Karen Sessions NSCA-CPT- Figure Coach, Author, and Fitness Specialist

By Karen Sessions NSCA-CPT and Figure Coach
Google Plus

I may be a successful natural female competitor and figure coach, but when I first started I was just like you, at square one. My pure desire of figuring out how to diet and train to get a muscular, yet a lean physique propelled me on every level. In fact, I was so driven that I had pushed myself into the “inner circle” rubbing elbows with high-advanced competitors, the judging panel, and nearly all the contest promoters in my area. Within a year I was well-known in the competitive circuit.

But as I said, I didn’t start off on top. Back in 1988 there were only two gyms in my town, the old one that had been there since dirt and the felixs health and fitness gym membership card new one which was owned by bodybuilders. And, not just any bodybuilders, competitive ones!

One of the gym owners, Jessie, was just a walking anatomy chart. He stayed lean year around. I think the “fattest” he ever got was 7% body fat in the off-season. He only had to diet for 6 weeks to prep for a show. Trainer Jessie signed me up for my first gym membership and since then I’ve been hooked, obsessed, addicted… call it what you will.

Jessie put me on my first “routine,” you know, you start off with machine marked #1, do 3-4 sets of 10 reps and move on to machine marked #2, and so on. I did that the first week or two and grew bored. I knew that wasn’t the way to build muscle.

However, it was a bit intimidating to just walk over to the free weights, having not every really lifted them to that caliber. To my luck, the extreme fitness guys and gals saw my motivation and determination to workout hard and heavy and they quickly took me under their wings, showing more exercises, equipment, etc.

Changes Started to Happen

After my first taste of real free weights on the gym floor, no more routine 1,2,3 for me. I must say, my first few months weight training, I developed muscle pretty quickly. Changes came fast and easy. But soon, that plateau hit! The competitive bodybuilders and fitness competitors, (there were no figure competitor back then. Figure competitions didn’t get started until 2001.) continued to guide me, suggesting supplements such as amino acids (This was before creatine, which hit the market in 1993.), protein powder, etc.

By adding proper supplementation, I saw more changes, more muscle development and less body fat. I thought there is something to all this working out, dieting, and supplementing. When you put all the pieces together correctly, changes happen. I began chatting with anyone who had muscles. I wanted the secret formula for that jaw-dropping body. I would even spend my last nickel on a muscle mags.

My Journey to Competition Life

After a few more years of hitting the weights and harassing Jessie about dieting and training, he suggested that I go karen-first to a local bodybuilding competition. I think this was just his way of shutting me up and getting me out of his hair. I did attend the contest and my sights were set on competing in a show. I started my training the next Monday, but had no direction whatsoever. No one would help me because no one took me seriously. Needless to say, I didn’t compete that year.

History has demonstrated that the most notable winner usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats” – B.C. Forbes

I gave it another shot the next year, and maybe I didn’t get it right since I dieted and trained myself the best I knew how, but I completed my goal which was to get on stage and compete. To the right is my very first contest. Not bad for a young lady doing it all herself.

In 1995 I competed in my first bodybuilding competition, placing 4th in the Women’s Novice Light Weight. I did well for my very first show with no help, but I wanted a higher placing, and I wanted to win a trophy. I competed two more times that season, placing 3rd in each competition, collecting 2 trophies for that year.

My First Official Off-Season

After that year I went into my off-season dieting and training. kept a log of everything, stats, diet, training, cardio, etc. I realized that I needed to add more muscle in order to place higher. I trained hard for the next competitive season. During my first off-season I was sure to eat a small complete meal every three hours and not to overtrain.

Back on The Competitive Circuit (And Did It Until I Got It Right)

Competition season rolled around again, and I competed again in 1996 and received a 2nd, 3rd, and 4th places in various shows. However, I still was not satisfied. I wanted first place. I took detailed notes of my diet, training and cardio to reflect on. I had someone in the audience at pre-judging and the night show to take pics of all the line-ups as well as me so I had studying tools. Oh, I even got phone numbers of my competition as well as the women in the other weight classes so I can gather more information from different sources.

I began my second off-season training course for the next competitive year. To add more muscle mass I dropped my training back to three days a week and cut out a lot of the processed food items. I made good changes. I looked much more solid, muscular, and leaner.

As my show approached I started my pre-contest training. I started a 2-day on, 1-day off karen-sessions-chest , training split and began moderate cardio, which progressed weekly. I introduced carb-cycling and added more essential fat to my diet. I was seeing changes WEEKLY, which kept the motivation in high-gear.

In 1997 I won 1st Place in the Women’s Open Light Weight Division and Overall! Finally, I got what I was working so hard for, and it was well worth the small sacrifices.

I went on to compete for two more consecutive years, focusing on making certain body parts better. In 1998 I wanted to have killer legs, a body part I thought was always under par for me. I hit Periodization in that off-season and built an awesome pair of wheels that turned heads on the street, as well as the competitive stage. I won 1st Place again in the Women’s Open Light Weight Division and received 1st Place in 2 National Qualifiers that year in Female Bodybuilding!

In 1999 I wanted to experiment with competing in the middle weight division. I moved up an entire weight class, making my appearance in the Middle Weight Division. I received two 2nd Places that year, both in National Qualifiers.

I was headed to the Junior USA the next season, but I was burned out and encounted a stress fracture in my foot after four years of consecutive competing, with constant trial and error to see what works the best competing in 2-3 contests a year.

I decided to compete one more time in 2001 just to test the waters and reclaimed my 1997 Overall victory at the NPC Bayou State Bodybuilding Competition. I placed 1st in the Women’s Open Light Weight Division and won Overall again. Yea.

After that contest I retired from competitions and started my own business. I’ve written several eBooks on dieting, training, weight loss, muscle gain, and contest prep. Along with continual research I also do online personal training and help other women transform their bodies and compete as well.

By proven track record below you can see how I spent YEARS testing and re-testing countless ways to prep for competitions. I wasn’t afraid to take chances. My failure AND accomplishments have been put through the ringer to bring YOU the BEST program EVER to take you from a total beginner to owning the stage in just one shot.

awards

Karen Sessions Placements and Awards

	1995 - NPC Pelican Iron Classic - 4th Novice Women’s Light Weight
	1995 - NPC Bayou State Classic- 3rd Novice Women’s Light Weight
	1995 - NPC Acadian Extravaganza - 3rd Novice Women’s Light Weight
	1996 - NANBA Natural Louisiana - 2nd Novice Women’s Short
	1996 - NANBA Natural Louisiana - 3rd Open Women’s Short
	1996 - NPC Bayou State Classic - 4th Novice Women’s Light Weight
	1997 - NPC Bayou State Classic - 1st Open Women’s Light Weight & Overall
	1997 - NPC Southern Louisiana - 1st Open Women’s Light Weight
	1998 -NPC Louisiana - 1st Open Women’s Light Weight
	1998 - NPC Greater Gulf States - 1st Open Women’s Light Weight
	1999 - NPC Louisiana - 2nd Open Women’s Middle Weight
	1999 - Power Lifting Contest - 1st Place Women’s Division
	1999 - NPC Greater Gulf Sates - 2nd Women’s Middle Weight
	2001- NPC Bayou State Classic - 1st Women’s Light Weight & Overall
	2001- NPC Louisiana - 2nd Women’s Light Weight
	2004 - Infomercial for the NuWave Oven
	2005 - Contributing Author for Physique and Fitness Magazine
	2005 - Platinum writer status on fitness at EzineArticles.com