STEEL UNIVERSE

Blog Update

2012-02-15T03:32:00.000-08:00

When I got home from the nationals, I drafted a very long story about the nationals from the heavyweight class perspective, an insider/observer view. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, my internet connection was lost and I lost my manuscript! And, I have been promising myself that I would get back into the swing of things and write the story. So, I owe you all the rest of the story! I will get to that very soon, as promised.

In December I got caught up with the holidays and European travel, and I am finally getting grounded again.

However, I wanted to let you know that I will be making a guest appearance at the Arnold Classic March 2-4th at Denise Masino's booth, #1261, Muscle Pinups. As many of you may know, I have worked with Denise in the past, and she is perhaps my favorite person in the bodybuilding industry, as she inspired me to become an entrepreneur. From the very first time I met her in 2003, I knew exactly what direction my path would take. She has inspired and empowered many women in so many ways, and she has a great energy and enthusiasm. My booth hours are: Friday, March 2nd, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm,, Saturday, March 3rd, 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm, and Sunday, March 4th, 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm. So, if you are in the neighborhood at the Expo, make sure you stop by and say hello! It's going to be a lot of fun, and Denise always has one of the most exciting booths at any Expo.

This year has started off very busy, and I have many projects ongoing, as always. Please stay tuned for more great things to come!

America's Strongest Woman Results

2011-11-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

As promised, I told you I would post my results as soon as possible regarding my placing at the America's Strongest Woman Show. As you know, I have only been training with strongman implements for about two months now. I made the decision to train in Las Vegas with Nick Best, current World's Srongest Man competitor, and retired world ranked World's Strongest Man competitor, Mark Phillipi. Under their careful guidance, they trained me so that I would peak for this show. Just two short months ago, I was just learning the finer nuances of handling the implements for this national level contest, which attracted the finest of North America's strongest woman, many of which are veterans of these shows for a minimum of five years, and in most cases, more. Despite that fact, I knew I was up against a really experienced field of women, I was confident, even with minimal training that I could win the Overhead Clean & Press Log at 170 lbs, the 550 lb car dead lift, the 240 pound stone over a 50" bar for repetitions in 60 seconds, and, I knew the 200 lb keg for distance would be a challenge, but with my long, powerful arms, which are great for stones and carrying events, I would be competitive.

Day one, I was the number three big girl in the OH C&P. My personal best was 8 in training, so I was gunning for 10, under meet conditions and adrenaline fueled. I am accustomed to training in weather between 80-110 F. The day we started, it was only around 60 F. As fired up as I got, I was a bit slower out of the gates, and sometimes, when one gets nervous, you forget the finer points of lifts that make you more relaxed and in the groove. In my case, since 170 lbs is fairly light for me, I ended up strict pressing the first 4 reps to everyones amazement and awe. And, I did not dip my head through fast enough and use my legs to explode out of the bottom, a very common mistake for me when I can manhandle the weight. Anything over 200, and, of course, I am far more aware of the fact that I must not cheat on brute strength, but also use my legs. So, strict pressing takes more energy and oxygen, and takes a greater wear on the body, which is not good in a sprint event. I actually began to pause on rep 6, 7, & 8, which I lost valuable time on. Upon my completion, the reigning champion, Kristin Rhodes, and American OH record holder approached me and tapped my hand, asking me what my rep count was, since she knew that was what she had to beat. Other girls just shook their heads and advised me I did not even use my legs, and I just laughed, and was both glad and mad at my performance. Just a few moments later, Rhodes repaid out 8 reps, and we tied. My two toughest events were up next, the yoke and the farmer's walk.

I have trained with Nick Best's yoke, and it is far heavier than the yoke at the meet, which, in my estimation is a good thing. I tore my left calf muscle early in my preparation for these events, in late August. I was using Mark Phillipi's yoke, which has an independent loading system, and it was only my second yoke run. It was serious enough, that I had no choice but to take time off all sprinting and loaded events, and focus on static strength, such as dead lifting, stones, and overhead pressing. I have been getting extensive massage and rehab done to it, and now, even though the calf is better, it has traveled down to the attachement at the Achilles tendon, which hurts whenever I try to sprint or move fast. To date, I have only used Nick's yoke three times, and have only made it through the entire course with several yoke drops, which is not only obviously inefficient, but painful on the lumbar. My yoke time was one of the worst, if not the worst at 34 seconds. The average time from winning to middle of the pack must have been around 13 seconds to around 30. And, finally, the farmers walk was not great, but better than the yoke, with 18 seconds time. I was miserable in the cold weather, and the standing around, something I am not accustomed to. My back was stiff, tight, and I felt miserable after those two events after watching these girls just smoke these events. But, I also knew that, I did not train these events at all during my preparation with the exception of a couple of times, due to my injury. My only hope to save the day was the dead lift.

I was the number three heavyweight girl to pull on the dead lift. The meet promoters decided to change out from the car with three boards, and I had to wake up. It was getting darker and colder out. I was getting my head ready to pull, and they told us to strap in. Dionne Wessels, the show director and NAS proprietor, was my judge. She told us to relax as the big men lifting the cars were still suiting up in their suits and strapping in--and nothing is more frustrating than getting in position and having to wait. My coach, Eddie, started yelling my name, "Amber!" And his voice is hard to hear, over the crowd I finally looked over at him, and motioned that I had not hooked by belt. This would have been a potentially fatal error on my part, even though the 550 load felt like it was only about 315 to me on a traditional dead lift. Although my core is strong, this may have been a critical factor in getting the last several reps. I was in my zone and the reps just ripped off the ground. I nearly locked out 25. There was one girl, Ann Vanderbush that got 19, and Christian Lafex and another girl got 17 reps. I could sleep easily, knowing that I would be the last heat in the keg, which was a good thing to know the distance to beat.

Day two, going into the keg, a darkhorse competitor by the name of Jana Hoffman carried the keg two and three quarter lengths. I knew that I had to get three lengths to beat her. I was pretty confident I could do it. I watched most of the top contenders fail after about 1.5 laps and many of them readjusted and then failed. My best training run was only little over two lengths. In my mind, I know I can do three, even though I had not yet traveled that far with it, as I have only carried the keg for distance on two separate occasions. I felt dizzy after the first 80 feet, but not bad, then turned at 160, as I looked up toward the sky, trying to control my breathing and pace. My legs began to feel very heavy and my grip was starting to slip a bit. I decided to reposition a bit by squatting down, then kept going, when all of a sudden, I felt my hamstrings and legs locking up and not wanting to move. My mind wanted to go forward, but finally, my legs collapsed out from under me and I just laughed as I fell to the ground, but very disappointed, because I knew that it was going to be close or just short of Jana's distance.

To be continued, I am at a pub in Memphis, so I am running out of time to get to my gate! Cheers...stay tuned!

North America's Strongest Woman

2011-11-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here in my hotel room in Tunica, Mississippi, relaxing in preparation for North America's Strongest Woman competition, which kicks off tomorrow. I feel very good, and as ready as I am going to be. Although I decided I would prepare for this show only two short months ago, I have made every workout count, every rep count, and every morsel of food and day of rest count. I feel stronger than ever, very calm and relaxed, and yet supercharged at the same time. As a lifelong athlete, it's a cool feeling getting the competitive vibe.

When I first started training implements, my weight shot up to 220, but after a couple months of training, my weight stabilized to 210-212 and I look better and am stronger than ever at this weight.

Day one is overhead press 170 lbs for reps in 60 seconds, yoke, 550 x 80 yards, farmers walk, 200 lbs each hand, and car dead lift, about 500 lbs. Day two is keg 200 lbs for distance, and then finally, 240 lbs stone over bar at 50". I feel great for all events and will post photos, vidclips and results here as soon as I can. I will also backtrack and post my New Hampshire win. For the past month, I have only focused on my training and relaxation, so I put my website(s) and other business endeavors on a brief hold. I appreciate each and every one of you that follow me here on this blog and my Facebook account, as well as my websites, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your devoted support.

I am very blessed to have made it this far, and would like to thank everyone and the Universe that has that has conspired in getting me here today. Many sentient beings have helped me in my journey to where I am at this moment in time. I am living my dream...and, as always, stay tuned to the Steel Universe! Aho, Ponca-sa

North America's Strongest Woman

2011-11-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

Strongwoman Competitions

2011-11-02T23:47:00.001-07:00

Strongwoman training in Las Vegas

2011-09-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

So, I took a bit of time off from my training this past summer, as I do from time to time. But, it came at a time when I trained my heavy overhead pressing with my benching and squatting, and all my numbers were way up. OH pressing was back to 215x2-3 reps, squatting and benching over 300 raw. So, this gave me a good base for a short layoff, which I took mainly to focus on my production work for Goddess of Fetish. I am kind of like a squirrel gathering nuts for the winter, making sure I produced enough content to get me through the winter, so I can focus on my training, Strongwoman shows, touring in November, and holiday with family in December.

I am training at Nick Best's place, where he has all of the implements that I will ever see. And, most importantly, between Nick and his wife, Callie, I have a couple of experts that have been in the sport for many years to fine tune my technique on the events. The first time I went to train at Nick's, which is usually Sundays, mid morning on into mid afternoon, when the Vegas sun is at it's highest, he put me through the ringer. I had only gone with the intention that I was going to master one event at a time. Nick just kept pushing me through all the events I would do in a typical competition. I started off with the log press, and got talked into farmers walk, tire flip with sled, deadlift, and then stones at the end. It was grueling, but fun. I learned a lot about technique and also that I could make it through the events.

During the week, I train at Mark Phillipi's Sports Institute, where I combine my strength training with some implements. I am preparing for two major shows--September 24th and November 5th. The first show is a qualifier for nationals, and the nationals are on the 5th of November. So, I still have to train heavy, but also condition for speed. I take my days off seriously, only swimming and getting massage and steam to keep my muscles flexible and recovered.

I am at my all time strongest ever, and I know I have lots of room for improvement since I am so new to the sport. It has reinvigorated my competitive drive and has given me focus. My bodyweight is right around 217-220 now. I do not do any extra cardio, as most of the events require anaerobic/sprint type drive and power with some endurance. Lifting the implements has helped put the weight on, and I must say, it is quality weight! It sure makes everything much easier to lift! Stay tuned for my progress notes.

Strong Woman Training

2011-06-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

I have always admired power, and strength. To me, the human body in motion, performing amazing feats of strength is beautiful. Perhaps that is why I have taken so quickly to training for strong woman events. As many of you may already know, I have been honing the skill of overhead pressing, both barbells and people. Remember in the old days, maybe a few hundred years ago, you would see the old strongmen and women doing these one armed feats of strength with either barbells, dumbells, kettlebells, or people? The true hallmark of the strength of a man was how much weight he could put up overhead. And, still, to this day, it is still a good indication for several reasons. First of all, one must have the joint mobility in the shoulders and incredible upper back, trapezius, and shoulder strength, as well as very strong abdominals, and lower back muscles. The legs come into play, as in a push press, a fast, dynamic start allows the lifter to get more weight up effectively overhead. It can prove to be a dangerous lift, if one does not immediately stabilize the weight, whether it is a barbell or human, as the back could get misaligned. And, the wrists, hands and elbows must be both flexible and strong to handle the weight. As you can see, I have studied the movement and many great lifters, and look to hone my skill every time I go to the gym to train.

My most recent strength skill I am developing are working with the Atlas stones. Now, there are varying circumferences for both men and women in both competition and training. Most beginners and women will start with the 18" stone, which, are shown in this recent video. On my first attempt at lifting stones, I was able to lift the 195 lbs to 55", 235 lbs to 50", and the 280 lbs to 41". I felt as though they were natural to lift, and I enjoyed the learning process. I then attempted the 20" (typically the men's competition girth) 310 lb stone. I struggled to even move it off the ground initially. After a couple more tries, I was able to "lap it", meaning, set it into my lap, which is the hardest part of the movement. From there, it's all hip thrust in getting it to the desired platform. I was so happy to even move that stone! I have found it takes extremely deep concentration, technique, and some anger to conquer any stone. And, I also learned that you must respect any stone, whether it is 5 lbs or 500 pounds, your technique should always be consistent, and never assume that, just because a stone is lighter, it does not deserve to be respected. That is how injuries occur. So, getting it the proper mindset is of crucial importance. Oherwise, you should just quit and go home if you do not have "it" that day. There will be other days, and sometimes there is no sense in trying so hard you may harm yourself in the process.

For now, I find that strong woman training has put the passion back into my lifts. It has given me the focus, drive, and passion to get into the gym and push/pull heavy weight. The fact that I have always had an innate desire just to be strong, is an internal flame that will always burn inside of me.

Stay tuned for more videos of my feats of strength and gym clips! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Monday--Leg Day

2011-06-07T03:10:00.000-07:00

I am beginning my new four day a week routine. Last summer, I was on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine, eating what I want, and resting as much as possible. While that worked quite well, it is time for me to step up my game. Particularly if I am going to perform my Amazon Medley for you all! So, I am back to basics, eating a Paelo diet comprised mostly of wild game, which includes bison, ostrich, venison and elk. I am lucky to have friends that are hunters, so one of my training partners is going to give me some elk and my favorite, oryx! Yay. Since I am American Indian, I am going to see what I can do to get on a hunt this year, hopefully before the winter. All of the wild game from my suppliers has sky rocketed, so what's a hungry Amazon to do? Send her tribe of men out, or go get it herself? Well, either way, it will get accomplished.

I met Branch Warren, Arnold Classic Champion, and Mr. Olympia runner up to Jay Cutler, at our local Max Muscle here in Albuquerque this past weekend. He told me he is a big time game hunter, and gets a bison every year up in Wyoming, and also hunts a lot of deer on his land in Texas. He pretty much diets on all wild game, which I found interesting. I find that if you do not provide your body with the most wholesome, wild food sources, your body will not really perform or look optimal, and you will not feel as good. The quality of protein/fat ratio of wild game literally blows the barn doors off of USDA cattle, which often is marbled with intramuscular fat, which, in my opinion, is the worst kind, because you can only cut the white part off that you see is fat. Now, every once in a while, I go out to a big name steak house franchise, but really only as a treat.

It was great to "chew the fat", literally and figuratively, with Branch at Texas Land and Cattle (which my filet was disgustingly marbled), as he talked about his early beginnings in his bodybuilding career. He won the Nationals in 2001 to get his pro card, and trains at the famous Metroflex in Arlington, Texas, where Ronnie Coleman trains. He told us some good stories about his travels before he headed off to the airport. All in all, I got the feeling, that Branch is a hard working guy, with an inspirational work ethic in his professional career and personal life. It is not surprising to see he leads the path of a true and honorable warrior, and I think it will not be long before he is crowned the kind of men's bodybuilding.

It was great to reunite with old comrades in the bodybuilding industry here in New Mexico. I remember my first show, back in 2003, where I won the Mid-USAs as a heavyweight, and I had no idea what a career changing event bodybuilding would have on my life! All the amazing people I have met, both fans and friends, and loyal supporters of Goddess of Fetish, which I am extremely grateful for.

The nice, long restful weekend, while meeting some inspirational people, fueled my workout for the day. I took a few weeks off from my normal routine to help a good friend of mine in San Diego, with some back surgery. After nearly a month off from training, I have not lost any strength, and I am highly motivated. Sometimes, after a layoff from training, you feel a little rusty. I did not allow any of these weak thoughts to permeate my mind, and kept a positive mental attitude before a very late night to start legs. I even used my training bands tonight. I put the green bands on and had four plates on each side. The bands actually help you "out of the hole", (the bottom) but, nonetheless, it was still good to take the weight on my meaty traps just to get used to the feeling. More video workout journals, I believe they are called "vlogs" now, to come this week! Stay tuned.

Funny One-Liners at the Gym

2011-06-06T03:44:00.001-07:00

Summer is officially here in both Vegas and Albuquerque, and I am feeling the desert heat. I love the desert, no matter what city. From the high plains of New Mexico, to even Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Nevada, I feel at home. The winds have kicked up a bit, and there was a forest fire in Flagstaff, and we got the smoke! I thought for a moment, the Sandia mountain range was on fire.

I have been a busy bee producing content for Goddess of Fetish. The latter part of 2010 and early 2011, I have met with many videographers/editors in the industry. I am focusing on stepping up my quality of productions, and updating on a more frequent basis. From the beginning, I self filmed and recruited friends to be my models. That works in the beginning, but, I owe it to my loyal fans a better quality product, and it's my passion, so I owe it to myself, too.

I have found that honing my Amazonian strength and body is a serious craft, that comes first and foremost, and then, finally, the rest of my business. And, ultimately, it comes down to proper time management, and, being the free spirit that I am, sometimes, I just go with the wind! So, I had to examine critically what I am doing, both in my personal and business life, and see if I can make some adjustments to improve everything. Ultimately, the end result will be good, I know that.

One great achievement for me is that I have been getting stronger and I have been producing more content on a regular basis, which, as I stated, are my two primary functions in my craft. So, if you check out my website, you will begin to see better quality footage, editing, and style.

My overhead pressing has increased quite a bit over the past year. About six weeks ago, I overhead push pressed 225, and I can do 185x5x3 on a regular basis. I could probably grind out 10 reps at 185, but that's a bit too high volume for me! Who knows, for the sake of capturing it on film, I may just do that. Maybe I will do that with benching 225 for reps, and squats, maybe something like 300. And, deadlifting, perhaps 315 for reps. Would you like to see that? In fact, what I will do, is develop what I call an "Amazon Medley", where I will put together 10 events or maximum reps and film it for you. That way, I have a goal for myself, to always top my last effort. I could test myself on a monthly basis. Hmmmmm. Sounds like I am cutting out a lot of fun for myself!

So, the funny quotes of the day in the gym go something like this. I met a couple guys in my gym here at Defined Fitness in Albuquerque, and one guy said, "So, you used to be like a quarter horse, now you are a Clydesdale?" And, another member told me as I flexed my lats and he felt them, "I have never felt anything like that on a woman before!" I laughed my ass off, but replied, "I have a lot of things on my body you have probably never felt on a woman!" Of course, I was talking about the rest of my massive feminine muscles that ordinary women do not have. It was a great day in the gym! It's always good when you can laugh, and get a great reaction out of people, mostly inspirational, but sometimes intimidating. It's all in a day's work in the Steel Universe!

Amber Steel Fantasy Show Kick off

2011-04-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

I will be performing a webcam show with the sexy, erotic Brandi Mae Akers on Monday, April 25th at 2:00 pm, PST at www.HerBicepscam.com.

I will be producing more shows in the near future with your favorite female bodybuilding stars, including Betty Viana and Milinda Richardson in Miami this week. Stay tuned for more details on these shows!

The intent of the show is to display female bodybuilders in all their beauty and glory, and an intimate, behind the scenes interviews with the lives and interests of these amazing women.

We hope to see you there!

Webcam Show with Brandi Mae Akers

2011-04-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Projects 2011

2011-03-28T22:35:00.001-07:00

I am fervently working on many collaborations for new videos this year. I have secured and interviewed models and videographers as well as scouted out shooting locations. As a small production company, it's all about staying within budget, and delivering a high quality product to the audience. Fortunately, over the past few years, I have been blessed with a devoted fan base, that despite my shortcomings in quantity and quality of footage, they have stood by me, and I thank them and the Universe for such fate. As we all know, nothing good in life comes easily. This is why I am very focused on making all my hopes and dreams come true in 2011 through my hard work and passion.

As many of you may know, my craft is being a top notch, super sexy, powerful Amazon. This is no easy task, as it requires high quality food, diligent training with extremely heavy weights, and plenty of rest, and tender loving care from my intimate friends. Oh yes, and lots of sex. Can't forget that. I would be remiss if I did not mention that. Sex and all that surrounds the act of sex the foreplay and the after play are what I consider one of the finest things in life, and also, the elixir to a balanced, happy life. I have never been one to use drugs or alcohol or other substances or crutches to get "high on life". I simply don't believe any of these things enhance any one's well being in the long run. Now, admittedly, I enjoy my red wine or tequila in moderation, but I never drink to make myself feel better.

So, maintaining my Amazonian physique to my specifications takes some doing and maintenance from a few good friends! We cannot go through this world without our own network, and being interdependent upon others, nor should we try.

I am fortunate to have networked with some wonderful people this year, and this will show in all of my work, that I have received opportunities and gifts from many people. I have learned a long time ago, that everyone has something good to offer the world. And, it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to sort out what are our own unique gifts and talents and how we may make the world a better place. It does not have to be something so complex or complicated. So long as you bring joy to yourself and others, I think that is enough. Making someone smile or laugh during the day. Laughter is also another overlooked elixir to youth and good health. It's difficult to be preoccupied or sad in life while you are laughing.

So, back to the drawing board on becoming the best Amazon I can become, I have been pushing the envelope on all of my lifts. My deltoid/scaupla/latissimus dorsi group has become a bit tight from all the heavy benching and overhead pressing, but it is healing up and feeling better today. This past Monday, I bench pressed 295x2 and a week ago today, I overhead pressed 215x3 (2 separate sets) in push press fashion. So, the lifts are increasing and I am feeling more confident in pushing heavier weights. But, any sign of stress or strain, and I give myself a few more days rest, as this is the most prudent thing to do. I plan on videotaping this in the next few days, so stay tuned to my blog so you can witness my progress.

And, the craft of staying on top of my strength game will only serve to translate into better quality video productions for my website(s).

One Arm OH Filipina Press

2011-03-15T04:47:00.000-07:00

So
This past summer, I trained to begin lifting people overhead to display my unique feats of strength. Nothing is more intriguing than a big, powerful, sensual body in motion as far as I am concerned. My girlfriend here weighs right around 100 pounds. Stay tuned for more exciting lifts and feats of strength!

Health is Wealth

2011-03-15T04:12:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite images with my good friend, Nikki Fuller.

Spring 2011 has certainly been interesting, and I am refreshed, renewed, and invigorated for all the new projects I have started. Sometimes in life, well, I would say most often, we only need to reflect and look inward to determine the direction of our lives, as I have posted here before.

Health is the "new wealth", and if we could only look at wealth in a more organic way, we just may feel better about ourselves. My definition of wealth is glowing health, nurturing friendships and relationships with others, caring for humanity, and doing the "right thing".

My training is off to a terrific start, and I am pressing right around 200 lbs overhead and benchpressing in the low 300's without the assistance of "gear", such as a benchpress shirt or a belt. The only supports I use are wrist wraps. I took a bit of time off around the holidays, to recover and gain focus. Good health is the new wealth, and no matter how much money one has or material things, nothing can make one feel better than being in good physical condition, physically, mentally, and spiritually. No amount of money in the world can offer this kind of well being. So, I am pleased to have maintained my strength, and look forward to pushing to new and improved strength gains this year.

I took a lot of time off from traveling this past year to focus on all aspects of my health, and it payed off in great dividends. And, also to focus on cultivating and deepening the relationships with all those that are in my life, as well as my personal business projects, which you will see come to life as the year passes. It is difficult to water the garden when one is never home! So, I decided to change that. Friends are like flowers, and they must be cultivated, nurtured, and fed. Sometimes all we need to do, is observe nature, and how our lives are nature, and to follow that natural course, like a flowing river. The river is always moving, sometimes forceful. Often, we need to be more like the water.

I will be doing more videoshoots focusing on my human feats of strength, my hardcore gym workouts, and other fun activities, and publishing them on my websites.

Stay tuned for an amazing 2011 with me!

Florida

2011-01-05T21:28:00.000-08:00

I am visiting my family in Florida. My father, aunt, and brother with his girlfriend, Theresa, "T". My brother and T brought a baby, Stephen Jr., into the world on July 22, 2010. He reminds me so much of my brother when he was a little boy. Big brown eyes, and a full shock of dark brown hair. My brother is Dine/Lakota and has dominant native features. T, is from the Ondandogan tribe in Canada, and is also 1/2 Irish on her father's side. She is a beautiful woman, fair complected, dark haired with blue eyes.

My brother and I were adopted from separate families just a few months after birth, and we are only 10 months apart. I am 43, and he is 44 now. T is 42! It's amazing how modern medicine has enable women to pursue careers and postpone childbearing until later in life. She told me about her journey into motherhood, and it was beautiful to hear her story of her first pregnancy.

Baby Stephen has an ear infection and a bit of the flu, so I have not been able to properly bond with him as an aunt. At any rate, it is good to be visiting family and spend time with them.

Seeing a baby and celebrating the joys of a child is a reminder of how precious life is, and no matter how young or old, we should treat everyone we encounter with deep respect.

2010 in Review

2010-12-25T18:42:00.001-08:00

Amazing how time flies. The year is ending, and I have to admit, it was an amazing year for me in the Steel Universe! I made some amazing strength gains and learned to perfect my powerlifting technique, making me stronger than I have ever been in my life, which is exciting, at the age of 43, to know that I am approaching my best years in life. Which, is a complete paradigm shift of how most Westerners view aging. I personally have always tried to improve myself, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. With the right diet, outlook on life, and amazing friends and loved ones, life can only get better. And, I am excited about the prospect of how I will grow and improve in 2011. Having stated this, I will share with you, a recapitulation of how exciting 2010 was for me and some of my milestones.

First of all, the photo I have attached was taken in the summer of 2006, by one of my all time favorite photographers in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pat Berrett. It was right before my last national level show, the Masters Nationals, where I competed as a heavyweight. In this photo, I was about one month out, and I weighed right around 185- 190-- with abs! These days, I sit right around 205. However, I have added about 10 pounds of muscle to my physique since my competitive bodybuiding days, and it is pretty evenly distributed over my 5' 9 frame. When I look back at these photos, it is evident, that my shoulders, back, trunk and legs have all thickened up quite a bit.

I moved to Holland a year after this show, and learned to live a bodybuilding lifestyle with Saskia, and this included not only getting freakishly strong, but also a high volume type of training protocol. No matter what I subject my body to, it generally responds well. I remember my joints and frame being pretty tired and sore most of the time since our trainer, Peter, was pretty merciless and we had no choice but to adapt. The point of training is always to have fun, enjoy and be competitive with myself. That is what always keeps me motivated. I still remember that the day before we left for the USA and the Arnold Classic in 2008, I was incline bench presssing 3 big wheels on each side, or 315 pounds for reps. Granted, I had a tight spot, but they were all clean and pretty much all on my own. I never thought I could ever get my body back to that point, since I typically train alone or with partners that are not up to my speed.

This past year, I lived and trained in Las Vegas, Nevada, at world class strongman's gym, called Mark Phillipi's Sports Institute. Around early April, 2010, I embarked on a strength and power program, something I have never attempted in all my years of training. Initially, I thought I was undertraining, as I was used to high volume style of training. It could not be the furthest from the truth, as I got stronger week by week. All my numbers in my lifts were increasing like crazy. Of course, if you know my diet, I like to eat a lot of wild game, including buffalo, elk, and ostrich.

I can recall my best bench was probably in the low to 200's, around 225 or so with free weights, and performed "raw", which means without a high tech benchshirt. I never wrapped or strapped into any of my weights, which helped my grip strength increase tremendously, which also helped increase all of my lifts. Soon, I raw benched 300 August 31st. My deadlift is in the low 400's, and my squat is finally 315 for 8-10 reps. With some focused work, these lifts will get better, however, I chose to focus primarily on my pressing movements this past summer and fall. I never really trained for deadlift or squat, but I gained a lot of satisfaction in learning to perfect the form and getting stronger every week. My bentover barbell rows are right at 225 for 5-6 reps no straps. I have toyed with the idea of adding straps, wraps, and a belt to get that extra push and protection, and I will begin adding them on my extremely heavy days. I even did 185 for 55 reps in the deadlift earlier in the summer with no training just to see how many I could do. I could easily performed more, but opted not to.

And, the grandaddy lift I take great pride in, the overhead press, is largely due to the fact that I am becoming a lift and carry technician, and human feats of strength, lifting people overhead with two arms and one arm. And, since I got my RKB (Russian Kettlebell Challenge) certification in April, I was stoked to get my overhead lifts way up. I started out with lifting right around 165, and now, the lift is up to right around 205, my current bodyweight, and 185x6 or 7 reps. And recently, I did a 205 closegrip benchpress for 20 reps, which is definitely the heaviest I have ever done. I love tricep work, as I know it has a direct correlation with my pressing movements, and, ever since I was a young girl weight training, I have always enjoyed pushing movements over pulling movements.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my good friends, Rebecca Swanson, the world's strongest woman ever in powerlifting (see earlier blog post) came out to visit me again. If you know anything about Becca, she was the first woman to ever benchpress 600 pounds, and to total over 2,000 pounds in a meet. I asked her out of curiosity what her best raw bench press was. She told me, "To be honest Amber, I never really focused on increasing my raw bench", and she told me how important it is to get past the learning curve on benching with a benchshirt on. She told me, that with a shirt, the proper training, timing, and coaching, I am a 500 pound bencher all day long with a shirt on. I could not disagree, as I am never fearful of handling my presses raw in the low 300s right now. In the past, I sometimes felt a bit apprehensive about feeling a certain new heavier weight over me, and if unprepared it can invoke a feeling of fear if I would actually ever be able to press the weight. Since I have been on a prescribed program fort the past half year or more, the weight has been progressive and steady. So, when this happens, one is never "not ready" or unprepared for the new heavier weight. The joints, muscles, and tendons, and bones are prepared to handle the weight. It was pretty cool to get validated by the world's strongest woman ever that I was, indeed, now in a very elite class of women. Competitive powerlifting is great, but it really was never the direction I intended, as I am mostly concerned with strength, performance, and aesthetic versus competitions or judging. That is the very reason why I left women's bodybuilding, as I found it not only boring, but also submissive and oppressive to be judged by people that did not matter to my goals and what I was trying to achieve. Granted, I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for all the women that choose to compete, as I once did, and I think it is a beautiful artform, but definitely not sport or performance based. I am far too competitive with myself to follow a bodybuilding protocol in training, as it typically abandons strength and power in favor of aesthetic. Even to this day, I am the sole creator and artist of the way I shape and build the way I want my body to look. I am the ultimate judge of how I present my body to the world. I believe if I train for strength and performance, the aesthetic will "come", and is mostly manipulated by diet and a little cardio. Admittedly, I have not focused too much on cardio, as I have been primarily focusing on my strength. I will begin hitting my stairclimber and some quick intense more athletic ways to keep my heart fit and strong.

It seems there is no end in sight for how much stronger I can get, although I am very aware of any tweaks, pains, and getting the proper amount of rest without getting injured and staying super strong. In this case, it's better to take time off than to power through. I took the entire month of September off from my training, just to give my body a break. To my surprise, I came back just as strong, as was able to get stronger. My raw benchpress is easily in the low 300s, right around 325 or so. Just a month ago, I pressed 315 after a triple at around 280.

I began peforming pull ups with a 40-50 pound kettlebell strapped around my waist--and with my super long arms, I have always loathed pull ups! But, with practice, I became quite proficient at them. I can still remember the day when I could barely do one. And, I always still look at myself in my mind's eye as the sleek, trim, thin athlete that used to rock climb and play volleyball. I find strength and power not only in weightlifting, but also in applied sport to be a tremendous natural high, and I admire and always have, powerful people, and even find it to be an aphrodisiac, amongst other qualities such as great conversationalists, optimists, a sense of humor and depth of character.

In a nutshell, I have become the amazon that I have always dreamt of, and have become the sensual powerhouse that I only fantasized of becoming. And, it's only going to keep getting better in 2011....just wait and see!

Classic Bill Dobbins

2010-08-31T00:46:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken in June, 2002, in the desert of New Mexico, just north of Albuquerque. It was my first shoot prior to my bodybuilding days. I had competed in NABBA Figure, and was still very lean from the show. In this photo, I weighed around 160. It was featured in IronMan Magazine. I think it is one of the classic nude poses that Bill Dobbins is so well known for. When I did the pose, I felt so "exposed", and uncomfortable, but when I saw it in the magazine, I thought it was so amazing. Amazing that I am completely nude, yet I am not exposed.

After this shoot, Bill inspired me to continue honing my physique, concentrating on training more like a bodybuilder (I prefer more athletic training). So, here we are, only 7 years later, and I am ready to shoot with Bill again.

We have decided to collaborate on some projects together, such as a day in my life, which would include my training, and other unique things like my specialty human lifts.

I am so inspired at the direction of my life at the moment. There is so much I need to do in my life, and I embrace each day as if it were my last.

Red Rock Canyon Revisited

2010-08-11T16:57:00.000-07:00

Since I moved to the beautiful desert foothills of Red Rock Canyon, I have yearned to do a photoshoot here. My last shoot was with Bill Dobbins, and it has been seven years, when I first started competing in bodybuilding.

What I like most about Red Rock Canynon, is that there is a variety of different colored rocks and outcroppings. The red sandstone is beautiful, and matches my skin tone. I also love posing on the white rocks as well, as it reminds me of the my shoots in Albuquerque, New Mexico. No matter what I shoot or where I pose, I am always at home outside and the shoots feel more natural. I just seem to flow from pose to pose, and I find these types of shoots most fun.

This photo was taken in June, 2010. I was just getting into full swing of my summer training schedule, so I am just beginning to get leaner, and show a bit more definition.

My training is going very well, as planned, and I get better as time goes on. I just celebrated my 43rd birthday on July 26th, and I feel better now than ever. In fact, I feel that I am approaching my best years. Enjoy!

Behind the Scenes with Pec Panther

2010-08-09T19:00:00.001-07:00

As I wrote in my last post, I have been busy this summer getting in condition for my human overhead lifts, as well as other feats of strength. All this, while making appearances on live webcam shows at www.HerBicepscam.com, as well as maintaining my own website and shooting lots of sexy, intriguing, and captivating content. It's a full time gig! But, I sure love it, and I cannot imagine doing anything else in my life right now.

I went out to visit Lynn McCrossin, known as The Pec Panther for her amazing pectoral control and bouncing in Scottsdale, Arizona. I consider Lynn the Godmother of the internet female bodybuilding entertainment world. We spent this past weekend together brainstorming about content, sharing business ideas, and rejuvenating ourselves.

Let me catch you all up on how my summer has been going, though. If you have been following me on Youtube, you can find my channel at "The Amber Steel", or http://www.youtube.com/user/TheAmberSteel. Here, you can see some of my feats of strength, and overhead lifts that I have been focusing on this summer.

I caught the attention of Sebastian Timbalind, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_(rapper) with my website and my Youtube channel. Timbalind flew me down to Miami a month ago to perform my featured overhead lift for the video, "Wobbley", to be released soon. He met with me in the trailer and told me he was really impressed with my work and physique and wanted to incorporate the overhead lift in the video. I had three separate scenes. All in all, they treated me very well on the set, and I had a good experience. My first scene, the overhead lift, was shot at nearly midnight in the dead of Miami humid heat. I had to do nearly 10 takes pressing a small man over my head with a bath towel on! I am so glad I train in the desert heat of Las Vegas, and I was conditioned to perform.

The USAs were last week, and I did a few shoots with some friends in the industry, and as always, it turned out very well. I will post a few pics from the lobby in a subsequent post. However, I just wanted to update the blog so you all know that I have not just been relaxing this summer! Well, I always enjoy my work, because it is more like play--and that's what life should be about. Enjoying every moment in life, whether alone or with someone.

Red Rock State Park, Las Vegas, Nevada Revisited

2010-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

I appreciate all of you, my friends that have written me to advise me that you missed my blogging! That means a lot to me. I find it cathartic to write, and I really miss it when I do not make time. It keeps me focused, grounded, and centered in my life. You know who you are, those that have taken the time to write me and let me know.

I have lived in New Mexico for the past 20 years, and that has entailed much hiking, climbing, and mining. For the past five years, I have chosen to live a more cosmopolitan lifestyle, opting to spend more time in concrete jungles than desert landscapes. My passion for the desert is something that will never die, however. Some of my best photoshoots have been with both professional and amateur photographers in New Mexico and Nevada. I particularly enjoy the white gypsum outcroppings of the Zia Pueblo region in New Mexico, as it makes my brown skin stand out even more. And, some of my favorite rocks are situated in what I call my backyard now, Red Rock Canyon State Park right here in Las Vegas, Nevada. The reddish brown sandstone reminds me so much of my skin color, that I feel like I am part of the earth, and I really love the look and the feel of these rocks. I find that outdoor shoots are where I belong, favoring them over indoor shoots. I enjoy the hike in the desert heat and finding fun rocks to play and pose on.

This photo was taken two days ago by a friend of mine, George Kontaxis. For years, I have admired George's work. He has a natural "eye" for what looks good and has his own artistic flair. Whenever I admire a photographer, I get a bit starstruck of their talent, and this sometimes makes me too nervous to shoot, and I sometimes lack creativity. This happened when I worked with the late Douglas Kent Hall. I get mesmerized by the artist at work, and lose track of myself. At the end of the day, they are only human. As George and I sat out on the rocks after this photo was taken, we chatted about the evolution of our lives as both photographer and model. We shared common stores about being smitten by people in our industry, and then, when we finally do get to work with them, we find that they are just as human as anyone else, perhaps to a flaw, if that makes sense.

George and I talked about what we have achieved in our short careers in the physical culture industry, and where we are heading. We initially met in 2003, at the USA Bodybuilding show here in Las Vegas. I still remember George, and he was just a young man starting a photography career, and I was just starting my bodybuilding journey. We both have come a long way in the past 7 years, and we have a mutual respect and admiration for how far along we have come.

All you have to do is take a look at some of my photos from the early days, in 2003 from Bill Dobbins in Red Rock State Park. It was just after my first bodybuilding show, and I weighed in at around 175 pounds. In this photo, I weighed right at 200 pounds. Hence, the title of this post, Red Rock--revisited. I hope you enjoy the evolution of my physique and lifestyle as much as I have enjoyed the journey.

I have a feeling, the best is yet to come.

Summer is here!

2010-06-22T00:20:00.001-07:00

I know it has been a couple of months since my last post, so please forgive me! I am so wrapped up this early summer in my training and living in Las Vegas that I find myself neglecting the poor Steel Universe blog! But, I will be spoiling you with lots of fun photos and stories of my life, so do not throw in the towel on me!

I had the opportunity to go to Los Angeles last month, and I got to meet some of my favorite girlfriends, which also happen to be some of the most famous Amazons on the planet in our niche of the Universe! From left to right, Yours Truly, Rebecca Swanson, Strongest Woman Ever, Kristal Toscoe, aka "Buffbunny", and Nikki Fuller, IFBB Pro/actress. We all average between 5'8-5'9 and weighed between 180-215. So, that averages out to 200 lbs a piece.

We had dinner at "Ago", an Italian restaurant in the Beverly Hills area, but we got such lousy service, I was embarrassed. It took us nearly two hours to get our food, and we were all out with health conscience folks and athletes that love food. I found out later that the restaurant is owned by Robert DeNiro...for shame! I was shocked at such lousy service, and our food was horrendous. Luckily, we had a good negotiator at our table and we only paid for our wine and appetizers. I am glad that everyone at the table were all close friends, and the company was all that mattered. Nonetheless, I hate when this happens.

I will post more later about my training and my doings this summer. Things are going very well, and I am getter stronger and harder than ever. You will see.

Self Discovery

2010-04-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

I think that each day is an opportunity for self discovery, however small or grand that discovery may be. About oneself, and about others in our lives.

Self discovery was the main reason I returned to London, and Amsterdam most recently. I mostly travel for the sake of business, but also, most importantly, to discover. I look at everyone in the world as my own personal sage. Whether it is a person on the train, plane, a beggar, a friend, a lover, and all sentient beings. Everyone and everything has something to offer, and is put on this planet to teach. If we only could listen better--that is the challenge.

Of all the virtues in the world I value most in myself and others, are patience, an open mind, an open, kind, compassionate heart, forgiveness, and finally, acceptance, which leads to the ultimate virtue, unconditional love. Of all these virtues, forgiveness is one that I find to be the opposite of acceptance. To forgive, the premise is that someone has "wronged you", or violated you in some way. I would far rather accept someone for what he is than to forgive him for what I perceive is a wrongdoing against me. The way I see it, let people "be" and things "be" as they are. One cannot be violated if you allow it to just "be". I find I must learn to understand and not judge another's actions as a personal attack against me.

When I was living in Den Haag, Netherlands, with Saskia, I lived the lifestyle of a hardcore bodybuilder. We ate, slept, and trained bodybuilding. We did not go anywhere, so it would not disrupt our training or eating schedule. While I enjoyed the rigor and discipline, it was at the expense of living life more fully. At that time, Sas was about to make her pro debut in NYC. Nothing would impede her success on stage--we both made damn sure of that.

But, as time went on, we both became more reclusive toward each other, eventually, on completely different training schedules and diets. I can remember sneaking in yogurt and macadamia nuts in my backpack so she could not see them becasue I knew it was not on her diet. At night, I would take care of emails and perform on webcam, only for her to wake up in the middle of the night, craving Coke Zero and a cigarette. When you diet or are deprived of something, anything, you become that much more keen for it. She swears she could smell my macadamia nuts, but really, she just heard the paper wrapper. It was sheer torture to her. On top of the rigorous diet, the politics, and all the other things that go along with bodybuilding shows, it proved to be an unhealthy lifestyle in the end.

It has been two years since I last saw Sas, and I knew that she had paid a heavy spiritual, emotional, and physical toll, trying to become the best she could be. It pained me to see her go through this. But, it was just something she had to go through, and see for herself, with her own eyes, and experience it.

When I went back to visit her a few weeks ago, ever so briefly, we had a great talk about our lives. We walked the dogs on the beach, and talked for a long time. I was glad to see her, and see that she was happy. She no longer trains as a hardcore bodybuilder, even though she could step back on stage at anytime. She has disassociated herself from all the behaviors and ties with the bodybuilding world. It made my heart happy that she now enjoys her life, and her friends. It was the Sas that I always hoped would emerge from the darkness. And, I was glad to see her smile again.

As I drove around the old neighborhood and my old haunts, it was interesting to note that not much had changed. In Sas's house, I found a lot of my old clothes I forgot about, and my makeup, which was in situ, just how I had left it. The old program from the Opendag with my notes scratched on it was just where I had left it on the vanity where I used to get ready every day. It was odd to observe relics of my past.

We laughed and joked around about our lives and how some things have not changed, while other things have changed significantly. I went back mostly to make sure she was okay, and to close that chapter in my life, to turn the page, shall we say. When I am friends with someone, I make friends for life, and I always care about their well being. Before our visit, she was not ready for me, for her own reasons.

I am glad to know that she accepted my visit, and we are moving forward in our lives, and discovering ourselves in a new way every day.

Reflection

2010-04-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken by Bill Dobbins at Red Rock State Park, Las Vegas, Nevada in 2003, just a week after my first bodybuilding show. I entitled this post "Reflection", not only because it is appropriate for the photo, but what we all need to do from time to time in our lives. And not just superficial thinking, but deep reflection.

When I reflect upon my life, I think about it as a journey and the many paths I have taken in my life. Each one, ever so carefully chosen. I used to get anxiety about the direction I am going to move in next, and what I want to do. I think it takes maturity and confidence to move forward in life and have the confidence that whatever direction you choose, you do so with courage and zest. Particularly when it comes to change. As much as most humans are creatures of habit, and do not like major lifestyle changes, it is inevitable. Even if that change has perceived negative outcomes, or even glaringly bleak outcomes, one must overcome and even embrace the change. Initially, change is painful and undesired. However, over time, one can become acclimated to the change. And, in the end, it's not so bad after all. Change is the natural course of life, and, in fact, the only thing that is constant in our lives. We are not the same person we were 10 years ago, yesterday, or even five minutes ago. That is why I find it interesting to look back at old photos, my writing, and even reflect back to old thoughts in my life. Have you ever looked back at a photo of yourself or something you wrote, and thought, "What was I thinking back then?" I also like the nostalgic component to these artifacts. And, to know the journey I have taken from where I was to where I am now, and embrace and even fantasize where I will be.

A year before this photo was taken, I did my first photo shoot with Bill, in the desert of New Mexico near my home. I competed in NABBA Figure at that time, a scaled down version of bodybuilding. As Bill peered through his lens at me, he exclaimed in a nonchalant manner, "Amber, why don't you just compete in bodybuilding?" And that was that, I was sold. I replied, "Sure, why not?" Sage advice from the premier womens' physique photographer and world acclaimed leading authority on womens' bodybuilding does not come easily. As I got to know Bill over the years, I learned that he does not lavish anyone with compliments.

So, this photo is symbolic of my journey into the future. When I look into my eyes back in 2003, I see there is desire, and hunger. I remember how eager I was to make my way in the bodybuilding industry, and make my mark. And, it was not to just become the best competitive bodybuilder on stage. It was more about the evolution of my body, mind, and spirit. And what an amazing journey it has been. While I was never uncomfortable in front of a camera lens, particularly someone of Bill's stature, I do remember feeling somewhat awkward about nudity in front of the lens. As I learned more about my body, posing, movement, and body language, I gained more confidence in my posing style. I now know that often times, when a pose feels really strange, that, oddly enough, it turns out to be magnificent on film. It's all about not having fear of what something is going to look like, and having the confidence to contort myself in seemingly strange ways. This was the journey of self discovery for me, and Bill certainly showed me the way and gave me that inspiration.

This bodily contortion also gave me the inner confidence to know that even if something feels awkward, it can be beautiful, in all areas of my life. So, getting out of that comfort zone is important, and not getting stuck in a rut. While there is merit in repetition, routine, and regimes, as this builds consistency and discipline, we also must know how to make minor changes to these things to enhance them to make our lives better.

Since this photo was taken, I talk to Bill from time to time. We reflect on our lives and the paths we have chosen. And, I always thank him for inspiring me to become what I have always dreamed of, and capturing my essence on film in a way that I only fantasized about.

Crowd Teasers at the Arnold

2010-03-23T10:45:00.000-07:00

While at the Arnold Classic, I met Hayley McNeff. I had only seen photos of her online, but she is a stick of dynamite in person! We had fun at the Hyatt Bar, teasing local fans, where I proceeded to school Hayley in the fine art of reverse head scissors and headlocks on grown men. Kristal, aka "Buffbunny" was there to make sure I was properly fueled with tequila with camera in hand. Gene Hwang of www.Genex.com was there to capture the festivities on film until his camera ran out of battery juice. That deserved a serious ass kicking in an of itself, but I let him slide this time.

Hayley, in her early 20's, just began competing in bodybuilding a few years ago. Let's just say she has an extremely bright future in whatever she chooses to do in the physique industry, as she has amazing lines and a beautiful face.

I just decided to post these photos, as teasing the crowd and interacting with them is perhaps one of the most rewarding aspects of being in this industry.

I am back in Albuquerque!

2010-03-22T05:22:00.001-07:00

I finally made it home to Albuquerque. Amsterdam was great, got to finally meet Xander and Lethal Veronica and did a bit of videowork. Xander makes it to the USA a few times a year. He has a great eye for vidwork, and I will most certainly be shooting with him again. Then it was off to Den Haag to visit Sas and my old friends at Kneets. I will make a more comprehensive post, but I am on a weird schedule again, recovering from my jet lag and being in five different time zones in the past few days tends to make me just want to sleep like a cat. All day, and whenever I want...LOL! I had a great visit everywhere I went. NYC turned out to be quite busy as well, as I did some video shoots with a couple of great guys. Also, I performed my first overhead lift and carry; something I have been wanting to do for quite some time, but never really practiced it. The liftee was 150 pounds, but once I nailed it, I lifted him several times, and I captured it all on video! So, my mid to lower back is a bit tight, and a little sore, but not in pain. It's an "okay" kind of sore, and not "bad", if you know what I mean. I will post more later, but I am going back to sleep.

Leaving London for Amsterdam

2010-03-13T13:20:00.000-08:00

London is one of my favorite cities in the world. It reminds me of NYC, only with older buildings and an entirely different judicial system and culture. Until you really spend a lot of time in London, an American will always feel like an outsider. They have a different language and jargon, euphemisms, and humour, and if you are not keen, you will miss it entirely.

Amsterdam, on the other hand, is much more earthy, and the people are a true melting pot. Perhaps it has to do with people riding around on bikes, public transportation and mini cars that humbles humanity. It is such a beautiful thing that the Dutch could give a fuck less about what kind of transporation they have! I have to get up very early for my fight, and I must ensure I do not get to the airport too late. So, I will post more later when I am well rested.

Cheerio!

Arnold Classic Expo 2010

2010-03-08T14:11:00.000-08:00

I made it to the Arnold Classic bodybuilding event this year. The last time I was there was in 2008. I appeared at Quincy Taylor's booth for www.Probodybuilding.com and had a lot of fun. Brandy Mae on left. Isn't she a cutie pie? I will write more later, but I have to catch the Russian Turkish Bath house here in NYC to sweat out the toxins and tequila (and vodka!) that has built up on my body for the past few weeks. I bought a punch pass a year and half ago and I only have one visit used out of seven.

Kneet's Gym, Opendag, Den Haag, Netherlands, February 2008

2010-03-04T23:37:00.000-08:00

Peter Kneetman, owner of Kneet's gym in Den Haag, Netherlands, held an opendag, or an open house for the community to visit with all of the resident bodybuilders. It was a great turn out.

Since Sas, Peter, and I were all training partners, people were used to seeing us at the gym, but in a non social manner, because we were too busy trying to lift heavy weights and pack on muscle---all serious business. A lot of former bodybuilders turned up and it turned into one big party, everyone posing for the community and it was a lot of fun. It was at this juncture when I was over there, that I learned that the Dutch take their work and play very seriously, and they never discount holidays and the good life and times with family and friends. I will never forget how the community in Den Haag treated me, and accepted me as one of thier own, and I will be glad to return in just another week to say hello to my old friends.

Long Hiatus!

2010-03-04T22:18:00.000-08:00

I generally apologize for not posting in the blog for so long. In one way, I am very sorry to my dear friends who have been following my blog and have noticed that there has been a bit of a lag in my posts. Well, after the European tour in October, I decided to take a brief hiatus from my work, as it becomes quite exhausting and takes a lot of energy. A big part of my business is getting stronger, and focusing on my own training regime. So, I decided to throw myself into my training, and relaxing around the holidays, at the expense of the blog and other business related things. There is a time and place for everything, and all things in life have a natural cycle, and I have learned to not defy my body's own natural cycles, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I allow my heart to guide the direction of my life, and when this happens, I am always happy and I grow.

As a woman ages, I think she gets better with time, physically and emotionally. It is her duty to listen to what her mind, body and spirit is telling her at all times. This goes for men as well. But, I can only speak from my own experience. I feel stronger, and healthier than ever now that I have taken some rest from travel and business pursuits and tune into my body.

I have written in my earlier post that I am going to pursue my Russian Kettlebell Certification. I am confident that I will make the certification requirement with the 16kg of 100 snatches in the five minute test. Around November, I did the 5 minute test with a 20kg and made 100 snatches. Although, I did it "Hardstyle", and there is a big difference between the way one holds the RKB and hand positioning. So, I bought several instructional DVDs from Mike Mahler, and have been studying his form on the basic lifts. I met him for a one on one instructional lesson, and he fine tuned my hand positioning for the snatches, that will ultimately save my hands. I think with the hardstyle form, it will be all too easy to get blisters on the hand, and also, it precludes form high level snatching with anything over 20-24kg. So, I am going to begin focusing on this movement. Also, heavy swings always do the trick for conditioning as well.

I am currently at the Arnold Classic, and I have not been to this show in two years. The last time I was her was when I was with Saskia in 2007. So, it will be great to meet and greet fans again. After that, I am off to London and Amsterdam to meet Saskia! She is going open a nutritional store in her home town, Den Haag, and I am so happy for her. I just began taking an amazing product, and I am pleased to show her so she and her clients can reap the benefits. I have never felt so vibrant and energetic, not to mention, calm and balanced. If you would like more information on the product, you may contact me via email personally at gladiatorgirl@aol.com . I am so excited to visit Sas and Peter at Kneet's Gym in Den Haag! I haven't seen them all in over two years now.

This Spring, aside from the RKB certification in April in Minneapolis, I am going to focus on much more artistic work for the website. I am also in the process of revamping it, and this is quite a big project. So, it has been in the works as well. When I take time off from the blog or creative writing, it's all for good reason and self improvement! I am also working with a Turkish illustrator/artist, and we are going to begin work on a fantasy book. He does some amazing fantasy sketches. Mostly erotic images of demons, creatures, and me doing what I do. I get turned on looking at these images! I will ask him for permission to post one here. Just to give you a little teaser. I will write the fantasy stories and he will do the illustrations. I am hoping we can pitch it to a big publishing company like Taschen. I think it will be very unique and I am anxious to begin writing the stories.

I will also be making another guest appearance in San Diego March 28-31 for the American Indian Institute, Oklahoma University Native Wellness Conference at the Town Center Hotel. I was a keynote speaker in 2003 for this organization. You may email me for more information.

So, as you can see, it has been a very busy and productive first quarter of the year. I am looking forward to sharing more exciting news with you soon, so please stay tuned!

Buff Girls

2009-12-03T11:00:00.000-08:00

I loved this shot I took with Nikki Fuller a couple of summers ago. Steve Wennerstrom was the photographer, IFBB Historian, and writer for many physique publications. I had just returned from Holland, and Nikki was ripped and ready for a show, even though she no longer competes as an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder. We were pretty much in awe of each other the entire weekend. The contrast between our bodytypes in size, muscle shape, skin color and hair was a nice effect. Yet, the similarity and fullness of the muscle bellies is even nicer. Perhaps one day, we will shoot again.

Yesterday was a good day shoulder day and I ended up military pressing (standing) about 165 for 5, no cheating. I kind of feel it in my mid back, but I used a belt and it's not really a bad sore. I also snatched the 24kg RKB for 10 each arm after the presses, and it did not feel hard or out of control. I went on to do some standing Arnold presses, which was difficult after the military presses. Then I just finished up with laterals so the shoulders will look pretty and some rear delt machine flyes and abs. Jason had to get off to a hot date, so I cut him loose early. I finished with an hour of treadmill. It's not so bad when you have good music or a good program to watch. I watched the semi finals of the Ultimate Fighter. I enjoy watching the fights, it's perhaps the only sporting event I am remotely intrigued by. I like it because it is so complex and the training so rigorous. It's a chess match of modern day gladiators. Just no lions. Speaking of which, I will post my photos of Rome soon. I have all my photos spread out between a few computers.

I have some stuff to work on the website today, and Dave and I are working diligently on the revamp. I am very excited about the launch.

I have a very good feeling that 2010 is going to be a very interesting year.

Sultry and Sexy at Santa Monica Pier

2009-12-02T00:25:00.000-08:00

As I have told you before, I will spoil you with photos that I think capture something special. Many of these photos are not even in any of my galleries and have never been released, but are in my private stock. This one grabbed my attention because it epitomizes what I have always strived for, both as an athlete and a physique artist. And that is, sensual form and sexy curves and lines, but also a functional and aesthetic figure. My roots are in sport, training as a swimmer, track athlete, volleyball player, and a lot of other things in between. I was obsessed with strength and, later, form when I was a young girl. I can still remember the first time I ever lifted a weight, I was about 13 years old, and the volleyball coach told us to go through the Nautilus circuit a couple times. I would spend 1/2 a day there going through it several times and dabbling in free weights. It wasn't long before I was able to bench press 135 pounds at 15 years old--for repetitions. I then saw some photos of Rachel McClish and Cory Everson, and I knew immediately that one day, I would develop my body to that level. That is why this photo has so much significance to me, because it reminds me of my dream in my mind's eye of what I wanted to look like. And, I also thought that women with muscle were beautiful, and if they could retain the pleasing lines and most significantly, facial beauty, it was the height of perfection. So, I knew that after my first few bodybuilding shows, I had surpassed my dreams, and that is a great feeling. When this happens, one can only keep dreaming about pushing the genetic boundaries of one's frame as far as strength, functionality and aesthetic. With proper timing of meals, a high quality diet in wild game and vegetables, rest, and a few other factors, I think a very high quality of life can be achieved. I also believe that you must surround yourself with positive people that can enhance your outlook on life. Great friends, lovers, and family are key. I also advocate lots of good, healthy sex, (with yourself or a partner) but obviously with a partner, it's always better! And, please do not forget a little red wine, and I will throw a little vodka in there on the weekends in moderation. You must breathe heavily and deeply every day, either through your training, cardio, sex, meditation or other means. What's left? Deep breathing connects your energy to the Universe and makes you feel more alive. Ever notice how great you feel after great sex, cardio, training, or an adrenaline rush? Or the natural high of life you get by helping other people feel good about themselves in some way. I think we need to ensure that we get our own healthy dose of oxygen and endorphins daily--it does a body good and puts a smile on your face!

Back Shot

2009-12-01T09:35:00.000-08:00

Just thought I would share my backshot with you that I had taken yesterday in the gym. I had a great back training day. I started out with a couple sets of pull ups, followed by some bent over rows, in which I went up to 205 and pulled pretty clean without cheating. I had two training partners I was assisting, so they just followed me. We went on to do an assortment of machine rows and pulls and called it a day. I always finish off now with some RKB swings and snatches at the end of every workout since I will focus on preparation for the RKB certification in April, 2010. I am already snatching 20kg for 15 each hand, and I think I will be able to increase the repetitions provided I do it regularly. I definitely feel like I am getting stronger in everything. I met my one friend, Jess in the gym, who competed in the Ms. Figure America show last weekend in Las Vegas. I wanted to try to catch her show, but missed it. When I saw her in the gym, she told me she placed 2nd! I was so excited and happy for her. She landed quite a few shoots with photogs from Oxygen Magazine and she did a mock up covershoot. I have no doubt she will grace the cover one day very soon. I met her when she was about 15 years old when I first came to Albuquerque, NM to work for the BIA. I used to eat breakfast at The Range Cafe, where she was a waitress. I always remember her chatting with me and asking me questions about training. She was so thin in those days, and played a lot of soccer. She certainly has come a long day since those days, and it makes me smile inside to know that in some small way, I perhaps motivated and inspired her. My training bud, Jason, snapped this photo, and Jess popped by to say hello. Her and her boyfriend asked me to pose once again, so of course, I spread my wings for them...LOL! We had a nice, brief chat about training and diet and we were off to eat. I grilled a bunch of chicken and had a nice salad with feta cheese, tomato and a glass of red wine. Yummy! I did not eat enough protein or food at all. It's always bad when I get on these nocturnal schedules because I end up sleeping in which cuts into my food time and I end up skipping meals. This week, though, back to the normal schedule and eating!

North Shore Bliss

2009-11-30T03:27:00.000-08:00

I love the tranquility of the ocean and the sand, the balmy weather, and the waves smacking against my body. So simplistic, it is a reminder of the ebb and flow of life itself. The sand feels like brown sugar on my body and the salty water caresses my skin. This is one of my favorite places in the world, the North Shore on Oahu. I have been here several times, and my body resonates with mother nature on the North Shore. Words do not begin to describe the calm I feel here. It truly is a special place in the world. I am compelled to make another journey here again soon, as the ocean is calling me. And, I always listen to the call of nature--it is in my spirit to do so, and I feel an obligation to my soul and the Universe.

This photo is symbolic of how I feel about my life. Open and ready. If you observe this pose, you can see that I am offering my being to the beauty of the ocean, the sun, and I am sinking into the earth. There are certain points in my life where I have felt more open and less guarded. This is a time where I felt I was offering my body to mother nature. And, that is how I feel right now, at this very moment about my life.

I could not find a better pose that is symbolic for my feeling in life at this time. After the grand European tour, which I have promised to post more photos and stories (and I will), there is a calmness about my being. I was both anxious but excited about the tour before I left, because, inevitably and invariably, I knew there would be challenges along the journey. I could not deny the fact that my travels would go without incident. As long as I could retain my passport, a little cash and my credit cards and other identification, I knew I would be okay. It's kind of like trying to be a survivalist in the urban jungle. Pretty silly, but I don't think a lot of people in the world are equipped to be world travelers. But, I did it, and my life experiences in a few weeks time rivaled that of several years of my life, and that's pretty interesting.

At any rate, after coming home, I threw myself into the gym, only taking a couple of days off the recover. I think both Amazon fantasists and general civilians alike can appreciate my efforts in the gym. I do not quite understand it, but I am stronger than ever, nearly rivaling my strength when I lived in Holland with Sas training at Kneet's Gym. I never thought I would see that day again. My life is cyclic, and since I travel a lot, sometimes it is difficult to stay on a normal schedule in training. However, I am fortunate enough to have found a very good man, JJ, that is pushing me to be the best I can be--both inside the gym, and outside the gym. How exciting is that? I rarely have anyone that would even remotely begin to challenge me, not only in the gym, but in other areas of my life to inspire me.

I generally train alone and just try to find someone that can give me a quick spot. I have also decided to help a friend of mine, Jason, who used to train with Romeo, my old training bud, who recently moved to Oregon. It is a great position to be in, because, although I do not have the time at the moment to dedicate to training people, I will assist friends in my inner circle gratuitously, and I have other people helping me in my training. It's a good feeling, because I enjoy helping others, and it also reinforces my own knowledge.

I have also decided to go for my Russian Kettlebell Certification in April. This training methodology is also known as "Hard Style", and Pavel Tsatsouline pioneered the revolution of hardstyle RKB training. I have a good foundation already, now all I have to do is continue to swing, clean, snatch and a few other exercises daily to hone my skills. Hard Style is different from competition style. Competition is more focused on economy of motion, and the number of reps on can achieve. While I am interested in that, it is not my primary focus. It is yet another facet of training that I can add to my arsenal, and it will only help improve my quality of life and others.

My goals in training have always been on functionality, power, and last but not least, aesthetic. I don't know how many people I have told this to in the gym this week! Sometimes I think I should have a business card that states these objectives and actually begin training people, but at this point in my life, I am not ready to take on personal training, although I have done it in the past. I simply enjoy helping and educating others. Therefore, I like to incorporate a lot of power movements, whether it is powerlifting techniques, RKB, sport training, or simply bodybuilding movements. Power and speed are largely intrinsic, however, proper training methodologies can enhance this. Diet and some exercises allow for an aesthetic physique. I always know that you are what you do or eat. So, how one trains, and how one eats, is how one will end up looking. Pretty simple, huh?

So, getting to the meat of things, my strength levels are up, and I have lost about 8 pounds over the past month. I intend on getting bigger, harder, and shaplier in the next several weeks, but stronger as well. I am able to close grip benchpress in the Smith Machine nearly 300 pounds for reps, and all of my other lifts are up significantly. I am working on my grip strength for RKB training. Last year I did nearly 200 snatches with both hands in a 10 minute test, with a 16kg RKB, which is what women use in the open division for hardstyle qualification. This is nearly double the qualification standard. So I know I will not have a problem qualifiying for the certification. My goal, however, is to be be able to make the men's open qualification in the 5-minute snatch test, and that is 100 combined snatches with both arms in the 5-minute test with the 24kg RKB. Now, that would be a good goal for me. I am snatching the 20kg right now for sets of 10-15 reps, alterating arms, and taking a bit of rest in between sets. It would take me a while to get up to 24kg, however, I do not think it is something that is unattainable. Right now, I do not have a problem I am also working on athletic movements such as power cleans, snatches, deadlifts and squats. It is a great feeling getting my power base back where it belongs. Tonight, I did some Russian Deadlifts with 225lbs very easily and I did not lose my grip at all. It felt good, clean and "right"!

I think it will enable me to do overhead lifts and carries that much better and I have some friends that are professional wrestlers that will be able to teach me these lifts even better. It's all a matter of time before I can really perform them, and that is all too exciting for me.

So, it has truly been nose to the grindstone lately, but with pleasure in more ways than one, as I know how to enjoy life! No fear of that, my dear friends. So, stay tuned, as I will continue to deliver to you my progress in training, and my celebration of life.

Carpe diem!

Amber

Heavy & Late

2009-11-12T04:26:00.000-08:00

If you read my posts regularly, several posts back, I told you that I carry my virtual office when I hit the road for travel. Since I was going to be in Europe for quite a while, I thought I would streamline my bags down. I left a lot of stuff including shoes, boots and summer type clothing I wore in Las Vegas, at my good friend, Al's, in Escondido, California. Upon arrival to London, United Kingdom, I was actually idiotic enough to bring two big Rimowa suitcases. For some odd reason, I thought it was going to be pretty cold there. And, since I have lived in Holland a couple of years ago, as I recall, both London and Holland are pretty cold this time of year, and Frankfurt, same thing, and the rest of the countries I would travel too, it would be cold and probably rain. Much to my surprise, the weather was very mild and I did not need any warm weather clothing. So, I left one huge suitcase at the hotel in London, and thought I would just pick it up on my return to the UK. As I stated in the last post, I paid for a lot of overages in luggage. Turkish Air was quite liberal with the weight, though, back to the UK. Generally, when I travel, the airlines tag my bags with two tags about 80% of the time. That is "heavy", and "late". Go figure. See the little icon man bending his knees and using both hands to lift the bag? How funny is that? When I was in the Turkish airport, they have to send you luggage through a preliminary security check for metal. This bag I had to lift up onto the conveyor belt. All I really did was just hoist it up and kick it up with one knee and it slammed down on the belt. At least it did not have "late" marked on the bag.

You are probably thinking, "Why has Amber resorted to such a boring photo?" Well, I know I have spoiled you with the past several months with cool photos but I think this little tag was so funny. It's the little things in life and the stupid things I do that make me laugh at myself.

On a sidebar note, I know I have been a bit slow in posting here. Again, I have taken the liberty to settle into my training routine, my house, and friends here in Albuquerque, and attend to my website business. I have also taken over my old training partner's client, Jason, and told him I would help him train. We have made amazingly great partners thus far. I just show him certain exercises and how I like to be spotted. He is catching on very well, and is eager to learn. It inspires me, too, because I am forced to teach, and become more of a leader with him.

I have been amazingly strong, and I will post some videos soon of my progress and training in the gym. I have been regularly close grip bench pressing on the Smith machine around 275x10 reps for triceps. I just want to pile the weight on a get stronger. I love getting bigger, too, but being stronger is more important. I have always enjoyed training for power, speed and functionality. That's way more important to me that anything else. Getting bigger is just a cool byproduct of training heavy. My bodyweight has held steady at 210 pounds. My goal is to get leaner and harder without losing any weight. I would accept a few pound weight loss, but the idea is to gain lean body mass. So, I am on the quest to accomplish my goals. Jason is a hunter, and he just got a 4x5 elk this season, and he has been giving me some elk steaks. I eat a lot of bison and ostrich as well. I just love wild game. I think we all need to have a more Paleolithic diet and eat more wild game, vegetables, roots, and some fruit. More of a hunter/gatherer diet where we foraged for our food. Think about how hard we do not work for our food nowadays. I can roll out of bed and be at Trader Joes in 30 seconds! My ancestors had to go out and hunt the bison. Our bodies really are not used to processed grains and obviously anything processed. The only processed thing I will easily accept is vodka. Oh yes, and my red wine. That's not so bad, is it? I always say, "Never trust anyone that doesn't drink".... I am not suggesting encouraging heavy boozing, but I think you understand what I mean.

I am just going through some of my travel photos and will be posting some of them soon, as promised about my journey to Europe. I thought I would be way more tired from the trip, however, conversely, I feel quite invigorated!

European Tour Finale in Istanbul

2009-11-03T00:07:00.000-08:00

I knew that this European tour would test my resilience, endurance, patience and mettle. I started my journey in San Diego, and then off to Vegas for the Olympia as I stated in an earlier post. Then, it was off to NYC, London, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Zurich, Milan, Rome, Athens and Istanbul, London and finally back to NYC. I have always wanted to see Italy and Turkey, and now I had my chance. I took a friend of mine, Mark, to Amsterdam with me, and we were patting ourselves on the back over how well my trip had been going so far, and how we arrived early at the airport and things were going so smoothly. I still had several cities for something to go awry. And it did. When you travel a lot, your chances of something going wrong are increased dramatically. It's bad enough that I barely get to airports on time in the USA and with too many overweight bags. I tried to streamline my bags, but alas, it was still too much weight by European standards. I ended up paying nearly $1,000 in baggage surplus. I vowed that on my next journey, I am only going to pack the bare necessities, and if I need something, I will just buy it.

The first major mishap of the journey occurred when I miscalculated my timing out of Milan to the airport. It took me well over one hour to get there. I should have asked the clerk at the front desk so I could time it out. As it turned out, I could have made my flight into Rome, but the Easyjet clerk told me I should just wait for the next flight. After leaving the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, English was a secondary language to everyone, even in airports and public places. I found myself speaking one word at a time, very slowly. Most of Western Europe has a good grasp of the English language, but Italy, Greece and Turkey are entirely different. It becomes very frustrating when something goes wrong, like overweight luggage, missed flights, or one of my sponsors trying to find me in the airport. After the missed flight to Milan, I had no choice but to sit in a pizza place and catch up on emails. Milan was beautiful and I walked through the fashion district (very much like Beverly Hills), and I had a great dinner at the Blvgari hotel where a friend took me. I got a massage in the hotel, much needed, and enjoyed the spa. The room was free due to my Platinum status with Starwood. It was a beautiful room with a normal king sized mattress, which is unusual in Europe, as they usually just put two twins together and I end up falling in the damned crack. I hate that. So, I was very happy that it was a genuine king mattress. I like to sprawl out when I sleep. I am also a dangerous sleeper, as many a lover has told me that I elbowed him/her in the middle of the night when I turn.

I finally ended up in Rome, and my hotel was on the main street where all the fashion and fine dining was. I got yet another great room. Luckily, I had a great sponsor that grew up in Rome and took me out to sight see to all of the famous places, including the Coliseum, the Vatican, and many of the fountains. When I got home, coincidentally, I ended up watching a Gregory Peck movie called "Roman Holiday" with Audrey Hepburn. It was such a classic movie, and the fountains were easily identifiable. Since I enjoy watching a lot of foreign flicks, it's always cool to have been to many of the locations in the films.

From Rome, I ended up going to Athens, and although I made the flight on time, when I arrived in Athens, my luggage did not make it. So, I had one of the nicest suites in Hotel Grande Bretagne, at one of the finest hotels in Athens, and I had my scrubby flight clothes on. So, this forced me to rethink how I will travel in the future. One, I will bring a small carry on with my essentials such as toiletries, makeup and a change of clothes. I had to go to the pharmacy just to get the basic stuff. This trip was truly a lesson on how to travel, economize and get to the airport extra early. Not on time, but early. Because you have to account for the fact that you don't know where the hell you are going in the airport, will probably end up getting lost and asking a bunch of people directions that do not speak English very well. I have learned not to be shy and ask the first most competent looking person that may be able to help me. It was not so bad when I traveled from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Zurich, and Zurich to Milan because it was all by train. Granted, I had too much luggage, but I knew I at least had it, and I got to the train stations on time.

The day I left Athens and was flying into Istanbul, my luggage turned up, amazingly enough. Luckily, Turkish Air did not screw me over on the weight of my bags, as I was permitted to have two carry ons. Although, I completely forgot about some of the toiletries and when I went through security the ladies that inspected the bags chucked a lot of hair products. Which was fine by me, as long as it was not my expensive facial products or perfume. The ladies saw my small bottle (probably about 4 ounces, which is still too much) of Serge Lutens perfume, very pricey by the way, and I just gasped and begged for them not to chuck it. Thank God they knew what they were looking at, and they chose to ignore it and put it back in my bag. So, off to Turkey I went.

The hidden gem of my entire trip was Istanbul, Turkey. I completely forgot that I needed a Visa, and I did not realize I also needed Turkish Lira (which is about 1.47 to $1.00). So, I got my Visa for 20EUR and picked up my luggage, and it was all there. I got into a cab, and realized that I must have had the craziest cab driver in Istanbul. First of all, he did not speak much English. So, I wondered whether I would even get to the W Hotel. It seemed to take a while, and my cabbie was very aggressive, swerving in and out of traffic, yelling at people, making hand gestures, and mad dogging every driver that got in his way. When I entered the cab, I immediately tried to buckle my seatbelt, but I could not find the bottom part to insert the buckle in. So, instead, I just sat in the back bracing myself. The cabbie looked up at me a few times, and all I did was just give him a sheepish smile and tried to look indifferent about his crazy driving. Even if I said something to him, he would not understand, so that would have been futile. At one point, he slammed his brakes, and we were literally only a few inches away from a fender bender, which resulted in him yelling at the driver in front of us. When I got out of the cab, all I had was a 50EUR note, as I was in "Euro" mode. The fare was only 27YTL. When I handed him the 50EUR, (about 108YTL, which is four times what the fare was) I just told him to keep the change. Typically, cabbies only get a bit of change over the fare not only in Europe, but also in Turkey. So, he probably called it a day after dropping me off. I was just happy to make it alive to the hotel and get rid of that driver.

I had a great host/tour guide while in Istanbul, Hakan, and he took me around at night to see the mosques and old buildings and fountains. He took me to a local place where they serve a typical sausage meat on bread and some dip and a yogurt drink. I liken it to our McDonalds. But only healthier. And then, he took me the following night to a nice restaurant. I always like it when my sponsors take me to a really cool local place, and also a high end restaurant to experience the food. I went for lunch to a really great restaurant called "Kosebasi" and the food was amazing. I crave it now, and I can't wait to go back for more.

My hotel overlooked the Bosphorous and was in a very upscale fashion district with great dining options and other amenities.

In these photos, you will see the detail of the ceiling of one of the fountains, and I am standing outside one of the most famous castles in the old part of the town.

Of all the cities on the tour I visited, something about Istanbul grabbed me. Perhaps it was the surprise of the diversity of the people and the sophistication of the city. I definitely want to go back and explore more and perhaps the night life on a grander scale. I am definitely going to pack less so I can come home with a few trinkets from the bazaar! And I want to return sometime in May when the weather is just about perfect from what the locals tell me. I got my hair done and a manicure/pedicure at a local salon, and it was only about 1/3 the cost of the service in a big city in the USA and they were pretty darn good. One of my biggest weaknesses is Lokum and all the great baklava, so immediately upon arrival, I took a little hike behind the hotel and got my fill. I swear I can eat an entire box of Lokum in one sitting. It's just too addicting.

After Istanbul, I returned to London and had a relaxing time with my friend, Mark, and we recapped the entire tour, and how I may do it differently the next time. As much as I say I would never do that again, I probably will. But, not on such a grand scale hitting so many cities. And, certainly not with all that luggage.

My body is finally recovered and getting back onto Mountain Standard Time here in New Mexico. I found myself falling asleep on the couch around 9:30 pm all last week. Probably because I threw myself back into the gym, mercilessly, and punishing my body by lifting hard and heavy. I always say I am just going to "ease back in" so I am not too sore. But amazingly, I am stronger than when I left for this long journey. The only thing I can attribute it to is my positive mental attitude, a lot of good quality sleep, my high proetin/wild game diet, and motivation. I guess that's what a good old fashioned European holiday will do for you. Most of the Europeans take about 30 days off a year, and it is typical for them to take several weeks off at a time. It seems to have an invigorating effect when you return to your normal day to day life.

I have a feeling I am just tapping into my global travels!

Train ride from Zurich to Milan

2009-10-16T15:44:00.000-07:00

Zurich is very close to Milan via train, and when I organized my trip to Europe this year, I decided to take trains for three journies between cities. I love the trains, as you do not have to screw around with security, overweight or lost luggage, or all the nuisances of the airport and cabs, and hustlers. You are in, and out, in no time and it is far more relaxing to have a nice comfortable seat and beautiful view of the countryside and get a little cat nap. This lake I passed was at the foothills of a beautiful mountain range and there was no sign of commercialism in the area. It was stunning. The lake reminded me a little of Taos, New Mexico, and the mountains. It's funny when I travel in Europe, a lot of places remind me of places I have lived in the USA. Since I have never been to Italy, I relished this train ride. I made the first major blunder of my foreign travels by losing my UK cell phone. I think I left it in the cab the last night I was in Zurich. It simply had to have slid out of my little travel purse. I decided to go for sushi, and it happened to be clear across town from where I was staying . It cost me a 40Euro cab fare each way, and the sushi ran around 150EUR. I had about 170GBP on my phone, so all total, this sushi dinner cost about $500 of our good old Benjamins. Not something I relish, but hey, I screw up from time to time. So, I went to the room and activated my Iphone via internet. I think I am going to get seriously screwed on the bill, but what the hell. I will just beg them for a smaller bill and attempt to claim ignorance. I am in Athens tonight and leave for Istanbul tomorrow morning. I am playing catch up with the blog because I have been quite busy here. There are a few more crazy blunders I will tell, so stay tuned, and you will see!

Amber in Frankfurt

2009-10-16T14:51:00.000-07:00

While I was in Frankfurt, my good friend, Olaf took these photos of me in front of all of these really cool antique cars! We went out and had an amazing Thai dinner. The night before, I had sushi. But, it's always nice to share a meal with a good friend, you know. I think the food tastes better, even if it's marginal when in the company of good people.

KO - a Vegas sweet surprise

2009-10-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

KO, "Kortney Olsen", has got to be one of the sexiest girls I have seen in a long time. She has a natural spunk and persona to her that is just so hot and erotic. She is a complete natural. Her hard body and killer looks are certainly intoxicating. I just wanted to drink her in...every inch of her. And, I did. Again, Brain Moss did the honors of capturing us on film. The only disappointment was that we were short on time and we did not get any video footage in, but we got some really hot stills done. And, I think these photos speak volumes for themelves! We will definitely be doing some more work together in the future. Oh yea, and we rocked Vegas in our own sweet way. I will leave that to your imagination, my dear friends!

Amazons Rock Vegas at the Olympia!

2009-10-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Left to right: Shawn Tan, 6'0 190, Amber Steel, 5'9, 210, Buffbunny (Kristal), 5'9, 210

These photos were taken at "Nine" Steakhouse at the Palms after the Ms. Olympia night show. I have never been to the Palms, but it really is a place to people watch and be seen. In fact, Hulk Hogan was sitting directly across from our table. There is no shortage of beautiful people there, and it is a pretty hip place. Whenever I go to Vegas, I just want to relax, as I am not one to party much, drinking or otherwise. Now, if you know me, you know that I can throw down my fair share of booze with nary an ill effect with the exception of sleeping all day and have a little headache. While I do not get violent when I drink, the exhibitionist tends to come out even moreso. I am a natural nudist, and I hate clothes. So, if I have had few drinks or a bottle of wine, there is little inhibition on my part. And, in classic form, the girls in this photo with me were feeling their oats, too! So, we caused quite a stir with the guys at the bar, and in the restaurant after our meal. We posed, flexed and choked out anyone in our near proximity. The staff at Nine loved it, and begged for Shawn and myself to go into the back to put a hurting on the chef! So, we snuck into the back, as they wanted us to surprise him...ah the element of surprise! We immediately grabbed him, and I took a rear naked choke on him (not too hard) and Shawn did a body scissors on him (she is about 6'0 tall and all of 185 pounds). He panicked when Shawn was scissoring him, as he apparently had a hernia surgery not too long ago. We took it easy on him, but he totally loved it and the staff got a lot of great photos. Kristal videotaped it and got shots. All in all, we were just acting natural, doing what Amazons do--and totally loving it.

Fetish Photo Shoot

2009-09-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

These photos were taken a few weeks ago when my friend, Fotios came out to do some work with me. I bought this corset in San Francisco earlier this summer, as well as this skirt, they were both on sale, so I could not pass it up. My back is so massive that the corset barely fit. But, that's okay. I am working on getting all the odds and ends finished before my one month trip in Europe. I am lucky I have a good support team at home to take care of stuff for me! Anyway, I will post while I am on travel so you can see where I am and what I am doing.

I have to push for the next few

months to get as much accomplished for the website and shoot more fun stuff. I will be able to take somewhat of a break from it all around the holidays. But a break for me is balls-to-the wall training and lots of good food, rest and recovery, which I do not get while I am on the road. It will be good to recharge my battery after it's all said and done. But for now, it's full speed ahead! Las Vegas for the Olympia, NYC and then Europe. Stay tuned!

Escondido, California

2009-09-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

This photo is perhaps one of my favorite photos of all time for various reasons. Number one, because it is with one of the most gorgeous female bodybuilders of all time, my friend, Nikki Fuller. I have posted a photo of us indoors a few posts ago on the steps, and Steve Wennerstrom did a magnificent job, as always in capturing the epitome of female bodybuilders in all their glory. I have to tell you, though, his mind was in muscle overload! One magnificent subject of art is more than enough for one poor photographer, but two? You have got to be kidding me. His mind did not know what to focus on next, it was in such overload with this much muscle in front of his lens.

And, Steve and Nikki go back many years, from her early days when she graced the cover of every major muscle magazine on the stands. And, I remember, too, because I was a hardcore fbb fan when Nikki was in her prime. As far as I am concerned, Nikki combined the grace and beauty of what female bodybuilding is all about. Very few women on the pro stage still have this magnificence. Even now, 15 years after her last major show, she still carries a tremendously muscular, lean and vascular physique.

I admire her so much, that I do not mind trading dominant and submissive type poses with her. And, she did the same for me, and she verbally admitted being submissive to me, which surprised me. But, at the same time, it was quite a turn on, a woman of her stature, and iconic force in the bodybuilding industry would feel submissive towards me.

Life is like that; a game of being passive and active, submissive or dominant. And, it's good to know that you are comfortable in your own skin to be in either position. If you can be in either position, you are truly a grounded human being. It's all about balance, as I have mentioned before in my previous posts. And balance is so beautiful and such a turn on. In fact, a major turn off is discovering someone is out of balance.

I have just finished editing a final project with my good friend, Dave, while I am gone in Europe for my website updates, so they will be regularly updated as well as my Clips4Sale store. It is so much fun editing with Dave. We have a blast. And, I cook him some food, and we just shoot the shit about whatever crosses our mind. It is perhaps one of the most exciting things about my work, is reflecting on what I have done, and how I can improve upon it. But, it's all about my approach and finding balance in my work as well. If you try to force things, it never comes, you know? Anything in life is like that. So, if I am feeling a bit confused or wary, I stop and take time to relax and reflect on the answer. It may take a day or a few weeks for the answer to arrive to me, but eventually, it comes. And, there is value in waiting, because it is all about discovery.

I will post a few more times before my long journey to Europe. It is only for one month. I know as long as it seems on paper, time will fly.

Be well my friends.

I am BACK!

2009-09-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I know it has been a long time since I have posted, but for good reason(s). It is not my intention to make excuses. I focused on bringing one of my favorite male models/friends, Fotios, into New Mexico to shoot with me over the Labor Day weekend. We went into the studio and got some pretty good shots. It was a combination of fetish and some wrestling stuff. So, I wanted to be a good host and show him around my favorite hotspots in New Mexico. He is an east coast boy, from Boston, a virgin to green chile, so I had to introduce him to some mild stuff first. Just our luck, there was an arts and craft fair in the plaza, which always attracts world class talent to Santa Fe. As we walked around on the beautiful warm sunny day, and perused the art in the tents, I was eyeing up some clothing that looked right up my alley. I stopped into the booth and was impressed with the cut, the fabric, and most importantly the sexiness combined with the "stretch factor". If there is one thing I hate, that is shopping for clothes and finding nothing fits, and what's worse, is getting stuck in them and nearly ripping them. I have been in positions where I have had to ask the salesperson to help me get out of something. When you are built like me, with a very healthy bust, back, shoulders, arms, etc., it's easy to get stuck in clothes. Not fun. So, the man inside this cool clothing tent asked me the proverbial "Do you train?" I looked at him, and said, "yes a bit". Then, he told me who he was, and I immediately recognized him. Lynn and his wife, Trish, owned the company called "Hotskins" and were based out of LA right near Venice Gold's gym. We immediately began talking shop about the good old days and their world famous lycra wear which crossed over into street wear and club wear. At one point in the early 90's, I had a wholesale account with them, and I would sell them at the gym when I was stationed in the military at Canon Air Force Base, New Mexico. In fact, the last garment I bought from Lynn was an all black catsuit that was originally designed for Chyna, the WWE wrestling superstar. And, you can see the catsuit on Rebecca Swanson in the post dated, July 8, 2009, next to me in the red catsuit. At the time, Chyna was at the top of her game, and she probably weighed around 200 or so when it was fitted for her. So naturally, it would fit myself or Rebecca like a glove. The good thing is, Trish lives in Taos now, and she can design for me once again like the good old days. I bought a few very cool items from her, as I could not resist, her stuff fits so well. Trish finally made it back to the tent, and shared all kinds of stories about how she got started in fashion. It's always interesting to hear how people got started in whatever they do. She told me that I am the first person in the "industry" they have had contact with since they left Malibu. They pretty much got fed up with the rat race in California, and just decided to retreat to Taos. It was cool talking to them, because the bodybuilding/fitness industry is like one huge extended family, and we all know each other. And, I was glad I was the first one they made "contact" with in so many years.

Trish is a real horse lady, too and she loves to train and ride her horses, so she invited me up for a weekend after my Europe trip. Truly, meeting old friends was the highlight of the Santa Fe trip. And, it often happens this way, as New Mexico attracts a lot of interesting, earthy people. And, I love mingling with the locals and artisans that visit. Unfortunately, we were running out of time, as we got a late start (as usual), and the sun was beginning to set, and a nice rain started to shower us. I really wanted to take Fotios to some of the cool landmarks and museums, and other interesting shops, but alas, that will have to wait for another time. Instead, I took him to my favorite retreat just a bit north of Santa Fe, a Japanese style spa/resort, Ten Thousand Waves. My favorite time of the year to go is the winter, because the contrast between the hot sauna and hot tubs, and lying on the deck in the cold winter is so invigorating. What's even more refreshing is that you can go totally nude there (except the common areas of course) and I love that since I am a natural nudist. I hate clothes. There are both communal and same sex areas. That's one of the things I enjoyed most about living in Den Haag. On weekends I went to this amazing spa on the seaboard of Scheveningen. And, Zurich has an amazing spa right down the street from where I usually stay. I must go there again while I am there! Yes, I am a spa junkie! And, the 10,000 Waves is at elevation, and the pines and the outdoor high desert fragrance of sage and other desert plants is refreshing. Generally, a couple hours of sweating, cold plunging, and the hot tubs work up an appetite. So, usually, I will go get sushi afterwards. Since it was so late, we did not get to indulge ourselves. One of the fun parts of the ride is coming back down the hill into Santa Fe, and I usually like to ride with the top down on my 32 SLK AMG hardtop Mercedes. Unfortunately, this time, it was in the shop for some minor repairs.

All in all, it was a great short day trip to Santa Fe, and Fotios got to sample a bit of my favorite things to do. We had dinner on the plaza just before the spa, and we got a nice view on the patio of the plaza. We went into the Overland shop to look at furs, hats and caps and had fun fooling around trying them on. I bought one that was on sale (of course) a black patent leather Russian fur cap. It's pretty sexy. I will take a photo in the winter somewhere with it.

And, of course, it has been nose to the grindstone in training. Since I know I will be in Europe for nearly one month, I am busting ass right now to stay big, hard and of course, sexy! So, Romeo took a photo of my back in the gym today after my session. I love back shots, probably because I can never appreciate or see it. I can see that my back has made some gains in width and overall thickness in the past couple of months. And, in such a short time, it's amazing what you can do with your body, up or down, leaner or more massive when you train hard and eat good clean food.

So, I am hoping with this post you will have forgotten and forgiven my absence from the blog, but as I stated, for good reason.

European Holiday set

2009-08-29T20:33:00.000-07:00

As I make this post, I have secured my dates for my travel to Western Europe. It was a bit painstaking, and I dredded calling my Starwood Ambassador, a concierge of sorts. I was fearing the hotels would be very expensive--and they are! However, since I am a Platinum member at these properties, having traveled around the globe for the past several years, I have accrued points that will help defray the expenses. So, it turned out fair enough for visiting eight European cities. You can view my travel on my main website.

Here, I am pictured with my friend, Nikki Fuller, IFBB pro bodybuilder, last summer. She looks like she could have stepped on a bodybuilding stage and won in this condition! She was absolutely ripped. While I admired her condition, Nikki admired my strength, size and fullness. I think it made for a great photo shoot. Steve Wennerstrom, former Women's Physique World editor, IFBB women's bodybuilding historian, and women's physique photographer for many publications tried his hand at my digital camera. It was strange for him, because he still enjoys shooting in 35mm film. Nikki and I sure worked the camera, and we had a lot of fun. And, of course, Steve enjoyed shooting us.

Today, I just edited some clips with my friend Dave. I am going to be shooting with one of my regular male victims/models this weekend, and a good friend of mine here locally, Brianna, is going to do the stills, and my regular video girl, Sheryl, will be in. So, I look forward to getting some exciting work done.

I have decided to also attend the Ms. Olympia show this year. I have a good feeling my friend, Iris Kyle, is going to blow everyone away again. She just keeps getting better and better every year, and widening the gap between her and the rest of the field. She is truly an amazing human being, so humble too.

I think I will get on cam early tonight (yes, this is still early for me!). My sleep patterns have been erratic lately, as I have so many things on my mind, sometimes it is hard for me to turn my sleep switch "on", and my full throttle switch "off".

Happy Thursday!

2009-08-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

Just because I no longer work a regular "9-5" job does not mean I am oblivious to time. Although, somedays, I will admit, I have to look at my Iphone or my computer to sort out which day I am on. The only time I know generally, is that I train one bodypart per day, and it is generally, more or less on the same day of the week.

So, it has been a great week for me in training, have not missed a day.

I just thought I would spoil you with this photo, despite the fact I don't really have a whole lot to say today...LOL. But, with a booty like this, do I need to say more?

Chest Day

2009-08-26T03:25:00.000-07:00

Today, I trained by myself at the NM Sports and Wellness. It's not really the gym I favor, as I have mentioned earlier, because there are very few athletes and hardcore trainers, but it is close to my house, afterall. And, it is nice and air conditioned, so no excuses of it being "too hot".

So, I trained chest by myself today. I put up 215 on the Smith machine incline bench. I could have easily gone to 225, but I wanted to feel the chest, not my shoulders and back. Plus, I did not have a spot, nor did I want to ask anyone there. I set the pins just below chest level, and gave the bench a dry run, in case I had to bail and ditch the weight, all I would have to do is push the bench back, let the weight drop into the pins. I have a Smith at home, and it's probably one of the safest pieces of equipment to train heavy on alone. My shoulders are somewhat sore from yesterday's heavy military press. The two places I feel it the most are my deep lats, serratus tie-in my rhomboids, and my medial delts. My front delt is pretty sore, too. So, I opted to not go too heavy. Last week, I was able to handle 75 pound dumbbells for inclines, so mixed it up this week.

Then, I hit 45 minutes stairclimber at a pretty wicked pace, just in the fat burning zone.

Did a little webcam tonight for my "day job", and did pretty well. I would really like to get on earlier to capture the Americans, but at 2:00 am - 4:00 am, most are fast asleep, or getting up to go to work. So, it is good to say hello to my European friends and everyone from the rest of the world at www.Herbicepscam.com !

My webmaster will have a draft ready for me by the end of this week, and boy am I ever excited about that! For once in my website's life, I feel like I am in good hands.

So, life could not be more perfect.

Cheers!

Shoulder Day

2009-08-25T00:21:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite shoots with physique photographer, Mike Yurkovic. What I like most about Mike's work, is that I just have to be myself, and I do not really have to pose hard, but just act natural. This trait is the epitome of what makes a photographer great, and nearly always produces high quality work, pending the model knows what she is doing. This photo was taken on Santa Monica Pier, the day after I won the Excalibur in December, 2005.

So, today I trained shoulders. I got up to nearly 200 pounds in seated military press, then did a drop set. Needless to say, my delts were on fire! This will help me do the necessary lifts of my victims for many of my video and photoshoots. That, and strong legs and back are very important for these types of lifts.

I did 45 minutes of treadmill at an incline of 12 and called it a day. Made myself a nice buffalo steak for dinner with a baked tater and a nice glass of cabernet, and life is good!

Sleepy Sunday

2009-08-24T00:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so today, I just slept! I am gearing up for this week, ready to pound the gym very hard and aggressively. So, I needed all the beauty rest and muscle sleep I could get!

I am also scrutinizing my European tour, and sought the advice of one of my fellow Amazonian Muscle Goddess travelers. Amazingly, when I searched the prices for hotels in Europe they are still very pricey compared to the USA. And, the Euro and British Pound have been getting stronger, which means, it takes more of our Benjamins to their currency. Or, better stated, our dollar is getting weaker against other foreign currencies. What is an Amazonian Globetrotter to do?

So, I heard from my good friend, Saskia, in Holland, so with the right timing, perhaps we can visit. I do not think she is preparing for any shows.

So, I will keep my nose to the grindstone here in New Mexico until duty calls.

Saturday

2009-08-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

I am going to have to change my nocturnal ways very soon. I find that, while creative at night, it's hard to maintain a normal human schedule when I sleep all day. Today, I did not do that, though. I had to get up "early" at 1:00 pm, as my friend Dave was coming over to work on some stuff with me for the website.

This week I want to get my Russian Kettlebell swings and snatches done early, do my first cardio session early, and get to the gym by mid afternoon. This still gives me time to get all my meals in, run my errands, and work online at home after all of that.

The other big problem when not on a normal human schedule, is that if you sleep odd hours, it's hard to get all the meals in on time.

So, I am off to bed tomorrow, since tomorrow is the beginning of a new week for me.

Cheers!

Amber

Contemplation

2009-08-22T02:07:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the title of this post is "Contemplation". That is what I get to do when I am home, and it's a good thing. A quiet respite from traveling around the globe. Today, I took the day off from the gym, my abs are still insanely sore from the other day, but I am going to amp up the training this week, particularly the cardio and abs. I have been eating much cleaner and on schedule, which is better than my normal routine. I did not take the day off because I think I deserve it, or that I was too sore, but here in Albuquerque, they close the gyms early on Friday through Sunday. And, since I am on this weird nocturnal schedule, I got up too late in the afternoon to get to the gym. So, I will have to get on track with shoulders tomorrow. I could train in my garage, but only in the wee hours of the morning, as it is still in the 90s here during the day and it's way too hot. Holds too much heat in there. Guess I would work up more of a sweat! Okay, off to uploading a clip to my website and doing a little webcam.

Nocturnal Creature

2009-08-21T04:17:00.000-07:00

I just got done performing on www.HerBicepswebcam.com. I started around 3:00 am. I knew I would catch the Europeans. And a few Americans, but they are usually fast asleep, or they wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking of me. LOL. Really. So, they just get online to see if I am on, because anyone that really knows me, knows that I am a very nocturnal being. Well, I didn't get to the gym today until close to 11:00 pm! I went to bed this morning at around 9:30 am, and awoke at 5:00 pm, getting my much needed beauty and muscle rest. It takes plenty of rest to grow and retain the vitality and vigor, you know.

Generally, when I travel, I am on a more normal human schedule though, because I opt to skip the webcam. But, what a great way to reach out and socialize with all my fans and friends. I remember when I used to work full time, I would do my last session of cardio, then get online to make few bucks. Sometimes it would be so good that I would have to stay on, then I would have to go to work the next day. Sometimes I just had to call in or go in late. Those were the days when I worked full time, did bodybuilding shows, trained a couple times a day, traveled on the weekends, and was trying to develop my website. I felt like I was being pulled in so many directions, and I was only getting a few hours sleep each night. What's worse, was the fact that I used to use my leave for bodybuilding shows, (another "job/hobby") and then I would run out of leave for myself for friends and family stuff. It was terrible. So, I tried to take leave without pay, but I was always pushing the envelope! Those were crazy times and I was always so damned exhausted. The condition you see me here was at the Nationals, 2005, my last national show, and then the following year was my "Swansong" and the Masters 2006 was when I decided I no longer felt the need or had the desire to compete in bodybuilding.

I saw the inconsistency in judging standards and what a woman must do to get to the ultra dry shredded look, which by the way, looks terrible on most people. Very few women can really pull it off and still look sexy. A few days before the show or after, fine, but not he day of the show. No matter how much makeup a girl uses, she can't hide the harshness of the face. So unnatural and not pretty.

So, every now and then, I take a look at these photos, and remember what state of mind I was in when I got ready for these shows. I literally had no time to spare, and had to stay on schedule every minute of the day due to all of my obligations.

I also always wanted to travel to Europe, and only dreamt of it. So, in September of 2006, nearly three years to date in another month, I resigned my federal position. It was so difficult moonlighting like Wonderwoman and then sitting at a desk for nine hours a day. In the summer of 2007, I met Saskia, and if you have been reading the old posts on this blog, you know I lived over there for a short time, and it was very rewarding.

The most rewarding thing about it was that at first, I knew it was going to be a big leap, and take courage to leave the stability of federal position with benefits. But, being the risk taker, and wanted to live life to the fullest, I left unceremoniously, giving management about three weeks notice.

After leaving, I felt all those proverbial sayings, like a mountain was lifted off my shoulders, unshackled, free at last, liberated, empowered. And I never looked back. A lot of organizations are so unhealthy, and they can totally wear you down, wear you out, and rob you of your spirit.

And, that is exactly what was happening to me. I knew I had a lot of life left in me than to continue plodding along where I was, and I celebrate every day knowing that I am always in control of the direction I move in my life.

And, the bar is always set so much higher than when you work for yourself, and sure, I have tripped a lot over the past few years, but that's okay. I have learned a lot. And, I have lived a lot.

Life is beautiful. I always try to see the beauty in everything, the good in everyone. I embrace each day, knowing the gift of life to live on this planet. I try to live mindfully and carefully, being in the moment of what I am doing. I look back at how I used to live, racing around here and there, and everywhere, not taking time to live mindfully. It's all too easy to get caught up in the "rat race", and lose sight of things in life that matter.

Enjoy life, my friends, enjoy life.

Famous Red Booty Shorts--Boo-ya!

2009-08-20T06:07:00.000-07:00

As Ali G would say, "Boo-ya"! Well, that's all I have to say about the famous red booty shorts. I think I still have them in my special latex drawer, awaiting my next victim.

Well, as promised, I would keep on top of this blog because I am home now. I am immersed in the gym these days, and it has been a great week back. I generally train one bodypart each day, and have been getting my 30-40 minutes cardio in as well.

I can't believe I only weigh around 185 in this photo. I am 210 now. 25 pounds is a lot of weight! The goal is to have this hardness and definition at around 200 or 205. So, I will have a net gain of about 15 pounds of muscle since this photo was taken. That's pretty exciting! My calves and arms are at least one to two inches bigger now. Although I like contest shape, I just love the big, full sexy voluptuous look.

At any rate, I will keep you posted on my progress with both the revamp on the website, and my homelife. I have a bit of a reprieve now, and it feels sooo good! You could say I am in "chill" mode right now, tending to my house and cats and catching up with my peeps in Albuquerque. Life is good...

Home Sweet Home, Albuquerque, New Mexico

2009-08-16T02:43:00.000-07:00

Saskia and me at the Arnold Classic, 2008. Sometimes, I will just pick random photos to post on this blog, that probably have nothing to do with my journal, but more likely that I just plain like the photo. I like this one, because we just exchanged some small chit chat as to how we were about to conquer the massive crowd, but for some odd reason, our eyes simultaneously shifted downward to our chests. We both look pretty intent, and I thought it was a cute photo.

I think it takes me longer to recover from my NYC trips than to California and Las Vegas. For one, the trip is about 4.5 hours in the air from Albuquerque to NYC. The weather is always great in Vegas and Cali versus going back east, as sometimes, you never know what you are going to get. So, dear readers, if you will forgive me again on the delay posting to the blog. I plan on staying home all the way up until the end of September, which is only just six short weeks away, when I will venture over to Europe in October. I have been crazy busy the past week just trying to get back in the gym, which I have done diligently, not missing a day, and hitting my cardio and eating clean. I have also sent the new website design off to the webmaster, who will begin working on it this week. In the meantime, I will be back at the drawing board farming out my editing projects, and working with my good friend, Dave, who has been magnificent in holding my hand and getting me squared away with all my technology and is a brilliant graphic designer, as I have mentioned before. Really, I am grateful for him, and I don't know what I would do without him. Once the redesign is done, it will all just be a matter of producing content and editing and polishing the footage and stills for the site. It's all so exciting to me! For the past three years since I resigned my federal position, I have been consumed about my work, and now, all my hopes and dreams are finally coming to fruition.

I am also thrilled to travel to Europe, and I have decided to do a Mediterranean tour. I plan on my point of entry to be London, then off to Greece, Italy, Turkey, and I am going to try to squeeze Amsterdam in the middle. I have never been to Italy, nor have I ever been to Turkey, so it ought to be an interesting experience.

So, between the website, webcam performances, training, and preparing for my European trip, it leaves little time for much else. But, I would not have it any other way.

Enjoy Life--Carpe Diem my friends!

Amber Steel

The Big Apple

2009-08-04T01:57:00.001-07:00

This photo was taken in my favorite city in the USA, New York City, March 2008, where I am heading early this morning.

My good friend, Saskia, and I came to the USA to attend the Arnold Classic by way of NYC, and we went to this place called the Buddha Bar. We got there pretty late and closed the place down, as you can see, there is no one in the club, but we didn't care, we had a great time. I have always wanted to visit this bar, as I have almost all of the CDs by the Buddha Bar, an eclectic mix of world music, very soothing and ambient.

Speaking of Sas, I just heard from her this past week, and she is doing well in Holland. She is a personal trainer in Kneet's Gym, where we used to train, and she is training some rockstars now! Pretty interesting. Bodybuilders have been well known to train celebrity types and rockstars in the USA. Everyone in the entertainment industry needs to look good, so it makes sense. When I visit Europe in October, there is a chance we may meet up if we can coordinate our schedules.

I just wanted to post a little blog for you all, as I need to finish packing, and I don't want to be "heavy" and "late" for my check in, so I had better get going!

Complete Makeover of Goddess of Fetish near completion

2009-08-02T23:35:00.001-07:00

One last thought before I do other tasks. I am such a nocturnal creature. I am like my cats. Sleep all day, play all night. I am happy to announce that the makeover of my new website, www.GoddessofFetish.com is approaching completion on the artistic side. Now, the webmaster has to do his magic and add all the bells and whistles. This new design and layout is a complete custom design from the ground up. It's so good to be in contact with my old pal, Dave, who has really kept me on track in between all of my travels and productions. Just wait...you will see...a brand new day in the Steel Universe is approaching the horizon, and I am so happy.

RX Muscle Interview

2009-08-02T23:06:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I am spoiling you now because I feel guilty about not posting in one week. I generally do not have guilt in my repertoire of emotions, but in this case, I make an exception.

I will be doing an interview tomorrow, August 3rd for RX Muscle at www.RXMuscle.com. I am featured on their "Sex and Muscle" talk show hosted by Dave Palumbo. It will begin at 3:00 pm EST. You will get to take a peak into the inner workings of the Steel Universe, so I hope you will tune in. Of course, if you happen to miss it, you can just replay it any time after the interview.

Mind you, when my website gets made over, I will begin doing my own talk shows, so you will have to stay tuned to the Goddess of Fetish to get the latest in my travels and productions and interviews with sexy, interesting people.

Recovering from Las Vegas

2009-08-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

The lovely Nikki Fuller, and yours truly, Amber Steel, at the NPC USA Bodybuilding Championships, July 25, 2009.

I know it has been quite a while since my last post, so please forgive me. Sounds like the beginning of a Catholic confession, no? Well, in a way, this blog is a confession of my life to you. And, I reveal some fun, personal things about me that you would not ordinarily know about me. And, I like being intimate, honest, and forthcoming about everything I do in life. I realized a long time ago, there is no other way to live.

The trip to California was a good one, and then, finally up to Vegas to the USAs. I turned 42 on July 26th, and I have never felt better than I do now. Luckily, I have some great anti-aging genes, my good oily skin, the Indian blood I suppose, and clean healthy living. I don't smoke, never have, only the good stuff sometimes, I drink lots of good red wine, and my fair share of vodka and tequila (funny how I resist the alcoholism gene), have lots of great sex, enjoy life, and do not worry or stress out about much. Oh yes, and laughing a lot helps, too. And, so does having pets or something to take care of. Since I do not have any children, and do not plan on it, my three cats keep me busy enough, and are the perfect low maintenance animals for me.

My friend, Angie Salvagno took the light heavyweight class, at the USA Championships, and rightly so; her conditioning was spot on, and no one was even close to her. She will make her pro debut this weekend in Tampa. It's hard to believe that she just had a baby less than a year ago, too! When I visited her in Florida back in December, she told me a surprise that she did not want me to tell anyone. That was, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in August of 2008! In December, she was nearly back to her normal off season weight, and you could not tell she had given birth at all! An amazing woman. Well, we did not get a chance to work, due to her win and other commitments, but we will work in the near future, after her shows are over. She really is a fun girl, and one of my favorite bodybuilders, and I am glad she was awarded her pro card finally. I remember in my very first national level show, when I met her in 2003, I remember watching her in the pump room backstage and admiring her physique and conditioning. If you log into my site, you will see our first wrestling scene ever, which gets, ahem, very steamy shall we say! LOL. We are just girls wanting to have fun, as Cyndi Lauper sang.

I did get to see my friend, Nikki Fuller briefly at the show, as you can see we are in the lobby of the venue. We did not get to hang out as much as we wanted to, due to her personal obligations as well, but we always enjoy the time we do spend together.

All in all, I had a very relaxing and nice birthday in Vegas, despite the fact that I did not get as much filming done as I wanted, however, as anyone in our industry knows, that's just how the cookie crumbles, and it's always hard to shoot girls when they are competing or have other obligations at a big show. I know the feeling; I have been there and done that. A lot of times, I am so busy I never get to the big dance. Such is life a a bona fide Muscle Goddess, right? Makes a poor girl feel like Cinderella, but that's okay. I would not have it any other way.

Last Night in Amsterdam

2009-07-21T12:23:00.000-07:00

This photo was taken on March 13th, 2009, the last night in Amsterdam. As you may know, I lived in Den Haag in early 2008. So a friend of mine, Mark (the tiny man in the middle poking his head out between the two Amazons) and I decided to spend a few nights in Amsterdam.

The big girl on the right is Aimee Molleman, a Dutch bodybuilder. Her next show will be in Holland around October 10th. I will be back in Europe then, so Mark and I may just try to get to her show. We decided to get into some sexier outfits, since we were both wearing black boots that night, we decided to show off a little.

Mark is great friends with the famous Amazon, Isabelle, who owned her own wrestling club, Abundance, in Amsterdam. I never got the chance to meet her, and she has since sold her home in Amsterdam and is residing in Portugal now.

At the time this photo was taken, we had just eaten at the Hotel Okura Japanese restaurant, known for Teppan style cooking. We then decided to do this impromptu photoshoot.

Perhaps if we reunite in October, you will get to see more of our get togethers, and Aimee will be in super ripped contest shape!

Hercules

2009-07-21T02:58:00.000-07:00

This is Hercules, my last baby kitty addition to the Bengal boys family. He turned one year old April 1st, 2009. I have this game where I chase him and stalk him, and he runs away from me and thinks he is safe on top of his cat tree. My other two Bengal boys, Zeus and Cesare have accepted him, of course, and they all keep each other company while I am gone. Hercules is by far the most energetic of the three, with Cesare coming in a close second, and Zeus, well, he is not even in the race.

I want to get them a catwheel so they can get more exercise. A Bengal cat is a hybrid between an Asian Leopard Cat, and a domestic tabby. They love to leap a lot on high objects.

I sure do miss them and playing with them when I am on the road. But, we all have a great time when I get home.

I am heading into the next several days with lots of shoots lined up, so stay tuned!

2009-07-19T21:55:00.001-07:00

I just visited one of my best friends, Al, in San Diego the past two days. It was very hot in SD! Now, I am in Palm Desert. It's even hotter here! Then off to LA and Vegas...even hotter. I will be happy to return to Albuquerque in one week.

Big shoulders

2009-07-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

I trained shoulders for the first time in a few weeks, and my neck, traps, shoulders and medial deltoid are in a lot of pain. Romeo spotted me on my shoulder presses, and everything felt really good during the training, but I knew I would be in pain for a few days after that training session. But, after all the pain, and lots of good protein, the result will be well worth it. As you can see in this pose for this post, I am here again, with my friend, Rebecca Swanson. We look like bookends here, don't we?

Anyway, I must pack for California for my shoots in LA and Vegas. I am looking forward to the week ahead, and accomplishing a lot of good work and producing exciting content. I have everything down to a science now when I pack, with my virtual office of a computer (sometimes two), my Canon GL2, my camera, my tripod which fits nicely in my large silver Rimowa flexible suitcase. I must pack civilian clothes and fantasy clothes along with boots and shoes. And, another suitcase gets make up and hair stuff. It's bad enough that I have a shoe fetish, but trying to fit photoshoo/videoshoot clothing, particularly fetish wear, which is not lightweight, along with all of the accoutrements of being a woman just gets to be plain exhausting. All of my friends wherever I go ask me "why do you pack so much stuff"? Which gets the animated, well rehearsed response, "This is my virtual office, that's my life in those two bags for a month. Can you fit your entire office in a a couple of suitcases and a computer bag?" And, I always tell them I leave nothing out, as I like to have all the creature comforts of home. Forget about shopping for anything. I often have to ship boxes home from wherever I am or buy additional suitcases. I do not believe in economy size anything! LOL. Then, of course, they begin to understand that I am a mobile office on two giant polycarbonate Rimowa suitcases (thank God they stretch), and my other small bags. Generally, the total weight is about 106 pounds in luggage, right on the limit (mostly a few pounds over), but the guys at Southwest Airlines always let me slide in Albuquerque, and about another 40 pounds in computer and cameras. I have figured out that since the Rimowas are like trolleys, as they have four wheels, I can stack the computer on top of one, and the camera on top of the other. It always aggravates me when someone tries to help me with my bags, because, despite my briefing them to treat them like trolleys, and stack the other two items on top, they never seem to get it and are unable to manage it. I have gotten really good at manhandling these heavy suitcases all over airports throughout the world, and as long as I don't have ramps and uneven surfaces to negotiate, it's pretty much smooth sailing. I always warn the cabbies and bus drivers to be careful lifting my bags because they are heavier than most normal bags. I always chuckle to myself as I watch them wince and strain, but have a deadpan face while they are heaving the bags. It makes me very appreciative of my hard work in the gym and athletic background to be able to manage these bags. Train stations are problematic, though and that is the only occasion I may take a real trolley cart, unless I have a travel companion. I always remind anyone that picks me up at the airport to bring their utility car and not the fancy sports car.

During this two week breather from the cybernet conferences I attended, I got a lot of work done at home, and many things accomplished. My jack-of-all trades assistant for my technologies and special projects for the website, Dave, got me on track in many ways. We have been getting my MacPro at home squared away with the right software and organized, and I just gave him the Macbook to help me with the projects. He now has all the video and photos for upcoming updates. I also just got a new Iphone, which is very cool. I transitioned from the Blackberry, and now, there is no turning back. The Iphone ruins you for all other phones. Now, I can truly interface with my fans on a regular basis via the blog and Twitter as well as other social networks. It has a decent little phone and video camera on it as well. I can upload to my site and wherever I choose. So, this is going to be a lot of fun!

It feels good to accomplish so much, as well as get on track at the gym and a normal food schedule. It will feel even better to be home for an extended period of time and actually live in my house and enjoy the beautiful late summer and fall of the most beautiful sunrises and desert, and mountains in the world, and all of the exciting cultural events in Santa Fe in Albuquerque that occur during this time.

Stay tuned!

Honoring my roots

2009-07-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

When I was born in Cleveland Ohio, July 26th, 1967, I was born to an Omaha/Shoshone Bannock woman, named Lucille Levering. I did not know about my native roots or tribal background until I turned 26. I was adopted and lived with great parents, and family structure in Peninsula, Ohio. They also adopted my brother right before me, who is of Dine/Lakota descent.

After graduating from Gannon University in 1990, I moved out to New Mexico, serving in the United States Air Force at Canon Air Force Base in Clovis, New Mexico. I always knew that if I moved to the great Southwest, I would more than likely end up meeting more Indian people, and perhaps learning more about my heritage and culture.

One time, while I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the Gathering of Nations powwow, the largest powwow in North America. I befriended an Acoma artist, and he encouraged me to make an announcement for my family, someone from the Omaha tribe. He said, certainly, someone would come forward and claim me. I did not want this, not because I did not want to know, but because I did not think this was the proper way to go about this kind of thing. So, very shortly thereafter, I picked up the phone and called the Omaha tribe, where my adoptive father enrolled me, even though I did not know where the blood lineage (maternal or paternal) came from. The enrollment officer told me she would look into my files and see if she could contact my mother or father. Very shortly thereafter, she called me back and told me she knew who my mother was and that we were related through my grandfather.

All of this news came so fast and unexpectedly, but that's how life is, isn't it? I went back to the Omaha tribe for the first time in 1993, met my mother and twin brothers at the airport, and drove up to Macy, Nebraska for the first time. They had a big community gathering for me, and I spoke of how I wanted to be named and blessed into the tribe. They were surprised that I knew of this ceremony.

I used to work with my mother as a baker at a Boy Scout Camp in Peninsula, Ohio, from the time I was 12 and through my teen years. The boy scouts lore and much of their philosophy is adapted after American Indian culture, particularly living in the outdoors. My mother and I worked in this old building at Camp Manatoc, and it was the dining hall that hosted hundreds of scouts. In the attic of this old wooden building, was a huge thick, green bound book about an Indian tribe in the midwest. The dining hall director gave my mother the book, so I always looked at the photos and tried to read the names. After I graduated from college and went into the military, my parents gave me the book.

Years later, little did I know, that this book was the first comprehensive ethnological study done on an Indian tribe, and it was the Omaha tribe. It's funny how the irony of life stares you in the face, and sometimes, if you are aware, you begin to understand it, and embrace it.

In this case, it was not ironic. Out of all of the Indian tribes in all of the USA, there are approximately 550 federally recognized tribes. The chances of that book finding it's way into my home, was a blessing by the Creator early on in my life. It was a message to me that one day, I would find my native roots, even though, as a young woman, I had no idea that my ancestors in this book were calling me....calling me to come home.

After that day in 1993 when I met my family, it's as if a missing link or part of a puzzle had been found. I was blessed into the tribe as "Ponca-sa", an old name that means "white or pale Ponca". The Poncas were closely related to the Omahas. From that day forward, I began to understand more fully my purpose on earth. It is difficult to explain the significance and impact this discovery had on my life. But, most importantly, I knew my native roots, and I was grateful to my adoptive family even more for always supporting me, and allowing me to discover and explore life, always encouraging me to "become" whatever I choose in life.

My relatives prayed for me, and blessed me, and it gave me inner strength and peace. I truly believe that the naming ceremony and being welcomed into the Omaha tribe laid the perfect foundation for me for the rest of my life.

This photo was taken by the world famous female physique photographer, Bill Dobbins, in 2002. Bill encouraged me to compete in bodybuilding--so I did, and the following year, I added 10 pounds of muscle to my frame and won my first show ever, the Mid USAs in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

2009-07-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

Grrrrr! This photo was taken on Sanibel Island, Florida, August, 2007. I loved the water breaking into my hard ass and it was so cool there, and the water was perfect. There is something that is so extremely erotic and sensual about the tide breaking, ebbing and flowing, spanking my hard ass and, errr, ummmm, other things...it feels so good! You can see that white cusp of a wave, getting ready to spank my ass from behind, and it just sneaks up on me. The eroticism of the beach has always turned me on, the sensuality of the sand, getting dirty and wet, it's as if I am making love to the ocean! And nothing feels better, being in the water, it's so invigorating and refreshing.

I loved being on the North Shore in Oahu, and this feeling at Sanibel was similar.

I am preparing to leave for California this week, and I am so pumped up to go! I will reunite with many friends, and explore many opportunities.

Please stay tuned for more Amber Steel! I promise to update you in all of my travels around the world, and I will introduce you to my inner world of friends.

Cheers!

Amber

2009-07-11T20:20:00.000-07:00

While I have not posted in two days, this generally means I am either super busy or very tired, and more than likely, both. I am working fervently on the website, ensuring updates are timely and things are edited. I usually only have about two weeks to get everything up to speed before I am off on travel again, collecting content and exploring the world.

Fortunately, I am going to get as much content shot in the next couple of weeks here in July so I can just work on the editing and fine tuning of the website in August and September. I will be leaving for Europe in October. This really is a full time job! When I left federal service, three years ago to date this coming September, I knew the work before me was going to be a big hurdle. But, the fun certainly has been in the journey of learning (not the financial expenses, though!). But, as they say, "that's life". But, I could not think of anything I would want to be doing more right now. And that's the best feeling in life, when you wake up in the morning and feel invigorated for the day, anxious to work on new projects and learn new things.

I took two entire days off from the gym, and more than likely, today to give my body a rest. I find that as I age, I push my body much harder, and I have no mercy on myself when it comes to training. So, I find myself pretty sore, even when I am going "light". I can train shoulders and arms tomorrow.

I am off to San Diego this week, and then, Palm Desert, and finally Los Angeles to finally do a shoot with "Goddess Heather". She used to be a top middleweight bodybuilder in the early to mid 90's. Then, it will be off to the USAs, which will be jam packed busy shooting with all the girls.

I get one more week to play with my three Bengal boy cats, Zeus, Cesare, and Hercules. Stay tuned, and I will post some photos of them!

Back Day

2009-07-08T21:26:00.000-07:00

Left, Yours truly, and right, the Strongest Woman in the World, Rebecca Swanson

Today was back day, and I trained at my favorite gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Liberty Gym, where this photo was taken with my friend, Rebecca Swanson, the strongest woman in the world. We both weighed in at 215 the day this photo was taken, January 31st, 2009. That was with platform boots and our wrestling outfits! I have met Rebecca over the past few years at the Olympia and Arnold Classic Expos, but never really got the chance to know her. My first opportunity to really hang out with her was in November of 2008, and we met in LA concidentally, and she asked me if I would join her for a workout at Gold's Gym in Venice Beach, California, the mecca of bodybuilding. I was all too happy to do so, as this is analogous to a college basketball player playing with Michael Jordan, or a golfer with Tiger Woods for the day. I was in iron heaven! I told her that I always wanted to learn how to deadlift better, and asked her if she would critique my form, and she was all too happy to assist. Rebecca was the first woman to ever benchpress 600 pounds in a powerlifting meet, and total over 2,000 pounds as well (benchpress/squat/deadlift). When she was at the top of her powerlifting game, she weighed somewhere in the vicinity of 240 plus pounds. Since that time, she has decided to retire from powerlifting, and streamline her physique. Before she started powerlifting, which, amazingly enough, only about ten years ago, she did a few bodybuilding shows, and I remember her when she appeared in the magazine, Women's Physique World, because I used to collect them when they were still publishing. While at Gold's, we suited up in our gym attire, and when she came down the stairs, she could have eclipsed the sun. I asked her how much she weighed, and she told me around 210 lbs. I did not believe her, and made her jump on the scale to prove it, as her upper body was just too massive, and she appeared all of 225 lbs. So, she hopped on, and she weighed 211, and that day, I weighed 209. I told her I could not believe she only weighed a couple more pounds than me, but she was quick to point out that my legs and ass were much larger than hers, and I had to agree that was true. All the years of her heavy benching and deadlifting was quite evident in her thick barrel chest, wide back, and huge arms.

We warmed up with some light deadlifts, about 135 pounds. Rebecca then loaded the bar up to about 185 and watched me ever so closely, and then gave me pointers on foot positioning, hand positioning, and the technical merits of a proper deadlift. She told me my form was good, and that I would be a great deadlifter. My long arms helped in the deadlift. We topped out at right around 300 for a few reps, so not bad for a light training day. Rebecca and I are right about the same height, 5 ' 9". Which is very tall for a powerlifter, particularly a female, as the levers are longer and in some lifts, not conducive to huge lifts because of the distance the weight/bar must travel. But, mind over matter, it does not matter if you have the will to do it!

All in all, we had a great workout and finished up with some pulls and rows. Rebecca attracted a lot of attention in the gym, and a few fans recognized her. She has elegant composure, and decorum, and is so sweet and kind to everyone. My friend, Al and I dropped her off with some of her friends that did a documentary on her, I believe it is entitled "Strongest Ever", and they are college students form Ithaca College, New York. They followed her lifestyle as an elite world class powerflifter for about two years.

I had a great time with Rebecca at the gym, and it felt more like playful fun rather than work, and she is a very patient coach. I could tell she has a natural grace and style to coach, and she truly enjoys it. She owns her own gym and personal training business in Omaha, Nebraska.

While we were filming in Albuquerque, we were supposed to have a volunteer "victim" for size comparisons, but he bailed out early (I thought he was too intimidated). I will be certain to secure him in the future, I promise you that; he will not escape me the next time. In his place, we recruited the desk manager, and tempted him to get into the video with us. Rebecca was ever so charming to persuade him, and he agreed! I applauded her for her charm and efforts. She was definitely on her "A" game! However, when we got to the nitty gritty of size comparisons, he balked on being in the video, and I will post a photo of our "trainee" in a subsequent post. He was very gracious to volunteer his body and appear in our video as the measurer of our biceps. In between takes, Rebecca coached him on how to increase his benchpress by performing some one arm tricep extensions with a dumbbell, and I saw how she was ever so diligent in helping him, much as she was with me in coaching me on my deadlift at Gold's in Venice Beach.

So, back to the featured photo of this post. I invited Rebecca to come out to my home in Albuquerque, New Mexico so we could do a little videoshoot, and perform on webcam at www.HerBicepscam.com. So, we shot a few hours on January 31, 2009, and got some decent footage. We will more than likely do some more work in the near future, as we would like to produce some entertaining DVDs of two big strong girls doing what we do best. At the moment, Rebecca is training to become a professional wrestler, so she told me that she is in pro wrestling school, and has her nose to the grindstone, learning all the moves and bumps. I truly admire her ability and aptitude to shift gears from a huge Amazon, Worlds Strongest Woman Ever, to pro wrestler. She makes her debut in a few more days, so I am excited to hear how she will do. I am really excited to see how she will lift men overhead and throw them around like ragdolls.

So, every time I go into the gym now, I think of Big Becca, the strongest girl ever on the planet, and I envision being as strong and as big as I can be. She truly is an inspiring woman, and what's more, is the fact that she has a heart of gold.

Leg Day

2009-07-08T00:59:00.001-07:00

Everyone from fitness competitors, to figure girls, to hardcore bodybuilders absolutely dread "leg day". Probably because it is the largest muscle group in the body (then back), and it requires lots of oxygen, pain tolerance, and guts to get through a tough leg day. It also separates the men from the boys, shall we say, OK, and the women from the girls. Nothing connotes a powerful physique more than a great pair of legs.

I decided to go light today, and focus on strict, tight form, and get out of the gym in an hour. Which is very difficult to do on leg day, but when one trains alone, like I do most of the time, it can be done. So, I did Smith Machine squats, after a three set warm up, then went on to do 3x10, super deep, ass to calves squats, staying tight. Afterwards, I could feel my thighs engorged with blood, and throbbing. They were already beginning to get stiff from lactic acid build up, so I stretched a lot in between. I trained at the New Mexico Sports and Wellness club tonight, and there are not many hardcore athletes there, so I am always amused by the stares I get, probably due to my size and the weight I am always lifting, even though it is light by my standards.

I have had a good diet of chicken, rice and fish the past couple of days, and it feels really good to eat clean food at home again, versus being on the road. The kiss of death is airport food, but sometimes you gotta eat it! If I am lucky, I can find a decent chicken salad in a restaurant, otherwise, those terrible kiosks are the worst.

Tomorrow will be back day, then shoulder day, then arm day on Friday. The soreness has already settled into my chest from yesterday, and my legs will be moderately sore tomorrow.

I am off to perform on webcam at www.Herbicepscam.com, to capture the noctural fans here in the USA, but mostly the Euros.

The updates on my website, www.GoddessofFetish.com are going well, and eventually, I will offer specialty webcam shows on the site. The website is always a "work in progress", and it can only get better. I am confident that with my new team, it will become a work of art.

Back in the Saddle

2009-07-07T00:15:00.000-07:00

Photo, left to right: Gabe Nicander, Saskia Salemink, Amber Steel, Sheila Bleck, Diana Dennis, Arnold Classic, 2008.

Thank you for being patient for me to post a real, in depth, thoughtful blog. I just visited San Francisco, New York City, and Boston. While in San Francisco, I attended the Cybernet conference, and got to rub elbows with many of the movers and shakers in the adult industry. I attended XBiz in Las Vegas a month ago, however, it was not nearly as informative and educational, nor entertaining as the Cybernet was in San Francisco. Perhaps it is due to the fact that San Francisco is the mecca of fetish in the USA, and I felt right at home. I always believed that I loved NYC the most, but San Francisco has unique charm and a vibe that is unparalleled, even by NYC.

I met some great people in the industry, that in a short period of time, I have learned some tools and techniques that will help me reach out to my audience on a grander scale--and that is all very exciting to me. I travel a lot with my videographer, Sheryl, and it's nice to have her as a travel companion, and enjoy the amenities of a big city. She lives in Tularosa, New Mexico, where I used to reside, about three and a half hours southeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I live now. She also works for the casino at the Inn of the Mountain Gods for the Mescalero Apache tribe as the Public Relations Administrator. Oddly enough, before I became an American Gladiator on the Live Show in Orlando, Florida, I used to work at the Inn as a Security Officer. And, yes, I actually was suited up with handcuffs, a badge, a nightstick and a knife. In hindsight, I guess I had some very interesting career paths before I decided to become "Amber Steel, Goddess of Fetish!"

So, Sheryl and I enjoyed the conference, hitting the ones we deemed most important. Topping off the conference was a party at Kink.com, a website that took a keen interest in me working for them as a model for their various websites. I thought about working for Hogtied (bondage), Ultimate Surrender (girl/girl wrestling), and quite naturally, Men in Pain. At the time they took interest, a good friend of mine, Lynn McCrossin, aka "The Pec Panther" had done a shoot with the director, Matt, of HogTied and Ultimate Surrender. At the Kink party, I immediately noticed Matt as the "referee" of the very kinky match of all girl wrestling. Sadly, we missed the competitive part, which I would have loved to have seen, but we did make it for part 2, where the winners got to dominate the losers! The set, the lighting, the music and the models were incredible, and I really enjoyed myself. Sheryl is very conservative, but I noticed her squirming in her seat! To me, it just looked like great fun, and very well produced. So, after the losers "match", we decided to clear out and mingle. On our way out, I found Matt, introduced myself, and noticed he took interest, as I told him of my friendship with Lynn, which he absolutely adored. Later that evening, he gave me a tour of his dungeon, where he essentially hogties all his victims up. It was a beautiful dungeon (is that an oxymoron?), and we chatted briefly and energetically about our market.

Sheryl and I hit Mel's diner, right near our hotel, and crashed for a few hours before we headed our separate ways. I was headed off to NYC, and Sheryl, back to El Paso and Tularosa, as she needed to get to work the next day.

I took an interest in working with Kink.com after I saw Lynn's work with Hogtied. I really enjoy Kink's websites, as I think they offer cutting edge content with concepts. Couple that with the fact that they are right in the heart of San Francisco makes it an attractive venue for me. Last year, when the talent director contacted me, I was living in Den Haag, the Netherlands with my girlfriend, IFBB Pro, Saskia Salemink. Although I wanted to work with them, the timing was not right, and I was still in "bodybuilder mode". I returned to the USA in May of 2008.

And being in "bodybuilder mode" is the perfect segue into why I titled this post "Back in the Saddle". I am home from my travels ever so briefly, before I return to California and Las Vegas, attending the USA Bodybuilding Championships, where I will shoot with a few of my girlfriends in the bodybuilder industry, including, Roxie Rain, Angie Salvagno (both top level national competitors in their weight classes), and Melissa Detwiller. All three of these girls are my all time favorites to shoot with. Why? Because they are all passionate about the art form of bodybuilding and I see them as the new breed of the female bodybuilder in the 21st century. They are all sexy beyond belief, are comfortable in their own skin, have stable home lives and values, yet are extremely independent. I will also be in the company of my good friend, Nikki Fuller, an IFBB pro that is perhaps one of the sexiest female bodybuilders of all time. Nikki and I just enjoy each others company, and sometimes, we get around to shooting! It's kind of funny in a way that we do not devote more time to our respective businesses, but, at the end of the day, we are just girls wanting to enjoy life and each other's company! I am also hoping to work with another sexy Amazon, Gabrielle Nicander, one of the biggest girls on the scene. So, it looks like I will have a really full line up at the USAs in Las Vegas. All of these girls are going to be in incredible shape, so, I have to get "back in the saddle" of my routine!

I miss the days of training with a world class bodybuilder, Saskia, and her trainer in Den Haag. We would get up in the morning, usually very late, and get to the gym to train with Peter Kneetman, the owner of "Kneets Gym", in Den Haag. I did this for six months with Saskia. We lived, ate, and breathed the bodybuilding lifestyle. I have done this before, but not quite on the level that Saskia and Peter demanded from me. Within a very short period of time, I was growing very strong, and made a gain of about 10 pounds of muscle while I lived over there. My weights in all lifts increased meteorically. How could they not? With five square meals of protein on schedule, and a good support team, my body had no choice, and my mind never doubted anything. Saskia was quite a bit stronger than me on most lifts, with the exception of bench presses and leg endurance. While I lived with Sas, my weight was generally right around 95kg, or 210 pounds, and I was never leaner or happier at this weight. It just suited me very well. I can recall my best incline press just before we left for the Arnold Classic in March, 2007, we loaded the bar at 20kg x 3 each side, which is approximately 309 pounds. I was able to perform this free weight lift 8 times, the first 2 with a lift off and spot, and the final 6 with a light spot, the last two, much tighter. I have strong shoulders, and had no problem with it, and my back grew thicker and stronger, so it could support this weight, and I have retained my gains since living in Holland. The photo for this article was taken only a week after the 309 incline press, and you can see how thick my triceps and shoulders are. This was perhaps the strongest I have ever been.

Today, after a seriously long lay off from hardcore training like I did in Holland, I decided I must get myself back on track again. Managing a website, performing on webcam, and globetrotting around the world shooting content for my website is not conducive to maintaining a hardcore bodybuilding lifestyle.

I train at several gyms around the city of Albuquerque, NM. The main one I always train at when I want no distractions is Liberty Gym, a hardcore gym, where one of my good friends, former bodybuilder Romeo Villarino, spots me and cracks the whip on me (for a change, I must be submissive!). I also train at NM Sports and Wellness, where I can do mindless cardio and a light workout, relax in the pool, sauna and steamroom. I enjoy NMSW, because it is so close to my house, and one of my former training partners trains there, so if I need a spot, I can always count on him, unless he is too busy flirting with the girls in the gym, but ultimately, he remembers who was his boss! LOL.

So, I decided that I must train one bodypart balls to the wall each day. I will also couple one bodypart training with my Russian Kettlebell training, primarily swings and snatches. And, of course, I will hit my beast of a Stairclimber daily. Believe it or not, that's all I do to maintain my 18" calves! I can only look at the stairclimber, and my calves grow. I wish that were true for my biceps, which are only 16 inches, and pumped 17, so I have at least one or two more inches for them to grow to catch up with my calves.

So, I am "back in the saddle" this week. After I return to from Cali and Vegas, I will be home for all of August and September, which really excites me, as I am going to really focus on my training, particularly the Russian Kettlebell with some snatches and overhead lifts, because I am going to focus more on lifts and carries of human beings in shooting content for www.Goddess of Fetish.com. I am seriously becoming recognized as a lift and carry Amazon. I think it is great fun, but the liftee loves the ride even more! For me, it is all about the challenge of something, and that is what life is all about...discovering new experiences, and challenging yourself beyond your old expectations. And, the submissive side of Amber Steel is the fact that I really enjoy giving other people a true thrill. It's like riding a roller coaster. And life is like a rollercoaster. Who doesn't enjoy getting that thrill, and those butterflies, no matter what you are doing? That's what drives human nature, the "fight or flight" encounter, but no matter what it is, it drives adrenalin, and that's what makes us feel truly alive.

So, please stay tuned to Steel Universe, as there are plenty of more adrenalin driving supercharged events to make us all feel more alive!

Cheers,

Amber Steel

2009-07-06T19:49:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I got some good rest today, and I am at the gym to train chest. More news later!

2009-07-05T18:38:00.001-07:00

I am going to take a much needed nap. When I awake, I will fill you in on my travels.

2009-07-05T13:56:00.001-07:00

Just returned from my trip, had lots of fun, and met lots exciting people, playmates, and associates. It feels great to be back in the desert sun in NM.

Cybernet Expo, San Francisco

2009-06-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

Attended Cybernet Expo in San Francisco, and met lots of cool people in the adult cybernet industry. This will enable me to improve my website and offer high quality products and productions. We partied the last night in the Kink Armory (www.Kink.com) which was a blast. Sheryl, my videographer, and I made it "fashionably late", which was too late for some of the kinky wrestling, but we did catch the second scene. It was pretty nasty! I got to meet a couple of the winners after the beat down and congratulated them for their style.

More news and excitement later. For now, I have to go.

-Amber.

The California trip

2009-06-28T12:50:00.000-07:00

Amber is currently in California and is expected back sometime this coming week. Fans should start following her blog and watching this page. Amber is about excitement - and she means to bring it to everything she does.

She will be posting her first blog update soon.

for amber,