Hardbody contributor Rick Lohre had a chance to catch up with Venom from American Gladiators at the beginning of this year.
Rick and Venom (aka. Beth Horn) talked at length about how she got started, her experiences as an Weider athlete and what’s next for the Buff Blonde Gladiator…
Read the interview and don’t forget to visit Beth’s site at www.BethHorn.com
Rick Lohre: First off, where were you born? Where are you living these days?
Beth Horn: I was born in Chicago, IL. I am still living in downtown Chicago.
RL: What led you to a career in the fitness industry?
BH: The fitness magazines actually inspired me to begin a career in fitness. I wanted to become a fitness model too. I was also missing the competition, the fire and passion I had while competing in gymnastics. I desired to compete again and I wanted to change my body which led me into fitness.
With the help on my trainer, Bob Dixon, who has been training me for ten years, helped me to drop down from a size 10-12 to a size 4 in just four months. Thus, I entered my first local NPC show and won the overall. I competed again a week later and won again. From there, I went right to the national stage.
RL: You are the 2000 NPC National Fitness Champion…can you tell us about the road you travelled to that win? How long did you compete before that?
BH: My path to become the National Fitness Champion:
I began my gymnastics career at seven years old. I suffered two knee reconstructions and two arthroscopic surgeries along the way. Little did I know, my first serious knee injury at fifteen years old, would be the beginning of my path into fitness and health. In conjunction with knee rehabilitation, I began weight training on my own and then realized the importance of strength and how great I felt inside and out. I also competed in gymnastics at Ball State University.
In 1998, I began fitness competitions in the NPC. I placed 8th in my first national show- the USA’s in Las Vegas. I went on to Nationals in Atlanta and placed 3rd! I was very excited. I had my first big photo shoot lined up for Muscle & Fitness Magazine. It was my first photo shoot at Venice Beach in CA, which led to a 6-page spread! I even had my “Horn Handstandâ€, one of my signature moves in my routines, published in Muscle & Fitness Hers. So cool! ☺
My immediate goal when I began fitness was to become a professional fitness athlete. In 1998, I wrote on a big note card, “I am the Overall National Fitness Championâ€. I was determined to fulfill this goal. The top two places for the national shows would qualify an athlete to become professional. I placed third, three times in a row in my last three shows! I was so frustrated! I was not happy & was thinking very negatively. Just twelve weeks before Nationals, my last chance to qualify for the year, I was walking at the beach, stepped off a rock and broke my right foot to two places. I said to myself, never again would I let negativity surround me and overwhelm my thoughts. I knew I had to get back to my positive mindset and get back to my main goal. I changed the date on my note card to 2000 and carried it everywhere with me, even in my car so I would see it all day. My foot healed, I stayed focused and indeed became the Overall National Fitness Champion on November 11, 2000.
RL: After turning Pro, you were a contracted athlete with Weider, what experiences do you remember most?
BH: After turning pro, I contacted Joe Weider. I sent him letters, made many phone calls, telling him I would be a great spokesperson for Weider Publications. Deep down, I knew it was meant to be. He hired me and I was under contract for five years. It was a dream. I was getting paid extremely well and was traveling the world promoting health and fitness. I was inspiring people to take care of their bodies. This was exactly what I wanted to do.
I have so many wonderful experiences from my Weider days!
Here are a few of my great memories with Weider…
• Performing in Hawaii with Günter (before he married my friend Kim Lyons!) Of course I went to Maui after the show to vacation!
• Many years of selling pictures and books at the grand Weider booth at the Arnold Classic and Olympia Expos.
• Performing at the fit expos and traveling through Naples, Italy and Florence, Italy. (The Almaphi Coast is one of the most beautiful places on earth!)
• Countless photo shoots for Muscle & Fitness, Muscle & Fitness Hers, FLEX and Men’s Fitness.
• My favorite shoots were the swim suit shoots. My most difficult shoot was of me hanging on a rope, over a pool in Bel Air, CA with my head back, toes pointed, trying to look sexy while holding myself up!
• My favorite trip was to China with Timea Majorova, one of my best friends and Anna Level. We were treated like rock stars everywhere we went. We were there for the grand openings for several Power House Gyms. We traveled all over China, including Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall! It was incredible!
• I have met Arnold, “The Hulkâ€, Sylvester Stallone and the amazing Joe Weider.
• Thank you to Joe Weider for believing in me and helping me live my dreams!!
RL: What are some of your biggest highlights as a fitness competitor?
BH: My biggest highlights as a fitness competitor:
• Winning the overall National Fitness Champion title. It took a lot of dedication, discipline and perseverance.
• My first pro show: Arnold Classic 2001. I placed last (even though my routine rocked), but I didn’t even care. I was there on stage, even after my coach suffered a stroke just two months earlier. It was a stressful time but we made it through and he was there to watch me compete.
• Slovakia Pro Show 2002. Afterwards, I traveled through Slovakia and Vienna.
• Hungary Pro Show 2003- what a blast!
• I placed 4th in both European shows. Again, one place away from qualifying for the Olympia!
• My “Elvis†routine at Night of Champions in New York 2003. My Dad built me a set of stairs (5 feet high) that I shipped from Chicago to New York. I pressed up to a handstand at the top, slowly walked down each step, one hand at a time, and pressed back down into a straddle hold. It was awesome! I have never seen anyone do anything like it on stage. One little wrong move would have ruined the entire routine! I was in the zone and it turned out perfect. Phew!
RL: You’ve written a book “The Natural Way”. Tell us about that endeavor.
BH: My book is entitled, “The Natural Way- The Holistic Guide To Total Mind-Body, Health & Fitnessâ€. It is a nutrition and fitness book. I believe in the holistic mind-set, meaning everything within us is tied together- emotionally, spiritually, mentally & physically. When you move the body, workout and take care of yourself, you are going to feel better on every level.
The workout portion of the book is geared toward specific goals- building strength, building size, fat-burning, 2-day splits, 3-day splits, etc.
The nutrition part is easy to follow, explaining about fats, carbs proteins and how they affect the body. There are specific eating plans, glycemic index, food lists, etc., while teaching people how to eat healthy and how to stay lean.
RL: You’ve had success in so many areas of the industry as a competititor, international fitness model, & personal trainer and now appearing on national tv as American Gladiator, Venom. What an opportunity! Tell us about how this came about and what you hope for out of the experience.
BH: Well, first of all I am extremely grateful for everything in my life. I begin each day thinking about what I am grateful for. I have had an amazing career in fitness. My experiences have been so incredible. I feel I am so blessed to have wonderful people in my life, especially my awesome husband, Bruce. He is my everything. He is the most amazing person I know and he is my best friend and biggest supporter. I am also grateful for my parents and in-laws, my two dogs, friends and family. I have a great team surrounding me, which I feel is vital to my success and well-being. My coach told me eight months before the auditions, “Be ready. Something big is coming around the corner for you. Be ready.†I followed his wisdom even though we had no idea what was in store. I worked very hard ever since my first knee injury and especially throughout my fitness career. When you work hard, it is promised to you.
RL: It’s clear that fitness and being fit are a way of life for you, how has your training and diet changed since your physique/fitness competition days? Have you done any competitions lately?
BH: I decided to compete in a figure show for fun in September 2007. I felt I had to do it, but it took me a long time to get back into the mindset of competing again. I had not been on stage in 4 ½ years! So, I went all out on the outfits, posing, everything. I had a lot of fun doing it & I felt great on stage. Little did I know the auditions for Gladiator were just a week later. I was in Austin, TX relaxing & my coach told me I have to come home & go to the auditions. I turned around & went back home to Chicago for the auditions.
I told them right from the beginning, “I want to be a Gladiatorâ€. That was my goal. I did not even think about being a contender. I was set on being a Gladiator. I knew this was perfect for me & I could do it!
RL: How has your training & diet changed since your fitness competition days?
BH: Honestly, I workout a whole lot less and a lot smarter! When I began ten years ago, I worked out three times a day, tons of cardio, dancing, gymnastics, and routines. After I turned pro, we began doing a lot of functional, anaerobic training. In the last two years, I have not done any cardio! ☺ I train very hardcore with all anaerobic training, which really gets my heart rate up high. My training includes a lot of athletic ‘drills’, plyometrics, sprints, etc. I love it.
I also dieted very hard for years. I’ve done every diet. In the last few years, I have been eating very clean & healthy, but I goof off I lot more! I eat thin crust pizza every week, dessert twice a week and pancakes for Sunday brunch. Now that I am not as strict and I workout hardcore, I am in the best shape of my life now. I think it is most important to love yourself and love your body! When you train really hard, eat healthy for the most part, you should be able to eat what you want.
RL: You are a role model to many women. What’s your advice to women looking to compete or get into the fitness lifestyle?
BH: Believe in yourself. You can do anything you put your mind to- be it getting up on stage posing in a bikini, changing something about your body you are not happy with, fitting into those size 4 jeans or being on TV.- you truly can do anything! Whatever the mind can conceive, the body will achieve. Do what feels right to you. Always listen to your body. Love yourself & your body. It took me years to truly listen to my body & to love my body. Now that I do, I am so happy & in the best shape of my life.
For women looking to compete, set up your plan 3-4 months out from your show date. Get your team together- positive people you can trust. You need a great coach/trainer, mentor, posing coach, swim suit designer and for fitness women, include a gymnastics coach and choreographer.
Write down your goals and look at them often. Your thoughts create! Go for it & dream big!
RL: So what’s up next for Beth?
BH: I have a lot of goals. I want to have another fantastic season on American Gladiator. I will be back to film season two in March & it will air on NBC this May. You will see DVDs and books- “How to train like a Gladiator†and “The Gladiator Mindsetâ€, movies, “Venom†toys, etc.! I plan to be on “Dancing with the Starsâ€. I love that show & I love to dance! I will always be a role model for health & fitness and continue to inspire people to take care of their bodies. That is one of my purposes here on earth.
So that’s enough of the serious questions, here’s a few more…
RL: Favorite U2 song?
Beth Horn: DESIRE
RL: Favorite “cheat food”?
BH: I don’t have just one!
I love thin crust pepperoni pizza, Chinese food & cookies!!
RL: Beer or Wine?
BH: Wine, not beer.
RL: Chocolate or Vanilla?
BH: Vanilla.
RL: Dogs or Cats?
JL: Dogs for sure! I have a Golden Retriever, Gabriella and an Akita, Cleo. They are my babies!!
RL: Outside of Fitness and beating contenders to a pulp, what are your interests?
BH: I love traveling the world, reading, journaling, modeling, hiking, rollerblading, movies, spending time with my husband, my dogs, my family and friends.
RL: Something that people don’t know about you, something we won’t find anywhere else?
BH: I am very spiritual.
RL: Anything else?
BH: Please check out my web site- www.bethhorn.com and watch me on American Gladiators!
RL: Thanks Beth, we really appreciate your time. We wish you the best and expect to see you putting the beat-down on the competitors next season on American Gladiators!
BH: Thank you for the interview!
