Trish Stratus…Fitness COMPETITOR?! WHY NOT?!

When it comes to popularity, Trish Stratus might be the most popular mainstream female wrestler of all time. Her popularity began due to her superhero-like body and Hollywood looks, but she maintained her popularity for not just her physique but her dedication to professional wrestling. She could have easily had a carrer in wrestling at the time based off her looks alone, but the tomboy and competitive nature in her was too great to let that happen, and women’s wrestling and wrestling as a whole is better because of it. Her success as an beautiful woman who can also kick ass in the ring and show it off paved the way for so many women with her credentials to follow suit in the wrestling world, and is still inspiring female wrestlers today. I mean, 6x WWE Women’s Champion, 1x WWE Hardcore Champion, WWE Hall of Fame, 2022 George Tragkos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame as the first-ever female recipient of the Lou Thesz Award…we say Trish has definitely made her mark in wrestling. 

From wrestling world to fitness world: THANK YOU!
Credit: TrishStratus.com

But as much as Trish has made her mark in wrestling, she has also made her mark in the fitness world. Considered one of the First Ladies of Fitness Modeling, she (along with a group of others including Victoria Pratt, Monica Brant, and fellow WWE Hall-of-Famer Torrie Wilson) helped established a new breed of woman, showcasing that women can be strong AND sexy at the same time. Trish was (and still is) proof positive that having muscles and being feminine were NOT mutually exclusive to one another. Her arrival to the wrestling world in 2000 gave new meaning to the phrase “eye candy”. I mean, I don’t need to go into details…but some one like Trish is what you would expect from a video game or a comic book…NOT in real life, not even in wrestling. But that’s what happened. Trish brought a look that WOWed folks then and still influences folks now. I mean, folks that love ranking the hottest women in wrestling just HAPPEN to have fit and built but curvy and feminine at the top of their list. Coincidence?! We don’t think so. 

How could any woman NOT want to get in the weight room after seeing THIS?! 
Credit: WWE.com

These days, Trish is looking better than ever, putting her quarantine time last year to work and reshaping her body to what might be her strongest yet. While Trish was more about shape and SOMEWHAT size back in 2000, she seems stronger and more cut than she ever was during her WWE heydays. Her social media posts have shown that. Which begs the question…could she make it as a fitness competitor TODAY?! I think so, to be honest with you. I mean, hell, she spent over six years getting her ass kicked in the ring and kicking ass, taking various bumps along the way. I think Trish doing a physique competition would be cool for her to do, especially with how she looks as a mom of two! Now what division she would be good in? I could see two: Bikini and Wellness. If Trish is more committed to developing her lower body (and yes, the woman has amazing legs) the wellness division would be the way to go for her. If she keeps the size she has now or even adds a tiny bit more (but not much more) and hones in more on her conditioning, then bikini would be the way to go for her. If she dedicated herself to more size all over, Trish in figure wouldn’t be out of the realm for her as well. But in all reality, we see her doing bikini or maybe wellness. 

If she were to dab in a competition, we could see her doing one in late 2022 or early 2023 in her home country of Canada (even though this selfish person writing this would love to see her do it in the States, but I digress). Imagine the press she could get doing a physique competition…and the amount of people that she could inspire to get into shape, especially mothers and working women. Fitness has given Trish so much. To us, this would be a cool way for her to give back to the industry that got her discovered. 

If Trish were to do a fitness competition, we would BACK her up 100%
Credit: Trish’s social media accounts

For more on Trish, make sure to check out her Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and her website at https://www.trishstratus.com.

Could a “Getting Physical” Remake Work in 2021?

Back in 1984, a made-for-TV movie called Getting Physical, starting Alexandra Paul. Paul starred in the film as Kendall Gibley, a woman whose weight was causing her to suffer from self-esteem. She decided to take up self-defense classes to lose wright but ended up getting into female bodybuilding after seeing the women in the gym. She would get into it so much that she ends up facing the pros for the championship. However her boyfriend and her dad aren’t exactly too thrilled with her new look. If you want to view the movie for yourself, click here.

For a made-for-tv movie, I didn’t think it was too bad. It strikes me as something that would fit Lifetime, Freeform, or any channel like that. There were some corny and cheesy parts to it, but that was par for the course when it came to movies back in the 1980s. Also for anyone that followed Paul’s career, it’s hard for her to portray a heavy woman (especially with one of her highlights in her career being on the hit show Baywatch) but she was able to pull it off. 

Speaking of pulling if off...could a Getting Physical remake be done in 2021? Personally, I’d say yes, BUT I would change a few things. One, it doesn’t have to be a heavy-set woman trying to get fit. My spin would be a woman who has a dangerous encounter with a man and wanted to take self-defense classes to protect herself. The premise would remain the same: she sees fit women in the gym and gets the bug and dedices to do physique competitions and works her way to the championship, with her boyfriend and dad not being so approving of her look. Another change would be the category that would be represented. At the time of the original movie, only bodybuilding was there for the women. Now there’s women’s bodybuilding, women’s physique, fitness, figure, bikini, and wellness. If it were up to me, I would choose between figure, bikini, or wellness, as I feel those three would be more acceptable to the mainstream audience. I would look-wise aim for figure with a bodybuilding-like style of flexing to it, to give the audience a show. Obviously the championship would not be the Olympia, as the IFBB owns that name. However, it would be cool to see some IFBB Pros in a remake of Getting Physical as part of not only the championship but also in the gym scenes that influence the main star to give muscle competitions a try. 

There’s a lot more to get into when it comes to a remake but this a general thought on it. With that being said, I’ll leave the floor open to you all: Do YOU think a Getting Physical remake will work in 2021? Do you WANT to see this movie getting a modern remake? Which IFBB Pros (or NPC athletes) would you like to see make an appearance in the movie? Which actress would you like to have Alexandra Paul’s role? We will have a follow-up post soon. You can either comment below, leave us a DM on our social media platforms, or email us at fitgemsnation@gmail.com. Looking forward to everyone’s responses!

Bodybuilding Fatheads?!

As we all know one of the key aspect of the bodybuilding industry is to SEE the physiques on stage and across various platforms, especially with how social media is. But for some reason, I never thought of the idea of Fatheads for bodybuilders. For those that don't know, Fatheads are the number one brand of life-size decals for walls, among other things. NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and WWE (among other sports companies) have licensed Fatheads that sell really well. Now, I like I said before, for whatever reason, I never considered bodybuilders having Fatheads...until THIS photo of top IFBB Figure Pro Ivana Ivusic was posted on her Instagram a couple of weeks ago:

Photo credit: Ivana's Instagram (https://instagram.com/ivanaivusic)
Photographer: Darren Burns (https://www.instagram.com/dburns_photoflex)

More times than now when Ivana posts photos of her physique (as is the case with every female in the industry) many likes and comments follow. The comment that inspired me to do this blog post came from 1parks1 on Instagram when he commented on the above photo and said, "I need this as a far head wall poster!" That comment hit me like a brick wall. Why are there not any bodybuilding Fatheads in existence? I personally feel they would be big sellers. Imagine this...athletes can buy their favorite IFBB Fatheads as daily inspiration. Imagine waking up and the first thing you see is your favorite bodybuilder on the wall. If that isn't inspiring, I don't know what is. Also, fans can buy Fatheads to have their favorite bodybuilders with them every day. It will be as close to the real thing as they can get in the event they are unable to meet them in person.

So you can get a feel for how a bodybuilding Fathead would look, I took it upon myself to make some concept work of how bodybuilding Fatheads would look. Again, this is concept work, so this isn't real...yet. And of course, this is a female muscle site, so I did all female muscle personalities for the concept work.

Ivana Ivusic

Natalia Coelho

Christine Pomponio

Nicole Wilkins, Natalia Coelho, and Juliana Malacarne

Now...tell me in a straight face why this wouldn't work after seeing those concept works. My personal hope is that one day the IFBB will team up with Fathead to make this a reality someday. Or maybe photographers can strike deals with Fathead or similar companies to sell their works into life-size wallpapers/decals. Until then, if you want bodybuilding Fatheads, you CAN have your own made by Fathard by this link: https://www.fathead.com/custom/. BTW, if the photos don't belong to you, don't send them to Fathead.

What do YOU think about bodybuilding Fatheads? Comment below or let us know on our social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).

Masters Olympia for Women (FitGems Version)

2012 marks the return of the Masters Olympia. There will also be Fitness, Figure, and Bikini as part of the Miami Pro. The masters' part is just for men's bodybuilding, though. While it's awesome to see some of the former top dogs competing in a "Who's Who" of legendary male competitors, it would be just as nice to see the Masters Olympia aim for the women of the sports.

Who would compete it it you ask? I'm sure there are various opinions out there, but our version would consist of a women's bodybuilding, fitness, and figure portion. Neither bikini or women's physique has been around long enough yet to have a Masters Olympia, so we'll hold off on that for a bit. The women that would be eligible to compete would be any lady that competed in any Olympia or Arnold up until 2010 that is in their late 30s and beyond. Hey, this IS a Masters Olympia we're talking about. Can't have any young guns (in age) for this show! In fact, we have even created a line-up of competitors that would fit the bill easily:

Ms. Masters Olympia
1. Lenda Murray
2. Vickie Gates
3. Betty Parsio
4. Denise Masino
5. Dayana Cadeau
6. Juliette Bergman
7. Desiree Ellis
8. Kim Chizevesky
9. Valentina Chepiga
10. Yaxeni Oriquen
11. Lisa Aukland
12. Bonnie Priest

Ms. Masters Fitness Olympia
1. Susie Curry
2. Jenny Worth
3. Jenny Hendershott
4. Kim Scheideler
5. Julie Childs
6. Julie Palmer
7. Tracey Greenwood
8. Mia Finnegan
9. Carol Semple
10. Mary Yockey
11. Heidi Sullivan
12. Adela Garcia

Ms. Masters Figure Olympia
1. Davana Medina
2. Jenny Lynn
3. Christine Pomponio-Pate
4. Amber Littlejohn
5. Monica Brant
6. Mari Kudla
7. Jamie Franklin
8. Mary Elizabeth Lado
9. Jennifer Gates
10. Jane Awad
11. Latisha Wilder
12. Tara Scotti


12 competitors in each division to make it an even playing field. Prize money SHOULD be higher than usual. How much is up for debate.

What do you think? Is a Masters Olympia for the women a possibly, or is it out of the question? Let us know in the comments below or post your thoughts on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FitGemsNation.

FitGems Nation on YouTube

I'm very aware of how much time all you ladies put into this sport, but sometimes it doesn't leave too much time to expand your name besides competing. Being on magazines, paysites, etc. is what separates a star from a competitor. With that being said, I've decided to create a Youtube channel for FitGems Nation.

I created the YouTube channel to host FitGems-created content, such as interviews, site news, and (hopefully) contest footage and candid stuff from the members. Recently, I did my first audio interview, with IFBB Pro Diana Stanback. Minus a few technical issues, I say the interview turned out alright. :)

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3FQW_bCsB4

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c9r0YuRZ0U

In addition to hosting FitGems-created material, this channel will be used to host any videos of competitors that want to get their name out there, showcase their training routines, answer questions from fans, etc. This is a great opportunity for those that want to make a name for themselves besides JUST competing. All competitors have to do is send me your video(s) to me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and I'll take care of the rest. This is a FREE service I'm offering to every female competitor out there, regardless of division, regardless of federation.

If you're a fan and want to contribute a video from a competitor, you may do so as well...as long as the competitor you film or have a video by is okay with it. I will NOT accept any video that is from another site and you don't have permission to post it. That's pirating and is illegal. While most people will watch and not think about the consequences, you're doing more harm than good when you post a copyrighted video on YouTube. Piracy=less money for the competitor/site. Less money=less opportunities and exposure in the long run.



This is a chance for free marketing in this industry, and I encourage you all to take advantage of this opportunity. If you have any questions, please email me at admin@fitgemsnation.net, and I will try to answer them to the best of my ability.

Bookmark the official FitGems Nation Youtube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/FitGemsNation

What do YOU want me to write about on FitGems Nation?

I'm thankful that many of you take the time to read on things and opinions I have to say on some parts in the industry. So as my way of saying thanks, I'm going to give the power to you. What is it that YOU want me to write about? WHO is is that you want me to write about? It is a certain show? A certain competitor? My views on today's figure standard? My thoughts on whether or not a bikini division should exist in the IFBB? Should another federation step up and challenge the IFBB for supremacy? I want to hear your ideas. I'm open to any and all ideas and suggestions.

You can either send me a Twit (http://twitter.com/fitgemsnation), email me (admin@fitgemsnation.net), leave a comment via the Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/FitGems-Nation/172803974346?ref=ts), or leave a comment below.

Once again, thank you everyone for all the support! :)

BodySportTV: Open for Business!

The great folks of BodySport (Terry Goodlad and Ana Tigre) have launched their own version of YouTube, but it's more tailored to the fitness community. The video sharing service is called BodySportTV.

According to Ana Tigre on Siouxcountry, you can register for free and upload your own videos of training, interviews, photoshoots, or anything else you would like to share. For those that want to make a name for themselves, I would definitely recommend checking out BodySportTV. I mean, YouTube has launched the carrers of many people in entertainment, imagine what BodySportTV can do for the fitness industry.

Check out BodySportTV at http://www.bodysporttv.com.

Idea for Arnold Selection Show

I know that the Arnold is announced on the Internet by a mere list. But I was thinking...since the Arnold is a selection process, why not it be shown as a webcast, beginning next year? What I mean by that is treat it like a draft, ala NBA or NFL draft. I actually got the idea from watching the WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2010 Roster Reveal show on the GameSpot website. It's also available on YouTube if you want to check it out as well.

The Arnold Selection Show would be broadcast on Bodybuilding.com, as they provide major coverage of the event every year. The rounds would go as followed:

• Round 1 would be the 2010 Ms. International competitors
• Round 2 would be the 2010 Fitness International competitors
• Round 3 would be the 2010 Figure International competitors
• Round 4 would be the Arnold Classic Men 202 and Under competitors (that is new this year)
• Round 5 would be the Arnold Classic male competitors

After each round, a few of the competitors would be called to get their reactions on being selected to participate in the 2010 Arnold, and those that host the show would provide their reactions and comments to the selections this year. After the show is over, THEN the list can be posted on the Arnold website. It won't have to be a week long thing; this can be about 30 minutes, no more than an hour. It would make the Arnold that much more prestigious and special to the industry.

Go to the links below to see what I'm trying to explain:

WWE SVR 2010 Draft Pt. 1
WWE SVR 2010 Draft Pt. 2
WWE SVR 2010 Draft Pt. 3
WWE SVR 2010 Draft Pt. 4

What are your thoughts about this? Keep in mind, this is merely something I thought of, and in no way represents how the Arnold committee will reveal the participants.