NPC Fitness Spotlight for October 2011: Amanda Hatfield

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight belongs to someon who has returned to the scene after being away from the fitness scene since 2004, Amanda Hatfield!

Photo credit: Fitness Rx

Looking at the picture above, some of you think you might have seen her before. If you were following this sport around 2004-2005, chances are you have. She used to go by the name Amanda Swallow. She was ALL OVER the paysites with her explosive biceps and overall muscularity. She was doing exceptionally well during her first run, then out of nowhere, she disappered, not to be seen until now.

With a new name in Amanda Hatfield, she didn't waste any time in making a name for herself in the fitness division. In her first show back from a five-year hiatus, she won first place at the NPC Julie Palmer Ultimate Showdown this past June in Toledo, Ohio and qualifying to compete in Fitness Nationals at Team Universe, where she claimed fifth in the short class. She recently competed in the North Americans, where she won her class and ALMOST won her pro card that night as well. She did more than just win her class at the NAs, she she restored her status as one of the division’s top contenders, and she's currently on Kriv Studios and HDPhysiques, with her biceps as impressive as ever. Expect more sites to feature her and quite possibly a pro card in the VERY near future. I think I can speak for everyone when I say...WELCOME BACK AMANDA!!!

Photo credit: Fitness Rx

COMPETITION HISTORY (as Amanda Hatfield)

1st Place Short Class-North Americans 2011
5th Place Short Class-Team Universe 2011
1st Place-Julie Palmer Ultimate Showdown

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for October 2011: Kayde Puckett

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight belongs to one of the newer competitors in IFBB, Kayde Puckett!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Kayde is from Northern Virginia, now residing in North Carolina! While her parents wanted her to do dancing and piano, she wanted to do martial arts when she was little. Her parents decided to let her do martial arts, and from there was the beginning of what would be the start of a great fitness career ahead of her. It was during her martial arts days that led her to discover weight training. She began to pick up weights at age 14 ana hasn't looked back since. That and her martial arts training (which she continued through college) paved the way for her to become a fitness competitor.

When she moved to Raleigh, I was unable to find a martial arts school that would fit her needs. It turned out to be a blessing in disquise as she focues more on weight training anf found fitness in the process. When she saw her first fitness show, she was instantly hooked. She began to train for fitness in April 2008, and a year after that, at the NPC Team Universe in 2009, she won the overall fitness title and her pro card, and she's now an IFBB Pro.

Kayde will be making history this month as she will participate in the first-ever Arnold Classic Europe. With her successful track record, the sky's the limit for what she can accomplish in the IFBB fitness division.

Photo credit: Lift Studios/Isaac Hinds

COMPETITION HISTORY:

10th Place - Europa Show of Champions, Orlando, FL (April, 2010)
8th Place - NY Pro Fitness Classic, New York, NY (April, 2010)
14th Place - Fitness International, Columbus, OH (March, 2010) - Pro Debut
7th Place - IFBB World Championships, Como, Italy (October, 2009)
1st Place Tall Class and Overall (Earned IFBB Pro Card) - NPC Team Universe and National Fitness Championships, New York, NY (September 2009)
3rd Place - NPC Jr. Nat's, Chicago, IL (June 2009)
4th Place - NPC Jr. USA's, Charleston, SC (May 2009)
1st Place - Carolina Clash, Kannapolis, NC (Oct 2008)
2nd Place - SC Excalibur, Charleston, SC (Aug 2008)

For more on Kayde, visit her website at http://www.kaydepuckett.com/.

NPC Fitness Spotlight for September 2011: Babette Mulford

The NPC Fitness Spotlight for September 2011 belongs to Babette Mulford!

Photo credit: FitnessRx

Babette is an NPC Fitness Competitor from Iowa. She was, as most competitors were back in their days as a child, and active person, doing water ski, soccer, track, flaggirl, and cheerleading, among other things. Prior to becoming a fitness competitor, she competed in figure and bodybuilding. In fact, she started out as a bodybuilder (as it was the only thing offered for her at the time), then she went into fitness, then did figure for a while (as well as a few marathons) and now she's back home in fitness. Her journey started when she was part of a dance team and danced at an intermission of an area bodybuilding competition. She stayed after the intermission and totally fell in love with the sport. Her love has transformed into a lifestyle that has seen her place very well in several competitions, as she strives to one day become an IFBB Fitness Pro.

Photo credit: FitnessRx

COMPETITION HISTORY
2011 IFBB North American Championships 3rd
2011 NPC Team Universe & National Fitness Championships 6th
2010 NPC Junior USA Championships 1st
2010 NPC Team Universe & National Fitness Championships 4th
2010 NPC Junior National Championships 3rd
2009 NPC Team Universe 6th
2009 IFBB North American Championships 3rd
2009 NPC Junior National Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships 5th
2008 NPC Junior National Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships 5th
2007 NPC National Championships 8th
2007 NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest 4th

You can learn more about Babette in an interview she did with Jason Adams of Promoting Real Women at http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2010/12/babette-mulford-interview.html.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for September 2011: Adela Garcia

With the Olympia this month, the IFBB Fitness Spotlight for September 2011 was a no-brainer. This month's IFBB Spotlight goes to one of the most successful IFBB fitness champions in history: Adela Garcia!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Adela is arguably THE top fitness competitor in the world today, and for good reason. She's competed (AND WON) many titles, including multiple Fitness Internationals and Fitness Olympias.She was born in Cabrera, Dominican Republic and raised in San Juan Puerto Rico along with two older brothers. For those wondering, yes, she was a tomboy. Growing up active, she tried anything and everything you could think of in sports, including volleyball, softball, and basketball. This wasn't a sport, but there was a time that she (along with her brothers) putting forks in electrical outlets to see if they could see their skeletons!! Crazy, huh?! Despite all of that, there was one sport she never officially participated in, and it's the main sport that is credited a lot for fitness competitions: gymnastics.  She wanted to take gymnastics classes, but financial issues kept her from doing so. So what did she do? She tried cartwheels and back-walkovers at home and kept myself busy playing games with my two brothers.

At the age of 17, she was introduced to weight training. In college, she joined the Army’s ROTC program,  After being in the ROTC for a couple of years, she decided to take a trip throughout the states to learn English. While I visited California, I remember a couple of people suggesting that I try to compete in a fitness show. She was a bit skeptical because she did not have any type of dance background to compete. She declined that time and moved back to Puerto Rico in 1995. During that time, she taught aerobics classes and did some personal training at the gym on a military base. It was there where she saw a poster for the NPC Armed Forces Fitness Championships in North Carolina. She entered that contest and ended up placing second and was immediately hooked from that point on. She would compete in more local and nationals shows until 1999, where she took the overall fitness title at th 1999 USA Fitness Championship and earned my IFBB pro card. And the rest, as they say, is history.

There have been many great fitness competitors to come and go, but Adela has proven time and time again that she's among the all-time greats, and she hopes to cement her place in history at the 2001 Olympia, as she will be looking to win her 6th Fitness Olympia title, a feat no other fitness competitor has ever accomplished. When you think of fitness, bottom line, there's no one who solidifies the sport more than Adela Garcia.

Photo credit: Fitness Rx

COMPETITION HISTORY:

2011
Arnold Classic-first place

2010
Fitness Olympia-first place
Arnold Classic-first place

2009
Fitness Olympia-first place
Europa Super Show-third place

2007
Fitness Olympia-first place
Houston Pro Figure-third place
Arnold Classic-third place

2006
Fitness Olympia-first place
Arnold Classic-first place

2005
Sacramento Pro Fitness-first place
Fitness Olympia-third place
Arnold Classic-second place

2004
Fitness Olympia-first place
Arnold Classic-first place

2003
IFBB New York City Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB Fitness International-second place

2002
IFBB GNC Show Of Strength Fitness-second place
IFBB Fitness Olympia-fourth place
IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB Atlantic States Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB New York City Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB Fitness International-fourth place

2001
IFBB Fitness Olympia-fourth place
IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Fitness-third place
IFBB Fitness International-third place

2000
IFBB Jan Tana Classic Pro Fitness-second place
IFBB Fitness Olympia-fifth place
IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Fitness-fifth place
IFBB Atlantic City Pro Fitness-sixth place
IFBB Fitness International-eighth place

1999
NPC USA Fitness Championships-Overall (IFBB Professional Qualifier)

1998
NPC Junior National Fitness Championships-second place short class
IFBB North American Fitness Championships-sixth place short class
NPC National Fitness Championships-eighth place short class
NPC USA Fitness Championships-ninth place short class

1996
NPC Pennsylvania Fitness Championships-fourth place
NPC National Fitness Championships-twelfth place

1995
NPC Europa Sports Fitness Championships-second place

For more on Adela, visit her website at http://www.adelafitness.com.  

NPC Fitness Spotlight for August 2011: Alissa Carpio

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight belongs to Alissa Carpio!

Photo credit: Fitness Rx

Alissa has been a certified personal trainer since 2002. A year after she became a personal trainer, she decided to enter the world of physique competitions. She has went on to compete in fitness, figure, and bodybuilding. She has placed in the top 5 at five national competitions, including a win at the 2010 Jr. USAs in Fitness. Her main goal is to one day earn her pro card in fitness.

In addition to fitness competitions and personal training, she's also a freelance writer for health, fitness, pregnancy, and babies. You can view some of her work on Bodybuilding.com, MAX Sports & Fitness, Pampers.com, Bodysport.com, Fitness & Physique, and Faith and Fitness.

Photo credit: Fitness Rx

COMPETITION HISTORY:
2011 Team Universe, Fitness 6th Place, Class C
2010 NPC Junior, Fitness Tall Class (2nd)
2008 Junior Nationals, Fitness Class C (4th)
2008 Junior USA, Fitness Class C (1st)
2008 NPC Pittsburgh, Fitness (3rd)
2007 NPC National Fitness Championship, 6th Tall
2007 NPC Maryland Grand Prix, Overall Women's Bodybuilding
2006 NPC Team Universe Championship, 8th - Fitness Tall
2005 NPC National Fitness Championship, 3rd Tall
2005 OCB Battle of Blacksburg, 1st - Women's Novice, 2nd - Open
2005 NPC Junior USA Championship, 1st - Fitness Tall
2005 NPC Pittsburgh Championship, 1st - Fitness Tall
2004 NPC VA/DC State Championship, Overall Fitness
2004 NPC Bethany Howlett Classic, Overall Fitness
2004 NPC Tournament of Champions, 1st - Figure Tall
2004 NPC BodyRock & Monica Brant, Overall Fitness

For more on Alissa, visit her website at http://www.alissa.net/.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for August 2011: Trish Warren

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight goes to one half of the arguably THE top IFBB couple in the game today and a future mother, Trish Warren!

Photo credit: FLEX Online

Trish would describe herself as the "small town country girl with dreams as big as the Texas sky". She was on a cheerleading scholarship, which she did for a couple of year, and then decided to enter fitness competitions. She joined a small gym and hired a trainer and began my journey to being a top fitness star. That gym would be the very place she would met a man named Branch Warren. Little did anyone expect what would go down after that for BOTH Trish and Branch.

Trish would go on to win her very first competition, the Ronnie Coleman Classic in 1999, and from that point on, she was hooked. She would win her pro card in 2002 at NPC Nationals, and from there on she would go on to compete in many events, including the Arnold and Olympia. Along the way, she has refined her routines and her physique to be one of the best in the world. In fact, Trish is currently the number THREE fitness competitor on the planet, right behind Adela Garcia and Tanji Johnson. Her journey to being THE best will have to take a backseat, though, and for VERY good reason. Announced last month (July), Trish and Branch are expecting their first child together!! Congrats to the Warren family! I have no doubt in my mind that when the time's right, Trish will return to the stage and pick up right where she left off; aiming to win the Fitness Olympia and/or Fitness International title and prove to the world that she is the best.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:
1999 Ronnie Coleman Classic 1st
2002 Jr. Nationals 1st and Overall
2002 Nationals Earned Pro Card
2008 NY Pro Fitness 2nd (qualifed for 1st Olympia)
2008 Houston Pro 10th
2008 Fitness Olympia 9th
2009 Arnold Classic Fitness International 7th
2009 NY Pro Fitness 2nd
2009 Fitness Olympia 10th
2010 Arnold Classic Fitness International 4th
2010 New York Pro Fitness 2nd
2010 Fitness Olympia 3rd
2011 Arnold Classic Fitness International 3rd

For more on Trish, visit her website at http://www.trishwarrenfitness.com

NPC Fitness Spotlight for July 2011: Jennifer Bishop-Kernaghan

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight was chosen from the Facebook fan page, Jennifer Bishop-Kerneghan!

Photo credit: FitnessRx

Jennifer is a NPC figure turned fitness competitor from Mississippi. Sdisplayed a penchant for ambition and She began entering and won quite a bit of beauty pageants near her home in Mississippi. But she wanted to expand her horizons, so she decided to move to Jupiter, Florida. It was then that her life would change forever.

Jennifer went into in the mortgage industry but found out quick that she didn't want to do that for the rest of her life. Out of nowhere, she applied for a position at a gym in Jupiter and quickly realized her passion: health and fitness. She started as an aerobics and spin instructor and quickly moved into full-time personal training.
She began to get attention from the gym-goers there, and after some talks here and there, it was clear that she was destined to compete in physique competitions. She has dabbled in a few figure shows, but most of her career has been in fitness competitions. She has competed in quite a few fitness shows, with her recent show (Jr. Nationals) placed 4th. Each competition moves her one step closer to every National competitors dream: becoming an IFBB Pro.

Photo credit: FitnessRx

COMPETITION HISTORY

2011
Jr. Nationals- 4th Place Class C

2010
Fitness Team Universe - 6th Place
Fitness Jr. Nationals - 9th Place
West Palm Beach Anna Level - 1st Place Fitness Medium and Overall Winner
Diamond Classic - 1st Place Open and 2nd Place Over 30

2007
Sunshine Classic - Fitness Overall Winner and 2nd Place Figure

2006
Sunshine Classic Fitness - Fitness Overall Winner and 2nd Place Figure

2004
Florida State Figure - 5th Place

2003
Gold Cup Figure - 3rd Place

For more on Jennifer, visit her website at http://www.jlfit.com/.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for July 2011: Myriam Capes

This month's fitness spotlight belongs to the highest ranking fitness competitor in Canada, Myriam "Mimi" Capes!

Photo credit: Flex Online

Myriam is a IFBB Fitness Pro from Canada. She began her fitness career at the tender age of 17. Before becoming a fitness star, she was a gymnast. Mimi would obtained her pro card in 2006. Her first year as a pro, she would qualify to compete in the 2007 Fitness Olympia. She would finish 18th of 19th in the competition. While that's near the bottom of the list, being able to compete in the Olympia in your first year as a pro is an accomplishment in an accomplishment in itself.

In her first year, she brought am impressive physique to the stage, but it was obvious things were gonna have to change a bit in order to make a major impact in IFBB Fitness. The following year, she refined her physique to a more streamlined, judge-pleasing look, and her routines became more and more entertaining. She also went from blonde to jet black hair, which took a lot of people by surprise at the time, but from what I've heard, she made the right choice. In 2009, things began to take shape for her as she returned to the Olympia and placed 6th, a FAR cry from 18th place. She would follow that up with her first Arnold in 2010, placing 8th at the Fitness International. Her 4th place finish at this past Olympia, along with her 5th place finish as this year's Arnold makes her the highest ranking Canadian fitness competitor of all time. Many feel it's only a matter of time before she nabbed her first pro fitness win, and it wouldn't surprise anyone if she becomes a future Fitness Olympia and/or Fitness International champion. She has the routine, physique, personality, and drive to make it happen.

Photo credit: Flex Online

COMPETITION HISTORY

2011 IFBB Toronto Pro Super Show-2nd
2011 IFBB Fitness International-5th
2010 IFBB Olympia-4th
2010 IFBB Europa Super Show-2nd
2010 IFBB Europa Show of Champions-3rd
2010 IFBB Fitness International-8th
2009 IFBB Olympia-6th
2009 IFBB Europa Super Show & Supplement Expo-2nd
2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions-2nd
2009 IFBB New York Pro Fitness-5th
2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro-4th
2008 IFBB 15th Annual Sports/Fitness Weekend & Europa IFBB Super Show-7th
2008 IFBB Houston Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Contest-13th
2008 IFBB New York Pro Fitness-9th
2007 IFBB Olympia-18th
2007 IFBB Santa Susanna Bodybuilding And Figure Contest-2nd
2007 IFBB Europa Super Show-NP

To visit her website, check it out at http://www.myriamcapes.ca/.

NPC Fitness Spotlight for June 2011: Lishia Dean

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight belongs to Lishia Dean!

Photo credit: Fitness Rx Magazine

Lishia Dean is a fitness competitor from Greensboro, North Carolina. She's been part of the fitness industry most of her life, whether it be competing, or being a personal trainer, or being a powerlifter. Somehow, someway, Lishia has seemingly always dedicated her life to fitness.

Her journey began when she took a group exercise class for a PE course at Western Carolina University. She became certified to teach and was promoted to the Coordinator and went on to be certified in Personal Training. After graduating college, she started to do some powerlifting, and did pretty well for herself, as she reached a deadlift max of 370lbs raw at a weight of 139lbs in 2004. So yes, she's one of those competitors who really IS as strong as she looks. That same year , she decided to compete in her first fitness competition, the Elite Muscle Classic, and would win the Overall there. Two weeks later, she was part of the NPC Nationals in Dallas, TX. From that point forward, she's been competing in NPC Fitness hoping to one day get her pro card.

Her personal journey to one day be part of the IFBB has allowed her to help many people along the way. She was a Wellness Director at the YMCAs for a number of years in NC and FL, as well as venturing out as far as Canada and Australia. With her dance background, she has been able to help choreograph routines for many competitors, pro and amateur. With her accomplishments thus far, it seems like the next logical thing for her is to finally get that pro card and take her talents to the pro stage.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITIVE HISTORY:

2011
Jr. USAs: Fitness Class B (2nd)

2010
Team Universe: Fitness Medium (3rd)
Jr National Championships: Fitness Class B (4th)

2008
Team Universe: Fitness: Medium (3rd)
Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships: Fitness: Class B (2nd)
Junior USA: Fitness Class B (4th)

2007
National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships: Fitness Class B (3rd)
Team Universe Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships: Fitness Class B (5th)
Junior National Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships: Fitness Class B (3rd)

2004
National Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championship: Fitness: Medium (10th)

For more on Lishia, go to her website at http://www.lishiadean.com/.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for June 2011: Nicole Duncan

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight goes to all-around Southern girl Nicole Duncan!

Photo credit: Arnold Sports Festival website

Energetic, amazing, innovative. Those words come to mind when one thinks of Nicole Duncan. Nicole is one of the most energetic fitness competitors on the scene today, and one of the most talented as well. A Georgia girl through and through, she She became the 2006 NPC National Fitness Champion, which catapulted her to the rankings of the IFBB.

Ever since she won her pro card, she has climbed steadily into the top of the IFBB Fitness division. She has a great physique, but what she's best known for is her amazing energy during her routines. In fact, shortly after the passing of Michael Jackson in 2009 (may he Rest in Peace), she decided to incorporate a few of MJ's moves into her routine, and from everyone I've talked to, there were showstoppers.

Earlier this year, I actually had the chance to see Nicole in person during Wrestlemania 27. She was about a week or so out from competing at the New York Pro Fitness at the time. She was very sweet to everyone and yet made sure no one got out of line (hey, wrestling fans aren't the most gentle people on Earth. I should know. I'm one of them. LOL).

Truly one of the leader's in today's women's fitness division, this former Atlanta Falcon cheerleader is doing her best to entertain the crowd through her fitness routines, and it shows. Look for her to continue her path to becoming one of the best in IFBB women's fitness history.

Photo credit: Fitness Rx Magazine

COMPETITIVE HISTORY:

2011 IFBB New York Pro Fitness-8th
2011 IFBB Fitness International-10th
2010 IFBB Fort Lauderdale Pro Fitness-2nd
2010 IFBB Fitness Olympia-9th
2010 IFBB Europa Show of Champions Fitness-8th
2010 IFBB Fitness International-10th
2009 IFBB Ft. Lauderdale Pro Fitness-2nd
2009 IFBB Fitness Olympia-8th
2009 IFBB Atlantic City Fitness-4th
2009 IFBB Europa Super Show Fitness-3rd
2009 IFBB Fitness International-14th
2008 IFBB Fitness Olympia-11th
2008 IFBB Europa IFBB Super Show Fitness-3rd
2008 IFBB Houston Pro Fitness-5th
2008 IFBB New York Pro Fitness-4th
2007 IFBB Palm Beach Pro/Am Fitness-7th
2007 IFBB Europa Super Show Fitness-10th
2007 IFBB New York Pro Fitness-7th

For more on Nicole, visit her website at http://www.fitnicole.com, and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/FitNicInc.

NPC Fitness Spotlight for April 2011: Meredith Miller

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight belongs to Meredith Miller!

Photo Credit: Muscular Development

Meredith Miller is a fitness competitor from Ohio. Like many competitors, she works a very active job. She is a competitive gymnastics coach for Integrity Gymnastics in Plain City, Ohio, and also dopes personal training on the side. She loves dogs, in fact she has two dogs by the name of Pudd and Elvis. At times, they would actually sleep on the bed while she would sleep on the couch! No, I'm not making this up!

With her physique, she could have easily done figure, but chose to go the fitness route mainly due to her gymnastic background and her love for performing on stage. She's an international competitive gymnast.

Meredith has consistently placed in the top 3 in her National competitions thus far, with a top five finish at the Arnold Amateur this year. It wouldn't surprise us to see her nail that coveted pro card and compete with the elite ladies of the IFBB.

Photo credit: Fitness Rx Magazine

COMPETITIVE HISTORY

2011 Arnold Amateur, Fitness Tall Class (5th)
2010 IFBB North American Championships, Fitness Class B - Fitness (2nd)
2010 Team Universe, Fitness Tall (3rd)
2010 Jr National Championships, Fitness Class C (3rd)
2009 Arnold Amateur, Fitness Med Class
2007 NPC Ohio State Overall Fitness Champion

For more on Meredith, check out her interview with Physiqueness here.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for April 2011: Oksana Grishina

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight goes to one of the most amazing fitness competitors our there today, Oksana Grishina!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

There are fitness competitors....and there are fitness ARTISTS. When one thinks of Oksana Grishina, you can't help but think of the team "artist". In every fitness competition she's ever entered, she's entered as a fan favorite. People anxiously await her turn to the stage at every competition she's ever entered. Very few competitors can grab the attention of the audience like Oksana. On top of her jaw-dropping routines, she has an incredibly built physique to go along with her routines, making her one of the most complete fitness competitors in the world today.

Oksana is from Kaliningrad, Russia. When her father was assigned to Riga, Latvia, she took gymnastics at an early age by her mother as a way to unleash her energy. It worked and she was hooked on it ever since. Fitness was and is a big part of her life. She went a University in Kaliningrad and earned a degree as a specialist in Physical Training and Sports. During that time, she organized her own ballet entitled “Antares”.  I also worked as a choreographer with children at the Tchaikovsky School of Music and Art in Kaliningrad.

At that time, there were no gyms in Kaliningrad. When the first gym opened in 2002, a friend suggested that she work as a fitness and aerobics instructor. From there, trainers mentioned that she should try fitness. It didn't take long to see that fitness competitions were for her. In 2005 and 2006, Oksana was awarded the title of “Best Non-Olympic Sportswoman of the Year” in the Kaliningrad Region, while winning fitness competitions on the international stage at the European and World Championships, finally earning her IFBB pro card to compete in the 2007 Olympia.

She now lives in the United States for over three years and now live in California. She's still a personal trainer, fitness consultant and fitness model, as well as play the piano and act in her spare time, which has been a big part of her fitness routines. It's only a matter of time before the judges wake up and realize how amazing of a talent they have with Oksana.

 

Photo credit: Fitness Rx Magazine

COMPETITION HISTORY
1993 “Master of Sports of Russia” in Rhythmic Gymnastics
2000 Kaliningrad State University Diploma DVS, Specialist in Physical Training and sports; Teacher
2004 “Master of Sports of Russia” in Bodybuilding
2004 “Master of Sports of Russia of International Class” in Bodybuilding
2004-6 Russian Championship, Overall Fitness Champion
2005-6 Awarded Best Non-Olympic Sportswoman of the Year in the Kaliningrad Region
2005 European Championship, Overall Fitness Champion
2006 World Championship, Overall Fitness Champion
2007 All Star Pro Fitness, 3rd Place
2007 Europa Super Show, Fitness, 16th Place
2007 IFBB Olympia, Fitness, 7th Place
2008 New York Pro Fitness Classic, Fitness, 7th Place
2008 Arnold Classic, Fitness, 10th Place
2009 Arnold Classic, Fitness, 9th Place
2010 Phoenix Pro, Fitness, 4th Place
2010 Arnold Classic, Fitness, 5th Place
2010 IFBB Olympia, Fitness Division, 5th Place
2011 Arhold Classic, Fitness, 8th Place

For more on Oksana, go to her website at http://www.oksanagrishina.com.

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.

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for February 2011: Tanji Johnson

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight belongs to one of the best competitors in the world today, Tanji Johnson!

Photo credit: Iron Bizz

When you think of IFBB Fitness, you can't help but think about Tanji. Her passion for the sport is second to none, a true ambassador to the sport. She's always been an athletic person, competing in track and field and being captain of the dance team in high school and serving for her country as part of the United States Air Force Academy. She ended up graduating from the Academy with a B.S. in Humanities and a commission as an Air Force officer.

She started to compete in 1998, so she's been doing this for quite a while. This year will mark her making this year her 13 year in fitness, with her being a IFBB pro for 10 years! She has competed in numerous Arnold and Olympias, with last year being the closest she's ever been to winning the Fitness Olympia title. In addition to competing in fitness, she has formed a team and movement called Tanji Johnson's Save Fitness. She created this in hopes of helping resurrecting the fitness division, by holding seminars and training camps. She even went on to showcase her athletic prowess on national television, as she appeared on NBC's American Gladiators as "Stealth", who was short on words but not on talent. While she has accomplished a LOT in her career, I feel that the best is yet to come for this amazing individual.

Photo credit: Rebodybuilding.com

COMPETITION HISTORY:
2010 Fitness Olympia 2nd
2010 New York Pro Fitness 1st (6th Pro win)
2010 Fitness International 3th
2010 Arizona Pro Fitness 2nd
2009 Fitness Olympia 2nd
2009 Atlantic City Pro 2nd
2009 Fitness International 10th
2008 Fitness Olympia 5th
2007 Fitness Olympia 4th
2007 Europa Pro Fitness 2nd
2007 All Star Pro Fitness 1st (5th Pro win)
2007 Fitness International 4th
2006 Fitness Olympia 4th
2006 Europa Pro Fitness 1st (4th Pro win)
2006 All Star Pro Fitness 1st (3rd Pro win)
2005 Emerald Cup 1st (2nd Pro win)
2004 Fitness Olympia 8th
2004 Fitness International 9th
2002 Jan Tana Fitness Classic 2nd
2002 Toronto Fitness Classic 1st (First Pro Win)

For more on Tanji, visit her official website at http://tanjijohnson.com/OfficialSite/ and her Save Fitness site at http://www.savefitness.net/.

NPC Fitness Spotlight for January 2011: Paula Williams-Gulman

The first NPC Fitness Spotlight of 2011 goes to Paula Williams-Gulman!

Photo credit: Bodybuilding.com

Paula is among one of the must muscular fitness competitors in the NPC right now. Her muscle maturity is nearly second-to-none in the sport, which has helped her out in her fitness routines. Showing off her biceps has become somewhat of a trademark in her routines as of late. Her muscle maturity should come as no surprise as she's been competing and being a fitness instructor and personal trainer for 15 years. She was part of the Ms. Fitness USA federation for 10 years, and then moved to the NPC and has competed for 5 years. This year will be her sixth year in the NPC, as she aims to earn her pro card and join the IFBB elite.

In addition to being a NPC Fitness Competitor (as well as a Judge), she's a wife and mother of two girls, a PTA member, a soccer mom, a small business owner (She runs Paula's Personal Training) and a dog lover.

In 2010, she came ever so close to getting her pro card, placing in the top 3 at the Jr. Nationals and North Americans, and winning a couple of shows in the process. 2011 might be the year for the self-proclaimed "Firecracker" of the NPC Fitness Division.

For more on Paula, visit her website at http://www.paulaspersonaltraining.com/.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:
2010 IFBB North Americas-3rd
2010 NPC Junior Nationals-6th
2009 NPC Junior Nationals-9th
2009 NPC Jr. USAs-3rd
2008 NPC Team Universe Fitness-5th
2008 NPC Northern Classic-1st Figure Masters, 2nd Fitness
2008 NPC Junior Nationals-3rd
2008 NPC Bill Pearl High Desert Classic-1st
2008 NPC Empire Classic-1st
2008 NPC Emerald Cup-1st, 5'3 and Under Fitness, 4th Masters Over 35 Figure
2008 NPC Vancouver USA Natural Classic-5th Figure Short, 2nd Fitness
2007 NPC Emerald Cup-5th Figure

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for January 2011: Camala Rodriguez

The first IFBB Fitness Spotlight of the year 2011 belongs to rising star Camala Rodriquez!

Photo credit: Bodybuilding.com

Camala is one of the IFBB's top rising superstars in any division these days. Camala won her class in both fitness and figure at the NPC Rocky Mountain and NPC Northern Colorado in 2008. In 2009, she just needed one contest to become an IFBB Pro, and that contest was the 2009 Jr. Nationals. She would not only win her class (Class C), but she would also end up winning the overall fitness title as well. Her exotic looks, crowd-pleasing routine, and balanced physique at the show was ready to take on the pros the following year, and, well...let's just say her rookie year is one that could set the tone for her for years to come in the pro rankings.

2010 was one of those years that a pro competitor can only dream about, but takes forever to attain what Camala did. Camala competed in the 2010 Phoenix Pro, and in her pro debut, she placed third, which guaranteed her a spot at the 2010 Fitness Olympia, which went on to become argualy the most star-studded one to date. She would get an invite to the 2010 Fitness International, and placed 6th place, which is awesome for a rookie competitor. Her next contest would be the Europa Show of Champions in Orlando, where she would end up winning her first pro show. Her last contest of the year would be the 2010 Fitness Olympia, where she placed a respectable 10th place, making her one of the 10 best fitness athletes in the world today.2011 will see Camala compete in the 2011 Fitness International and hopefully another Fitness Olympia. If her 2010 year is any indication, expect Camala to take the IFBB fitness division to new heights in 2011 and beyond.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:

2010 IFBB Olympia-10th
2010 IFBB Europa Show of Champions-1st
2010 IFBB Fitness International-6th
2010 IFBB Phoenix Pro-3rd
2009 NPC Junior Nationals-1st Class C and Overall Fitness Champion
2008 NPC Rocky Mountain-1st Class D Figure, 1st Class B Fitness, Overall Fitness Champion
2008 NPC Rocky Mountain-1st Class D Figure, 1st Fitness Tall, Overall Fitness Champion

NPC Fitness Spotlight for December 2010: Lena Squarciafico-Mishin

This month's NPC Fitness Spotlight belongs to one of the top fitness stars in the country right now, Lena Squarciafico-Mishin!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Lena's an amateur competitor from New York (Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY now living in Long Island). She's been in competitive gymnastics since the age of 11. Like a good deal of fitness competitors, she was into competing in many sports and staying fit. After retiring from competition, she decided to coached part time and played around in the gym with her students.

In November 2002, she was convinced by a friend at work into joining a gym in order to break up the work day and relieve some stress. Lena headed straight to the weight room. As she started to lift,  her body responded very quickly and developed fast. Her muscle began to explode like crazy, and then she made that decision to compete.

Up to this point, Lena has done it all in the female muscle industry. She's competed in bodybuilding, fitness, and figure competitions. She loves to show off her physique and routines, whether it's on stage, webcam, or paysite, Lena has developed quite a fanbase. With her incredible muscularity, figure didn't seem like the ideal competition for her, as she would place low in the figure events. She's also gave a try at bodybuilding as well. However, it seems like fitness could be her calling. In 2010, she had one heck of a breakout year, as she won her class a couple of times and only a point or two shy of becoming a pro this year. With 2011 just around the corner, you can rest assure that Lena will be aiming to get that pro card that she rightfully deserves. And with her success in fitness these days, it seems to be that NPC fitness will be her ticket to IFBB stardom.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:


2004 - (March) NY Metropolitans - 1st Place Fitness and Figure (Tall class)
2004 - (June) Atlantic States - 2nd Place Fitness 3rd Place Figure (Tall class)
2004 - (July) Body Rock - 2nd Place Fitness (Tall class)
2004 - (July) Kim Klein Empire States - 1st Place Figure, Fitness (tall class) and 1st Place Heavy weight Bodybuilding
2004 (August) Team Universe (Figure Nationals) 11th Place (class E)
2004 (September) North American Championships (National Show) - 3rd
Place Figure Masters - 10th Place Figure open.
2004 (November) Eastern USA - 1st Place Fitness and Figure (Tall class)
2007 NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest-3rd
2007 NPC Team Universe Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Championships-8th
2008 NPC Junior National Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships-6th
2009 NPC Team Universe-3rd
2010 Team Universe,Fitness Tall-5th
2010 NPC Junior USA Bodybuilding Championships, Fitness Tall Class-1st
2010 IFBB North American Championships, Fitness B-1st

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for December 2010: Tina Durkin

This month's IFBB Fitness Spotlight belongs to someone who has been making major strides in the IFBB fitness division in a short amount of time: Tina Durkin!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Tina is an IFBB Fitness Competitor from Sandusky, Ohio who's been an IFBB pro since she turned pro at the 2007 NPC Nationals. Her life was pretty much about sports during her high school and college career, competing in softball, basketball, ran track, cheerleading, intramural volleyball at WSU. In 1996, she joined the US Air Force Reserves. It was at this point where her life changed forever, as she began to go to the gym on a regular basis and met her husband at a step aerobics class. In 2000, Tina graduated WSU with a BS in Business Management and later that year, the couple got married and moved to California. Three year later, she got pregnant and had a baby girl, which she describe on her official website, it was "the most wonderful and worst thing happened to me (her)". Sick the entire time she was pregnant (which for those that don't know, it's nine months) she had an emergency C-Section. Going though that made her decided to go though the neccesary diet and training to compete, which was something she wanted to do ever since she was a teenager.

In 2005, after doing some research she found WTF (Women's Tri-Fitness). She ended up competing that year in Vegas that year and placed 15th out of 200 women, which was awesome for a first-time competitor. The following year, she entered a local Ms. Fitness competition and qualified for Ms. Fitness in Vegas which was a long time dream. She then discovered the phenomenon know as Mike Davies, and boy did things turn out awesome for her after that!

Throughout her entire NPC career from 2006 to 2007, she was in the top 5 in every show she entered. After she turned pro in 2007 at the NPC Nationals, she received an invite to the 2008 Fitness International, where she placed 11th. After the Arnold that year, she would have back surgery that would keep her out all year. When you have back surgery and you're a fitness competitor, things don't usually look so well for you. But it didn't stop Tina from making her presence felt. She would be invited back to the Arnold the next year, and would qualify for the 2009 Arnold with a 5th place finish. Tina's reaction after she received her 5th place check was priceless, as you would have thought she's won the competition. That's how big of a deal it was for her to be back after being out a year and to place that high in such a huge competition.

From that point forward, it's been nothing but awesome stuff from Tina, with back to back Arnold and Olympia appearances. Her routines are very energetic, and she might possibly have the best complete physique package of all the fitness competitors today. At this point in her career, the only way Tina can go is up. Don't be surprised to see her get a 4th straight Arnold invite and her first fitness win sometime in 2011.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:
2010 Ft. Lauderdale Pro Cup Fitness, 3rd
2010 Fitness Olympia, 7th
2010 New York Pro Fitness, 4th
2010 Arnold Ms. Fitness International, 7th
2010 New York Pro Fitness, 4th
2010 Ms. Fitness Olympia, 7th
2009 Fitness Olympia, 5th
2009 Europa Show of Champions, 5th
2009 New York Fitness Pro, 3rd
2009 Arnold Ms. Fitness International, 5th
2008 Arnold International, 11th
2007 NPC Fitness Nationals, 1st*
2007 NPC Team Universe 3rd
2007 NPC Jr. Nationals 1st **
2006 NPC Fitness Nationals, 4th
2006 NPC Ohio Championship, 1st
2006 NPC Jr. Nationals, 3rd
2006 NPC Indianapolis Championship, 1st ***
2006 NPC Julie Palmer Showdown, 1st

* Overall Winner (Earned IFBB Pro Card)
** Overall Winner
*** National Qualifier

For more on Tina, check out her website at http://www.tinadurkinfitness.com. 

NPC Fitness Spotlight for November 2010: Viko Newman

Save Women's Fitness Now is kicking off our monthly NPC Fitness Spotlight with someone who I feel will be a future IFBB Fitness Pro: Viko Newman!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

Viko is a NPC Fitness Competitor from Olympia, Washington. In 1983 after her high school graduation, she went to live with her father in Japan for a while. For those wondering, yes, she is of Japanese decent. She met my husband Mark there who was in the US Air Force, who taught her how to work out. She was training in a gym on base with all guys. Being the only female, she was taught how to lift heavy and eat heavy int he process. I was soon squatting 200 and benching 145. She was a pretty strong individual at the time (she still is, but in a different way) After gaining a good deal of weight (not all of it was muscle), she decided that the look was not her thing and decided to find a way to obtain a "fitness" look. Needless to say, that look was better for her in the long run.

She started to compete when she turned 30 years old. Hey, you're never too old to start, as long as you are committed. She entered a local fitness show in Florida and won in fitness and in bodybuilding, in addition to wining in benching the most reps with ½ my weight. For that, she did 93 reps with 60 lbs! 2nd place girl only got 71 reps! From there, it was the beginning of more and more shows.

In her quest to becoming a pro, she is a part of IFBB Pro Tanji Johnson's Save Fitness team, which Tanji put together to help reignite the fitness division. With Tanji by her side, and the constant improvements that Viko has been making on her routines and physique, it's only a matter of time before Viko gets that rightful IFBB Pro card and compete with her idols. Who knows, we might see the teacher and the pupil share the stage at a future Arnold and Olympia soon!

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY:

• 2010 NPC Junior USA Bodybuilding Championships, Fitness Medium Class (3rd)
• 2010 Team Universe, Fitness Medium (5th)
• 2010 Emerald Cup, Figure: 5'3" to 5'4" (4th), Overall Fitness Winner, Fitness > 5'3" (1st)
• 2009 Team Universe, Fitness Medium Class (5th)
• 2009 Washington State, Figure Overall, Fitness (1st), Figure Short Class (1st)
• 2007 Emerald Cup, Fitness Class B (2nd), Figure Class C (4th)

For more on Viko, check out her interview with World Physique at http://www.worldphysique.com/vikonewmaninterview.html?reloaded=true

IFBB Fitness Spotlight for November 2010: Stacy Wright

It's time to kick off the monthly IFBB Fitness Spotlight, and it's an honor to announce that this special blog feature will begin with regular blog contributor, Stacy Wright! :)

Photo credit: Bodybuilding.com

Stacy Wright is an IFBB Fitness competitor from Charleston, West Virginia. She has competed ever since 2005 during the amateur circuit in hopes of becoming an IFBB Fitness Pro.

Sports has been her thing for quite some time, especially during high school. She was part of the varsity cheerleading team in high school during her senior year. They would practice their cheers in the morning and hit the weights in the afternoon. From that point on, the weights became her best friends. She would end up taking her lifting hobby one step further a year later in college. During this time, she would end up meeting her soon-to-be husband Andrew. She would get married in 2004, and started to compete a year later.

Stacy started off doing Fitness America shows (the ones they USED to show on ESPN) for a couple of years. She started to see others come in better than her and decided to step her game up in a big way and brought in a tighter, more defined physique and harder routines, and in 2007, it showed as she became a favorite in the NPC fitness circuit. In 2010, at the NPC Team Universe, her journey to the pro rankings came to fruition when she not only won the Fitness Tall class, but she won the overall fitness title as well. This would earn her the prestigious pro card and a spot among the pros she's emulated and aspired to be for years. I have a feeling she's going to do great as an IFBB Fitness Pro.

Photo credit: Muscular Development

COMPETITION HISTORY (From latest to first):

• 2010 Member of Team USA
• 2010 1st Place Fitness Tall and Overall NPC Team Universe. EARNED PRO CARD.
• 2010 2nd Place NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure and Bikini Championships
• 2010 1st Place Pittsburgh Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure and Bikini Championships
• 2009 4th Place NPC Team Universe
• 2009 4th Place NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure and Bikini Championships
• 2008 1st Place NPC Collegiate Fitness National Championships
• 2008 8th Place NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships
• 2007 1st Place Pittsburgh Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships
• 2007 1st Place Tall and Overall NPC Upper Ohio Valley Bodybuilding, Fitness, & Figure Competition
• 2006 Fitness and Bikini Universe Competition
• 2006 6th Place Kumite Classic: Fitness and Bikini America Competition
• 2005 Kumite Classic: Bikini America Competition
• 2005 4th Place Karen Miller Cardinal Classic Figure Competition

For more on Stacy, go to her website at http://www.stacywright.net/index.htm. From there you can find out more about Stacy and Andrew.