But that’s not entirely fair when Jason Arntz is in the mix. The New Jersey native may not be the flashy kind, but comes in to every contest in the best of condition. He is basically an automatic top six in the 202 division and has certainly found a home competing in the lighter class.

“I don’t get too far out of shape,” said Arntz. “For me, walking around at 225 pounds, it’s not too heavy for me. I still got to get down to 202, but I’m a lean 225 pounds.”

That will get easier for Arntz and the rest of the division when it changes to 212 and under this fall. Sure, the other guys play by the same rules, but someone who comes in as dry and ripped as Arntz does will certainly benefit from the flexibility of adding some size.

With the loaded line-up in Las Vegas, Arntz persevered and placed sixth. It may be one place lower than the previous year, but Arntz has a lot to build on as the 202…we mean 212, is being held at more and more pro shows every calendar year.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Look for our Jason Arntz feature coming up in the Winter 2012 edition of MuscleSport Magazine

JASON ARNTZ COMPETITION HISTORY

Ed Nunn gave Freeman a run for his money and finished as the first runner-up. Shawn Rhoden, Mark Alvisi and Mike Liberatore rounded out the top five.

In the 202, Guy Cisternino prevailed over Fernando Noronha Almeida and Tricky Jackson. The young Cisternino won his first pro show and should have a shot at the top six at the Olympia if he can bring the same conditioning to Las Vegas.

In the pro figure category, the gorgeous Ava Cowan won with Deena Walsh second and Ellas Horton third.

Natalie Pennington took first in the pro bikini, followed by Jessica Jessie and Sonia Gonzalez.

To: All IFBB Professional League Male Bodybuilders

From: IFBB Professional League

Please be advised that the 202-lb and under category is changed to 212-lb and under. This change will take effect at the Sacramento Pro on November 5, 2011.

Short and to the point, but this can have a big effect on the future of not only the lighter class, but the men’s open, as well. Competitors that were on the bubble of making the 202 can now maintain a larger physique and still go head-to-head with the likes of Kevin English and David Henry. When Eduardo Correa and Seth Feroce both announced that they intended on moving up to the open class, it was a smart move by the IFBB to keep some of the popular names back in the 202/212.

This also opens the door for someone like Hidetada Yamagishi, who has done quite well for himself in the open but has a build that can dominate as a 212 competitor. Especially in the major shows on the calendar, Hide’s diminutive stature has worked against him. It may behoove him to consider this move.

The 202 and under will still be in effect at the Olympia, but the landscape will look a whole lot different come November.

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This changes the playing field ten-fold. Wolf resuscitated his career back in September by placing fifth at the Mr. Olympia and Centopani has been bulking up since winning the 2009 New York Pro in his maiden pro voyage. Both will bring a great presence to the stage out west and the results here may set up a very interesting Arnold Classic a few weeks later.

Both Wolf and Centopani have already stated that they intend on being in Columbus, Ohio for the second most prestigious contest on the bodybuilding calendar and they will be joined by other big names such as Branch Warren, Victor Martinez, Ronny Rockel and Roelly Winklaar.

Will Wolf and Centopani (and to a lesser extent, Shelestov and Abiad) have a leg up on the competition? Or will their participation in a contest so close to the Arnold be detrimental? You can look at it two ways – they can tweak their physiques in the time between the two shows and perfect them. Or they can peak in February and have trouble getting dried out again.

Either way, the FLEX Pro just became a much more interesting event with the addition of two popular names.

2011 FLEX PRO COMPETITOR LIST (as of 1/7/11)

Fouad Abiad
Grigori Atoyan
Robert Belisle
Evan Centopani
Stan Efferding
Wendell Floyd
Dan Hill
Dexter Jackson
Ben Pakulski
Ben White

Last March, Kyle somehow was able to prevail in the Ms. International (Arnold Classic), even though Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia came into Ohio looking absolutely stunning. Judging is not an exact science, but it did appear that Oriquen-Garcia was more defined than Kyle. By winning five of the last six Ms. I shows, Kyle has been a tough competitor to say the least. In 2008, she came in off due to suffering an injury and fell all the way to seventh. Oriquen-Garcia won her fourth Ms. I that year.

Heading into the Ms. Olympia, it appeared that it would be a two-woman race once again. “I’m coming in in really good condition,” Oriquen-Garcia said the day before the contest. “I did my best and I’m ready to win.” As far as peaking in March or now, she commented, “I think now is my time. Iris is a great athlete, but we have totally different lines. Let’s see what the judges are looking for this year.”

Kyle and Oriquen-Garcia stood should-to-shoulder holding hands on the stage awaiting the announcement of the winner. Kyle’s reaction seemed to be one of relief and exuberance when she heard her name called and Oriquen-Garcia appeared disappointed but showed good sportsmanship. She knows how it feels to be champion, as she did in 2005 when she won the O, and will have to wait another year for the opportunity. But at 44, the window of opportunity may be starting to close for her.

Oriquen-Garcia has already stated that she will be competing at the Ms. International in 2011 and Kyle surely will be defending her title, so both women will have a chance to do it all over again.

“The passion I have about fitness is causing my dreams to line up…and one day VERY SOON, I will be a top competitor.”

Burlington, North Carolina resident Andrea White does not mince words. She has her sights set and her mind made up, so who are we to doubt her? Since her younger days, perfection has been something she has demanded from herself. “Whether it be track and field or cross country, finishing on top of my event was the only way I felt like a winner, so that was the ranking place that I strived for.”

Utilizing many different activities to get her body in the condition she wanted, White even studied dance in order to tone her overall figure. But nothing gave her more of a thrill than being able to squeeze out extra reps in the gym. “I’ve often found myself the only woman at the pull-up bar or jumping in on a set to squat with the ‘big boys,’” she said proudly.

It was at a community recreation center where White reached out to the weight room coach and asked him about fitness competitions. “I was so pumped up with the information that he was giving me that I worked extra hard in the gym to further push myself.” White did not personally know anyone who entered these type of competitions so she did her own research by reading magazines and going online.

While she was doing the background work, White – who now trains at The Rush – was asked to assist at the rec center’s boot camp, which led her to start her own outdoor fitness program entitled “Just Do It for Christ Athletics.” She was able to feel the satisfaction when she and her athletes entered a 10K Road Race and were able to bring home trophies.

This is something that she hopes becomes common in her life as she prepares for her first competition. White does not have a trainer and is self-taught, and that will make the success even sweeter tasting. “I’ve learned through dedication and consistency that you can get started and make it through just about any journey,” she commented, “but to go that extra mile, it has to be in your heart.”

From the humble beginnings with the idea of just staying fit morphed into inspiring others to get in shape and now the possibilities are endless. “My dreams of reaching the stage in the best shape of my life are moments away,” said White.

And we’ll all be there to watch when she does.

‘This is Your Magazine’ is merely one of the reasons why MuscleSport Mag is far and wide better than any other publication out there. What other media outlet features the up and coming athlete, the same as if he or she was a professional in their industry? This is the place to get your face and story out there, and who knows what opportunities may arise from that type of exposure?

Then there is that second tier, the type of bodybuilder who may sneak into the top six in Ohio or Las Vegas and fair better at the next level of shows, such as the New York Pro, Europa Super Show or Iron Man Pro. Silvio Samuel is a perfect example of this.

In 2009, he won the Iron Man in January then placed fifth at the Arnold. At the O, he fell all the way to 13th place. When the competitor list for the 2010 Arnold Classic was released recently, Samuel’s name appeared on it as usual. But in a report that was just posted on Flex Online, El Matador has pulled out.

“I will take a break to put on the size I need to put on,” Samuel said in the Flex article. “I wanted to do the Arnold Classic, but after more thought I do not believe that competing so soon after the Olympia  is in my best interest. In order to make the impact I want to make, I want to make some improvements this year.”

Silvio plans on waiting until July to compete in the Tampa Pro, a show that he will need to do well at just to qualify for the Olympia, which he intends to enter.

Realistically, it may be a good strategy because multiple shows every year is a difficult task for any bodybuilder. If Samuel can bulk up a little as he hopes to do, he can jump up multiple spots in the Olympia. With the line-up set for Ohio, Samuel was probably not going to do much damage there anyway.

At this point in his career, Samuel winning the Arnold or O would be considered a huge upset. Him bowing out will not change the serious competition that expects to take place in Columbus three months from now.

At the recent FAME International Championships in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a familiar sight took place as every competitor was introduced one by one and brought on stage at the commencement of the show. It definitely gave it the feel of a Broadway production and immediately livened up the crowd before their seats even were warm.

These athletes may not be as well known as Jay Cutler or Iris Kyle, but by individualizing them before they did their own routine put a name to the face. It gave the audience a closeness and almost family-like relationship with these men and women. A unique trait, to say the least.

By promoting natural bodybuilding and the BodyProud lifestyle, these athletes also gave the audience hope and a more realistic goal for themselves if they so choose. These physiques, while very impressive, are attainable if one dedicates his or herself to the right diet, exercise program and rest. The proof was right up there on stage under the lights.

Before the awards were given, all of the athletes were again called on stage to be given participation certificates. For many, that was as good as winning their category. A good number of them were competing for the very first time and when they first made that life-changing decision being in a show was a long-range goal. That in itself says a lot.

The top three in every category took home souvenir swords and this was another unique trait in FAME. A medal, crystal or statue is common but how many times have you seen a full-length Samuari sword and sheath being posed with at a bodybuilding contest?

Everyone was a winner at the War Memorial on November 7 – the competitors and audience alike. If you have never attended a FAME event, words cannot do it justice. You need to witness it for yourself.

A chance meeting with George Farah in March has made an impact on the 6’1″, 245-pound Steiger. Competing in his first show at the NPC Mr. Buffalo promoted by Joe Lazzaro, Steiger took home an armful of trophies, including the Heavyweight Novice, Overall Novice, Open heavyweight and Overall.

IFBB pro Farah, who recovered from three gunshot wounds during a 1997 attempted robbery, was the guest poser at the show. The two met and ran into each other at the Pittsburgh Pro, where Farah placed fifth in the 202 division. “He told me that he wanted to make me a pro,” remembered Steiger. “His words were, ‘I promise.’”

In addition to being a competitive bodybuilder, Farah is a respected writer and guru within the industry and – lucky enough for Steiger – just happens to reside near him in Rochester, New York. The two made arrangements to begin working together in 2010.

In June, Steiger needed to make more room on his shelf after dominating at the Rochester Bodybuilding Championships, a national qualifier. He won the Super Heavyweight Open, Most Muscular and Overall.

Steiger has intentions on competing in the USAs or Nationals next year and figures that with the help of Farah, the sky’s the limit. “George has really taught me what it takes to do this the right and healthy way and people may be shocked that proper diet has everything to do with it but that is the true secret,” he said.

Keeping good company all around, Steiger’s girlfriend Amie Francisco won the NGA figure competition at the Rochester contest.

If Farah’s promise comes true, the Steiger Realty (www.steigerrealty.com) will have one less person on the payroll.

This is part of a continuing series provided exclusively by MuscleSport Mag entitled, “This is Your Magazine,” where we profile the up-and-coming and everyday athlete. If you would like to see yourself profiled here, please send your story and photo to joe@musclesportmag.com.

On Tuesday July 14, we will be joined by NPC competitor Taylor Boyd. The 300-pound behemoth from New Jersey is well known for his showmanship on the stage, with make-up and props that are a prelude to his posing routine.

MuscleSport Radio can be heard live every Tuesday from 1:00 to 2:00 PM Eastern time onwww.blogtalkradio.com and all episodes are archived on Blog Talk Radio, MuscleSport Mag and iTunes.

Please feel free to join us and give us your opinion, ask a question or make a comment. Our call-in number is 347-884-8157.

UPCOMING GUESTS

July 21 – IFBB Figure Pro & Lingerie Football League player Heather Mae French