Abs Queens

Abs to Watch:
OKSANA BALANYUK



Not like FMS to get carried away [not much! - ed.], and it's far too soon to dust off the throne and get the abs' anointing oil out of the cupboard based on the evidence of just two images, but so taken are we with Oksana Balanuyk's first appearance at HerBiceps, that we just had to find a way to crowbar her into our week of Abs Queens.



What do you think? Did we do wrong?





Swell Pick:
BRANKA NJEGOVEC

















Branka Njegovec is without doubt the greatest ever Croatian female bodybuilder. You may know Branka from her Arnold Amateur victory this year, but she has been competing for the best part of ten years, and as well as the Arnold title, this year she became European champion for the fourth, yes, fourth, time.



It takes vastly superior symmetry and conditioning for a lightweight like Branka to beat heavier opposition in overall posedowns, so the fact that she has done it so often over the years suggests Branka clearly has what it takes in the contest preparation department. One consequence of that is that at every contest she appears in, she seems to have the best, most defined abs on stage.



But she's not just another freakily-defined set of abs, though. Amazingly, Branka is approaching 40, and is, like a couple of the other Abs Queens this week, a mother. Think about some of the 40-year-old mothers you know, hell, think about some of the 30-year-olds, and then have a good gander at Branka's remarkable abdominal development.



Not the best known, not the most high-profile female bodybuilder, nor indeed the prettiest, but she most certainly is a great competitor. Furthermore, she's a great advert for the benefits of the sport, and has most certainly developed some of the greatest obliques ever. Without doubt a more than worthy FMS Abs Queen.








Reader Request:
ALINA POPA

















Why I was surprised at the number of votes FMS received for Alina Popa I really don't know. After all, when we called for readers to vote on the muscle goddesses they would include in their 'Fantasy Contest', it was Alina who got more mentions than any other woman. Anyway, it's not just readers of FMS that love Alina, but seemingly almost every female muscle fan out there. I do wonder when the backlash might come, the point when Alina goes 'too far' in some eyes and her popularity will start to decline, but judging purely from our little FMS abs poll, there is absolutely no reason to believe that backlash is imminent, or even inevitable.




In fact Alina is so popular, I get the feeling that whatever poll I run here, she's going to come out on top. There isn't a weak part of her physique, which means we can all be in love with every bit of her all the time, and we all like a woman who keeps wanting to be (and gets) bigger and bigger and better and better every year.



But this poll was about abs, and no one can say Alina doesn't deserve to be on or near the top of any list of greatest abs. As the images here show, she's always had a mouth-watering midriff, but Alina does bring something more to the party. Like Elena Shportun and Theresa Hendricks, for example, with Alina, it's not just the abs she has, but also what she does with them.



So to finish today's post (I'll say it again, Europe's got abs!) probably my favourite example of Alina's magic. Watch the whole thing, of course, but try to stay focused till the fantasy abs flexing kicks off at around the two-minute mark. Unfortunately, it's not the best quality, but I don't think that will stop you feeling it.





Our ultimate Abs Queen, the Abs Queen of Abs Queens, tomorrow.