Alyssa Blessing
IFBB BIKINI PRO
Posted: 7/17/18
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If you are looking for some inspiration about persistence, the Alyssa Blessing's feature is that one! Alyssa competed in her first show, the 2015 NPC Cascadian Classic in Novice Bikini and won her class. The next year she decided to compete in the same show in the open and took 2nd place. Then, the same show one year later, she wins her Open class. Now, 2018 she does it one more time.. this time, winning her class the Open Bikini Overall! Alyssa then decided to take it to the National level and before you know it.. she is now an IFBB Bikini Pro after winning her very own IFBB Pro Card at the 2018 NPC Team Universe!
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1. When and why did you decide to start competing?
I decided to start competing in November 2014. I had just got out of active duty in the Marine Corps and was going through a challenging time. I knew I needed something to boost my confidence and something that I could do for me. I found a coach immediately and started prepping for the first Cascadian Classic (it was hosted at the high school I graduated at). After winning my class, I was hooked.
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I took a year off to compete at the next Cascadian Classic placing second in the open division. Then took another year off and competed at the CC again winning my class and second in the overall. Winning the overall meant a lot to me because it was my first show in my hometown. I took another year off and competed this past May winning my class and the overall. I was beyond excited and it made me hungry for my pro card.
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I competed at my first national show in Chicago at JR Nationals placing 4th. Two weeks later I competed at NPC Universe where I placed 1st in my class & winning my pro card.
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2. What makes you want to go farther in the sport?
I love the drive and the grind that it takes to get to the next step. I always love having a goal to work towards and theres so many levels to body building that you can never really be "there". I am driven to go all of the way and become Ms. Olympia.
3. What type of training do you implement during contest prep and the in the off-season?
I don't change my training style between prep and off season. I change up rep ranges between 8-10 and 12-15 based on what we are trying to achieve at that time. I lift heavy throughout the entire process, the cardio is what changes. When I am fully reversed I don't do cardio until I start prep again. My body responds very easily to it.
4. What is your favorite type of dieting meals and what is your favorite type of cheat meal?
My favorite dieting meal rotates based on how long I've been in prep. Right now its chicken breast with avocado, green beans, and mushrooms and a lot of mustard! My go to cheat meal is a burger with an egg and sweet potato fries/chips (Fireside Grill here in PDX).
5. Who are some of the people that have helped you along the way to get where you are now in life or in the sport?
I feel like each year there are rotations of people that have helped me. Family has always supported my love for the sport and I have lost and gained friends throughout the transition of beginning to compete until now.
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I have had a few coaches trying to find the right one for me and luckily this year right when I was starting prep, I found the perfect coach for me! Shane Huegly and his wife Tiffany, have been absolutely incredible through this entire prep.
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One person that has been there since day 1 of the first Cascadian Classic is Nisha Chitale. We met in the line up at the firs show and she has supported me all the way through and of course, Danielle Hite (my show mom) has been to most of my shows since we met back in 2016 and has always made sure that I am taken care of. I have met some incredible people along the way and I am very grateful for that.
6. Who or what inspires you to strive for more in the sport?
What makes me strive for more is getting better each year. I want to always be improving my physique and the level that I am on. I believe in constant improvement and with a sport like body building its important to continue to get better. Taking feedback from judges and taking a long off season each year has played a huge role in where my physique is at currently.
7. What is next for you as a competitor?
I will be making my pro debut at the Portland Classic on August 11th. I just signed 4 more contracts to compete through mid October then we will take a few months off to reset my body and jump back into it to try to make it to the Olympia is 2019.
8. What is your favorite memory good or bad while prepping or competing?
There are so many memories both good and bad. Too many to even choose one from, a funny memory was at the Cascadian Classic 2016 there was carpet stapled to the stage the night before which meant that we would be competing on carpet. Luckily I had practiced mostly on carpet and felt pretty confident with the stage being all carpet. While in the line up of first call outs, I was walking back to my spot on stage for them to call the next call outs and I tripped on a little hump that had formed. I just laughed it off and got back into my pose.
9. Any website you would like to plug, Facebook, Twitter, personal site, etc...
My Instagram is @alyssa_blessing and my training website is www.alyssabfit.com
10. Anything you would like to say to all the visitors to NPC Oregon?
We have some INCREDIBLE staff in NPC Oregon, the promoters, judges, sponsors... The shows are ran very well and if have any thoughts of competing here, I would highly suggest it!!