by Richard Senkbile
In Honor of New York Fashion Week #NYFW ~ We thought we'd share an article from the last Digital Magazine!
As I sit here and reflect on my own personal journey to a bodybuilding competition stage both in November of 2015 and November of 2016 I think of all the amazing people in this industry! The entire group from producers to promoters to athletes and coaches/ nutritionists are all extremely professional and extremely supportive of each other and each other's goals in the industry and journeys. I want to take this moment to congratulate you on the journey that you are on today competing in this ever popular NPC Max Muscle competition that is Co-promoted by two amazing women in the DMV region; Corry Matthews and Stacia Kelly!
Congratulations for the success of making it to this day and best wishes to you as you lay it out on the stage today! I would now like to share with you a little but about my journey. Originally from Central City, Nebraska which is a very rural town 2 hours West of Omaha. I graduated from Central City High school in 1984 and then went on to join the Army and graduated from Basic Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in 1985. I then went on to Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Rucker, Alabama, and graduated in 1997. My Army career brought me to the Washington, DC area in 2005 while I was still on active duty where I served until I retired in 2007 after serving a total of 21 years on active duty and now continue to serve as a federal government employee. At the age of 49, I took a step out on Faith and decided to take a journey as a men's physique competitor to a bodybuilding competition stage which ended with my very first fitness/fashion photo shoot.
It was from this shoot that led me to a Fitness to Fashion journey as a Male model on the runway. I have got experience both locally and in New York City and have aspirations of walking in Fashion shows in Italy and Paris one day. Some may ask why is a fashion model writing an article for a bodybuilding competition. That is a fair question! I am writing this to communicate to each one of you that what you had done in this industry can lead you to so many more opportunities in life!
Some of you will continue to compete and that is awesome, some of you may be led to become a coach or a nutritionist yourself and enter the business side of this industry by becoming a promoter or a judge yourself, but I would also like to introduce to you that some of you may become either fitness or fashion models. Simply put you are in amazing physical condition and possess the right physique to enter the modeling industry as well! Let me first say that if you have not done so, set up a photo shoot documenting your fitness journey to this stage. Make that a gift to yourself! You should be proud of what you have and will continue to accomplish! The sky is the limit and if you ever decide this is something that you may want to pursuit yourself feel free to follow me on IG: @rsmay2013 or Richard Senkbile on Facebook.
One last thought, thanks be to God for introducing me to this journey and best wishes to each one of you on your journey!
