Sharing a TenSpot...with Gail Auerbach

Gail Auerbach is part of the top muscle sites out there today, RxMuscle. She is the editor-in-chief of their female portion of the site, RxGirl, where she's known as "The Prodigy" Not only does she head up RxGirl, she's a NPC Middleweight Bodybuilder as well. Gail was gracious enough to take some time out of her busy schedule to conduct an interview with us.

Photo credit goes to Gail herself.

FitGems Nation: Let’s kick this off by telling us a bit about yourself.
Gail Auerbach: I live in Chi town and work as a first grade teacher. I have a whole ton of degrees in education and the love of my life is special education. Having a whole slew of disabilities myself these are the students I can relate well to. I am close with my family(especially my lil niece) and a core group of friends. I am pretty determined, a hard worker and will do anything to accomplish my goals.

FitGems: When did you first start competing?
Gail: My first local show was in 2007, which was when I first started lifting weights.

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?
Gail: This depends on whether I am dieting for a show or in my offseason. I usually will do AM fasted cardio and weight train in the evenings. Unless I am in prep and then I do cardio a few times a day!

FitGems: At first glance, has anyone mistaken you for being in something OTHER than physique competitions (MMA fighter, boxer, pro wrestler, track and field runner, softball player, etc?)
Gail: Nope, I think looking at me it is pretty obvious!

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?
Gail: Absolutely! Which makes it better for all involved. I just don't want to see female bodybuilding disappear so I am hoping it continues in some fashion!

FitGems: In addition to competing, you are the head person of RxGirl (a part of RxMuscle). How did that come about?
Gail: I am extremely passionate about my job at RX Girl. I am blessed to be able to get to know so many wonderful female athletes and promote them on so many levels. When I got my minor in undergrad in PR, I really thought I would never use it, being a teacher, but I didn't want to graduate and leave college so I decided to get it. It's funny 11 years later to actually be using it! I kept nagging my diet guru, Dave Palumbo about wanting to "give back" and do more for the industry, but being a full time career driven teacher, I just didn't know how. He let me help behind the scenes at RX Muscle a bit and as the site started to grow he offered me the position. I was SO excited, I didn't sleep for a week! Now it is a dream to work with and for him and share the same vision and goals for the site. I encourage any women who may be reading this to contact me for promotional opportunities.

FitGems: Who in the fitness industry has been your biggest inspiration?
Gail: My boss, friend and diet guru Dave Palumbo, who has been my leading inspiration in life and enlightened me in numerous ways. Michael Liberatore who has been training me for years and never stops challenging and believing in me. All the middleweight female bodybuilders who graced the stage before me. I looked up to them!

FitGems: If you weren’t a part of the female physique world whatsoever, what would you be doing right now as your profession?
Gail: Exactly what I am doing...teaching little kids and loving it each and every day! (except when they bring their germs to school and get me sick! lol!)

FitGems: What (if anything) would you change about any of the IFBB female divisions?
Gail: I wouldn't change anything! Really!

FitGems: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to compete?
Gail: Make it your own journey and about you. Don't worry who else is on the stage or what other people say or look like. Find your support system who will be there for you and continue to push toward your own goals.

If you want to contact Gail, you can email her at GHAuerbach@yahoo.com. You can also "like" her on  Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gail-Auerbach-Natl-Level-Body-Builder-Fan-Page/121950654537793.

2010 Phoenix Pro Coverage

As you all know, the 2010 IFBB season officially kicks off this weekend with the Phoenix Pro Show. Many sites will be providing live coverage of the show.

Siouxcountry
Bodysport
Hardbody News
RX Muscle
Muscular Development

In addition to all this, Isaac Hinds of Hardbody News will be interviewing several competitors this weekend during the Phoenix Pro.What should you expect? Interactive interview and quite possibly photo shoots. An innovative way to kick off the 2010 IFBB season. Yes, I'll be on UStream.tv to participate in this under FitGemsNation. You can join in on the fun by clicking here.

If you want to view the show via webcast, you can...for a price of $20. With the new breed of competitors in figure, a VERY competitive fitness line-up, and 12 top female bodybuilders, not to mention the men's part of the show, I think it will be worth the money. Yes, I'm aware that you can watch the Arnold AND Olympia for FREE, but when you think about it $20 isn't all that bad to watch the prejudging AND finals. People are paying a WHOLE lot more just to be there. You can view and purchase the webcast here.

To everyone that's competing at the Phoenix Pro, best of luck to everyone! :)

Zivile/WWE Update

Remember how I mentioned that the 2008 Figure International Champion Zivile Raudoniene was possibly heading to the WWE, hence skipping out on competing in the Figure Olympia? Well, if you don't, click here to revist what I wrote about it. Apparently, things are now moving forward in her quest in possibly becoming a WWE Diva. RxMuscle's Dave Palumbo and John Romano caught up with Zivile over the weekend and informed them on her progress and transition from the figure stage to the squared circle.

Click on the picture below to go to the video:

Judging by the video alone, I personally think she would make a great WWE Diva. I thought it was interesting for her to say that she was one of the bigger girls in the Flordia Championship Wrestling (FCW) territory. Interesting as she is one of the smaller girls in figure. Like any wrestling personality (or in her case, wrestling personality-to-be), there were going to be some "mock wrestling holds." And she mentioned that her delivery of speech is improving, which is a must in WWE, as they are very big on promos.

I won't mention much else, as I'll let you view the video for herself, but from what I gathered from it, Zivile could very well be a great asset to the WWE family. She's got the look, the personality, and she's eagar to learn. I'm just hoping her wrestling skills are up to par and decent when and if she goes on TV. Today's fans (especially those internet marks, smarks, and critics that THINK they know everything about the business and it revolved around THEM because THEY say so) are more crucial to a female wrestler's skills now more than ever before. I mean, they don't mind mention that this woman is hot, but at the same time, they won't hesitate for a second to say that she doesn't belong in the wrestling world. I believe that if Zivile wants it bad enough, she will make something out herself in the WWE. And when that is realized and the WWE and fans get that Zivile is for real, the sky's the limit for this future blonde superstar.

As things progress with Zivile and WWE, I'll try to keep you posted as much as I can. Good luck Zivile. The FitGems Nation supports you all the way!!! :)

WOMEN'S BODYBUILDING LIIIIIIIIIIVVVES!!!

You doubt the power of the fans? You doubt female bodybuilding exist? You think it's dying? How about you tell the folks at Siouxcountry and Unreal Muscle that? Both sites (as well as its members) went above and beyond the call of duty to not only make sure that Tampa would have female bodybuilding in 2010, but in the process, they were able to help bring it back for this year as well. Here's the official statement from Tim Gardner, the promoter of the Tampa show:

2009 REINSTATEMENT CONFIRMED

It was quite the painful dilema on March 17th to publically announce that I would have to cancel the IFBB female bodybuilding division from the 2009 IFBB Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships' schedule. After the announcement reached the bodybuilding community, a few individuals reached out to me and asked what could be done to bring female bodybuilding back to Tampa in 2010. I simply replied that just that particular division alone budgets out to $12,000 which does not include any costs of the venue, judges, stage set, hotel, advertising, transportation, trophies, etc. and that I would require it by December of 2009 to inform the IFBB office of my 2010 intentions.

Two weeks later, we fast forward to what has miraculously transpired to only a short ten days of effort to raise, collect and dedicate not $12,000 but $17,000 to the IFBB female bodybuilding sponsorship of our Tampa production.

I know what you are thinking, April's Fools, right? As surreal as this seems, this is 100% fact. With IFBB Pro Debbie Bramwell at the helm, siouxcountry.com, photographer John Hawley and approximately twelve individuals plus Ed and Betty Pariso as its supporting cast shot out of the gates by way of paypal to pledge $3,400. Great pace for a December '09 target date! Lo and behold, I wake up on Saturday the 28th to an anonymous email stating that his website community, unrealmuscle.com would contribute the balance of $8,600 and asked would that solidify a 2010 Tampa event? I replied that I would inform Mr. Manion of our intentions and start planning for 2010. Later in the day a second email appears asking if the 2009 female portion could be reinstated since the sponsorship budget was covered so early and also if additional funds were raised if it were possible to be added to the female bodybuilders' prize money? Again, another reply of I will inform Mr. Manion and we will also have to confirm the sponsorship deposits before making a public announcement of that magnitude.

Ladies and gentlemen of our vast and prestigious IFBB and NPC family, I am so honored to report today that the 2009 IFBB Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships will be intact just as its inaugural season with IFBB open men, IFBB 202 lb. men and IFBB open women bodybuilding in conjunction with the NPC Tim Gardner Extravaganza Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure & Bikini Championships.

After careful discussion with Mr. Manion, his vote of confidence and the strong support from siouxcountry.com and unrealmuscle.com, I decided to reinstate the female portion and bring it back stronger for the athletes and fans alike. We have increased the prize money and added two more places to our contest as such:

1st - $5,000 *
2nd - $3,000 *
3rd - $1,500 *
4th - $1,000
5th - $500
* Olympia qualification

There will also be a best poser award of $500.

This is a true testament to our bodybuilding community supporting its sport of passion without segregation of its forms of disciplines. This is short of being unbelievable, especially in spite of our current economic environment. I cannot speak highly enough of the positive impact that siouxcountry.com & unrealmuscle.com have placed on our entire sport and not just for the love of female bodybuilding but the love of our organization(s). This will set a new precedence of enthusiasm and pride that will hopefully be contagious for all of our IFBB shows, the platform for our champion athletes.

Thank you.
Tim Gardner
www.ifbbtampapro.com

This alone should show you that as long as there are fans out there, then this sport will continue to live. Yes, it's just one event, but usually it's one event that sparks something bigger and better. Who knows what this will lead to in the future? Hopefully better things.

I'm a member of both of these sites, and I can't honestly be more proud and honored to be a member at both Siouxcountry and Unreal Muscle. To me, they did more than saved a show, they helped save a sport.

Yes We Can?! No..no..no.

YES WE DID!