Interview With WBFF Pro Sharon Polsky

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved in the fitness industry?

I have been an athlete my entire life and at the age of 16 was looking for a part time job. I went to my local health club and got a job as an aerobics instructor and the rest is history. I instantly fell in love.

CRITICAL BENCH: How did you get involved with The WBFF and how do you enjoy being a part of the WBFF experience?

In 2011 I was gearing up to compete with Ms. Fitness USA, when the owners decided to retire… I had worked really hard all off season to bring a new package to the stage and felt really let down.

I was telling Cathy Savage that I was planning on retiring and she told me about The WBFF. All I had to hear was More Theatrical and More Glamorous and I was IN!!!!! I have a background in musical theater so when I heard that I knew it was going to be a great fit for me and it is….

CRITICAL BENCH: Who has been influential in your career?

I think of the fitness industry as 2 fold…. we have the traditional fitness industry which is made up of equipment manufacturers, education companies and health clubs…. and we have the competitive fitness industry made up of competitive organizations, trainers and coaches…. I have had a huge career in both, which I am very lucky for.

I would say in traditional fitness Lewis Welch the owner of LA Fitness Healthclubs is the most influential in my career and I am the successful business woman I am today 100% because of what he taught me.

In the competitive fitness industry it is a toss up between Lorenzo Gaspar of the Ms. Fitness USA organization and Paul Dillett of the WBFF. Being a WBFF Pro has opened up so many doors for me but I could not have done that without the foundation that was built by the Ms. Fitness Organization.

CRITICAL BENCH: When you look at yourself in the mirror are you your best friend or your own worst enemy?

When I look at myself in the mirror I am my best friend but not for the reasons that most people would say. I look at myself with a critical and honest eye. I think real best friends are forever honest when asked for advice… and I am VERY honest with myself.

CRITICAL BENCH: What do you find more difficult the diet or the training?

I don’t find diet or training difficult. This is my lifestyle and I love it. First off I do not diet. I eat healthy all the time. When I prep for a show I just increase activity but my diet stays the same. The only thing I hate is cardio but I don’t more then 20 minutes of cardio a day and that is just to keep my heart and lungs healthy and I can totally handle that 🙂

CRITICAL BENCH: What changes would you like to see happen in the fitness industry as a whole?

I would like to see the competitive fitness become more real, honest and more professional. I think the level of professionalism as a whole is at an all-time low and it saddens me.

CRITICAL BENCH: What do you love most about fitness?

I love the life long friends I have met along the way through this industry. Although I wish they all lived here. 🙂

CRITICAL BENCH: What achievement are you most proud of?

I have received numerous awards throughout the years but I am most proud of any award I have received for making a difference in mainstream populations lives through my health and wellness programs, like my recent award as Fitness Woman of the Year given to me at the OC Fit Expo by Mike Glass and Bodybuilding.com…. I was honored for being one of the most influential and inspirational people in the fitness industry.

The other competitive achievements would be my 5th place finish at Ms. Fitness USA in 2009 only 5 months after being diagnosed with a life threatening illness and being told I would never compete again. Oh, and winning my Pro Card in 2011 with Paul Dillett’s WBFF.

CRITICAL BENCH: How would you finish this statement: The biggest myth about women who lift weights is ________________ .

HA… I’m actually not going to finish this sentence…. What I know about lifting weights is that you can use them to get any body that you want. If you want to look like an athlete you can lift weights, if you want to look like a bodybuilder you can lift weights, if you want to look like a toned bikini model you can lift weights. Use them to your advantage.

CRITICAL BENCH: What plans do you have for the future?

I actually have no idea what the future has in store for me competitively. I keep playing with the idea of retiring but I don’t really feel like I have achieved my potential yet. So I am constantly reassessing that aspect of my future… Professionally my goal is touch as many people as I can and teach them how to actually live a healthy lifestyle. That is why I am developing my Sharon’s “Unleashed” Nutrition and Wellness program which should be available January of 2014.

CRITICAL BENCH: Tell our readers what your workout schedule consists off.

My workout schedule is crazy and not like anybody elses…. My goal is to lift weights 3 days per week. I only life specific body parts that are lacking, trying to get them to catch up with the rest. The rest of my week is spent doing athletic training and plyometric training so I am conditioned. I also get in 4 yoga classes per week, which are great total body strengthening yoga classes.

CRITICAL BENCH: I am going to name a topic and you give me a response in a sentence or less, here we go:

I drive a… “Stripper Mobile”
My favorite bodypart is… “Legs”
My favorite exercise is… “Box Jumps”
A fitness event during the year that I look forward to is… WBFF Montreal Pro/Am – Best Comeptitive Experience I have ever had.
The best thing ever told to me was… “I have legs like a racehorse” Thank you Ashleigh Frost.
The last time I cried was… Daily at any ad which involves animals.
I listen to… Everything but right now Carlos Vives is my favorite
My ideal vacation is… Anything fun 🙂
One thing that I love about myself is that… I am the most loyal person on the planet.
For fun I love to go… Raves
I am always… Happy
I love my… Little Dog Jessie
My favorite health food is… Broccoli
If I could cheat right now and not get fat I would eat… Porterhouse or Ribeye Steak
If I was an actress I would like to be in a…. Musical
My favorite kind of animal is… Meerkat
If I had to be an animal I would be… Meerkat
Love is… the life blood that keeps us happy until the day we die.
The most fun I ever had was when… I performed as a professional acrobat all over the world
I believe that… I can achieve anything I put my heart into.