HARDBODY Fit Female News & Events

There’s been some confusion on whether or not the Arnold Amateur event is a National NPC qualifier or not. The Arnold Amateur is only a national qualifying event for the Bikini division. IT IS NOT a national qualifier for fitness, figure or bodybuilding.

Top finisher at the Figure International (6th), Larissa Reis checked in and shared the following note.

Larissa Reis at the 2010 Figure International

I’m very happy and blessed to place in the top 6 in my first Arnold Classic because I come from Brazil and I’m fairly new to the pro show in the US. I missed seeing girls competing from all over the world at the Arnold Classic because I know that there are a lot of girls from other countries who have the ability to compete at a high level. It’s difficult to compete here because it’s expensive if you don’t live in the U.S. and also difficult to be here without all of the proper documents. But nothing is impossible if you have a dream. I came here speaking very little English and I didn’t have any money, but I have been fortunate to have wonderful people around me to support me and help me to become a professional. This year has truly been a blessing; I just recently got a contract with the best company in the world, Nutrex. I’m so happy to have an amazing sponsor. I’ve lived here since 2007, and I feel like I’m representing all the girls, not only from Brazil, but all over the world. That’s why I put the dreads in my hair during the Arnold Classic. I wanted to be like Avatar to represent that I am connected with all of the girls all over the world.

Please feel free to check out my website www.larissareis.net.

See more Figure International photos of Larissa here.

The IFBB Pro League has the Fitness International women featured on their homepage. Thanks to Tony Blinn for graciously displaying my images on the site from this event. Check em out here.

You followed Andrea Watson’s journey into her pro debut and now she shares the aftermath.

Wow! It’s taken me almost a week to recover from this past weekend. Geez, I haven’t competed since last May and I forgot how hard this sport is on our bodies! Currently, I feel like a 90 year old woman with a bad tan, swollen ankles, and a bloated belly.

Well, this weekend I was filled with lots of emotions: stress, happiness, sadness and defeat. I’ll get right down to the nitty gritty… When I was standing on stage and didn’t get first, second, or third call out during prejudging I was like, wait a minute… did they forget that I was up here? Did they not see me? It was the most horrible feeling I’ve felt in awhile. I started thinking, What did I do wrong? Was my posing off? Does my booty still look like Beyonce’s? How am I going to recover from this? I went back to my room and was totally tore up inside with a million different emotions! I had never been defeated before.

Brian, my sister Jaynie, her best friend Jane and my coaches gave me quite the pep talk on how amazing I looked, how far I have come and how proud I should be. I was among the best of the best… IN THE ENTIRE WORLD! These women had been competing for years…and me? Less than a year! Most of them had already been to the Olympia, placed first in pro shows and had been at the Arnold before. I started putting things into perspective and I felt much better. Shoot, I looked damn good and there wasn’t anything leading up to that day that I could have possibly done to bring a better package to the stage – that day.

Now, this put me in a better mood and I was actually looking forward to the night show. I was totally thrilled when they called me out with the second group that evening. As I was standing on stage for the finals I debated on whether or not I should reach out and grab Sylvester Stallone and Arnold’s butts (since they were right freakin in front of me) but then I had visions of the secret service men tackling me down and dragging me off stage… now, that would not be the way to be remembered at your pro debut!

As I look back at this past weekend I have two choices: Option 1 – I can let this feeling of defeat eat away at me, feel sorry for myself and half ass the next five weeks of training (my next show is the Europa in Orlando) and come up with excuses of why I can’t do this…or why I can’t do that…. OR, Option 2 – I can look at this as an opportunity to improve myself spiritually, mentally, and physically….DING, DING, DING. Folks, it looks like I’m going with Option 2!

A champion doesn’t always win every fight or battle. A champion continues to get up when they’ve been hit hard, when they are exhausted and when they feel like they have nothing left to give. In my mind, I will always be a winner, a fighter, and a champion because I have and will continue to pick myself up when life decides to throw its little curve balls at me. I can’t sit around and wonder why, or what if – no, sometimes in life we don’t understand God’s plan; however, at the most unexpected times He shows us why.

Hey, being ranked number 9 in the world isn’t too shabby!

So, just because I didn’t come in first place, does that mean that I’m not a champion? I’ll let you decide….

If you didn’t see the Ms. Fitness International Fitness Routines, you can check them out on Bodybuilding.com until the end of the month. The final placings don’t always reflect what the fans like and that’s ok. We all have our favorites and for a variety of reasons. A few routines were great, many had a few missteps and a couple were well a bit lackluster. I spoke with a number of the women and they mentioned the floor was slippery. My hope is that next year the female bodybuilders go on after the routines. The posing oil from the female bodybuilders was prevalent on stage despite a cleaning crew attempting to wipe it up.

Check em out the full routines here.

As we unwind from a whirlwind Arnold Classic, check out the thousands of photos from the events, expo and more. We’ll be sharing contest reports and a number of other things from the weekend. You can see the photos on Bodybuilding.com from the weekend.

I don’t know whether to laugh or shake my head or maybe both… One of the biggest attractions of the weekend was Snookie from MTV’s reality show, The Jersey Shore. Anywhere she went a mob of people followed.

Snookie at the Arnold Expo

Like the 2009 Figure Olympia, Nicole Wilkins-Lee continued to impress the judges with her physique, and won the 2010 Figure International in Columbus, Ohio. Erin Stern looked awesome placing second, while Heather Mae French took third. Mindi Smith, who two weeks earlier, won her first pro contest in her IFBB debut, took 4th.

Here are the complete Figure International results.

1. Nicole Wilkins-Lee ($16,000)
2. Erin Stern ($10,000)
3. Heather Mae French ($8,000)
4. Mindi Smith ($5,000)
5. Felicia Romero ($3,000)
6. Larissa Reis ($2,000)
7. Monica Brant
8. Kristi Tauti
9. Andrea Watson
10. Rosa-Maria Romero
11. Monica Mark-Escalante
12. Latisha Wilder
13. Candice Houston
14. Cristiana Casoni
15. Kim Tilden
15. Krissy Chin
16. Sherlyn Roy
17. Alicia Harris
18. Angela Mraz

Adela Garcia wins an incredible Fitness International, filled with great routines and lots of excitement.

Here are the results.

1. Adela Garcia ($25,000)
2. Julie Palmer ($13,000)
3. Tanji Johnson ($8,000)
4. Trish Warren ($5,000)
5. Oksana Grishina ($3,000)
6. Camala Rodriguez ($2,000)
7. Tina Durkin
8. Myriam Capes
8. Regiane Da Silva
10. Nicole Duncan
11. Bethany Wagner
12. Kizzy Vaines
13. Sylvia Tremblay
14. Kayde Puckett
15. Allison Ethier

Congratulations to Iris Kyle, as she continues her win streak with another impressive win here in Columbus, Ohio.

Here are the results.

1. Iris Kyle ($25,000)
2. Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia ($13,000)
3. Debi Laszewski ($8,000)
4. Lisa Aukland ($5,000)
5. Betty Pariso ($3,000)
6. Dayana Cadeau ($2,000)
7. Zoa Linsey
8. Alina Popa
9. Elena Shportun-Willemer
10. Brenda Raganot
11. Antoinette Thompson
12. Jeannie Paparone
13. Dena Westerfield
14. Mah-Ann Mendoza

Check out the thousands of photos from the Arnold Sports Festival on bodybuilding.com. It’s crazy busy here and I’ll be posting my thoughts on the competitions later. You can also stay updated via TWITTER. 

Sly Stallone was in the house with Arnold last night. The two were joking around during the awards ceremony. Fun stuff!

This song is pretty played out but for some reason I never get tired of hearing it. Tonight we’re headed to the Arnold Classic finals and then off to the After Parties. Ohhhhh yaaaaa. The Black Eyed Peas’ “I Gotta Feeling” is a fitting theme song for the events tonight.

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT!

Update: I’ll be “guest tweeting” on @bbcomcontests for this morning’s prejudging. Follow the action in the box below and check back later for photos and more extensive coverage. Let’s get it on!

Not at the Arnold Classic? We’ve got you covered. Stay updated with what is happening in Columbus with a variety of industry people right here. If you’re not one to get into the whole twitter craze, that’s ok. We’ve assembled a list of people who will help you out. Just refresh this page throughout the weekend to see what’s happening.

If you are part of Tweetnation, follow us on twitter at hardbodynews where we’ll be giving you behind-the-scenes insight, play by play on the contests, celebrity citings and more.

The fitness pros will take the stage in their two-piece swimsuits for this morning’s prejudging. Tanji Johnson is heading into today’s competition looking for her first BIG SHOW win. Can she do it? We’ll find out tonight at the finals. 

How many Arnold’s will this be for you? 
Seven

What inspired the Michael Jackson routine? 
His passing…I wanted to pay tribute to MJ bc his gift as a performer has always been a huge inspiration to me. I was going to show this routine at the 2009 Olympia but decided to save it when I saw that Nicole Duncan was also doing an MJ theme. So, I am excited to pay tribute to Michael and entertain the fans with my passion.
 
What can fans expect to see different on the Arnold stage from the Phoenix show?
My physique will be tighter and I changed a section of my routine. I enjoy changing things up as every competition is an opportunity to showcase and have fun. And when celebrating Michael, there is so much “material” to choose from!

Many people think the show is between you, Adela and Julie. What will be the determining factor on which woman is announced the winner?
I think that whoever has the best physique in the judge’s eyes will win. Though Fitness has 2 rounds that count for 50%, I feel that the “sway” is determined by the best physiques and then a consequent ranking of routines from that pool of physiques. The winner will still have to have a strong total package so it will be a matter of who is ”most ON” in both categories. It will be an exciting competition as I anticipate everyone to be ON!

What’s your favorite Gaspari product?
Myofusion Chocolate Protein… I still cannot believe how good and smooth it tastes!

Gotta agree that stuff does taste great!

I understand you have a couple new DVDs coming out. Any insight on when those will be out and where people can find them?
 
Yes, the Competitive Edge series includes:
New ART of Posing for Fitness, Figure & Bikini
New Save Fitness Instructional DVD
Muscle Confusion Training DVD
Marketing Yourself in the Fitness Industry CD
 
These will all be available on my website, www.tanjijohnson.com
New website to be released later this month!

Thanks Tanji & good luck! 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 4, 2010

Angela Kegler is the overall winner of the Arnold Amateur NPC Masters Figure Championship
COLUMBUS, OH – Angela Kegler of Columbus, Ohio is overall winner of the Arnold Amateur NPC Masters Figure Championship competition that was held as a part of the Arnold Sports Festival 2010. There were 36 athletes competing in this event.

In the Masters Figure Short Class, Angeles Kegler of Columbus, Ohio took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine. As the overall winner she also won an Arnold VIP Ticket Package and a House of Pain gym bag.

Rounding out the top five Masters Figure Short Class competitors were:
2nd place: Lori Pavesi, Cedar Park, Texas
3rd place: Tracy Grogg, West Jefferson, Ohio
4th place: Daphne Bascom, Cleveland, Ohio
5th place: Katherine Fratello, Engelwood, Florida

In the Masters Figure Medium Class, Deborah Judy of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine.

Rounding out the top five Bikini Medium Class competitors were:
2nd place: LeNora Angles, Westerville, Ohio
3rd place: Tracy Guarino, Adams, Tennessee
4th place: Tonni Spaleny, Flushing, Michigan
5th place: Kristin Kristjansdottir, Iceland

In the Masters Figure Tall Class, Andrea Ternes of Elyria, Ohio, took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine.

The other top five Bikini Tall Class competitors were:
2nd place: Laurie Gunzelman, Columbus, Ohio
3rd place: Tammy Miller, Concord, North Carolina
4th place: Sharon Fillyaw, Boston, Massachusetts
5th place: Jennifer Peckham, Washington, Michigan

The IFBB Pros checked in tonight and Ron Avidan was there to capture all the action. Check out the candid photo galleries here.

Erin Stern, Nicole Wilkins-Lee and Felicia Romero pose at the check-in.

Ron Avidan was backstage capturing all the action for bodybuilding.com at the 2010 Arnold Amateur Bikini contest. Check out the photos here. 

PRESS RELEASE
Chady Dunmore is the overall winner of the second Arnold Amateur NPC Bikini Championship
COLUMBUS, OH – Chady Dunmore of Roseville, California the overall winner of the Arnold Amateur NPC Bikini Championship competition that was held as a part of the Arnold Sports Festival 2010. There were 89 athletes competing in the second year of this event, more than double the number of contestants over the previous year.
 

In the Bikini Short Class, Annette Perry of Natick, Massachusetts took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine presented by Bob Johnson.

Rounding out the top five Bikini Short Class competitors were:
2nd place: Michelle Cagle, Tampa, Florida
3rd place: Nastin Mynuna, Montreal, Canada
4th place: Mandi Fanelli, Lakewood, California
5th place: Jessica Kenney, Boston, Massachusetts

In the Bikini Medium Class, Noemi Olah of Hungary took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine presented by Bob Johnson.

Rounding out the top five Bikini Medium Class competitors were:
2nd place: Nicole Moneer-Guerrero, Schaumberg, Illinois
3rd place: Jennifer Norden, Lexington, Kentucky
4th place: Michaela Stentz, Memphis, Tennessee
5th place: Jessica Halbert, Arlington, Virginia

In the Bikini Tall Class, Chady Dunmore of Roseville, California, took 1st place and won a Tony Nowak jacket and a one year subscription to Posedown Magazine presented by Bob Johnson. As the overall winner, she also won an Arnold VIP Ticket Package and a House of Pain gym bag.

The other top five Bikini Tall Class competitors were:
2nd place: Kristal Martin, Montclair, New Jersey
3rd place: Hilary Jones, Camarillo, California
4th place: Nathalie Mur, Quebec, Canada
5th place: Kristin Barber, Holly, Michigan

Check in with us tonight LIVE from Columbus as we chat with Erin Stern, Andrea Watson and others on our USTREAM channel. We’ll be at the Double Tree hotel, at around 6pm EST for the live broadcast. Check in then to chat live with these hardbody ladies as well as a few other industry people outside the IFBB Pro athlete meeting.

Adela Garcia is heading to the Arnold Classic for the ninth time and the 2x Fitness International Champ is looking to notch number three tomorrow night. I caught up with Adela on the eve of her return to the Arnold stage.

How many times have you won the Arnold?
I won the Fitness International 2 times.

Do you know who holds the record for most Fitness International wins?
I believe Susie Curry does, she won the Fitness International 4 times.

You bounced back and won the Olympia in 2009. Now we head into the Fitness International… Jen Henn is out. Tracey is out. Tanji was nipping at your heels in Vegas and Julie has a win under her belt already. What do you think is the difference in who is announced the winner on Friday night?
It will be who brings the overall package. Remember we only have two rounds and some competitors look better in the one piece. The one piece is gone so is only the two piece and 2 minutes routine. So, whoever brings the best package will be the winner but I promise you that I am going for that win.

Will we see you compete in any other shows besides this and the Olympia?
No, I want to focus and getting my business going and getting more girls involved in fitness. I have a lot of girls that I am training at this moment for fitness, bikini, and figure. I want to focus on them after the Arnold. I have 3 pro girls that I am training and I want them to know that I am there for them. I have a new website www.offchallenge.com and the O.F.F. Challenge team is going to be making an impact this year.

We’re pretty much guaranteed some booty shaking but what else can we expect in your routine?
You know my routines will not be the same without the booty shaking, but you can expect a fun and energetic routine… full of strength and flexibility and strength and more strength. This routine is fun, glamorous and sexy. I was actually was going to do this routine in 2008 Olympia when I got injured and just deci ded to wait to debut it at the Arnold stage. I am very excited about and it is going to be fun.

What advice do you have for the rookies competing in the show?
To enjoy the moment. Have fun, meet new competitors and people in the industry. I did not compete at the Arnold 2 years in a row and I missed a lot. Enjoy every single moment of the weekend and make it a fun and learning experience.

Who do you think are the ones to watch in fitness in the years ahead?
The girls that are willing to put in the work. I see Nicole, Tina , Camela, Kristina Rojas, Oksana, and a few new girls taking care of business in the future. I just see how these girls are willing to give it all to make it big in the sport. You either want something bad or you don’t. You have to be willing to make sacrifices in order to succeed in this sport. I know at times finances are hard and I struggled a lot when I first started. I am so thankful and blessed because God gave me a talent and I took advantage of it. As long of these girls put in their time, they are going to see that it will pay off in the future. They just have to be patience.

Do you miss not training for the 45-second routine?
Yes… But I still do it when I practice my routine. I use the 45 seconds to warm up and it really helps with my conditioning.

Good luck Adela!

Bob Corbett has assembled quite the crew for the Optimum Nutrition booth at this year’s Arnold Classic. Check out who will be at their booth this weekend for the Arnold Expo.

Charles Glass
George Farah
Jeff Long
John Hansen
Jessica Paxson Putnam
Hazal Nelson
Alicia Harris (when not competing)
Tera Sheehan
Cristina Vujnich
Tiffany Upshaw
Mercedes Perez
Jen Turnbull
Sean Royer
Tim Rice
Tobias Young
Jason Powell
Jim Collins
Sean Allan
Daniel Stevens
Jessica Lawrence – IFBB Bikini Pro
Misty Hendricks – Model
Heidi Rhodes – Model
Jacqueline Voss – Model
Danielle Leake – Model
Nikki Macik – Model
Jaquelyn Roberts will be representing Optimum at the Bodybuilding.com booth since she won the bodyspace model search.

BC

WE SALUTE YOU! Let’s get it on Hardbody peeps. The Arnold Classic gets started today and it’s time to rock. ACDC’s “For Those About to Rock” seems like an appropriate kick off song to the weekend. HELL YA!

Good luck to all the competitors in the Arnold Sports Festival this weekend.

Technology today has changed the way events are covered.

This year’s Arnold Classic will be a great example of that. There’s a live web cast, twitter, facebook and a variety of message boards that fans and enthusiasts can follow. It makes following the event easier for people who cannot attend in person. We’ll be doing our best to provide you with valuable insight from behind-the-scenes as well as front and center from press pit row. Thanks to Bodybuilding.com, J.M. Manion and NPC NEWS magazine, Arnold promoter Jim Lormier and his crew and IFBBPro.com for allowing us the opportunity to help cover this event.

If you’re in Columbus give us a shout on the comments field or hit us up on Twitter.

IFBB Fitness Pro Julie Palmer is coming off a win from the Phoenix Pro show and will carry that momentum into this weekend’s Fitness International. Julie will be competing in her own backyard of Columbus, Ohio. This marks her eight Arnold competition and she’s looking to leave the winner. I caught up with Julie two days out from the big dance….

This is Arnold #….?
This is Arnold #8

How do you get amp’d up for the Arnold after competing in it so many  times?
It is not hard to get amped up when you live here in Columbus. When you are located right in the center of where everything occurs, you get to see all the hard work and dedication that Mr. Lorimer and his staff put into making this such a premier event. Mr. Lorimer is so passionate about The Arnold so when you see him and he can tell you just how many days and minutes to the event, I am always excited.  This is home for me so my goal is to win The Arnold.  Plus all of my clients and my family get to come see me in Columbus.

What made you decide to do the Phoenix Pro Fitness?
After reading about the sparse amount of fitness ladies who had signed up for the event, I felt that I should go and compete and support Stryker and also help encourage ladies to get out there and compete.  We, the fitness ladies, need to compete.  If we do not compete, we will not be around much longer. Promoters will stop putting shows on for us.  I know it is hard to promote shows so as a promoter and a competitor I felt that it was the right thing to do for our sport.

Do you feel that win has given you more momentum heading into the Arnold?
It has definitely helped with my confidence going into the Arnold. I am really glad that I went out to Phoenix and got back on stage before the Arnold.

You’re physique looked rested and improved in Phoenix compared to the Olympia. What did you differently or what do you feel was the key to bringing back your best?
I actually got some rest. The time around the Olympia is always stressful in my  house with 2 boys who play football and school getting back into session. I changed my training up this time going into the Arnold and tried to eat some different foods. I wanted to bring a fuller, rounder and much healthier physique into the Arnold. I cut my cardio back this time as well. I love to workout but I had to limit it this time if I wanted to bring a better package to the stage so that is what I did.

Most feel it’s between you, Adela and Tanji for the win. What’s going to be the difference in who is announced the winner?
I think that it will be who can bring the complete package Friday night.  All of the ladies competing this weekend have so much talent and it can be anybody’s day.

You’ll be bringing a new routine on Friday night. Any hints as to what we’ll see?
I will be doing a different routine than what I did at Phoenix. I guess you will just have to WEIGHT and see…

Is this you last Arnold or can fans expect to see you compete in future Fitness Internationals?
Oh I will continue to compete…I love competing.

Thanks Julie… See ya in Columbus.

You’ve seen Alicia Harris on here a few times. She’ll be competing in her first Figure International competition this Friday. Alicia shared this with me and gives you some insight of how every competitor faces different challenges while focusing on a similar goal.

“The Journey to the Arnold”
Journey all right, but is it really to the Arnold or a life journey? I am not just going to Arnold, but I am growing in my own personal journey. Are you ready for the Arnold? A common question that the competitors are constantly asked! Are we ever ready for anything? The answer to the question is no. I think a more appropriate question is “are we prepared”? Being prepared emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually are areas that I am working on everyday. This “journey” to the Arnold has been a time when I have been at my weakest. I am not talking about weights, cardio, etc… I am talking about some personal issues that have caused my spirits to weaken. Isaac Hinds w Hardbody asked me to complete a questionnaire about myself and I refused. I felt like I had nothing to offer, honestly training wasn’t going well, dieting preparation wasn’t going well.

Now I feel as though I do have something to offer because I had to be reminded that God can use my misery as a part of my ministry. Someone may need to be strengthened by my struggle. A balance between the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual has to be there to prepare in a healthy manner.  My journey has been composed of a weakened spirit in which it threw off all other areas.  In 2008, Isaac nicknamed me “Smiley”- I was in such a deep place that I even told Isaac not to call me Smiley anymore because I had temporarily lost myself.  I can’t just find myself in a day, but with my strong faith and the support that I have in my surroundings it has allowed me to build myself up. My confidence levels are back up even though my body might not be in the condition it was last year. Its not about trying to make others happy.  We cannot get so caught up that we lose ourselves and we lose what our real purpose is, to me its what we value. Competing is a small part of our lives, judge’s scoring can go many ways and after the weekend is over, our own personal lives go on and we must ask ourselves what is our real purpose.  What have we been put on this earth to do! ?

Smiley never left- Just in a Divine Down time! “In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”- Romans 8:28

Those of you unable to attend this weekend’s Arnold Classic won’t be totally missing out. You can catch the live webcast compliments of Bodybuilding.com FOR FREE. The webcast will start at 7pm EST.

The link you want to save is: http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/2010arnold/arnold-classic-webcast.html

FLEXonline.com has new video footage of Oksana Grishina training at Gold’s Gym. Oksana will take on the top contenders this Friday at the Fitness International. Her English has greatly improved and so has her physique. I’ve been a huge fan of her routines since she burst onto the pro scene. She will once again wow the crowd with her performance Friday night. Good stuff!

IFBB Fitness Pro Tina Durkin made a name for herself when she showed up looking her best at the 2009 Fitness International. Can she repeat her showing this year? Tina shares a bit more about herself as she heads into this weekend’s contest.

You shocked a lot of people last year with the physique you brought to the Arnold stage. What was the key to your success last year?
I believe it was rest, rehab and patience. I had to take about 6 months off from training due to my back surgery. I hadn’t dieted all year. I didn’t even start lifting serious until November. I think my body needed a break and time to heal. With that said, it responded great to the diet and workouts. I truly feel blessed.

What have you focused on since the Olympia?
I feel like I have so much I can improve on… I tried to really focus on my routine. I had to really be careful last year, not knowing what I could really handle. Also, I’ve been trying to work on my back side. During all the time off and surgery, I lost so much muscle and strength. I’ve been really working hard on my diet too. I get to nervous sometimes that I can’t eat… well, not this time… I got this!!!

What can fans expect to see from you this time out?
I have to admit, I’m not one to make excuses about things. Last year I played the routine round safe but I’m done with that. I’m healthy and ready to show my fans what I can do!

Do you miss the 45 second routine?
I do miss the 45 second. I felt like it was a great way to set apart the pros. I think everyone in the audience enjoyed them too. I liked the fact that we had mandatory moves, and plus it was only 45 seconds so it was easy to practice and perform. I am really bummed and will miss it greatly.

What do you do for your “day job”?
Well, I do lots of things:
1. Personal Training
2. Group Fitness Instructor
3. Zumba Instructor
4. Mom (most importantly)

How do you balance competing and your home life?
My family is very active in sports and fitness also. My daughter (6 years old) now takes gymnastics at the same location that I practice my routine. So we get to watch each other practice. My husband and I share the responsibilities with her and around the house so we can both get our workouts in. We are very supportive of each other and we make fitness/healthy lifestyle a priority.

Goal for the show?
My goal for the show is just to improve from last year, if that means better routine or physique than I’m happy… It truly is all about being happy and knowing you did everything you could to be the best you can be!

Good luck and all the best Tina!

Nicole Duncan is has found her groove on the IFBB Fitness stage and she’ll look to continue her hot streak this weekend. The always energetic Duncan will be flying high Friday night in Columbus as she competes in the 2010 Fitness International. I caught up with Nicole days out from her return to the Arnold stage. Check out what she had to say.

How did you find out you were invited to the Arnold?
I was driving home from training at the gym and chatting on the phone with my dear friend Debra Lavette. She screamed, “OMG! The Arnold list is posted! Let me call you back.” And I had to scream, “No wait! Stop! Don’t hang up. I want to know too!” She got quiet but I could tell that she was reading through the names. She named a few figure girls and it seemed to take her forever. She finally got to fitness and actually skipped over my name. She admitted she was moving too fast and got scared that I wasn’t invited. Then she screamed my name and we both started screaming. It was nice to have all the training and dieting validated. I had already started prep as most of us do just in case.

How many hours do you practice your routine a day?
Well, it’s more like 2-3 times a week about a month out from the show. I sometimes train for 30 minutes and sometimes it’s 2 hours. I go into the gym to tumble and work on my skills. I have a key to the gym and the owners are like my extended family. A lot of my routine practice is visualization. I put my iPod on repeat and listen to my routine music while busting it out on the elliptical. I like to know my music and have a visual picture of every movement. I know people think I’m crazy cause I’ll start moving my arms and marking the routine.

You’ve got some of the craziest gymnastic skills in your routine – what’s your background?
I started out as an energetic kid who use to run down the hallway at home and vault over the arm of the couch. My mom put me in gymnastics at 8 years old and I was competing 6 months later. My coaches were all about teaching technique and up until high school I would never throw anything outside of the gym. I love that I can still do this stuff but it definitely is not like it used to be. It takes me a lot longer to warm up and as a coach I realize that I have picked up a lot of bad habits that are harder to correct.

You’re already qualified for the Olympia – does this make you try new things or play it safe?
Definitely not playing it safe! There are all sorts of girls waiting in the wings to steal the routine spotlight. I always try to keep it fresh, new and exciting from beginning to end. I’m not getting any younger but the competition is! I think that’s cool though. It keeps me on my toes. I want the audience to see all of our routines and just love the show! We are the best at what we do and we all should display that and give our very best at each and every show.

Goal for the Fitness International?
Man, I just want to go out there and have fun! Really! Last year I was sick and I had a hard time putting contest prep first and getting into the grove of everything. This time I knew what to expect and was determined not let anything keep me from enjoying the process. I like to workout. I like to tumble and perform. And I love hanging out with the girls and going through a show. So yes, the goal is to have fun. That’s it.

Any insight on what routine you’ll consist of this year?
I’m planning a little something different for each show this year. This show’s routine is all about dancing and having fun. I took my inspiration from one of my favorite tv shows. Without spoiling the theme (as you know us fitness girls like to keep you in suspense), I hope to have the audience dancing in there seats . See you at the Arnold!

Good luck and Thanks Nicole.
Thanks Isaac!

Check out these killer deals on Bodybuilding.com. Loads of Arnold specials on a variety of supplements.

It’s the quiet ones you need to watch out for and Latisha Wilder has proven that a time or two. She tends to fly under the radar but she’s one to watch this Friday. I caught up with the IFBB Figure Pro days out from the Figure International.

How many Arnold will this make for you?
This is number six.

What’s your goal for this show?
An Olympia Qualification

Being a “Seasoned Vet” do you find it easier or more difficult to get ready for a show?
Mentally, yes… I think the physical and emotional rigors are varied depending on what’s going on in your life at the time of your prep.

You keep a pretty low-profile. Do you go under ground when not competing?
Ha… underground! That’s funny. I have worked as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor since 1997! I coached middle school track for 10 years and this year I will coach the sprinters for a High School track team. I am very active in the field of health and fitness all year long!

If you could offer the rookies some advice heading into this show what would you say?
ENJOY the experience! This is a fantastic show and the fans are great… don’t get distracted by thinking about where you will place.

Thanks Latisha and good luck this Friday.

Visit Arnoldsportsfestival.com for more information on the Figure International.