Taylor 'The Typhoon' Smith, July 2012

Occupation: Club Manager, SNAP Fitness, Ferrymead

Age: 39 (40 in December)

Family: Husband Kane, Children Levi 10 & Sonny 5

When and why did you come to NZ?

I moved to NZ in January of 2008 from Sydney. The short answer to why we moved here is that Sydney is very fast paced and now quite a violent city and we wanted to move somewhere to give our children a better way of life. We had tossed a few ideas around, most being Australian cities but as my husband was born in CHCH but raised in Sydney his whole life, we thought what about CHCH. So we made the decision and within 6 weeks our house was packed up into a container and we had arrived here to begin our new life.

Where do you live and train now?

Yes I have always led an active lifestyle from a young age. I was a state sprinter as a youth and one many state and interstate school track meets. My coach at the time thought I had the potential to be an Olympic sprinter but I gave running away to study drama and dance. The funny thing is that throughout all of high school I was teased for having big powerful legs, which made me hate them, my how times have changed!

I have been training for over 20 years but didn’t seriously start weight training until I met my husband 12 years ago. Before I met Kane I mainly did a lot of running, stretching and core work with a few full body workouts thrown in occasionally.

How many years have you been competing?

Years! I have only been competing since September last year.




   
2011                                   NZIFBB Sth Is. 2012

You seemed to just have 'appeared' out of nowhere, did you compete in Australia? And why did it take you so long to get on stage in NZ?

No, as I said I only decided to compete late last year, even though my husband has been telling me for years that I should compete. I never competed in Australia until after my first comp in September. I think it took me so long to compete as I never felt I was good enough, even with all the supportive people around me. I just assumed they were all being nice. I just didn’t want to get on stage and make a fool of myself and look and feel like I didn’t belong there.

Even with my husband’s constant nagging that I had the genetic potential to be a fantastic competitor I still didn’t feel I had it in me, after all he loves me and has to say nice things. The final push was when Kane and my great friend Kristy Thompson (who needs no introduction here) got together and plotted for me to compete.

I entered the NZIFBB South Islands as a novice figure athlete last September where I won the novice figure division, I was on cloud nine because of my win and Moe ElMoussawi pulled me aside at the end of the show and had lots of great and positive things to say. Moe told me to be on the lookout as 2012 would see the introduction of the new Physique category which he felt I would be perfect for. So that was it, I was hooked!

I wanted to compete straight away again but financially with such short notice I couldn’t do the NZIFBB Nationals. So, Kane contacted Peter Hardwick and got an exemption for me to join Team NZ and head to the INBA Natural Universe in Australia. At the time I worked for an airline so flights didn’t cost us anything. I couldn’t believe it, here I was with only one competition under my belt and I was heading to one of the world’s biggest natural bodybuilding events! I won the Novice Figure Short category and then went on to win the Overall Novice Figure Universe Title!

This year I again did the NZIFBB South Island Champs in the new Physique category where I won the Overall and qualified to do the NZ Nationals. Then last month I was back in Australia for Australia’s premier female comp the INBA All Female Classic where I again won the Overall Open Physique title! So, that’s 4 wins from 4 competitions and all it has done is fuelled my fire to keep on competing and keep on improving.


 
Vs Darlene Thomas at NZIFBB Sth Is. Champs 2012

The highlight of your contests so far?

I would have to say every competition has had its own challenges, setbacks and triumphs. However, regardless of the federation, show size or competitor numbers no single win has been greater than any other. I have grown and learnt from all my competitions so far. The absolute highlight of my contests would definitely be meeting so many fantastic and like minded athletes, some of whom I have formed strong bonds with and we will stay friends long after this ride has finished.



How did you feel going up against 'another' kiwi Teneka Hyndman for the Overall Title and then winning?

I only received my exemption on the Wednesday before the Universe comp. So, come Thursday we had to book flights, accommodation, grandparents to look after our boys and sort tanning etc out and leave the following morning. It was an absolute crazy time. Nearly didn’t even make the flights from Sydney to Brisbane as we were on staff travel and the plane was full. By the day of the competition nerves were frayed and my husband and I had both been running on no sleep for days.

When we arrived at the venue for the Universe it was overwhelming. It was a mammoth sporting complex with a 1500 seat auditorium, trade stalls, giveaways, strong man comps, supplement company stands etc. A far cry from my first comp only a couple of weeks earlier. I had no idea what to do or where to go. I hadn’t even met any of the other girls from NZ! This is where Teneka came in. My husband recognized her from a distance so we went over and introduced ourselves.

She was a consummate professional and an absolutely beautiful person; I can’t say enough nice things about her. Teneka showed us where to go and let me use her warm up gear and basically helped out where she could. In this sport not everyone is like that, Teneka could have quite easily turned away and left me to my own devices but she didn’t. She showed camaraderie, mateship, true sportsmanship and is a real credit to the INBA.

    
Teneka and Taylor at INBA All Female Classic 2012


As for competing against her, well, what can I say? To be honest I didn’t feel at my best certainly not mentally but also not physically as I had the lead up from hell for the AFC. I was working 2 jobs, averaging at least 10 hours each day, hadn’t had a day off work since the start of May, missed almost 2 weeks of training due to sickness and overworking myself and I was really looking forward to competing to give myself a break from my life at that moment. So I really didn’t feel I would win, my mind was a bit scattered as well from being so depleted. My husband believed I could win but all I wanted to do was have some fun then have some cake! With regards to winning, it still hasn’t quite sunk in properly yet. I know I won but it still seems surreal. All I can say is that it was a hell of a line up and they had us on stage for an eternity doing our comparisons.



In all the contests, your condition was amazing! Can you give us any tips on any tweaks you did in the final week to achieve that look?

As far as training goes, unlike most competitors I train basically the same style compound movements right up until probably 2 days before the show. The only difference in my workouts from off season to comp time is that they are a lot faster and more intense and there is a lot more drop sets, supersets and whatever other punishment Kane makes me do.

Diet wise I have no special tricks or secrets. I basically diet from far enough out from a show to get myself to the state I feel is necessary to peak at the right time. I follow the usual carb deplete and carb loading phases and I don’t do any water depletion at all. By the final weeks of a show my main food sources are just good old fish, rice and broccoli. Everything is just very clean and healthy.


When’s your next contest?

Most probably the NZIFBB Nationals in Auckland. For now I’m just having a few weeks off training and cardio and filling out a bit.

     


You have both mass and cuts in your legs. What are your tips for women to achieve leaner legs like you. Is it more reps? what kind of exercises that you do? frequency?

Last year Kane and I thought my biggest weakness was my legs, they were comparatively soft (compared to my upper body) and as I have torn both hamstrings through sprinting, we felt I really needed to pay specific attention to them. So, I started a very gruelling leg routine and went back to the basics. Heavy deep squats, deep barbell lunges, front squats, Romanian Deadlifts and the like. I train legs usually only once per week with moderate rep ranges, I never drop below 10 reps for my legs.

I have tried different rep schemes but the one I’m following now is paying dividends. I always finish my leg workouts with nonstop rounds of 20 jumping split squats, box jumps, free squats and the like until my legs are on fire and I could do no more. Oh, and then Kane would make me do some more. I always do steep incline hill climbing when I do cardio as well as it seems to tighten up the whole lower chain. I made dramatic improvements so I know all the hard work was worth it.

I think every body is unique so therefore every body may respond to different stimuli. The best way that I have found is take the basics and start there and slowly modify to suit your body type and your bodies needs. I personally think for mass gaining, women just need to make that step to the weights floor and go back to basics and put the kettle bells and all the other fitness fads down.

I do lots of cardio year round but leading up to a comp I increase my cardio to an hour fasted cardio and then another 40 minutes after my weights usually 6 days a week.


Do you have to be careful with diet in the offseason so you don't get too over contest weight? how do gauge if you're over ie by weight or how you look?

I am quite lucky in that respect, I love fresh vegetables, grilled fish, lean chicken, whole grains and the like so I stay lean year round as my cravings are usually for broccoli and lean proteins. I do make a conscious effort though to keep in shape. For me it is a lifestyle so I want to stay in shape year round. My body fat rarely goes over 10 – 12%.

If I have had a couple of off weeks I usually gauge it by how I’m looking as I rarely step foot on scales. Some people probably think that staying that lean is unhealthy for a girl but I have been doing this for 20 years and have normal female things happen and have 2 healthy boys. Again, I think you need to listen to your body in that respect.

What's your guilty food pleasure when you're allowed it?

During off season usually once a week I’ll spoil myself and have whatever foods I feel like at the time. It could be as simple as homemade chicken burgers or a nice wood fire pizza or one of my favourite things is my husband’s homemade original recipe banana, walnut and raisin loaf. Whatever it is, I’m never gluttonous but I eat till I’ve had enough without any guilt whatsoever

For this competition it was juggling so many things. I was still employed by the airlines and working away from home but I had also started managing SNAP Fitness and that requires long hours as well.

As finances are tight my supplement regime is actually quite limited. I take the basics such as multi vitamins, fish oils, vitamin C, quality protein powder and a pre workout.

Have you had a good support network to keep you on track with your contest prep and how have they helped you.

I have an awesome support network. I truly believe without my husband I wouldn’t have even begun this journey and without his support I wouldn’t continue it. Kane is my trainer and oversees my nutrition as well. On top of that he also works as well but prepares my meals for me, maintains the house and pretty much takes care of the kids when I’m not around. My other definite support person is Kristy Thompson, without her giving me the added confidence and all her invaluable help I also don’t think I’d be where I am.

What really got me started into weight training and wanting to look fit not just feel fit was Linda Hamilton from Terminator 2. When I saw that movie and saw her holding guns with her muscled arms and doing chin ups I wanted to be just like that. I went out straight away and joined a gym!

My ultimate goal would be to compete against the world’s best and be competitive and to continually improve myself and help motivate others around me.

What has bodybuilding taught you?!

Discipline, routine, how to be a good role model and that everything is possible! Make your dreams a reality with hard work, determination and lots of true grit. It’s always easiest to travel the well worn path but true adventure and success in life comes from stepping off and forging your own way. Love life and it will love you right back!


Taylor Smith
July 2012