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Occupation: I am one of a great team of fitness instructors who work for Manukau Leisure Services at a gym called Marina Fitness in Half Moon Bay, Howick, Auckland.
Age: I have absolutely no problem revealing my age as I hope it inspires other women that no matter what age you are you can make some wicked changes in your life and feel great about yourself, because I have! I am 46, I didn't start bodybuilding until 41 and alas I can't even profess to have been involved in any sport prior. I was never a budding sports star.
Family and How have they been supportive of your bodybuilding?
Our family members are Alan, my husband of 23 years, Bryce 19, Rebecca 13 and Bridgette 10.
Alan is extremely supportive and allows me the freedom to train, diet and participate in any competition that is important to me. I could not ask for anything more. The Kids love what I do but, I am still just mum, a mum who doesn't bake cookies, spends a lot of time with ‘gym' and don't get them started on the smell of egg whites cooking at 4 am! It isn't often that a son can say to his mum, "gee you're getting big" and she loves him for it!
Janine back in the early days, January 07
How did you get into bodybuilding and competing?
I sort of fell into it really!
When Bridgette was 3 I joined a newly opened gym very close to home and was going 5 days a week for 2 years when an instructor asked me "why do you work so hard? Why don't you do bodybuilding?" My response, I laughed "no way me on stage in front of heaps of people, I am too shy."
Without telling anyone I got curious and went to watch a competition, and as soon as the figure ladies walked out I was hooked. I wanted to have a goal and that was it, I have never looked back. As they say the rest is history...
Your achievements so far?
I don't feel that I have achieved anything yet. I just want to keep improving and growing as an athlete and a person and that will be my achievement.
(sorry to interrupt, but this is when I really feel like shaking you Janine!!! girl, be proud that you've won the NABBA Counties 2010 and 09 North Harbour and Counties, and Manawatu Overall Titles. Plus a myriad of other firsts in your career. See all the amazing changes you've managed to achieve over the years and own it!! Lisa) |
NABBA BOP 07 |
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Your proudest or most memorable highlight of your career so far?
There would not be one single highlight because every time I can get on stage is a highlight. Everyday I feel that I am the best I can be today, but I know that I am going to be better tomorrow.
When you started, what aspirations did you have as a figure girl. Ie being open or international aspirations. What was your goal back then.
When I first started my aspiration was just to be competitive up on stage and this is what it still is today.
In the beginning I was not thinking ahead about where I was going, just where I was at that moment. I started in novice and in my first year was put out of the novice class at the 2005 NABBA Nationals by being placed. I decided to step up to open, I can't tell you why I never considered senior figure even though I am well qualified for it! I had a lot of changes to make to aspire to becoming competitive in the open class. After a year off and Lisa's dedicated help and a heap of patience from her as well, I came back in 2007 feeling that I had improved. But knew I still had a long way to go and know I still do!
 
NABBA Waikato 08
Throughout your career you've had to train and compete with an injury - can you tell us more about what actually you have.
In 2005 while lifting heavy weights my left shoulder became very painful. I was diagnosed with Distal Clavicular Osteolysis in both shoulders (aka weightlifters shoulders), in simple terms no cartilage in the AC joint so bone is rubbing against bone.
I was put forward for surgery. Surgery involves ‘resection', trimming off the ends of the bones in the joint to create a gap, however the surgeon said that since I had full range of motion, even though it was painful, he would not consider me for surgery because of the risks. Surgery would only be done when I had lost the ROM in the shoulders. So I continued to train heavy, taking painkillers and pushing through the pain and grinding feeling. The recent x-rays show that I have ‘done the resection on myself ‘ in my left shoulder and now I am pushing through with the right shoulder, thank goodness I only have two shoulders!!
Unfortunately, my elbows have paid the price over the years. I have shredded tendons in both on two separate occasions when I have been under heavy weights and my shoulders have been too painful.
  
INBA Taupo 09 NABBA North Harbour 09
Because you have shoulder issues, how do you train around it.
There are a few exercises I have to adjust that my shoulders physically wont allow me to do, other than that as far as I am concerned it is full steam ahead. The medical team don't quite see it the same way I do.
Perfect form with exercises is crucial because of the pain, to me this is a positive. I know when I am not using the correct muscle 100% during the exercise, because my shoulders tell me so!
We know that some days must be painful for you and you have to take painkillers, but we want to know what actually drives you to keep on wanting to train with this constant pain:
This may sound strange, but I want to feel the pain and the grinding ache in my shoulders. The pain is my normal as I have never trained without it and to me, is just the same as the satisfying feeling of training to your physical limit, because I know I am every time I workout. I found I can mentally train through the pain, as I know what the problem is and that it is something rest and time wont heal. Painkillers help afterwards to dull the pain after a workout. I do not consider my shoulders a weakness, if anything they make me more determined.
In the past couple of years you've really come into your own, you've developed a lean yet full figure, what have you attributed that to:
Well, go figure!
What do you enjoy about bodybuilding?
I can honestly say everything. I love the diet, to an extreme aye Lisa, I love the training and the pain, I love standing on stage and being competitive against other great figures and to top it off the great people.
I have made awesome friends who are a lot of the reason why I do this sport as well.
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Janine and Lisa
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You seem confident on stage, how have you worked on that. Have you always been confident? Maybe I might look confident but I can't call it that because it isn't confidence I feel. When I walk on stage it is only that I feel proud of myself, of the hard work and perseverance considering I started with a blank canvas! I didn't feel like that in the beginning of course, only since I have felt I have started to improved.
How does it feel to be on stage with some of the ‘big' taller girls. And how you feel to occasionally beat them.
Being on stage with the big, taller girls is a thrill. I love it. I expect it now because let's face it even if they qualify for the short class they are still taller than me so I am always on stage with the big, taller girls! You can never take anything for granted every competition is going to be different. All I can control is me and so I concentrate on being in the best condition I can be in, then the day just takes care of itself.
  
NABBA Counties 10 NABBA Waikato 10
What are your aspirations now
My aspiration now is simply to just keep competing and keep improving to be more competitive. I would like to compete overseas and experience more. I don't want to stop competing thinking there was more I wanted to do.
Any tips for fellow athletes who might be trying to overcome their hurdles, whether physical or mental, to compete.
Yeah, just one, you need good friends who are positive and supportive because you can't do it alone. Giving the same to them is rewarding as well and helps you survive because you realise that how you feel is quite normal. I don't believe that negative things happen because there will inevitably be a positive to it. Sometimes it just takes a while to see it.
Janine Haywood
19 August 10
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