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***image1***Christopher S. Martin and Sylvia L. Garcia are walking billboards for body building, power lifting and lifestyle change.
People are always coming up to the pair asking them questions about how they train, what they eat and a myriad of questions relating to body building and power lifting, and that’s just fine with them.
“It’s so rewarding,” said Garcia, fitness coordinator, 417th Base Support Battalion, Kitzingen. “We see the potential and when that person taps into it with what advice or guidance we have given them, nothing tops that.”
Prior Marines, Martin and Garcia work out from an hour to two hours, five days a week. They traveled three hours Saturday to do their training at the 415th BSB Rhine Ordnance Barracks Fitness Center.
They were here to check out the area because they will be judges at the U.S. Forces in Europe Body Building Competition hosted by the 415th BSB Sports and Fitness Office Oct. 16 at the KMC Onstage, Kleber Kaserne.
As judges, they will be looking at muscularity, balance from top to bottom, appearance, posing abilities, muscle definition, symmetry of the right and left side, and even professionalism.
“Everything you do is viewed by the judges,” said Martin, a personal trainer in Kitzingen. “Basically, you train, diet and prepare for years and what it comes down to is one chance to impress the judges.
“You are putting yourself out there in a minimal amount of clothing for one reason and that is to be criticized,” said Martin, who will be a body building judge for the second time. “The judges aren’t going to tell you all the great things about you; they’re looking for all the wrong things about you compared to the other competitors.”
The pair has quite a list of body building titles between them.
Garcia won her class, lightweight, and overall champion at last year’s U.S. Air Forces in Europe Body Building Competition held in Mildenhall and U.S. Forces in Europe Body Building Competition held in Darmstadt. She was the 2002 U.S. Army Europe Body Building lightweight and overall champion.
Last year was also a banner year for Martin who placed fifth out of about 160 competitors in last year’s German National Body Building Competition held in Essen, Germany. He was the only American competing in last year’s German International Mr. Universe held in Cuxhaven, Germany, and he placed 10th out of about 160 competitors.
In both events, he was in the Men’s Short Class, called Männer III and IV. German competitions used height and not weight classes.
Martin won first place and overall as a lightweight in the Far East Body Building Chamiopnship in 2001 in Okinawa, Japan.
The winning pair definitely has a lot of experience for someone who is interested in body building, power lifting or just making a lifestyle change.
“Seek the knowledge. Learn as much as you can. Knowledge is everything,” said Garcia. “I’m always going to try and return what the people down the line gave to me. They gave me a chance.”
The pair said that they are willing to help anyone who has questions or want advice or even encouragement. Those interested can call Garcia or Martin at 355-8847 or 09321-305-8847. Garcia’s e-mail is Sylvia.guise@us.-army.mil. Martin’s e-mail is csmartin1020@hotmail.com.
