Danielle Reardon Profile
She is also popularly known as the ‘Dani the Lil Monster’, and at only 24 years old, Danielle Reardon has managed to cement her reputation as a talented IFBB Pro Bodybuilder in the Women’s Physique Division. The Florida-born athlete has set the bar high for her fellow young women aspiring to venture into the bodybuilding world by proving to be a force to reckon with at such a young age. But where did it all start for Danielle Reardon?
Danielle Reardon Early Childhood
Danielle was just 15 years when she first tried her hand in athletics as a cheerleader for her high school’s basketball team. It was during her stint as a cheerleader that her weightlifting coach – Cass – spotted her potential and recruited her for the school’s weightlifting team. After this, she went ahead to break three former school records before she was even a senior.
But her major break came when she participated in the annual Mr. and Miss Wesley Chapel Bodybuilding championship that always open to all students in her former school. Not only did she win this contest on her first attempt, but she was also awarded the Best Showmanship Award for two years consecutively at her senior year. After this, she was then convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that she was cut out for bodybuilding.
According to her latest interview on risingmuscle.com, this is what fuelled her ambition to compete in the Women’s Figure division at just 19 in 2011. She later went for her debut show although she was never placed. By 21, however, she was already competing nationally without any qualms.
Her breakthrough came in 2013 when IFBB introduced the Women’s Physique division. Danielle Reardon felt that she best fit into that category and proceeded to train and complete for her nationals under the Physique division. Her hard work paid off in 2012 after she qualified for her first-ever nationals show that was held in Panama. After this, it did not take long before she was awarded her pro card in Atlanta, Georgia following her impressive performance in the 2012 Georgia Nationals.
Danielle Reardon Training Style
To maintain her excellent physique, Danielle Reardon combines basic workout routines with a much more complex hypertrophic training style. The style, in question, involves sets of 4-5 reps of 8-12 with rest periods of 1:30 min to 3. According to her personal trainer, this approach triggers a hormonal response that has resulted in a one-of-kind anabolic environment in her body while at the same time, creating an optimal fat burning environment. And as, Danielle Reardon admits, this is exactly what separates bodybuilders from conventional powerlifters both in appearance and performance.
All in all, Danielle’s training styles revolves around optimizing the same tenets of a competition that are typically used to judge bodybuilders. This includes; symmetry, aesthetics, leanness and fullness. In other words, Danielle Reardon finds a way to tie together a basic workout with the perfection of her posing styles.
Other than that, Danielle Reardon trains twice daily for about 45 minutes in each workout session. Her training regimen mostly focuses on her back, shoulders, arms, legs, chest, back and glutes.
Danielle Reardon Diet
Unlike most other bodybuilders, Danielle Reardon does not rely on protein supplements to carve out her chiseled physique. And while she stays way from processed foods – like any other reasonable pro athlete – she integrates her training with natural cooking condiments only. On a typical day, this would include spray butter, Walden farms, hot sauce and liquid amino.
Her Past Social Lifestyle and Media Presence
In September 2014, Danielle Reardon – she had just received her pro-IFBB card – was arrested for being drunk and disorderly. According to the local tabloids in her hometown, Danielle had gotten into a drunken fist fight with her boyfriend after a night out drinking. Although she later denied the charges that were levelled against her by the state for cause a public disruption, her boyfriend, who she allegedly assaulted, did not press any charges after the incident. She has since admitted that had been a little rowdy that night although she did not intend to hit in the first place.
Apart from being a pro-IBBB card holder, Danielle Reardon also doubles up as a personal trainer and coach to a few private citizens in Florida. She also hopes to clinch the coveted Miss Physique Olympia within the next 10 years.
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David Sharpe is a former bodybuilding contest promoter and the owner and founder of Davi’s Fitness Facility in Australia where every great bodybuilder from Australia visited his gym.