CANADIAN PHYSIQUE ALLIANCE FALL ISSUE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER | Page 112

Juan: I am sure finding
this balance is not
easy… with balance
being a challenge, what
mindset do you take in
challenging situations? The mental and physical
energy that goes into this
sport is extreme.  It is
important for me to
remember always that I
chose to do this!
Charlene: The journey to a
competition is intense.  It
requires years of
transforming your
body, many hours in the
gym and months of very
strict dieting.  It can
become all-encompassing
and that makes it difficult
to be the best version of
oneself for friends and
family.  Juan: This is an
incredible mindset to
have and to
consistently have for
years. Have you been
competing consistently
since 2004 or have you
taken breaks in
between?
Charlene: There was a
time in my life where I
took a hiatus from the
world of competitions. 
Partly, it was because I needed
a break from the energy
output that is required and
partly because the judging
became unpredictable.  The
unpredictability made
it extremely hard to know
what the judges were looking
for and thus quite a
frustrating experience.  I
appreciate how the sport is
working towards clearer
expectations and transparency
in how winners are selected. 
During my time away from the
stage, I remained committed
to the training of both myself
and that of my clients.  I
believe in the benefits of a
strong body.  It feeds my body,
mind and soul and is not
something that ever goes by
the wayside for me.  It is just
what I do and has become a
very important part of my
daily routine. It is very much a
part of who I am.
Juan: What made you want
to compete again and how
did preparing for a show
differ this time around
from when you did it prior
to the break?
Charlene: During my six year
hiatus away from competing,
we moved to a new province, I
acquired a new career and
settled into a new gym.  I
couldn’t ever seem to shake
the feeling that competing was
still part of my future and so
contest prep began in 2018.