Lexi Berriman Interview

Photo Credits:
Photos 1-2: Juliecall.com
Photos 3-5: RX Muscle


Lexi Berriman is the kind of competitor I really like to support. As you will read, she is not getting on stage and training to compete with others, she does this to compete with herself. Not in it for fame, in it to show what she can do. But as far as that getting on stage thing goes, well, she does that quite well to, always improving from show to show and with her attitude, there is no reason to doubt that that will continue.

Q: Can you talk about how you got started in the gym?
A: I got started in the gym because I had too much free time on my hands. There was a two week free membership in the paper and I used my baby-sitting money. I used the two week trial that they had and then I bought a whole year with my baby-sitting money.

Q: What led you to competing?
A: It was an accident. My thirtieth birthday was coming up and I was at an MMA fight with my boss, cause I am a trainer at a gym, and made a joke and said "hey, you should train me for a competition" and he said "I only train winners" and I said "that's no pressure". About a month later I decided to and did a show and won.

Q: A lot of the girls I interview say that after that first show competing becomes addicting, was that the case with you?
A: It wasn't necessarily addicting for me. My goal was only to do the one show but after I won I qualified for Nationals and my boss talked me into a second show before that and I got second place in that show. It just put me on track to keep going.

Q: This year you did USA's and Jr. USA's. I am sure you would have liked to place better but I thought it was the best you have looked, how did you feel about those shows?
A: It was the best I ever looked. East coast girls are a little bigger and I have a little more conditioning to do, I know exactly what I need to work on. I did Jr. USA's and USA's here and at the last minute decided to do the Orange County Muscle Classic and everything went perfect, my food and everything and I think that is why I got overall there.

Q: At a show like USA's where you may not place where you want, are you more upset or does it just motivate you to work harder?
A: Oh gosh, I am never upset because I don't compete to win. From day one I already compete with myself. When I get off-stage I am like "o.k.", and I know what I need to work on. For me it is always a win as soon as I get on stage. I don't do backgrounds on the girls I compete against, I don't look to see what judges are looking for, I just look to see what I look like compared to last show.

Q: On stage, you have a great presence, always look happy and confident, is that an accurate statement?
A: Yes, most definitely. I go on already winning, I have no attitude towards anyone, I am proud to be up there with people who worked just as hard as I have.

Q: Do you know when you want to compete next?
A: Yeah, I have my whole schedule lined up. I am starting at Jr. USA's again, kind of as practice, I know I am not as muscular as girls on the east coast but I like to have a warm-up show and let the judges see me. That way if I do better in Chicago then we will see the difference and work I put in. So Jr. USA's, Chicago, Jr. Nationals I think, USA's here.

Q: Is there anywhere specific where you need to improve?
A: I need to build up my shoulders more. I need to improve my legs, my conditioning, that is where I hold all my body-fat. I got super lean for Orange County Muscle Classic, but I need my end of the season to be how I start this next season.

Q: For a lot of people the pro card is super important, but I get the impression that for you it is more a case of if it happens it happens, is that accurate?
A: Right! Getting a pro card doesn't pay your bills. I work hard sixty hours a week, sometimes seventy or eighty. Getting my pro card wont pay my bills. I'm not out to be famous or be a fitness model. Everything that comes along has happened and I am grateful for it. Dymatize asked me to be part of their demo team, they asked me, I never asked them, all the things I have done, people come and ask me. If anything happens, it is meant to be.

Q: When you are in the gym, do you get a lot of attention or stares from people?
A: I do a lot because the gym I am at isn't like a lot of gyms that are big fitness gyms for competitors. I am at 24 Hour Fitness. I am really picky about my clients I choose, I don't do it for the money I do it for the love of the people I train. Clients and members see me working out hard, it is not normal for my gym. They are like "holy cow, why are you working so hard, dieting so hard?", and I tell them I have a show coming up and they say "why do you do it?" I tell them "I do it because I love to eat so for me it is a challenge for myself fine-tune myself." I get a lot of people talking to me about it. My gym is becoming a competitor gym because they see me do it and they want to try it.

Q: When people are starring is it hard to block out?
A: No because these people become my family. When I see other people I say "wow, that person is strong" or "she has shoulders, I want shoulders like her", it is motivation. I don't get weirded out.

Q: If you could spend one day training with any person you have never trained with, who is it?
A: Erin Stern. She is my girl. She has the same body-style I as me. She is an athlete, a Dymatize girl, I could look like her if I did everything right in my time training. She is a good person.

Q: Anyone you want to thank?
A: My coach Tracey Greenwood and all my friends who have supported me.