Happy St. Valentina's Day

A few years ago we discovered that today, February 10th, is the feast day of Saint Valentina. The ancient Latin name 'Valentina', we were delighted to learn, means "strong, vigorous and healthy", and since then we have commemorated the 10th February by 'canonising' three Valentinas - two Ukrainians and one Russian...

ST. VALENTINA OF KHARKIV



Also known as Valentina Chepiga.



One of the four European Ms Olympias in its history, and still pumping at 55.

ST. VALENTINA THE AMATEUR



Valentina Yefymchuk, 2006 NABBA Worlds and 2010 NABBA Universe champion.



That 2010 Universe was the last time the contest featured a female "Physique" (ie. Bodybuilding) class, so Valentina could still claim to be the reigning champ!

ST. VALENTINA THE SADIST



Our most recent St. Valentina is also our youngest.



Since her canonisation, Valentina Mishina has, we are pleased to report, joined the IFBB pro ranks. Already - thanks in no small part to her exceptional lower body - she has 6 2018 Olympia qualification points in the bag after a 2nd and a 4th place at (respectively) the Ferrigno Legacy and Ultimate Warriors pro events in November.



Today we celebrate "strong, vigorous and healthy" women everywhere. There's no prescriptive dogma in the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren. Pay tribute to any or all of our St. Valentinas, or to any one or more of the "strong, vigorous and healthy" women in your (real or fantasy) life. It's pretty much like any other day.

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Happy St. Valentina's Day

Readers may remember that a few years ago we discovered that today, February 10th, is the feast day of Saint Valentina. The name 'Valentina', we were delighted to learn, means "strong, vigorous and healthy", and we celebrated then by 'canonising' the first saint of the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren, our own St Valentina of Kharkiv, Valentina Chepiga, and declaring 10th February the day when we celebrate "strong, vigorous and healthy" women everywhere.



Then, exactly twelve months later another Valentina, who we dubbed St. Valentina the Amateur, and coincidentally another Ukrainian, the mighty Valentina Yefymchuk, helped us celebrate the feast of St. Valentina once again.



Well, if I keep finding Valentinas, I see no reason to stop...



A Russian St. Valentina, Valentina Mishina.




For more, see previously on FMS, and on Valentina's VK page.



And remember, there's no dogma in the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren.
Pay tribute to any or all of our St. Valentinas, or to any one or more of the "strong, vigorous and healthy" women in your (real or fantasy) life.

Pay tribute as you see fit. But pay tribute today.

Saint Valentina's Valentine's Guide

Have yourself a very happy Saint Valentine's Day with top tips for sweeping the muscle woman in your life off her feet from none other than Saint Valentina herself...

1. ROSES GET POSES


Valentina says: For success on Valentine's Day, start by saying it with flowers. I've always told my man that if he wants poses, he needs to send me roses.

2. FEED ME!


Valentina says: Feed me. Just because it's a day of love, romance and whatever, it doesn't mean I'm changing my diet, so take your muscle woman to dinner somewhere where they don't skimp on the portions. And if you are taking me out, book two restaurants - one early, one late. You don't want me getting hungry.

3. DRESSING UP



Valentina says: Any excuse to dress up and show off my muscles will do, and Valentine's is perfect. I can be your traditional Ukrainian farm girl (with kinky boots!), a classy lady in black, a rock chick, whatever. Your muscle woman will look good in everything. Just don't forget to dress yourself up too!

4. ROMANCE


Valentina says: Above all, be romantic. You don't have to spend lots of money taking me out and being flash. Honestly, some of my favourite Valentine's Day nights have been spent in a cosy dacha with a home-cooked meal, a bottle of good wine, an open fire and some good conversation... And a man who treated me like a lady and looked at me as though I were a goddess. Which, of course, I AM!

Many many thanks to the gorgeous Valentina for helping us out today. If you all follow my advice, she tells us, who knows how your night could end this Valentine's Day?



FMS wishes its lovely readers every success...

Enjoy!

Happy Saint Valentina's Day

Regular readers may remember that exactly twelve months ago, FMS discovered that today, February 10th, is the feast day of Saint Valentina. The name 'Valentina', we were delighted to learn, means 'strong, vigorous and healthy', and we celebrated then by 'canonising' the first saint of the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren, our own St Valentina of Kharkiv, Valentina Chepiga, and declaring 10th February the day when we celebrate strong, vigorous and healthy women everywhere.



And this year, as part of our celebration, the canonisation of another Saint Valentina! Again, this Valentina is from the Ukraine (coincidentally a country that could do with a miracle right now), and, like her Ms Olympia-winning compatriot, has been a champion in international female bodybuilding competition. However, unlike Valentina Chepiga, our latest Saint Valentina is an amateur, and still active.

VALENTINA YEFYMCHUK



Now, I'm no expert on how saints become saints in the Catholic (or indeed any other) church, but I'm pretty sure it's quite a long drawn-out process. Not so in this 'church'. In the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren, it takes little more (well, absolutely nothing more it seems) than a kind word from another female muscle deity and bingo, you're canonised!



Such a lovely lady we have met up a few times now and it is always a pleasure.
Lisa Cross, October 2013




Unfortunately, though, whereas the life of Saint Valentina of Kharkiv, Valentina Chepiga, has been well-documented, the life of her namesake from the Ukraine remains, despite FMS' research team's best efforts, somewhat shrouded in mystery.



However, everything we do know about Saint Valentina the Amateur comes from the most venerable source we have, Muscle Memory, where worshippers can view her contest history, or at least her international contest history, at their leisure.

top, left to right: 2006 NABBA Worlds, Winner; 2007 NABBA Universe, 4th; 2007 IBFA Worlds, Winner


bottom, left to right: 2008 and 2009 NABBA Universe, both 3rd; 2010 NABBA Universe, Winner

2013 marked her comeback to international competition at the IFBB Worlds and the Arnold Europe, but she finished outside the top six at both. However, as 2010 was the last time the 'Miss Physique' title was contested at the NABBA Universe, she could rightly claim to still be the reigning champ!

Valentina's routine at the 2010 NABBA Universe


As we pointed out last year, there's no dogma in the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren. Pay tribute to Saint Valentina of Kharkiv, to Saint Valentina the Amateur, or to any one or more of your favourite strong, vigorous and healthy women.

Pay tribute as you see fit. But pay tribute today.

We bid you Happy Saint Valentina's Day, and leave you with a little inspiration in the form of Saint Valentina the Amateur's most recent work.

Valentina in 2013 by Female-Bodybuilders.org


Enjoy!