LA PRO SHOW 2007 Review

Posted by Maria Kang on July 24, 2007

Hey all! I was at the LA Pro Show this past weekend and was able to be around big muscles, tanned skin and lots of veiny people! It was fun, friendly and fabulous atmosphere to be in when you are in a super, anal business like the fitness industry!

I didn’t get to watch the entire show despite the fact that I was there the entire time. I have a tendency to get bored easily and after seeing 100 bodies in barely there bikini’s it was really hard to maintain my attention span, especially since there were so many cool people there!

10 REALLY QUICK THOUGHTS:

1. Fitness is DYIING at the NPC level. This is interesting since NPC is regarded as the ‘better’ competition to compete in. Venus Ramos was the only fitness competitor. While I actually adore her, it’s important to note that winning NPC fitness titles at a local level has become easier than winning fitness titles for competing federations. Fitness America contests actually have a great group of girls and I think it has a combination to do with:

- the amount of muscle the girls don’t need to have (when you compete in Fitness America) to perform well in physique and fitness

- lack of fitness coach like the influential, Cathy Savage, who has trained many fitness competitors heading to the Fitness America stage.

- general feeling of newcomers NOT being able to surpass long time veterans like Adela Garcia, Tanji Johnson and Tracey Greenwood.

2. You could spot the winner from the very beginning. It’s obvious – and it’s a pain to watch the entire show KNOWING who’s going to win at the end. They should have more entertainment.

- the one who wins usually has competed before and brings a total package to the stage

- that winner has a ’stand out’, proportionate physique that other competitors you can see instantly lacks.

- the winner has a fan base and a ‘presence’ about him/her.

3. Figure competitions have become the 16 week goal for a lot of ‘normal people’ who just want to put their body in a bikini to celebrate their weight loss success. I can think of 10 figure competitors off the time of my memory who that statement probably rings true. In order to maintain competitive standards we should have a new class of beginners

4. I do think that Laura Coleman should have won overall for figure. Besides her suit bottom being a little too small, I felt she brought the best package to the stage. I’m not discrediting the actual winner, I just feel that her breast augmentation was too big for her body and wasn’t as proportionate on her lower half as Miss Coleman was. I’m also a big fan of pretty girls. So it if you have a pretty face and a pretty body, that instantly makes you a winner in my book.

5. Bob Cicherillo is an awesome host. What can I say? It’s his job and he’s really good at it. I think every host for a bodybuilding show should take classes from Bob. He was funny, he know’s the industry, he relates to the audience and he’s entertaining. Gina Allioti was beautiful but in my opinion, wasn’t the best co-host for Bob.

6. The funnest part was watching the “USA and Olympia showdowns”. We had small previews of ‘what’s to come’ next weekend and this September. Who doesn’t like smack talking, right? I do have to mention that pulling down your pants and showing your stuff reveals A LOT more than just your muscles…if you know what I mean Unfortunately, IFBB pro’s first Japanese bodybuilder Hidetada Yamagishi was NOT on stage posing down with the rest of them. It would’ve been nice since all of the ‘preview people’ were all of African descent. You know me….just keepin it real!

7. Overall bodybuilding winner Shavis Higa looked great. My friend JSN rep, Dave Slagle and I discussed what a great physique he brought to the stage. He was a little guy too - which made it even better since we tend to focus more on the big, sometimes taller men as overall winners.

8. I thought Dan Decker looked great. I watched that briefly and thought he would’ve/should’ve won just based on his overall conditioning, (again I have a sweet spot for good faces and good bodies) and his established fame in the industry.

9. I really enjoyed spending time with Tanji Johnson at her booth for her Excellent Spirit Line of clothing. What I loved best was her shirts saying: “YES, I workout” and “OBVIOUSLY off season”. She is currently preparing for the Europa show and was in town for Muscle and Fitness Her’s photoshoots as well as with other top photographers.

10. GNC sponsored athlete, Kirsten Nicewarner was a sweetie pie. LOVED her. Tanji, Kirsten and I had great conversations about men, about dating and about being single and strong. I’m sure many competitors could relate to frustrations dealing with men and attracting those who are JUST NOT GOOD for us! I think we should just stop dating meat heads! oops! Did I say that publicly j/k! I love my meatheads!

With Hide – He’s HUGE! And he’s an awesome Japanese bodybuilder from JAPAN!