Where and when were you born? Was born and raised in Edmonton Alberta What is your profession? Accountant What kind of activities/sports did you do before you started lifting weights? Marathons, triathlons, squash, golf. tennis, equestrian How and when did you get involved into lifting weights? I have trained with weights for over 10 years to stay fit for other sports. I started competing two years ago because I really liked the look of the bodybuilders and figure competitors. Was it a goal for you to compete in bodybuilding competitions right from the beginning or was it something that grew in your mind as time went on and you saw the progress in your body? I started tossing the idea around about 4 years ago, but there were other sports that I wanted to try first. When I saw how my body responded to weights and how I liked the look of having some muscle mass, that’s when I decided it was time to pursue the sport. What was your first competition and how did you place? First competition was in Ft St John, BC and I placed second in the HW class. And which contest has been the biggest success for you yet? Biggest success was 2004 Canadian Nationals where I placed top 5. This was a big achievement for me because it was only my second year training as a bodybuilder. Could you please add a history of all contests that you have entered so far? Ft St john 2003 - 2nd place HW BC Provincials 2003 – 4th place HW BC Provincials 2004 – 2nd place HW Canadian Nationals 2004 – Top 5 HW Please describe a typical day in the life of Jessica Oscroft. Up at 5:00am for cardio, eat, work at 6:30 or so, off at 4:30 or 5:00, gym to train and do cardio (depending on if I am getting ready for a competition), then out to see my horses, go home, prepare my meals for the following day and in bed at around 10:30 or 11:00. Please tell me something about your daily training routine. My training routine is always changing. I usually train with high sets and the amount of reps depend on what body part I am training. I like to do a lot of super sets and drop sets when I am dieting and try and take more breaks and lift a bit heavier when I am not. How often do you train in a week? I train 5 days a week with weights and do cardio 6 times a week. I take Wednesday off of weights and Sunday is a compete day of rest for me. What are the main differences when you train for a competition and in off-season? I train pretty much the same, but when I get really close to the competition amount of weight I use decreases a bit and the reps I try and increase. Cardio is also increased. If you don’t mind would you give me some stats (best lifts and some body measurements)? I have never kept track of my best lifts!! I will definitely have to start doing that though, Measurements….I have never measured a body part in my life! Sorry! Which body part is your best in your opinion? I have big strong legs and calves, I would have to say that they are my best body part. What is your favorite exercise in the gym and which one you don’t like so much? I love working chest and delts, and I dread working back and legs. Judging in Women’s Bodybuilding has always been criticised in one or the other way. Please tell me your honest thoughts about today’s judging in Women’s Bodybuilding. Wow, this is a loaded question! In my opinion the judging in women’s bodybuilding needs to be a bit more consistant. Some judges want big and shredded, some go for a more feminine physique, so it is a bit hard to know what kind of look is expected at any given show. I find that bodybuilding is a lot more cut and dry than figure though. They are all over the map with figure, some competitions they are looking for a softer look and some shows they want the girls almost as lean as the bodybuilders are. This makes it very difficult to know what kind of conditioning to come in to a show. I think that the judges really need to work on consistency in both sports, and I think that in bodybuilding a feminine physique with moderate amount of muscle should definitely be rewarded over a physique which is overloaded with muscle but has sacrificed a feminine look. The deciding factors after that should be conditioning and symmetry. If the ‘bigger is better’ mentality continues to be rewarded, then I think that it will be detrimental to a sport that is already waning. Please tell me about what else you are doing when you don’t work out (profession, hobbies, etc.) I LOVE to spend time with my horses, that is definitely my favourite past time. Other than that I like to read, I like camping, golfing, skydiving, playing squash and tennis, spending time with my dogs, watching NFL football and snowboarding. I have a million hobbies and past times, I can’t even think of all of them!! What are your future plans for 2004/2005? Hmm, as soon as I know….you’ll know! Lol …. I am undecided whether I am going to compete in figure or bodybuilding in 2005. I really like the look of bodybuilders, but being a figure competitor opens a lot more doors for modelling opportunities. It seems that most people are not impressed by the lean hard look of a female bodybuilder. Also, because of my height at 5’8” I would have to put on a lot more size in order to be really competitive at a national level, and I am undecided if I want to do that at this point. Please note: Jessica does not not do sessions or wrestling of any kind. Please don't ask!! |