Lisa Tose profile
Lisa
Tose - female bodybuilder - genex magazine profile
June
19 , 2008 - by gene x hwang
What is your first and last name?
Lisa
Tose (Shields)What is your height and weight?
5'8",
165 lbs off-season, 145 contestWhere do you currently reside?
Walnut
Creek, CAWhat is your profession?
Policy
analyst/ researcher in health law, ethics and policyHow did you get started into
lifting weights and bodybuilding? I
used to go to the gym and do some circuit training as a supplement to
other sports. When
my work schedule became too demanding to continue with team sports, my
time in the gym became my primary means of physical fitness.
I had always wanted to lift more seriously, and it didn't take long
before I found a few people who were willing to show me the basics and
it took off from there. One
day when I was travelling for work and training at the local gym, I ran
into a woman who competed and she suggested that I should try
it. I didn't think that I was physically ready, but her
encouragement planted the idea in my mind and I decided to give
competition a try. I enjoyed the intenstity of the
preparation to the extent that I have continued with competing since
then.Were you athletic growing
up? What other sports have you done or are currently doing?
I
was always extremely interested in sports. My parents let me
start gymnastics when I was about six years old, and I particpated in
many school sports teams that were available in grade school.
I really enjoyed track (sprinting) and volleyball, but wasn't able to
keep them up at the varsity level, so in university I fenced and was on
the rowing team when I studied in France. After university, I
tried mountain bike racing, rugby, soccer and was on the varsity
wrestling team when I went back to school (when I was 30!) to do a
master's degree. What are your bodybuilding goals?
I
hope to be training, lifting, competing and enjoying the sport as much
as I do now for years to come. When I see seniors in the gym lifting
weights, I hear the voice in my head say "I hope that will be me!"
In your opinion, what is your
best bodypart? I
have a love-hate relationship with my legs. They're great and
huge, which means I don't have to put a lot of effort into training
them, but growing up I hated having 'big' legs! Bodybuilding
is fantastic for allowing us females, in particular, to reconsider our
negative conceptions of our bodies.Do you enjoy performing onstage
(bodybuilding routine)? So
far, so good!Why do you love bodybuilding?
Training
is entirely individual and so I can tailor my workouts to my moods,
time, energy levels, goals etc. I also enjoy my training
sessions as a means of 'active meditation' in which I can truly focus
simply on lifting and leave other thoughts, concerns, worries and
demands behind for a few moments. It is also very beneficial
to have a goal of strength and muscularity which provides a deep sense
of confidence and empowerment. This is particularly relevant for women,
who all too often feel pressure to be smaller and present a weaker,
more vulnerable physical image. It is wonderful to have a
sport that allows women to be proud of being strong and athletic,
rather than having to apologise for those attributes.Tell us what a typical day is
like your you. I
have no typical days as my schedule varies greatly. A few
things that I attempt to do every day are: sleep as late as I can and
still arrive on time (I'm a night owl), walk my dog, train, meditate
(if even just for a few minutes) and listen to something either
informative or funny while I commute.Do you like to show off your
muscles when out in public or do you cover up? I
am more likely to cover up as I don't want to give off the perception
that I want people to look at me, but if its warm outside then I want
to be comfortable. Also, its very hard to find 'proper'
clothes that fit my arms, so I tend to wear a lot of sleeveless tops
simply because that is what fits me.What kind of stuff would we find
in the backseat of your car? An
atlas of North America, a few audiobooks on CD's, a giant Big Gulp cup
and lots of post-it notes that I 've written to myself and then
misplaced.What sports do you watch?Track,
marathons, Tour de France, strength competitions, and bodybuilding if
its ever televised.Favorite movie actor/actress?
Dwayne
"The Rock" JohnsonDo you have childhood trinket
that you still keep? Sadly
I lost all of my belongings in a house fire a few years ago.Person you would like to meet? (living or dead) Mozart,
Jean-Paul Sartre, Buddha, Jesus Have you ever eaten anything
alive? Not
intentionally, but bugs do go down one's throat while biking at high
speeds. If
you'd like to chat about Lisa or leave her a message, check
out our
message boards! Last updated: June 19, 2008 @ 9:15 a.m. PT
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