Ericca Kern

Ericca Kern


As the middle of three children, Ericca was often playfully 'tormented' by her siblings and was nicknamed "Bones" in obvious reference to her very thin framework. Though sleight of size in her childhood, Ericca always maintained an eager athleticism. However, due to her family's frequent moves, she was not able to play organized sports until finally settling in Hermantown Minnesota in 1975.

At 18 years of age, what she also found was an eating disorder, albeit minor, it was nontheless quite unhealthy. Even though Ericca was rather thin (110-125 lbs) she convinced herself she was fat and would literally starve herself for days and, all the while, run 10 miles per day. She would then binge on ice cream and pizza and then run twice that day. Food was controlling her life.

All that changed in 1985 when she found the tiny weight room at the University. Suddenly, she realized it was O.K. to eat and gained 35 pounds of mostly muscle in six months. It was at this time that she picked up her first bodybuilding magazine and was bitten by the bodybuilding bug.. Bodybuilding was put on hold temporarily in 1987 as Ericca married for the first time, graduated from UMD and gave birth to her daughter Jessica in 1988. After a divorce in 1992, Ericca met her current husband and begain training for her first bodybuilding show that she won in grand fashion.

After a string of bodybuilding competition successes locally, in Minnesota, and at the national level Ericca and family moved to Irvine, California in January of 1995. And most recently, at the 1995 North American Championships, Ericca won the overall title and earned her Pro card.

Ericca Kern


As the middle of three children, Ericca was often playfully 'tormented' by her siblings and was nicknamed "Bones" in obvious reference to her very thin framework. Though sleight of size in her childhood, Ericca always maintained an eager athleticism. However, due to her family's frequent moves, she was not able to play organized sports until finally settling in Hermantown Minnesota in 1975.

At 18 years of age, what she also found was an eating disorder, albeit minor, it was nontheless quite unhealthy. Even though Ericca was rather thin (110-125 lbs) she convinced herself she was fat and would literally starve herself for days and, all the while, run 10 miles per day. She would then binge on ice cream and pizza and then run twice that day. Food was controlling her life.

All that changed in 1985 when she found the tiny weight room at the University. Suddenly, she realized it was O.K. to eat and gained 35 pounds of mostly muscle in six months. It was at this time that she picked up her first bodybuilding magazine and was bitten by the bodybuilding bug.. Bodybuilding was put on hold temporarily in 1987 as Ericca married for the first time, graduated from UMD and gave birth to her daughter Jessica in 1988. After a divorce in 1992, Ericca met her current husband and begain training for her first bodybuilding show that she won in grand fashion.

After a string of bodybuilding competition successes locally, in Minnesota, and at the national level Ericca and family moved to Irvine, California in January of 1995. And most recently, at the 1995 North American Championships, Ericca won the overall title and earned her Pro card.