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Official WBFF Posing Workshop & Information Seminar – Calgary – April 3

Posted by David Ford on April 3rd 2011
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Competing in a WBFF show? Locally or away? This camp is for you!

April 3 is a pivotal opportunity for many athletes in Alberta to learn what the WBFF is all about. Annette Milbers Fleck, Melissa Morrison, and special guest David Ford will take athletes through the entire competition preparation procedure from tanning, posing, to marketing information only David can share. Rachel from BronzeBaxx will be sharing as will a suit specialist.

The Alberta team started the WBFF Information Seminar & Posing Workshops four years ago with approval and support from Paul and Allison Dillett with the sole purpose to prepare athletes for the stage by making the journey as comfortable as possible. Stage presence and poise is vital and is sometimes overlooked as athletes focus primarily on their conditioning, symmetry etc. This group of professionals are easy to work with, are experienced and most have extensive experience on stage and/or at the judges table. Over the years, they have helped many Alberta athletes master and dominate the stage earning their respective pro cards in the mean time.

If you want to be your best come show day and want to be as well prepared as possible, then plan to attend the next Official WBFF Information Seminar & Posing Workshop on April 3 at Fortified Fitness.

Email Annette Milbers Fleck for all the details: milbersrocks@hotmail.com.

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The Murky Side of Opportunity

Posted by David Ford on June 3rd 2010
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Most of my Blogs are inspired by something that moves me or something that grabs my attention or is of interest to me or my readers. Today was one of those days. I just got off the phone from a conference call with some of the most influential people in the industry and a portion of the conversation was regarding idle promises, unprofessional conduct, misleading promotion and the real meaning of opportunity. Somewhat related, yet somewhat diverse, there are a few consistent elements that kind of tie each together. Let’s take a quick look.

Seems today, every person is promoting opportunity to draw unsuspecting athletes into this or that so people can make a fast buck. We see it with seminars/workshops, photo shoots and events. Suddenly everyone is talking the same talk as those that have been successful because of years of time and energy devoted to the industry. Gone are the days of ethics and common courtesy. Now a days, why be original, why not duplicate? That’s what all the successful business books say to do anyways, right?

“Let the best man win”. How many times have we heard that excuse for someone that is looking to duplicate others and jump on a train to easy street without having to put in the time and effort? The fitness industry is small. Word travels quickly. As the saying goes, the toes you step on today could be attached to the butt you have to kiss tomorrow. Although sort of funny, there is a lot of truth to this statement.

Let’s dive into this murky mess. This week I had an athlete email me regarding six photographers that approached her to shoot… four I never heard of and two have made Facebook and modeling sites their primary focal point for photos. Being in my position I see emails and submissions from every photographer imaginable so if I haven’t heard of someone, you can be sure they are new to the industry. I was honest with her and asked, “why waste your time shooting with anyone that will not increase your value or provide you with real opportunities?” She paused for a moment and said, “I never thought of it that way. I just saw this as an opportunity to get my face out there.” If your objective is to see your photo amongst countless others then I suppose there isn’t much harm done in shooting with just anyone. However, if your objective is to gain real positive exposure and real opportunity then you want to take the proper steps that typically are practiced by those who take pride in their image. (more…)

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The 2010 WBFF Season Starts Off With A Bang!!!

Posted by David Ford on May 5th 2010
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As the contest season breaks the silence of winter, it’s with great enthusiasm that athletes come out of hibernation and tip toe into the contest preparation phase ready to pursue their individual goals for the new year.

Paul Dillett’s WBFF BC Championships were exactly what was needed to wake an industry that has been lulled by months of the same old. When you awaken the sleeping giant, everyone takes notice and on April 17th, the fitness industry welcomed the second installment of the show that sets the precedent for the remainder of the year. Start with the best, and follow through to end with the best – WBFF Worlds in mid September. In the meantime, keep an eye on the activity that will once again uproot the status quo.

Status Fitness Magazine was in the house big time in Vancouver. Adding to an already incredible event, Status Fitness elevated the show factor by presenting award winning singing sensation Rosette. Rosette rocked the house with her Juno nominated song Crushed and followed it up with Ditzy Girl, a new single that will inevitably be a chart contender in the next while. An avid reader of Status Fitness, Rosette was sure to admit that it’s her favorite fitness publication.

Hundreds of copies of Status Fitness were put in the hands of athletes and sport fans over the weekend and the prestigious Status Fitness Girls of the WBFF Calendar was showcased and given out to excited competitors, some of which may be considered for our next exciting calendar. The popularity of this venture has been astounding… an amazing project that both Rodney Jang, Editor-in-Chief, and myself put into motion at the 2009 WBFF World Championships. To pick up your copy, please visit www.statusfitnessmagazine.com.

After the WBFF BC Championships, the Status Fitness tradition continued on Sunday, as we held our popular Day of Recognition that saw 25 athletes photographed at Golds Gym Richmond. Curtis Trudeau men’s overall winner, photographed at this event, is featured in our next issue on shelves in the next few weeks. On Monday, Status Fitness held the Surf n’ Sand Shoot which included the new fitness model sensation Svetlana Romanova. Watch for more of Svetlana in Status over the next few issues.

Now it’s time for preparation for the WBFF Alberta Championships!! The enthusiasm is mounting. This will likely be the biggest show of the year outside of the WBFF World Championships. Once again it kicks off the Calgary Stampede which is considered the greatest outdoor show on earth!! Without much exaggeration, you can be sure the WBFF Alberta show will be the greatest indoor show in Calgary on July 3 as the show takes over the Martha Cohen Theatre at the Epcor Centre for the Performing Arts.

Status Fitness will be present in Calgary in a big way once again. July 4th is the Status Fitness Day of Recognition where many of the top athletes will be selected for shoots for exciting upcoming projects and features. If you’re competing, then you could be one of the lucky ones selected by myself and Rodney Jang.

All the best to you as you prepare for the big Alberta show!! We look forward to covering the event and providing the best opportunities to many of the athletes involved.

In health & fitness,

David

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2009 WBFF Worlds Stage Photography – Status Fitness & Oxygen

Posted by David Ford on September 14th 2009
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David Ford will be covering the 2009 WBFF World Championships for industry leading Status Fitness and top woman’s publication Oxygen.

Everyone wants great photos of their moment on stage, especially the prestigious WBFF Worlds stage. The incredible lighting, the high level of athletes… these are the photos that capture that and all the hard work, and equally important, you get to see yourself from the judges point of view.

Are you holding your poses? Are you smiling at the judges? Do you look confident? Are you holding water? Is the suit flattering after you dropped water? Pictures never lie and if you want valuable feedback then you’ll want WBFF Official Photographer David Ford’s Contest Stage Photographs. (more…)

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Being a Top Fitness Model – Some Points to Consider

Posted by David Ford on September 14th 2009
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Over the course of the last 14 weeks I have had a chance to follow WBFF Pro Fitness Model Annette Milbers-Fleck at times as she prepares for Paul Dillette’s WBFF World Championships on September 19 in Mississauga.

Definitely one of the biggest names in Canada, and elite PVL Authentic Sports Nutrition athlete, it instantly became clear why Annette is so highly sought everywhere she goes. Down to earth, approachable, helpful beyond words, sincere and lives her life more for the others around her then for herself is a good part of why she has excelled in this tough industry.

So many models and athletes approach me and tell me they want to quit their jobs and become a fitness model. It’s hard to hold back a smile as it’s a dream that very few ever reach. (more…)

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Image… Do Fitness Models Train Hard? Annette Milbers Fleck Does!!

Posted by David Ford on June 9th 2009
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There are often a few misconceptions in our sport. One being, the image of many fitness models and bikini models is that they use the genetics God gave them and they coast along. Sure, this may be the case for a chosen few but every girl that makes it to the professional ranks has worked hard to get there.

Yesterday I had the chance to follow my good friend WBFF Pro Fitness Model Annette Milbers Fleck around the World Health Club while she worked through a delt tear to train shoulders and arms. As you’ll see from the video, Annette works her tail off in the gym and impressed the heck out of me. Always one to cover up and dress modestly, it took some coaxing for her to train in a tank top so we could really see her muscles at work. This girl is serious!

For many, PVL’s elite athlete Annette is the perfect goal… a nice balance of muscle and femininity… very marketable with great looks. If someone is afraid that lifting intesenely will destroy the femininity factor, think again. There would be very few, if any that train as hard and as smart as Annette. Remember, the physique is about balance. Life is about balance. The ability to listen when it speaks. To take time off rather then get run down. To shape the muscles for the sake of illusion. To push through injuries while striving to reach your lofty goals. Balance. (more…)

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WBFF Building Strength in the West

Posted by David Ford on May 27th 2009
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How can you tell when you have an amazing product? Simple. Results begin to snowball.

On May 23rd, in Calgary, Alberta at the World Health Club on MacLeod Trail South we saw nearly 40 eager athletes attend an official workshop put on by three industry professionals including myself. Co hosting with me were WBFF Pro Fitness athlete and PVL Nutrients model Annette Milbers Fleck as well as world natural bodybuilding champion Paul Anthony. Associating yourself with the top in the industry and delivering a concrete product is “Marketing 101″.

The group that attended this workshop proved to us that they are serious about this competition and are serious about presenting themselves in the best light possible. Everyone that attended learned a great deal and were excited for the July 4th date at the Maxbell Theater.

The excitement that was evident showed each one of us exactly how amazing this product is that Paul and Allison have put together to showcase athletes the way they were meant to be showcased. (more…)

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Stage Image

Posted by David Ford on April 29th 2009
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Wow! That barely sums up the response I have heard multiple times from those attending and those competing in Richmond, BC at the 2009 WBFF BC Championships. Now Paul puts on a great show in TO, so it was with much enthusiasm that people were anticipating what would be delivered in BC. As everyone will attest, the show set the precedent for an inaugural contest outside the “comfort zone” as it were. Well done team!!

I had the best seat in the house. Up close and personal with a great view of every athlete that stepped on stage. In continuing with my “image” theme, I wanted to touch on a couple things I believe are quite important for athletes that step onto the competitive stage to showcase their hard work.

On stage that day, we saw athletes of three different levels. A few either new to the sport, or a few that did minimal research. A few that really stood out because of their polished stage presence and thirdly, the main group that knew what they were doing but kept within their comfort zone so to speak. (more…)

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Image (part 1)

Posted by David Ford on April 13th 2009
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When you hear the term “image”, what thoughts do you conjure up?

Every day a good number of emails come across my desk from potential athlete models for our publication. Some are professionally written up and my titled correctly addressed, other emails imply that this was a quick note sent out to a mass of possible opportunities – nothing personalized – the same photos were likely attached to each email. In fact, at times, cut and pasted emails are quite evident as the notes are address to someone other than myself. Seriously! A day later, I might receive an apology with a little more info. What image am I left with? (more…)

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