Kim Bergman - GeneX and Andy's Muscle Goddesses

04-14(1), originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

Where and when were you born?
Alabama, 1965

What is your profession?
Biology teacher

What kind of activities/sports did you do before you started lifting weights?

Competitive swimmer; cheerleader

How and when did you get involved into lifting weights?
My husband owns a gym. When we first started dating, we would always end up at they gym at some point. I figured I might as well make the best of my time there. That was over 20 years ago!

Was it a goal for you to compete in bodybuilding competitions right from the beginning or was it something that grew in your mind as time went on and you saw the progress in your body?

At first it was just for fun… something to have in common with my husband. I went with him and watched as he competed in power lifting and bodybuilding competitions. I started getting ideas!!! I went back to the gym with power lifting in mind since I recognised that I was already as strong as most of the girls I saw in the power meets even though I wasn’t yet training seriously. The rest is history… I was hooked.

What was your first competition and how did you place?
My first competitions were in power lifting. I entered three, and placed first in all three…. 1996 USPL Alabama State (best lifter); 1997 APA Nationals (best lifter); 1998 WPA World Championship (181 lb class winner) After all that heavy lifting, I felt I had enough muscle mass to begin bodybuilding.

And which contest has been the biggest success for you yet?
My biggest title in bodybuilding is the 1999 Ms. Alabama
My best national placing was just this year—2nd in the heavy weight class at the 2005 Jr. USA!!
In powerlifting, it would be the 181 lb class win at the WPA Worlds in 1998

Could you please add a history of all bodybuilding contests that you have entered so far?
1998 NPC Heart of Dixie — heavy weight and over-all
1998 NPC Coastal USA — heavy weight and over-all
1998 NPC Nationals — top 15 heavy weight
1999 NPC Ms. Alabama — heavy weight and over-all
2004 NPC Gold’s Gym Classic — 2nd heavy weight class
2004 NPC Master’s Nationals — 3rd heavy weight class
2005 NPC Jr. USA — 2nd heavy weight class
2005 NPC American Classic — 1st heavy weight & overall

2006 NPC Jr. USA — 1st heavy weight


Please describe a typical day in the life of Kim Bergman.
Morning Cardio
Teaching Science
Weight lifting
Cooking and preparing food for next day
Evening Cardio
Relaxing a few moments with my husband
Bed—so I can get up early and start all over again!!!


Please tell me something about your daily training routine.
I enjoy training heavy. I think that comes from my years as a power lifter.


How often do you train in a week?
I do something EVERY day. There is really never an off day for me.
I usually train each body part once a week… sometimes more.
I use a power-lifting based routine and always incorporate heavy bench, deadlifts, and squats, although I never max-out anymore.


What are the main differences when you train for a competition and in off-season?

I back off the heavy weights a bit and add a few more reps.
The main difference is definitely in the diet!!

If you don’t mind would you give me some stats (best lifts)?
Squat—475 lbs
Bench—250 lbs (although I recently have hit 5 reps with 240lbs, so I’m sure that would go up If I dared a max attempt.)
Deadlift—505 lbs

Which body part is your best in your opinion?
My back and delts

What is your favorite exercise in the gym and which one you don’t like so much?

Deadlifts are my favorite!
Cardio exercises are my least favorite.

Judging in Women’s Bodybuilding has always been criticised in one or the other way. Please tell me your honest thoughts about today’s judging in Women’s Bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding is, always has been, and always will be subjective to the individual judge. What one person prefers to see in a female bodybuilder can vary greatly with what the next person prefers. I just try to be the best that I can be with the body that God gave me… and hope I’m what they are looking for!!

Please tell me about what else you are doing when you don’t work out.

I am a science teacher, so that keeps me pretty busy. My husband owns a gym, so I work there a couple of days a week to help him out. I have recently started back swimming, so I go to the pool and swim laps a few days a week, too. I don’t have children, so I spoil my dogs every chance I get. I love to spend as much time as possible with my husband… even if it is just watching TV.

What are your future plans for 2005?

Last year was a “come-back” year for me after taking 5 years off. I’m back in full swing this season, and hope to hit one or more of the National shows, and maybe a large regional somewhere.

Erin Heath Wins Figure Class OF 2007 Emerald Cup

Figure

Overall: Erin Heath

5'2" and under
1) Shelly Rego-Vega
2) Sherry Smith
3) Hong Arcedas
4) Claire Taubman
5) Julie Ann Lee

5'2" - 5'3"
1) Gale Elie
2) Tara Chandler
3) Lisa Lattery
4) Nicole Weston
5) Sheila Bratten

5'3" - 5'4"
1) Erin Heath
2) Elsie Huxtable
3) Reagen Brenner
4) Vikko Newman
5) Susanna Backman

5'4" - 5'5"
1) Karin Kimura
2) Allison Powell
3) Danyell Leavitt
4) Kimberly Agnew
5) Kris Isakson

5'5" - 5'6"
1) Erica Hamilton
2) Ilona Maj
3) Kari Lege
4) Felicia O'Neal
5) Suzanna Barlas

5'6" - 5'8"
1) Michelle Mayberry
2) Jeanne Nimmer
3) Angela Myers
4) Julie Alves
5) Tonia Francis

5'8" and over
1) Christine Aguilar
2) Mary Hallman
3) Mindy Shaneman
4) Emma Callaghan
5) Beth Lay

2007 NPC Vancouver USA Natural Classic 2007 NPC Vancouver USA Natural Classic - Elsie Huxtable - 1st Place

2007 NPC Vancouver USA Natural Classic - Elsie Huxtable - 1st Place.

After starting in bodybuilding and building muscle, Elsie Huxtable made a massive change of her body and turned toward figure. The result: a first-place win at the 2007 NPC Vancouver USA Natural Classic.

Isabelle Turell - SuperWoman

Isabelle Turell, originally uploaded by hansk01.

Name: Isabelle Selena Turell
Birth place - Tampa, FL
Current living- Orlando, FL
Nickname: Belle
Age: 27
Birthday: October 22, 1979

Started bodybuilding: April 2000

Offseason favorite cheat food(s):
Calamari, rice and beans, cheese pizza with extra cheese
Desert:
tiramisu, oatmeal cookies, cheesecake

Contest favorite foods:
Sweet potatoes with splenda and cinnamon
Least favorite contest food
green beans

Favorite things to do
play videos games, go to the beach ,and shop in the mall
I also like lifting weights, which is a big favorite

Current profession- Fulltime bodybuilder and a fulltime student working torwards my degree, I also have a personal training studio called Signature Fitness, In my spare time I do some freelance writting for nutrition colums

For more see Andy's profile and Isabelle Turell's site.

Monica Mollica - Super Legs Video Clips

Monica Mollica's back with new clips from her newest obsession: her camcorder.

Monica's making videos as part of the construction of her very own website -- yes, she's making it herself, as Melissa Dettwiller and a growing number of FBBs are doing. It will have a members section and other content. But it's designed to show off Monica as she's never been seen before.

Enjoy the view:

Renne Toney Flexes Bicep 2005

Renne Toney 2005, originally uploaded by Natureboi.

Wow. This is an arresting photo of female bodybuilder Renee Toney as she sports a cool and yet animalisticly sexy dress and a well-peaked bicep.

Debbie Bramwell Flexes Her Biceps

untitled20, originally uploaded by fbbultra.

This really cool photo is of female bodybuilder Debbie Bramwell, who's sporting a black tight blouse, a sexy hairdo, and peaked biceps.

Janeen Lankowski - Abs and Thighs In The Gym

jl abs, originally uploaded by amproshoot.

The woman in the previous gym photo that I could not identify at the time, is canadian fit model Janeen Lankowski. She's shown again in this arresting black and white photo.

Video - Female Bodybuilders Flex - Jody May, Collete Nelson, Mellisa Dettwiller, and More!

This is an incredible video of some of the top female bodybuilders and fit models in the World. As a warning, it's risque. So be careful. But that written, it's -- I'd give it a rating of PG-13.

Female Hardbody - Could Be Anyone!

JL ball, originally uploaded by amproshoot.

To show you just how mainstream women with muscle are, I present this photo. I have no idea who this woman is; it's part of Amprosphoto stream on Flickr, but I've not asked him yet. But the point is, this could be anyone living anywhere, and yet look at thay hard body!

For those who think Women's Bodybuilding is some fad, it's not. It's here to stay!

Women's Professional Armwrestling - Video

There's something interestingly primal about seeing a nice-looking woman flex her biceps in armwrestling competition. That may explain why of all the videos on armwrestiling on YouTube, this one has more viewers by a factor of three-to-one. Or take a look at Russian Champion Julia Merkulova -- the Anna Kournikova of Women's Armwrestling!

It makes you wonder why Hooters doesn't have a Hooter Girls Arm Wrestling contest, instead of that tired beauty contest.

Oh, maybe they will!

Philip de Vellis Explains How And Why He Created The "1984-Hillary" Video

In this video, Philip de Vellis -- aka ParkRidge47 of YouTube -- talks to YouTube's news and politics editor Steve Grove about the "Vote Different" ad and the future of online video.

In the clip, he explains that he used a MacBook, Final Cut Pro, and Motion 2 to create the video, and that the effort was rather easy. What he was not prepared for was the viral response.

Joanna Thomas - About Joanna Thomas

Want to know as much about the legendary star of 'Supersize She"? Read on, thanks to Andy's Muscle Goddesses!

1.Where and when have you been born? I was born 12 December 1976, Truro, Cornwall, England,UK.

2. Where do you live now? L.A. California, USA.

3.What is your profession? I dont have an exact profession or degree, I did complete 2 years of nurse training and may return to it.

4.What kind of activities/sports did you do before you started lifting
weights? I didnt do any sports as I was very badly asthmatic for most of my
childhood.

5.How and when did you get involved into lifting weights? I was 14 when I looked at a bodybuilding magazine a student my parents had at our house had, it was one of the late 80s. I looked at the women and thought it was something I wanted to look like, I have always been a promoter of 80s bodybuilding as in shape not size. The other reason I began lifting was I needed something to do to keep fit and running was not an option being so badly asthmatic, the good thing about working out is almost anyone can do it!

6.Was it a goal for you to compete in bodybuilding competitions right from the beginning or was it something that grew in your mind as time went on and you saw the progress in your body? I always knew I would compete from a very young age and by the time I was 17 was training hard to do so, by the time I was 18 years old I was telling my first coach I wanted to win every show in the country, people laughed at me then but at 21 was the youngest to win my procard in the UK and still am today, if you have a dream......go for it, you just never know you may catch it!

7.Which competition was your first one and how did you place? It was in 1997 at 20 years old, the North East EFBB qualifier held in Nottingham, I won the middleweights and qualified for the EFBB British that year.

8.And which contest has been the biggest success for you yet? I won the Jantana Classic in 2001 and qualified for the Ms Olympia.

9.Contest history:
1997 - EFBB Northeast Qualifier - 1st middle weight
1997 EFBB British Championships - 3rd Lightweight
1998 EFBB Northwest Qualifier - 1st Middle weight
1998 EFBB British Championships - 1st and overall lightweight (procard)
2001 IFBB Jantana Classic -1st Lightweight
2001 IFBB Ms Olympia - 10th place
2003 IFBB Jantana Classic - 2nd Lightweight

10.Please describe a typical day in your life? Thats hard to answer! at the moment I am getting ready for a show and am waiting on my workvisa so its basically taken up a little like this .....get up around 9am and go to the gym to do 1 hours cardio, go home eat, shower, emails etc, eat, household chores,shopping etc or posing practise, see friends, tanning, various stuff, eat, train with weights maybe more cardio, eat, go home eat, relax or we could go out and eat, emails etc, tv, go to bed around 12mid, Its really hard to answer this though as stuff comes up and I may travel or have to go somewhere, help friends etc. I am nothing special I am fairly a boring human!

11.Please tell me something about your daily training routine. Im getting ready for a show and so its a little different to offseason in the respect that Im doing more cardio, Im doing cardio around 1 - 1 & half hours a day split as in I go before breakfast and do 1 hours, train in the pm 4/5 with weights and maybe do another half an hour, have in the past done 2 hours a day.

12.How often do you train a week? Ive done it all over the years,but recently am doing a 5 day split as follows
Chest/biceps
Quads/calves
off
Back/abbs
Shoulders/triceps
Hamstrings/calves
off
off

13.What are the main differences when you train for a competition and in the offseason? I am a believer in not changing your style of workouts throughout your contest prep as you do in the offseason, the only difference is I cant be as intense as I dont have the energy, but Im not into going into a higher rep mode or circuits than I would normally do, you need to keep it the same to give the muscle a reason to stay, cuts come through with diet, not 100 rep thigh ext and all the crap I hear over here, youve either got the maturity and muscle under there or you dont! But thats my opinion. Another thing is Im a big believer in changing your training all the time, ie using different principles of training and also I do more isolation than compound, gains are slower but better quality, its the difference between a powerlifter and a bb. The other big difference is cardio, I do around 1 to 1& half right now each day, offseason maybe 20mins 4 times a week, although next year I want to stay leaner for myself so may up that to around 45 4 times a week, have to see how I go.



14.If you dont mind would you give us some stats/best lifts? Um no sorry I wont, I havent measured in years apart from my arms at 15 and a quater. I really have no interest in what I can lift, its all about my look and Im small boned and am not as strong as many of the girls so whats the point? LOL. Just look at my shape and V taper and ask how many have that, thats all that matters in bodybuilding.

15.Which is your best bodypart in your opinion? My V taper ie shoulder/lats to waist ratio in shape, my over all symmetry I feel is one of the best around, dont touch many women in maturity or size, maturity I want, size I feel Im big enough apart from a little on the lower body.....and my blue eyes, many people tell me I have great eyes.

16.What is your favorite and least favorite exercise in the gym? I love chest exercises as I feel them, there are many exercises that Im not so into LOL, sometimes I have days I love training and other days like I am today dieting down, I feel tired and am bored with training, I do what has to be done and am glad to go home, we are all human at the end of the day.

17.Judging in Womens Bodybuilding has always been critised in one way or another, But please tell me your honest thoughts about womens judging today? Judging a 'sport' that is subjective and very new can always have wrong decisions. Being a fan of later 80s bodybuiding I am a preacher of shape, bodybuilding to me should be judged a a complete package ie muscle on a womans shape, we are not judging how fast we can run, its about being a man or a woman and I feel it should be judged a little different than the men, this is my opinion and not everyone will agree and thats my tough, however at pro level they are starting to improve and the sport is moving away from the more extremes to a pleasing package which is my goal, another thing to consider is as much as we would like people do do as they plesse with their bodies on one hand the other hand is how are we as pro athletes to make money from this, getting away from extremes I feel will help, I know many wont agree with me but sitting here without any sponsors as a pro athlete is very frustrating, there are many reasons for it one marketabiltiy Ive just mentioned but Im not going into it all, make your own view on this.

18, What are your hobbies etc outside of the sport? When Im not dieting Im much more laid back than I used to be and enjoy life here in Fort Lauderdale. I enjoy spending time with my friends from the beach, dinners, clubs, entertainment, riding on a harley, boat rides, lying in my back garden or using our hot tub, watching the TV, listening to Music. Candles and red wine! Assisting my friends with their training, emails! He he, I go to Fort Myers and see Amanda Dunbar sometimes or fly to NYC to see Mara Brecsia and Andrulla.

19.What are your future plans for 2003/2004? My competitive goal is to requailfy for the 2003 Ms Olympia, depending on how I do and what happens to me this year Ill decide on next year, Ive had thoughts from retiring to pro figure to competing again, but as Ive gotten older Im looking to try and secure more in my life and one of which means making money in what I do and so its becoming harder for me to justify my bodybuilding as I should be looking at school etcand my longer future, however I may be able to combine both, have these decisions to make, its too complicated to answer.

On a personal note find more security, settle my greencard over here, look at what I want to do with myself professionally, enjoy my friends, travel in the US and see things as well as being finally able to travel home to the UK to see my family (not able due to my visa at present) to find total peace and happiness,the last is the most important!

Finally a big thanks to my friends and family in the UK, the USA and fans worldwide for their support and for knowing me!