“Back in 2005 I moved to Dallas,” said certified personal trainer and figure competitor Mandi Brooks. “In 2006 I saw a poster of a IFBB Fitness Pro. Her name is Susan Groshek. She’s a trainer here in Dallas as well. I want to look like that. She looks great. There’s actually four different categories. There’s bodybuilding which is the most muscular women. There’s also fitness competition and then there’s bikini. There’s figure which is what I’m doing. It’s a little toned down; a little more feminine. You have to want it. It has to be something that you’re passionate about.”

“The people that I work with I tell them straight up I just say if your heart’s not into it don’t do it because it takes one hundred percent commitment,” said Mandi Brooks certified personal trainer Jonathan Irizarry.

Figure Competitor Mandi Brooks – Photo Courtesy of Dan Ray

“Anybody can get in the gym for an hours and anybody can do cardio for an hour but eating healthy is a twenty four hour thing,” said Brooks. “If you really want to take it that step further and get on stage you have to really be determined. You have to be driven. This has to be your passion. It can’t just be something that’s like oh okay I can get in shape. It has to really be something that you want to do. The closer you get to a show the more cardio you do so you have to schedule in usually about up to three hours of training everyday. It’s really hard but it’s totally worth it.”

“My upcoming event is I’ve actually decided to do a show this year in July,” said Brooks. “It’s the Branch Warren Classic.”

Figure Competitor Mandi Brooks – Photo Courtesy of Dan Ray

“With Mandi Brooks she has what it takes to do this sport and go very far,” said Irizarry. “I mean from what I’ve seen from her from the past couple of shows her genetics are insane. She has the most potential I’ve seen from a female in a long time and all she has to do is just really dial it in. That’s what we’re going to try to do in this next show and I promised her first place if we get where we need to be.”

“For me it’s knowing that I’m going to get on stage, look my best and get up there and hopefully win my next show,” said Brooks.

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