Tracey's Training Partner

I Train With My Husband, Whom use to Compete, and now Retired, yet Carries the Same Passion and Love for the Sport....

We Train off and on Season Togeteher, His Knowledge is Sourced From Over the Years of Training With Pro's and Various Body Builders Across the Worlds. He Trains With an ego, He is all Mind and Power Over Muscle.

We Know Each Others Bodies so Well now That to Change Partners Would be a set Back, ....

On Season in Prep for a Show, He Will Throw in 2 or 3 Other Athletes With my Sessions as to Keep My Pace High, But he is There Every Step. Every Sweat Bead and Every Tear.

Trace

The Staring Game

In many gyms, whether of the hardcore or fitness center variety, one key selling point for men, is whether there's attractive women working out there - or not. Usually, guys want to join a gym that has heavy weights, good music, and beautiful women. But why is it that most gym have fewer and fewer female populations? Why is it that some gyms have gone to single-gender days? Why is it that some gyms have even gone to the point of being Women Only?.

I think the idea of Mens Only gym has certain gay overtones to it -- I'm not being homophobic, just honest. I don't know of any heterosexual man that would find himself so distracted by the presence of women, that he couldn't lift and/or train in peace. But can the same blanket statement be made by women? Can a woman - regardless of age, build, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, income level, whatever, go into a gym wearing what a guy would (tank top 'n shorts) and train without being stared at? And is there really a huge difference between who's staring? Sure, a good looking, buff guy, that drove up in a beamer and has a big office job, might be a great sale over drinks, but his staring game and the poor man's or the blue collar man's, is about the same in the scheme of things. Staring is staring, and in most cases -- it's unwelcomed. So what avenues of recourse are available for women? How much of a response can be expected from someone looking at you? Are they saying anything? No. Are they touching you? No. Do you they come close to you? No. So what can be done? And a better question, what WILL be done?

I like to look, but I try to be suble -- I think this is what everyone who looks aspires to do -- look but discretely. But what happens when someone stares? What happens when someone EYE-F**KS YOU? Sorry for being vulgar, but there's a huge difference between checking someone out and staring, and then there's that slang term I used earlier (which is even worse than staring, we'll call it EFfing). What someone is EFfing you, lol - sorry, they are not only staring at you, but they are intentionally making you uncomfortable, they re-assert their presence each and everytime their victim looks or tries to make some kind of face or gesture acknowledging and condemning the conduct. Imagine having to play this deadend mind game while doing cardio. It's grounds to just bolt out of the gym for good.

So do we really need to have men on one day and women on other days? Do we need to have Womens Only gyms? I don't know, but I do know that if I was a guy being checked out here and there, I'd love it; HOWEVER, if I was checked out all the time and it made me uncomfortable and I had not way of stopping it, I know I'd be pretty irate -- to say the least!

As usual, I went to the champions to see what they had to say. I hope you all take something away from this post - as with all the others. Happy New Year!

" I don't have to really deal with those issues on a daily basis. My husband & I co-own the gym, where I train. So if guys are looking they are not obvious about it....I assume out of respect for my husband & myself. My husband & I have trained in other gyms though, where we do get our share of attention, but I feel that it was really us together that drew the looks. I agree with the ladies I don't let anything interfere with my training. When I am working out, I am in my own little bubble, just getting lost in my workout. I am not really noticing what the guy next to me is doing. I personally get more stares just doing errands like shopping than I ever have gotten in the gym."

IFBB Pro, Judy Gaillard

---

"I think attractive women will get looked at anywhere- even in the grocery store in sweatpants, lol it's just the way things are. The gym is no exception. I guess I don't even pay attention to it. I plug into my IPod and I go to work. I am there to train, to be alone with my thoughts, and to get the job done.">

Allison Moyer

---

"I feel if you are at the gym to truly workout and better yourself, you are not concerned with who is there, who is watching you or what they are thinking. I am so focused on my training when I'm at the gym that having to share it with men does not concern me. I also agree with Allison that men will look at you no matter where you are so get over it and do not let it stand in your way of achieving your goals!"

Tiffany Reffner, Npc Competitor

---

"EarPhone's Usually Deter Many. Hanging Around the Big Guys Always Helps..... On a More Seious Note.... I Agree, You Will get Bothered in or out of Gym, Sadly in Gym, we Need our Focus, and This Could be More of a Problem Then..... Ignoring Them can Help, Not Making eye Contact, Those That go to far... Report to the Manager, Without Breaking a Sweat."

Tracey Gottschalk-Pike

---

---

***As always, if you enjoyed reading this post and you have a Facebook account, please "like" this page. By doing this, you'll help spread the word about FigureBikini.com

---

The Champions on Video!

Nicole Gray

---

Ashley Lemmons

---

Shelly Cannon

---

Marilena EchoHawk

---

Maysa Quy

---

Miriam Looney

---

Carolina Granados

---

Erika Otero

---

Ruthie Harrison

---

Tracey Gottschalk Pike

---

Karly Woodle

---

Stage Presentation 101

"I think stage presentation makes a big difference in how you're judged. The key to a good performance is CONFIDENCE. When you exude a level of confidence I think it makes you look ten times better than another competitor who may have a better body but is shy and nervous. I always go on stage with a big smile and a positive attitude which I think has helped me out a lot!"

Carolina Granados
NPC Figure Champion

---

I've never competed, but I'm as diehard a fan of physique sports as you can get. And I can tell you this, nothing impresses fans more than an athlete that takes the stage and carries on as if they've already won the contest. Whether it's for the cameras rolling in the pump-up area, the mandatory poses, and/or even the posedown, nothing speaks more positively than a competitor that takes charge of the situation.

But there also seems to be some considerations, and there is most certainly a level sportsmanship that comes into play as well. For example, pushing and shoving (something more common with the men), looks unprofessional and sloppy. Additionally, another good rule of thumb is to never take out a placing a questionable placing on your fellow athlete. No matter what place you take, you should always smile, stand tall, and seem indifferent. I know what's I'm saying may seem a lot harder said than done, and I don't know what it feels like to compete -- as of yet, but I can tell you what bad sportsmanship looks like from the audience. You should never let on how you feel inside. Be as happy when win, as when you lose. Remember, excessive jubilation could also be seen as poor sportsmanship. You must be a consummate professional throughout the entire process.

Remember, you don't need a pro card to be professional

---

South African Goddess

Tracey Gottschalk-Pike

---

What's for Breakfast?

"I eat a About 5 Raw Almonds and 2 Dried Mango Slrips as Soon as Waking Then Have My Green Tea With Lemon Juice and Cayenne Mix. About 30 min Later 3 Egg Whites, and a Cup of Instant Porridge. 2hrs Later a Repeat of the Breakfast. Before Hitting GymSupplements... Low Carb Protein Shke, Straight After Each Training Session, Amino's, Glutamin, BCAA's, Omega 3 6 and 9, Multi Vit, Vit C, and Calcium."

Tracey Gottschalk-Pike
Figure Champion
South Africa

Athlete Update: I've been asked to Guest Pose at Province and SA' Champs this year, before Hitting the World Championships on October 30th. It's been so hectic with around 4 to 5 Hrs of Gym Time 6 Days a Week.

---

"I keep the bulk of my carbs around my workout, which is always in the morning. Generally a whole egg, and 1/4-1/2 c whites and 1/2 c oatmeal on the side. Usually wait 30 minutes before I leave for the gym and start getting prepared. I've been using VPX Anarchy as my pre-workout. Gives me a GREAT boost of energy. I am also a big supporter of amino acids. I use a few different products including Xtend-watermelon flavor and 2 BCAA capsules before and after my workout."

Sundae Marshall
NPC Bikini Competitor

---

"My first meal of the day always includes carbohydrates. Depending on what stage I am in is the time within after waking up that I consume the meal. If I am off season I highly believe no more than 30 minutes should pass after waking up that you consume that first meal. If in season a lot of the time when taking a fat burner I like to wait 30 min then eat, so the meal is still consumed within those 30 min. The only exception to this "rule" is when doing pre-breakfast cardio, which I do on most days of the week. In which ase I wake up and go straight to my nearest gym, do 30 to 45 minutes of cardio and rush back for breakfast.

Meal 1 is always between 1/3 and 1/2 a cup of all natural oats, with cinnamon and 12 almonds mixed in. Then I will have 5 egg whites and about a cup full of asparagus. 8 to 16 oz of water.

With Meal 1 I like to take a Multivitamin, CLA, Omega 3's & 6's, and an Antioxidant. When not taking these in a concentrated form I take the Diet Accelerator by Top Secret Nutrition that has them all in there greatly portioned to a daily requirement and also has metabolic enhacer, diet accelerator, and a mood enhacer ;). I also religiously consume glutamine 10 g with meal 1."

Erika Otero
NPC Figure Competitor

---

"When I wake up (usually around 5:30) I take a lipo 6 black. About 30 minutes later I eat breakfast. On a regular day I eat 3-4 egg whites and 1 whole egg cooked in coconut oil. I throw in whatever veggies we have left over from the night before with a little squirt of canola mayo on top. On carb days I have 3 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 1/2c oats, 1/4c blueberries- mix it all together and cook one giant pancake- with either coconut oil, kerrygold butter, or almond butter on top. Mmmm Mmm good!."

Amber Shephard Hayes
NPC Bikini Competitor

---

"My first meal of the day consists of 5oz of Mahi Mahi, a piece of cinnamon ezekiel bread and a 1/2 of grapefruit. I love this meal, it gets me going!! I do not take any suppliments in the morning right now other than dandelion root and uva ursi. I get what I need from my meal.I wake up at about 7-7:30 and eat at 8:15. I get up, I go to the bathroom, I drink 8oz of water, I go down and make my coffee and by that time I'm ready to eat my meal. It's like clockwork."

Danae Zaitz
NPC Figure Competitor

---

"My first meal of the day is a protein shake. I usually drink it about an hour after I wake up. My favorite protein is vanilla flavor by optimum nutrition, and I add liquid vitamin, flax oil, glutamine, and L-carnitine to it. I order all of my supplements from http://www.powermaxxnutrition.com ."

Carolina Granados
NPC Figure Competitor

---

"I start my day with Protein Pancakes. I make them with liquid egg whites, oats, stevia, cinnamon and crushed pecans..topped with sugar free maple syrup. I always have my first meal within 30-45min of waking up..Always starving first thing in the morning. My supplements are pretty basic..just a multi and some vit. c with breakfast."

Nicole Gray
IFPA Figure Pro

---

From Christian Duque:

Thank you to all the ladies of Figure & Bikini, which took the time to participate in our poll question. These women are doing such a great job pushing themselves in-and-outside of the gym. They are proving to be far more than just athletes -- they are great role models for countless young women, and they are helping fuel physique sports throughout the world.

I'd also like to let everyone know that I did a write up for NPC Bodybuilder Kate Cooper. She's been vying for an IFBB Pro Card since 2001, but in the last month, Kate has done major damage at the NPC Masters Nationals and the NPC USA Championships. I hope the judges see all the hard work this athlete has put into her training and contest prep (for more, go to PhysiqueCentral.

Moreover, I'd like to announce an upcoming Q&A with IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Judy Gaillard for the StrengthAddicts and PhysiqueCentral websites. While this page focuses on Figure and Bikini, the Women need to strive for unity in all five divisions -- ignorant hate comments made against one division, should be taken as if addressed to all the Women. The Women Bikini stars need to recognize that the Women bodybuilders are every bit as feminine -- BUT -- the Women Bodybuilders should also reecognize that the ladies of Figure, Fitness, and Bikni -- also train in the gym an eat clean.

I know it's easy to preach, but regardless of what the talking heads may say -- physique sports are in demand, and the men do not subsidize the women. In fact, thanks to Bikini, hundreds of competitors are now paying Contest Fees and feeding the industry. Prize money for Bikini -- the largest class (at the Pro level) seems just as disproportionate to revenues, as the prize money given to Women Bodybuilders -- women in the most popular division and the most scapegoated (by chauvenists) are making about the same amount of money -- or LESS!

The Women need a strong unified front, with strong representation at the NPC and IFBB levels. Furthermore... MEN AREN'T JUDGED BY WOMEN, so in a perfect world -- ALL WOMEN JUDGING PANELS will judge the Women. This isn't just a blog with a bunch of pictures of great champions with insightful info on training! Take a moment to think about what an important role you can play on the sport -- whether as a competitor or as a fan.

Thanks again to all the ladies who contributed on this post and throughout the site. FigureBikini.com will continue to grow, and we hope you keep coming back!