Christine Pomponio: The Return of the Original Petite Giant?

2026 has been an eventful year for Christine Pomponio...good and not-so-good. We won't post them here out of respect for her, but they are serious enough for her to not do Petite USA (a pageant she has done since 2022) nor will she defend her Ms. Elite Universal Global USA title. However, on her social media post on July 7, she mentioned that she was not done with the pageant world...but also alluded to stepping back on the IFBB stage for the first time in 2 decades. She has KINDA brought it up here and there but for the first time in YEARS, Christine has really sounded more willing to dust off the clear heels and run it back one more time. We've been rooting for this for a while, as you can see in a previous post we made, but it looks like in 2027 or 2028, we might be getting our wish to see one of the original figure queens back on a physique stage. 

Here is what she said on her Instagram and Facebook regarding a potential run-back on the IFBB stage as well as also continuing to be part of the pageant world as well:

To be honest, I am highly considering also getting on stage once again returning to Fitness competitions. Being an IFBB professional fitness competitor, I am getting the desire to return, it has been 19 years since I became pregnant and thought that my winning streak and fitness journey for years was over. However, I am not yet finished with the pageant side of my career either.

Christine in her three Olympia appearances (2004-2006)

Let's be real...who says she can't do both? Definitely not us! There have been quite a few pageant women that have also stepped on physique stages in the same year and have done quite well in both. They didn't choose one or the other. They were wise in how they trained depending on if they were doing traditional pageants or physique competitions. And Christine?! She has had YEARS of training experience, so she knows what she needs to do, depending on where she wants to step on stage at. And as far as Christine stepping on stage, she has more choices to compete in. She can remain in figure, or she can go for bikini, wellness, or fit model. If the IFBB is something she really wants to do next year, expect her to get her training going at some point this year once she is able to get her ordeals in order. 

Christine's Petite USA appearances (2022-2025)

And for those that have followed us for years, you know we have been Team Christine long before FitGems Nation was even a thing, so best believe we will be keeping you all informed on what she plans to do in 2027 and beyond. For those that can remember, Christine was the first petite woman to dominate the figure division, where being small was a disadvantage, but she was determined to make her height a strength, which she successfully did with a pro win, 2 Figure International appearances (both top 6), and 3 Olympia appearances (top 6 in all of them, with her last one in 2006 being in the top 4). How cool would it be to see the Original Petite Giant return to the IFBB one final time and also how cool would it be for her sons to see how their mother got her name in the first place?! That ALONE is motivation to step back on stage. All we know is 2027 could turn out to be a VERY interesting year one of the First Ladies of Figure...and we can't wait to see how all of this unfolds!

Christine winning the 2005 IFBB Tournament of Champions Pro Figure and 2025 Elite Miss Universal Global USA

For more on Christine, make sure to follow her on Facebook (main page and fan page), Instagram, and Threads.

More Details on Christine Pomponio’s Petite USA Campaign Including People’s Choice

Earlier this year on our blog, we talked about IFBB Legend Christine Pomponio competing at the Petite USA Pageant this year. The Petite USA organization has launched a People’s Choice contest. The winner of the contest will make the Top 16 automatically and will be announced on August 13, the day of the Petite USA Finals. It’s a dollar ($1) a vote, and you can vote as much as you want. So realistically, you can vote 100 times ($100) or 1,000 times ($1,000) or even more than that! Proceeds from each vote will go to the Stop Soldier Suicide organization. Click here to view more on Stop Solider Suicide. We’ll provide the link below for Christine.

As stated in our previous blog post, Christine will represent Colorado under the Elite Ms. Petite division. The National pageant will take place from August 10-13 at the Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  August 10 will be the State Costume Contest. The Preliminary Competition (Mrs./Elite Ms.) will take place August 12th at 6PM with the Finals taking place the following day (August 13) at 2pm.  The Elite Ms. Petite division will compost of the following parts/scoring: Personal Interview (35%). Activewear (25%), Evening Gown (25%), and On-Stage Question (15%). BTW, the Teen, Miss, and Ms. divisions will have swimwear instead of activewear. While we know Christine would absolutely SMOKE the swimwear category, we have a feeling she’s gonna wow folks just as much in the Activewear portion. Click here for all ticket information.

The fact that Christine is stepping on any kind of stage for the first time since the 2006 Figure Olympia (where she placed in the top 5, making her one to the top five figure competitors in the world at that time) is pretty exciting, and anyone who has followed FitGems Nation knows the amount of respect and admiration we have for one of the First Ladies of Figure. As cool as this will be for her next month, a part of us hopes very sincerely this will lead to her doing at least ONE MORE IFBB show. Figure, Bikini, Wellness…it doesn’t matter. Just one more show in the IFBB. Anyone who has checked out her social media over the last year or so would probably agree with us on this. We’ve seen quite a bit of competitors come back to do a show of two over the last decade, and with the masters divisions having their own World Championship now, expect even more to do so in the years to come. Why not Christine one day?! 

To say we are excited for Christine is putting it mildly. Regardless of how far she goes in the pageant, we at FitGems Nation can’t express our excitement enough for one of the figure division’s greatest competitors. It’s pretty appropriate that one of the ladies that broke the glass ceiling for smaller competitors gets to compete in a pageant that is literally tailor made for her. Elite Ms. Petite USA Christine Pomponio…that sounds nice to us, and could become a reality next month! Good luck Christine!

Click here to vote on Christine in the Petite USA People’s Choice contest. For more on Petitie USA as well as their social media platforms, go to http://www.petitieusa.com.

Meghan Santa Barbara...The Next Big Thing in the IFBB?!

Every man and woman who enters the female muscle world IMHO deserves the upmost respect. They put in the time and dedication to create the best physiques on the planet. But like anything else...there is always that one person that catches your eye and you go "that person has IT." You can't train for IT, you can't eat IT, you can't fake IT. You either have IT...or you don't. This past weekend, at the Tampa Pro, a potentially former IFBB figure competitor who has gained a pretty good following over the past year (her Instagram following has grown tremendously since the event) showed us that IT factor.

Meghan Santa Barbara was one of 25 figure competitors who competed at the Tampa Pro, the first show for the IFBB Figure division since the pandemic and the first since the 2020 Figure International. Those that have been following her on Instagram for the past year couldn't believe the kind of physique she was bringing to her first show. We were among those people. We personally felt that she could have placed in the top three easily in her first pro show, at WORST top five. And for her followers, it was easy to come up with this conclusion. 

Despite her placing, she stole the show at the Tampa Pro over the weekend
Photo credit: NPC News Online

Like all IFBB competitors, you need to win a pro card in the NPC in order to become an IFBB Pro. Meghan won her pro card in 2018 at the NPC Jr. Nationals by winning the F class. Prior to that, she competed in the 2017 NPC Philadelphia Classic, cleaning house winning Figure Class C, Figure Novice, and Figure True Novice, as well as winning her class (Class D) in the 2017 NPC Pittsburgh Championships. Her only loss in her amateur career was a 5th place finish at the 2017 NPC Jr. Nationals (the show she would end up winning a year later). To say there were high hopes for Meghan as a pro would be an understatement. But rather than go face first into the pros, she purposely decided to not compete in 2019 so she can put on the right amount of muscle, conditioning, and shape to make sure she was 100% ready to compete with the best in the industry. 

2018 NPC Jr. Nationals Figure Class F Winner
Photo Credit: NPC News Online

In 2019, fans of Meghan witnessed one of the most incredible muscle transformations we have personally ever seen from a figure competitor. Her size, shape, and conditioning was unheard of for someone who had yet to step on a IFBB Figure stage. It almost made you question if this was really her first time competing in the IFBB. Despite everything that happened this year (we ALL know about that, don't we), the Tampa Pro happened and her pro debut happened...and unfortunately, things didn't go like many had hoped as she ended up with the dreaded 16th place tie among 10 other competitors. I'm sorry, but the physique she brought over the weekend was NOT a 16th place physique. Even Stevie Wonder could see that.

Of course, after the Tampa Pro, many went to Instagram giving Meghan their congrats on her pro debut, expressed their disappointment in the placement, and not suprisingly, suggested that she should give women's physique a shot instead. At first, she felt a bit offensive about that, and we can understand why when you have been putting in the work for the division you have been wanting to compete in your entire career. But on Monday, apparently she had a change of heart and did some soul searching as she announced that she's seriously considering women's physique in 2021 with a photo of her hitting a few manatory poses. Our honest opinion...she probably would have won the Tampa Pro Women's Physique show had she entered there with her look over the weekend. HOWEVER, she will give figure one more shot in four weeks at the Savannah Pro Show. What happens there will determine where she goes in the future.

When we look at her physique and her journey, she gives us vibes of three different people: Juliana Malacarne, Shanique Grant, and Natalia Coelho...three of the best women's physique competitors of all time...and three women who were just too much for figure. These three loved figure like Meghan but they needed to step out of their comfort zone in order to be successful in the IFBB, and boy did they ever! Juliana became the poster woman for women's physique, winning the inargual Women's Physique International and won the Physique Olympia 4 times. Shanique has won every women's physique show she's ever competed in (including 2 Women's Physique Olympias and 1 Women's Physique International). Natalia is a 2x and current Women's Physique International champion and is among the favorite in every single contest she's been in since joining the division. Meghan is now in that same boat as them with a once-in-a-lifetime physique that will only get better going forward and could go down as an all-time great when it's all said and done, despite where she ends up competing. With her ballerina background, don't be suprised to see some graceful majestic posing should she end up doing women's physique. If you could buy stock on a compeitor, we personally would recommend buying it on one Meghan Santa Barbara. It will be a worthy investment. Trust us on this. 

Juliana Malacarne...Shanique Grant...Natalia Coelho...Meghan Santa Barbara?! We shall soon see!
Photo credit: Her Instagram

For more on Meghan, make sure to follow her on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/meghan_scoobyprep. Also don't forget to check out her personal training page on Scooby Prep at https://scoobyprep.com/pages/meghan-santa-barbara. 

Juliana Malacarne...IFBB Wellness Pro?!

As most of you know by now, the NPC and IFBB will be bringing the wellness division in 2020. This is a popular division internationally that has produced some incredible physiques that are not seen as much in the United States. Now with the division coming to the States next year, it would not be surprising to see competitors searching for wellness competitors overseas for possible looks. I'm going to assume the look for the NPC/IFBB will be similar to what is overseas, but don't quote me on it right now as nothing has been said as of this article. But when they do get everything set, we'll post our thoughts on it.

Most wellness divisions in other federations have their competitors to have a muscular physique without much separation that appear athletic and aesthetic. Despite nothing set in stone as far as the look that will be rewarded in the NPC and IFBB, it has not stop people from guessing who will be the IT look for the division..including us. In fact, if the division is in need of an example already in the IFBB, we know someone...Juliana Malacarne.

Muscular, shapely, athletic, asthetic, non-shredded or dry...exactly what Juliana is now, and exactly what the wellness division could be?! We'll see!
Photo credit: Juliana herself

I know you are probably thinking..."Wait...this site is seriously suggesting that a 4x Miss Physique Olympia be the measuring stick of the new wellness division?" Yes, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M SUGGESTING! Especially the way Juliana looks now. Look no further than her recent post. She still trains hard despite not stepping on stage since 2017 (remember, she said she was taking a break, she NEVER said she was completely retired yet), and she looks downright amazing these days: a muscular, shapely, athletic, aesthetic, and healthy look that isn't shredded or dry...exactly how the wellness divisions across other federations are. Juliana has stated that she would love to return to the stage if it seemed she could do it without sacrificing her femininity, and the wellness could be just that. There are a few more we would like to see do wellness, but based off how she is now, Juliana is at the top of the list.

She defined women's physique...and if she chooses to, could defined IFBB Wellness!

So what do you think? Does Juliana have the wellness look? Who do YOU think has what YOU believe to be the ideal wellness look for the IFBB? Comment below or let us know via our social media platforms.

Don't forget to follow Juliana on her social media platforms:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julesfit10/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/julesfit10
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julesfit10

Dana Brooke's Instagram Story Q and A Recap

It's no secret to anyone who has followed us for a while that we are huge fans/supporters of WWE Superstar Dana Brooke. With no disrespect to anyone else in the WWE women's division on Raw and Smackdown Live, we feel that Dana just might be the most underrated woman in WWE right now. For some reason, WWE hasn't pulled the trigger on letting Dana get to be the star we feel she can be. We don't expect any wrestling media to have her back, so we feel being part of the family that gave her a break in the first place (the fitness family), we want to show our support however we can, especially via out social media platforms. While we are aware of the trolls that comment on our stuff saying things like "she is no good", "she sucks", "why don't WWE release her already" and other crap like that, we are thankful for her fans who back her up while not necessarily are fans of OUR industry. Much respect to all the Dana Brooke fans out there.

Photo credit: Dana's Instagram

On March 5th, Dana did a Q and A (question and answer) for her followers on Instagram and she brought up some things we knew and some things we didn't know, so we decided to do a recap of her impromptu Q and A. This is her fifth year as a WWE Superstar (combining both NXT and WWE runs). She was blessed to have a great childhood with her parents and sisters, and the support has been with her ever since. BTW, she loves herself some chocolate. As a kid, she used to wrestle with her dad and stuff animals. Her dad and uncle had wrestling on at the time (wasn't on the Q and A, but I believe she mentioned at one point that Goldberg is one of her favorites. Dana can correct us if we're wrong on that). She was approached to join WWE and doesn't want any "what ifs" in her life, and she feels joining WWE has brought her closer to her dad. Her current favorite moments (memories) thus far is being the first person (male or female) under WWE contract to compete at the Arnold (and doing it twice), Triple H asking her to be Asuka's first opponent in NXT, dressing up at Ric Flair at Extreme Rules 2015, and last year's historic Evolution PPV, the first all-female PPV put on by WWE. Like many NXT alumni, she does miss the brand for the memories she made there, for the late, great Dusty Rhodes, and for simply being "a total badass there". She also would love to compete in the Arnold again and one day step on the Olympia stage. But as of now, her focus is on WWE and hoping to make a name for herself there. Speaking of making a name for herself, she was ask when she would get a shot at the Raw Women's Championship (currently held by Ronda Rousey). She jokingly (but not entirely joking, unfortunately) said that you would need to play as her in a video game (might we suggest WWE 2K19) for her to win it. But she is "hoping and praying after Wrestlemania doors open for her" or she'll "knock them down." (Personally, we hope she goes to Smackdown next month in the Superstar Shakeup and be in the Smackdown Women's title picture. We think she would thrive on Smackdown Live because she is going nowhere on Raw right now with Ronda, Charlotte, and Becky Lynch taking all the spotlight).

Her inspiration was (and we believe still is) Natalya. On Natalya, she said that she's "her biggest inspiration coming into WWE", someone that "always portrayed someone strong and humble". In fact, her first (and favorite) attire (black and pink), was inspired by Natalya and Trish Stratus, another person she looks up to. Trish felt honored when she found that out and give Dana a seal of approval on her Instagram. If Dana had the choice to face anyone at this year's Wrestlemania, it would be current Smackdown Women's Champion Asuka, mainly because she hasn't had her rematch from NXT: Takeover: Respect (yeah, we're not going to mention THAT one time from a couple of years ago that...well, can we even call that a match?!). Prior to WWE, she was a gymnast for 18 years, a diver for 2 years, and a pro fitness competitor for 8 years. She still talks to Tenille Dashwood (her former WWE tag partner Emma) quite a bit. According to Dana, she will always have a special place in her heart. As a matter of fact, she was beside her when she got the news that her boyfriend at the time, Dallas McCarver, passed away. Nice to hear that they still have a tight relationship even after Emma was let go from WWE.

Speaking of Dallas, his passing apparently did affect her more than just the obvious sorrow. She revealed for the first time that she has dealt with body-related self-esteem issues. As mentioned before, she has competed in the fitness division for nearly a decade, and one of the downsides to competing for several people is never feeling good enough. Her end to her fitness competition journey (for the time being, anyways) and the passing of Dallas was too much for her to take, and she did put on weight as a result. She wasn't feeling comfortable in her own skin despite being her heart and soul being the same and her caring for others the same as well. Obviously, she has found herself again as far as fitness is concerned and is looking the best she's had in a long time. Mentally, she has gotten better as well. She was a routine freak (and with her past, you can't really blame her). But she has now adjusted herself to be open for anything and be ready on the fly. She has also found love again, in the form of current NBA star (and aspiring WWE Superstar) Enes Kanter of the Portland Trail Blazers. She enjoys Turkish food and admires his faith, which is something she is deep on herself. In addition to that, they love to workout, do fun sporting activities, eat at healthy restaurants, lay in bed and laugh at silly jokes.

Photo credit: Enes's Instagram

She was asked for advice to give a new wrestler, and she said, "Always try new things! Think of the physiology behind things and story telling of the match! Make the moves mean something" (BTW, she is absolutely correct. Anyone can do a lot of power moves or endless flips, but if they don't push the objective of the storyline, then what's the point?! Make the fans give a damn about what you are going in the ring.) Also she gave advice to those that WANT to be wrestlers: make sure to get an education, which is something she still implements in WWE, especially for training.

What you see with Dana Brooke is what you get with her real-life persona, Ashley Sebera. Strong as they come, mentally and physically with "never ever stop trying" attitudes. The best things that have happened to her have been her toughest moments in life because of what she has learned about herself. In her own words: "Losing someone but learning how strong I was to overcome it! Then giving the strongest love I have in my soul to someone knowing it's ended, but feeling so happy doing it! Being so passionate about a job that sometimes doesn't go your way, but learning perseverance". She was asked in closing "Deep down are you happy" and her response was "I am extremely happy! I'm healthy, I have the best support & living the live God gives me, as long as He wakes me up, we will get through it!"

The fact she has this kind of spirit despite EVERYTHING shows what kind of woman she is and why have no problem supporting her. We do hope that wrestling fans get to know Dana like the fitness world has gotten to know her. To any wrestling sites, if you plan on using any of this article, please credit Dana's Instagram story, not us. We just put it together.

Photo credit: kimberlasskick on Instagram

Don't forget to follow Dana on the following links:

Her WWE Superstars page: http://www.wwe.com/superstars/dana-brooke
Dana's WWE-ran Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WWEDanaBrooke/
Her Twitter: https://twitter.com/DanaBrookeWWE
Her Instagram: https://instagram.com/ashasebera_danabrooke
Her Snapchat: Asha_danabrooke

Juliana Malacarne to SIT OUT 2018 Olympia. End of an Era?!

Sunday morning, the bodybuilding world woke up to some massive news: 4x Miss Physique Olympia and inaugural Ms. Physique International Juliana Malacane would not be competing at the 2018 Olympia, meaning we are guaranteed a new champion this year. In our honest opinion, the IFBB might want to be very careful with who they select as the new queen of women's physique as this could go a long way toward how women's physique is looked at for the foreseeable future. In fact, it was this very mindset that actually played a part in why Juliana has decided not to go for a 5^th straight title. In fact, in all honesty, we should have seen this coming a few weeks ago if we paid attention to her Instagram nearly a month ago:

I wish IFBB would still reward this look from NY Pro 2013 over my last years olympia! This is for me way more appealing than last year Olympia and without of any doubt a lot healthier to achieve! Gostaria que a IFBB pudesse considerar esse look que apresentei em 2013 no NY Pro do que o meu look do ano passado no olympia , na minha opinião é muito mais bonito e sem duvida alguma muito mais saudável pra chegar lá! #julianamalacarne #takingnothingforgranted #myopinion #health #better #achievablegoals #freakisdisgusting #leaveitforthemen

A post shared by IFBB PRO Juliana Malacarne (@julesfit10) on Jun 20, 2018 at 11:10am PDT

That post spoke volumes right there. It's one thing for fans/spectators to say that the look is too much, but when arguably the greatest women's physique competitor of all time says that, that should be a wake-up call for the IFBB. I said SHOULD but as history has shown, it won't be, not even for a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer like Juliana. We mentioned to Juliana on that post that we felt her best look was the Olympia she DIDN'T win: 2013. Her conditioning was pretty good, better than most of the field (including those that placed above her as well) but what made her so awe-inspiring that year was her shape, structure, and overall combination of muscles and curves. Fans were in disbelief of her look as it was crazy yet HEALTHY-LOOKING at the same time. It seemed achievable and attainable. Fans were also in disbelief when she placed 7^th, which was bullcrap then and bullcrap now. No disrespect to the competitors, but not all six women that placed about Juliana were better than her that weekend. No way in hell, and we'll take that to the grave. She finally got that win in 2014 and would go on become a 4x Ms. Physique Olympia and would win the inaugural Ms. Physique International title in 2015. I was there for that and it was unreal to see how graceful Juliana's physique was compared to everyone else. There was no question as to why she's not just the Queen of Women's Physique, she IS women's physique, which is why the news of her not competing this year hurts and the reason behind it is disheartening.

Many call this her best Olympia look ever...and she didn't even win this show!
Photo credit: FLEX Online

Rather than explain it, we will post the two Instagram posts that broke the news: Juliana's good friends Justin Miller (@astrongspirit) and Michael D. Bryson (who runs This Is Bodybuilding on Instagram)

Well I'm seeing that chatter online and Juliana @julesfit10 has now given me the go ahead to make the announcement on something I have known for a little while now.....4x Ms Olympia Juliana Malacarne will not be competing in this years Ms Olympia! She has given me many reasons that I find interesting. Juliana is in good health and perfectly capable of competing but is simply choosing not to. I first met Juliana in 2007 when she moved to NY from Brasil and barely spoke any English. I needed a good female trainer at my gym I used to own and despite the obvious language barrier I knew Juliana was an amazing trainer. We became friends and she moved into my house and rented an extra room I had until she got on her feet and got busier at the gym. She eventually built up her clientelle & rented an apartment down the street from my gym where she lived for the next 7 years while working there. Juliana actually introduced me to my wife Rita @ritashantidmt back in 2009. I have many memories of Juliana's career. Starting with her telling me in broken English the first time we met in person "I know one thing, one day I will be Ms. Olympia". I then watched her take LAST callout in 13 straight shows over the next 5 years. I remember Juliana was going to retire in 2012 before WPD came out. She decided to hang on for one more show (2012 NY Pro) to see what would happen. Her mom had a stroke 4 weeks out and was left unable to walk in the hospital. Juliana jumped on a plane for Brasil. Surely I thought the show (and likely her career) was over then...but she hung on. She stayed on her diet and got back here to NY 10 days out and told me "I just want to be successful one time in life and I will win this show for my mom". Well the history book will reflect she did it!! 14 shows into her pro career she finally had a win! Now she is stepping down as the reigning 4x Ms Olympia. The greatest Champion the division has ever seen. A future IFBB Hall Of Fame member. Will she compete again next year? 🤔 Its possible. But for now she is stepping away....as a Champion. Juliana wishing you all the best. Congrats on an amazing career to the most resilient IFBB Pro who ever lived.

A post shared by Justin Miller 🇺🇸 (@astrongspirit) on Jul 14, 2018 at 6:51pm PDT

The first live IFBB show I ever went to was the 2012 @bevsgym New York Pro. From that moment on FLEX Magazine and Mr. Olympia on Bodybuilding.com just would never be enough. I’ve been blessed to have seen true legends in their primes! Folks like @philheath, @flex_lewis, @oksanagrishina, @jeremy_buendia, and of course the woman who won that 2012 NY Pro WPD Championship...the beautiful @julesfit10. I saw her LIVE as she won 3 consecutive NY Pros, the inaugural Arnold Classic WPD Ms. International and, of course, her 4 consecutive Women’s Physique Olympia Championships. And today, she gave me the honor of being the first large Bodybuilding Media site to announce that she will NOT be competing in the 2018 Olympia. This is NOT a retirement. This is a break. I think she deserves it. In 2014 she beat the inaugural WPD Ms. Olympia, Dana Lin Bailey, in a very decisive manner. She maintained that dominance at the 2015 Arnold Classic. She’s maintained consistent greatness with a different 1st runner up each year. I rank her with the likes of Cory Everson and Lenda Murray as the ultimate in feminine muscle. Some folks have been commenting that they hate to see her go because they fear femininity will leave WPD. THAT ultimately will be in the judges hands. So...WHY???? Well, she is NOT injured. She is healthy and she is happy. She’s grown disinterested in the look of WP. She wanted to soften the look to a healthier one...sort of how the IFBB initially stated the look would be...”conditioned but not striated”...but it was made clear to her that last year’s conditioning would be required this year. It was a look she didn’t like for herself. With little financial rewards(FACT: this 4X Reigning Olympia Champion has no major sponsors, has never had a spread in a major magazine much less a cover...and did I mention NO SPONSORS?!) the fire & passion for competing and representing WP has left her heart at this time. Her passion is placed now in a new happy relationship. She is enjoying life and staying healthy. Some day, somewhere and in some form she MAY compete again. Just not in 2018. Tomorrow will be #juliannamalacarne Day here at #thisisbodybuilding, so STAY TUNED for more!

A post shared by MichaelD.Bryson (@this_is_bodybuilding) on Jul 14, 2018 at 8:55pm PDT

After reading and seeing both posts (and wiping a few tears...I sure as hell did), how can you blame her. We only have one body and once it's gone, it's gone. We can never get it back. I'm not bringing up their names to prove a point but just these last couple of weeks, we lost IFBB Physique Pro Tracy Hess and IFBB Figure Pro Chelsey Morgenstern due to (as of now) unknown reasons. We have had competitors who lost their lives because they went too far in the industry for the sole purpose of winning a show or hell even winning a pro card! Some competitors are thankfully still with us but have had their lives changed dramatically because of their pursuit of getting that pro win or getting that pro card. VERY FEW PEOPLE make money in this business, and I'm talking pros here. You spend way more than you get back in return. There's an old saying that you get what you put in. Well...in bodybuilding, nine times out of ten, that's not the case! Competitors are making GoFundMe accounts for fans to donate so they can actually compete, for Christ's sake. Seriously, folks, that's crazy! And for what?! A plastic trophy? An opportunity at MAYBE some cash that you WON'T be able to keep because you have to pay for suits, supplements, travel, training, food...yeah, I'm not even talking about the actual living essentials such as rent, bills, gas, etc. It's not like Miss America where you are a legit ambassador and show up at events throughout your reign. You don't see the Olympia champions going out getting paid by the IFBB to being fitness ambassadors to children and adults, do you?

I know I went on a rant there, but you all know damn well Juliana Malacarne is more than that. Yes, she is an athlete, one of the best this industry has ever seen, but first and foremost...she's a woman...and as a woman, she wants to continue to live her life AS a woman. That's one big reason why she never wanted to compete as a bodybuilder, as she felt her femininity would be lost in that division. She feels her femininity is gonna get lost in the division that was seemingly made for someone like her as the IFBB is seemingly going away with the original guidelines of women's physique in the first place. In fact, each female division (minus fitness we believe) is having some identity issues, which we will DEFINITELY be discussing sooner than later. So rather than pushing her body to the brink of no-return, Juliana is taking a stand her way and saying, “NOPE” and going out on HER term. Now will she return to the stage next year? We don't know. Is this an official retirement from Juliana? NOT YET. So anyone who says she has retired is flatout LYING. She is merely taking a well-deserved break from it all and training like she wants to and living HOW she wants to.

With Juliana out, the IFBB has a decision to make. To those that are entering the 2018 Olympia Physique Showdown, they will be coming in at what they feel is their best. My hope is that they will come in like what the actual guidelines call for in women's physique, which we will post directly from the NPC News Online website:

WOMEN’S PHYSIQUE JUDGING CRITERIA

• Symmetry, shape, proportion, muscle tone, poise and beauty flow
• Physique assessment and comparison will take place during prejudging

Women’s Physique Division has been created to give a platform for women who enjoy weight training, competing, contest preparation. Competitors should display a toned, athletic physique showcasing femininity, muscle tone, beauty/flow of physique.

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 women’s physique:

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.

Women’s physique competitors should have the overall aesthetics and look that is found in figure with a little more overall muscularity.

On her Instagram today, Juliana Malacarne (@julesfit10) stated that she wished her 2013 New York Pro look was awarded in today's women's physique over her 2017 Olympia look. She was easily the best in both shows, but look at the difference in the physiques. It's one thing for a fan to say this, but when the most successful competitor and the face of a division says this...it speaks volumes. #fitgemsnation #julianamalacarne #ifbb #ifbbpro #ifbbwpd #wpd #ifbbwomensphysique #womensphysiquepro #womensphysiqueathlete #womensphysiquecompetitor #womensphysiquedivision #ifbbprowomensphysique #prowomensphysiquedivision #femalemuscle #fitnessmodel #fitnessmodeling #girlswholift #womenwholift #girlswithmuscles #womenwithmuscles #muscleathlete #femalemuscleathlete

A post shared by FitGems Nation (@fitgemsnation) on Jun 20, 2018 at 5:32pm PDT

Based off the critieria from their own website, who should be rewarded? The 2013 Juliana or the 2017 Juliana? We would go with the 2013 Juliana. If the judges choose the 2018 Ms. Physique Olympia based off THEIR OWN ACTUAL JUDGING CRITERIA ON THEIR WEBSITE, in my opinion it will go a long way towards Juliana possibly coming back to compete at least one more time in 2019, as well as others who feel women's physique has went the opposite way of what they were hoping for. The IFBB needs to do a better job in enforcing their own rules and guidelines or the IFBB will be in danger of losing its status at the best. Just because you're the biggest doesn't guarantee you're the best in your field (WWE, looking at you) and just because you're the biggest in your field doesn't mean you can't be threatened or weakened (NFL, NBA...looking at BOTH of you, for different reasons). IFBB, you're in danger of losing one of the greatest athletes you've ever had for good if things don't change. Other top competitors who CAN STILL GO TODAY no longer compete in the IFBB (Monica Brant, Jenny Lynn, Erin Stern, Jennifer Gates, Gina Aliotti, to name a few) for many of the reasons that were brought up here. This trend doesn't have to continue. Things can change for the better, but the IFBB has the be the one to make their move....and it starts at the 2018 Olympia. 

For more on Juliana, follow her on the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julesfit10

Twitter: https://twitter.com/julesfit10

Instagram: https://instagram.com/julesfit10

Camala Rodriquez's Next Fitness Venture

The 2017 Olympia was last time we'll see Camala on stage until potentially the 2019 Arnold, as she prepare to enter a new chapter in her female muscle career!
Photo credit: NPC News Online

2017 may go down as one of the most competitive years in IFBB figure history, with long-time competitors winning their first titles and BOTH the Figure International and Figure Olympia titles changed hands this year. 2018 will have a tough act to follow but with the talent that is currently competing and the new figure competitors that earned their pro cards this year, we do expect another competitive year for the division. There will be a noticeable name absent from the shows in 2018...Camala Rodriquez.

On social media, she announced that if she didn't automatically qualify for the 2018 Figure Olympia, she would set out for a year. She placed 12th at the Figure Olympia, her worst placing in a figure competition in a LONG time. Considering what she has been through (which we don't get into here, as the personal lives of competitors are not our place to discuss unless the athletes gives us the permission outright), we're happy she even placed period. She will be taking next year off from the stage to and plans to ,in her own words, "have fun for a year". By fun, we're talking powerlifting. Yep, the former fitness-turned-figure competitor and 2015 Figure International Champion is adding powerlifting to her already-impressive resume.

Camala has never been known for being a weak woman. She's built overtime one of the most powerful-looking physiques in the IFBB through years of hard training, but now she plans on taking it to a new level as she enters powerlifting. While she hasn't committed to any powerlifting competitions as of this writing, she has already broken a few of her own PRs (personal records) by a big amount. There's a very good chance that by the time she plans to return to figure competitions in 2019 (she is hoping for a 2019 Arnold invite), she will legit be pound-for-pound, one of the strongest women in the IFBB. And just think about how much her physique will benefit from powerlifting as well! To say we're excited for Camala in 2018 AND 2019 would be an understatement.

Check out a few recent clips from her Instagram, and you'll see why we are stoked to see what Camala is gonna be one to watch OUTSIDE of competing in an IFBB stage next year:

Yup....here’s my end of workout moves. #winning #militarymusclefoundation #BeTheCatalyst #purelinenutrition #ltemployee #beboutit #gains @amanda_carter7 learning how to #fly @ctlalpha #photobomb

A post shared by Camala Rodriguez (@therealcamala) on Oct 25, 2017 at 10:01am PDT

Gettin that form down!! You ready for my debut?? #BeTheCatalyst #powerlifting #gameface #gameon #2018 #motivation #thebestisyettocome Powered by @thepureline.com & @lifetime.life Order today with promo code CAMALA. #glutagenX #isofactor #crank #vegamax #carniclear #ltemployee

A post shared by Camala Rodriguez (@therealcamala) on Nov 22, 2017 at 7:09am PST

The Science of Perseverance: How Your Beliefs Can Strengthen (or Weaken) Your Motivation. “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak.” -Anonymous 1RM 285lbs——30lbs up from last week! Boom! How ya like them apples??? What’s your goal going into the new year?? #BeTheCatalyst #GetYourJoyOn #athlete @thepureline.com @tokyojoes @lifetime.life #motivation #fitness #figurequeen #beboutit #ltemployee

A post shared by Camala Rodriguez (@therealcamala) on Dec 5, 2017 at 8:10pm PST

“Do or do not. There is no try.” —Yoda #BeTheCatalyst #GetYourJoyOn #purelinenutrition #crank #athlete #lifestyle #bigback #beboutit #spiritualgangster #figurequeen #lightweight #ltemployee

A post shared by Camala Rodriguez (@therealcamala) on Dec 6, 2017 at 9:56pm PST

“To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.” -Bruce Lee Not quite full depth for my 6th set. #buttstill #BeTheCatalyst #ltemployee #lifestyle #beboutit #bootygains #purelinenutrition #GetYourJoyOn @tokyojoes #athlete #2018

A post shared by Camala Rodriguez (@therealcamala) on Dec 7, 2017 at 3:16pm PST

Expect plenty more clips like this next year. She is only scratching the surface of what she is truly capable of, and we can't wait to see what she has in store! We at FitGems Nation wish Camala best of luck to her in the months ahead!

For more on Camala, follow her on social media at the following links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealcamala/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Camala-Rodriguez-IFBB-Pro-153674027989808/

Bridesmaid No More: Wendy Fortino Gets Her Win At Last

The Champ is (FINALLY!!!) here!!!!
Photo credit: NPC News Online

July 30, 2011.

This was the day she won the NPC USA Figure Class A and Overall title. This was the day she became an IFBB Pro. For six years, she would go on to compete in over 30 pro shows. She would place runner-up in seven shows, and she stepped on the Olympia stage twice (2014 and 2015) due to the Olympia Qualification Series. Yet, despite her ever-improving and jaw-dropping physique and one of the most graceful stages presences of any figure competitor, she had yet to do the one thing that can truly call her a top competitor: Win a pro show. The way things were going, we honestly thought that Wendy would go down as the one of the greatest figure competitors in IFBB history to NEVER win a pro show.

Then April 15, 2017 happened.
The St. Louis Pro happened.

Bringing what she felt was her best look yet, in one of the toughest and deepest line-ups of the year (which included past and present Olympia qualifiers in their own rights), Wendy finally reached the top of the mountain. She became the 2017 IFBB St. Louis Pro Figure Champion. Everything she sacrificed throughout her career, her sweat, her tears, and maybe even some blood, finally paid off. She can finally cross "winning a pro show" off her fitness career checklist. The Olympia Qualification Series is a dead issue for her now. She is officially Olympia-bound because she WON a show. No qualification points this time!

I dare you to watch this video and not tear up a bit. I can't even begin to understand what is going though her head here.

I DID IT!!! 😭😭😭 Words cannot describe this feeling... I am absolutely speechless. There is no way I could FEEL this the way that I do if I did not have to fight so hard for it. I want to thank you ALL from the bottom of my heart!!! #OLYMPIABOUND 🏆 #FIRSTPROWIN #TheHarderTheFightTheSweeterTheVictory #stlouispro #teamcyberbodyshop #successrequiresobsession #winningeveryday

A post shared by Wendy Fortino Ifbb Pro (@wendyfortino) on Apr 15, 2017 at 4:45pm PDT

That is how an athlete who has given everything she has into her craft feels when her hard work is rewarded. I teared up for her, and I RARELY do that with any athlete. I've followed her journey before FitGems Nation was even a thing. I became an instant fan when I saw her on the Kriv Studios website when she was a track athlete and had an amazing physique before she even THOUGHT about competing in physique shows. While it's awesome to see someone win their first show, it's something about fighting for show after show for years to get that first win that makes it much better.

If I could personally think of one quote that fits her journey to her first pro win, it would be the one that Rocky told his son in Rocky Balboa. While the movie (to me) wasn't as good as the earlier movies, it did have one of the greatest motivational speeches I've ever heard of in my entire life, and this fits Wendy to a T:

Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!

Wendy knows what she's worth and she goes after it show after show after show. She has taken more hits leading up to her win than most in their entire lifetimes. She doesn't place blame on anyone, she doesn't go and say that politics are to blame. She just keeps hustling and fighting each and every show she enters in hopes of earning respect within the industry, which I believe she has done with flying colors, even without that pro win.

I admire and respect every woman who steps on a physique stage, but Wendy is one of the few who I've personally connected to and I've yet to meet her in person. She is one of the most genuine people not only in the physique world, but on Earth period. She ALWAYS see the good in everyone and always complements anyone and everyone she possibly can, even those that end up beating her. Her kindness is felt by many people in the industry and they always talk about on social media, how humble she is and how amazing a competitor she is and admire her determination and never-say-die attitude, the stuff I love about her as a person, not just a competitor.

When Wendy became the 2011 NPC USA Overall Figure Champion
Photo credit: Muscular Development

When you're good at something, you tell everyone. When you're great at something, they tell you. The way Wendy Fortino's win was received on social media proved what we have been saying for years: Wendy Fortino is a GREAT competitor. She is one of the greatest ambassadors the physique world has ever seen not just because of fighting to improve her physique throughout the years, but the way she carries herself in a professional and humble matter. Most in her position would have quit, and truthfully we would not fault them. Not Wendy. She never quit even though we wouldn't have blamed her one bit if she did. The motto her and her husband Matt Allen use is "Success Requires Obsession". It's not just a motto for her, it's how she lives her life...and it paid off for her in the end. She is living proof that good things come to those that put in the work and never give up. Her hard work earned (not given) her the 2017 IFBB St. Louis Pro Figure Championship and a trip to the Olympia for the third time in four years.

To me and to all of FitGems Nation, Wendy has always been a champion. We'll go as far as saying to many she is "The People's Champion" in the figure division. Now, she finally has hardware to validate her right as a champion. Congrats Miss Fortino. In your own words, "The Harder the Fight, the Sweeter the Victory." And oh how sweet it is!

This photo speaks volumes. EARNED not given!
Photo credit: Jack Titone/Instagram

Feel free to follow Wendy at the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendyFortinoUSA/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wendyfortino
Cyberbodyshop business with her husband/trainer Matt Allen: http://cyberbodyshop.com/

Megan Olson Fire Relief-Our Thoughts and Plea

Let's help a fellow IFBB Pro in need.
Photo source: GoFundMe

I consider Megan Olson to be one of the best IFBB competitors that has yet to get her due in the industry. We love her shape, conditioning, attitude, and overall beauty. We hope that 2017 will be a great breakout year for her on stage, should she decide to compete this year. But in all honestly, after what happened earlier this year, we don’t blame her one bit for holding off on competing for a while, as there are things far more important.

On January 3rd, Megan lost everything she owned in a house fire. It wasn’t until I found out how it happened that made it even more sad. The fire was started by her husband Matt. He has a bad case of mental illness and apparently burned the house down. Why he did it, I don’t know and it’s none of my business as far as personal stuff goes, but we all should thank God that it wasn’t worse. People can always get a new house, you can’t get a new life.

I’m in no position to judge him, nor is anyone else, but I’m publicly asking (damn near begging) for Matt to seek help. It might be in the best interest for Matt and Megan to stay away from each other until Matt is well. Mental illness has a way of being fatal to those that have it and the people around them. I’m praying that Matt and/or Megan do not become another statistic in that.

If you want to help Megan out financially, go to her GoFundMe page that was set up by Ron Mowen, on her behalf: https://www.gofundme.com/wx-megan-olson. If you want to offer her support by sending her messages, go to her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/megan.olson222/) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/megan_olson_ifbb/) For more on NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) check out the following link: http://www.nami.org/Find-Support/NAMI-HelpLine or call them at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or info@nami.org. The NAMI Hotline can be reached The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 am–6 pm, Eastern Time. 

Please continue to join FitGems Nation in prayer for both Megan and Matt during this time and hope that Matt gets the help he needs.