ROSIE'S STORY
I was born in a little village close to the Lake District, in the U.K. My life course was impacted at the early age of One year old, when my father was killed after a tragic road accident. This hit our little family hard, and myself, my mother and brother carried on with love and strength, as well as confusion and anger. There was a void in our lives that couldn't be filled.
As a little girl I was very attuned to other people's feelings, and emotions. I felt everything, and I learnt how to manoeuvre my way around, and dance with other people's feelings to care for them, and myself. I tended to turn away from anything that felt sad or stuck. I was drawn to laughter, dancing, singing, entertaining, making people smile, seeing the bright side to everything, seeing opportunity in everything. This was my coping mechanism, mu way of finding balance, and not yet having the skills or knowledge of how to deal with what felt so painful. I wasn't able to articulate how I felt with language, so dance and singing became my own language with myself, and the Universe. I was a dreamer, an artist and my way of using my imagination to create a fantasy world also enabled me to survive and thrive. I believed there was magic in everything, and still do today.
Losing a parent at an early age opens up a lot of questions and perspectives you wouldn't normally face to young. What are we doing here? What am I here for? What is life? What is death? What is this feeling of sadness?
It also allows you to feel the sheer magnitude of living a fulfilled life, living each day with gratitude, and with the dream of leaving an imprint worthy of the life you were given. Wasting this life was never an option, there were many distractions and challenges, but that inner drive to ascend to some greater purpose was always there to guide me forward.
I always followed what I wanted to do, it has lead me on a very colourful life, with many lessons.
I began dancing at the age of 3, and continued all the way to University, where I studied Contemporary Dance and Theatre. Whilst I was studying I was also singing all over the UK with a Soul and Tribute act, and also in a Jazz Band. I was singing professionally for over 7 years. I also spent 5 years as a Dance and Drama Teacher, teaching children at GCSE level, and also in the Schools where the kids had been suspended from Mainstream school because of behavioural issues, and Stage Coach drama School. I always loved sharing my passion, the passion that everyone has something to say, something special to share with the world, and for many the only way they could do it, was through dance, singing, art, drama. It was a way of connecting to self, and everything on a deep soul level.
As I came to the end of my University degree, I was lured in by the bright light of Leeds City life, and my interest in Bodybuilding had begun. I started out weight training to gain strength and power for my dancing, by the end of my studies I had decided I would love to pursue a bodybuilding lifestyle. I then set out on my journey to become an IFBB Freaky Female Bodybuilder. I loved the challenge, the fact that I was genetically blessed with my shape and proportions, the ease at which I could get super low bodyfat levels. It was such an amazing feeling shifting huge weights, for a tiny girl, and getting attention, respect. I felt I had a place where I belonged, where I thrived, and I was seen as unique.
It wasn't long before I did my first competition in 2007, and won. From 2007 - 2014 I dominated the Amateur bodybuilding scene in the UK in the Trained Figure, FBB and WPD. The physical and mental resilience, the discipline, patience and persistence are qualities I am so grateful I was able to ignite and fine tune through bodybuilding.
Throughout this time as a high achieving athlete, I was also living a parallel life of extremes. I was in a wild world of partying, excessive drug binges and an ever increasing binge eating issue. I had quit all of my singing and dancing, my teaching, and become a stripper. What was going on? I was absolutely wild, and the Rascal nickname and persona, I'm so well known for, was born. I had a 9-10 year turbulent relationship with addictions, habits, coping mechanisms. I had no idea I was in pain over anything, so none of this made any sense to me at the time.
I was strong, confident, positive, funny, high achiever.
2013-2014 I was able to gather myself together. It was sink or swim, eating disorder, panic attacks, paranoia, extreme anxiety, debts, a falling marriage, drugs. I saw a flash of where I was heading, and turned my life around. I got stability and security in my life and a year later I had gained my hard earned IFBB Pro Card in Liverpool, U.K. In 2016 I entered my first pro show, won with straight firsts and qualified for the Olympia stage. Just a few months later I was on the biggest bodybuilding stage in the world, and won best new comer of 2016. I was at the beginning of a very successful online coaching service, helping to transform other women's bodies and beliefs of what was possible.
Everything seemed to be in place for a happy, growth focused life. But my deep feeling was I no longer wanted to compete. there was an internal conflict. It didn't feel healthy, it didn't feel like I was growing any more, physically, mentally, emotionally. It felt like I was slowly dying in every cell of my being. The binge eating pattern was still playing out. I couldn't understand why I wasn't grateful for my opportunities in bodybuilding. Sponsorships, articles, contracts, titles. Why was I still bingeing. I felt so guilty and stressed.
In 2016 I stumbled upon something called NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming), after using the tools religiously for 4 weeks, I was able to shed the 9 year binge eating issue I'd battled with. What a relief to be on the road to mending that. There were still very clear patterns of using food as a crutch, but I was just glad to no longer feel the impulse to binge on 6-7-8000 calories of junk, and make myself sick to fit more in.
I continued to compete another two years, I went against my gut instinct completely, and so had to face a year of challenging gut issues. Finally in 2018 I knew I had to heel spin, and listen to my gut. Not only did follow my heart. I knew there was going to some monumental changes for me from that day on.
It felt like my life was about to begin. So much had already been, so many different versions of me, different identities, coping mechanisms, distractions, achievements, roles, responsibilities, lessons, love, pain. Now it was time to find out who I really was, and listen intently to my gut, my feelings and follow my intuition and inner knowing.
I had to strip everything back. Leave relationships, Let go of a new business, Leave old identities, be alone for the first time in my adult life, reconnect with me, without all of the noise. 2018 -2020 was one of the most beautifully challenging times of my life. I was finally ready to face up to pain, trauma, grief, loss, fear, anger. I didn't have to cope anymore, distract, soothe or avoid. I was ready to shed every and any layer of me that no longer served my higher self. My purpose was so clear. To be a spark in the Universe to allow other people to see the joy and beauty in life. To be my ultimate and authentic self with no fear, to empower others to feel their own unique and almighty essence that flows through them and everything they do . I am living freely from a place of love and desire to create, to leave an imprint that I can be proud of, to connect with people that also want to grow, create, expand, find truth.
And so, Yo Yo - Om was born. A creation born out of love, desire to create, to connect. A creation full of pure potential that will be nurtured to continually grow with the true essence of myself and Claire, and what we'd like to see and feel more of in the world.
As a little girl I was very attuned to other people's feelings, and emotions. I felt everything, and I learnt how to manoeuvre my way around, and dance with other people's feelings to care for them, and myself. I tended to turn away from anything that felt sad or stuck. I was drawn to laughter, dancing, singing, entertaining, making people smile, seeing the bright side to everything, seeing opportunity in everything. This was my coping mechanism, mu way of finding balance, and not yet having the skills or knowledge of how to deal with what felt so painful. I wasn't able to articulate how I felt with language, so dance and singing became my own language with myself, and the Universe. I was a dreamer, an artist and my way of using my imagination to create a fantasy world also enabled me to survive and thrive. I believed there was magic in everything, and still do today.
Losing a parent at an early age opens up a lot of questions and perspectives you wouldn't normally face to young. What are we doing here? What am I here for? What is life? What is death? What is this feeling of sadness?
It also allows you to feel the sheer magnitude of living a fulfilled life, living each day with gratitude, and with the dream of leaving an imprint worthy of the life you were given. Wasting this life was never an option, there were many distractions and challenges, but that inner drive to ascend to some greater purpose was always there to guide me forward.
I always followed what I wanted to do, it has lead me on a very colourful life, with many lessons.
I began dancing at the age of 3, and continued all the way to University, where I studied Contemporary Dance and Theatre. Whilst I was studying I was also singing all over the UK with a Soul and Tribute act, and also in a Jazz Band. I was singing professionally for over 7 years. I also spent 5 years as a Dance and Drama Teacher, teaching children at GCSE level, and also in the Schools where the kids had been suspended from Mainstream school because of behavioural issues, and Stage Coach drama School. I always loved sharing my passion, the passion that everyone has something to say, something special to share with the world, and for many the only way they could do it, was through dance, singing, art, drama. It was a way of connecting to self, and everything on a deep soul level.
As I came to the end of my University degree, I was lured in by the bright light of Leeds City life, and my interest in Bodybuilding had begun. I started out weight training to gain strength and power for my dancing, by the end of my studies I had decided I would love to pursue a bodybuilding lifestyle. I then set out on my journey to become an IFBB Freaky Female Bodybuilder. I loved the challenge, the fact that I was genetically blessed with my shape and proportions, the ease at which I could get super low bodyfat levels. It was such an amazing feeling shifting huge weights, for a tiny girl, and getting attention, respect. I felt I had a place where I belonged, where I thrived, and I was seen as unique.
It wasn't long before I did my first competition in 2007, and won. From 2007 - 2014 I dominated the Amateur bodybuilding scene in the UK in the Trained Figure, FBB and WPD. The physical and mental resilience, the discipline, patience and persistence are qualities I am so grateful I was able to ignite and fine tune through bodybuilding.
Throughout this time as a high achieving athlete, I was also living a parallel life of extremes. I was in a wild world of partying, excessive drug binges and an ever increasing binge eating issue. I had quit all of my singing and dancing, my teaching, and become a stripper. What was going on? I was absolutely wild, and the Rascal nickname and persona, I'm so well known for, was born. I had a 9-10 year turbulent relationship with addictions, habits, coping mechanisms. I had no idea I was in pain over anything, so none of this made any sense to me at the time.
I was strong, confident, positive, funny, high achiever.
2013-2014 I was able to gather myself together. It was sink or swim, eating disorder, panic attacks, paranoia, extreme anxiety, debts, a falling marriage, drugs. I saw a flash of where I was heading, and turned my life around. I got stability and security in my life and a year later I had gained my hard earned IFBB Pro Card in Liverpool, U.K. In 2016 I entered my first pro show, won with straight firsts and qualified for the Olympia stage. Just a few months later I was on the biggest bodybuilding stage in the world, and won best new comer of 2016. I was at the beginning of a very successful online coaching service, helping to transform other women's bodies and beliefs of what was possible.
Everything seemed to be in place for a happy, growth focused life. But my deep feeling was I no longer wanted to compete. there was an internal conflict. It didn't feel healthy, it didn't feel like I was growing any more, physically, mentally, emotionally. It felt like I was slowly dying in every cell of my being. The binge eating pattern was still playing out. I couldn't understand why I wasn't grateful for my opportunities in bodybuilding. Sponsorships, articles, contracts, titles. Why was I still bingeing. I felt so guilty and stressed.
In 2016 I stumbled upon something called NLP (Neurolinguistic Programming), after using the tools religiously for 4 weeks, I was able to shed the 9 year binge eating issue I'd battled with. What a relief to be on the road to mending that. There were still very clear patterns of using food as a crutch, but I was just glad to no longer feel the impulse to binge on 6-7-8000 calories of junk, and make myself sick to fit more in.
I continued to compete another two years, I went against my gut instinct completely, and so had to face a year of challenging gut issues. Finally in 2018 I knew I had to heel spin, and listen to my gut. Not only did follow my heart. I knew there was going to some monumental changes for me from that day on.
It felt like my life was about to begin. So much had already been, so many different versions of me, different identities, coping mechanisms, distractions, achievements, roles, responsibilities, lessons, love, pain. Now it was time to find out who I really was, and listen intently to my gut, my feelings and follow my intuition and inner knowing.
I had to strip everything back. Leave relationships, Let go of a new business, Leave old identities, be alone for the first time in my adult life, reconnect with me, without all of the noise. 2018 -2020 was one of the most beautifully challenging times of my life. I was finally ready to face up to pain, trauma, grief, loss, fear, anger. I didn't have to cope anymore, distract, soothe or avoid. I was ready to shed every and any layer of me that no longer served my higher self. My purpose was so clear. To be a spark in the Universe to allow other people to see the joy and beauty in life. To be my ultimate and authentic self with no fear, to empower others to feel their own unique and almighty essence that flows through them and everything they do . I am living freely from a place of love and desire to create, to leave an imprint that I can be proud of, to connect with people that also want to grow, create, expand, find truth.
And so, Yo Yo - Om was born. A creation born out of love, desire to create, to connect. A creation full of pure potential that will be nurtured to continually grow with the true essence of myself and Claire, and what we'd like to see and feel more of in the world.
Rosie's accomplishments
IFBB Professional Bodybuilder - UK - 2015
Olympian Athlete (Rookie of the Year) - Las Vegas - 2016
2 x British Bodybuilding Champion - 2010 - 2012
Columnist and Writer for Muscular Development Magazine - 2018 - 2019
Writer and Featured in Flex Magazine - 2018
Fitness Show Host and Athlete Interviewer with
http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/
(Muscle News Weekly, Chick Chat) 2017 - 2019
https://youtu.be/LIzZeJSYYmA
Female Health and Wellness, Supplement Design and Development
(Rascal Range) - 2018
IFBB 2Bros Wellness Judge - London - 2019
Featured Model in Vogue Italia Online - London - 2018
https://www.vogue.it/fotografia/photostories/2018/02/23/metamorphosis-by-lois-cohen-and-indiana-roma-voss
Featured Athlete on RX MUSCLE - USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMmrCGPEfmo
Featured Athlete on Calendar News
Body Power- UK - Main Stage, Athlete Guest Poser - 2016
CJBFF (USA Military) - Okinawa - Japan - Athlete Guest Posing, and Signing appearance - 2018
Dancer - Gemany, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Bruges - Lane Projects - Wonder Women ( Award winning Contemporary Dance Project) 2016 - 2018
https://melanielane.info/projects/wonderwomen
Featured Model in Dazed & Confused Magazine - London - 2014
https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/gallery/18402/14/dazed-autumn-winter-2014
Featured Athlete on BT Sports Live - London - 2013
Sponsorships
Ronnie Coleman (RCSS athlete) 2014-2016
Olympian Athlete (Rookie of the Year) - Las Vegas - 2016
2 x British Bodybuilding Champion - 2010 - 2012
Columnist and Writer for Muscular Development Magazine - 2018 - 2019
Writer and Featured in Flex Magazine - 2018
Fitness Show Host and Athlete Interviewer with
http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/
(Muscle News Weekly, Chick Chat) 2017 - 2019
https://youtu.be/LIzZeJSYYmA
Female Health and Wellness, Supplement Design and Development
(Rascal Range) - 2018
IFBB 2Bros Wellness Judge - London - 2019
Featured Model in Vogue Italia Online - London - 2018
https://www.vogue.it/fotografia/photostories/2018/02/23/metamorphosis-by-lois-cohen-and-indiana-roma-voss
Featured Athlete on RX MUSCLE - USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMmrCGPEfmo
Featured Athlete on Calendar News
Body Power- UK - Main Stage, Athlete Guest Poser - 2016
CJBFF (USA Military) - Okinawa - Japan - Athlete Guest Posing, and Signing appearance - 2018
Dancer - Gemany, Bulgaria, Indonesia, Bruges - Lane Projects - Wonder Women ( Award winning Contemporary Dance Project) 2016 - 2018
https://melanielane.info/projects/wonderwomen
Featured Model in Dazed & Confused Magazine - London - 2014
https://www.dazeddigital.com/artsandculture/gallery/18402/14/dazed-autumn-winter-2014
Featured Athlete on BT Sports Live - London - 2013
Sponsorships
Ronnie Coleman (RCSS athlete) 2014-2016
ROSIE'S QUALIFICATIONS
Neurolinguistics Programming Practitioner - Metropolis - 2016
Ptlls Teacher Trainer Course - Leeds - 2008
BA (Hons Degree) 1:1 - University Of Central Lancashire - 2004
Contemporary Dance and Theatre
Certified Shamanic Ritual Massage Therapy - Prague - 2020
Ptlls Teacher Trainer Course - Leeds - 2008
BA (Hons Degree) 1:1 - University Of Central Lancashire - 2004
Contemporary Dance and Theatre
Certified Shamanic Ritual Massage Therapy - Prague - 2020
ROSIE'S EXPERIENCE & COURSES
Public Speaking and Educational Events
10 Steps to Champion Mindset Talk - Nottingham University - Business Undergraduate Students - 2019
Stretch Workshop for Bodybuilders and Body Function - In Collaboration with MOFO Mechanics - 2019
Women's Health Seminar - In Collaboration with Nutritionist, Psychologist, Biochemist, Chiropractor - 2019
Gut Health, Gut to Brain Talk - Mental Health and Muscle - In collaboration with Pippa Wood (Sports Psychologist) - Birmingham & Yorkshire - 2019
Posing Seminars - Leeds - Japan - London - Glasgow - Ireland - 2012 -2019
Bodybuilding Seminar for Ladies - Belfast - 2012
Mark Coles Mastermind - 2019
M10 Transformations Course - 2019
M10 Practical PT Functional Training Course - 2019
David Walsh - Fat Is Not Your Fault - 2019
Intuitive Touch - Soul Alchemy - 2019
Dance Therapy - Exploring Intuitive Movement and Voice - UCLAN - 2003
Capoeira Dance - Spatial Awareness - Partner Work - UCLAN - 2003
10 Steps to Champion Mindset Talk - Nottingham University - Business Undergraduate Students - 2019
Stretch Workshop for Bodybuilders and Body Function - In Collaboration with MOFO Mechanics - 2019
Women's Health Seminar - In Collaboration with Nutritionist, Psychologist, Biochemist, Chiropractor - 2019
Gut Health, Gut to Brain Talk - Mental Health and Muscle - In collaboration with Pippa Wood (Sports Psychologist) - Birmingham & Yorkshire - 2019
Posing Seminars - Leeds - Japan - London - Glasgow - Ireland - 2012 -2019
Bodybuilding Seminar for Ladies - Belfast - 2012
Mark Coles Mastermind - 2019
M10 Transformations Course - 2019
M10 Practical PT Functional Training Course - 2019
David Walsh - Fat Is Not Your Fault - 2019
Intuitive Touch - Soul Alchemy - 2019
Dance Therapy - Exploring Intuitive Movement and Voice - UCLAN - 2003
Capoeira Dance - Spatial Awareness - Partner Work - UCLAN - 2003