On August 13, 2005, Dana Georges, a 19 year old boy, hired me to help him train for his first Bodybuilding show which was to take place in Manchester, NH on September 24, 2005 by NPC. He explained that he needed someone that could provide him with all of his pre-show preparations, from training and diet to posing, choreography and so on.   After we got started and began to chat, he told me that his younger sister, Susan Georges, was also interested in getting more i nvolved in fitness. I informed him that they also have a female class target towards a more natural athletic look, or “Figure”, and they would have that same class in his show as well. One week after he told his sister Sue about the Figure class, we began our training, with her first session being held on August 26. After talking with Sue I came to find out that she already lived a healthy lifestyle. She watched what she ate and was careful to avoid sugar and fast food. I also discovered that she already had some knowledge about vitamins and supplements. I inquired about her current fitness routine and she informed me that currently she was only running for her workouts. However, she assured me that she was aware that she needed to gain some muscle mass and tone up her body fast and was ready and willing to work hard in order to be prepared for her show which was quickly approaching on September 24, merely one month away. I warned her that it would not be an easy journey, but she just gave me a smile and replied, “1 like a good challenge. I think I’ll be fine.”

Within a matter of weeks Sue was doing it all. Her days consisted of a 30 minute run in the morning, followed by weightlifting in the afte! rnoon and posing and learning how to do the quarter turns in the evening, all during which time she was following a strict diet. But that was only half of her daily agenda. In addition to all of the training and hard work she was doing, Sue was also a full time student during the day and a volunteer at a nursing home 2 times a week. Sue’s determination and dedication were leading factors in her road to success. She never ceased to amaze me. Whether it was how she began squatting 80 lbs in the first week of weight-training ever in her life and finished with 160 lbs within three and a half weeks of training, or how she did it all with a smile on her face and not a complain , she was truly an inspiration to watch. She was so focused on achieving her goal that the pain seemed to disappear. You could see the determination on her face as the reps got longer and the weight got heavier, she would close her eyes and finish the job, picturing herself on the stage and doing well ! to get her through the pain. That was all the training she needed. She already had a very natural smile and her walk was very smooth, along with her poses. She made my job easy. Being a bodybuilder myself, I found it was easy to show her and her brother, Dana, how to engage their lats, legs, abs and so on. She and Dana were fast learners with pleasant, positive attitudes which enabled them to embrace every single challenge that was presented to them.

Since I was also competing in the same show with Dana, but in different class, their father invited me to spend the night over at their house before the show so we could all go to the show together. After meeting Sue and Dana’s parents, I realized what made them so strong minded and determined. I learned that their father Dana Sr. was once a bodybuilder himself at a younger age and was also a very focused person. Meanwhile, their mother Kathy was the cutest, most friendly lady you could ever meet with the greatest attitude towards people. Sue and Dana were both lucky enough to be the perfect combinations of good genetics and amazing personalities, which they had obviously gotten from each of their parents. They made Sue and Dana what they are today… not only great looking kids, but all around focused, determined and wonderful people to be around. They are proof that the environment that you grow up in has an overwhelming affect on the person you become, and in their case it was just perfect to create who Sue and Dana are today.

We spent the day on Friday taking care of our color and revising our poses. Saturday morning after we applied a coat of “Dream Tan” (one of the most important steps to make you look good on the stage) I told them both to put a “loose shirt and pants” so it could take off some of the excess color without rubbing it all out. We got ready, brought some pre-show food and were on our way. The only thing that I asked Sue to bring with her was her posing suits, but luckily she remembered her small bag of makeup and her hair brush. As we got to the show, I could tell that Sue was a bit uncomfortable and intimidated by her Figure competitors. They were decked out in their Puma, Nike and Adidas outfits, looking like athletes going to the Olympic games, with tons of make up on, big huge bags filled with more make up and clothes, hair dryers, curling irons, and anything else you could image. Sue looked at me with a sad look in her face and said, “I think I should have worn something other than this sweatshirt and maybe should have put on some more make up.” I assured her that she had nothing to worry about and that she would be fine. I told her she would not be judged on her appearance or performance now, and that she would be fine on the stage. Of course Dana and I at this point were just relaxing because thank God we didn’t have to worry about wearing heels and putting on make up. LOL

As the pre-meeting came to an end and the doors for the rooms opened for the Figures to get ready, there was a big “catfight” between the girls to find the best mirror and the best spot to get ready, It was quite vicious! Again, Sue had that uncertain and shy look on her face once there was no room left for her to get ready. However I again assured her that she would shine on stage and told her to hang out with her brother and I in the “pump up room” so that we could help her get ready. Dana and I proceeded to touch up her color while she attended to her make up and she began to calm down a little. Sue opened up her tiny make up bag, did her “magic”, brushed her hair and lined up with the other “Tall Class Figures” for the 2-piece suit round.    Before Sue went on stage I told her…,”This is it. Block everything else from your mind and remember what you have been training hard for in the past month. Just show them everything you know and have fun.” I then ran to stand next to her parents and brother, and watched a! s the 15 girls walked onto the stage. As they stopped and faced the judges, you couldn’t help but notice the beautiful, radiant smile from number 25, Sue. At one point during the show, one of Sue’s friends in the audience screamed...”Number 25 is only 17 years old!” That was enough to instantly make Sue the audience favorite. The whole crowd was astonished at how such a young girl could be so well toned and confident. As the judges called for the turns and the poses, number 25, Sue, was instantly moved from the far end of the line in towards the middle, which was a sign that she was among the leaders. I was paying close attention to her every move, trying to pinpoint any mistakes she made in her poses, but there were none. You could tell that she was confident up on stage with a professional, proud look on her face and her poses were perfectly executed, as if she had been doing this for years.

The judges then asked all the ladies to walk to the back of the s! tage and started calling the top five. My heart was racing. They called forth 4 numbers and the final one was our Sue! She made it to the next round of symmetry which consisted of more poses and before I knew it the judges has placed Sue in 3dr place. It was simply way too much for my heart to take. But that wasn’t the end of it. Later on they had a second round with one-piece suits, which resulted in the same outcome. The judges moved Sue around and liked what they saw from her, but the one-piece suite that she had was just a bit too loose and it ended up hurting her in the final scores.    To make a long story short, little Sue placed 4th overall out of 15 girls, most of who were experienced and 25 years old and up. It was now Dana’s turn and he simply looked like a pro on the stage with perfect poses, perfect color and a huge smile and look of confidence on his face.    For bodybuilders the most nerve-wracking moment is when you have to do your pose routine. I! t is the only time that you are completely by yourself on the stage, and you have about 90 seconds to perform a choreographic routine while positioning your body in a nice way that will show everyone your body’s strengths and art form.    As Dana came to the stage there was complete silence as he awaiting the start of his routine. As the slow but dramatic song began, you could hear the crowd whispering in amazement. He was symbolic of the perfect artistic Roman Gladiator on the stage and even the announcer of the show made a comment that he was the best one so far. In the end, Dana took 2nd place in NH State as a Heavyweight and 1st as a Junior. Overall, it was an amazing day. The focus of the day was on Sue and Dana because I was only competing to warm up for my season. However, to my surprise and delight, I placed 5th in the Light-heavy weight class. I could not fight the tears I could feel building in my eyes. It was so inspiring to watch both kids grow so much on the stage, Sue and Dana, had so many tasks to accomplish in so little time. Not once did they give up and the more I pushed them, the more determined they became.

I’m not trying to say that Sue or Dana are the best out there or that they should have won the show, but what makes me so amazed about this whole story is that Sue and Dana had one thing that we all struggle with at times…the determination, courage and persistence to accomplish our goals.
  
Sue only had four weeks to train, which is much less than most people. However, her determination to accomplish a goal was more than enough to get her to where she needed to be for the show. She is now hooked on fitness and she is thinking about becoming a personal trainer. She is already talking about competing next year in the Teens Nationals, but I told not to waste her time with teens and assured her that she was more than ready to step it up and compete with the “big girls.”
  
Dana is taking some time off and is concentrating on getting bigger…“like he needs”… the kid is huge by nature.
  
As for me, I can’t wait to meet other inspired youths out there with the same dedication and drive to train and compete in shows.
  
I hope that this story will somehow bring inspiration to some other young kids out there, or be an example to parents, showing them what a well brought up kid can do to their life. There are so many young kids out there who get lost, taking the wrong steps towards the future of their lives. I can only hope that this story will somehow help them to learn the basics of how to achieve any difficult goal. Just remember….with hard work and determination, nothing is impossible!
  
Rolando Amorim