Lemoore's Frances Perkins wins national bodybuilding title in Las Vegas competition

The former cheerleader and 1991 Lemoore grad, placed first in Women’s Physique, Class A, earning her IFBB (International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness) Pro card. The IFBB is the sport of bodybuilding’s governing body. Because her first-place finish earned her a pro card, this means she will be forever classified as a professional.

Perkins, at 41, was the oldest competitor in her category, which is separated by height, not age. She managed to beat out a bunch of 20 and 30-year olds in the process. She has no sponsors, works full time and takes care of two kids.

What would cause a 41-year-old mother of two to do this? “I get asked that all the time and I don’t have a specific reason. My original intent was just to get in shape and feel better and keep up with my kids. I didn’t have the energy to keep up with them. I was just tired all the time. One day I woke up and made a lifestyle change,” Perkins said.

Perkins currently works out five days a week, about an hour and a half a day. She divides her workout schedule between Lemoore’s In-Shape and Hanford’s VG Fitness.

“I learned my body responded very well to building muscles. I have some people in my gym that were into body building and competing and I thought I’d give it a try. It was addicting. Once I did it I wanted to do it again and again.”

The personable Perkins admitted she was surprised when she learned she had won the competition. “I was the oldest one on stage and the ages range from 22 to about 34,” she said. “And I’m 41, it’s a pretty big gap. They put the top five on stage and then they announce the finishers backwards. They give awards to fifth pace, then fourth, third. I really thought that I got second or third. I knew I did well. Everybody looked great. As they were calling out the numbers for the placement, I realized it was just me and this other girl left, and when they called out my number I was shocked and surprised, and of course pleased.”

Perkins has a daughter 14, and nine-year-old son and they are happy with mom’s success. “They love it. The only thing they complain about is that when I’m dieting and preparing for competition we don’t go out to eat at all. That’s their only complaint.”

The Las Vegas competition is one of the biggest in the world and has been among the elite competitions in national bodybuilding. It is held in Las Vegas every year. Perkins qualified for Las Vegas by taking the top spot in the 2014 NPC Grand Prix Body Building Championship in Culver City in April, which is a long-established amateur competition.

In June 2013, Perkins also won the NPC Greater Gulf States Bodybuilding Championship in New Orleans.

Perkins has been the general manager at Best Western since 2003. As general manager she and Best Western have supported many local charities and causes, including the Kings Fair, Every 15 Minutes program at LHS, the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce, the Lemoore High School Foundation, Pizza Festival and much more.

Perkins said this may be her swan song as a competitor. “I’m not going to compete at the professional level. I’m interested in coaching and training others to help them,” she said.