Tracy George Storti Interview

This is my interview with the beautiful Tracy George Storti. Tracy is new to figure but made a great debut recently. I have had the honor of talking to her recently and she is a very kind and sweet woman. This is the kind of woman you want to support and watch where her career goes.


Q: First Tracy, thank you for doing this. I appreciate it
A: Hello Jason

Q: First, how about a little background. Where are you from, family, things like that
A: My name is Tracy George Storti. I am a 39 year old mother of three. John is almost 17, Brooke is 13, and Rylee is 4. I work in Sargent Elementary School as a teaching assistant, running a remedial math program for grades 1-5.

Q: How long have you been training and what inspired you to first get in the gym?
A: I have always trained, but not to this level. Growing u, I ave always been somewhat of a "tomboy", but yet like to dress up and be very feminine. I can get right in there with the best of them and get dirty, work hard, ride four wheelers, jet ski's, split wood, train, etc.

Q: Is training something your family and friends supported at the start, and how do they feel now?
A: My family and friends do support me in my endeavors with this sport. At first, they had a hard time understanding the bulking phase, the hours you have to put in the gym, the dieting, the discipline. Once they saw the finished product at the contest, they had a better understanding of the entire concept. My mother was very "freaked" out over the summer, when I was in my bulking phase, prior to dieting down. Now, here I am again in my bulking phase, she's still a little stressed about it, but has a much better understanding of it.

Q: Now you recently did your first contest. What lead you to decide to compete, and how did you do?
A: On October 24, 2009 I walked on stage for the very first time. I competed in three categories, Figure, Best Body, and Fit Body. I placed in all three categories, taking FIRST place in Fit Body ( winning my pro card), fourth in figure, and fourth in best body. I am still beside myself and all with placing in all three categories and more than that, winning a pro card in my first ever competition. Now I know that I have to work that much harder to step up my game to come back better than before.

Q: Was competing what you thought it was gonna be like?
A: Competing/training takes a lot of mental focus, discipline, learning, time, and experimenting. My determination and support from the gym I train in, New York Barbell, in Newburgh New York brought me a long way. From the moment I walked trough their doors, they aw something in me and pushed me in training and building my confidence. They helped me with my dieting and what I call my "counseling sessions". Training can become mentally stressful at times. You feel like you've accomplished so much one day and the next day you can look at yourself and be so messed up, because you look bloated. It becomes an emotional roller coaster and they helped in keeping me grounded and to stay focused, Having people pull at your body fat, looking at every part of your body, saying you have to work on this, and do that, is also very hard to hear all the time. Competing was one of the proudest moments of my life, except for giving birth to my children. It is something that I did, that I had to give my blood and sweat to and being surrounded by athletes such as you, and knowing the time and efforts they had to put in. It's a "brotherhood/sisterhood". You all have that same understanding of the discipline, the grueling hours at the gym, the intensity of the sport. It is an awesome experience to say the least.

Q: Do you have a body part you feel is your best or you get the most compliments on, and any body part you most enjoy training?
A: My best body part I feel is my abs. I love a great core. I feel if you have a great core, it shows strength and again, discipline. I do abs with almost every training session. I love training any part of my body. Legs is where I have the most difficult time and my legs need work. I have to learn to enjoy doing legs more, to get more out of my legs. That's also where your support comes in to, to push you to do them and being successful in reaching your goals.

Q: Being an attractive female, did you or do you still find it hard to be taken seriously at the gym, or is that not a problem for you?
A: Working out in NY Barbell is an experience in itself. It is one of the most "hardcore" gyms around. You walk through the doors of the building and you hear the music thumping ( the gym is located on the second floor of an old warehouse building. A carpet stores is below). As you approach the second floor, the music is getting louder. Once the door is opened, it is all about the workout. Weights are slamming, guys are grunting, yelling at one another to get that one last rep out. It is your good old fashioned gym. Where you will make the gains you need, be inspired by your fellow bodybuilders. I am one of the few women that train at this gym. I get right in there with all them and they all help me, spot me, and push me. I even bring my youngest four year old, Rylee to the gym with me. These guys help watch over her, play with her, and just look out for her. I love this place and the friendships I have made here. People sometimes look at bodybuilders as ignorant or self-absorbed. That's only because they don't understand.

Q: Do you have anyone in the sport you admire or are a fan of?
A: I admire anyone that puts in the time to reach their goals.

Q: I have told you that I find you to be a very inspirational woman. When someone says that to you, that you inspire them to train and be fit, how does that make you feel. Is that a source of pride.
A: I love when someone tells me that I have inspired them to go back to the gym and focus on themselves. It is very motivating even for me to work harder. When I competed, many of the girls were half my age. That is also an inspiration to many people. Coming in and being able to accomplish what I have in my first competition against women half my age.

Q: When someone see's your physique for the first time, what is the most common reaction? Is it more positive or negative?
A: People don't' know how to react to me sometimes. You can walk into a store and you feel as though everything stops, and you feel everyone looking at you. In the begging it was hard to deal with. Now, I know they are looking because it's something they are not used to seeing and probably wish they could do it themselves. It doesn't happen overnight... and that's is why many people give up. They think they are going to walk into a gym and pick up a few weights and within a couple of week's see an entire body transformation.

Q: What is one question or one thing people say that you are sick of hearing?
A: I hate when people say they don't want to bulk up..... let me tell you something, "good luck", it doesn't happen that way. I'm still looking to gain size. I wish it were that easy.

Q: What do you think it the best part of the sport?
A: The best part of the sport is the support and the friendships that you make along the way. The bond is like I said earlier, a "brotherhood/sisterhood". You watch out for your friends, you help them learn, encourage as you go along and you want to see them succeed.

Q: If someone came up to you and said they were going to start weight training, what is the one piece of advice you would want to give them?
A: My advice to someone beginning in the gym is to not give up. You will go through many struggles and not see the gains you want right away. That comes with time and determination. Bodybuilding makes you very strong mentally as well. It is a mind controlled sport. You must give hats off to anyone that trains.

Q: Describe a day in the life of Tracy George Storti.
A: My days are long. I get up at 4:30AM and do morning cardio, take a shower, make lunches, get kids up and ready, drive them to school/day care, then off to work I go. Get out of work, pick up kids, do their errands, eat, then off to the gym I go. Train, cardio, home and then rest. Days are long, but training is the highlight of my day. I can;t wait to get into the gym, be surrounded by the positive vibes and hit the weights, stronger than the day before.

Q: Now we know sponsorship in this sport is so important. I assume you are looking for that. Can you tell what you are looking for and why you would be a great person to sponsor?
A: I believe I would be a good person to sponsor because of my drive, determination, and eagerness to succeed. Being a mother of three being 39, and working a full-time job should speak louder than words too. Given the opportunity, I could do much better. With the support of a sponsorship, it would allow me to reach my full potential.

Q: Describe Tracy George Storti in five words.
A: Six words describe Tracy George Sorti. I have a new saying that I'm trying to live by: Dismiss: Determination, intensity, support, motivation, identity, salvation, and serenity..... you are now DISMISSED. I am going through a separation and these are the words I'm focused on to help me get through those daily struggles as well. Training is again, another big part of helping me through these difficult time in my life. I am a fighter and I will make it through. I feel sometimes as I've been lost through the years, and I'm slowly getting it back. I'm learning again who Tracy George is once again and I will be STRONG and I will not give up! That is another thing that training has taught me to do. NEVER FAIL....NEVER GIVE UP....PUSH OUT THAT ONE LAST REP. It's a game of life that I;m going to WIN.

Q: Tracy, I thank you for doing this. I have great respect for you and what you have accomplished in your first contest. You are a very inspiring woman. Any last words before you go.
A: Thank you for this opportunity