What is your first and last name?
Gillian Ward (formerly Gillian Mounsey)

What is your height and weight?
5’4” Contest 135, Off season 145-150

How old are you?
36

What is your profession?
Gym owner, coach, consultant, writer

How did you get started into lifting weights and training?
I began gymnastics at the age of two and never stopped.

I became fascinated as a very young child with pushing my body to the limits and exploring the realm of physical possibility.

As a child my dream was to take flight which came in the form of tumbling and acrobatic skills.

I also had an interest in the teachings of the ancient Greek philosophers that believed in physical fitness and a strong body.

That concept always made sense to me:

No citizen has a right to be an amateur in the matter of physical training…what a disgrace it is for a man to grow old without ever seeing the beauty and strength of which his body is capable.  –  Socrates

Were you athletic growing up?
Extremely. I have competed in high level sports for over 30 years.

When not doing gymnastics I spent my childhood performing feats of strength and speed in the school yard, playground, beach, front lawn –pretty much anywhere that had a small amount of empty space or something to climb on or jump off of.

What other sports have you done or are you currently doing?
I am currently a National Champion (and world record holder) powerlifter as well as an accomplished Olympic style weightlifter (snatch/clean & jerk).
Also, I am new to physique competition and plan to continue on to see where I can go with it. I recently (May 2014) competed in my second show, the NPC Jr USAs in Charleston S.C. My dream is to make it to the Olympia stage one day.

Formerly I competed in CrossFit and took 3rd place in the 2008 CrossFit Games.

Prior to CrossFit I spent most of my life as a competitive gymnast and track & field athlete.

In my 20’s I also spent some time doing modern and ballroom dance though mostly as a hobby.

In 1995 I was the United States Marine Corps National Physical Fitness Champion. This format of competition includes push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, standing broad jump and 300 yard shuttle run. During that year I also set the world record for consecutive push-ups.

What are your goals in competition?
My goal is to enjoy myself, to relish in the process, to learn from the experience and to be better for it. Of course I also want to win and be the best. I am intensely driven and truly believe that I am capable of anything that I put my mind to.

Currently my goal is to sweep three sports on a national level in one competitive year – powerlifting, weightlifting and women’s physique.

It would also be a dream to one day step on the Olympia stage

In your opinion, what is your best bodypart?
My true answer – my brain, I believe that is the most beautiful part of me. The answer that you are probably looking for – my back built by hundreds of thousands of reps of pull-ups and very heavy deadlifts!

Do you enjoy being strong? Why?
I know nothing other than being strong but yes, I very much enjoy it. Being strong makes me feel capable and empowered. I also feel like it puts me in a position to help others if there is ever a time of need.

Do you enjoy performing/competing?
I’m laughing because it is a silly question that anyone that knows me would crack up about. I very, very much enjoy performing and competing. I often go out and people ask, “Do you compete?” The answer is yes, everyday at everything.
I’m not sure that my competitive nature is a character flaw or strength but I do know that it amuses the people close to me and I delight in that.

Why do you love lifting weights?
I love feeling strong and like a super hero. I love chasing performance goals and getting better at things. I love that it is a positive outlet for stress relief. I love that for that time in the gym that I have such focus that it is my personal meditation. I love that nobody can take it away from me.

Tell us what a typical day is like your you.
I wake up very early and have breakfast and fancy coffee with my husband and bulldog. After that I head to the gym and do online programming for clients and write if I am working on an article or project, I coach lifting and train clients till close to lunch time.
From 12:00 to 3:00 I close the gym and train myself with a few training partners that are staff members. That is my play time.
I train people and coach again till 7PM and then head home for dinner and conversation with my husband. Sometimes we watch TV, sometimes we sit outside by the fire.
Most nights I have a big bowl of ice cream before bed. My life is simple. I try not to work much on weekends unless I am teaching a seminar or hosting a competition at the gym.

Do you like to show off your muscles when out in public or do you cover up?
A little bit of both – it depends on where I am going and who I am with. I guess that most people would say that I show off if I think about it. I love fun clothes, I love fashion and I love to get dressed up.

What misconception about being muscular would you like to dispel?
That muscular women want to be men or that somehow that are less feminine. Also, that they want to fight or kick your butt.

I’m the biggest girly, girl that you will ever meet. I don’t want to fight and I’m not interested in kicking anyone’s butt. I wanted to be treated like a lady 100% of the time. I do not want to arm wrestle at the bar or anywhere for that matter.

What kind of stuff would we find in the backseat of your car?
Nothing other than my bulldog Millie sitting on a blanket so she doesn’t get dog hair on the seat. I’m a neat freak and the car is immaculate. Sorry if that is boring.

Favorite movie actor/actress?
More of a TV actress than a movie actress but I’d have to say Lucille Ball. Her comedy has moved me since early childhood.

Person you would like to meet? (living or dead)
Abraham Lincoln

Anything else we should know about you?
I could go on and on forever but I won’t. I’ll say only this- I don’t take myself too seriously and I do things as long as they bring me joy and do not harm the people close to me. If something stops being fun and rewarding, I move on. Some accuse me of being all over the place and not sticking to one thing. This is my journey and I don’t care what they think.