Monique Cormier, who has overcome obesity and severe depression en route to becoming a world class amateur bodybuilder, joins Dave [ ... ]
Spotlight On: IFBB Womens Physique Pro Shawna Pringle
Category you compete in: Women’s Physique
Date of birth: November 29
Hometown: Midlothian, VA (although I grew up in Pennsylvania)
Career: Doctor of Physical Therapy; Clinical Director for Tidewater Physical Therapy, Inc., an outpatient orthopaedic practice with 30+ clinics in Virginia
Competition history: I started to compete with the NPC in 2004 in the figure division, winning my first show. I always placed top 3 in all regional shows, but carried too much muscle to win a national show. Prior to switching to the physique division this year, I had not competed since the 2009 Team Universe where I placed 4th in my figure class. My husband and I were going through a lot of changes with moving to a different state and career changes, and my body and mind needed a break from the competitive scene. Once the WPD was announced, I knew it was for me! I had the opportunity to finally go to the 2012 Olympia to cheer on our good friend IFBB Pro Curtis Bryant, and at that show I was motivated to finally get back on stage. My husband said to me “You will be on that stage someday!” This year I competed in 3 shows in 4 weeks, winning the NPC Virginia Grand Prix, NPC New Jersey Garden State, and the Overall at Team Universe, finally conquering a lifelong dream of getting my IFBB Pro Card! My next goal is to be on the Olympia stage!
Next competition: I plan to make my pro debut next spring….would love to be invited to the Arnold Classic! I want to work on adding some size to my arms and legs, which were the two areas that I had to try to downsize when competing in the figure division.
In your opinion, how important is motivation and confidence when aiming to accomplish a goal? It is very important in this industry. I feel anyone in the bodybuilding world has to have motivation and confidence in order to keep a positive attitude allowing them to reach their goals and never give up. It is a subjective sport and what we see in the mirror may not be what the judges see or want. Losing is not a bad t
hing….it motivates me to work harder and dig deeper. I was never more confident than I was this year with the physique I was “sculpting” because after taking 3 yrs off from competing in figure and then with the development of the WPD, I knew it was my time. I could just taste it!! The confidence I had in my physique helped me shine on stage.
In your eyes, what combination of hard work and natural ability is needed to reach the top? There is no question about it that hard work is an absolute necessity. I prepped for 20 weeks total and competed in 3 physique shows in 4 weeks this year. And I only had 2 “cheat” meals that whole time! I work over 40hrs a week as a physical therapist and then spent almost every day at the gym as well for a couple hours, so there were many days that I was away from the house for over 12 hrs. I would then come home and cook/prep food for hours and sometimes only get a few hours of sleep each night. I am a perfectionist and my husband would laugh at me weighing every tiny piece of oat to get the exact grams my diet coach Jason Theobald prescribed. Of course I also believe natural ability is a vital component as well. My father was a bodybuilder with a very nice symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing build, and I owe it to genetics for the shape that I have. Since I was a little girl I was in the gym watching my dad lift and sitting in the audience watching my dad on stage. I was so proud when my dad would win (which was pretty much every time!). It was like I had a superhero as a dad, and I would brag about him to my friends. To this day the smell of competition dye brings me back to my roots and reminds me of how much hard work and dedication each and every competitor has conquered to get on that stage!
What are some motivational strategies that have or currently work for you? This year I kept photos of current IFBB Women’s Physique Pros on my phone, and the fliers from the shows I planned to compete in were up on my fridge. But the best motivation is when I start to see the changes happening with my body. Bodybuilding to me is like sculpting a piece of art. It interests me to see the daily and weekly changes, to see the muscles become more and more defined. I am a very goal-driven person, and once I set my mind to something, I will do all that I physically and mentally can to reach that goal.
Give me some examples from your life where confidence has helped you to achieve? I feel that confidence in my skills and knowledge as a physical therapist helps me achieve trust from my patients every day. A good relationship is required in order for them to commit to their health. This is also the case when I help others with contest prep or general nutrition plans. My interest in learning about how the body works and functions
started at a young age. I’m sure my mother remembers me bringing home the frogs that I dissected in Middle School and me staying up all night to study them. I will keep researching and learning a topic until I feel I completely understand it before I put it into my own practice.
What do you find the most challenging about competing? Balancing a full-time career as a physical therapist with long work days, and then hitting up the gym late at night, only to come home and weigh and cook all my food for the next day. There were many nights that I would only sleep a few hours before waking up before the crack of dawn to start all over again. I don’t know how people with children do it, but I commend each and every one of them!! This year I was so busy that I actually finished making up my routine the night before my first show!! It’s a good thing that I took dance and cheerleading for many years and I love to perform and be on stage, otherwise my stage presence may have been a disaster.
What are your top 5 key strategies for success?
1) Self-reflection: know what your values are and always live by them.
2) Humility: staying humble even in the midst of fame.
3) Set goals and never give up. All things happen for a reason. Times when you lose or are rejected should be used as a lesson to motivate you to rise above them.
4) Envision: see yourself reaching your goal, be confident in your abilities, and take action.
5) Passion! You must love what you do.
What is your favorite protein powder? Why do you like it? I have used Beverly International for years. I believe it is a good quality protein and good tasting. I like their Ultimate Muscle Protein because it can be used in many different recipes and makes a thicker shake so I feel like I am drinking a milkshake! But I have just ordered 3 other brands to try as well. I am really trying to go with proteins that use mostly natural products, no artificial sweeteners and are gluten-free. I like products that are scientific and research-based.
Favorite Inspirational Quote: “Veni Vidi Vici” = I came, I saw, I conquered! This is exactly what I di
d this year at Team Universe. I put the hard work into my prep and envisioned myself on that stage winning my pro card, but I honestly never imagined winning the overall as well! It was such a surreal, emotional moment.
In closing, Who would you like to give a shout out to? First on that list has to be the one who pushed me to get back on stage this year and that was my husband. I had taken a break from competing for 3 years in order for us to try to start a family, although the whole baby thing never happened. As mentioned before, I am very goal-driven and I think I felt as if I was losing a battle since I was not getting pregnant, and I was feeling lost. My husband knew exactly what I needed and that was to get back to competing! Also, thank you to my dad for introducing the bodybuilding world to me as a little girl, and thanks to the rest of my family for always supporting me and understanding when I can’t eat the food they cook haha! Thanks to Jason Theobald of Scoopyprep.com who was my diet coach this year. If you want a coach who is humble, always responds quickly, and customizes your diet to your individual needs, Jason is your man! And thanks to Chris Zimmerman and Violate the Dress Code for your amazing photography, visions and future opportunities!
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