College Student by Day, Body Builder by Night

From average 19-year-old college student to competitive female bodybuilder, Kaile Guzman created her own path. In August, Guzman began lifting and soon realized she wasn’t working towards anything. When asked why bodybuilding came to mind she had a simple response; “I was lifting and not really working towards anything, and I followed some girls who did it.” This lit the spark for her, and the 19 week journey of her first competition season began.

Guzman began prepping 15 week previous to her first show, which took place Oct. 1. Prepping for an upcoming competition is more complicated than one would guess. In a given week a trainee has to meet a certain exercise (mix of strength training and cardio) and food standard. For Guzman this included lifting in the morning, a half hour of cardio at night (both six days a week) and eating a specific number of macros determined with her coach five times a day every three hours. It is a rough world to live in, but when asked how she stays motivated Guzman said “Knowing you have that end goal… it will all pay off once you step on stage whether you place or not”.

The definition of prepping is “the action or process of preparing for something”, and competition prep is no different. Not only does one have to worry about diet and workouts, the choices of which suit to choose and how dark to tan are also always on their mind. So how do you choose? “It’s way more complicated than people think.” was her response. Guzman chose her suit based off her favorite color, blue, along with how light her hair was.

Although there isn’t much of a career path within competing for most people who partake, there is something known as a “Pro Card”. In order to obtain a card, one must complete a regional competition, winning their weight class and earn themselves an invite to a national competition. From there a competitor will compete, and if placed high enough is awarded a Pro Card. Although a Pro Card is earned, it is not free. According to the WNBF (World Natural Bodybuilding Federation) the annual fee is $104 and must be paid prior to competing in any shows as a pro. Other organizations offer Pro Cards, but the WNBF is the most popular place to obtain one from.

Although the community is known for its fit figures and determination, there are some guilty pleasures. Guzman mentioned how many competitors she has met, including herself, have a go-to post comp meal. She stated “I really crave cheese burgers, so Red Robin is probably my go-to.” She also mentioned “…it feels really good once it’s going down, but the next morning you feel so awful”.

The world of professional bodybuilding is highly competitive and not for everyone. It takes high levels of commitment and the ability to be held accountable. Guzman said “You need a good support system, it can get pretty rough,” when asked what she thought people competing for the first time should know. She also highly recommended getting a coach. For anyone who is interested in competing, check out the WNBF for more information.