Michelle Brent at The 2008 NY Pro Show

Michelle Brent, originally uploaded by nycrollas.

Michelle's a popular female bodybuilder with over 20 years of experience -- even though she doesn't look like it -- and has a great website which even has its own store. Michelle's pictured here at the 2008 NY Pro Show.

Women Commonly Flex In The 21st Century

Bicep flex on the beach, originally uploaded by pecdec200.

I had to post this photo because it shows just how common it has become for women to flex. It's the result of athletics, Title IX and the general advance of women in American society. And guys love it.

Sheena Bocciolone's Double Biceps Pose

pj000008, originally uploaded by Andrew Ducrow.

This is Sheena Bocciolone in a double biceps pose photo by Andrew Ducrow and in a video wher she beats a random dude in arm wrestling. (Say, why do these guys always look so dorky?)

Anyway, there's little information on Sheena Bocciolone as of this writing and no website or MySpace page as of this writing.

Debbie Bramwell Shows Biceps In Black!

IMG_5524, originally uploaded by Iron Ladies.

This is IFBB Pro Female Bodybuilder Debbie Bramwell, who has great peaked biceps and a terrific neck and tapered build. In the video, Debbie says she loves being a strong woman.

Here's all about her from her website http://www.debbie-bramwell.com:

Stats....photoshoot condition
weight - 144
height - 5'2 1/2 "
thigh - 22.5
bicep - 14.5 "
calf - 15 1/4
hips - 36 1/4
abs - 27
chest - 38.5
forearms - 11.5
shoulders - 44.5 (flexed-48)

DOB: June 9th , 1966
Height: 5'3"
Weight: contest 140 offseason 155-160
Hair: black
Eyes: dark brown
Residence: San Diego, California
Birthplace: New Jersey
Hobbies: weighttrain (compete),go to beach, volleyball,read, personal/spiritual growth work, movies, hike, yoga, dance, meet new people travel, hairstlyist, physiquemodel, music, study success people and the mind, but mostly spend time with family and friends

Lifelong goals compete as a pro, live a healthy, harmonious lifestyle and study success to enable me to inpsire and encourage others to achieve their dreams through personal/spiritual/physical growth. To meet and marry my bestfriend .....continue to live each day with purpose and gratitude... and give back to society.

I was the youngest of 4 children that played sports growing up. My dad took every opportunity to coach and practice with us as he encouraged us to have fun and be our best. I was shy and seemed to blossom when it came to athletics. As a young girl I tried every sport but as a teenager I enjoyed softball, track and volleyball.

It wasnt until I was in my early 20s that I became interested in my body image... I would say I wasnaturally pear shaped, with most of my weight in my legs so I always wanted to lose the 5-10 pounds to look good. After going on every diet and doing lots of cardio I realized I needed to tone with weights to get results. I'll never forget my first workout magazine was shape....I was so into reading the success stories for inspiration and learning the dos and donts of proper diet and training. Initially I joined a all girl gym (I was still shy)but eventually joined a "real" gym (in Phoneix arizona) and this wasnt until I was 26 years old. When I first joined this female trainer took me under her wing and show me a workout program. After a couple of months I met a man I dated for 4 years who was a noncompetitive Bodybuilder. I was lucky to learn alot more from him and his bodybuilding magaiznes that were laying around. I rememeber being in awe of Laura Creavalle more then anyone and then Sue Price and later Lenda Murray. He eventually took me to some local shows where i thought everyone was a winner on that stage. ALthough a this time I was not interested in competing I still got more motivated to go to gym and train hard afterwards.

Betty Viana - Female Muscle FBB Video on Vimeo

Betty Viana preview on Vimeo, originally uploaded by Iron Ladies.

Betty Viana preview from IronLadies Video on Vimeo.

This is Betty Viana FBB Video on Vimeo, but you can also catch her on AMG . Here's some info about her:

Where and when were you born?
Caracas , Venezuela 09 October 1971.

What is your profession?
MD Business Administration and Analist in Computer.

What kind of activities/sports did you do before you started lifting weights?
Olympics Gimnastic, Profesional Contemporany Dancer.

How and when did you get involved into lifting weights?
About 15 years ago, with my highschool best friend, trying to get the best shape like a model, but never be bodybuilders, I hate this anormal body like a man......???? You know.....So I loved do Jazz Dancing, artistic activities, and fitnness. That Was in 1988.

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?
OK, when I was starting the BB life I never imagined that in the future I will be a PRO, Never in my mind, listen never...So In a while the time run, my body began to transform bigger, and more muscular, and I Knew to my husband now, he was trainner in the gym and he helped to me to compete in regional contests in Venezuela as an amateur. We started to work to get the Pro Card in 1997, and surprises.....We got it....In Central American Championship, after winning a couples competition in Iberoamerican and Venezuela in BB. The goal in BB realy is to show my potential as an athlete. I would like to be Miss Olympia someday .....isn't that what every BB girl wants, you now...so, I know that is very hard to get but not impossible...I have the potential just I need more time and maturity and experience......I have to wait a little bit more.......I can.

What was your first competition and how did you place?
My first competition was in 1991, a Regional Amateur Competition in Venezuela. I weighed 150 Pounds, and I won....I just had a trainer in the gym for 10 month!!!

And which contest has been the biggest success for you yet?
Of course the first time that I won my first Pro Show in Texas and Qualified for the Miss Olympia. That was awsome for me unbelievable.

Could you please add a history of all contests that you have entered so far?
Amateur Competitions
1991 Miss Venezuela 1st Place.
1992 Miss Venezuela 2nd Place.
1994 Miss Venezuela 1st Place.
1994 Iberoamerican ChampionShip 3rd Place.
1994 South American Championship 1st Place.
1995 Miss Venezuela 1st Place.
1996 Miss Venezuela 1st Place.
1997 Miss Venezuela 1st Place.
1997 Cental American Championship 1st place and Overall (PRO CARD)

PROFESSIONAL COMPETITIONS.
2002 South West Pro Cup ,Texas 1st Place HW. Overall.
2002 Miss Olympia, Las Vegas 7th Place HW.
2003 NOC NYC 1st place. HW
2003 Miss Olympia ,Las Vegas 4th place HW.
2004 Miss International, Columbus 6th place HW.
2004 South Pro Cup, Texas 2nd Place HW.
2004 Miss Olympia, Las Vegas 5th Place HW.
2005 Miss International, Columbus 2nd Place HW.
2007 Atlantic City Pro, Atlantic City 2nd Place HW
2008 Miss International, Columbus, 7th Place

Please describe a typical day in the life of Betty Viana.
I wake up 4:00 am to get list all food for my husband and clients, then I prepare to go to the gym to do Cardio for 45 min, abdominals, waist, and calves, maybe if I have an appointment with my clients, work for couple hours, and come to my house to rest. Eat about 6 or 7 times in day, and trainning twice a day, work in the gym with my husband 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm and come back to my house to prepare all meals to the next day...share with Armando (husband) all comments in the day and Sleep.

Please tell me something about your daily training routine.
Monday: chest-shoulders, Tuesday: back-trapecius Wednesday: Thighs, Thursday: biceps and triceps.

How often do you train in a week?
I train 5 days a week in off seasson but when I prepare for a competition I train 3 days in row and 1 off and 3 days again and 1 off.

What are the main differences when you train for a competition and in off-season?
The first diference is the intensity and the stress, in off seasson you can skip the day if we are busy we can rest and do it in free time, but during contest prep is holy training, no matter if it rains, a hurricane or whatever. Whatever happens you know it is the most important...all the time the weights are heavy and low repetition about 12 or 15, in pre-contest the same eigth and more repetitions 15-20-25 or more.

If you don't mind would you give me some stats (best lifts and some body measurements)?
Best Lifts:
Squats:360 pound
Shoulders: 140 Pounds (Military Press)
Chest: 220 Pounds
Biceps curls: 120 Pounds
Leg Press: 550 Pounds.

Measurements:
Biceps 16"
Quads: 25"
Calves: 15"

Which bodypart is your best in your opinion?
The best body parts in my opinion are my thighs, abdominals, and shoulders but front thighs are the best for me.

What is your favorite exercise in the gym and which one you don't like so much?
I like to do legs, legs extension, squats in machine or free weights, shoulders military press, and flys with dumbells. I hate Hamstrins,is my weak point.

Annie Rivieccio and Jen Cowan At 2008 NPC Jr. Nationals

102_0057, originally uploaded by petechons.

Annie Rivieccio and Jen Cowan are photoed by petechons. Annie Rivieccio looks great in her summer dress, and Jen Cowan is ready to model with her black bodysuit.

Jen Dejoya with GeneX During A Photo Shoot

lensbaby with Jen Dejoya, originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

This is NPC National Figure Competitor Jen Dejoya, who has a nice website , looking at GeneX's camera during a shoot. Jen Dejoya was in the 2007 NPC Jr. Nationals.

Racism and Friendship From My Personal View

(You're stlll at the right place for Women's fitness information. But once and awhile, it's good to shake up the routine. )

I created this "vlog" (video-blog) to deal with and talk about a problem I've had with certain friends.

Perhaps you've had the same problem where some of your, in my case, friends who are White (or the reverse or generally interracial) don't give you proper "consideration" in your friendship, where consideration is a kind of contract that all friendships have -- a contract of basic expectations of treatment.

In other words, while you call them, they don't call you, or if you are dealing with someone who's racist, they tell you that you "see racism" rather than coming to your aide.

Or they are your friends as long as they're able to take advantage of you or get information from you, but when they get around their friends, you suddenly don't exist.

I'd like to know your response to my video and your view.

Thanks.

Amanda Dunbar's Sister Alledgedly Killed By Husband, Darnell Patrick Lauture

Darnell Patrick Lauture Alledgedly Killed Amanda Dunbar's Sister Stacey Lauture, His Wife

I got an email from my friend, IFBB pro female bodybuilder Amanda Dunbar. I've gotten a lot of emails from Amanda over the many years, but this one is the first to totally shock him and it hits me, too. This is what she wrote:

I'm not sure if anyone has heard about this yet, but my sister, 21 year old, Stacey Lauture, was murdered by her husband, Darnell Lauture on Tuesday early evening.

She was beaten, then shot in the head, while her 2 year old beautiful angel, Amiyah, watched. Darnell then took off with Amiyah, and drove from their home in GA to his parents house in Cape Coral, Florida. It hhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifas been 4 days since Amiyah has spoken to or seen anyone in her family and she needs to be returned. She is in protective foster care and I am fearful of her mental well-being at this point.

The poor child is only 2. Please, if you see Darnell or have seen him, contact the police immediately. He is an ex-truck driver and "I suspect" he is hitch-hiking on the interstate. Taking showers, eating, sleeping at truck stops. He was in South Florida the last thing we knew, but could be ANYWHERE by now. He has under $1000 on him with no credit available. He was driving my sisters blue, 2004, 4-door Hyundai sonata. We have to catch this killer. He is armed and dangerous. Please.... if you know anything or have seen him, contact the police immediately.

According to this Times Herald article, ..

Police have begun a several state manhunt for 24-year-old Darnell Patrick Lauture who is wanted in connection with the shooting death of his wife, 21-year-old Stacey Lauture, according to local authorities.

The incident happened overnight Tuesday at Stacey Lauture’s townhouse in Lakeside Apartments, located at 3405 Lakeside Way in Newnan, according to Major James Yarbrough of the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office.

Stacey and Darnell Lauture were in the process of a divorce, and police had been called to the residence in the past to investigate domestic issues.


From what members of the sheriff’s office have gathered, Stacey was last seen alive around noon on Tuesday. Sometime after that, Darnell Lauture allegedly shot her once, fatally wounding her, according to Yarbrough.

This is shocking. I'm sending this email to every news media person I know, please pass this blog post on and write about it, too if you're a blogger.

I will give periodic updates here and at our main blog, Zennie's Zeitgeist.

Thanks,

Aleesha Young Flexes In Dress At NPC Jr. Nationals

102_0383, originally uploaded by petechons.

Petechons, whoever that is, features rising star fbb Aleesha Young at the 2008 NPC Nationals flexing her bicep in a killer dress. With her almost perfect combination of approachable beauty, and strong woman sexiness, Aleesha Young's becoming a regular here and around the FBB Fan Community.

The video below is from HDPhysiques and shows Aleesha's incredibly cut and buffed figure in a smoking bikini. And of course we have that great smile.

Heather Bayer Shows Super Biceps and Legs at www.ftvideo.com

Heather Bayer at www.ftvideo.com, originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

Heather Bayer is not just one of my favorite top female bodybuilders, she's one of my favorite people, too. Photoged by GeneX, Heather took the middleweight competition in the 2008 Junior Nationals, and has done very well in every contest she's been in, and it's only a matter of time before she gets her pro-card. Plus, as I explained up top, she's a nice person.

The only problem is that Heather's not yet done a movie or commercial. It's mind-numbing to think that someone with her presence has not been promoted or discovered for the movies or even a video show. Get thee an agent!

Here's a video introduction by Heather herself.

Heather Bayer - this girl has muscles

Kira Neuman's Abs, Breats And Biceps Stand Out

Kira Neuman, originally uploaded by genexmagazine.

Here's another awesome photo of Kira Neuman by our favorite shutterbug, GeneX. Here's Newman shows the great cut and sexy body she's becoming an FBB star for. And that smile! Oh, and the hat? Frank Sinatra would be proud.

Amber Lee Ettinger As Obama Girl v. Collete Nelson as "The McCain She-Hulk"

Collette Nelson God Bless America, originally uploaded by Natureboi.

This is a totally funny movie video by Barely Political and shows both Amber Lee Ettinger as Obama Girl and IFBB Pro Female Bodybuilder Collete Nelson as "The McCain She-Hulk".

To see what Amber Lee Ettinger looks like, click here.