August 1, 2006

There's Something About Mary Elizabeth Lado – Pro Figure's Hottest New Star

I confess that at the 2006 Figure International competition in Columbus, Ohio, I didn’t really know who Mary Elizabeth Lado was. But after she took first place at what is generally regarded as the world’s second-most-prestigious figure competition (the Figure Olympia is first), I knew I’d never forget.

Mary Elizabeth Lado, who lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of pro figure’s fastest-rising stars. Mary’s also one of the most beautiful – she has the look that physique fans can admire, and mainstream audiences can appreciate. Futhermore, Mary’s been competing only since 2003, making her rise to the top one of the most impressive ever. I had a chance to talk to Mary last month, and I wanted to learn how she started in the sport of figure and where she plans to go with her competitive career.

Mary, who will be 28 this September, is a self-described tomboy with a strong athletic background. She stands 5’ 7" and weighs less than 130 pounds onstage. And, in case you’re wondering, she’s a size 4.

Mary started competing in figure in 2003, after a bodybuilder she knew took her to a competition. Mary was sure, right off the bat, that she didn’t want to be a bodybuilder, but when she saw the figure competitors onstage, she realized at once that figure was the sport she wanted to pursue. She found figure competitions glamorous, more or less like a combination beauty pageant and bikini contest, but with some muscle.

She won her class at her first competition, the 2003 New Orleans Championships, but she didn’t win the Overall title – the judges told her that she was "too lean." She then competed in three more competitions that year, the last being the 2003 NPC National Figure Championships – an event that allows American competitors to earn an IFBB Pro Card. No, she didn’t win that one her first time out.

But it was the next year that her dream of being a professional figure competitor came true. She competed in the NPC Junior Nationals, where she placed second, and then won her class and the Overall title at the 2004 NPC National Figure Championships, making her an IFBB Pro in just her second year of competing.

Mary made her pro debut at the 2005 Figure International competition, where she placed third – quite an achievement for the first time out on a pro figure stage. Later that year, she would go on to win both the Pittsburgh Pro and California Pro events. With the top-five placing at the Figure International and those professional wins under her belt, Mary was now also qualified to compete in what most competitors consider to be the "dream competition," the Figure Olympia, which is held annually in Las Vegas.

At the Figure Olympia, Mary came up against Davana Medina, the reigning Figure Olympia champion. Davana was a competitor that Mary admired when she competed as an amateur. Mary placed fifth at her Figure Olympia debut, making her first year as a pro a knockout success.

But despite such a rapid rise to the top and strong a strong debut as a professional competitor, Mary didn’t rest on her laurels – she knew that she could do better. As a result, she enlisted the help of her current trainer/nutritionist, Chad Nichols, who helped to transform her physique from what the world saw in 2004 and 2005 – a promising figure competitor with tons of potential – to the sleek, sexy, statuesque winning machine whom we all saw reign supreme at the 2006 Figure International competition. Mary describes the key changes she made, "I brought my waist in, and my condition was better. I was also leaner and more detailed than at the Figure Olympia." She was also more confident onstage in 2006 than in 2005. In fact, she told me that she felt so good onstage at the 2006 Figure International that during the prejudging she was saying to herself, "OK, I can win this show!"

Mary had reason to feel confident. Whereas she looked good in her first two competitive years – she obviously has the genetic makeup to do well in the sport of figure – she looked downright stunning at the 2006 Figure International, making her a popular winner for those who believe that figure competitors shouldn’t look like bodybuilders, which is the way Mary believes it should be too. According to Mary, "Figure competitors should have good muscle tone, but not to the extreme where it’s too hard and veiny. It should look like a bikini contest, but with more muscle. The facial features and overall look still need to be feminine."

I agree, and I liked the look Mary brought to the Figure International. Furthermore, the image she conveys has appeal that’s as broad as her shoulders, something the world of figure needs to have if it’s going to gain a degree of acceptance with the public, which is something female bodybuilding never really gained.

Mary also has definite ideas about how long she will compete in figure. In fact, she didn’t even have to think for a second when she replied to my question with, "Six years altogether, with a goal to win the Figure Olympia." In other words, she wants a fast rise to the top, and then to exit while she’s still up there. She’s fully aware that there are many younger women competing who have the ambition to make it to the top, and she knows that a professional figure competitor only has so many years to hold onto her crown.

Furthermore, Mary’s also candid and startlingly realistic when talking about the life of a pro figure competitor. When I asked Mary what kind of advice she’d give an aspiring amateur figure competitor who wants to make a living by turning pro, she said, "You can’t rely on it as an income. It’s something to look forward to; it’s a goal to set."

But while pro figure may not be a lucrative career, Mary certainly has her own set of goals in terms of what she wants to achieve. Right now, she’s training for the Figure Olympia in September, and she plans to be better than she was at the Figure International. To do that, she’s giving herself much more time between competitions than in the past. In 2006, for example, she has only competed in the Figure International in March so far, and the Figure Olympia is next. In previous years, however, she competed almost every month!

Obviously, Mary has quite a challenge ahead of her if she wants to topple Medina from her throne, not to mention that there are other competitors, such as Jenny Lynn, who would likely want to do that too. But to keep her mind focused and on track, Mary turns to her number-one role model, her mother, who taught her, "Never give up. If you want something, go after it."

Without doubt, Mary’s doing just that, and there’s no question that she has a very good chance to make it to the top, perhaps this year. There’s certainly something about Mary, and it may well be that she’s the future look of figure – we hope so.

...Doug Schneider
das@seriousaboutfitness.com

You can learn more about Mary Elizabeth Lado at her website, www.marylado.com.

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