About Karen

An Interview With Karen

Where are you from and have you always been into fitness?

I was born and raised in the great city of Louisville, KY. I was always involved in athletics and grew up with a very competitive drive. I began playing field hockey in high school and decided to pursue an athletic scholarship to college in that sport. I ended up signing on with Kent State University to play division one field hockey my senior year of high school. Earning that scholarship was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Attending Kent State and playing division one field hockey was truly a memorable experience. It was a time for me to grow not only as an athlete, but as a student and an independent young woman. After four years, I ended up graduating with a BA in Geography.

How did you become a figure competitor?

Following college, I was lost without having a sport to compete in. I moved from Ohio to a small town in Colorado and took up snowboarding and backpacking. I absolutely love the outdoors and Colorado was a huge playground for me. I could not afford to join the gym in Colorado so my weight training was put on hold. I guess it was a small price to pay for being a snow bum!

I tried my best to make a living in the small mountain town of Salida, CO but I was forced to move to a larger city to start a career. That is why I ended up in Scottsdale, AZ. I joined a gym and picked up where I had left off with weight training. It was in July of 2004 that I decided to compete in a figure competition and I met my soon to be trainer, The Great Ernie Villegas. Little did I know that my life and physique were about to change.

Tell us about your figure competition experience

In November of 2004, I competed in my first NPC competition in Phoenix, AZ. I had never even seen a bodybuilding and figure competition, so I was viewing it for the first time from the stage! I ended up placing 3rd in my class and knew that I had found a new sport to compete in. I did one more local NPC show in 2005 and then competed at the USA's. I ended up placing 5th in my class at my very first National show, it was then and there that I realized I wanted to earn my pro card. That dream became a reality when I became an IFBB Figure Pro at the 2007 Figure Nationals in New York. What a year 2007 was....I became an IFBB Figure Pro, got married to an amazing man, and decided to start my own personal training business appropriately named "No Mullarkey" Personal Training.

Now that you are an IFBB pro, what's next?

I am heading into my third season as an IFBB Pro and I have made some major adjustments to my physique. I am hoping to qualify for the Olympia, but I am also focusing just as hard on my modeling career. Competing keeps me in tip top shape for photo shoots. I hope to see big strides in 2010 with both my competition and modeling careers. Look for me to kick off the 2010 season at Phoenix's very first pro show on February 20th. It will be so nice to compete in my new hometown with many friends and family in attendance. I also hope to get my business, "No Mullarkey" Personal Training moving full steam ahead. I can feel that 2010 is going to be one heck of a year for my career in fitness.

Fun Facts About Karen and Her Figure Training

Favorite Diet Food: Almond Butter
Favorite Cheat Food: Pizza
My Favorite Body Part: Legs
My Favorite Exercise: Leg Press
My Least Favorite Exercise: Bench Press
How Many Times A Day I Eat: 6
How Many Times A Week Do I Train: I do cardio 5 times a week for 45 minutes to an hour and I lift weights 4 times a week in the off season. When I am getting ready for a show, I do cardio for an hour and lift weights 6 times a week.