[AlexG]

I'm surprised this one seems to have slipped by everyone's radar, as there's a prominent photo-op (w/ large pics) training article featuring Valentina Chepiga.

Far as I know it’s still available on the newsstands in some venues, but you'd better hurry, the next issue is due out soon.

Lastly, I hesitated to mention it earlier, because I'm not 100% certain a couple of the photos haven't been Photo Shopped ala Pauline Nordin.  Can't say as I've ever seen her as built up as this before, but she appears to be in semi-offseason mode and on a training rebound after laying off for a couple yrs, (getting divorced, moving to Alaska, etc) so I guess it might be possible she's repacked on size.

Either way, caveat emptor.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[AlexG]

A short synopsis to the article.  8)

Source: Training – Sweet, Sweet Arms By Ron Harris – #310

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[ratlaf]

Right on!  Thanks Alex.  Also, I'm going to vote that they didn't do any enhancment to that picture like they did with Pauline…  But what do I know?

[phenoms]

I hate to go bursting bubbles, but I am pretty certain the photo is doctored.

Look at the dumbbell. It looks off to me. The focus and space between plates looks wrong.

Then look at the angle of the forearm. I am fairly certain there should have been a shift of the bicep and front deltoid to face the camera more. Try holding some weight, then positioning your arm like hers is. See if you can point your bicep in the direction of your chest while your forearm points outwards.

The midriff and hips look like they have been laid underneath. Finally, at first glance before my eyes focused completely on the image, I thought it was an enhancement that was being posted. Thats not just more mass than I ever recall seeing on her, I would be hard pressed to come up with a list of any fbb's with that much muscle mass while maintaining that degree of leanness.

Sorry to be the sobering pessimistic voice here. Here's to hoping that I am wrong this time!  :-

phenoms

My Deviant Art Page (old stuff):
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Also
www.thevalkyrie.com/picthumb/p/phenoms/index00.htm
www.thevalkyrie.com/picthumb/p/phenom_fett/index00.htm

[Devon Cory]

Finally, at first glance before my eyes focused completely on the image, I thought it was an enhancement that was being posted. Thats not just more mass than I ever recall seeing on her, I would be hard pressed to come up with a list of any fbb's with that much muscle mass while maintaining that degree of leanness.

Indeed. Valetina is a great FBB and as a former Miss O, she is very muscular. But she was never one of the big girl.

Unless she's grown quite a bit since Olympia '07, I doubt she's as big and cut as she's shown to be on that picture.

[AlexG]

As I said, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm strongly inclined to suspect that a couple of them (that one in particular) were Photo Shopped to some degree.

This is especially suspicious when you compare them to the others in the photo shoot, which do seem to be legit examples of her physique.  It's hard to imagine her arms/shoulders bulking up as they do, the mass just doesn't appear to be there for it to happen as its portrayed.

Thing is, if its the case, there's no need for them to be doing this, she's awesome in her own right.

“I like a good story well told. That is the reason I am sometimes forced to tell them myself.”
~ Mark Twain / Samuel Clemens (1907)

[Grandmaster]

The cover with Mike O'Hearn has been retouched, too. It'd been said for years because of the bogus ads and steroid-case exercise routines, but now the muscle magazines really are comic book fantasies! Chepiga doesn't need the amplification, and since there are PhotoShop-caliber "female" athletes out there, what's the point? Who's the sucker Robert Kennedy's looking for this decade? Fans of pretty bodybuilders!

[cpbell0033944]

As I said, I'm not 100% certain, but I'm strongly inclined to suspect that a couple of them (that one in particular) were Photo Shopped to some degree.

This is especially suspicious when you compare them to the others in the photo shoot, which do seem to be legit examples of her physique.  It's hard to imagine her arms/shoulders bulking up as they do, the mass just doesn't appear to be there for it to happen as its portrayed.

Thing is, if its the case, there's no need for them to be doing this, she's awesome in her own right.

I too suspect that that photo has been altered, and I agree totally with AlexG – why feel the need to manip Valentina?

[Grandmaster]

Sell some "schmoes" the mag and counterpoint the homely female bodybuilder stereotype (through digital deception).

[Author]

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