The Backstage Bikini Podcast

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EP 56 Battle Up Productions Texas Pro Results and Review is now live on all platforms.

One of the biggest shows in the IFBB Pro calendar and one of the few left awarding invites to this years @mrolympiallc so it was always set to deliver.

A busy Bikini lineup with former Miss Olympia @isapecini amongst many other Olympian athletes, this was always going to be a masterclass. 

As always, we talk through the placings and athletes individually and provide our own views about the results and why we think athletes placed where they did. Huge shout out to @marniefit and @jakewatts_amp delivering a simply stunning representation for the UK, on a huge US stage. We are so proud of you both.

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Nothing but admiration for these athletes, they bring an incredible show and set a fantastic standard for the sport. Huge congratulations to your Texas Pro champ @isapecini and @teamatlasmtl on delivering yet another sensational athlete!

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

EP 55 is now live and we had the honour of welcoming IFBB Bikini Pro and Olympian, Ariana Brothers on the podcast.

Ariana returned to stage 3 years after her pro card win and blew us all out of the water. Her dedication to improving her physique in that time was evident the minute she stepped on stage but it was a pleasure to get to talk to her about her motives for taking the time away from stage and to discuss all of the other things that contributed to making her the athlete she is today.

In this episode we cover:

- How Ariana was introduced to the stage, her rapid success and how this impacted her;
- Her mindset entering the sport vs now, what has changed if anything? 
- Taking an extensive off season, her motives, how she feels this shaped her career and how she stayed connected to the sport during this time;
- Managing her internal dialogue at Pro level; pressures and stresses she faces now, how she approaches each show in terms of expectation and how that feeds into her experience on the whole;
- Feedback from the Pittsburgh Pro, her choices relating to competing later in the year and what lessons she has learned; 
- Treating each prep individually; any differences she observed between her prep this year and the prep following her time away from stage;
- Struggles, set backs and mindset challenges, her experience in life and how that impacts her ability to manage her mindset at this level;
- Her upcoming shows, strategies for bringing her best Olympia look this year; and
- Key take aways and advice she would give to aspiring professional athletes…

And so much more.

This was an amazing conversation which really shon a light on the internal resilience Ariana has mastered to make space for fulfilment and true enjoyment of her career, even when the pressure increases with her success. 

Not one to miss.

You can follow Ariana on YouTube and on Instagram @ari_ifbbpro

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

We sat down for a 1-2-1 solocast this week to discuss our views on managing external feedback and body image both in season and off season. 

This is a topic that has been raised by our listeners time and time again and we wanted to take the opportunity to discuss the things we have encountered, learned and implemented when it comes to receiving negative or discerning feedback and acknowledge how these scenarios might impact you as a person, an athlete and how you view your body and yourself.

I’m this episode we discuss:

- Body image both in a prep setting and off season and how that can impact you as an athlete and a person in day to day life;
- Managing body image in normal settings;
- Sexualisation and managing feedback around physique development;
- Managing external feedback in relation to diet choices in different settings;
- Having compassion and an understanding that what we do isn’t “normal”;
- Socially imposed expectations of the female body and what challenges that can impose when it comes to physique development;
- Centring your communication from a place of passion rather than defence when it comes to being challenged about your decision to compete;

And so much more.

We really exposed much of our experiences in this podcast and it’s a topic that has shaped both of our journeys when it comes to competing and managing day to day life. 

We truly hope the insight and advice will help you navigate your own exposure to similar situations and limit the impact of any negativity whether that be from an internal or external source.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

Episode 53 is now live and we had the pleasure of taking a deep dive into female health in bodybuilding with @mads.raw 

This one was in the pipeline for a while and we are excited to share this episode with you all. It’s a topic we have been dying to dig into and one that we feel is incredibly pertinent when it comes to considering whether you wish to compete as a female. 

Mads has an outstanding amount of knowledge when it comes to female health and we could think of no one better suited to discuss it! 

In this episode we cover

- Mad’s background, how she got into bodybuilding/ coaching and where her passion for helping females with their health come from;

- Biggest red flags with female heath to be considerate of when it comes to managing your health as a competitive athlete;  

- Importance of blood work, why you should not only be collecting this data but the importance of being able to investigate the results and causation fully;

- Common issues she has encountered when it comes to female health both with athletes in prep and in off season;

- PEDs and replacement therapies; the difference and how these can affect female health when implemented; 

- The use of contraception, how this affects female athletes health, progress and fertility;

- FemTest, uses and effects. Why and when should it be deployed;

- PCOS; likely symptoms and impacts, how has long term use of the pill/ PED usage potentially impacted these athletes and how best to combat these issues, supplementation etc?

And so much more.

Please note, this episode is by no means intended to be prescriptive. Prior to making any decisions relating to health supplementation, replacement therapies or any other form of treatment, you should consult with a registered medical professional.

This is to highlight the need for awareness of your own health whilst participating in the sport and we hope you take as much from it as we did.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

Episode 52 is now live on all platforms and we’ve had yet another pinch me moment, welcoming @jamidebernard, IFBB Pro and founder of @fitbodyfusion to the podcast. 

This was an honour simply put.

Jami has decades of experience derived from her own competitive accolades and in coaching athletes from entry level, through to the worlds very best Olympia athletes. Naturally we couldn’t wait to speak to her about her contributions to the sport, her expertise and her coaching practices, which have formed the pillars of one of the leading  coaching companies in the world today. 

In this episode we cover:-

• Jami’s introduction to the sport, her own competitive history and success and how that lead to the development of her coaching career;
• The evolution of the sport; inclusivity, pros and cons of the sport development and what challenges that brings;
• Specificities of coaching a bikini athlete, training and diet considerations, the importance of ensuring these are moulded to the individual athlete and how that has afforded her athletes success;
• Athlete mindset, variables to consider. The differences, if any, she has encountered managing athlete mindset at different levels of the sport;
• Fostering a strong coach/client relationship; how she feels this impacts her athletes both individually and as a team and how that influences longevity in the sport;
• Feedback management; where the value truly lies in receiving feedback and how she applies that with her athletes;
• Do’s and don’s in relation to protecting your competitive experience;

And so much more.

Jami’s energy, enthusiasm and passion for this sport is infectious and something that really shon through in the way she spoke not only about her own experience in the sport but also in how she contributes to the community she has created with her athletes and the @fitbodyfusion team.

Not one to miss!!!

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

EP 51 Pittsburgh Pro Results & Review is now live on all platforms and we had the pleasure of inviting @marniefit

It was a pleasure to have Marnie return to the podcast for the second time and having stepped on this very stage herself,  we couldn’t wait to hear his insight. 

This is arguably one of the most competitive bikini pro lineups we’ve seen all year with 14 Olympian athletes competing on the same stage. It was an incredible showing from every single athlete that presented on that stage and we were simply blown away. 

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Huge congratulations to your newest IFBB Bikini Pro @fitnessbyaims on her two time win at the Pittsburgh Pro, defending her title beautifully. 

Congratulations to all of the ladies who competed, both at an amateur and professional level.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

For EP 50, we had the pleasure of welcoming a UK’s leading bikini athlete, IFBB Pro and head of The Bikini Coach, Char Ellis @char_thebikinicoach.

Char is well known across the UK for being relentless in her pursuit of her pro card and now, just off the back of her pro debut where she made a huge entrance and statement in the pro league - we couldn't wait to sit down and chat about her entire journey.

In this episode we cover:

- Her introduction to bodybuilding, sporting background and how that played a pivotal role in her competitive journey;
- Her amateur career; self doubt and mindset challenges having spent years getting within touching distance of her goals;
- How she approached her amateur shows and now professional appearances, expectations and mindset;
- Feedback following her pro win and how her training and approach has evolved to develop her physique;
- Her pro debut; being strategic in relation to her shows and why this mattered;
- How her competitive career impacts and influences both her coaching business and personal life;
- Future goals and plans 

This conversation was well overdue and we know will inspire so many of you. To see how resilient you need to be as an amateur, the importance of always striving for improvement and learning to never giving up on your goal.

The future for Char is looking very promising, and we can't wait to see what she and Rob achieve, as well as Char’s team of upcoming bikini athletes.

As always, please like, comment, and share! We love to hear your feedback and whether you’re taking value forward.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

For EP 49, we had the pleasure of welcoming one of the UK’s leading prep coaches, @amplified_nutrition head coach @jakewatts_amp

Jake has a wealth of knowledge and a huge roster of both professional and amateur bikini athletes, this was an episode that was long overdue.

In this episode we cover:

- How Jake built the business he stands so proudly at the forefront of now, his commitments beyond bodybuilding and how he juggles this;
- His approach to coaching and peaking athletes at different levels, how has this changed over the years, if at all;
- Managing athlete mindsets, what does he do to prepare an athlete for stage psychologically and why does this make a difference;
- The biggest challenges facing bikini athletes now vs then, his views on how the sport is accelerating and whether this is impacting decision making by coaches and athletes;
- Is bikini still an entry level division? His thoughts on why bikini is so hard to nail, manipulations to consider and where his athletes need him the most.

This really was an incredible discussion, with so much food for thought. Jake advocates so highly for his athletes and you can truly see his passion shine through the way he talks about his commitment to them.

 As always, please like, comment and share! We love to hear your feedback and whether you’re taking value forward.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

EP 48 1 Bro Pro & 10x Ben Weider Review with @paulrevelia is now live on all platforms.

It was a pleasure to have Paul return to the podcast for the second time and having spent the weekend in the UK to watch the show, we couldn’t wait to hear his insight. 

The standard across the whole show was something to be incredibly proud of and in this episode we talk through results, placings, Paul’s first impressions of how European shows differ from the USA and all the bits in between.

It was an incredible moment for Paul to not only be here to support his client @ottavia_mazza_ifbbpro  with @stephenbeaugrand but to then watch her secure her Olympia qualification. ⭕️ 🏆 

He discusses her feedback, their approaches from show to show, how he manipulated her look from the Arnold’s to the 1 Bro Pro Show and her plans going forward into the year. 

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Huge congratulations to your newest IFBB Bikini Pro @celina.schlz at the incredible age of just 21. A huge future in the sport and undoubtedly the clear winner on the day. 

Congratulations to all of the ladies who competed, both at an amateur and professional level.

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

Got some feedback? Drop us a message!

EP 47 Arnold Classic Bikini International Results and Review is now live on all platforms and we had the pleasure of discussing the results with our fave North East lass and bikini competitor @charl_emilyy

As always, a highly anticipated show which undoubtedly sets the standard for the rest of the competitive year! 

This show didn’t disappoint at all; from the physiques displayed to the showmanship each of the ladies showed and continue to demonstrate, it truly was a pleasure to watch! 

Charlotte sat up until all hours committing herself to seeing who took the title and we couldn’t wait to have her on to discuss her thoughts! 

This week we talk through the top 6 placings and athletes individually and provide our own views about the results and why we think athletes placed where they did. We saw the return of @angelicaht and a close battle between @fitnessbyaims and @lauraliechap got the title. 

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Nothing but admiration for these athletes, they bring an incredible show and set a fantastic standard for the sport. Huge congratulations to your 3x Miss Bikini International @lauraliechap and all of the other beautiful ladies that competed. 

Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.