"Publisher's Page" by Doug Schneider
Physique Canada’s New Tier 1 Elite Stars
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- Created: 01 July 2013 01 July 2013
I’m writing this on June 29, exactly one week since the 2013 Physique Canada National Classic was held in the main theater at the beautiful Canadian Museum of Civilization, which is located in Gatineau, Quebec. This year’s National Classic was Physique Canada’s third national-level event and, as with all the previous events, it was drug tested under the strict rules of the organization’s doping-control program. Physique Canada is all about drug-free sport and competing on a level playing field.
Michele Steeves Interviewed
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- Created: 01 May 2013 01 May 2013
Physique Canada’s inaugural event, the National Classic, was held last year on June 16. It was there that dozens of competitors turned up to take part in this history-making event and to begin a competitive career path within the Physique Canada tier system. Physique Canada’s tier system begins at Tier 3, which is for novice competitors, and goes up to Tier 1 Elite, which is for the more advanced competitors. Tier 1 Elite also has the added benefit of prize money ($1000 for each Tier 1 Elite class winner) and the ability to progress to the international level through Physique Canada’s international affiliate, the WBPF.
Probably the most-talked-about category in that event was Tier 1 Elite women’s muscular physique. It was in that class that day that relative-unknown Michele Steeves reigned triumphant over the other experienced competitors on the stage to become the first-ever winner of that class. And to prove it wasn’t some sort of luck, Michele competed again in the same category in the fall at the 2012 Physique Canada Canadian Championships and won all over again. As a result, within one year, Michele proved that she was a female physique force to be reckoned with.
Simon Proteau Interviewed
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- Created: 01 March 2013 01 March 2013
Last fall, Quebec’s Simon Proteau made quite an impact on Canada’s bodybuilding scene when he competed as a Tier 1 Elite athlete at Physique Canada’s 2012 Canadian Championships, which were held on October 20 in the main theater at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. It was there that Simon came up against Rob DeLuca, Physique Canada’s Tier 1 Elite winner at the 2012 National Classic held at the same place earlier that year in June, and gave him a run for his money for that first-place trophy. Simon couldn’t match Rob’s flawless proportions and outstanding muscle density, but he was more defined and slightly drier, which resulted in a 3-2 decision in DeLuca’s favor. (Physique Canada is the only organization in Canada that openly discloses the judges’ individual scores.)
That runner-up finish to DeLuca served notice that Simon is a formidable competitor who has what it takes to win in 2013, which is exactly what he’s hoping to do, since he’s currently preparing for the Physique Canada National Classic to be held on June 22. So, given Simon’s top-level status and promising future, I recently invited him to The Saint gym in Ottawa for a training photoshoot, and I asked him to do an interview. Some of the training shots have already appeared on this site. Here is what he had to say:
What a Picture is Really Worth
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- Created: 01 April 2013 01 April 2013
We all know the saying about a picture being worth a thousand words. For some things, yes, but not when it comes to bodybuilding.
While it’s true that a single picture can tell a story that would otherwise take many words to describe, I believe that a single picture can capture and convey something that no number of words can do justice to. A great picture also captures a moment that will never happen again – a snippet of time is frozen and immortalized. The photo on our cover, of Scott Doucette at the 2012 Physique Canada Canadian Championship, is an example of this. Photographer Dave Paul nailed the timing perfectly as Scott hit the abdominal-and-thigh pose, solidifying that moment forever. The picture that's featured above right, which was also shot by Dave Paul and used as an Iron Shot last December, is another example. Will that ever happen with Simon Proteau, Carlo Lombard, and Rob DeLuca again? Luckily, Dave was there to capture it.
Canadian Bombshell – Nadine Young Reflects
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- Written by Doug Schneider Doug Schneider
- Created: 01 February 2013 01 February 2013
Every year, thousands of competitors enter physique competitions, but only a handful of them are remembered after they walk off the stage. One of those who is not only remembered, but also revered, is Canadian Nadine Young, who first came to our attention in 2010.
Nadine’s unique combination of exceptional muscularity and movie-star good looks has made her popular on the stage – Nadine competes successfully in figure in a variety of organizations, as well as in fitness modeling in SAF (SeriousAboutFitness.com), which is where she’s gained a lot of attention and fame. She’s just as popular off the stage – Nadine is one of SeriousAboutMuscle.com’s top models, having appeared in the “Hot Shots” galleries several times, and is highly regarded by famed physique photographer Paul Buceta, who has photographed her several times, including a feature for Oxygen magazine in 2012, where she was the focus of a multi-page training spread. Nadine’s images are also the most-viewed on the SeriousAboutFitness.com site.
Nadine’s fitness career is currently in full swing, and her popularity continues to rise. As a result, we continue to expect big things from Nadine in 2013, so I personally contacted her in January in order to discuss her fast rise in popularity and what it has meant to her. Here is what she said: