 Model Mum |
A single mum, a Personal Trainer, a massage therapist, a figure competitor and now our Wonder Woman! Michelle Dixon was recently featured at rockbodz.com by Maria Dunlop and we thought the questions are so good, we couldn't do any better so we thought we'd just transfer her story to our wonder woman page so thanks Maria for letting us share this. |
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| You can't miss Michelle Dixon at a contest. She's the one smiling, hugging everyone and is usually one of the more glammed up and gorgeous girls on stage. And yet she is humble modest and dedicated figure. Not only to her sport but to her 2 huge boys, whom she raised on her own for 11 years. An awesome effort in itself! In this profile, you'll find out how Michelle pretty much pulled herself by up by her bra straps to successfully forge out a career in the fitness industry and what drives her to compete in figure competitions. Michelle will be competing at the INBA Auckland Champs this Sat 3 June! |
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| I am a single parent for the last eleven years raising two sons now aged 12 and 15. They were 3 and 6 when I started bodybuilding! When I left their father and the beautiful island of Rarotonga in 2001 I was literally homeless and penniless and had to restart my life basically. I decided to make a living out of what I love doing and that was weight training. I had a background in martial arts, taught aerobics, and had always weight trained in the UK, then later I did stunt fighting and stunt work for Xena. |
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 2010 NABBA Nats with her boys |
The personal training courses here were not too intense back then so after qualifying and working as a fitness instructor for 18months I decided I wanted to do a bodybuilding comp as an investment instead of forking out for strength courses which as a single mum I couldn't afford.... I did my first comp 2004 and never stopped!!!! |
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3 years ago I started a degree in neuromuscular therapy; I am already two thirds through it plodding on part time completing the diploma in therapeutic and sports massage and will spend the next two years working on the final part of the degree. It has been the best thing I have done in that it has taken my knowledge of the human body to another level, as a trainer I have changed avenues and find I do more corrective work because of it and of course it has enabled me to change direction and add massage to my business. I have opened my new clinic from home, mdsportsclinic, this year and it is going really well. Having spent the last two years working with the New Zealand Breakers has really helped me understand team sports and sporting injuries....it’s been a privilege and lots of fun.
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How long have you been training for? |
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When did you first get interested in weight training and competing? I first got interested in weight training at university 1991 back home in London. I already did martial arts and taught aerobics. I had no idea what I was doing in the gym back then but nobody really did to be honest. There was a gap in my fitness life as I moved around the world and only after I left my husband and became a single mum at the age of 31 did I decide to take up the weights more seriously and became a PT. |
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My Comps and Results so far 2004 NZFBB CNI's - no place novice figure tall [:(] all that in 1 month!!! lol what an intro to bodybuilding whew!!! |
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2005 NABBA Auckland Champs - 2nd Novice Figure Tall 2006 NABBA Bay of Plenty - 2nd Open Figure Tall 2007 NZFBB Sonny Smidt - 1st Open Figure Tall 2008 NZFBB Auckland Champs - 1st Open Figure Tall 2009 NZFBB Tauranga CNI's - 1st Senior Figure 35+ 2010 NZFBB Pro/Am Figure Grand Prix Bodyfitness/Figure ?? 2011 ANB Asia Pacific Champs - Gold Coast - 3rd Open Tall 2012 NABBA Counties Manukau - 3rd Open Figure Tall
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| Sometimes winning doesn’t always make the competition better than other comps, do you have a favorite competition that you have entered? That’s so true. I have won comps where I know I didn't really have much competition, e.g. maybe a novice has just entered opens and there could be two of us only, that doesn’t feel particularly victorious. |
 NABBA Countites 2012 |
| Whereas my last comp two weeks ago at nabba counties, I came third out of three but was elated when I saw the pics and saw that I very much looked in place right next to two amazing athletes. Also coming third in Australia’s ANB was overwhelming two years in a row...however I still want to win that one! | |
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How many days a week do you train? I train 4 days weight training and when competing I do more if I can plus 5 days cardio. I don't always train for an hour though but simply train till I know I have fatigued the muscle group intended. How do you stay motivated while training other people? |
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Do you train in the same gym all the time or vary it? I work at one gym but have always paid to be a member of another gym where I am just a member like everyone else. I currently train at Vibe Fitness known to many as The Environment gym infamous for the team Soman bodybuilders lead by Tony Ligaliga. Although I train myself I am not afraid to learn from others and being in a gym full of big heavyweights is always motivating. It took a while for them to get used to me and now I’m just one of the boys!!! Prior to this I was at BTS in Mt Eden for three years for the same reasons. |
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What are your top 3 exercises that you recommend all women should do? 2. Dead lifts (of varying styles) for overall strength in particular in gluteal and hip region as well as for subtle upper back development 3. Walking lunges - also done in various styles for functional leg strength as well as aiming to isolate lower limb muscle development |
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 With Donna Randell 09 CNI |
What is your favorite food when you are not dieting?
to pin point three actual foods, probably: salmon/broccoli/blueberries |
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I always tell my clients we brush our teeth twice a day we go to the gym 3 times a week... its just the way it has to be - no question! So how I see it is even if we're not gym bunnies or adrenaline junkies or even vein enough to care, we know enough now to know that it is essential to weight train to keep so many of life’s killers at bay. |
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To override osteoporosis and that withered-away look our grandmothers had, and with tonicity of muscle we can easily have the appearance of a younger body. The bonus to eating correctly in addition to this means that we really are slowing down the aging process with healthier cell membranes and improved metabolic rate.... The gym-time, I tell my sons, is adults playground time.... we need it to diffuse emotional and physical tension and really Im a better parent for it I believe. |
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Michelle Dixon
May 2012
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