Yvonne “Evo” Hastings

90 Day Transformation to Figure Competitor

by John Destacamento

Photo Credits: Orlando Dalisay, Terry Goodlad

Yvonne Hastings, a Canadian born fitness enthusiast joined the Sweat Studio Team as a personal trainer in July 2009. She had intentions on becoming a figure competitor and wanted to pursue the next NPC (National Physique Committee) local competition in which was the San Francisco Bodybuilding, Figure, Fitness and Bikini to be held at Chabot College in Hayward on October 10, 2009. Even though Yvonne recently became a certified personal trainer, she had very little experience participating on strict diets and strenuous workout routines. This would be quite a challenge for both of us. With only 9 weeks to train, we decided to go for it.

We took photos August 1^st, and began our first training session on August 3^rd. After reviewing her photos we acknowledged the areas that needed to be built and sculpted plus the photos gave us insight on the overall needs to be done to become a contender on October 10^th. Planning a structured routine was absolutely needed for the short period we had left. Anyone training for your first competition will usually discover many gray areas in the program and it’s very unpredictable on how your body will react to dramatic changes. There’s always the risk of injuries and sometimes digestive systems do not properly function.


I’m a strong believer in quality rather than quantity in the workouts. Quality does not necessarily come from how strenuous the workouts are, it also comes from frequent planning. I’m talking about listening to your body on a day-by-day basis and scheduling your workouts according to the body’s energy levels along with the duration of cellular repair to muscle tissues. This is why I rather not put any competitor on a fixed weekly schedule especially if the goal is to lift heavier to build size. For building hypertrophy and mass, for years my golden rule has been: “First punish the muscle groups, then punish them again after they’ve completely healed.” If you implement this theory, most beginners will resistance train heavy only four times per week and possibly only 4 days of aerobic activity per week. With more experienced competitors the days per week can be greater. From my standpoint I believe that most beginning competitors over-train and do not allow sufficient recovery time for their muscles to grow.

Allowing full recovery assures better muscle growth and alleviates the risk of injuries. Believe me, if you train at heavy and high intensity levels you are at risk without proper procedures.

Yvonne’s body responded well to intense exercise for the first several weeks but we had an upcoming obstacle yet to overcome. Months or perhaps a year prior to the competition, Yvonne scheduled a trip to Jamaica last week of September for a vacation. This meant Yvonne would be away for nearly 10 days and to return with 9 days out of competition! Everyone knows that it’s difficult to workout during a vacation and no credit if you're doing the “ 16 oz. Margarita bicep curl!” When she returned it seemed like we moved one or two steps backward, so we had to raise the bar for the next 9 days of training.

The next nine days we had to scrutinize every little thing such as diet, training and time constraints as Yvonne and I was determined to do everything it takes to look awesome on competition day. I may have reached an obnoxious level asking her redundant questions everyday; “What’s hurting today?” “Can we sprint today”, “What did you eat”, “How does your bikini fit?” etc…

Of course if I'm not obnoxious I’m most likely not doing my job. We scheduled a figure posing session with IFBB Professional Bodybuilder Adorthus Cherry (AD), and once again, AD brought valuable advice to the table. On stage, figure competitors need to bring out the best of what their body has to offer and AD has this ability. We highly recommend his consulting for beginner figure competitors, bodybuilders along with novice competitors. With only a few days left, Yvonne gave maximum effort and when show time arrived, she shined on stage and took SECOND PLACE! The factors of a short 9 week training cycle and the obstacle of a 10-day vacation in the process, Yvonne placing second in her first competition is more than I expected.

We both felt optimistic from the last show that we decided to pursue the November 7^th competition in Sacramento, CA. These shows were less than four weeks apart but Yvonne made significant progress and her figure bloomed to absolutely stunning! We’ve included photos of the Sacramento competition here as well.

SS: So what is the first thing you did after the competition?

YH: I went to Taco Bell and ordered Nachos and chulpa’s. It didn’t last the car ride back to the hotel. Yummy!

SS: In one to three words how would you describe the experience backstage?

YH: Very colorful!

SS: What was your highlight of the event or that ultimate special moment?

YH: Winning second place in my class and hearing my husband - Mark and my Trainer – John yell out my name to cheer me on!

SS: What do you think is your most special body part that made the difference in the competition?

YH:
My back, waist, and my big smile!

SS: What are your regrets, and what could have you done to prevent them?

YH: 10 days before the competition I slipped with my diet when we went to Jamaica to celebrate my 40^th Birthday.

SS: Did you make any friends backstage or at the event?

YH: Yes. All the people that worked the event were very helpful and available anytime to answer questions.

I also met a few figure competitors that were extremely friendly and made my experience as a new competitor less stressful.

i.e. Sue Conners-who won 1^st in San Francisco,
Maria Houck-who placed 3^rd in San Francisco and Estrella Parian-who won 3^rd in 45 + and also placed 5^th in class A. Great Job ladies!!!

SS: What area(s) do you feel needs work?

YH: My legs, glutes and deltoids.

SS: How does your family and friends feel about your body transformation?

YH: My family and friends are very impressed! You’re not a loser if you don’t try!

SS: What would be your 3 top suggestions (question?) if someone came up to you and asked that they wanted to compete.

YH:

1. Suggest they get full support from Family/Friends as this kind of decision involves everyone.

2. Suggest that they review their daily lifestyles and provide adequate time to plan meals and eat well.

3. Suggest they have adequate funds available as this sport is and can be very expensive.

SS: Are you planning to continue with more competitions?

YH: Yes. I have completed two competitions in California and would also like to pursue the Canadian Figures Shows in 2010.

SS: Any special thanks to people?

YH: My husband, Mark Hastings for his on going patience. John –my Personal Trainer at Sweat Studio, (AD) Adorthus Cherry and Beatrice Galan. Thanks to all my, family, friends and clients.

Yvonne (Evo) Hastings

· Gym: http://sweatstudio.com/

Photos: http://orlandodalisay.com

· Bodybuilding/Figure Consulting: Adorthus Cherry: http://teamcherrybody.com/

· Suit: Tamara Oakley:http://bikiniguru.com

· Suit: Dawn – getting information on her website.

· Oct 10^th Show: http://musclecontest.com/

· Nov 7^th Show: http://npcsacshow.com/

· NPC: http://npcnewsonline.com/

Treya's (Patthreeya) first Figure Competition

If you have a Gmail Account please comment on this article. Photo Credits: Juan Carlos Lopez - www.hardfitness.com, Mike Simon Photography - www.4simon.com

Sweat Studio's certified personal trainer Patthreeya Redberg aka Treya or Triya Redberg is also a Thai language instructor that resides in Sunnyvale, California. She has personal training certifications in NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), ISSA (International Sports Sciences Association), and AFPA (American Fitness Professionals and Associates) in Group Fitness and Yoga.

Early spring of 2009, I was ecstatic that she finally decided to pursue a figure competition because it was something that I mentioned in the past that may help boost her career. Near the end of April she began her training regiment for the show but at the time I was only able to support her with consultations. As a busy business owner I couldn't find time to concentrate on another figure competitor as I did the previous year with Jikki Onukuri but reluctantly not much effort was required from me this time. Treya was already an avid fitness enthusiast that maintained an average body fat between 12 to 16% within the past two years thus she had previous fitness knowledge that made it easier for her to train on her own most of the time.

After returning from a vacation in mid-May I realized that we were now less than 7 weeks out until the July 11th show and I haven't done much to support Treya for the competition. "It's crunch time." Things apparently began to blend nicely together. Our first step was for her to learn the basic poses in figure competition and thanks to *Mona Liza Reyes (formerly Miss California NPC Figure Champion) she helped build Treya's posing foundation. A few days later we finally began to take photos of her in a bikini to compare them with other top competitors. After reviewing them we realized that she looked fairly well and lean but lacked the size. I suggested to make adjustments to her diet in which would consists of more carbs to fuel the heavier workouts. With about three weeks left until the show we were still not satisfied with the progress so then I decided to make room in my schedule to commit a few days a week assisting her with her training.

Back in May, Treya discovered that she may have slightly injured her shoulder in the result of lifting her groceries of 4 half-gallon cartons of soy milk and 5 lbs of sweet potatoes in one hand. That's a lot of soy milk and potatoes, are you stocking up for the winter Treya? This injury didn't stop her training but it did prevent her from performing at her maximum potential. Shoulder rotator cuff injuries are painful and sometimes the pain can be sporatic however most experienced people can work around them following the proper warming up procedures. After 3 and 1/2 weeks of heavy lifting until complete muscle failure along with keeping the reps low at 6 to 8, finally her muscles began to look rounder and fuller. We concentrated on developing the shoulders and back. Treya has been practicing and instructing Yoga for over 20 years and most people don't realize that Yoga lengthens the muscles and longer muscles do look great on a female body but not on figure competitors!

Only one week out of competition and Treya did a great job on staying with her nutrition plan along with dedicating a lot of commitment. She is nearly stage ready and all we need to do is plan the best strategy to keep her fairly full and lean for one more week. We shot videos in her new posing suit bikini* and she looked marvelous! But was it good enough to impress the judges? We contemplated at her status and realized that we would need better posing! Okay, so I'm going to get into a bikini and teach her how to pose? I think NOT. That would be scary! With my novice experience in the bodybuilding scene I often can network connections and in this case I had a friend (Beatrice Galan) that was dating a pro IFBB. We hired IFBB *Adorthus Cherry (AD Cherry) to help Treya polish up her posing routine and it was well worth it. The full hour of consulting with AD Cherry allowed Treya to hold poses more appealing to the judges and to the audience.

Competition day is here and it's time for Pre-Judging. Remember this is her FIRST COMPETITION and she has never been to a bodybuilding or figure competition not even as a spectator. Back stage she mentioned that there was confusion on retrieving her competitor number and it was somewhat chaotic being in a room of nearly 100 competitors that simulated ants running around on their ant hill. After waiting for about two hours Treya finally received her number and finally she can meet with her make-up artist but time was ticking and it was only moments away from stage presentations! "Number 71, please line up at side stage." Treya was lucky that a friend was able to throw oil on her right before she hit the stage, it was a bit too much but at least it got done.

Treya did fairly well in the comparison poses and very well with her model poses. There were a few minor suit malfunctions but overall it was an attractive routine and presentation in which perhaps the extra oil made the difference to take 2nd place." Ha-Ha BG. So yes, Treya makes an impression on the judges and in the evening finals second place goes to Treya Redberg. With all the variables the past few weeks I believe this was a victory. More less a personal victory for Treya and I'm sure every fitness competitor would agree.

SS: So what is the first thing you did after the competition?

TR: I got some rest after a long day.

SS: In one to three words how would you describe the experience backstage on competition day?

TR: It’s real!

SS: What was your highlight of the event or that ultimate special moment?

TR: Of course, when I stepped up on stage. Even though, I didn’t have enough time to pump weights or wipe the oil off my body, I was proud to be up on stage to present the results of my hard work with a big smile!

SS: What do you think is your most special body part that made the difference in the competition?

TR: My lower body; legs, glutes and calves.

SS: What are your regrets, and what could have you done to prevent them?

TR: I've learned many things from my mistakes this time but I don’t regret all of them because this was a learning experience of which I can be proud of.

However, there were 2 things that I wish that didn’t happen to me.

First is my shoulder injury. I should be careful with my daily activities as much as I am at the gym.

Secondly, is time management. I thought that I had plenty of time between 9:00am- 1:00 pm. But after check in at 8:30 am, realistically I had only 1 and a half hours from 11:00 am.- 12:30 pm for preparation. I spent 50 minutes with my makeup artist.

SS: Did you make any friends backstage or at the event?

TR: I made so many friends backstage. i.e. Fatima Johnson who won women’s bodybuilding, Megan Phi who won figure class B and overall, and Sylvia Duvall, figure class A and so many friends who took that turned to help each other backstage. I also met Beatrice Galan who came to help me backstage in the AM., she is wonderful.

SS: What area(s) do you feel needs work?

TR: First of all, my back. I want to build wider lats. Second is my shoulders.

SS: How does your family and friends feel about your body transformation?

TR: I won’t call this body transformation because every summer I try to look my best but I haven't had the chance to show it off. My family and friends are happy with me with this competition.

SS: What would be your 3 top suggestions(question?) if someone came up to you and asked that they wanted to compete.

TR: 1. Why do you want to complete?

2. Are you ready to commit to the training?

3. Are you ready to eat clean and give up some things that you like to eat?

SS: Are you planning to continue with more competitions?

TR: Competition for me is as like having ice cream. I always want to have a second serving.

SS: Any special thanks to people?

TR: First is my husband, David Redberg . If not for him, my first competition wouldn’t have happened. Second, John . He helps me and hurts me at the same time. Third, (AD) Adorthus Cherry, Beatrice Galan, Mona Liza Reyes, Grace Chen, Sahithya. Thanks to all my, family, friends and clients

Patthreeya (Treya) Redberg

* Bodybuilding/Figure Consulting: Adorthus Cherry: http://teamcherrybody.com/

* Figure Consulting: Mona Liza Reyes : http://goteammo.com/

* Suit: Tamara Oakley:http://bikiniguru.com

* Make Up: Thang Dao:http://frescocouture.com/

* Hair: Fren Tran: http://frescocouture.com/

* Gym: http://sweatstudio.com/

* Show DVD: http://paullovesvproductions.com/

* NPC: http://npcnewsonline.com/

Written by:

John Destacamento

John Destacamento is the co-executive producer of Flavoristic Entertainment, LLC and the president of Sweat Studio Personal Training. He has 18 years experience in the fitness industry and contributed several articles to many sources. Some of his previous journalism and web publishing work was with Asian American Times, Daly City, California.

Exciting New Training at Sweat Studio

June 29th, 2009

My Crazy Schedule

The weather has been hot the past few days and more people are realizing that they need to show more skin. It's been a busy two weeks for new enrollments, good news for the company but bad news for me. My schedule is nearly unbearable and the reason why is all these new clients are difficult to delegate to my staff of 5 other trainers. Time scheduling, qualifications and just specific client needs are my main constraints and the reason why I'm handling the big load. As a business owner this is not my intentions on running a good business in fact it's NOT running the business, and more like BEING the business. I should spend more time focusing on managing and developing new improvements, but at the moment I have no choice but to take the challenge while it's needed and eventually I will find a solution or perhaps I may just work myself to death. (figure of speech)

Sweat Studio is approaching the end of the 2nd quarter of it's 3rd year of business and I'm very optimistic. One reason are the wide variety of clients that we've attracted. I'm a trainer with nearly 8 years full time experience, (that's 30 to 40 hours a week average for eight years) and I've seen so many different types of clients. You name it, from rheumatiod arthritis to athletes and this quarter brings a fresh new batch of excitement.

Training client for the Navy Seals/Special Opps

I had a client enroll last February and is determined to make the Navy's special operations. He came to me with less than 20 push ups, 2 pull ups, 36 sit ups and very poor running abilities struggling at the 1/2 mile mark. After about 4 months, he now is capable of 72 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, 76 sit-ups and running a mile in about 8 minutes! This is one of the biggest short-term achievements I've ever seen from a client. I just hope it's enough to get him into the Seals/Special Opps, because we are talking about the best of the best worldwide and sometimes "it's just not good enough."

Figure Competition

Last year I trained a client for a Figure competition and pleased to say she took 5th place and a trophy despite that it was her very first competition. This year I'm consulting one of my trainers and so far the results are awesome. Since she is already an NASM, ISSA, AFPA and IFPA certified personal trainer and she doesn't need much help. However, her representation as a Sweat Studio trainer brings optimism and therefore our entire team should be excited.

Ninja Warrior

On cable tv channel G4, there is a physical competition reality show called "Ninja Warrior" and has a spun-off USA version called "American Ninja" I'm amp'd up and stoked about training a client that wishes to pursue this competition. It's a totally new type of challenge for me and I will be tested on my personal training skills. If you ever get a chance to watch an episode it's quite amazing. Contestants need to climb walls utilizing their hands and feet, climb and maneuver across several feet on ledges with their arms only, leap and swing across gullies, and so much more. This will require agility, unprecedented upper and lower body strength, endurance and power. Whoa, can I really train someone for this?

300's

Last year I performed the Spartan 300 workout, as done by the actors for the movie "300."

It's a brutal 300 workout with pull ups, deadlifts, push ups, box jumps, floor wipers, clean and jerk for a total of 300 repetitions. This year I've created a whole new series of routines each with 300 reps, and a few of these workouts may even be more brutal than the original 300 workout created by Gym Jones. Of course I have scaled versions of the routines so almost anyone can participate. Anyone hardcore enough to try?