Victoria Schlumbrecht’s stature may seem intimidating at first, but her sculpted physique was built with years of persistent purpose in mind.
The kinesiology senior has her sights set on becoming a personal trainer, professional bodybuilder and fitness coach when she graduates. However, Schlumbrecht didn’t get serious about her career path until after her freshman year when the pressure she felt to be thin manifested into a desire to be strong.
“I started getting into fitness as a way to get myself back on track mentally and physically because I had an eating disorder,” Schlumbrecht said.
She started her college career as an LSU cheerleader, but Schlumbrecht’s interest in fitness quickly changed — she went from being hoisted into the air on Saturday nights to being strong enough to single-handedly do the same for someone else.
With Schlumbrecht’s current fitness regime, she eats every two hours, works out six times a week and drinks plenty of water throughout the day.
“I am currently on a three-month bulk and will be on a two-month cut afterwards in order to prepare for my next show,” she said.
A bulk is when a bodybuilder concentrates on eating heavily and doing a lot of strength exercises in order to gain five to 10 pounds of muscle. A cut is known as incorporating cardio into their routine and cutting out a lot of the food they have been eating in order to keep the muscle gained and lose fat so as to look their leanest in a competition.
Schlumbrecht said the transition from cheerleader to bodybuilder was slow and tough, but once she solidified her presence in the fitness world, she began to thrive.
In just one year of seriously bulking, cutting and working out, Schlumbrecht won her first and only local competition and was invited to the 2016 Arnold Classic bodybuilder competition — the second largest in the world.
“It was an incredible experience because you have to be invited and win votes as an amateur, so getting to do that and meeting those people was so rewarding,” she said.
At the Arnold, she met current sponsors ENLIGHTENED Ice Cream, Finaflex and Plus Nutrition. Having sponsorships are important in a sport where image is everything, as they boost your image to the public, Schlumbrecht said.
In her second competitive season, she has learned more about how to bulk, cut and workout in order to increase strength and muscle size, but Schlumbrecht has also found a passion in inspiring others.
“I love spreading positivity and being real with my followers on Instagram, like it makes them see me as a real person and not just someone who’s ‘body goals,’” she said.
She added that she’s received messages asking for fitness and weight loss advice, as well as testimonials from people saying her ability to put her weaknesses on the internet has helped them to be able to do the same or work harder in their own endeavors.
Schlumbrecht is coaching herself this year in order to prepare for her future in coaching others and further her personal training skills. Her competitive spirit is the driving force that keeps her bench pressing, squatting and lifting each day in order to fulfill her dreams.
“I just want to get better at my sport,” she said. ”I know I’ve got big muscles and everything, but it’s about getting better at the sport. The people that are successful are very lean and muscular, so I just keep working hard for that.”
Kinesiology senior and bodybuilder Victoria Schlumbrecht flexes her muscles at the UREC on Sept. 25, 2017.
