Archives for November 2009

While I wrote this unsure of who will be competing and in what divisions/categories, it should give you an idea of some of the people in the show. Last year’s overall figure winner, Erin Stern, wasn’t on anyone’s preview list and many didn’t know who she was. We certainly all know her name in the industry now as she’s considered one of the top figure competitors in the IFBB. There’s sure to be one or two “stern” competitors that make their way to the stage this weekend.

Check out the preview on bodybuilding.com and get familiar with a few names/faces on who to watch.

NPC Figure competitor, Kathleen Tesori is featured in the newest Muscle & Fitness Hers demonstrating a kettle bell workout. Pick up the Nov/Dec issue to see the entire article.

Kathleen is heading to Hollywood today. Well, let me clarify. Hollywood, Florida for the NPC Nationals where she will compete in her first national figure competition. She’s been training under the watchful eye of IFBB Figure Pro Felicia Romero for this contest. Good luck Kathleen.

Congratulations to IFBB Fitness Pro and coach/owner of the Performance Ready Team, Carla Sanchez. Carla gave birth to a healthy baby girl, Sophia Francesca Sanchez. Sophia will join an older  brother “Lil Trooper” at home.

That was the response given by former Alaska Governor and Vice-Presidential hopeful, Sarah Palin when asked about the current cover of Newsweek. Barbara Walters recently interviewed Ms. Palin and the cover photo was one of a variety of topics.

Sarah Palin was originally photographed for the August 2009 issue of Runner’s World. You can see the entire gallery by Brian Adams on the his stock agency’s web site.

The former governor recently wrote on her facebook page regarding the cover:

The choice of photo for the cover of this week’s Newsweek is unfortunate. When it comes to Sarah Palin, this “news” magazine has relished focusing on the irrelevant rather than the relevant. The Runner’s World magazine one-page profile for which this photo was taken was all about health and fitness – a subject to which I am devoted and which is critically important to this nation. The out-of-context Newsweek approach is sexist and oh-so-expected by now. If anyone can learn anything from it: it shows why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, gender, or color of skin. The media will do anything to draw attention – even if out of context.

– Sarah Palin

Current issue of Newsweek with Sarah Palin on the cover.

It’s pretty clear Newsweek has their own agenda by using Brian Adams’ image for their cover. Especially when you see a different set of images by the same photographer of Sarah Palin, portrayed in a completely different manner. These photos show a more conservative, professional Sarah Palin but clearly wouldn’t have caused the same commotion being on the cover.

I think it’s great that someone as high-profile as Sarah Palin emphasizes the importance of working out and being fit. The original profile in Runner’s World was a positive feature about the benefits of running. It’s a shame that the photos intended to promote something related around health and fitness have become something else.

Let this serve as a reminder to all of you who participate in photo shoots. Be clear on what the release form says and how the photos can and will be used. Many people are misinformed around photography rights. The photographer owns the photos and unless there is a full buyout of the images he/she can sell them to other publications. While the agency and the photographer were well with in their rights to sell the image, Newsweek is clearly out of line for the context in which they used it.

Most of you reading this avoid salt at all costs. Will you do the same for Angelina Jolie’s new movie entitled, SALT? I’m digging the movie poster and even though the movie isn’t out until next summer, it caught my attention. Yes, the plot seems a bit played out with a Russian spy but Angelina is one HARDBODY celeb.

Angelina Jolie stars in Salt, a contemporary action thriller from Columbia Pictures. As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt’s efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: “Who Is Salt?”

One of the coolest fitness models and NPC Bikini competitors in the biz today, Andrea Taylor has launched her new website. Check out aTayloredBody.com to learn more about Andrea, her personal training services and boot camps.

Follow along with Figure Olympia runner-up Gina Aliotti as she demonstrates one of her leg workouts. This video was posted yesterday and you can see she’s still in great shape.

Nutregenix has signed another IFBB Figure Pro to their roster. New Zealand’s Raechelle Chase joins Moe El Mousawwi and Nicole Wilkins-Lee on their athlete roster. Raechelle placed 10th in her IFBB debut, the Sacramento Pro Figure. Congratulations Raechelle on the endorsement.

Raechelle signing her endorsement contract with Nutregenix.

Thanks to IFBB Pro Crissy Garcia for passing along The Snuggie Sutra web site. This is hilarious.

IFBB Fitness star Jen Hendershott shared this photo from a recent meet up with rocker Chris Daughtry. SWEET!

Jen backstage with Chris Daughtry and his band.

Competitors know how expensive it can be to compete. Tamee Marie, a competitor and suit maker, is offering a few lucky women the chance to off-set some of these costs with a suit sponsorship. She’s currently accepting applications and the winners will be announced on December 1st. Sixteen women will end up having new suits and save some serious coin.

I asked IFBB rookie sensation Erin Stern what it was like to work with Tamee. Erin is one of Tamee’s sponsored competitors. Stern said, “Tamee’s suits are awesome. The stonework is beautiful. She’s fast, professional, does a great job and as a fellow competitor knows her stuff.”

Details of the sponsorship:

I plan on offering one person in each division for amateur and pro for a total of 8 girls receiving full sponsorship and another 8 for partial, so 16 lucky ladies in all!!!

Full sponsorship = no cost to the athlete at all but they are loaner suits and remain the property of Go Figure. The suits must be returned in order to receive the next set of suits.

Partial sponsorship = athlete gets their suit for cost (without labor) just the cost of material and the athlete will get to keep the suit to sell at a later time to make the profit from.

When I sponsor my athletes I offer a new two piece suit for EACH show (as long as they are not too close together). I will custom make the suits to fit the athlete to the athlete preferred color, size and stone design.

I’d like a bio including competition history, goals, and stats, tell me about yourself an why you enjoy competing, what motivates you? I’d like to see pictures of competition or at home in work out clothes. The bios will get a score of 1-5, 1 being the best (looking for overall reason why you compete and what drives you, not the writing itself), the pictures will be scored 1-5, 1 being the best (looking at the physique not the quality of the picture). The person will the lowest score will be the winners.

Please email this information to TameeMarie@gmail.com with the division you are submitting for (pro figure, amateur bikini etc) in the subject line.