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Issue #103

Contents

Editorial
by Juan Carlos Lope
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20 Questions with Cover Model Lindsey Rojas

Video Interview with Amateur Physique Lindsey Rojas

Pictorials
Lindsey Rojas, Asha Hadley, Shauna Lewis, Angela Tardiff & Emmanuela Pintus

Video Interview with Amateur Figure Shianne Behan

Product of the Month
by Heather Hirmer

Video Interview with
Amateur Figure Jennifer Delgado

 

20 Questions with Cover Model Lindsey Rojas

Lindsay Rojas

1) Please introduce yourself? What makes you special? Who is Lindsey Rojas?

My name is Lindsey Rojas, I am a 28 year old women's physique competitor form Las Vegas. I am married to Thomas Rojas and fitness is our world. We eat, live and breathe competition. Having a partner in this crazy lifestyle makes it so much easier and enjoyable.

2) Please tell us a bit about your family, friends and surroundings?

My parents, husband and best friend are my biggest supporters. I've noticed that people fall off or don’t come around as much when you don’t stay out late and party so having a small group of really close family is the best type of support system for me. I can come home to my husband and 3 dogs, stop by my parents house, or call up my best friend and get more tan enough love from them. Its all very positive motivation and not haters allowed.

3) How did you start competing in physique?

I started in figure, where I had some success, but always carried a little more muscle, I was hesitant to make the change into women's physique because I was afraid the femininity wouldn’t be there as much as in figure, but the poses are beautiful and so are the competitors. I'm very happy I made the switch.

4) What is your personal policy (not what the judges want) about conditioning and muscularity when coming into a show? Soft or hard?

I think conditioning is key no matter what size muscularity a competitor has. Its always better to hear that you looked too good (hard and shredded) than not good enough.

5) What is your idea of what judges want in a physique competitor? Do you think judges are clear enough with competitors about how they want you on stage? It seems in Europe they are very clear unlike in the USA and now in Canada things are confusing.

I don’t think the judges know what the women's physique look is quite yet. Some shows, the top 5 are all bodybuilders who tried to scale it down, and some shows, the girls look like figure. I thought women's physique was supposed to be figure with 20% more muscle than figure…until judges start following that criteria, it will be all over the place.

6) For the next shows what do you think you need to work on physique-wise/conditioning-wise? If anything!

Everyone always has something to improve on. My legs have always over powered my upper body so I didn’t train them very hard the last few years…BIG MISTAKE. My hamstrings and glutes suffered tremendously from this poor advice that I unfortunately followed. So currently, I am working on building a dense and sculpted backside.

7) What is your typical training routine in the gym (per day, include sets and reps!) How much cardio do you do before a show?

I do a 3 days on 1 day off split and no matter what body part in training, I always perform 5 exercises or 4 sets 15,12,10,15 reps that way I really burn out by the last set. Cardio depends on how my body is leaning out. Most times ill be around 80 minutes of cardio, 7 days a week, that is split into 2 sessions.

8) What is your pre-contest diet? (per day, 1 week before the show)

When I am fine tuning my diet for a show Ill have 5 of 6 meals of white fish or extra lean turkey with veggies. My breakfast is always oats and egg whites. When I am 2-3 days out Ill take out the fish and eggs because of the sodium content. Usually the day before a show I am carb loading all day. I stick with ½ oats for this process since my body is used to the oats and wont bloat my belly.

Lindsay Rojas

9) How do you go about dropping your water before the day of the show? How much water do you drink the day of the show. Please be specific.

Pulling water is tricky. It really all depends on how lean I am. If I need to pull extra water or if my body is holding from traveling, then diuretics come into play, but very carefully. Most times I will have about a liter the day before and stop drinking about 2pm. From then till the end of the show I will sip water with meals.

10) What motivates you to train/diet and compete? Are there any competitors you looked up to?

I've always been a part of a team playing sports growing up. This is all on my own, its just you on stage, there's no one else to pick you up. This gives me a rush to know that I have to do the cardio and stay clean on my diet and hit the weights hard because there isn’t a team mate there to pick up your slack.  Even though there are people and competitors and trainers supporting you, this is an individual sport.

11) Please tell us an interesting experience you had at a show recently, be it a fun thing or something rather not so fun?

At 2012 Nationals a competitor was proposed to on stage by her boyfriend that she met through the NPC after she won her pro card. It was so fun to watch and everyone was so happy to be a part of it. It goes to show you that no matter where you come from, this sport bring all kinds of people together.

12) What is your personal opinion about the figure, fitness, bodybuilding industry we are in? Anything you would like to see changed? 

I would like to see women's bb stick around and fitness get bigger. These divisions were the foundation of women's divisions. There is muscle in these divisions and deserve to be showcased in muscle contests. Id also like to see a little separation between the bikini and men's physique divisions…maybe give them their own show.

13) What has been your hardest challenge to overcome either in your personal life or competing career?

Balancing out off season weight. It takes time to realize that off season is in fact a season and that its not ok to binge eat and expect to better your body. Off season needs to serve a purpose, to build and make positive changes, not get sloppy.

Lindsay Rojas

14) Did you make any changes to your contest prep for your last show? Water intake, carbing up, etc...

I started working with kim oddo this prep and it was pretty similar to the ways I've done past preps. I've experimented with junk loading for a show before and Kim sticks to clean carbs that your body is used to.  My water pull was also pretty typical. I cut water the day before and sipped thru the show.

15) What do you think of bikini division?

I think bikini is great for women who want to be fit and healthy. I don’t think muscle contests have a place for them. They should have their own show.  A bikini show. It doesn’t make sense to have 300 pound bodybuilders in the same show as a little bikini girl.

16) What are your favorite foods to eat right after you compete on a Saturday night?

Sushi, peanut butter, chocolate…oooh they should make that one big sushi roll…no?

17) Please tell us about how you were raised and did you have any interesting experiences while growing up?

My parents and I moved to Las Vegas from Arizona for my dad’s job when I was 11. I played competitive softball since I was tiny and earned a full scholarship to the University of Memphis to play and attend school there. My childhood was thankfully, pretty normal. My parents are still married after 34 years, I always had everything I needed and most things I wanted but we’ve always lived very humbly. Its pretty interesting that I only live 2 streets away from my mom and dad…cut the cord right?!

18) Do you have an athletic background? Gymnastics, soccer, volleyball or what?

Softball

19) What is a typical day in the life of Lindsey Rojas? From waking up to until going to bed?

My schedule isn’t hectic but it is busy. I wake up at 5 in order to be at the gym and get some cardio in before I start training clients at 6. I'm usually pretty booked into the afternoon and always have all my meals packed so I can eat and work at the same time (preparation is key). Then once I get a break or finish for the day I get my training and cardio in, I always like to finish by 5-6 pm that way I can spend the rest of my evening with my husband and dogs. On the weekend I am a bartender. The only day off that I have is Wednesday. My husband is also off that day so we will usually train, get pedicures, shop for the week and relax together. Bed time is usually around 10pm since we both work early. No partying, just focus on day to day activities and bettering ourselves.

Lindsay Rojas

20) What is your current occupation? Please tell us more about it, what do you specifically do in your job?

Every day I am a personal trainer, I am also the fitness director at my gym, so I oversee day to day operations. When I bartend on the weekends, it is very laid back and fun. I work at a private country club so everyone is a member that I have formed relationships with and know on a personal level. They all support my fitness career and aspirations and always wish me the best of luck in my next show.

 

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