Adela Garcia Fitness Model
A little about me
I was born in Cabrera, Dominican Republic and raised in San Juan Puerto Rico along with my two older brothers. I was a tomboy, always playing with the boys and getting beat on by them. My brothers and I had some fun putting forks in electrical outlets to see if we could see our skeletons (we were crazy like that).
I was an active child while I was living in the Dominican Republic. I remember wanting to take gymnastics classes, but our financial situation would not allow it and the gymnastics studio was a road trip in itself. So I would try cartwheels and back-walkovers at home and kept myself busy playing games with my two brothers. I have broken my forehead, nose and the list goes on. We had fun!!!
Once we moved to Puerto Rico, I started to play volleyball, a little softball and basketball. At the age of 17, I was introduced to weight training. I remember walking around school with my weight-training belt hanging on my shoulder just so people would see that I worked out. I did not work my upper body that much but I lifted with my legs a lot which increased my quad size dramatically. After moving, my workouts became more sporadic but I kept working out. In college I joined the Army’s ROTC program, which in turn added running to my training. After being in the ROTC for a couple of years, I decided to take a trip throughout the states to learn English. I traveled to New York from California. While I was in California, I remember a couple of people suggesting that I try to compete in a fitness show. I was very skeptical since I did not have any type of dance background to compete. I did not have the mind-set to even think that I could compete in a fitness show. I remember looking at Mia Finnegan's abs in a magazine and I wanted my abs to look like hers.
I moved back to Puerto Rico and in 1995 I started teaching aerobics classes and doing personal training at the gym on a military base. It was there where I saw a poster for the NPC Armed Forces Fitness Championships in North Carolina. I put a routine together and went to North Carolina to compete in my first fitness show. It was an awesome experience! I remember looking at all the girls and I was so amazed by them. I ended up placing second and after that I was hooked.
I decided to try the 1995 Nationals in Chicago. I made the top 35 out of 75 girls. This was the first national show and the IFBB was giving 10 pro cards. Dale Tomita won the show and she was amazing.
Once in Illinois, I registered for college and continued my fitness career as well. I did two shows in 1996 and then decided to take 1997 off to work on my physique and routine. I came back in 1998 and realized that the competition was stronger. In search of a pro card, I decided to do all the national shows. I transformed my
body to a point that I knew I could compete with the other girls, but I knew that my routine had to be stronger in order to win a pro card.
At one of my shows in 1996 I remember meeting an IFBB pro Maria Bellando. Her routine was very impressive, so I asked her about her routine. She introduced me to her choreographer, Kevin Creegan, out of Miami. I decided to go and see Kevin and have him choreograph a routine that I could use for the 1999 USA Nationals. Maria and her husband were very kind and let my husband and me stay at her house in Miami while meeting with Kevin.
Meeting with Kevin was one of the best decisions I made for my fitness career. Kevin choreographed a routine that was my style. He worked with my strongest points, which made me feel really comfortable on stage.
I went to the USA’s feeling more confident than ever because my routines were stronger and more exiting. I was excited to do my routine for the first time in my career. To my surprise, I won the overall at the 1999 USA Fitness Championship and earned my IFBB pro card. I never thought I was going to win my class, let alone the overall title. I went in to this contest ready. I still can't believe I won!
In my first year as a professional, I was invited to compete in the Ms. Fitness International. It was such an honor to be on that stage at the 2000 Arnold Classic. I was so excited to be there with the other professional athletes. That was my pro debut and I finished 8th. It was a wonderful experience. My goal was to qualify for the 2000 Fitness Olympia and I did by placing second at the Jan Tana Classic. The Fitness Olympia was a dream comes true. I was so thrilled to be there and to place 5th and qualify for the 2001 Olympia was a blessing in itself.
Since turning pro, I have worked on becoming the best I can be by improving my routine and physique. Becoming a professional fitness competitor has been a blessing for me. I love competing!! I love teaching others about the benefits of living a healthy life style. I also enjoy training girls for contests and seeing how they evolve on a personal level. I have been blessed with the opportunity of doing what I love to do, and that is competing. I believe that our limitations in life are the limits we set upon ourselves. You can do anything you want in life if you have the desire to do it!
Competition Results
2007
Fitness Olympia-first place
Houston Pro Figure-third place
Arnold Classic-third place
2006
Fitness Olympia-first place
Arnold Classic-first place
2005
Sacramento Pro Fitness-first place
Fitness Olympia-third place
Arnold Classic-second place
2004
Fitness Olympia-first place
Arnold Classic-first place
2003
IFBB New York City Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB Fitness International-second place
2002
IFBB GNC Show Of Strength Fitness-second place
IFBB Fitness Olympia-fourth place
IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB Atlantic States Pro Fitness-Overall
IFBB New York City Pro Fitness-Overall
Dominican dynasty: Adela Garcia takes her third Fitness Olympia title in Las Vegas
Among the many debatable topics in sports is just how dominant a team, or an individual, has to be over a period of time in order to reach dynasty status. The general consensus? Two in a row, albeit impressive, just won't cut it. Once you hit three, though, your name belongs in the conversation.
Adela Garcia proved once again that she is ready to rise to the occasion when it matters most, by holding off the usual suspects to win her second consecutive Fitness Olympia at Orleans Arena on September 28. With the win, Garcia moved into rarified air, as she has now won three out of the past four Fitness Olympias, moving her to within one win of tying Susie Curry's record. Curry dominated the sport for four years, winning titles from 2000 to 2003 before retiring from the stage. After her victory, Garcia made no secret of her desire to put her name next to Curry's in the history books.
"That's my goal," said Garcia, who has placed in the top five in every one of her eight Fitness Olympias. "I want to win four Olympia titles and tie Susie."
To do so, Garcia will likely have to hold off the hard-charging Kim Klein, who proved once again that it is only a matter of time before she moves into the top spot on the Olympia stage. Klein, who won the prestigious Fitness International for the first time in March, nabbed her second straight runner-up placing at the O.
Adding intrigue to the contest was former Fitness Olympia winner Jen Hendershott's decision to return after briefly deciding to retire from the sport. Hendershott announced her intentions to walk away from competition after placing second at the 2007 Fitness International in March. However, within weeks of that announcement, there were rumblings that the queen of routines wasn't entirely sold on that decision, rumblings that were confirmed when, in early June, she decided to prepare for the fray in Vegas once again. After the show, an upbeat Hendershott confirmed she has no plans to re-retire quite yet.
At the top of the order, the 2007 edition of the Fitness Olympia proved to be a mirror image of the 2006 results, as the competitors and their placings were exactly the same. Along with the top three, Tanji Johnson (fourth), Tracey Greenwood (fifth) and Julie Palmer (sixth) each matched their 2006 finishes. Whether such uniformity is good or bad for the sport is a hot topic, but Garcia hopes one of those placings holds true to form for at least one more year.
2007 JOE WEIDER'S FITNESS OLYMPIA
September 28, 2007; Orleans Arena; Las Vegas, Nevada
COMPETITOR COUNTRY PRIZE MONEY
1 Adela Garcia* United States $23,000
2 Kim Klein* United States $14,500
3 Jen Hendershott* United States $9,500
4 Tanji Johnson* United States $6,500
5 Tracey Greenwood* United States $4,500
6 Julie Palmer* United States $2,000
7 Oksana Grishina Russia
8 Julie Lohre United States
9 Julie Shipley-Childs United States
10 Mindi O'Brien Canada
11 Stacy Simons United States
12 Bethany Gainey United States
13 Regiane Silva Germany
14 Angela Monteleone-Semsch United States
15 Heidi Fletcher United States
16 Amy Huber United States
17 Stephanie Worsfold Canada
18 Myriam Capes Canada
19 Rosi Mena Spain
* Qualifies for the 2008 Fitness Olympia contest
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Téma: Best of Adela Garcia Photos. (Megtekintve 16358 alkalommal)
