Your Fit Figure: Here’s How to Guide Training Nutrition key to the competitive look

Specific recommendations for the woman who wishes to compete (or just look like she could compete) in a figure or fitness contest. The main source of misinformation stems from the bodybuilder mentality of all or nothing.

We get questions daily at Beverly Nutrition. This article is a complete plan to get the aspiring figure competitor in the best shape of her life. 4 Month Figure Makeover developing a V-shape, recipes and food prep. Shape Your Fit Figure Workout ideal workout to achieve a shapely, fit, lean physique.

Training

In general the primary source of information for the figure girl is the gym guru or a bodybuilder boyfriend. Probably the biggest error we see is that women who are trying to buff their physique are concerned about overtraining. They are under the mistaken impression that since the other “serious” guys in the gym train each body-part just once a week that they should also follow this method for best results. Not true! A woman who is trying to get the lean, muscular look of a fitness/figure competitor should train each muscle group two times per week.

The other major area of training foolishness is proper intensity. Finding the correct training intensity is relatively easy, to start use the heaviest workout poundages that allow you to complete the stated rep range in good form. If you are to do three sets of 10-15 reps, that means use a weight heavy enough that you can do no more than 15 reps on your first set and can do at least ten reps on the third set. Add weight whenever you can do the top number of reps in the range for all sets, in good form. It’s really that simple. You should rest sixty to ninety seconds between sets. Here is an ideal workout to achieve a hard, lean physique.

Fitness Figure competitor sample workout

**Monday-Thursday**
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Crunches	3	20-30
Twisting Crunches	*	*
On Cable Machine	3	20-30
DB Row	3	8-10
Pull-downs	3	10-12
Pullover	3	10-12
DB Shrug	3	10-15
Hyper-extension	3	10-15
Incline DB Curl	3	10-12
Concentration Curl	3	10-12
Calf Raise	4	10-15
Calf Press	4	15-20

**Tuesday-Friday**
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Crunches	3	20-30
Leg Raises	3	20-30
Twisting Crunches	*	*
On Cable Machine	3	20-30
Incline DB Press	4	8-10
Flat Flyes	4	10-12
Pec Deck	4	10-12
Shoulder Press	4	8-10
Side Laterals	3	10-12
DB Shoulder Press	3	10-12
Triceps Extension		10-12
Triceps Pushdown	3	10-12

**Wednesday-Saturday**
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Crunches	3	20-30
Leg Raises	3	20-30
Twisting Crunches	*	*
On Cable Machine	3	20-30
Squat	4	10-15
Leg Press	3	10-15
Leg Extension	4	10-15
Seated Calf Raise	4	10-15
Standing Calf Raise	4	15-20

Cardio relative body-fat composition

The amount of cardio you will do will be determined by your relative body composition.

The closer you are to your ideal condition, the less cardio you’ll need to do. Too much cardio can eat away hard earned lean muscle, prevent catabolism with less cardio more recovery.

Here is a 12-week program for the aspiring figure contest competitor starting in the 16-20% body-fat range. If you are closer to contest condition do less, if you are at a higher body fat percentage starting out follow this program for an additional time period.

Monday-Wednesday-Friday: 30-45 minutes at moderate intensity. Use the cardio equipment of your choice or just go outside and walk for the required time. (Start at thirty minutes and add five every other week until you reach forty-five minutes. Then stay at that level.)

Tuesday: 15-30 minutes high intensity intervals. Start with three minutes at an easy pace. Now you are ready for your first sixty-second work interval. Increase the elevation or resistance setting and go hard for sixty seconds. Ease the tension back for a sixty second “rest interval” then perform another ”hard“ interval. Perform five work intervals the first week followed by a two minute cool down. Each week add another interval until you reach twelve. At that point add five seconds to each work interval and reduce the “rest” interval by five seconds for each of the next four week leading to your contest.

Thursday: 15-20 minutes. On Thursday we are going to measure progress by seeing how many calories we can burn during a session. First, choose a piece of equipment that gives you a “calories expended” readout. The first week go at a slightly higher than comfortable pace for fifteen minutes and record the calories expended. Each week you will try to increase the calories expended while keeping the time constant. When you cannot increase your intensity further go up to sixteen minutes to get the additional caloric expenditure you are after, etc.

Nutrition

Nutrition is the key factor in acquiring the competitive “look”. There are as many theories about dieting as there are training. We at Beverly are in a good position to make recommendations since we work with both bodybuilding and fitness/figure competitors on a daily basis. Almost every one of them wants to lose fat while attaining a nice, pleasing muscular physique. We find that diet high in protein, with some healthy carbohydrates and void of simple sugar works best. Here is the diet we recommend for the typical beginning competitor who wishes to harden up her physique by reducing body-fat and gradually adding lean muscle tissue.

Diet recommend for beginning competitor: Meal #1; 1 whole egg + 3 egg whites or 1 scoop Ultra Size or Ultimate Muscle Protein or 3 oz. lean beef or chicken breast & ½-cup oatmeal before cooking (Many combine the ingredients above into a pancake recipe.; Meal #2
Protein Drink: 2 Scoops Ultra Size or Ultimate Muscle Protein as a shake or with less water as a pudding. Or whole food option: 5 oz chicken or turkey breast, 5 strawberries or 1 peach; Meal #3
5 oz. chicken (before cooking) or 6.5 oz. can of tuna in water 4 oz. sweet potato or ½ cup cooked brown rice 1-cup vegetables (broccoli, etc.) or salad with 2 tbsp low cal dressing; Meal #4(Post Workout)
2 Scoops Muscle Provider and 14 oz. water; Meal #5
6 oz. lean beef, chicken, turkey, or fish 2 cups green vegetables or salad

To give your diet variety we have included a list of substitutions you can make for the foods above. (See below.) You may substitute foods on your prescribed diet with another food from the same category below. For example, if your diet calls for broccoli, you can substitute with any non-starchy vegetable such as tomato or another from the list below.

Permissible Clean Food List

Protein

Beef: Beef tenderloin, Filet Mignon, Sirloin, Flank Steak, Round Steak, Top Round, Roast Beef, Ground Round, Ground Sirloin. Ground Beef (93% Fat Free or leaner)
Poultry: Chicken breast (no skin) Canned Chicken Breast (Swanson’s), Turkey Breast, Turkey Breast Cutlets, Ground Turkey Breast (95% Fat Free or Leaner), Canned Turkey Breast, Deli Turkey Breast.
Fish: Just about all kinds, the best are: Tuna (canned in water or fresh), Cod, Flounder, Halibut, Haddock, Orange Roughy, Salmon (canned in water or fresh, but limit to twice weekly), Red Snapper, Perch, Pollock, Scallops, Shrimp, Whitefish and Swordfish.

Complex Starchy Carbohydrates
Oatmeal, Cream of Rice, Puffed Rice, Rice Cakes, Cooked Rice (brown or white), Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Beans (white, pinto, kidney or black), Lima Beans, Corn, Peas.

Fibrous Vegetables
Asparagus, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Spinach, Tomato, Water Chestnuts, Zucchini.

Fruit
Apple, Blueberries, Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Nectarine, Peach.

Supplement Program

To really make the progress you want, you’re just not going to be able to do it on whole food alone. You’re trying to strip off fat while not just toning your muscles but also actually building a lean, muscular physique. The proper supplements will make this task much easier. We’ve found these supplements to be indispensable for the successful fitness/figure competitor: a high potency vitamin/mineral formula, a liver extract formula for energy and endurance, branched chain amino acids with insulin regulating co-factors, advanced lipotropic (fat transport) system, and ephedrine free metabolic support.
The advanced program we recommend at Beverly to maximize fat loss while increasing lean, hard muscle is the following.

Fat Mobilization / Metabolic Support System:
Upon arising take two 7-Keto Musclean capsules and one 7-Keto Musclean capsule.
Take two Lean Out capsules with each meal above.
High Potency Vitamin/Mineral Formula:
One Super Pak with meal number one. Take three EFA Gold capsules with meals one and three.
Enhanced Lean Mass, Energy and Endurance:
With each meal or shake take three Ultra 40 Liver Extract tablets and two Muscularity BCAAs with insulin regulating co factors. Glutamine Select plus BCAAs is fabulous before, during, or after your training. It’s also good to sip on between meals when you are waiting for your next meal.
Two Week Fat Loss Blitz:
Take 2 Lean Out capsules with each meal as before, but add: 1-2 Energy Reserve tablets and 2-3 GH Factor capsules 20-30 minutes prior to each meal.
There you have it, a complete guide to a competition figure. Follow this program for twelve weeks and you’ll be ready to take the stage (or the beach) with the best.

Here our Nutrition Guide so you can learn more about the top 4 recommended supplements for your Fit Figure program.: 1. Lean Out; 2. Muscle Provider (try chocolate if you are a chocolate lover); 3. Ultimate Muscle Protein (we like creamy vanilla); 4. Muscularity Glutamine Select plus BCAAs

Total Bikini Competitor’s Program

Age: 28

Occupation: Development Associate, United Way of Greater Cincinnati (full-time);Academic Affairs, Communication & Recruitment Coordinator, Ohio State University, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (part-time)Family: Husband, Chris Sanders Taylor, two cats/ furry children – Ping & Pong

Current Residence: Cincinnati, OH

Height: 5’8"

Contest Weight: 133 (I think this is where I was when I last weighed in?)

How did you decide to compete in Bikini? I was looking for a way to re-motivate myself in my fitness and nutrition, as well as personally a way to push myself beyond my normal routine. I considered training for some sort of competition, but wasn’t sure what. After some searching online, I came across Julie Lohre’s website. Initially I contacted Julie thinking about training for a figure competition; however, after speaking with Julie about my person goals, I learned about the Bikini division, which seemed to be a good balance for me. It was a way to challenge myself as an athlete, as well as push me outside of my comfort zone and allow for expansion and expression of my personality as well.

Favorite Fitness Meal: Lean hamburger with fat free cheese and sweet potato chips sprinkled with cinnamon. I’ve also discovered great low carb/high fiber wraps (Ole/5grams carbs/wrap) that I can enjoy with grilled chicken or lean sirloin with sautéed mushrooms, onions and light Laughing Cow cheese!

Most Inspiring Book: Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth Gilbert; Most Entertaining Janet Evanovich Stephanie Plum series!

Hobbies or interests outside of fitness: I love being outdoors, so hiking and visiting parks is an ideal day for me! Being with family and friends, watching movies and laughing!

Words to live by: To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.˜ William Henry Channing

Age: 27

Occupation: Project Manager – Convergys

Family: My sweet husband, two dogs Oliver and Sprocket and a crazy cat Milo Current Residence: Bellevue, KY

Height: 5’4"

Weight: Off Season – 115; Contest – 110 pounds

How did you decide to compete in Bikini?: I started working out just to feel and look better for myself. Once I learned about Bikini I loved the idea of competition and seemed to have a knack for the posing. It became my new motivation in the gym!

What is your favorite part of being a Bikini Competitor? I love walking on stage each time to show the progress I’ve made. Those few minutes in the spot light make all of the early mornings in the gym and meals packed each day worth it! Even bigger than being on stage though, many people in my life have become more interested in their own health and fitness after learning about what I do each day and watching my progress over time. To me the most rewarding part is knowing I’ve inspired someone else to take control of their health just by setting an example.

Favorite Fitness Meal: UMP Banana Split – Toast one piece of Ezekiel bread. Spread 1 tbsp of peanut butter on the Ezekiel bread (I like crunchy). Place banana slices on top of the peanut butter. Top it off with one scoop of vanilla UMP mixed with just enough water to make a pudding consistency! Yummy! I love having this for breakfast!

In your CD player: Louis Prima

Most Inspiring Book: I recently read "The China Study" by T. Colin Campbell. Very eye opening book about diet and health. Hobby or interests outside of fitness: I enjoy learning about nutrition, growing my own veggies and herbs and tending to my orchids and other plants. I also love cooking with my husband. We always have so much fun creating new recipes. Most of them are good, others – not so much. It is always fun though.

Words to live by: "Well behaved women rarely make history."˜ Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Whether you want to get in shape for summer or for stage, rock hard abs and tight glutes are at the top of every woman’s personal wish list. The National Physique Committee brand new woman's division that is quickly becoming one of the hottest categories on the fitness scene.

The Bikini Division is a fantastic mix of athletics and modeling, hard toned bodies with both a touch of muscle and a large dose of attitude.

Women that excel in Bikini, pay close attention to the details, work hard on both their training and diet and have the stage presence and confidence of an LA movie star.

If you have dreamed of stepping on stage in the past, but lacked the muscularity to be successful in Figure, Bikini could be a great choice. I foresee Bikini becoming more and more popular in the coming years. And why not! We all want to look and feel great in a bathing suit.

Over the last year, I have worked with many women that are either preparing for Bikini shows or want to have that Bikini body look. Rachel Fazzalaro and Jill Taylor are two of those women that have gone from good to amazing, stage ready FitBodies. Both initially came to me with plans to compete in Figure, but after analyzing their physiques and talking at length about their goals, I recommended that the Bikini Division was a better match for them. Both women have incredible potential and have worked very hard to sculpt and tone their bodies. They each have a pleasing amount of muscle, but their overall genetic size and structure is a better match for Bikini. They also have a look that mixes girl next door with fitness model.With Jill and Rachel, I structured their training, cardio, diet and supplement plans to work for their individual bodies. For Rachel, it was important that she gain muscle to round out her naturally thin physique and give her more curves. In 5 months of training, Rachel has transformed her body dropping her body-fat from 23% to 14% (9 percent drop!), losing 10 pounds of fat while gaining 8 pounds of muscle. On her frame, this has made an incredible difference. Jill began her contest prep in a very good place. She has always trained and ate clean to start so I knew with some fine tuning of her already good habits, she could make the changes that would put her at the top of any Bikini class. In 3 months, Jill dropped from 16% body-fat to 11% (a 5 percent drop!), losing 7 pounds of fat while gaining 4 pounds of muscle.

So what does it take to get a great Bikini body? The answer is a plan that incorporates weight training, plyometrics, body weight exercises, cardio, a great diet and the best supplements. I developed this TOTAL Bikini Competitors Program to take help you achieve your dream Bikini FitBody and help you make the leap to stage.

Here are the rules:

You have to put in the work. Very few women are genetically gifted enough to step on stage without working their tails off in the gym first. Resistance training is the most important activity for reshaping your body. Not only does it tone your body, it plays a very important role in promoting fat loss because of the metabolic properties of muscle tissue.

Some indispensable do’s and don’ts:: 1. Keep a workout journal. It can be a spiral notebook or as fancy as you like. Keep track of every training and cardio session, all of your meals and your supplements. Use the star method to track your progress with weights. Every time you use a heavier weight than before on a set, get more reps with a particular weight, or complete a series of sets in less time give yourself a star in your journal. My FitBody Workout Journal is a very detailed logbook that I have put together specifically for competitors.; 2. Use proper form. If you have any questions on how this workout should be done, check out our behind the article at 5 pillars to my fitness lifestyle plan; 3. Make sure each exercise is working the correct area. Use a full range of motion on each exercise and choose, slow, concentrated reps over fast, half done reps.

Where to begin:

You can’t move forward until you know where you are. I start every competitors program by asking for beginning measurements and photos that show her current conditioning. These do not have to be fancy, but you need to first know your strengths and weaknesses. Take photos in a bathing suit from the front and the back then examine the photos comparing yourself with top Bikini athletes. Do you need to gain muscle? Lose body-fat? Tone your abs, glutes, arms? Are you starting in a good place and just need some polishing or will reaching your goals take more time and effort? Each woman needs a different amount of time to achieve her dream body. This will not happen over night for 95% of us. Be realistic, but also positive. While it may be hard to take photos and to objectively critique your physique, we all start somewhere and knowing where we are starting allows us to celebrate our coming successes.

The Workout:

Your weight training routine is structured as a three-day split routine where you will be training each muscle group once per week. You’ll alternate between a 45 minute weight training routine one day and a 30 minute cardio session the next. You can adjust the days as necessary but you must get in 3 resistance training and at least 3 cardio sessions per week.

Weight training routine: Day 1: Shoulders / Biceps / Triceps; Day 2: Cardio (Treadmill Intervals); Day 3: Quadriceps / Glutes / Hamstrings / Calves; Day 4: Cardio (Stationary Bike Intervals); Day 5: Back / Chest / Abdominals; Day 6: Cardio (Stair Climber or Elliptical)

Perform all exercises as a circuit, resting 1-2 mins between each circuit. Keep up a good pace during your workout. Perform a set, stretch the target muscle group, and then go right to your next set: lift – stretch – lift – stretch. This should be a fast pace, high intensity workout that challenges your muscles and your cardio vascular system.

In order to become your best *you*, you’ll have to train beyond your comfort zone. Once you become accustomed to the prescribed exercises, you’ll pick a weight that is heavy enough so that the last few repetitions are very difficult (nearly impossible) to finish. This is how you will get the fullest benefit in both tone and fat loss from your training. With a little experimentation you’ll soon have a good idea of exactly how much weight you need to use for each exercise.

Once you achieve "baseline" weights for your workouts keep progressing in one or more of the following areas each time you workout:

› Amount of resistance or weight used for a particular set.

› Number of reps performed with a particular weight.

› duce the amount of rest time between circuits.

› Train harder go for the burn.

Bikini Athlete Training – Program

Day One: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps

Circuit One:
Do one set of an exercise, stretch, then move immediately to the next exercise. Complete one set of each exercise in the Circuit before resting 1-2 mins and then repeating. Repeat the Circuit 2-3 times before moving to the next Circuit. To ensure proper performance of each exercise be sure to view the workout video on my website, julielohre.com. You’ll see Rachel and Jill as they go through this exact workout.

Day One: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps
Exercise	(x) Reps/Set
DB Shoulder Press	10 reps
DB Curls standing on BOSU	10 reps
DB Triceps Extension	10 reps
DB Delt Skier Kickbacks	10 reps

Cardio: Minutes (1 min of moderate pace, followed by 3 intervals – 45 seconds hard/high intensity then 15 seconds recovery

**Circuit Two:**
Exercise	(x) Reps/Set
Plate Front Raise	15 reps
One Arm Cable Curl	8 per arm (you can use bands if training at home)
Barbell Curl	10 reps
Triceps Kickback	10 reps
Plate Front Raise	15 reps
Stand Alone Exercise:	3 sets x 10 reps

Cardio: 3 intervals 45 seconds hard/high intensity then 15 seconds recovery

Day Two: 30 Minutes Cardio (Treadmill) + 200 Crunches throughout the day broken down into sets as you would like.

Day Three: Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Calves

Circuit One:

Same procedure as Day One. Repeat each Circuit 2-3 times
Exercise	(x ) Reps/Set
Squats	20 reps
Quick Leg Press	20 reps
DB Lunge	10 reps
Stiff-Legged Dead-lift on BOSU	10 (squeeze glutes hard at top of each rep)

Cardio: 4 minutes of alternating jumping jacks for 30 seconds and push-ups for 30 seconds

Circuit Two:

Day four: 30 minutes Cardio (Stationary Bike) Hill or interval program

Day Five: Back, Chest, Abdominals

**Day Four: 30 Minutes cardio (stationary bike) hill or interval program**
Exercise	(x ) Reps/Set
Push-ups (with feet elevated if possible)	10
Curl Grip Pull-down	10
DB Pullover	12
Up down plan holds	30 seconds

Cardio: 25 Medicine Ball Rebounds, 25 Lateral Skis, 25 Squat Thrusts

**Day Five: Back, Chest, Abdominals**
Exercise	(x ) Reps/Set
Incline Bench Press	10 reps
Bent Row (BB, DB, or Cable)	10 reps
Cable Crossover Pulses	20 reps
Oblique Medicine Ball Crunches	20 reps

Cardio: mins (1 min of moderate pace, followed by 3 intervals – 45 seconds hard/high intensity then 15 seconds recovery)

Day Six: 30 Minutes cardio

(stair master or elliptical) hill or interval program

Day Seven: Rest

Many Bikini athletes take one or more cardio classes during the week in addition to, or in place of their scheduled cardio days.

From Complete Beginner to Figure Champion

Age: 30

Occupation: Personal trainer, co owner of Muscle Head Nutrition

Current Residence: Evansville, IN

Family: I live with my husband Brandon and my dog Kaylie

Years Training: 1 and ½ years with weights. Trained as a gymnast for 10 years.

Height: 4′ 11″

Contest Weight: 97 lbs

Favorite Fitness Meal: Oatmeal, with vanilla UMP and natural peanut butter

Music: I like a little bit of everything from rap/pop music to Christian and country.

Most Inspiring Book: The Bible

Hobby or Interests outside bodybuilding: Makeovers! I love anything to do with fashion and the beauty industry. I used to be a hairstylist and love reading up on all of the new trends and trying them out on my friends. I also like to be outside, and occasionally my husband will talk me into riding on his Harley

Words to live by: "You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." ˜ Zig Ziglar

My diet 16 weeks out from the show

I started training for figure competition when a good friend told me about a local show that was six months away. I was a complete beginner. I hadn’t really done any weight training to speak of but I did have a foundation from my gymnastics background.

My gym time up to that point had been limited to the various cardio equipment. And, I knew vitually nothing about figure; in fact I had just recently heard that figure competition even existed. However, the thought of competing sounded like fun so I agreed to give it a shot. Upon committing to the contest I started weight training and cleaned up my diet with the help of Eric Schmidt, owner of the gym where I trained. I ended up placing 4th at the show. I realized that to be competitive, I was really going to have to add some muscle. I loved the stage though; I had been bitten by the competition bug for sure.

Immediately after that show I set my sights on the NPC KY Muscle 33 weeks away

Intermediate Training Program


Five day workout including supersets
: Monday: Legs; Leg Press 3 sets 10-15 reps; Squats 3 sets 8-12 reps; Hack Squat Machine 3 sets 10-15 reps; Stiff-Legged Deadlift 3 sets 12 reps; Leg Esetstensions 3 sets 12 reps; Abs 8 sets of 25-50 (use any variety of exercises you want)
Tuesday: Back, Delts, Biceps (light day): One Arm DB Row 3 sets 8-10 reps; Pulldowns 3 sets 8-12 reps; Seated Cable Row 3 sets 8-12 reps (or do any seated machine row); DB Lateral Raise 3 sets 10 reps each way (bent-over lateral, side lateral, front raise); Cable Curl 3 sets 8-12 reps; Incline DB Curl 3 sets 8-10 reps; Calf Raises 6-8 sets of 15 reps on any combination of machines
Wednesday: Chest, Triceps: Incline DB Press 4 sets 6-10 reps; Flat Dumbbell Press 4 sets 8-12 reps; Pec Deck 3 sets 8-12 reps; Tricep Pushdowns 4 sets 8-12 reps; Lying Tricep 4 sets 10-12 reps; Abs 6 sets of 15-25 reps
Thursday: Legs (glute emphasis): Romanian Dead Lift 3 sets 10-15 (superset with next exercise); Wide Leg Press 3 sets 10-15; Leg Curl 3 x 6-8 (superset with next exercise); Walking Lunge 3 sets 12-15 steps with each foot; Leg Extension 3 sets 12 (superset with next exercise); Smith Machine Squat 3 sets 12 non-lock; Calf Raises 6-8 sets of 15 reps on any combination of machines
Friday: Delts, Back, Biceps, Triceps: Shoulder Press 3 x 6-10 (superset with next exercise); Lat Pulldowns 3 sets 8-12 reps; Upright Row 3 x 8-10 (superset with next exercise); Straight-Arm Pulldowns 3 sets 10-12 reps; Bent Over Laterals 3 x 10-12 (superset with next exercise); Seated Cable Row 3 sets 8-12 reps; Barbell or EZ Curl 3 x 6-10 reps (superset with next exercise); Close Grip Bench Press 3 sets 6-10 reps; Concentration Curl 2 sets 10-12 reps; Dips or Triceps Dips 2 sets 10-15 reps; Abs 8 sets of 25-50 (use any variety of machines or exercises you want)

My favorite exercise is squats.

They help to strengthen both my quads and hamstrings.

I also wore a path in the gym floor doing walking lunges; by far the best glute exercise in my opinion.

Morning cardio

My cardio machine of choice for my morning cardio was the bike. I usually chose the stepmill for evening cardio. I kept it interesting though, by mixing in the elliptical or the treadmill whenever I needed a change. I did about an hour and 20 minutes a day divided into two sessions.

Supplement Program

I knew that to gain quality muscle, naturally, I needed a good line of supplements.

Our gym carried Beverly: Ultra 4 (multi vitamin/mineral); 2 in am and 2 in pm; Lean Out (fat transporters); 2 with each meal; Density (essential amino acids); 2 with each meal; ZMA (nighttime recovery formula); 2 before bed; Ultimate Muscle Protein; (time released protein formula); at meal 1 and meal 5; Muscle Provider (fast acting protein) after cardio and before and after workouts; Up-Lift (awesome energy but didn’t keep me up at night); before workouts; Creatine Select (strength and energy); after workouts; Glutamine Select sipped throughout the day for extra energy

I later added 3 Quadracarn at meals 1, 3 and 5. I could tell a difference right away in my mood and in the pumps I felt in the gym. Toward the end of my competition prep I also took 2 Energy Reserve prior to my evening cardio, I could really feel the energy boost from it about half way through the session.

I was spending so much time in the gym that I decided to get a job there and start studying for my ACE certification

My husband and I also started an internet supplement company in which Beverly is now one of our top selling supplement lines.

At 16 weeks out from the show I really tightened up my diet. I began eating 5 small meals a day.: They usually looked like this:; Meal 1: Protein pancakes (1 scoop UMP vanilla; ½ cup oats; 4 egg whites; and cinnamon); Meal 2: Chicken or fish; sweet potato; and broccoli; Meal 3 (usually pre workout): Protein shake made with Muscle Provider and water; Meal 4: Chicken or fish; big bowl of spinach; and sweet potato; Meal 5: 1 and a half scoops UMP vanilla mixed with water into a pudding consistency. Sometimes I froze it and ate it like ice cream

I trained with weights four times per week (5 if you count abs and calves). I am going to give you two versions of my workout program. One for beginners and intermediates, the other for advanced athletes. Choose the one that best suits your situation.

Posing Presentation

I started practicing my posing as soon as I decided I was going to compete at the KY Muscle. I met with my trainer Kori Propst, WNBF Figure, Fitbody, and Bodybuilding pro, a couple times each month and practiced on my own a 3 to 5 times per week. As the show got closer I began holding each pose longer and longer – up to a minute for each mandatory pose. One minute doesn’t sound very long but trust me; you will start to shake by the end of it.

Finally it was Friday the 13th, not usually a day people look forward to, but I couldn’t have been happier that it had finally arrived. My husband and I packed up the car and we were on our way to Louisville. I feel so blessed to have such a supportive husband. He was truly amazing and helped me every step of the way. When I was tired and didn’t want to go to the gym he was right there pushing me to keep going.

When we got to Louisville, my mom, grandma, cousin and even my mother and father in law all met us at the hotel. I was so excited to have my own little cheering-section.

I woke up early Saturday morning so that I could take my time getting ready. At 11 am we headed down to the convention center for prejudging. My nerves were going crazy, I had to take a couple of deep breaths and remind myself that the hard work was done. Now it was time to have fun and show ‘em what I’ve got.

Backstage I met some of the other competitors who were all so nice, I even got to talk with a couple of the IFBB pros who were also competing. Soon it was time to hit the stage. I went out and did my quarter turns and presentation poses and had a blast. There were 24 girls in my class so we were up there for quite a while.

Later that evening it was time for the finals.

Class A went onto the stage and we were all introduced. The announcer called out the top five competitors, I was the last of the 5 to be called I was so excited to hear my number.

All five of us stood there while they called the placings, 5th splace wasn’t me, then I wasn’t called for 4th or third either, wow I had butterflies, then they called 2nd place and it still wasn’t me, Oh my gosh I won!! I was ecstatic! I could hear my "CHEERING SECTION" and I was overwhelmed with emotion. I could not be happier with my experience.
Thank you so much to my husband, my family, and my "gym family" at Nitro Fitness for all of your love and support.

On the Road to Success

My journey with Beverly International began when I was just 20 years old and a college student studying for my master’s degree in physical therapy. I decided to do a bodybuilding show and was told Beverly was the company to see! I met Roger and Sandy and many others from the Beverly family. They were instrumental in teaching me about the role of nutrition in bodybuilding. I also saw first-hand the difference that their quality supplements made in my physique.

Fast forward 18 years: I am now a happily married father of 4 daughters, professional natural bodybuilder with multiple Pro wins, have completed multiple full and half marathons, am a physical therapist and run my own fitness training and consulting company called The Impakt Lab. Something that has remained consistent through it all, my supplementation with Beverly International supplements!

In this article I’d like to give you a glimpse into my “training life” and let you see how I approached 3 unique challenges this past year.

One thing I have learned over the years is balance is the key to success. With every competition or life event comes a new challenge to our balance and homeostasis. I am always up for a new challenge, but with the main rule that I make sure to be a good husband, father and person at the same time! This year my challenges were to:

1. Run a half and full marathon in the spring.
2. Take my wife and 4 daughters on a camping trip out west for 3 weeks.
3. Compete in multiple “natural pro” bodybuilding contests in the fall.

The first challenge I would face was how to maintain my muscle mass and remain injury free while training to run a marathon. The next challenge would be how to initiate my bodybuilding precontest training while on an extended camping trip with my family. Yes, these would not be easy feats, but with Beverly in my corner I knew I could make it happen.

Challenge #1: (Prepare to run a marathon while maintaining my muscle mass)

Running a marathon was the goal during this phase, but bodybuilding remained a priority. I worked out with weights 5 days a week, and devoted 2 days to running. I also added a cardio / cross training segment to my Wednesday weight workout. This included tire flips, jump rope, air dyne bike, battle ropes, tire hammers etc. Here is an example of a typical week:

Monday: Legs (quad emphasis)
Tuesday: Upper Back (pulling movements) and Lateral Delts
Wednesday: Chest and Triceps; plus Cross Training or 3 miles on the Elliptical
Thursday: Mid distance run, stretching and foam rolling
Friday: Lats / Hamstrings (posterior chain movements) and Biceps
Saturday: Upper Chest and Anterior Delts
Sunday: Long run (progressively add mileage each week)

Phase 1 Supplement Plan

Joint Care: 3 capsules twice daily to maintain / protect my joints from the pounding they were getting from running and weight training
Quadracarn: 3 tabs 3 times daily for testosterone support
Glutamine Select: for recovery
UMP and Mass Maker Ultra: (see sample diet)
ZMA 2000: for added recovery and testosterone support
Up-Lift: I mixed Up-Lift and Glutamine Select together in my water bottles during long runs. (This is great for any extended cardio activity where too much caffeine would be detrimental.)

Phase 1 Meal Plan

When training for running, I like to keep my carbs high every day since I never have a rest day. My average macros are approximately 200 grams protein, 400 grams carbs, and 25 grams fat.

Here is an example of my meal plan during this phase:

Meal 1: 8 egg whites, 100 grams Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: 2 scoops UMP, 7 rice cakes
Meal 3: 5oz chicken breast, 15oz potato
Meal 4: 2 scoops Mass Maker Ultra
Meal 5: 5oz chicken, 15oz potato, 2 cups veggies
Meal 6: 2 scoops UMP (made into protein pudding), 7 rice cakes dipped in the pudding!

Modifications as the marathon draws closer

When my runs on Sunday were 12 miles or more, I would cut back on my Monday leg workout. I’d still do the basics – squats and leg presses, but I’d cut out any accessory movements. I also added more mobility work including plenty of foam rolling and stretching.

I ran my first race of the season, the Heart Mini Marathon in March. It was a success so I continued to ramp up my longer runs training to complete a full marathon at the Flying Pig in May. At the Flying Pig, I also entered the Pump and Run division. I received a gold medal in the “pump” portion of this event in the “30+ Pump Club” for benching 30 or more reps with my bodyweight on the bar. In addition, I completed the full marathon!

I did not use any pre-run dietary manipulation tricks. Since my daily carbs were already fairly high there was no reason for me to carb up before the race. One of the major benefits that I noticed was that I had no gastric upset during the long runs or races. This is a fairly common occurrence for those who engage in some heavy carbing up before their races.

Challenge #2: 3-week off-road family camping vacation at the beginning of my precontest preparations

After successfully completing my first challenge, my training was back to normal. I replaced my long runs with interval workouts, got back into a routine and then… took off with my family on a 3-week camping trip out west. I was just beginning preparations for some pro contests coming up in the fall so I couldn’t miss workouts. But, it’s not easy to always get a workout while on a camping trip. Here’s how I did it.

I brought a good set of resistance bands along with me and used them for the majority of my workouts. I attached bands to trees, to our camper, and used them in “who knows how many ways”. Pushups and bodyweight squats for high reps were another mainstay. For cardio there were long hikes, often while carrying one or more of my tired little girls. I also tried to get one “gym” workout in each week. There are many gyms who offer a 1 day membership for travelers. It took some research to find one in the areas we camped but I managed to get one full body weight workout each week.

By the way, if you are going to do one full body workout per week, I’d recommend you stick to the basics. My workouts were based around squats, deadlifts, and presses. That way the particular gym you’re at will not have to offer any specialized machines required for your workout. With the addition of one weekly “gym” workout, I was able to break my “camping workout” scheme into 1 full body workout, 3 band workouts and a lot of hiking each week!

Now, I’m going to give you an example of one of my bodyweight/band workout days. I enjoy getting up early and found there is nothing better than working out outdoors and watching the sunrise! Our camping neighbors may have thought I was crazy, but when you have goals it doesn’t matter.

Warm up: 50 pushups, 50 bodyweight squats and 50 jumping jacks
Circuit 1: (3 rounds of 20 reps) - Band Low Rows (tie the band to a tree), Band Laterals, and Bodyweight Squats
Circuit 2: (3 rounds to fatigue) - Pushups, Band Bicep Curls and alternating Backstep Lunges holding a weighted object (find a nice sized rock or child)
Circuit 3: (3 rounds to fatigue) - Band Tricep Pushdowns, Band Pulldowns and Band Squats
Circuit 4: (3 rounds to fatigue) - Band Shoulder Press, Close Grip Pushups and Single Leg Split Squat

Repeat warm up sequence to end the workout.

Phase 2 Supplement and “On the Road” Meal Plan

Quadracarn & ZMA 2000 I continue to take Quadracarn (3 tabs 3x/day) and ZMA 2000 (3 capsules before bed) for testosterone support and to maintain lean mass.

UMP & Muscle Provider As you’ll notice in my “On the Road Meal Plan”, I rely heavily on high quality Beverly proteins whenever we camp. It’s not easy for me to cook chicken and store it properly while on the road.

Here is an example of my meal plan while on the road:

Meal 1: 1 scoop Muscle Provider and 1 bagel
Meal 2: 2 scoops UMP and 2 packets low sugar oatmeal (mixed and drank as a shake)
Meal 3: 1 can chicken and 1 bagel
Meal 4: 2 scoops UMP and 2 packets low sugar oatmeal (same as meal 2)
Meal 5: 1 can tuna, 7 rice cakes
Meal 6: 2 scoops UMP

Macros on average were around 180 grams protein, 300 grams carbs and 30 grams fat. This was enough to sustain my energy, provide quality protein and a simple meal plan to begin my transition to contest prep.

The trip was a blast, we camped from Cincinnati to California and back, traveling over 6000 miles and visiting 12 national parks!

Precontest Supplement Plan

Quadracarn & ZMA 2000: as in the previous phases

Muscle Synergy: I use 2-3 scoops Muscle Synergy powder each day during contest prep. It intensifies my pumps and allows me to continue building muscle while on a contest prep diet. Besides starting my day with Muscle Synergy (mixed with Up-Lift, see below), I actually like to eat my Synergy before my workout. I just take a scoop, throw it back and chew on it!

Up-Lift: My job requires that I get up between 4:30 and 5 each day and on top of work and my online business - as mentioned earlier I have 4 daughters and coach their teams. Needless to say, my days are long. Being on a calorie restricted diet, I don’t eat first thing in the morning. I begin my day with coffee, then switch to sipping on what I refer to as my cherry lemonade, Muscle Synergy and Up-Lift!

Glutamine Select: As the day progresses I sip on Glutamine Select throughout the day. It helps curb my cravings and feed my muscle between meals.

Lean Out: I take 2 Lean Out with each of my 6 meals (12 total per day) to facilitate fat loss. Lean Out helps your body convert carbs and stored fat into real energy.

Precontest Meal Plan

Here is an example of my meal plan at 8 weeks out: portion sizes vary depending on the phase of my diet and progress. I also do one additional scoop of Muscle Provider post-workout.

Meal 1: Egg whites and Cream of Wheat
Meal 2: 1 scoop Muscle Provider, 1 apple
Meal 3: Chicken and 2 cups vegetables
Meal 4: 1 scoop Muscle Provider and rice cakes
Meal 5: Lean beef and vegetables
Meal 6: UMP and peanut butter

Training:

I trained each body part twice a week for 15 sets per training session. This gave me a total of 30 sets per body part per week. I also began posing and doing steady state cardio for 30 minutes 2x/week.

I was able to come to the PNBA Team USA as planned and ended up placing first in the Classic Physique division and qualifying for the Natural Olympia. I then followed that up with a Pro bodybuilding win 3 weeks later at the NPF Natural West Virginia. I finished out the year with a top 5 finish in PNBA Natural Olympia competing against natural champions from around the world.

Lessons from an IFBB Pro Figure Athlete

Age: 46

Occupation: Neuroscience Account Manager, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals

Current Residence: Dayton, OH

Family: Married 20 years to husband, Ryan, and 2 boys, Jake-17 and Parker-10

Years Training: 20 years training, competing 7 years

Height: 5′ 0″

Weight: (Off-Season) 118 lbs, (Contest) 108 lbs

Favorite Fitness Meal: UMP protein pancakes.

Favorite Supplements: UMP Protein (all flavors), Fit Tabs, Ultra-C, Glutamine Select, Muscle Synergy, Fast-Up, Quadracarn, and GH Factor. These are my favorite products that I use not only in contest prep but also year round for off-season training!

What would you recommend to someone who has never used Beverly supplements before? I’ve sampled various protein powder supplements and Beverly UMP has been the best. The flavors taste great and UMP blends very well with fruit and oats.

Music: TRY THEM……. you won't be disappointed! UMP is the best tasting protein powder on the market and all the other products are high quality grade with the athlete and performance in mind.

Music: Pandora Prince radio, Pink, Britney Spears, Aerosmith, really anything upbeat; I even throw in some Charlie Daniels band, “Devil Went Down to Georgia”.

Most Inspiring Book: Power of Positive Thinking - by Norman Vincent Peale

Hobby or Interests outside bodybuilding: Spending time with my family (mostly on the soccer field) but also enjoy shopping and quality time with friends.

Words to live by: “Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.” - Unknown author

I started weight training after graduating from college. I had been a collegiate cheerleader
(placing 2nd nationally) and was invited back for the alumni game. I didn’t want to be the alumni cheerleader that everyone whispers about, “look how fat she got”. Although I kept in good shape, it was very difficult for me to add even a little muscle. In college I’d been a tiny 90-lb flier so I definitely didn’t have much muscle to work with starting out. And on top of that I had almost no knowledge as to what to do in the gym or how important proper nutrition was in building muscle.

I started reading and researching to learn what to do. My staples were Oxygen magazine and Muscle and Fitness. These magazines helped some with my training but I was still clueless about how critical nutrition and proper supplementation are to growth and improvement. I finally hired a trainer in 2006 and he introduced me to Beverly International supplements and started building a diet for me to follow.

After training for several years I had made good progress, but became bored and complacent with my workouts. My physique had also hit a plateau. I decided to hire a trainer and sign up for a show, just to say I did it. I was hooked! From 2011 to 2014 I competed in 3-5 shows a year. I loved the stage and rarely took much time off between shows. During that time I placed top 5 in figure class A in every NPC show I did. Although I loved my achievements I wanted more.

I decided to set my goals higher and go for my ultimate goal of becoming an IFBB Pro. I competed on the national level for the first time at the NPC Jr USA. I placed 3rd in my class, just missing out on my pro card. At my third national show in 2014, the North American Championships, I won my class and finally earned the title of IFBB Pro!

What I didn’t know was how different things would be at the pro level. First, I learned I needed to take some needed time away from the stage to continue to build my physique and bring up my weak areas. That said, I needed to know what the pro judges thought were my weak areas. I’d have to take a leap, jump in with both feet, and do a show so I could gain their insight and feedback. I did my first pro show in March 2015 where I was in a lineup with 29 amazing ladies and took 3rd callouts! I also learned that at the pro level there are no height classes, boy was that a wakeup call for this little 5’0 tall nugget. You learn that everyone at the pro level looks amazing, strong, conditioned, and posing becomes even more critical. It has been a humbling experience to say the least. Going from a perennial top 5 NPC competitor to an IFBB Pro that hasn’t been able to crack the top 10.

But, that is what I love about this sport. It keeps me driven, hungry to improve, and strong in both mind and body. I have changed my mindset along the way from “I gotta place top 5” or “I’m training to win”, to a mindset that it is truly “me” vs “me”. Now I set a goal to do everything in my power to step on stage better than the last time. If I beat the ME from the previous show then in my mind I’ve WON! I achieved my goal. At the end of the day if I put 100% into my contest prep and left no stone unturned, then the rest is out of my hands. At that point it’s time to step on stage, have fun, and enjoy the process that got me there.

Nutrition & Supplements

I was still behind the learning curve regarding nutrition even at the start of my competitive career. Even though I knew the types of foods to eat I didn’t know the correct portions that would maximize my gains. I severely under ate for my goals to build muscle. I relied on protein powders and bars for my main source of protein vs utilizing whole foods like chicken, turkey, eggs, fish and red meat. I literally did not eat any whole food proteins at that point. I also had this forbidden fear of carbs so I always under ate carbs as long as I felt like my energy was OK.
The first step to getting my nutrition on track was adding chicken, fish and eggs into my diet. In 2013, I incorporated red meat into my diet as I started my quest for a pro card. Lately I’ve also learned that my body now responds very well to carbs.

I meal prep 2 times per week, once on Sunday and again on Wednesday. Each night before bed I weigh out my meals and put them into containers to take to work with me the following day. I also load my supplement container so it is ready to go as well. It’s all about planning ahead and being prepared. I am very strict with my meal plan when I’m in contest prep and never stray from the plan. In the off season I allow a little more flexibility for substitutions. For example if I’m craving something sweet I might substitute Beverly UMP pudding or make a protein pancake in place of one of my planned off season meals.

Exercise

Monday: Quads & Shoulders

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Machine Shoulder Press	1	30-45
DB Shoulder Press	4	10-12
Underhand Front Raise	4	12-15
Machine Lateral Raise	3	15-20
Leg Press	1	30-45
Front Squat	5	10-15
Leg Press (superset)	4	12-15
Walking Lunge (superset)	4	10-15

Tuesday: Back & Hamstrings

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Machine Row	1	30-45
DB Bent-Over Row	4	10-12
1-Arm DB Row	4	12-15
Cable Row	4	15-20
Wide Grip Lat Pulldown	3	12-15
Seated Leg Curl	1	30-45
Sumo Deadlift	4	8-12
Reverse Hack Squat	4	12-15
Seated Leg Curl	3	15-20

Wednesday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Machine Chest Press	1	30-45
Smith Machine Incline Press	4	10-12
Machine Lateral Raise	1	30-45
DB Lateral Raise	3-4	12-15
Military Press	4	8-10
Cable Upright Row	4	15-20
Crazy 100’s*	3	100
Dips	3-4	failure

*(Pick 5 Cable Triceps exercises and perform 20 reps each as a giant set)

Thursday: Off Day

Friday: Quads, Hams, Glutes

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Leg Extension	1	30-45
Hip Thrust	1	30-45
Leg Curl	1	30-45
Deep Barbell Squat	4	8-12
Smith Reverse Lunge	4	12-15
Leg Press	4	12-15
Split Squat	3	15
Leg Extension	3	10-15
Lying Leg Curl	3	15-20
Stationary Lunge	3	10-15

Saturday: Shoulders, Back, Biceps

Exercise	Sets	Reps
Machine Press	1	30-45
Seated DB Shoulder Press	4	10-12
Underhand DB Front Raise	4	12-15
Machine Lateral Raise	4	15-20
Machine Row	1	30-45
Wide Grip Bentover Row	4	10-12
Narrow Grip Cable Pulldown	4	12-15
Rack Deadlift	4	15-20
BB Curls	5	15-20
Preacher Curl	5	15-20

Sunday: Off Day

Note: Abs are incorporated at the end of my workout 2-3 times per week utilizing body weight movements only 3-4 sets at 25 reps.

Cardio

Off season: typically 4 twenty minute cardio sessions post weight training.

Contest prep: slowly increase as the show gets closer, but at around 3 weeks out I’m doing 6-7 days per week for 30 minutes steady state before my workout and 15 minutes HIIT after my workout.

My preferred cardio is the step mill, or spin bike. If I’m doing a short HIIT session, I tend to lean towards treadmill sprints.

Presentation Tips

Stage presence is huge. Presentation includes suit selection, hair, makeup, tanning and most important posing. I have worked with several suit designers to help select a color that best works with my skin tone, hair and eye color. I also think it’s important to choose something bright that will stand out against the bold stage lights but it should be a color that you feel confident in as well. I have always had a professional apply my makeup because I’m pretty clueless when it comes to any makeup and especially stage makeup that is needed to show up under the bright lights. I have had my hair done professionally and also have done it myself. The overall package should complement your physique not distract from it. Finally, the part I feel is most important, posing. My best advice is practice, practice, practice until you can’t get it wrong. I have worked with several posing coaches over the years to help showcase my physique in the best light. Finally bring your confidence and a smile! You have worked hard to get to that stage, smile and enjoy it!!!

Closing Thoughts

My experience of becoming a competitive athlete has been one of the most challenging, yet also most rewarding experiences, I have taken on. I wish I had started younger but I’ve realized that fitness is the fountain of youth and you should never limit or define yourself by age. If you have a dream or a goal, chase it with your whole heart. Bodybuilding is a lifestyle commitment and you will get out what you put in. A fitness lifestyle requires drive, desire, commitment, motivation, and discipline. It has helped shape who I am in all aspects of life. I have learned that I can achieve what I put my mind to. I have learned that it’s better to try and fail than to never have tried at all. I hope that I can motivate and inspire others to get up, get moving, implement goals and challenge yourself to new heights. We are given one life and one body and I chose to live it to the fullest, chase my dreams, learn from my mistakes, and grow into a better, more well-rounded person every day because I have left nothing to chance!

Swolemates at the Gym and Trophies on the Stage

Age: 40

Occupation: Chicago Police Department and Personal Trainer

Current Residence: Chicago, IL

Years Training: 13

Height: 5′ 5″

Weight: (Off-Season) 140 lbs, (Contest) 135 lbs

Favorite Fitness Meal: UMP protein pancakes. The pancakes taste great with every flavor of Beverly UMP protein. I prepare them for breakfast as well as an on the go snack. Hot or cold it’s a perfect replacement meal.

Favorite Supplements: Graham Cracker UMP- I use it for anything from shakes to making protein muffins. I also enjoy the Glutamine Select during my workouts.

Music: Classic R&B.

Most Inspiring Book: Love Addiction.

Hobby or Interests outside bodybuilding: Because of my midwestern United States and Turkish roots, I enjoy trying new foods. I am passionate about bodybuilding so when I’m not working out, I’m helping someone else achieve their fitness goal. I enjoy spending time at home, watching movies, and binge watching Netflix. Spending time with family and friends is essential.

Words to live by: YOU vs YOU. Everything we do begins and ends with how we start our day. The mental mindset that we initiate and continue to maintain, is the foundation of the goal that we want to accomplish. It starts with YOU and ends with YOU..

Creating the best physique

What are the greatest things you have to overcome to be a champion? Training harder? Avoiding the sweet foods you crave? Living the right athletic mindset? Rather than focusing on the things she has been forced to go without, or her daily life challenges, for IFBB Pro Sharlyn Hampton, becoming a champion is simply an effect of going for what she enjoys...training hard, eating properly, consuming the best nutrition supplements, posing artistically onstage, and creating the best physique possible.

While her win at the NPC Universe (capturing the open class and the masters 35-and-over) gave her a pro card, her densely-built, aesthetically-shaped, athletically beautiful female physique was a primary goal in her life.

Background: basketball stress reliever

Sharlyn was born a military brat in Germany, where her father worked in the Army. Later in life, she spent much of her time in the St. Louis, MO area, where her father’s family is based. Her father always took her older brother to compete in sports. One summer, he noticed girls playing basketball and had her join up. Basketball and soccer became regular sports that she competed in, playing basketball all the way into college. She was introduced to lifting weights by her high school basketball coach, Theresa Humble. From her freshman year on, she was hooked on weight lifting.

After studying exercise, nutrition and health sciences at Chicago’s Robert Morris University, Sharlyn worked as a government contractor in Iraq for three years. She was a supervisor for a contracting company called KBR (Brown & Root Industrial Services) in morale, welfare and recreation. This included working in the gyms and rec centers that the soldiers used for training. While she enjoyed helping soldiers with lifting, there was another aspect of her job that was very stressful. Over the three years she was employed there, attacks with explosives were launched numerous times on the facilities. She consistently had to run from her bunker to nearby safety zones. “There were some soldiers that I would see on a regular basis in the gym and they would go outside of the wire and some of them would not come back.” This was very important work, but difficult to handle for long periods. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was a concern which she realized after leaving that job and returning to Chicago. “In the morning, I would wake–up and just automatically roll underneath my bed. That was one of the things we did regularly in Iraq when we’d hear a loud noise indicating that our base was being hit and there was not enough time to get down to the bunker.”

Sharlyn worked as a personal trainer while going through the training and hiring process to join the police department. The gym always helped her to relax her mind and soul. She still works part–time as a personal trainer and her own gym time is a major part of her life. “The gym is an area which is totally in my control. Certain situations I have been in as a police officer or my work overseas were not always under my control. Bodybuilding is just something I am completely in control of and a stress reliever.”

Entering Bodybuilding Competition

It was around 2006 that Sharlyn was pulled into the contest prep world. “When I became a personal trainer, about 4–5 of the other trainers were competing in bodybuilding and I just jumped on the bandwagon.” Her first contest (of about nine shows) was in the lightweight bodybuilding category at the NPC Caveman Classic in St. Louis, which she won. This was followed by another victory at the NPC Illinois show.

After taking a few years off from competing, she entered the 2012 NPC Muscle Heat in Greensboro, North Carolina. It was her first time in the new Women’s Physique division, and she won the overall! She took off a few more years in order to go through the academy training for her new police career, but returned and took 2nd place in Physique at the 2016 Chicago Wings of Strength Extravaganza.

“Later that year, I went into a national show and didn’t do that well,” says Sharlyn. ”I entered the Women’s Physique category and a couple of the judges told me, ’I know you have a bodybuilder’s mentality, but you definitely have a figure girl’s body. If you’d stepped onstage as a figure girl, you would have had a pro card years ago.’” While the bodybuilding and women’s physique divisions motivated her, she realizes that going into bodybuilding instead of figure with her build “was like taking a knife to a gun show.”

Sharlyn jumped into three figure contests this year. The first one was an overall victory at the NPC Michigan. A week later she hit third place in the NPC Junior Nationals. A week after that was when she captured her pro card at the NPC Universe with multiple class wins, including the overall in the over–40 class. “The thing I liked most was that I was in the open class with the younger girls and I won my class there too. Winning was absolutely amazing. It was almost like an out–of–body experience. The competitors made it so amazing back stage – everyone helping one other.”

She felt she had finally reached her best condition. Trainer Shelby Starnes jumped in to assist her just a few weeks before these three contests. “The difference Shelby made was he had me eating a lot more carbs than before. I would send him my morning pictures and he would tell me to eat more carbs. Your body can take more carbs. Keep eating!” This helped her have the slightly more “rounded” look required for high level figure competition.

In 2019, Sharlyn Hampton plans to enter her hometown’s Wings of Strength Chicago Pro for her pro debut. I also had to ask what her lifetime bodybuilding goal will be. “I want to step on the Olympia stage in Vegas. That might be a far out dream considering I am in my 40s, but I want to give it a try and go for it anyways, and see how I fare. I would love to be able to say I put my pinky toe on that Olympia stage in Vegas.”

Supplements

Years ago, one of her gym friends told her about Beverly International. “He told me their brand had the highest quality out there. I had tried many other companies’ proteins and was always turned off by the taste and chalky feel. UMP was not like this at all. It tasted really good and mixed easily as a shake or pudding. I grew up on homemade pudding and was thrilled when I discovered I could mix UMP with a little water and make a delicious pudding. I like chocolate and the graham cracker flavor is really good, too!”

Lean Out and 7-Keto MuscLean are my two must-have’s during my fat cutting phase for competition. I take 7-Keto MuscLean thirty minutes before my fasted cardio session upon waking, and again 30 minutes before my PM cardio session. I include 2 Lean Out with every meal. What I love about Lean Out is that it is stimulant free which I definitely prefer over most fat burners that give you the jitters. Adding these two supplements to a healthy diet will help anyone lower body fat faster!

I just started using Density (essential amino acids). Adding 2 or 3 to every meal has really helped with muscle growth and fat breakdown. EFA Gold doesn’t have a fishy taste and it really helps burn body fat. I also take a multi vitamin.

While most of us count on protein as our primary nutrient, Sharlyn has a unique “more carbs please” macronutrient balance. She consumes five to six meals a day. Because of her fast metabolism, her intake is higher carbs, moderate levels of protein and low fat (under 20%).

“Working as a police officer keeps me eating on the go. I’m in my squad car a lot and don’t have the luxury to sit and eat 5-6 hot meals a day. My typical meal plan consists of a lot of tuna packs, egg whites, UMP protein powder, whole wheat wraps, and oats. I alternate between peanut butter, almond butter and Beverley International EFA Gold capsules as my fat sources at each meal.” Here is a sample day’s eating.

UMP Protein Pancake Recipe

Ingredients
½ cup oats
1 ½ scoops UMP Angel Food Cake
1 tsp flour
5 strawberries or handful of blueberries
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/3 cup egg whites equivalent to 2 eggs
½ – ¾ cup water depending on how thick or thin you like themDirections
Mix all ingredients together in a blender and cook like regular pancakesFinal Thoughts“When you get knocked down, you get back up,” says Sharlyn. “When I say knocked down that means not getting first–place. You take constructive criticism from the judges and you go back to the drawing table and you bring a different package to the stage the next time you compete. You stay humble. It takes being consistent. It takes time to put on the muscle. Keep grinding, keep working at it. Keep going to the gym. Will and consistency!”With her serious attitude and seriously driven lifestyle, we look forward to seeing champion Sharlyn Hampton on the pro stage!
And she did, Winner of 2018 NPC Universe Women’s Figure Masters Over 35.Photo Credit: Dan Ray

Swole Training

When it comes to training, Sharlyn aggressively pursues the changes she knows judges want in her build. Her goal is to put on an extra layer of muscle, building a wider lat spread and full, cannon-ball delts. “I have to lift heavy to get those results,” she says. This motivates her each time she heads to the gym. ”Heavy training and volume is what I need for that extra muscle.”

”My workout routine changes frequently but here’s a sample of what I’m currently doing. I am including the actual weights that I used in my last workouts to give you a point of reference.” For example: 95/6 means the weight is 95lbs and I got 6 reps. On some exercises I just do as many sets as it takes to reach a total number of reps. On these exercises I rest just 30 seconds between sets.In the workout below I indicate this as: Machine Rows – 60 reps, 30 seconds rest.