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Kelli Correa Thoughts About her FBB to Figure Switch Class A 9th place 2008 Nationals Competitor Kelli Correa was written up in the Plymouth, Mass. press as the Queen of the Gym and shared her thoughts on the switch from bodybuilding to figure. Queen of the gym |
PLYMOUTH - Go figure.
An expression, yes, but Kelli Correa took it literally.
A personal trainer at various gyms in Plymouth, Correa spent the last four years crushing the competition in bodybuilding competitions. But she recently switched gears, well, just slightly. Correa has begun competing in more figure competitions.
“At this point, a lot of bodybuilding girls have crossed over to figure,” said the 5-foot, 107-pound Correa. “We still train just as hard.”
In bodybuilding competitions, performers try to get as ripped as possible and make their muscles and veins pop and stand out to get the judges’ attention. In figure competitions, competitors don’t have to be as sculpted.
“You don’t have to get shredded,” said Correa, a Plymouth-Carver High School grad. “The goal is to put on as much lean muscle tissue as I can. When I was bodybuilding, I was using what I genetically had to find the best look for me. To be in bodybuilding, you have to do certain things to get that big. (In figure) I think the goal is to get the upper body more symmetrical to the lower body. I feel I’ve done that.”
And with figure competitions, it’s all about the look.
“It can get a little crazy,” she said. “You think you got it going on, but then it depends on who’s judging. You never know what they’re thinking or looking for.”
Correa has accomplished a ton since she began training as a bodybuilder just four years ago. In late October, at Musclemania’s New York Championships, Correa placed first in her class and took the overall championship title of Ms. Figure Universe. Correa’s heading to Atlanta Nov. 22 to compete for a pro card with the International Federation of Bodybuilding.
Correa has competed in some of the biggest bodybuilding competitions in the world. She’s done the Arnold Amateur IFBB International Bodybuilding, Fitness, and Figure Classic (Ohio), the Yorton Cup Pro Bodybuilding and Figure Contest (Washington, D.C.), the Natural Northern State competition (Connecticut), and the OCB Natural Spring National Championship (Cape Cod). In just four years, she’s racked up one top performance after another. Wherever she goes she wins or gets as close as she possibly can to the top.
“It takes so much effort and so much hard work,” Correa said. “I do two hours a day of cardio and weight training. I work out six days a week. I try to rest one day a week, but it’s a struggle for me to stop.”
To remain in prime shape, Correa also has to pay attention to what she eats. Egg whites, oatmeal, chicken, rice, vegetables, turkey, fish, and protein pancakes. Yes, protein pancakes, complete with Splenda and cinnamon.
“They are so good,” Correa said.
Protein pancakes and spending nearly the entire week in the gym every week are what Correa hopes will take her to a championship run in Georgia later this month.
“Hopefully when I get to Atlanta, I’ll have the perfect physique,” Correa said. “I think this last win (Musclemania in New York), I needed it as a little confidence booster. If I get second place, I’ll be disappointed. You want to be the best. You can’t win all of them, but I’m going to be right on the money with this one. It’s going to be hard to beat me. I’m feeling good.”
http://www.wickedlocal.com/carver/sports/x1049844128/Queen-of-the-gym