Erica Blockman

My name is Erica Blockman and I am a 27 year old born and raised small town mountain girl with big dreams- a few big dreams. I am currently a personal trainer, fitness instructor, prep coach, NREMT- paramedic and full time student, with plans to next enter the nursing field- in critical care or flight nursing. Though I have been a fitness enthusiast my entire life, I have only begun my journey in the fitness industry.

 Beginning with NPC in 2010 as a successful figure athlete and then with the IFBB in 2013, as a Women's Physique athlete. I feel that 2015 is going to be my lucky year where I can really make some progress building myself as a competitive individual. Ever since being introduced to the famous bodybuilders, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger as a child, I had fantasized myself one day being successful on stage in the bodybuilding industry and standing on the stage at the Olympia. That is still my plan.

In 2011, I left the fire service, a job that I had the utmost passion and respect for to pursue my dreams in the fitness industry and to continue to challenge myself and motivate others in a different way. I am now a top 3 placer in the IFBB women’s Physique division—with a busy year ahead of me.

 As a published writer, "Fitness and the Female Firefighter" I always strive to inspire others to reach for their dreams no matter how hard or impossible they may seem. The challenges I have faced as a female in the fire service have helped to shape me into the woman I am today, along with various other life experiences, including competing. 

However, my message from them all is the same. The only thing that can stop you from reaching your goals is doubt. Life is all about how we deal with stressors, how we react to others, and whether or not we let what people say add fuel to our fire, or stop us in our tracks. I want to be another example of overcoming obstacles and always fighting for what you love.

The fitness industry and the world of competitive bodybuilding have always been dreams and passions of mine since a very young age- inspired by my father. The nickname, “Spitfire" given to me in high school as a co-ed wrestler, is still the name I proudly go by today; bestowed to me for never giving up without a hard fight- and sometimes surprising the hell out of my opponent.

I am passionate, benevolent and a hard-head with a random sense of humor that to people that don’t know me- makes no sense at all. I love grunt work, getting dirty and love jobs that require physical labor and challenges. Weightlifting and the art of body transformation is one of my ultimate forms of stress relief. It not only keeps me feeling like I am still the spunky athlete I once was in high school, but always reminds me that I am the one in control of my direction in life. A little cliché, but the way I look at it, you can choose to pick the weight up and try, or leave it racked without knowing what you can do.  One of my motto’s in life (also my personal training motto) is a lesson from the phoenix;  If you really think about it, no journey ever truly comes to an end- this includes “failures”. When you chose to rise from the ashes, the end is just the beginning.