Supersize She
A chance glimpse at a bodybuilding magazine when she was growing up in Cornwall was the start of Joanna Thomas's dream of becoming the most muscular woman in the world. This insightful documentary follows her quest to win the ultimate bodybuilding prize for women – Miss Olympia.
Of the 70 professional female bodybuilders in the world, only three are British – and Joanna Thomas is one of them. She began training at the age of 15, and, by the time she was 20, had broken all records to become the youngest woman in the world to turn pro. Now 27, she has moved to LA in order to further her career. Her ultimate aim is to be crowned Miss Olympia, then retire at the top of her game. But before she can enter Miss Olympia, Jo must come first or second in a qualifying competition called the GNC. To prepare for it, she must spend the next four months crash-dieting and training in order to lose 30 pounds and build her muscles until they are bursting out of her skin. Painful massage sessions will tear her muscles and make them grow back stronger.
Jo is well aware of common opinions of her occupation and her physique. "People probably think I look like a freak, but you know what? I'm just another type of woman." Her training efforts and motivation are helped by the presence of her friend Debbie, who is herself in contest shape. The training takes an intense physical and psychological toll – which is why she gets frustrated when critics glibly insist that bodybuilders' physiques are entirely attributable to chemical enhancement.
While women bodybuilders may appear extremely strong, the reality is that they are often at their weakest during a competition and the regime Jo follows risks serious damage to her vital organs. "You don't feel fantastic," she admits. Another down side is that the industry is very poorly funded.
To subsidise her career, Jo runs a website for fans. Four hundred subscribers pay to see new video footage of her, and to take part in live web chats. It's not Jo's ideal occupation – "I can't even look at my emails sometimes" – but the demands of her training rule out most regular jobs.
Jo's parents back in Cornwall remain totally supportive of their daughter, but admit they are looking forward to her retiring from bodybuilding and perhaps settling down and having a family. They are concerned when they get a downbeat phone call from Jo in the run-up to the GNC competition, telling them of the injuries she has sustained and how nervous she is. "I'm trying to find my happiness," she says. "I love my bodybuilding, but as I'm getting older, it's not enough any more."
An hour before the competition, however, Jo must put such feelings to one side and psych herself up. Her friends help her prepare for her big moment, applying copious quantities of fake tan and advising her on make-up. This cosmetic effort will disguise the fact that Jo is totally malnourished, and has for the last three days limited her fluid intake to a paltry 45 sips per day to lose extra fat. To make matters worse, her scalp is dry and peeling.
Once the competition begins, every level of female muscularity is on show. Jo glances nervously around and identifies the girls she considers to be her main rivals, before making the customary last-minute dash to scoff an array of sugary foods. This is to make sure that her veins bulge as much as possible when it comes to her turn to get on stage. She will be judged on muscularity and symmetry, and must beat 11 other competitors to first or second place in order to qualify for the all-important Miss Olympia.
At the end of the first round, the judges pick out their three favourite competitors. The order in which they are recalled are likely to provide a strong indication of their final placings, so when Jo is called out third, she is worried that she has blown it. Everything is now riding on her final-round performance – a dance-type routine where showmanship is the name of the game. Jo is not sure what her chances are. "All I know is that when I win a bodybuilding show it's a very personal thing," she says wistfully. "Because it's sort of all I have at the moment." Can she make the top two and keep her Miss Olympia dream alive?
Of the 70 professional female bodybuilders in the world, only three are British – and Joanna Thomas is one of them. She began training at the age of 15, and, by the time she was 20, had broken all records to become the youngest woman in the world to turn pro. Now 27, she has moved to LA in order to further her career. Her ultimate aim is to be crowned Miss Olympia, then retire at the top of her game. But before she can enter Miss Olympia, Jo must come first or second in a qualifying competition called the GNC. To prepare for it, she must spend the next four months crash-dieting and training in order to lose 30 pounds and build her muscles until they are bursting out of her skin. Painful massage sessions will tear her muscles and make them grow back stronger.
Jo is well aware of common opinions of her occupation and her physique. "People probably think I look like a freak, but you know what? I'm just another type of woman." Her training efforts and motivation are helped by the presence of her friend Debbie, who is herself in contest shape. The training takes an intense physical and psychological toll – which is why she gets frustrated when critics glibly insist that bodybuilders' physiques are entirely attributable to chemical enhancement.
While women bodybuilders may appear extremely strong, the reality is that they are often at their weakest during a competition and the regime Jo follows risks serious damage to her vital organs. "You don't feel fantastic," she admits. Another down side is that the industry is very poorly funded.
To subsidise her career, Jo runs a website for fans. Four hundred subscribers pay to see new video footage of her, and to take part in live web chats. It's not Jo's ideal occupation – "I can't even look at my emails sometimes" – but the demands of her training rule out most regular jobs.
Jo's parents back in Cornwall remain totally supportive of their daughter, but admit they are looking forward to her retiring from bodybuilding and perhaps settling down and having a family. They are concerned when they get a downbeat phone call from Jo in the run-up to the GNC competition, telling them of the injuries she has sustained and how nervous she is. "I'm trying to find my happiness," she says. "I love my bodybuilding, but as I'm getting older, it's not enough any more."
An hour before the competition, however, Jo must put such feelings to one side and psych herself up. Her friends help her prepare for her big moment, applying copious quantities of fake tan and advising her on make-up. This cosmetic effort will disguise the fact that Jo is totally malnourished, and has for the last three days limited her fluid intake to a paltry 45 sips per day to lose extra fat. To make matters worse, her scalp is dry and peeling.
Once the competition begins, every level of female muscularity is on show. Jo glances nervously around and identifies the girls she considers to be her main rivals, before making the customary last-minute dash to scoff an array of sugary foods. This is to make sure that her veins bulge as much as possible when it comes to her turn to get on stage. She will be judged on muscularity and symmetry, and must beat 11 other competitors to first or second place in order to qualify for the all-important Miss Olympia.
At the end of the first round, the judges pick out their three favourite competitors. The order in which they are recalled are likely to provide a strong indication of their final placings, so when Jo is called out third, she is worried that she has blown it. Everything is now riding on her final-round performance – a dance-type routine where showmanship is the name of the game. Jo is not sure what her chances are. "All I know is that when I win a bodybuilding show it's a very personal thing," she says wistfully. "Because it's sort of all I have at the moment." Can she make the top two and keep her Miss Olympia dream alive?