2008 NPC West Texas Classic Figure & Fitness
FigureRX Online Magazine Volume 4
March 29, 2008
Official NPC West Texas Classic Figure and Fitness Championships Preview, Competitor List, Contest Report
Basic information for this show can be found below. Remember to visit
http://www.NPCschedule.com, not only to see upcoming show information but to find links to
FigureRX and other coverage after the show is over. Please go to the bottom to see our contest report.
2008 NPC West Texas Classic Figure & Fitness Championships
Fitness Show Alert!
March 29, 2008
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Promoters: Jenny Armstrong/ Andrew and Kathleen Zamora,
kattandrew@msn.com, 806-543-2775
This show is a
*Regional Qualifier* (individual class winners are nationally qualified for two years)
For more information on this show, please go
here.
SHOW RESULTS
To download the official score sheet please go
here.
Click on each nationally qualified athlete to see her contest history, hosted by
Bodybuilding Weekly.
Open Figure (combined into one class)
1.
Rachel Gichert
2.
Jennifer Rankin
3.
Allyce "AJ" Jerome
4.
Sharlyn Thames
5.
Donnice Roecker
6. Stephanie Flores
7. Sondra Hopkins
8. Sylvia Duque
9. Amy Dickerson
Figure Masters
1. Sondra Hopkins
2. Sylvia Duque
3. Donna Duncan
4. Mimi Zumwalt
Fitness
1. Mimi Zumwalt
Masters Women Bodybuilding
1. Mary Hobbs
Open Women HW Bodybuilding
1. Mary Hobbs
2. Karen Anderson
FigureRX Spotlight Interview - Jennifer Rankin
FigureRX Online Magazine Volume 4
One of the many things that we love about figure and fitness competitions is the opportunity they provide for high school and college athletes to continue to engage in high level sports and competition after graduation. So when we first ran into
Jennifer Rankin it was hard to believe that her upcoming figure competition at the NPC West Texas Classic in Laredo will be her first. Until we took a look at her athletic background, that is. Jennifer excelled in numerous sports including one of the most difficult races in track (the 100 meter hurdles) and that ultimate upper body builder, the pole vault. Now at age 25 she has stayed in great shape and will be taking a very well muscled, symmetrical and beautiful physique into the show on March 29th.
Get to know Jennifer, because we think you will be hearing a lot more about this tall, beautiful and symmetrical athlete in the near future. She is the latest in a line of amazing NPC amateur athletes coming out of the great State of Texas this year. And check back here on
FigureRX after her show for the full results.
Jennifer's Fast Facts:
Name – Jennifer Rankin
Height – 5'8â€
Weight – 124 lbs contest/ 134 lbs off season
Birthday – March 1, 1983
Home town – Plainview, Texas
Hair / Eyes – Brown hair with blonde highlights, brown eyes
Favorite music – Indie/folk, Christian, alternative, country
Favorite diet food – ground turkey taco salad
Favorite cheat food – anything chocolate!
Current occupation – Fitness & Aquatics Director at Plainview YMCA
Athletic background – High school: Track & Field (state qualifier in 100m hurdles, high jump), softball, basketball, cross-country, cheerleading
College: Cheerleading and Track & Field (national qualifier in 100m hurdles, pentathlon, heptathlon, pole vault)
Latest news – Recently celebrated 2nd year wedding anniversary and 25th birthday
Web site –
http://www.myspace.com/jen_rankin
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Please tell us a little bit about your background, such as where you grew up, your family, other athletics, when you began weight training, and how you became interested in competing.
I grew up in a small town out in the country called Eula, Texas. My Mom's name is Margie and my Dad's is Roy. I have one younger brother, Leroy, and one older sister, Audrey. Growing up we had horses, chickens, rabbits and down the road our neighbors raised peacocks, ostriches, donkeys and prairie dogs! It's funny to think about it now! We had a HUGE garden for a few years and if my brother or sister and I ever got in trouble, our punishment was to go outside and pick baskets and baskets of black-eyed peas or green beans. (It's amazing I still enjoy eating them today!)
But other than that, we always had fun! We were free to roam around outside and climb trees, ride bikes, build forts and make the occasional mud pie!
Being active as a child just progressed into me doing sports in middle school and high school. I started playing softball when I was 5 and since I was on my older sister's team I had to push myself to do my very best since I was so small! Two years later I started playing on my best friend's team and her Dad was a bodybuilder. I could not believe his huge muscles and how hard he must have worked to get them! I guess that is what sparked my interest in bodybuilding. I really looked up to him and found a love for sculpting muscles myself. I remember in high school being one of the only girls who actually looked forward to our weight training session after basketball or track practice. I loved it! But thanks to some amazing coaches, lots of hard work and encouragement, I made it to the top level in track and went on to compete in college. Many people wondered why in the world I would want to put myself through those tough workouts! …And honestly, sometimes I wondered the same thing! But, when it all comes down to it…the feeling of pushing yourself to the limit, achieving your goals, and sometimes more than what you think you can…is an amazing feeling - and one that I want to continue pursuing for as long as I can. That is why I am competing in this event. After college, I still continued to work out and people wondered why. They wondered why I worked out so hard ….for nothing. So eventually people in they gym started asking if I was working out for some kind of competition. … Nope … just working out!
Well, so many people started asking that I finally got the guts to look into it. I had always dreamed of being on stage and one of the girls in the magazines … but didn't ever think a small town country girl like me could actually get up there and do it. But, after some positive feedback and encouragement, I took the plunge and started preparing for my first ever figure show! What a HUGE goal and what HUGE dedication and sacrifice it has taken. But, it has all been totally worth it and in the end I will be completely proud of myself because I have made my body my slave, I have conquered my fears of not being good enough, and I have accomplished more physically and emotionally through this process than I ever imagined!
What is your academic and professional background? What is your current occupation and how long have you been doing it?
I graduated from Wayland Baptist University in Plainview with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Business Administration. I always knew I wanted to go into the Fitness Industry and thought that this combination of majors would be a great place to start. Since then I have become a Personal Trainer through NETA and also the YMCA.
Currently, I work at the YMCA as the Fitness/ Aquatics Director, Personal Trainer and ChildWatch Director. I have been here for almost a year and a half. It is a great job, I love working with all the members and I am getting invaluable experience.
What is your training philosophy (heavy or light, cardio, lifting)? Any particular body parts that you consider to be strengths, or weaknesses?
I love lifting heavy! I always try and push myself in my workouts. I will do a few sets heavy and then to finish I'll take the weight down and get a really good burn. I do a split routine so that way I can focus on one or two body parts at a time and really maximize my time in the gym. Lately I have been really trying to focus on my legs and shoulders so I do those twice a week. I feel like my triceps always need some extra work … and my back is probably my favorite body part at the moment.
Cardio and me have a love hate relationship! Haha! Some days I love it and some days I hate it….but I do it none-the-less and I always get my reward in the end -- of getting out the days frustrations, feeling energized, or seeing the body fat drop!
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How did you decide to compete at this show? Have you competed before? And is there anything in particular that you are focused on for this contest?
I decided to compete in this show after some encouragement from my "Y" members and also from my friend and off-and-on training partner, Dickey. Sometimes other people can see more in us than we can see in ourselves … and because they believed in me it gave the confidence to go for it!
This will be my very first show and I am so excited. All I have seen are pictures from shows in the magazines and clips from video on the internet … so this WHOLE experience is brand-new for me.
For this show, I am focusing on staying calm and collected, not getting nervous, doing my best, having fun and seeing if this will be something I can take to the next level!
Where do you find the best training and diet advice? Where do you work out and who do you work out with? Is there anyone in particular who you would like to thank, such as a sponsor, significant other, etc?
I find a lot of training and diet advice on the Internet through sites such as Bodybuilding.com. I also love reading fitness magazines like Muscle & Fitness, Oxygen, Shape, etc.
I work out at the Plainview YMCA and usually work out by myself or with my friend Dickey.
There are a few people I would like to thank.
First of all, my husband,
Logan. He has put up with me through the dieting blues, the dieting rage attacks (lol), and the emotional roller coaster of ME. He has sacrificed his feelings, his needs, and his wants so that I could buy supplements, lots of chicken breasts and my suits ..... and he has done it all gracefully and with more love than I ever thought possible. Thanks Babe!!
To my awesome trainer/coach, (IFBB Pro Bodybuilder)
Jennifer Sedia. Thank you for your guidance, your knowledge, your encouragement and your friendship! You are amazing and a true inspiration. I am lucky, honored and blessed to have had you by my side through this journey.
To my family and friends: Thank you for your encouragement and support! It means the world to me. Dickey, thanks for the awesome workouts! Kathleen, I hope that your poise and gracefulness shine through me!
There are a few businesses in Plainview that I would like to thank as well:
The Radiant Lilly, Season's Way Tanning, Allure Salon, Epiderme Laser Skin Care, S & S Electric, Kernell's Wrecker Service, and a few others who whished to remain anonymous. There is NO way I could have gotten here with out your generous gifts and donations! THANK YOU times a million!
Do you have any plans to compete nationally this year? What are your near term goals?
I would love to compete nationally this year if it is possible! My near term goals include: Continuing to push myself in my workouts and diet and try and make it to the next level in this event.
Do you have any role models in fitness / figure?
Jamie Eason,
Monica Brant,
Valerie Waugaman, …and all the other ladies out there who compete and push themselves to be strong, look absolutely amazing, and use their platform to encourage, motivate, and inspire others to workout and live a healthy lifestyle.
Thanks Jennifer!!
