When Rozanne Pyper does something, she doesn’t hold back.
Only in the sport of body building for a little under two years and her life has changed to the point where it revolves around the sport.
This dedication led to Pyper earning her pro card in two divisions — overall figure and Ms. Fit Body — recently at the 2009 International Natural Bodybuilding Federation Canada Stampede Casino Classic. She earned her pro card by finishing in both of those division. This will allow her to now compete professionally all over North America in those divisions.
“I‘ve always been into weight training and I just decided to take it to the next level last year in January,” said Pyper, 36.
The Red Deer bodybuilder is preparing to head to New York for the INBF world championships, an event that will show how she really stacks up against some of the best in the world.
“I’m putting high expectations on myself. It’s a time for excellence. You don’t put this much effort into something without wanting to become your best,” she said. “But I don’t know who’s going to be there — I know there’s going to be some excellent competitors there — so I’m going to go there and do my best and hopefully come in in the Top 5. But I’m a new pro and this is a whole new ball game from what I just competed in.”
Pyper has always kept herself in good shape, weight training for 16 years, but a chance meeting with INBF co-owner Nadine Dumas — a Red Deer accountant who has also been competing professionally for three years — while competing in the Red Deer World Gym Transformation Challenge led to her indoctrination in bodybuilding. Dumas mentored her as she chased her pro card.
“She has been instrumental in my moving forward,” said Pyper. “She puts on posing workshops and she works with all the athletes one-on-one to make sure they can achieve their best when they are on stage doing their thing,”
She won the World Gym Transformation Challenge and finished second at the 2008 Canadian Natural Bodybuilding and Figure Classic in Edmonton during just the ninth week of training in the World Gym competition.
Body building isn’t to the point of other professional sports where a payday will set you up for life — most event prizes range between $500 and $1,500 and most athletes need sponsors to help them — Pyper’s been picked up by Chew Dawg Energy Services.
“You’re not going to get rich off it, but you can pay your way doing it,” said Pyper, who is originally from Quesnel, B.C, but moved to Red Deer five years ago.
She works out daily spending about an hour working a different body part every day and then on cardio. This way she keeps the workouts fresh and enjoyable — they don’t become a chore to complete.
“I never train over an hour and I never do my cardio with my weight training. I split it up, just for energy levels,” said Pyper. “I have my own little gym in my basement so I do part of my training in my basement . . . every morning I’ll have my breakfast and then head down and do my cardio.”
She also continues to train at World Gym where she says their support has been crucial.
Pyper, though has taken her involvement in the sport to the next level.
She went back to school a year ago to SAIT to take courses in nutrition as she eyes a career change from working with the Red Deer Public school district as a caretaker to opening up a nutritional consulting company.
“Red Deer Public Schools has been extremely good to me and very patient with my school schedule and my training, but I’m going to be working in nutritional consulting - I plan on calling it Pipe ‘n Hot Nutrition,” said Pyper. “What I’m really going to focus in on after I get back from New York in November, is working with our Canadian athletes who want to compete with us in our March show. I want to help them out with their nutrition or get them set up with a good nutritionist and trainer wherever they are.”
She also already finds herself on the INBF Canada executive. She has designs on taking her official involvement to the next level by forming a public relations department of sorts, citing the individual nature of bodybuilding leading to its participants struggling with getting their name out there and getting recognition, people like fellow local bodybuilder and personal trainer at World Gym Jeff Olyarnyk who finished third at the Calgary event in the Mr. Fitness category, just missing his pro card.
“There’s no one to contact the papers or contact the radio stations at this point,” said Pyper. “I want to help them out and see that they get recognized for their accomplishments. So far I’ve had to do it all myself.
“With IMBF Canada we’re very team driven and with our executive we want to work together to make sure our athletes have the very best experience possible.”
jaldrich@www.reddeeradvocate.com