WBFF Worlds - Post Show Wrap Up

So I have just finished the WBFF World Championships and it was one of the greatest experiences of my lifetime. I think it is very important to always be honest in your blog, because that is what people want to hear. If I am always towing the company line I am not a value to myself, the organization or my fellow competitors; so I am going to blog honestly today. What I know is that I am one of the most dedicated individuals in the sport. I also know I started much later then many of my fellow competitors. Lastly, this is my first year not competing in fitness and unless you have been published in a magazine people in this sport just don't know who you are. With all of this said that is fine with me. In fact the only reason I bring it up is to provide perspective for what I am about to say. When competing in a subjective sport there will always be some judges scores that are based on the reputation of that athlete and not the actual presentation of that athlete on stage. That's fine, it just means that if I want to compete against that athlete I have to build the same reputation and I have already started to do so. You will see me in magazines, you will read my blogs, columns and posts; and you will see me making waves in the fitness industry that I love so much.

As for my placement and my scores, I never look at the scores after a show. I call very key people to get feedback but the judges scores don't mean anything to me unless I am top 5. Being a judge myself there are so many variables that go into those numbers and the difference between 6th and 16th really are meaningless from a scoring perspective. In fact most judges you talk to won't even remember why a 16th placing competitor wasn't a 6th place competitor. I came to the WBFF World Championships in the best condition (not shape) of my life. I know I have what it takes to repeat that condition and even improve on it in the future and I will be a force to be reckoned with.  I knew I was going to be the smallest package on that stage and I was, but it was a clean, tight and classy package. As for my improvements, it is time to dial in my arms and shoulders. It's a goal that I have had for a long time, but never had the time because the fitness season was so long and so physically demanding, but now things have changed. I now only compete once or twice per year, so exactly 1 year from today I will be stepping back on the WBFF World Stage with a better, bigger and tighter package. And just to let all of my followers know, YES I am drug free. I do not take any muscle builders, fat burners or diuretics.

Judging Criteria....In this post show light I do have some issues with the lack of judging consistency at this show. This is the first time I have experienced this with the WBFF. There were girls that looked like figure competitors that were in the top 5 in fitness model, so I would like the federation to publish more specific judging criteria and hold their judges accountable for that criteria; but for the most part the judging was fair. Look we are paying for somebodies opinion in a very subjective sport; so there is always going to be some differences of opinion on judging.

Lastly and most importantly, I am so thrilled to be the recipient of the Monica Brant award for motivation and excellence. I have dedicated my adult life to making a difference in peoples lives and was hugely rewarded this weekend. It is such a huge honor to receive this award and I will cherish it always.

Competition Secret Weapon #9

Competing in itself is challenging you have to be organized and prepared and live in discomfort and isolation; but for most of us that compete it is an amazing experience. I love it!!!

So, in order for me to compete and limit the negative impact competing has on my life, so I can enjoy it that much more, I have learned some really cool things. I call these my competition secret weapons.

My #9 weapon is the 6 Pack Cooler
6 Pack is a company that developed a Meal Management System for competitors. They make it so easy for competitors to travel wit food. It is set up with dividers, drawers, pockets, places to put shakers, bottles, supplements, etc. You will love this system.

The small one is plenty big, fits under the seat in front of you on a plane, is light weight, and retails for $69.99 which is well worth the investment.

www.6packbags.com, get one today you will love it!!!

WBFF World Championships - 2 weeks out.

This is it, the WBFF World Championships and my pro debut are 2 weeks away. Most of my preparation for a show is finished by now. My nutrition is perfect, because at this point why on earth would I slip. 2 weeks out is all about CONFIRMATION; confirming travel (and printing all of my confirmations), mapquesting all of my directions (hotel, venue, etc. and printing those directions), completing my final shopping (eye lashes, wax buffers, etc.), and contacting the promoter if I need to (in this case they have done such a good job communicating with me I don't need to but I will print the information they sent to me). 2 weeks out I do step up my cardio a little bit just to get a good sweat and practice my walking and posing every day for about 15 minutes in a posing suit; just so I stay sharp and can fine tune posing my physique. 2 weeks out is where I start all of the beauty treatments hair -  fresh cut, color, etc; facials, exfoliating my body so my tan looks good, waxing, and nails (at the end of the week). Lastly, I pack. Everything will be packed up in my bag this week. I leave very little to be done the week of show because it will lower my anxiety level. This is where I start to get really excited about competing. This is actually my favorite week of the process, the show is so close I can taste it.

Competition Secret Weapon #8

Hello Ladies...we all know that having our suits crawl up our bumms on stage is not only really irritating, but it is also really distracting and can be pretty embarrassing. Most competitors use Bikini Bite or Spray Adhesive which both work great, but they don't travel very well and get really messy. Well what most of you don't know is that I have worked as a costume tech. and designer for the musical theater stage since I was 16; and I have learned some amazing tricks. Toupee Tape is a double sided sticky tape that is used to hold toupee's on sweaty heads and I use these to hold down anything. When you use Bikini Bite you have to turn to the competitor next to you and say "excuse me do you mind"...then the competitor peals back your suit exposing your ass and maybe a little more and with her face in all of your business has to apply, stick and push. With toupee tape I place it into the suit and then I just step in. No adjustments needed once it's on. 2 words of caution you have to stick it correctly the first time cause it is really really sticky. Also, hollywood fashion tape is not the same and in fact I don't like it. I tend to "glow" on stage (AKA sweat a little) and hollywood fashion tape would slip. The best toupee tape to get is the short strips either straight or curved, I prefer curved, but do not get the kind on a roll. It is super cheap. A 2 year supply is about $14. Here is a link to a site that carries it or any beauty supply that sells hair, wigs or extensions should have it, but they typically keep it behind the front desk. Good luck ladies and keep up the great work.

http://www.superhairpieces.com/super-tape-medical-hair-toupee-tape-36-pcs-per-pkg-p-27.html?cPath=14

WBFF World Championships - 3 Weeks Out!!!

World Championships are 3 weeks away and I have a lot of preparation to do. 

My first real change 3 weeks out is my nutrition and workouts. My nutrition becomes more focused. I limit the variety of foods I will eat. I eat specific foods, calories and food combinations. Next, I am going to step up my cardio, continue my functional workouts and Yoga. Nutrition, Cardio and Training work synergistically to get the body I want on stage. Too much of one and I lose too much muscle, too much of another and I lose too much bodyfat...Get It!!! I'm ok with it though. In fact this is the part of show prep that I thrive on. Some say show prep is a science and some say it is an art, regardless what it is I love seeing how my body changes and responds. The best part about this is that it isn't the same from show to show. There are so many variables I can't control that I have to be dynamic with my approach. Constantly tweaking my synergistic combination in order to get what I'm looking for. (please note I didn't say what the judges are looking for it is all about my goals) This is the point where I track everything and keep the focus. Focus! Focus! Focus!

My next task 3 weeks out is to really focus on my stage preparation. Every day for at least 15 minutes a day I will work on my stage walk and my posing wearing the same shoes I will wear on stage and props. My body is different from show to show, so one way I posed in the past may not work for this show. For me I really have to focus on the backside poses and making sure I don't look too boxy. A little twist at the waste usually helps me with that.

My 3rd 3 week out task is to go through and confirm all of my travel plans this week. Air, Hotel, and Ground Transportation. I print all of those confirmations and put them in my travel binder.

My 4th 3 week out task is to start checking off my packing list and laying everything out. I leave everything out on my dining room table until the Monday before I leave. This gets me really excited about competing. You know there are always those little things that you think "oh I can't forget to bring that" well I just put it on the table right then and there (packing list below).


I know that the seams like a lot to do 3 weeks out but it allows me to coast for the last 2 weeks and at that point I will need all of the rest I can get. Focus really is the name of the game!!!

My Packing List
Bathing Suits - In Baggy
Outfits - In Baggy
2 shoes
Jewelry in lunch bags, inside of each Suit/Outfit Bag
Hair Stuff
Makeup Kit (small just the essentials)
Tupe Tape to hold my suit bottoms down
Extra Tanner/Rubber Gloves/Buffing Pad
Baby Wipes
Scissors/Safety Pins/Sewing Kit/Tweezers
Travel Mirror & Electrical Strip
Flip Flops
Head Phones/Ipod
Sweats to wear with tanner
Clean sweats to wear home on the plane
Food
Money
Cell Phone Charger
Photo Shoot Stuff
Bands/TRX

Competition Secret Weapon #7

Motivation is the key component to being successful in life. I have a lot of little things that motivate me from my bracelets, to my dream board; but a friend of mine turned me onto a clothing company a little while ago. I have always been somebody that has gone against the grain in life. People have always told me I couldn't do something and I proved them wrong and did it. When I was a child I was a champion Equestrian and people told me unless your parents are rich you will never win. Well guess what, my parents aren't rich, and guess what, I won!!! I bought horses that were on their last legs intended for the killers (this is not a joke) and won against horses that people paid 100's of thousands of dollars for. A few years ago I saw something with this Pole Fitness thing. I am a business woman and I want to do pole fitness so their have to be other women like me. I told my friends in the fitness industry that I was going to develop a legitimate pole fitness program and teacher training program. Everybody laughed at me. Well guess what I am the pioneer in the pole fitness industry and I was first to have my program 3rd party validated. Then I wanted to compete in Fitness and I wanted to use my pole as my prop. I was told you will never win with that pole. I was told I was a one hit wonder that can't do anything else. Also my judges score card said "stripping isn't fitness". Seriously I am an acrobat not a stripper. So, what did I do. I created pole fitness routines that had more strength moves then any other competitor. I knew the judges wouldn't give me any recognition for my strength moves on my pole so I did a minimum of 6 strength moves on my pole and an additional 6 strength moves on the floor. Well guess what, I did win on a national and an international level. So every single time anybody has said I can't or I won't I have told them I will, I have, and I did!!!

So, this is my new favorite clothing company "Say I Won't". Say I won't reminds me every day what I stand for. I have this sticker in my studio on the top of my pole. I love what I do and I love changing the face of fitness every chance I get.

www.sayiwont.com

Competition Secret Weapon #6

Creating and maintaining focus during such a long competition season is a big challenge for me. In addition I find that having a busy personal life will distract me from my fitness and business goals. Conversely, having a busy fitness/competition life will distract me from my personal and business goals. So finding harmony among all 3 aspects for me is the hardest part about competing. Last year I went through a very difficult time in my personal life where my goals and dreams were shattered in a single day; but I had to pick myself up by my bootstraps and make the best of a challenging situation (like so many of us have to). I went to visit my good friend Alex Navarro and as I sat on her bed feeling sorry for myself I looked up and saw her dream board. It reminded me of when I did those in my 20's and how great it was for me. I returned home from that trip and made my dream board and it was the best thing I could have done last year; and I will continue to make a dream board for the rest of my life. I include my person goals like "only love the deserving"; and my professional goals like "host a booth at the IHRSA convention"; and my fitness goals like "Eat clean 6 days per week" and "Do yoga 2 days per week". I hang my dream board right outside my closet and bathroom, so every morning I have to take a look at it. One last thing I do is add to it. There are fun shapes of paper on it and as something special happens to me or I hear a great saying I add that to my board. Lastly, I add mementos to the board to remind of special things as they happen; a plane ticket for a special trip, a fortune cookie from my best girls wedding, and most recently the top 5 medal and blue scarf from the opening number of the WBFF Fitness Atlantic competition. This really is a great way to remind myself of the many things that take me off course, create an imbalance in my life, and distract me from all the things that mean so much to me.

My dream board then...

My dream board now...