Jessica Scofield Column

The struggle that comes with being an American woman consumed in a society that's suffocated with image is exhausting. We are bombarded with Barbies, boobies, and the size of our belly's since we came screaming out of our mothers. Even then we wanted out from this pressure and stigma that's been branded to our bodies.



Fast forward fifteen, twenty, thirty years later from your birth. Things didn't change. Except now we're women who've decided to burn our Barbies and pick up dumbbells. The modern woman is no longer the 1970s "Wonder Woman" who does it all with an apron on and a smile on her face, waiting home for her "husband." She is some "super- hydrated" She Hulk who has decided to give birth to the concept of "more weight on the bar" rather than babies...and Barbies.



But for those women who couldn't burn their Barbies, they became fitness and bikini models. Those who wanted to say "fuck it" but inside really did care, they became bodybuilders aka, bigger Barbies. And then theres that tortured subgroup I live in â the one that has literally burned her Barbies. The girls who and decided to take that innate anger out on the weights - the powerlifter. Once and still considered "the ugly step sister" in the fitness arena, this power-princess is coming alive. Shes hot, feminine, and is like one of the guys or can at least throw up the same amount of weights as them, but where does she belong? This is where the power-fueled woman's struggle starts - wanting it all, having it, but not seeing any of it and still wanting more.



Can someone tell me, who has made the modern woman's manual about how to play both the part of beauty and the beast? I am Jessica Power-Princess Scofield and I'm writing it.

Andrea King Interview

Andrea King has a short competition history, but with each competition she has looked better and better and at this year's Arnold's she looked her best yet. She has an obvious passion for training and the sport and I expect big things in her future.



Q: First Andrea thanks for taking the time to do this.

Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself.
A: I was born in Costa Rica,but was brought to the states as a baby along with my twin sister. So Tampa is home to me! I have never been back ,but I think its time to change that this year.

Q: Before the gym, were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports?
A: Before I started competing I was an avid long distant runner. As a little girl I was always a tom-boy. From fishing to playing football I was just an all over athlete, I loved to be outside and loved to get dirty, and nothing has changed to this very day.

Q: What Initially led you into the gym?
A: Well being a runner I was very lean, but I wanted a more muscular look. So I decided to challenge myself, and do a show.


Q: Was training something you picked up fairly easy?
A: Hahahah No it was a huge challenge!!!!!! I had bad luck finding a good trainer who not only would walk me through the steps, but help me understand my diet. I was so disheartened I was training so hard and wasn't getting the results.Then I met my amazing trainer Ryan Watson who put together a specific meal plan just for me and my training schedule. As soon as we got started I quickly started seeing results.

Q: What made you decide to compete?
A: I just wanted to challenge myself, and push my body to the next level .

Q: Was competing something your family and friends supported?
A: My dad use to be a power-lifter so he tells me how proud of me he is because he knows how hard the training, and diet can be. My friends are amazing ,and are so supportive and proud of my accomplishments. Which makes me feel so good.

Q: Was competing what you expected?
A: It isn't anything I expected at all. I never realized the sacrifice and discipline that goes into it. But the rewards are amazing!

Q: Can you share your contest history.
A:
*Tampa Bay Classic
*Hurricane Bay
*All-South
*Arnold

Q: What do you think is your best body part?
A: My quads and my abs

Q: Do you have a favorite part to train?
A: I love leg day !!!!!!

Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like?
A: I normally wake up at 4:30 am to get to the gym for cardio. I never eat before I do cardio, after cardio I eat, and go home to rest before work. I go back and train at night so I can get in a few carb meals in before I workout. I keep about 4 carb meals in my diet a day because I am very active ,and normally do not lower my carbs until 2 weeks out from a show. I try to eat as lean as I can the week before a show. So like fish or eggs with asparagus basically for all my meals.


Q: When people see your physique for the first time, whats the most common reaction?
A: Haha that's a funny one! People normally ask for diet tips and ask how to get abs lol. I get asked what I do or if I'm an athlete alot too. Its always a positive vibe!

Q: When they see it that first time whats the one question or comment you are most sick of hearing?
A: I never get sick of people asking me things, and I try to help them with the knowledge I have obtained if I can. Cause I remember being that person asking what, why, when and how. My trainer always tells me if you don't ask then you wont know, and its better to ask so you can educate yourself along the way right! Its a compliment to have people ask me things it means they look at me and notice how hard I have worked .

Q: Whats the biggest misconception bout women who train and compete?
A: People always ask me if I'm a bodybuilder hahah. I always come back with the answer do I look like a bodybuilder and just laugh...That and when people tell me I'm skinny ...I am not skinny (I'm lean)

Q: What is the best and worst part of training for you?
A: I love being at the gym I have to force myself not to over train. Worst part is Diet. I have good days and bad days.

Q: Any competitors you admire or are a fan of?
A: I do. I admire my trainer hes amazing ,and so full of knowledge. I could ask him anything, and he would have the answer for me. That shows me he loves his job and takes it seriously .
As a fellow competitor I admire Angelika Posinos Shes an amazing athlete ,and person who stands firm in her beliefs ...I first met Angelike when My trainer introduced us she was my posing coach. We quickly became friends,and now she is my cardio partner. She has supported me through thick and thin and you truly know who your true friends are when you turn around and they are always there.

Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: Tough one...Can I have two???haha Pizza and cake( carrot cake, and cheese cake !!!)

Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, whats the one piece of advice you would most want to give her?
A: I would commend her on it, but also just tell her not to rush and take time and let her body have time to respond.

Q: DO you think its becoming more common to see women using the weights instead of just cardio?
A: I do! I think alot of women are afraid to just dive in, and seem to think its a mans sport.

Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: I love to do anything outside..! I love to run track, surf, rock climb, play any sport or even go to any and all sporting events.

Q: Any set plans for the near future?
A: I just started my prep for a track meat and the Europa this year,and I'm thinking of doing the tough mudder course in December.

Q: Describe Andrea King in five words.
A: Funny, Honest, Chill, Easy going, Laid back

Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Andrea King.
A: I never stop from the second I wake up until the second I lay down. Between training, meal prep, work I'm super busy, but I like it! Keeps me on my toes


Q: Whats one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: I lost over 40lbs

Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so what are they getting in Andrea King?
A: I would love a sponsor!!! One because it would just push me to work harder and be better knowing someone was depending on me to be at my best and I think it would be awesome to help keep me motivated .I would never let my sponsor down I would do my very best to make them proud.

Q: Andrea, thanks again for doing this.

Tiffany Oertel Interview

I met Tiffany Oertel through my trainer Danny-J. For being fairly new to the industry she has come pretty far pretty fast. Only competed once to date, but looked amazing, and keeps working and will continue to look more amazing. She has done a few photo shoots and look more incredible with each one. At the rate she is going, Tiffany is going to be a name for a long time in the industry.






Q: First, Tiffany, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this.
A: Thanks Jason. I'm such a huge fan of so many of the women that you've interviews. I was honored to have the opportunity.

Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself.
A: I am a NPC Bikini competitor and aspiring fitness model and personal trainer. My husband of 4 years, Nate and I live in Anaheim, California, and we both were born and raised here in Southern California. I have a full-time job as a travel agent specializing in all-inclusive tours of Europe and Australia. I started competing in 2010 and my first show was the Orange County Classic here in Anaheim.

Q: Before the gym, were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports or anything?
A: I really wouldn't have considered myself athletic. I was a cheerleader in high school for a few years but I was always just "skinny fat". I'd go to the gym with my sisters or friends and do cardio, but that was pretty much the extent of it.

Q: What initially led you into the gym?
A: The first time I got serious with the gym was with Nate. He had always worked out with the various sports he played in high school and college, and after we got married we found a new gym near our apartment. I knew I didn't want to be one of those girls who gets married and then blows up and with a full-time job and new responsibilities, I knew I needed to make some changes. He taught me about using weights and how to use the different machines to target muscle groups.


Q: Was training something you picked up fairly easy?
A: I did seem to pick things up very quickly. I think because of my lack of experience, and my age, my body responded very quickly to the training. I have my trouble areas like everyone, but for the most part, I've been able to gain strength and put on muscle pretty easily.

Q: What made you decide to compete for the first time?
A: The first time I competed was a bit of a trial by fire. When Nate started working with different supplement companies and attending events like the Arnold and Olympia, he'd come back with tons of pictures of the expos and shots with him and some of the models/competitors. I was a little jealous and wanting to be more involved in his career was a good start to me working out harder. I attended one of my first Pro shows and got to see how hard a lot of the girls were working. A few weeks later, Nate asked me if I was interested in competing. I was curious but hadn't made up my mind. He offered to pay for a 12 week contest prep for me with Kim Oddo if it was something I was serious about doing.
I thought about it for less than a day, and told Nate I wanted to do it. Instead of him calling and setting things up like he usually does, he handed me the phone and the credit card. Looking back, he was tempting me to explore something new without pushing me into it. My first competition was a huge step for me as a woman and as an individual. Afterwords I felt like I could do anything.

Q: Is competing something your family and friends supported?
A: At the very beginning of my comp prep I had the support of my family and Nate's family. Shortly past the first couple weeks of prep, I didn't have any support of my family. My mother seemed to think I was going to strut my stuff on the counter of some bar in front of a bunch of perv's. She couldn't get past the label o a "Bikini Contest". My in-laws remained supportive as they were actually all working hard to lose some of their unwanted weight and live healthier. When the competition day came, my family was there to support me and they were able to see how much work really goes into competing on stage. Perceptions haven't totally been changed but it's a great start.
Nate on the other hand has been 100% behind me since even before day 1. He backed me physically, emotionally, spiritually and in every other way possible. Every step from putting me in contact with Kim to picking out my comp suit and shoes, to helping me find someone to do my makeup. I couldn't ask for anyone better in my corner.


Q: Was competing what you expected or did anything surprise you about it?
A: I was completely surprised about the camaraderie between the girls competing. It was so comforting to see that most girls were as nervous as I was. We were able to support and learn from each other backstage and it was a great experience.

Q: Can you share your contest history.
A: To date, I've only competed in the O.C. Classic. After the show I started working on putting more muscle on so that I could be more balanced on stage and this year I've turned a lot of my focus to modeling and attaining my personal training certification. I'd like to get back on stage the end of this year or the beginning of next year at the latest.

Q: As far as body parts, what do you feel is your best one?
A: I've been told by more than a few that my butt is the money maker. No matter how lean I've gotten, I keep a nice round bootay!

Q: Do you have a part you most like to train?
A: I love to train my legs because the amount of weight I'm moving is always motivating. It's also a muscle group that I really spend a lot of time on and really exhaust myself.

Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like?
A: Even when not dieting for an event, I typically eat very clean year round. I train with weights 5 days a week and do cardio 5 days a week. For weight training I separate my muscle groups into legs, back, shoulders, arms and a special day just for my butt. I switch up my cardio often because I get bored of the same machines.


Q: When someone sees your physique or hears you compete for the first time, what is the most common reaction? More positive or negative?
A: Most people are confused when they hear what I do. I'm approached by people at work who ask if I'm a bodybuilder. Friends of my family think it's like a Hooters Bikini contest when they first hear. It's sad that more people aren't aware of organizations like the WBFF or NPC/IFBB.

Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question or comment you are most sick of hearing?
A: I hate hearing people ask me what I'm eating. It's not the question that bothers me, but once they hear it's chicken and sweet potatoes, so many people instantly assume they can't do it. I hate being asked a question when I know all the person wants to hear is the easy answer. I also go nuts about the "what's your secret" question. There is no secret and I think most girls that compete would agree, we eat a lot, we eat clean and we train hard.

Q: What is the biggest misconception about women who train and compete or the one thing you wish people understood?
A: People seem to think that the Bikini competitions are about showing the most skin or having the biggest boobs. I love taking them through a gym session and helping them understand what a hard workout is like.


Q: What is the best and worst part of training for you?
A: The training itself it the best part. I love everything that weight training brings to my life. The hard part is the time management of it all. Work with family responsibilities and travel really cut into my normal training routine.

Q: Do you have any favorite competitors or any you admire?
A: Erin Stern and Amanda Latona were both huge influences to me when I first decided to compete and have remained good friends ever since. Since that first show, a few of my biggest influences have been Jamie Eason, Danny J Johnson, Krissy Chin and Laura Michelle Prestin.

Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: I love pizza and cheeseburgers. Pizza is only a couple times a year for me now, but a double double from In-N-Out is a pretty standard meal for me every few weeks.

Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, what it the one piece of advice you would most want to give her?
A: The biggest advice I could give anyone is to pace yourself and stay consistent. It's easy to start strong and spend hours in the gym, but then you burn out and the roller coaster begins. Start a little at a time and stay consistent.

Q: Do you think it is becoming more common to see women working in the gym with the weights and not just doing cardio and things.
A: I think it is becoming more common. Women are realizing that to get the physique they are looking for, they need to lift weights and I think it's a great thing.

Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: I love to travel and try out new things with Nate. We also love to try new restaurants and just explore the cities that we visit.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Tiffany Oertel.
A: A typical day starts for me around 4:30am. I have my first meal, get dressed and head to work. My shift starts at 5:15 and I'm there till 1:30pm. It's great to get off so early but the early mornings take a toll on my body. By the time I'm home from work, I've usually finished my first 4 meals of the day. I head to the gym for my first round of cardio or sometimes even my weight work, then back home to make meals for the next day and get the normal house stuff taken care of. Nate gets home between 5-6 and I head back to the gym with him. Some days I'll train with him so he has a spotter, and some days we'll both do our own thing. Afterwords we usually just head home, clean up and throw a blue-ray disk in the player or start playing on facebook/bodyspace. It's a pretty standard routine without anything too exciting.

Q: Describe Tiffany Oertel in five words.
A: Motivated, Persistent, Reserved, Spontaneous and Easygoing.

Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: Most people are surprised to hear that I'm only 24 and that I got married when I was 20 years old.

Q: Any set plans for the near future as far as competing or anything else?
A: Right now I'm prepping for my first studio shoot on March 19th. After that I'm making travel plans for the Boise Fitness Expo, Dallas Europa show and the Olympia. I'm working on networking and booking shoots in each of the cities that I'm traveling through.

Q: Anything you want to take this opportunity to plug or promote?
A: I'd really like to promote the two trainers that I've used so far, Kim Oddo of Body Bo O and Danny J Johnson of No Excuses Personal Training. Also keep an eye out for my website, www.elevatedfitnessonline.com which should be up and running around July.

Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so, how can they reach you?
A: I am looking for opportunities to work more in the fitness industry. Interested parties can reach me through my Facebook or Bodypace pages or by email at tiffany.oertel@gmail.com


Q: Tiffany, again, I thank you for taking the time to do this. Any last words before you go?
A: Just thank you again for the opportunity. I think the blog you run and the facebook page are a great thing for all women competitors and a great place for us to support one another.

Diane's Diary by Diane Mueller

Welcome to the first installment of Diane's Diary. I am honored to have been given the opportunity to write this column to be able to share my thoughts and insights into the world of fitness and bodybuilding. During the past five years as a competitive bodybuilder, I have learned a great deal about the intricacies of the sport, as well as myself. Throughout time, I would love to share some of these lessons I have learned with you.

I am a lifetime "natural" athlete, meaning I have never taken any substances listed on the natural athletics list of banned substances. My opinion is very firm with regards to this. Any athlete who enhances their strength and muscle gained by any unnatural source is cheating the system, and that is something I cannot support. In my opinion, the sport of bodybuilding is the most beautiful sport in the world. It deeply disappoints me that the wonderful gifts bodybuilding has to offer, has been sullied by a bad reputation for steroid, testosterone, HGH and any other substance abuse you can imagine. The positives of the sport far outweigh the negatives, but unfortunately it is impossible to study one portion of the sport without studying ALL portions of the sport.

This is the point where I digress on my discussion about the negative aspects of bodybuilding: as you have probably noticed by now, I love the sport, flaws and all. What is it, you may be thinking, that makes this woman think that bodybuilding is so beautiful? To me, bodybuilding is like an unopened gift, the anticipation can be intense. For the better part of a year you lift the heaviest weights possible, trying desperately to add more muscle mass and to bring up any lagging body parts. While you're doing this, you're eating a wide gamut of healthful, nutritious foods to fuel those strong workouts and to accelerate the muscle repair and growth process. Finally contest prep season comes along and the diet gets streamlined allowing those full, thick muscles to begin to show through, after having been covered up by an unsightly layer of body fat for the past few months. Even though body fat is unsightly, now that it's time to get shredded and lean, it is important to remember that it served you so well as a fuel source in the off season. Week by week, the excess body fat slowly begins to melt away, allowing your beautifully developed muscle mass to become more visible. Finally the day of your competition arrives and it's time for you to grace the stage, showing off a years worth of hard work, and hoping your effort is rewarded with a high placing by the judges. The irony is every athlete up on that stage has been through the same process that you have and is hoping for the same result. Many factors determine how well you present your overall package on the day of the show. The week of the show you must follow a precise, strict diet to ensure your peak properly on the day of your show. Peak week includes carb manipulation, water intake and depletion, in addition to perfecting your overall conditioning. If any of these factors are skipped or miscalculated, you run the risk of coming into your show either flat or bloated, missing your peak. Your overall presentation is also affected by how much time you've spent perfecting your posing and working on your routine. on the day of your show, you should have practiced for this day so many times that is is almost second nature to you. You want to feel so confident and comfortable on stage, as if you've gone through the motions a million times already, and this is just one more day. Make sure you leave nothing up to chance when it comes to the day of your competition. If there is a close decision between you and another competitor, you want to make sure that the final nod goes in your direction.

Living the life of a bodybuilder is a full-time commitment and not for he meek of heart. The training and preparations can be grueling and knock you to your knees, but the athletes who have stayed the course and made it through the process will have learned a valuable lesson bout inner strength, and will become a stronger, more confident person for the effort. For that person knows, no matter how many times a self destructive inner voice tells them to cheat, to take a day off, or that it's too hard and they may as well quit; that person knows they have the determination to rise above any craving or challenge that comes their way, and to persevere. The ability to persist when everyone else would give in and quit is the mark of a true champion.

Until next month, train heave and hard!! Train NATURAL!!

Diane

Beth Polisson Blog

This blog is a shout out to all competitors who lose that loving feeling for competing and decide to take a break. It's also a shout out to those competitors who choose to not listen to their bodies, hearts, and minds, and "persevere" when perhaps they should really take a break. It's amazing what a little time and perspective can give you.

I'll admit, I'm new to blogging. I've never blogged a day in my life, but I've always found it to be an interesting commentary on human interaction. You have someone (ie, the blogger) sitting behind a computer, typing furiously about their thoughts and feelings to an unknown reader. Said blogger can say WHATEVER they want without fear of ridicule. It's much like sitting on the shrink's couch, in a way. So here I go - feel free to analyze as you wish :)

I began my physique journey back in June of 2009. I remember the day very well. I had spent the week prior in San Francisco, eating my way through the city, enjoying every bite. French toast, martinis, as much seafood as I could fit in my face, more martinis, pizza, pasta, Ghiradelli sundaes, medium-rare steaks - you name it, I ate it or drank it. It was a wonderful trip with friends, but by the time it was over, I was READY. I've always dreamed of having a 6-pack: those ellusive lines that make us look that much sexier when we're naked. I've also always dreamed of having nice shoulder caps, with some bicep veins thrown in for good measure. When I see a delt taper, I get excited, and I also have a thing for vascularity. BP loves muscles.

To give you a bit of background on my quest for physique perfection, I've been an athlete my entire life: I played soccer, basketball, softball, and ran track in high school, and I played soccer and softball in college. Hard work, endurance, dedication, and perseverance are characteristics that are in my blood. I will always identify myself as an athlete first and foremost, and I continued to work out like an athlete after I graduated. But I got a little lax on my diet and started running half marathons as an outlet for my competitive nature, and before I knew it, I was a doughy 133lbs - a result of too much cardio, not enough weights, and a diet that compensated for my daily calorie burn (ie "I can have these pancakes - I ran 9 miles this morning!). Completely normal weight for me, but I was frustrated with my physique. Sure, I looked good in a bikini, but I had no definition to speak of, and it really bothered me. What to do, what to do.............so I hired a personal trainer.

Enter my now good friend, Leigh Ann Yeager. Leigh Ann, or LA as I call her, is a national level fitness competitor, and a total badass. I call her the "Pitbull in pigtails," and she totally lives up to this name. That girl whooped my ass 3 ways to Sunday, and I lost about 10lbs in 2 months, gained tons of definition, and was finally looking like I wanted to. After seeing such fast, drastic results, we discussed the possibility of me competing. How hard can it be, right? Ha!!

Over the next 8 months, LA beefed me up, ripped me up, and got me stage-ready. I got up to about 140 before my show taper started, but I was LEAN as hell - about 13%bf before my 8 week prep. My 8 weeks of prep included lots of carbs and calories, hardly ANY cardio (I didn't do any until about 3 weeks out, and when it did finally start, it was all interval work - 20-25 minutes and DONE. No 2-a-days - ever), and tons of metabolic circuits that drove me to the point of puking a few times. Back to my athletic background: in case you can't tell, these types of workouts are the SHIT in my book. I barely cut carbs, didn't have a "dry out" week, per se, and was drinking a full gallon of water on show day (most people cut it out completely, or drink less than a liter). I never took fat-burners or any supplements either. Yes, I'm quite vocal about being a truly all-natural athlete, because supplements are totally abused in this industry, and some people consider them "vital." What a load of bull. You know what they give you? Expensive urine. I am proud to show that a stage-worthy physique can be accomplished by eating right, exercising HARD, and relying on your body to do the work for you. Stop the maddness with these pills that promise "Massive increase in muscle size!" "Extreme vascularity!" "Unbelievable fat loss!" Shut up, already.

Moving on.....................moral of the story is, I was tight as HELL for my first show and ended up taking first in my figure class. And my prep was a CAKE WALK. I kid you not. I remember saying to myself, "Why do people complain so much about the cardio and about not eating? That was easy!!" Sure, I did some cardio, and sure, I was hungry, but I never felt weak or dizzy - energy was never a problem. So, seeing as it was such a breeze for me (I will admit, part of it IS my genetics), I decided that I wanted to compete again, but nationally. As her first figure client, LA told me that she'd feel more comfortable if I trained with someone with more experience, so I followed her advice and sought out a new trainer. Perhaps this was my downfall. Perhaps I got too big for my britches and too ambitious in that first year. Looking back, I think I should've stopped while I was ahead, and entered a loooooooooooooooooong off season with Leigh Ann. Had I done that, I would've avoided the worst, toughest prep that I could have imagined, the result of which was a lack of motivation and an eventual decision to stop competing for a while. But this is not a tale of doom and gloom - it's a tale of a girl who decided to actually LISTEN to her body and who, as a result, is extremely happy!

But...............more on that in Part 2!

xoxo,
Beth

Ronda Gale: Dungeon Queen

My first real knowledge of Ronda Gale was watching her NAAFS fight with Marcia May. I knew of her before then, but before that fight, she was just another fighter to me. I began to take notice of her after hearing NAAFS matchmaker Nichole Long speak so highly of her. Nichole talked about her being willing to start so late in the sport, of her being a mom, working and training. Nichole used many ways of describing Ronda. My respect for Nichole made me more interested in finding out more about Ronda. So I went to the May fight interested to see Ronda fight.

That fight left me impressed for a variety of reasons. Leading up to the fight May talked trash, but Ronda was her normal humble self. Willing and content to do her talking in the cage. Early in the fight May appeared to have a tight choke, but it was tight only to the untrained eye. While May continued to try and get the and get the submission, sitting cage side, I could see Ronda was in no trouble at all and willing to allow her to keep trying and tire her arms out. As the fight dragged on, it became a stand up battle, which Ronda began winning by a wider and wider margin with each passing minute. As the fight ended, May was exhausted and Ronda kept throwing. Ronda won a decision. After the fight she thanked local stand out fighter Jessica Eye. I was unaware Jessica had helped Ronda for this fight. You can't help but to improve working with Jessica, and Ronda had improved. According to Jessica, "Ronda's biggest improvement is her confidence." She says Ronda is not just someone to train with, but also a friend who she "only wants to reach her goals." Jessica also remarked about Ronda's strength saying "Never met a girl at her size with that strength."


So it was decided. I wanted my next story to be on Ronda. So I set about making it happen. After some brief phone conversations we set up a date to meet at her gym, the Dungeon.

When I got there I had a brief conversation with Ronda, and then watched her train, led by Robert Greathouse and her husband Dan. I was very impressed with the entire gym. Not just Ronda, but everyone. It really came across as a family. Not a case of supporting and encouraging because it was the right thing to do, but because they wanted to. Ronda stood in there with the guys, and they treated her as one. Ronda refers to them as "a great bunch of guys" and she likes being treated as one of the guys and she "wouldn't want it any other way." Rob Greathouse says they are always talking about 'Ronda's testicles, which let's you know how they view her." Does Rob have to enforce that thought process? No! "I just instill the ideas..... they act those ideas out."

So what about that first day at the Dungeon? What was the training like? Intense! They worked hard, but also kept it lighthearted when it was needed. They paired off in the cage and worked a lot of takedowns and takedown defense. Also some cardio work was done. Constant encouragement from all. Rob and Dan giving instruction and encouragement, which was followed by the whole team. Ronda more than held her own, really impressing me with her takedown defense. Also, while being so much smaller than the guys, getting takedowns wasn't easy, but in a metaphor for her life, she kept working for it until achieving success. After the training I had the time to talk to Rob for a minute and was impressed. After that, I had a conversation with Ronda and Dan. Didn't take long for me to see why they are so liked by people in the local fight scene. We agreed I would come back another day.


While waiting to see when I would return, there became a problem finding Ronda an opponent for her next NAAFS fight. There are two reasons why it is tough to find opponents for her. First reason is her move to a lower weight class which has fewer fighters. But the biggest reason, to quote Nichole Long, "watch film on Ronda. Her record doesn't do justice to what she has become." How has she become so much better? "I attribute that to her switch in teams" says Nichole.

Ronda has been a fighter way before she got in a cage. But no matter how much of a fighter one is, they may not realize how good they are. She got started in the sport because of her husband Dan. Always at the gym watching the guys train she "fell in love with the sport." But that doesn't necessarily mean confidence either. As Jessica Eye said, her biggest improvement is her confidence. You can attribute that to the work ethic and her drive which Rob mentioned when saying "even if weight cut has her crawling with fatigue, she would go another round", or to her trainers at the Dungeon. While Rob calls Ronda her own biggest critic, the people at the Dungeon are her biggest supporters. And having her husband as a big part of her training helps. Dan is knowledgeable and pushes her at the gym and home. He may criticize, but in the end, she knows its for her improvement.

So, my next day at the Dungeon arrives. Still no opponent for Ronda. But Ronda and her trainers don't allow that to get in the way of training for a fight. This day they are doing different drills. Ronda, like the rest of the team works till exhaustion, and you can tell they enjoy every minute of it..... or as much of it as they can. As I sat there taking notes, a girl I do not know asked who I was. I informed her I was doing this story on Ronda. Her response was simply, "She is amazing." I left there hoping they could find Ronda an opponent.


As it got closer the the event, still no opponent. But I also knew that if anyone could get one, it would be Nichole. And I knew Nichole was trying hard. Would she try this hard for anyone? Possibly, but for Ronda you could tell she tried extra hard, because as she says, "I admire Ronda."

Day three at the Dungeon. Fight is getting close and still no opponent. But Ronda is training as if there is one. Working her ass off, wearing her sauna suit to help drop weight. I told her if anyone can get the opponent it's Nichole. You could tell she wanted to believe that, and somewhat did, but there was also the expected doubt since it was so close. Training on this night was heavily focused on boxing. Half were in the cage and half were in the ring. Ronda was with the group in the ring. As I watched, I did notice a couple things. First, I noticed her foot work seemed to be really improving. She looked more fluid, more natural. Secondly, she made me think back to when I was real young. A wrestler named Ole Anderson tried to always say he would take five hits just to hit you once, because his one would hurt more than your five. That was Ronda. She was persistent, took some shots, but willing to in order to get in there and deliver hers. During all this, the encouragement from others was amazing. people yelling from the cage to encourage someone in the ring and vice versa. That all goes back to what I said earlier, you could tell these people encouraged their teammates, not because they are supposed to, but because they want to.

Days before the show, I found out they had found an opponent for Ronda. A fighter named Holly Powell. A skilled opponent who would really test Ronda. So I was very excited about that. Fight or no fight, this story was being done, but obviously, a fight would make it better.

I arrived early as always on the day of the fight. One of the first people I saw was Ronda's husband Dan. He was in the middle of something but did acknowledge me. I also saw Rob and he shook my hand and said hi. Then Is aw Ronda. I had a conversation with her. You could tell just by the look on her face that she was happy to have a fight. She said she knew Powell would want to take it to the ground so she was going to keep it standing. This takes you back to Jessica Eye's claim that Ronda's biggest improvement is her confidence.

Self confidence is easy for some and hard for others. As someone who himself has long had confidence issues, I can tell you that sometimes what is need for you to have confidence in yourself, is for others to express confidence in you. Ronda has that now. Whether it be people who contributed to this story in Jessica Eye, Nichole Long, her coach Rob Greathouse, or her husband Dan, her team, and others in the local MMA community. Watching Ronda train, talking to her, and even watching her walk to the cage, you see confidence. You see someone who expects to win.

Time for Ronda's fight. My plan in covering the event was to be "professional" and not root. But as Ronda got in the cage I threw that out the window. How can you not root for her? So as loud as I could I yelled out "you got this Ronda."

Now to describe the fight, I could give you a round by round, blow by blow account, but it would get repetitive. Why? Each round was the same. Most of the round was standing with Ronda clearly getting the better of it. When Powell was able to get it to the ground, Ronda held her own, and in fact, in most instances, got the better of it. Now, don't get me wrong. Powell showed a ton of heart and put up a great fight while showing a ton of skill. Which tells you how impressive Ronda was in winning a split decision in the fight of the night. Not sure how it was a split decision as I had her winning all three rounds, but she at least got the well deserved decision.


The story of Ronda Gale is the story of a woman who has persevered, overcame and toppled all obstacles put in front of her. It is also the story of a wife, mother, worker, fighter and warrior. When asked to describe Ronda, the words people used were, honest, inspiring, dedicated, happy, driven, determined and confident. I am in a position where I often get told by someone how they secretly don't like another person or hear a lot of stories I am asked not to repeat in which a person is spoken of unfavorably. Ronda is one of the few that I never hear a bad thing about. My hope is young fighters coming up will learn from Ronda. Learn how to be professional, respectful, hard working and dedicated. The fringe fan may know the names Carano, Cyborg, Tate or LaRosa. But I implore that fringe fan to realize there is MMA that isn't broadcast on Pay-Per-View or movie channels. MMA organizations that are the heart and soul of the sport. Organizations where you will see fighters who are honest, inspiring, dedicated, happy, driven, determined and confident. But usually a fighter is one, two or occasionally three of those things. If a fighter was all those descriptive terms, then you could probably give that fighter another descriptive term. That term would be, special. In fact, there is no one word more fitting of Ronda Gale than the word SPECIAL

Mary Stanton Interview

Mary Stanton originally went to the gym so she could spend time with her husband. She has turned quality time into a love for the gym. Lifting for just two and a half years, she has built an impressive physique in that time which I think is highlighted by her back. She says she is a great example of a woman over 40 "doing it", but really she is an example of a woman of any age doing it.





Q: First, Mary, I want to thank you for taking the time to do this.

Q: Can you start out by telling a little about yourself.
A: I am a California Native; moved to Washington state in 1994. I have three kids, 19, 15, and 11. I am married and work full time as a vocational counselor that does job placement and educational assistance and workshops, for Washington State. I graduated with a Social Science Bachelor's degree from California State University Sacramento and grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, until my family moved to the Sacramento area when I was in the middle of high school.

Q: Before the gym were you an especially athletic person? Play any sports or anything?
A: I wasn't particularly athletic. I was inconsistent with my work outs and mainly did cardiovascular exercise, but it was sporadic. I had zero knowledge of weight training and thought I had a good handle on nutrition, but, little did I know, I had fair eating habits. I was not fat, but definitely not toned. I am 41 years old. I played volley ball and softball in high school.

Q: What initially led you into the gym?
A: My husband was competing at the time and the only time I saw him during that time was at the gym.


Q:Was training something you picked up fairly easy? How long before you started to see results?
A: I am a naturally competitive person. My husband hired a trainer for me for only three sessions and then I got help from fellow gym mates. I have been lifting seriously for 2 1/2 years. I saw results after about 4 months.

Q: What made you decide to compete for the first time?
A: I went to my husbands competition and was inspired by all of the athletes. I was in awe and wondered if I could do it. My two friends said they wanted to compete the next year. I agreed to do it if they did it, but then, once I hired, Todd Scott, my trainer and got serious, maybe a month later, they dropped out, after only one week of being on the diet, but I could not stop!

Q: Is competing something your family and friends supported?
A: Yes, I have tremendous support via my children, my spouse, co workers and trainer. My friends at the gym also keep me motivated. They keep me going and if it was not for the sacrifice of my family, I would not be able to do it.

Q: Was competing what you expected or did anything surprise you about it?
A: The eating aspect is not too difficult. I guess I was surprised as to how disciplined I was. I never considered myself a person that could be so disciplined. I was surprised I hated cardio so much, when in the past, it was all I did.


Q: Can you share your contest history.
A:
*2010, Emerald Seattle, Lightweight division, 6th place,
*2010, Empire Classic, Lightweight division, 5th place.
My goal is to do better this year.

Q: As far as body parts, what do you feel is your best one?
A: My shoulders and back.

Q: Do you have a part you most like to train or favorite exercise?
A: I love to work shoulders and chest and triceps. I am a huge fan of incline deltoid exercises and anything chest. Enjoy a reverse grip tricep press.

Q: What is your normal training routine and diet like and how do you alter it for contest prep?
A: Off season, I have 5 days cardio and weights, eat 8 times a day and have weekends off from everything, diet included.
On season, Jan-April, 7 days a week cardio, 2x a day and weights 5 days a week. No cheat days; 7 days diet. I eat about 300 grams of protein a day.


Q: When someone sees your physique or hears you compete for the first time, what is the most common reaction? More positive or negative?
A:I usually have a great reaction from folks. I guess there is this huge misnomer about female bodybuilders and what that consists of. Many generalizations, of which I address directly. Most folks have questions about my diet or work out regime. Men and women alike want to know what I do for a shoulder work out.

Q: When they see it that first time, what is the one question or comment you are most sick of hearing?
A: "I could never give up booze" Or " How many days till competition?"

Q: What is the biggest misconception about women who train and compete or the one thing you wish people understood?
A: That women who train turn into men. Bugs the crap out of me.

Q:What is the best and worst part of training for you?
A: Hate early morning cardio. Love my pump and day of contest.


Q: Do you have any favorite competitors or any you admire?
A: I admire Jamie Eason or any pro athlete, and have a tremendous amount of respect for my fellow athletes. I admire a local gal, Anne Gannon, who I competed against last year and she took overall, at almost 57!

Q: Do you have a favorite cheat food?
A: Bacon Burger!

Q: If another woman told you she wanted to start training, what is the one piece of
advice you would most want to give her?
A: It will be the hardest thing you ever loved!

Q: Do you think it is becoming more common to see women working in the gym with the weights and not just doing cardio and things?
A: Yes, I believe, the more of us women that train and compete and break down the walls of generalizations, the better. I always personally welcome females that come to the free weight side of my gym. Us girls need to stick together.

Q: Outside of training, any other hobbies or activities you enjoy?
A: I am a huge foodie and cook. I love the food network and watch it constantly. I guess I vicariously "eat" the food, I cant have.

Q: Can you describe a typical day in the life of Mary Stanton.
A:
5:15 am one hour cardio
Work 8-5pm
Weights 5-630
Kid stuff chaos 630-830
Cardio 830-930
Passout!

Q: Describe Mary Stanton in five words.
A: Funny, Clumsy, Disciplined, Driven and Blessed

Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
A: I love hard core rap

Q: Any set plans for the near future as far as competing or anything else?
A: I am doing my first Marathon in October, this year. I am going to do the Montana April show next year, to mix it up, instead of Emerald.

Q: Anything you want to take this opportunity to plug or promote?
A: Thanks Todd Scott, my trainer and Team Pitcher, for info, help, and inspiration!

Q: Are you looking for sponsors? If so how can they reach you and what are they getting in Mary Stanton the athlete and competitor?
A: Sure! They are getting a hard worker, a great networker and great example of a woman, over 40, doing it!


Q: Mary, again, I thank you for taking the time to do this. Any last words before you go?
A: Nope, thanks for the opportunity!