Latest exclusive news from Fitness Atlantic

Published: Sun, 03/01/15

Hope you are doing great.

This morning I was able to sit and pick the song list for the Fitness Atlantic show finals. Each year I update the song list and go minute by minute and match each to the script of the show.

Thinking back to when I started producing shows things have changed so much. Years ago I would dream of stage and lights similar to the big concerts I would attend and think why can’t this be the way for us?

I used to say my show posters looked like Chinese food menus and my first computer I bought mainly was to start a mailing list of labels so I could send out flyers. I then a few years later started using dial up for Internet but didn’t create my website until 2001. Now everything is online.

(Check these posters out below for a good laugh)

You want to know the hardest part of getting the show to the level it is today?

The perception of our event has held me back for years.

People never understood bodybuilding and they think it’s very messy – especially the tanning and oil. It’s smelly too with the hot stuff spray people use to make their veins pop out – that smell can linger for weeks.

I would talk to venues and refer to my show as a “fitness model pageant” to help find rental space. Then I would hope they didn’t take a look at my website and think about it a different way.

This is why I need to ask you as contestants to be on your best behavior and to dress in nice clothes instead of sweats and flip-flops. We need to get past a perception that holds us back and allows us all to move into the most incredible venues with top-notch production companies.

It is important you use the official spray tanning company and allow us to keep that to a restricted area and out of public restrooms and hotel rooms. Contestants do not have to look like "barbecue chicken" as Paul Dillett calls a overly tanned person.

We are now at one of the best destinations in the world at Mohegan Sun and we need to present the event and ourselves in the best possible light as we can.

While most fitness events are still held in high school auditoriums getting to the current level of venue and production took years and years of determination.

Look how far we have come now.

If this is your first event you are entering congratulations because it wasn’t always this way!

Let’s make this the best year ever and I look forward to see you soon.

So send in your entry and email your friends the ticket link and let’s have some fun.

Thank you so much,

Brian Cannone
FitnessAtlantic.com