Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
I first saw NPC Figure Athlete Elizabeth Earhart at the Palm Beach Pro AM a few years ago. What caught my eye was that this beautiful woman was in the Masters Division. When she stepped on stage I thought that she had to be in her twenties. Her poise and presentation was unique and it exemplified sexy but very classy.
Over the past few years, Elizabeth's physique matured into a National contender and an IFBB Pro Card is well in her future. Her trademark posing style has also evolved and believe it or not it has even gotten better.
Elizabeth is a delight to be around and I have seen her take on many roles as a competitor. She has been seen chaperoning and assisting young & novice competitors backstage with check-in and even helping the "newbie" girls with their make-up. She does this even minutes before she takes the stage.
Every year the sport of NPC Figure produces a few surprises. Someone just seems to come out of nowhere and becomes a serious National threat to earn a coveted IFBB Pro Card. These athletes slip into their first show which just happens to be a Regional National Qualifier with no fanfare or lofty credentials and walks away in the evening show with an Overall title. They head to their first National show and end up on the Trophy podium of their Class.
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As a category still in its infancy, the Bikini Division has received its fair share of criticism. The most popular accusation hurled in the direction of these fledgling contestants are that they're all body and no brains.
If the first flurry of articles on RX Girl have not yet altered your perception of Bikini then allow me to introduce Anqelique Costa who is about to blow that myth even further out of the water.
Angelique is living proof that beauty and brains can indeed reside in perfect harmony in the same body... She's had great success in the rapidly growing bikini division, yet her story is quite a wakeup call to anyone who insists on still judging a book by its cover...
The new sport of NPC Bikini is attracting a great variety of women from diverse backgrounds and disciplines. One would think that the most successful Bikini Athletes and stars would come from dance, theatre or modeling and that they would primarily be from warm and sunny states such as Florida or California. However, the Bikini talent network stretches much further than just these three disciplines and states.
Meet Indiana resident and educator Summer Taylor. Summer has already made a name for herself at the National NPC Bikini level and her goal of becoming an IFBB Pro is well within reach.
New IFBB Bikni Athlete Jessica Jessie has officially become the newest member of the elite Fitness Management Group (FMG).
Jessica who started her NPC Bikini career just ten short weeks ago quickly rose to the top winning her classes at the NPC NY Metropolitan, NPC Pittsburgh, and the NPC Eastern Seaboard. In her very first National NPC show, Jessica took the Overall at the 2010 NPC Jr. Nationals.
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As the countdown begins to this year's Olympia in Vegas. I thought it was time to catch up with some of the leading competitors to find out how things were going in terms of their preparation for the final showdown. First up is Camala Rodriguez who has had a pretty rapid ascension up the competitive ladder when it comes to the fitness division.
When I caught up with her she was just about to train back, so I thought I would take advantage of the situation and ask her a few questions on her back workout. However, before we get into that, let's take a brief time-out to find out just a little more about this rising star in the fitness ranks.....
Getting your name out there, gaining attention and marketing yourself is a smart idea. An easy way to do that is through the Internet and outlets like Youtube, Twitter, Facebook and/or your own blog. Nothing earth shattering or new there, right? Right.
When you do it on your own, you have control over what you publish. Many times fans will post videos or talk about competitors and how they look or what's happening with them. This happens often and out of your control. It doesn't mean you agree with what's being said or how it's presented. Other times there are people who like to speak on a competitor's behalf, and when this happens they act as the messenger on behalf of the competitor.
Interstate 4 stretches from Daytona Beach, Florida on the East coast to Tampa, Florida on the West coast. The drive will usually take you about 2 hours. If your a Floridian or visiting the Sunshine State you know I-4 as Traffic Jam City. It can take up to one hour to cover a three mile stretch when passing through Orlando.
Besides being know as the connection between the East and the West coast of Florida, I-4 also has the unofficial title as IFBB Bikini Capital of the World. Last year, this interstate highway was the home of an unusually large number of NPC Bikini Athletes who earned their IFBB Bikini Pro Cards last year. IFBB Bikini Athletes Jaime Baird, Missy Coles, Kira Riveria, Jessica Lawrence & Amanda Procida all lived off of I-4 exits. Maybe it's the weather or maybe yet it might just be that this region of Florida is the Mecca of Bikini.
Meet Ali Rosen, another shining example of a beautiful NPC I-4 future Bikini Superstar. Ali, a very beautiful and athletic girl decided to showcase her talent by competing in the NPC Bikini Division. The pieces are all there. Ali has a rocking body, gorgeous face and the charisma to make a judge smile. Needless to say, Ali has it going on!
Nicole Ball belongs to a select group of bodybuilders who, in truth, need never set foot on a bodybuilding stage again yet still be universally accepted as a champion within the community.
However, that being said, since turning pro in 2006, her competitive endeavors have been impressive enough for her always to be considered a threat in the pro ranks. As she currently prepares to return to competition at the PBW Tampa Pro, the anticipation is building as to what she will bring to the stage this time around. One thing is for sure, surprises are in store. In fact Nicole is a woman full of little surprises, as I discovered when I spoke to her recently about her life on and off the stage......
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