Helen Stack (Lindsey) UK FBB.

[Timmon]

[Timmon]

2012
WNBF World Championships (Atlantic City), 1st Heavyweight & Women’s Overall

2011
WNBF World Championships (New York), Pro Debut, 2nd Heavyweight
NPA British Championships – guest poser

2010
INBF World Championships (New York) – 1st women’s bodybuilding and awarded WNBF Procard
NPA British Championships – 1st Heavyweight & Women’s Overall

2009
UIBBN European Championships (Brussels) – 3rd heavyweight

2008
WPF Universe (Montpellier, France) – 1st women’s bodybuilding
EPF UK Championships – 1st women’s bodybuilding
NPA British Championships – 1st Heavyweight & Women’s Overall

2007
IBBN World Championships (Madrid) – 3rd heavyweight
NPA British Championships – 1st Heavyweight
NPA South East Championships – 1st Heavyweight
GPC European Champion, Powerlifting – 82.5kg Open

[Timmon]

2012
WNBF World Championships (Atlantic City), 1st Heavyweight & Women’s Overall

[Timmon]

2011
WNBF World Championships (New York), Pro Debut, 2nd Heavyweight

[Timmon]

2011
NPA British Championships – guest poser

[Timmon]

[Timmon]

Helen Stack: Five Years to Conquer the World

By Mathew Park                                                    The United Kingdom has brought many high-level competitors to the WNBF/INBF stage, but none better than Helen Stack. Despite the fact that she has only been competing for five years, Helen has risen through the ranks and claimed the top spot by winning the Worlds last November. And if she keeps improving at the same rate, there is little reason to believe that she won’t have a long reign as the best drug-free bodybuilder in the world. So, what was her miraculous five-year plan? I’m glad you asked!             After competing as a powerlifter for a few years, Helen was inspired to switch to bodybuilding when she witnessed a friend preparing for a natural figure show in 2006. A year later, she won the heavyweight class at the British Championships and went on to claim three more British heavyweight titles and two overalls in addition to competing successfully throughout Europe. But she realized she wasn’t at the pinnacle yet. She knew that her next step was to compete in the U.S. and decided that the WNBF/INBF was the place for her. Helen reveals that she made this decision because the organization has such excellent depth of competition in female bodybuilding. And what is more, being a life-long drug-free athlete, she realized that the organization has established the strictest drug-free standards in the industry.             Stack won her WNBF pro card by virtue of victory at the INBF Amateur World Championships in 2010. She returned to the Worlds to make her pro debut the following year and claimed runner-up spot in the heavyweight class behind fellow U.K. team member Cheryl Myers. Winning the same class in 2012 was no easy feat as Julian Mundle pushed her hard (victory by a scant three points) and she went on to claim the overall victory against another worthy adversary, Leah Raynes. It was an extra special win, given the high level of competition and also because she was unsure if she would even be able to compete after having emergency surgery for a burst appendix four months earlier.             One of Helen’s biggest challenges in starting out in bodybuilding was gaining an understanding of posing and presentation. After all, no matter how good you look, these aspects of competition will have a profound influence on your placement. To tackle this challenge, Helen hired legendary physique performer Russ Testo to choreograph her routines and she has been working with him since 2008. Stack also credits her coach, Zoa Linsey, for her success. Linsey is from Canada, but presently lives on the island of Okinawa in Japan. E-mail and Skype have allowed this coach-athlete relationship to flourish. She also receives advice and support from her partner Jerry, who is a world-class powerlifter and personal trainer. However, when it comes to training, she prefers to go it alone as it allows her to maintain clear focus.             In addition to presentation, Stack had to learn about the contest preparation phase of being a bodybuilder. Needless to say, this is much different compared to that of a powerlifter. For example, she typically requires no less than 24 weeks to achieve the ripped condition that she displays on the WNBF stage. And no matter what phase of training she’s in, she makes sure to change her program every 4-6 weeks; for example, she’s currently training each body part twice a week. She says that this really works well for her, especially in making the most of the “rebound” period after a competition. But it can be hard on recovery, so she only follows this protocol for a few weeks at a time before reverting back to training each body part only one time weekly.             When Helen trains each muscle group twice per week, she does so in a three-on-one-off manner. She also adds variety to her program by varying her set/rep scheme during consecutive cycles. For example, for the first three-day cycle, she performs 6-10 repetitions with 90 seconds between sets while during the second, she switches to higher reps (for example, 15-20) with less rest (60 seconds). In both cases, she trains quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes on the first day, arms and shoulders on the second and back and chest on the third.             As for her philosophy in life, Stack believes that you should work hard and never take anything for granted. With respect to bodybuilding, she explains that there are many training and nutritional methods that can be equally valid, so it is important to respect the opinions of others. But no matter what approach you take, consistency and focus are essential. She is not one who likes to get overly fired up before a workout. Instead, she prefers to cleanse herself of any negative stress by having a coffee and checking out Facebook or new suit designs. These things help her relax so that she can concentrate on correct form and technique while working out.             Helen works in the energy industry and her profession requires some travel around Europe. When not travelling, she is fortunate because she can perform her morning cardio workout right in her office gym before beginning her work day and her main gym (The Forge) is close to both work and home. She also explains that her employer has been very supportive and has featured each win she has achieved in the WNBF in the company newspaper. Helen also believes that it is helpful to have a partner like Jerry with experience in lifting, but warns that the sport of bodybuilding can be very self-centered at times. For example, toward the end of the contest-prep period, there is not much time left for anything other than work, training and food preparation. To address this limitation, she tries to free up as much time as possible for friends and family by planning ahead; for example, preparing as much food as possible on the weekend in anticipation of the busy week ahead.             Helen Stack is a determined individual and her goal for 2013 is to make further improvement and defend her World title. She is also striving to stay leaner in the off-season which, to date, has been working quite well. Within the bodybuilding and fitness community, Helen would like to be known for her unwavering consistency in making improvement and demonstrating that it is possible to combine mass, detail and condition to forge a world-class physique without using drugs. And as for a parting piece of wisdom from the World Champion, she stresses that no matter how dedicated and disciplined you are in pursuit of your contest objectives, you should always remember that the ultimate goal is to have fun.

[Timmon]

2012 WNBF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - HELEN STACK WORLD CHAMPION!
Helen in the care of  Zoa Linsey, back stage and night before.

[nostromo1]

Awesome girl!

[Timmon]

"I was delighted to place 1st at the inaugural WNBF Pro European cup on 29th September 2013.  Massive thanks go to Lee Kemp for promoting a pro-show as part of the UKDFBA UK Championships.  Lee is one of the best promoters and judges in the UK, so it was no surprise that everything ran like clockwork!   Thank you to Smart-Tec nutrition for sponsoring the class.

This was the first women’s natural pro show to take place in the UK, and certainly for the WNBF the first in Europe.  It’s fantastic to now have the same opportunity as the male bodybuilders – who I wish all the best at the WNBF European Natural Pro Men’s Cup taking place in Horgen, Switzerland on 26th October.  And I hear there are going to be a number of big UK competitors taking the trip to Switzerland this year!"

Well done Helen!

[Timmon]

"This is just a quick update to day I was delighted to place 2nd in the Pro Women’s Heavyweight Bodybuilding class at the 2013 WNBF Pro Natural World Bodybuilding Championships on 9th November. The class was won by one of my heros, Cathy Vail, who I have looked up to for years. Cathy also went on to win the Overall title.

Melissa Scott – another outstanding physique – placed 3rd.

This year’s Women’s bodybuilding classes had some of the deepest talent in recent years – from both new and experienced athletes – and it was an honour to be on stage with such outstanding competitors. I had a great time and one of the highlights was being able to spend time talking face to face with a many of my peers that I am normally only able to connect with on line from the UK."

[Timmon]

[Timmon]

[Timmon]

Helen Stack

2007

World Natural Championships - UIBBN, HeavyWeight, 3rd

2008

World-Universe - WPF, Bodybuilding, 1st

2009

European Natural Championships - UIBBN, HeavyWeight, 3rd

2010

World Championships - INBF, Bodybuilding, 1st

2011

Pro Natural World - WNBF, HeavyWeight, 2nd

2012

WBNF World Champion

2013

Pro Natural World - WNBF, HeavyWeight, 2nd

2014

Pro Natural World - WNBF, HeavyWeight, 3rd

[Timmon]