Hello, my name is Christy Resendes. I was born in New Bedford, Maine, and still reside in Maine. I am a professional natural bodybuilder for the IFPA organization.

I work at Titleist making golf balls; also, I model and personal train individuals on the side.

I have a very supportive and wonderful husband of eleven years and we have three great children together ages 2, 6 and 10. I am working towards getting my bachelors degree by 2007 in physical education at Bridgewater State College.

Photo by
Mike Yurkovic, courtesy of
MuscleSensuality.com

Prior to bodybuilding, I had briefly participated in runway modeling, ballet, softball, and Tae Kwon Do as a child. My parents had started me into weight training when I was 15 years old. My mother had competed in a bodybuilding show the year prior and I was amazed with the transformation of her physique.

When I started lifting, it was with the intention of competing in my first show within three months of starting. On October 16, 1993 I competed in the Whaling City Bodybuilding Championships at age 15 and I won first place, best poser, and overall. After that show I had not competed again until October of 2004, where I had won overall and qualified to gain professional status.

My husband and I decided to go to the nationals held in New Mexico and I won first place and earned my pro card. I always thought that I wasn't big enough to do it and I never had the confidence to go through with it. Then my teacher, Dr. Ellen Robinson, of Bridgewater State College, gave me the extra push I needed to compete again. Since then I've competed numerous times and have even expanded into strongwomen competitions.

There are two shows in particular that have had great meaning to me. They were the NPC 2005 New England Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships and the Muscle Mania Atlantic 2005. The NPC New England show was a turning point for me in my career. It was my first time competing in a show that was not drug tested. I knew, as a natural for life athlete, that I wouldn't be the biggest (most muscle mass), but I figured that I could be the leanest. I was trying to compete in the middleweight division, which the cut off weight was 132 pounds. I ended up weighing in at 134lbs and was the lightest one in the heavyweight division and the heaviest female weighed 150 pounds. I ended up coming in second place out seven competitors and felt like I could hold my ground and that maybe my dream of being the best natural bodybuilder wasn't as far fetched, as it had seemed.

I realized that it didn't matter if I won or lost. What mattered most was that I could eat! Just Kiddin', what mattered most was that I did my personal best and was the leanest that I had ever been. The Muscle Mania Atlantic competition was meaningful because it was the whole family getting into it; my husband competed with me for this show. Also we had the local newspaper following my family and me around for three months, taking pictures and going to the gym with us. It was awesome!

The local newspaper was doing a write up about the whole bodybuilding prep, the show and the results. I had also decided that if I had won this show, that I was going to dedicate my trophy to my teacher and close friend, Dr. Ellen Robinson, as my way of thanking her for believing in me and giving me the inspiration and confidence to just do it.

So, what became of this show? My hubby placed fourth in his class, which he hasn't competed prior to that show for 12 years. I placed first and while at school during class had the honor of giving Ellen Robinson the trophy. The newspaper had done two separate articles that were put out on Saturday and Sunday and I was extremely flattered.

CONTEST HISTORY

• 10/16/93 - ANBC Whaling City Bodybuilding Championships
  Age: 15
  Weight: 120
  Placing: Women 1st Place Overall
  Best Poser
  
  
• 10/30/04 - ANBC-New England Natural Bodybuilding & Figure Championships
  Age: 26
  Weight: 142
  Placing: Novice-Women Best Poser
  Novice-Women Overall Champion
  Open-Women Division Overall Champion
  
  
• 11/04/04 - ANBC-U.S. ANBC Naturals Bodybuilding, Figure & fitness Championships
  Age: 26
  Weight: 140
  Placing: Open Women Tall 1st place - Earned Pro Status
  
  
• 04/23/05 - Muscle Mania Atlantic
  Age: 27
  Weight: 138
  Placing: Open Women 1st place
• 05/08/05 - NPC-2005 New England Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships
  Age: 27
  Weight: 134
  Placing: Heavy Weight 2nd place
  
  
• 08/20/2005 - NAS-2005 Hudson River Strongman
  Age: 27
  Weight: 163
  Placing: 1st place - Qualified for Nationals
  
  
• 09/24/2005 - NPC-Northeastern Tournament of Champions Bodybuilding, Fitness, & Figure Championships In conjunction with Massachusetts State Bodybuilding Championships
  Age: 27
  Weight: 143
  Placing: 2nd in both shows
  Qualified for Nationals & Team Universe
  
  
• 10/08/2005-IFPA InShape Online.com Pro Classic
  Age: 27
  Weight: 142
  Placing: 2nd
  11/05/2005- INBF Monster Mash
  Age: 27
  Weight: 140
  Placing: 4th
  
  
• 11/19 & 20/2005 -MuscleMania World
  Age: 28
  Weight: 140
  Placing: 3rd
  
  
• 4/1/2006 -NAS- Stronger Than All 2
  Age: 28
  Weight: 170
  Placing: 5th in the women's heavy weight

Now for the nitty gritty...The training routine!!
I have periodization program, which is a plan for the year for how I will train. It has three different mesocycle cycles within it, which are off-season (strength & power training), pre-contest (leaning phase) and my strongwoman training (strength & endurance training). Each mesocycle varies in duration from three to four months and within each mesocycle it's broken down further into specific objectives for one to three weeks of time duration. I am currently in the leaning phase and weight train about five days per week and have five days of two sessions of cardio sessions.

So, right now I am doing my pre-contest training until mid-November and it includes, for the most part, more cardiovascular exercise, high volume and intensity weight training and with shorter periods of rest between sets than the other seasons. The main objective for me in this period is to maintain my muscle mass while decreasing my body fat for bodybuilding competitions.

The exercises that I enjoy the most would have to be dead lifts and squats. My least favorite exercises are anything to do with traps and forearms. The body part that I like the most would be my biceps and my least favorite would be my abs.

Bench: 205lbs x 1 rep

Parallel Squat: 405lbs x 5 reps

18 inch Axel Dead Lift: 405lbs x 2 reps
(no wraps)

Many people ask me why I compete, and it's kind of hard to explain, but I will do my best. I feel that everyone has their own unique gifts for example writing, drawing, making people laugh, or cooking. Some people find out what this gift is really early in life and become very successful at it and sometimes it takes others a bit longer to figure out what exactly it is. I feel that bodybuilding is my gift, my passion, what I was meant to do. And by no means am I trying to imply that I'm the best or better than anyone else. It's what I do and it's satisfying.

I love the modeling, articles, interviews, and sponsorship opportunities that have come from it. I love to work hard and see the transformation of my body. I enjoy meeting others with the same interests and sharing ideas. In the off-season I love eating and getting ready for a strongwoman contest. I also like the fact that I can lift heavier and that the training is more sport specific.

What I enjoy most about my lifestyle is that I feel alive, that life isn't just passing me by. I know what I want and if I work hard at it, maybe I will be successful, too. And even if it doesn't end up the way I would like it to, at least I can say that I tried.

So you ask what is it that I wish to accomplish?
Well let me tell you how it started...
It started as a dream to be known as the best natural bodybuilder (Ms. Olympia). I would tell my hubby, Dino, how I wished that I could be Ms. Olympia, but I didn't think it was very feasible since it's a normal show vs. a natural show.

I have never and never will use steroids or diuretics, which I thought is what I would have to do to obtain that title. I told him that I would love to model and be in magazines. Then he said, "So then do it!!" My initial thought was that I shouldn't even waste my time, it's not going to happen. Then after thinking about how fast life goes by and what I want my children to learn from me, I came to a conclusion. I want them to be whatever it is that they want to be. I don't ever want them to feel that anything is impossible or unattainable. I want them to know that it might not be easy and they might fall, but it's okay and you might even fail and that's okay too! As long as you tried. Which brings me to say that saying this to my children, when I didn't believe in myself, would not help reconfirm what I would like them to learn. I would have to show them through my efforts, hard work and my downfalls. And now I'm not dreaming any more, I'm working on achieving my goals.

My days are really hectic and vary so much more now that the children are out of school. Lately, I have been getting up around 6am to do my hour of cardio on my elliptical cross-trainer at home, while I play Final Fantasy VI Online for the X-Box 360. When I finish doing my cardio I will shower up, and then start making breakfast for everyone.

Afterwards, everyone cleans up and gets dressed. From about 9am to 12pm we have some free time where the family will do things together and also accomplish some chores. My hubby, Dino, will usually grill up something for lunchtime.

At 1pm, I go to the gym to weight train and afterwards go and tan. I get home around 3:30pm then for about an hour my oldest daughter will read and Dino and I take turns working on educational projects with our other two kiddos. By 4:30pm Dino or myself will start making dinner and the children usually help out. At 6pm the kids are taking a bath/shower to get settled for the night. Around 7:30 the kids get to watch TV, about 1-1½ hour(s). That's when I will sit with them working off of my laptop to market myself, update my website, check my e-mails, or whatever else I may have to do that requires a computer.

Around 9:30pm the children head off to bed and I will then complete yet another round of cardio, which varies in duration, anywhere between 30-60 minutes. Afterwards, I shower up and then I will usually plan with Dino for the next day's events. Then we head off to bed and Dino will read and I will draw for about an hour and then retire for the night. I will usually retire off to bed around 11pm. But, the schedule is always changing, as is life.

In my down time, I enjoy writing, drawing, being with family and friends. I collect fairies and Garbage Pale Kids cards. I love to dance and sing. I also like to arm-wrestle. I've been arm-wrestling since I was in elementary school. I enjoy trying new things and traveling as well.

Thank you for this opportunity!!

I would also like to announce that I will be featured in the Planet Muscle that is coming out in September, so be sure to check it out. I have been working on a wide range of self-promotion and modeling, and if there is anyone interested in booking me, I can be contacted via e-mail at christysch@hotmail.com. I am also working on a new blog write up for both my website ChristyResendes.com and my MySpace profile.