Bikini Competitor Roundtable

Here is my newest roundtable. It features some incredible Bikini competitors in, Ali Dies, Heather Kilgore, Jessica True, Lizzy Ostro, Rebecca Staggs, Skye Taylor, Stephanie Mule, and IFBB Pro Vanessa Prebyl. THe first part is word association, and the second part is general questions. Each person is represented by their initals, AD (Ali), HK (Heather), JT (Jessica), LO (Lizzy), RS (Rebecca), ST (Skye), SM (stephanie), and VP (Vanessa)






Part 1: Word Association

1. Pro Card:
AD: Not neccessarily my goal
HK: One day
JT: Dianna Dahlgreen
LO: Achievement
RS: Would be SO awesome to earn
ST: Want it!!!!
SM: Hopefully, one day!
VP: Success

2. Motivation:
AD: Self motivated
HK: My family
JT: Music
LO: Internal
RS: Looking better than last time
ST: Find it!
SM: Training videos
VP: Health

3. Cardio:
AD: 5am
HK: Necessary evil
JT: Elliptical
LO: Mind clearing
RS: My least favorite thing ever, but it must be done
ST: Stepmill
SM: Elliptical or stepmill
VP Ipod music

4. Dedication:
AD: Gotta have it!
HK: Fierce
JT: Commitment
LO: Hard work
RS: Putting much of your social life and activites on hold in order to get it done
ST: Necessity
SM: Perserverance
VP: Always

5. Olympia:
AD: The big ones!!
HK: Sad I couldn't go- but currently stalking through all the pics to see what fun I missed :-)
JT: Jay Cutler
LO: Elite
RS: Never been, maybe one day!
ST: Fit Treasures booth!
SM: Champions
VP: GOAL

6. Off-Day:
AD: What is that??
HK: Sunday for now
JT: Rest
LO: Hard!
RS: YES! :-)
ST: Rest
SM: Rest or cardio
VP: Ummm... What off day?? haha

7. Judging:
AD: Political
HK: Makes me want to improve
JT: Critical
LO: Inconsistent
RS: All over the place, this is humans opinions anyway, how could it not?
ST: You just never know.....
SM: Subjective
VP: Myself

8. Cheat Meal:
AD: Chips and hot sauce
HK: Pasta
JT: Sushi!
LO: Lovely :-)
RS: LOADED nachos with extra sour cream
ST: Pop Tarts!
SM: Thai or Japanese hibachi
VP: Yummy :-)

9. Trainer:
HK: Kim Oddo
JT: Kim Oddo
LO: Some are overrated
RS: Hubby
ST: Carlous Pitts
SM: Tammy Patnode
VP: Kimbo

Part 2: General Questions

1. Why Bikini?
AD: Well, actually next year I will be going back to Figure. I thought Bikini would be my thing, but it's just not.
HK: Love that it allows me to be my personality on stage free-style.
JT: Training for Bikini is less stressful on the body and more suitable for my physique.
RS: I choose to compete in Bikini because it suits the look I prefer for my everyday life.
ST: It's more feminine. I love how the looks is a little more soft and sexy, but still muscular.
SM: The Bikini look is what my body most closely resembles right now. I don't have the muscle mass for Figure (despite training hard with heavy weights) and I've had success in this division, so I'm going to continue to work hard, ride the wave and see where it leads me.
VP: It rocks and it is soemthing I ahve to push myself at. I am actually a very quiet person, but I lvoe being able to "Turn-it-on" in front of a crowd :-)

2. On a scale from 1-10, if ten years ago women training as hard as men being accepted by society was a 0, what is it today?
AD: A 5 maybe> People still look at you like you are crazy, for the most part.
HK: I think that women are accepted more as athletes much easier today, but most people are still gnorant to what it is we do. So I will say an 8
JT: 7
LO: 6
RS: I'm not sure I can answer this fairly. Inside the industry and in competitor's mind, it's a 10, outside, I have no idea.
ST: A 7! I feel it is very accepted by society and also encouraged at this point!
SM: I suppose it depends whose interpretation of "training hard" you go by, but I'll give this a .....7. Moe accepted than it was, but still a work in progress and not quite "there" (though I'm not sure if it ever will be)
VP: I would say 7

3. What is the biggest misconception about Bikini competitors?
AD: That they don't have to train very hard.
HK: Thatw e get to eat whatever we want and just do cardio, weights are definitley a huge part of what we do!
JT: The biggest misconcpetions about Bikini competitors is that they don't train or diet hard.
LO: That they don't work hard. Some of them don't, but there are a few oof use that do.
RS: That we do not have to diet. Anyone who wants to drop body fat will have to diet. End of story.
ST: That they don't have to diet or train as hard....I disagree :-)
SM: I believe the biggest misconcpetion is that we don't diet and train hard. Of course anyone who knows us, knows that is far from the truth.
VP: That we just walk in off the bech or too sultry, but that is starting to cahnge.

4. How can we make it so the prize money is more even between men and women?
AD: I'm not sure on that one. Going to leave that one up to you Jason!!!
HK: Keep on bringing more attention to the female side of the sport.
JT: Honestly I don't even know the compensation for either sex.
LO: Good question. Prize money isn't very prevalent as is.
ST: I thinkg women are becoming more and more accepted as far as competing in men's sports. By encouraging more women to step on stage, play sports, etc. I think it is slowly becoming more equal...but with time, eventually it will become more so!
VP: Well prize money is ultimately determiend by the fans. The more magazines they by and shows they watch the more money will go to the women. It's all about economics and the demand in the market.

5. My greatest achievement in the sport so far is?
AD: Competing at Jr. Nationals. I always wanted to walk onto a National stage.
HK: Prividing a positive example to my teenagers about nutrition and working out!
JT: Winning the Overall at the Bluegrass Muscle Classic.
LO: 2nd place at my first show, but more-so learning more about myself and what I'm capable of.
RS: 4th place at Jr. Nationals, 2010
ST: Taking first place and Overall in my first Bikini competition, then being able to compete on a National level within my first year :-)
SM: Placing top 3 at my first two National shows.
VP: Achieving Pro status at the Jr. USA's

6. Train alone or with a partner, and why?
AD: Partner! I hate to train alone and I can't lift as heavy if I don't have someone to spot me!
HK: Usually alone, which I hate- but my schedule is so hectic, it's never the same time. WHen I do have the opportunity I would prefer company to keep me on my game!
JT: Alone. Gym time is my "me time". I let out my life frustrations :-)
LO: Alone for sure, unless it's a spotter. I like to zone into my workouts and give myself a beat down!
RS: Alone most of the time, with my husband occasionally. I like to train alone because I don't like when people try to hold conversations with me during training, and I don't like waiting too long between sets.
ST: Alone. I like to go in and focus on my weaknesses. Training with someone else takes longer and I don't focus as much.
SM: I don't mind either, but I enjoy training alone. It's my time to forget about my worries and focus on myself. With a loaded Mp3 player, lifting glvoes and my jug of water or ALRI's Chained Out. I'm always motivated and ready to hit it hard.
VP: Always alone; however, my husband will spot me from time to time.

7. What is the most ridiculous question or comment you have heard from someone the first time they saw your physique?
AD: "How much do you bench?" Ha! Really?
HK: That they think bodybuilders should be bigger....so why am I so skinny? Which leads me to attempt to explain what it is that the NPC Bikini division is all about.
JT: That my body in my Kentucky Muscle picutre looked like a Greek Goddess. Obviously that was a pick up line :-)
LO: :You're not going to get huge right?" It takes a lot of work and many times, extra help to become "huge". Women don't build muscle like me do and many people still don't understand that.
RS: I will never forget it: "You look like a man." I thought this was particularly ridculous becasue a) I am not overly muscular, I have somehwat narrow shoulders and a big butt, all of which are not masculine. b) I have a feminine face/jaw. c) I have super long, dark hair. What is manly about that??
ST: "You look too skinny."
SM: I had a colleague tell me that she wanted to stab me. That was a new one!
VP: "Wow, do you work out!"

8. My favorite part to train is__ but my least favorite is__?
AD: Favorite: LEGS!!! Least favorite: LEGS!!!!
HK: Favorite: Shoulders, Least favorite: Quads (always bothers my back)
JT: Favorite: Arms, Least favorite: Legs
LO: Favorite Legs, Least favorite: I appreciate every aspect of training. Abs can be a chore, but they are worked pretty efficiently throguh squats and other foundational movements. I still do them about once a week.
RS: Favorite: Legs, Least favorite: Back
ST: Favorite: Shoulders, Least favorite: Legs
S<: Favorite: Legs/Glutes, Least favorite: Shoulders
VP: Favorite: Butt, Least favorite: Butt. Yes it is one of THOSE reltionships haha

9. Who is the most underrated Bikini competitor right now?
AD: I don't really have an answer for that.
JT: This is a hard question. I think anyone new to the industry ahs the potential to be underrated.
LO: Kendra Warren!
RS: not sure that there is just one girl in particular. I see a lot of great girls that get overlooked from time to time at shows.
ST: Nathalia Melo
VP: Alea Suarez. That girl works her tail off.

10. On a scale of 1-10 how accepted are Bikini competitors by other competitors?
AD: Depends on who you ask! I would say about a 7.
HK: 9. Some are still unsure of this division but after the Olympia winners, surely they know we are all here to stay and only get better with time! Those girls were fabulous!
JT: 8
LO: Eh, depends on who you ask. Most Figure girls aren't really a fan, but I can understand why. I'm not particularly happy with the direction the sport is going.
RS: 5? Some are all for it, others aren't. You can't win 'em all!!
ST: 6
SM: I think Bikini is becoming more accepted as the division continues to flourish, so I'll give this a 7-8. I think the fact that some of the Pros from other divisions have crossed over into Bikini lends a bit more credibility to the class as well.
VP: Now I would say around 8. At the beggining of the year, around a 3.

11. The best thing about the sport is?
AD: Gives more variety to the sport of bodybuilding.
HK: THe friendships are incredible, which was unexpected. I never thought the girls would be so genuine and friendly, very supportive.
JT: Seeing your hard work has paid off, whether this means a certain placing or improving lagging body parts.
LO: Standing on stage and feeling proud of your work.
RS: For me, the best thing about this sport has been meeting like minded people and making lasting friendships.
ST: Stepping on stage and knowing how much you have accomplished!
SM: Meeting new friends who share love and passion for this crazy lifestyle!
VP: Living a healthy life and being able to influence others to live a more healthy life.

12. In the movie of my life __ would play me?
AD: Pamela Anderson Ha! :-)
JT: Cameron Diaz. I think she's got a sweet side as well as some toughness :-)
LO: Tom Green
RS: Selma Hyek or Eva Mendez. Selma because I am curvy and dark like her, Eva, because my husband says I remind him of her/act just like her when I roll my eyes :-)
ST: Jennifer Love Hewitt
VP: I would play me. Yep, there is no one like me. I am the one and only.

13. In five years I will be?
AD: 41 years old!!! Beyond that.... I'm not sure.
HK: IFBB BIKINI PRO HEATHER KILGORE
JT: Happy
LO: Doing the things I love every day. Training myself, others and working in the studio as an audio engineer :-)
RS: 35 and probably entering the Masters division if I am still competing. It's hard to keep up with these young chicky-poohs :-)
ST: A Pro :-)
SM: In life, I hope to be living happily ever after with the love of my life, Jonathan. in the sport of bodybuilding, I hope to have a more well-rounded physique with incresed body mass. Having a Pro card would be nice too :-)
VP: Still living a healthy life style with my husband and I owning a gym and starting a family.

14. If I could trade body parts with another competitor I would want the __ of __?
AD: I would take Monica Brant's whole body!!!!!
HK: Booty of Amanda Latona
JT: Butt of Tina Rigdon
LO: None. I appreciate my body for what it does.
RS: I would ABSOLUTELY want the glutes of Michelle Lamb, no questions asked.
ST: Abs of Amanda Latona
SM: Could I just trade my whole body? :-) I'd gladly exchange with Gina Aliottim Pauline Nordin, Monica Brant, Felicia Romero, Larissa Reis, Ava Cowan, Erin Stern, Angela Mraz, Meriza DeGusman....I'm sure I'm missing quite a few names. There's so many amazing women I look up to!
VP: I would want everything of Vanessa Prebyl (I really do LOVE my body)

15. My dream sponsor would be?
AD: Hmmmmmm......???
JT: Gaspari
LO: Don't have a dream sponsor
RS: My dream sponsor would be VPX, because I LOVE their N.O. Shotgun to get me going in the morning!
ST: Oh Yeah! I love their products.
VP: I would LOVE to be sponsored by Team Muscle Tech. They sponsor amazing athletes and I would be honored to be sponsored by them I would also LOVE to be sponsored my MRM because their Dutch chocolate protein powder ROCKS> I mix the protein with my peanut butter and a little bit of water and Oh-My-Gosh!! It is like brownie batter. Sooooo yummy.

16. Favorite Movie?
AD: Love Story
HK: The Hangover, because it always makes me laugh (Tigers love pepper!!! They hate cinnamon!) classic :-)
JT: I get bored easily so that changes all the time. I can't pick just one.
LO: Freddy Got Fingered
RS: Oh boy, I have a lot- ranging from action to chick flicks. However, my all-time favorite is 1995's While You Were Sleeping (Love Sandra Bullock). They just don't make quality cheese-ball movies like they did in the 90's :-)
ST: The Hot Chick
SM: 25th HOur, Alpha Dog, Blow, Fight Club, Lilo & Stitch, Monters Inc.... It's hard to pick just one, but these few are at the top of the list :-)
VP: Any movie that makes me laugh

17. Five songs that must be on my IPOD are?
AD: "Heart of the City" by MF'n Music, "Lovely One" by the Jacksons, "Let's Get Married" by Jagged Edge, "Rude Body" by Rihanna, and "Go hard" the The Rangers. I have a lot of favorites!
JT: "Break Stuff" bu Limp Bizkit, "Stronger" by Kanye West, "Going Through Changes" by Eminem, "Enter Sandman" by Metallica, and "Just Like a Pill" by Pink.
LO: You're really going to make me do this? I'm a music junkie, this isn't possible, but I'll do my best haha!. "Simple Man" by the Deftones, "Karma" by Sevendust, "Comfortable Numb" by Pink Floyd, "Bloodword" by 36 Crazyfists, and "Pitiful" by Blindside.
RS: I am not sure that I have a top five, so here are some I have o my Mp3 player now. As you can see I'm all over the map. "Lollipop" by Lil' Wayne, "Coming Undone" by Korn, "Play somethin' ountry" by Brooks and Dunn, "Piece of Me "by Britney Spears (ok, or anything by herr pretty much, I am not ashamed to admit I am a huge fan!), "Bad Medicine" by Bon Jovi.
ST: "Uncharted" by Sarah Bareilles, "Power" by Kanye West, "Outta Your Mind" by Lil' John, "Feel it in My Bones" by Tiesto, and "I Won't" by Colbie Caillat
SM: This changes frequently as I go through phases of palying songs out, but right now, five songs that have been getting me through my training have been, "Club Can't Handle Me" by Flo Rida featuring David Guetta, "Go Getta" by Nelly, "Take it Off" by Ke$ha, "Up All Night" by Drake and Nicki Minaj, and "Zombie (Ray Knox Remix)" by Andrew Spencer
VP: My current favorite songs are, "Show Me the Money" by Petey Pablo, "Hot Tottie" by Usher, "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz, "Dime" by Mike Jones, and "Winner" by Jamie Foxx

18. If there is ever a Bikini competitors Hall of Fame, the first inductee will be?
AD: Amanda Latona
HK: Sonia Gonzales- The first Olympia Champion.
JT: Ali Sonoma
LO: Hmm.... not sure
RS: I dont know. Kinda too early to tell that as of now, being that Bikini is so new.
ST: Whoever wins this first Olympia, this first year of having Bikini!!!
SM: Good question, but I think it might be too early to tell....
VP: Too early to tell

19. If I could spend one day training with someone it would be?
AD: Monica Brant
HK: Any of the Pro Bikini girls, they are all incredible.
JT: Shannon Dey, Team Bombshell seems to be taking over!
LO: Rocky or Arnold
RS: If I could spend one day training with someone, it would be Jaime Baird. She is such a sweet-heart and always positive in our converstaions. SHe has improved a lot in the past few shows too as far as her body is concerned, and I know she's worked very hard at it. I think she is beautiful inside and out, I would love to meet her in real life one day.
ST: Jamie Eason
VP: Kim Oddo. He is an amazing trainer, but I have never had the pleasure of actually having a training session with him.

20. Anything you want to plug or promote?
AD: www.muscleheadnutrition.com, www.amypeters.com, www.lordsofrage.com
HK: Would like to thank ISS Nutrition and Oh Yeah!!! Their products are amazing and I am so happy and honored to be working with them!
LO: Check out my website! www.fitlizzio.com
RS: Whether looking to loose weight, gain mass, compete, or just improve your overall strength or health: www.staggsfitness.com
ST: So grateful to be competing and the continual support from my family and friends. I am so thankful for all the opprtunities I have recieved within the last year and for my trainer Carlous Pitts for talking me into competing. Also I am super excited to be a part of the new Fit Treasures calendar launching at the Olmypia!
SM: Feel free to add me: www.facebook.com/StephanieWicked
VP: YES!!!! All the Angels and Kim Oddo at BodyByO.com, Promoting Real WOmen Blog, The NPC and IFBB for making the Bikini Division, and of course the Fitness indsutry fans :-)