September 18-19 Level One Certification Cincinnati, Ohio Call for information on future dates! JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS Marcia Ferguson is at an age when hardcore bodybuilding finds herself state, regional, national and world most athletes have long since re- already competing at elite levels in records in her age group and tired and can usually be found sit- her new athletic activity. The sport weight class. If Marcia decides to ting in a comfortable chair parked is powerlifting and Marcia has set compete in the Amateur Athletic in front of a wide screen TV remi- Union ‘raw’ division later this year, niscing about their glory days to she could win the world title in the whomever will listen. Marcia, on open division. She related how the other hand, has enthusiastically quickly and completely she took to begun a brand new career in a new her new athletic endeavor. “I was sport and as a result of decades of as surprised as the next person when I realized how competitive I 3 August 2004 / Performance Press 1-800-344-3404 www.parrillo.com MARCIA FERGUSON was in powerlifting right from the Pittsburgh. She indicated that this Preference is allowed in bodybuild- start. All those years of hard and year’s bodybuilding competition ing judging, but at some point one heavy weight training done in con- could be the end of the line for her type of cat realizes that their breed junction with my bodybuilding ca- bodybuilding career. “I have been is not as popular as another breed. reer positioned me perfectly for a contender for years and years Marcia’s physique is dense as a powerlifting.” She talked at length and though I have come close on gold brick and the lithe, angular in a phone interview from her many occasions I have never won types seem to be getting the nod home in suburban Cincinnati, Ohio the NPC national title. Last year I on a consistent basis. Marcia feels and mulled over how it was a was runner up in my class and I it might be time to move onto other rookie who could perform at such am giving serious consideration to competitive avenues and pursuits. a high initial level. retiring if I do not win this year.” She has options and retiring from bodybuilding hardly “During my bodybuilding means retiring from com- career I always sought to petition. Another sport increase the poundage I beckons and this sport is lifted in the various core far more objective than exercises because I knew subjective. “Preparing for that increased strength national level bodybuilding would result in increased competition is grueling; it muscle size. My strength takes a toll on you physi- was a side benefit in my cally and psychologically. quest for increased muscle Frankly, in the back of my mass. When I decided to mind I have this little voice try powerlifting I found out saying, ‘this isn’t any fun that the weights I was us- anymore’ – that same ing were quite competitive. voice also is whispering, That was a pleasant sur- ‘maybe no matter how prise.” For her it was much muscle I build, no pleasant surprise; for her matter how lean or ripped competitors it was a night- I become, the judges are mare. Marcia and her hus- not going to pick me.’ band Mike are well known Marcia Ferguson with her husband Mike. Bodybuilding is subjective to longtime readers of the to the max and opinions Parrillo Performance Press. about who is better are common Marcia has been one of the lead- There is not a hint of bitterness or and accepted. Frankly, at the very ing master (over 40 years of age) anger in her voice as she relates top levels of NPC competition ev- bodybuilders in the United States this dramatic piece of information. eryone shows up in shape, every- for many years. She has been at “Bodybuilding judging is subjective one packs a lot of muscle, every- the top of the heap in amateur and at some point you think, per- one knows how to pose and ev- bodybuilding on the national level haps my physique, no matter how eryone looks good. So it usually for a long time and just last year tight or muscular, is not the body comes down to genetics and per- took second place in the toughest type the judges prefer.” A cougar sonal preferences.” amateur bodybuilding competition is a different type of cat from a in America: the NPC National jaguar, not better or worse, just dif- In the end, a panel of judges col- Masters bodybuilding champion- ferent. If the judges prefer one lectively and subjectively selects a ships. She will compete for that type of physique over another it winner. “At some point a person same title again this summer in becomes next to impossible to win. has to come to the conclusion that www.parrillo.com 1-800-344-3404 Performance Press / August 2004 4 JOHN PARRILLO’S PERFORMANCE PRESS perhaps the judges are never go- pearance to outsiders. In competi- pounds, bench pressed 235-pounds ing to pick you as the winner. I am tive powerlifting there are separate and deadlifted 415-pounds. She is about at that point. I love bodybuild- competitions for men and women decimating the competition and is ing but if I show up once again in and eleven weight classes are con- doing so without wearing any top condition and if my physique tested. Each squat, bench press powerlifting support gear. She re- and presentation is up to my stan- and deadlift must be completed to cently set a slew of age group na- dards and if no other competitor is the technical satisfaction of three tional and world records at the IPA significantly better than me and if judges. Each competitor is allowed Ohio State championships. “I had I lose, I’m going to give serious three attempts in each lift. The finished lifting in the IPA competi- consideration to retiring.” Marcia best lift in each of the three lifts tion when the president of the fed- has other athletic options. “I had are added together to produce a eration, Mark Challiet, came over been aware of powerlifting but for ‘total.’ If a lifter were to squat 200, and said, ‘by the way, you set a some reason it never occurred to bench press 200 and deadlift 200 bunch of national and world me to actually compete; I was so the total would be 600-pounds. The records.’ It was really a thrill, par- into bodybuilding that it really lifter with the highest total in each ticularly since I really didn’t real- didn’t occur to me. About a year weight class is the winner. Equip- ize what was happening at the ago I entered my first powerlifting ment is allowed and used to aide time.” She is looking into compet- competition and I really liked the the various lifts: in the squat, a belt, ing in a power federation that has atmosphere and the people – ev- knee wraps and a squat suit are a particular division that doesn’t eryone was so friendly.” In addi- allowed. A bench shirt and a lifting allow any supportive gear. The tion to the excitement of a new belt are allowed in the bench press. Amateur Athletic Union has a athletic format Marcia really ap- Rules governing equipment use and ‘raw’ division that allows athletes preciated the general camaraderie type vary greatly from one the use of a lifting belt – and that’s and openness of powerlifters. powerlifting federation to another. it – no other gear is allowed. This When bodybuilders gather together Marcia Ferguson has trained her format seems tailored made for to compete everyone is grumpy on whole life without using any equip- Marcia. She is looking into com- account of the dieting and depri- ment other than a lifting belt and peting in AAU competitions in the vation that goes with the final that is all she uses in her near future. Her current lifts are phase of contest preparation. Plus, powerlifting. “In my 20-years of far in excess of the existing national bodybuilders compete directly bodybuilding I never wore any sup- and world records in the AAU raw against each other. Powerlifters portive gear and now that I’m division. For the foreseeable fu- compete against each other but powerlifting there doesn’t seem ture Marcia intends to continue really they compete against the any need to start. The gear that competing in both bodybuilding and loaded barbell. The bar is the real powerlifters’ use is uncomfortable powerlifting. As a bodybuilder her enemy. There is comparatively to me and I don’t intend to start competitive weight is 148 pounds little subjectivity in lifting: you ei- using a squat suit or a bench shirt.” and as a powerlifter she competes ther make the lift or you don’t make weighing 158-pounds. the lift. This seems counterproductive; when in Rome, do as the Romans. Another amazing aspect of Is it any wonder that Marcia says, She said by way of explanation, “I Marcia’s athletic saga is that she “At this stage of life, the black and know that I’m giving away a lot of works two fulltime jobs. “During white world of powerlifting appeals pounds to my competitors that use the daytime I work in a dental of- to me.” Powerlifting is fairly mys- supportive gear but I can’t be both- fice; this is my main occupation. I terious for most bodybuilders; its ered.” Not that it matters; Marcia started a catering business a few lack of exposure and use of equip- is a power phenomena.