ATHLETES OF THE MONTH
Chris Dennis & Lauren Simpson
For the month of June, the Edmonton Muse is so grateful to be interviewing not one, but two athlete’s for this month. When it comes to fitness, many of us won’t voice it but sometimes we dream of being able to workout alongside our significant other and to live the healthy and fit lifestyle as a unit. These two are living the dream. Not only do they get the chance to live identical lifestyles but to also be able to compete on stage and work towards the same goals together. Meet Chris Dennis and Lauren Simpson. I had the amazing opportunity to train under the same coach as them during my competition last year and these two are such a huge inspiration for couples everywhere.
W: Hello you two, thank you you so much for taking the time to be a part of The Edmonton Muse. So tell us a little bit about yourselves and what got you started with bodybuilding competitions?
C: My name is Chris Dennis, I am a 32-year old corrections officer. Fitness has always been part of my life, so stepping on stage was just another challenge I wanted to conquer. With the guidance of my older brother, I stepped on my first stage in 2014 and fell in love.
L: My name is Lauren Simpson I am a 26-year old outside sales rep for a disposal company. Although, like Chris, fitness has always been part of my life and stepping onto a bodybuilding stage was never in my sights. I had gone travelling and enjoyed one too many pastries. When I got back I hired a personal trainer to whip me back into shape and he was the one who suggested competing. Stepping on the stage once was all it took, I was hooked.
W: Do you both train together or do you train on separate schedules?
L: While we are in prep there is hardly a day that goes by that we aren’t at the gym together, whether that means I wait for Chris to get off of work at 11pm or we find time during the day to squeeze in our training. I can say with full confidence that I have the most supportive cardio cheerleader though. Chris can look at a treadmill and seem to lose weight, while during prep it feels like that’s the only thing I’m doing, so it’s always nice to look over and see him in the gym with me.