I was born 2/9/1970 in Springfield, MO. Raised in Fair Grove, MO. Maiden name Edwards. I'm a Real Estate Investor, the Office Manager for my husbands Chiropractic office and a mother of 3. In High School I played Basketball and Cheered. I also played Tennis a few years ago. I got involved in lifting after going to the Olympia 4 yrs ago. I was sitting there watching women walk around with all this muscle and I thought it was beautiful. I was so embarrassed with my skinny arms that I wore long sleeves the next night. I came back home with my 9 inch biceps and went to work. As soon as I started lifting I knew I wanted to compete. My husband had competed for years, so I had been to several shows. I also have the pleasure of training in the same gym with some of the best FBBs in the country. Carrie Ledford and Sherry Smith took me in and helped alot with their knowledge and support. We now have Gina Davis which just adds to the competitive energy in the gym. My first show was the 2003 Oklahoma. I competed MW and took 1st. My biggest success is Jr Nationals 2005. 2003 Oklahoma MW 1st 2004 Lone Star LHW 1st 2005 Oklahoma LHW 1st 2005 Jr Nationals MW 1st and Overall. My husband takes the kids to school on his way to the office. This allows me to get cardio in first thing in the morning. I eat breakfast and usually do a couple of hours of work. Then its off to the gym. In the off season I train with my husband twice a week and then with Carrie Ledford twice a week. I get lunch in and usually have about a hour to run errands before its time to pick up the kids from school. I try to get everything in through the day. Our nights are filled with dance classes and sport activities. Pre-contest I train 6 days a week with Howard Huddleston at Body Tech gym. Its normally about a 1 hour session of torture. Howie has built a reputation for briging his athletes in the best shape possible. In the last year alone he has Carrie Ledford turning pro, Sherry Smith winning Hvy wt. at the USAs, Gina Davis turning pro and now me winning the Jr, Nationals. I can sum up my pre-contest training with one of Howies favorite sayings," Lets find out what will kill you then back it off just a little." The main difference between my off-season and pre-contest is Cardio, Cardio, Cardio! For Jrs I started cardio 16 weeks out. The last 12 wks I did 2 hrs a day 6 days per week. 1 hr in the morning before breakfast on rotating stairs and 1 hr at night on the treadmill. My diet of course changes. Chad Nichols did my nutrition last year for the Lonestar and this year for Jr.s. One of my best lifts was a 500lb rack-pull or partial dead-lift. I also did a 10 plate hack squat, 5 on each side for 8 reps. Off season weight is normally around 155 - 160lbs at 5' 3". Weighed in at Jr. Nationals at 121lbs. My best body part is probably my shoulders. Any chest exercise is probably my favorite. There's not one exercise that sticks out in my mind as my least favorite, maybe hypers. I'm pleased with the direction women's bodybuilding seems to be going. It's going to be interesting to see how the USAs are judged next month. I respect all FBB I'm just personally glad that femininity looks like it might be coming back into the sport. When I'm not training I enjoy riding my Harley, being on the lake, shopping and eating. My husband and I spend a lot of time with our kids but we also enjoy our Thursday nights...date night. Future plans....Nationals 2006! Please note: Shannon does not do sessions or wrestling of any kind. Please don't ask!! |