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/.

Tribute to Jack LaLanne, "The Godfather of Fitness"

As you all probably have heard by now, Jack LaLanne, considered by many to be the "Godfather of Fitness" passed away Sunday afternoon due to respiratory failure due to pneumonia. He inspired millions of people all over the world to get active before fitness became a well-known phenomenon. He helped make fitness a big part of many people's lives.

Photo credit: Tri Star Products

In my honest opinion, if it wasn't for Jack LaLanne, there would be no Kiana Tom, no Jillian Michaels, no Jennifer Nicole Lee, no Jamie Eason. Dare I say this...but fitness would probably be a mere afterthought right now if it wasn't for Jack. If there was anyone who defied "fitness icon", it was Jack. He lived, breathed, and slept fitness for what seemed to be his entire life.

I'm too young to remember his shows, but I do remember seeing his many infomercials about his juicer and wanting to own one (which I will buy soon). He seemed so vibrant and full of energy. I'm always like "Why can't more people live by his example?" Who knows? Maybe there's that someone out there who will be that next true fitness icon. Yes, there are those fitness experts that come and go, but very few have the longevity as Jack did and still does. Because of that, he will continue to motivate others to live healthier lives. Gone but truly not forgotten, and won't be for quite some time.

On behalf of FitGems Nation and the MILLIONS of people you have inspired over the years to live healthy lifestyles, thank you for giving people a reason to live. Thank you for being an inspiration.

"Love live living long, and loving every minute of it!"-Jack LaLanne

Fitness Week on Promoting Real Women (Day 3)

Jennifer Nash interview:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/jennifer-nash-interview.html

Tips on Choreographing A Routine by Viko Newman:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/tips-on-choreographing-routine-by-viko.html

Also on the Promoting Real Women fan page, Jason has posted several Youtube videos of several competitors from the past and present of women's fitness. 

Fitness Week on Promoting Real Women Blog/Fan Page (Day 2)

Blog by LeslieRae Newton called Sacrifice:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/sacrafice-by-ifbb-pro-leslierae-newton.html

Stacy Wright films a short video:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/stacy-wright-fitness-week-video.html

Blog by Debbie Fowler titled Fitness At Any Age:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/fitness-at-any-age-by-ifbb-pro-debbie.html

Fitness Week Kicks Off on Promoting Real Women Blog/Fan Page

Today began Fitness Week at the Promoting Women fan page and blog. Big ups to Jason Adams on creating this special week, as the fitness division is one of the most exciting parts about this business and they deserve as much recognition as they can get.

Jason kicked it off in a big way with an interview with the one and only Carol Semple:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/carol-semple-interview.html

Seriously, how big is that to get a former Fitness Olympia champion to kick off Fitness Week?! :)

He also posted a poem by fitness competitor Babette Mulford:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/poem-by-babette-mullford.html


To close out Day One, he posted a You Asked It segment with one of the youngest and most talented IFBB Fitness Pros in the world today, Victoria Larvie:
http://promotingwomen.blogspot.com/2011/01/you-asked-it-with-victoria-larvie.html

If you haven't join his fan page and are following his blog, you might need to start doing that. As I've mentioned in the past, Jason's a great person to know and is one of the guys who truly respects this industry. If you think the kickoff of Fitness Week was impressive, just wait until you see what happens over the next six days. You might get a special treat from yours truly "Hint Hint".

Anyways, hope you all enjoy Fitness Week on Promoting Real Women!!

Pledge for Pushups (Stacy Wright's Fundraiser)

Stacy's going to be "pleding for pushups" to raise money for the 2011 season!
Photo credit: Muscular Development

To help raise money for the 2011 competition season (her first as an pro fitness competitor), IFBB Pro Stacy Wright has created her own fundraiser, by pledging for pushups! She's challenging herself to see how many pushups she can do, and you out there can pledge any amount per pledge. 10 cents per pushup, 10 dollars per pushup, 50 dollars per pushup...whatever you can pledge will do. This is definitely one way to put the FUN in FUNdraising.

My hats off to Stacy for coming up with a unique way to not only get money to compete, but to establish herself as someone who's willing to go the extra mile to make a name for herself and stand out. 

To get involved please email Stacy at Stacy@StacyWright.net with your pledges! She will be post the final pushup video on her website blog. When that happens, we'll let you all know when that will take place.

Good luck to you, Stacy!

IFBB FIBO Pro Germany

For those that don't know, there is going to be an IFBB show in Germany this year (on April 16, to be exact)! This is a special contest, as this is the ONLY contest to be held in Germany and one of the few outside the U.S. This is also one of the few contests for competitors of women's fitness this year as well.

As of press time, there are only TWO competitors for women's fitness, and they are Minna Pajulahti and Regiane Da Silva. However, not on the list but hoping to compete in women's fitness are Camala Rodriguez and Stacy Wright.

IFBB Fitness competitors: if you want a chance to see a different country and compete to get a chance at competing in the Fitness Olympia at the same time, I highly encourage you to enter this contest. If you need money, send out emails to your fans, family, and friends. Post it on your websites and Facebook fan pages and profiles. A little can go a LONG way.

For more on the FIBO Pro, go to http://www.pro-championships.com/index.php.

Hope to see many of you make the journey to Germany in a few months!