AvaCowan 
"To be an IFBB Figure Professional"
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Archive for the 'Other' Category
Monday, September 14th, 2009
Full Name: Ava Cowan
Place of Birth: Ridgecrest, California
Date of Birth: October 21
Residence: Pompano Beach, Florida
Height: 5′4
Contest Weight: 114
Off-Season Weight: 125
Bodybuilding Background:
How long have you been into figure?
4 years
How did you get started?
I became certified as a personal training specialist and decided to apply my knowledge by training myself. I had always wanted to get in amazing shape, and once I had a solid knowledge base, it gave me the confidence to pursue my dream.
FOR THE FULL BIOGRAPHY CLICK HERE
Posted in Training, Supplements, Other, competition
Tuesday, August 25th, 2009
Last weekend at the Europa Super Show in Dallas, Texas was truly a one of a kind experience for me. I flew out to Dallas, Texas a few days before I needed to work the expo to shoot with Per Bernal. The first part of the shoot was my first photo shoot for Gaspari Nutrition so the location was at the most hardcore gym in the world, Metroflex Gym http://www.metroflexgym.com/ in Arlington, Texas. Seemed like a fitting location for the Hardcore! The final images will be apart of Gaspari’s advertising in the months to come.
The second day of the shoot was for Muscular Development entitled “The Girls of MetroFlex Gym”. It was myself, Marzia Prince, and Trish Warren….and this layout should be in MD very shortly. Totally Mid evil…totally HARDCORE. I am not sure I have ever seen anything else quite like it! BTW, none of this could have gone down without Joe Volgey the VP of marketing for Gaspari Nutrition…he is one of the visionaries behind the scenes…Marzia and I thought we would cool him off from all of the hard work he has to do while on location for Gaspari shoots lol…very tough job!
After 2 days of intense shooting with Per, it was off to work the Expo. It was such an amazing feeling being BEHIND the Gaspari Nutrition booth, a spot I have thought about for quite sometime now. I am also learning the ins and outs of traveling, food shopping while out of town and cooking in my room. This is the only way I can stay on track as I travel for appearances. I think I have it down…and other than a few goodies I desperately needed to fill out for my shoots, I kept it all in check.
That is a good thing because my next appearance for Gaspari Nutrition will be at the 2009 Olympia Expo, and I will be well into my contest prep mode for the 2009 NPC Eastern USA’s where I will attempt and qualify for the 2009 NPC Nationals that are only a week later here in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
Please check the 2009 NPC Contest Schedule Here for location and details.
So that is the latest, and I will keep you in the loop as more comes my way.
Posted in Training, Supplements, Other, competition
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009
Ava Cowan Joins Team Gaspari!
Ava Cowan, one of the most recognizable and inspirational personas in figure today, is now an official member of Team Gaspari. With stunning beauty and perfect lines, the shapely Pompano Beach brunette will return to the NPC in September 2009.
“The Gaspari team has been aware of Ava for quite some time and that she was a fan of our products” notes Rich. “Her strong following, great personality and willingness to get out and meet the people will be of great value to Gaspari Nutrition. As a true natural figure champion and certified personal trainer, she truly lives the lifestyle and understands how to motivate people, not to mention that her look epitomizes what Gaspari stands for. We couldn’t be happier to have her as a member of Team Gaspari.”
As she sets her sites on the 2009 NPC Nationals, Ava is thrilled to have access to the world’s most respected supplement line and the full support of Gaspari Nutrition. Rest assured they’ll be no stopping Ava in her quest to grace the biggest stages in all of figure for 2009 and beyond. Look for her training series to launch on GASPARI TV this Fall.
Ava is committed to the NPC, the best organization in bodybuilding and fitness. We wish her continued success as she focuses her career on the NPC in hopes of earning her IFBB Pro card.
To quote Ava, “I am absolutely thrilled to be making my way back to the NPC stage. From the moment I started to train for my first NPC figure competition in 2005, my dream was to become an IFBB figure professional. I have always used Gaspari’s products, and now I have the opportunity to take my supplementation protocol to another level. It is really a dream come true to be able to work with Gaspari Nutrition and I look forward to the endless possibilities in the years to come.”
BodySpace: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/AvaCowan/
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/avacowan
FaceBook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ava-Cowan/105191435636
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AvaCowan
Web: http://www.avacowan.com/
Posted in Training, Other
Friday, July 24th, 2009
Have you ever done something that you knew was wrong and just didn’t know how to fix it? Well, for me that is exactly what happened in the summer of 2006. I was killing myself getting ready for the 2006 NPC Junior Nationals. I had trained so hard I would literally make myself pass out after workouts. All I could see was my desire to turn pro. I wouldn’t even entertain the idea of any other outcome. That is not a very healthy thing to do, because having an unrealistic expectation can really create misery in your life. My whole life was out of balance and I was too stubborn to see that I was really a mess. With my relentless drive I not only got in shape, but in retrospect, I realized I overshot the mark. I came into the show too lean and dehydrated and even had veins on my face. After the show I was too emotional to be realistic about how I really looked on stage. As I look back, I realize that I simply looked unattractive. I know the NPC is looking for healthy, attractive women to represent their organization and the sport.
I am embarrassed by the fact that I was one of those competitors that felt they should have gotten 1st when really I shouldn’t have.
I finished the show and was disappointed OK, destroyed by my 8th place finish. I have been known to have a hot temper, something that I have really worked on in the past few years. But at that time I just simply snapped. I was overworked, broken emotionally, broke financially, out of work and out of ideas, and briefly out of my mind. In my anger, and not being mature enough to look at how I really looked on stage, regretfully I made some negative comments about the NPC online. I pointed the finger at everyone except myself. And I was wrong. About a week later, and as I began to cool down I realized that I was way out of line and I asked the moderator of the board to please remove the comments I made in haste.
And because I was too afraid to admit my faults, I brushed it under the rug and I started to compete in other organizations and deep down I was heart broken because I knew the best organizations that exist are the NPC and IFBB.
I knew I was out of line, and didn’t know how to fix it. I believe that since then I have learned and grown and matured and am trying to admit when I am at fault in all areas of my life.
I feel badly for being so selfish, and can only hope that the NPC and IFBB can forgive me.
I deeply regret my actions, and I hope that one day I may step back on an NPC stage once again.
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Posted in Other
Saturday, July 18th, 2009
Last weekend I went to the Southern States pool party and had a blast! We hung out, danced, I ate my prepared food….and generally had a great time. We also took a couple of pictures and they were posted on Facebook. I had heard a few comments that there is no way I can get that lean and be natural. Well, I am not on any steroids, or anything else that can make you lean unnaturally and have the drug test from Figure Universe to prove it. This was taken at registration the Thursday before the Friday show.
To top it off, last week I finally had some bloodwork done, as I just haven’t felt like myself lately ..extremely tired to the point that existing had a painful undertone to it…I just couldn’t wake up or feel good at all. It turns out that I have hypothyroidism. Some common side effects of this condition are extreme fatigue and weight gain, to name only a few. If I can get shredded, naturally AND have low thyroid hormone levels….you too can get it done too.:)
Posted in Other, competition
Monday, June 29th, 2009
I must say thank you to Jeff Everson for always being so supportive of my athletic career. He found out that I won Figure Universe and gave me a feature on the cover right away! It is very nice to have someone who believes in you.
Be sure to pick up your copy!
My leg workout will be in the issue.
Posted in Other
Thursday, June 25th, 2009
It is always a bit difficult to bring up past issues without some sort of fear about what other people will think. But the obstacles that I have overcome have made me the strong, determined, driven woman that I am today.
6 years ago yesterday, 6/24/2003, I was in a rehab facility in Napa Valley, California for the second time. I was actually admitted the 15th of June in 2003, but was given narcotics to help detox me from the real “narcotics” I was using on a daily basis. So I chose the 24th as my sobriety date as I was drug free starting on that day. I had a history of drug and alcohol abuse that lasted through all of my 20’s and robbed me of time, real relationships, and my self esteem. I had some sober time, about 2 years, when I just wasn’t in the right places or with the right people. Life was happening and I just wanted to go away. That is why I used to begin with, so I could cope with the way I felt. And it worked for quite a while and gave me the confidence that I never had. It was medicine and filled the hole that was constantly present in my soul. But in 2003, when I had the relapse, I knew was an addict, and so it really took the ignorant bliss out of drinking and using drugs. I also knew, that if I continued I would die. The way the disease was progressing with me…I just knew something really bad was bound to happen.
The decision was the most painful for me because I had “things”. I had an expensive car, beautiful clothes, a nice apartment, perfect credit, and I looked good. So it was really hard to get honest and humble, and in order to save my life I walked away from all of my possessions. I drove my Mercedes to B of A and turned it in, when the lease was almost fully paid. I walked out of a fully furnished apartment in Sunny Isles, FL and got on a plane headed to California. This decision also affected my “perfect credit”, since being in rehab for 30 days you cannot work or pay bills on time. I also lost all and I mean all of my “friends”. Everyone abandoned me. Though now I am glad they did.
So I stayed for the 30 days in a rehab facility, I knew the gig was up, and I knew I had to get it together. At this point I had already gone to school to be a personal trainer, so I did have that for work. I made it back to FL with no money, no car, and no place to live.
I had a hard time connecting with other sober people, but stuck it out nonetheless. I held on, no matter what and began to deal with the reasons I had to medicate myself. Along the way, I had this idea that I wanted to compete in figure. I had for years seen the icons of fitness in the magazines, and there was this voice inside that said you could do that. Then I would say to myself …no…and put the magazine down. It was painful to know that I wasted so many years, and I wasn’t willing to waste anymore time once I got my bearings in sobriety.
As I was making a decision to compete in the 2005 NPC Southern States, I enthusiastically mentioned my dreams to a guy I was hanging out with at the time, and he said, “I think you are a bit too old to start competing.” My heart felt like it dropped a 1,000 feet. And those words struck a nerve inside, the part that never felt apart of. The part that didn’t feel equal or good enough. And something inside changed in that moment. I had worked too hard to let anyone or anything stand in my way. 16 weeks later I was standing in the middle of the stage at the War Memorial Auditorium in complete shock as my name was called as the Overall winner. I was just shaking my head no in disbelief. That was the single best moment of my life. And for once it worked, I fit in, and was accepted.
So here I am now, 4 years later. Still fighting, still clawing my way up. You see, one day I want to write a book about my life. Because to know where I really came from to where I am now is a miracle. It really is. I am not even close to fulfilling my dreams and have a few more big goals I want to achieve. That is why I work so hard, train so hard, fight so hard, and never give up. Because I never want to look back. And God willing, I never will.
Posted in Other
Friday, June 12th, 2009
Today, I am feeling very grateful for many things in my life. I would have to say that to be called one of the most inspirational women on Bodyspace, well, it just means a lot to me. Not for the obvious reason of being on the main page….to know me is to know it is much more than that. My hearts’ desire is to give others courage, strength and hope when they don’t have it to give to themselves. I know how it feels to truly not believe in yourself. I felt that way for most of the years of my life, not believeing in myself and not understanding how to begin to do so. Often times it is just a kind word from someone that can change the course of someones life.
The people on this site mean so much to me because I feel like we are all in this together. Reaching, stretching and growing into the people we were meant to be. A brave group here, that strives to be better than the day before. And for that reason, I feel right at home.
One thing I know for sure……
All things are possible!
Posted in Other
Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Ava Cowan
Status Fitness Magazine cover release.
Featuring Ava Cowan and Thiago Alves on the cover
http://www.statusfitness.com/site.php?level1=6&level2=6&level3=6&site=shop&genre_id=41
I would like to give a special thanks to David Ford and Paul Dillet of the WBFF for helping me secure the cover of Status Fitness Magazine.
Posted in Other
Sunday, September 7th, 2008
What an exciting couple of months it has been! I have been quite busy and I am pleased to announce that I will be appearing on a television show called The Balancing Act.
The Balancing Act is an original, exciting, informative, half-hour, magazine-formatted television series, hosted by Dr. Wendy Walsh, Kim Alexis, and Kathy Peterson. If you are a woman who is juggling career and home, you want to get it right when it comes to health, family, finances and lifestyle. This is the show that informs, enlightens and shares solutions on how to be a success on both fronts.
This is the first of several segments. I will be sharing a little bit about my story and background, and will give a few quick tips regarding working out right at home with minimal to no equipment needed!
Posted in Other
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