Michaela of the Day

She had emerged from winter [do they have winter in Florida? - ed.] like this, with the show she had chosen to make her pro debut the Europa Orlando. She was less than six weeks out and she looked ready already to my eyes. But not to Michaela's.



Less than six weeks to continue getting better, striving to bring up weak points, and continue to improve strengths, Michaela wrote in March last year. Details matter. It isn't 70% here, 30% there. It's 100% meticulous effort to every single aspect.



In a field of unusually determined and single-minded individuals, here was a young woman whose peers were impressed by the work she was doing and the obvious progress she was making. And the female muscle lovin' community, if they hadn't noticed her during her 2015 debut season, were certainly noticing her now.



She seemed to revel more and more in her own freakishness as the day of the contest approached, in particular showing off the apparent "weak points" she had been targeting - legs and conditioning. She looked like "the next Rita Bello" as one forum poster put it. I imagine (I hope) they weren't comparing size, but noting the simply breathtaking veins and striations apparent on her legs, glutes, and elsewhere.



I started following Michaela properly around the beginning of 2016, and my female muscle diary for April tells me she often took my breath away, literally making me gasp. Absolutely incredible to think she has only just tuned 21, I wrote at the time.



The way her lats bulge over the top of her vest makes me swoon as I dream of squeezing them hard, feeling the hard muscle. No give, like warm steel or rock or something. I was clearly slightly out of my mind for her then, and, understandably given what she was actually putting her body through at this stage, perhaps so was she - a bit. Her posts certainly become more and more mantra-like - "make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you"; "it's not a matter of how, you just do"- while her usual self-deprication and humour becomes less and less common.



Perhaps Rita Bello was a bad comparison after all. Doesn't this glute-skin pinching classic remind you of Britain's own freakiest female Corinne Ingman? I can't recall actually seeing Corinne pinch that inch, but I imagine it's the sort of thing she does do. Michaela's not shy about it though. Like I said, revelling in her freakishness.



You are going to look insane on stage, wrote one of Michaela's (female) IG fans. She was five days' out when she shared her startlingly vascular thighs. I'm not usually as dry-mouthed with anticipation for Physique shows as I am for those where there are Bodybuilders, but the 2016 Europa Orlando was definitely an exception to that rule.

Tomorrow, how Michaela actaully did look on stage, and much much more freakery!

Michaela of the Day

THE EARLY YEARS



She had begun training in 2013. I really fell in love and found a passion in it, she says. I just continued making goals for myself, and it has just progressed from there.



A year later she was flexing in (another!) dress, and female muscle fans on the forums were wondering who this "au natural [sic] girl-next-door" was. Progress indeed.

THE DEBUTANTE

19th July, 2015. Michaela Aycock steps onto a bodybuilding stage for the first time at the NPC Clash at the Capstone in the marvellously-named Tuscaloosa, Alabama. There are three Women's Physique competitors that day, and only one winner.



I'm no expert, and the change in the two years since is startling, particularly how her legs have developed, but here she is, not quite fully-formed perhaps, but those big peaky biceps are there, and those lats, even if we don't have an image of her back, are beautifully wide even in the front double biceps pose. As I said, only one winner.

THE 20-YEAR-OLD PRO



The following week she was in Las Vegas for the 2015 USAs. At 5'0" she competed in the shortest Physique class, the "A" class, one of eight competitors, and every one at their first national level show. With Billie Cavalier claiming the Overall title, and the likes of Chelsea Coleman, Sierra Mangus and Brie Eubanks all getting their pro cards, her triumph, and achievement, was somewhat under-reported. She was, thought Steve Wennerstrom, "the solid choice" and "showed terrific balance on her tiny frame".




I've heard her say in a more recent interview that since then others have turned pro younger than she was in July 2015, but on that day in Las Vegas, Michaela became the youngest ever Women's Physique pro of all time. By my reckoning she was just a tad over 20 years and 5 months old. The "au natural girl-next-door" was a big girl now.



EPILOGUE

And to finish today's post sort of where we started, Michaela recently revisited the show where she first began her competitive journey in Tuscaloosa, Alabama as this year's guest poser. Can't say I approve of the outfit - far too much coverage for my taste, especially of her beautiful muscle bum - but well worth a watch nonetheless.



Sadly, the bit where Michaela actually goes into the crowd didn't make Mark Mason's excellent edit, but there's some evidence it really did happen. And if you examine this grainy image closely, I reckon you can see the birth of a female muscle fan - two or three rows in front of Michaela on her left, virtually turning his head through 180°.



Welcome to the club, young fella.

Michaela of the Day

THE PRODUCT REVEALED

After the countdown, the blast-off!

Michaela took to the stage at the Tampa Pro at the start of August for the first time since her Olympia debut in September 2016, displaying the fruits of her amazing labours slowly, and deliberately. And that's a good thing, because if she didn't take it so slow, you'd be hard pushed to see all those muscles ripple, and more importantly, so would the judges. Soaking up every moment of this, she said during the Tampa weekend. And that's exactly what you should be doing when you watch this routine.



AND DID YOU KNOW...?

Other than when she is glammed up for the stage, Michaela is not known for being the girliest of muscle goddesses, but FMS' extensive research has revealed that she owns - at the very least - one dress, and is able to carry it off with or without a cardigan.



I vote without.



More Michaela tomorrow.

Enjoy!

Michaela of the Day

This freaky young Physique phenom has been on Swell's mind and Swell's screen as much as any other woman over the last year or so. High time we really went into detail about all the detail she has sculpted into her (still only) 22-year-old body.

We start with a countdown to her first show of this year, which was Tampa, August 4th.

Feb 15th


Michaela tells her IG followers she is Working every day towards the goal of just being better. The work is what I love and the product will be a result of that. In this post we'll watch and see as that "product" emerges from its off-season beginnings here.

Although first, perhaps we should go back a little further. Right back to Michaela before any of that work started. I think you will agree the change is quite startling.

Mar 17th, 2012


Compare Michaela then to Michaela just over five years later.

Apr 26th


She has certainly added a bit of meat to those bones! Close to the mirror than the February shot, it's easier to appreciate the thickness of her arms and quads, the muscles spreading outwards as they escape the confines of her clothing. We can't see her smile, but I'm sure it's there. Probably smiling at the fact that there is now so much muscle on her legs that it's far from easy to pinpoint exactly where her knees are.

May 22nd


A little bit of time away from the gym - or at least her home gym - with another rising star. I came to Orlando to help a girl whom I seen portray a lot of the same qualities I have within myself, says Michaela. A determined soul with a relentless pursuit. Words cannot describe the emotion a genuinely passionate individual feels when they reach something they've been striving for, and there is nothing that makes my heart more happy than to feel it with them. Can't stop looking at those arms. Or jawlines.

Double swoon!

Jun 2nd


"Vitamin IV therapy", apparently. Whatever it is, it's working. And giving Michaela a fair old pump on that arm that's being IV-ed! Size of her forearm!!! Under the T-shirt too - traps, delts, amazing. And the spread of her thighs - mightily impressive when you consider how wide that chair is and how little of it her thighs leave revealed.

Jun 14th


Things must be getting serious because Michaela has started rolling her sleeves up over her shoulders - possibly, my overactive female muscle lovin' imagination tells me, because if she didn't and flexed, she'd need to borrow a T-shirt to go home in. Just doing me and minding my own, she says. And doing her and minding her own apparently includes showing off the so-good-it's-ridiculous split bicep peak.

And that.

Jun 25th


Seriouser and seriouser. It must be, because now, no T-shirt required, she's showing even more off. Michaela claims this is about her "first lululemon bra", but she doesn't fool me. This picture is about other things as well, but it's mainly about LATS.

Jul 4th


How come you never reply to people like me who constantly praise and support you? asks one of her followers. Because you comment and DM some really weird stuff, replies Michaela. That's not a smile, it's a smug, self-satisfied smirk, and (please don't think me weird) I love it. Imagine the thud her arm made when she put it down.

So, a month to go before Tampa.

How did Michaela pass the time? Work, of course.

You will want the sound on, trust me.



August 2nd was the very last part of the clip. Training in Tampa, two days out.

More Michaela tomorrow and all week.

Tube Watch

FMS picks a few of the very best new clips from YouTube from the first few weeks of January for your viewing pleasure in our second installment of Tube Watch.

MICHAELA FAILS...

But only after a mind-boggling 225lb (just over 100kg) 32-rep set of deadlifts.



The woman is a freak. More jaw to the floor stuff from Michaela on her channel - 111 (yep, one hundred and eleven) squats with her bodyweight (circa 60kg) on the bar.

For Your Consideration

And staying with the WPD, defending Physique Internationsl champion Autumn Swansen's preparations are being documented by Midwest Muscle Report. You can watch an interview with her in a bikini in the ocean (actually it's not quite as sexy as a beach shoot with Autumn should be, but her velvet Southern accent saves the day - for me anyway!). You can also follow her as she builds up to and performs a shoulder/ bicep workout. Not as intense as Michaela, it's true, but lawdy that accent...

BAYRES NOT BARE!

Probably better-known for being a muscular woman not shy about taking her clothes off and getting up to all sorts of naughtiness, Karyn Bayres is clothed unusually modestly while pumping up and flexing in this Double Biceps preview.



Bet that look she gives the camera at 1.39 had you imagining all sorts of naughtiness.

Satisfy your cravings on her blog.

For Your Consideration

And elsewhere in Europe, Zoltan Veigh continues to find more beautiful, sexy muscle models to shoot in his own inimitable way. FMS recommends pretty much everything he's ever done, but this "Behind the Scenes" look at Karina Gavrikova and her tanned, vascular midsection is brand new and well worth a minute of your time.

RENE DOES ARNOLD

Remember that scene from Pumping Iron (not II) where Arnie goes on about the pump making him feel like he's "cumming day and night"? Ever wondered how it would sound if a female bodybuilder re-enacted the scene? Well, thanks to London-based director Emile Rafael with help from Rene Campbell, you don't have to wonder anymore.



How I missed this when it went up in September is beyond me.

The research team have been most righteously chastised.

Tube Watch will return towards the end of February.

2016 Review: May

The FMS Hot and Hard 100 countdown reached its climax...



The first post of the month had a lot of British flavour. Corinne Ingman made her Hot and Hard 100 debut at #40, the highest new UK entry, and Lisa Cross (#32) took over (just) from Rene Campbell (#34) as your most popular Brit of all.



Meanwhile, shurely shome mishtake. FMS spent ages checking and re-checking and still didn't quite believe this was the first time "Fit Rock Star" Isabelle Turell had appeared on our list. Still don't quite believe it but there she is, a "new entry" at #33.

And as we raced into the top 30 we found Diana Schnaidt, the second highest new entry of all, and some massive risers - Tanya Hyde (#71 to #23), and Eleonora Dobrinina (#79 to #22) among them. But new (lawd knows how) IFBB pro Nataliya Kovalyova enjoyed an even bigger rise, from #90 in 2015 to #25.



Hot and hard women who had appeared previously in the top 20 were back again. Minna, Kashma, Heidi, Suzy, Cindy etc. Ms Rising Phoenix herself finally cracked the upper echelons of the list, and not before time, as did Virginia Sanchez Macias, much to the delight of her fans (if not Virgina herself). Marthe Sundby (#84 in 2015 to #13) was the biggest riser of all, but the biggest surprise, perhaps, was Dani Reardon "only" at #14 when I, and one or two shocked readers, would have put a fair bit of hard earned cash on her improving on her #4 position in 2015.



And we also met the highest new entry on our 2016 list at #12...



Which left the top 10. Mavi Gioia was there for the third year in a row, as were Elena Oana and Alina. And it was also another top 10 finish for 2015 winner Shannon Courtney, who, despite doing more Spartan Racing than Bodybuilding in 2015, made #7 on your list. FMS faves Melissa Wee (the world's sexiest chaste Christian) and Erica Blockman (the world's sexiest fire fighter) made their top 10 debuts, and 2015 highest new entry Theresa Ivancik muscled up to #4 on the countdown.




The top 3 was as much of a mix of the familiar and the surprising as the rest of the top 10. RP2015 runner-up Helle Trevino smashed her way back into the Hot and Hard 100 after slipping off the list in 2015 at #3, and for the second successive year the muscle fantasy that is Aleesha Young came second by just a single vote.



And so, when all you lovely readers had voted, it was Cris Goy Arellano who became the Hottest Hard Woman in the World. Rather unexpected, but there was no argument that she was a worthy winner. Interestingly, she's the first Physique competitor to take the title after Alina in 2014 and Shannon in 2015.



Who's your money on for next year?

With the countdown done, FMS paused for breath, and then it was on with the show.



We ruminated a little about the number of "Fat to Fit" stories that had been appearing in the UK online media, as well as identifying and welcoming the growing trend for so-called "glamour" models in the UK to be showing off their gains with pride.

And having piddled around with the media definition of "bodybuilder" for a week or so, we launched into a couple of weeks where there was nothing but muscle on show. We struggled to define the theme of the first week of this meat feast, but a few pictures of Michaela Aycock were worth more than the proverbial thousand words.



A theme that has cropped up again and again this year has been the increasingly impressive amount of muscle worn by Figure competitors, particularly in the IFBB pro ranks. Perhaps it's always been there and we just didn't notice, but when Natalia Coelho had flared her thighs at shows in Miami and Orlando during the month of April, well, jaws were floor bound and we learned some muscle lingo: "feathered".



So many muscle women, so many haters. We liked Rachel Reid's response.



We liked it a lot.

And as May drew to a close, the meat turned up to 11 as the new super star of Brazilian female muscle made her FMS debut, some months after her seismic entry into the collective female muscle lovin' consciousness via Selma Labat's Instagram. Hottest new FBB! She's stunning, commented one reader. Flores ist unglaublich heiß und sexy, hoffentlich wächst sie noch weiter zu einer wahren Muskelgöttin mit wahnsinnigen Deltoidmuskeln und wird, dank ihres Mannes, noch muskulösen und Sexier! said another. And if your German ain't up to it, allow me: "Flores is incredibly hot and sexy, hopefully she'll grow even bigger into a true muscle goddess with insane deltoid muscles and become, thanks to her husband, more muscular and sexier still!"



Amen, Bruder.

Der Morgen, Juni.