Local figure competitor heads to ‘the Arnold’
Local figure competitor heads to ‘the Arnold’
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Kristi Knights only been participating in figure competitions for a little over a year but has already made it to a national level in the sport.
This weekend, Knights will be competing in the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The event will be held for the first time as part of the Arnold Classic, which is held every year and is named for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Knights described the Arnold Classic as one of the “top two shows” for the U.S. in the bodybuilding, fitness and figure industry.
Figure competitions are a class of physique events for women that are similar to female bodybuilding contests, but have less emphasis on muscle size. Figure competitions combine the physique guidelines of fitness with the competition style of bodybuilding. The competitors are judged solely on symmetry and muscle tone.
To be eligible for the Arnold Championships, Knights had to place in the top two in her class in a national qualifying show, which she did last fall. Before that competition, Knights had participated in some local and regional shows. She applied for inclusion in the Arnold as quickly as she could because she knew that only a select number were going to be accepted. She had thought the registration was closed soon after she applied, but found out that same day that she was going to compete.
Knights, who lives in Scarborough, will be the only person from Maine competing in the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships.
Knights said she has been training for this weekend’s event since the end of November. She said she wants to compete at the Arnold because of the chance it will give her to see some of her role models and see how her sport works on a national level.
“The biggest thing for me will be being able to grace the stage with pro athletes that I have admired over the years,” Knights said. “It will also give me a chance to see what things are like at the pro level.”
She said she “never would have anticipated” competing alongside women that she has “dreamed of being in the same arena with.”
Being an athlete and competitor means that Knights is always interested in how she can improve herself. In her preparation for the national competition, she said she wanted to “improve the condition I compete in.” To do that, she said she kept a close watch on her diet, tried to increase her muscle density and attempted to make her muscle tone as symmetrical as possible. She said she has received a great deal of compliments and encouragement on her progress.
“I have really gotten a lot of compliments,” Knights said. “I really busted my butt and some people can’t believe I have built as much muscle as I have in this short amount of time.”
There are a total of 27 ladies that will be competing in Knights’ height class in the figure competition at the Arnold.
While a student at South Portland High School, Knights competed in field hockey, track and softball. She earned several awards and accolades for her athletic prowess, including being named the state’s schoolgirl Female Athlete of the Year in 1997. After being recruited by a number of colleges to play field hockey, Knights accepted a scholarship to the University of Maine at Orono. During her time there, she was named a regional All-American twice.
Knights started lifting weights when she was 14. She was playing softball at the time and was suffering from a case of tendonitis. She began lifting to help gain strength and prevent injuries. She continued to lift weights, along with running and other cardiovascular activities, throughout high school and college. She liked how her work off the field was assisting her in her playing on the field.
During her training, Knights gets up at 4:30 a.m. and heads to the gym to work out. She then works all day and goes to the gym again for some cardiovascular exercise. On weekends, her workouts tend to be longer.
When asked what her goals for the Arnold were, Knights said she was hoping to “get the most out of the experience” she could, from both a competition and networking standpoint.
Knights admitted that she always wanted to compete nationally in figure, but is surprised how quickly she has achieved that goal.
“I planned on doing one show in Scarborough, then I did one in Massachusetts and, before you knew it, I was on the fast track,” Knights said. “It has been amazing…I am fortunate I have met the right people who have helped me along the way.”
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Kristi Knights only been participating in figure competitions for a little over a year but has already made it to a national level in the sport.
This weekend, Knights will be competing in the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships in Columbus, Ohio. The event will be held for the first time as part of the Arnold Classic, which is held every year and is named for Arnold Schwarzenegger. Knights described the Arnold Classic as one of the “top two shows” for the U.S. in the bodybuilding, fitness and figure industry.
Figure competitions are a class of physique events for women that are similar to female bodybuilding contests, but have less emphasis on muscle size. Figure competitions combine the physique guidelines of fitness with the competition style of bodybuilding. The competitors are judged solely on symmetry and muscle tone.
To be eligible for the Arnold Championships, Knights had to place in the top two in her class in a national qualifying show, which she did last fall. Before that competition, Knights had participated in some local and regional shows. She applied for inclusion in the Arnold as quickly as she could because she knew that only a select number were going to be accepted. She had thought the registration was closed soon after she applied, but found out that same day that she was going to compete.
Knights, who lives in Scarborough, will be the only person from Maine competing in the Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness and Figure Championships.
Knights said she has been training for this weekend’s event since the end of November. She said she wants to compete at the Arnold because of the chance it will give her to see some of her role models and see how her sport works on a national level.
“The biggest thing for me will be being able to grace the stage with pro athletes that I have admired over the years,” Knights said. “It will also give me a chance to see what things are like at the pro level.”
She said she “never would have anticipated” competing alongside women that she has “dreamed of being in the same arena with.”
Being an athlete and competitor means that Knights is always interested in how she can improve herself. In her preparation for the national competition, she said she wanted to “improve the condition I compete in.” To do that, she said she kept a close watch on her diet, tried to increase her muscle density and attempted to make her muscle tone as symmetrical as possible. She said she has received a great deal of compliments and encouragement on her progress.
“I have really gotten a lot of compliments,” Knights said. “I really busted my butt and some people can’t believe I have built as much muscle as I have in this short amount of time.”
There are a total of 27 ladies that will be competing in Knights’ height class in the figure competition at the Arnold.
While a student at South Portland High School, Knights competed in field hockey, track and softball. She earned several awards and accolades for her athletic prowess, including being named the state’s schoolgirl Female Athlete of the Year in 1997. After being recruited by a number of colleges to play field hockey, Knights accepted a scholarship to the University of Maine at Orono. During her time there, she was named a regional All-American twice.
Knights started lifting weights when she was 14. She was playing softball at the time and was suffering from a case of tendonitis. She began lifting to help gain strength and prevent injuries. She continued to lift weights, along with running and other cardiovascular activities, throughout high school and college. She liked how her work off the field was assisting her in her playing on the field.
During her training, Knights gets up at 4:30 a.m. and heads to the gym to work out. She then works all day and goes to the gym again for some cardiovascular exercise. On weekends, her workouts tend to be longer.
When asked what her goals for the Arnold were, Knights said she was hoping to “get the most out of the experience” she could, from both a competition and networking standpoint.
Knights admitted that she always wanted to compete nationally in figure, but is surprised how quickly she has achieved that goal.
“I planned on doing one show in Scarborough, then I did one in Massachusetts and, before you knew it, I was on the fast track,” Knights said. “It has been amazing…I am fortunate I have met the right people who have helped me along the way.”
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