By
Gene X Hwang
- August 2007
Kira
Neuman won her first National title at the
2007
Collegiate Bodybuilding Nationals in Pittsburgh, PA but had
made waves
in her home state of Indiana before then. She grew up
athletic and never looked back.
"I was a gymnast
from the age of two until I was 12 years old. I then started
playing basketball,
volleyball, softball, tennis, and I have always been an avid swimmer,"
she says. "I watch football, volleyball, gymnastics, tennis,
and bodybuilding."
Currently, Neuman is 5'3" and for
her last show she weighed 127 lbs. In the offseason she gets
to anywhere from 155-160 lbs. She's working on bringing up
her lagging bodyparts and enjoys the off-season where she gets to lift
heavy and not be overly concerned with the dieting.
As a
full-time student it is tough to also be training as a competitive
bodybuilder, but Neuman manages to get in her
schoolwork and training no matter what. We asked her what a
day might look like as she prepares for a show.
"When
I am getting ready for a show I start my day off at 5:30 am doing an
hour of cardio. I then get my meals ready for the day and
head
off to school for some serious learning! After my classes, I
head
to the gym to lift and then do some more cardio. Then I train
a
client and finish up with homework. In between all of this I
eat!"
Her studying is most focused on studying
physical education and health but she was first drawn in as an
undergrad at Ball State.
"When
I was a student at Ball State I saw their annual amateur bodybuilding
show. I then decided to do it the next year, and from then on
I
was hooked!"
She currently has her
personal trainer certification through ISSA and works at
sporting
goods store where she admits that she isn't shy about showing off her
physique which she's worked hard to develop. When asked about
that she smiles and retorted: "Oh I love to show off my
muscles! I have no problem with that!"
And
it's no wonder that with an impressive physique and her All-American
good looks she's sure to get a lot of looks from both women and men.
She
admits that her shoulders and back are her best body parts and those
are hard to overlook. Bodybuilding of course is more a mental
than physique sport with the dedication required to stick to a diet and
training as important as the actual lifting.
"I love
the discipline and commitment of bodybuilding. I love the
support
and camaraderie I receive from other competitors.
Bodybuilding
has given me so much confidence and it has helped me to choose my
career path in teaching physical education. I hope to use
bodybuilding as an inspiration for my future students to stay active
and lead healthy lives," she adds.
"My
goal as a bodybuilder is to continue making improvements on my
physique. I want to always have the passion for this sport
and I
want to always strive to get better and better."
The
posing routine of course is the moment where a bodybuilder gets to
showcase
her physique. At the Collegiate Nationals, Neuman seemed to
have a blast on stage and really got into her posing.
"I
love the routine. I dread it before I get onstage, but then
once
I�m up there I love the adrenaline rush and I love being the center of
attention!"
If Neuman keeps heading in the direction
she's in, there's no doubt that more attention will be coming her way.
With good shape, some impressive muscularity and fantastic
stage presence, she's sure to have a bright future. One of
her idols is
Colette
Nelson: "I love her physique and stage
presence and she is just beautiful," she says.
Nelson,
an IFBB professional bodybuilder, had kind words for Neuman.
"I
have had the pleasure of meeting Kira Neuman a few times at various
bodybuilding outings. She has an adorable smile and magnetic
personality. She reminds me of myself. When I first started on the
scene I was like a sponge learning all I could from other people in the
industry. The future is bright for this young superstar. She has the
look the new standards of female bodybuilding is starting to reward. I
see a pro card in her future and I look forward to watching her
development along the way."
With praise
like that it's sure to keep Neuman motivated and we look forward to
tracking her progress!
Check out our members section to
see more video and still photos of Kira!