CHRISTY DEHENZEL – WARRIOR’S CORNER

I first grew interested in competing because my best friend had just completed her first show and told me about TEAM Warrior Within posing clinics on Sunday morning. I attended a clinic and met her trainer, Nikki. It was the BEST decision of my life! From the second I walked in the door, I knew that this was where I belonged. I love to lift and competing is an incredible added bonus to that.

Nikki is my coach. I spoke with her after I attended my first posing clinic and I was immediately hooked. Her demeanor, love for lifting and competing, and passion for her clients was surreal. Nikki is more than just my coach, she is family. I can ask her anything and I never get a half-assed response. The BEST part is her honesty, there’s no bullshit with her. She will tell you the truth but you can tell how much she cares for you too. I know that this woman dedicates her life to her clients and it speaks for itself. My training life, let alone my life in general would not be the same without her. She pushes me to my limits and I want it! We have worked through many different meals plans as my body is particular and found out that high fats work incredibly well for me! Nikki has been there for any question I may have or even if I just need to vent about life.

The hardest part of prepping for my shows was the last month and it’s only due to feeling tired. I love to lift heavy but when your cardio is at 60 minutes of HIIT, your food is at an ultimate low, carbs are nonexistent, and sleep is hard because you pee 24/7, it can lead to pure exhaustion. You have to be driven by yourself ONLY! A support system is key but when it all comes down to it, if you are not HUNGRY for this life, you will fail.

Motivation for me starts with Nikki and my boyfriend. They listen to me vent but they also know how incredibly hungry I am for this life. One of the best and most incredible things is being part of a team. I feel so much support from fellow warriors that do not know me at all but we are all part of the same team. It’s like being part of a badass lifting gang! When I am not happy about where I am in my progress, I take it one day at a time. I know that sounds silly but honestly you have to start fresh the next day. I tell myself that I will make all my meals, be the best at my career, and DESTROY my lift that night. I leave my problems on the weight rack. Nikki is always honest with me and she is so incredibly encouraging. With her, I feel like I have everything I need at my fingertips, a mentor, a coach, a psychologist, family, a best friend, and more.

For those looking to get involved in competing, I would tell them that a lot of people will expect you to fail and you may lose a lot of friends. With that said, you will GAIN more than you ever had in your life: self-confidence, a family of warriors, and a sense of self-worth that you didn’t even realize was there. The best part is the love of lifting. I haven’t met a competitor that says “I hate to lift”. They might hate cardio but lifting is a way of life and an incredible stress reliever. The fact that I can see myself get stronger weekly is incredible. You feel like you can take on the world and before you know it, this incredible love for lifting has made you a happier person which affects your job, family, and everything else in a positive way.

I have always known that I am a driven person but you don’t realize what you are made of until you push yourself to the ultimate limits. During prep, I had no idea how hard it would be. You cut food, chug gallons of water, weigh every single thing you consume and constantly have other people tell you that “you have too much muscle”. I also received a lot of eye rolling and negative comments that I can’t just “try” one bite of something bad. Why is it that hard for people to accept a goal and stick to it? Most people will never understand this life and you must accept that. They can’t commit to a small goal so they can’t wrap their mind around a LIFE dedication.

I would like to thank God because without Him I couldn’t do anything. I thank God every day for Nikki. She is more than family and I know that I am forever grateful to have her in my life. My boyfriend has been my “ride or die” since the moment he stepped in my life. A support system is a discredit to how much this man has been there for me. Josh, I love you!

I am in off season right now so I plan to GROW! I want to take the bull by the horns on this off season and hit the stage next year shredded! Offseason is great because you can literally watch yourself gain strength. It helps that things like an adult beverage here and there and a cheat meal every so often are allowed. Holy shit, I missed a weekly sushi meal! Right now, I am trying to get my body adjusted to the mass amount of food that I am ingesting daily. Nikki is slowly increasing it weekly because I was without carbs for so long. It has been a struggle to get my meals in but I trust her fully. However, I am noticing that because I am eating more, I can lift heavier and I am growing. A lot of people think that off season is just an excuse to get fat which is complete bullshit. If you have an incredible coach like mine, they will progress your food slowly and will figure out what works with your body. I am sitting 25 pounds heavier than stage weight and I feel strong as an ox! Nikki has spent countless hours helping me adjust my diet over the past year.