Janet Marsico is a current WNBF Pro figure competitor as well as INBF National Figure Champion.  She is the Founder of The Figure Workshop, Incorporated (thefigureworkshop.com) and co-owner of The Fitness Camp One On One, with WNBF Pro Bodybuilder Ekow Wilmot.  Janet has been involved in bodybuilding, fitness and figure since 1991, as both judge and competitor in all three arenas.  She also represents the  INBF and WNBF as their official  Stage Coach (inbf.net and wnbf.net). 

     Early in 2002 when "figure" really became popular Janet realized the lack of stage presence in so many competitors who had such potential with amazing physiques, but they did not know how to display it properly.  Since stage presence was and is as of this date one of the most important components in figure since there is no fitness routine for the judges to judge the competitors on (in some competitions, as much as 50%.) So after over 15 years of judging and competing, Janet had truly mastered this art and saw a great opportunity to pass this on to other competitors coming up the ranks.  And so was born "The Figure Workshop, Incorporated"!!

     So "what exactly is a Figure Workshop"?  A Figure Workshop is a class for the women who are preparing for a figure competition (Janet also works with bodybuilders on their mandatory poses as well) to help aspiring competitors prepare for exactly what is required in a figure competition.  Years back when began competing, Janet herself realized her own lack of stage preparation and realized just how much practice was actually required to execute the series of mandatory quarter turns and individual stage walk (or what Janet calls the "T Walk") with confidence and proficiency.   Whether first time competitor or fifth, the class benefits anyone going into a figure competition.  Simply put, the more you practice, the more confidence you will have on stage and the more flawless your movements will appear. 

     The first movement that Janet teaches is what she calls the "right foot pivot".  This is a move that Janet is a stickler for.  "The right foot pivot is an extremely graceful move you should try execute every time you turn on stage, otherwise your turns appear extremely unpolished", Janet always says.    

     The next portion the Workshop focuses on is the "T" Walk.  Janet will demonstrate for the girls how to perform this walk.  Then teaching each of them how to execute this maneuver.  This is an important part of the pre-judging portion of a competition. This portion of the competition is extremely important because the judges are seeing the individual contestants by themselves.  They are judges from head to toe, including skin tone and color, choice of suit, hair, make-up and everything else in between. (These are all factors that Janet considers while working with the girls.  She will provide needed contacts for suits, shoes, tanning, products, make-up artists, hair stylists, etc.

     The next section of the Workshop focuses on the "quarter turns".  When in a competition the girls will be lined up together and asked to perform a series of quarter turns; the front stance, the back stance and the side stance.  Janet teaches the girls how to display their bodies exactly the way the judges will expect to see them in great detail in a manner that will best display the "individual's" physique.  She does not teach each client to pose the exact same way as each physique is different and "what compliments one's physique doesn't necessarily flatter another physique" as Janet puts it.  This is another very important component to a competition.  This is where the judges compare the competitors against each other and place them accordingly.  The T Walk and the quarter turns are both held during the pre-judging portion of a competition and play very important roles in judging a competition.  This is why the Workshops are very effective in helping prospective competitors.  How they present themselves with each quarter turn is an art and not to be robotic in any way.  Janet shows them everything from how to flare their lats (to make their  symmetry appear more tapered), how to stand on their quads (to bring out the "sweep" in their legs), how to hold the glutes properly, abs and every muscle without looking like flexed muscles in a bodybuilding competition.   All of these three sections are INBF/WNBF regulated movements.  

    One On One sessions are available by appointments during the weekdays and on Saturdays.  Call (914) 391.0913 or write to marsico711@aol.com for an appointment, Group Workshop schedules and prices.

     Visit Janet on the web at thefigurworkshop.com

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