Link for congratulate with heraleeshayoung@hotmail.com
Biography:
I was born in Salt Lake City on Nov 10th 1984. I started to developed muscle at a very early age. By age 5, boys were teasing me about my biceps. I come from a very athletic family and was always supported and encouraged by my parents. My lil brother (14) plays football and Ice Hockey. My sister (21) plays Hockey for Nickols Boston College. They inspire me to be the best that I can be.
I excelled at Softball and Cheerleading and received a College Scholarship. I tried my hand at basketball and soccer but was a bit too aggressive for these sports.
During High School I was approached by the coach to train in the gym with the football team, to motivate them to work harder. I always wanted to be a petite girl and did not enjoy being muscular, in fact I despised it to the point that I became vegetarian and started running many miles a day just to lose muscle.
This strategy obviously did not work and I made a conscious effort to embrace and accept my body. At age 15 I began training with my Dad at the gym and within one year I could squat 405 lbs . My Dad competed for many years in Bodybuilding and encouraged me to follow in his footsteps.
It was not until I turned 23 that I did my first Bodybuilding show. I won the UTAH State overall. While preparing for my first National show I suffered a spiral fracture in my right humerus. The following year I competed in the USA’s placing 7th in the heavyweight division.
After taking a year off and going through many changes in my life, I was ready to enjoy competing again. I recently won the All South overall championship, thereby qualifying to compete Nationally next year (2011). I hope to achieve my goal of becoming a professional body builder and am excited to see what the future holds.
What is your profession?
I owned a mortgage business employing 18 people until the housing market took a turn for the worst. I plan to pursue this line of work when the economy improves.
Were you involved in sports or fitness prior to bodybuilding and how did you get started with weight training?
I have been very muscular since a very young age. It may come as a surprise to you but I absolutely hated it. Boys have asked me to flex my arms since the ripe age of 6. It took some getting use to but eventually I grew to accept my body for what it is. I was involved in Dance, Cheerleading, track and Softball for most of my life. I have always had quite a competitive personality and enjoyed being very active.
Was it a goal for you to compete in bodybuilding competitions right from the beginning or was it something that grew in your mind as time went on and you saw the progress in your body?
It definitely took some convincing to get me on stage, but my Father who is also a body builder encouraged me and wouldn’t allow me to not try it at least once. And I must admit it only took one time of being on that stage and going through that process before I was hooked. This is all still very new to me and I still have a lot to learn but am excited to see what the future holds.
Can you give me your competition history?
The NPC Utah Open 2007 1st place HW and Overall
Nationals 2008 15th place HW
USA’s 2009 7th place HW
The All South Classic 2010 1st place HW and Overall
Which contest has been your biggest success; which has had the most meaning to you?
I would have to say that the All South has been my biggest success. I was able to get my conditioning better then it has ever been before, still far from where I would like to be but definitely an improvement. This show was also very special to me because my Father who has been extremely ill was able to see me on stage in the best shape of my career thus far.
Please tell me something about your training routine (ie: how many days per week / training split /cardio, etc.)
I train 6 days a week/ using a 5 day split and doing “touchups” on my weak body parts which are definitely my back and delts. My workouts generally last 45min to an hour. I love pushing heavy weights it keeps me motivated…. I am a big believer in drop sets and super sets. You have to keep the body guessing to get it to respond.
What is your favorite exercise in the gym and which one you don’t like so much?
I love training legs …. Heavy leg press and squats is what its all about. No Pain no Gain. I’m not a huge fan of chest unless I’m doing heavy bench presses.
Which body part is your best in your opinion?
I think my arms are one of my best body parts.
If you don’t mind would you give me some stats (best lifts and some body measurements)?
My best bench press is 315 raw for one rep. I squat 405 for 6 good reps. I am still hoping to compete in a power lifting meet I love the adrenaline of pushing heavy weights.
My arms are 17.5”
Quads are 28”
Calves 17”
The sky is the limit I want to be as big as possible. “Size Matters”
What do you enjoy about training for competition....what do you enjoy about the 'off season'?
I enjoy seeing my physique transition while prepping for a show. I love the off season, lets face it growing is my specialty. My body is much more comfortable putting on size than it is leaning out.
Please tell me about what you do when you don’t work out (hobbies, what do you do to relax?, etc.)
I enjoy traveling, wakeboarding, camping, and spending time with my wonderful boy friend and family. They truly bring out the best in me. I am so fortunate to have such a great support system around me. This sport would not be possible without each and every one of them.
What do you enjoy most about the bodybuilding/fitness lifestyle?
I enjoy the daily challenge. Body building is unlike any other sport I have participated in. It is a 24/7 commitment. You must be mentally strong as you are physically. I also love the fact that there is always room for improvement.
Tell me something interesting about yourself, something people may be surprised to hear.
Again I will say that at one point in my life I despised having muscle and did everything in my power to get rid of it. It went as far as me running 3 miles a day and being a very strict vegetarian for 2 years. Wow how things have changed and for the better might I add. What was I thinking LOL.
What are your competition goals or personal future goals?
My ultimate goal is to turn pro in 2011. I’m going to do everything in my power to make this happen. I plan to train hard and really give it 110% effort this year. I am excited to see what the future holds and look forward to it.
