One of the hottest topics to light up the forums recently was ‘the great bikini debate'. It seems that the arrival of this new division has done more than just ruffle feathers it has sparked up an inferno of heated opinions!
As a bikini competitor, forum member Stephanie Wicked has been quick to jump to the defense of this new class so I thought that I would give her the chance to voice her views and perhaps even convince a few doubters that bikini does indeed have a place on the bodybuilding stage. Stephanie has been training seriously for two years has one show under her belt and is currently preparing for her next show at the end of this month.
So, in time honored tradition, my first question would have to be....
What brought you into the gym and prompted you to begin weight training?
"Well I wasn't really athletic growing up, though I did dance for a few years. I enjoyed my time in the weight room in high school gym class and the feeling of being sore the next day but I was always intimidated by the athletes who trained in there. Then in 2006, I joined a women's gym, but had problems staying committed to working out. I think a lot of it had to do with not being educated about lifting - sets, reps, which body parts to work, proper form etc. In addition to this I didn't know very much about proper nutrition.
"Then in late 2007, I met my boyfriend Jon who's an NPC competitor and personal trainer. Around the same time period, two friends of mine joined a gym and I decided it might be the motivation I needed to finally do what I hadn't been able to do all the years prior... commit. I started educating myself by reading anything and everything I could get my hands on. I also became active on several fitness forums and an avid reader of Oxygen, Muscle & Fitness, Flex, MuscleMag, etc.
"During that time, I was introduced to a bodybuilder's diet while Jon prepared for the spring 2008 season, so I started incorporating cleaner foods into my diet and eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. By making these changes in addition to lifting and doing cardio 4-5 days a week, I went from 125 pounds (which I felt was a lot for my small 5'1" frame) to 109 pounds in less than 5 months. After that, I was hooked."
Okay Stephanie, so let's get to this ‘great bikini debate'.... beginning with your general feelings about this new arrival to the women's division....
"When I first heard about it, I was really excited. A few reputable people told me that if I trained hard, I could be a figure contender. While that sounds nice on paper, I know the reality of it is that I need some more time of building, dieting and training to get to a point where I could comfortably and proudly present a figure physique to the judges. When I learned of the bikini division, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to dedicate myself to a goal, while getting my feet wet on stage."
It seems that many people feel that the bikini girls don't train hard and compare the bikini class to a beauty pageant, care to respond?
"I can't speak for all bikini competitors, but that is far from the case for me and others that I've spoken with. I've been dieting for most of 2009 so far and, despite a crazy schedule, the gym is always a priority for me. I take my diet and training seriously and I really want to stress that to the people who think it's such a cakewalk. Again, I can't speak for anyone but myself. Some competitors might just be lucky enough to have a genetic gift and not have to work as hard to stand on that stage... but I am not one of them."
From what you have said on the forum it seems that you have a pretty hectic schedule ((F/T job, school). How do you fit training into your schedule?
"It's just part of my daily routine, so I don't even think twice about it. That old adage, "failing to plan is planning to fail" couldn't be truer. Planning is KEY. Every Sunday I grocery shop and cook my meals for the week. I weigh/measure my portions into containers and refrigerate. Every morning, I pack my meals and cooler, including my pre- and post-workout supplements, gym clothes, etc. My days are usually 15 hours long, so time management is really important. This ensures that I can eat when I need to eat and I have all the essentials necessary to carry me through my day. I don't get to the gym until 9pm, but once I do, it's like I have a second wind. I'm so excited to be there and the rest of the worries from my day just disappear for those two hours."
Care to outline your training routine?
Monday - back, bi's, tris
Tuesday - quads, hams, glutes
Wednesday - delts, abs, calves
Thursday - off or cardio
Friday - off or cardio
Saturday - quads, hams, glutes
Sunday - cardio
What about your diet?
"I'm training for a show, so everything is clean. I also eat pretty much the same thing everyday... egg whites, oats, grilled chicken, green veggies. Every other week I change my protein in meal 3 - usually it varies between beef, bison, salmon, tilapia or tuna. Even when not dieting, I eat pretty much the same way except I'll add more carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes) and allow myself to have goodies here and there. Right now I'm looking forward to enjoying some ice cream in a few weeks... and a giant tootsie roll!"
There is an argument that for women who don't want to achieve a ‘hard/muscular look' the bikini division gives them a chance of competing without sacrificing what they call their ‘feminine appeal'. Do you think a muscular woman can still be considered ‘feminine'?
"Absolutely!! I think women with muscle have a much more attractive physique than women who do not. Then again, that's just my opinion. I know lots of people who think women shouldn't have muscles. I laugh every time a friend or family member asks me if I plan to get big and "manly". What a joke! It's very possible to have curves AND muscularity. In fact, I'm trying to overcome my fears of bulking and hope to begin a lean mass building program in the fall to see how I can improve my strength and shape for next year."
For some, bikini could be a stepping stone to figure, fitness or even physique...do you see this in your future?
"While I love to dance and think the costumes are so much fun, I don't think I have the coordination to pull off fitness. I would definitely like to try figure in the distant future once I feel I've reached that stage of development. And if I ever surpassed that and had enough muscle, I wouldn't think twice about doing bodybuilding either! "
In terms of getting people to attend shows and raising revenue, bikini is being hailed in some quarters as the ‘savior of the sport'...your thoughts...
"I don't know if I would consider it a "savior". I do believe it may attract a new audience to some degree, but I still think the more established divisions are what make the show."
The swift distribution of Pro Cards to bikini athletes has been heavily criticized. Do you think bikini has earned the right to pro status this early in its evolution?
"This is one point I disagree with. The division is still in its infancy and I don't think it would have hurt to give it at least another year or two before establishing a pro division. Not to mention, it takes years of hard work in and out of the gym for competitors to reach that level of success, so it doesn't seem fair to be so quick to grant professional status to bikini class competitors in the first year of the division's existence."
Competitors with breast implants have been labeled as cheating by some due to the criteria used for judging this section, care to comment?
"I disagree. Judges are critiquing the overall package. If you took two competitors, one with implants, but who had sloppy stage presence, an unflattering suit and a bloated stomach; and another without implants who had a great overall presentation, I highly doubt the judges would reward the first competitor merely because she had a bigger chest. There are many other (more important) factors to consider besides bust size. Many women who compete in figure and bodybuilding also have implants and it doesn't seem to be a controversial issue for them, therefore it shouldn't be an issue in bikini either."
Do you feel that the bodybuilding stage is the right venue for bikini contests?
"As long as the judges continue to reward the girls who look like they've earned their right to be there (e.g. Ali Sonoma, Stacey Oster, Shelsea Montes) then I think the respect from the other classes will follow with time. Right now it's still the new kid on the block and will probably continue to face some resistance before it will be more widely accepted. If the kinks get ironed out and the bikini girls show that we DO diet and DO train hard and DO deserve to be there, I think the rest will fall into place eventually. Of course, there will always be some people who will disagree with this... but you can't please everyone all of the time."
What is your personal hope when it comes to the long term future of bikini?
"Well it's here now, so rather than try to fight it, I wish people would embrace it and try to help build it into the type of division that they would like to see in the NPC. One thing that seems to be the general consensus is how unclear the judging criteria are at the moment. I've seen girls at local shows that don't look anything like the look that is being rewarded at the regional and national shows. Granted, I understand the judges can only critique what they have in front of them, but there doesn't seem to be a super clear distinction between bikini and figure in some cases. Also, I think there should be posing requirements so that the competitors look more classy and polished during the model walk."
And the long term future for you?
"I'm going to keep training hard and eating right. I love to learn, so hopefully I can continue on the path to better understanding nutrition and training techniques. It's been a fun journey so far and I'm excited to see what the future brings!"
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