PHYSIQUE, POISE AND PASSION
Calgarian muscles her way onto international stage with top results in Canadian events
Pressed into action, the muscles bulge under the strain of the weights. The trapeziuses and deltoids ripple with the effort but even at a standstill, they’re spectacularly impressive.
You don’t often see such extraordinary displays of strength in a woman and Calgary bodybuilder Tamara Qureshi knows it can be off-putting to some, including her own sister.
“Since I changed from bodybuilding to physique (divisions) I don’t get as much negativity. There’d be points and whispers like ‘she’s so huge,’” said Qureshi, a top female bodybuilder who is one of only 10 Canadian pros invited to an elite American event next week headed by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“Someone once asked me, ‘Aren’t you bothered when you walk into a room and everyone looks at you?’ I said, ‘Aren’t you bothered if no one looks at you?’”
Prior to leaving Sunday, Qureshi, 37, is getting in a few last reps at Kensington Fitness, where she works as a personal trainer. She needs to be in peak condition if she’s to turn judges’ heads at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio, March 2-5. She’ll be one of 42 competitors in the International Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness (IFBB) Woman’s Physique category.
“It’s a pretty big deal. There’s only 10 pros from Canada going,” said Qureshi between sets of curling 15-pound barbells. “This con- test is exceptionally early in the year so it’s been a real battle to get ready for it.”
At 5- foot-1 and 122 pounds during the competitive season, Qureshi is a tiny woman, except in all the places she’s not. Sporting shoulders and biceps that any quarterback would dream of, she can easily bench press 165 pounds.
Always athletic as a youth, Qureshi began to get serious about pumping iron in 2007. She took first place in the Southern Alberta Lightweight Bodybuilding championship and she hasn’t really looked back since. She added a number of first and second place finishes over the years since and it all culminated with an incredible 2015. She was the Canadian Women’s Physique Masters champion, the Canadian Women’s Physique Overall champion and named Alberta Women’s Physique Competitor of the Year.
The International Federation has different disciplines, each with its own judging criteria. Female pro categories include physique, fitness, figure and bikini. Physique, which Qureshi specializes in, is judged on muscle symmetry, shape, proportion, muscle tone, poise and beauty flow. This category is IFBB’s latest, added in 2012 for women who wanted to showcase a more muscled and athletic body than those in the figure, fitness and bikini categories.
“In the last few years, women in strength sports has become a dominant thing. It’s great to be able to train for what you want rather than what society says you should look like.”
But that look doesn’t come without a cost. Qureshi spends two to three hours every day on cardio, another hour and a half with weights and then much of the rest of the time is spent preparing the right food to feed that body. The time right before a competition — peak week — is the hardest as bodybuilders have to load up on complex carbohydrates then decrease them, all while dehydrating the body to achieve the paper thin skin look that defines the muscles.
“For the short term, it’s fine to do that. Most of the prep time, 16 to 18 weeks, you have a really balanced diet, it’s really healthy eating.”
She admits to certain cravings after an event.
“I miss chocolate, like any girl, and cheese. I want macadamia nuts right now.”
Although her sister isn’t enamoured with the sport, Qureshi said her mom is a fan, once flying out to Vancouver just to see her daughter take the stage for a few minutes. Her dad has also been supportive, although a little uncomfortable with the bikini portion of the sport.
“He likes it when I win but he doesn’t come to watch.”
Someone once asked me, ‘Aren’t you bothered when you walk into a room and everyone looks at you?’ I said, ‘Aren’t you bothered if no one looks at you?’