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WELCOMES Karen Mullarkey to the team! Inspiration and Goal Setting My name is Karen Mullarkey and I am honored to be the “Fitness Connection” for Bodyscape Magazine. I’ve been involved in the fitness industry for most of my life. I began playing sports as a small child while growing up in Louisville, KY which is where my southern accent comes from! My passion of athletics earned me a division one field hockey scholarship to Kent State University in Ohio. Once I graduated I knew I belonged out west so I packed up and never looked back. After a couple snowboarding seasons in Colorado, I moved to Scottsdale, AZ where I currently reside. I began competing in the NPC in 2004 and went on to earn my IFBB pro card in 2007 and later crossed over as a WBFF pro in 2011. I spent 12 years competing against the best physiques around the world! I’m retired from competing but I still prep clients for figure, bikini and physique competitions. I was so thrilled when Sarah and I FINALLY connected and set up a shoot. I’ve known of Sarah’s work for probably 15 years, but never worked with her. We decided to set up a shoot in honor of my upcoming 45th birthday. I was thrilled to get back in front of the camera since my last shoot in 2019. I needed a goal to motivate myself to get back into fitness modeling shape and this shoot was just what the doctor ordered. Working with Sarah was so easy and comfortable and I absolutely love the work we created! What was unique about this shoot is that my mentor and fitness icon, Monica Brant was there to assist with the shoot as well as give me posing tips. Someone pinch me please!!! I spent my competition days looking up to Monica and now she was on set with me for my shoot. Monica certainty taught me some new poses, she even “forked” my hair!!! (I’ll save that
story for another day). What a small world the fitness industry is and I am so thrilled to collaborate with these two AMAZING women. Not only did I want a motivator for myself, but I also wanted to motivate my clients with my actions. I wanted to show that age is just a number and that you can do anything you put your mind too. Let’s face it, we can all get away from our goals to focus on others. That was my case, I had been so focused on my clients and building “No Mullarkey” Personal Training that I got away from my own goals. I spent 10 years being a contributing writer for multiple fitness publications as well as being a published cover/ fitness model. I had missed writing and modeling and it is now time to get back at it. The beauty of writing in my 40’s is that I have a lot more knowledge in fitness as well as life experience. What a road fitness has been for me over my lifetime and I really do feel like I am just getting started. I would like to thank Sarah and Monica for helping me to get back on that horse. I feel between the three of us we have a world of knowledge and experience in photography, the fitness industry and the crazy game we call life. I am truly honored to be working with these inspiriting women and I hope with my writing that I will help to inspire the readers of Bodyscape Magazine. Life is too short and we all need to remember that our goals are just as important as our loved ones. No matter what your age is, you can take charge of your health and fitness. Remember…….”No Excuses and that’s No Mullarkey”!
Karen Mullarkey IFBB/WBFF Pro ISSA CFT www.karenmullarkey.com
