Oakland's Kelly Dobbins By GeneX

Kelly Dobbins, originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

I've known Kelly for some time, going all the way back to when she worked out at Gold's Gym in Oakland, and then to when she and her husband set up their own gym not far away. She's a great lady. Here's her bio from her website:

Kelly Dobbins is a competitor you may recognize from her many appearances in Women's Physique World as one of Al Murch's favorite women to profile from the Bay Area of Northern California. Although it is in California, the Bay Area is much different from Southern California, but there are many impressive physique athletes suchs as Ms. Dobbins from the region better known for it wine production.
"I started weight training about 15 years ago, just for basic toning and conditioning. When I started to see how my body reacted, I started to take it a step further and people started to tell me that I should compete, so I did and started doing very well in the AAU," says Dobbins.

Her beginnings were much like many bodybuilders and she quickly fell in love with the results she was seeing. "More mature muscle started happening and I switched over to NPC and started doing even better with the right trainers and nutritionists - plus I loved the strict discipline it required and taking my body to the limit!!

"My goal is to do the Nationals next year (2000), but not to go pro. It's a must that each time I compete that it is evident that my body has greatly improved!!! I will not step on stage if I look the same as the last contest! It is very important to me that I get positive feedback from the judges each time I compete, but I can also take constructive criticism. I love to go up against strong competition, it makes me feel like I really earned my victory!" Dobbins adds.

With her grounded outlook, Dobbins sees no reason to push too hard to turn pro. Knowing what it takes to compete at the highest levels and the urrent evolution of the sport do not concide with her agenda.


"I really appreciate and respect the Pros because I know all the hard and grueling training and dieting that goes into it, however I want to keep my femininity and you have to be enhanced, which I have no desire to take that path," she adds. So what path does Dobbins want to take? It's not quite clear where she'll net out, but with the continued support of her friends and relatives, there's no telling.
Even through the crazy holiday season, Dobbins was staying focused. "I stay in pretty good shape in the off season, I keep my body fat around 11 or 12%, I still do my cardio and my training, I just dont diet strictly, but I still watch what I eat. I enjoy life a little more. Nice dinners, great wine and dancing! I love salsa dancing. I've taken quite a few group and private Salsa lessons," she adds. When not dancing or going out, Dobbins focuses intensely on her training which includes lifts such as 750 lb. leg presses, 35 lb. dumbell bicep curls, 50 lb. dumbell shoulder presses, and squats with 225 lbs. among others.





"I've been blessed with very wonderful and close friends whom I love to spend time with! I'm also currently taking private wrestling several times a week which I'm getting a huge kick out of. I'm really enjoying myself with this!!!! I have a wonderful husband who is my trainer and my nutritionist and also supports me in my wrestling." The wrestling Dobbins refers to is with Virago, also out of Oakland, California.

Recently profiled on the front cover of one of San Francisco's weekly papers, the Guardian, her wrestling career has been growing rapidly, but not at the expense of her bodybuiding career. "Contest time becomes a little tough because we become more business and we both know what it takes to get the job done - he's really tough on me! I get nothing but positive reponses from him, my friends and family, they are so proud of me!" And there is much to be proud of and if her career continues along the same path it has been, keep an eye out for Kelly Dobbins as she'll surely be causing a stir on the national stage soon.