Gymrat’s Weblog

Scandinavia’s No 1 meeting point for the Scandinavian market!

• Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
• Date: December 8-9

The Fitness Festival was first held in its original form in 1986. The festival has grown to become Scandinavia’s natural meeting point for the fitness and wellbeing trends of today and tomorrow. In 2007 the festival is set to be the best ever. Hopefully both where marketing and the number of visitors are concerned. visitor statistics show an ever rising number of visitors and we reckon on welcoming at least 10.000 high quality visitors this year.

The Fitness Festival represents an opportunity for club owners, personal trainers and active people from all over Scandinavia to meet under one roof. And over the course of the festival there will be activities going on all the time to attract visitors from the growing Scandinavian fitness market.

Show Profile

Sports nutrition, fitness and training equipment, wellbeing and beauty, health, care and rehabilitation, consultancy for the fitness & wellbeing sector, aerobics, music and fashion.

The amateur competitors marching in and disrobing for Luciapokalen Bodybuilding:
The World’s Biggest Beginner Bodybuilding Competition!

This job ad was posted to Arbetsförmedlingen, a Swedish employment agency with over 325 local offices, on Monday:

Wanted: Posing oil smearer for the Swedish Championships in Bodybuilding/Fitness (1 Position)

We at eSunLess are looking for a nice, energetic person for helping us at the Swedish Championships in Bodybuilding/Fitness, October 13-14 (Saturday-Sunday).

Your duty will be to take care of all the bodybuilding and fitness competitors need for posing oil, right before they step onto stage.

It is important that you are comfortable taking responsibility. Send a photo of yourself.

Salary: 500 Swedish Kroner per day (about US$75).

In comments to the Swedish media (who naturally picked up on the story after it began to be e-mailed, blogged about and discussed in forums) the companys owner, Luke Ray, said:

The posing oil is extremely important, the amount has to be just right. Too much and the muscles are obscured, and the competitor can place last instead of winning.

Over 70 people have answered the ad - so far. Mostly female applicants in their twenties…

Technorati Tags: Advertising, Bodybuilding, Fitness, Viral, Viral Marketing, Fun, Jobs, Employment, Muscles, Work, Career, Marketing, PR, Babe, Girls, Guys, Hunk, bikini, trunks, Sweden, word of mouth, buzz marketing, online advertising

Update: Now Sweden’s largest tabloid has a report on it’s web-tv channel. Click on the image below to view how the pro explains to the person not familiar with bodybuilding how and why the posing oil is applied:

Monica Mollica, née Wieckowski, debuted her revamped web site mowifit.com (now in English) on her birthday, April 14th. Monica has written both heavy and lighter scientific dietary articles for the Swedish bodybuilding magazine where I am employed since the beginning of this millennium. Go check her web site out - she knows her stuff!

ExerciseTV is holding auditions for a new show called America’s Next Fitness Star, where you can launch yourself into fitness fame, and receive a one-year paid contract with ExerciseTV to appear in an original series. Entering the contest can be done August 1st - November 30th, 2006:

“Calling all trainers, fitness instructors and health gurus, I’m looking for the next generation of fitness stars. Think you’re the most exciting and motivating fitness talent in America? Think you have the personality to inspire millions to get in shape? Then you could be America’s Next Fitness Star! ExerciseTV presents a nationwide search to launch one innovative instructor into fitness fame.”

ExerciseTV is a television network dedicated to fitness, motivation and sports training and is designed exclusively for video-on-demand (VOD) and emerging media platforms. ExerciseTV was developed by Comcast and Jake Steinfeld of Body by Jake.

Hat tip: The Eye of FitSights

Hips don’t lie… Have a look at international fitness model and world fitness champion Timea Majorova’s promo video for timeamajorova.com. Also have a look at Timea’s official MySpace page!

In an earlier post I asked “Will this years webcast from Olympia Weekend suck?“. Now Hard Body Entertainment, the company contracted to produce the television pay-per-view, post-event DVD:s, and live webcast, has released more information about the webcast:

The webcast will be able to be viewed at www.hardbodyentertainment.TV:

$24.95 will buy you an entire weekend (14 hours) of Olympia experience via the webcast. Things are certainly looking better…

Cathy LeFrancois, lightweight division winner at 2003 Ms. International at Arnold Classic, posted big news in her blog on Thursday:

“I want to announce that I have been awarded the opportunity to put on an NPC show! Fresno Classic, promoted by P3Production and Cathy LeFrancois, will be held on March 10, 2007, in Fresno, California.

The show will have all the disciplines the NPC affords. Men’s and women’s bodybuilding, figure and fitness. Come one, come all - it will be a good time for all that attend. All are welcome, from the experienced to the first time competitor. More information will be posted in the days coming.”

Cathy abandoned bodybuilding for figure competitions. In her latest last figure show on May 27th, 2006 California State Pro Figure Championships, Cathy placed 12th out of 31 competitors. But now she is back to bodybuilding:

“I was at the Collegiate Show of Lonnie Teper. I told him that some judges were telling me I should consider maybe going back to bodybuilding because I am in the middle, too big for figure and too small for bb. After we talked we decided that I should do a surprise guest pose! ME? I haven’t trained for the last 2 years at all!

But it didn’t turn out like I thought it would, people did enjoy the impromptu guest posing. Afterwards Lonnie asked the audience what I should do: stay in figure or go back to bodybuilding? By my surprise I had the bodybuilding vote! So thanks to them for bringing me back where I belong and giving me this wonderful motivation to go back to my profession “Pro Bodybuilder”…”

John Briley, Washington Post columnist and veteran gymrat, found a new piece of equipment at the annual conference of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA):

“Perhaps my favorite, due to its simplicity and relative affordability ($120), was a set of adjustable nylon straps — designed to be attached to almost anything sturdy (tree, door, ceiling joist, NSCA master trainer, etc.) — that allow people to do more than 250 exercises using only the straps and their own body weight. The system weighs less than two pounds and packs down to the size of a sneaker. The trick will be finding that sturdy anchor.”

If you need a gym on the road with you, why not try TRX Fitness Anywhere:

70 athletes started at B&K Fitness Classic 2002, Helsinki Culturehouse, Finland, September 28 2002. The competitors held high class and the routines also, and the comparisons took place fast (thanks to all the judges).

The competition had Junior Class, Novice Class, Body Fitness, the official Finnish Championships and Kike Elomaa Classic. The later was also qualifier for top-3 to the World Championships on October 5. The Swedes that visited Helsinki all agreed; We lack fitness competitions of this class in Sweden! In BODY Magazine issue 11/2002 you can find a large photo report from B&K Fitness Classic 2002.

There were many contestants, it took four lines to fit them all on stage!

The comparison round in two-piece bikini - look at the differences in height!

Here we see the winners, Marjo Krishi, routine, trophy and get an interview.

B&K Fitness Classic, routines, part 1

B&K Fitness Classic, routines, part 2

B&K Fitness Classic, routines, part 3

Editor Juan Carlos Lopez has just finished the 19th issue of HardFitness Online Magazine. Cover model is new IFBB Pro Jamie Senuk:

“We have a new section that should be running monthly: “Ask Misty Green”. Some noteworthy articles are “How to Stay Relaxed” by Kaisa Piippo, 3 different stories about Canadian Nationals and a review with photos of the Tara Scotti party. Reviews of the USA’s and Team Universe shows are also included.”

FitSights.com is busting Juan Carlos chops a bit in the Eye of FitSights blog:

“JC Lopez does a great job of capturing multiple images of just about every competitor, which is helpful to athletes and fans alike. I have to bust his chops, however, on the amount of bandwidth he must have used on thesaurus.com to come up with some of the outlandish terminology sprinkled throughout his NPC USA report.

Come again? Quotidian task? An omen or augury? Betide? What the.. am I reading a report from a bodybuilding show, or a Tolstoy novel?”

For Immediate Release: August 4, 2006:

“The Arnold Sports Festival 2007 will premiere the two-day Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships Friday, March 2 and Saturday, March 3 in Columbus, Ohio. This exciting and inspirational two-day event will showcase the aspiring talents of top male and female competitors from across the United States vying for top amateur status in men’s and women’s bodybuilding, and women’s fitness and figure.

The Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships is expected to attract high caliber athletes from across the United States who have already placed in the top five or won at national qualifiers. The event will be judged by top judges from the NPC (the National Physique Committee). The total number of athletes accepted to compete will be limited. The first 15 athletes who register and meet the qualifying requirements to enter the men’s and women’s bodybuilding divisions will be accepted. The first 20 Fitness athletes and Figure athletes that register and meet the eligibility requirements will be accepted into the competition. The registration deadline is January 15, 2007.

Sponsorship inquiries are welcome for the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships by telephoning Bob Lorimer at 614/430-5962 or Mike Davies at 614/521-3510 or visit www.arnoldclassicamateurbodybuilding.com.

For more information please visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com.”

There is also a blog to answer any questions you may have concerning the Arnold Classic Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Championships.

There is now a discussion tread on the subject over at Muscle Mayhem, everyone seems optimistic about this development.

SeriousAboutFitness.com is an website in the form of an “online magazine”, that aims to be a complete resource for active women. It aims to appeal to the most serious competitor as well as the casual enthusiast who just wants to learn the best way to improve their body and health. Read more in the August issue:

RossTrainings blog points out a story about a fellow gymrat, Bins Chien, a 99-year-old man, who trains three times per week at the gym:

“His story is beyond inspirational.  His real-life example is a testament to the capability of the human body. I recommend that everyone take a minute to read through the full article. Bins Chien has certainly shown us all that NO ONE is too old for exercise.  His fitness routine has certainly added vivacity to his life.”

In a related inspirational tale, MSNBC writes about Mary Stroebe, an 88-year-old woman who trains for a triathlon:

“The July 15 triathlon — a succession of swimming, biking and running that tests even the most hardened athletes’ wills and stamina — will be Stroebe’s 12th.

“I think I’m young so I act like it. I don’t realize how old I am,” she said. “I’m in good health and good shape. I’ve stayed active the whole time. Those are things that pay off.”

IFBB Fitness Professional Julie Lohre’s DVD ‘Ultimate Posing Guide for Fitness & Figure‘ has recently been released. The DVD is region free, and in it you can take part of Julie’s advice from her personal experience competing in 13 shows. Also, for posing advice in person, check out Julie’s blog, which lists dates for her Posing Clinics.

“Great posing can make the difference between winning the show and missing out on a top five placing. To be competitive, you MUST have great posing technique. In this video, you will learn:

• What the Judges are looking for
• Step by step instruction for the mandatory poses
• Multiple options for the relaxed pose
• Tips to make your presentation unique & perfect for YOUR body
• Actual contest footage, along with tons of photos of IFBB Pros & National Level NPC competitors, including quarter turns & presentation
• Posing practice sessions along with me”

From Reuters - Thu Jul 27,11:04 PM ET. Yikes! The tyke must be on the same diet as Wang Junxia; turtle blood and caterpillar fungus, as prescribed by the coach Ma Junren.

“Lu Di, 6, flexes his muscles as other students watch at a kungfu school in Songshan, central China’s Henan Province July 26, 2006. According to the school’s president Shi Yongdi, Lu did 10,000 push-ups in three hours and twenty minutes on July 22, 2006. Shi said the school was waiving his tuition for ten years due to his outstanding performance, China Daily reported.”

The International World Record Breakers’ Club, lists the following (and many more types!) as World Records for Push-Ups:

• non-stop: 10,507; Minoru Yoshida (JAP), Oct 1980
• in one year: 1,500,230; Paddy Doyle (GBR), Oct 1988 - Oct 1989
• in 24 hours: 46,001; Charles Servizio (USA), 24/25 April 1993 at Hesperia

B&K Sports Magazine had a competition in their booth at 2000 Scandinavian Fitness Expo; push-ups with a fitness female on the back. Those who managed to do 17 reps with Pernilla Stjernfeldt (’Troja’ in the Swedish version of the game-show American Gladiators, called ‘Gladiatorerna’) on their back, got free entrance to the first (and so far only) Professional Fitness competition in Sweden, Swedish Pro Fitness. Five competitors managed more than 17 reps. Here’s when the main speaker at the expo, Karl Dyall [Fitness Magazine has a profile in Swedish], made the competition interesting by stripping off his tail suit and entering the competition:

Results 2000 Swedish Pro Fitness
October 29, 2000, Stockholm International Fairs, Scandinavian Fitness Expo

1. Susie Curry, USA
2. Timea Majorova, Slovakia
3. Jenny Worth, Canada
4. Stacy Simons, USA
5. Eva Lundquist, Sweden
6. Angelica Östlund, Sweden
7. Karin Munge, Sweden

For those of you who are into functional fitness, bodyweight exercises and/or don’t go a to a gym, regular push-ups can only get you so far. When you do a push-up, you lift 65% of your body weight. But add some resistance and you can do some serious strength training! The best item I’ve come across is Power Push Up - 2 from Lifeline USA. Here’s what Matt Furey (he with the politically incorrect fitness instructions) has to say about the product:

“When doing pushups and presses with the Power Pushup 2, all the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder shake like leaves blowing in the wind. What you are doing, in addition to strengthening the stabilizers, is adding strength and endurance … not to mention FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, to all athletic movements.”

Matt Furey made the Hindu push-up (and the Hindu squat) popular in the United States. Here demonstrated as Tiger Stretch Push-up by John Peterson of Bronse Bow Publishing. Looking good there, John…