Monday, April 18, 2011

Melissa Cunningham at 2 Weeks Out from her Show

Melissa's getting closer and closer to her first contest of the year, and shes looking great! For pics of her at 2 weeks out, as well as a written update, go to http://melissacunninghamifpapro.blogspot.com/2011/04/2-weeks-out-sneak-peak-pics.html.

Almost there, Melissa!! :)

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Sharing a TenSpot with...Amy Yastremski

Amy Yastremski is a figure competitor who's quickly making strides in figure, aiming for her pro card. She just competed last year, making her debut at the NPC Mid-Atlantic Classic in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She would end up winning her class and the overall title, as well as Best Presentation. If 2010 is any indication, expect big things from her going into 2011 and beyond.

Photo provided by Amy herself


FitGems Nation: Let’s kick this off by telling us a bit about yourself.
Amy Yastremski: I am a 30yr old ER nurse with a 3yr daughter, and have been married to my husband Jeff since Oct 2007.

FitGems: When did you first start competing?
Amy: I started training for my first competition, the NPC Mid-Atlantic Classic in the summer of 2010

FitGems: What is your strategy when you head to the gym? Is it mostly weight-training, mostly cardio, a balanced mixture of the two, or something else?
Amy: I do all weight training. I hate cardio!! Any cardio that I do is at home on the treadmill

FitGems: Due to your muscularity, has anyone mistaken you for being in something OTHER than physique competitions (MMA fighter, boxer, pro wrestler, track and field runner, etc?)
Amy: No, I have not had anyone think that. Usually people just say “you must workout”, and that is when I explain to them about competing in the figure class.


FitGems: With women’s physique and bikini now part of the NPC and IFBB, do you feel that there’s now a division for every female who wants to compete?
Amy: Definitely. I think that the new physique and bikini divisions allow for a greater variety of female athletes to compete.

FitGems: Along those same lines, where do you personally see the direction of figure in the long haul? Do you think it will remain in a “soft” state where there are those that say that it’s dangerously close to drawing a line between figure and bikini, or do you see it going back to a somewhat harder look, like when Davana Medina was queen of figure during its birth?
Amy: The shows that I have been a part of have leaned towards a harder look, but I would like it to remain “soft”. I would rather the physique and figure classes look similar, than the bikini and figure classes.

FitGems: If you weren’t a part of the female physique world, what would you be doing right now as your profession?
Amy: I do work as a nurse in the ER full time. Competing is only a hobby at this point. I like the idea of having competitions be for “fun” right now.

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about any of the IFBB female divisions?
Amy: I again have only just started competing, but I would like to see the figure division be on the softer side, physique be in the middle, and bodybuilding division obviously have the hard look. I wonder were to draw the line between figure and bodybuilding.

FitGems: Which competitor (past or present) you look up to the most for your inspiration?
Amy: My trainer Kisha Wilson, and Quincy Roberts have been instrumental in getting me to were I am today.

FitGems: What are your future plans heading into 2011 and beyond, and where do you see your career after you’re done competing?
Amy: I am looking forward to competing in my first national show in the summer of 2011, and would like to obviously earn my pro card. I would love to be able to do some fitness modeling, and one day make the cover of Oxygen Magazine, or any of the other fitness magazines. I just want to enjoy myself.

For more on Amy, visit her website at www.amyyaz.com, And search for "Amy Yastremski Figure Competitior fan page" on Facebook. We wish you best of luck in future competitions, Amy!!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Sharing a TenSpot with...Mishon Shore

Mishon Shore is a NPC bikini competitor who just competed last year. A beautiful woman from the inside and out, Mishon took the time out of her busy schedule to conduct and interview with us. 


Photo provided by Mishon herself



FitGems Nation: Let’s kick this off by telling us a bit about yourself.
Mishon Shore: Let me first say thank you for this interview! My name is Mishon Shore. I’m a 25 year old NPC national level bikini competitor. I’m also a bartender and hairdresser! I bar manage my boyfriends night club also. So needless to say I stay pretty busy! I’ve been blessed with a wonderful family, great friends, and a supportive boyfriend who all stand behind me with my competing.

FitGems: When did you first start competing?
Mishon: I started competing in October 2010. I’ve always been interested in competitions but never really knew how to get into them. I started training and started a diet and competed in my first show in Charlotte NC in October. I placed first in my class and won the overall! From that moment on I was hooked!

FitGems: What is your strategy when you head to the gym? Is it mostly weight-training, mostly cardio, a balanced mixture of the two, or something else?
Mishon: I have a set plan for every day. I have a certain schedule mapped out for each gym session. I do weight-training and cardio every day. It’s a good mixture of both. I absolutely love going to the gym and training. I feel like I’m one step closer to my goals with each rep and set.


FitGems: Due to your muscularity, has anyone mistaken you for being in something OTHER than physique competitions (MMA fighter, boxer, pro wrestler, track and field runner, etc?)
Mishon: HAHA, funny you should ask. I always get asked what I do when I’m bartending at the club I manage. I actually received a 100 tip to have a flex off with a smaller guy. I thought it was hilarious! Its fun to have fun with what you do, and definitely get acknowledged that your in great shape. Most people just think I’m a gymnast or something along those lines.

FitGems: With women’s physique and bikini now part of the NPC and IFBB, do you feel that there’s now a division for every female who wants to compete?
Mishon: Absolutely. I love that they’ve added women’s physique to the mix. I feel that it gives every female a place that they feel they fit in and also a physique class that’s attainable for them.

FitGems: For those that don’t see bikini as a real division in the NPC and IFBB, what would you say to them to try and change their mind?
Mishon: Bikini is a tough class. Its very competitive. There are so many things that go along with this class. I think its rather hard to find a nice balance between being fit and tight and not overly conditioned. There’s a fine line between bikini and figure in some competitors. You have to really find out what’s best for you in training and dieting. I’m lucky and tend to be very lean naturally so my diet is a lot more relaxed. I train every day just like any other class would. So I hope that someone that didn’t think bikini was a real division could somewhat understand that it definitely isn’t as easy as one would think.

FitGems: If you weren’t a part of the female physique world, what would you be doing right now as your profession?
Mishon: I’m a full-time hairdresser. So I imagine I would be focusing on opening my own salon. I’d love to even get my personal training certificate and fit that in somewhere. It’s just so hard for me to even begin to imagine not being in this industry. It’s such a way of life for me now!

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about any of the IFBB female divisions?
Mishon: I always thought there should be a class between figure and womens bodybuilding, but after they added the new physique class I honestly can’t think of anything I’d change.

FitGems: Which competitor (past or present) you look up to the most for your inspiration?
Mishon: I absolutely love Nicole Nagrani and Amanda Latona. I always look to see how there physique looks because I think they set a great standard for the bikini division.

FitGems: What are your future plans heading into 2011 and beyond, and where do you see your career after you’re done competing?
Mishon: I’m heading into my first competition of 2011 with the best feeling. I’m 10 days away from our NC state show and I’m feeling like a million bucks! I would love to attain my pro card this year and that’s definitely at the top of the list of goals for 2011. Plan is NC states, JR USA, then every national show till I win!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Women's Physique Division Interview: Kerri Bolen

As you all know, women's physique will be making its debut in the NPC in a few weeks at the Jr. USAs in Charleston, SC on May 21. No one knows the look for the new division, so it's going to be interesting to see how things play out. Between now and May 21, FitGems Nation will be posting interviews from those that will be competing in women's physique. Our first women's physique interview is with Kerri Bolen, a former lightweight bodybuilder and figure competitor from Williston, SC. What better way to debut in women's physique than close to home! 

Photo provided by Kerri herself.



FitGems Nation: Thank you for taking the time to do this interview with us! If you could, may you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Kerri Bolen: I am a Christian wife and mother - I have a wonderful, supportive husband and two good boys: a son, Dalton who is 19 and a step-son, Cullen
who is 22. I'm very active. I enjoy working out, competing, water skiing, hunting, fishing, horseback riding,playing the guitar, and
singing.

FitGems: What made you decide to get into female muscle competitions in the first place?
Kerri: Initially my uncle, Edward Givens, got me interested as he was real big into lifting. After that, I picked up every issue of "Muscle and Fitness" magazine I could get my hands on. I loved the way the female bodybuilders looked - the pioneers like Cory Everson, Rachel McLish, and Carla Dunlap - that sparked my desire to compete.

FitGems: What are your feelings about the NPC/IFBB having a women’s physique division?
Kerri: I am very excited about the new division - I think it will be a good fit for me. There are a lot of other ladies that aren't
big enough for female bodybuilding but are too muscular for figure that may also fall into this category.

FitGems: What are your expectations of the new division?
Kerri: I would expect the new division to be a good "middle ground" between the figure division and the female bodybuilding division because there is obviously a big gap there.

FitGems: Which show(s) are you competing in this year?
Kerri: I am definitely competing at the Jr. USAs in Charleston, SC this May. After that, I am not sure - I may take a short break.

FitGems: What kind of preparations (weight-training/cardio) have you done to prepare
for women’s physique?
Kerri: I weight train 4-5 x a week (kind of heavy), cardio 6 x per week, and practicing my posing routine, also.

FitGems: Who do you feel needs to compete in women’s physique in the IFBB?
Kerri: I like Lori Steele's look. I'm not sure of any other competitors, right off hand.

FitGems: With the new women’s physique and bikini added to women’s bodybuilding, fitness, and figure, do you think every woman who wants to compete FINALLY has a division to their liking now?
Kerri: There may have been enough divisions already if more of a distinction between bikini and figure had been made; so surely there are enough now.


FitGems: Along those lines, do you see each division eventually having a clear distinction as to an “ideal” look? There are some thinkingthat the winning looks for figure and bikini are dangerously close to being the same, while there's a somewhat clear look for women's bodybuilding and fitness.
Kerri: I feel like the physique division will be distinct and I'm hoping there will be more of a difference between the bikini and figure divisions because yes, it is getting mighty close between those two.

FitGems: What made you decide to compete in the women's physique division?
Kerri: From what I have heard, they might be going for a softer look in figure this year. I like the look I get from lifting heavy, however, I don't have the size for female bodybuilding. I believe I may have found the division where I will be a "perfect fit".

FitGems: Are you a new competitor in this sport or have you competed in a different division prior to women's physique?
Kerri: I have competed in women's bodybuilding several times and placed well in the lightweight division. Last year I competed in in three figure shows and placed real well in that, also. But I feel my style and appearance are better suited to the new physique class.

FitGems: Some people think that eventually women's physique will indeed replace womens bodybuilding going forward. Do you see that happening or do you see the division remaining separate for the time being?
Kerri: I hope female bodybuilding is not eliminated. But who knows? It will be interesting to see how all that plays out.

FitGems: What's one thing that most people would be surprised to know about you?
Kerri: My husband and I sing at church on a fairly regular basis and my husband plays the guitar for me.

FitGems: How would you convince people to join women's physique or any female muscle division for that matter?
Kerri: I would tell them that competing in any of the divisions takes a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but having a goal to work towards keep you motivated and on the right track throughout the year and it's a lot of fun!

FitGems: How big do you see women's physique becoming (as in participants and growth - not necessarily the size of the competitors)?
Kerri: I think there will be a big turnout, even for the first show (the Jr. USAs) coming up this May. A lot of the figure competitors thathave too muscle will end up competing in this division and I believe some of the female bodybuilders that are really too small for the bodybuilding division will be able to come down and compete in the physique division.

FitGems: How can people contact you if they want to know your upcoming plans and/or sponsor you in the near future?
Kerri: They can contact me through my email address: kerri.bolen@yahoo.com
Any help is appreciated, but I especially could use some help with competition expenses such as entry fees, etc. I would also like to thank Shawn Beach from ChizzledWear for sponsoring me with awesome workout gear (www.chizzledwear.com) and Kristal Richardson from Top Secret Nutrition (www.topsecretnutrition.com) for sponsoring me with some amazing supplements.

FitGems: Once again, thank you for taking the time to do this interview. Good luck in womens physique
Kerri: Thank you very much - I enjoyed doing the interview!

Once again, we would like to thank Kerri Bolen for taking the time to conduct an interview for us. Kerri will be part of history next month at the Jr. USAs!!!

Melissa Cunningham at 4 Weeks Out from her Show

Melissa Cunninghan is getting closer and closer to stepping on stage for her first show this year! She recently did a blog with her at 4 weeks out, with some progress pics to boot! Visit her blog at http://melissacunninghamifpapro.blogspot.com/2011/04/posing-4wks-outprogress.html and let her know how well she's doing! :)

5wks out-Dont think about it,JUST DO IT! (Melissa Cunningham's Journal Entry #9)

5 and 6weeks (35 and 42 days) out from show days!!! where is the time going???
eeeeep!
i have been feeling "off" my game this week,but have pushed through the workouts and cardio anyways. today i was really not feeling the gym mojo. maybe it was because i knew i had to get in a BRICK session,i knew i had to get an under 21 5k...and i wasn't in the mood to run,or bike,or lift. i just wanted to go back home and sleep.
i put my head down and plowed through a not fun workout.
4x10 pullups ss w
4x10 dips
4x15 lat pulldowns
4x15 straight arm lat pulls ss w
4x30 dirty 30's
4x15 close grip rows
4x12 reverse flys
4x15 overhead extensions ss w
4x12 DB kickbacks w twist
towards the end of the workout,i stalled and stalled.....
and then i told myself......
Melissa,
dont think about it, JUST DO IT!
so i finished the workout strong and got in a GREAT BRICK session
bike-9.5 miles in 31 minutes..
IMMEDIATELY jumped on the TM and cranked out a 5k in 20:48.....
mile 1: 7:13...felt very comfortable
mile 2: 6:38...still felt good
then finished the last mile going from 6:30 down to 6min mile pace....
:D
3 weeks until triathlon
5weeks until WNBF Pro qualifier
6weeks until first Pro show of the year, World Cup qualifier
7weeks until Marine Core 1/2 Marathon.......
i must be crazy.....