Hardbody - Female Sports, Health and Fitness
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Long time legal expert in the world of health & fitness, Rick Collins is jumping out of a plane for the first time in his life. No, he hasn’t gone crazy. Rick is doing it to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Tomorrow he’ll leap out of the plane in honor of two close friends and a relative stricken with cancer. Check out LEAP FOR LIFE (www.leapforlife.org) for more information.
You can also read more about this on IFBBpro.com. Good luck Rick!
This is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in awhile. Those of you who are competitors might be familiar with the term “Monkey butt”. If you aren’t it is rather disturbing yet amusing. The short version… When you have glue stuck to your butt after a competition and it won’t come off it’s “Monkey butt”. It’s not a pleasant sight for anyone.
Doug Martin sent me this image of a product called “Anti Monkey Butt”. How funny is that?!
Sorry competitors, this product won’t help with your version of the monkey butt although there is a ladies version of the product.
So what does Anti Monkey Butt do? Antimonkeybutt.com states:
Anti Monkey Butt Powder is specially formulated to absorb excess sweat and reduce frictional skin irritation. It is Ideal for butt busting activities such as truck driving, motorcycling, bicycling, horse back riding, and extreme sports. May also be applied inside footwear, under sports pads, and other areas prone to chafing. Indoors or outdoors, work or play, or on occasions when you sit on your butt all day, don’t let your buns get red, use Anti Monkey Butt Powder instead!
Thanks for the heads up on the amusing product Doug!
These are my opinions, based on my dealings with the organization.
Those of you who visit this site often read about the Lingerie Football League (LFL) and how a few women in the NPC & IFBB ended up making the their respective teams. The concept is attractive, fit women playing football in lingerie. What guy wouldn’t want to see that, right? That remains to be seen. The LFL season begins this Fall. Hundreds of women were interested in this newly formed league with hopes of getting mainstream attention. It appeared to give attractive, competitive, athletic women an avenue to compete. I had been one of the biggest supporters of the idea. I mentioned it here, on message boards, put a piece in my Muscle & Fitness Hers column and referred the league to others in the fitness industry. I photographed the Denver team and was granted the title of “official photographer” after the shoot. You can see my pictures in their current promotional materials and on their web site.
Sounds all good right? Not so much.
The league is banking on false hope. They offer empty promises and talk a good game but, in the end, the only ones getting played are the women who participate in the LFL. If the team doesn’t sell tickets to the game (yes the women are tasked with that as well) they make very little money. Should the team sell few tickets and lose the women stand to make more selling peanuts outside the game. If a player suffers an injury while playing they’re pretty much on their own. No insurance was provided to the players while the practices were held and if you’re injured during a game you’ll receive very little towards any medical bills. The women aren’t guaranteed big paychecks and there is no sure thing on them even getting any real media exposure. I should mention three LFL women are currently featured in Muscle & Fitness magazine which gives the league credibility. Unfortunately, they don’t deserve it.
The league wants people to do things for free and bank on them making it big. In my opinion, the whole thing is a farce and reeks of Hollywood hot shots wanting to be famous. I was taken advantage of as were a number of women in the fitness industry. Most of the women have since left the league and with good reason. I bought into their hype and fortunately saw their true colors before I wasted any more of time or energy. I’ve talked with a number of women from various cities regarding the league and they all shared similar stories. My hope is that the women reading this will not being taken for a ride and regret getting involved.
Based on my expeirences and chatting with others it is my opinion that the Lingerie Football League is the furthest thing from a professional organization. I’d encourage all of you not to support them an urge your friends to do the same.
Jessica Paxson continues to find success in the world of fitness. This month Status magazine features UFC fighter Rich Franklin and the stunning Jessica Paxson. Jess is one of the few competitors who has done well on and off the stage. Last month Jessica won the Jacksonville Pro Figure. Congratulations Jessica on another cover.
I had a chance to catch up with Jess last week in Dallas. She tells me she will be competing in the Figure Olympia this year and continues to work with Optimum Nutrition. Look for her in Las Vegas next month at the 2009 Olympia.
Have a rock’n Friday hardbody peeps! Give “I’d Come for You” by Nickleback. Sure, most of their songs sound the same but if you like them this is a good one.
By now you know that
I’d come for you
No one but you
Yes I’d come for you
But only if you told me to
And I’d fight for you
I’d lie, it’s true
Give my life for you
You know I’ll always come for you
I’m currently reading “How Successful People Think” by John C. Maxwell and it’s a decent read. The best line thus far came in the Introduction. It reads…
“Good thinkers are always in demand. A person who knows how may always have a job, but the person who knows why will always be his boss.”
Think about that today. Are you a good thinker?
You caught a glimpse of Sarah Hayes a week out from her competition in Dallas, here. Sarah went on to win the overall last Saturday and now has her sights set on the NPC Nationals this Fall. I had a chance to shoot with Sarah at MetroFLEX Plano and to say she was rock’n the Hardbody is an understatement. Here’s a glimpse of the great shoot we had.
A huge thanks to Greg McCoy and his staff at MetroFlex Plano. It’s a great gym and they were very accommodating all weekend for doing photo shoots. Check it out if you’re in the area.
“Beautiful” is a great song by G. Love featuring Tristan Prettyman. It’s mellow and has a groovy little beat.
It’s in the way you move
Baby what you’re doing to me
I can’t stand it I can’t hold back
Every time I see you get beautiful beautiful
It’s in the way you do
Baby what you’re doing to me
The way you shine, strum your cords, the way you’re mine
The way you sing your words
Today’s Hardbody Shot of the day features the top two fitness pros from the Europa Super show. Myriam Capes is still in the shadows of the champ, Adela Garcia but is beginning to see a little light in her future. Both women were fun to work with as we shot in the super hot temps.
Rock on with a little White Zombie – Super Charger Heaven.
Adela Garcia had a ton of energy when she showed up for our photo shoot the day after her big Europa Fitness win. She had just eaten so was ready to rock and rock she did. Check out this shot from Sunday, Adela was defining hardbody.
Check out this video of IFBB Pro Jen Hendershott from FOX 8. Did you know Jen Hen was a kindergarten teacher?
This is a perfect example of how to market yourself. Pitch your story to local tv stations and you never know what might come of it.
Check out this creative and different approach to promoting a movie. Megan Fox is the leading lady in Jennifer’s Body, due out next month. I dig it as it’s unexpected and catches your attention. Think about how you can creatively promote yourself to get noticed in the fitness industry.
If you’re at work you may not want to play this too loudly.
“Amazing” is a good tune from Kanye West to get ya going today.
Congratulations to Tianna Ta & Natalia Muntean for their win in the FLEX Bikini Model Search Online contest. The win secures a spot in the finals at next month’s Olympia.
Check out more on the winners, what they receive and how you can enter the contest at the Olympia… FLEXonline.com.
Keep your eye on this little lady. She’s one of the fresh faces of the NPC.
Dianna Dahlgren won her class in the Los Angeles NPC Bikini and placed fourth in her class at the NPC USA contest. She’s establishing herself as a model off stage. Dianna tells me she’s been modeling for years and after I photographed her last month, it showed. I can’t post any of the images just yet of her as the pictures were for a magazine but you can check out Dianna’s profile on MAXIM.com.
Name: Dianna Dahlgren
Born: Fallbrook, CA
Current Residence: Wildomar, California
Hobbies: Love the river, the desert to ride my motorcycle and I also love going to the mountains like Mammoth or Utah to go snowboarding!!!!!
Sports: I’m not a court sports girl, I love extreme sports only!!!!
Motto: My favorite saying ‘Never Give Up, Keep striving to do and be your best!’
She’ll be competing again next month at Team Universe in the bikini division and should fair well. Dianna will also be at the Olympia next month.
Ron Avidan was backstage during the Europa Super show and snapped a number of great shots. Here’s a look at your top three, Olympia bound, fitness competitors hitting a few diva style shots. Check out more on bodybuilding.com. Good stuff!
Congrats again ladies on a job well done in Dallas.
Carano versus Cyborg was the first headline event for women’s Mixed Martial Arts. This was a big step for the women in MMA. Gina Carano has been the face of women’s MMA but on Saturday night she fell to Cyborg in the first round. How will this change the landscape of women’s MMA in the months ahead? Only time will tell but this was one helluva fight. You can hear the fans going nuts in this video. Check it out…
Props to both women.
Join me in wishing a Happy Hardbody.com Birthday to IFBB bikini pro and cover model, Monique Minton. Monique is celebrating her 25th birthday today in the land of Texas. Over the weekend Monique racked up a few more wins in a NAGA tournament (see some pics here) while pulling double duty working at the Europa Super show. Monique continues to add more things to her already impressive resume. Happy Birthday Momo and many more to come.
Kick off your week with Fort Minor’s “Remember The Name”. Rock on Hardbody peeps.
This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill
Fifteen percent concentrated power of will
Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain
And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!
The 2009 Europa Super Show is in the books and here are your full results in fitness and figure.
PRO FITNESS
1. Adela Garcia
2. Myriam Capes
3. Nicole Duncan
4. Bethany Wagner
5. Laticia Jackson
6. Kristina Rojas
7. Michele Mayberry
8. Stephanie Irick
9. Nita Marquez
10. Siene Silva
11. Amanda Marinelli
12. LeslieRae Newton
13. Jo Marriner
14. Maggie Blanchard
Did Not Finish – Mandy Polk
PRO FIGURE
1. Jenny Lynn
2. Krissy Chin
3. Meriza DeGuzman
4. Alicia Harris
5. Siobhan Tewari
6. Amy O’Neil
7. Katina Maistrelles
8. Michelle Craven
9. Tivisay Briceno
10. Consuelo Rojas Figueroa
11. DJ Wallis
12. Alicia Marie
13. Sue Upson
14. Rosalind Vanderpool
15. Tonya Burkhardt
16. Cynthia Sharp
17. Jacqui Jarrett
Adela is still in it and she has her sights set on winning the Olympia. Adela told me she was a little nervous to be back on stage and knew everyone was looking at her leg. She put her fears behind her and tackled them like the champion that she is. Adela nailed her two minute routine and you would never know she had an injury that sidelined her for months. Like her shirt said, she is definitely “still in the game”.
I was pretty close in my earlier picks, not perfect but not too shabby. A quick look at your top five in figure and fitness from the Europa Super show. Full results and more photos coming later.
Top five results (full results posted later)
Figure:
1. Jenny Lynn*
2. Krissy Chin*
3. Meriza DeGuzman*
4. Alicia Harris
5. Siobhan Tewari
Fitness:
1. Adela Garcia*
2. Myriam Capes*
3. Nicole Duncan*
4. Bethany Wagner
5. Laticia Jackson*Qualify for the Olympia
The women were flying high tonight in Dallas. Here’s a shot of your top five women from tonight’s Europa Super show. BOOM BOOM POW!
Props to Ed and Betty Pariso for stepping up their game this year. The Expo moved to a smaller spot in the Dallas Convention Center and it is MUCH, MUCH better. They laid carpet on the floors between the sponsor booths which may not seem like a big deal but makes a huge difference. It cuts down on the noise and brings everything together.
The lighting for the stage was improved greatly and it made a huge difference in not only the photos but also how the judges could see the competitors. The background changed from previous years as well as the Orlando show, which was a welcome one in my eyes. There seems to be plenty of shuttles going to and from the hotel to the venue.
While the pro prejudging did last a long time, it was because of the sheer number of pro competitors. I’d LOVE to see the one piece suits removed from the pro ranks. It seems like a waste of time for the judges and spectators alike. You can’t hide anything in the two piece and it has made the NPC shows go much quicker.
I like that the finals start early this afternoon and we should get finished at a decent time. Visit bodybuilding.com for photos throughout the day from prejudging and the finals.
The IFBB Figure ladies took the stage last night and it is a tight battle for the top five. There was no real showstopping physique in this show, which made for a few challenging comparisons.
Based on the call-outs and comparisons last night it looks like Jenny Lynn will take home top honors. She was definitely improved from Jacksonville but still not to the winning form she was as Ms. Figure Olympia. We’ll see if she can continue to refine things and bring her best physique to date in Vegas. Many in the audience felt Krissy Chin brought the best package to the stage and I wouldn’t argue much. She was at her best and the change in hairstyle from Jacksonville was a good one. Her physique was best I’ve seen her as a pro and will most likely land in the runner-up position. This would be her best placing as a pro and her first trip to the Olympia stage. The third place spot looks to be locked up by Meriza DeGuzman. I’ve seen her tighter from behind but this is the best we’ve seen her on stage this year and it should be enough for an Olympia qualifying spot.
The remaining spots are a crap shoot on how they will go. You have Alicia Harris who looks good and continues to find her stride in the pro ranks. I like her looking hard but the judges knocked her down for that look. Her posing from the back needs a bit of work as one shoulder is always up. It’s her first year and she’s doing well. Look for her to be somewhere in or near the top 5 here. Siobhan Tewari has a great physique with a tiny waist. She is definitely a standout in the lineup and I see her in the top five tonight. Amy O’Neil looked much improved from her pro debut and found herself in the mix of a top five spot. She may be just on the outside looking in of it but a good showing for her.
Katina Maistrelles made her debut here and should find herself in the top ten but not quite there for a top five spot. Alicia Marie also made her debut and look for this to be her last figure show. I look for Alicia to take the rest of the year off and move into the bikini division next year. I could be wrong but don’t rule it out.
There were a number of competitors who came in way too hard and weren’t in the top callouts because of it. Those of you doing Houston… I wouldn’t use this show as a measuring stick. The judges can only judge what is in front of them and overall the look here will not, in my opinion, do well in other shows. Again, just my opinion.
MY TOP SIX PICKS: (based on the call-outs)
1. Jenny Lynn
2. Krissy Chin
3. Meriza DeGuzman
4. Siobhan Tewari
5. Alicia Harris
6. Amy O’Neil
Check out the prejudging photos on bodybuilding.com of the comparisons and individual shots. The finals will take place this afternoon and we’ll see how accurate I am in my picks. Check back here for more info and follow the results on TWITTER @hardbodynews.
The big fitness story out of Dallas, Texas this weekend is the return of Adela Garcia. The IFBB Fitness Pro has been absent from the competitive stage since the 2007 Ms. Olympia due to a knee injury.
FITNESS PREJUDGING
It had been nearly two years since she was on stage but you wouldn’t know it by the way she took the stage. Sporting a new hair color and the tiny, tight package we’ve grown to love. Adela had the look of determination on her face and there was a slight look of fear at the beginning of the 45 seconds. That quickly went away when she shook her booty to a solid performance. I look for Adela to be in the top 3-4 in the 45 second routines and will most likely win both physique rounds. There was a slightly noticeable difference in Adela’s injured leg, particularly from the back but it won’t be enough to keep her out of the top spot tonight. The question will be how it stacks up next month at the Olympia.
Bethany Wagner brought an improved look to the stage and pushed Adela in both the one and two piece. She had a balanced physique and it was one of her better showings in the physique rounds. Her 45 second routine fell a little flat in my opinion and could ultimately knock her out of the top three where I think she sat after the physique rounds.
Myriam Capes looks to be in a good position going into tonight’s show to be top three again. I had her in the 3-4 position in the physique rounds and top 2-3 in the 45 second routines. She’s got a little swagger to her on stage and she impressively refined her physique over the last couple years. Her routine has some incredible difficulty and I look for her to land in second tonight.
Nicole Duncan is in the driver’s seat for an Olympia qualification. I have her in the 3-4 position in the physique rounds and 3-4 in the 45 second routines. If she nails her 2 minute routine tonight I see her nabbing the 3rd place spot. She brings good energy to the stage and is a solid performer. Remember the two routine rounds count for 1/2 the overall score so it can make or break a competitor.
Michele Mayberry could sneak into the top 5 as she brought a whole new look to her physique and had a solid routine. This is the best I’ve seen Michele look on the pro stage.
Jo Marriner will win the 45 second routine round, at least from my perspective. She has incredible control over her moves and pulls them with ease. Her only downfall is her physique isn’t at the level of the others here. Jo always has a good time entertaining and knew coming into this that she probably wouldn’t match up in the physique rounds but more than makes up for it in the routine rounds. Her winning the routine rounds could cause some problems for others who faired well in the physique rounds.
The rest of the pack…
Kristina Rojas was definitely in shape and flexed her quads a bit too much, something I think head judge Sandy Williamson will advise her not to do in the future. She had a solid routine and will be in the top 6-8 spot. Maggie Blanchard came in waaaay too hard and will find herself at the bottom of the pack because of it. Speaking of being too hard I spoke with more than one judge who said the competitors were too hard at this show. Those of you planning on competing at the Atlantic City show, do NOT come in shredded at least in my opinion. Nita Marquez debuted and it wasn’t her best showing but she brought solid energy in the 45 second routine. Mandy Polk has yet to find her stride as a pro. She didn’t come in conditioned and her routine wasn’t at the level it needs to be, in my opinion. I hope she can team up with someone on her diet plan and return to the form she had as an amateur.
The finals will take place this afternoon and we’ll see who comes out on top. Going into tonight this is how I would have my top 5, based on routines AND physique rounds.
MY TOP FIVE PICKS
1. Adela Garcia
2. Myriam Capes
3. Nicole Duncan
4. Bethany Wagner
5. Michele Mayberry
Check out photos from the physique rounds as well as a few 45 second routine round photos on bodybuilding.com. Props to Ed and Betty Pariso for improving the lighting, which makes the competitors look much better.
**Note these are only my opinions and not necessary how the judges of the show will see things.
Check out the competitor photos from last weekend’s IFBB Tampa Pro compliments of FLEXonline and IFBBpro.com. Congratulations again to 53 year old Betty Pariso for the win.
This is the first I’ve heard of American Head Charge and their song “Loyalty“. Want to wake the F’ up? Crank this! RAHHHHHHHHHH!
Rock on!
The numbers continue to increase for next weekend’s IFBB Houston Pro Figure contest. Tony Blinn from IFBBpro.com shared the newest list with me today. This is shaping up to be a solid line-up. Christina Vargas is wasting no time jumping into the pro ranks coming off her class win at the NPC USAs last month. I know more women will enter this contest and I look for it to be over 20 competitors come show time.
Official competitor list as of today:
Susanne Bock
Krissy Chin
Michelle Craven
Heather Mae French
Jacqui Jarrett
Katina Maistrelles
Petra Mertl
Karen Mullarkey
Nicole Pitcher-Scott
Denise Starling-Steele
Erin Stern
Christina Vargas
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