One on One with Ms Figure Olympia/International Latorya Watts

One on One with Ms Figure Olympia/International Latorya Watts

I'm no statistician, but out of the thousands and thousands of people who've received their IFBB pro cards, very few will ever stand on an Olympia stage. Even fewer will win an Olympia medal. And chances are, less than 1% of THOSE athletes turned pro 2 years prior to their Olympia win. To say Latorya Watts is an anomaly is like saying Scott Welch likes lifting – it’s a GROSS understatement. This woman is a pioneer in that she’s the first black Ms. Figure Olympia and Ms. Figure International; but to her, that’s not even a big deal. She’s also extraordinary in that she only had 10 shows under her belt before she won the 2015 Olympia.

Then she went straight from taking top honours in Vegas to winning back to back titles in Ohio AND Australia at the first two Arnold Classic competitions of 2016. She’s remarkable, but don’t take our word for it. Listen to her tell her own story.

Jaime Filer: You turned pro in 2013, placed fifth at your first Olympia, then won it in 2015 along with the 2016 Arnold Classic. How unreal is your life right now?

Latorya Watts: So unreal. I mean, I’ve worked hard since day one to get to this point, but I think I honestly didn’t think it would come when it did. I’ve worked towards this point; everyone is working towards these victories, these goals, these accomplishments, but we never know when they’ll come—we just work and be patient. So it’s pretty unreal. It’s amazing. I’m just so honoured to be acknowledged, that the work I put in is being recognized.

Right after your name was called as Ms. Figure International in Ohio and Australia, what were you feeling immediately after, and now that everything is starting to settle down?

You kind of know immediately after they announce second place, so I was floored. I was so excited to receive the title of Ms. Olympia (which I’m still speechless that I won!), so even though I have that title, it doesn’t mean I’m going into a show expecting to win. You go into a show without knowing what everyone is bringing, or how you’ll be compared to them. So when they say the second-place name, I know that I’ve got first place. It feels like all this weight is just kind of taken off. That’s what I feel. Again, I never expect it; I just know that I work hard to get better. So when I win, I feel relieved because it means that I’m on the right track.

Everyone gets better from show to show. The Arnold shows (Ohio and Australia) are close together, and I didn’t know if I would look better or if travel would affect my look. I only focus on myself, and beating myself from the last show. So I’m not going in looking at or studying the other competitors. I just want to present the best me that I can. I never assume I have something in the bag. I don’t go into any show comfortable. I’m going to be hungry, and always bring the best me I can be, and hopefully every show I do I’ll get a little better.

You told me before the Arnold Classic that you were the underdog going into the Olympia in 2015. But after your win, there was a shift, and you became the one to beat. How did that change your mentality (and/or your training) going in to 2016 Arnold Classic?

I was a little bit more confident that, “Okay, I’m Ms. Olympia. I have the look that they want for figure.” So I would say that there was a lot of pressure, but I was also confident. I knew I was on to something, and they let me know that they liked the package I was presenting. They were giving me the green light, but that’s pressure too because I knew I had to improve, but they also like me the way I am. It’s a lot of pressure, and very nerve-wracking. Being on top is hard work. It is. It’s a challenge, but I love it because I love what I do. And whatever the outcome is, I’m still going to love it. If I go onstage and I’m not Ms. Olympia again, I’m still going to be. If I’m not Ms. International again, I’m still going to compete. I’m still going to love what I do. Obviously I want to win, but if you have the passion and the dedication for what you do, you’re going to always love it regardless of the outcome. Nobody can tell you you’re not a winner because of your placing. When you step on that stage, you’re a winner. Nobody can take that away from you.

In light of your victories after your two Arnold wins, how do you feel going into your next show?

There is a lot of pressure going into the next show. I’m going in as the reigning Ms. Olympia, and going to defend the title. Every show I feel is going to have pressure, and I’m sure it’s like that for any competitor. I just have to continue doing what I’m doing, but still make the improvements, still be better and better and better. I’m never going to be comfortable, and sit back, and assume I have this in the bag.

The Olympia, The Arnold, Arnold Classic Australia—it’s almost like winning the Triple Crown of Bodybuilding. What does winning these specific, prestigious shows mean to you?

It means everything to me. It means everything that I visualized, everything my coach and I put together, showed that we were on the track. That’s what these accomplishments mean to me, that we’re on the right track, and we’re doing all the right things. I have the right support, the right belief system, I have it all. And I always stay patient. In the beginning of me starting figure, yeah I was placing in the top five, but I still wondered if I would ever move up. I was okay with fourth because that was the work I was putting in, and I was just happy to be onstage. So for me to win these big shows like Tampa and New York that I specifically wanted to do, it’s a big deal because I wanted to stand up against the best of the best. I would just say that winning those three shows demonstrated that I did everything right, my vision was true, my support system and belief system was there, and everything was on track. The patience and hard work paid off.

You could’ve taken time off after your Olympia win, and just coasted into next September. Why did you choose to compete again … and again?

I want to change all of that; why should me being Ms. Olympia keep me back from letting my fans see me? There are women who are so inspired by me, that are motivated, that have hope because of me. So why would I hold myself back, and not let them see me? I love being onstage, I love doing what I do, so I’m not going to let the title of being Ms. Olympia hold me back from competing. I’m going to continue doing those shows.

You mentioned how many fans you have and how many people look up to you. Who do you look up to? Who motivates you?

I would say my coach. He has pushed me beyond anything that I thought I was capable of. The first time I competed as a bikini competitor, I had no one in my corner. I was just doing it on my own. I stepped onstage again in 2010 as a bikini competitor; didn’t do well then. Tried again in 2011. Manny Torres saw me onstage and said, “I see something here. I don’t know what, but we definitely have something.” He saw potential in me. I definitely doubted it, and held back, but something inside of me said, “Give it a shot! Why not?” I trusted in him, we did a few shows in figure, and I said I was done and didn’t want to do it anymore because I love food. I want to eat and enjoy my life! This is a bubble you have to be in sometimes; this is a hard life, and it’s a full-time job. So my coach has constantly said, “No, don’t give up. We’re going to do this.” and I put walls up then broke them down again. I had to just try it because I didn’t want to say “What if I had just given 100 percent one time?” So he’s my biggest motivation spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, all around. Manny Torres is the one who has pushed me along with my family, friends, and my boyfriend. They’re my belief system. They are who inspires me and motivates me to keep going. You can’t do this by yourself. You need to have people around you, who stick with you and don’t give up on you.

I’m going to get a little controversial here; Davana Medina was the first Puerto Rican Figure Olympia back in 2003, and 12 years later, you’re the first black Ms. Figure Olympia/Ms. Figure international. Does this title have special significance to you, or does it not matter in 2016 anymore?

It does. I think it has more significant to other women of colour because from the outside looking in, I never put a race to it. I never want to say it’s a racist sport—not at all. I’ve just never seen colour as an issue because there’s Iris Kyle and Lenda Murray, but no one in figure; so a little bit of me doubted that I would be awarded that title because I’ve never seen it. But like I said, the people I have in my corner told me that it didn’t matter. I decided that I was going to open this door for everyone else. I was going to prove that race has nothing to do with this, it’s all about everything else, and not about race. It has significant to me, but I think more so to everybody else who don’t have people telling them that race doesn’t matter. I’ve done that for them. I’ve shown them that it doesn’t matter. There’s room at the top of all of us, regardless of race or gender. I made history with this, so it is a big deal to me.

You have one of the most iconic and dramatic V-tapers in your division right now. How do you train upper body to create that 12:1 shoulder-to-waist ratio?

I would say it’s taken time to figure out the proper form. I never realized form is what has really given me the physique that I have. Before I met my coach, I had no one that could help me. Looking at workouts online aren’t really helpful, because you don’t have that particular person to show you proper form. As little as a couple of years ago, I finally got proper form on all of my workouts. The little bit of training I was doing before gave me some development, some details, a little muscle, but me learning the proper form and how to really contract and isolate things through the mind-muscle connection has made so much of a difference. My form and proper training makes all the difference—form is actually that important, and so is learning your body and learning what your body can do because we’re all unique. How my muscles are shaped, how I am genetically, I have to train for my body specifically.

I rotate my training, so one week I’ll hit back twice, then shoulders and arms once, then the next week I may get shoulders twice, and back and arms once. I definitely break it up so that I’m training those Monday, Wednesday, and Friday so that whatever I’m tearing down will have time to recover.

You talked about always trying to beat yourself from your last show. How did you improve from the Olympia to the Arnold, and what will we see from you onstage at the O this year?

From the Olympia to the Arnold, my coach really wanted to focus on being a little more broad and bringing out more fullness in my shoulders. I know he knows specifically what he was looking for, so he programmed certain workouts to be more detailed this time around. He’s really hands-on and really particular about how he wants things done, but I know he wanted more symmetry too. Every show we’re going to be more symmetrical, and just get better and better. He also wants more thickness in my mid-back and more fullness in my shoulders.

What’s next for you in terms of life and competing? Sponsors? Travel?

I have a lot of appearances. I’m going to be at a few places speaking, really just putting myself out there. A lot of people want to know Latorya, they want to know my personality, and more about me. They want to know more than the title I have. I’m really open to putting myself out there more for my fans and my supporters. I want to give them tips, help them pose, show them what I do during off-season and in-season. I have some photo shoots to prepare for, and I am keeping my options open in terms of major sponsorships. I already have a lot of sponsors locally here, but as far as supplements and major sponsorships, I’m keeping my options open. I know in time it’ll all work out because it always has.

In addition to your incredible physique, one thing everyone notices about you is your stage presence and confidence. What do you think about when you’re onstage and right before? You always look so comfortable up there and you always have; what’s going on in your head on show day?

It’s my alter ego. She comes out and plays every time before pre-judging! I just focus. I take time for myself right before shows; people I’m travelling with need to leave my room and let me be in a certain place so I can just put it on. I’m quiet, I meditate, I focus and just go into deep thought. I just say, “Hey, you can’t mess this up. You’ve been prepping for months and months for those two minutes onstage. Make it the best two minutes of your life. Give it your all and everything you have.” There are nerves and butterflies, but if you just sit down and know that you’ve worked hard and worked for months to present that body, then just show it! Just go out there and kill it. Even if you don’t have the best body, go out there and present it as if it is the best, then people will see it and see your confidence. I don’t even think about my presentation anymore; I just go out there and do it. Of course I practice nonstop in my heels, my suit, everything. I wear them every day while I’m brushing my teeth or hitting some poses in the laundry room; so I’m comfortable in my heels and my body. I’m just comfortable with me.

I’m beyond blessed, I just always believed that I could do this. The times when I didn’t, I had people to do it for me, and you have to have that. I’m so grateful to the people who have always seen greatness in me, and always believed that I could do it. I’m happy I’m able to do this for myself, but also for other people. It’s way bigger than I ever thought it would be when I first stepped onstage. To think of the people I’ve touched and the people I’ve inspired to go above and beyond what they imaged they could do is way bigger than any trophy.

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To see more pictures of Latorya, check out our 2016 Arnold Classic Figure gallery here!