Monica Brant was born on October 26, 1970, in Ft. Hood, Texas. Since her first appearance as a cover girl for Muscle & Fitness Magazine in November 1994 Monica has gained momentum and remains at the top of the female fitness world, evident by her unprecedented national and international magazine exposure – over 100 covers and almost as many articles/interviews to this date with fans worldwide.
Taking a step back in time, Monica was raised accustomed to hard work. Growing up on a 20-acre (81.000 m2) ranch, in a small town outside of San Antonio called Castroville, where her mom was a professional horse trainer for 15 years. Monica started learning how to help her around the stables, riding and showing ponies and horses since the age of 5. By the time she was 14, she was giving riding lessons and training horses on her own with occasional advice from her mom. To this day, as a loved hobby, Monica still enjoys riding; (Equitation & Jumpers being her favorite); however, currently owns a Quarter Horse gelding named ‘Storm’.
Throughout Jr High and High School, Monica was also a zealous athlete; as a sprinter, hurdler, long/triple jumper during track season and was on the volleyball team every year as well. To this day, one of her favorite and proudest moments in athletics happened during her sophomore year when she was a member of the Texas State Mile Relay Winning team, running her leg of a quarter mile with a time of 57.4 seconds!
After Monica graduated, her love of horses took her to a fine arts college in Fulton, Missouri, where she studied basics and equestrian science for her first year. Unable to return for further studies in Missouri, Brant took classes at San Antonio College in Texas, and gave riding lessons at nearby stables. Monica started her first steps towards the fitness stage by competing in local and statewide bikini contests and working part time as a San Antonio Corona & Budweiser girl.
During the four years entering contests winning a brand new Ford Mustang (car) was her top prize...not only providing a good amount of income from the winnings but also building her confidence for stage.
In 1991, with the help of a personal trainer, Monica started a weightlifting program and viewed the fitness publications for the first time where she noticed a photo of Marla Duncan winning a fitness competition. Marla’s beauty and physique inspired her to try the fitness competitions as well. Just a few months later, Monica competed and won her first show in Arizona!
Still based in TX and competing locally as an amateur for a few years. In 1994 she was honored with a Muscle & Fitness cover. This helped Monica realize that she had potential to earn some actual money in the fitness industry. Monica decided to make the move in 1995 to Los Angeles where, to her surprise, she was able to turn her ‘fitness hobby’ into a legitimate career. After her profitable move and earning her first pro win at the 1995 Jan Tana Pro Fitness Classic she was invited to compete in the first ever prestigious IFBB Fitness Olympia competition also in 1995.
Monica continued to compete in 1-3 Fitness competitions a year through 1999 with several invites to the IFBB Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Fitness International and IFBB Fitness Olympia including a Championship win at the 1998 Fitness Olympia that was held in Nice, France!
The ‘Olympia’ has been considered for years as the pinnacle of Professional bodybuilding, remembering Arnold Schwarzenegger made his mark in the history of bodybuilding by winning the Men’s IFBB Bodybuilding Olympia title.
Post IFBB Fitness Olympia 1999, she decided to retire from the Fitness stage; however, she continually booked magazine shoots for covers/features as well as made guest appearances worldwide (Germany, Italy, Austria, France, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, St Martin, Bahamas, Jamaica) promoting fitness, wellness and a healthy lifestyle.
After 3.5 years hiatus from professional fitness competitions; Monica was invited to compete in the first Professional FIGURE International (2003) at the prestigious IFBB Arnold Sports Festival and went on to compete as the first athlete to ever compete in more than one division of the Olympia competition (Fitness & Figure). She ended up with a 2nd place.
Unlike Figure’s sister division, Fitness, the Figure category has no dance/strength/fitness routine involved but is comprised of a physique round. The competitors are judged by a panel of experienced judges on their symmetry, full muscle bellies, conditioning of their “physique package’ and stage presence including their grace/poise.
From 2003 to 2006 she competed 2-4 times a year. During those years she competed in 11 contests, and came on 2nd place 7 times and 3rd place 4 times. After placing 3rd at the 2006 Figure Olympia, Monica decided to take a break from other competitions and focus on the 2007 Olympia. Monica got 7th place in the 2007 Figure Olympia competition, despite the fact that she came in as lean as ever. In 2008 she took a new break, before she competed in Figure international in 2009, ending up with a 6th place.
In 2010 (after 16 years of competing in the IFBB Pro Divisions) Monica decided to expand her network and was invited to the WBFF Professional Figure division where she won the 2010 WBFF Pro Figure Championships in Toronto, Canada.
Beyond the stage, Monica works at balancing her “normal” daily schedule of training, traveling for appearances, networking with fans online, personal training/nutritional consulting with her ongoing fitness modeling.
Out of all the years of exposure in the publications, one of her most proud accomplishments was in June 2003 were Monica was honored with the solo spot on ‘Muscle & Fitness’ Magazine; one of very few women to have this opportunity in the history of M&F Magazine!
More recently (Dec 2010-Jan 2011) Monica was featured on the cover of (5) international publications in which all included interviews as well.
Karen Hawley, Former Senior Art Director (1998-2003) – Muscle & Fitness Her’s says, “Monica’s accomplishments speak for themselves, she simply shines – truly a fitness icon for the millennium!”
Monica’s love of helping others achieve their own personal goals is the driving factor in her motivation for her lifestyle. Publishing her first book in 2006 titled, "Monica Brant’s Secrets to Staying Fit & Loving Life!” and hosting the F.E.M. (Fun! Educational! Motivational!) Camps™ for women interested in fitness, competing, modeling and nutrition are just a few ways Monica works to give back to the fitness community. Historically, the F.E.M. Camps™ are held throughout the USA, Canada, Australia and Iceland.
At the present time, Monica has relocated to beautiful Austin, TX where she is a member of the Mayor’s Fitness Council and networks with various Austin trainers to extend her fitness assocations as well to broaden her fitness skills. Monica is featured monthly with local fitness publication, Austin Fit Magazine and is a Licensed & Certified Master Personal Trainer/Nutritionist and an endorsed athlete for BNRG (Proto Whey/Power Crunch Bars) since 2009. In 2011 Monica joined forces with a board of professionals to spread the word about a new foundation, All About EWE, INC. that will give support to women looking to gain an education within the the fitness community.
Visitors since August 19, 2013.
