The Backstage Bikini Podcast Grace Mannion and Jade Hegarty

For EP 49, we had the pleasure of welcoming one of the UK’s leading prep coaches, @amplified_nutrition head coach @jakewatts_amp

Jake has a wealth of knowledge and a huge roster of both professional and amateur bikini athletes, this was an episode that was long overdue.

In this episode we cover:

- How Jake built the business he stands so proudly at the forefront of now, his commitments beyond bodybuilding and how he juggles this;
- His approach to coaching and peaking athletes at different levels, how has this changed over the years, if at all;
- Managing athlete mindsets, what does he do to prepare an athlete for stage psychologically and why does this make a difference;
- The biggest challenges facing bikini athletes now vs then, his views on how the sport is accelerating and whether this is impacting decision making by coaches and athletes;
- Is bikini still an entry level division? His thoughts on why bikini is so hard to nail, manipulations to consider and where his athletes need him the most.

This really was an incredible discussion, with so much food for thought. Jake advocates so highly for his athletes and you can truly see his passion shine through the way he talks about his commitment to them.

 As always, please like, comment and share! We love to hear your feedback and whether you’re taking value forward.


Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

EP 48 1 Bro Pro & 10x Ben Weider Review with @paulrevelia is now live on all platforms.

It was a pleasure to have Paul return to the podcast for the second time and having spent the weekend in the UK to watch the show, we couldn’t wait to hear his insight. 

The standard across the whole show was something to be incredibly proud of and in this episode we talk through results, placings, Paul’s first impressions of how European shows differ from the USA and all the bits in between.

It was an incredible moment for Paul to not only be here to support his client @ottavia_mazza_ifbbpro  with @stephenbeaugrand but to then watch her secure her Olympia qualification. ⭕️ 🏆 

He discusses her feedback, their approaches from show to show, how he manipulated her look from the Arnold’s to the 1 Bro Pro Show and her plans going forward into the year. 

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Huge congratulations to your newest IFBB Bikini Pro @celina.schlz at the incredible age of just 21. A huge future in the sport and undoubtedly the clear winner on the day. 

Congratulations to all of the ladies who competed, both at an amateur and professional level.
Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

EP 47 Arnold Classic Bikini International Results and Review is now live on all platforms and we had the pleasure of discussing the results with our fave North East lass and bikini competitor @charl_emilyy

As always, a highly anticipated show which undoubtedly sets the standard for the rest of the competitive year! 

This show didn’t disappoint at all; from the physiques displayed to the showmanship each of the ladies showed and continue to demonstrate, it truly was a pleasure to watch! 

Charlotte sat up until all hours committing herself to seeing who took the title and we couldn’t wait to have her on to discuss her thoughts! 

This week we talk through the top 6 placings and athletes individually and provide our own views about the results and why we think athletes placed where they did. We saw the return of @angelicaht and a close battle between @fitnessbyaims and @lauraliechap got the title. 

As always, these are our opinions only. We do not purport to be, nor are we, IFBB judges and our opinions are not shared to contend or question judges decisions and feedback, only to celebrate and discuss the criteria and the standard that is being set by these incredible athletes. 

Make sure you tune in, and let us know your thoughts about the show. What did you think of the placings? Did it meet your expectations? Let us know! 

Nothing but admiration for these athletes, they bring an incredible show and set a fantastic standard for the sport. Huge congratulations to your 3x Miss Bikini International @lauraliechap and all of the other beautiful ladies that competed. 
Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

EP 46 is now live on all platforms and these guests truly need little introduction: 2x Miss Bikini international, Lauralie Chapados and owner of Iron University, Aldo Parades.

Pinch us!!!!

This was a once in lifetime conversation and we will remain eternally grateful for the time and transparency both Lauralie and Aldo offered up during this conversation. 

We cover:

- Lauralie’s background, what brought her to bodybuilding and her career to date;
- “Balance” , what lessons has Lauralie learned over the years, how have those affected jer priorities and values now, what if anything would she change about her journey?
- Feedback from this years Olympia and her experience this year compared to previous Olympia appearances: What adaptations have they made to her approach in readiness for the Arnold Ohio?
- Training considerations and how she has had to adapt over time, to refine her physique? 
- Their opinion of the development of the class over the years? What if anything has changed?
- Off season and her approach to ensuring she pours into her life beyond the stage.
- Challenges along the way; has she ever encountered self doubt? 
- Advice for athletes; the importance of remaining present, absorbing the process and embracing all that comes with it.

The takeaways from this episode are invaluable. Lauralie is an icon of the sport and her insight is not something to be disregarded. She continues to inspire us and the community we love and we can’t wait to see her up on stage in 2 weeks time!

You can follow both Lauralie and Aldo at:
@lauraliechap
@ironuniversity 
Where you can find links to their services and keep up to date with them both!

Please make sure you tune in, share and let us have your feedback!
Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

EP 45 is now live on all platforms and we had the pleasure of inviting IFBB Bikini Pro, and Posing Portal Coach Beatriz Biscaia @biscaiapro 
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​Beatriz turned pro at 17, and qualified for and competed at the prestigious @mrolympiallp twice, all before turning 20. She has excelled in the sport at such a pivotal age, with her whole life ahead of her and we couldn’t wait to chat with her to discuss how she navigated that at such an early age.
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In this episode we discuss: 


Beatriz’s journey to stage, her training background, her IFBB pro card win and competing at the Olympia at just 18 years old; 

Her mindset throughout; dealing with the pressure of turning pro at such a young age, juggling life, competing and studying; 

Her reasons for stepping away from competing; what contributed to her decision to take a break away from the stage, binge eating, body image, losing her identity; 

How she dealt with this period of her life; the impact on how she identified with herself, lessons and boundaries that arose as a result; 

Returning to stage; her non-negotiables in relation to protecting her net.
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And so much more. 

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This conversation was like a free therapy session. It is incredibly important to ensure that as athletes, we take responsibility not only for our conduct as athletes, but for all of the other things that feed into who we are as people too.  


Beatriz’ mindset and application to herself and the sport is, and always has been, beyond her years ​and it was a pleasure to hear her share her thoughts and experiences.
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You can follow Beatriz and her return to stage on Instagram at @biscaiapro and you can find her at @theposingportal for all your posing enquiries.
Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.

EP 44 is now live on all platforms and we’re kicking off 2024 with an industry known Coach - The Glute Guy and Inventor of the Hip Thrust, none other than @bretcontreras1! 
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Bret is a pioneer, with a wealth of knowledge and experience - very few come close to his expertise, so we couldn’t wait a second longer to sit down and pick his brains on all things glute development.
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In this episode we discuss:
- Bret’s background, how he became involved in the industry and his career to date;
- How female training has evolved over the years, his approaches and beliefs now vs then;
- Optimising glute development, considerations for programming and exercise selection; 
- Compound vs accessory movements for glute growth and why it’s important to do the “fluff”’work;
- Camp mentality in relation to programming female bikini/wellness athletes, misogyny and bias relating to programming for female/bikini athletes;
- Genetics in bodybuilding and the bikini division, how much do they play a part;
- Sumo stance vs conventional movement patterns and his views on efficiency for glute growth
- Common mistakes he sees frequently which may be contributing to your lack of progress
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And so much more. 
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For all our bikinis girls, coaches looking to level up their knowledge or anyone interested in maximising their glute training. This is a must listen.
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There a few episodes that will top this one and we’re extremely grateful to Bret for dedicating his precious time to sharing his thoughts.
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You can follow Bret at @bretcontreras1 and keep up with all of his work and follow his athletes too.
Make sure you keep up with us on social media for previews and details about upcoming guest speakers.

Instagram: @thebackstagebikinipodcast
Hosts: @gracemannion_ | @jadeleahegarty

Available on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Youtube and Amazon Music.