing that popped into your head?
Monica:I truly don’t remember…that’s how shocked I was.
FitGems Nation: You are one of the most muscular figure competitors, but regardless of muscle, it seems to flow well with you. How do you maintain your muscularity yet keep it to IFBB standards?
Monica: Over the last year, I have actually been working to lose a little bit of muscle. I have adapted my training so as not to add (or even keep) all of my muscle.
FitGems Nation:I think many people loved your look at both Europas you competed in (Battle of Champions in Hartford and Super Show in Dallas ). Which look do you plan to bring to your first-ever Olympia ?
Monica: My goal is to bring in a slightly less muscular package than I had at those 2 shows. I hope to bring in similar conditioning as I had in both shows, but a little less muscle mass.
FitGems Nation: Has anything changed in prep between your last competition and the O?
Monica:Not really. Since the Europa in Connecticut , my goal has been to become a little less muscular and maintain conditioning.
FitGems Nation: Where would you love to place in your first Olympia , and what would you be content with?
Monica:Well of course my goal is to one day win, but I would be content with a top 6 finish my first time out. I know it’s difficult because the women at this level are all amazing.
FitGems Nation: If you could have the Olympia anywhere else BESIDES Las Vegas , where would it be at?
Monica:I grew up in San Diego and my family all lives there, so that would be ideal. But who can go wrong with Vegas? Vegas is great.
FitGems Nation: Any final words for your fans and supporters out there before the Olympia?
Monica: Much thanks for your support. I have been working hard to finish up my website, which should be up and running in the next few weeks. The cover page is up, but more is coming soon. My website is www.monfit.com.
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| How will Monica fare in her first Olympia competition? |
Jason Adams Industry Blog
Well it is that time of the year. The biggest time in the industry. Olympia is upon us. A gathering of the elite in Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, and Bikini. So that made it clear to me, this is what I should write about.
I am not going to the Olympia, but will be living there next year so can go every year. Sure I would like to go. I could see Danny J (my trainer) as she is working the EST booth. And I could meet, see, and hang out with many of the friends I have made in the Fitness Industry. But what I would really like to see is Zoa Linsey on stage. On my own fan page I have made it Zoa Linsey week. A couple have said I should not show favoritism. Maybe that's true, but really I do not care, it is my page after all. I am not doing this to downplay any other competitor, I do it to support Zoa. Zoa is someone I really admire and look up to. For me personally with my own training, I believed I was a bodybuilder when Zoa said I was.
I remember the first time I ever saw Zoa. It was a picture on a website, and actually was just a leg shot. I was amazed. Then I saw another picture which was fully body, but with her head turned. Her physique was just amazing to me. I right then said that is the best physique I have ever seen. Then I looked more, and at the risk of looking like a dork, I found her to be a very beautiful woman. I was from that day a Zoa Linsey fan. Since then I have met and talked to Zoa. That physique and beauty I mentioned is really just a tiny part of who Zoa Linsey is. There is so much more that makes her amazing. She is a sweet woman who truly appreciates the support she receives. The inner beauty of Zoa is what really sets her apart.
There are so many amazing women in this industry. Each of us has our favorites for whatever reason. You know who the important ones in my life are if you know me. And Zoa is one of them. Zoa is someone I think everyone who is newer to training can look up to. Her dedication, hard work, attitude, and love for what she does is admirable to say the least. I have met some great women and men in the industry, and to be honest some very stuck up people. Zoa is one of the ones who qualify in the great part.
Zoa, I am honored to know you and am so happy for and proud of you. You are now preparing to be on the biggest stage of them all, and you earned and deserve it. Regardless of placing, you will shine on that stage. This is YOUR moment. So go on that stage, give it your best shot, be proud of yourself, and most of all have fun and enjoy every minute of it.
I am not going to the Olympia, but will be living there next year so can go every year. Sure I would like to go. I could see Danny J (my trainer) as she is working the EST booth. And I could meet, see, and hang out with many of the friends I have made in the Fitness Industry. But what I would really like to see is Zoa Linsey on stage. On my own fan page I have made it Zoa Linsey week. A couple have said I should not show favoritism. Maybe that's true, but really I do not care, it is my page after all. I am not doing this to downplay any other competitor, I do it to support Zoa. Zoa is someone I really admire and look up to. For me personally with my own training, I believed I was a bodybuilder when Zoa said I was.
I remember the first time I ever saw Zoa. It was a picture on a website, and actually was just a leg shot. I was amazed. Then I saw another picture which was fully body, but with her head turned. Her physique was just amazing to me. I right then said that is the best physique I have ever seen. Then I looked more, and at the risk of looking like a dork, I found her to be a very beautiful woman. I was from that day a Zoa Linsey fan. Since then I have met and talked to Zoa. That physique and beauty I mentioned is really just a tiny part of who Zoa Linsey is. There is so much more that makes her amazing. She is a sweet woman who truly appreciates the support she receives. The inner beauty of Zoa is what really sets her apart.
There are so many amazing women in this industry. Each of us has our favorites for whatever reason. You know who the important ones in my life are if you know me. And Zoa is one of them. Zoa is someone I think everyone who is newer to training can look up to. Her dedication, hard work, attitude, and love for what she does is admirable to say the least. I have met some great women and men in the industry, and to be honest some very stuck up people. Zoa is one of the ones who qualify in the great part.
Zoa, I am honored to know you and am so happy for and proud of you. You are now preparing to be on the biggest stage of them all, and you earned and deserve it. Regardless of placing, you will shine on that stage. This is YOUR moment. So go on that stage, give it your best shot, be proud of yourself, and most of all have fun and enjoy every minute of it.
Friday, September 17, 2010
"M2-NRG" with Jenny Worth; SAT SEPT 18th @ 10:00AM (and also every Wednesday and Saturday)
For those in the California area, if you want to get a great workout in with a top IFBB legend, come down to Long Beach tomorrow for a new workout class called M2-NRG, by M2 Fitness Pros. Below is the description:
RESERVE YOUR SPOTS!! Come kick up the HEAT with Fitness Champ Jenny Worth in this HEART PUMPING, super Fat Blasting, High NRG... A TOTAL Strengthening Body Weight & Core conditioning workout that will leave you SUPERCHARGED... it's 100% effective and 100% Kick-ass... AND it's on us!!!
And for those that want to do this every week, you can join Jenny and FEEL THE HEAT with "M2-NRG"
every Wednesday morning at 5AM and Saturday morning at 10am @ the M2 Studio in Downtown's LB. For more info, go to http://www.m2fitnesspros.com/events/event/show?id=3114248%3AEvent%3A2190.
RESERVE YOUR SPOTS!! Come kick up the HEAT with Fitness Champ Jenny Worth in this HEART PUMPING, super Fat Blasting, High NRG... A TOTAL Strengthening Body Weight & Core conditioning workout that will leave you SUPERCHARGED... it's 100% effective and 100% Kick-ass... AND it's on us!!!
And for those that want to do this every week, you can join Jenny and FEEL THE HEAT with "M2-NRG"
every Wednesday morning at 5AM and Saturday morning at 10am @ the M2 Studio in Downtown's LB. For more info, go to http://www.m2fitnesspros.com/events/event/show?id=3114248%3AEvent%3A2190.
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| Join legendary IFBB star Jenny Worth in SoCal for an awesome workout brought to you by M2 Fitness Pros! |
Monday, September 13, 2010
WBFF to Have Biggest Weekend Yet This Coming Weekend
We all know that the Olympia is fast approaching (next weekend, to be exact), but before that happens, all eyes will be on the World Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (WBFF) World Championships. This event could very well be the turning point for the WBFF for one major reason...Monica Brant. The biggest icon in this sport's history will be making her WBFF figure debut this weekend, after leaving the IFBB after competing in that organization for 16 years.
For those that followed Monica throughout her career (and let's be honest, who hasn't?!), Monica always comes with the physique that many fans in IFBB would LOVE to see be rewarded, as opposed to the soft look that is awarded in IFBB figure today. Throughout her entire career, she has won only one IFBB title, and that was the 1998 Fitness Olympia title. She would be close to winning a few figure championships, but would always loose to people whose physiques were not deemed championship quality (other people's words, not mine). Monica could have quit a while back, but instead, she kept at it for the fans, knowing that she would never win an IFBB title.
In the summertime, she shook the figure world by announcing that she was leaving the IFBB for the WBFF. People couldn't believe what they were hearing, and people reacted with excitement, while some didn't feel it was the right move. Mo felt like this was a business decision, as she felt the WBFF could do wonders for her career. A change of scenery, if you will. There are those that feel her physique would be well suited for the WBFF, as in their Figure division, tighter, more muscular looks are rewarded. Look no further than Monica's competition this weekend for proof of that: Emily Stirling.
Emily has been viewed by many WBFF fans to be the face of the WBFF Figure division, and it's clear to see why. She has amazing conditioning and muscularity that is popular with figure fans yet it not to the extreme of bodybuilding. Her leg development is among some of the best in figure, regardless of federation. For those that don't know Emily Stirling, she's competing in the WBFF since it's inception in 2007 winning the overall title that year then placed second to Diana Chaloux the following year. Last year, the WBFF launched their pro figure division and Stirling, the organization's first figure pro ever, won her second World Championship title. That time, though she did it as a pro figure competitor. With these accomplishments, it's no wonder why many consider Emily to be WBFF's First Lady.
It's no secret that the IFBB/NPC is the biggest and best physique federation in the world, but you would have to be a complete lunatic to ignore how big this weekend is for not only the WBFF, but for the entire muscle world as well. All eyes will be on the WBFF to see if they can deliver. Monica has been said to be in the shape and condition she wants to be. No doubt Emily will be in the best in her career. And what about the rest of the ladies who will be competing? It's obvious that they will all be stepping up their game to stand besides an icon such as Monica.
I will be doing my best to get coverage of this event, as this will no doubt be a turning point for the WBFF and for figure in general, regardless of federation. To Monica, Emily, and everyone competing in the WBFF World Championships this weekend, FitGems Nation wishes you all best of luck and can't wait to see what the WBFF can do! IFBB, you're not the only dog in the yard anymore!!! :)
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| Monica Brant to make her WBFF debut this weekend Photo credit: RxMuscle.com |
For those that followed Monica throughout her career (and let's be honest, who hasn't?!), Monica always comes with the physique that many fans in IFBB would LOVE to see be rewarded, as opposed to the soft look that is awarded in IFBB figure today. Throughout her entire career, she has won only one IFBB title, and that was the 1998 Fitness Olympia title. She would be close to winning a few figure championships, but would always loose to people whose physiques were not deemed championship quality (other people's words, not mine). Monica could have quit a while back, but instead, she kept at it for the fans, knowing that she would never win an IFBB title.
In the summertime, she shook the figure world by announcing that she was leaving the IFBB for the WBFF. People couldn't believe what they were hearing, and people reacted with excitement, while some didn't feel it was the right move. Mo felt like this was a business decision, as she felt the WBFF could do wonders for her career. A change of scenery, if you will. There are those that feel her physique would be well suited for the WBFF, as in their Figure division, tighter, more muscular looks are rewarded. Look no further than Monica's competition this weekend for proof of that: Emily Stirling.
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| Emily Stirling: Arguably THE face of WBFF Figure Photo credit: WBFF |
Emily has been viewed by many WBFF fans to be the face of the WBFF Figure division, and it's clear to see why. She has amazing conditioning and muscularity that is popular with figure fans yet it not to the extreme of bodybuilding. Her leg development is among some of the best in figure, regardless of federation. For those that don't know Emily Stirling, she's competing in the WBFF since it's inception in 2007 winning the overall title that year then placed second to Diana Chaloux the following year. Last year, the WBFF launched their pro figure division and Stirling, the organization's first figure pro ever, won her second World Championship title. That time, though she did it as a pro figure competitor. With these accomplishments, it's no wonder why many consider Emily to be WBFF's First Lady.
It's no secret that the IFBB/NPC is the biggest and best physique federation in the world, but you would have to be a complete lunatic to ignore how big this weekend is for not only the WBFF, but for the entire muscle world as well. All eyes will be on the WBFF to see if they can deliver. Monica has been said to be in the shape and condition she wants to be. No doubt Emily will be in the best in her career. And what about the rest of the ladies who will be competing? It's obvious that they will all be stepping up their game to stand besides an icon such as Monica.
I will be doing my best to get coverage of this event, as this will no doubt be a turning point for the WBFF and for figure in general, regardless of federation. To Monica, Emily, and everyone competing in the WBFF World Championships this weekend, FitGems Nation wishes you all best of luck and can't wait to see what the WBFF can do! IFBB, you're not the only dog in the yard anymore!!! :)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Fitness Stars Invade WWE; A Change in the Air?!
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| Are we looking at the return of fitness muscle in WWE? From Left to Right: Kaitlyn (Celeste Bonin), Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene), Jamie (Brittany Beede) Photo credit: WWE.com |
As some of you know, I happen to be a big fan of wrestling, especially WWE. One of their big things happens to be their Divas, the names for their female wrestlers, or more appropriately, their female entertainers. For the most part, the Divas are seemingly fit, but not in the realm of fitness/figure competitors, at least not since the days of Trish Stratus, Chyna, and Torrie Wilson. The closest to that kind of physique right now is Beth Phoenix...at least until this past Tuesday.
This past Tuesday was the season premiere of WWE NXT, and this season's an all-Divas season. I mentioned earlier on this blog that Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene) and Jamie (Brittany Beede) are two fitness stars that are a part of the cast this season, and as broken first by Isaac Hinds, we would find out that ANOTHER fitness star would join the NXT rankings.
Before NXT even began, WWE NXT was down one Diva (Aolesia) due to some outside complications that surfaced before the season began. So they teased a new Diva coming in for Pro Vickie Guerrero. That diva would be Kaitlyn, but for us, we know her by the name of Celeste Bonin.
Celeste's a former NPC figure competitor who was contemplating going to bodybuilding, but obviously that is out the window now with her being in the WWE. Her look alone has definitely caught the eye of WWE fans, collectively known as the WWE Universe.
This article is not about how well they did (For those interested in THAT, go to my NXT column on Diva-Fiva.com. WARNING: I get a bit personal and carried away a bit when I do wrestling talk.). Rather, this article is about how it seems like the winds of change are fast approaching WWE, and possibly mainstream entertainment. Let's be honest, things are not the same anymore. Thin is not in when it comes to what people LIKE to see. It seems like those with a bit of meat on their bones are being more praised. No, I'm not saying that female bodybuilding is becoming the norm. That could be some time, as I don't think the mainstream is quite ready for that yet. But there are those seemingly willing to give those in figure/fitness/bikini a chance to showcase themselves in the mainstream eye.
I might be jumping the gun a bit, but there's a good chance that these three ladies in this aricle might be going something more than they realize. They might holding the keys to the future of entertainment, possibly the future of what women's aspire to be. Maybe not wreslter, but fit yet feminine women who can do anything they can put their minds into. The Original American Gladiators did it in the 1980s. Kiana Tom did it in the mid-1990s into early 2000s. These three (regardless on how long they last in the competition) just might be the start of something big in the world of mainstream entertainment. Only time will tell whether these three help make a difference by just being on TV, but if their past achievements are of any indication...I wouldn't bet again any of these ladies and the influences they can bring in in the short-term and long-term.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Jason Adams Industry Blog
Well, it has been awhile since my last blog. BUt that has been with reason. I have been very busy of late. Trying to get several things going. So what I am writing about here may be a bit self serving and if so, accept my apologies. I often get emails, messages, etc, asking for help with ideas for sponsors or booth work and the accompanying things. It sparked my interest in maybe doing that as.... well I guess a profession. Recently I was blessed......twice. Two women I think so highly of have shown the trust in me to hire me as their manager. THey are Figure competitor Carreen Berry and Bodybuilder Sheena Hunter. I am happy these two women have that trust in me, because I feel both women are going to be names in this industry and I want to make that happen. Both are beautiful women, with great physiques, and are some of the nicest women you will meet.
Now a lot of people get into such a business in order to make money. Well those who know me, know I am not about money and the agreement I ahve with these women will reflect that. My goal is to help them and thats my only concern. Often you here people say "This is a selfsih sport". Yes, at times that can be true, but take a closer look at it, and really, it's not so selfish. Yes the training and prep process can be about "me,me,me". BUt step away from teh training and the prep process, and I find it to be anything but selfish. I find it to be full of supportive and encourgaing people. How many times do you hear someone say the best thing about competing is meeting great friends? You hear or read that often.
So what I am saying is, as selfish as you may think the sport is, if you look around, you can also find some of the most amazing people in it. People you can trust and people who will help you as much as they possibly can. I am lucky, I found the most amazing person I know, Danny J Johnson as my trainer, and she helps me in more ways than you can imagine. Also I ahve found two amazing clients in Sheena and Carreen.
So Sheena and Carreen, you have my word, I am going to work as hard as I can for you and together the three of us will do great things.
Now a lot of people get into such a business in order to make money. Well those who know me, know I am not about money and the agreement I ahve with these women will reflect that. My goal is to help them and thats my only concern. Often you here people say "This is a selfsih sport". Yes, at times that can be true, but take a closer look at it, and really, it's not so selfish. Yes the training and prep process can be about "me,me,me". BUt step away from teh training and the prep process, and I find it to be anything but selfish. I find it to be full of supportive and encourgaing people. How many times do you hear someone say the best thing about competing is meeting great friends? You hear or read that often.
So what I am saying is, as selfish as you may think the sport is, if you look around, you can also find some of the most amazing people in it. People you can trust and people who will help you as much as they possibly can. I am lucky, I found the most amazing person I know, Danny J Johnson as my trainer, and she helps me in more ways than you can imagine. Also I ahve found two amazing clients in Sheena and Carreen.
So Sheena and Carreen, you have my word, I am going to work as hard as I can for you and together the three of us will do great things.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Jamie Keyes...From Ring Announcer to Wrestler!
I mentioned earlier about Aksana (Zivile Raudoniene) becoming a Rookie Diva for the third season of NXT, as she's a fan favorite in the industry. How can that get even better?! How about adding ANOTHER favorite of FitGems Nation to the list. This heart just about stopped when Jamie Keyes (real name Brittany Beede) was announced as a Rookie Diva for NXT.
The following she's gathered has been one of the most impressive I've seen for someone new to wrestling since Trish Stratus. As we all know, she didn't have real training in a WWE ring until later on in her career, and...well, we know all about that, don't we?! :) But when Jamie was announced as a wrestler for the new season, searches for her went through the roof! Her fansite JamieKeyes.com reached more hits in one setting than any other time in the site's short history, and things will only continue to grow for the site. Twitter searches went up, message board posts went up, her fan page on Facebook went up tremendously after the big announcement. Words and phrases such as "Amazon goddess" "action figure" "muscular bombshell" "muscular" "fit cutie", and others have been describing Jamie over the web since the huge announcement. My personal favorite is "fitness fashionista". Her athletic background and insane physique has made her a "pre-season" favorite, if you will. Regardless of what happens to Jamie during NXT Season 3, we at FitGems Nation believe that Jamie will have all the "Keyes" needed to be successful whether it's WWE or outside of WWE. Good luck on NXT, Jamie!! :)
For those that want what I mentioned earlier about Jamie, go to http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2010/06/celebrity-spotlight-brittany-beede-wwes.html, approved by Jamie herself.
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| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
For those that want what I mentioned earlier about Jamie, go to http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2010/06/celebrity-spotlight-brittany-beede-wwes.html, approved by Jamie herself.
Aksana is Now TV Bound!!
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| Photo Credit: WWE.com |
Yep, the former IFBB figure star will be a Rookie Diva, looking to become WWE's next Breakout Diva. Her pro will be the Bizzaro One...Goldust. Man...is that going to be a trip, or what?!?! :)
Aksana will be joining another FitGems Nation favorite, Jamie Keyes, along with Maxine, AJ Lee, Naomi Night, and Aloisia (who's heads and shoulders above all the other Divas Literally...at 6 foot 9!!!) to form the first ladies-only Rookie group for NXT. One of these ladies will go on to win NXT and will (I believe) earn the right to take on the Women's Champion at the PPV of their choosing. The buzz is crazy right now, and I have no doubt in my mind that all six ladies will be on Raw or Smackdown once this is over. How far will Aksana go in this competiton could possibly be up to you. After next week, I'll let you all know how the voting process will be.
You can catch Aksana, as well as the other Rookie Divas, on WWE NXT beginning next Tuesday at 10PM Eastern/9PM Central on SyFy.
Best of luck to you, Aksana!!! :)
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Ali Dies and Heather Kilgore 2 Amazing Women by Jason Adams
I love to write and yet sometimes can't think of what to write about. I guess the better way to put it is, I ahve so many ideas in my head and don't know how to word them or when to put certain things into certain parts of the story, or column or whatever. This week I want to write about two amazing women named Ali Dies and Heahter Kilgore. But there is so much good I can write about them, I dont know where to start. So I will just write it out and kind of let the thoughts just flow from my mind.
Ali Dies is one of the first people in this industry I really became a fan of. Yes she is insanely beautiful, and yes as a guy that struck me. BUt also her physique did. She just looked incredible. We shared some short Facebook communications and I found out she was just a sweet and nice woman. Along the way from knowing Ali I learned of Heather Kilgore. Again her beauty struck me. I talked with Heather on Facebook as well, and all I jsut said about Ali equally applies to Heather. In talking with them they became very supportive of my own competing goals. Lots of encouragement. I haev since been talking on the phone with Heather and she is so fun to talk with. I had an immediate trust with and in her and was able to tell her some "this is between me and you" stuff.
Now, you may or may not be familiar with Ali and Heather, and of course you may be familiar with them. If you are familiar, you know how special they are. Not as competitors, but as people. But we must talk about the competing. These are two women who you see them in stage photos and say "thats the best she ever looked" but then they get on stage and again you say that. They just keep getting better.
There are alot of people who ahve competed obviously. Some can be inspiring by how they look and some by what kind of person they are. These two women are inspiring in both ways. There is no limit to how far they can go in the fitness industry and they do not have to take a back seat to anyone.
But let's face it, sometimes success can go to a person's head. People can get cocky, arrogant or a sense of entitlement. With Ali and Heather, no matter how successfull they get, you know they will still just be Ali Dies and Heather Kilgore, and I think they want it that way. These are two very special women who are a perfect example of why I love this industry.
Ali Dies is one of the first people in this industry I really became a fan of. Yes she is insanely beautiful, and yes as a guy that struck me. BUt also her physique did. She just looked incredible. We shared some short Facebook communications and I found out she was just a sweet and nice woman. Along the way from knowing Ali I learned of Heather Kilgore. Again her beauty struck me. I talked with Heather on Facebook as well, and all I jsut said about Ali equally applies to Heather. In talking with them they became very supportive of my own competing goals. Lots of encouragement. I haev since been talking on the phone with Heather and she is so fun to talk with. I had an immediate trust with and in her and was able to tell her some "this is between me and you" stuff.
Now, you may or may not be familiar with Ali and Heather, and of course you may be familiar with them. If you are familiar, you know how special they are. Not as competitors, but as people. But we must talk about the competing. These are two women who you see them in stage photos and say "thats the best she ever looked" but then they get on stage and again you say that. They just keep getting better.
There are alot of people who ahve competed obviously. Some can be inspiring by how they look and some by what kind of person they are. These two women are inspiring in both ways. There is no limit to how far they can go in the fitness industry and they do not have to take a back seat to anyone.
But let's face it, sometimes success can go to a person's head. People can get cocky, arrogant or a sense of entitlement. With Ali and Heather, no matter how successfull they get, you know they will still just be Ali Dies and Heather Kilgore, and I think they want it that way. These are two very special women who are a perfect example of why I love this industry.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Jason Adams Industry Blog
Hello again everyone. This week I wanted to talk about the Bikini division. My thoughts when Bikini started were probably the same as a lot of people. "What does Bikini have to do with Fitness?" But I gave it a shot, and actually have become a big fan. In fact I have become friends with several Bikini competitors, and I have learned these women work and train just as hard as any other competitor. Maybe they are not lifting as heavy, but they are lifting just as much and putting in the same work. I was once told by a Pro Bodybuilder that "These girls don't deserve to share her stage". What happened that made it "your” stage? Remember female bodybuilders often had to deal with negative stereotypes, so why would she want to then stereotype someone else? These girls do deserve to share that stage.
In learning about Bikini I have befriended my favorite Bikini competitor, Vanessa Prebyl. Vanessa is amazing. She has on a couple occasions this year just missed out on her Pro card, and is a lock to get it very soon. Vanessa isn't just a good example for Bikini. She is a great example for the industry as a whole. To know Vanessa is to know her passion for training and it is just as hard as any other division. My great love has always been bodybuilding, but by opening my eyes women like Vanessa have made me fall in love with Bikini. I can sit here and tell you a great deal about Bikini and how hard these girls work, but why not have an expert do it. SO I will know allow Vanessa to take over from here.
Hello to all the readers!!! My name is Vanessa Prebyl and I am an NPC Bikini Class C competitor!! First of all I want to say thank you Jason for the kind words you wrote about me. It means the world to me that people are respecting how hard ALL competitors train. As Jason wrote above, the bikini division has got a little bit of flack for being a competitive sport. I would like to clear up some of the misconceptions and hopefully draw you in to love this division as much as I do.
As for training as a bikini competitor, I have no doubt I train just as hard as any other person in this sport. I may not lift a large amount of weight, but I lift as heavy as I can. I am a no-nonsense type of girl in the gym. I wake up at 4:30am and hit the gym by 5am to do my lifting for the day. As well as lifting, I also do two cardio sessions a day which may range from a track workout with sprints and stadiums to HIIT or even a nice run out side or incline treadmill. I go all out and want to make sure I have NO REGRET when I hit that stage. I know many people have asked me if I workout for the bikini division and at times I want to chuckle and say “Me?? Oh no, I look like this naturally.” Yes folks, I workout. ;)
As for a bikini competitors diet, I do still get some carbs and good fats; however, it is a difficult balance between looking curvy and too soft. I do follow a strict diet that was made for me by Kim Oddo and it has worked wonders. I eat lean white meat or white fish with greens for most of my meals.
One of the areas of bikini competition that has also had people raising their eye-brows is the Bikini stage presentation. Yes bikini does have more FLARE than the strict posing of Figure; however, just because it is not as strict does not mean it is any easier. I practice my poses all the time. I am not one to just wing-it and see how the competition comes out. Furthermore, in my presentation I have to make sure I up-hold the bikini division in a classy, elegant, and beautiful way. I feel bikini is a celebration of loving your curvy-healthy body and presenting it to the world with confidence and self love. I’m not just going out there and shaking-it and doing stripper-poses. I know I have seen some questionable poses in the competitions I have been in and all I can say is, please do not judge the whole bunch on a few bad apples. Most all of the women I have met in my competitions have been super nice and generally beautiful inside and out. I am very proud to be a part of the bikini division and the NPC in general. I have met so many strong and amazing women and men.
Lastly, I am a huge quote fan and the following quote is on judging others.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” ~Mother Teresa
Please remember that all competitors are getting on the same stage and it takes a great deal of courage, strength, commitment, and sheer confidence in yourself. Competing should draw us all in as a community and I am sure we are all more similar than different.
Much Love to ALL,
Vanessa Prebyl :)
In learning about Bikini I have befriended my favorite Bikini competitor, Vanessa Prebyl. Vanessa is amazing. She has on a couple occasions this year just missed out on her Pro card, and is a lock to get it very soon. Vanessa isn't just a good example for Bikini. She is a great example for the industry as a whole. To know Vanessa is to know her passion for training and it is just as hard as any other division. My great love has always been bodybuilding, but by opening my eyes women like Vanessa have made me fall in love with Bikini. I can sit here and tell you a great deal about Bikini and how hard these girls work, but why not have an expert do it. SO I will know allow Vanessa to take over from here.
Hello to all the readers!!! My name is Vanessa Prebyl and I am an NPC Bikini Class C competitor!! First of all I want to say thank you Jason for the kind words you wrote about me. It means the world to me that people are respecting how hard ALL competitors train. As Jason wrote above, the bikini division has got a little bit of flack for being a competitive sport. I would like to clear up some of the misconceptions and hopefully draw you in to love this division as much as I do.
As for training as a bikini competitor, I have no doubt I train just as hard as any other person in this sport. I may not lift a large amount of weight, but I lift as heavy as I can. I am a no-nonsense type of girl in the gym. I wake up at 4:30am and hit the gym by 5am to do my lifting for the day. As well as lifting, I also do two cardio sessions a day which may range from a track workout with sprints and stadiums to HIIT or even a nice run out side or incline treadmill. I go all out and want to make sure I have NO REGRET when I hit that stage. I know many people have asked me if I workout for the bikini division and at times I want to chuckle and say “Me?? Oh no, I look like this naturally.” Yes folks, I workout. ;)
As for a bikini competitors diet, I do still get some carbs and good fats; however, it is a difficult balance between looking curvy and too soft. I do follow a strict diet that was made for me by Kim Oddo and it has worked wonders. I eat lean white meat or white fish with greens for most of my meals.
One of the areas of bikini competition that has also had people raising their eye-brows is the Bikini stage presentation. Yes bikini does have more FLARE than the strict posing of Figure; however, just because it is not as strict does not mean it is any easier. I practice my poses all the time. I am not one to just wing-it and see how the competition comes out. Furthermore, in my presentation I have to make sure I up-hold the bikini division in a classy, elegant, and beautiful way. I feel bikini is a celebration of loving your curvy-healthy body and presenting it to the world with confidence and self love. I’m not just going out there and shaking-it and doing stripper-poses. I know I have seen some questionable poses in the competitions I have been in and all I can say is, please do not judge the whole bunch on a few bad apples. Most all of the women I have met in my competitions have been super nice and generally beautiful inside and out. I am very proud to be a part of the bikini division and the NPC in general. I have met so many strong and amazing women and men.
Lastly, I am a huge quote fan and the following quote is on judging others.
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” ~Mother Teresa
Please remember that all competitors are getting on the same stage and it takes a great deal of courage, strength, commitment, and sheer confidence in yourself. Competing should draw us all in as a community and I am sure we are all more similar than different.
Much Love to ALL,
Vanessa Prebyl :)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Europa SuperShow to Be Webcasted This Weekend
Yep, the webcast are increasing and increasing, and that's good news for those that can't make it to shows! BIG thanks to Ava Cowan (a competitor this weekend) for posting this on her Twitter.
http://mdtv.musculardevelopment.com/2010-europa-supershow.htm
It will start at 2PM Central today (August 13th) and again on 10AM Central Saturday (August 14th). Please bookmark this page and best of luck to everyone competing at the Europa SuperShow this weekend! :)
http://mdtv.musculardevelopment.com/2010-europa-supershow.htm
It will start at 2PM Central today (August 13th) and again on 10AM Central Saturday (August 14th). Please bookmark this page and best of luck to everyone competing at the Europa SuperShow this weekend! :)
Guess Who's Joining the "Promoting Real Women" Team?
Yep, yours truly has been asked and invited to write for the popular Promoting Real Women. I want to give a heartfelt thank-you to Jason Adams for giving me this opportunity to write for his blog. I’m very thankful to God that I can call Jason a great friend of mine and an inspiration to me. Talking with him via phone and Facebook has made me realize how much alike we really are, and how much the both of us care about the athletes of the female muscle world.
So over time, I'll be posting on topics that I will post exclusively for Promoting Real Women, including old topics from the FitGems blog that will be updated. As a matter of fact, my first topic on Promoting Real Women will be about the state of female bodybuilding in the NPC/IFBB. Here's my original topic from it, when I did this in 2008:http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-thoughts-on-state-of-womens.html
How much has it changed? You'll find out soon enough.
Please join me on Promoting Real Women at http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/, as I've already done an introductory post there, just basically saying who I am and such. If you haven't done it yet, PLEASE go out there and support Jason Adams and Promoting Real Women!! :)
So over time, I'll be posting on topics that I will post exclusively for Promoting Real Women, including old topics from the FitGems blog that will be updated. As a matter of fact, my first topic on Promoting Real Women will be about the state of female bodybuilding in the NPC/IFBB. Here's my original topic from it, when I did this in 2008:http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-thoughts-on-state-of-womens.html
How much has it changed? You'll find out soon enough.
Please join me on Promoting Real Women at http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/, as I've already done an introductory post there, just basically saying who I am and such. If you haven't done it yet, PLEASE go out there and support Jason Adams and Promoting Real Women!! :)
Monday, August 9, 2010
Song of the Week-Nelly "Number 1"
I bet everyone of you competitors have this mentality when you're prepping for a contest:
What does it take to be NUMBER ONE?!
Two is Not a Winner and Three Nobody Remembers
What does it take to be NUMBER ONE?!
Two is Not a Winner and Three Nobody Remembers
Welcome Back, Sue!
This past weekend was the 2010 Jacksonville Pro, and it was a DEEP contest. Six ladies punched their tickets to the Olympia being held next month, but there's one person who can claim an award that's just a big as qualifying for the Olympia. That competitor is Sue Upson, who returned to the stage for the first time since the removal of a brain tumor last year.
I became very familiar with Sue on the Siouxcountry board. In fact, she became the first person on the board that became a pro, so I call her one of the S.O.S. (Siouxcountry Original Stars) (Editors Note: S.O.S....hmm, that sounds like a future part of my blog. Will keep you all posted.) Anyways, Sue competed for a good deal of 2009 (three shows to be exact). SO...other people compete in three shows. Well, try competing in three shows, much less at least ONE show...with a freaking brain tumor!!! So, she did what she needed to do in terms of competing last year, and in October, she had her tumor taken out. During that time, I saw and part of EXACTLY why Siouxcountry's more than just the leading board for the female physique world, it's a family that sticks together through thick and thin. The moderators got together and decided to surprise Sue with a gift, and asked for members to donate. I didn't hesitate and donated, as I knew Sue was AND IS a special competitor. For those wondering about the surgery, it was a 10-hour process. OUCH!!
This past weekend, she made her return to the stage that was her proand looked better than ever, and it was just like how she competed last year; no signs of a tumor whatsoever. No signs that the average person can see, though. Sue has some complications with the right side of her face, but that's to be expected after having a tumor removed from her head. Despite a few minor setbacks, she's looking to continue her comeback to the stage in Dallas at the Europa Super Show (the original Europa extravaganza). We at FitGems Nation welcome you back Sue and wish you best of luck this weekend in Dallas and for the remainder of your pro career! :)
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| Jacksonville Pro 2009-Her Pro Debut |
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| Europa Super Show 2009 (She will be at this show this weekend) |
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| 2010 Jacksonville Pro. Welcome back, Sue!!! For more on Sue's comeback, check out RXMuscle's interview with Sue after the 2010 Jacksonville Pro. |
Friday, August 6, 2010
Jason Adams Industry Blog
In just a short time I have gone from being not at all involved in the Fitness
industry to someone many competitors have come to for help or advice. What is the most common advice they want? "How can I get sponsors?" Well let's face it, those in
the industry know both how difficult sponsors are to get, as well as how great they are to have. Competing is not cheap. When they ask, I am happy to give advice, and hope that advice helps.
I want to use this opportunity to actually tell sponsors what the benefits of two special women could have to your company. Those women are IFBB Fitness Pro's Victoria Larvie and Ariel Khadr. IFBB Pro should tell you all you need to know. But in case it doesn't, how about throwing in the fact that they won their Pro cards at age 17, and that is outstanding for them, but also can be an asset for you. I will explain that shortly. Let's also not forget that both young women have a very large fan base. That fan base was built out of respect for their fitness accomplishments as well as respect for the women they are. Both are also very outgoing and personable. In one instance, very early in my own training, even at the time at the age of 33 and being male, I did not hesitate to ask Victoria for advice. She was happy to help and even expanded upon the advice in later communication. She did not have to do that, but it is simply the person that she is and her enjoyment of helping others reach their fitness goals. Now at the age of 34 I have no problem saying I look up to and admire Victoria and Ariel.
Now let's talk about what the benefits could be of sponsoring them. As earlier mentioned there is the large fan base and the Pro cards. But with these two you can reach so many different target audiences.
Let's start with teens. At a time when there seem to be more and more computer and video games being made, and less and less times when you can walk outside and see young children playing OUTSIDE, Victoria and Ariel can be great examples to children to be more active and healthy. Young girls may not feel comfortable with their body image and what better way to encourage young women to get healthy and create the body they want, then to have two young women who can give them inspiration, someone to look up to, and even the confidence to go to the gym or get healthy. Also a lot of young girls are not educated on how to be in shape and think they must starve themselves. We know that isn't healthy, and Victoria and Ariel are great examples for them to learn the right way to change that negative body self image. Victoria and Ariel give them someone to look up to and aspire to be like.
Let's not forget the female gender in general. How many times have you heard of a female being afraid of the gym? I have heard it often. Victoria and Ariel are great examples of why a woman need not be afraid to go to the gym. Furthermore women who may be new and afraid can learn a lot from Victoria and Ariel and get off on the right foot. Women can learn so much from these two, and these are two young women who are happy to help.
Let's not forget everyone else either. As mentioned, I am a 34 year old male and I learn from them. I have met so many people in the fitness industry and very few have reached the respect and admiration I have for Victoria and Ariel. I am not alone either. Sure, both Victoria and Ariel are beautiful young women and hat may at times cause an initial desire to be a "fan". However that usually lasts until the next beautiful woman comes along. But in Victoria and Ariel's case, they keep those fans, because just by being who they are they demand respect and appreciation. Their fan base is so very loyal.
So whether you are a supplement company, clothing company, or anything else there are so many benefits to sponsoring Victoria and Ariel and the IFBB Pro part is just scratching the surface. There is such a broad range of people who will see Victoria and Ariel represent your company and will no doubt be much more willing to use your product. Also, if you have booths at shows, imagine the line at your booth if Victoria and/or Ariel are there, and with the outgoing personality and intelligence both women posses you have a large audience for them to promote your product. Plus you are helping Victoria and Ariel get their names out even more and helping give women and teens a role model to look up to and get themselves in better physical health.
I could have written a column about any competitor trying to hype them up and help them out. But I chose Victoria Larvie and Ariel Khadr. Why? Because they are deserving. They are the future of Fitness. They are amazing young women and role models for teens, women, and even men who want to improve their health. By sponsoring them, yes, they will be able to benefit greatly, but by sponsoring them, you and your company or product will benefit even more so.
Jason Adams
industry to someone many competitors have come to for help or advice. What is the most common advice they want? "How can I get sponsors?" Well let's face it, those in
the industry know both how difficult sponsors are to get, as well as how great they are to have. Competing is not cheap. When they ask, I am happy to give advice, and hope that advice helps.
I want to use this opportunity to actually tell sponsors what the benefits of two special women could have to your company. Those women are IFBB Fitness Pro's Victoria Larvie and Ariel Khadr. IFBB Pro should tell you all you need to know. But in case it doesn't, how about throwing in the fact that they won their Pro cards at age 17, and that is outstanding for them, but also can be an asset for you. I will explain that shortly. Let's also not forget that both young women have a very large fan base. That fan base was built out of respect for their fitness accomplishments as well as respect for the women they are. Both are also very outgoing and personable. In one instance, very early in my own training, even at the time at the age of 33 and being male, I did not hesitate to ask Victoria for advice. She was happy to help and even expanded upon the advice in later communication. She did not have to do that, but it is simply the person that she is and her enjoyment of helping others reach their fitness goals. Now at the age of 34 I have no problem saying I look up to and admire Victoria and Ariel.
Now let's talk about what the benefits could be of sponsoring them. As earlier mentioned there is the large fan base and the Pro cards. But with these two you can reach so many different target audiences.
Let's start with teens. At a time when there seem to be more and more computer and video games being made, and less and less times when you can walk outside and see young children playing OUTSIDE, Victoria and Ariel can be great examples to children to be more active and healthy. Young girls may not feel comfortable with their body image and what better way to encourage young women to get healthy and create the body they want, then to have two young women who can give them inspiration, someone to look up to, and even the confidence to go to the gym or get healthy. Also a lot of young girls are not educated on how to be in shape and think they must starve themselves. We know that isn't healthy, and Victoria and Ariel are great examples for them to learn the right way to change that negative body self image. Victoria and Ariel give them someone to look up to and aspire to be like.
Let's not forget the female gender in general. How many times have you heard of a female being afraid of the gym? I have heard it often. Victoria and Ariel are great examples of why a woman need not be afraid to go to the gym. Furthermore women who may be new and afraid can learn a lot from Victoria and Ariel and get off on the right foot. Women can learn so much from these two, and these are two young women who are happy to help.
Let's not forget everyone else either. As mentioned, I am a 34 year old male and I learn from them. I have met so many people in the fitness industry and very few have reached the respect and admiration I have for Victoria and Ariel. I am not alone either. Sure, both Victoria and Ariel are beautiful young women and hat may at times cause an initial desire to be a "fan". However that usually lasts until the next beautiful woman comes along. But in Victoria and Ariel's case, they keep those fans, because just by being who they are they demand respect and appreciation. Their fan base is so very loyal.
So whether you are a supplement company, clothing company, or anything else there are so many benefits to sponsoring Victoria and Ariel and the IFBB Pro part is just scratching the surface. There is such a broad range of people who will see Victoria and Ariel represent your company and will no doubt be much more willing to use your product. Also, if you have booths at shows, imagine the line at your booth if Victoria and/or Ariel are there, and with the outgoing personality and intelligence both women posses you have a large audience for them to promote your product. Plus you are helping Victoria and Ariel get their names out even more and helping give women and teens a role model to look up to and get themselves in better physical health.
I could have written a column about any competitor trying to hype them up and help them out. But I chose Victoria Larvie and Ariel Khadr. Why? Because they are deserving. They are the future of Fitness. They are amazing young women and role models for teens, women, and even men who want to improve their health. By sponsoring them, yes, they will be able to benefit greatly, but by sponsoring them, you and your company or product will benefit even more so.
Jason Adams
Monday, August 2, 2010
FitGems Nation Online Store is OPEN!!
Hey everyone!
As you all know, I try to find different ways to help spread the word about FitGems Nation and its main objective: to give respect to the female competitors from all divisions in all federations. Not only that, but I also try my best to help you competitors out however I can, whether it's emotional support, encouragement, just needing someone to talk to, whatever. Now, I've decided to open up a online store to help not only spread the word about FitGems, but to also help support a few competitors along the way. Proceeds from all purchases made will go toward the 2011 FitGems Sponsorship, which will be given to a deserving competitor for the 2011 season. I will explain more about the FitGems Sponsorship later on this month.
The shop has a few items right now, but be on the lookout for more items to be added this week, including Save Women's Fitness Now merchandise, where proceed of THOSE items will go toward a deserving National-qualified fitness competitor.
I personally will not benefit from this shop by finances. I will benefit from it knowing I'm able to help you competitors out however I can. If you have any suggestion for what I should sell, leave me a comment below. If you personally would like to see some designs of yours on future merchandise, please send them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and put "FITGEMS STORE DESIGN" in the Subject line.
The link to the online store: http://www.cafepress.com/FitGemsNation
As you all know, I try to find different ways to help spread the word about FitGems Nation and its main objective: to give respect to the female competitors from all divisions in all federations. Not only that, but I also try my best to help you competitors out however I can, whether it's emotional support, encouragement, just needing someone to talk to, whatever. Now, I've decided to open up a online store to help not only spread the word about FitGems, but to also help support a few competitors along the way. Proceeds from all purchases made will go toward the 2011 FitGems Sponsorship, which will be given to a deserving competitor for the 2011 season. I will explain more about the FitGems Sponsorship later on this month.
The shop has a few items right now, but be on the lookout for more items to be added this week, including Save Women's Fitness Now merchandise, where proceed of THOSE items will go toward a deserving National-qualified fitness competitor.
I personally will not benefit from this shop by finances. I will benefit from it knowing I'm able to help you competitors out however I can. If you have any suggestion for what I should sell, leave me a comment below. If you personally would like to see some designs of yours on future merchandise, please send them to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and put "FITGEMS STORE DESIGN" in the Subject line.
The link to the online store: http://www.cafepress.com/FitGemsNation
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