FitGemsNation

It's always a great thing to see people think of others besides themselves. We didn't come into this world alone, so why should we have to ignore others who are struggling just to make it? Seeing people give back in the form of charities shows the world that that there are still good people left in the world. While people and celebrities give stuff away to specific charities, one of our own is doing things a bit different.

Credit to original poster

IFBB Pro Christine Pomponio-Pate loves to give back to others, but rather than choose a specific charity, she gives her fans the opportunity the choose the charity they want her to help. She dubs it a game called "Choose Your Charity". How does it work? You buy an item (any item) off of Christine's website (http://www.christinepomponio.com). That automatically puts you in the running for "Choose Your Chairty". Each month, a winner is chosen out of those who purchase from her website. Christine donates a portion of her earnings from her website to the charity of your choice! Those that have benefitted from this cool game include The Scleroderma Foundation, The Breast Cancer Foundation,Liguori Publications, The American Stroke Association, Prevent Child Abuse of America, DAV, Hearts United for Animals, and Childhood Disease Research Foundation. This is a win-win for everyone because you are helping others out in need, and all you have to do it buy an item from an IFBB legend (BTW, I heard she has a hot calendar out that I would recommend you take a look at. Just saying...).

For more on Christine and to visit her online shop, visit her website at http://www.christinepomponio.com and "like" her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChristinePomponio.

Rest in peace, Bob. You will be missed...

I never got to meet the man in person, but I LOVED his work. In fact, it was his work that got me to loving the industry more and more. I've mentioned how the Fitness America Pageant made me a fan in the first place. HOWEVER, it was because of his work with Musclemag and Oxygen that I noticed on the newsstands before everyone else. While my family would be shopping for groceries, I would be looking at his magazines. Still do to this day. :)

As a WWE fan, I credit him for discovering quite possibly the most influential WWE Diva of this generation (and possibly of all time when it's all said and done), Trish Stratus. All fans of Trish should thank him for discovering the seven-time Divas Champion. I think without his insight to see something special in her, I honestly think the world would have never had the Golden Era of the WWE Divas Division. I really believe that.

But Trish isn't the only one that benefitted from Bob's visionary outlook. Countless others such as Cory Everson, Torrie Wilson, Victoria Pratt, and his wife Tosca Reno (among others) have seen their careers take to new heights thanks to Mr. Kennedy.

There's too much to name and mention right now, but I can tell you that a huge void has been made by his passing and it will be one that can never be replaced. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Robert Kennedy, as well as everyone who has been impacted by him. If you want to share your favorite memories of Robert, please leave them at http://www.rkpubs.com/bob/.

On April 21, FitGems will OFFICIALLY be 5 years old!!! Quite honestly, FitGems has grown into something that has become bigger than it had every right to be, and I can't thank you all enough for supporting FitGems over the last five years. Whether you are just now finding out about FitGems, or whether you have been a supporter from the start, from the good times and bad, you all have made FitGems into what it is today. Your support has made FitGems the success it is today.

But I'm a bit curious...how exactly HAS FitGems made an impact on you? On the week of April 22-28, we will be celebrating FitGems's 5-Year Birthday by having a Birthday Week bringing up the biggest moments of FitGems's history thus far (I say thus far because there's PLENTY of more history to be made.). I want to hear from you. If you have a written or video message you want to share with FitGems Nation on how FitGems has impacted you in your career and/or life, send it to us at admin@fitgemsnation.net with FitGems 5 in the subject line. All submitted material will be posted throughout the week as part of the celebration. On April 21st (the actually birthday), I will post a special treat for all of you. And...who knows, I might have a special surprise in store for Twitter followers (https://twitter.com/FitGemsNation) and Facebook fans.  (https://www.facebook.com/fitgemsnation). Hint...hint. ;)

Hope you can join us the week of April 22-28 as FitGems celebrates five years of female muscle support and positive recognition for the sport and its athletes!

Hey there, college folks! You think you have the best body on campus? Who IS the best in the world...college world, that is? Jenny Worth and the Fitspacelive.com team want to find out. On October 19th and 20th, they will be putting on an all-collegiate physique event in Florida! Here's the official press release letter explaining more about it and how you can be a sponsor for it (and the benefits of being a sponsor).

Dear potential sponsor, We are proud to announce on October 19th and 20th 2012 we will be holding the 1st Annual NPC Fitspacelive.com/Jenny Worth All Collegiate Championships & Tallahassee Championships Bodybuilding-Fitness-Figure-Bikini and Men’s and Women’s Physique Show and Sports Expo! This event is sanctioned by the NPC Sanction # 11952 and will be a Level 4a open to the entire country for the collegiate divisions and only to Leon County and surrounding counties for the open division. This event will also be a qualifier for the 2013 Collegiate Nationals only , the top 3 from each class will qualify. It is through your sponsorship contributions that this show will grow in the coming years and successfully introduce the younger generation to the sport so that it can continue to grow. All Sponsorship contributions will go towards the hard costs incurred when putting on a show as well as directly into the scholarship fund. A scholarship donation will be presented to the school that the overall winners from each class attends. It will be noted on the website for the show that all scholarship donations were made possible through the generosity of our sponsors. Below you will find the different levels of sponsorships. Sponsorship Packages: The Red Shirt- $400 Includes Booth at Expo and HTML Banner on Show Website until the 2013 show Junior Varsity-$600 Includes Booth at Expo, Logo on Stage Banner, HTML Banner on Show Website until the 2013 show, Logo on T-shirt Varsity-$1000 Includes Booth at Expo, Logo on Stage Banner, HTML Banner on Show Website until the 2013 show, 4 months Ad space on Ftispacelive.com, product placement( supplement companies) Logo on T-shirt, Trophy Presenter Full Ride-$1500 Includes Booth at Expo, HTML Banner on Show Website until the 2013 show, 6 months Ad space on Ftispacelive.com, product placement in the store( supplement companies) Logo on T-shirt, Overall Trophy Presenter and Scholarship Check Presenter. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you ahead of time for your interest and generosity for this event. Without the younger generations in any sport there can be no sport. This event will assure the continued growth of the sport , by introducing younger competitors as well as first time competitors to a positive experience that will carry over in the years to come. Sincerely,
Jason Giardino: Founder Fitspacelive.com
IFBB Fitness Pro Jenny Worth: Co-Founder Fitspacelive.comAs more information is released, I will pass this along to you all. Until then, follow Jenny Worth on Facebook, as well as Fitspacelive on Facebook.

Just announced today, the IFBB is launching an Olympia Qualification Series! What the heck is that, you ask? Take a look at this:


PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, March 13, 2012 - The IFBB Pro League, in conjunction with Joe Weider’s Olympia Weekend, announced the creation of the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series, a points-based system that will help determine qualifiers for all six IFBB Pro Olympia divisions.


The IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will award points to competitors placing in the top 2 to 5 of all Pro League events. At the end of the Olympia qualifying season, the five (5) competitors with the highest points totals in the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will qualify to compete at Olympia Weekend.

Since the winner of each competition automatically qualifies, no points will be awarded for first place. Additionally, competitors placing in the top 5 at the Olympia automatically qualify for the following year.

The IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will be effective immediately, and point totals for all 2012 contests will be included.


“We think this is a great way to expand the number of Olympia qualifiers beyond those who win contests and to build excitement for all IFBB Pro League events throughout the course of the year,” IFBB Pro League Chairman Jim Manion said. “It ensures that the best of the best will be competing on the Olympia stage.”


Points and qualifications in the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series will be awarded as follows:


TIER 1 – ARNOLD CLASSIC
2nd – 8 Points
3rd – 7 Points
4th – 6 Points
5th – 5 Points

TIER 2 – SHERU CLASSIC, ARNOLD CLASSIC EUROPE
2nd – 6 Points
3rd – 5 Points
4th – 4 Points
5th – 3 Points

TIER 3 – NEW YORK PRO
2nd – 5 Points
3rd – 4 Points
4th – 3 Points
5th – 2 Points

TIER 4 – ALL OTHER IFBB PRO LEAGUE COMPETITIONS
2nd – 4 Points
3rd – 3 Points
4th – 2 Points
5th – 1 Point

To view the IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series standings, as well as the current qualifiers for Olympia weekend, click on the links below.

Men’s Bodybuilding 212 Showdown
Women’s Bodybuilding
Figure
Fitness
Bikini
Any questions regarding IFBB Pro Olympia Qualification Series should be directed to the Olympia office via email at rchang@weiderpub.com.
Source: http://npcnewsonline.com/olympia-qualification-series-announced/9768/
Seriously...how freaking awesome is this!! This is effective immediately, so the importance of doing well in the St. Louis Pro and Australian Pro this weekend (as well as the remaining contest of 2012) just went up a BIG notch just like that. I have a feeling there's gonna be a few more competitors entering contests now with this new qualification series. Kudos to the IFBB on getting this together.
 

Let's face it, people. We are in the age of social media, and this is going beyond the internet and making your own website. More and more people are using smartphones to keep up with news and posting their own news. Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Google Plus, Youtube...it's crazy how far social media has become over a short span of time. Crazy...but at the same time, not too surprising. It's quick, easy, and in many cases, FREE to use.

As you might have heard over and over and over (if you're a competitor reading this), just competing isn't good enough for you to get yourself notice. You need to get yourself out there and show off your brand. Bottom line, that's what it's come down to in order to make people see you as someone other than "that girl". There are too many of those in the industry as is.  You wonder why Monica Brant, Ava Cowan, Dana Linn Bailey, Erin Stern, and Nicole Wilkins (among others) as well are as big of names as they are? They do more than just compete, they put their "brand" out there for the world to see. They make others CARE about them. Jennifer Nicole Lee, Jamie Eason, and Brittany Beede don't compete, but they use social media to further advance their brand and are among the biggest names in fitness today, and a lot of it has to do with the power of social media.

But, some of you are probably wondering, "Uhh...I don't have the time to mess with that stuff". And quite frankly, most of you don't. You are too busy getting ready for competition and taking care of your own lives, which is very understanable. That why I suggest you find someone you can trust and enlist in getting a social media advisor, someone who can overlook your social media outlets while you go and do your thing. FitGems is currently working with IFBB Pro Christine Pomponio-Pate in furthering her brand by working on her Facebook fan page, Twitter account, and Youtube page.

Don't get this post twisted about social media awareness meaning the same thing as competition success, because it DOESN'T. You can have the most followers on Twitter, the most "likes" on Facebook, the most views on Youtube, etc, that doesn't mean squat when it comes to competition. All that matters then is what you bring to the stage ON THAT DAY (or that weekend). Social media just helps get your name around and will help you in your career, not guarantee you a title or in the top 5 of a contest. That's not happening. Keep that in mind.

If you are thinking about doing SOME form of social media (setting up a Facebook fan page, Twitter account, Youtube channel, blog, Tumblr, etc.), but need some assistance, email me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and I will help you out however I can.

Let's face it, people. We are in the age of social media, and this is going beyond the internet and making your own website. More and more people are using smartphones to keep up with news and posting their own news. Twitter, Facebook, Foursquare, Google Plus, Youtube...it's crazy how far social media has become over a short span of time. Crazy...but at the same time, not too surprising. It's quick, easy, and in many cases, FREE to use.

As you might have heard over and over and over (if you're a competitor reading this), just competing isn't good enough for you to get yourself notice. You need to get yourself out there and show off your brand. Bottom line, that's what it's come down to in order to make people see you as someone other than "that girl". There are too many of those in the industry as is.  You wonder why Monica Brant, Ava Cowan, Dana Linn Bailey, Erin Stern, and Nicole Wilkins (among others) as well are as big of names as they are? They do more than just compete, they put their "brand" out there for the world to see. They make others CARE about them. Jennifer Nicole Lee, Jamie Eason, and Brittany Beede don't compete, but they use social media to further advance their brand and are among the biggest names in fitness today, and a lot of it has to do with the power of social media.

But, some of you are probably wondering, "Uhh...I don't have the time to mess with that stuff". And quite frankly, most of you don't. You are too busy getting ready for competition and taking care of your own lives, which is very understanable. That why I suggest you find someone you can trust and enlist in getting a social media advisor, someone who can overlook your social media outlets while you go and do your thing. FitGems is currently working with IFBB Pro Christine Pomponio-Pate in furthering her brand by working on her Facebook fan page, Twitter account, and Youtube page.

Don't get this post twisted about social media awareness meaning the same thing as competition success, because it DOESN'T. You can have the most followers on Twitter, the most "likes" on Facebook, the most views on Youtube, etc, that doesn't mean squat when it comes to competition. All that matters then is what you bring to the stage ON THAT DAY (or that weekend). Social media just helps get your name around and will help you in your career, not guarantee you a title or in the top 5 of a contest. That's not happening. Keep that in mind.

If you are thinking about doing SOME form of social media (setting up a Facebook fan page, Twitter account, Youtube channel, blog, Tumblr, etc.), but need some assistance, email me at admin@fitgemsnation.net and I will help you out however I can.

10, 11, 12. That's how close the top three were in the 2012 Bikini International contest. With the scores that close, any of the top three could have made a strong case of being the winner. But in the end, the title went to Sonia Gonzales, the first-ever IFBB Bikini champion AND first-ever IFBB Ms. Bikini Olympia. India Paulino was right behind Sonia, and Nicole Nagrani, who entered the Arnold weekend as champion, placed 3rd. Not counting the Ms. International contest, Nicole was the only pro champion that entered the weekend and lost her title. This will only make her better in the long run, so expect a fierce Nicole Nagrani in the next contest she enters. The remainer of the top six were far behind the top three, but by no means did they look bad. Jamie Baird placed 4th, followed by fan favorite Nathalia Melo in 5th (many considered her placement a shocker), and Juliana Daniell in 6th.


Full results:

1. Sonia Gonzales
2. India Paulino
3. Nicole Nagrani
4. Jaime Baird
5. Nathalia Melo
6. Juliana Daniell
7. Diana Graham
8. Jessica Paxson
9. Candyce Graham
10. Monique Ricardo
11. Natalie Pennington
12. Jennifer Andrews
12. Lexi Kaufman
14. Christina Vargas
15. Tianna Ta
16. Jessica Jessie
16. Abigail Burrows
Justine Munro dropped out.

For figure, 2012 began the way 2011 ended, who would be the better woman: Nicole Wilkins or Erin Stern? Well, much like how 2011 and 2010 began, 2012 began the same way...with Nicole Wilkins on top of the figure mountain. Nicole received a perfect score and won her 3rd straight Figure International title, tying with Jenny Lynn for most Figure International titles won. Should Nicole be in the Figure International next year, Nicole has the chance to cement her legacy as the winning-ist Figure International Champion of all time. If anyone can break the record, it's Nicole. Erin Stern has failed to best Nicole since the 2010 Figure Olympia, and that hasn't changed, as she came close, but no cigar. Candice Keene and Ava Cowan were neck and neck for 3rd and 4th place, but Candice beat Ava by one point to earn an Olympia qualification, along with Nicole and Erin. Heather Dees brought a great physique, placing her in 5th in her Arnold debut, and Teresa Anthony rounded out the top six in figure.

Full results:
1. Nicole Wilkins
2. Erin Stern
3. Candice Keene
4. Ava Cowan
5. Heather Dees
6. Teresa Anthony
7. Larissa Reis
 8. Cheryl Brown
 9. Gennifer Strobo
 10. Krissy Chin
 11. Jelena Abbou
 12. Latisha Wilder
 13. Sue Knott
 14. Raquel Hernandez
 15. Gloria Tarpley
 16. Alicia Harris

Not to diss anyone, but it was pretty much a done deal as to who was going to win the 2012 Fitness International title, especially after prejudging. To the surprise of no one, Adela Garcia nabbed another win and in the process made history. Her 2012 Arnold win marked her thrid Arnold win in a row and her 5th overall Arnold fitness title, surpassing Susie Curry's record of 4 Arnold championships. The judges gave her a perfect score, but it was who placed 2nd that shocked a lot of people. Camala Rodriquez came out of nowhere and placed 2nd in both physique AND routine to nabbed runner-up honors. While there are many who thought Camala placing 2nd in physique was right, they stratched their heads when it came to placing 2nd in the routine round...ahead of Oksana and Myriam, who many thought had THE routines of the weekend. But that's not saying Camala's routine was bad by any means. In fact, with some fine-tuning, she could very well give Adela a run for her money at the Olympia later on this year. Oksana is seeming beginning to get the love she deserves from the IFBB judges, as she took 3rd place and an Olympia qualification. Bethany Cistemino placed 4th and is well on her way to becoming a MAJOR name in the fitness division. After being neck-and-neck with Adela for so long, Tanji placed 5th in another big shocker of the Arnold weekend. One has to wonder how Tanji will rebound from this setback. Myriam Capes rounded out the top 6, although many felt she could have placed higher, especially with her routine being one of the favorites coming out of the weekend.

Full results:

1. Adela Garcia
2. Camala Rodriguez
3. Oksana Grishina
4. Bethany Cisternino
5. Tanji Johnson
6. Myriam Capes
7. Kizzy Vaines
8. Tina Durkin
9. Danielle Ruban
10. Jodi Boam
11. Julie Palmer
12. Regiane Da Silva
13. Kayde Puckett
14. Allison Ethier
15. Sheri Vucick
16. Diana Paula-Monteiro

One of the biggest storylines heading into the 2012 Arnold Sports Festival was regarding who would be crowned the new Ms. International champion after hearing about Iris Kyle unable to compete due to a leg injury. There was no true clear-cut winner from what information I gathered over the weekend, but it seemed like the judges could have set a different tone, depending on the winner. Yaxeni Oriquen's size and conditioning (she nabbed a perfect score) was enough to capture the Ms. International title, making her the first woman not named Iris Kyle to win the title since 2008. Debi Laszewski put up a good fight, unaniously placing behind Yaxeni for 2nd place. Alina Popa was a big favorite amongst the boards, and one many people would have liked to see win. She placed 3rd. Only three points separated Alina and Cathy LeFrancois (who ended up placing 4th, yet actually tied with Alina in the Finals round). Kim Buck (5th) and Brigita Brezovac (6th) rounded out the top 6. With the new Olympia qualification rules in play, only Yaxeni, Debi, and Alina received 2012 Olympia qualificaions.

Full results:

1. Yaxeni Oriquen
2. Debi Laszewski
3. Alina Popa
4. Cathy LeFrancois
5. Kim Buck
6. Brigita Brezovac
7. Alevtina Goroshinskaya
8. Maria Rita Bello
9. Kim Perez
10. Monique Jones
11. Zoa Linsey
12. Maria Segura
13. Tina Chandler
14. Geraldine Morgan

Angela Leong is an IFBB Bikini Pro who is part of the Bombshell Fitness team. One of the most promising bikini pros in the industry today, Angela was gracious enough to conduct an interview with us.

All images were provided by Angela herself and belong to their respective owners.



FitGems Nation: State your name and profession to the FitGems audience.
Angela Leong: My name is Angela Leong and I am an IFBB Bikini Pro Athlete.

FitGems: How did you get into the fitness industry in the first place?
Angela: Before I got into bodybuilding, I was a former tennis professional. Growing up, I trained in the gym all the time as a part of my training for tennis. I always loved training in the gym… sometimes more so than being on the tennis court. That was the part of training I enjoyed the most throughout my tennis career. After having to retire competing in tennis, I started coaching and training young juniors and to this day, I still do that. However, three years ago, I was at my lowest with regard to my health and fitness level. Starting up my tennis academy consumed all of my time and efforts and I neglected myself to a point where I was literally 30+lbs overweight. Yikes!!! I was the biggest I have been in my life. I was not at my best and I needed to make a change and start getting back to taking care of myself. For most of my life, I was always active and being inactive for 2 years straight took its toll on me mentally and physically. Thankfully, I chose to hire a trainer to force myself to be accountable to showing up at least 4 days a week to train. In April of 2009, I competed in my first show at the Emerald Cup in the new Bikini Division. I was introduced to the sport when my trainer suggested I train for one. Before officially deciding, I went to the Emerald Cup in 2008 and was in awe of the amazing physiques. Seeing the competitor’s fearlessness and confidence portrayed on stage was refreshing to me. From a spectator’s view, I found it fascinating to see them practically naked, being thoroughly examined from head to toe and rather than be intimidated, they were fearless. Seeing how the audience was so supportive, I made the decision then and there to commit to doing a competition. I knew the training and diet was going to be hard however, the biggest challenge for me was overcoming the fear of being on that stage.

FitGems: How’s a typical day in the life of Angela, and what (if anything) changes come time to prepare for a contest?
Angela: I wake up at 4am to get ready for work, have breakfast, head to Domination Fitness to train my 5:30am client. After all my appointments, I eat again and then head to ClubSport, Oregon to train myself. I will lift and do my first session of cardio afterward. I then head home, shower and eat again and work in the office for LTA, my tennis academy… I usually spend two to three hours in the office, eat again, then head to work to coach at the academy. I am on court from 3:00 to 9pm and in between I am eating and coaching. When work is over, depending on how close I am to contest, I will head by to ClubSport and do my second round of cardio. I will get home, shower, eat and go to bed. Pretty typical right? LOL!!!

FitGems: The bikini division has been around for a decent bit now. Do you think people are finally accepting it being part of a physique sport, or are the naysayers still outweighing the supporters (in your honest opinion)?
Angela: Oh yes, I feel people are definitely accepting the Bikini Division as being a real sport. Each year, the quality of competitors improves. It’s so obvious and you can see it plain as day. I just hope that it doesn’t get to a point where we are required to be way too conditioned and overly lean. This past year, I feel it was getting to that point and there were a few shows that rewarded it and a few that kept it as is should be. For example, at the Europa Supershow Dallas, the majority of the girls were way too conditioned and overly lean and the judges rewarded the curvier softer look that Bikini needs to be.



FitGems: With women’s physique now part of the NPC and IFBB, do you think there’s a division for every woman who wants to be part of the sport?
Angela: Yes absolutely. There is a division for all physique types now and it’s great!!!

FitGems: Who are your favorite people in the fitness industry, as far as who do you look up to the most?
Angela: I have to say that my coach Shannon Dey is my one of my favorite people that I look up to the most in this industry. From the very first time I met her, she impressed me with her class and her selflessness. Her passion to help women be the best they can be is intoxicating. She genuinely cares about every bombshell she works with and always encourages us to celebrate the accomplishments of one another and use each others victories to make a positive difference in the world. Shannon is the INSPIRATION to Team Bombshell’s success and I believe she has become an important ambassador to all women in the fitness community.

FitGems: The rules for Olympia qualifications have changed to make the event more prestigious to the industry. Already qualified, how do you feel about the changes?
Angela: Of course, it makes it even harder now to qualify, but how rewarding would it be to make it? You have to win a show to qualify. To win a show would be a dream and then to also get the Olympia invite. That would be an awesome accomplishment. That’s how I see it. It would literally be an epic accomplishment if that happened to me.

FitGems: Has anyone mistaken you for something OTHER than a bikini competitor?
Angela: To be honest, most people who are not in the industry don’t know what I am… they stare a lot and look me up and down… don’t know what they are thinking but some come to me and tell me I have an amazing body and what is it I do to get such a small waist. Or some just ask if I workout? Its funny but I am getting used to it.

FitGems: What advice do you give to those who want to pursue the fitness industry, especially women who are under the assumption that having muscles is manly (when there’s PLENTY of proof that it isn’t the case these days)?
Angela: I would tell any woman that lifting weights helps create a wonderful feminine body. Its such a misconception to think that weights make u manly. Having manly genetics make you manly haha. I often ask women what celebrity body do you admire? Most times they answer with women who have personal trainers and they lift weights regularly.

FitGems: What are your future plans in the industry? Going to the 2012 Bikini Olympia is obviously on the list!
Angela: Yes, I set goals all the time. A few of them include:
1)Working on getting more exposure in the fitness community.
2)Continually improving my physique and having it show each time I step out on stage.
3) Earn 2012 competition sponsorship
4)Win a pro show and qualify for the Olympia.
5)Get published features in my favorite fitness magazines (IronMan Magazine, M&F Hers, Oxygen, FitnessRX,)

FitGems: Any final words you want to share to the FitGems audience?
Angela: I just want to thank FitGems for the opportunity to interview. I love what you do for the promotion of our sport. I also wanted to thank all my friends, family, and all my fans that have followed my journey to becoming an IFBB pro. I truly do appreciate all your love, support, and kind words.



Once again, we want to thank Angela for taking the time to do this interview with us. For more on Angela, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter at ANGELAHLEONG.

One of the top rising stars in fitness photography, Marc Thyssen will be shooting at the 2012 Arnold! Within the last two years, he put together FitHeat and Fitness Supermodel Weekend, which were unprecedented in this industry. The list of names who have shot with him are no joke: Monica Brant, Christine Pomponio-Pate, Felicia Romero, Myriam Capes, Larissa Reis, Adela Garcia, Nicole Wilkins, Heather Dees, Sonia Gonzales, Rose-Marie Romero, Sabrina Taylor...just to name a few. He plans to take 2012 by storm, and you can be part of the action.

To book Marc, visit his website at http://www.marcthyssen.com/, or email him at marc@marcthyssen.com. You can also "like" him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marcthyssenphotography. Oh, by the way, you MIGHT want to make a decision this month if you want to save you a little money. If you put down a deposit before the end of the month, you will be booked at 2011 prices. Next month, the prices of shoots go up, so act early to save some cash! Tell Marc that FitGems sent you.