2008 Arnold Blog

We caught up with East Coast Gym owner, Bob Bonham and asked him his picks for the 2008 Arnold Classic. Who is Bob going with it? Who is gym member, Hollis going with? The two of them disagree on who the champ next week will be. Check out the video to see how they break it down.

Check out the video here.

I was driving on my way to Golds gym in Venice Beach today when I saw that I had missed a call from Cathy LeFrancois.  I had just seen Cathy over the weekend at the Iron Man where she was working at the Gaspari booth and drawing a great deal of attention with her shredded condition she was carrying two weeks out from the Arnold.

When I called Cathy she told me she would be filming part of her new DVD today and ask if I wanted to catch a workout with her.  I have trained with Cathy several times and she has always held her own ground, with pound for pound matching most guys or even stronger.  I met up with Cathy and Dave the owner of Max Muscle Venice at the store and we headed to Golds to hit shoulders. Since seeing Cathy this past Sat she looked even harder today with no fat and had veins running everywhere.  I was surprised at how full she also looked as most competitors tend to look flat the last week.

Cathy has done her homework and if she shows up in this same condition 2008 could just be her year.  Cathy started training with dumbbell side laterals where she seemed to go to failure.  I’ve seen a lot of Pro’s just coast in the last week as not to overtrain or risk injury before the show; however, thru the whole workout Cathy kept her rest time down to about 1 minute between sets and went to failure.

Cathy plans on doing several contest this year and a few months ago signed a contract with Gaspari so things look like they are improving for her.  The sport could use someone like Cathy to represent it as she is a very positive role model for others both on and off the bodybuilding stage.

Check out the latest on FLEXONLINE.com with IFBB Pro Figure competitor, Gina Aliotti. Gina was strutting her stuff at the IRONMAN/FIT EXPO where she looked better than ever. She shot with the Weider crew two weeks out from the Figure International where she’s a favorite to win the entire show. I gotta give her the nod in my picks as the new Arnold Figure Champ. Look for her in the June issue of FLEX magazine. Props to the folks at FLEX for upping their women’s coverage in ‘08.

Check out the story and more photos at: http://blog.flexonline.com/

Hey everyone!

I wish there were enough Nancy’s for my “9 lives” (wink wink) …nonetheless, I always do my best to reach out and show you all some luv. For all of you that have been asking “where I’ll be” and “when”, especially for the Arnold, here is a media alert for you…please, please, please, come over and introduce yourself, say what’s up. Finally a moment to put a face to all those wonderful emails. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone once again.

Where to catch me at the Arnold:

Friday Feb. 29th at 6:30pm EST
Once again I will be Co-Hosting the Women’s Finals webcast with Bodybuilding.com/Fitshow, So be sure to log on to www.bodybuilding.com, click Arnold Classic webcasts and watch it from home! Men’s coverage March 1st 11:30am (pre-judging) and 6:30pm EST (finals).

Sat & Sun March 1 & 2
I will be at the Bodybuilding.com booth. (As much as I can)  If I ‘m not there when you come by, keep checking back. I’m probably running around the expo with the call of duty! Get your 2008 autographed calendars and photos. Bring your cameras!

February/March Magazine Watch

Cover Model of Pose down Magazine!
Out Feb 15 -Straight out of TEXAS, thanks to Laura & Bob Johnson for your continued support and efforts to promote women in the industry! Pick up your copy at the Arnold and check out this feature “Worlds of Fitness & Entertainment” with Nancy Di Nino!

Planet Muscle Magazine
(Feb 19) – Yes I am the “RED Hot Sexual Power” Available at the Arnold!

Status Fitness Magazine (debuts issue at the Arnold March 1st)
“the Art of Posing”, Check out my feature with Mike Davies on the Art of proper posing and presentation.And internationally with my upcoming feature in Dubai’s “Physique Magazine.”

Only one or two paragraphs, how can I sum up what I’ll be doing at the Arnold Sports Festival in that small number of words? I’ll try…

For me this event is three days to meet, see and learn from the top professionals in the fitness business. I am planning this as a working (or better yet workout) vacation.  I went last year, but was only at the expo for a couple of hours on Saturday, it was a total crush and I don’t think I saw nearly as much as I had planned. The following morning was busy for me too, I had my event to compete in, but I did manage to squeeze in watching some gymnastics, power lifting and fencing. What a combination that was! But as a newbie I didn’t realize you have to plan out your trip. This is a science, the Arnold Sports Festival, so I have the schedule and I am working on the perfect plan so I can hit all the events that I wanted to last year but didn’t.

I’ve met (through BodySpace) a great deal of people on Bodybuilding.com so first and foremost is attending the events that support them, so if you’ve let me know you are going to be there competing I’ll be there cheering wildly! Then there is the learning - the amateur and professional prejudging is where I will learn the most (imho), things that can help me in my quest for fitness and the other sporting events is where I will see motivation, the young people competing in events like gymnastics and power lifting is great too (how do I go about adding springboard diving to next year’s calendar? - then I could really make it a family trip). And all of this is wrapped up around the carnival like atmosphere of the EXPO where I will have my new racing shoes, so get your pens ready I need all the encouragement I can get and I want to cover my shoes with all the strength as speed that is available there (by way of autographs), and lots of photo ops, and did I mention that I’d really like a moment or two or even a picture with Governor Schwarzenegger (I may live in GA, but I’m a CA girl at through and through).

My event is on Sunday morning, the 5K Pump & Run; it combines my two favorite things – lifting and running (yes they can coexist in this world). Last year it was really cold (17 deg and snow) so let’s hope its a little warmer and no comments from the locals about runners wearing shorts being more serious than those of us running from out of town (I am 1 of 3 from GA this year, I’d say I was serious).  Since the “pump” part of the event is early in the morning I am sorry to say I won’t be at the Classic Finals or partying Saturday night, maybe next year. So have fun for me, I’ll save my celebration for after the race and the fitness fashion show which I will participate in too.  (TIP:  by day three all the salads are gone in the food court, can someone ask them to plan this, salads go better with my tuna).

Predictions? I don’t have any.  I am still educating myself in this sport. Can I say I want everyone to win? Or that I am the big winner when I get to see your hard work evidenced the day of the competition?  Men, women, fitness, figure, bodybuilding, amateur and professional alike, it’s the training in the gym that makes you winners.  I feel very fortunate to share this love of the sport of fitness, continuing to work towards goals.  Attending the Arnold Sports Festival is the icing on the cake (well some might eat cake or cookies or candy as a cheat meal) and is one way we can share experiences, goals, dreams and ideas.

Ok, so I couldn’t do it in two paragraphs, I could probably write more, I am 25 days away from my workout vacation, training hard, running to maintain my speed (hoping to break 20:00 this year) and if I can’t see everything this year, there is always next year!

I’ve confirmed with Monica Brant that she is out of the Figure International lineup. Monica has agreed to do an interview with me in a few days. She’ll provide more information on the details around her decision and what lies ahead for her. Stay tuned for more details.

Sorry Waugamaniacs, but those of you who had hopped to see Val compete for the Arnold title will have to wait. Valerie has withdrawn from the show. Valerie was a favorite to challenge for the title and a lock on a top 6 spot. This leaves the top 6 field a bit more interesting.

Yesterday Flexonline.com broke the news of Victor being injured. Last night Dave Palumbo from Muscular Development denied it and said, “He’ll be in the show! Who hasn’t pulled something while dieting for a show? Come on……..he’s not a baby.” Today Dave changed his story with the following report:

It’s Official Victor is OUT
Injury To Knee Forces Withdrawl!       
Written by Dave Palumbo   
Thursday, 17 January 2008
On Wednesday January 16th, while doing a set of warm-up lunges at his home gym in New Jersey, 2007 Arnold Classic Champ Victor Martinez fell off balance and felt something “give” in his left knee. The pain wasn’t intense but it forced him to discontinue his workout.

Today, he went for an MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and it was determined that he’ll require surgery to repair the injury. Victor will have one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country operating on him tomorrow morning; and, if all goes as planned, he should be home by Saturday afternoon.

As a result of the injury, Victor will be forced to withdraw from the 2008 Arnold Classic and, instead, will concentrate on the upcoming 2008 Mr. Olympia. Stay tuned for daily updates!

Now the Arnold gets real interesting. Who will be the new victor of the Arnold Classic?

This is one interesting interview! Ron and I stopped by the Vyotech booth and ran into Shawn Ray. As we’re chatting with Shawn, who shows up but Dina Al-Sabah. We put them on the spot to address the rumors started by Shawn’s fellow pro bodybuilder (the one who called me a punk ass on Pro Bodybuilding Weeky radio show). Shawn speaks about the Colorado Pro show and the rumor with Ms. Dina. We then catch up with the figure champ, Mary Elizabeth-Lado at the Vyotech booth. She tells us about her future competition plans and more.

Check out this entertaining video:

http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/2007arnold/LIFT_GETBIG/videos/marylado.mov

Ah the lovely, Ms. Jessica Paxson-Putnam. Jessica is an IFBB Figure Pro, sponsored by ABB and won her first pro show in New York last year. Jessica is currently on the cover of ABB’s magazine as as you can see in the screen grab below. I also asked Jessica about her thought on her hubby, NPC competitor Peter Putnam, being seen smooching with Lonnie Teper in IRONMAN magazine.

Check out the Footage:

http://webcast.bodybuilding.com/fitshow/2007arnold/LIFT_GETBIG/videos/paxon.mov

We caught up with everyone’s favorite Danish Underground Bounty Hunter, Tomm Voss at the Optimum Nutrition booth, and chatted with him about his upcoming video game project.

See what this great Dane is up to, and what’s new at ON!

Having problems with the video?  Click here for the downloadable Windows Media version.

BodySpace member, Brenna talks about her banned photos in this quick yet funny interview in front of the ALRI booth.

Hear for yourself why her photos and ad’s have been banned (not only from BodySpace [by me!], but also by the State of Texas)…  LOL

Having problems with the video?  Click here for the downloadable Windows Media version.