Please note: This series of articles details the experiences of training one individual and is not meant to be used for your own training needs. Everyone's needs are different, so every training and nutritional program will vary from person to person. It's intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and we cannot be held responsible for any accident or injury that may result by following any part of this program.

September 1, 2006

The "Building a Beautiful Body" Series

Part One: The Introduction

Back in January, we began a five-part series of articles called "Natalie Waples: A Two-Time Figure Champion in Just Three Months." The articles detailed Natalie Waples’ training program that took her, in just three months, from an in-shape woman to a toned, two-time figure champion. Response to the series has been overwhelming, as people liked the way the articles outlined what you need to know to compete in a figure competition.

But not every woman wants to become a figure champion – it’s a specialized sport that requires a very definite look that lasts for a very short time. (Peak contest condition can usually be maintained only for a few days.) On the other hand, most women do want to improve the appearance of their body for everyday life, even if they don’t want to become a figure star.

Therefore, I’m calling this series "Building a Beautiful Body," because the goal is to create a fit, athletic, healthy, and attractive look that everyone will find appealing. However, this won’t be a paint-by-numbers approach, mostly because I don’t believe that such a system works, since individual needs are so varied. Instead, it will be a multi-part series describing the system I use to help women achieve their body-shaping goals that might give others ideas on how they can improve their shape too. As with the "…Figure Champion in Just Three Months" series, there will be tips, tricks, and techniques that many will find valuable.

Once again, the model for this program is Natalie Waples. I personally coach Natalie and have helped her achieve her current appearance which, I’m proud to say, is gaining her plenty of acclaim. I think that using a real person for an example is important – quite simply, it shows that the results are real and it’s the proof that something really works. In fact, we’ve gone farther with Natalie’s progress faster than we ever imagined.

As you know, last year Natalie wanted to compete in figure, and we set aside three months to see what we could accomplish. Obviously the results are well known and speak for themselves. This year, though, she not only wanted to take part in figure competitions, but in fitness modeling too. No problem – once you learn to control your appearance, you can tweak your body this way and that to bring out the best for a specific situation. Furthermore, I found this "dual-purpose approach" to be a good challenge, and for Natalie it turned out to be quite a success.

In June, Natalie won a provincial-level figure title (her third figure win!), qualifying her to compete nationally, and in July, she won the prestigious Miss Grand Prix Toronto title, qualifying her for the Face of Champ Car Finals to be held in November in Mexico City. She made numerous appearances, and was also featured in the Toronto Sun and Ottawa Sun newspapers, as well as in various supplement advertisements and brochures.

Natalie succeeded in figure and fitness modeling, showing that it is possible to combine both successfully. However, while this "dual-purpose approach" worked well and I enjoyed the challenge it presented, the best results do happen when you concentrate on just one thing.

So, right now Natalie is training only for Face of Champ Car Finals – it’s there that she will compete against seven other winners from other racing events around the world. The Face of Champ Car Finals is a high-profile event, so we’re spending the next four months creating a unique appearance that will be feminine, athletic, and, of course, beautiful. Her appearance won’t necessarily be that of a figure competitor, or of a typical figure model; instead, it will be something unique to Natalie, making her distinctive in that competition.

Being unique and distinctive is important, and that’s something I stress to the women whom I help in order for them to look their best. Nothing’s worse than a cookie-cutter type approach that makes everyone look the same. I believe the most beautiful bodies are the ones that are unique to each individual, with results that vary from person to person. Otherwise, it would all be so boring.

Furthermore, I don’t believe that someone should try to imitate another’s appearance, since it only leads to frustration and failure. Natalie is one example we’re using to show how we can get results, but not everyone can look like her, and she can’t look like everyone else. Different bodies require different strategies, since we’re all born with a different genetic make-up. As well, different people will have different opinions about what looks good. That’s why I said that this won’t be a paint-by-numbers approach – that kind of training plan simply can’t work.

Still, you can learn from the work of others, and that’s why I believe it’s important to use real-life examples to lead the way – they can lay the groundwork for what needs to be done. The program that I set up for Natalie is unique to her and her current situation, but there are some overriding principles and techniques in there that many can use.

In fact, there’s one aspect of the approach that we use for Natalie that’s the same for everyone – we start out with a plan, or as I like to call it, a "blueprint for success." This is something that’s often overlooked, but it’s important in order to create the best body you can. In fact, Natalie and I revise her blueprint with each new challenge, and we revisit it regularly, since it’s what keeps us on track. Next month, I’ll describe this blueprint further and show how you can create a blueprint for your beautiful body as well.

...Doug Schneider
das@seriousaboutfitness.com

To learn more about Natalie Waples, visit www.NatalieWaples.com.

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