Opportunity and Ambition: The Fit Female Movement
I met Rene Campbell on a c
ool, overcast morning in New York. I was able to pick her out right away. She is tall with bulging biceps and wore her hair in a neat bob. She was casual in her pink top and sweatpants, a tattoo of a dragon peeking out from her back. After exchanging pleasantries with Campbell, I soon realize that behind the soft-spoken voice burns a fire. She is well-spoken, smart, intuitive and ambitious. We begin talking about women in fitness, a true passion of hers. “The amount of women at my gym has increased 20% over the last two years. I’d love to see that trend increase.” Campbell wants to see women get in shape.
According to the Weight-Control Information Network, 64% of women are considered clinically overweight. In years past, selling fitness to women was tough, but the opportunities are expanding faster than ever. Besides CrossFit and yoga, fitness competitions are becoming increasingly popular for women of all ages. There are categories for every body type: Bikini, Figure, Fitness and Physique each offer different challenges and give women the chance to compete and better themselves. The ambition of women in the industry is working tirelessly to make fitness popular amongst women.
Fitness legend Monica Brant has created FEM Camps to generate interest in the fitness industry all over the world among women of all ages. FEM Camps are designed to introduce women to the world of fitness through a fun and challenging series of events that helps to build confidence and motivate women toward their fitness goals. These seminars include workout and diet tips, posing instruction, and even a photo shoot. “The best thing I have ever done is inspire women to be the best they can be,” Brant exclaimed. “It’s about taking advantage of opportunities!”
Lauren Powers knows how to take advantage of opportunities. With her platinum blonde hair and love of the outdoors, Powers is a true California girl. Born in Huntington Beach, she has always been active. Before her foray into bodybuilding, Powers was a skateboarder, surf instructor, and firefighter. That was before she was discovered at the 2001 Olympia. She then made her body her living, becoming in her words “the most recognizable female bodybuilder on the planet.”
A quick Google search will show that Powers has been in numerous television shows, movies, commercials and music videos. On top of training, she is also working on a clothing line, as well as her own reality show. Ms. Powers is a busy woman. While on the set of a music video, she received some advice from none other than Lady Gaga: “You have to embrace who you are as an artist and a person.” Women in the industry need a thick skin to make it in a competitive, male-dominated sport with little cash consideration. “It has to be personal,” say Powers.
Katy Clark is another in this group of women who all want to extend their reach to motivate as many women as possible. Also known as “Fit Chef Katy,” she wants “to bring responsibility back! I don’t want women to feel intimidated by the gym!” Clark wears many hats: she is a personal trainer, avid runner, and private cook. She is currently developing a wellness and nutrition smartphone app called PEAR, and based on a heart-rate monitor with voice-responsive controls. This allows the app to tell the user to adjust their pace accordingly. “It’s like having a personal trainer in your ear without the price tag,” Clark says with a laugh.
Her busy schedule allows her to pursue her goal to promote 
health and fitness among women by giving practical advice: “Hard work is what works” is one of her favorite mantras. “I want women to make healthy, self-respecting choices. Lifting weights is just as healthy a choice as replacing potato chips with apples in your diet. It’s not the kind of thing that you get huge as soon as you start lifting! Muscle is beautiful. Women shouldn’t be afraid of it.”
Campbell can attest. “It’s all in the name: body-building,” she jokes. “If we can get women interested in working out, we create women who are knowledgeable.” Muscle is generally seen as a masculine trait. Many women are skeptical to touch a weight in the gym for fear that it will make them “manly.” She is in the process of opening up a gym in London for those competing or interested in competing. “I love knowledge and I love learning. I want to teach someone who is interesting in living a fit lifestyle.” Brant says the main reason women should exercise is for themselves. “A lot of women get wrapped up in the difficulty. You made the choice. Remember that it’s fun.”
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