Interview with National NPC Fitness and Figure Competitor Kara Nicole Finer
By Eddie Cervantes, Muscle-4Life-Nutrition.com
CEO - Muscle 4 Life Nutrition LLC
Specialist In Performance Nutrition

As you know we here at Muscle 4 Life Nutrition are always on the hunt for outstanding bodybuilders, fitness pros and athletes. Not only is Kara a hard working athlete but when I last spoke to her she was studying for mid-terms, working, and training in the gym. That's what I call determination. I am proud to have had the opportunity to interview National NPC Fitness and Figure Competitor Kara Nicole Finer a rising star in the bodybuilding world.
Kara shares with us how she got started in fitness/bodybuilding and also her training, nutrition and motivations.
Name: Kara Nicole Finer
Residence: Connecticut
Main Occupation: Dietary Assistant/ Esthetician and Full Time
Student Majoring in Dietetics
Age: 25
Height: 5’3
Weight: 128 off season and 116 - 118 contest weight.
Training Facility: Gold's Gym
(Q) Tell us a little about yourself and how you got started in bodybuilding?
To make a long story short, I had always maintained a fit physique remaining around 134 pounds until July of 2004. This was a point in my life where I packed on 21 pounds putting me at the 155 pound mark on my petite 5'3 frame. I hit rock bottom.
In January of 2005, I set a goal for myself, to compete in a figure competition. This was something I had always dreamed about doing. With little time on my hands (the competition was in June, 2005) I needed to change my mind set and get serious. Although my trainer at the time stated he really didn’t believe I could get my body contest ready in such a short amount of time, through hard work, motivation, and dedication I actually made it happen. My body went through drastic transformations and was contest ready by June!
I started working out five years ago at age 20. My boyfriend Chris lifted weights and he had always inspired me so I decided to join him. I have been addicted ever since. We both started competing three years ago and have placed top 5 in every competition we have competed in. Just recently I had decided to challenge myself and train for my first fitness competition. Fitness competitors have always amazed and inspired me so I felt this was the direction I needed to take. With the help and guidance of Heidi Fletcher, I placed second at the Jay Cutler New England's and First place at Atlantic States this past may and June.
(Q) What is your competitive history and what other website's have you been featured?
Date(s) |
Show/Event/Location
| Placing |
September 2006 |
INBF Long Island Experience
Long Island, New York
|
1st Place Figure Division
|
September 2006 |
INBF Beyond 2000 Naturalmania Nationals
New York, New York
|
4th Place Figure Division
|
October 2006 |
NPC Gold’s Classic Jackson, New Jersey
|
4th Place Figure Division
|
September 2007 |
INBF Natural Universe
East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
*Earned WNBF Pro Card *
|
1st Place Figure Division |
October 2007 |
NPC Northeastern Tournament of Champions
Derry, New Hampshire
|
1st Place Figure Division
|
October 2007 |
NPC Northeastern Tournament of Champions
Derry, New Hampshire
|
1st Place Sports Model Search Division
|
October 2007 |
NPC Gold’s Classic Jackson, New Jersey
|
5th Place Figure Division
|
May 2008 |
NPC Jay Cutler New England Championships
Boston, MA
|
1st Place Figure Division
|
May 2008 |
NPC Jay Cutler New England Championships
Boston, MA
|
2nd Place Fitness Division
|
June 2008 |
NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States
New York, New York
|
1st Place Fitness Division
|
June 2008 |
NPC Bev Francis Atlantic States
New York, New York
|
2nd Place Figure Division
|
September 2008 |
NPC Team Universe Nationals
New York, New York
|
TBA |
Media |
Website Address |
--- |
American Physiques |
american-physiques.com/Model-Kara-Finer american-physiques.com/Model-Kara-Finer.htm |
---- |
BodyBuilding.com |
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/transf88.htm |
---- |
Revolutionary Technology Nutrition
|
http://www.revolutionarynutrition.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.display&Page_ID=100 |
---- |
Real Feats Of Strength
|
http://mon371.proboards107.com/index.cgi?board=fit&action=display&thread=1481 |
--- |
The Figure Workshop.Com
|
http://thefigureworkshop.com/Clients_Photos.html |
--- |
Education |
Major / Studies |
Date |
Saint Joseph College
|
Dietetics and Nutrition
*Graduating in May 2009
|
Current |
John Casablanca Modeling Center
|
Makeup Artistry |
2001 |
Brio Academy of Esthetics
|
Certified Esthetician / Certified Advanced Esthetics / Certified Body Treatments / Certified Nail Technician
|
2002 |
Smart Tan |
Smart Tan Level One Certification |
2003 |
ServSafe |
ServSafe Food Safety Certification |
2008 |

(Q) Do you have a trainer or contest coach or do you do it on your own?
I have been working with my contest prep coach and IFBB pro Fakhri Mubarak since this past November and have been working with IFBB Pro Fitness Competitor Heidi Fletcher for the past three years who now helps me choreograph my fitness routines. I could not be where I am today without their knowledge and guidance.
(Q) What is your training philosophy and what does your current training workout look like?
I have the drive, determination, motivation, and sense of accomplishment that I can do ANYTHING I put my mind to. Mind over Matter.
It has taught me that with patience, dreams can come true. You have what everyone else has but to succeed, you have to be willing to do what they are not.
Prepping for a show:
●Day 1 - Quads and Calves - Cardio
●Day 2 - Biceps / Chest and Abs - Sprints
●Day 3 - Cardio
●Day 4 - Back and Abs - cardio
●Day 5 - Shoulders and Calves - cardio
●Day 6 - Hamstrings and Triceps - cardio
●Day 7 - Sprints
●In the off season, cardio is performed four days a week between 35 - 45 minutes. Contest prep cardio varies but I tend to perform two 45 minute sessions to 2 hours of cardio everyday with two 30 minutes sprint sessions a week while preparing for a show.
(Q) Is this training routine something that our readers can use to build muscle or is this something that is more suited for a more advanced athlete?
I do not recommend that a beginner start off with the routine mentioned above. A beginner should start off with a training program that teaches them the basics of lifting with proper form. Once proper technique is formed and mastered I would recommend a beginner to get started in a basic training program. Hiring a personal trainer would be the best option for individuals who are just starting out. Many women think that lifting heavy will make them look bulky when in all reality women don't understand that we don't have enough testosterone to build like kind of muscle. Lifting heavy will only make you look leaner and tighter. Many individuals also believe that they will loose fat by doing just cardio.. WRONG. You need to lift weights as well!! In order to improve a physique I advise to follow a well rounded exercise regimen. Training your body is all about balance. One is not better than the other. Both cardio and weight training are necessary and if you want to transform your physique, you need to attack it from all angles!
Check out Kara Finer's updated interview.
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