WARRIORS CORNER – TASHA MARIE MCALLISTER

I originally became interested in competing because I fell in love with the gym and lifting and wanted to challenge myself to a higher level of fitness!

I learned about TEAM Warrior Within from my friend Kelly from my gym (24 Hour Fitness, Annapolis).  I told her I needed to find a new coach ASAP and she referred me to TWW!  Rebecca Mitchell is my coach.

I felt the connection with Rebecca instantly.  I loved working with her.  If I had a question she responded right away.  I am grateful and blessed to have her as my coach.

The hardest part of prep was juggling work and raising my kids.  Having to juggle that and still make it to the gym was the challenge everyday, but prepping made me more organized to get everything done.

When times got hard, I would look for motivation from my coach, my TWW family, and other competitor friends.  I leaned on them a ton!  Plus my kids would remind me what I was working towards on a daily basis.

For somebody looking to get involved with competing, I would advise them to be patient, trust your coach, and ask questions in order to understand the process.  Pick a show, commit and register.  It’s a process that takes time.

During my show prep, I learned a lot about my mental strength.  I definitely had to push myself past my weaknesses, especially on the days where I was tired and didn’t want to go to the gym.  I also learned to be patient and how disorganized I was before I started prepping.  I was a mess!  Becoming a competitor has not only disciplined me in the gym but also in my personal life.

I want to thank Rebecca, my coach, for believing in me more than I believed in myself!  I truly have found a wonderful coach/family.  My TWW family, Jocelyn, Melanie, and Nika!  Jocelyn drove three and a half hours to be with me the entire time supporting me.  She was my second set of eyes while I was on the stage and kept me in check and calmed my nerves.  I would also like to thank my posing coach Janet Lynn West.  She really helped bring out my inner bikini personality and I look forward to working on my stage presence with her.

Moving forward, I plan on stepping on stage as much as possible; building a better me; and having fun during the process.  My ultimate goal is to earn my IFBB pro card.