20 Questions with Cover Model Amie Adcock

Amie Adcock

1) Please introduce yourself? What makes you special? Who is Amie Adcock?

I'm Amie Adcock- a national NPC figure competitor, Personal Trainer, NPC figure/bikini coach, future step-mom of four and 100% Jersey girl. 
I think what makes me special is how I've managed to merge my bodybuilding lifestyle with my new family. Bodybuilding is an extremely selfish sport, but so far, I've been able to successfully switch gears when I'm at home. (Most of the time!)

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

I live with my fiance and his four kids, ages 8-14. His entire family (all 5 of his siblings and their families) live within 10 min of us, so needless to say, we see them a lot! 
My friends are a bit scattered, but I'm always in contact with them, and we get together on weekends. I need my daily girl chats too!
When I'm not at home doing work on the computer or keeping the house in order, I'm at the gym. (Are you surprised?) And when I'm not at the gym...I'm shopping!

3) How did you start competing in figure? 

I originally just wanted to compete to say I did it. I had been lifting in the gym and needed a new challenge, and I always wanted to look like the competitors I saw in fitness magazines. The whole process was completely foreign to me, but once I was on that stage, I was hooked.

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 figure girls should be a perfect balance of beauty and muscles. Soft lines and symmetry, full muscle bellies and tight skin.  

5)  What is your idea of what judges want in a Figure 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 believe judging is very subjective, so different judges may look for different attributes in an athlete. However, I believe all judges want a symmetrical physique, a nice v-taper, shapely quads and delts, and a healthy athlete who truly enjoys the sport and displaying her hard work! I don't think judging will ever be 100% clear no matter what show. But no two competitors are exactly the same so there will always be differences in winners and that's what I love about this sport. 

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

My coach and I agree that I need to come in a little bit tighter and fuller, and I need to work on my legs. This is the first time I've ever had defined legs so they're a work in progress for sure!

Amie Adcock

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?

My current split is Mon-legs, Tues-upper body, Wed-off, Thurs-legs, Fri-chest/tris, Sat-back/bis, Sun-off. My sets and reps change every week but I'm always lifting heavy! Especially when performing squats, deadlifts and bench presses. (Deadlift day is the best day!)
Cardio before a show depends on how my body is responding to macro changes. For the 2015 Arnold Amateur, I increased cardio to 5 days of low-intense cardio till I reached 400 calories, and 2 days of interval training on the spin bike.

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

My diet a week out changes with every show, but typically I will frontload carbs at the beginning of the week, taper them down slightly as the week goes on and increase the day before and day of show. Fat and protein doesn't really change. I still salt my foods and still drink a ton of water. Since I follow flexible dieting, I have the freedom to eat whatever foods I choose that fit my day. However, I tend to have a lot of digestive issues, so I keep foods a bit simpler the weeks leading up to a show. 

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.

Dropping water? What's that? Haha! Carbs follow water into the muscles, so if you don't drink water, the carbs will have nowhere to go and you'll look flat! It's science. The day of the show I'll still cart my gallon jug with me, but I typically just sip normally until I begin to increase carbs. Then it's game on! I'll still drink at least a gallon throughout prejudging and finals. 

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

I am my own motivation! I want to constantly gain strength, develop my physique and come in better each time I step on stage. I also believe I should practice what I preach, and I want to be a positive influence for my clients and social media followers. 
From the time I first decided to compete, I've looked to Nicole Wilkins. She is a fantastic example of beauty, strength and discipline and I can only aspire to motivate others in the way she does.  

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 the Arnold, figure was set to go on stage at 8:30pm. Around 6:45pm, a bunch of us were getting our hair/makeup done, when one of the other competitors burst in and told us bikini was halfway finished and they were calling figure backstage. We all immediately freaked out, and I frantically texted my coach, who told me to start eating! My poor makeup artist had to finish my face as I shoved food into my mouth. When I came back to get my makeup done for finals, I jokingly let her know I didn't have to eat just then so she wouldn't have to deal with a problem client. Not a minute later, my coach texted to tell me to eat. Poor girl had to deal with me again! 

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

I LOVE this industry and sport. Every year it gets bigger and things are always changing so it's never a dull moment. I especially love how women with muscle are being viewed in a more feminine light because it shows how beneficial lifting weights can be! 
The only thing I would like to see changed are the prizes awarded to males and females. Men still receive larger winnings and I believe there should be no difference. Women work just as hard as men and deserve just as much as they do.  

Amie Adcock

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

The hardest challenge for me is balancing competing with other aspects of my life. Bodybuilding is such a selfish sport, it's easy to get carried away and neglect other things, and others can feel hurt by it- especially family and friends who may not understand why you do what you do. I'm still a work in progress but I'm lucky to have people who love me and always bring my head back in the game. 

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

The only real change was my training. My coach completely changed everything I was doing in the gym, and has turned me into a "powerbuilder". I train like a powerlifter and diet like a bodybuilder. It's the ultimate combo of strength and ascetics and has completely reshaped my body. Especially my lower half! 

15) What do you think of the bikini division?

I love the bikini division! I think it's perfect for those girls who want a lesser degree of muscularity but still love to train hard. Plus they get to show a ton of personality on stage. Sometimes I wish figure had more leeway like them! 

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

A big filet, garlic mashed potatoes, dessert and a glass of red wine. My favorite meal!

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

My parents made every effort to ensure my brother and I had a great life. They taught us to take care of ourselves at an early age, and that if we wanted things in life, we would have to work for them. At 16 I was working 4 jobs and I loved it!
Growing up I was always trying to lose weight, so I constantly battled self-image issues. I tried at-home workouts and the latest diets but could never stick with them. I was frequently told that I shouldn't eat certain things, and it resulted in a major addiction to food that I still sometimes deal with today.

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

I played softball and field hockey in middle school, but switched to choir because I was fearful of losing my girlishness. I was always competitive by nature, but never found a team sport that I liked, until I discovered bodybuilding. 

Amie Adcock

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

I wake up at 6:30am, head downstairs for coffee and catch up on email/social media till about 7am. 
At 8:15 I drop the kids off at school and head to a studio to train in-person clients. 
At lunchtime, I hit the gym for my training/cardio. 
The kids get out of school around 3:30, and I spend the rest of the afternoon helping with homework, running errands and doing things around the house. 
I have dinner ready around 7pm when my fiance gets home from work, and then I prep my meals for the next day. 
Before bed, I check more emails/social media and am usually out by 11pm.

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

I'm a Personal Trainer and NPC Figure/Bikini coach. I have a few clients I see in person, but the majority of my clients are online. I love face-to-face interaction, but online allows me the ability to work with those who may not live close to me. 
For my competitors, I direct their nutrition, cardio and training leading up to a show. I also assist with suit selection, posing, registering and everything they need to know about competing in the NPC (if they're a newbie!) My clients connect with me every week, so I am able to stay up-to-date on their physique changes and any issues they may be having. And if I am able to attend their show, I insist on being backstage with them so they are completely comfortable and ready to rock. 

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