Former IFBB professional figure competitor and model, Monica Brant was born October 26, 1970 Ft. Hood, Texas.

Monica started lifting weights in 1991 and became inspired by another fitness legend, Marla Duncan.

She began competing, but really didn't get into serious fitness competition until 1995.

The thing that may have really got Monica thinking about her place in the fitness world, was that in 1994, the fitness magazine Muscle and Fitness honored her with a cover shot.

Monica went on to win and place in almost every major women's fitness competion for several years.

She retired from competition in 1998, but returned in 2003 after finding out that figure competition would be part of the sport of bodybuilding.

Monica never achieved the success she had in her earlier years, but I have no idea why. To me she looks as lean, cut and muscular as she ever did.

Monica was one of the first fitness competitors that made the sleek, muscled look so popular. Of course there had been others before her like the woman that inspired her Marla Duncan and Rachel McLish comes to mind also.

Monica won the 1991 Fitness USA Preliminary, the 1994 Fitness USA Preliminary, the 1995 IFBB Jan Tana Pro Fitness and the 1998 IFBB Fitness Olympia.

She placed second in the 1996 Fitness International, the 1996 IFBB Jan Tana Pro Fitness, the 2003 Figure International, the 2003 Figure Olympia, the 2003 Show of Strength Pro Championship, the 2004 Figure International, the 2005 Figure International, the 2005 San Francisco Pro Championships and the 2006 Figure International.

And Monica placed in the top ten of several more, showing just how competitive the shows really are.

After over ten years in a business that usually eats people up in just a few years, Monica deserves the title "Fitness Legend".

Monica Brant's website: http://www.monicabrant.com/