Kerrin Feather
NPC BIKINI
Posted: 6/21/17
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Kerrin Feather is one of the rising Bikini stars that you do now want to underestimate! She brings in a National level physqiue at every show she does and she has done very well in the Pacitic Northwest! After a few shows in Oregon and Washington, she ventured down to California and won her class at the 2017 NPC NorCal then moved on and snagged a top 5 spot at the NPC Junior Nationals in Chicago, Illinois.
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Keep an eye for Kerrin this summer as she may sneak into another National level show and potentially walk away with her very own IFBB Pro card and join the ranks with many of Oregon's great IFBB Pros!
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1. When and why did you decide to start competing?
I decided to start competing Christmas of 2014. I had spent the previous two years after graduating college in a toxic relationship that took up a lot of my time and left me feeling at an all-time low. I wanted to get involved in something positive and challenging that would potentially be empowering. I had heard about the bikini division of bodybuilding in college from a friend who had gone pro in the sport. Her transformation was extremely inspiring. I wanted to learn how to get my body to transform like that and prove to myself I could follow through and accomplish the goal of stepping on stage. I announced at Christmas dinner to my family that I was going to compete in my first bodybuilding competition in 2015; I’m sure they had no idea what I was talking about at the time.
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2. What makes you want to go farther in the sport?
At first I started out just wanting to prove to myself I could follow through and accomplish the goal of stepping on stage. Once I stepped on stage, I knew that accomplishing this goal was just the beginning of a lifelong fitness journey for me. I still remember the rush of adrenaline stepping out under the lights at my first show, Vancouver USA Naturals, in the spring of 2015. I had worked hard for months in the gym and kitchen to get to that moment and was so proud of myself yet wanted more – I wanted to improve. To this day, I am driven with passion to improve myself for every show and always bring a better package. There is something about the process leading up to a show and experience of competing that is so emotionally powerful and fulfilling. Bodybuilding has become a lifestyle for me and after years of hard work, I still get that rush of adrenaline stepping on stage that makes this challenging lifestyle so rewarding.
3. What type of training do you implement during contest prep and the in the off-season?
During contest prep I tend to shift into more of a lower weight, higher rep training regimen. I still try to lift as much weight as possible but I am usually feeling more fatigued being at a caloric deficit and naturally can’t lift as much closer to a show. The week before a show I will transition entirely to pump workouts and simply get the muscles full of blood without breaking down tissue. When I transition to an off-season or improvement season I start implementing more carbs back into my diet and with that comes a lot more strength and energy that I utilize at the gym. I will transition into a strength training plan and start to work on increasing or maintaining my weights every lift cycle. I’ll shoot for a rep range with every lift and go to failure within that range or I didn’t go heavy enough. I saw a lot of muscle mass improvements utilizing this style of training plan last improvement season.
4. What is your favorite type of dieting meals and what is your favorite type of cheat meal?
I love food in general. I suppose I’m always technically dieting or eating towards my goals in prep and during an improvement or off-season. I use My Fitness Pal app to track my macronutrients and adjust my macros depending on what stage of the process I’m in to coax my body towards my goals. Because I utilize flexible dieting or IIFYM I’m able to eat anything I want to achieve my macro ranges for a day. Before Northern California Championships I was enjoying implementing more carbohydrates with Lenny and Larry protein cookies! I’m a huge fan of Kodiak power cakes, protein smoothies, cheese puffs, halo top ice cream, Dave’s killer bread, pizza, and cheeseburgers.
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’ve been working with Cem Eren at Gem Fitness, also known as the Lion’s Den, for 2 years now, 2x per week. Gem Fitness is a private gym facility in Tigard, OR with some of the best posterior chain lifting equipment around. Cem has helped me unlock my potential as an athlete by helping me with glute activation and muscle mind connection. He also offered me my first personal training position as the only other trainer at his gym. I am honored to work alongside such a great mentor. When I’m not training with Cem, I train with my fiancé, Chris Phillips. Chris and I actually first met at Posing Perfection, run by Andre Scott, back in 2015. Andre and his team (Chris Leong) have helped me tremendously with my posing and Andre’s posing classes are an opportunity to get to know other local competitors and fit family. Posing Perfection is also where I met Gerry Bernabe, my current nutrition coach. Gerry is an all-natural professional bodybuilder and utilizes IIFYM through the Diet Doc franchise with Joe Klemczewski, the founder of flexible dieting. All of these people have a huge influence on my competition prep and life experience and are a huge reason why I enjoy what I do.
6. Who or what inspires you to strive for more in the sport?
It’s extremely important for me to know what it’s like to have achieved my full physical potential in this life. At first I didn’t know how to get there. Now that I’ve learned how, I’m always improving my methods and approach and striving for better. I am always a work in progress but each show is an opportunity to come in as my best self. That is motivation enough for me every day to keep striving for more in the sport of bodybuilding. Even if/when I decide I’m done with competing, I still have all the nutrition and training knowledge I’ve gained through this experience and would still continue to implement the sustainable fitness lifestyle that I’ve come to respect and value.
7. What is next for you as a competitor?
I will be competing at Jr. Nationals in Chicago June 16th-17th! I’ll have to wait and see where I go from there but I am planning to do one more competition this year before my wedding in September.
8. What is your favorite memory good or bad while prepping or competing?
My favorite memory is meeting my fiancé and future husband, Christopher Phillips at Posing Perfection back in 2015. Shortly after meeting him and exchanging numbers, I text him and asked if he was a good cook. He said he could make a mean chicken and rice. I was intrigued and invited myself over for dinner… I really like chicken and rice. At dinner that night as he was preparing our plates, he asked if I wanted him to measure my rice for me. At that moment I knew we were meant to be together and have been since. Chris is my number one supporter in life and this sport and I feel so blessed to have met him through this fitness journey.
9. Any website you would like to plug, Facebook, Twitter, personal site, etc...
My website is kerrinmichele.com where I maintain a fitness/lifestyle blog. The website also showcases my fitness and nutrition coaching services and personal training information. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter under my business name, Kerrin Michele.
10. Anything you would like to say to all the visitors to NPC Oregon?
The NPC Oregon bodybuilding community is like family! I’ve been able to grow and develop as an athlete from the support of such a great group of people. I also met my fiancé and made some amazing long-lasting friendships in this community. The NPC Oregon will always be my bodybuilding home and have a special place in my heart. I hope others are able to gain the same experience!