Has it actually solely been eight years? In that point, Janet Layug has achieved nearly every thing one can presumably do in the sport of professional bikini.
Since successful the 2013 FLEX Bikini Model Search, she’s collected sufficient {hardware} to fill a small room – prime 10 placings in all 16 IFBB Professional exhibits she competed in, together with wins on the Arnold Traditional Australia (2015), Arnold Traditional in Columbus (2019), and naturally, her crowning achievement because the 2020 Bikini Olympia Champion.
And now… she’s exiting stage proper. Layug introduced earlier this 12 months that she is not going to be defending her Olympia title subsequent month. However she’s not leaving the sector. The 32-year-old from Lakeland, Florida, will nonetheless be concerned within the sport, simply in a unique capability.
“I really feel like I’ve a lot forward of me,” says Layug. “My character is the kind to take one thing on and go all the best way with it. After which after reaching a aim, it’s like, ‘Okay, I need to do one thing else. What extra can I do?’ That’s how I really feel now. I all the time stay hungry.”
On this unique interview with M&F, Layug discusses why she determined to step away from competing, what her future alternatives in health would possibly appear to be, and the potential for a future comeback to the Olympia stage.
What have been the primary causes you determined to not compete in 2021?
For a very long time, I saved saying to myself, Oh, that is going to be my final 12 months. After all, being second place 3 times on the Olympia, that’s actual motivation to maintain going since you’re excellent there. Lastly, final 12 months I used to be in a position to earn the title after a few years of competing… seven years within the Olympia. Clearly, my largest aim was to win the Olympia title. And I’m on the level in my profession the place I’ve developed, I used to be in a position to accomplish all these things, and I really feel actually fulfilled from that.
I like competing, however there are such a lot of opportunities in the fitness industry. Working with different girls is a extremely massive factor for me, in addition to specializing in having the ability to encourage the brand new technology in ways in which transcend the aggressive stage.
Whenever you say you need to pursue different alternatives, would having your personal present be a kind of?
Yeah. With the ability to give again and having my very own present, being part of different individuals’s journeys, and likewise connecting with different corporations inside the business – there are such a lot of different enterprise alternatives and different methods to attach and interact with followers and followers. There’s a lot extra than simply displaying up and competing.
Are there any particular enterprise alternatives you’re in a position to focus on at this level?
There’s some issues within the works, however I’m form of retaining that on the low proper now. I’m undoubtedly getting concerned loads with the NPC facet of the business, with seminars and instructing and guiding these athletes to be the very best that they will and galvanizing them any approach I can. That’s actually the massive factor I’m doing now.
You talked about new audiences. What particular viewers do you suppose must be higher served? Is there a sure demographic you take into account?
I’ve all the time been an enormous girls’s supporter. I need to do something I can to offer again and assist assist different girls to construct their self-confidence, to point out them that ladies can do something, and that we’re bigger and better than just the stereotype that generally sticks to us. But in addition, I’ve a 12-year-old daughter, so I discover myself doing tasks that I can do extra along with her. With the youthful technology, they see loads on social media, they’re getting data faster and quicker, and a whole lot of them need to compete, too. It begins with that youthful technology, being a mentor and somebody they will look as much as.
Talking of social media, it will get overwhelming with all of the health “influencers” – some legit, others not a lot. What kind of presence do you attempt to have in your social platforms?
Loads of occasions on social media, individuals get carried away, and it sends the mistaken message, particularly to the youthful technology. I believe it’s so essential to stay genuine by way of your social media and what you set out to the world and the knowledge that you simply’re attempting to ship to your viewers. You by no means know who’s watching. There are individuals all world wide taking every thing you publish very severely. I all the time need to ensure that I’m posting what I really feel is correct data and what I really feel is genuine to myself, not attempting to be one thing I’m not. I believe that’s crucial.
How a lot did household, particularly your daughter, play into your determination to step away from competing?
She’s seen me from the start and has seen me accomplish a lot that I would like her to see me accomplish much more than simply competing. I would like her to study that it’s not like athletes in different sports activities. You possibly can play within the NFL or WNBA or no matter, however does your profession finish when you’re not really within the sport or on the ground? No, it doesn’t. It goes past that. What you learn from competing on the stage – that course of and journey, self-discipline, being relentless and decided – you’ll be able to apply to different points of your life.
Your occupations during the last 10-plus years have been well-publicized: an expert bikini competitor, a health mannequin, a nurse, on-line teaching by way of JanetLayugFitness.com, and naturally, you have been a server at Hooters previous to competing. Can the completely different skillsets you discovered from these occupations aid you going ahead?
Oh my gosh, completely. Particularly with Hooters. Individuals suppose, Oh, it’s only a waitress job, nevertheless it’s greater than that. Whenever you work within the restaurant business, you study individuals, you study social expertise, you study prioritizing, you study customer support. And likewise, successful the
[Hooter’s International Swimsuit] Pageant confirmed me that what I used to be doing was inspiring different girls to tackle different alternatives different than simply working on the restaurant. It’s greater than that. You study every kind of organizational expertise that carry over into every thing else that I do. And with nursing, there’s clearly so many expertise with that, however all of them overlap. It doesn’t matter what job you do, you’ll be able to take these expertise and apply them to any side of your life. It doesn’t restrict you to that job. Each job has a much bigger goal than you actually suppose.
What’s going to your coaching be like within the gymnasium now that you simply’re not competing? Will you again off slightly or retaining going exhausting?
Clearly, if you practice for a present there’s a really strict routine, and it goes slightly additional than the common one that trains within the gymnasium. However for me, I’ve been doing it for therefore lengthy, it’s instilled in me each time I hit a exercise. I’m all the time going exhausting and giving it my all and placing within the depth. For me, I’ve all the time cherished health and coaching. That’s part of me, so it doesn’t matter what, I’ll be all the time coaching.
Would you ever come out of retirement and compete once more?
Nicely now, I didn’t say retire. I simply mentioned I’m stepping off the stage and stepping again from competing this 12 months. The phrase “retirement” feels such as you’re utterly taking your self out of the business. I’m not too keen on that phrase.
So we might see you once more on the Olympia stage at some point?
You by no means know. I’ll simply say that. Everybody likes a comeback, proper?
