CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan -- Do you think you have what it takes to become a champion bodybuilder? Could you do it in just four months? Sgt. Odyssey U. Martin, a human resources sergeant for the 247th Military Police Detachment and native of Lexington Park, Md can proudly answer yes to both those questions after winning at the 2013 Muscle Beach women’s figure tall and bodybuilding heavyweight categories on August 4th at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan.
“I was always in the gym and one day I saw them posing. I talked to Zoa Linsey in April, who is my trainer and I was automatically hooked,” said Martin.
Bodybuilding competitions judge the participants symmetry, muscularity, and conditioning based on their size and weight. Martin, who was the only Army female to compete in the women’s tall figure and bodybuilding heavyweight categories took first place in both and she also took second in both the overall women’s figure and bodybuilding categories.
When asked about her achievements Martin commented, “I am happy, very very happy, overwhelmed. I plan on continuing, hopefully get a pro card and then in a couple years or so I hope to go pro.”
In the modern bodybuilding industry, professional generally means a bodybuilder who has won qualifying competitions as an amateur and has earned a "pro card" from their respective organization. While this is Martin’s goal many who are not familiar with the sport fail to realize the true commitment.
“The hardest thing about bodybuilding is time management; I am active duty, so it is a little hard to maintain work, going to school, working out, and getting my meals made,” said Martin. My favorite part of bodybuilding is the training, but make sure you get a good trainer, someone who has a background in it and to be honest the diet is the biggest part of the training.”
Martin also realizes that she couldn’t have achieved all she did without some help and support. “I would like to thank Zoa Linsey for training me, all the power girls and everyone that has supported me thru my angry hungry moments,” said Martin.