Day 5: London Grand Prix Expo- 7:15 a.m. (Which was really 6:50, because I have to push all my clocks ahead so I’m not late...it works!). I was now getting up approximately the same time I’d be 
going to bed in Louisville. Poor Rachel was sick with bronchitis and had been coughing up her lungs all night long. So, I didn’t really sleep either. Jo had thoughtfully sent up a big English protein breakfast to our room, Rachel cranked up her iPod and we got pretty and made the best of it. From the moment we walked into the expo, it was all busy chaos and brightly caffeinated smiles. The energy levels were as high as the music blaring from the skateboarding area and it was a party atmosphere. Everyone was decked out in sharp new camo Extreme Nutrition gear to launch their new line of supplements. Except me; sort of. Their top didn’t fit my…well, tata’s. I was prepared for this, as it’s normal in my line of work, so I brought my own backup camo halter.
I’ve notice random British girls would bump into me and say this (with a high pitched squeaky voice): “Y’arrrright?” Translated, this means “Are you all right?’ but is meant to be more of a “checking in” kind of thing instead of them actually CARING if you’re all right or not, like our “Howuryou?”. After my 47th “Y’arrrright?” I started mumbling “Dooooooooyoureallycare?” or “NopeImJetLaggedAsAllBalls” under my breath to Rachel’s delight.
We were working with several other fitness beauties: Ms Universe Figure Rachel Grice, cop by day, figure competitor by night Joanne Stanger and Miss “I love America”, Danielle.
Jamie Eason stopped by our booth and was as sweet as she is beautiful. Rachel and I took a walk around to meet others, take pictures and watching the X-Games show which was pretty awesome. The atmosphere was very fun. A German photographer, Dr. Mabuse, whisked Rachel and I away to do an impromptu photo shoot by the escalator. Only in pro wrestling are you a “mark” for taking photos with other people in the business. In fitness, modeling, acting, music---in every other form of enter
tainment, it’s perfectly acceptable and expected that you would take photos with people you admire and respect. That said, I never cared what people thought about me asking for a photo in wrestling, either. A birth certificate shows you were born, a death certificate shows you died, but pictures show you LIVED.
It was a rather ASS-TASTIC convention. Those who worked hard for their glutes had no problem showing them off. It was easy on the eyes and quite inspiring! There were loads of scantily clad fit beauties…and this being England, quite a few barely dressed boys as well. I even saw a rather interesting and proud cross-dressing judge, complete with barrettes in his blond wig and badge. I wasn’t sure if he’d lost a bet or this was a normal day for him.
I took a photo with Italian IFBB pro Alessandro Savi who’s so short, he comes up to my…well, aforementioned tata’s. . .which he fawned over. He said, “Hey, don’t put this-a picture on your facebook. Okay? My wife-a…she’s a very jealous!”
Up it went with all the others.
After the expo, we all dragged our butts to a Chinese restaurant. Heaven. Especially after living on protein drinks and coffee all weekend. The Chinese food in England is better than anywhere else I’ve ever had it. I’m not sure why that is? I learned that the British not only take castles for granted, but also their lovely red phone booths that I’m dying to do a photo shoot in. Yes, we all know you all have mobile phones now…but the goddamn booths are part of your CULTURE. No one else in the world has them! So, get over your very common cell phones.
Day 6: Second Day of British Grand Prix- “Now is the time for the muscles!”
I fit into today’s top, which was a sports bra in the classic black and red Extreme colors. Yay! I was quite happy to be a part of Extreme Nutrition, whom I’d worked with off and on for years. “Almost An Unfair Advantage…” A little about the company, which started as the underdog: They were originally based out of Scotland and started by a couple of bodybuilders who had been schooled in pharmacology. They felt that many supplements at that time were overhyped and not very good, so they wanted to offer higher quality options based on science that they themselves would be using. Extreme Nutrition was born in 1999, and a short dozen years later grew to be one of the largest and most widely distributed supplement companies in Europe, Great Britain and Ireland by offering the highest quality supplements available. Original owner Doug Black said, “The athletes know what they’re looking for when they come for Extreme products. They know the difference between Extreme Nutrition and a tub of shit.” Extreme sponsors the pro cycling team, the US football team based in Great Britain, the swimming team, cage fighters, boxers, wrestlers, IFBB bodybuilders and many NABBA champions. They don’t plan to expand to the USA because they prefer to retain quality and control, which would not be cost effective for them to distribute here. They’re also the exclusive retailers of GASP & Better Bodies clothing in the UK and they do ship internationally, so if you’d like to look them up, go to www.ExtremeNutrition.co.uk .
The convention originally got off to a shaky start with some undecided if they’d participate, but Those In Charge were smart about things and took care of their first investors by giving them prime locations and posters all over the venue. Several big names in fitness were imported from America, like cheerful-even-when-jet-lagged Jamie Eason, a very impressive Tony Freeman and Shawn Ray, who charmingly hosted the night’s Open and 202 Class bodybuilding events. “Don’t kill me if I butcher some of these names (from Latvia), “Shawn said to the crowd.” I have big lips. I make no apologies for that.” (BTW, Shawn, thank you again!)
There were also many European Bodybuilding stars shining as well, like Dorian Yates, Marika Johanssen, Robbie Anchant, my new favorite bodybuilder Paul George (sports the most unique look in bodybuilding resembling a demented leprechaun and is 50 years old and AMAZING), Lisa Cross, Stuart Core and James “Flex” Lewis. Francis Benfatto made a notable and ripped return to the stage that night and American legendary bodybuilding fixture Wayne Demillia was also in attendance.
It’s worth mentioning that the total purse for Under 202 was a recording breaking amount, with “Flex” Lewis from Wales (now Nashville, TN) winning. Wales puts out some impressive bodybuilding talent. Branch Warren won the open. It was said they were hoping to expand to include Figure & Bikini soon.
I loved that the show & expo was run by competitors with the goal of bringing bodybuilding back to Great Britain. With a very successful turnout, I think they may have achieved that and I’m happy to have been a part of it.
Post expo, we tore down the booth (which was much faster than putting it up, thankfully), attended the show and still had the drive back from London to Swindon. By the time we got home, it was somewhere around 2 a.m. I was, as they say in that country “shattered”.
“We need a proper lie in.” Jo said. No kidding. On a side note, you’ve got to love a culture that has a saying like that. In the USA you’d be a lazy slob for lying around until 1 pm. But here, they’ve coined an acceptable term for it.
Day 7: Swindon – “As American as window screens, garbage disposals, non-dairy creamer and breast implants, baby!” The most common request I get when I travel outside of the States is to bring Crystal Lite over. It doesn’t matter if it’s Europe, England or Canada. The fitness girls were snatching it up from Ebay by the overpriced case.
Rachel had to fly back to Ireland. So we hung out and had breakfast and coffee together, then talked wrestling and politics (which are more or less the same thing). She gave me her condensed version of the history of Ireland, which I think every American should learn. (Because if we aren’t careful and don’t wake up soon, it’s exactly what’s going to happen to us. Ireland keeps it’s people busy doing the Divide & Conquer game of fighting each other (sound familiar, Americans?), while it’s politicians have spent the country into a deficit that matches ours, despite all of Ireland being the size of the state of Pennsylvania.) When she left, I went right back to sleep. I dragged my ass out of bed around 7 pm to go to the gym. They had these awesome tread climbers there, which are half treadmill, half elliptical and I wish we had them at my gym. They’re awesome, but take some getting used to. I fell off at first. Embarrassing. After a decent workout, I’d begged Jo to hit up a local Indian restaurant to make my England trip complete. She obliged, after I twister her rubber arm. Oh, heaven. We got such amazingly tasty, spicy things…I don’t even know what they were, but they were EXCELLENT. Coconut nan bread, I want to have your babies. What a perfect cheat meal.
Day 8: London to Louisville- I found out that “opting out” of the TSA body scans only earns you a pat down, same as I’d gotten before in addition going through the bodyscans. So, opting out actually saved me time…and radiation exposure.
Along with a really sweet thank you card from Doug and Jo, she lent me the third book in ‘The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl’ for my flight. Highly entertaining. (Yes, I am sending it back soon, I promise!)
If you’re looking for an interesting read published in the UK that flew under the radar here, search for a copy of “Muscle” by John Hotten. I found this little gem through Doug and it’s about a journalist who documents the lives of the competitors. It’s not 100% accurate (Ronnie Coleman doesn’t eat veggies, let alone carb up with them at breakfast) but it’s entertaining.
Thanks to all who came out...it really was a very fun weekend. A bit more jovial and lighthearted than the USA fitness convention versions...which was pretty neat. It was very cool to meet some many likeminded people, awesome fans and the fun girls with Extreme Nutrition. The British really know how to do it up right!
Huge thanks to Extreme Nutrition (www.ExtremeNutrition.co.uk ) for taking such great care of me!
When I landed in Louisville…and found an Allen wrench in my jacket pocket. ;)
Thanks for reading! I’m moving to Tampa/Clearwater FL this month. If you’re in the area and want to grab a coffee or a workout, holler. I’d love to meet others into fitness!
I love getting feedback & ideas, so please check out http://www.AprilHunter.com & follow me on http://www.Twitter.com/AprilHunter
-April Hunter
Professional Wrestler, Pinup Centerfold & National Figure Athlete
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