Spring Break
Judge for Mr./Ms. EIU Fitness competition a former competitor
Sam Sottosanto/Online Reporter
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: News
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Note: DENNews.com will also be attempting to stream the competition live tomorrow night. For more information, visit our blog.
The medical consultant for the Indianapolis Colts was named Mr. EIU Fitness in 1997.
Chad Graham admitted he still has his trophy - but it is lost somewhere around his house.
"Some people give me a hard time about it," he joked.
Now, in addition to working with Colts players, Graham owns an athletic business and comes back every year as head judge of the Mr./Ms. EIU Fitness competition.
The competition is for student bodybuilders, who have been training for months, abiding by strict schedules.
The competition involves commitment in all areas such as exercising and eating the right foods.
At the end of the preparation stages, they will showcase their bodies at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
"Nothing's really changed, every year the show gets better and better," Graham said. "(It gets) more professional every year."
Graham said when he went to Eastern, he not only participated in the competition, but did a lot of behind-the-scenes work as well
- both situations sacrificing a lot of time.
"For most of (the competitors), it's probably the best shape they'll ever be in their lives," Graham said. "It's not necessarily a realistic thing to be able to maintain through your life, but also gives you a foundation for living a healthy lifestyle."
As head judge for the Mr./Ms. EIU Fitness competition, Graham has had a lot of experience in not only bodybuilding, but judging as well.
He used to judge for the National Physique Committee.
One of the most interesting things he has found as judge, is many times when kids do not win competitions, their parents complain.
"You always have parents who are upset when their kid doesn't win," Graham said. "(But) I feel from experience, I'm probably more an expert with it than they are. I am confident with my decisions."
During the competition, judges are looking for different components between men and women.
For the men, he looks for the right combination of sizes, being able to see the muscles clearly, whether he is a good poser and symmetry, Graham said.
Symmetry is when the arms and legs have to be proportionate -- the arms cannot be more muscular than the legs, or vice versa.
For the women, symmetry is also a component as well as athleticism, their routine, maneuver, and a well proportioned body.
Ken Baker, director of campus recreation, is looking forward to this year's competition.
"I expect a good show," he said. "It's really an electric event."
Baker said that Mr./Ms. EIU Fitness usually draws in a big, excited crowd.
In fact, the event is so popular there has been an added standing area in addition to the 500 seats.
Ben Gorman, a senior sports management major and Baker's intern, is the behind-the-scenes guy this year.
His job is to help organize the event and plan the meetings.
Gorman is looking forward to the event as well.
The other judges for the event will be Jim Dinasio, a former competitor and certified trainer who owns a fitness facility; Tom Leong, a former competitor, former EIU cheer team coach and high school teacher; Beth Frost-Schnarre, an international powerlifting record holder, former graduate assistant and former cheer team coach at EIU; and Laura Middleton, a national competitor in bodybuilding.
Sam Sottosanto can be reached at 581-7942 or at slsottosanto@eiu.edu.
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