20 Questions with Cover Model Monica Rubio

1) Please introduce yourself? What makes you special? Who is Monica Rubio?

Monica is just a women with a whole lot of passion and determined to make a difference in this world... I just wanna b able to reach out and motive as many people as possible.  

2) Please tell us a bit about your family, friends and surroundings? 

Well..... I’m married, I have an 8 yr old daughter and 2 kittens.  My mom and dad r healthy and live near by, so r my 2 sisters and brother.  I live in a area where about 85% of the population is obese, so my lifestyle is very different from many peoples, I have a few Friends, I can count prob on one hand.  But they are definitely great people and support me, even thou I’m the party pooper that doesn’t drink or eat out I actually have a lot of friends i interacted with about 100 different people a day and I luv them all, but we don’t hang outside of wrk.

3) How did you start competing in bikini?

Hmmm it’s always been sumthing I’ve been interested in. I was a very competitive athlete in High school, ive actually did one prep wen I was younger but I ended up dropping out due to funds ( cuz YES this shit is EXPENSIVE) but it’s also addicting, like u wanna beat ur previous package each time, and I’m not easily satisfied.

4) What is your personal policy (not what the judges want) about conditioning and muscularity when coming into a show? Soft or hard?

 I’m luv the hard look, the “hard/ shredded/conditioned” look is naturally for me, plus it’s actually shows off way more like of ur hard wrk... I think

5)  What is your idea of what judges want in a Bikini competitor? Do you think judges are clear enough with competitors about how they want you on stage? It seems in Europe they are very clear unlike in the USA and now in Canada things are confusing.

Lol no one really knows, but I can tell u at my last national show they specifically sd I had really good muscle definition but I was too shredded “tight” is the way sandy worded it.  From my understanding they want sumone lean, but also with muscles full, so u don’t lose ur womanly shape.  The glutes n hammies def got to b popping on stage. 

6) For the next shows what do you think you need to work on physique-wise/conditioning-wise? If anything!

Well since last year, I’ve already been in one comp. in may, I placed 2nd, it was a local not national show.  I definitely changed my look to a much softer look this year, I plan on competing again soon, hoping to come in a little more tight and fuller next show.   I think I can def accomplish that look. I didn’t wanna go in too lean this previous show, but now that I already competed I think I know how I can push it a little more.

7) What is your typical training routine in the gym (per day, include sets and reps!) How much cardio do you do before a show?

Well ima fitness instructor, so I do the majority of my wrkouts in class, I do however make up my own wrkouts so I we train a lot of glutes, legs, back and shoulders. I wrkout everyday for about 130-2 hrs.... cardio I don’t do too much of it, since I teach HIIT and strength / conditioning classes threwout the week.... my training basically remains the same year round, I ALWAYS try to go HARD no matter wat! 

8) What is your pre-contest diet? (per day, 1 week before the show)

Well this year I started with a new coach, and we made no diet or water intake changed for the last 5 weeks of prep, not even show day... buuut I think I should of eaten a bigger meal before my show, cuz I didn’t quite get the muscle definition and fullness I was looking for.

9) How do you go about dropping your water before the day of the show? How much water do you drink the day of the show. Please be specific.

I dont drop water, i try to get 1.5 gallons a day

10) What motivates you to train/diet and compete? Are there any competitors you looked up to? 

Life motivates me, I feel like this is wat I was put on this planet to do!!! There r so many competitors I look up to... fittybritty (Brittany Nguyen) is funny as hell and seems so down to earth; Marissa Woo newly IFBB PRO, I really look up to her because I feel like we have very similar body types, she’s always struggled with coming in too lean so have I; LIZZY YIsrael, LUVVV HER TOO, she’s such a fighter!!!! 
11) Please tell us an interesting experience you had at a show recently, be it a fun thing or something rather not so fun?
LOL AT my last show, I’m kinda a vet at this, been in the game for going on 4 yrs now, well they’re was a lot of newbies at this show all nervous, just like I was at my first event... so I start talking to them to try and calm them,  I gladly answer all if they’re questions and I just feel like I really helped them look better out there my husband told me that I was crazy for helping them, but it def made my day being able to help them out, plus I still beat them

12) What is your personal opinion about the figure, fitness, bodybuilding industry we are in? Anything you would like to see changed? 

It would b great to have random drug testing, cuz I don’t think handing a trophy over to someone taking illegal substance enhancers is FAIR!

13) What has been your hardest challenge to overcome either in your personal life or competing career?

Well I have a family to think about, so I can’t compete as often as I’d like to.  It can’t just b all about me. I’m also wrk 2 jobs so I need to find coverage for my nursing shift, aswell as my classes.... they’re just Isn’t ENUFF TIME!!!

14) Did you make any changes to your contest prep for your last show? Water intake, carbing up, etc...

No, not at this time.  I competed 2 months ago so I did allow myself to eat a little more for 2 weeks in btw, And I put on a few lbs, but we back on track now!

15) What do you think of bikini division?

I luv bikini, I feel like I could make some real noise in figure but I’d rather b sassy n a little sexy on stage, it just suits my personality better.

16) What are your favorite foods to eat right after you compete on a Saturday night?

Donuts N PIZZA! I think that’s wat I had after my last 2 or 3 shows.

17) Please tell us about how you were raised and did you have any interesting experiences while growing up?

Well I was raised by my mom and dad, in a very old fashion, strict environment.  My whole family played sports, it wasn’t really an option.  I was definitely the rebellious one wen I was younger but now I also feel like I’m good at wat I do because I was taught at an early age discipline and hard work.

18) Do you have an athletic background? Gymnastics, soccer, volleyball or what?

Volleyball, basketball, track, cross county, some softball... but my speed was definitely my strength....I had the soccer coach, n tennis coach after me, I was like I just can’t fit anymore I’m my schedule I had fun, I enjoyed it, and I was pretty damn good! 

19) What is a typical day in the life of Monica Rubio? From waking up to until going to bed? 

Lol really I’m boring I WAKE UP at 530 am every morn,. I have to b at wrk at 730am , right now my daughter doesn’t have school but normally I would drop her off on my way to wrk.... I eat my breakfast once I get to wrk, in btw seeing clients so I usually gulp it dwn wen I have time, at wrk I do my nurse duties, I make my round, assess pt, admin meds, all that cool stuff after my breakfast I usually fast threwout my wrk shift, so I usually don’t eat again till 2pm, wen my clients r taken home, my shift ends at 330pm.... I will sumtimes leave earlier if I need to pu my daughter or head home, but after that STRAIT to the gym!  I do a little cardio (30 min on stepper maybe 3X a week/ I try to lift a little bit of weight too before my class; n then I really love killing my students they luv it too!  After that I head home, meet the hubby and baby at home for a family dinner, usually freshly cooked, we cook in bulk so we can make meal to take for lunch, some meals are also provided by @lowcalcafeandbar I don’t have a lot of dwn time during the week, after dinner I usually shower, get my gym clothes and pack up my food for the next day.... I always carry my 6 pack bag around everywhere I go.

20) What is your current occupation? Please tell us more about it, what do you specifically do in your job?

I'm a LVN nurse at an adult daycare; I am also a fitness instructor,  which r my 2 passions so I am TRULY BLESSED!

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