“What advice can you give me, I want to start fitness modeling?”  I receive this question many times and there are a number of different things you can do, depending on where you are at the moment, what you are looking to do, what you have done already, etc.  BUT the one piece of advice that I can give and that I myself still always do is NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK.  Is it exciting? Most of the time, no Do you need to put in your time and follow-up frequently? Absolutely.

You need to view yourself as a business, it’s a job.  If you were to work in an office, or run your own business you would be doing the exact same thing…you have to get leads, follow-up with possible interests, contact people to let them know you exist, put yourself in the proper environment.  These things are all true of fitness modeling as well.

For beginners, one of the best things you can do is go to expos and shows.  Although you may not be interested in the competing side of things the fitness expos that are involved with the bigger shows are key.  Three of the best ones that I feel should be attended are the Olympia, the Arnold and also possibly the LA Expo.  The Arnold is the biggest expo of them all,  it encompasses three days and almost every photographer is at this expo at some point during that time.  The expo is also filled with all of the major and quite a few smaller supplement companies, clothing companies, and other fitness related product companies.   Not only are the photographers there but the magazines are there as well.  If you plan on attending an expo be prepared!! Have business cards with all of your contact information on them (there are a number of companies out there that can prepare these at a very reasonable cost or you can even make them yourself on your own computer!).  Also have a few select images printed in 8×10′s that you can leave along with your card.  Make sure to select ones that show diversity and that are of course, most flattering.

Now, some of you may not have images – get them!! Yes, you most likely will have to pay for your first photo shoot or your first few photo shoots but you need quality images.  Do you need to spend thousands or get tons of pictures done? No…but you need something professional to hand out to people and something that captures you and your physique and hard work in the best light possible.

The other key piece to the networking puzzle is the computer!! Get online, start going through Facebook, Twitter, magazine sites, forums…places that you can find contact information and if you can’t find contact information there is usually always a general email.  Take this general email and contact them and explain who you are looking for and can they please point you in the right direction.  You may send out 20 emails and only get back a few or get back one, but it’s a start!

Another networking move is go into fitness, modeling, bodybuilding, and/or supplement forums.  Read the threads, see if anybody has useful information regarding anything, maybe somebody with a connection to something has left an interesting thread….you never know!  Also if you browse the fitness magazine websites more than likely they have a direct Facebook and/or Twitter link.  Go to these links and leave your own page for them to view along with an email that has your photos, tell them what you’re interested in and be confident in your presentation!!

This career does not happen overnight!!  Even if you think of somebody and think it seems that way, it seems that in the blink of an eye all of a sudden her name became huge….more than likely that’s not how it happened!!  You are just not aware of the amount of work that went into it all beforehand!!

Hope this helps all of you aspiring fitness models out there!!! Remember, do the work, be prepared and be confident… YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!  This career is a constant work in progress, I know I’m always working and trying to do more so be positive and stay focused!!!!

Related Posts:

• Diet Tips
• What Keeps You Motivated?
• What type of cardio should I do?
• What Is Enjoyable And Fulfilling?

I am often asked if I train muscle groups per day or a muscle per day.  For me I train a muscle a day.  What you will find, and what I will say over and over is this…. I do, as you should do as well, what works best for ME.

There are several factors that you have to take into consideration when you decide on your training style.  One is time and this is huge.  How many times a week you can actually get into the gym and how much time you have while you are in the gym will help you determine a schedule that works best.  You may not have the option to get in to the gym every single day and therefore grouping muscles together to train is a better solution.

Another factor that you want to consider are your goals, your end results.  What you are training for?  Are you training for weight loss, muscle building, both?  For me, my schedule is quite different as I am at a point where I am working on specific muscles that I need to tweak for better competition results (i.e. shoulders, glutes and back).  I do not train chest at all.  I get enough of a chest workout through my other muscle training routines and am not looking to target my chest therefore I do not train it.  Again this is definitely not for everyone!!

I also find that I hit my bi’s and tri’s enough when I train back and shoulders with my trainer (prepping for a show), and therefore may not train arms as much so that my shoulders and back will be even more predominant come competition time, arms will lean out due to depletion and therefore my overall aesthetic comes in better for figure.  I also specifically targeted my glutes for the last month and half before showtime and didn’t train the rest of legs at all.  Again this is what I have to do and most certainly would not recommend this for everybody!!!

When I am prepping for a shoot my workouts will change in that I may group certain muscles together and do a mini-circuit training to also burn more as I may need to come in lean for a shoot but not necessarily stage ready and still very feminine.  I also have certain “water push” routines I like to call them that draw the most water possible out of your muscles to give you a leaner, drier look

If you decide to do a muscle a day it is pretty self explanatory as to how you could do it:  chest, back, shoulders, bis/tris (or you can also separate them every other week to change up your routine: bis one day, tri’s another) and legs.  Some people also like to train calves separately than the rest of their leg workout and pair it with lower back and perhaps abs one day.  Again these are all options and just ideas to keep the body guessing and working hard!

If you decide to pair muscle groups together you should stick with a push/pull routine.  For example you could pair chest and bis together, back and tri’s, you could also pair shoulders and tri’s together.  I would always just do legs on a day by themselves and do lower back with legs as well as an option.  If you know that you only have a 3 day week for the gym you can pair chest/shoulders/tri’s on Day 1, chest and bis on Day 2 and then legs and lower back on Day 3.  Again, all of these are just options/ideas to perhaps incorporate into your current routines or give you a definitive starting point if you are just beginning.

I will leave you ladies with this…change and switching things up is always key!!! Another option is one week do a muscle group a day,the next week train muscle groups together, etc. etc.  Just make sure that you are capitalizing on the time that you DO have in the gym in the BEST possible way!!! It is better to give 45 minutes of hardcore, push it to the limits, give it all you got workout time then an hour and half of semi-intense, mediocre workout time.  In the end your body will benefit from the 100% you give every time you step foot in that gym and you will find yourself smiling more and more!

Related Posts:

• What type of cardio should I do?
• I Don’t Want To Get Big!

One of the top questions I get asked is “What type of cardio should I be doing?”.  I believe, as I do with the type of training routine a person needs and diet, that you need to gear your cardio to your goals.  I also believe in changing it up and not sticking with the same exact routine day in and day out.

Much like you need to shock your muscles when weight training, you also need to shock your body with cardio.  Change up your cardio so your body stays guessing, stays surprised and does not grow accustomed to the same thing over and over.  As you will notice when your body gets used to something…there is no change!!!

Let me also specify something before I continue…I am not talking about prep for a show.  When I prep for a show my cardio stays pretty much the same but that is due to the great change in diet as the weeks progress, the rotation and depletion of certain foods and the usual lack of energy and stamina as you approach closer to your show.

Most people that are asking are not in competition mode Most people asking are ones trying to see changes in their body and/or wanting to shed extra pounds.  I do HIIT (high intensity interval training), I also do standard cardio on the treadmill, elliptical, bike and change up the speed, resistance, etc. depending on what I am training for. I find that what works best for me for a shoot is not what I would do for a show.  Due to length of time that I may have to prep for each situation and what kind of look I need to have going in to a shoot as opposed to a show, determines my cardio.    Also where my starting point is, what I look like at that exact time that I find out I have something coming up also determines my cardio.

Another big tip that I give to many people who ask is experiment!!!  Do not be afraid to experiment and find out what works best with YOUR body!! There is no rule or rulebook that says you HAVE to do this, you CAN’T do that and if you don’t, it won’t work!!  My best advice is to work with one type for a set amount of time and then switch it up.  You may also hate a certain kind of cardio and if that is going to keep you from doing it altogether then don’t do that kind!

I will end with this….cardio, what ever form you choose to work with, monitor your results, monitor your body and continually strive for change.  Change brings results!!!!

Have fun ladies!!!!

Related Posts:

• What Keeps You Motivated?
• Natural Diuretics
• NETWORK: One Of The Best Pieces Of Advice For An Aspiring Fitness Model
• Train A Muscle A Day Vs. Training Muscle Groups
• I Don’t Want To Get Big!

One of the comments I get the MOST from women is “I don’t want to get big” in terms of weight training.  I have to explain this – it would take months and months and months for a woman who does not weight train at all or is starting to get into fitness to get “big”.  Although many women look at that with distaste or something they do not want any part of, realistically, it is not going to be possible!  The women that you see who are big, large, bigger than you want to be…it takes a lot of time and work.

The benefits of weight training for ANY woman are so great, I can’t believe there are any out there that still aren’t doing it! It speeds up your metabolism, it burns fat faster, and it changes the entire look of your body (in a great way). You can get toned, lean, and get rid of those “moving” areas – for example, the tricep area that so many women want to firm up or get rid of. The butt is another one – toning and firming…who wouldn’t want that??! The overall aesthetic of your body changes for the good when you incorporate weight training in with your cardio and diet!

How many days a week you do weight training, how you weight train (circuit as opposed to a body part a day) is totally up to the individual, the time you have and want to put in and if you are also training with a personal trainer.

Everybody’s workouts will not be the same, that is another huge realization that women have to come to.  What may work for me will definitely NOT work for everybody or even most.  What works for your own individual body is geared to your own individual body so when another woman says give me what you do , I want to look like you…that won’t work.  Granted, it may work for a small few but normally it will not.  Take the time to evaluate your own self,what your goals are, what you are working with and make a complete exercise program for yourself to reach those goals! If you feel this is not something you can figure out alone, that’s what a personal trainer is for and they should be able to do this for you no problem!

The next time the phrase “I don’t want to get big” enters your mind, push it out and replace it with “Go hard or go home”! Good luck ladies with the weights!!!

Related Posts:

• Train A Muscle A Day Vs. Training Muscle Groups
• What type of cardio should I do?

 For many people, the topic of masturbation is off limits. It is just something most of us will not discuss. There are many untrue myths that masturbation may be harmful, which lead us to even more uncomfortable with the topic.

Masturbation is completely normal, common, and a very safe kind of sex play that has many health benefits.  Touching one’s own body, including sex organs, for sexual pleasure, is what masturbation is. This is a common activity for both men and women, and really should not be off limits.

When you are sexually aroused, the feelings you are having is sexual pleasure, which is our body’s response to sexual stimulation. Some ways to become aroused is by things we hear, see, smell, taste, or touch. This may happen in the real world, in our imaginations, or in our dreams. One may become very sexually aroused when we touch our erogenous zones, when a partner touches them, or when we touch a partner’s.

What is an erogenous zone? These are zones that are the areas of our skin that are likely to make us aroused when touched,  especially the glands of the clitoris or penis. Other places that may be considered erogenous zones may include our arms, backs, buttocks, ears, feet, fingers, legs, necks, nipples, and vagina’s, for example.  Everyone is unique, so one erogenous zone on one person, may not feel as good to another.

Masturbation can be good both for your physical and mental health.  It is also one of the best ways to learn about your sexuality and helps to explore the types of touch we like most, which will then help us learn to reach an orgasm. Studies show that people who feel good about their bodies, sex, and masturbation are more likely to protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancy.

Through finding the right spots, you will focus on reaching your goal, which is an orgasm.  Once you begin to orgasm, continue the stimulation lightly through the orgasm, or if it feels to intense stop. Practice what works for you and you will soon find what your likes and dislikes are.  Some helpful tips to try to reach your goal, try lubrication, vibrators, dildos, sexual enhancement gels, erotic videos, or fantasize in your mind.  Remember, if you do not orgasm the first try; continue to practice. Practice does make perfect.

Besides the great feelings, there are actually some benefits to masturbating.  Masturbating can relieve the following aliments; stress, menstrual cramps, insomnia, common infections, excess of mood-elevating hormones, and make you happier.

Masturbation is not something we should be ashamed of. It is completely natural and satisfying. So relax, unwind, and enjoy the time with yourself. Just imagine, if more people did this, the world would be a much happier place.

Related Posts:

• No Related Posts