Where and when were you born?
Julia Hubbard: Stafford, England 1976. I now live in Devon.
What is your profession?
Julia Hubbard: Personal Trainer/ Fitness Expert
What do you do for fun that does not relate to the sport, do you have any hobbies?
Julia Hubbard: I love to travel, read autobiographies- I love learning about people’s lives and how they achieved the goals and I love going to the Cinema too.
How and when did you get involved in weight training?
Julia Hubbard: My athletics coach introduced me to weight training when I was 15, I have trained in the Gym using weights as part of my training for sprints and bobsleigh ever since.
How often do you train and could you give a brief overview of your weekly workout?
Julia Hubbard: I train 6 days a week. Pre-contest I will train twice a day, I split my training into individual muscles and mainly do circuits / HIIT / track sprints and walking for cardio. I split my legs into two sessions so i can keep the intensity up, quads one session and glutes / hams in separate session. I hit abs once a week in a session on their own.
Sample pre-contest week:
Mon am quads pm track session
Tuesday am hams/glutes pm chest
Wed am Back pm cardio
Thursday am Shoulders pm abs / cardio
Fri am Biceps pm cardio
Sat am Triceps pm cardio / circuit
Sun rest
Out of competition I will do more track training and power weights using Olympic lifts for my sprinting and work on my weaker body parts ready for my next figure competition.
How critical is a good diet in this sport and why?
Julia Hubbard: A good diet is essential as when you train hard, you need to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need to recover, to get the best results out of your training and to stay healthy. I’m vegetarian, so I take special care to ensure I get good quality varied protein in my diet. Before i started my competition prep I had never been on a diet, I just ate healthy! I dieted down gradually reducing carbs right down in the last few weeks, I aimed to be ready a couple of weeks early so i would be well prepared. I have a few treats once a week during contest prep, it helps me stay focused and stick to the diet! Of season I will try not to put on too much weight but be a bit more relaxed with my diet, whilst ensuring I am getting all the vital nutrients my body needs.
What is your favorite workout and why?
Julia Hubbard: I love training legs! My favorite session is to incorporate plyometrics into my weights session! For example I will follow Squats with hops or tuck jumps, really finishes my workout off well and keeps some explosiveness in my legs!
Do you train harder for competition preparation versus training in the offseason?
Julia Hubbard: It’s my first year in the sport, but I won’t be changing the intensity. Because I compete in track as well as figure, I will periodise my training so I can peak for my figure competitions and the track season. As a result I won’t get much ‘off season’ time, so I keep the intensity up to make the most out of the little offseason I do get so I can make the improvements I need to!
Did you want to compete from the day you started or did you gradually come in to it?
Julia Hubbard: I have trained with weights since I was 15, it was tailored specifically to improve my sprinting first for track and then for Bobsleigh. I competed for Great Britain in Bobsleigh for 3 years and illness put me out in Olympic year, someone at the gym suggested I try a figure competition, to give me a goal to aim for as I was so disappointed not to make the national team last winter. In January this year I started to train specifically for my first competition.
When and what was your first competition and how did you do?
Julia Hubbard: My first competition was April 2010, I did a qualifier for NABBA and came second, I was so nervous my legs were shaking- so much my friends in the audience thought I might fall off my 5 inch heels! By the time prejudging was done, I had much more confidence and really enjoyed performing my free routine; at the evening show...I was hooked!
How often do you compete now?
Julia Hubbard: I’m still planning next year’s competition diary, I have already qualified for the 2011 British UKBFF finals but want to try some other competitions for experience.
Could you list the competitions you have competed in and your placement?
NABBA West area Trained Figure 2010 2nd (qualified for NABBA Britain)
UKBFF Body power Comp. 2010 Figure 2nd
UKBFF British Champs 2010
UKBFF Mr/ Ms Hercules 2010 Figure 2nd (qualified for 2011 British Final)
In your opinion what is your best body part?
Julia Hubbard: Abs...in competition shape I love the way my abs look!
Is women’s bodybuilding as respected as men’s bodybuilding or is it criticized more?
Julia Hubbard: I’m too new to the sport to have a strong opinion on this, I think in any sport, as more women participate and the standard improves, the sport gets more respect as a result. Everyone seems to have an opinion on how a woman bodybuilder should look, it’s not as straight forward as in the mens sport. Figure seems very subjective and across federations, the look the judges ask for does vary. Figure in the UK generally follows the USA standard, but for us to earn a pro card we need to compete in the Europeans and Worlds, which requires a much harder, leaner look, it can seem very complicated to a newbie!
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Julia Hubbard: I have just been appointed mentor / coach to the British Bobsleigh Youth Olympic Winter Games Team, so I will be traveling with the team as they train and compete in preparation for the Games in 2012. I have just set up my Personal Training Business so I will be developing this. I am also training for World Masters Track Champs in Sacramento 2011 and I see myself competing internationally in both Figure and Track over the next few years. I’d love to earn my pro card and compete in the USA!
*Images are from Photo Flex*
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