Jennie Laurent

About Jennie

 Describe your path to the pro ranks.

My first show back in 2012, I came in over dieted, did not place, and suffered health consequences and this discouraged me from competing again. However, in 2014 I decided to give it another shot at the NE classic, and I was under-dieted and did not place, and I again started to doubt myself. But I decided to give my third shot my very best, and I am glad I did (thank you to Bill Murphy and Jimmy Ciampi and Rafael Vazquez for encouraging me) because I turned pro in figure at the October 2014 INBF Granite State Open in Dover, NH. That was a turning point in my bodybuilding career because I really hit my stride and gained some confidence in my potential.

I went on to compete in the November 2014 Monster Mash where I made my pro Figure debut and won, and also won the open fit body tall class to earn my fit body pro card. The momentum and excitement kept building, and I competed at the 2014 WNBF Worlds and placed fourth in the figure short class; I knew I had improvements to make and I made a plan to bring a better package in 2015.

When I competed in the June 2015 NE Classic, I was doing pro figure and decided to try to go for my bodybuilding pro card, and I ended up winning the women’s heavyweight class and the overall to earn my bodybuilding pro card. I could not have been more pleased as I believe this was my best show.

I am grateful to Teddy Oxholm for helping me in my off season and Rolando Amorim for helping me as a coach and mentor with training and posing and prep for this show, and I credit my success to his unwavering dedication. Thank you to Nancy Andrews for encouraging me to go for my bodybuilding pro card, I never thought I ever would or could push my physique to that level; sometimes we all need a nudge!

Describe your experience as a pro.

It was very humbling to win my first pro show. It was even more humbling to compete in the 2015 NE Classic and win Pro figure when a year ago I did this show and didn’t place at all as an amateur. Also, it was a challenge to prepare for both pro figure and amateur bodybuilding in the same show, but I did it and was pleased and honored to win both classes.

I look back and I am glad I gave competing a third shot, and I’m very happy and blessed to have made the progress I have in the last year. One of the biggest struggles I deal with is that I have autoimmune hypothyroid or hashimoto’s, and it makes dieting and losing weight extremely difficult, as we all know how hard that is already without health implications. I push my body to the limits to be able to step on stage, but I do so as healthfully and sensibly as possible as I have researched the condition and I manage the best I am able without medication. The human body amazes me and I continue to embrace the sport and explore my potential.

Which WNBF pro shows have you competed in?

2015 NE Classic

2014 Monster Mash

2014 WNBF Worlds

What does being a WNBF pro mean to you?

I really admire the WNBF for many reasons. I have attended shows in other organizations and competed in other organizations as well. Sadly this sport is subject to politics, but in my experience, the WNBF judging has been more consistent and impartial than in other organizations.

When I prep for a show, I want to go into it confident that I am being judged fairly and with no conflicts of interest. I am proud to represent the WNBF as a pro, and I feel like my physique is appreciated in this federation which is why I remain loyal and continue to compete in it as opposed to other organizations.

I like that the WNBF is worldwide and the biggest federation around which means the greatest competition and diversity. I have met a lot of awesome people who are part of the WNBF family and I look forward to supporting them and attending shows and helping to promote. Becoming a pro competitor is a large part of who I am and what I am all about, and it is a privilege to have the honor of representing the WNBF.

Are you involved in any other parts of the sport?

I am in the process of becoming a trained judge, I do help promote when I am able, and I do train people. Aside from competing I do fitness modeling and videos and I am very much an advocate of health and wellness as a registered nurse. I also am a writer and contributing editor to online fitness magazines.

Which WNBF show are you likely to attend?

2015 Monster Mash

Will you be competing in the 2015 Worlds in Atlantic City?

That is the plan

What are your competitive goals?

I did not anticipate getting three pro cards in a year but having achieved this gives me options. To be honest, in my second show I only wanted to do bikini so I didn’t have to exhaust my body prepping for figure again and risk the health consequences I once faced. Sadly I’m too muscular to do bikini now, but I’m glad that the stage presence and beauty is scored in figure.

Presently, I feel that my physique is strongest in figure, and I’d like to compete in more pro shows and hold at least one pro world title before I advance to compete in fit body and bodybuilding. I definitely need to put on more size and be more lean than I am now for those categories, and that will take time. I enjoy figure the most right now and will channel all my energy into optimizing my physique for this category.