Peaks Week: Clip of the Week

So I'm compiling this week's posts and I'm thinking what I could really do with is a compilation of biceps - the finest biceps, you know - just popping and rippling. If only there was a brand new tip top clip like that out there. It would just slip right into the midweek post slot snugger than Aleesha Young in a dress. Or something.

And spookily... that's exactly what I got.

Gentlemen, the latest Ultimate Muscle meisterwerk - UPCLOSE BICEPS



Enjoy! (I know I have been - I mean, how can you NOT love something that begins with over a minute of Alina's biceps popping and rippling, and ends with two plus minutes of the very very best of Mindi O'Brien's two legendary muscles?!)

Champion of the Day: Mindi O'Brien

IFBB Vancouver Pro Women's Physique Champion



I didn't realise how much of a serial champion Mindi O'Brien has become in the last few years. Her win in Vancouver at the beginning of July gave her her third pro title in the last three years following first places in Toronto (2014) and Tampa (2015).




It's her most sustained period of success since, as a Fitness competitor, she won regional and national (Canadian) titles and the IFBB South West Pro Cup in 2004. By this time her exceptional abs, her beauty, and her unusually (for Fitness) developed and peaky biceps meant she had become a sought after model for the big female muscle sites and consequently the Fitness competitor who female muscle fans would have most liked to share a pint with. She continued to compete in IFBB Pro Fitness until 2011 when injury (I believe) ended this period of her career.



Toronto 2013 (top left), & Olympias 2013-15

Her reinvention as a Physique competitor was greeted with much rejoicing among those fans who had feared they would never see her again, and led to ringing endorsements of this newest IFBB category. Praise be! wrote one after her first WPD show in Toronto in 2013. A contest worthy of Mindi! At last, and for the first time flexing those beautiful shapely muscles in anger. Thank you IFBB for Physique! Without it, I doubt the wonderful Mindi would ever have returned to the stage.


Champion: Toronto 2014 (left) & Tampa 2015

She placed 3rd in Toronto on her Physique debut, finished the season with a 2nd and two 4th places and made her first Physique Olympia appearance, placing 15th. In 2014 she returned to Toronto and won, and made the top 6 at the Olympia. Last year she was 8th at the Arnold Classic, won in Tampa, and again was 6th at the Olympia.




This year she's finished a (Fitness or Physique) career high 3rd at the Arnolds, and was runner-up in Chicago before her win in Vancouver guaranteed she'll be flexing those beautiful muscles in anger on the Olympia stage for the fourth year running.



Congratulations Mindi!

What We Have Been Thinking about When We Have Been Thinking about the Toronto Pro

1 - THE WOMAN WHO WE THOUGHT SHOULD WIN WON

For once, the general consensus among the female muscle lovin' brethren actually agreed with the judges decision. And that is not something you get to say every day. As one forum poster put it, This is the first bodybuilding contest I can remember where the woman who was deserving of first place was actually rewarded with it.



Your winner. Their winner. THE WINNER: Simone Oliveira


2 - COLETTE NELSON: HOW DO I FEEL?

The great and much-loved Colette returned to the stage after four long years. Not, unfortunately, as a bodybuilder, but if we have to take Colette in the physique division or not at all, we'll take her in physique every time. Just awesome to see Colette Nelson back, said one forum poster. Hopefully it'll inspire Gina Davis, Jody May, Jennifer McVicar and Nicole Ball to make comebacks too! Amen to that.


Back and beautiful: Colette Nelson


3 - ENVALL'S LAT MEAT

Although Simone had by far the best package overall, FBB legend Christine Envall proved she has still got it in the back department. So wide. So bloody THICK!!!


A well-deserved top 6 finish for "Big Chris"


4 - NEW SHIPP ON THE DOCK



Just as Juanita Blaino had done in Chicago last year, Alana Shipp finished runner-up in her first ever pro show. And, as with the winner, there were no complaints from the fans about who the judges awarded second prize to. Great legs, razor-sharp definition, and a wonderfully-balanced overall shape, Alana has probably already done enough to ensure she will feature at the 2014 Ms Olympia.


Having a blast backstage, Alana said on her Facebook page during the show (with Orlandina Balan and Margie Martin). Looks like a lot of fun there, doesn't it?

Which kind of segues into...


5 - HOW HOT IS MARGIE MARTIN?

I seem to be going through a bit of an Afro-American muscle goddesses phase. Musclemaria, featured in Ts of the Day a week or so ago would definitely be one, and then, of course, there's the divine Juanita Blaino again... Anyway, Margie, also making her pro debut, is definitely also doing it for me. How hot? Is "Vesuvial" a word? Definition: (adj.) hot like Vesuvius. It isn't a word, you say? Well, it is now.


The Vesuvial Margie Martin takes 4th on her pro debut


6 - NOT SURE ABOUT... Part I

A) What happened to Roxanne Edwards? She appeared at the pre-judging, but on the final scorecards her number (70) was left blank. B) Virginia Sanchez's new hairdo, white posing suit and lack of tanning. Consensus seems to be that Spain's biggest was somewhat fortunate to get 3rd place while not at her best.


Where did Roxanne's name and Virginia's tan go?


7 - MINDI O'BRIEN OUTMUSCLES THE FIELD

She of the legendary "fitness" biceps returned to competition at Toronto last year and finished 3rd in the Physique class. She followed that up with a string of top 4 finishes at other shows, but came in a disappointing 15th at the Olympia. Good to see her back again (airborne, see #8) and winning! PINCH ME!!! said Mindi on her Facebook. What an incredible weekend. Winning is the most incredible feeling in the world!


Both Mindi and her hubby (Masters Physique) left with the winner's trophy


8 - SHE FLIES THROUGH THE AIR WITH THE GREATEST OF EASE...

No surprise that a former fitness champ like Mindi O'Brien should pull a move or two out of the bag for the finals - even going completely airborne at one stage, but great to see other physique competitors also showing off their fantastic gymnastic abilities during their routines, not least Swell crush Jill Rudison, who finished 4th.


Mindi and Jill's marvellous moves. More of this please!


9 - NOT SURE ABOUT... Part II

If Fabi had begun life in physique we'd all be saying, "Wow! Look at her! Beautiful, sexy, and so much potential for packing on some serious muscle. She should switch to bodybuilding..." I hate to be negative, and quite honestly, if I don't think about who I'm looking at and just focus on how she looks now, Fabi does look great. The problem is I just can't forget how magnificent (and massive) her muscles once were.


Fabiola Boulanger, then (2010) and now


10 - SIMONINHA'S GOLD POSING SUIT

It's not called a "modesty suit". It's a posing suit, a suit to pose in. Back in the day they were barely there, now the tops are, for me, unnecessarily large and cover far too much. So it was wonderful to see Simoninha's gold number struggling to contain her, and the view from the rear was all the more espetacular for the lack of fabric hindering the spectator's enjoyment of her big and sexy Brazilian muscles.



It's a shame she changed her suit for the finals!


This is, of course, by no means a comprehensive survey of the shows, just a few of the things that have made an impression on FMS. For more coverage you can visit FTVideo for Gene X. Hwang's peerless photography, or the galleries at Muscular Development and RxMuscle, who also have an interview with Simoninha that contains a bit of on stage footage of her, and that is definitely worth 5 minutes of your time.

Enjoy!