By
Gene X Hwang -
August 2007
Karen Zaremba is probably most
known now as the
first athlete to convert from an IFBB Pro Figure athlete to an IFBB Pro
Bodybuilder. She earned her pro card at the 2005
Team Universe. At 5'2" she stands on stage
at
118 lbs. for a show while she moves up to 123 lbs. in the
off-season. Not huge numbers for a bodybuilder, but then
she's
also a rarity.
Hailing
from Clinton Township, Michigan, she's a board
certified cytogenetic technologist,
(chromosome analysis for prenatal diagnosis) but since having her two
kids she's a
stay at home Mom.
"I have
been an athlete my whole life starting at 12 years
old. I ran track,
cross-country, played
basketball and volleyball. I received an athletic scholorship for
college where
I continued to run track and cross country. I weight trained for sports
and always
enjoyed it and always admired female bodybuilders," she says.
"It
wasn't until I met my husband at a gym that I started to train hard
with weights. He's
a bodybuilder and got
me started with a workout routine and the rest is history. I was hooked. I began as a
fitness model
being published frequently in MuscleMag, then began competing in Figure
in 2004 and in 2005 I earned my pro card in only my third
contest, the Team U."
We asked Karen a few
questions after her bodybuilding debut at the 2007
Europa Supershow and here's what she had to say...
My goals are to keep challenging
myself to higher levels
of training and conditioning. I
want to
keep on improving my physique while continuing to present a feminine
package.
-
In your opinion, what is your best bodypart?
My
best body part is probably my freaky abs!
I'm genetically lean so when I'm prepping for
a contest my mid section gets crazy!
I
also think my glutes are pretty good.
- Do you enjoy performing onstage
(bodybuilding routine)?
I absolutely love
performing on stage.
Being in your very best condition and showing it off in
front of an
audience is a rush for me. All
the hard
work for a few minutes in the spotlight is worth it.
That's one of the reasons I switched over to
BBing. I have more
to offer than just
quarter turns. Doing a routine allowed me to show my individuality and
personality.
-
Why do you love bodybuilding?
I love BBing because
you don't have to hold back in your
training. The sport
allows you to
present a physique that can ONLY be acheived through lots of hard,
brutal
training, a very strict diet, hours
of
cardio, lots of dedication and sacrifice.
When you get on stage everyone knows how long and hard you
worked to get
there.
-
Tell us what a typical day is like your you.
A
typical day for me is pretty simple.
I get my training done in the morning and the
rest of the day is taking care of my family and my home.
Basically "Mom" stuff.
-
Do you like to show off your muscles when out in public or do you cover
up?
I don't go out of my way to show off my muscle
but in the
summer I definitely wear clothes that show my physique.
In the gym I wear really cute workout stuff...(smile). That's just me..glitzy and
girlie!
-
What kind of stuff would we find in the backseat of your car?
In
the back seat of my car you will find lots of
McDonalds french fries stuck in the seats...hehehee!!
-
What sports do you watch?
I watch almost every
Tiger's baseball game and also the
Piston's when they're playing. I
also
watch golf.
-
How has the transition been from figure to bodybuilding?
The
transition from Figure to BBing has been so
refreshing for me. I
competed in three Pro
Figure contests and didn't do that well.
I trained hard and always gave 100% and each show I left
wondering what
I could have done different and there was never an answer for that. In a nutshell, it wasn't
any fun for me
anymore. I knew I
had more to offer than
Figure allows so after thinking long and hard I made the decision to be
a bodybuilder. I
felt relief after officially making the
switch. I could
train like a beast and
get my body in the condition it has never been before.
Now that was exciting and for the first time
in a long time I couldn't wait to get on stage.
I didn't leave with a trophy but I felt like a winner
anyway and had a
smile on my face the whole weekend.
I am
proud of myself for taking the challenge and having the guts to do it.
-
What advice would you give other figure athletes?
My
advise to other Figure competitors is to compete
because you love and enjoy it. Don't
make it your main focus in life. It
is
an incredible experience and opportunity
that will come and go. You
have choices
so make ones that are challenging
and
make you feel like you've accomplished something when it's all said and
done.
Check
out a video clip of Karen from the Europa here!
My web site is
www.karenzaremba.net