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Need to refresh your desktop? Check out the new wallpapers on Bodybuilding.com. This image of Oksana Grishina was shot 5 weeks before the Arnold Classic.
Check out some of the Hardbody women posing with one of the music industry’s biggest stars, 50 cent. 50 cent is rumored to be starting his own supplement line. He’s made millions from endorsing Vitamin Water and is a savvy businessman, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see something from him soon.
Check out more photos of 50 cent and the Arnold Expo on FLEXonline.com.
Rumors of Monica Brant retiring were running rampant last year. Yes, Mo took some time off from the competitive stage but she never retired. Evidence of this is in full bloom already this year. Mo returned to the competitive stage earlier this month where she placed 6th at the 2009 Figure International. Not too shabby for someone who many thought she was done and out of the picture.
The good times continue to roll for Monica. Today she shared the news that she’s inked a two-year deal with BioNutritional Research Group (BNRG). You may not recognize the name BNRG but you’ve probably seen or tried their bars. Mo said, “BNRG makes the yummy lil Power Crunch bars and now have just launched their new amazing protein, ProtoWhey! Very, very, good and high quality!!” I have had the Power Crunch bars and they are definitely good.
She’s also decided to compete in the Orlando Pro Figure show next month. Why? Why not? Monica commented, “I figured it wasn’t too hard to keep up with the prep and just go ahead and compete for fun and the fans.” This definitely adds a new twist to the line up in Florida.
Visit Monica’s web site to find out more about the happenings in her world as well as her F.E.M. Camps. Congrats on the continued success Monica.
Cheryl Brown, whom I like to called “Brownie Figure Momma” was in attendance at the 2009 Arnold Expo. She could be spotted signing autographs and taking photos at the American Body Plus (ABP) booth. ABP used to be Southern Muscle Plus. Brownie Momma is feature on the current cover of the publication.
Cheryl is a fun sport and you’ll be seeing her on the National NPC stage again this year. Watch out for her, in more ways than one. Check out more news on bombshellfitness.com and thanks for the awesome cookies this weekend Shannon!
Iris Kyle has solidified herself as one of the best female bodybuilders to ever compete. When she stepped on stage last Friday it was lights out. The question became who would be in the mix for second, she is that good. Iris presented a new look with her haircut, not quite as dry as the Olympia but a bit fuller and as always showcased her incredible lines. Today’s photo is a shot of Iris’ back, relaxed. She had a better back than some of the men in the weekend’s competition. Congratulations Iris.
IFBB Pro Fitness competitor, Jen Hendershott won her second Fitness International crown on Friday night. There’s no disputing Jen is one of the busiest pros in the industry. She’s been able to take her success on stage and turn into into a business away from it. Jen recently did an interview with the Ashland Times Gazette where she is quoted as saying, “”I always win the routine round, so I don’t worry about the routine round.” I don’t question the fact that Jen is one of the most entertaining fitness pros around and she is awarded accordingly. I gotta question that comment though. Does that mean Hendershott is so confident that she feels unbeatbale in the routine rounds? Hendy doesn’t ALWAYS win the routine rounds. Oksana Grishina scored a 7 and Jen scored a 17 in the 2007 Olympia two-minute routine.
What do you think… Is Hendershott getting overconfident or is she just in not worrying about the routine rounds? Will anyone step up and challenge her at the Olympia? When Hendershott feels she doesn’t have to worry about any competition in the routine rounds do we get the best Jen Hen performance? She is clearly ahead of the pack when it comes to the routines. I’m a fan of Jen’s routines despite her doing more dancing than strength moves most times. Let’s see who can up their game and give Jen a run for her money in the routine rounds come September.
– Read the Full Interview Here. Thanks to Millard Baker via Twitter for the story link.
Three women stood out at the 2009 Arnold Classic weekend. That’s not to say others didn’t shine but these three women brought a different look and had what I consider their best showings of their careers.
Figure - Zivile Raudoniene
You can’t help but do a double and triple take when Zivile is on stage. She presents herself with elegance and grace each time she strides on stage. Her physique has improved over the years and it’s a good reminder to the rookie competitors. Zivile has been training for years and didn’t get to the winner’s circle overnight. Her English has greatly improved and she carries herself with a newfound confidence. Of course, winning the Figure International title doesn’t hurt. She stood out to me in the Figure lineup and I felt she deserved the win.
Fitness - Tina Durkin
When Tina walked out at prejudging I was blown away by the changes she had made to her physique. This was a completely different Durkin than we’d ever seen from her. When Tina wasn’t in the first callouts I was baffled however the judges brought her out and compared her to the other top physiques. This was without question the breakout show of her career. If she can continue to improve her routines you will hear her name kicked around for a top fitness spot.
She’s also a breath of fresh air for fitness. No offense to Hendershott, Greenwood, Garcia, Palmer and some of the other women in Fitness but they are on their way out of the competition scene. Fitness needs more Tina Durkins to keep it alive in the coming years. Props to Tina for shaking things up in the world of Fitness.
Debi Laszewski - Female Bodybuilding
Despite placing second at the Ms. International, Debi Laszewski was the one who had the breakout performance of her career. Iris Kyle is in a league of her own and it was clear that no one would touch her in the competition. Yaxeni, Dayana and Betty are usually the names being kicked around to challenge Iris for the top spot. Rarely, if ever, have you heard people mention Debi’s name for a top spot. She did what most failed to do…bring the best package ever. Placing second in this contest is like winning it when Iris is in the lineup. Debi was very well conditioned and presented herself well on stage. This was without a doubt the best I’ve seen Debi and she positioned herself as a top 6 contender at the Olympia. Job well done Debi.
Whoa momma! What a weekend. I am still in Columbus, Ohio but will be heading back to Denver this evening. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the show, the weekend, some of the people I met and those Arnold After party photos! This was the most fun I’ve had at any Arnold. Why? I think the biggest part of it all was the weather. It was the best weather of the 8 years I’ve been coming to the Arnold. It’s funny how the temperature outside can influence your mood inside.
I am happy to be part of the kick ass team at Bodybuilding.com. The Bodybuilding.com booth was one of the most popular booths of the entire expo. Security had to help direct the crowd on Saturday. One guy said he waited in line for 90 minutes! The other cool thing were the special Arnold shirts Bodybuilding.com had made. Check out thousands of photos from the weekend’s event on Bodybuilding.com.
This was one of the more impressive sights of the weekend…
It’s been a long day of shooting the Men’s events, the expo and now it’s time for the finals as well as the UFC event. Talked to a number of Hardbody readers, thanks for visiting. Muscle & Fitness cover model Monique Minton not only jacked me in the jaw (for real) but also put me in a read naked choke. She’s been practicing her BJJ and she had me unable to talk for a few minutes. Another Muscle & Fitness Hers cover model turns 26 today. Jessica Putnam is celebrating her birthday today by signing autographs at the expo.
Stay tuned for some madness at the after party via twitter. I will try to update the site more tomorrow and definitely on Monday.
Jen Hendershott, Zivile Raudoniene and Iris Kyle were all victorious tonight. I gotta give a shout out to Tina Durkin. She gets the most improved award in Fitness. Also Debi Laszewski was at her all time best and really shocked a number of people. Zivile was the deserved winner and looked her best ever on a figure stage. Lots of unhappy campers and some with states of delusion. I talked with a couple girls who were out of the top six and felt they “got screwed”. Shocker. Like I said before the event - many said felt great going in but after they didn’t place well make excuses. Suck it up for those of you passing the blame on anyone other yourselves.
I will be writing a full report in the morning. Check out all the coverage on bodybuilding.com.
The women of the IFBB will take the stage in a couple of hours. We’ll be on hand to cover the event and I will give you my thoughts throughout prejudging on the Hardbody Twitter account. Last night at check-in the fitness women seemed intense and there was definitely some competitive tension in the air. The figure ladies were a bit more relaxed and laid back.
One of the favorites going into the Figure show, Adela Garcia is out of the competition. Adela is considering competing in the Orlando Pro show next month but may need more time for her knee to fully recover. Her knee is what kept her out of this event. I wish Adela well with her ongoing struggles that surround her knee. I know she was disappointed to not be able to compete this weekend.
We’ll see who comes out on top in this morning’s prejudging in just a couple hours.
Who is Gia Allemand? She won the short class in bikini last night. There’s no denying she is a beautiful woman, however I thought she lacked the muscle tone that should be required in the NPC. I couldn’t help but wonder why Gia had no tan as well. She’s working the MuscleTech booth this weekend, so I will ask her why she decided not to tan. The judges didn’t feel it was necessary. It was the first bikini event in the NPC so things will get worked out and refined during this first year.
She’s no stranger to modeling. Here are a couple of videos of her with MAXIM magazine.
Today’s song of the day comes via the Beastie Boys with “Girls”. ‘Cause this Fabulous Friday is all about the girls in Columbus, Ohio.
Gia Allemand & Ali Sonoma winners in Columbus.
Ali Sonoma of San Diego, California is the overall winner of the Arnold Amateur NPC Bikini Championship. Thirty-one women competed in the inaugural event. You may recall we profiled Ali on hardbody last month. The judges sent the right message by rewarding Ali not only the Tall Class title but also Overall honors.
HARDBBODY Short Class Results:
1. Gia Allemand
2. Kristal Marshall
3. Beth Roedersheimer
4. Brooke Johnson Griffin
5. Joleen Axworthy
HARDBODY Tall Bikini Class Results:
1. Ali Sonoma
2. Sonya LaGore
3. Melissa Pittman
4. Nicolle Long
5. Kimberlee Strickland
The crowd was unhappy, and rightfully so in my opinion, when Gia Allemand won the short class. Gia beat Parker, Colorado’s Kristal Marshall by one point. There were a variety of physiques that competed and overall it wasn’t a T&A contest like many assumed it would be. I’m encouraged by the potential NPC Bikini brings to the industry. Ali is the perfect example of what a bikini competitor should represent. I had a chance to interview Ali backstage before the finals. Check it out on bodybuilding.com tomorrow.
The hotels are packed with fitness, figure and bodybuilding peeps. No problems on the flight, plane was smaller than normal for the direct flight to Columbus. A few industry people on the plane but not as many as usual. Hope that isn’t an indication of the number of people with booths this year. Grabbed a bite to eat at a nice Greek restaurant just down from the expo. Check it out if you like Greek food and in Columbus. Ran into Monique Minton at the hotel. She’s looking beautiful as always and will be working the BSN booth this weekend. Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson was in the house and introduced me to a lovely ladies. Former WWE’s Bobby Lashley was checking into the hotel. His fiance Kristal will be competing in the bikini division tonight.
Headed to the Pro Athlete’s check-in and then will probably check out the NPC portion of the show. I’m curious to see what type of physiques are in the bikini division and who is rewarded. The prejudging and finals are held tonight. If I have enough time will check out Joe Rogan’s comedy act which is being filmed for an upcoming special.
This is the nicest Arnold Classic weather I can remember. It was in the 50s and was able to walk around outside with a light jacket. Sun is shining and no gray skies. Very refreshing from the usual frigid temps.
Stay updated with us on twitter throughout the evening.
“Mother nature will be like sloooooooow down”. HAHA. This is spoof on energy drinks but fairly amusing. Okay, it’s dumb but gets funnier every time you watch it. Over thirteen million people have viewed it!
How many new energy drinks will we see in Columbus?
Hardbody is hitting the road. We’re off to Columbus where all the action is set to begin at the Arnold Classic. This evening the IFBB pros will check-in and have a meeting. The first ever bikini competition will take place along with fitness and figure tonight. We’re going to try and take in both the pro and amateur events tonight. Stay tuned for tons of updates from Columbus. If you want quick updates and live happenings, follow hardbody on twitter. Safe travels everyone and it’s time to rock!
Have you ever heard a competitor say they are not at their best before a show? Eh, not so much. Totally understood. As a competitor you want to be confident and positive going into a show. When asking competitors how they look before a show they typically say, “I’m at my best” or “I’ve never looked better”. Yet, after the show there is always something that happens to a few of those “best ever” conditioned competitors. My dog ate my carb up meal or my boyfriend stressed me out and I held water or I over-carbed (put down the jar of peanut butter).
Inevitably, we’ll see it again happen again this weekend. Every competitor works hard and goes into a show to do their best but if you happen to be one who missed the mark, just own up. Don’t blame anyone else and don’t complain. If you really were at your best and didn’t win, such is life. Only you, the one putting in the hours of training and dieting, know if you gave it your best.
I hope every competitor is at their best ever and then we’ll see one helluva show.
Props to Isabelle Turrell for getting some local coverage heading into the Ms. International. Isabelle will be making her first trip to the Arnold where she will compete against a number of seasoned veterans. She looks like she’ll be holding her come show time.
Nice plug for the webcast on bodybuilding.com at the end. These are the types of pieces that will not only help competitors but also the industry as a whole.
Many of you will be traveling to Columbus this weekend for the Arnold Classic. Two things to note. The weather and the time.
Let’s hope this weather holds up. There’s a slight chance of rain but I’ll take warmer weather and rain over cold and snow.
Thursday - 58°
Friday - 56°
Saturday - 66°
Sunday - 66°
Monday - 46°
All Americans should take note of Daylight Saving Time this weekend. Those of you planning on partying it up at the afterparty will need to do it up early. The clocks get set ahead at 2am on Sunday. It will give us an extra hour of sunlight at night, which I’m all for but it sucks that it falls on this weekend. I will need all the sleep I can get. Want to know more about Daylight Saving Time check it out here.
Most of the IFBB pros are headed to Columbus today, a few will hit the road tomorrow. This weekend marks the 21st Arnold Classic and it should rock. This is an appropriate song of the day heading into Arnold Weekend. We salute all the women are about to rock! ACDC sings it a little better, so give it a listen.
Mad props to J.M. Manion for providing these photos. Here’s your first look at a few of the top competitors heading into the week’s events. J.M. wouldn’t spill the beans on when these pictures were taken, so they could be four weeks, two weeks or one week out. As you can see the ladies are looking good and the competition will be fierce. We’ll see who brings their A-game to the stage on Friday.
Props to RXmuscle.com for posting a sneak peak at two of this weekend’s competitors. Tracey Greenwood and Juliana Malacarne will both make the trip from the East coast to Columbus. Tracey will be competing in the Fitness International where she hopes to overtake the favorite, Jenn Hendershott for the win. Juliana is competing in the Figure International once again. She has an amazing physique but is often knocked down because of the amount of muscle she carries. She doesn’t look any more muscular than returning champ Gina Aliotti in this pic. Could make things interesting in just a few short days.
Two of the three women in this photo will not be on stage this week in Columbus. This shot was taken from behind the stage during last year’s Fitness International prejudging.
If you’re itching to interact with some of the top female pros then Siouxcountry.com is the place to be. The forum has a massive collection of information on the women, in a positive environment. You can even win 50 bucks if you correctly pick the top 8 in the Figure International.
The show is incredibly stacked and even though I made my predictions (different once again on siouxcountry - pulling a Lonnie Teper). The show could go a number of ways and we have no idea who will miss the mark and who will nail it. This is all in good fun so don’t get your panties in a bunch if your favorite competitor isn’t being named or if you’re name is absent from the list. 
Head over to SiouxCountry.com to place your picks.
A few weeks ago I had asked if you were part of the Twit Nation here on hardbody. Most of you didn’t know what it was, why it was all the buzz and what the big deal was all about. I admit I didn’t know much about it despite having had an account for months. Since that time I’ve adapted to the Twitter ways and find it pretty damn cool. You can get news and info in real time. I started “following” people that I would most likely never interact with, like the CEO of ZAPPOS.com and Tony Robbins. The cool thing is you can get the “tweets” (see video below for what that means) sent to your phone by text message or you can view it through your twitter account.
We’re going to try something new at the Arnold this year. We’ll keep your posted in real time with all the news, gossip, inside scoops and results as they happen at the Arnold Classic via twitter. If you don’t have a twitter account - get one. It’s free to join and you can do so in a couple of minutes. Once you have a twitter account find us at http://twitter.com/hardbodynews . There you will be able to follow all the happenings from Columbus.
Here is a video that explains Twitter for those of you still not picking up what I’m putting down.
If you have a twitter account post it here and make sure to start following all the action.
Those of you who aren’t able to make it to the Arnold Classic this weekend can still enjoy the action compliments of bodybuilding.com. The women’s portion of the weekend will be hosted by IFBB Fitness Pro Carla Sanchez and IFBB Figure Pro Elaine Goodlad. The two will give the play by play for all the women’s events. Visit Bodybuilding.com to check out the webcast.
