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#1: Tell everyone out there viewing the website who may not know who you
are already (shame on them) a little bit about yourself.
I am currently a fitness magazine Cover Model, actress, product
spokesmodel
for Muscle-Link supplements which is owned by Ironman Magazine, a
published
author with a monthly column in Natural Muscle Magazine called "Brenda
Kelly's Tools and Rules" and big sister to a lot of fitness/figure
competitors and models. My website was started as a need to try and answer
all of the questions I was getting concerning fitness, nutrition,
competition, beauty, aging and health in general.
I have competed in fitness in the NPC and Fitness America where I was
chosen
to be part of the inaugural International Pro circuit in 2000. A lot of my
fans know me from the ESPN2 Fitness America TV shows from 1999 & 2000.
Other competitions I have done include the National Aerobic Championships
(1988-1991 Gold, Gold, Bronze), The Step Challenge (1992 Silver) and the
World Billfish Series (1995-1998 I was 4 in the world)!
#2: You have been in some form of competition since 1989, just as Fitness
as
a sport was beginning. How do you view the evolution of the sport from
gymnastics all the way to what it is today?
Glad you asked!
In my opinion the fitness routine round has really picked up on quality
along
the way. This is largely because the competitors have begun to realize
unless
they have a high level of a gymnastics background in most cases they
cannot
expect to place high in the routine round. Therefore a lot of girls who do
not have a background do not think they can be competitive. Of course
there
are exceptions in every case and there are some Pro's who are not gymnasts
who do very well in the standings. The organizations are quick to point
out
they do not require gymnastics, however it is very hard to overcome the
awe
of a high level gymnastics routine compared with one with no air moves
with
strength and dance only. These gymnastically challenged athletes certainly
can go into rehearsal and lessons to improve, but next to someone who was
brought up in gymnastic skills early in life, a non gymnast can rarely
radiate the same conviction and comfort. I don't want to sound like I am
being negative, it's just how I have seen it for some years now. These
athletes who want to compete and do not have the skills to pull together a
winning routine now have the option of the Figure Round. Unfortunately,
this
is killing the Fitness numbers in the regional shows. Jon Lindsay, USA
National promoter told me the National events are still doing well and he
has
not seen the drop off at this level.
Figure categories are bringing a lot of people to watch the competitors
who
have come out to compete in record numbers. This makes the promoters happy
and it does introduce more people to our sport. Legendary women's physique
photographer Bill Dobbins has written an article stating the quarter turns
figure competitors are having to do are not exciting enough and unless you
know the competitor, the category is lackluster. I do agree on the point
that
the fitness routines are much more entertaining and of course show a level
of
athleticism and talent within a sport. With Figure there is a lack of an
element of athletic training which is lost if the only rounds offered are
quarter turns. Bodybuilders have posing routines and symmetry rounds,
Fitness
athletes have routine rounds plus physique rounds and the Figure
competitors
have wardrobe, hair and make up and quarter turns. Hmmm. No wonder the new
category is so popular. It remains to be seen if the industry has anything
to
offer these Figure competitors as far as sponsorships and representation
of
products within our sport. My guess is they will be able to promote these
new
Pros but only up to a point. For instance, for a promoter to pay for an
appearance of an athlete they must do a posing routine or fitness routine
during the awards show. What would a Figure champion do? This only lends
more
credibility to the Fitness athletes and Bodybuilders.
#3: When you took the time to prepare for a routine, what did you do? How
did
you get ready mentally and physically?
During my competitive years I trained almost every day on my routine. I
was
not a gymnast and had to start from ground zero since I knew I must
incorporate some sort of gymnastic-like moves to be competitive and do
well.
This 5-7 day a week schedule went on for almost 4 years. It took up my
life
and I was completely dedicated to this seeing a way to overcome some
personal
issues within myself. I knew I wanted a higher quality of self esteem and
a
test if you will of my own physical fitness. I wanted to see what I was
capable of if I surrounded myself with experts in their various fields
that I
would need and did all I could no matter what. I wanted to follow
directions
and build my own image. I had really never done anything as hard as this.
Ever. I pushed myself along with my choreographer, gymnastic coach,
nutritionist, designer, trainer, massage therapist, chiropractor, dance
instructor and hair and make up stylist. I would choose two or three "big"
moves and work on them daily in some way. I typically held onto one
routine
for a full year. By the last show of the year, I was pretty happy with my
end
result. My routine definitely did improve as the year went by. This is
always
how long it took me. I would add some of my other strengths and skills
which
included some martial arts, dance, aerobic moves and even some hula and
Tahitian! I pulled out all of the stops because I knew I had to be as
entertaining as possible to compensate for my lack of traditional air
moves.
My designer Merry Christine who made all of my original stage costumes so
elaborate and so stunning it made a big impact on getting noticed and shot
by
the photographers at the shows. My plan was to dazzle with my showmanship
and
flash. It was my best bet at placing high and I did it up to the max. I
have
to say in retrospect it was a good plan and I was successful.
I was a little concerned about the extreme strain all of the rehearsals
combined with weight lifting and dieting on my then 39 year old body would
be
physically. Imagine my surprise when I discovered the mental was twice as
hard as the physical. If I couldn't hold my frame of mind together it
didn't
matter what was happening physically. Honest. I used positive daily
readings,
meditations, prayer and the support of my fellow competitors, friends,
family
and my students who as I taught exercise classes to got to witness my
transformations, struggles and victories. I was blessed with a very
special
support group during my training. I was in a rare situation where I
trained
within a large group of athletes including bodybuilders, fitness,
cheerleading and dancers ranging from brand new to IFBB Pro. We all
cheered,
laughed, cried, triumphed, failed, supported and overcame our fears
together.
I made some of my strongest bonds with these people and many are part of
my
life forever. We are bound by feelings it is impossible to describe. I
thank
God for them. They saved my sanity and kept me going when I thought I
would
never be able to make it. I know I did the same for them and continue to
do
this still for new and seasoned athletes whenever I am given the chance.
#4: I have read that you were stepping back from fitness shows for a while
to
focus on other forms of media. What kind of plans do you have and what
projects are you going to be undertaking?
I started to model more in the Fitness industry right after 2001. I have
been delighted and blessed to be embraced by the fans and athletes right
away. This prompted a move from the Seattle area where I had lived for 35
years to LA to try and get proper representation. I was fortunate to be
picked up by a mainstream agency in LA right away, so away I went. They
send
me out on casting calls to all kinds of media. I have met and worked with
production companies doing advertising for TV, cable, radio and even 3
movies!
I am currently a co producer, host and feature on a documentary of women
over
forty who are still gaining speed and recognition resulting in amazing
inspiration for us all. It will air on all of the cable documentary and
profile type shows such as E!, the Oxygen channel, Discovery, etc. I'll
let
you know when in my newsletter.
The modeling I do ends up in various fun palaces. One high end closet and
bathroom fixture company used a super life sized image of me on the side
of
their company van pictured along with one of their luxury rooms posing
with
their product line. I am on one side and my girlfriend, Carmen Garcia is
on
the other. You may be driving down the road in LA or Vegas and "see
Brenda"
drive by!
I also have a new skin care line in the early stages to watch for. This
year
I have 2 or 3 movie roles that should start production and there is an
infomercial on a hair product coming out soon I was one of the models for.
They cast me as the "glamour girl." I plan to start production on a line
of
workout videos with a reality twist this year.
My website www.Brendakelly.com also takes up a good amount of my time
since
it is a very busy place to be with lots of free information along with a
member's only section updated weekly with all of my photoshoots and a
personal diary posted there for my fans to see. I also send out an
extensive
newsletter to almost five thousand fans and friends once a month. I invite
friends and fans to go to my contact page and sign up. It includes a lot
of
the fitness industry news along with my latest project updates.
#5: I saw on your site that you may have landed a part in an up coming
science fiction movie ... any chance on spilling the beans and giving us
some info?
The true name of the movie is: The Interplanetary Surplus Male and the
Amazon Women From Outer Space.
The sci fi movie can be purchased right from the website
www.Surplusmale.com.
My agency sent me out to a casting for a part that called for a fit, sexy
woman. I showed up and the producer and director went crazy over me. The
reason is here in LA, when a casting goes out for anything fitness
related,
they usually send these skinny girls. I don't have anything against skinny
girls but we would all be a lot better off if Hollywood would stop using
them
for fitness advertising. I am always seeing these models with no muscle
tone
at all posing with a weight in their hand. Ridiculous. They asked me if I
knew of anyone else who looked like me. Could I get in touch with them?
Did
I! I sent them everyone I had met here in LA in the fitness industry who I
knew was interested in doing film work and they hired them all! Some of
them
brought in other's they were in contact with and they hired them all, too!
The production company made me a co producer for all of my help. I got to
have the experience of a lifetime being on set with all of my girlfriends
making a movie during the summer of 2002.
This is a movie patterned after the old fashioned sci fi spoofs. Think
Barbarella or Amazon Women on the Moon. It is supposed to be funny and
light
humored. It is. The plot involves a planet full of fit, sexy women in
various
stages of muscularity inhabited on a planet without men. They go to Earth
once every hundred years to get a man to re populate them. Sounds good for
the guy until he realizes after the deed, he is killed and stuffed so
future
generations can view him. They send down a team to asses and choose a man
(Harvey) and kidnap him. He has a wife (Barbara) on earth who mistrusts
him.
Harvey was chosen for a high level of promiscuity so she is right to be
suspicious. Barbara hides in the trunk of his car to bust him and during
the
car ride he is "beamed" into the space ship taking her along unknown to
the
women on the planet. She hides within the women space "trainees" and tries
to
save the worthless sop. I play two roles. A lot of us do. It has a Wizard
of
Oz feel where Barbara sees a lot of her friends from Earth up on the
planet
in an entirely different role confusing her tremendously. I play the
wife's
best friend, Heather a blabber mouth know it all who hates Barbara's
philandering husband and is the instigator in getting her to hide in the
trunk in the first place. On the planet I play a guard who busts Barbara
when
she climbs out of the trunk and tries to find Harvey. It was great fun and
there is already a sequel penned and planned where I will play an even
bigger
role. Some of the women in the movie include: Sherry Goggin, Timea
Majorova,
Lena Johannessen, Elaine Goodlad, Valentina Chepiga, Andrulla Blanchette,
Kat
Meyers, Nicole Rollolazo, Carmen Garcia, Lauren Powers, Viviana Soldano,
Cynthia Bridges, Gayle Moyer, Suzanna McGee and Jayne Tricka. A cameo
appearance from Michael Dorn (Warf) rounds off the cast perfectly. Long
live
sci fi! It has always been a huge deal for me. This is a must see for any
fitness fan, sci fi fan or just fans of beautiful fit women.
#6: Is acting something you want to turn to full time or will there always
be room for fitness related events in your life?
I definitely want to act more. I am pleasantly pleased at how comfortable
I am in front of the camera moving and talking. I have also found I am good
at memorizing lines! Who would have thunk? You never know until you try.
I will always have one foot in the fitness industry. It was where I was
born.
Fitness is my home and I believe in it entirely. I will make the time to
be
involved. I am thinking it will not be so hard to combine the two here and
there. For instance, I would love to do some on camera hosting in a
fitness
related production.
#7: How have you seen fitness change your life and how do you think you've
helped to change others?
Fitness has been an ongoing theme throughout my life. It is attached to
everything positive relating to the changes I have experienced in the past
and present.
On the outside, I have never had the physique I do now. Ever. Not even in
my
twenties. I pulled my physique together at the age of 38 with weight
training
and diet to get ready for the contests. This is where I was discovered by
fitness industry photographers. That is how I came to be under contract
with
Ironman Magazine and have the benefit of having Michael Neveux, one of the
industries most sought after photographers as one of my main
photographers. I
am a popular fitness model because of fitness. I have had broadcasting,
modeling and acting experience because of fitness. I now live in LA
because
of fitness. These are huge changes to my lifestyle.
Although I had worked in the Health Clubs for 17 years before moving to LA
as
a fitness director and instructor, I was still limited as to how many I
could
inspire at a time. I received priceless grounding and schooling on the
practical and technical side of fitness to lay a solid foundation to allow
the changes to evolve. There are a lot of models and athletes who do not
have
the background and knowledge I have lived. The advise I am asked to give
is
true and correct. If I don't know, I know someone who does. I have always
known there is no real competition except with ones self. If anyone is on
that road and asks for assistance, direction or advise I will tell them
all I
know. I hope to inspire others to find their own strength as role models
for
others. This changes them. It allows people to live their dreams through
positive goals.
I have been blessed and my main goal has always been to give it right
back. I
get to experience changes that I have inspired with my website, writing
and
even modeling. I can reach more and more people and I get countless
E-mail's,
letters and sincere thank yous for something I have sparked in someone who
was looking for direction or just some companionship of a shared dream. I
am
happy to be in this role. It is natural for me because of fitness.
#8: Did you see yourself where you are now 10 years ago and what do you
think you'll be doing 10 years from now?
10 years ago if you would have told me I would be on the cover of national
fitness magazines, have a respected, recognized name in the fitness
industry
and a budding acting career I would have wondered who you had mistaken me
for. I did not think I would be able to create such a different and
exciting
life. My life is so glamorous, it is hard to accept it sometimes. I do
remain
close to my spiritual beliefs. They have saved me from disaster and
destruction adding instead light and wonder. I will continue to evolve and
try new things. Even if they scare me. I will do the right thing. My
sanity
depends on it. I can't predict where I may be in 10 years. I will say it
will
be glorious! I truly believe I will be put in a better position to help
more
and more people as long as I stay true to myself. I still loose trust
sometimes just like everyone else, but I will go forward with the help of
my Higher Power.
Thank you for thinking of me and letting me share my views and insights.
Take care of yourself. It's worth it. Brenda Kelly
Brendakelly.com
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