The IFBB Top Ten in Female Fitness Competition

Here are the top ten female fitness competitors on the IFBB (International Federation of BodyBuilders) Pro Fitness Ranking List as of December 1st, 2009.
The IFBB has been around since 1946, when Ben and Joe Weider founded it.
Female fitness competition looks a lot like female bodybuilding, but in fitness competitions, muscle tone is emphasized over muscle size.
The contests have a swimsuit round (where judges look for a small amount of muscle mass, clear separations between muscle groups, and leanness) and a routine round where contestants do aerobic, dance or gymnastic routines.
While both rounds can make or break a contestant, the fitness routines are the most flamboyant, with contestants dressing up sometimes (Wonder Woman, Catwoman variations and Lara Croft seem popular) and really pushing themselves to the limit.
Several former female fitness contestants have gone on to make a business out of teaching winning routines.

The two biggest professional fitness contests are the Fitness Olympia (started in 1995) and The Fitness International (started in 1997 and part of the Arnold Classic).
So without further ado, here are the top ten fitness competitors.....

Adela started competing in 1995 and has been in more fitness contests than you can shake a stick at.
(That's a Southern term for a lot)
Listing them would take a long time, so here are her first place wins....

2002 IFBB New York Pro Fitness - 1st
2002 IFBB Atlantic States Pro Fitness - 1st
2002 IFBB Pittsburgh Pro Fitness - 1st
2003 IFBB New York Pro Fitness - 1st
2004 IFBB Fitness International - 1st
2004 IFBB Fitness Olympia - 1st
2005 IFBB Sacramento Pro Fitness - 1st
2006 IFBB Fitness International - 1st
2006 IFBB Fitness Olympia - 1st
2007 IFBB Europa Super Show - 1st
2007 IFBB Fitness Olympia - 1st
2009 IFBB Europa Super Show & Supplement Expo - 1st
2009 IFBB Olympia - 1st
2010 IFBB Arnold Classic, Ms. International, Fitness International & Figure International - 1st
2011 IFBB Olympia - 1st
2011 IFBB Arnold Classic, Ms. International, Fitness International & Figure International - 1st

Tanji is a personal fitness instructor, a fitness and figure coach, co-promotes the Vancouver Natural Bodybuilding and Tanji Johnson Fitness/Figure Classic AND was an American Gladiator!
She was Stealth on the recent revival of the show.
Tanji is one of the busiest fitness competitors, competing in thirty contests since 2002.
Looking at the amount of time it takes to prepare for these events, that's pretty amazing.
She had first place wins at the 2002 IFBB Toronto Pro, 2006 IFBB Europa Super Show, 2007 IFBB All Star Pro Fitness Championships, 2010 IFBB New York Pro Fitness and the 2011 IFBB Arnold Classic Europe.

This five foot six inch 130 pound fitness beauty is not only a fitness competitor, but a professor at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania.
She was voted the 2008 FLEX Athlete of the Year and has appeared in fitness and muscle magazines like Oxygen, Muscle and Fitness, FLEX and Ironman.
Tracey edges out Tanji just slightly, having competed in thirty one contests since turning Pro.
She had first place finishes at the 2003 IFBB Masters Olympia And Jan Tana Pro, 2005 IFBB Europa Super Show, 2007 IFBB New York Pro Fitness Contest, 2007 IFBB Atlantic City Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest, 2008 IFBB Houston Pro Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Contest, 2008 IFBB Atlantic City Pro, 2008 IFBB 15th Annual Sports/Fitness Weekend & Europa IFBB Super Show and the 2009 IFBB Atlantic City Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships.

Fitness competitor Julie Palmer is also a personal trainer and registered nurse.
She tops the others so far, competing in thirty three contests since turning Pro.
Julie has won first place at the 2004 IFBB New York Pro Fitness, 2005 IFBB Charlotte Pro, 2006 IFBB Atlantic City Pro and the 2007 IFBB Palm Beach Pro/Am.

IFBB Fitness Competitor Tina Durkin only turned Pro in 2007, and has competed in eleven contests.
But out of those eleven, she has had first place wins at the 2007 NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest, 2007 NPC Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness And Figure Contest , 2007 NPC National Championships and the 2007 NPC National Championships.

Myriam Capes is a little larger than most of the fitness competitors.
Although she hasn't had any first place wins since turning Pro, she has had very respectable showings and 2nd place wins at the 2007 IFBB Santa Susanna Bodybuilding And Figure Contest, 2009 IFBB Europa Show of Champions and the 2009 IFBB Europa Super Show & Supplement Expo.

This five foot two, 116 pound fitness beauty resides in Charleston, South Carolina.
Shannon has competed in over thirty contests, with first place wins at 2005 IFBB Atlanta Pro Figure, 2007 IFBB Europa Super Show, 2009 IFBB New York Pro Fitness and the 2009 IFBB Atlantic City Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships.

Jen is known for her wildly inventive gymnastic routines, really putting it on the line when she competes.
And she currently resides in my home state!
Besides competing, she runs fitness boot camps all year round.
Jen has first place wins at the 1997 NPC Mike Francois World Gym Classic, 2005 IFBB Ms. Fitness International, 2005 IFBB Ms. Fitness Olympia and the 2008 IFBB Ms. Fitness Olympia.

Nicole Duncan lives in Atlanta, Georgia, is a Fitness Choreographer and was a member of the Atlanta Falcons Cheerleading Squad for four years.
Although she hasn't had any first place wins yet, she has left cheerleading to focus on fitness.

Five foot six, 116 pound Regiane Da Silva is another up and comer.
Like Nicole she hasn't had any first place wins yet, but to make it into the top ten on the IFBB Pro Fitness Ranking List is a feat in itself.