Summer Break I: Day 4

In the past, FMS has tended to close up shop for weeks over the summer, usually during August. We've tried not to leave you FMS-less on those occasions, and have consequently come up with ideas like Legs Month, August Picture Post, and, last year, While the Slave's Away to tide you over while we're sunning ourselves.

This year we're not shutting up the offices for one long holiday but a series of shorter breaks, but our commitment to give you at least one stunning example of female muscle heat to look at every day remains. So this year it's Summer Breaks, and this week we're taking our first of the year. We hope you enjoy our selections.

NG!!!




Top 5 today, no Olympia invite... [IFBB Dallas] Europa has always been such an amazing show and I love competing here. I got second last year, this year I got 5th - with a much tighter package. It is a little hard I'm not gonna lie, because I am an athlete and I train to be the best, and I came in my best the rest was up to the judges. Nonetheless I loved being up on stage after taking a year off, it felt absolutely amazing! We will get feedback to see what I need to work on, irregardless I'm always working on me, to be better every day!



Can't help feeling a bit sorry for Tina. She seemed a bit upset by her placing. And you don't need to convince me that IFBB judges sometimes get it wrong. But at the same time, I'm finding it a little hard to care that much. As long as she keeps doing contest shape photoshoots all dolled up and wearing next to nothing... NG!!!




Perhaps the judges got a bit overwhelmed. Perhaps when Tina came onto the stage, thigh muscles quivering as she strode forward in her Figure heels, more than one judge was so overcome with such a bad case of The NGs that his shaking hand wrote down a 1 that looked suspiciously like a 5 and sealed Tina's fate right there. It's a theory!



Over on Tina's Instagram, there's much much love. And it's not all one way.



Not one single comment goes unnoticed, she says. I read everyone of them. I will respond to you guys once I have a chance, much love xoxo

More Tina on FMS in the Hot and Hard 100 (#46) and in our original NG!!! post.

A New Golden Age? Part V

PIU: Not sure entirely why I paired Jackie Paisley with Tina Nyguen, other than both being relatively lightweight and lean and showing quite a bit of flesh but the quote from Jackie does fit nicely into the fitspirational transformational aspect and the before and after of Tina certainly shows how conventionally pretty but unremarkable looks can turn into a jaw dropping Goddess.



But to be honest I probably really really wanted an excuse to include that pic (almost any pic) of Tina in her underwear.



And like with Diana Schnaidt [see yesterday] I just cannot comprehend how the average guy on the street couldn't find her attractive or why so few truly athletic women don't make the photo shoots or covers in the mainstream world, let alone become real huge stars.

We have understandable backlashes against the very skinny in fashion or the occasional so-called plus size model (who is usually closer to average/normal in size compared to the woman on the street) but female muscularity still seems to be one of the last taboos in mainstream media. In the 21st century!

FMS: Glad you found an excuse to choose a Tina Nguyen underwear pic! And while we're on the subject of hot hot heat...



Time for a confession! My magazine collection quickly began to take up a lot of space back then, and given that upwards of 90% of all the pages were of little interest, I would carefully cut out my favourite pics and paste them into scrapbooks.

I remember this one of Cathy Palyo. Can actually see it there on the scrapbook page, feel the same intense excitement of spending some quality time with this bronzed and beautiful goddess.



These days, there are so many more images, but some still have the same power over me. Exhibit A, Theresa in the pool for Her Biceps. Wow. Just WOW!

PIU: Yeah, ahh... Cathy P. I think because the print images were rarer as well, we treasured the iconic images more and apart from the occasional hairstyle, these 30 plus year old images don’t date one bit. Yet look at vintage Playboy type pics and as well as the over use of airbrushing or soft focus, they do tend to much more reflect the look of the times. Cathy would still not look out of place in any of today's print mags or paysites.

I started putting loose cut out pics into those photo albums you used to get, with the sticky transparent covering pages that used to hold them in place. I had several albums then they seemed to take up too much space or more likely I just got too much stuff to be able to organise them. I still mean to get round to scanning them, there's still a lot of stuff from that time that I haven't seen already online, specially the more obscure stuff.

FMS: Glad I wasn't the only one creating albums back in the day! Don't feel like such a freak now. Never kept mine though, sadly...

PIU: Theresa is well... the Package! Highest new entry on the Hot and Hard 100 last year, at 12. Will she make the Top Ten this time?

The 2016 FMS Hot and Hard 100 Countdown - COMING SOON!

Hot and Hard: NG!!!

Having earned her pro card by winning her class at last year's NPC Nationals, Hot and Hard 100 #33 Tina Nguyen recently made her pro debut at the Europa in Dallas. In a field of 20 women, she finished runner-up, beaten only byAndrea Calhoun - an Olympia contestant from last year and a woman competing in her 11th pro event.



And Tina's 265,000+ Instagram followers (very much including myself) were able to follow her every step of the way in her meticulous preparations. For example, this from Tina on June 4th, along with the picture above: Practiced posing earlier today after tanning with my royal oil! I always tan the last few weeks of the prep just to get a little base color before getting spray-tanned for the show. You can focus on your competitions OR you can focus on yourself and be your best. Leave no room for errors. I wanna bring a feminine [package], curves, and be as conditioned as possible. Let's see how these last two weeks of prep will b!!! How exciting!!!



Yes, she does like to wax lyrical does Tina. As we saw just now, she talks tan. And she talks glutes, hams, quads. She talks tops, cheat meals, photo shoots. And she talks lunchboxes... If you happen to work full-time or are in school and want to keep up with your meals , make sure to carry a food bag with you EVERYWHERE you go! [It's] The only way to keep up with your diet conveniently. I work during the day so most of my meals are prepped and ready to go every day, including in the off season.



And whatever she's talking about, her thousands of female admirers seem to lap it all up and shower her with compliments. I think everyone needs someone that inspires them, someone they can look up to, says Tina fan "jennaguirre7877". I'm extremely inspired. Your physique is incredible. Can't wait to have quads like yours. Keep killin it and thanks. Tina seems truly to be one of those women they call "fitspirational".



And it's not just women you've never heard of who heap the praise on Tina. No lesser light than our own Hot and Hard 100 #26, Valerie Garcia Giovanoli, is (perhaps a little bit more than) inspired by the Nguyen magic. #WomanCrushWednesday goes to my favorite physique EVER, totally serious... @tinang13, writes Valerie. This girl's body is insane and she's gorgeous as well. I always strive to be the best ME possible, and never want for what anyone else has... But I ain't gonna lie, she's the one person I would happily trade bodies with in a heart beat!!! Keep doin' your thang grrl!



Now the thing is though, and please, forgive me if you feel I am being disrespectful and all, but as a dude, as a red-blooded dude of the female muscle admiring variety, I mean, I read the stuff she writes and all, and yes, in a sense I really do genuinely admire her, an immigrant to her adopted country making such a splash in her industry etc. etc. But then I also, let's say "admire" her in a way that is, well, somewhat more male and generally ends with me swooning all over the place and making a noise that coincidentally sounds a lot like the first two letters of Tina's surname - NG!!!



As mentioned above, given that Tina was your Hot and Hard 100 #33, I know I am not alone on this one, In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if after Tina posts a particularly saucy pic (although she could probably post a pic of herself in sack cloth and it would have the same effect) around 2pm her time, then by the time she goes to bed, that NG! sound has been travelling around the world continuously from Australia and Asia to Europe, down across Africa and across the ocean to the Americas - and I don't doubt there would have been the odd NG! in Antarctic research stations as well.



I mean, some of those pictures she posts really should have health warnings attached - CAUTION! MAY CAUSE REPEATED AND EXCESSIVE... She must know, right? For every "you're my inspiration" comment from her female fans, there are three from male NGers. They might not be as crude as my own thoughts - many are invitations for Tina to visit them, many consist of a single word: "sexy", some are just downright weird. But Tina never ever acknowledges this aspect of her own appeal, preferring instead to give out a more empowering message (to the girls, naturally): Don't worry about gaining some muscles ladies, she says, for example. You'll thank yourself later.



You can extrapolate what you will from this. I'm afraid if you are looking for some insight I'm going to have to leave you hanging because the only conclusion I'm coming to today will be accompanied by my own contribution to today's global NG! journey.



Enjoy!

Merry Christmas!

IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!



OK, OK, not the most original joke, but anyway...

Here are some real Christmas female muscle treats...











Well, if only this had been posted a few days earlier, I'm sure a lot of wives and girlfriends would have found themselves with a pair of bling dumbbells like VeVe's under the Christmas tree. I know mine would! There's always next year...



A very Merry Christmas to all you lovely readers

Winners of 2014: Part One

Our look back at the year gone by begins with a celebration of some of the women who have fulfilled the dreams for which they have sacrificed so much and worked so hard.

IFBB Omaha Pro (Bodybuilding)
ANNE FREITAS


Her best year yet, 2014 saw Rio's freakiest Anne Freitas become the first winner of this event and then go on to her best placing at the Ms Olympia to date. She is a veritable powder keg of muscle, gushed Steve Wennerstrom in his contest report, the title of which refers to Anne as "The Brazilian Anatomy Chart". Two other South Americans won pro events before the Ms Olympia, but Anne remains the heir to Yaxeni's crown as the premier female bodybuilder from that continent.






Watch Anne's post-win interview with RxMuscle


WABBA Universe (Bodybuilding)
SILVIA MATTA


Silvia's big, curvy muscles counted against her at the NABBA Worlds in June, where she was deemed far too bodybuilder-y for the Trained Figure class and placed 5th. But those same muscular curves were the very reason the WABBA judges awarded her the Ms Universe title in Helsinki last month. What a difference a consonant makes!




Watch Silvia's ridiculously muscle sexy WABBA Universe routine


Ronnie Coleman Classic (Class A & Overall Figure)
NPC Nationals (Class C Figure)
TINA NGUYEN


Personally, I'd rather see one of Tina's own selfies (you know, one of those where's she's packed into a tight dress, or one where she's showing off her table top glutes in a thong, perhaps) than a dozen shots of her on stage, but my love for her selfies should by no means distract us from her competitive achievements in 2014. She boasts a 2 for 2 contest record this year. And while she didn't win the Overall title at the NPC Nationals (bottom four pics), she did win her class, which means Tina's an IFBB Figure pro now.






Fall in love with the Tina selfie on her Instagram


NPC Nationals (Light-Heavyweight Bodybuilding)
MIAVA NELSON


Miava Nelson is a personal trainer from Atlantic City and a former winner of Muscle Beach and New Jersey State championships. Like Tina Nguyen, "Miss Miava" won her class at the Nationals and with it her pro card. Before anything I am a lady, she says. Whether I have baby muscle or mega muscle I am a lady. Strong is sexy.






Watch Tracy Hess' interview with Miava from back in March this year


CBBF Canadian Bodybuilding Championships (Heavyweight Bodybuilding)
ROBIN HILLIS


Massive Attack! There may only have been three competitors in the Heavyweight class at the Canadian Nationals, but when those three are Robin "Triple Dee" Hillis, Caissie Liberatore and Michelle E. Russell, I think you will agree that as three-women fields go, this was one of the best (and biggest). Good to see that size (still) matters in Canada, and Robin was a worthy winner. Bodybuilding is bodybuilding. Male or female. It should be the same, she says. The complete package should win. On this occasion, it most certainly did. At 43, Ontario's most muscular is finally a pro.




Marvel at her size and cuts on her Instagram


NABBA Universe (Trained Figure Class II & Overall)
DORA RODRIGUES


And we finish today's post back in Brazil via Southport in late October, when Anne Freitas' fellow Probiotica athete, Dora Rodrigues, won her second Overall NABBA Ms Universe Figure title five years after her first. Now 33, Dora says she's been training for 19 years, and looking at her finely honed champion body, I believe her. Sadly, there are precious few pictures of the event, but at least (as always with the big NABBA shows) we have Dora in motion, which I'm sure is no small consolation.



Explore Dora's website


Six more winners in Part Two tomorrow...