Fitness Role Models
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›››fitness role models Power comes from within. It’s anchored by the will of our minds and bodies. Women ofStrength m&f hers introduces you to four women whose spirit has made them strong in very different ways FIT FOUR (Clockwise from left) Debi Purcell, Jill Stevens, Anastasia Brown, Trish Downing NBC PHOTO: TK By Steve Mazzucchi Photos by Jim Purdum muscleandfitnesshers.com 73 DebiPurThe Fightercell EvEveryery sport hassport its pioneers has — those its who beginpioneers toiling in obscurity, then gain fame as their singular brilliance reveals their pastime’s magic to the masses. Skateboarding has Tony Hawk. Women’s soccer has Mia Hamm. And if female mixed martial arts (MMA) ever goes mainstream, it will have Debi Purcell. Compact and muscular at 5'7", 135 pounds, and compete, that was a big moment. I real- and get paid what we’re worth to fight. If we Purcell is among the sport’s fiercest competi- ized that’s what I wanted to do.” don’t, it’s gonna be a circus freak show for a tors and its most passionate promoter. “We’re Things started on a high note. After win- while and then it’s gone.” legitimate fighters, and I want to help the ning her first few fights, Purcell persuaded the Not surprisingly, Purcell’s doing all she can sport grow for women,” says the 34-year-old, owners of the traditionally all-male King of to ensure it stays around. She has created the who runs a thriving Orange County, the Cage circuit to let her in the ring — networking site fightergirls.net, begun man- California, commercial refrigeration business against a substantially bigger opponent. In aging other female fighters and, as Ruas’ and two online stores while serving as the what she calls her proudest fighting moment, assistant coach on the IFL’s Southern only female coach in the International Fight Purcell flashed her formidable skills (check California Condors, has lent credibility to her League (IFL). How’d she reach such heights? out the fan-made highlight video that pops up sport. It may be working. In June, Canadian “I’m very competitive — that’s what drives first when you search her name on YouTube), fighting organization TKO MMA held its first me,” she explains. Yet that attitude didn’t won by a unanimous decision and appeared female bout, and Purcell’s YouTube video always foretell success. destined for even greater victories. The only topped 13,500 views. Now she dreams of “As a teenager, I was an angry punk rocker,” hang-up? A lack of competition. “The problem starting a women’s fight league and being the Purcell recalls. “I had problems with my par- in female MMA is that the better you get, the first female to compete in the world’s top ents’ divorce, and I was fighting in the streets fewer the people who want to fight you,” MMA organization, the Ultimate Fighting all the time. I got into martial arts because Purcell laments. “I’ve trained for some 30 Championship (UFC). I wanted to kick people’s asses.” Fortunately fights, but most haven’t happened because the Meanwhile, she’ll keep busy with DC’s for Purcell — and anyone on her bad side — promoter couldn’t get the money, or the oppo- Mechanical, which provides commercial she eventually found her way to Marco Ruas, nent dropped out. It’s frustrating to put your refrigeration to In-N-Out Burger, among an instructor who championed the old-school life on hold and train full time for a dream other companies, and her two online shops, martial-arts values of respect, humility and that never happens.” alphafemalefightwear.com, which sells fight- decency. “I started training for negative rea- That cruel irony highlights the crossroads themed clothing, and hollywoodaprons.com, “The problem in female MMA sons, but Marco turned my life in a positive at which female MMA now stands. While ded- which hocks vintage-style aprons designed by direction,” she says. icated women train hard to fight legitimately, her and a friend. “My other passion is clothes,” is that the better you get, He also introduced her to his multifaceted a lot of promoters are more interested in the Purcell confesses. fighting style, Vale Tudo. Portuguese for any- novelty of “chicks” — preferably attractive Time will tell whether female MMA the fewer the people who thing goes, the Brazilian discipline combines ones who’ll step in the ring for a mere 500 approaches the popularity of skateboarding or want to fight you.” boxing, wrestling, submission grappling, bucks — pounding on each other. As Purcell women’s soccer. Even if it doesn’t, Purcell has Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu. “It’s really complicated puts it, “Blond, cute girls who can’t fight are no regrets. “When I get letters from girls say- and technical,” Purcell observes. Yet she killing our sport.” So what does the future ing, ‘You inspire me,’ it means everything to embraced the challenge, earned her black belt hold? “Either it’s gonna be super-popular for me,” she says. “That absolutely makes it worth in three years and set her sights on MMA three years and phase out, or we’re gonna it.” That and the chance to kick people’s asses, FASHION DIRECTOR: CINDY WHITEHEAD. HAIR & MAKEUP: DONNA GAST, DEBBI DOVER FOR REVOLUTION ARTIST MANAGEMENT. APPAREL: HUNTER FIGHT WEAR. GLOVES: UFC glory. “When I learned I could mix everything band together, form a union, train seriously of course. 74 muscleandfitnesshers.com 75 “Seeing how women are treated Renaissance Woman [in Afghanistan] was sad. In the villages, I’d take my helmet off to show I’m a woman JillStevens and I’m respected, and that women do have worth.” JillJill Stevens Stevens must be the onlymust contestant be in beauty the pageant only history to employ the slogan, Lock and load. “It means to be ready for anything that comes at you,” she explains, “and make every moment count.” Given that she has won marathons, served as an Army medic in the Middle East, worked as an ER nurse and captured multiple pageant crowns, all by age 24, it’s safe to say Stevens lives that mantra. How does she tackle such diverse pursuits and maintain a strong, healthy body to handle them? Let’s start at the beginning. “I remember doing Richard Simmons’ she remarks. “But I saw the sights of whole new ballgame. And making yourself Sweatin’ to the Oldies with my mom at 5:30 a.m. Afghanistan while flying in Blackhawks and bustier? Duct tape.” Despite her naïveté, Stevens when I was in fifth grade,” says Stevens, who Chinooks — that rocked!” was named Miss Congeniality — and in Sandra grew up mainly in California and outside Salt One powerful memory of that year was the Bullock–worthy fashion, tripped as she went to Lake City with six siblings. By high school, children — Stevens cared for a cross-eyed collect her award. Undeterred, she went on to she’d hit the gym at 4 a.m. before heading to Afghan girl as she underwent surgery, and she win the pageant itself. class with protein powder and sweat-drenched helped start the nonprofit Afghanistan Since then, she has finished second runner- hair. At 16, she joined her gym’s running club, Orphanage Project to build homes for aban- up in the Miss Utah pageant, claimed Miss and two years later won her age group at Utah’s doned kids. Another was meeting people who Congeniality at the National Sweethearts St. George marathon. “I don’t know where I got shared her gender but not her reality. “Seeing pageant and become Miss Davis County, which this passion,” she admits. “I just couldn’t beat how women are treated there was sad,” Stevens means a return to Miss Utah and, if she wins, the feeling of working out, eating right and recalls. “In the villages, I’d take my helmet off a spot in the Miss America pageant. She has challenging myself.” to show I’m a woman and I’m respected, and also done 70-plus speaking engagements That attitude landed Stevens in a National that women do have worth.” She also sent that and become Utah’s director of Teen CERT Guard uniform in 2001. “Visiting the recruiting message loud and clear in the inaugural (Community Emergency Response Team). “It booth, I wondered, Could I hack that?” With Afghanistan Marathon. After six weeks of train- teaches high school kids simple first-aid maneu- only one way to find out, she signed up. And ing in what was essentially a minefield, Stevens vers that can save lives,” she explains. That’s just from the start, she dug camping, shooting and ripped into the rocky course and was the first part of her emergency preparedness platform — pushing her body. “I loved PT [physical train- female (and seventh runner overall) to finish. you know, Lock and load. ing],” she raves. “I’d be like, ‘Gimme more push- Returning to college in 2005, Stevens took After graduating from SUU this past May, ups, drill sergeant!’” aim at a different target. When the school’s Stevens began working as an emergency room That strength was tested in 2004 when pageant director urged her to enter the 2006 nurse and for a digital scrapbooking outfit, Spc. Stevens, then a freshman at Southern Utah Miss SUU, the onetime tomboy laughed — she Remember My Service. “It helps tell the story University (Cedar City), learned her Guard unit didn’t even own a pair of heels. But when she of what soldiers did overseas,” she says.