Andrea Shaw
3X Ms. Olympia Is Constructing Her Legacy!
Interview by Ron Harris
‘I’m blessed to be doing what I do and I’m grateful to everybody who has been a part of my journey to this point. Ladies’s Bodybuilding is alive and nicely and I plan to assist it develop.’ -Andrea Shaw
Ladies’s Bodybuilding appeared to be fading off into the sundown not way back. The Arnold Traditional held its last Ms. Worldwide in 2016, and from 2014 to 2019 there was no Ms. Olympia contest. Since then, Olympia and Wings of Power proprietor Jake Wooden has introduced the ladies’s sport again from near-death and breathed new life again into it. On this new period, a brand new champion has emerged within the type of Andrea Shaw, who has received not solely the Ms. Olympia but in addition the Rising Phoenix contest for the final three consecutive seasons. I spoke with Andrea a few weeks after one other convincing Olympia victory to seek out out extra about the perfect feminine bodybuilder on this planet proper now.
I wish to begin with an fascinating statistic. There have been 38 Ms. Olympia contests held, and 21 of them had been received by ladies born and raised in Michigan: Lenda Murray with eight wins, Iris Kyle with 10, and you’ve got three to this point. Not unhealthy for one state!
Sure, and we’ve one other notable. Nicole Wilkins received 4 Determine Olympia titles. We’ve got performed very nicely.
Your mother was a private coach and a nurse, appropriate?
Sure, she’s nonetheless employed as a nurse. I had been residing on a farm in Kansas with my dad, and once I bought again to Detroit my mother had this complete new life. She picked me up and took me to the health club and mentioned, that is what you’re gonna be doing after faculty. Her dad was getting a bit too outdated to observe me by then, so she determined I might simply go to the health club together with her. I used to be solely 12 or 13 years outdated, however fairly quickly I began figuring out, utilizing principally machines. The health club was my babysitter, and that’s type of how it began.
You really wished to be a vogue mannequin, however apparently 5’6” isn’t tall sufficient?
No, you want to be at the least 5’7” or 5’8”. The taller the higher whenever you’re speaking in regards to the runway.
I’ve to ask, did your mother have a muscular construct?
Yeah, and she or he had aspirations to compete, however she pursued her schooling as a substitute to verify I had all the things I wanted. Now she will get to stay vicariously by means of me.
Did she even have a good friend who helped you out within the health club and bought you on monitor?
My mother had a coach who was a feminine bodybuilder. You understand how it’s whenever you’re younger. You go to the health club, you cease going, you wish to get together and keep up all night time then nonetheless go to the health club. I lastly bought to the purpose the place I wished to be constant, and that’s when my mother set me up together with her coach. We had some variations of opinion. She informed my mother she didn’t assume I had the guts to keep it up. All it takes is one particular person to doubt me to make me wish to show them incorrect. I nonetheless communicate together with her sometimes. I’m grateful, as a result of she lit a fireplace below me.
What made you wish to begin competing?
I had began studying the late Robert Kennedy’sOxygen journal and liked the look of the ladies they featured. I despatched him an e-mail asking how one may get into the journal, and to my shock he emailed me again. He mentioned his photographers went to a whole lot of reveals and had been at all times on the lookout for new expertise. Proper then I mentioned OK, then I’m doing a present.
However first you took care of your schooling. You bought your diploma in Train and Sports activities Science at Wayne State College, and like a whole lot of children, you set some weight on.
Oh sure. The “freshman 15” become 20 or 25. I didn’t like what I noticed within the mirror and determined I had sufficient data at that time to take my health extra significantly and be constant. I solidified my habits and began meal prepping and ensuring I bought sufficient sleep each night time. No extra events, no extra ingesting.
Ladies’s Physique hadn’t been created but whenever you began competing, so that you began off in Determine. How did you do?
I used to be at all times inserting within the high 5 domestically though I solely dieted for 4 weeks at my first contest. That informed me I used to be working with one thing. At my second present I got here in fourth, however I employed a dietitian for that present, and he actually starved me. Breakfast was 2 ounces of tuna, 6 egg whites, and half an orange. That was dinner too, with 1 cup of lettuce as a substitute of the orange. I used to be doing cardio thrice a day and nonetheless bought onstage at 140 kilos with huge quads. I noticed I used to be by no means meant to be a small lady, and that I used to be too huge for Determine. I give up competing for eight years and simply stored coaching and studying the craft. By the point Ladies’s Physique got here round, I had developed sufficient muscle that I knew I may get onstage once more and win. I began with an area present in 2016 and got here in fourth. Now my higher physique was dominant and my legs had been lagging. I labored on that and by 2018 I made a decision I used to be going to go for my professional card. I had a full-time job and will afford it, and my life was steady. IFBB Professional John Simmons, who I had labored with on and off earlier than, bought me prepared for 5 reveals that yr and I bought my professional card on the final one, the NPC Nationals.
You solely did one professional present in Physique, taking 11th place on the 2019 Toronto Professional. But it surely was there that Lenda Murray, Margie Marvelous, Alina Popa and Irene Andersen all informed you to maneuver to Ladies’s Bodybuilding – which you probably did inside weeks and took second on the Chicago Professional.
Bob Cicherillo even whispered that to me onstage in Toronto. I informed him, “Bob, I used to be within the second callout, I get the message.” Once more, I used to be doing tons of cardio and going heavy on the fats burners attempting to suit the look of Physique when my physique wished to develop. I had simply doubted I might be aggressive in Ladies’s Bodybuilding. I didn’t actually wish to go into that division, however now I noticed that was the perfect match for me. I made the transfer simply three weeks later in Chicago.
Did you not assume you had been large enough for bodybuilding?
It was uncertainty and insecurity on my half. Ladies’s Bodybuilding had been taken out of each the Arnold and the Olympia at the moment. Did the game have a future? My aim was to get to the Olympia, and Physique gave me the avenue to try this. I didn’t know that Wings of Power was in negotiations to deliver the Ms. Olympia again for 2020.
That’s proper, from 2014 to 2019 there have been no Ms. Olympia contests held. You probably did yet another present in 2019, taking seventh on the Wings of Power Rising Phoenix, and also you’ve been undefeated ever since with three wins there and three Ms. Olympia titles.
There was that transition time I wanted to determine issues out, as a result of I had been weight-reduction plan down so laborious for Physique. There have been gaps in my physique to work on, and even my posing wasn’t as daring. I employed Cydney Gillon as my posing coach to verify I may “pose huge” however nonetheless hold a female aptitude to it. As soon as I introduced my legs up somewhat, sharpened up my situation and improved my posing, all of it got here collectively.
I’m curious in regards to the Rising Phoenix present you’ve received thrice now. Is it the identical prize cash because the Ms. Olympia?
It’s the identical, $50,000, however the cool half is you additionally get a really good car. The primary yr I received a Camaro ZL1, a phenomenal automobile. The second yr I received a Corvette Stingray C8. That’s my pleasure and pleasure. For the third win I bought a Chevy Silverado Excessive Nation. I bought the Camaro. I didn’t wish to, however I solely have a two-car storage. The truck is ideal for when it snows. Who must shovel snow when you possibly can simply drive over it?
You might be additionally a high athlete for Mutant. How lengthy have you ever been with Mutant, and the way did that come about?
I’ve been with them simply over a yr now. It began with a name from Shawn Ray, who informed me that with the resurgence of Ladies’s Bodybuilding it was time to speak about bringing me on. As soon as I bought an opportunity to speak to Ian and Jim, it instantly felt extra like a household than an organization. I signed, and we achieve this many several types of promotional journeys together with three to this point to the “Mutant Mansion” in Las Vegas. We even have Shaun Clarida now. Jim is a humble, strong man who actually believes within the merchandise and helps what we do as athletes.
You might be additionally an envoy for Wings of Power, and I really feel that Ladies’s Bodybuilding is a tough promote to the women as a result of they’ve 5 different divisions to select from, and Bodybuilding requires essentially the most effort and time to achieve. How do you persuade ladies to strive it after they may be intimidated?
I ask them to return to their “why.” Why did you begin competing within the first place? There was one thing you believed you would do. Whether or not it’s going to take a very long time or not, you shouldn’t let that go. Keep on with the plan. Should you don’t have a coach, get one. In any other case, it’s too straightforward to below or overdo issues with coaching and vitamin. You additionally should be on this for the lengthy sport. I took eight years off to enhance and got here again, and for many of that point I used to be going to the health club seven days every week. My coaching companions and coach had been U.S. Marines, so I had that sense of self-discipline and sacrifice. I inform the ladies nothing is not possible, however you’ve bought to be keen to present all of it you’ve bought. You by no means understand how far you possibly can go, however in case you stroll away, you’ll actually by no means know since you gave up.
Let’s speak somewhat bit about your coaching. Are you notably sturdy?
I might say so. For instance, I can bench press 250, however I again off from the heavier weights as soon as I’m in prep. I’ll generally go as gentle as 95 kilos and do units of 20 reps. I transfer quick from train to train, and my coaching is rather more environment friendly now. I might be in there for an hour and a half previously, now I can get the job performed in 45 minutes. I additionally love drop units as a method to make use of extra average weights to completely stimulate the muscle. Within the low season when my energy are up, I can get into some heavier weight and give attention to build up in areas that want it. For this 2023 low season I’m going to construct my glutes extra, refine my quads, and produce out my hamstrings. I really feel fairly assured with my higher physique.
As you have to be. I’m guessing at your greatest and heaviest, your arms are 17½ inches?
Shut, 18. I nonetheless don’t understand how that occurred as a result of I don’t practice arms. That’s all simply from my chest, again and shoulder coaching. It’s a whole lot of old-school free weight actions.
Wow, think about in case you educated your arms twice every week?
They might most likely get so huge that they might make my legs look small.
I ask all a number of Olympia winners this: was it more durable to win the primary time, or more durable to defend the title?
I discovered it more durable to defend. Chris Bumstead and I had a dialog about that a few years in the past and he felt the identical means. You by no means know who’s coming on your title. I ask myself originally of every yr, is that this one thing I really need? Why do you continue to need it, and what extra are you able to do to be sure to hold your title?
You’ve received three titles with good scores, however is there anybody else that you just really feel may beat you in case you slip up?
If I slip up, anybody can beat me. Because the champ, you at all times must be sure to by no means get too relaxed, too chilled or too cocky. As quickly as you begin happening that highway, you’re sure to overlook one thing as a result of your consideration isn’t the place it must be. You at all times want to recollect what you need, and why you need it. And if it’s not that vital to you anymore, perhaps it’s time to retire. Folks ask me what number of Olympia titles I need – 11 for the all-time report. That’s provided that I nonetheless need it, and I really feel good bodily, mentally and emotionally.
You’re six years too younger at 39 to enter the Masters Ms. Olympia this August in Romania, however would you’ve got performed it?
Oh palms down, completely. Why not? Folks ask me if I might ever skip the Rising Phoenix simply to give attention to the Olympia, and the reply is not any means. If Arnold introduced again the Ms. Worldwide, I might try this too. I name the Rising Phoenix my warm-up present for the Olympia, but it surely’s a giant deal by itself. It lets me see the place I must make any changes. It’s an enormous money prize plus a candy automobile. Jake Wooden and the Wings of Power workforce placed on an unimaginable present on the market.
It has been an incredible journey to this point. In simply 4 seasons as a professional, you’ve received the 2 greatest titles in Ladies’s Bodybuilding three years in a row and proper now I don’t see anybody beating you any time quickly. Usually if any person informed me they wished to win 11 Olympia titles I might roll my eyes and contemplate them delusional, however in your case I don’t doubt for a minute you are able to do it, God keen.
Thanks a lot! I’m blessed to be doing what I do and I’m grateful to everybody who has been a part of my journey to this point. Ladies’s Bodybuilding is alive and nicely and I plan to assist it develop.
Web site: www.msolympiaandreashaw.com
Contest Historical past
2018 NPC Nationals – Physique C Class, Second Place
2019 Toronto Professional – 11th Place, Physique
2019 Chicago Professional – Second, Bodybuilding
2019 Rising Phoenix – Seventh, Bodybuilding
2020 Omaha Professional – Bodybuilding Winner
2020 Rising Phoenix – Bodybuilding Winner
2020 Ms. Olympia – Winner
2021 Rising Phoenix – Bodybuilding Winner
2021 Ms. Olympia – Winner
2022 Rising Phoenix – Bodybuilding Winner
2022 Ms. Olympia – Winner
Andrea’s MUTANT® Stack
FLEX FOOD™
BCAAs (Rocket Pop taste)
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GLUTAMINE
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Ron Harris bought his begin within the bodybuilding trade throughout the eight years he labored in Los Angeles as Affiliate Producer for ESPN’s “American Muscle Journal” present within the Nineties. Since 1992 he has revealed practically 5,000 articles in bodybuilding and health magazines, making him essentially the most prolific bodybuilding author ever. Ron has been coaching for the reason that age of 14 and competing as a bodybuilder since 1989. He lives together with his spouse and two youngsters within the Boston space. Fb Instagram
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