Running track to running the stage
Wendy Fortino – professional Figure competitor – 5x Olmpia competitor – 2x IFBB Champion – owner of CyberBodyShop and PolishedPresentation. Legend of the stage, Red Light Therapy enthusiast, former track star and M.S. in exercise physiology! This is a lady who knows what she is talking about. This shows on the stage and in every aspect of her professional life. The USA born superstar is well-known for her strong, muscular, look on-stage – in photos and throughout her fitness career.
planned changes…….
Wendy had enjoyed her competitive ‘spark’ since she was 7, in various disciplines such as, gymnastics and competitive track and field.
“I have been obsessed about being fit and in shape since I can remember. I loved beating the boys at arm wrestling and push-up contests and loved showing off some definition in my arms so that I could feel like a powerful girl and not be bullied by the boys.”
Tragedy struck in 2008, as Wendy went down, injured, during one of her track races. Fear overwhelmed her as she waited patiently to have the severity of the injury diagnosed. Unfortunately this was what had now ended her promising track career.
“I competed in track during high school, college, and in graduate school. Track was my hobby and obsession. I had high hopes to see how far I could go in the 800-meter race. My final “race” was in 2008 when I was aiming to compete in the Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, I suffered from a stress fracture which was a normal occurrence for me in track”.
Drive and ambition weren’t happened upon during Wendy’s life, and now, she needed a new ‘itch to scratch’. Because of this, she started looking for new ways to satiate her competitive ‘thirst’. This led her to discovering other aspects of fitness.
Off-Season vs. In-Season prep isn’t hugely different for Wendy. While in the off-season, Wendy would allow herself to gain weight (around five to seven pounds), but never through over-indulging. Avoiding highly processed and unnecessarily sugar-laden foods, she manages to keep within her healthiest weight of around 120lb at the top end. Her most comfortable weight is reported to be around 115lb’s. She never allows herself to weigh more than 120lbs. as a contests near, though, she would look to aim for an on-stage body weight of close to 110lbs – realistically she wouldn’t tend to go lower than this as (shown in the accompanying pictures) she is already very lean with maximum muscle fullness. Any lower and she loses the shape which has bought her many successes over the years. Nutrient rich and filled with protein and healthy fats, her foods are clean and aid in her crisp- year- round look.
Wendy won 3 overall titles before moving up to the national level and having an attempt to earn her professional status. With 3 wins already under her belt, Wendy faced a stronger field now, at only her 4th national level show, Wendy won again – earning her professional status by winning the 2011 NPC USA Overall title! Wendy went on to make her IFBB professional debut in spring of 2012.
running the world – from track to stage
Key Accomplishments
Exercise Physiology (Masters degree)
Undergraduate Degrees in Kinesiology and Art
Exercise Physiologist. Health and Fitness Specialist. Personal Training through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)
Contest History (2008-2015)
2015 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 16th
2015 IFBB Tahoe Show Pro, 4th
2015 IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, 2nd
2015 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro, 4th
2015 IFBB California Governors Cup Pro, 2nd
2014 IFBB Olympia Weekend, 14th
2014 IFBB Tahoe Pro Figure, 2nd
2014 IFBB PBW Tampa Pro, 5th
2014 IFBB Wings of Strength Chicago Pro, 2nd
2014 IFBB Emerald Cup Pro, 3rd
2014 IFBB California Governors Cup Pro, 15th
2013 IFBB Tahoe Pro Figure Show, 6th
2013 IFBB California State Pro Figure, 10th
2013 IFBB California Governors Cup Pro Figure, 2nd
2012 IFBB California Pro Figure, 11th
2012 IFBB California Governors Cup, 7th
2011 NPC USA Championships, 1st (PRO)
2011 NPC Team Universe & National Fitness Championships, 4th
2010 NPC USA Championships, 4th
2009 NPC USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships, 6th
2009 NPC California State Bodybuilding, Figure and Fitness Championships, 1st
2009 NPC Contra Costa Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships, 1st
2008 NPC San Francisco Championships, 1st
A Wendy Fortino Q & A
Can you tell us about your journey to becoming a top figure competitor?
My journey has been very exciting with many “ups and downs” and likely why I continue to compete. I find myself improving with each defeat and appreciating every success. I competed in track during high school, college, and in graduate school. Track was my hobby and obsession. I had high hopes to see how far I could go in the 800-meter race. My final “race” was in 2008 when I was aiming to compete in the Olympic Trials. Unfortunately, I suffered from a stress fracture which was a normal occurrence for me in track. I was bummed out but figured I would heal and return to aim for my next goals. Lucky for me, I began dating my now husband a bodybuilder. He encouraged me to try competing in a figure competition happening at the 2008 NPC San Francisco Championships that he was preparing for. After winning the Overall Title in my first contest, I was hooked.
What do you love about being a figure competitor?
I love that I can embrace so many strengths I had shied away from in the past. Growing up, I was always very athletic and very muscular. I was also very much into beauty and makeup and had a ridiculous lip gloss collection by the age of 9! I remember getting teased and made fun of, but I would also get a lot of positive attention for my athletic abilities. I would think, “I wish I could do something that allowed me to be both strong and beautiful!” However, I would learn over time and a lot of experience that we each have the power to create our own version of beautiful. That is what this sport has done for me. It has given me an incredible platform to pave the way for other women to show them that strong and powerful can most certainly meet grace and beauty. These things are not mutually exclusive.
Have you experienced any downsides to the bodybuilding lifestyle?
I think that the downsides include the fact that it is so difficult to help people understand the type of commitment that is required. It is in our nature to gravitate toward information that caters to our desire to take the path of least resistance. Not that I’m saying we should try to make it harder for ourselves. We need to be realistic about what we can do based on what we are willing to commit to. I want people to protect themselves from individuals who try to take advantage of our human desires. For example, if a trainer were to tell a woman who is looking to lose 30 pounds she could do it without changing her diet or training, then I believe the trainer would essentially be trying to take advantage of her human desire. We all want it to be easier, but at the same time, it takes someone who genuinely cares to say it will be difficult, but also rewarding and you will learn so much about yourself along the way!
(ALL CREDITS TO THE AUTHOR, FULL INTERVIEW AVAILABLE ONLINE).
a game of 2 options…
Wendy Believes that “Once we feel defeated, we have 2 options”:
1.Push forward, improve, and continue fighting for our goal again. The value of our goal is so great, that we cannot imagine backing off that easily.
2. Decide that the alternative (stopping and moving on in another direction) is more appealing. The value of doing something else is greater than the value of our goal.
Wendy was convinced to strive for competition in bodybuilding in 2008, by her (then) boyfriend – and now husband – Matt Allen. Matt and Wendy married in 2010 and he is a body transformation specialist, and co-owner of Cyber Bodyshop- along with Wendy. While she had been active her whole life in other areas like athletics, dance, and gymnastics, Matt believed that (given her inability to compete on the track), Wendy needed a competitive outlet for her energy. He saw enough to know that with a little convincing, she could be a competitive force on the stage!
“I like to get to know someone that I admire to make the experience of admiration more real,”
Wendy has her own idols in the industry, two of which are known names to many – Ray Arde, and Mark Byers, competitive bodybuilders, and close friends.
Wendy states that her admiration for her friends comes from their own struggles in life. They pushed through, fought back and became successful! This is the recipes Wendy has employed in her own successes, spurred on by the support from her husband.
Her trials caused her to readjust her own belief system. This (readjustment period) allowed her to get to a point in her life where she became of the opinion that we never get to a point in life in which we can “overpower” doubts that we have in ourselves. Likewise, she believed, our weakest moments can embolden the weakest people who pray for a crack in our armour – for that reason, ‘it is always up to us to dig deep and separate our true passions from the energies waiting on the side-lines rooting for us to fall’.
We all “think” we want something badly, but nothing can compare to the lengths in which people will go to continue fighting for something that has “high stakes”. The higher the stakes, the harder many will fight for it. For some the motivation is money, others’ it can be the fear of failure. For Wendy, the early setbacks made her more determined to succeed. She believed that those setbacks primed her for her future – they made her value those successes even more and made her work harder to achieve those results. Others may find early success allows them to ‘pull back’ on their efforts – but success and failure had an equal impact on Wendy. She was never going to quit anyway, so it didn’t matter if there were setbacks or she was always No.1 – she remained true to her beliefs and they served her well!