Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight On: Jenny Hansen
Category you compete in: Figure
Date of birth: December 30th, 1982
Hometown: Greenville, Michigan
Career: Pursuing career in fitness/personal training.
Competition history:
2011 Nationals in South Beach Miami, FL – Class E, 2nd Place
2011 Jr USA’s in Charleston, SC – Class E, 2nd Place
2011 NPC Pittsburgh Championship in Pittsburgh, PA – Class C, 1st Place
2010 Jen Hendershott’s All Women’s Weekend in Charleston, SC – Class C, 1st Place (1st competition)
Next competition: May 19th, 2012 Jr. USA’s Charleston, SC (Which will also be my 5 year wedding anniversary! :))
What do you feel is the WORST part of contest prep? The worst part of contest prep for me is the diet. I love food, and sometimes the limitations of dieting gets difficult. With each contest prep, however, I am learning new ways to enjoy the diet even with the limited choices! That is one thing I want to help others with who have the same struggles, I have so many recipes and ideas to help you through it!
Would you please tell us a little about your workout schedule? I typically lift 6 days/week:
Monday – Legs
Tuesday – Chest
Wednesday – Back/Traps
Thursday – Light Shoulders/Glutes
Friday – Arms
Saturday – Off
Sunday – Heavy Shoulders
During contest prep, I do cardio 7 days/week, 10-12 sessions (6 mornings and 4 – 6 evenings). I pick and choose when I do my sessions depending on how I am feeling. You have to listen to your body, if I feel like I just cannot get up, then I sleep in, but I know that is my one morning off, so I choose wisely :). Same for evening cardio, if I just feel drained, then I know I need to rest. Rest is just as important as working out! I usually do the treadmill in the mornings (that’s what we have at home), 12 % incline @ 3.4-3.6 mph for 30 – 45 minutes (no hanging on! :)) and then I do abs and glutes for 15-20 minutes. In the evenings (when we go to the gym), I prefer to do the stepper for 45 minutes, focusing each step on my glutes. I adjust my cardio as needed depending on how I am progressing. 
In the off season, I try to get in 5 morning cardio sessions/week, 30-45 minutes, with abs and glutes following, 3 of those days. I prefer morning cardio, I feel it is more beneficial for me, but everyone is different.
If you had to lose one of your 5 senses, which one would you prefer to lose and why? If I had to choose, I would choose to lose my hearing. I could not imagine not being able to see the beauty this world has to offer! I want to visit so many places before I die, and what would be the point if I could not see them?! Life without tasting all the wonderful foods of all the cultures of the world would just be tragic, I love food way too much to not be able to taste! I think smell goes hand in hand with taste, if you can’t smell, you can’t taste. I guess the sense of touch would be a close second to losing my hearing, but I would still definitely choose to lose my hearing over my sense of touch.
If you could change one things about this sport what would it be? If I could change one thing about this sport, it would be the national level qualification rules. I think it would help out our local level shows tremendously if it were more difficult to get nationally qualified, by bringing in more competitors, more fans, and therefore, more money.
If you had a time capsule what would you put inside it and why? If I had a time capsule, I would enclose as many pictures as I could, so people could see what it was like during our time. I think pictures are the neatest ancient treasures you can find. Who knows what the world will be like 100 or more years from now. People in the future might think we had it rough!! lol
What is your favorite vacation spot? I haven’t visited very many places in my life, so far, but hoping to change that! I would have to say Mexico right now, we went on a cruise last year and it was a lot of fun. We stopped in Cozumel and that was our favorite day. I am a very outdoorsy kind of girl though, so Gatlinburg would have to be a very close second. We have stayed in a log cabin, on a mountain side, in the late fall in Gatlinburg and that was amazing!!! I could live like that for sure!
What advice do you have for women who would like to get involved in and compete in the sport of bodybuilding? My best advice for someone wanting to get started in this sport would be that you are only competing against yourself. As long as you keep improving you, then you have won, every time. Don’t worry about what the person next to you looks like, you are not them and you are never going to look like them, you can only be a better version of you! And HAVE FUN! Once it stops being fun, then you better figure out how to fix it or you will be miserable! HAVE FUN!
What is a day-in-the-life of Jenny like? A typical day for me right now is pretty boring considering I quit my job a few months ago to pursue a career in the fitness industry. Anyway, here it goes :)……. On a typical day, I get up at 5:00ish with my husband and make him breakfast while he gets ready for work. I make sure he has his four meals for the day (yes, he is spoiled), and then he goes off to work. I usually have a piece of Ezekial toast while I clean up the kitchen (and wake up), then I jump on the treadmill around 6:30-7:00 for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on my energy level. I take a quick shower and get my breakfast in, egg whites, oatmeal and coffee! Mmmmm! I’ll usually spend a few hours researching, studying, and having telephone meetings with my sister in law about our upcoming adventures in business. If I am not doing that, I am prepping food for the week. I swear I could prep food all day every day and still not be ahead! I run any errands I have in the afternoon and get the house cleaned up. I could get used to being a house wife :), but I definitely have big plans for the very near future that I am very excited about! My husband gets home around 4:15, then its gym time. We get to Gold’s Gym between 4:30 and 5:00 and home by 6-6:30. I’m not in contest prep right now, but I will still usually hit 20 minutes of HIIT or 30 minutes on the treadmill again, just to keep my metabolism revved up. Next we shower up, eat dinner and relax until bedtime; 9:00!! Yes, that is early, but so is 5 AM!!
Favorite Motivational Quote:
If It Were Easy, Everyone Would Do It.
&
No matter what happens, be yourself. Life isn’t about pleasing others, it’s about making the best of the life you were given. You are you, and that’s all that matters.
In closing, Who would you like to give a shout out to? I would first and foremost like to give a shout out to my husband, Travis, who told me 5 years ago that I could do a figure competition. Ever since then, he has trained me in our little home gym to get my ready for my first competition that took place October 2010, where I placed First in my class! I love you, and would not be where I am without you!
Also, to Mikki Campbell who introduced me to Marie Ann “Mo” Newman and Jim Newman. Mo and Jim do my contest preparation and make sure I am always the most prepared every time I step on stage, I am so thankful I found you guys! Thank you for everything you have done for me and for being like family to Travis and I! We love you!
Last, but certainly not least, to my family and friends who are always there for me. I love you mom and dad, Kim and Jeff Keselring. Thank you for coming to support me at Nationals in Miami, it meant more to me than you know! I would list all my friends, new and old, but I know I would leave someone out and I don’t want to risk it! You know who you are and I love you all!!! xo
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