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Competitors flex and pose for gold in Iraq

Courtesy Photo | Spc. Jose Ibarra (right) of the Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division, from...... read more read more

BAGHDAD, IRAQ

06.09.2008

Courtesy Story

Multi-National Corps Iraq Public Affairs

By Multi-National Corps-Iraq

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq — Service members and civilians deployed to Iraq competed in the 2nd Annual U.S. Armed Forces Iraq Bodybuilding and Figure Championship, May 24, at the Liberty Field House.

The competition that showcased the hard work and commitment to fitness consisted of three categories; women's figure and men's and women's bodybuilding. Seven women and eight men competed in all.

The overall title for the figure category was won by Fort Bragg's very own Maj. Sonise Lumbaca, a public affairs plans officer for the XVIII Airborne Corps currently deployed in support of the Multi-National Corp-Iraq.

"I was surprised and very excited about the win. This was my very first competition and it just goes to show that working hard to achieve your goals does pay off," Lumbaca said.

Lumbaca had been training for the competition since February and attributed her success to good old fashion dedication and "a little elbow grease."

"One of my goals has always been to compete in a figure competition," Lumbaca said. I've always wanted to participate in one and so winning at this stage never really mattered; just mustering up the guts to compete with others who have similar fitness philosophies was the goal."

Figure competitions do not require as much muscular size and definition as bodybuilding. Judges look for muscle tone, relative leanness, body symmetry, stage presence and a variety of other standards.

"[Figure competitions], are for [women] that are not quite ready for bodybuilding or just don't want to get into bodybuilding," said Tanya Marshall, a supply technician for the Theater Property Book Office at Camp Victory and the competition's promoter.

Judges will also reward for poise, elegance and an overall fit look, she added.

The standards for men and women bodybuilding are a bit more rigorous; however both are judged on the same criteria. Three women and eight men competed for the bodybuilding title.

There are two rounds during this judging which looks at body symmetry and muscularity.

"Careful attention must be paid towards muscle quality, muscle separation and striations, symmetry, vascularity, leanness, posing ability, presentation and overall stage presence," Marshall said.

"And, unlike the figure competition, the bodybuilding category requires mandatory poses."

Mandatory poses requires competitors to flex specific muscle groups to demonstrate muscle mass, definition and striation.

The male and female winner for the bodybuilding category was Spc. Jose Ibarra, a personal security detachment gunner for Company D, Special Troops Battalion, 4th Infantry Division from Fort Hood, Texas, and Spc. Dwilette Wilkes, a mortuary affairs specialist with the 54th Quartermaster Company from Fort Lee, Va.

All winners agreed that training in a combat environment made preparing for the competition that much more physically and mentally demanding.

"The weeks seem to go by quickly because you are so focused on the mission and completing your task, all the while trying to make it to the gym to get some quality work outs in," Lumbaca said. "And, oh by the way, if you are enrolled in some distance learning courses, there really isn't time set aside to just kick back and relax during off duty time that you may have left over."

Ibarra, who is also a first time competitor and also had to overcome a similar stringent regimen, had the same opinion. His daily schedule between work, training, taking correspondence courses and an online personal trainer's course had kept him non-stop on the move.

"My biggest concern was getting to the gym. There's a lot of preparation that goes into [preparing] the week before a competition," Ibarra said. "There wasn't enough time in the day; but, this was a good thing because my time here [in Iraq] flew by. I just kept busy."

Wilkes, who is on her second competition in Iraq also had some similar obstacles to overcome.

"My biggest concern while training was staying disciplined with my eating habits," she said.

Because the competitors operated in an environment where food is already prepared for them, watching salt and fat intake coupled with a limited variety of unprocessed food to select from made preparation that much more demanding.

Wilkes ate tuna fish and sardines. While Lumbaca stuck with a high protein diet.

"While the food here is pretty good and they give us plenty of a variety to choose from, if you are trying to compete in these types of competition and be successful, a chili cheese burger with a side of onion rings and a slice of chocolate cake with your favorite ice-cream just isn't going to help you," Lumbaca said.

Marshall, who is also a veteran competitor herself, added that it takes a creative mind to plan your meal cycle, come up with healthy food choices and a lot of determination to not stop at "the great dessert factory" that the dining facilities have on the bases.

"Trying to eat your meals takes a lot of planning and sometimes it is impossible when you are on convoys or flying from (forward operating base) to FOB," Marshall said.

In the end, every competitor's hard work achieved the recognition it deserved through accolades and awards presentation. Each competitor receive a medal, some gift certificates, a t-shirt and "goodie bags" from fitness industry sponsors.

"Overall (first, second and third place winners) received trophies, and the overall male bodybuilder and overall figure (winners) received a second trophy and Pro Status," Marshall said. "Pro (status) means that they are able to compete in the World Natural Bodybuilding Federation in which they can win cash money as prizes, make appearances at shows, and maybe be in magazines."

"Winning was my goal," Ibarra said. "And it is one of the highlight of my life."