Every once in a while, an athlete comes along that has that certain something you just can't define, but at the same time can't ignore. What is it about Ava Cowan? Could it be her sultry beauty, or her phenomenally sexy muscular physique? Whatever it is, Ava draws your attention and holds it. Recently, Ava entered her first pro qualifier, the NPC Nationals. She clearly stood out from the pack, and the judges awarded her first place in the Figure C class, which instantly qualified her as an IFBB Pro. As one of Gaspari Nutrition's newest athletes and already a popular fitness model, Ava Cowan's career is taking off like a rocket. I spoke to her just days after her victory at the Nationals to see what this hot new star is all about.
RH: First off Ava, congratulations. You had an excellent two weekends in a row, winning the NPC Eastern USA Figure Overall and then beating out a field of 34 Figure competitors in your class at the Nationals to earn your pro card. Has it hit you yet that you are now a pro?
AC: It's been a surreal experience, but it did hit me today once I had a chance to get home, go to the gym, and get back into my normal daily routine. It all happened so fast that it's tough to process, but the main feeling I have is relief. I trained and dieted with that goal in mind, and it's wonderful to know that it all paid off.
RH: Were you upset or disappointed at all that you didn't get the Overall?
AC: Sure I was! I have an all-or-nothing mentality. I don't aim for anything less than first place, ever. But when I step back and look at it, it's still a win. I wasn't destroyed by not winning the Overall. Now that I have my pro card, I can focus on improving before I get up there again. That's why missing the Overall was almost a good thing for me. That gives me more motivation to work harder so I won't be beaten next time.
RH: You had actually been dieting for all of 2009, is that right? Did you intend for the diet to be so long or did it just sort of work out that way?
AC: I didn't plan to diet for eleven months, no. The first show I targeted was in June, so I started preparing for that at the beginning of the year to give myself plenty of time. Right after that I signed with Gaspari Nutrition, and I knew they wanted to shoot me for some new print ads. So I wanted to stay in top shape for that of course. The date of my next contest kept getting pushed back, and I wound up competing in the Eastern USA just a week before the Nationals, then the Nationals. My weight only fluctuated about two or three pounds up or down for almost all of 2009.
RH: After being on a diet so long, I have to know what you ate after you won.
AC: One of my clients had heard me talking about how I couldn't wait to eat some really good chocolate cake, so she had one custom made for me and delivered to the concierge at the Westin Diplomat Resort to be sent up to my room so I would have it as soon as I was done with the show. She even had it decorated with the same colors as my suit. Needless to say, it was delicious and I probably could have eaten half of it at once. But after I had a slice, I put my fork down. That was enough. I had more than a taste, and it was a mental thing where I didn't want to ruin all my hard work. It takes a long time to get into great shape, but not very long to lose that condition if you go overboard like a lot of competitors do after a contest.
RH: Yes, a lot of us have been there and done that. I don't think much is known about your background. Have you always been athletic?
AC: I was a gymnast from the age of three all the way through my teenage years, and that definitely built the foundation for my work ethic. I was in good shape while I was doing that, but once it was over I just looked like a regular young woman for many years. I didn't go to the gym more than a few times a year throughout my twenties. Then I became certified as a personal trainer with the NCSA. I mentioned to a guy I knew that I was thinking about competing in Figure, and he commented that he thought I was too old to get started. That's all I needed to hear! I decided to put what I had learned as a trainer to use on myself, and got ready for the NPC Southern States in 2005. I won the Overall in Figure there, so I knew that this was something I could excel at if I kept working hard.
RH: Seeing someone in such fantastic shape as you are, it's easy to assume that you have always looked like this or that it came very naturally and easily. Were you ever either very thin or overweight?
AC: No, but as I said there was nothing special about my body. It didn't look athletic or sculpted in any way until I got serious about weight training, nutrition, and supplementation a little less than five years ago.
RH: Your first passion, before you got into the fitness industry, was acting, correct? What type of acting have you done, and what are your goals to pursue film and television in the near future?
AC: I actually lived in Los Angeles for a few years, and acting was my main pursuit. I was trained in comedy and drama and did various workshops and showcases. As far as auditions, I got plenty of second and third callbacks but for whatever reason it just didn't happen for me out there. Even if you have the skills and a good look, nothing is guaranteed in Hollywood. But now I have an opportunity to parlay my success in the fitness industry into something like maybe a workout show. I'm very natural and confident in front of a camera. The dream of being on television or in film is still in my heart, and I don't believe in giving up on your dreams.
RH: I saw in the interview you did backstage at the Nationals with Shawn Ray that you have actually been interested in being a part of Gaspari Nutrition for about three years. What was it about the company that you liked?
AC: The main attraction for me was that their products actually worked. The first Gaspari product I ever used was SuperPump 250. When I took it, I could feel the effects and I could even look in the mirror and see that it made my muscles appear fuller. After having tried more than my share of supplements that I was never too sure about, it was cool to have found one that there was no question as to whether it was effective. I liked the taste of their protein powders, and I loved the fact that the company was hardcore and geared toward people who trained harder than your average gym rat. My friends and I all used Gaspari products and talked about them all the time. I also knew the history of Rich Gaspari as a bodybuilding star and an icon in the sport. Rich was legendary for his work ethic - nobody was as ripped as he was during that era - and it was clear to me that he had applied that same spirit to his company and the products. He really cared about making the best products, and he wasn't some anonymous CEO out of touch with the athletes that use the stuff. There were many calls and emails over the last couple years, and finally the time was right in the summer of 2009. It worked out perfectly that I didn't come on board with the company until then. I am so much more refined as a person and as an athlete than I was three years ago.
RH: Which Gaspari products do you use the most?
AC: I really depend on SuperPump 250 to get through my workouts. I always liked the original SizeOn, but I could never use it getting ready for contests because of all the carbs. That's why I was so happy when Gaspari came out with the low-carb Pre-Contest version of it this year, just in time for me to use going after my pro card!
RH: Some people wouldn't expect a Figure athlete to use products like SizeOn or PlasmaJet, thinking those are more suited to bodybuilders. Do you think they have the wrong idea about how someone like you trains, and what you're trying to accomplish in the gym?
AC: I consider myself a bodybuilder. To me, a bodybuilder is anyone that uses weight training to improve his or her physique, regardless of whether or not extreme muscle size if the goal. I'm a petite person, and there's only a certain amount of muscle size I can put on. And as a natural athlete, I need all the advantages I can get in terms of supplementation. Products that provide energy and keep my muscles full, like SuperPump 250, SizeOn, and PlasmaJet are very valuable to me. And during my prep for the Nationals, Mitotropin over the last 30 days was essential. I had been dieting so long already that my metabolism had slowed down quite a bit. It was to the point where I was eating less and less and doing more and more cardio to try and get rid of the last bits of fat in my legs, which is always the toughest area for me, and most women in general, to get really lean. After two weeks on the Mito, I saw a real improvement in the definition of my legs. I also happened to be due for my annual physical at the doctor's office, and it was interesting to see that my body temperature was slightly higher than normal at 98.8. My body was literally burning up that lower body fat!
RH: Very cool. The cliché we often hear about Figure, and I admit to have said it more than once myself, is "I don't know how they judge it" or "I don't know what they're looking for." You probably have a very qualified answer to what it is the judges are looking for when selecting a champion.
AC: I think they are looking for a complete package. They want to see symmetry from top to bottom and left to right. They are looking at your hair, your makeup, and your suit. Your stage presentation and how you walk are important. There are so many beautiful women up there that you have to cover every detail and find a way to stand out.
RH: Do you have a coach that works with you on your presentation?
AC: No, I do all that myself. Between my background as a gymnast and the acting studies later on, I am very comfortable on a stage. I know how to draw the eye without being over the top and obvious. I practice my turns and my walk extensively, experimenting with very subtle changes to see what looks best.
RH: When you look in the mirror and compare what you see to the ideal vision you have of the physique you will soon have, what do you still need to work on to bring that vision to reality?
AC: I'm pretty satisfied with my physique right now, with the exception of my hamstrings. I want them to be bigger and sweep out more when I stand to the side. I had a minor injury that prevented me from training them properly for a few months, but now I am ready to bring them up. Other than that, I am in the best shape of my life by far right now.
RH: Right on. Rich Gaspari described your approach to contest prep as being ‘militant.' What did he mean by that?
AC: If you asked people at my gym about me, I am sure a lot of them think I'm nuts! When I train, it's very intense and I do not allow anything to distract me. I take on the attitude during a workout that it's a life or death matter that I work as hard as possible. I am very disciplined and rigid with my meals. When I am getting ready for a show, I won't go anywhere if there's even a slight chance it will interfere with my meal schedule. For me it all comes down to knowing I did everything I possibly could to the best of my ability to win. I would hate to take second place or worse, and think back to a workout I slacked on or a time when I missed a meal or ate something I wasn't supposed to. As long as I know I did everything I could have, there are no regrets and there is nothing to be ashamed of, win or lose. That's why when you asked me earlier if I was upset about not winning the Overall at the Nationals, I wasn't really. And that's because I know I did what I was supposed to and left nothing to chance.
RH: I have heard from reliable sources that you are a lot stronger than you look, or maybe I should say a lot stronger than one would expect a person who competes at 114 pounds to be. I saw photos of you doing dips at Metroflex with what had to be at least 75 pounds of heavy chain draped around your neck. What are some other lifts you do or have done what some people would find shocking?
AC: I don't know what you've heard, but I'm not that strong, really. I can squat 165 for reps, and do overhead dumbbell presses with 45's, and I guess those are decent amounts. But I'm not setting any records in the gym. I use weights that challenge me. They might be heavy for some women, or light to others. I really don't think about it that way. The weights are just a tool I use to sculpt my physique.
RH: What is your favorite form of cardio, or do you constantly rotate the type of cardio you do?
AC: I like machines for a couple reasons. For one thing, I live in Florida, and it's very hot and humid most of the year. Doing cardio outdoors could be oppressive unless you did it super early in the morning or at night. I also don't like any interference or distractions. If you're running outside, you have to stop at intersections and so on. I would rather be in a more controlled environment where I don't have to worry about traffic. Typically I rotate between the elliptical runner and the Stepmill. Occasionally I will use the treadmill.
RH: I notice that you do your cardio in High Intensity Interval Training style. Why do you feel it's more effective than the typical moderate pace type that a lot of competitors do?
AC: I actually do both types of cardio. With the HIIT, you get more work done in a shorter time, plus it stimulates your body to continue burning fat for many hours after you're done. I find that it's the only type of cardio that gets the last bit of fat off my legs, too. I only started using HIIT this year, and it's made a big difference in my condition.
RH: Did you watch the last Figure Olympia? And as any competitive athlete usually can't help doing, did you try to determine where you would have placed in that particular lineup?
AC: I didn't do that, believe it or not. What I was thinking the whole time was, I need to be up on that stage! It really motivated me. And I was also inspired to see them pick Nicole Wilkins Lee as the winner. She's a natural competitor like me, and she has a look that's more attainable than some of the physiques you see in Pro Figure. I saw her win and it made me realize that could be me one day soon if I work hard enough and stay focused - which I will.
RH: The most popular photo layout MD has had in recent years was the "Girls of Metroflex Gym" featuring you and fellow Gaspari Nutrition athletes Marzia Prince, and Trish Warren. What was that shoot like? Were you all having as much fun as it looked like you were that day?
AC: Oh God, yes! You have to understand, I was living my dream that day. I had wanted to be part of Gaspari Nutrition for years, and I had just signed my contract with them. I had always wanted to shoot with Per Bernal for MD, and here we were. To top it off, we were in one of the coolest gyms in the world, where the atmosphere is positively electric. There was no way we weren't going to get a lot of great pictures that day. All the right ingredients were in place.
RH: What's next for you? Will you be competing in the Figure International at the Arnold Classic weekend?
AC: Right now I need to take a break and repair my metabolism after dieting so very long. I need to enjoy some good food over the holidays and let everything get back to normal. Tentatively, I am looking at qualifying for the Figure Olympia in one of the last three Pro Figure events leading up to it, which are the Jacksonville Pro, the Europa, and the Houston Pro. I am definitely going to be on that Figure Olympia stage in 2010!