NPC Fitness Spotlight for February 2011: Shelly Howard

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight goes to figure competitor turned fitness competitor, Shelly Howard!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Shelly is one of those individuals who lives and breathes the fitness lifestyle. In 1992, she began helping overweight individuals pass their Physical Readiness Tests (PRT) while serving in the U.S. Navy. After 4 years in the Navy, she ended up becoming a personal trainer at Gold's Gym Hawaii. After marriage, she was hired as Fitness Specialist at the Naval Hospital, where she helped active duty and post-rehab patients get back on the road to fitness after injury or illness.

When she moved to Japan for a while, that's when the fitness bug kicked in. She's one of the few competitors to have competed in fitness, figure, AND women's bodybuilding. In addition to competing, she's a personal trainer and fitness coach. She's also coached a few figure competitors here and there as well. She's recently returned to fitness after competing in figure for a while. Fitness is where she can showcase her physique a bit better, as she tends to come in a bit harder than what is preferred in figure these days. Should she continue to stay in fitness, expect her to make a major run in attaining that exclusive pro card that few have been able to earn.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY
2010 4th Place Fitness, Class B, IFBB North Americans
2010 2nd Place Fitness Over 5'3", 3rd Place Masters Figure 40+ Tall, Emerald Cup

2009 10th place Figure Class F, 3rd Place Masters Figure, Class D, IFBB North Americans

2008 6th place Tall Class, NPC Nationals, Atlanta GA
2008 4th place Tall Class, NPC Jr USAs, Charleston SC
2008 1st place Tall Class, NPC Metrolina

2007 Figure Nationals, New York, tied for 16th
2007 Jr Nationals, Chicago, IL, tied for 16th

2005 3rd place Masters Figure Tall, North Americans, Cleveland OH
2005 5th place Figure Tall, Body Rock, Fairfax VA

2004 8th place Figure Tall, North Americans, Cleveland OH
2004 11th place Figure Tall, Junior Nationals, Chicago IL

2003 5th place Figure Tall, Sacramento Championships, Sacramento CA

2002 5th place Figure Tall, Emerald Cup, Bellevue WA

2001 1st place Fitness Tall and Overall, Okinawa Japan

2000 2nd place Bodybuilding, Okinawa Japan

1999 Top 15, Galaxy Competition, Venice Beach CA
1999 Bodybuilding, Springdale MD

1996 Galaxy Competition, Venice Beach CA

For more on Shelly, visit her website at http://www.trainingbyshelly.com/index.htm.