Heather Lee
by Gene X Hwang - July 2003
Heather
Lee has faced a lot of adversity in the past few years, but continues
to make impressive gains in the competitive world of women's bodybuilding
where she has continued to gain momentum and fans with her strong physique
and femininity.
At
only 25-years of age, Lee has been training for over six years seriously
and on-and-off since she was 16-years-old.
"My
boyfriend took me into the gym and I guess the rest is history,"
Lee says with a smile - but things haven't been that easy for the New
Jersey girl.
"I
had an extremely bad year in 1999. I overcame a lot of adversity as I
was diagnosed with a heart problem which I had surgery for in February.
Then in June I had major stomach surgery and finally in October my Mom,
my best friend, died in a car accident."
It's
hard to imagine a worse year to have, but Lee took those challenges and
focused her energy on making sure not to let them get her down - something
her mother surely wouldn't have wanted. So she continued to train and
with the help of her fiancee of eight years, and others, prepared to continue
her bodybuilding career.
"I
lift heavy, incorporating powerlifting types of training into my regular
regime. I train five days a week, and since I have a great metabolism,
my offseason conditioning is still pretty tight," she adds.
"I
love training. I love lifting heavy weights, and I don't like to limit
myself as to what I do in the gym. I remember seeing pictures of Monica
Brant and wishing I could look like her. I was about 18 years old, and
it seemed unimaginable to me. A few years of good training, a clean diet,
and all the drive and determination and I can say I have sculpted a body
I am proud of - a body I never dreamed I could build!"
Well,
she has built it and at 5'4" she weighs in at 155 lbs. in the offseason
and takes the stage at 131 lbs. As she's already stated, Lee loves to
go heavy in the gym.
"I
hit 405 lbs. on squat this year, and 220 on bench. I also deadlifted 375."
Along with those lifts, she regularly does barbell curls for reps with
120 lbs., and leg presses with 1400 lbs.
"I
definitley like being strong," smiles Lee, who also makes sure to
focus on the muscle itself and not just the strength portion.
When
asked about her goals in the sport, Lee says: "I want to take bodybuilding
as far as I can while still maintaining my feminity. I would love to be
Ms. Olympia one day!"
Her
femininity is a trademark in her young career already, a promising position
to work from. Responses she gets vary from person to person from extreme
appreciation to extreme dislike. Most people, no matter how they feel
though (unsurprisingly), are in awe of Lee, she admits.
"Women
either love it or hate it. They say they wish they had this body part
or that body part. Men, well, some are intimidated, but most of the men
I know who train really appreciate it," Lee says with a smile.
With
her much anticipated showing at the 2003 USAs in July in Vegas (she placed
second in an incredibly tight middleweight class), Lee has some plans
already in store for the rest of the year, but not too far out.
"I
was really happy with my conditioning - I don't think I could have been
much drier or in shape, maybe just a bit fuller. As for my physique structurally,
I need to bring up my lats, my triceps, and my calves (they need more
thickness). A better taper would bring my physique up a notch!"
Obviously
Lee has very high standards for herself, but that's the kind of determination
required of a champion.
"The
quality of the show was great! I trained with Elena Seiple, (who placed
third in my class) for 12 weeks leading up to the show twice a week, and
it was great standing next to her onstage! She is an awesome competitor
and a wonderful person! We will be tough competition onstage next year."
Indeed
the middleweights have always been competitive, but in the past year and
a half the class seems to be almost as tough to win as the usually larger
heavyweights, and with competitors like Lee, Seiple and others, it's sure
to be a shootout at every National-level show.
As
of now, Lee is taking the rest of the competitive year off, and will be
focusing all her efforts for the 2004 NPC Nationals. Her current plans
would also see her moving up to the heavyweights. Perhaps that's good
news for the other middleweights, but the heavyweight class looks like
it's about to get even more competitive.
"I
will continue to train as I have, and alternate regular offseason training
with powerlifting cycles to increase my muscle density and bring up my
weaker parts. I came in at 129, towards the top of the middleweights.
If I can add a few good pounds of quality muscle in all the right places
this year, I should come in a tight heavyweight next year.
If past history is any indication, Lee will be true to her work, so watch
out for Heather Lee in 2004!
Heather's
Official Website: www.heatherleenj.com