Melissa Dettwiller
by Gene X Hwang
October
2004 - In the late 1990's change
was afoot in the sport of women's bodybuilding and the primary
term
bandied about was "femininity." That led to all sorts
of changes, but nothing really concrete and defined. Now in the
21st century
with figure booming and fitness declining, it's hard to tell
what exactly will change in women's bodybuilding, but with the
Olympia titles vacant, change is upon us. One positive trend
is the emergence of several women who can easily be identified
as strong bodybuilders that also have that hard-to-define quality
of femininity. A perfect example is New Orleans' Melissa
Dettwiller who has been training for her first show and was six
weeks out at the 2004 GNC Show of Strength.
"I
was born and raised in Houma, Louisiana. I come from a relatively
small family with only two brothers (Aaron and Steve) and a younger
sister name Amanda, who passed away
at the tender age of 14 months due to pneumonia," says Dettwiller.
That
was certainly a tough loss to experience at such a young age, but
Dettwiller did not let it hold her back with her own aspirations.
She actually
competed once when she was 17, but
considering
it has
been nearly ten years since then, her next show is really her first
in a decade. The soft spoken Southern blonde has a presence in person
and in front of the lens that is a quality that many of the top models
and celebrities have and her charisma really shines. On top of that,
her muscle bellies can hold good full mass, and she has a strong back
and already has noticeable outer quad sweep.
Dettwiller
will be competing at the 2004 John Sherman Classic and is excited to
take the stage. No doubt the audience will be in for a treat. At 5'3"
and 145 lbs. at six weeks out, she will probably compete in the middleweight
class (unless the show has both MW and LHW).
"I'd like
to take this as far as possible without compromising my femininity.
Heck, if I could make it to the Olympia stage one day I'd be very happy,"
she says. Her femininity is definitely one of her best qualities much
like the women she admires most - Christine Roth, Joanna Thomas and
Valentina Chepiga.
"Christine
is a joy to be around... She's beautiful with the personality to match,"
Dettwiller adds, having recently done some work with the rising Canadian
star.
With a very
marketable look, Melissa may be a face you see regularly at booths
at shows, and hopefully more. While her measurements now might not statistically
be mind-blowing, it's more the full muscle bellies and shapes she has
that show promises of a top physique. Her arms measure 13", calves
15" and chest 40".
"I train
as heavy as I can, and still get 6-8 reps on my last sets per bodypart
with the exception being squats. My last set is currently
3-4 reps, butt to heels
with 315 lbs. The second to last set is 225 lbs. for 10-12 reps all the way
down." Pretty impressive and probably one of the reasons her outer
quad sweep is already the envy of many National level competitors.
Of course
legs are also her favorite part to train primarily "because [she] can
handle more impressive poundages," Melissa says with a smile.
"I don't
do much outside of the gym. I do not smoke, drink, or do any type of
recreational drugs whatsoever. I don't go out much so a fun night
for me is dinner
and a movie."
She's also
an animal lover and has three dogs, two cats and a hermit
crab named Tarzan.
"My
family is a bit larger now," she adds with a smile thinking about all her
pets. In addition to them, she has her husband Danny who she met
when she was 16 and has been with ever since.
"He
managed the gym that I joined (Body
Elite Fitness Center) back home in Houma, Louisiana. The owner
of the gym's name is Larry Blanchard, who along with my husband was
a big
influence on my training. I love the feeling of being in shape
all
the time and being appreciated for looking healthy and fit. Having
muscle makes me feel strong and sexy at the same time."
Certainly
it's evident that Dettwiller has one of the most amazing combinations
of feminine muscle around, and should hopefully help propel the sport
in a positive direction.
Melissa
Dettwiller's Stats:
Age: 26
Height: 5'3'"
Off-Season Weight: 162 lbs.
Contest Weight: 135 lbs.
Current measurements at 138 lbs:
- Arms: 13"
- Calves: 15"
- Legs: 22"
- Chest/Back: 42DD
Birthday: 11/12/1977
Eye Color: Hazel
Years Training (seriously): 2 yrs.
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Foods: cheese,
macaroni and cheese, cheese pizza, cheesecake, melted cheese, and some cheese!
Melissa
is available for promotional work and can be contacted via email
at: melissa@melissadettwiller.com
Her official
website is at: www.melissadettwiller.com
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see more photos of Melissa Dettwiller, join the FTV MEMBERS AREA!
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