Rene Marven

Growing up I played Soccer and Softball, but as I got older I was more involved in gymnastics and cheerleading. When I was in 8th grade I tried out for All Star cheerleading and made it as one of the youngest on the squad! That same year, I also made the High school gymnastics team. The practices never overlapped which made me able to participate in both simultaneously! Throughout High School I was a cheerleader in a very competitive program, we competed all over the US, even at Nationals in Dallas TX. After HS I was involved in the program in a variety of ways… I volunteered 1 season as the team conditioning coach. Another season I worked as one of the choreographers for there competition routine.

In the beginning of my junior year in HS I got a job at Golds Gym Wappingers in the Child Care department. I frequently went to the gym, mostly for ZUMBA class, cardio, Abs, and conditioning type workouts. At the time, I didn’t have much knowledge on weight training. That January I signed up for the Golds Gym “Body Transformation” which was not just a weight loss contest! However it was a contest and I have a pretty competitive nature so of course I’d enter this! It was a 12 week program that initially offered 2 complimentary personal training sessions. I LOVED my trainer, to be honest this is really when I first thought I wanted to be a trainer! By the end of the 12 weeks I had only lost 4 lbs… not surprising since I was never really out of shape, but I was shocked to have lost 11% bodyfat! I noticed my abs first, but my arms also started to show some cuts. That was just the beginning…

I was always involved in sport specific training and conditioning workouts, but when I started weight training I enjoyed it the most and saw better results fast! Once I was shown or told something, I remembered it. Too bad that didn’t always happen in school! My mom always told me that when I’m interested in something it comes naturally. She was exactly right, because that’s what happened with training.

I split my training into 4 different days of workouts. 1) Legs & Abs 2) Shoulders & Calves 3) Back, Biceps & Abs 4) Chest, Triceps & Calves. I follow either 2-3 days on 1 day off than 2-3 days on 1 day off. Rest is just as important as training, and it is part of my schedule to make sure I have at least 2 days off from weight training each week. During 8-12 weeks of pre-contest prep I follow that same plan but the off days would most likely be some form of cardio training, posing practice, yoga, massage, or other activity.
My contest diet is strictly based on blood type beneficial/neutral foods. Based on my progress I will alter the amounts of each macro-nutrient but never completely eliminating all of one like some contest diets do. Another thing I would change are types of protein if I feel I should be loosing more body fat faster I may switch to fish as my main protein source rather than chicken or turkey. I make sure to eat my meals 3 hours apart from one another with the exception of my post workout protein shake and the following meal. After every workout I drink VPX Graham cracker flavored Zero Carb SRO which is a Whey Protein Isolate, because of its fast digesting nature I use it simply to recover but eat my next meal about 1 hour later. Each day I try to drink between 1 and 1.5 gallons of water. This is all pretty much the same plan in the off-season, the only thing that changes is the amounts of food and maybe a few “unplanned meals” here and there. I’d say an average day is 4-5 of my 6 daily meals are “clean” with 1 extra meal that may not be completely off the charts cheating, just not something I’d eat during contest prep. My goal right now is to maintain my weight as long as possible before I start to cut down to get ready for a Spring show.

Something very important I’d like every girl to hear is that weight training will not turn you into a bodybuilder. (many of us wish it was that easy) To be honest its the diet that decides what type of physique you will make. For example, If I am training 3 female competitors, 1 bikini, 1 figure, and 1 fit body; all three of them would have similar goals in weight training like Rep Range, Sets,Tempo and Volume. Basically the weight they lift will be different due to each individuals strength but they will all be pushing as hard as they can. What should be different are Rest periods, Cardio, and DIET. Diet being the key here, if you want to be a bodybuilder you will have to eat! A female figure competitor can train just like a bodybuilder but would most likely be consuming half the calories which determines how they look.

My contest History:
2007 INBF NYS 2nd place Figure

2007 INBF Monster Mash 3rd place Figure

2008 INBF Hercules 6th place Figure 5th place Fit Body

2009 INBF NYS 2nd place Figure 3rd place Best Body Bikini

10th place Fit Body, 2009 INBF Monster Mash 9th Figure 8th Fit Body

2009 INBF World Championships 5th place Figure

2011 INBF NSSN 1st place Heavy Weight Open Bodybuilding, Overall Bodybuilding Winner, 5th place Open Figure, & Awarded Most Muscular female

2011 USBF Empire States 2nd place Open Bodybuilding

2011 NPC Rhode Island 1st place Middle weight class

2011 NPC Hudson Valley Championships 1st place Women’s Bodybuilding