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 By: Hugo Rivera 2004 Masters National Overall Champion Carla Salotti shares with us her comeback to female competitive bodybuilding. After taking a year off in 2003 to reassess her competitive career, Carla came back and won the 2004 Masters National Overall Title and later on took her class at the 2004 North Americans. After that event, Carla decided to focus on taking her class at the upcoming 2005 NPC National Championships.
My area of expertise is working with troubled teens. I have done community based volunteer work for Junior Achievement as well as with alternative schools in their fitness classes.
 Carla Salotti. I am also a certified personal trainer, and work part time for ProTan. I attend competitions and assist the athletes backstage at the national level shows. This is literally "hands on " work but I find it very rewarding. The competitors really appreciate being taken care of by one of their own. I have met such awesome people doing this. This is a labor of love and it has given me a great opportunity to meet some awesome people. It is tough to warm up and prep so many athletes... but we all know that women bodybuilders need sponsorship and support.
It wasn't until I started training with a male friend from high school that I started seeing muscles! I also was watching my boyfriend at the time, Jose Santiago (from Team BODYTECH ), start to train and eating like a bodybuilder. I watched him compete and do very well.
 Carla & Jose. While visiting Jose, I saw a picture in his trainer's office of Mimi Hollman, who I thought was a fitness competitor. She was muscular and feminine and just beautiful. When I found out she was a bodybuilder I was shocked! My idea of what a female bodybuilder was at that time did not look anything like her. Mimi and I became friends and remain so today. She was inspirational... thanks MIMI!
 Brandie & Tim Gardner. I would not do a show without him. He believes in hard work, basics, and determination. I never would have imagined I could compete in bodybuilding without their support and encouragement. Jose, motivated me and got me through what I thought was the hardest thing I had ever done. I still feel most complete on stage to this day with them both behind me.
I was so motivated that I held my diet for two more long months and continued my pre-contest training. Then came 911... and the world changed in a split second. The USA could not send us to Rio for security reasons. There would be no competition for me. My dream of competing on an international stage was gone... just like the towers. My heart was broken. Tim asked me to guest pose for him at his show in Florida in October of 2001. I was still in great condition. So I went to Tampa. I was happy to see my trainer and friends. It took away some of the sting.
 I Was Happy To See My Trainer & Friends.
This training kept me lean throughout the year as well as helped me to gain size in my shoulders (an area I felt I needed improvement on). It also helped give me a balance to my training regime that I so desperately needed.
 Cardio Kickboxing Gave Me Balance. I decided to compete as a bodybuilder one more time at Masters National's (2004) before switching to figure. Well... I won the whole show, much to my surprise. This propelled me to go to the North Americans to see how I would fair there. After winning my class there and being on stage with such top level amateurs I felt I had improved enough to go to Nationals in 2005 and try to break the top five. This is a show I never thought I was qualified to compete in due to my small stature.
That is the split I try to follow but I have been doing a lot of instinctive training. So if I feel tired or sore with one body part I may save it for later in the week and train something else. I started doing this last year and found I had better workouts and better results. I was able to train the specific body part to it's potential that way. I have found that as I get more advanced I am more in tune with my body and know when it is tired or ready to go!
 Carla and Nicki Jamrog. I switch my exercises up a lot all throughout the year according to what my body "tells" me. That alone helps to stimulate the muscles in a different way. This year I plan on lifting as heavy as I can for as long as I feel strong.
I try to get a gallon of water in daily. I have also dropped most of my salt intake. I have to tell you, I am pretty hungry this week. My body will adjust and I won't notice it much within a couple weeks. Typically in the off-season I still eat pretty clean throughout the week and do what I want on weekends, or if I go out with friends. I reduce my meals to 5-6 a day and eat carbs 3 times a day. If I eat dairy it is no fat and I try to stay away from sugary foods, which isn't usually a problem if I am not dieting! Sweets like ice cream/ice milk/frozen yogurt are a weakness, I have to admit!
Really though, the top 3 you can't do without!
I may train 4 days per week instead of 5 and do cardio 3-5 days in the morning. Your body does need to recover and your body will grow with rest but I find if I get out of the habit of cardio, especially, then I am too lazy to get right back to it! With training I try to listen to my body so as not to over train. When I get back into the gym I may lift a bit lighter at first until I build my strength.
The surprising thing is that they have been pretty consistent about this. Usually when they try to set some new standard they are not consistent with the judging and it doesn't follow through. My heart goes out to those girls that made the changes they were told to last year and now this year they aren't being rewarded. That is the huge problem with setting these "standards". The "powers that be" seem to constantly change theirs minds; kind of like New England weather; just wait a minute and it will change!
In the long run, I feel that what they are trying to do will be positive for the sport. I feel that keeping the women a bit smaller and feminine can't hurt. I know there will be women and fans out there who don't want to hear this but let's face it...female bodybuilders aren't on magazine covers because they don't sell to the general public (like it or not). We are freaks to the general public no matter how big or small we are but when the women start looking too much like men it really takes "freaks" to a different level. Please don't get me wrong, I totally respect the decisions that women make regarding how they train or look. That is their choice and if they are happy with themselves, I am in no way placing judgment on them. I just know for myself, I like the way I look and I want to stay healthy.
 Judging Standards Are Not Consistent. I like when women look at me and say that I inspire them because my look seems achievable (that might be in the off season anyways, LOL!). When women that have "heard" of me first see me, they will say things like; "You are smaller than I thought", or "You are pretty!". These things help me to know that I am going in the right direction. More importantly, I am happy with how I look. That really is the key for all women in bodybuilding and fitness; if THEY ARE HAPPY with how they look and feel in the gym that is all that matters. Nobody is getting rich being a pro female bodybuilder so once you are not happy or are compromising yourself it is time to GET OUT of it!
Long term? That is a harder question. Regarding competing? I will have to see what happens at Nationals and with women bodybuilding in general. I do know that I would love to be more involved in the industry and try to make some money doing what I am good at, which is contest prep. I have been doing contest prep for a few years. I am not talking about the actual diet planning, etc. (although I can do that too), but I am talking about the actual food prep, color and last minutes errands the athlete needs the week of or a few days before the contest. I have worked with both IFBB pros and top-level NPC amateurs. Everyone I have worked with has been successful in the shows I have helped them with and have appreciated the work I have done for them to make their prep easier.
Being a competitive athlete myself I know how it feels and what it takes to get a person on stage. I understand the highs and lows of the temperament, and physically how they are feeling. I am able to do what needs to be done without asking and am able to encourage the athlete to do what they are supposed do, as well. Whether it be following their nutritionist's plan, posing when they should or getting their color done so it isn't left to the last minute.
 Carla Smiling At The Beach. I have worked with the athletes' nutritionist so the food is weighed and prepared according to their instructions. I love doing it and get a lot of reward from seeing the stress just be taken off the athlete. I am hoping to be able to market these services to companies that want to treat their athletes in the elite way they deserve so if there is any interest please feel free to contact me through my site at www.carlasalotti.com.
I am so blessed to have been able to come in contact with so many gifted and genuine people. I know that this industry can be fake and cut throat, and a bit like a circus, but I have been very fortunate to have been exposed to real quality people. For that I will always be grateful!
Thank you for such a great interview Carla and best of luck at these year's NPC Nationals.
About The Author Hugo Rivera is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Sports Nutrition Specialist and Computer Engineer graduate from the University of South Florida. Hugo is owner of www.hrfit.net, an informational, free fitness and nutrition website. Hugo is author of a self published bodybuilding e-book called Body Re-Engineering geared towards the natural bodybuilder and co-author of one of the most popular Men's Health book in the country (according to Barnes and Noble) called "The Body Sculpting Bible for Men" and the very popular "The Body Sculpting Bible for Women". Hugo also just released his new book called The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook in March 2005 and also serves as a nutrition consultant to several professional football players and other elite athletes. Hugo serves as business consultant to many personal training studios as well and offers personalized diet and training programs through his website. Hugo continues to publish several articles on the subject of health and nutrition in several magazines and websites, appears on several radio talk shows and has been with Prolab Nutrition for over three years. Hugo competes as drug free NPC athlete at the National Level and his core supplementation has always consisted of Prolab products. Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here! Visitor Reviews Of This Article!
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